The people of Tirna live by fighting. They always repeat their struggles. Whether they win or lose, another fight approaching afterward never changes.
The targets of their fights are always diverse. Guards fight against the city's crime, workers fight against entrepreneurs, and the poor fight against today's hunger.
The reason is the same.
'To survive.'
Their struggle was a struggle for survival. That was the reason humanity fought.
It was the same for Osian. In the early days when he came to this city, he really fought a lot. It was to adapt to this familiar yet unfamiliar world. He knew that if he didn't, he would be buried down below.
There was a fact he discovered while fighting like that.
'The world is cruel. Perhaps even more so than the Earth I used to live on.'
This place had laws but no morals, had practicality but no compassion. Tirna changed rapidly. It didn't care about the people who fell behind in that process.
Because once you fall, you can never climb back up.
That's why they are driven by evil.
But not everyone struggles fiercely. The pair of man and woman that Osian was currently watching was like that.
'Their clothing is clearly different from their surroundings. Are they wealthy?'
It was a man with a stylishly grown mustache and a woman with heavy makeup wearing a tightly laced corset. The two were watching the protesters while being escorted by guards.
Yes. Literally watching. They were looking at the citizens of Tirna who had come outside with curious eyes, as if they had gone to a zoo to watch monkeys.
'This is maddening.'
This kind of situation hadn't been unprecedented before. The behavior of wealthy people touring slums just for entertainment had been frequent.
'Even on 20th century Earth, there were similar incidents in Victorian England.'
What more? They even went so far as to put people of other races in zoos for viewing. This was actual history.
Yes. To them, that was culture and sport. They had done it before, so they probably thought it would be okay this time too.
'Stupid bastards. Of all things, coming to watch in a place like this when hostility toward the wealthy has reached its peak?'
What's the difference between that and entering a lion's cage with your bare body, asking a lion that's been starving for a month to please eat you? In their own way, they probably moved thinking that since protests were happening, it would be even more worth watching. For Osian, it was an absurd situation.
'Those idiots will receive this year's Darwin Award.'
Osian decided to lose interest. He didn't feel like stopping people who were voluntarily walking into danger to die.
Since the guards were keeping a close watch with wide eyes, he wondered if there would be any problems. Of course, it didn't seem like the angry crowd swept up in fury would be deterred by just that.
"Hmm. The atmosphere isn't good."
"I think so too. Let's get out of here quickly."
Still, they weren't completely oblivious, as they were trying to retreat after seeing the surrounding atmosphere. That's when something strange caught Osian's eye.
"You bastard!"
One of the guards escorting the two men and women swung a club at a nearby citizen. With a thud, a male protester fell down.
'What?'
The guard's action was sudden. At least that's how it seemed to Osian. The surrounding citizens looked at that scene. The guard threatened the citizens with a growling sound.
"Wh-what is this sudden incident!"
Seeing the guard who was supposed to protect him use violence, the man seemed quite flustered. He had come to watch with great enthusiasm, but it seemed he had never actually faced violence before.
"This guy was targeting you, sir. Look! Those insolent eyes!"
"When did I ever..."
"Shut up, you vermin!"
The fallen protester tried to object, but the guard roughly cut him off. The surrounding protesters also hesitated and stepped back at his murderous shout.
"Do you dare know who you're trying to touch? This worked out well actually. There's a need to make an example here."
The guard said this while drawing a pistol from his waist. According to his words, the fallen male protester had already become a villain who tried to assassinate that wealthy couple.
The other guards watching this scene made no attempt to stop him at all. Their silent, unresponsive standing appearance was as emotionless as machines.
"Sir. How about this opportunity? Showing those insolent lower-class people an example."
When the guard asked, the man's shoulders visibly trembled.
"An example?"
"It's nothing special. You just need to directly punish that trash right here on the spot."
The guard said this while offering the pistol to the man. The man's expression turned pale. Right now, this guard was telling him to shoot.
"I-I've never shot a gun before."
"Then you can learn this time. You don't need to worry. It's not that difficult. Rather, once you try it, it might be so simple that you could get addicted to it."
The protesters murmured upon seeing this. There were those who wondered if this was acceptable, as well as those who protested asking what they were trying to do.
-Bang!
A dry gunshot rang out. Those who were protesting shut their mouths tight. The guard glared at the protesters with murderous eyes.
"The next guy who opens his mouth dies."
That wasn't a simple threat. From his gaze to the murderous intent contained in his voice. That alone made the protesters lose their advantage of numbers. Osian frowned.
'That guy is not a guard.'
Having watched this far, it was impossible not to know. The guards currently escorting that wealthy couple are not real guards.
"Come on. Try it once."
"I-I can't do it."
"I said try it."
The guard stared straight into the wealthy man's eyes as he spoke. The low voice strangled his heart. The man trembled. A pistol was naturally grasped in his hand. The guard had forced it into his grip. The touch of the gun against his hand was cold.
"It's just simple. Lift the muzzle and aim for the heart. If possible, it's even better to aim for the head. Then just pull the trigger, bang! How about it, easy right?"
Something that surpassed even malice and writhed around strangled the man. The guard pushed his back as he aimed the muzzle at the protesters instead.
"Pull it."
"I-I..."
"I said pull it!"
Now it was a tone closer to threats beyond persuasion. The wealthy man made eye contact with the fallen male protester. Eyes filled with fear just like his own. He saw his own frightened reflection in those eyes.
What was different between that person and me? They were all equally frightened, ordinary people.
"I-I can't do it."
In the end, the man shook his head. He was afraid of the guard's threats, but more than that, he absolutely couldn't bring himself to kill someone. He could be called a coward. But this wasn't right.
"Really? You can't do it? Then there's no choice."
The guard immediately snatched the pistol from the man's hand. And without hesitation, he aimed it at the fallen male protester. That action had no series of hesitation. The trigger was pulled and the muzzle spat fire.
The bullet that flew like that
-Clang!
was blocked by Osian's sword.
Osian, who had landed in front of the male protester, raised his head and glared at the guard. No, at the one impersonating a guard.
"Tch!"
The guy clicked his tongue seeing that a troublemaker had suddenly appeared. He immediately pulled the trigger repeatedly toward Osian.
-Bang bang bang bang!
The areas he aimed for were all equally fatal vital points. But Osian displayed the skill of striking them down with his sword as if showing off.
"Shit. He's superhuman!"
At the guard's shout, his colleagues moved. They pulled out weapons from inside the riot shields they held in their hands. They were grenades, and judging by their specifications, they weren't ordinary grenade launchers. Additional modifications had been made. The moment those exploded, the surroundings would become a sea of fire.
'Were they planning to use that from the beginning?'
The shields were camouflage cases to hide the weapons. Sparks flew from Osian's eyes.
Osian's figure disappeared. And immediately after, blood spurted from the bodies of the guys holding grenade launchers. The guys whose tendons were all cut fell with a thud. What remained was one guy who had tried to lead the entire situation.
"This fucking..."
The guy realized that Osian was not an ordinary person. He hadn't been careless, but he was a stronger opponent than expected. He pulled out an ampoule from his waist. The ampoule containing green liquid bubbled dangerously.
"Don't move! The moment this breaks, all you bastards here will die together!"
A biochemical weapon capable of mass destruction. The citizens were agitated by those words. While everyone was focused on the terrorist disguised as a guard, Osian opened his mouth from inside his mask.
"You should have said that before I moved."
"What?"
The terrorist was flustered. Belatedly, he realized his wrist felt hot.
The hand holding the ampoule had been cut off below the forearm. Osian had quickly moved to catch that fallen forearm. Osian, who had removed the ampoule from the forearm, gripped it tightly with his hand.
-Crackle!
The poison in the ampoule froze in the frost of Moon Scar. The completely frozen poison became powder and disappeared. The terrorist immediately turned around and tried to flee upon seeing this.
-Crack!
Osian's leg swept the guy's legs. With the sound of bones breaking, the guy fell noisily to the ground.
Osian aimed his sword at the neck of the terrorist trying to get up.
"Who are you? Who are you to impersonate guards and cause such incidents?"
"Kehehehe."
The guy laughed despite having his forearm cut off. Osian felt something in that smile and tried to act, but it was too late. The masked figure trembled like an epileptic patient. His eyes rolled back and blood flowed down. Osian's expression hardened.
'He chose death deliberately to avoid leaking information.'
Osian looked back at the other two terrorists whose tendons he had cut to subdue them. They were already hanging limp, bleeding. Osian recalled the people who had deliberately thrown Molotov cocktails among the protesters.
'There are guys operating organizationally to provoke conflict. They're the same as the guys who fanned the flames among the protesters that day. The methods are quite similar.'
They were even making extreme choices to avoid getting their tails caught. They were definitely not ordinary guys. But his thoughts didn't continue for long. Osian realized that the gazes of the people around him were directed at him.
'Damn it. I've gotten involved in troublesome business.'
While grumbling inwardly, Osian grabbed the hand of the fallen male protester and helped him up.
"Are you okay?"
"I-I'm fine. Wh-who are you..."
Osian immediately turned away from the man and approached the wealthy couple. Now that the guards were gone, they were hugging each other and trembling in fear.
Osian approached them and said.
"Where did you meet these guys?"
"I-I didn't know. Really. They said they were guards who would provide escort as usual, so I just trusted them..."
From their reaction, they really seemed not to know. Since Osian also knew this, he didn't reproach them.
"You did well not to shoot."
"Th-that was because I'm a coward..."
"Who would call someone who didn't yield even in the face of immediate threats a coward?"
When Osian came out favorably, the couples looked relieved. Of course, this series of events wasn't something to be applauded and dismissed.
"Th-this guy tried to kill us!"
"That guy has responsibility too!"
Once the danger retreated, the protesters' psychological reward system activated. They had found justification to turn their arrows of anger toward the wealthy class they had already hated.
"It's the same this time too! The wealthy are trying to kill us!"
"That guy is the same! We need to move first before they kill us!"
Cries mixed with fear and anger spread like a contagious disease. Osian clicked his tongue in annoyance. Even if he tried to calm them with rational words, once the fire was lit, it wouldn't go out.
Some of the protesters held up pickets with Osian's picture drawn on them.
"You're also someone who follows the hero's will! Then you must understand our hearts!"
"Or are you also in cahoots with those bastards!"
Osian wanted to ask what they meant by saying that to the person in question. They seemed to think of him as something like a follower because he wielded a sword. He had disguised himself by wearing a mask and changing his hairstyle. It was natural that they couldn't recognize him immediately.
There was a way to draw out Starlight here to quiet them down, but if he did that, bigger problems would surely arise.
-Peeeeeee!!!
While he was wondering what to do, a whistle sound echoed from afar. It was real guards who had been dispatched after receiving a report.
"What is this commotion!"
"Everyone back off!"
They pushed back the protesters. Among the guards, a familiar face was visible.
"Alensia Heir."
One of Tirna's enforcers. Alensia also saw Osian and opened her eyes wide like a rabbit.
"...Let's change locations."
She didn't call Osian's name. Realizing she was being considerate, Osian nodded.
After changing locations, Osian explained to Alensia what had happened a little while ago.
"I see, so that's what happened."
Even after hearing those words, Alensia didn't seem greatly surprised and nodded slowly. Osian's eyes narrowed at her appearance.
"You seem to already know about it. Do you have any suspicions?"
"...This is classified, but it wouldn't be bad for you to know since you're the hero who protected Tirna."
"A manufactured hero, though."
"Anyway, recently there have been those who secretly infiltrated by taking advantage of the chaotic situation in the city. They're dangerous elements that Tirna is also keeping a close watch on."
"Who exactly are they?"
"The Red Liberation Army."
Alensia added afterward.
"We just call them rebels though."