Novapolis Slums (2)
The girl whose eyes met mine, Lien, froze in place. It was the moment she spotted me while leaning against the rooftop railing.
“......”
“......”
A brief silence hung between us. Lien glanced around as if avoiding my gaze, then hurriedly kicked the scattered weapons nearby into a pile with her foot.
...As if that would make them invisible.
“That’s... training.”
“Training?”
As I took a step closer, Lien’s shoulders twitched faintly. Her face said she hadn’t expected the guy from yesterday to show up again.
“Um, about getting lost—”
“It was a lie.”
She bit her lip as I stated it flatly.
“This isn’t a place to wander into out of curiosity. Especially alone, at night.”
Lien swallowed hard, her tension obvious.
“Why are you here?”
“Well... um, to... rack up some merits.”
“Merits?”
She fidgeted with her fingers, clasping her hands together as she spoke. “My family... is holding a duel soon to decide the successor.”
My eyes narrowed at her words.
“Tell me more.”
She hesitated for a moment, then sighed and opened her mouth. “...My real name is Lien Crossfield.”
At that instant, pieces clicked together in my mind. Crossfield. The family led by Aiden Crossfield, the current S-rank hero overseeing Novapolis C City.
I had my suspicions, but it really was them. That’s why she had a sword.
Aiden Crossfield was a hero, but also an exceptional martial artist. His Crossfield family boasted centuries of history as a true martial house. They’d produced outstanding warriors since ancient times, and even in this modern era of advanced tech, they continued to churn out top superhumans. They spread across the world as soldiers, heroes, and more.
I’d thought she wasn’t just any ordinary girl, but I hadn’t expected her to come from such a prestigious lineage.
I looked at her in surprise, and she gave a wry smile. “There are several siblings in the family. I’m the youngest. They’re all older than me and way more skilled. They’ve got tons of field experience too...”
Her voice trailed off.
“Compared to them, I’m too weak. I’ve trained and sparred a lot, but I know it’s not enough.”
Lien clenched her fists tight.
“My father only cares about results. He says a successor without merits or achievements is useless.”
So that’s why she came to the slums.
“That’s why you sneak out here every night...”
“To build merits?”
“...Yes.”
Lien bowed her head.
“To enter the duel, you need qualifications. The bare minimum: being able to handle crises alone, make judgments, and act on them.”
“If you want merits, just become a hero and do hero work. Why risk it in the slums like this?”
“I’m still an academy student...”
“...Hmm.”
I stayed silent for a while. Night wind swept across the rooftop. A faint siren wailed in the distance.
“Who told you to rack up merits here?”
“It was my idea.”
“No one tried to stop you?”
“...In the family, I’m invisible.”
Ah.
That’s why she was alone. I stepped up beside her and leaned on the railing. She flinched at my sudden approach but soon settled.
“Lien.”
“Yes.”
“How exactly are you planning to rack up these merits? Catch a bunch of these small-time crooks and hand them to the cops?”
I nudged the body of the fallen man on the ground with my foot.
“......”
“I don’t know your father’s values, but this doesn’t even qualify as ‘merits.’”
Lien said nothing.
“And if you want merits that bad, just hunt villains in the city. Even academy students can do villain takedowns.”
“There aren’t many villains in C City... And the ones that do show up get snatched by other heroes in seconds... Regular criminals are too low-level.”
“So you need something bigger?”
Lien nodded.
She continued, “From what I’ve heard, there’s a crime organization ruling this slum. Taking them down would definitely count as solid merits...”
“Crime organization?”
I’d once seen a group of well-armed guys passing suspicious bags around. Were they the ones she meant? I’d held off intervening since it seemed sketchy, but a crime organization, huh.
If she’s targeting them, would that help her goal?
I pondered briefly, then decided.
Impossible.
I’d been living in these slums for over two weeks now. If I hadn’t even heard of them, there were two possibilities: 1. They weren’t that big a deal, or 2. They operated too discreetly.
Taking down an organization meant capturing its boss. If it was the first case, the boss wouldn’t be worth much. If the second, finding the boss would be impossible to begin with.
And most importantly, this girl was nowhere near ready to take on a crime organization.
“There might be something like that.”
Her face brightened with conviction at my words, more than before. Had she not even confirmed if it really existed? She’d charged in without knowing for sure?
Definitely not your average girl—fitting for the Crossfield name.
“Th-then, could you maybe help me take them down? I’ll pay you well!”
“......”
“Ah! N-not catch the boss or anything! Just help me find him—”
“...I’ll think about it.”
A bright smile lit up Lien’s face at my response. As if she’d already gotten her answer, she pulled out her phone from her pocket and handed it to me.
“Then, could I get your number? I’ll contact you once I’m ready.”
“Don’t have a phone.”
“Huh?”
Security personnel devices were locked in a hold only authorized people could access after boarding. My original phone was probably at the bottom of the ocean somewhere far away.
“Just set a time. Like, meet in a few days.”
“Ugh...”
Lien rubbed her chin, thinking, then spoke up. “Okay... then three days from now, same time here! Bye!”
She waved, hopped over the railing, and leaped down from the rooftop, vanishing. Her footsteps faded quickly.
“......”
What kind of girl is she?
On the way back, I deliberately slowed my steps. My conversation with Lien kept replaying in my head.
Crossfield family...
Not someone to get lightly involved with. But I already was, whether I liked it or not.
Plus, the reward she promised. It might be my ticket into the city.
Skipping security checks and heading straight in would be great for me too. The city was full of info.
I’ll keep it in mind for now. But what kind of family demands merits from a student? Weird bunch.
I headed to my hideout. It was on the top floor of a rundown apartment on the slums’ outskirts, near the city border. Crumbling stairs and locked doors made it inaccessible to normals.
I entered the room, changed clothes, and threw on a coat. Tonight, I needed information.
Thud, thud.
I made my way to a certain place.
Slum bars always smelled the same. Cheap booze, sweat, blood, and more.
I pushed open the door of a familiar joint.
—Creak.
The inside was noisy. People laughed and shouted, but some eyes held wariness. Natural in a slum bar—gunfire could erupt anytime.
Of course, not this one.
I headed straight there. The bartender, who’d replaced one leg with a prosthetic, was wiping a glass. Short beard, graying hair, sharp eyes—a middle-aged man.
His name was Raven. Owner of this bar.
“You’re here. Red-Eyed Beast.”
“Who the hell came up with that nickname?”
“How should I know?”
He set the glass down behind the bar and met my gaze.
“Business good lately?”
“Like there’s ever a good day in this neighborhood.”
I sat on a stool and rested my hand on the bar.
“Just one question.”
“Nothing’s free.”
I rolled a few coins across the bar. Raven’s eyes flicked to them.
“...Shoot.”
“Any crime organizations in these slums?”
Raven’s hand paused. Just for a split second. But the reaction was too strong to miss.
“Why ask?”
“Just curious.”
The bartender scanned the room, then stepped out from behind the bar and announced loudly, “Closing time, folks. Head out.”
The sudden eviction sparked protests.
“What? What’s that mean? I barely drank!”
“Yeah! What’s up, boss?”
“I’m the owner. I say go, you go.”
“Tch, damn it...”
The regulars grumbled but shuffled out the door.
Then.
“Hah, unbelievable.”
A burly guy in the corner stood, sauntering over to Raven with a swagger. “Hey, boss. Running a dive like this doesn’t mean you can—”
In that instant.
—Whoosh.
A sharp aura burst from Raven. My Super Senses made it feel even more vivid.
“A-alright, got it...”
Intimidated, the guy bolted out. The stragglers hurried after.
Definitely not a normal guy.
I’d thought he was just a one-legged old bartender at first. Mistake. His eyes and aura were anything but ordinary. Not a superhuman, but no civilian either. Way above bar-tending level.
—Click.
Raven locked the door once everyone left and returned behind the bar, standing before me.
“Did you have to chase everyone out? Could’ve just whispered.”
“In case any were snitches. Doesn’t seem like it, though.”
Snitches?
Before I could dwell, Raven spoke. “...Grave Neon.”
First I’d heard of it.
“Organization that popped up in the slums a few months ago. They control the deep end.”
“That’s weird.”
I tilted my head. “I’ve been here two weeks and never heard the name.”
“Possible.”
Raven’s tone was flat. “Our area’s a buffer zone. Close to the city. Grave Neon only comes this far once a week for deals.”
“Deals?”
“Yeah. No idea what, but they hit the border regularly.”
Probably the armed guys I saw recently—Grave Neon members on a deal.
“Where’s their real turf start?”
“Three blocks past this alley. That’s their zone. They’re scattered otherwise.”
I nodded.
That’s why I missed them.
“Size of the group?”
“Not huge numbers, but each one’s beyond street thugs. Proper weapons too.”
Raven paused, then lowered his voice. “...And the boss is a villain.”
“Superhuman?”
“Yeah. For sure.”
My heart skipped at that. A superhuman. First since that cyborg boss on the ship.
“What’s his power?”
“Not sure exactly. But survivors say...”
Raven’s eyes narrowed. “He controls light. Flashing like neon. Hit by it, and your bones melt.”
I drew a sharp breath. My body trembled.
“First guy I’ve warned who gets excited.”
“Excited? Misunderstanding.”
“Hmph.”
He stared straight at me. “If you’re heading there, steel yourself. They’re the real deal.”
“Already am. Thanks.”
I stood.
“Oh, and make me a burner phone by three days from now.”
“Cash upfront.”
“Tab okay?”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
The deal wrapped up shortly after.
—Thud.
—Thud.
Outside, the night air chilled my skin.
Grave Neon.
An organization with a light-manipulating villain boss. Superhumans besides him, holed up deep in the slums.
Perfect opponents to get stronger against. And for Lien too.
She couldn’t touch them alone.
I didn’t know the exact merits required for the successor duel, but toppling a group this size would impress anyone.
Lien’s face came to mind.
“......”
That look hidden under her bright expression. Desperate eyes saying this was her last shot.
Reminds me of the old days.
I could’ve ignored her, but I decided to play along a bit. I needed to get stronger anyway, and the family duel piqued my interest.
Sure, blood would spill in the process, but I didn’t care. That was for Lien to handle.
Walking the streets, I sorted my thoughts.
Grave Neon. Heart of the slums. Boss presumed to have energy manipulation powers.
Next target: there.