The Ear Collector
"Haa!"
Mandy let out a heavy sigh.
She was all too familiar with that kind of gaze and what it meant.
As a half-elf, Mandy possessed striking beauty.
Naturally, countless men had lusted after her and approached.
Just like the man standing before her now.
The man in heavy plate armor was a Holy Knight.
Not a true awakened Holy Knight, but one bearing the title from Dongdaemun.
Yohan had gathered the most fanatically loyal awakeners in Dongdaemun and formed a unit.
They were the Holy Knight Order, guardians of the cult.
The heavy armor the man wore was their symbol.
His name was Patrick.
He was a member of the Holy Knight Order, a devoted follower of Yohan.
From the moment Patrick laid eyes on Mandy, his heart had raced.
He was drawn to her unique beauty, rare even in Dongdaemun.
"You need to come with me for questioning."
"Where to?"
"There's a Holy Knight Order office nearby. We'll conduct the investigation there."
"I'll pass."
Mandy's response was firm.
Patrick's face twisted in anger.
"You dare defy the cult?"
"I don't trust your cult. I'm not from Dongdaemun either. No reason to follow your orders."
"In Dongdaemun, the cult is the law. Once you're here, you obey the cult."
"Ridiculous. Even if the cult rules Dongdaemun, you can't force people from other districts."
"Shut your mouth, wench!"
Outmaneuvered logically, Patrick bellowed.
Mandy's expression grew even colder.
"You shut your mouth."
"This bitch..."
Mandy pulled out her ID from her pocket.
"My name is Mandy Sistine. Super Supervisor for Neo Seoul. City Hall affiliate."
"..."
Patrick's lips clamped shut at the unexpected revelation.
His eyes twitched.
Fuck!
If she was truly a City Hall Super Supervisor, he couldn't treat her lightly.
He stared intently at the ID.
It was genuine, issued by City Hall.
The special magical treatment made counterfeits impossible.
Mandy pressed her advantage.
"Why am I suspicious?"
"What brings a City Hall Super Supervisor here?"
"Answer my question first."
"Must've been a mistake."
"Then I don't need to visit your office?"
"Your suspicion isn't fully cleared. Have your companions identify themselves too."
Patrick glared at Zeon and Briel.
He was clinging desperately.
Zeon sighed.
"Name's Zeon."
"Zeon? From Shinchon?"
"Yeah. From Shinchon."
No point hiding it, so Zeon stated it boldly.
Patrick's reaction was dramatic.
"Zeon of Shinchon! Here to target Dongdaemun?"
He drew the sword at his waist, shouting.
Dongdaemun had been watching Zeon's movements closely.
No hostile actions, but as Shinchon's shadow ruler, he was deemed a threat.
The Holy Knights naturally viewed him with suspicion.
Zeon sighed again.
"Hah! Do I look like I'm here to target Dongdaemun? Just ended up here while walking."
"You expect me to believe that?"
"Super Supervisor Mandy here can vouch for me."
Zeon pointed to Mandy beside him.
"We were talking, and we wandered here. Nothing for you Holy Knights to worry about."
"Hah! Fuck."
Patrick cursed involuntarily.
Mandy's eyes narrowed.
"What was that?"
"Just mumbling to myself."
"Holy Knight, my ass. No different from a back-alley thug."
"What did you say?"
"Just mumbling to myself."
"You dare!"
Patrick's rage exploded.
He lost control and swung his sword at Mandy.
Catching her off guard, Mandy's eyes widened.
As Eloi's personality surged, Zeon stepped in front, blocking her.
Clang!
He parried Patrick's sword with the Superheat Gauntlet.
"Urk!"
The rebound sent Patrick's sword flying back.
He stumbled, losing balance, heavy armor thudding loudly, drawing eyes.
"What's going on?"
"Huh? Holy Knights fighting."
Murmurs spread, more Holy Knights rushing over.
"What happened?"
"Daring to assault a Holy Knight in Dongdaemun."
Without hearing the full story, they raged at Patrick's staggering form.
"Wait a minute."
Mandy stepped forward to explain, but the Holy Knights weren't interested.
"Shut it, wench!"
"Subdue them!"
Shing!
Their swords slashed at Mandy, Zeon, and the rest.
Milky white energy coated the Holy Knights' blades.
"You fanatic fuckers! Cut the shit!"
Eloi's personality emerged.
A spear was already in her hand.
A weapon of immense power that auto-summoned to its owner.
Its nine-pronged blade evoked a nine-tailed fox.
Hence its name: Mad Kumiho.
No one could stop Eloi wielding the Mad Kumiho.
Already furious, she swung it at the Holy Knights.
Boom!
"Gah!"
"You crazy bitch..."
The Mad Kumiho's terrifying power drew screams from the Holy Knights.
True to its master, Eloi rampaged wildly.
Each swing swept Holy Knights away.
The commotion grew, more Holy Knights arriving.
Briel muttered at the sight.
"We're fucked."
"Briel!"
"It's true! That crazy half-elf pulled all the aggro. Every Holy Knight in Dongdaemun will swarm us. Forget finding the scavengers' den—we might start a war with Dongdaemun."
"Not necessarily."
"Huh?"
"With Eloi drawing all the attention, we're free to move."
Briel grinned at Zeon's words.
"Oh! Right."
"She's a City Hall Super Supervisor. Even Dongdaemun can't kill her lightly."
Killing Eloi would give City Hall cause to intervene.
Even Yohan couldn't ignore that risk.
They might wound her, but not kill.
Subduing the rampaging Eloi would take many Holy Knights and time.
Meanwhile, Zeon and Briel could scour Dongdaemun for info.
Leaving the rampaging Eloi behind, Zeon and Briel slipped away quietly.
All eyes were on Eloi; no one noticed them.
Thus, they easily distanced themselves from the chaos.
"Who knew a crazy half-elf had her uses? Hehe!"
Briel laughed gleefully.
Zeon asked her,
"Same elf kin—aren't you worried?"
"Doesn't look like she needs pity."
"True..."
"Pitying or helping an elf warrior is an insult. Even half, she's a proud warrior. Helping would be rude."
"I see."
Zeon nodded, grasping elf mentality a bit more.
The two elves bickered verbally but respected each other deep down.
Zeon thought them dishonest and kept walking.
Thanks to Eloi's perfect aggro, the streets were deserted.
Holy Knights and people alike flocked to the fight.
Zeon and Briel freely explored Dongdaemun's corners without eyes on them.
"Huh?"
Briel suddenly gasped.
"What?"
"Look here."
She pointed to a nearby alley.
"Why?"
"Doesn't this seem off?"
"What?"
Instead of answering, Briel walked into the alley.
Zeon followed quietly.
At the dead end, Briel murmured,
"Hidden truths, reveal thyself."
Light emanated from her palms, altering the alley's scenery.
The wall vanished, revealing a small door.
"Perception obstruction magic?"
"Yep! So refined even sensitive elves couldn't detect it. But it can't fool this High Elf body. Ahem!"
Briel looked up at Zeon expectantly.
Zeon chuckled, patting her conical hat.
"Good job."
"Heehee!"
"High-level perception magic in Dongdaemun, though."
"Suspicious, right?"
"Very."
"Shall we go in?"
"Let's."
"Yeah!"
Briel grabbed the doorknob.
Locked from inside, naturally. But Briel handled it easily.
"Unlock!"
She released the lock with magic.
Alchemy was her main, but basic spells were trivial.
Click!
They entered.
Inside was pitch black.
A tunnel stretched underground, no light penetrating.
Briel led fearlessly.
Not without prep.
"Cover-up Detection."
Her spell revealed hidden traps.
The exposed traps posed no threat.
Zeon and Briel passed them easily.
After several traps—
Whoosh!
Something shot from the dark at terrifying speed, enveloping them.
"Eek! What?!"
Briel yelped.
A thin membrane-like net already covered them.
Briel tried to escape, but it tightened.
"Ugh!"
Immense pressure paled her face.
Zeon said,
"Like the scavengers' net. Tightens more if you struggle."
"Damn it! What kinda shit is this..."
Then, someone emerged from the dark.
"Who the hell are you? How'd you get in?"
A man with a special alloy bow and arrows on his back, machete at waist.
Short staff in hand sparked high-voltage electricity.
Zeon frowned.
Up close, a stench of blood assaulted him.
Not from one or two kills.
"Just murdered someone, huh."
"Sharp one. Wanna join my collection? Cute ears."
He flashed his waist. Ears dangled from his belt.
"They call me the Ear Collector. Heh!"
The man grinned, yellow teeth bared.