Operation: Black Hole
Back on Earth, during high school science class, we learned about multicellular organisms.
Creatures that built complex, systematic biological systems.
I was a humanities student.
I didn't understand a word of it.
I just memorized it.
But the word "high school" stuck in my mind.
It was the opposite of "low" or "inferior."
Anything better, right?
So, if anything could adapt better, reproduce better, and survive better, wouldn't that make them a high-level creature?
From that standpoint, a virus is a creature of absolute certainty.
It thrives in environments that shouldn't exist.
It lives in Antarctica, the Arctic, and even deep-sea hydrothermal vents.
At ocean-floor hot springs where temperatures skyrocket past 100 degrees Celsius, heat-resistant viruses thrive.
I even heard that some have developed resistance to cosmic radiation.
So, how do you judge whether something is a high-level creature?
Let me be clear again.
I was a humanities student.
But if you're challenging my logic, you're right.
I just use my humanities imagination to solve cases.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #fbbf24padding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.6),inset 0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.1)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a0f00 0%,#000 50%,#1a0f00 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20px">
"Doctor, if we cultured VO-5,241 under conditions other than the source and spread it through water, what would happen?"
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #00219bpadding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 20px #00219b,inset 0 0 20px rgba(0,33,155,0.2)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#000 0%,#0a0a1a 50%,#000 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20pxposition:relative">"……!!!"
Miko doctor's eyes widened, and she began muttering to herself like she was possessed.
Um... I have no idea what she's saying.
The only thing I caught was this.
"Inspector, genius, right?"
"Something's here. How did we miss this?"
"I'll be back tomorrow, yeo-yo."
Those three sentences were all I heard.
Miko doctor hurried out of the office.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #fbbf24padding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.6),inset 0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.1)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a0f00 0%,#000 50%,#1a0f00 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20px">"What a scatterbrained woman."
Piaje the secretary muttered, staring at the door she had just closed.
Miko doctor would figure out VO-5,241.
Now, what I had to do was simple.
First, expose the connection between EcoNova and the Ministry of Environment.
Second, uncover the true identity of the actual owner of EcoNova.
Third, secure the original virus.
But the Environment Minister who had accepted bribes from EcoNova was already dead.
One answer.
I had to tighten EcoNova's throat until it revealed its true face itself.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #00219bpadding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 20px #00219b,inset 0 0 20px rgba(0,33,155,0.2)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#000 0%,#0a0a1a 50%,#000 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20pxposition:relative">"Secretary, freeze every account belonging to EcoNova and issue a search warrant."
Piaje's hands started moving fast.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #00ff88padding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 20px rgba(0,255,136,0.6),inset 0 0 20px rgba(0,255,136,0.1)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#001a0a 0%,#000 50%,#001a0a 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20px">We arrived at Wood Street, lined with ultra-luxury buildings inside Clovan City.
Known for the expensive rents where even ordinary people couldn't afford to rent an office.
The most elegantly built building belonged to EcoNova Industry's headquarters.
Chandeliers illuminated the marble floor while various artworks and expensive sculptures decorated the lobby.
Over-the-top pomp and circumstance.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #fbbf24padding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.6),inset 0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.1)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a0f00 0%,#000 50%,#1a0f00 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20px">"Did you make an appointment?"
A security guard approached with extreme caution.
"Zeo Blood, inspector of the Capital Defense Command.
Here's the search warrant."
I handed over the warrant engraved on the stone.
The guard immediately picked up the phone.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #fbbf24padding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.6),inset 0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.1)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a0f00 0%,#000 50%,#1a0f00 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20px">"Please wait."
But their consent meant nothing.
The warrant gave me total rights to search and seize the premises.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #00219bpadding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 20px #00219b,inset 0 0 20px rgba(0,33,155,0.2)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#000 0%,#0a0a1a 50%,#000 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20pxposition:relative">"Let's go in."
We shoved past the security guard and entered the headquarters.
Although the high-intensity blocking magic had already tied our legs.
Now we had eleven search personnel and three Capital Defense Command knights.
Half the search personnel were even magic agents.
When the green-hatted magic agent muttered something, a thick green barrier spread across the marble walls and bounced away instantly.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #fbbf24padding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.6),inset 0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.1)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a0f00 0%,#000 50%,#1a0f00 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20px">"The blocking magic is in place."
Tatak, tatak...
EcoNova's security personnel started charging at us.
Looking at their appearances, they were mages too.
Red magic circles appeared in front of us and bound our bodies tightly.
The green-hatted magic agent muttered briefly and gathered light at his fingertips.
A magic circle rose with an easy smile.
All the surrounding magic began surging toward his fingertips.
A short, intense moment.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #fbbf24padding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.6),inset 0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.1)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a0f00 0%,#000 50%,#1a0f00 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20px">"Release."
The red magic circle exploded under a powerful wave of green light and shattered into pieces everywhere.
The place where the magic had vanished was left with nothing but cold marble.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #fbbf24padding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.6),inset 0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.1)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a0f00 0%,#000 50%,#1a0f00 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20px">"Come in."
The green-hatted agent turned back, spoke, and waved his hand lightly.
Whoosh...
The building instantly fell silent.
All lights went out.
The magical energy flowing through the building was cut off in an instant.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #00219bpadding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 20px #00219b,inset 0 0 20px rgba(0,33,155,0.2)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#000 0%,#0a0a1a 50%,#000 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20pxposition:relative">"Hey, what are you trying to do by cutting off the entire magical energy?"
"Did you think it would be this high up?"
His voice echoed through the building.
The CEO's office of EcoNova was on the 22nd floor, the top of the building.
Because all the power was cut, the elevator stopped.
We had no choice but to climb the emergency stairs.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #fbbf24padding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.6),inset 0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.1)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a0f00 0%,#000 50%,#1a0f00 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20px">"We're finally here."
I opened the door.
The door screamed with a creepy sound, as if it hadn't been oiled properly.
"Hah... hah... We are conducting a search and seizure.
Hah... Stop all your activities and stand up... hah."
Piaje the secretary, kneeling, was breathing heavily.
"Who are those people?"
"Oh, they came from the Capital Defense Command."
"Search and seizure? So can I go home today?"
The reaction wasn't what I expected.
I had thought they would fiercely resist while hiding data.
Just employees, it seemed.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #00219bpadding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 20px #00219b,inset 0 0 20px rgba(0,33,155,0.2)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#000 0%,#0a0a1a 50%,#000 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20pxposition:relative">"H-Hey, show me the warrant."
A man wobbling over, pushing through the crowd.
He had carefully organized his half-long hair.
He glanced at Piaje the secretary who was panting and muttered.
"H-Hey, waving the warrant like this is no fun.
Who would lock the door after riding the elevator?"
I had guessed that.
Everyone else was the same.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #fbbf24padding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.6),inset 0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.1)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a0f00 0%,#000 50%,#1a0f00 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20px">"When you leave, turn the power back on.
Hey, don't make it hard for the employees when they go home."
I nodded without realizing it.
Piaje the secretary did the same.
The green-hatted magic agent pulled his hat even deeper.
"Hey, what are you doing?
You're not following?
You're not here to search the CEO's office?
Hey, hurry up and finish quickly!"
We followed the wobbling man who was shouting like a duck.
In a different sense, of course.
We headed straight for the CEO's office of EcoNova.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #fbbf24padding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.6),inset 0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.1)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a0f00 0%,#000 50%,#1a0f00 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20px">"Here it is.
Hey, search quietly and write the seizure list properly.
Don't forget to give me one when you leave."
"Yes..."
The wobbling man opened Zylas CEO's office.
The man who introduced himself as the legal team leader disappeared somewhere after opening the door.
Zylas CEO's office.
When I opened the door, a neatly arranged, or rather slightly ostentatious interior greeted me.
Front wall had all kinds of awards.
On the left, photos of famous people were beautifully displayed.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #fbbf24padding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.6),inset 0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.1)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a0f00 0%,#000 50%,#1a0f00 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20px">"No suspicious aura is detected."
The cute purple bear-hatted magic agent scanned the office and confirmed there were no special devices.
After the legal team leader disappeared, he added one word.
"People these days have no ambition."
"The search warrant isn't an automatic door.
All of them open when presented."
"Looking at how cooperative they are, there must be nothing special here."
The magic agent glanced at me and muttered.
A purple magic circle was spinning around his fingertips.
After all, it was just an ordinary office.
A few documents were stored, but nothing unusual.
No secret records at all.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #00ff88padding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 20px rgba(0,255,136,0.6),inset 0 0 20px rgba(0,255,136,0.1)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#001a0a 0%,#000 50%,#001a0a 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20px">"All the drawers are open."
"No secret safe, it seems."
"Do you want to take fingerprints?"
Whatever the case, the agents were carrying out their tasks faithfully.
When I lifted the curtain draped over the office, air-combat mages were watching from outside.
We had specially requested them beforehand.
In case intense combat broke out, we needed support personnel.
I closed the curtain again.
But the data we had been investigating all along pointed to Zylas CEO.
Clearly, somewhere in this space, his illegal traces remained.
Or he had concealed them thoroughly.
For example, creating a fake office.
Then I remembered the portal trace from the scene of the Environment Minister's murder.
"Secretary Piaje, when we talked about the magic trace at that location, it was there, right?"
"Yes, that's correct."
One of the magic agents next to me twitched his ears.
His eyes moved quickly.
I turned my gaze.
At the edge of the wide purple barrier, a suspicious aura was detected.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #a78bfapadding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 20px rgba(167,139,250,0.6)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#0f0a1a 0%,#000 50%,#0f0a1a 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20px">Quest Title: 📍 Location: [Place] 🎁 Reward: [Reward]
"Agent, please investigate over there."
The magic agent who walked toward the place I pointed cast a search spell.
He swept the wall slowly like searching for explosives with a circular shield magic circle drawn at his fingertips.
The color of the purple magic circle changed slightly.
It darkened to deep purple, then began to turn completely black.
And gray small droplets formed on the seemingly ordinary wall.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #fbbf24padding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.6),inset 0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.1)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a0f00 0%,#000 50%,#1a0f00 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20px">"Eh?"
The magic agent touched the droplet with his finger.
"Correct."
"Everyone, step back!"
"Everyone, be on alert."
The small droplet was slowly swirling and growing larger.
The swirling was due to resistance from the barrier's aura.
The vortex that seemed endless stopped.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #00219bpadding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 20px #00219b,inset 0 0 20px rgba(0,33,155,0.2)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#000 0%,#0a0a1a 50%,#000 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20pxposition:relative">"Entering."
I approached the gray spiral that had stopped on the wall.
A dense green light shot straight from the green-hatted agent's fingertips.
BOOM!
The wall collapsed entirely.
"Eh? ... What is that?"
The magic agent's eyes grew cold upon seeing the scene revealed where the wall had collapsed.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #ff3333padding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 30px rgba(255,51,51,0.8),inset 0 0 30px rgba(255,51,51,0.2)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a0000 0%,#000 50%,#1a0000 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20px">-[damage] HP
"Everyone, step back."
Multicolored, gigantic magic circles spread in their hands, far more complex than before.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #a78bfapadding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 20px rgba(167,139,250,0.6)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#0f0a1a 0%,#000 50%,#0f0a1a 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20px">Quest Title: 📍 Location: [Place] 🎁 Reward: [Reward]
When the magic agents broke the barrier, the wall collapsed with a roar.
Through the revealed office wall was a space...
...completely covered in perfect darkness.
Thick, writhing darkness as if something living was there.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #00219bpadding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 20px #00219b,inset 0 0 20px rgba(0,33,155,0.2)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#000 0%,#0a0a1a 50%,#000 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20pxposition:relative">"Ugh."
Sweat dripped from the foreheads of the magic agents who had spread protective magic circles to prevent the dark material from leaking out.
"What is that?"
"Why is there something like this here..."
The dark material flowing between the defense circles writhed like a snake's tongue.
Not just simple darkness.
Dark material that spread like an abyss swallowing space.
They had to find out the secrets hidden behind this darkness and the sinister plan they were desperately trying to protect.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #fbbf24padding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.6),inset 0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.1)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a0f00 0%,#000 50%,#1a0f00 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20px">"I'm going in."
I stepped into the darkness.
Piaje the secretary attached herself to my back.
The three knights surrounded me like bodyguards.
Behind them, the magic agents pressed close.
A feeling of being sucked into somewhere came instantly.
The black, sticky liquid filling the dark space kept changing shape and pushing our bodies somewhere.
When we reached the center of the dark space, the killing intent-filled darkness began to fill the space.
Nothing was visible.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #ff0000padding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 40px rgba(255,0,0,0.9),inset 0 0 40px rgba(255,0,0,0.3)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#330000 0%,#000 50%,#330000 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20pxposition:relative"> "This is just a game."
The knight released aura and dyed the dark space red.
But it was short-lived.
Again, the dark material greedily swallowed the light.
"How...?"
The knight's voice sounded panicked.
At that moment, black tar-like material flowed down and the space itself began to fluctuate.
Ordinary people couldn't stand straight.
Then, something suddenly popped out from the darkness and rushed at us.
div style="text-align:centerborder:4px solid #ff3333padding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 30px rgba(255,51,51,0.8),inset 0 0 30px rgba(255,51,51,0.2)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a0000 0%,#000 50%,#1a0000 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20px">-[damage] HP
SWISH-
I quickly drew my dagger and slashed.
The severed dark chunks fell to the floor.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #fbbf24padding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.6),inset 0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.1)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a0f00 0%,#000 50%,#1a0f00 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20px">SHU SHU SHU...
I couldn't see it, but the sound of the severed dark chunks clumping together.
The sound of returning to their original dark form.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #fbbf24padding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.6),inset 0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.1)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a0f00 0%,#000 50%,#1a0f00 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20px">"Everyone, focus on the sound."
I had to guess the direction by sound.
This place was where space was distorted using dark material.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #fbbf24padding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.6),inset 0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.1)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a0f00 0%,#000 50%,#1a0f00 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20px">"Four o'clock direction!"
The knight's greatsword suddenly shone.
And the sound of something falling to the ground.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #fbbf24padding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.6),inset 0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.1)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a0f00 0%,#000 50%,#1a0f00 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20px">"I can't end it like this."
He said that and poured strength into his body.
Faint light flowed along the silhouette of his body.
Aura.
Following the knight, the magic agents raised their mana.
Multicolored lights shot out from the darkness.
But soon, the dark material devoured those lights.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #ff3333padding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 30px rgba(255,51,51,0.8),inset 0 0 30px rgba(255,51,51,0.2)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a0000 0%,#000 50%,#1a0000 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20px">-[damage] HP
"Damn it."
Dark material came before light.
Artificial light, aura pulled through mana, magic light...
All of them lost light before dark material.
Unless it was overwhelmingly powerful.
At that moment, the dark material at my feet rose like a snake and wrapped around my ankle.
Instantly, thick killing intent spread throughout my body.
Some came slashing at us like the knight's sword.
The space itself had marked us as enemies.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #fbbf24padding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.6),inset 0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.1)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a0f00 0%,#000 50%,#1a0f00 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20px">"Everyone, fall back from the wall."
I clenched my fist.
Lightning split the darkness.
A blue thread pierced through the darkness and appeared in front of me.
CRACK!
The front flashed white.
The lightning spread from my hand pierced the dark material.
Other personnel watched the dark material disappear under the magic circles spread by the magic agents.
The dark material split into branches and twisted the space.
The lightning stubbornly clung to the dark material.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #fbbf24padding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.6),inset 0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.1)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a0f00 0%,#000 50%,#1a0f00 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20px">I twisted my wrist slightly.
BOOM-!
A small vortex appeared where the lightning had struck.
It sucked in everything around it like a black hole.
The dark material was sucked into that place and began to swirl.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #fbbf24padding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.6),inset 0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.1)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a0f00 0%,#000 50%,#1a0f00 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20px">"Inspector, it's the center point."
I immediately threw my dagger into the vortex.
When I poured mana into the dagger in the air, blue lightning flowed along the blade.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #fbbf24padding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.6),inset 0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.1)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a0f00 0%,#000 50%,#1a0f00 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20px">WHOOSH-
The dagger flew toward the swirling dark material.
At that moment, the dark material stretched out like tentacles and tried to grab the dagger.
But it was too late.
The dagger accurately pierced the center point.
At that instant, explosive aura exploded.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #fbbf24padding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.6),inset 0 0 25px rgba(251,191,36,0.1)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1a0f00 0%,#000 50%,#1a0f00 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20px">BOOM-!
Blinding blue light filled the dark space.
The lightning spread in all directions and tore the dark material apart.
Between the torn dark material, the original space began to appear.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #00219bpadding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 20px #00219b,inset 0 0 20px rgba(0,33,155,0.2)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#000 0%,#0a0a1a 50%,#000 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20pxposition:relative">"This...?"
The knight's voice was panicked.
I stretched out my hand and waved it through the air.
The lightning swirled in place and completely burned the remaining dark material.
The darkness gradually disappeared.
Only then did the surroundings come into view.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #00ff88padding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 20px rgba(0,255,136,0.6),inset 0 0 20px rgba(0,255,136,0.1)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#001a0a 0%,#000 50%,#001a0a 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20px">"Obsidian Circle..."
Where the dark material had disappeared, a black hook pattern remained clearly.
div style="text-align:centerborder:3px solid #a78bfapadding:25pxbox-shadow:0 0 20px rgba(167,139,250,0.6)background:linear-gradient(135deg,#0f0a1a 0%,#000 50%,#0f0a1a 100%)border-radius:8pxmargin-bottom:20px">Quest Title: 📍 Location: [Place] 🎁 Reward: [Reward]