"…Interesting. Do you even understand what it means to speak that name in front of me?"
"I do."
Those who know of Möbius fall into one of two categories.
They were either members of Möbius.
Or they are already dead.
But I had become the exception to that rule—thanks to Major Arden's intervention.
It wasn't for nothing that Victor had taken an interest in me before.
"So, you need Möbius's help. Got it. But if what you bring doesn't merit that kind of support, even someone as rude as you will have to pay the price."
With those words, a heavy pressure rolled off Brigadier General Victor.
The man who held command over an entire line.
Not a politician—but a soldier of war.
And he had the strength to back that title.
"You won't be disappointed. This is something even Möbius will find important."
"That's quite the claim. So? What is this oh-so-crucial matter?"
"The White Line's been attacked."
In truth, I wasn't one hundred percent certain.
But if I was wrong, it wouldn't be the worst outcome—I'd just eat a bit of Victor's irritation.
"…The White Line?"
That even the commander of the Blue Line Defense Command hadn't heard spoke volumes about the current severance between lines.
Or rather, how uniquely isolated the White Line was.
"Yes."
"What's your basis? What makes you say that?"
"Tactical nuclear weapons were launched from the Red Line. Didn't you know?"
"That's your basis? Tactical nukes can be deployed when a front is pushed hard enough."
Victor's voice was calm.
But he knew as well as I did—
Those tactical nukes being used meant something much more serious.
"You really think that's all it is?"
"…For someone from the outside, you sure know a lot about internal Ark matters."
"Exactly because I'm an outsider."
"Is that so."
Victor looked at me intently.
"So, tell me—what bold fools dared to attack the White Line?"
"You already know them. Möbius must have some intel on them."
"Now you've piqued my interest. Who the hell are they?"
"The Shadow Order."
Victor's face stiffened.
Even a secret organization like Möbius had adversaries.
The Shadow Order—Möbius's long-time nemesis.
An elusive force even Möbius had yet to fully uncover.
Though from the Shadow Order's side, they probably had Möbius more or less mapped out already.
After all, they once had Grade-1 Phantom-class Esther among their ranks—no way Möbius could match that in intel warfare.
Not that Victor needed to know all that.
"…So, they used the chaos to attack the White Line?"
"Yes."
"This is madness. Those snakes, always scheming from the shadows—now they've gotten bold?"
"The darkness they carry is deeper than you think."
"…Are you serious?"
"I am."
Victor's gaze locked with mine.
He didn't have some supernatural eye for truth, but that stare alone had a weight that seemed to pierce through a man's heart.
"You're not wavering."
"Because I mean it."
"Not many can say that in front of me… But rude Carl Marcus, you're different."
"I'd appreciate it if you dropped the rude part."
"Ha."
Victor chuckled.
"Alright, I'll trust your word."
"Good choice."
"Oh, but before that."
"What?"
"I don't believe we agreed on what this'll cost. Möbius doesn't move for free—even in an emergency."
He laughed again.
Old fox…
No wonder it had all seemed to go a little too smoothly.
"What do you want?"
"Nothing much. Just a simple condition—something you can grant easily."
"Let me hear it first."
"Join Möbius. We could use a capable young man like you—even if you're an ass."
Recruitment now, of all times?
Expected, yet still tricky to reject in this moment.
But joining Möbius isn't an option. It'll restrict my movements far too much.
I'd joined Möbius in several playthroughs of The Defense.
But unlike the Shadow Order route—which was near-guaranteed through the mid-to-late game—the Möbius route wasn't as rewarding.
More often, Möbius missions and restrictions had gotten in the way of traversing Ark freely.
Still, Möbius has its merits… just not now.
So, I had to negotiate.
"Three times."
"Three?"
"I'll answer Möbius's call three times. No more."
"Only three? That's stingy. How about ten—"
"Find someone else."
"Now, now—don't be so hasty. You really are Carl Marcus."
Victor scratched his chin, then nodded.
"Fine. Three. That should suffice."
"Then I'd like to depart immediately. Is that possible?"
"Hmm… you may not know this, but mobilizing Möbius isn't easy—especially in wartime."
He wasn't wrong.
This was one of the largest Waves in Ark's history.
And Möbius agents were likely deployed as elite frontline assets.
"I hope you'll hurry."
"I'll try. I've got my own matters to settle."
I turned to go.
Even with the condition to respond three times, this had worked out better than I expected—given the urgency.
And Möbius is… quite a useful tool when leveraged right.
Sure, they'd try to use me.
But I could just as easily use them.
"Let's go."
"Didn't you have things to handle?"
"I can handle them on the move. No time to waste."
Victor issued orders over comms as he moved, speaking to the Blue Line front—then switching channels.
"We'll meet at the Red River."
A brief command.
But to Möbius, it was more than enough.
"We'll regroup at the Red Line. That should be sufficient, no?"
"Yes. But we're short on time. I'll move ahead first."
"Huh? Not going together? We're heading the same way anyway."
"We don't have the luxury to wait for the others to gather. I'll depart now and link up at the White Road."
"White Road… You think the Shadows have already reached that far?"
"They may already be inside the White Line's inner sector."
"…You're giving them quite a lot of credit. Well, I'll trust your judgment. I've always thought those bastards were a pain myself."
Leaving Victor behind, I picked up my pace.
My destination: the White Line.
If I traveled by conventional means, I'd never make it in time. I needed a different route.
'The sky route is ideal, but reaching the White Line that way is troublesome.'
More importantly, thanks to the damage from my last battle with the Undying, my Z-74 Jetpack was unusable.
That meant my only airborne option was the Wings of Ankelenth.
But in the heart of the Ark, with countless eyes watching, using those wings was not an option.
'To use the sky route, I'd have to leave the Ark's walls first and deploy the wings outside. Too inefficient.'
So, I chose a different path.
Underground.
If I used the underground, I wouldn't need to worry about prying eyes and could head straight for the White Line.
'And after devouring the Sand Devourer, Janus's underground mobility increased exponentially.'
All things considered; The underground was the better choice.
'Then…'
I headed toward a road torn apart by beast attacks—one likely outside the Ark's surveillance systems.
Without hesitation, I slipped into the ruptured earth and sealed the entry behind me.
'Let's go.'
[Gigit!]
Dozens of bone tendrils unfurled from Janus as he began tunneling through the depths.
Time to reach the White Line.
* * *
With the arrival of the White Line Guardians, the Shadow Order came to a halt.
These were not opponents to bypass with brute force.
"Everyone—combat formation."
At Isabel's quiet command, the Order moved swiftly.
Crux the One-Eyed, the rear scout, fell back first.
Next came support specialist Michael Pilgrim.
Doppelgänger Nameless and Sophia Belov took positions at Isabel's flanks.
Under normal circumstances, Turncoat Rook and Sart of the Shadows would've held the front line, giving their formation strength.
But they had been left behind—so they had to adapt.
"Be careful. These opponents won't be easy."
Even Isabel was tense.
The Guardians were never ones to take lightly.
And especially not in their current state, incomplete and unbalanced.
[Heheheh…]
[KREEK, KREEEKKKKK──!]
Isabel focused, drawing ether as she stared down the white-clad defenders.
Just as the two forces were about to clash, a sudden tremor surged through the White Road.
KRRRRRRRRUUUUMBLE!
KRRRRUUMBLE!
The ground shook as if from an earthquake.
Something impossible, given the White Road's quake-resistant design.
"What the—"
The Guardians and the Shadow Order alike were caught off guard.
No one knew what was happening.
As the earth beneath them bulged and ruptured, shock filled the air.
'Is it a trap?'
Even Isabel found herself frozen, simply watching as the ground split open.
And then, she saw him.
A man burst up through the soil, riding the earth like a wave.
At first, she couldn't understand what she was seeing.
But then—recognition dawned.
"…Carl Marcus?"
Carl Marcus had emerged in the middle of the White Road.