When it comes to Oripathy, even the bravest Ursus soldiers avoid it like the plague.
This is Ursus—the most hostile nation in the world toward those infected with Oripathy.No matter how noble your lineage, no matter how high your station, once you're infected, you're cast into the abyss.At best, you might end up like Misha and her mother—left to rot in the mines, clinging to life, waiting for death to come at any moment.
More often, the infected are simply executed on the spot. Sometimes, to prevent possible contagion, they're buried alive—deep, deep underground.
"Fear... can change many things."
Revy muttered to himself. Meanwhile, Misha wordlessly picked up a lump of "Originium" from the seat beside her and squeezed it in her hand.
Originium is the most precious resource and energy source in Terra—but at the same time, the most dangerous.Even prolonged contact can cause Oripathy, an incurable disease.Let alone in this transport car, where visible clouds of Originium dust float freely through the air.
Of course—that's assuming this is real Originium.
Aside from the faint smell of blood, the strongest scent in the air was that simulated Originium odor.Its pungent energy signature and stinging particles in the air were enough to send every Gragul patrol soldier running in the opposite direction.
No one wanted to risk infection… Not just from fear of disease—but from fear of Ursus's ruthless treatment of the infected.
With just a perfunctory poke of their bayonets to "inspect the corpses," the patrol let the so-called "corpse disposal vehicle" pass through without a second glance—like a plague carrier cast off into the wastelands.
"Siberia may be vast, but there are still many routes out," Revy said as he drove."Once we're past Gragul, Crisis Contract agents will be waiting at the extraction point."
"...Once I escape this place, where exactly do you plan on sending me?"
Misha's sudden question came with a bitter tone.
"…Lungmen," Revy replied after a slight pause."It's not exactly kind to the infected, either—but at least it's better than Ursus. Crisis Contract will handle the rest from there."
"Oh."The response was flat—devoid of any relief.The Ursus girl simply acknowledged the fact.
Revy's eyebrows lifted slightly.
"If I had the choice, honestly, I'd send you to Rhodes Island instead. I can say with confidence—there's no place in the world more humane toward the infected."
"Rhodes Island…"
Misha tasted the name in her mouth, then looked up. There was a trace of confusion in her eyes—and perhaps, faint resentment."If that's the case… why send me to Lungmen?"
"Because that's part of the contract," Revy replied with a rueful smile."You'll understand the reasons once you get there. To put it plainly—I'm just a mercenary. My job is to complete the mission. The bigger picture isn't for me to worry about."
"Oh, is that so?"
Her voice carried obvious disbelief, but Revy merely chuckled indifferently.He truly was just a piece in the puzzle—and once this was over, he might never see this girl again.Whether she believed him or not didn't really matter.
"Another fifteen minutes, and we'll reach the northern edge of Siberia. Crisis Cont—"
Screeeech—
Before he could finish, the off-road vehicle suddenly braked hard.Misha, nearly thrown forward, glared at Revy in frustration.
But he paid her no mind, narrowing his eyes instead at the figure that had suddenly appeared ahead of them.
Cloaked in black, wearing a hooded mask that obscured all but a pair of cold eyes and a lock of red hair.A jacket and trousers—she looked more like a back-alley street punk from Columbia.One hand casually in her pocket. The other gripping a dagger as long as an adult's forearm.
Misha felt a chill run through her entire body.
This person radiated a deeply unsettling presence.
"—Don't get out of the car."
Leaving those words behind, Revy unfastened his seatbelt and stepped out.Misha instinctively raised a hand to stop him—but it dropped limply back to her lap.
Outside the vehicle.
"…Who are you? Why are you blocking our path?"
Revy's voice was tinged with frost.
This woman clearly wasn't a Crisis Contract agent—Revy had memorized the details of the rendezvous from the old man's briefing.Her figure and appearance didn't match in the slightest.
And she definitely wasn't Ursus military—otherwise he'd be facing a wall of machine gun fire by now.
But her disgust, her contempt—those feelings radiated from her openly, unfiltered.That alone was reason enough for Revy to leave Misha behind and confront her alone.
"The girl… stays. You can go."
The woman's words made Revy frown.
The audacity to issue such commands implied overwhelming confidence in her own skill.
To her, "you can go" was probably already considered a gracious offer.
So Revy didn't speak. Didn't move.
He simply stared at her.
And she… looked visibly annoyed. The words "impatient" were practically written on her face.
"Tch… not going? Then I'll just have to put you down."
She hadn't even finished saying the word "down" before she vanished.
The twenty meters of distance between them vanished in a blink.She reappeared right behind Revy—an unmistakable application of Originium Arts.
(What?! No hit?! How?!)
Her go-to assassination technique had failed for the first time.
She wasn't aiming for a fatal spot—but the strike should've been enough to disable.
Yet there was no sensation of hitting flesh.
Her target had… vanished from view.
(Where? Where is he—?)
"I'm guessing you're looking for me?"
A voice came from behind.
The woman—the Regicide—instantly channeled all her Arts into her left arm.If she spun and struck now, anything within ten meters would be torn to pieces.
But before her arm could even rise past her elbow, it dropped uselessly.
Something cold and metallic was already pressed against the back of her head.
At the same time, Revy's lazy voice drifted to her ears:
"Miss, I'll ask once—politely. Who are you? And sorry… right now, you don't get to say no."
"You. Are. Who?"