"Today we'll be checking the sewers in District 34. It seems there's a problem with the wastewater purification tank."
One of the hired fixers raised their hand and asked a question at Adela's briefing.
"Isn't the wastewater purification tank the most dangerous place?"
For ordinary sewage treatment, you can brush it off if water just isn't draining. But wastewater is a different story.
Tirna, with its many factories, produces an enormous amount of wastewater daily.
When that wastewater pools and rots, it turns into even more dangerous toxins. It can even mutate nearby living organisms.
This was exactly why Tirna's sewers were dangerous.
When insects and rats living in damp, dark places become contaminated by wastewater and mutate, they become monsters.
Even the vagrants seen everywhere generally avoid staying in the sewers for this reason.
The wastewater purification tank, being close to the contaminated area, could essentially be seen as the source of monster production.Although they say they regularly conduct extermination under the guise of cleaning, during long rainy seasons like this time, gaps in the schedule were inevitable.
"I heard about it too. They say it's basically a monster production site?"
"Don't they usually clean it periodically, but haven't been able to recently?"
The workers mumbled among themselves, seemingly worried.
'Monsters, huh.'
Osian recalled the crocodile monster that the Black Mage clan had tried to control.
Though it was said to have been torn apart by the transformed Rommel's hands, that creature also possessed tremendous size and strength.
Perhaps it was an alligator that had flowed into the sewers and mutated to grow that large.
'Even considering that the crocodile monster was particularly unique among mutants, it doesn't change the fact that mutants are dangerous.'
Even mutant rats are powerful enough to gnaw through iron with their teeth.
Not to mention other creatures like insects, lizards, and snakes.
Given that they were heading to a place where such dangerous monsters lurked, the people's anxiety was understandable.
Adela nodded as if understanding this concern.
"Yes, it is dangerous. However, we won't be going directly to the purification tank. We've taken measures to check it remotely as a safety precaution."
To summarize Adela's words, since checking the wastewater purification tank directly had always been dangerous, they had set up a special facility where they could monitor it from a separate location.
"I won't say we'll completely avoid mutants. But it won't be as dangerous as you're worried about. Above all, we have an exceptional expert with us."
Adela said this while glancing at Osian.
Even those who had harbored some complaints nodded in agreement at her voice full of trust.
"Then let's go."
Adela changed into work clothes again and moved underground with them.
If you ask whether this gets hazard pay, it doesn't. Strictly speaking, she could have just waited above ground.
Yet Adela went to the site directly. Perhaps it was because of this behavior that even those who had complained about the danger quietly followed along.
'She's going to make it big.'
Though she was still just a regular civil servant now, considering both her abilities and that boldness, she would surely be promoted soon.
'It wouldn't hurt to build connections with a civil servant.'
Civil servants in Tirna hold considerable authority. Especially for someone like Adela with high promotion potential, others wouldn't just leave her alone.
In fact, there were several fixers who could be seen flattering Adela.
Surprisingly, Hammond was among them.
Although Hammond had been engaging in power struggles with Adela before, true to his quick wit and exceptional social skills, he promptly lowered his tail to Adela.
'Though that will just make Adela dislike him more.'
If he had maintained a consistent attitude, Adela wouldn't have harbored ill feelings.
"All clear."
"No signs of danger detected."
"No signs of life activity detected."
The guards, wielding weapons, constantly searched the surroundings and reported.
Their eyes blazed with determination, as if determined not to repeat the same mistakes as before.
At this rate, it seemed the mission would end safely without any need to step in and fight.
Of course, reality wasn't so simple. As they went deeper inside, eerie sounds began to echo through the passage.
"Stop. Mutants ahead."
Dark masses moving quickly could be seen in the darkness.
They were bigger than average wild dogs, but surprisingly, these were mutant rats.
Their faces were hideously distorted and their teeth were sharp. Moreover, their tails had grown longer and could be wielded like whips.
Some had two tails, or spikes protruding like maces at the ends.
-Kiiiiik!
The rats' blood-red eyes turned toward them.
Judging by how their whiskers moved strangely and trembled, they seemed to be using them to detect prey.
"Combat ready!"
Osian was about to step forward, but Mist stopped him.
When he turned with a look asking why, Mist gestured with his chin toward the guards, as if saying, don't interfere and just watch for now.
Meanwhile, the rats crawled quickly across the floor and rushed toward the guards.
The guards aimed their guns at the approaching rats and pulled the triggers.
Perhaps because the humidity had decreased and the weapons had been newly maintained, the muzzles spewed fire smoothly and poured out bullets.
Red flowers bloomed over the bodies of the charging rats.
Even though they were huge beasts, they were helpless before firearms.
"Suppression complete."
"Keep moving."
As they kept moving, this time even more rats swarmed in, about twenty of them. Their size was still like that of wild dogs.
The creatures rushed in recklessly as soon as they spotted their prey.
The muzzles spewed fire while the rats charging at the front fell, sprayed blood but the ones behind leaped over their comrades' corpses and quickly closed the distance.
Though it was a narrow passage, the rats' sharp claws could dig into the walls, enabling more three-dimensional movement.
"Activate discharge barrier."
The guards didn't panic and pulled out something like grenades from their waists and threw them.
The cylindrical objects rolled forward, then split open like they were separating top and bottom.
The electrodes that protruded from inside emitted light and scattered blue current around.
-Crackle-zzzzzzt!
The current that engulfed the passage like a net soon engulfed the rats as well.
The charging rats were swept up in the discharge and screamed while trembling in place.
'Hooh.'
Osian's eyes lit up. Witnessing special tools enhanced with scientific power was always interesting.
'The power of the current itself isn't strong. It's just enough to suppress movement. But it's very effective at binding multiple targets simultaneously.'
It felt like seeing a consumable item from a game.
Moreover, while that discharge barrier was being used for suppression, what if there was a higher output version?
That alone would provide sufficient killing power and make an excellent weapon.
-Ratatatat!
The guards completely eliminated the electrocuted rats.
An indescribably foul smell rose from the corpses of the electrically scorched rats.
"Ugh, what's this? If it's like this at the entrance, how much harder will it get later?"
"Still, it's reassuring coming with the guards. They use better weapons than us and their equipment looks good too."
As the fixers were chattering, darkness writhed beyond them and a large shadow quickly sprang out.
"Is it another rat?"
"No, something's different."
Something that looked twice as large as the rats they'd seen so far jumped out, but it seemed desperate, as if fleeing from something.
The reason became clear soon enough.
A huge snake sprang out from the darkness and swallowed the rat in one bite.
"Damn, what kind of snake..."
It was a giant snake that could swallow a human-sized rat in one bite.
Moreover, it seemed unsatisfied with just that, as it stared this way and flicked its tongue.
"Fire!"
The guards and fixers fired their guns, but they merely bounced off harmlessly against the snake's scales.
The mutant snake, apparently enraged at being attacked by its prey, immediately bared its venomous fangs and approached rapidly.
The guard at the front raised his shield, but it clearly wasn't sized to block something like this.
And in this passage, there wasn't much space to dodge such a huge mutant either.
"I should step in for this one."
Osian drew his sword and leaped over people's heads.
Landing at the frontline from the rear with a single jump, Osian swung his sword wide at the approaching snake.
A white flash cut through the air and the snake's head jerked sideways.
Osian's sword strike grazed past the snake's flank.
The scales that had deflected bullets split open lengthwise, and red blood sprayed from between them.
-Shaaaaak!
"Hmm. It dodged that."
He had aimed to split its brow but the mutant snake's reaction speed was faster than expected.
To think it would try to twist its body to dodge in that split second. It probably instinctively sensed that Osian's sword was dangerous.
Just because something is big doesn't mean it's necessarily slow.
As Osian took his stance again, Mist, who had followed beside him, stepped forward first.
"I'll handle this."
Osian quietly watched Mist's form before stepping back slightly.
When an industry senior wants to show their skills, it would be awkward to refuse.
Moreover, he was curious about how Mist fought.
'If they're talent recruited by Ronan, that means they must have something special too.'
The mutant snake frowned as it looked at Mist who had stepped forward instead of Osian.
As it bared its venomous fangs and roared loudly, gray light began to flow from its body.
"Oh? That's really dangerous."
Hearing Hammond's muttering, Adela asked.
"What is that?"
"Among mutants, there are special individuals. Ones that ate ether water residue mixed in the wastewater and evolved to adapt to it. We call them Ethereals."
The white light that came from between the snake's scales flowed along them and turned into white tattoos.
Gray currents rose like heat waves around the tattoos. It looked as if it was burning in ashen flames.
Just from that, the snake's appearance became even more threatening.
"Looks like it's gotten stronger, will you be alright alone?"
Osian asked, but Mist didn't answer and instead extended his left arm.
That alone was enough of an answer.
At Mist's light movement that seemed to have nothing to it, the snake opened its mouth wide and charged. Using the power of ether, its speed had become even faster than before.
"Dangerous!"
Just as someone shouted that, explosive mist burst forth from Mist's left arm.
The mist transformed into the shape of a hand. The brutish mist hand grabbed the approaching snake's neck firmly.
"Oh, oh oh?"
Everyone watched the scene with surprised eyes.
The snake whose neck was caught by the mist hand struggled. Each time it did, the walls and ceiling of the underground passage cracked or crumbled from the impact.
The ethereal snake was strong but the mist hand that was gripping such an ethereal snake was even stronger.
'This is more impressive than I thought. The mist spraying wasn't just for show after all.'
Osian quietly admired Mist's back view.
From the way they gently sprayed mist around, he had thought it might be related to their ability, but the power was more impressive than expected.
Of course, spraying mist around was really just for show, but there was no way for Osian to know that.
'More than that, what an interesting ability. Mist coming from the body. Moreover, the physical force that mist possesses is quite substantial. Though I'm not sure how much mist he can produce, it's clear he’s not part of Violet Fox for nothing.'
Mist extended his left arm controlling the mist.
As he raised his arm, from which mist faintly leaked through the bandages, the mist hand lifted the snake's head accordingly.
-Crunch.
The mist hand strongly gripped the ethereal snake's neck. The scales, harder than metal, crumbled under the grip.
Though he tried to strangle the snake to death like this, the snake didn't give up.
It opened its mouth wide for a final struggle.
Gray currents gathered in the snake's mouth before it spewed a huge breath attack toward Mist.
Mist hurriedly drew mist to his right arm to create a shield in front.
-Kwaaaaa!
The ethereal breath struck the mist shield and Mist bit his lips tightly.
'Damn it. Tried to show off and missed the timing to defend!'
Though he was blocking with the hastily made shield, it was only a matter of time. Getting distracted by wanting to show a cool image to Osian had been a mistake.
Just as the ethereal breath was about to pierce through the mist shield Osian stood in front of Mist and pulled out a brilliant cloak over his shoulder.
The nebula silk spread out and blocked the ethereal breath that had broken through the shield.
The breath stopped. The snake, having used all its strength in the counterattack, panted and then went limp.
Osian let the nebula silk drape to the floor and turned to look at Mist.
"Are you alright?"
Mist gasped at the sight of Osian wearing the starlight cloak.
'Good heavens. Now he's even wearing a shining cloak!'