From the moment Lenoch escaped the factory, he had been constantly thinking about the funds he had.

He had managed to escape by seizing the overseers’ money, but it was impossible to sustain himself with just that.

In the end, he needed to find a way to acquire more money, but with no knowledge of this world and a naturally weak body, Lenoch had no other options.

He had no choice but to utilize his magical talents.

For Lenoch, who had no significant identity, finding a decent job in the open was impossible.

Ultimately, Lenoch chose to head back to the ominous 49th district, where dark mana flowed.

“I had listened to that man for situations like this.”

Recalling the directions given by the man he had saved from thugs, he wandered through the alleyways and headed to the basement of a shabby gambling den.

Even at dawn, there was a small bar with dim lights flickering.

As Lenoch entered the bar, his face had somehow transformed into that of a languid-looking young man.

Perhaps because it was the time when night ended and dawn broke, there were less than three customers remaining in the bar.

In the middle of the bar, an elderly man was slowly mixing drinks while holding a glass.

Lenoch ordered a cocktail while sitting slightly away from the old man. Without further inquiry, the old man mixed something appropriate and served it.

Only after he placed the glass down did Lenoch speak to the old man.

“I’m looking for work suitable for a wizard.”

The underground employment office. This was the place where he could find the jobs the man had mentioned.

Since they even arranged suitable work for the elderly man who couldn’t defend himself against thugs, it shouldn’t be too dangerous for Lenoch either.

The old man paused for a moment after hearing Lenoch’s words, then silently tapped the glass four times.

Silence ensued, and someone yawned and walked out from the back of the bar.

“Ha… Hey. Business hours are over. I was just about to sleep, so what are you doing?”

A woman with a sharp look, her hair damp as if soaked, glared at Lenoch as she spoke.

Wearing a loosely unbuttoned shirt and black leather pants, she exuded a languid yet fierce aura.

She didn’t quite fit the image of a bar employee.

The old man standing next to her spoke for the first time.

“He says he’s a wizard.”

“…You’re saying he’s a wizard?”

In Lenoch’s experience, wizards were generally well-regarded in this world.

Her expression shifted from annoyance to curiosity, as if her thoughts aligned with his.

“Hmm, you look more like a patient than a wizard… You’re not an escaped experiment from some research lab, are you?”

Even under the dim lighting, Lenoch’s complexion didn’t seem great.

When he didn’t respond, she seemed to accept it on her own and sat across the bar.

“Well, whatever. That’s not important. You can never have too many skilled wizards. I’m Jenny. And you are?”

He couldn’t use his real name.

Lenoch intended to create a new identity to use while working here, along with this face crafted by magic.

After some thought, he mentioned the name of the man who had first spoken to him at the factory.

“…Van.”

“Alright, Van. I don’t know who told you, but it’s no big secret that our bar arranges various jobs. So, you’re looking for work suitable for a wizard?”

“Yes.”

Lenoch deliberately kept his responses short.

He judged that it was risky to offer information before understanding what kind of person this woman named Jenny was.

Hearing Lenoch’s answer, she narrowed her eyes sharply.

“Then we need to know what level of wizard you are. That way, we can find work that matches your level, don’t you think?”

“Level, you say?”

“Well, you don’t need to reveal what unique magic system you’ve mastered… but we do need to know what branch you’re in.”

“……..”

Perhaps interpreting his silence differently, Jenny’s expression turned fierce for a moment.

“It better not be that you’re claiming to be a wizard after learning some common magic. That would be boring.”

Lenoch silently released his grip on the glass and spread all his fingers.

He strongly visualized an image and drew upon his mana.

As the faces of the three were illuminated by the bright mana light, Lenoch’s magic was realized.

Crackle!!

“…So you’re a wizard of the electric branch. My apologies.”

Jenny said awkwardly, seeing the blue current rising between Lenoch’s palms.

Elemental magic was known for its powerful and intuitive nature, but it was also famous for being difficult to master and apply, despite its symbolic significance.

Lenoch had just used magic without any incantation or hand signs, something only orthodox wizards who had delved into the field for over a decade could do without incantation.

Even the old man standing next to him nodded quietly, but Lenoch didn’t intend to stop there.

While he needed to be cautious about revealing all his abilities, he needed to prove his uniqueness among the many workers frequenting this bar.

He focused his mind and gently manipulated the mana flowing through his hands.

As Lenoch twitched his fingers, the expressions of the old man and Jenny changed dramatically.

“……!!!”

The current flowing through his fingers split into five streams and began to gracefully form a small pentagram.

A feat impossible without precise mana control at the centimeter level.

The two seemed to understand this well, as their gaze on Lenoch quickly changed.

Only then did Lenoch extinguish his mana and pick up the glass again.

“As you can see, I’m confident in my skills, so I’d appreciate it if you could introduce me to some good work.”

“…You’re quite an impressive customer for someone who showed up at the crack of dawn. I like you.”

Jenny replied with a grin.

“But it’s impossible for us to entrust you with important work right away. After working together a few times and building some trust, we can connect you with good clients. In that sense, the work you can do for now will be limited. Is that okay?”

“I understand.”

“Good. Then let’s start with the contract.”

Once the two reached an agreement, things proceeded swiftly.

After drafting a superficial employment contract that didn’t bind either party to freedom or responsibility, Jenny brought out a thick file from behind the bar.

“Shall we begin? Since you’ve come all the way here, I trust you won’t be picky about the work.”

“As long as it doesn’t involve harming civilians.”

He wanted to avoid being pursued by the police or military for harming innocent people.

Jenny shook her head as if to say that wouldn’t happen.

“You can rest assured that won’t happen. First, take a look at this.”

She opened the file and pushed the documents inside toward Lenoch.

Various papers with profiles recorded on them. Each paper had photos of dozens of people, regardless of age or gender, with large, unknown numbers stamped on them.

Lenoch stared at them for a while before realizing the meaning of the numbers.

“…Bounties?”

“They’re accessible, easy to assess, and the rewards come quickly. That’s why bounty hunters exist.”

Jenny said as she pulled out a sheet and handed it to Lenoch.

“It’s a perfect gateway to weed out the riffraff. Are you interested?”

“I haven’t been in the city long, so… I’m not in a position to be picky.”

Lenoch said, carefully examining the face of the person in the photo.

A young man with rough skin and a nervous expression. His faded brown hair was asymmetrically cut and swept to the side as he smoked a cigarette.

“His name is Taylor Evans. He’s a scavenger, and he’s accused of attempting to steal security equipment from Achilles Corporation at the harbor in district 31 three days ago.”

“Attempted, you say?”

“There’s no way the trash wandering the sewers could breach Achilles’ security. All the other scavengers involved in the crime were killed, and only this guy managed to escape. Achilles has since washed their hands of it, leaving the trash disposal to us.”

From her words, it seemed there was a significant power gap between the Achilles Corporation and the scavenger organization.

“The scavenger branch he belonged to has already pulled out, so even if you’re a bit rough, there shouldn’t be any problems.”

“Hmm…”

“The bounty is 3 million cells. It’s not a huge amount, but it’s not bad for catching a rat. What do you think?”

3 million.

For Lenoch, who had been struggling with a shortage of a few thousand cells just a week ago, it was an absurdly large amount, but he hesitated to accept it readily.

‘It’s too vague.’

Having spent a week in this city, Lenoch had a rough idea of how vast and diverse it was.

Even district 49, where the entertainment district was located, was a completely different world from the bustling area where the library was.

Trying to find a person with just a photo in such a place seemed too labor-intensive. As he searched through the files for useful information, Lenoch found something and pointed it out with his hand.

“It says here that a blood sample was taken.”

“Huh? Well… we do have it.”

“Can I have it?”

“We can give it to you, but… it won’t be of much use.”

Jenny reluctantly instructed the old man to fetch the sample from behind the bar.

A torn piece of clothing stained with blood.

As Lenoch tucked it into his pocket and stood up, she asked.

“What are you planning to do?”

“It will be helpful.”

“If you’re thinking of going to a blood mage, forget it. They’re money-grubbing demons who charge at least 500,000 Cel per job, so you won’t even break even. But if not, that sample is only useful for identity checks.”

Ignoring Jenny’s shrug as she mentioned Achilles handing it over for a reason, Lenoch walked out of the bar.

Though she mentioned blood mages, Lenoch had no intention of seeking their help.

He knew a bit about the unique magic of the blood magic branch. It was a branch magic with a simple preparation process and powerful effects, but it had strong recoil, meaning those who used it always lived with the risk of shortened lifespans.

In a game, it was no problem, but in reality, it was a completely different story.

Given that the magic used life force as a price, it was understandable that blood mages were expensive.

However, there was no reason to seek their help just to catch a thief.

Finding a suitably secluded spot away from prying eyes, Lenoch crouched down and placed the torn piece of clothing on the ground.

“…..[Bloody Chase].”

As he poured his will and mana into it, a magic circle with a diameter of about 1 meter began to inscribe itself on the ground, centered around the piece of clothing.

Wooong!!

The magic circle, glowing a bright red, absorbed the bloodstains on the clothing and vibrated gently before transforming into a single red thread, slithering along the ground like a snake.

Watching it, Lenoch stood up and followed the thread.

This common magic was favored by magic-using hunter professions, primarily used to locate or track down lost prey.

While its duration wasn’t long and it couldn’t track properly if mixed with other bloodstains, and it only indicated direction rather than distance, it seemed the target didn’t have any means to counter it.

As he walked in the direction the thread pointed, the people thinned out, and the air became lighter. The scent of humans faded, and he soon found himself near an unnamed construction site, adjacent to an abandoned railway area.

On the rusted rails above, instead of trains, lay people dressed in shabby rags.

None of them had a normal complexion, and the strange smell suggested they relieved themselves indiscriminately nearby.

It seemed to be a place where outcasts, unwelcome in both the bright and dark sides of the city, sought sleep.

Among them, the thread fixed itself on a man leaning against the wall in a corner of the railway, and Lenoch slowly approached him.

“Taylor Evans?”

“………”

Looking down at the man, who remained motionless as if dead, Lenoch sighed.

Maintaining a safe distance, he pulled out the cutter he had taken from the thug.

Was it a modified product from Dyke Corporation? As he pressed the two buttons on the handle, a bluish light extended from the cutter.

“Oh, this is…..”

It looked like a small lightsaber.

Just as Lenoch was about to stab the light into the man’s thigh, assuming a stance—

The man, who hadn’t moved until now, suddenly twisted his body to the side and began to run away frantically.

“……..”

Watching Taylor flee without even looking back, Lenoch shook his head.

He had been prepared to counter any attack, but he hadn’t expected him to flee without any resistance.

Despite his scrawny appearance, his running speed was quite fast, and he seemed likely to escape his sight soon.

Lenoch’s mind spun rapidly in the short time available.

He had complete control of the situation, and there were many options available.

He could chase after him directly, or he could cast a Silence spell and shoot, as he used to do.

However, to sprint in this body, he would need the help of a cigarette, and he wasn’t confident he could hit the target at such a distance with a gun.

Therefore, Lenoch chose the third option.

He drew upon his mana and swung it through the air. With a clear thought and strong will, a hazy wave spread out from his left hand.

[Sound Wave]

Paang!!

With Lenoch’s incantation, an invisible shockwave traveled through the medium of air, rippling forward like a wave.

The speed at which it traveled through the medium was the speed of sound.

The invisible shockwave, extending with tremendous force, quickly caught up with the fleeing man.

Thud!

It took less than three seconds for Taylor, who had been running frantically, to lose his balance and collapse.

Lenoch walked slowly toward where he had fallen.

Having walked for quite a while since leaving Jenny’s bar, he began to feel his stamina waning. If he didn’t regulate his breathing properly, he would have to rely on cigarettes again.

Having inhaled smoke continuously while researching magic, he now had less than five cigarettes left.

After finishing this task, he thought he should ask Jenny about ways to obtain such items.

Taylor Evans was trembling, clutching both ears with his hands.

Bright red blood flowed between his fingers.

The common magic [Sound Wave]. It was a magic used to explore surrounding objects like a bat through sound wave vibrations, but when the output was increased, it could produce such power.

As a Gun Mage, he couldn’t even attempt this except in predetermined ways, but with Lenoch’s talent, simply visualizing the image while using magic was enough.

His eardrums, and probably his cochlea, were all shattered.

He wouldn’t be able to hear anything, let alone walk properly.

“Hmm.”

Looking down at the thoroughly subdued and trembling Taylor, Lenoch fell into thought.

After completing his research on common magic, the first thing Lenoch thought about was protecting his own body.

He was well aware of how crucial it was to protect himself from various attempts that endangered his safety, not just physical approaches.

If he couldn’t properly protect his senses, Lenoch could end up like Taylor.

His frail body wouldn’t withstand such an attack even once.

With those thoughts, he grabbed Taylor’s ankle and turned around.

Bang!!

A gunshot rang out, and the mana barrier around Lenoch flickered and shattered.

The barrier-type magic he had prepared in advance had reacted to a shot fired from somewhere.

It was a barrier that could be applied continuously with a single implementation, but it was weak enough to shatter with a single bullet.

However, it was more than enough to buy Lenoch a moment to react to the attack.

As the barrier shattered, Lenoch’s thoughts and mana moved simultaneously, weaving a new field.

It took only an instant to complete a barrier dozens of times stronger than before.

With this, it could withstand even an anti-tank rocket for a moment.

Once assured of his safety, Lenoch quickly bit a cigarette and spread his mana in all directions to search for any signs of life.

Slowly forgetting the fatigue that had accumulated in his body, he felt much lighter.

Despite being sniped in the blink of an eye, Lenoch’s mind was as calm as could be.

The worries that had cluttered his mind about the future and life were now chillingly calm in the face of a life-threatening situation.

Setting aside emotions and fear, the rationality and strong mental strength of a wizard rose to the surface, filling Lenoch.

‘Nothing.’

He had swept the area within a 1km radius without sparing the increased amount of mana, but he sensed nothing but vagrants.

Either the sniper had kept a distance of more than 1km, or they had used a means good enough to hide their presence from simple mana detection.

Either way, it was tricky.

But did this man, trembling here, have such value?

Lenoch’s eyes, which had been circling around the fallen Taylor, suddenly fixed precisely on his head.

‘Come to think of it, the shot was aimed at the lower part of the barrier. At first, I thought it was just to subdue me, but…’

What if it was actually aimed precisely at the head of someone who had fallen?

As soon as he set a reasonable assumption, his reasoning followed quickly.

The conclusion was reached in an instant.

‘They tried to silence Taylor Evans.’

It was probably the scavenger organization. Was there some kind of epilogue in his head that shouldn’t reach the ears of Achilles Corporation?

If so, it made sense that the sniper had fired after Lenoch found Taylor.

Most bounty hunters would likely take it as their achievement and boast about it if the target was eliminated while being pursued.

Even the fact that the scavenger organization tried to silence would be buried and disappear.

However, Lenoch had no intention of letting the sniper who had blatantly attempted to shoot in front of him go unpunished.

Once he set out on a task, he intended to handle it decisively and maintain a ruthless approach.

At least, Lenoch intended to make the person known as ‘Van’ that way. The more he was known as a ruthless and cold-hearted person, the fewer people would interfere with his money-making.

As soon as he made up his mind, Lenoch pulled out a pistol from his pocket and shot Taylor in the head.

Bang!!

With the rough gunshot, the twitching Taylor died instantly.

Jenny had expressed a preference for capturing him alive, but in other words, it meant he didn’t necessarily have to be alive.

Of course, this meant that the ‘epilogue’ in Taylor’s head would be buried forever… but Lenoch had no interest in such secrets.

What mattered to him now was finding and punishing the sniper who had aimed a gun at him.

All of this was just a process for him.

‘Found it.’

The faint disturbance that occurred the moment Lenoch killed Taylor.

He didn’t miss the mana wave that stirred in response.

Report

The distance was roughly 600 meters. Lenoch’s guess that they were either maintaining a distance of more than 1km or using a special method to avoid detection was correct.

As soon as he pinpointed the location, Lenoch drew upon his mana and rotated it around his right hand.

Wooong!!

With a strange sensation as if the mana was flipping, it soared into the sky, transcending space.

He knew it in theory, but this was his first time using it.

An application magic, symbolic of the electric branch, boasting one of the highest powers among common magic.

[Thunder Calling]

The moment he sensed the blue mana light flicker in the air, a bolt of lightning descended from the dry sky, striking directly.

A lightning strike.

Boom!!

The ground shook with a tremendous vibration. A belated thunderclap accompanied by a flash of blue light.

Lenoch watched the scene with interest.

In the game, seeing other wizards use it didn’t evoke any feelings, but witnessing a lightning strike realized in reality stirred a peculiar emotion.

It exceeded his expectations. It seemed more than enough to claim he used electric magic.

Did they die?

If they hadn’t fled upon noticing, they couldn’t have avoided it.

Lenoch headed straight to the spot where the lightning had struck, but he found no trace of a body, only a crater about 2 meters in diameter.

Did they flee the moment they sensed the mana surge?

Lenoch considered continuing to pursue the sniper but soon gave up.

This should serve as a sufficient warning to any others secretly watching from here.

It wasn’t lacking in announcing the name of the electric wizard ‘Van.’

He didn’t expect much. As long as there was no unnecessary interference or hindrance in the work he undertook, it was enough.

Of course, acting this way might increase the number of people digging into his background… but wasn’t that why he had donned this new face?

Lenoch believed in the magical talent he possessed. It was a talent of reversing the heavens, created in exchange for his lifespan.

He didn’t know how excellent the wizards of this world were, but Lenoch’s talent would never be lacking.

There was nothing he could do without believing that.

Suppressing the faint anxiety with firm rationality, Lenoch gathered Taylor’s body, stuffed it into a prepared sack, and slung it over his shoulder.

Perhaps because he smoked a cigarette in preparation for possible hand-to-hand combat, he didn’t feel too weak.

Of course, once the effects of the smoke wore off, he might suffer from muscle pain, but he didn’t strengthen his muscles with mana.

For him, mana was the most powerful weapon and the last line of defense. He needed to conserve and use it sparingly unless facing an enemy.

He retraced his steps back to district 49.

Blood dripped from the sack, but there wasn’t a single pedestrian in the vicinity sensitive enough to notice.

Arriving at Jenny’s bar located inside the area, he found the shutter closed.

After a moment of hesitation, Lenoch knocked loudly on the closed shutter.

It wasn’t long before a hoarse voice came from inside.

“Business hours start at 8 PM.”

“I’ve caught Taylor Evans.”

A moment of silence followed. The old man, understanding the meaning of the words a bit late, sighed and spoke.

“…..There’s a back door behind the building. Enter through there.”

Indeed, as the old man said, there was a small side door at the back of the building.

Opening the door and entering inside, a scene similar yet different from the bar earlier unfolded.

Beyond the counter divided by a glass pane, the old man was staring at him.

The old man spoke as he watched Lenoch enter with the sack slung over his shoulder.

“When discussing work in the future, please use this side. Normally, we should have told you when you first came, but both Jenny and I forgot by mistake.”

“Understood. Let’s confirm this first.”

Lenoch replied as he placed the sack he was carrying on the table.

Thud!

“This is Taylor Evans himself.”

“Please wait a moment.”

The old man let out a deep breath and, donning gloves from under the counter, began to inspect the inside of the sack.

Even as he pulled out the body in front of him, his expression didn’t waver, suggesting he wasn’t an ordinary person.

“The cause of death is a gunshot. He hasn’t been dead for more than an hour. There’s evidence of ear injuries before the head was damaged, and his nutritional state suggests he hasn’t eaten anything for days. There’s no significant mana alteration, and all organs are intact, so it’s him.”

Lenoch clicked his tongue at the old man’s ability to deduce so much just by looking at the crumpled form inside the sack.

“Are you a former coroner or something?”

“I did something similar. Are you going to collect the reward now?”

When Lenoch nodded, the old man immediately took out cash and placed it on the counter.

“After deducting a 10% fee, it’s 2.7 million cells. If you want to receive it in a different form, there will be additional fees.”

“What do you mean by different form?”

“There are various options. You might want it deposited into a nominee account, or in more complicated cases, you might request money laundering. It’s also common to exchange it in the form of bonds or stocks.”

So the financial system in Balkan operates similarly to Earth.

As Lenoch stored the various pieces of information the old man provided in his mind, someone emerged from behind the blackout curtain.

“Oh? You’re here already?”

Jenny, looking tired, brushed her tangled hair back and yawned.

“Yawn… I wondered what kind of customer would come at this hour, but were you that desperate for money?”

Lenoch nodded obediently at Jenny’s sarcastic smile.

“I did it because I could.”

“Well, you’re quite skilled, as expected of a wizard.”

Jenny dragged a chair next to the old man, sat down, and propped her chin as she asked.

“Usually, bounty hunting takes much longer to find than to kill, so what trick did Mr. Van use to catch the rat so quickly?”

“Just lucky.”

Jenny chuckled at Lenoch’s predictable response.

She didn’t seem to expect a proper answer, as she quickly changed the subject.

“If you can bring results in half a day, it means you can take care of yourself. We can continue working with you in the future.”

“I don’t mind if you arrange another job right away.”

After all, he would have to visit district 49 again to receive work from this side.

He wanted to avoid making two trips unnecessarily, but Jenny immediately shook her head.

“That’s not possible, so just go back for now. We’ll pass the results of this job to the Achilles Corporation’s representative, check the scavenger’s movements, and wrap things up.”

“Once isn’t enough?”

“You understand well. We need to observe Mr. Van’s work a bit more to ensure we always arrange appropriate deals for his level, don’t you think?”

“Hmm…..”

‘I doubt that’s the only reason.’

Jenny’s words flowed smoothly as if her tongue was oiled, but Lenoch didn’t take her words at face value.

The reasons she attached sounded plausible, but often such seemingly reasonable explanations were meaningless.

However, instead of nitpicking her words, Lenoch readily accepted the cash the old man handed over.

“Then, I’ll see you next time.”

“…..Wait, I have something to ask.”

“What?”

He had been pondering where to find similar items, and she might have a suitable answer.

Lenoch turned around and took out a cigarette from his pocket, placing it in front of her.

“I’m looking for a place that sells something similar to this. It doesn’t have to be in cigarette form, but I’d like to see a variety of products.”

“…….”

She said nothing, but Lenoch didn’t miss the quick exchange of glances between Jenny and the old man.

Jenny slowly raised her hand, picked up the cigarette, and began to examine it carefully.

She seemed to treat it as if Lenoch had handed her a bomb.

She slowly inspected the exterior and cautiously brought it to her nose to smell.

Her head twitched for a moment, but she quickly returned to a calm expression.

Only then did Jenny, reassured, place the cigarette back down and sigh.

“Hah… I thought it was some new electronic drug or something.”

“Do you know what this is?”

Jenny nodded at Lenoch’s question.

“It’s just a common indulgence. I don’t know the product name, but I roughly know the ingredients. Crushed Melodis and Alpinia leaves mixed with plant oil.”

Jenny returned the cigarette to him and said.

“But for a wizard, you seem to like cheap products too much. If you smoke this for too long, your head might get messed up.”

“My head, you say?”

“Yeah. The recipe is so simple, and the finish is rough. It’s obvious trash at a glance. I understand why a wizard might like this, but if you want to smoke something, you should buy something expensive to avoid side effects.”

“…….”

Indeed, what he was holding was something he had taken from the overseer’s pocket at the factory.

It wouldn’t be surprising if it was a product with severe side effects despite not being very expensive, as long as it was effective.

“Anyway, if you like this, visit Plumber’s Orchard. It’s a place that caters to heavy smokers like Mr. Van, offering a grand selection and specializing in such business. You’ll probably find something you like.”

She said this while giving him a rough idea of where the ‘Orchard’ was located.

Lenoch nodded after hearing the general location.

“Thanks for telling me. I’ll come back next time.”

“Sure. See you again.”

As Lenoch turned to leave, waving at Jenny, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

“Wait, there’s one more thing I’d like to ask.”

“What?”

“Could I hear a similar explanation if I were to ask about health supplements?”