Chapter 97 — An Unexpected Encounter pt. 2
The morning sun illuminated the bustling streets of Helios Reach.
Unlike the militarized cities of the Empire, Helios Reach welcomed everyone.
Players from countless worlds wandered its streets.
NPC merchants shouted prices from colorful market stalls.
Blacksmiths displayed newly forged weapons while adventurers gathered around quest boards discussing rumors from distant continents.
The city truly lived up to its reputation as the Empire's greatest trading hub.
Ryze pulled her hood lower.
"...There are way too many Imperial soldiers."
Volt glanced around while casually pretending to browse a merchant's stand.
"They're everywhere."
"Keep your head down."
"We're still inside Imperial territory."
Ryze nodded.
Her wanted poster had already spread throughout the Empire.
If even one patrol recognized the silver-haired sniper...
Their peaceful visit would immediately become a battlefield.
Walking a short distance ahead, Blaze casually looked around the city.
"...It's lively."
"It reminds me of the old days."
SK quietly walked beside him.
"It wasn't always like this."
"The Empire invested heavily into Helios Reach after the Great Collapse."
"The Grand Master wanted a neutral city where players from every game could trade."
Blaze nodded silently.
"So not everything the Empire built was through conquest."
"No."
SK answered honestly.
"They built roads."
"Trade routes."
"Hospitals."
"Cities."
"People often forget that."
Ryze looked away.
"...That doesn't erase what they've done."
"I know."
SK replied softly.
Silence followed.
The group continued through the crowded marketplace.
A merchant suddenly shouted.
"Fresh mana crystals!"
"SkyRealm equipment!"
"Battle Net firearms!"
"CraftWorld enchanted tools!"
Children laughed while chasing each other between the market stalls.
For a brief moment...
It almost felt like a normal world.
Then—
Every conversation suddenly stopped.
The lively marketplace became strangely quiet.
One after another...
People stepped aside.
Merchants lowered their voices.
Imperial soldiers immediately stood at attention.
Even experienced adventurers instinctively moved away from the center of the road.
Ryze noticed it first.
"...What's happening?"
Volt's expression immediately changed.
"...No way."
SK looked toward the approaching street.
"...An Administrator."
Ryze's eyes widened.
"What?"
Blaze tilted his head.
"...Administrator?"
SK took a slow breath.
"They're different from us."
"They're not ordinary players."
"They're the highest authorities left from the old system."
"The ones responsible for maintaining balance after the Collapse."
"They rarely interfere."
"But when they do..."
"...is usually not good."
Volt swallowed nervously.
"There are only a handful of them left."
"Some say they can fight World Rankers."
"Others say even the Commanders avoid provoking them."
Ryze quietly stepped behind a nearby pillar.
"If he sees me..."
"I'm finished."
Blaze simply watched the approaching figure.
"...He doesn't look that strong."
Volt nearly choked.
"...Please don't say that out loud."
SK couldn't help but sigh.
"You really don't remember anything..."
"The old veterans feared Administrators for a reason."
"Their authority isn't just political."
"They possess system privileges that ordinary players can't access."
"They can temporarily suppress skills."
"Seal restricted equipment."
"Override certain system functions."
"And depending on their authority..."
"...Even command world events."
Blaze remained calm.
"...Sounds troublesome."
"Troublesome?"
Ryze whispered.
"Blaze, that's an Administrator!"
"They're basically like a God!"
The Administrator slowly walked through the crowded avenue.
He wore no armor.
No extravagant clothing.
Only a long black coat.
His golden hair gently moved with the wind as his calm golden eyes observed the marketplace.
He wasn't accompanied by guards.
He didn't need them.
The entire street instinctively made way for him.
No one dared block his path.
Then...
He stopped walking.
"...Hmm?"
His golden eyes settled on one particular direction.
Directly...
Toward the group.
Ryze's heart nearly stopped.
"...He saw us."
Volt looked around in confusion.
"...Are you sure?"
Ryze didn't even take her eyes off The Administrator
"...He's literally staring at me right now."
"What do you mean—"
Volt followed Ryze's line of sight.
The moment their eyes met Administrator's...
His expression froze.
"..."
"...Oh."
"...That's not good."
Instinctively, Volt's hand moved beneath his cloak, gripping the handle of one of his pistols.
"...Should we run?"
"...Don't."
SK answered immediately.
"If we run now..."
"It'll only make us look suspicious."
The Administrator quietly stared at them for several seconds.
Then...
The tense atmosphere between Ryze and SK lingered.
Blaze had barely taken a step forward—
When space itself distorted.
The air rippled.
Golden fragments of code flickered into existence.
"...?"
Before anyone could react—
A figure materialized directly in front of them.
As if he had always been standing there.
No footsteps.
No warning.
Just...
A sudden presence.
The group instinctively stopped.
Volt's eyes widened.
"...What the...?"
Ryze immediately reached for her rifle.
Blaze remained silent, calmly studying the mysterious man before them.
He wore an elegant white coat trimmed with gold, and countless strands of glowing code drifted lazily around him.
His golden eyes calmly swept across the group.
Then...
A faint smile appeared.
"...SK."
The former Imperial officer froze.
...
Her voice came out almost as a whisper.
"...Administrator..."
The Administrator smiled as though greeting an old acquaintance.
He took a few calm, unhurried steps toward them.
"I heard some unfortunate rumors."
"That one of Grand Master's finest Imperial officers had deserted."
He stopped only a few meters away.
"I didn't believe them at first."
His gaze remained fixed on SK.
"But seeing you here..."
"I suppose the reports were true."
SK instinctively placed a hand on her weapon.
The Administrator merely chuckled.
"Oh, relax."
"I'm not here to arrest anyone."
His eyes slowly shifted away from SK.
One by one, he examined Volt...
Ryze...
And finally...
Blaze.
For the first time since arriving in Helios Reach—
The Administrator's calm expression showed the slightest hint of surprise.
"...Interesting."
Blaze looked back without the slightest fear.
"...Have we met before?"
The Administrator remained silent for several seconds.
"...No."
"I don't believe we have."
"But..."
His eyes never left Blaze.
"...You remind me of someone I once knew."
Neither man broke eye contact.
The noisy marketplace had become eerily silent.
Every nearby soldier pretended not to watch.
Every merchant quietly listened.
Even the wind itself seemed to stop.
The Administrator smiled politely.
"I believe introductions are in order."
"My name is Orion."
"And I have a feeling..."
He glanced once more toward Blaze.
"...our meeting today was not a coincidence."
Far above Helios Reach...
The bells of the central tower rang throughout the city.
Unnoticed by everyone present...
The gears of fate had begun turning once again.
[Author's Note]
Hello everyone, Author here!
I just wanted to say thank you all for continuing to read EndGame: Redrive. Every comment, theory, and bit of support really motivates me to keep writing.
We're getting closer and closer to Chapter 100, which is honestly a huge milestone for this novel. It still feels unreal that we've made it this far.
The current arc is one I've been looking forward to writing for a long time. Up until now, you've only heard bits and pieces about the Administrators, but from this point onward they'll finally begin stepping into the story and interacting with the main cast. This marks the beginning of a much larger stage in the world of EndGame, and the events ahead will start revealing mysteries that have been hidden since the beginning.
I also want to apologize for something I noticed while rereading the novel from Chapter 1.
I somehow forgot to upload Chapter 19 – Fragments of Steel. It wasn't intentional—I simply overlooked it while organizing the chapters. Fortunately, that missing chapter doesn't affect the overall story or create any plot holes, so you can continue reading without worrying about it. I may upload it later as a bonus chapter for those who are interested.
As always, thank you for reading and supporting EndGame: Redrive. I hope you'll continue this journey with Ryze, Blaze, and everyone else as the story heads toward its biggest turning points yet.
See you in the next chapter!