The night has already fallen, and the moon hangs high in the sky. I find myself sitting atop a relatively tall building, a stark contrast to the ruined structures I encountered in Mountain Glenn. This apartment block is well-maintained, a sign that the rooms inside should offer more comfort than the shabby apartments I've seen earlier.

I sit here, my head resting on my knee, gazing out towards the distant docks. The area is illuminated, allowing me to observe the ongoing activities. My sight sees people bustling about, loading containers onto ships with heavy machinery, yet the noise is distant and subdued.

My contemplation is abruptly interrupted by a message notification popping in my vision. A message from Ilia, which I quickly opened, revealing a series of images.

All of them depict the dockyard below me, with plenty of images with different perspectives and places. One of them, however, catches my attention; a clear picture of a pair of workers with exoskeletons moving heavy cargo.

I don't believe they pose a real danger to us, but they can create quite a ruckus if they get frightened. That, in turn, would attract a lot of attention, which is the last thing I want on this mission.

I swiftly swipe to the next set of pictures.

I stop when one picture shows promise, and I quickly zoom in, obtaining a better view of a tower of containers haphazardly stacked together, located quite close to a fence.

While we can enter from any point, it doesn't mean that every entrance is safe. Those containers would provide us with a much better vantage point while remaining undetected, which is precisely why Ilia suggested it in the first place.

'This is a good spot to start.'

'I thought so too'

'Going'

I stand up from my spot and stretch my neck, gyrating once before sliding along the wall for a while. With a powerful push from the wall, I propel myself onto the floor.

I dust off my colorful coat and pick up my pace towards the containers, which should be a little to the left side of the dockyard perimeter.

It turns out to be the right place, as I immediately spot a girl with purple hair already waiting at the designated spot, pacing in circles. Her restless movement quickly grabs my full attention.

She doesn't waste any time and starts talking. "I just found some security personnel," she says, her features marred by a troubled expression.

I raise an eyebrow in doubt. "Isn't that normal? All workplaces have some form of security, even if it's just a guy with a baton."

"Well, yes! But their weapons are far too advanced and powerful for any security personnel to have," she replies.

Her answer causes me to furrow my brow as I glance toward the dockyard. "Did you notice any names or logos on them?"

"Sadly, no. I couldn't find anything in their uniforms without risking getting too close."

Unmarked guards? That's a strange thing to find around here.

"Could it be because of the gangsters?" I ask, driven by curiosity. If they can afford better security, I can see why they would. It's common sense around these parts.

She crosses her arms and looks down in thought. "Probably, but Pax Electronica has a... passable relationship with the Snappers. Extra security could be seen as an act of aggression."

I take a moment to contemplate her explanation. It makes sense, but it doesn't help resolve my initial doubts about the new mysterious security team guarding the container area. Even if there is precious cargo, increased security could attract unwanted attention.

But our interest lies not in what they might be guarding; yet they have become an obstacle to our mission, one we must take care of.

"This won't stop us. Keep a channel open and wait for my signal." With that said, I climb the fence and leap toward the containers, continuing to ascend until I reach the top; a prime vantage point where even the illumination doesn't reach.

I approach the edge, enhancing my vision. Soon enough, I start spotting the guards stationed, just as my friend mentioned. Most of them are patrolling the containers, wearing blue military uniforms and full-face combat helmets, while only one guard stands atop a tower with a light spotter.

A spotter could be problematic.

"Ilia, take care of the guards below," I instruct her over the channel while I continue scanning for any other guards outside the area. "I'll handle the one in the tower."

"There was a tower guard?"

So, she didn't notice him? It's a good thing I moved in first, then.

"Yes, a spotter. Be careful as you get rid of them. And do not kill them; we don't know if they have insurance or some kind of tracker in them." I caution.

"Got it."

I glance back and notice her swiftly maneuvering through the shadows, blending into her surroundings and becoming difficult to track.

Turning my attention back to the spotter in the watchtower, I start brainstorming ways to deal with him.

Using a gun is out of the question, even with a silencer. Contrary to popular belief, a silencer doesn't make a gunshot completely silent; it's merely quieter. Besides, a gunshot can kill him, which is the last thing I want. Not because I care; disturbingly enough, I don't care, as evidenced by my murder of three gang members just hours ago.

What I want to avoid are alarms or anyone getting suspicious.

I blink once, and quickly my mind starts tracing the optimal route to reach the tower as fast as possible, all the while avoiding detection by the other guards who will surely be dispatched by my friend.

With my plan set, I make a run for it and leap toward another tower before descending to the ground. The illumination is on the same level, making the high ground a dangerous place.

I press myself against the metallic wall and move with cautious steps until I reach the end of the container. The shadows still provide cover, but I'll have to cross to the next section. I can't just move yet, as I pick up the clear sounds of approaching footsteps.

And if I couldn't be more certain, I see the powerful flashlight suddenly flicker to life nearby, then just as swiftly turn off.

I don't believe I made any noise unless that guard is particularly curious. In any case, he's approaching with each passing second, causing me to frown and instinctively reach for the hilt of my blade.

But I quickly shake my head, realizing that I couldn't resolve this by decapitating the guy. I'd have to act swiftly and aim for a knockout punch to his jaw, taking him out without causing a commotion.

I take deep breaths and wait, listening to the footsteps drawing nearer.

My artificial arm clenches into a fist, preparing to strike the approaching guard.

One hit.

A direct blow to the jaw, and then I can refocus on the watchtower.

His footsteps are within striking distance.

The next three steps will be my signal.

One.

Two.

Three.

I move from my hidden spot and lunge with a direct punch toward my target, or at least that was the plan until my blue eyes meet a pair of gray eyes, slightly surprised.

I lower my arm and take a quick look, finding the guard already down, knocked unconscious at Ilia's feet.

I let out a sigh before giving her a silent nod, to which she responds in kind, picking up the body and dragging it to a better hiding spot.

Ilia is exceptionally skilled in stealth. I should ask her to help me with covert techniques in the future.

I shake my head, trying to clear my mind of idle thoughts, and dash in the opposite direction because now the path to the tower is clear.

Taking a left turn, I reach the base of the tower, where a long metallic ladder extends to the top. I begin to climb, propelling myself for every few steps, ascending three at a time instead of one by one to reach the top as quickly as possible.

Just before I reach the end of the ladder, I slow down and cautiously raise my head over the edge, careful not to reveal myself. I spy on the blue guard, who remains fully focused on what's happening below him, completely absorbed in his task.

I carefully ascend and step onto the tower, stealthily making my way toward the guard as he continues to survey the area.

That is, until his posture shifts, leaning over the railing briefly before his hand, at surprising speed, reaches for something on his waist, causing my heart to skip a beat.

He must have spotted Ilia!

Without wasting a single second, I leap towards him, locking my arms around the bastard's neck, catching him completely off guard before I start applying pressure. A perfectly executed chokehold, and my victory.

Obviously, the guy doesn't stay idle and struggles in vain, attempting to break free, flailing his arms in an attempt to attack or hurt me in hopes of releasing my hold. Instead, I increase the pressure even more, causing him to let out a very feminine whimper.

I raise my eyebrows in surprise as she continues making noises that are definitely not from a man, but from a woman. It shouldn't be surprising to find a woman in this field of work, but I guess my new memories are acting up on old beliefs.

Either way, it doesn't matter, and I keep choking her until her arms slowly lose strength bit by bit, and her entire body goes limp.

I smirk and finally release her, then drag her unconscious body towards the small cabin in the watchtower. Opening the door, I drop her body inside, then search the room for anything interesting since it's her watch post. I find nothing besides energy drinks and some towels; nothing useful or important to me.

There's no point in staying around.

However, I should restrain her as an additional layer of safety, so I pick up the towels and tie her hands and legs, gagging her. If she wakes up, she won't be able to do much by herself or call for help for a long while.
By then, we will be long gone.

I lock the door of the cabin and descend from the watchtower, gripping both sides and sliding down all the way to the ground, landing safely.

As I look around, my gaze stops when I see Ilia changing colors back to her original ones as she approaches me. "All the bodies are hidden; people will find them tomorrow morning."

"More than enough time," I smile. "Good work."

With the guards out of the way, the area is now free for us to explore, setting our next destination in motion.

The office buildings are practically next to the watchtower, just a short walk away. Before I can say anything, Ilia takes the lead and pulls out a clip from her hair, skillfully working on the door, which opens in a matter of seconds.

"I thought they would have those digital locks," I comment out loud. It's genuinely surprising that people still use something so... old.

She returns the pin to her hair. "They aren't that secure. This is better, or you can go for an eye identifier, which is very expensive."

I simply nod in response to her explanation. It's also possible that they were overly confident in their security team.

We enter the building, finding it to be quite simplistic, with a couple of computer cubicles and shelves tightly packed against the walls. However, these aren't what we're looking for. We continue deeper into the building until we reach a door with a plaque indicating it belongs to the manager.

Thankfully, the door is unlocked, granting us easy access to the main office. The main computer and all the information we need should be stored here, such as the contents of each container and their respective locations. Most importantly, we hope to find details on trade routes heading to Mistral, which is close to our home.

Yes, I'm planning on hijacking more ships in the future. Criticize me all you want, but we need as many resources as we can get. Morality means jackshit when you're starving.

I press the power button and settle into the cushy chair, waiting for the computer to boot up. Ilia, on the other hand, is busy opening and searching through files on the shelves. I'm not sure what she's looking for, but it must be important, given how absorbed she appears in her task.

However, my attention shifts when I notice the computer completing its boot-up process and displaying a locked screen, demanding a username and password. I click my tongue in annoyance. Ilia doesn't know how to hack, and our hackers are probably behind bars if they're lucky.

That leaves me as the only option. Technically speaking, I should be able to hack into anything thanks to my talents, but the problem is I don't know where or how to start a hacking process.

Perhaps if I extract the storage disk and take it home, I could work on retrieving the information I want. However, it might take more time than I'd like, and I can't forget that I'm not alone in this task. My childhood friend is still searching for documents in the same room as me.

I lean back in the big chair and let out a sigh.

Except all the rising issues vanish when my eyes notice a yellow sticky note glued to the screen in the top right corner.

I extend my hand and snatch it, bringing it closer to read what is writing on it, that being the username and password.

Seriously?

I frown but type the same username and password into the computer, hitting enter key. The screen finally unlocks and shows the entire desktop, causing me to facepalm and drag a hand across my face, groaning. I can't believe the answer was right there in front of me, and I couldn't see it.

I feel like a total idiot.

But at least I have access to the computer, and I don't waste any time in starting to browse through all the files, connecting a small USB through the front ports.

I double-click on the spreadsheets with striking similarity with Excell.

A new window opens, bombarding me with a multitude of numbers. Rows upon rows of numbers and codes appear next to each other. It takes me a couple of seconds before I finally understand what the spreadsheet represents.

It's an inventory, detailing what is stored in the port and where each item is located.

I switch to another spreadsheet, which provides information about the currently docked ships.

The majority of them turn out to be large vessels, which are next to impossible to use since we don't have enough people to crew one of those ships unless we take the crewmen hostage the entire voyage, a situation that would be more detrimental to us than helpful. And that isn't counting that the majority of them aren't at full capacity.

So, I need to find a much smaller ship. The fleet has a few of them docked, but only one is fully loaded and departing for Mistral tomorrow morning. I make a mental note of the ship's number before switching back to the inventory spreadsheet.

I eventually locate the serial number on the ship and find out what the feeder ship is exporting in those containers.

A quick read allows me to summarize the cargo as food, electronics, pharmaceuticals, small vehicles, plastic products, and a single SDC dust container.

It's not exactly what I was hoping for. I would have preferred if it were loaded with raw materials and more dust. Nevertheless, it's still useful for us, and it's ready to depart tomorrow morning. If we execute the plan correctly, we shouldn't raise any suspicions until they realize the ship has been hijacked half an ocean away.

"Ilia, I've found our escape," I announce, taking out the small USB with the copied information.

She looks up from the documents in her hand and approaches the desk.

I turn the screen in her direction to show her what we'll be taking with the ship.

Her eyes widen in surprise, and a smile forms on her face. "It's perfect. This will help our home a lot; perhaps for half a year if we can ration it well."

Ilia then places all the files and documents she gathered on the desk in front of me. "Why do you have these documents?" I finally ask her, as it must be important if she made sure to show them to me.

Her hand quickly points at numbers, big numbers, to be precise. The documents on the table, if my memory doesn't fail me, are accounting tables.

"Blackmail material. These documents are completely different from what was given to the public records, shareholders, and investors," she explains, then points to another paper that, after a quick glance, appears to detail various dealings outside of the exportation industry. "It isn't common, but many are overconfident that others won't find out their secrets, which is why they keep them in public spaces."

Ilia is really good at gathering information. I always knew that, but seeing it firsthand is still incredible.

"This will be useful in the future," I say as I grab all the files and save them in my coat, discreetly sending all those documents into my pocket space.

She nods. "If we play our cards right, we could force them to change some recent policies. Or have them lose some cargo once in a while."

I grab the computer screen, turn it around, move it back to its original place, and power it off, as we no longer need this device. "Let's head to our ship."

I rise from my chair, my mind made with the next objective.

"Right behind you."

We swiftly exit the office building, ensuring to lock the main entrance, and start running toward where our ship should be docked. Thanks to our previous actions, the area is now clear of obstacles, making our movements completely unrestricted and straightforward as we navigate to find the correct ship number.

However, there are still some workers using exoskeletons to move cargo in the distance. Fortunately, our ride isn't near that place, but rather in the area we meticulously cleared out earlier.

In a matter of minutes, we locate the cargo ship; a small but still considerably sized vessel with numerous containers already loaded on board. It's anchored and securely tied with thick ropes to the port to prevent it from drifting and crashing into anything.

I draw my blade and begin cutting the ropes, knowing we don't have much time to linger out in the open. Ilia is already climbing the ship to save time and get a much better position to keep watch of our surroundings.

After cutting the last knot, I look up, and my friend signals me to come up. I take a few steps back, then dash forward and nearly reach the edge, my hand clinging to it before pushing myself up.

In no time, I find myself on the ship's deck, dusting off my coat and arms before making my way towards the main control room. All our senses are on high alert in case there are crew members aboard, ready to stop them before they can raise an alarm or call for help.

Climbing a set of stairs, we enter the control room, which also has the door unlocked, giving us quick and easy access to the room interior. I head straight for the desk, searching for a list or anything that could provide information about the crew members assigned to the ship and tomorrow's voyage.

I begin to pull open drawers and scour the messy control panel, throwing things to the floor as they have no value to me, but I don't find any sort of list in that mess. On the other side of the room, Ilia is also searching but seems to have the same lack of success as me.

My attention then shifts to the walls, which are mostly empty except for a tablet hanging above a computer. I extend my hand and reach for the tablet, and much to my delight, it turns out to be a list of the assigned crew.

A quick read of the paper reveals that for tonight, there should be five crew members staying on board to perform preliminary work and prepare the ship for tomorrow's departure.

I move toward Ilia and get her attention with a single cough, then hand her the list. She frowns for a moment as she reads the list before nodding in understanding.

We exchange silent looks and move to the stairs, descending to the deck below the ship's interior. As we enter a hallway, we are greeted by rows of round metallic doors.

Just as we set one foot inside, we both hear the sound of echoing laughter. Our expressions turn serious, and we focus on the laughter, trying to determine its source and location.

The deeper we venture into the hallways, the louder and clearer the occasional laughter becomes. Our steps practically become tiptoeing to avoid detection.

As we progress, I spot an open door in the distance, and the room leading to it is illuminated. The noises are coming from there. We quickly adjust our stance and move against the wall, advancing slowly toward the door.

Reaching the open door, I carefully lean over to peer inside. I discover it's a lunchroom with a small kitchen in the back. Most importantly, I see five humans inside, drinking and playing games at a table.

My hand quickly relays this information to Ilia before it returns to the hilt of my mechashift weapon.

These are all the assigned workers for tonight, and it's incredibly convenient that they're all gathered in one place. It will be easy to subdue and control them, making me smirk as I realize this hijack will be far easier than expected.

I take a couple of breaths, firmly gripping my weapon and drawing it in gun mode. Before entering the room, I raise my other hand, silently counting down so we can storm the room together.

One.

Two.

Three.

"ON THE GROUND NOW!"

"UH?" All five heads in the room immediately snap back toward me in utter shock.

"WHAT THE—GAH!" One guy couldn't finish his sentence as Ilia strikes him with her whip. This action breaks everyone from their initial shock, and they quickly raise their hands above their heads in surrender.

In a single swift move, I assert control over the entire room.

I close the distance with our hostages and point my gun toward the head of one of the crewmen. "I will not repeat myself." I observe sweat falling from his forehead and trembling eyes. "On. The. Ground."

"Okay, man, chill, chill."

"Shit, fuck, shit, fuck, fuck!"

Everyone slowly drops to the floor with their hands still raised above their heads, where we can see them. While I highly doubt anyone here can pose a threat to us physically, they could still potentially call for help using a radio or scroll.

"Hey, why are you attacking? We made a deal with your boss," one of them speaks up, capturing everyone's attention.

I frown at his words but quickly remember that we are dressed as Snappers. His words suggest that his syndicate has some sort of deal with the Snappers' gang. While it doesn't matter to us, it can be used to our advantage to shift the blame.

"The deal changed. Your boss is a fucking retard," I sneer.

"Oh, fuck..."

"Don't kill me."

"We won't," Ilia reassures the group, eliciting sighs of relief.

However, that relief is short-lived when I place my gun atop the head of a bald worker. "This ship is our compensation for your boss's screw-up. Start it up. Now."
Free labor.

It will speed things up, given that we are racing against the clock. Sooner or later, the disappearance of the guards will raise alarms.

"Shit..."

Not receiving a response, I step on his head and apply some pressure, quickly putting him back in his place. "Okay, okay, it isn't worth getting hurt over that bastard. We help you sail this ship, and you let us go, right?"
"Are you serious, man?" another guy wearing a cap protests, but Ilia is quick to step on his head to force him down.

"Yeah, we aren't paid enough for this shit," he grimaces. "These fucking Snappers are no joke. Didn't you see the news?"

That silences everyone else, their fearful eyes silently conveying the danger posed by these gangsters. But they aren't my concern; it's the city's problem.

So I look down and kick him in the stomach, causing him to grunt in pain. "Get up and prepare the ship."

Everyone slowly gets up from the floor, but their hands are still behind their heads. Their movements are agonizingly slow, so Ilia steps in and pushes them to move faster, hitting some on their back.

All of them leave the cafeteria and enter the hallway, heading left toward what I assume is the engine room, doing as they were told.

In a matter of minutes, we reach another set of stairs leading to our destination, the engine room. Everyone takes their positions, flipping switches, pulling levers, and turning valves. My partner stays close to the ones who move further into the room.

Soon enough, the room becomes loud, clearly indicating the engine firing up.

The same guy from before approaches me with his head hanging low. "There, in ten minutes, this ship will be ready."

I look around, and whenever my gaze lands on another worker, they frantically nod, confirming their fellow crew member's statement. But that's not my primary concern at the moment.

I step closer and grab him by the collar, bringing him closer to me, though I somewhat regret it as this man clearly hasn't showered in a while, and his excessive sweating makes his odor disgusting to the nose. "Who's the leader?"

The group's reaction is instantaneous, and they all point toward the human wearing the blue cap whose legs tremble, causing him to fall to the floor, his face pale as a sheet.

"F-fuck you... you traitors!" he stammers and tries to get away, though his legs fail him, making it impossible to support his body. Ilia is quick to send a kick his way, putting a halt to his pathetic attempt at escape.

Without wasting any more time, I grab him by the collar and lift him off the floor. I start dragging him outside. Just as I cross the door, I look back at my friend and gesture toward the entire group. "Keep watch."

She nods and swings her weapon, striking the floor, causing everyone to flinch in fright.

With the situation under control, I continue dragging the group leader outside in the direction of the control room. He doesn't resist but continues to plead with me. "Come on, man, I did everything you told me to do. Please, let me go."

Rather than endure his pleas, I stop and backhand him on the head. "You will talk when I tell you to talk."

He shuts his lips instantly and frantically nods.

With the minor annoyance dealt with, we continue walking until we reach our destination.

However, I can't help but notice that I can't find the heavy workers from earlier. They might have moved to another area or finished their shift, which could pose a slight problem, as they might discover something amiss.

Acknowledging the higher chances of being found out, I grab my prisoner and throw him inside, but he's clearly scared and ends up falling to the floor. Fortunately for him, he uses his hands to break his fall and looks back at me with fearful eyes.

"Start it up; we're leaving."

He frantically nods and gets back on his feet before starting to operate the control panels. While I do understand all the steps required to turn on the ship, my talents help me grasp how to operate any vehicle. I still prefer to see an expert handle it to ensure I won't make mistakes when I take charge.

Moments later, he moves toward a lever that looks bigger than the rest. When he pulls it down, a lot of noise starts happening outside, quickly confirming that the anchor is rising, meaning there is nothing left to keep the ship docked.

We're ready to sail.

My temporary captain slowly moves toward the steering wheel and takes charge of the ship. Soon enough, the ship starts moving, slowly but steadily, leaving the port behind. My mission is almost successful, but I can't celebrate yet. The ship needs to travel a certain distance to be considered safe from Vale's potential response.

"Hardrock, why are you departing eight hours early?" A voice suddenly makes itself known from the radio.

"Hardrock, respond immediately."

I furrow my brows and point my gun again at the cowardly captain. "Lie."

Like a fucking idiot, he frantically nods again, droplets of sweat falling off as a trembling hand reaches for the radio and brings it closer to his mouth. "I... I... the boss called. I don't know; he… just told me to move this ship because something important would be taking place later. He didn't give me more details."

"Again? Ugh, that asshole. It cost us a lot of money to move ships just to accommodate those stupid surprises."

"Y-yeah..."

I raise an eyebrow. It's a very convenient development of events, but at the same time, what exactly are these idiots doing here?

Smuggling comes to mind, but the need to move entire cargo ships for whatever that is makes me think it isn't just smuggling, but something else.

Suddenly, a loud explosion goes off in the distance. Both of us look to our left and see a rising cloud not very far from us.

Then, moments later, another explosion goes off not too far from the first, which makes me furrow my brows and walk a couple of steps closer before I enhance my vision and zoom in on the scene.

My sight quickly picks up people storming the port from the east side, people with weapons, semi-naked with the exception that their bodies are full of tattoos, very similar tattoos to the guys I killed hours ago.

Then, a much bigger guy enters the scene, dragging a Snapper with him. I know the poor bastard is a Snapper member because of the stupid colorful clothes on him before he puts a sawed-off shotgun on the head and pulls the triggers, scattering brain matter everywhere.

That's enough gore for me.

We have inadvertently caused a gang war, and the dockyard will be their battleground. Those explosions are more than enough to grab the entire city's attention, meaning the police must be rushing to the scene.

Or worse, hunters.

"Go full speed!" I shout, keeping my gaze locked onto the fight unfolding in the port.

Then, an explosion hits a ship docked nearby.

Turning my attention to another zone, I finally notice Snapper members rushing in with weapons and taking practical positions. They pull it off just in time as both gangs finally engage each other.

It's not my problem and never will.

Right now, I just want to leave this cursed city.

Much to my delight, we are almost done. As soon as I return my vision to normal, I notice that we are pretty far from the docks. Despite this being a cargo ship, it's quite fast.

A couple more minutes, the city's silhouette shouldn't be visible anymore.

"There we go. In ten minutes, we will be fully away from the coastlines. Just look at the map and steer towards your destination, wherever that is," my cowardly human captain finally speaks up, raising his trembling hands above his head. "Please, let us go now."

I rub my chin in thought. The humans are dead weight now, so I should follow through with my promise, and I want the news of the Snappers' involvement in the hijacking to spread. I can gather them all and drop them with an escape boat; they should know how to drive one.

"Adam."

I hear my friend talking from our communication channel, making me frown and walk away from the captain, raising a hand silently to tell him to sit down and wait.
Once away from him and sure that he won't hear me, I respond.

"What happened? Trouble?"

"No, but I am hearing cries."

My eyes go wide in surprise, but then they narrow dangerously. I can feel my stomach churning with anxiety, HOPING that it isn't what I think it is. Yet, deep down, I just know that my assumptions will be proven right.

"I will look into it," I reply before closing the line and walking towards the captain. I lift him up again, but this time I shift my weight and slam him against the wall, causing him to groan in pain.

"There are more people inside. Show me what you are hiding," I growl, my hand applying gradual pressure on him, leaving him no option but to comply with my demands.

He is fully scared now, tears streaming down his face as he nods. I release him, and he pathetically carries himself forward, leading me to wherever the rest of the people are.

We descend the stairs and walk through the hallway. It's a silent walk, if I don't count the man's loud and ragged breathing.

I hear the crying, just as Ilia mentioned. The man becomes even more uneasy and scared, and he should be, because if I confirm what I suspect...

I shake my head and take a moment to think. I won't kill him, not because I care, but because the plan has been set, and I need to stick to it. However, he won't escape without injury. A broken arm or leg should do.

When we stand in front of the door and still hear the cries, I push him forward. He quickly understands my message and gulps loudly. He opens the metallic door, but he's excruciatingly slow. My patience runs out, and I move forward, kicking open the door. I grab the guy's arm and throw him inside, causing him to fall face-flat.

The cries go silent, replaced by muffled sobbing.

I wanted to search for a switch to turn on the light, but it's totally unnecessary because the moment I step inside, I can see everything.

The entire fucking room to its all bastardized glory.

And the situation I fucking knew was the reality, but yet I clung to the barebones possibility that it wasn't true. Because the storage room has cages inside with fucking people inside.
My people.

Kill him.

I lash out, shouting, "Start talking!" and strike his stomach with all my strength with my robotic arm, causing him to gasp in sharp pain and clutch his stomach.

KILL HIM!

"I-I swear I didn't d-do anything!" he cries, but that only earns him another kick from me and he howls in agony. "I just follow..."

I kick his mouth this time, completely shutting him up and breaking his teeth. I know I've broken his teeth because they're scattered everywhere.

Yet I don't stop, I don't want to stop.

My weapon tightly strapped to my waist before I grab the fucking bastard and slam him against the wall, and then landing a punch on his jaw with my stronger and more powerful arm.

And again.

And again

AGAIN

AGAIN!

What the fuck am I doing?

My fist stops very close to the broken face of the unconscious piece of shit, as I can still hear his sporadic breaths. I release him, and his body falls to the ground with a thud. I glance at my bloodied fist, then at my normal hand, which is also covered in blood.

Not knowing how to proceed, I do the first thing that comes to mind and wipe the blood off my hands on my coat; I'll be throwing it away afterward. I take deep breaths to clear my mind before I turn around and walk towards the cages to get a better look at the prisoners.

The first cage doesn't contain faunus, as I expected, but humans. A small group of humans huddled together, looking at me with utter fear, despite all of them being adults. The surprise quickly fades, and I move towards the rest where the prisoners are faunus, just as I sadly expected.

Unlike their human counterparts, they aren't scared; they have a dejected look, as if they've fully accepted their fate, their spirits broken. And some of them have bruises on their faces or black eyes.

I move away from the cages and look up at the ceiling in thought. This ship was supposed to export goods to Mistral, and I know the worker was telling the truth; he didn't know and was only doing what he was told to do. This means that the syndicate leader is complicit in a human/faunus trafficking ring with Mistral's criminal organizations.

I let out a tired sigh and connected with Ilia, who has been waiting for my discovery for a while.

"They had prisoners, a trafficking ring," I inform her. "Don't kill them."

There's some muffled yelling on the other side before she cuts off the channel.

I walk over to the unconscious human and throw him over my shoulder, making my way toward the exit.

"Wait, please!" A voice stops me as I'm about to cross the threshold. I slowly turn around to see a human girl grabbing the bars of her cage, as if she's trying to push her head out between them for a better view. She has slightly dirty and disheveled black hair.

"Please save me, my dad will pay you!" The girl pleads desperately, but the fancy ruined clothes already tell me a lot.

I can't help but roll my eyes at the classic scenario of a rich girl who got mixed up with the wrong crowd and now regrets her choices. I ignore her cries and continue walking.

"Wait, wait, please!"

Her pleas fade into the background as I move on. Soon, I encounter Ilia, who is dragging an unconscious man. It seems he put up some resistance, as there's a bruise near his left eye.

"We will load them into the lifeboats. When they wake up, they'll spill everything and blame the Snappers, although I don't know how things will turn out since they are currently fighting against another gang because they think they killed their members for no reason."

"That explains the explosions," she mutters before continuing to drag the men outside. Instead of letting her do all the work, I move faster and take one of the men off her hands and start dragging him. It's not very taxing to move two adults by myself, as there isn't much weight on them.

My friend nods and goes back to grab another one, but I let out a sigh of frustration. I should have told her to take them outside and then knock them out, not the other way around. I wasn't thinking straight, just wanted to hurt all of them one way or another. I need to better control myself.

As our sailing ship continued its relentless journey, the world outside shifted once more. The cacophony of battle had faded into the distance, replaced by an eerie calm. Vale's distant lights flickered faintly, gradually diminishing as we sailed further away.

We're so close to relative safety, but we still need to deal with the humans. So, I make my way towards the lifeboats and open one of them, swiftly depositing the leader and the crewmember inside.

Ilia soon joined me, her presence accompanied by two unconscious humans. Together, we drop them into the lifeboat, paying little heed to their comfort. My friend brought the last crewmember, tossing him into the vessel with the rest.

My friend arrives with the final crewmember and hurls him inside with the rest. Just as I'm about to cut the ropes and set them free, I pause, thinking back of the human prisoners still trapped in that cage.

"Come down with me," I announce, and sprint back toward the storage room.

As she enters, she gasps at the sight before rushing toward the cages and attempting to unlock them. However, she quickly realizes that these locks are not traditional but rather technologically advanced, beyond her lock-picking skills.

"Move," I say sternly, unsheathing my blade and delivering a sweeping arc that cuts through all the surrounding cages, rendering those advanced locks useless.

Ilia rushes inside the cages, offering comfort and solace to the victims. Meanwhile, I turn my attention to the human's cage. They're huddled against the wall, clearly frightened of me and the potential danger they see in me after that display of power.

However, it matters little to me. I grab the chain, keeping them all together and lead them outside, knowing exactly what needs to be done.

Standing in front of the lifeboat with the unconscious crew members still inside, I raise my voice.

"Raise your hand if you're worth something."

Initially, confusion sweeps over everyone, but then the wealthy girl raises her hand, a glimmer of hope reflecting in her dark eyes. Beside her, a disheveled man in a rumpled business suit slowly follows suit.

The remaining three humans hang their heads, their hands remaining downcast. It's evident that these three must be blue-collar workers or have low incomes, implying they aren't of much value.

Just as I had hoped.

I grasp the hilt of my blade and swiftly cut the chains restraining their hands, eliciting surprise from all of them.

"Get on the boat and go," I command, pointing towards the boat behind me.

They gaze at their liberated hands and then back at me, their eyes wide with shock, struggling to grasp my words.

"I won't repeat myself," I growl, fully prepared to forcefully drag them, kicking and screaming, onto the boat. It's time to finally get rid of the dead weight and move on to other, much more important matters.

Fortunately, they don't need to be told twice; all of them scramble to their feet and rush past me, opening the lifeboat and clamoring inside. I slowly turn around, close the door behind them, and sever the ropes, watching it drop into the sea.

The descent is quite steep, but I doubt they'll mind, given their eagerness to return to the faintly visible city. They'll be fine.

"Wait, we're worth money! Why are you saving them?" protests the snobby princess with a shrill voice.

Instead of playing games, I take advantage of my weapon being drawn and point the sharp end of my katana at her throat, causing her to freeze in her tracks. She doesn't dare utter another word, her breath growing labored as her body trembles. Her knees appear weak, as if she might collapse at any moment.

"Because you are worth something," I reply, shifting my weapon's aim to the businessman. "The two of you will be released when whoever owns you pay for the rescue."

Whether or not they ever get ransomed won't be my concern anymore. I'll leave that responsibility to Sienna, who has dealt with such matters in the past.

My words seem to have an immediate impact. The brunette breaks down, crying uncontrollably, while the man's complexion turns pale, as if he might be sick. But I don't concern myself with their feelings; I only need to ensure their survival.

Using the same chain, I lead them back to the quarters below. In the first room I find, I throw them inside and close the door, locking it securely. I have no intention of allowing them to attempt anything untoward on my ship.

Although, truth be told, they're more likely to meet their end at the hands of my kin than to pose any real threat.

With the humans finally dealt with, I make my way back to the storage area to check on how Ilia has been handling the distressing situation. Knowing her, I anticipate it's improved significantly from how it initially started.

My intuition proves correct as I arrive to find everyone out and relatively calm, some trying to console others. It's almost a heartwarming scene, all thanks to my childhood friend.

Ilia, who stands alongside a woman, notices my arrival and approaches me with a deep frown. "The humans?"

"Taken care of. We're keeping two hostages who have some value," I answer.

Her features soften as she looks back at our kinsmen. "They were victims of a Mistral gang. They don't know the gang's name, but they were deceived into accepting a job contract without understanding what they were signing off on." She folds her arms. "Typically, their fate would have led to forced labor in a mine or a sweatshop. As for the women, it would have been a brothel."

Common fate for those who are trafficked.

"Do they know we are going to Menagerie?" I ask.

"Yes, I've already informed them, and they've all agreed," she responds with a heavy sigh, releasing her pent-up emotions. "It's their only viable option now. Gangs can be ruthless, especially if you've signed a contract with them. If they were to return, those bastards would likely capture or even kill them."

In this world, nobody would care except for their immediate families or friends, assuming they still have any.

"I'll stay here and continue helping them. You go ahead and steer the ship," she says.

"Don't worry; I trust you to do your best," I assure her.

I turn around and start to make my way outside. However, my plan is interrupted when a woman with antlers runs in front of me and kneels, lowering her head to the floor, surprising me with her sudden action.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" she exclaims as a long stream of tears fall from her eyes.

I glance at my fellow Faunus for a moment, uncertain of how to respond to her heartfelt gratitude. I even feel moved, happy maybe?

"Don't mention it," I curtly reply, before walking around her and finally exiting the storage room.

'I've told you already. It was an accident.'

"How can you call that an accident?! There were innocents in there!"

"It's not my fault those bastards used those humans as shields!"

"They were innocents!"

"This is a war, Blake! People get hurt in wars!"

"My father never would have accepted this!"

"Don't you dare to bring him into this!"

I wake up with a loud gasp, my breaths labored, my chest rising and falling rapidly, and my entire body covered in sweat. My hands quickly move to wipe the sweat from my face in sheer annoyance. I never, ever expected to have a dream like this. But after her betrayal, I should have expected it.

It's one of the many arguments I had with Blake.

Why couldn't she understand that things aren't just black and white?!

NOTHING.

NOTHING IS EVER SIMPLE!

My fist slams against the bed, but it achieves absolutely nothing, failing to calm me down. I'm forced to get up from the bed and take deep breaths to regain my composure.

I take deep, long breaths to calm myself and find some level of serenity in my troubled mind. Why is my stress defense doing nothing?

Or maybe it is already working? The first level is not total immunity after all.

One glance at my surroundings confirms that I'm in the captain's cabin, my designated room for this week-long voyage across the sea. I hope nothing wrong happens until we reach Menagerie, especially when it comes to Grimm attacks, as they can easily damage the cargo.

Both hands massage my temples to alleviate the tension within me before I rise from the bed and reach for my coat, slipping it on. I had fallen asleep with my blindfold on, which might seem silly, but I didn't want to risk my friend walking in and discovering the absence of my scar.

I step out of the captain's cabin, greeted by the night sky and a gentle gust of wind brushing against me. It doesn't feel cold, but the sensation is still pleasant against my skin. I close my eyes, allowing myself to listen to the waves crashing against the ship.

Autopilot is undoubtedly one of the best inventions for transportation. I don't have to stay in front of the steering wheel every second; a series of instructions will automatically adjust the coordinates and accordingly move the wheel to the correct angle to prevent deviations, as one degree off can cause a lot of problems.

This newfound freedom allows me to move around inside the ship or engage in other activities.

I'll need to find ways to occupy my time since it will be a long week before the ship reaches Menagerie, and this is just the first night of many.

Training and delving deeper into the encyclopedias I purchased would be ideal. I just need to be cautious so Ilia doesn't notice my disappearance as only in my home I can study.

She's the perfect companion and right hand. She did an excellent job of settling everyone into the ship's quarters and providing comfort to prevent them from acting irrationally due to fear or stress.

It's a relief that the ship is well-stocked with plenty of food, ensuring that nobody will go hungry, including the humans. In case of unexpected events, we can always open a container and distribute the food inside.

I shake my head and start walking towards the forecastle, even though it's quite a distance from my quarters. It doesn't matter; I just need to take a walk and clear my mind, to have a moment for myself.

Eventually, I arrive at the cargo area, where containers are stacked on top of each other and securely fastened. A faint smile forms on my lips, knowing that this cargo will reach my home and assist my people. Yet, my smile fades as something pricks at my chest, taking away my small joy.

I'm not sure why this feeling is unsettling, but I decide to ignore it and continue walking until I reach the opposite end of the ship. Yet, I come to a halt when I notice a small figure already there, leaning against the railing.
I don't feel concerned because I have a strong suspicion about who might be there, so I continue my walk.

Sure enough, my suspicions are confirmed when I find my friend gazing at the starry sky. This time, she's wearing a jacket atop her military suit, the ugly gangster's clothes long discarded along with mine.

Ilia, demonstrating her keen perception, turns her head and appears momentarily surprised. However, that surprise quickly transforms into a warm smile.

"Hey."

"Couldn't sleep?" I inquire as I move closer to her and rest both arms on the railing.

"Could ask the same thing," she cheekily replies.

I chuckle softly and join her in looking up at the sky.

"Is everyone okay?" I ask with a bit of concern.

"Yes, everyone is calm and surprisingly optimistic," she responds.

I let a smile grace my face and step closer, leaning on the ship's railing beside her to gaze at the shattered moon.

"It's a beautiful view, isn't it?" she remarks.

"Yes, I never thought I'd have the opportunity to witness something like this," I reply, briefly detaching myself from reality to appreciate the natural beauty. Moments like these are rare, which makes me appreciate them more.

Ilia lets out a giggle. "You were always a heavy sleeper. That's why it's a surprise to you up at this hour."

I keep my smile and don't try to retort, just remain silent for a moment because she's right.

"What about you?" I ask.

However, my question causes her demeanor to shift, and her gaze drops as if a dark cloud hangs over her.

"I... I couldn't sleep. There were just too many things racing through my head all at once, and it was hard, and..."

"Don't force yourself," I quickly interject. Her faltering voice already tells me enough, and it's clear she doesn't want to delve into her reasons. Perhaps she'll talk about it another day, or maybe she won't, but that's her decision, not mine.

Taking my advice, she closes her eyes and tilts her head up to the sky. When she opens her eyes again, they reflect the moonlight in her gray eyes as the wind passes through us, making her hair flow and ripple with it.
I let out a sigh and close my own eyes, relishing the sensation of the breeze against my skin once again.

As we both stand there, quietly embracing the serenity of the moment, I finally break the silence.

"This... this reminds me of better times," I say softly, my eyes still closed. "When things were simpler."

Ilia doesn't need to say anything to me.

Yet I can sense her nodding in agreement.

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