Lord of The Red Planet

The night wind atop the skyscraper was cold, but to Rian, it was nothing more than a cool breeze. He sat on the edge of the building, letting his feet dangle. He looked out at the beautiful view of Tokyo from this height.

I used to think that one day I would set foot in this land of the rising sun. I wanted to see if life here was as beautiful as it was depicted in anime.

And now… I can say, "No."

It wasn't as beautiful as it was shown in anime. True, he had to admit the city looked modern, prosperous, and beautiful, but it wasn't as good as he had once imagined. Within a few kilometers from here, he could see piles of carelessly discarded trash and homeless people sleeping on the sidewalks.

And most importantly… there were so many foreigners here.

I mean, why are there so many Africans, Southeast Asians, Indians, Pakistanis, and Arabs here?! Isn't Tokyo supposed to be a Japanese city? Why has it become like New York or London?

This shattered his perfect image of Tokyo. But… because of my arrival, this situation won't continue. Avanheim will control Japan. At that time, I will deport all the foreigners… or maybe capture them all and send them to Mars to mine.

Rian smiled faintly at the idea. Belial would definitely like that.

"The human stench in this city is so strong," Emma muttered beside him, her tone filled with hatred. "Every breath feels like inhaling filth."

"Just think of it as a disguise, Secretary-General," Merlin replied lightly, leaning against the rooftop ledge as if enjoying the view. "Even the most beautiful flowers sometimes have to grow from dirty soil, don't they?"

Emma directed her gaze at Merlin.

"You're right."

Rian turned to the two of them. "According to what Mahiru Yuna said and some information I gathered from passersby… it seems that supernatural powers or magic do not exist in this world."

He pointed to the city below him. "If this is true, then the only threat to Avanheim is the existence of Avalon players."

"Lord Arthur, these Avalon players… are they beings who can match the power of the Supreme Beings?" Emma asked curiously.

Rian nodded. "Yes. That's why we must not underestimate them."

So that's it… 'Avalon players' in the minds of the NPCs. I thought they understood the word the same way I did. So, the Floor Guardians and the residents of Avanheim only have the knowledge that was instilled in them by the guild members? This information is very helpful.

Just then, two shadows landed silently on the roof behind them. Jarvis and Octavia had returned. Behind them was the scarred man, who now walked like a machine, his gaze as empty as someone who had been brainwashed. He carried a metal briefcase and a laptop.

"My Lord, as you commanded," Jarvis said with a bow.

The man—Yamada—stepped forward, opened the briefcase in front of Rian, and turned on the laptop. Inside were stacks of large books, several USB drives, and a long list of contacts.

"This is all the raw data from our organization, My Lord," the man reported in a monotone voice. "Assets, territories, enemy lists, and… contact lists in the police and local government."

Rian glanced at the contents. The scale was small. A few nightclubs, illegal loan operations, some low-level cops on the payroll. As I suspected, this isn't the major Yakuza I've seen in movies. This is just an organized street gang. But it's more than enough.

He looked at the scarred man with a flat expression. "What is the name of the highest-ranking politician on your list?"

Yamada pointed to a name on the laptop screen. "Mr. Tanaka Kenji, a member of the Shinjuku District council. He owes us for helping him get rid of his political rival…."

Rian nodded in understanding. "Alright. Listen to my first order." He slowly stood up, looking out at the city view before him.

"First, I need a house. Not here. I want a penthouse in one of the tallest buildings in Shinjuku. It must have the best security, a low profile, and at least three different exit routes. I don't care how much it costs. Have it ready in 24 hours."

Yamada nodded. "Understood, My Lord."

"Second," Rian continued, "liquidate half of your cash assets. Convert it into various untraceable cryptocurrencies, for example, Bitcoin. I want a report of those transactions on my desk by tomorrow night."

"I-it will be done."

"And third… the most important." Rian paused for a moment, his gaze piercing the man. "I want you to use the full strength of your organization for one purpose! Forget gang wars, forget extortion. Your focus is singular: grow your business as large as possible, until it becomes a global corporation. We will also help develop it. And forget about low-level industries like narcotics and kidnapping."

Silence enveloped the rooftop. The scarred man bowed deeply, cold sweat beading on his temples. He could feel a faint killing aura from the woman in black armor behind his Master.

"Your command is our will, My Lord."

"Good. Now go. Jarvis and Octavia, you will stay with him. Report every bit of his progress to me."

Without another word, the three figures vanished from the roof, leaving Rian with Emma and Merlin.

Rian could finally let out a long breath. I've just become a Yakuza boss, he thought with bitter irony. He looked at his hands—the same hands that used to only press keyboard keys and a mouse, now moving a small part of Tokyo's underworld. This is disgusting. But it's for Avanheim.

He turned to Emma. "Emma, it seems your mind-control magic was about to lose control just now."

"I apologize, Lord Arthur!" Emma immediately knelt. "I only used First-Sequence Magic: Suggestion. I was worried that if I used a High-Sequence Magic, his brain would be destroyed," she said guiltily.

So that's it. Rian placed his arm on his chin. But using First-Sequence Magic… seems too weak. "You can try it on another human. Use the spell, see if it's dangerous or not. If the result is death, then don't use it. Or you can ask Merlin for help."

"Alright. Our business here is finished. Emma, you can return to Avanheim. Merlin and I will take a short walk. After that, we will return." Rian directed his hand into the air, and in an instant, a bluish-black orb appeared.

"In that case, I will take my leave, Lord Arthur." Emma rose from her kneeling position and bowed to Rian, then walked into the Gate portal.

"Lord Arthur."

Rian turned. Merlin walked toward him, his signature smile back in place. He snapped his fingers. An expensive-looking black leather wallet appeared in his hand. He tossed it casually to Rian.

Rian caught it. It felt heavy. He opened it. Inside was an ID card with his photo, the very official-looking face of Arthur Leonhart. Beside it were several premium credit cards and a thick stack of yen.

"I thought I'd get this tomorrow. But thanks, Merlin."

"You're welcome, My Lord," Merlin replied with a gentle expression.

"But… this fake ID, is the data in this country's database?" Rian asked curiously.

"Rest assured, My Lord. That identity was created by Miracle Magic. The basic principle of this magic is to alter reality. So, when I wished for that identity to exist, its data automatically appeared in the Japanese government's database," Merlin explained patiently.

"I see. Then I can rest easy." Rian smiled gently. He took out his ID card.

"Arata Leon. A mysterious investor of Japanese-German descent who has just returned to his homeland. Born in 2000 in Tokyo, Japan. A graduate with a Bachelor's in Business Management from Harvard University, USA."

Rian almost laughed. Me, who only graduated from high school, now has a Bachelor's degree from Harvard? A person's fate truly is unpredictable.

"I like it," Rian said, looking at Merlin with gratitude.

Merlin smiled happily.

"Welcome to Earth, Lord Arthur. Officially." Merlin spread his arms, with the glittering city of Tokyo as his backdrop.