Returnee's S-Rank Management Guide

Chapter 204 : King of Outlaws (1)

King of Outlaws (1)

From the moment I entered the sector 8, I sensed it was different from the areas I'd been through before.

It was still lawless, but there was a more organized feel to it, reminiscent of the Mafia I'd seen in Italy.

The difference from the Mafia was that everyone here was an awakener.

And not just any, at least C-rank awakeners or higher.

'An army of awakeners.'

What no other country had achieved had naturally taken shape here.

It was only natural.

"Wars with other sectors are common, so if you want to survive, there's no other choice."

That's what a man, soaked in alcohol, told me at a bar where I'd gone to get information in the sector 8. He was a B-rank awakener in his own right, but after losing his right arm in a battle, he had spent every day drinking.

"Then why don't you just go back to your home country?"

"Home country? Ah, you mean go back to America?"

He snickered as if to confirm he was American.

"I have no desire to return to a controlled society. Living here without prejudice, just doing as I please, is much more comfortable for me."

He emptied his glass as he spoke, and I frowned.

That was essentially the fundamental reason people gathered in Alcatraz.

'Not everyone here is a criminal.'

Alcatraz, a lawless zone where society's rules don't apply.

Conversely, it meant that the laws that bound awakeners didn't exist here.

'This isn't good...'

The laws currently in place worldwide heavily restrict awakeners due to their potential danger.

Even the jobs they can choose are limited, and strict control is imposed.

There were plenty of awakeners who became disillusioned with such a system.

Demons had accurately targeted the current state of awakeners.

If they caught wind of Alcatraz's existence, population here would surely increase.

'This must be one of the reasons Gong Je-hun tasked me with this investigation.'

If an ordinary awakener came here and happened to be drawn in, it could cause major problems.

"Thank you for telling me all this."

"Don't mention it. Wasn't it worth it for a free drink?"

He chuckled, shaking his bottle.

"If I may offer a word of advice, you should be careful from here on. Starting with the sector 8, everyone's on edge because of the King's Struggle. You never know when a knife might come flying at you, so keep your guard up."

'King's Struggle?'

This was news to me.

'Well, I can just ask the person involved directly.'

I quickly jotted the information I got from the man into my laptop, then packed up.

After straightening my tie neatly, I got to my feet.

Now, it was time to get back to work.

***

"With that, today's council is adjourned."

Eight men sat at a long rectangular table.

The rulers of the eight sectors in Alcatraz.

They were, in effect, the main players in what was known as the 'King's Struggle'.

"We're all looking forward to seeing who the next king will be."

Sitting at the head of the table, one man looked at the eight, one by one.

"One who will become one of our kind, and someday gain the power to hold the world in the palm of his hand... That's what I mean."

It was an arrogant statement, but he possessed a power no one present could deny.

He was once an ordinary man who had gained power nearly on par with that of a demon.

A new member of Understellar.

Now a herald for the demons, delivering their words.

He had been chosen as the "king" two cycles ago.

He had been an excellent talent, on the verge of S-rank, but wasn't particularly strong among those who had been chosen as "king" up to then.

However, when he left Alcatraz briefly as king and returned, he came back with power on a whole different level.

A power akin to that of a god.

Everyone there felt it.

'The pinnacle of the demons, the power they held, can be acquired.'

Society had only just become aware of demons' existence, but in Alcatraz, this information had circulated for years. Mostly, it was only among those who took part in the King's Struggle, but they knew these beings possessed strength far beyond that of humans.

'If I become king, I can acquire such power.'

The man at the head of the table: the former 'king', Figaro.

Even under the sharp gazes of the eight, he sat at ease.

He truly possessed such strength.

"By the way, I hear Alcatraz has been rowdy lately."

Figaro turned to Negan, ruler of the sector 8.

"That's not unusual for Alcatraz, is it? It's always newcomers who overestimate themselves and run wild."

"Have you confirmed an identity?"

"I'm not sure—it seems he's not even an awakener. Everyone who's met him has died before asking a name."

"This newcomer must be quite skilled."

Figaro smirked at Negan.

"You'd better be careful, you know."

"......"

Negan felt a surge of anger, but couldn't lash out.

He knew all too well what happened to the previous ruler of sector 8, who'd dared to challenge Figaro.

The abilities of the sector rulers were mostly on the same level, barring three exceptions, but admittedly, the eighth was a little behind.

'It takes more than strength to become king.'

Even Figaro, the man before him, only governed the fifth sector when he became king.

'First, I need to deal with that arrogant bastard going wild.'

As Negan said, this wasn't an uncommon occurrence in Alcatraz.

There were always newcomers who got carried away by their own power.

Dealing with them usually fell to Negan.

If things went well, he could subdue a talented individual and make them an ally, so it wasn't all bad.

'I hope this one's really as good as he seems.'

Someone strong enough to help in the King's Struggle.

Negan sincerely hoped for such a foe this time.

***

Personally, the reason I came to Alcatraz was partly due to Gong Je-hun's request and partly to look for traces of the demons. But I also wanted to better control the Demon King's heart that I now possessed.

'Simple training won't cut it.'

Up until now, I'd been forcing the Demon King's heart to submit to strength, so I hadn't realized.

But after destroying the rift and using the Demon King's heart, I was starting to get a feel for it.

The method Yeon-ji had mentioned for coexisting with the power of the demons.

"You need to use it in a fight."

The Demon King's power becomes more refined not with training, but through actual combat.

The force I resonated was growing little by little, and the door—once only slightly open—was gradually opening wider.

Once that door was fully open, I'd face whatever was inside.

'I'd rather not, though.'

According to Yeon-ji, there was a chance I'd confront the soul remaining inside the heart.

Namely, the Demon King I killed.

Just thinking of facing that despair-inducing power again was enough to make me sigh.

"Anyway, your name... was it Negan?"

I tapped the cheek of the man plastered to the wall.

I guessed he deserved to be called the ruler of the sector 8—he was considerably stronger than the previous ones.

"Mo...nstrous... freak..."

"Monster? Had it been Alencia or Soo-ah here instead of me, you would've been reduced to dust."

Not that either of them would go out of their way to kill him.

Simply put, one body check from Alencia or one swing of Soo-ah's Myungdeungdohwa would have disintegrated him.

By that standard, the mere fact I'd only used my fists was quite merciful.

"Tell me about the King's Struggle."

"......"

He didn't look like he wanted to talk, but as I casually raised my fist, negan finally opened his mouth.

"Th-the King's Struggle is an Alcatraz tradition."

"Watch your tone."

"It's... a tradition, sir."

Perhaps not wanting another beating, negan started to spill the info quite readily.

It wasn't as if he was particularly loyal to someone.

"Every year, the rulers of the eight sectors fight to select one as the pinnacle."

That person is called the "king" of Alcatraz.

King of all outlaws.

"Are there benefits to being king?"

"You gain the right to become a ruler of a new era—and, as king, you acquire power."

"Ruler of a new era?"

"I-I don't know the details. That's just what they say."

His response caught me a bit off guard.

If they chose a new king every year, wouldn't there be too many kings around?

"Doesn't that mean there are too many kings? How many ex-kings are there already on this land?"

"When someone's chosen as king, they become Understellar and leave Alcatraz. No king has ever returned."

"Demons?"

Mentioning demons made Negan's eyes waver.

He clearly hadn't expected me to know about that.

"That 'ruler of a new era' business is connected, isn't it?"

"Th-that..."

"If it's really that hard to say, you don't have to force it."

As I spoke and patted his shoulder, relief washed over his face.

Apparently, information related to demons wasn't so easy to divulge.

"There are still seven others besides you, you know."

"Huh?"

He didn't seem to understand right away, but as I started flexing my hands, his face went pale.

He began to tremble like a human buzzer.

"They said that once you become king and Understellar, you'll be granted a title to oversee humans when the new era arrives."

"A title to oversee humans?"

"In the new era, it'll be the age of awakeners, not like now... They said current laws won't apply anymore."

His words made me frown automatically.

'Trying to shape this world just like theirs, huh.'

It was a familiar form of control.

On the other world, demons didn't directly control humans, either.

Humans controlled other humans.

The upper echelons of humanity—kings and nobles—who had sided with the demons.

They managed humans voluntarily.

After all, no one understands humans better than humans themselves.

"That's enough."

Roughly, I had the whole picture now.

It looked like there'd be no need to hunt down the other kings and question them.

'They're gathering the kings and turning them into members of Understellar, huh.'

Something felt off.

It probably wasn't just as simple as that.

'And...'

I turned my back to Negan; I had nothing more to ask.

I heard him sigh in relief behind me, but as always, I walked out.

Or rather, I pretended to.

Normally, I'd have exited the building straightaway, but this time I concealed my presence and stayed close by.

"Y-you!"

Then I heard a shocked voice from Negan, who'd barely just started to relax.

Simultaneously, I felt the magic power stirring around us.

'A mage.'

It was far stronger than the influence of your average mage.

Before the moving magic could take form, I let a hint of my presence slip out.

At that moment, the hand that had been about to latch onto Negan stopped.

"Tsk."

He realized he'd been caught and turned to look back, a forced laugh on his lips.

Though I'd never met him, there was no way I could not recognize this man.

Ivan Hunt, the great mage of Understellar who'd fought Shin Ah-yeon on Jeju Island.

"I was hoping to sneak in and help you out, like some gypsy fairy."

He shrugged as he spoke.

It was hard to read what Ivan's intentions were.

'There's no hostility.'

Why had he followed me?

I didn't react, but I already guessed Ivan had "cleaned up" the people I'd met in Alcatraz.

If not, my name would have already spread around here.

"Ivan Hunt, why are you following me?"

Ivan was a member of Understellar.

Since Understellar's people managed this place, it would make sense for them to oppose me, not help.

Yet he'd tried to kill Negan, a king candidate.

This was unlike the others he'd simply killed while trailing after me.

"Hm, how about we talk while walking?"

To my question, Ivan just shrugged.

"It's been a while, but I'm pretty familiar with the lay of the land here."

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

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