Central City Clid – Western District
It’s noisy.
The clamor here is distinctly different from the lively bustle of Avangarde Castle Town—it’s just noise, noise, noise. The vehicles gliding along the gray roads emit jarring sounds, intimidating other modes of transport.
So tall.
Even the Hotel Maison in Avangarde Castle Town isn’t this high. That place has four floors, but how many floors does that building over there have? One, two, three, four, five, six. That building seems to reach all the way to the sky.
“Lua-chan, let’s stick to the sidewalk over here. That side is for those vehicles.”
“Why are they separated? In Avangarde, both people and horses walked on the same road.”
“Those vehicles are moving at quite a speed, so it might be dangerous if they collide with a person.
Oh, but Lua-chan… even if you’re fine, others might not be.”
“I haven’t said anything yet.”
I feel like I’m being treated worse and worse. I’m just a normal girl, yet they say I can take down a pterosaur with the wind pressure from my punch, or that I could collide with those vehicles without a care.
“Hey, Roel. Don’t you think we’re being watched?”
“Now that you mention it… Maybe it’s this collar that’s drawing attention.”
“In Avangarde Castle Town, we could pass by adventurers without a second thought, but it seems like there aren’t any here.”
“Pfft, what’s that? Is there really someone still using a sword?”
“With that collar, they probably came from outside. Seems like they use such primitive weapons elsewhere…”
Two men are grinning at us, whispering without any attempt to hide their amusement. It’s clear they’re adventurers too, but instead of swords, they’re wielding the guns that Formas used.
In Avangarde Castle Town, it wasn’t unusual to see people carrying swords, axes, or spears, but here, we seem to be the only ones.
“They’re really unpleasant… Let’s ignore them.”
Roel takes my hand, perhaps sensing that I might confront those men.
I want them to understand that it depends on the person wielding the weapon. But then again, guns seem easier to handle than bows, and they pack quite a punch.
Formas, that wealthy man, loves his gun, so maybe it really is superior to a sword.
“Swords can attack from a distance too, you know.”
“By the way, I’ve heard that most adventurers in this country are gunners. They also have classes specializing in long-range shooting, using weapons we couldn’t even imagine back where we lived.”
“Do you think Platiu is one of them? She looks like an S-rank.”
“It might be good to ask her when we meet.”
I wonder how we’ll get to Metallica Castle, or rather, the Metal Tower, where Platiu is. I casually think about it, but it seems quite far from here. Even running at full speed, it wouldn’t take just ten or twenty minutes to get there.
From the air, I could tell that Central City Clid is far larger than both the Kingdom of Avangarde and the Kingdom of Normitz.
Even I would struggle to circle this place in thirty minutes. Plus, with all these tall buildings, jumping from roof to roof would be quite the challenge.
“Ugh, this seems even more confusing than the Western Terminal.”
Please don’t say things that make me shudder. I know it, but I wish you wouldn’t voice it. At this rate, I might really have to carry Roel on my back, and just as I think that, a vehicle stops right next to us.
The door of the vehicle slides open from the top, and out steps a young soldier from Metallica.
“Are you Lua-san and Roel-san?”
“Uh, yes. What is it?”
“I’ve been informed by Genia-sama. I’m here to take you to the Metal Tower, so please get in.”
Metal Tower – 1st Floor
“Thank you for coming all this way. Platiu is very happy to see you.”
Genia’s familiar smile and Platiu immediately hugging me. I understand we’re being welcomed, but what I’m really concerned about is what I’m supposed to do.
The spacious, perfectly circular room is too large, and in the center stands a silver door. It opens on its own, and as someone steps out, it closes again. Then, another person emerges from a cramped space. What kind of place is that?
Living in this country, I find myself constantly struggling to keep up with the rapid succession of bewildering events. It feels almost like I’ve stepped into another world. Amidst all this, Genia guides us toward that small room.
“If possible, I would have liked to greet you personally, but unfortunately, I’m quite busy…”
“What should I do?”
“There’s no need to be so tense. Please, relax.”
She speaks as if she can see right through my apprehension. That narrow-eyed gaze of hers always seems to perceive everything.
“Actually, we are currently working on a project.
The term ‘level’ is likely familiar to both of you. We take pride in having established and popularized its existence, but this time, we would like your cooperation in further subdividing it.”
Genia speaks with confidence, not a hint of humility, as she mentions their achievements. With a calm demeanor, she steps into the automatically opening door, and we follow her inside, where the door closes behind us.
Then, the small room, though not particularly spacious, begins to move quietly.
“W-What is this?”
“This elevator will take us to the designated floor. It’s quite convenient, though it would be useless in a building without so many floors…”
“That’s amazing! How did the Kingdom of Metallica develop so much?”
“I’ll just say it’s the result of effort and research. Hehe…”
Genia’s enigmatic smile hints at the many mysteries surrounding the advanced technology of Metallica. Many have tried to enter the Kingdom of Metallica to steal its technology, but none have returned unscathed. Roel’s fearful expression makes me wonder if something might happen to us, and I can’t help but think that this collar is meant for that purpose.
Despite Genia’s welcoming smile and Platiu’s unwavering embrace, I can’t shake the feeling that they don’t truly trust us. It seems like the only conclusion I can draw.
As the elevator rises quietly, the view transforms, revealing the landscape of Clid through the transparent walls.
“Lua’s level.”
“Huh?”
“What’s Lua’s level?”
“My level? Um…”
While clinging to my arm, Platiu speaks with a blank expression. When I show her my Adventurer Card, her indifferent demeanor shifts. Her eyes widen as she snatches the card from me, examining it thoroughly, turning it over and over as if she might break it.
“Wow… 999.”
“Genia, this card is legitimate.”
“Of course. There’s no technology capable of interfering with the system we developed.
But I find it interesting that it’s a clean 999. This is a good opportunity.
Let’s measure your true level from here on out.”
“True level?”
“The card and Level Checker can only display up to three digits.
However, with the latest Level Checker we developed, it can measure up to four digits!”
“F-Four digits? Are there really people with that many?”
“It’s unlikely for a human. Of course, this is also designed to measure non-human entities.
For example, if we could measure monsters at the levels we set, it would greatly benefit you adventurers.”
Four digits are unimaginable for a human, but maybe I could exceed that. Does that mean I’m not human? No, that can’t be right. I’m not a monster; I’m a proper human being.
“Well then, we’ve arrived. On this 40th floor, we currently have others assisting us as well.”
The view from the 40th floor is different from what I saw from the airship. The gray expanse below is more intricate and lifeless. The vehicles moving along the roads seem to operate with pure efficiency, nothing more. It feels like a reflection of the entire country.
Metal Tower – 40th Floor
“This is the 13th Technology Development Room. Here, we are researching the subdivision of levels.”
After stepping out of the elevator and navigating through a seemingly endless series of corridors, we arrive at a place that’s hard to describe. Numerous people are seated at desks, engaged in activities I can’t quite grasp. Nearby, there are several iron boxes large enough for a person to fit inside. Some of them actually contain people.
“Wait, there are really people inside…”
“Ah, those? They are one of the devices used to subdivide levels.”
“Subdivide?”
“How well do you understand the concept of levels? Strength is one answer.
Indeed, that is one aspect, but levels are merely a collection of data.”
“Levels, physical abilities. So, we can further break it down into strength, stamina, agility…”
Following Genia’s rapid-fire speech, Platiu added in a monotone voice. My thoughts were filled with a vague sense of confusion, wondering what purpose such actions could possibly serve. Here, they had been studying such things for a long time. I could only watch, without any admiration, as these white-coated individuals engaged in their incomprehensible behaviors.
“That device over there is merely for reading data from cells. However, I am approaching this in a much more efficient and practical manner,” Genia stated.
“Old, old indeed. Director Genia’s ideas are outdated,” came a voice from behind.
An elderly man in a tattered lab coat approached us, his gaunt cheeks suggesting he hadn’t eaten in days. I half-expected him to be blown away by the wind. His sunken eyes turned toward us, resembling a bear’s gaze.
“Director Terrace, while your enthusiasm for research is commendable, you should also take care to get some sleep,” he advised.
“There’s no need for concern. More importantly, I cannot let that remark slide. You claim to be more efficient, do you? Ha! This is exactly why young people are so naive… That device, the Bio Capsule, retains information from cells throughout the body…”
“I’m rather busy, so let’s save this discussion for another time,” Genia interjected, pushing us away as she left the scene. Director Terrace continued to mutter something, but Genia completely ignored him.
“Because I became the head of the Technology Development Bureau first, that old man is quite displeased. It’s best to brush him off to avoid any trouble,” Genia whispered cheerfully, forming a circle with her fingers.
I didn’t quite understand, but it seemed that the fact that Genia had risen to a position of power over him bothered the old man. When I glanced back, I saw that he was still glaring at us, his expression suggesting he might stomp his feet in frustration, casting a resentful gaze our way.
“That old man gives me the creeps, Lua-chan…” I murmured.
“Genia-san is right; let’s avoid getting involved.”
“Right this way, please.”
After walking for a few minutes from the previous lab, the presence of people gradually faded, leaving only a long corridor. At the end stood a quietly positioned door. I wasn’t surprised when it opened automatically.
◆ Metal Tower, 40th Floor, Room 13, Area 20 ◆
“Room 13, Area 20. Here, research is being conducted from a different perspective than before,” Genia announced.
The round room branched off into several doors, and unlike the previous area, there were only a few people present. I thought the room was rather plain, but the side of the door was transparent. To my astonishment, I saw someone engaged in battle within.
It was an intense fight, and I wondered if everything was alright. One combatant was human, just like us, and was fighting barehanded. The other was a humanoid monster made of metal that I had never seen before. Both were locked in a fierce struggle, neither willing to back down.
“What is that person fighting against?” I asked.
“Before I answer that, let’s measure their levels first. Comb, could you grab that leveling device over there?” Genia instructed.
“Ah, sure,” replied Comb, a man who quickly retrieved the leveling device from the desk and brought it to Genia.
Genia donned the ring and extended her palm toward Roel.
“Oh, this pose doesn’t have any particular meaning. I just wanted to look cool for a moment. By the way, I came up with the name ‘Leveling,’ but it didn’t get the best reception,” she added, scratching the back of her head playfully.
For some reason, Platiu also put on a leveling device and struck the same pose, her arm directed at me.
“Roel-san’s level appears to be 83. Remarkable!” Genia exclaimed.
“Whoa!” Platiu gasped.
“What’s wrong, Platiu? You’re unusually loud today…” Genia remarked.
“This… this…”
“Comb, is this leveling device a defective product?” Genia asked, her tone suddenly serious.
“That can’t be! We did extensive final adjustments! If that were the case, we’d have to recall everything currently in circulation!” Comb protested.
“Right… So, what’s my level?” I interjected, feeling left out of the excitement.
As they continued to speculate, Platiu was repeatedly tapping the screen of the leveling device, while Genia sat down nearby, muttering about the relationship between combat volume and movement efficiency, scribbling something on paper that made no sense to me.
“Maybe we should really suspect a defect…” Comb murmured, his voice barely audible in the now silent room.
“By the way, Platiu’s level is 112,” Genia suddenly announced.
Her words cut through the silence, and I understood their significance. A level over 100 indicated an S-rank, yet here I was with my level. But from my perspective, Platiu’s level at her age was already quite extraordinary. When I was around Platiu’s age, five or six years ago, my level was certainly lower than it is now, and it was only recently that I gained confidence in my abilities.
Considering that, I couldn’t help but wonder how Platiu had trained to reach such heights. I wanted to ask her.
“Platiu is just an ordinary girl, except for her exceptional intelligence and insight. She fights with the Machine Maiden she invented herself, relentlessly annihilating enemies across a wide area. After years of doing this, she finally reached her level. It’s clear that if a child continues this for several years, they can surpass the average person by a significant margin—provided they don’t hit the Level Cap,” Genia explained.
Taking a breath, she sipped from a cup on the table, finishing it without savoring the taste, then placed a hand on Platiu’s head.
“Her innate talent is undeniable, but her level is the result of fighting without rest until the monsters on this island were exterminated. She began this when she was just four years old. You see? Even after six years of battling to wipe out all the monsters on this island, she barely surpassed level 100. Lua, let’s set aside the question of where and how you’ve been fighting for now.”
Genia pointed at me, her narrowed eyes sharp with scrutiny.
“You are not human.”
“I am not.”
At this moment, it didn’t matter that Platiu was mimicking the same pose. Did Genia harbor some grudge against me? I was a child born to my father and mother, living peacefully. How could she say I wasn’t human?
I took her words not as an insult directed at me, but as a slight against my beloved parents. I was a child born of humans.
Don’t underestimate me.