Hasuja City. A central hub of technology.
It was a major city within the country of Harbelt that held a prominent role as one of the largest "oases" in the lands that were stuffed with monsters. However, it once also served another purpose: as a suitable, or in other words, convenient area for many organisational branches of considerably sized corporations to thrive.
It was a city that survived destruction once, and that alone earned it the title of one of Humanity's strongest fortresses.
However, when you inspect the ordinary lives of civilians, it is clear that the remnants of the Distortion that remain impact them in varying ways, even today.
However, that didn't truly matter. The City of Hasuja was still one of the country's most respected cities, standing in all of its marvellous glory, mighty and proud.
Its skyscrapers could be seen extending up to the skies, and the headquarters of several corporations boasted their renown with buildings that stood just as tall.
Hara noticed that small, humanlike robots and automatons roamed wherever he stepped, picking up litter, sorting out public conflicts, and whatever else could cause a disturbance to the city's hustle and bustle.
"…Back in the town, they didn't have these…" Harlock said.
Hara shook his head.
"The town only had stones, sticks and mud to hold it up."
"That's right. But, they also barely had any robots in some of the other towns I visited as a mercenary… these big cities are keeping all the tech for themselves!"
Blue chuckled.
"Inorganic life forms like me do prefer to hang around the big cities. It's not primarily the fault of those major corporations. Besides, I doubt there were charging stations back in your village, were there?"
Hara scratched his head, thinking.
"There was, I think. Only one, though."
"…Hm. Well, if that is the case, I suspect that the sole charging station's use was for protection, for installing mechanical humanoids built for battle, like me."
"Some towns, particularly ones built outside the range of a nearby city, are sometimes extremely prone to monster encounters, after all. It's no wonder they're sometimes known as [Badland Towns] or [Wastelander Towns], among other names."
"…Hm…"
As they were walking, Hara glanced by and noticed a strange metal signboard to their left. He wasn't the only one who noticed, as Redrich seemed particularly interested in it too.
On the signboard, several notes were stuck to it, each piece of paper giving information on different areas, most of which were [Badland Zones], strange, mysterious locations that were similar to the Corrupted Lands.
"…E-Rank [Information Commission] in the [Broodclaw Desert]. A "Named" Corrupted Beast has been spotted."
As stated, Corrupted Beasts that had proper classification titles, such as [Names], wielded unique characteristics that could often be grouped. These creatures were often specifically named and categorised in order of danger level.
But, besides the mention of a Named Corruption Beast, Redrich was also intrigued by the mention of the Broodclaw Desert and the fact that this was an Information Commission.
Among the three types of commission and mission work, Agents and those trying to work their way up to become Agents avoid Royal Commissions the most, as they were often [Combat Raids]. Battle Commissions were also a bit on the harsher side of things, but not too bad. But Information Commissions were the strangest out of all of them.
"An Information Commission, huh? That might just be worth trying…" Harlock muttered.
"Let's put a hold on that for now. Especially since you two probably don't know how dangerous the two rival crews in that area, the [Wolfish] and the [Broodclaws], are."
"They can't be that bad, right?" Hara asked. Redrich merely glanced at him and walked on.
"…Huh?"
That being the first time he was given a cold shoulder, Hara was almost appalled. However, he kept on moving with them until they arrived at one of the Defence Force's stations.
The station appeared as a large and imposing but greyish building near the city's centre, surrounded by a small parking lot of police vehicles and the other buildings connected to it behind the large steel gates which shielded it alongside its top-tier security, and all this even though it was just a station.
"Woah…"
Among the three of them, only Redrich didn't appear too shocked. However, as they followed Blue into the station once he unlocked the large mechanism blocking the steel doors, something even more shocking was revealed.
In the station's parking lot, right in front of the building entrance, a smirking woman with long, dyed blue hair, holding a small pistol, was seen stepping on a Corrupted Beast's back and spine hard, crushing it before she put the final bullet in its skull.
Hara and Harlock were shocked out of their minds once they saw the creature fade into dust before their eyes.
"Ah, Blue, you're back! And you brought visitors, I see…"
Her eyes darted from Harlock to Redrich, and finally, to Hara.
"Yeah, Rosemarie, I found these three near the Sauti Mountains alongside a Corrupted Beast, so I'm just making sure that they're not involved in anything I suspect."
Rosemarie approached Hara first and extended her hand.
"Welcome to Hasuja's Defence Force squad! I assume you haven't gone to another station before, right?"
"Uh… no—"
"I thought so! Anyway, you can call me Rose, for short."
The young lady's still extended for him to shake, and Hara, nervous as he was, took a few seconds before doing so. She did the same with Redrich and Harlock before quickly proceeding into the station.
"I've got to return to do my work with the cultist I captured, so have fun with these three, Blue!"
She left. And, Hara felt a piece of his soul get snatched away with her, too.
'What was that…'
Blue shook his head.
"Don't mind her. Sometimes she's hyperactive, sometimes she's not. You just need to get used to it, like I did. But anyway, let's not waste any more time here."
They followed Blue, walking into the station building and through the dim, black corridors, where there were several 4-digit numbered rooms in a row. Hara immediately assumed that these rooms were where they did their "investigations", and he was completely right. What he didn't know, however, was the fact that the number on the doors indicated the severity of the investigation level.
Soon enough, however, they entered Room 0023 and quickly got on with their investigation, which went smoothly after the first few minutes.
But meanwhile, in the next room, there was Rose, with the "cultist" she had captured. And, her personality as she investigated this masked figure was directly contrasting with the one she showed in front of Hara, Harlock and Redrich.
"Tell me." She said, in a strict voice.
"Other than the base you've already disclosed, tell me about all the other secrets you're hiding!"
The cultist, who wore a bronze mask and silk sacrificial robes, disclosed limited information, despite being faced with an Agent. It was almost as if he wasn't in the room with her, but rather…
"Wake up from your own Delusion Spell, Deceiver! I've come here to save you…"
Following these words, Rose was knocked out, and a masked figure with a dark coat appeared. Another cultist.
"…It's you, [Wingless]," Deceiver muttered.
"I didn't know you'd be the one to come for me."
Wingless grinned.
"Well, I guess they don't say that I have the greatest sense of loyalty for nothing, hm?"
Deceiver swiftly broke free of his restraints and nodded.
"…Yes… I suppose so. But besides that, I've told this feeble Agent about everything she's supposed to hear, for my plan to work."
"…You're still acting alone? The Overseers will punish you for that…"
"Don't jest with me, Wingless. I still have cards I have yet to play. Before they even find out about my plan, I will be able to give them something so great that it will even increase my ranking within the organisation."
"And what is that?" Wingless asked.
"The flesh of multiple Agents, of course. And the best part is, they'll never see it coming. Just wait and see, Wingless, I will come out victorious in the end." Deceiver said, raising his hands.
"Yes, yes, but, before you do that, I think I have someone I think you'll find to be a future interest to keep an eye on…"