The news from the guild spread like wildfire. Within minutes, word of mouth had drawn crowds to the plaza — layer after layer of people packed shoulder to shoulder. The air filled with noise, shouting, and complaints as impatient mercenaries cursed their luck for missing out on the newly posted jobs. Some took it upon themselves to maintain order, but that hardly helped. Those a step too late vented their frustration loudly.
Among those who successfully claimed contracts, nearly everyone chose to affiliate themselves with a faction. After all, no one wanted to lose a cut of their hard-earned pay. About seventy percent joined the Frontier District, while the remaining thirty percent—those who held no ill will toward Tomorrow's Development or Babel, and had some understanding of their reputation—sided with Tomorrow's Development instead.
Either way, Felix would profit no matter who they chose.
He had already established a second organization—the Frontier District Co.—a branch meant to serve as a purely outsourced company for the Sarkaz. He didn't bother micromanaging it; all he needed to do was log in periodically to ensure nothing went wrong.
Yet, just as things were settling into place, Felix received a visitor he hadn't expected.
"…If I remember correctly—you must be Miss Arturia, right?"
Felix felt a headache coming on. When his subordinates first mentioned a Sankta visitor asking to see him, he thought it might be someone from the Laterano Papal Office or Notarial Hall, here to scold him for his recent activities. But when the visitor arrived—a girl in a white jacket, short skirt, and black stockings, almost like a schoolgirl—he found himself wishing it had been the stoic Federico instead of the smiling, dangerously charming Arturia.
"If my information from your companions is correct, Miss Arturia," Felix said with a tight smile, "your recent… accomplishments have been both admirable and, well, quite surprising."
"Surprising indeed…" Arturia's lips curved upward, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "After all these years, the melody within you is still as captivating as ever."
"As for those so-called accomplishments," she went on lightly, "I merely gave them a little push. Their hearts were filled with music they refused to let out, and it suffocated them. I simply helped them breathe again."
Her tone was as gentle as her smile. Then, her gaze sharpened ever so slightly.
"I've heard quite a bit about your feats here in Kazdel. So, I came—to see it for myself. To hear it for myself. I want to know your song, Felix."
Her hand came to rest over her heart, eyes softening as she raised her other hand toward him.
"May I… touch you?"
"I have a feeling doing that would put me under Federico's surveillance," he replied dryly.
"Don't ruin the moment," she laughed softly. "Fede's still in Sargon chasing my trail. He won't find me anytime soon."
Her smile turned almost pleading.
"Felix, I want to understand you. I want to know why you made these choices—why someone as fascinating as you would choose a path like this."
"I refuse."
His voice was calm, but firm.
"I know what you can do, Arturia. Federico told me enough. To be honest, your Originium Arts are dangerous—and I'd prefer you not use them on me. If you truly want to understand me, then do it the normal way. Observe me. Don't invade me."
"Ah… a challenge, then?" she said, a hint of delight in her voice. "I do love a mystery… and music, of course."
Her lips curved again. "Fede won't find me for a few more days. Until then, I'll try to decipher the melody that is Felix Lanshem—without the use of music."
"Try getting to know me without your Arts, Miss Arturia."
Felix stood, moving toward the door. "I suggest you take a walk around. If anyone asks who you are, just say—"
"—'I'm a Messenger,' right?" she interrupted, smiling knowingly.
Arturia stepped forward, placing a hand on her chest. "Then, ease my curiosity, Felix… little brother. Don't worry—I won't use my Arts. I'd rather not let Fede know where I am."
————
Arturia's arrival left Felix feeling both restrained and wary. He knew who she was—and in his past life, he'd read the internal files from Laterano, detailing her exploits across Terra. He had always gone out of his way to avoid her, especially because of her unique Originium abilities.
And now, she had walked straight into his territory.
Felix hadn't yet gained full control of Kazdel. Becoming the so-called "Golden Giant" would take more time. For now, he continued his patient, measured approach. The Sarkaz of Kazdel's mobile city had already witnessed his strength—and that of the Tomorrow's Development mercenaries. Whoever dared challenge him next, he was eager to see who it would be.
After Giles declared his allegiance, Ulšulah was already on her way. Luna had joined the Frontier District as well, temporarily serving as its strategic commander. Meanwhile, the mercenaries of the Frontier District were busy at work, hauling materials and erecting the foundations of new structures—following the blueprints designed by the player-architects.
The Goliaths — towering, muscle-bound warriors — certainly had their advantages. Within the mobile city of Kazdel, only a few races stood out like the Goliaths. They had long served as the city's defensive guards, both past and present. Felix paid no attention to Arturia, who followed beside him with curious eyes, watching his profile as if trying to read his thoughts.
'She's like Übel from that elf anime...'
Arturia aside, the Vampires, aside from Luna, numbered only a few, and even those remained hidden, silently observing from the shadows. Then there were several— who had abandoned the royal court — now employed within the Frontier District, and a single Banshee who had joined Tomorrow's Development.
This Banshee claimed to be a messenger sent by the "Queen of Banshees" herself, tasked with observing the activities of both Tomorrow's Development and the Pioneers. Her striking appearance hadn't gone unnoticed — mercenaries often whispered about her as she passed by. The bone pen she carried was a clear mark of her race, and her eternally youthful beauty quickly earned her the affectionate title of "Miss Banshee" among the men.
She always wore a thin veil, concealing her face, yet her mature, melodic voice betrayed an age far greater than her looks suggested.
"Loughshinny."
"Brother Felix!"
Having just finished giving instructions to several mercenaries, Loughshinny's eyes lit up as she spotted him. But then, noticing the mysterious Sankta girl standing behind him with a faint, almost teasing smile, she blinked in mild confusion. Was this one of Brother Felix's old companions?
"How much has the construction schedule been shortened?" Felix asked.
"With the mercenaries' help, the project's been cut down to just two days," Loughshinny reported cheerfully. "The courses are already organized. Miss Ulšulah and several experienced mercenaries will also take part. But… if Brother Felix plans to attend the classes himself, it might take quite a bit of your time."
She knew all too well that every minute of Felix's time was precious. To her, he was more than just a leader — he was her mentor, her beloved, the head of both Tomorrow's Development and the Frontier District, and the uncrowned king of Kazdel.
"Good," Felix said. "Inform every mercenary of eligible age to attend the classes. The children too, but make sure the adults are prioritized."
"Yes, Brother Felix."
Loughshinny smiled warmly and hurried off. Felix turned his head slightly — but Arturia was already gone. He hadn't wanted her lingering around him constantly, aware of just how dangerous she could be. Yet her sudden disappearance made him uneasy. Who might she be targeting now?
Taking a brief walk through the camp, Felix exchanged words with several former Military Commission mercenaries. He found himself growing increasingly fond of them — blunt, combative, but straightforward. Setting aside politics and the chaos Kazdel had endured, their willingness to fight was something he respected deeply.
Even the Lightbearers from Lungmen had arrived at Kazdel's mobile city. Roughly twenty percent of their ranks were Sarkaz by birth. For them, this homecoming was cause for joy, while those of other races gazed at the city with curiosity and awe.
Their instructor, Degenbrecher, had already coordinated with Giles, taking over a portion of the city's defense operations. Yet even here, Degenbrecher did not halt her training regimen for the Lightbearers.
That night, under the dim lights of the training arena, Felix and Degenbrecher stood atop a raised platform, overlooking the five hundred Lightbearers assembled below. Degenbrecher had remarked earlier that several of the mercenaries here possessed exceptional physical strength and Originium aptitude — if their loyalty could be ensured, they would make fine additions to the Lightbearer Corps. Felix agreed wholeheartedly.
After all, the Sarkaz were a peculiar race. Though many lacked formal education or refinement, nearly all Sarkaz mercenaries were Infected. Of those he knew personally, only the medic known as Shining—who had once worked with Tomorrow's Development under the "Followers" organization—wasn't infected. Everyone else bore the marks of Oripathy in some form.
For the Infected, Originium Arts came naturally — they could manipulate its power without relying on Originium weapons. Each individual's Arts manifested uniquely, making them unpredictable but versatile. In a special operations unit, such talents could become a force of pure chaos — and creativity.
But tonight's focus was elsewhere.
Floating beside Felix was a single mechanical familiar — Clever the drone.
After his classes as a Gunsmith and Mechanic both reached level 30, Felix's overall evaluation had finally climbed to 5.3 stars, a qualitative leap that marked his transformation into a true Five-Star Operator.
Using his engineering expertise, he reinforced the Clever's outer shell with a metallic alloy similar to D32 steel, making it durable and nearly indestructible. Before leaving the Rhodes Island ship, he had even sought out Closure, asking her for guidance in upgrading its internal systems. Though he hadn't obtained an official Advanced Profession Manual, after paying a hefty fee, Closure helped him perform a full system upgrade.
Now, the Clever could not only obey commands but also offer suggestions — whether to flee or fight, how far the next treasure cache was, or when to wear protective gear due to high infection levels ahead.
While not truly sentient, the Clever was linked to a central mainframe that coordinated all units. Every drone could share data instantly — meaning that if one player logged enemy information in Kazdel, another player in Iberia could access it immediately.
This level of shared intelligence, combined with limitless capacity for learning, was revolutionary.
Felix knew it was time.
Time to unveil the creation that could reshape the balance of Terra itself — the Drone Network.
"You each have your own drones — indispensable tools and loyal partners," Felix began, his calm voice carrying across the training grounds. "Over time, those drones have evolved through countless generations: newer models, smaller frames, greater efficiency."
He paused, letting his words settle before continuing.
"But what you're about to witness will change how you fight — how you think in battle. It will identify targets for you, tell you where to strike and how. It will track trails and clues so you won't need to waste time searching. And when you explore the unknown, it will warn you of danger before you ever step into it — giving you time to prepare or evade."
Beside him, the pure-white Drone shimmered with soft light. Felix snapped his fingers.
With a sharp whir, hundreds of identical white drones emerged from behind him, fanning out across the night sky like a silver swarm. Each one drifted gracefully toward the five hundred Lightbearers gathered below, hovering silently in front of them.
One by one, the drones began scanning — blue lines of light sweeping over faces and armor — before confirming their identities and automatically linking to each Lightbearer's wrist display.
A new window appeared on every operative's forearm interface, detailing the drone's structure, functions, and operational systems.
"Hello. You may call me Clever."
A young Lightbearer named Nightfall blinked in surprise as the tiny white sphere floated before her eyes. Its gentle hum was almost… alive. She had the odd feeling it was studying her in return.
"My codename is Nightfall," she said softly.
"Lightbearer Nightfall — registered."
The drone glowed briefly, then drifted to her side, maintaining a perfect formation beside her shoulder — not obstructing her view, yet always within reach. It felt like having a silent, watchful companion.
From the platform, Felix observed as the Lightbearers began testing communication with their new partners. The drones were equipped with a simple dialogue module, allowing basic interaction and access to Tomorrow's Development's internal data network.
As for how they floated so effortlessly — Felix had designed them using a blend of magnetic suspension and mechanical kinetic energy, techniques common among advanced mechanists. These forces powered the Clever, granting them their graceful, near-weightless motion.
With these machines by their side, the Lightbearers' combat capabilities would rise to an entirely new level.
Degenbrecher studied the small sphere hovering next to her, then cast a sidelong glance at her employer. "Boss, this little thing… are you planning to let the adventurers have them too?"
"Yes," Felix replied, "but not yet."
He spoke with the tone of someone who had already calculated everything down to the smallest detail. "If players gain access to Clevers too soon, the world will become far too easy for them. Tomorrow's Development has already streamlined their experience — no more endless searching for missions, no more slogging through mountains for resources. Equipment? Already standardized. Ready-made."
He knew exactly how players thought. Cheap things? Free things? They don't treasure them. But the things they can't have yet… those are what they desire most.
And so, he smiled faintly.
"For now," he murmured, "let's keep them waiting."