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Sitka, AlaskaâWall of Life construction site.
Raleigh brought Natsuki to the worksite, stopped beneath countless steel frameworks, about to explain the job.
Suddenly, voice laced with extreme displeasure cut through air.
"Raleigh!"
"My Jaeger boy!"
"You actually dared to be late today!"
Middle-aged American man wearing thick, filthy coat and gray baseball capâface covered in patchy stubbleâshouted loudly.
He shoved past several hard-hatted workers, stopped in front of Raleigh and Natsuki. Expression far from friendly.
This was shift supervisor for this sectionâMiles.
"Sorry. Ran into trouble on the way." Raleigh didn't give him warm look either, but considering he still had to work under the guy, answered honestly.
The "trouble" was finding Natsuki lying in snow.
Under normal circumstances, he'd have been at site already.
"Trouble!"
"Great!"
"Well, now I've got some trouble for you!" Supervisor Miles pointed at Raleigh, lips curling into nasty grin. Fat on face made stubble-covered chin look especially round.
Hearing that, Raleigh's heart jumped.
Was this bastard about to fire him?
Noâdidn't make sense.
Right now, they were desperately short on workers. Even if someone skipped shift entirely, could come back next day and keep working.
And sure enough, guess was right.
"Three guys working on top of wall died yesterday. Fell to their deaths." Supervisor Miles said this without shred of sympathy, treating it like most ordinary thing in world. Grin never left face.
"That's the trouble. But for you? Damn windfall!"
"Three spots on wall just opened up."
"And when I was hiring today, only one guy was willing to go up there. So right now, still two open slots."
Supervisor Miles pointed at Raleigh, then shifted finger over to Natsuki in green jacket.
Guy's eyes lit up moment he spotted Natsuki beside Raleigh.
"Oh! My Jaeger boy!"
"Since you just so happened to bring another worker with you, I'll forgive your tardiness!"
"Two open spots, two workersâperfect!"
"Here, take these. Ration cards for both of you. Don't mention it!"
Miles immediately guessed Natsuki was here to work, so enthusiastically shoved two food ration cards into Raleigh's hand, gave shoulder pat.
Didn't leave them any room to refuse.
Then squeezed past two of them, headed back to office.
Staring at scratched-up red ration cards in hand, Raleigh pressed lips together, let out long sigh.
"Well⊠it's dangerous, but pay on wall really is highest."
Words came out with puff of white breath. Hard to tell if he was reassuring himself or Natsuki.
Building Wall of Life was no cushy job. Every day meant working alongside steel and snow, and with resources so scarce, workers barely had any safety equipment. Hard hat was considered high-end. Several workers fell from wall and died every single day.
And even so, countless people fought for this work.
Because they wanted to choke down stale piece of bread. Could keep them alive few more days instead of starving to death in streets.
Working on top of wall was most dangerous jobâbut because of that, wall-top workers got top pay. Numbers on ration cards were enough to buy several hot meals.
Like Raleigh said before: this was age of scarcity. Age called apocalypse.
"Work this job with me."
"You're way more cold-resistant than normal people. Perfect for it." Raleigh held out one of ration cards to Natsuki, expression sincere.
After all, he'd saved guy from snow. Couldn't just stand by and watch him starve to death in streets.
From Raleigh's perspective, Natsuki was just cold-resistant mental patient. Pretty pitiful, really.
"Hey, you listening?" Raleigh noticed Natsuki wasn't moving, waved ration card in front of face. Puzzled.
"Of course." Natsuki replied offhandedly.
But gaze still wasn't on Raleigh. Stayed fixed on black bangle around right wrist.
Bangle was obsidian black with tech-patterned grooves. Diamond-shaped crystal embedded in center. Looked like Ultra Bangle loaded with cutting-edge tech.
Right now, semi-transparent panelâvisible only to himâhad appeared on bangle.
[Abnormal space-time fluctuation detected. Internal system activating...]
[Activation successful!]
[Identity verification in progress... Verification successful!]
[Currently bound user: Official member of Land of Light Space Garrison HeadquartersâNatsuki]
[This system is designed to help Ultramen who have exhausted their potential unlock new potential, while guiding users through reward-and-punishment mechanism to become exemplary Ultra Warriors with excellent conduct]
[Current primary mission: Investigate abnormal space-time fluctuations in this universe and eliminate source responsible for them]
[Warning: Product of abnormal space-time fluctuation is approaching!]
[Choice Mission triggered!]
[Choice 1: Move away from human sight, find concealed location to transform, repel incoming enemy, save lives. Reward: 6 hours of Mental Space Training (Note: This is correct option)]
[Choice 2: Ignore Land of Light regulations, transform in full view of everyone, repel incoming enemy, save lives. Penalty: 1 hour of Hell-Level Mental Space Training (Note: This is undoubtedly wrong option)]
[Note 1: This system has built-in transformation function, soul-bound]
[Note 2: I know your personality will make you pick wrong option, but I assure youâyou won't enjoy Hell-Level Training. (Signed: Chief Director of Land of Light Bureau of Science and Technology, Hikari)]
Good news: Biggest cheat developer in Ultra universe just dropped new update!
Bad news: It's aimed at me!
Natsuki stared at lines of text on panel, immediately understood every line of code in this thing came from Hikari's hand.
As for culprit who destroyed his happy life?
He'd have to be brain-dead to listen to him.
Want me to reform?
Not a chance!
Forget what comes laterâfor this first choice mission, Natsuki had already decided to give Hikari taste of his own medicine!
"Hey, Natsu!"
"Good God, are you actually mental patient!?" Raleigh watched as Natsuki grinned at bracelet like it was Nike swoosh, immediately sucked in cold breath. Impression of Natsuki's mental state dropped another few notches.
He shook head.
Guess I'll just get to work first.
If it comes to it, I'll share some of my food with this poor guy.
With that thought, Raleigh walked toward cage where welding equipment was stored, brushing past crowd of workers. Opened cage, strapped on backpack loaded with welding gas canisters.
Walked over to suspension rope, preparing to use it to ascend to top of wall for welding work.
But before he could secure rope, sound echoed across entire worksite.
"WooooâWooooâ"
Hearing that sound, Raleigh's eyes went wide with disbelief. Turned toward direction it came from.
Every other worker on site did same.
This air-raid-siren-like sound meant only one thingâ
Kaiju was coming!
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