When the masked man left to eliminate the pursuing beasts, Ganesha Tripathi was abruptly left alone, caught off guard.
"No, if you just leave me like that...."
Ganesha Tripathi wanted to protest, but the masked man had already vanished from sight in the blink of an eye.
"Damn it, damn it...."
Ever since that masked man showed up, everything had been spiraling out of control.
No, to be precise, everything had gone wrong from the moment Ganesha Tripathi set foot in Heshbon.
'I should never have come to this damned place.'
When he first arrived in Heshbon, Ganesha Tripathi harbored grand ambitions.
He aimed to establish a technological agreement with Heshbon and use it as leverage to expand not only his family's influence but also his own standing within the Ark.
As a council member of the Rose Line and a member of the Tripathi family, Ganesha had always led an ostensibly perfect life. Yet, in truth, he was constantly walking a precarious tightrope.
Countless relatives within the family coveted his position, waiting for an opportunity to strike.
Numerous political adversaries within the Rose Line kept watch for his downfall.
Both the White Line and the Red Line constantly checked his moves.
That's why this maneuver was Ganesha Tripathi's boldest move—a rare opportunity that would never come again.
And at first, everything went smoothly.
Heshbon had responded positively to the proposal for a technological agreement, and only the finer details remained.
However, as if mocking his youthful ambition, a massive wave struck right before the agreement could be finalized, shattering everything.
'...It wasn't an ordinary wave.'
If it had been, the impregnable fortress of Heshbon would not have crumbled so easily.
What was Heshbon, after all?
Though it couldn't quite rival the Ark, it still possessed a decent technological framework, and most importantly, Heshbon had enhanced soldiers.
It wasn't a place that should have fallen so easily.
But....
The flames of that abnormal wave instantly engulfed even Ganesha's elite bodyguards—veterans who had once served on the Black Line's frontlines.
By the time Ganesha barely managed to take refuge in Heshbon's underground bunker, less than half of his guards remained.
He was now trapped, isolated within the underground bunker of Heshbon.
"Just hold on a bit longer. Once the situation is understood, support from the Ark will come."
At first, he thought they only needed to endure a little longer before the Ark would send a rescue team.
Who was Ganesha Tripathi, after all?
A council member of the Rose Line and a member of the esteemed Tripathi family.
But as time passed, no word came from the Ark.
Neither the Ark nor the Rose Line nor his family made any effort to reach him.
No one sought out Ganesha Tripathi.
"...."
Time dragged on in the bunker.
In the meantime, much had happened down there.
"We need to get out!"
"If you want to leave, go on your own. Why drag everyone else out to die with you?"
"There's hardly enough power left to run the elevator. We have just enough for one trip. Once it moves, anyone left behind will be trapped here."
"What?"
There was an agonizing debate—whether to force their way out or remain and wait.
"We have to make a choice. If we keep wasting time, even the standby power will deplete, and we won't have enough energy to operate the elevator at all."
A vote was held.
But no one could accept the outcome.
As the days of horror stretched on, Ganesha Tripathi eventually found himself the sole survivor in the underground bunker.
The Heshbon staff,
His bodyguards,
Everyone had died.
Ganesha Tripathi was left in utter despair.
He thought it was the end.
He even considered leaving the bunker and heading to the surface, but every time he attempted it, the prowling beasts near the command center forced him to turn back.
Time flowed endlessly.
There was enough stored food in the bunker for one person to last a long while, but his mental state was already on the brink.
Moreover, just because it was an underground bunker didn't mean it was entirely safe from external threats.
Bang!
Bang! Bang—!
The concrete walls surrounding the bunker were thick, but the rumbling vibrations from the movements of beasts prowling underground made Ganesha Tripathi feel like he was going mad.
Staying here meant death.
But leaving also meant death.
That cruel reality cornered Ganesha Tripathi further into despair.
One day, the bunker's sirens suddenly blared.
Although no sound echoed, the red warning lights flickered throughout the bunker, throwing him into a panic.
Thud!
Thud! Thud!
And then, vibrations from beyond the elevator shaft signaled something approaching.
'Who is it? What do I do?'
Panicking, Ganesha chose to send the elevator up, hoping that whatever was coming down would be crushed.
But....
Screeeeeeech────!!!
The terrible sound echoed, and Ganesha doubted his ears.
Creeeeak───!
The elevator door, firmly shut, slowly opened.
Before he could even register what emerged, he pulled the trigger reflexively.
Bang—!
But the bullet ricocheted off with a hollow clang.
As Ganesha despaired and tried to fire again,
"Stop."
A human voice reached his ears.
"...A person?"
His legs went weak.
But not knowing who the man was, he remained cautious.
"...Stop! If you come any closer, I'll shoot!"
Ignoring the threat, the masked man gave him a glance and calmly walked into the bunker.
While Ganesha stood frozen near the elevator shaft, a hand suddenly reached out from the shaft.
"Gah! Gah!"
He reflexively fired his handgun, but the unknown figure didn't even flinch despite being hit.
It was a literal monster.
After that, Ganesha's memory was a blur.
But one thing remained clear.
That masked man had saved him.
"What's your name?"
"Ganesha... Tripathi...."
"Where are you from?"
"The Ark... from the Rose Line. If you take me there... I'll reward you."
"How much do you know about the current situation? Are you hurt?"
"The one earlier... Ah, you're the one who saved me. Thank you. My body is... just a bit dizzy, that's all."
Ganesha, forcing himself to remain composed, expressed his gratitude, not wanting to risk offending the masked man.
"Do you know who I am?"
"...I don't believe we've met before. Ah! Are you from the Ark?"
"Something like that."
"I knew it!"
Even as he spoke, Ganesha couldn't fully trust the masked man, but he hid his suspicions.
Whoever this man was, he had effortlessly taken down that monster of a figure—one that bullets couldn't even harm.
Showing any sign of distrust would be too dangerous.
Everything seemed fine up to that point.
Yes, until the masked man drank the blood of the fallen creature.
"What are you doing...!"
Ganesha was horrified by what he saw.
Why would he drink that blood?
'He definitely... drank the blood.'
Of course, Ganesha Tripathi had unknowingly done the same, but he hadn't realized it because he had been unconscious at the time.
'...Is he really someone sent from the Ark? But then why is he hiding his face? And what was that creature earlier?'
Not long after the masked man appeared, that monstrous attacker had shown up.
Ganesha Tripathi had nearly died at the hands of that creature, but thanks to the masked man, he managed to survive.
Even though he still couldn't fully trust him, Ganesha had no other choice at the moment.
"Let's go."
"...Where to, exactly?"
"Where do you think? Obviously, the Ark."
Though the masked man remained suspicious, at least he didn't seem to have any immediate intention of harming Ganesha Tripathi.
If he'd meant to kill him, he would have done so already.
Still wrestling with doubts, Ganesha finally managed to leave the underground bunker and step out onto the surface.
"Huaa...."
The sense of liberation was short-lived, as Ganesha quickly had to face a grim realization:
They would have to walk all the way back to the Ark.
When he first came here, he had traveled with his guards, using noiseless hovering bikes.
Given the dangers of airborne transport, it was the fastest and safest option among the Ark's available means of travel.
And just as that thought crossed his mind, a pack of beasts appeared shortly after they left Heshbon.
Although Ganesha didn't immediately notice, the masked man's reaction made it clear.
"From now on, move quietly."
They ran for a while.
Eventually, it seemed the masked man decided that continuing like this wouldn't work, so he turned around.
"Hide around here."
"...What? What do you─"
"They're catching up. I'll go take care of the beasts."
And with that, the masked man vanished into the shadows.
Ganesha Tripathi tried to find a place to hide as instructed, but as an inexperienced civilian, evading a pack of beasts was no easy feat.
Ganesha Tripathi wasn't a soldier.
He was a politician.
Predictably, it wasn't long after the masked man left that Ganesha sensed the beast pack drawing closer.
Ganesha Tripathi ran.
"Huff... Huff...!"
The beasts chased him down.
His life flashed before his eyes.
Woof! Woof woof!
Snap! Snap snap!
The sound of teeth gnashing echoed behind him.
Ganesha's body tumbled uncontrollably down a steep slope.
"Agh!"
But the beasts didn't relent just because he'd fallen. They kept pursuing.
As Ganesha's gaze caught sight of the approaching pack—
Bang───!
A gunshot rang out, and the masked man appeared right in front of him.
Ganesha Tripathi almost burst into tears.
That day alone, the masked man had already saved his life three times.
"Are you alright?"
"Y-Yes...."
"Stay back."
The battle began.
Ganesha Tripathi could finally make out the nature of the creatures.
'Grade-7 Named Beast Class!'
Though Ganesha wasn't a soldier, he wasn't ignorant of the threat these beasts posed—especially when encountered outside the Ark.
The Ark's basic engagement principle was defense-oriented, relying on its thick walls and overwhelming firepower.
Outside the Ark, even the low-grade beasts that would normally be crushed effortlessly became deadly foes.
'I should help too—'
As Ganesha gripped the handgun at his waist—
Screeech!
The beasts' death cries filled the air.
'What the....'
Ganesha couldn't believe his own eyes.
He knew the masked man was strong, but he was completely overwhelming the beast pack with almost absurd ease.
Sure, the Rose Line guards who had accompanied him could probably handle a pack of this level, but this man moved differently.
'His movements are precise.'
While the guards relied on brute firepower, this masked man fought with finesse.
There wasn't a single wasted movement.
It was as if he was playing with the beasts, effortlessly controlling the entire battle.
Bang!
With the final shot, the last beast collapsed.
The masked man didn't even seem to have broken a sweat.
He looked as calm and composed as if nothing had happened.
"Let's keep moving."
"...Ah, yes."
His nonchalant tone made it seem like nothing significant had just taken place.
Ganesha Tripathi couldn't help but be captivated, unconsciously following the man's lead.
* * *
The journey continued.
Thanks to their steady pace, they managed to descend roughly halfway down the towering Heshbon mountain range.
Before long, darkness settled in across the landscape.
'He's following along pretty well.'
Contrary to his worries, Ganesha Tripathi was managing to keep up despite his fatigue.
Of course, the masked man was intentionally moderating his speed, but it was still impressive that Ganesha wasn't entirely untrained.
'Maybe it's time to stop.'
Traveling at night was unwise, so the masked man opted to set up camp.
"We'll camp here for the night."
The biggest issue on this journey was food and shelter.
Fortunately, they had brought some multi-calorie bars, so at least they wouldn't starve.
"...Multi-calorie bars, huh. I've seen these before. In a situation like this, I suppose there's nothing better."
To me, they were a gourmet treat compared to beast meat, but he treated them like low-quality emergency rations.
It made me a bit annoyed, but I also began to understand Ganesha's character.
'He's not exactly a villain, but more of a spoiled noble brat.'
It wasn't surprising, really.
Despite his relatively young age, reaching the position of a Rose Line council member had a lot to do with the Tripathi family's backing.
His title and status might be impressive, but at heart, he was still just a sheltered young man.
'That's actually better for me.'
If he were more cunning, handling him would have been tricky. But since his thoughts were so transparent, manipulating him would be much easier.
Of course, if it turned out to be an act, that would change things.
"Oh, by the way, what's your name? I don't know how to address you."
It was a natural question, but the underlying intention was clear.
'He wants me to reveal my identity.'
Since I had no intention of doing that, I gave a simple answer.
"Call me Pawn."
"Pawn? That's a rather unusual name—"
And now for the main point.
To properly establish our relationship.
"By the way, right now I'm a wanted fugitive from the Ark. A Turncoat, to be precise. Keep that in mind."
"...What?"
The multi-calorie bar slipped from Ganesha's hand and fell to the ground.