Tenebrous Wolf

Klaus continued to guide the disguised succubus, Briar around the Sanctuary while staying alert.

The streets of Imperial City were bustling with life. Towering buildings with sleek, futuristic designs stretched into the sky, and holographic billboards projected advertisements for the latest innovations. Artificially cultivated trees lined the sidewalks, holding leaves of an unnatural but mesmerizing shade of blue-green, enhanced to purify the air. Autonomous vehicles glided soundlessly along the roads, while drones zipped overhead, delivering packages.

Briar eyed her surroundings with poorly concealed fascination. Though she tried to act unimpressed, her eyes gleamed with curiosity as she took in the marvels of human engineering.

Have you ever seen the expression of a child when their small world shatters upon witnessing something entirely new beyond anything they could ever imagine?

The succubus' face looked exactly like this. Her enthusiasm and curiousity were on full display to the point that Klaus could only stare at her in silence.

At first, he thought he would despise a moment like this. Surprisingly, despite his anxiety and constant vigilance, he found that he didn't mind it.

In fact, he enjoyed it far more than he had expected.

When was the last time he had spent his time like this? According to the plan he had set for himself upon awakening, his days should have been spent training, watching random videos on his phone, or absorbing survival tips. A leisurely outing like this had never been part of the equation. But strangely enough, he didn't mind and welcomed it.

It's good to go out once in a while. I don't know when I would be free enough to do something like this. Also, I don't have much to do except wait for my ordered package to arrive.

With both hands in his pockets, Klaus continued walking at a steady pace. At some point, his mind began to flee from reality. But then—

"Hyah!?"

His reverie was abruptly interrupted by Briar's startled shriek. She leaped backward like a frightened cat and, with a loud thud, fell onto her rear.

"Hey, what the hell happened? Are you alright?"

Briar, eyes wide and brimming with panic, pointed frantically at something that had just passed.

"!! S-some weird thing just showed up out of nowhere!"

Klaus glanced over and sighed, as if it was ridiculous.

"You gave me a fright for no reason. And don't call it weird. It's just a cleaning robot."

He turned his attention to the contraption in question.

The robot, about the size and shape of a large trash can, had small wheels at the bottom. It was equipped with cameras to avoid obstacles and people. Oddly enough, it seemed to attract disdain from girls in miniskirts and, much to the robot's dismay, was often mistaken for a toy by children who tried to play with it.

Briar slowly got back to her feet, still looking at the moving cleaning drum with suspicion.

"Really now. I know that humanity has advanced in technology to a great degree, but this is just ridiculous. Since when did you have mechanized Agathions?"

"It's almost scary how you're calling a cleaning robot a protective spirit. Apart from its cleaning function, it's completely harmless. Just consider it as something that cleans dirt and trash automatically. You'll find plenty of them scattered around Imperial City."

"Imperial City?"

"Ah, I forgot to mention that." Klaus gestured vaguely ahead. "Imperial City is the official name for what we call the Sanctuary. It's recognized worldwide. You read that book on geography, right? Then you should know that the Sanctuary is located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, several kilometers south of Tokyo."

"I did finish that book, so I understand the situation somewhat. But what does that have to do with this mechanized Agathion?!"

Klaus let out another sigh.

"Hello? It's a cleaning robot, not some kind of spirit. As you already know, the Sanctuary was originally under Japan before it became an independent entity. Because of that, and the fact that it attracts top researchers, engineers, and inventors from all over the world, it's no surprise that Imperial City became the most advanced place on the planet."

It was founded in 1999 by a man named Genzou Kurosawa, and—"

"Ugh! Why do you have to tell me the boring stuff? I don't know why you humans keep tabs on pointless things. Besides, if that's the case, then wouldn't he be some old man who already kicked the buc—"

Before Briar could finish her sentence, Klaus moved at the speed of sound and clamped a hand over her mouth. Fortunately, no one else had heard her words. He let out a quiet breath of relief.

Briar's amber eyes questioned him, and as soon as he loosened his grip, he wasted no time scolding her.

"You idiot! Be mindful of what you say! Are you trying to get me killed?! Do you have any idea who that old man is? No, he's not just some random old man, he's the founder of the Sanctuary! The Imperial City! He's one of the greatest minds in human history, and unlike the rest, he's still alive. Yes, you heard that right! Genzou Kurosawa is a living legend!"

"W-Wha... How is that even possible? Is he an Ascendant?"

"No, he's a normal human."

"Wait, that doesn't make any sense. Unlike Ascendants, normal humans have short lifespans, yes? If I remember correctly, the current year is 2125. And if he founded the Sanctuary in 1999, then shouldn't he have died a long time ago? Or did I miss something?"

"No, you're correct. In a normal scenario, any normal human would fall victim to their physiology and perish before the current year—"

"Then?"

"However, that's only applies when you follow that logic. We have long surpassed the weakness of our physiology a long time ago, so it's not unreasonable for us to live long lives."

"What do you mean by that?"

Seeing Briar's genuinely confused expression, Klaus' smile widened even further.

Although he had shared a basic overview of humanity's history and development, he had deliberately omitted the most crucial detail.

Still maintaining that smile, he chose not to answer directly and instead said,

"The answer to that question should be obvious. It's not just the buildings here that are impressive. Take a closer look at the people."

"The people? I don't see what that has to do with—!!"

Briar's words abruptly cut off. It was as if the very air had been stolen from her lungs.

For the first time, she truly looked at the people walking past them. At a glance, they had seemed normal, just humans going about their daily lives. But now, now that she was paying attention, she realized how wrong that assumption had been.

They appeared human. That much was true. But the issue lay in their bodies.

Metallic implants pulsed with an unnatural luminescence beneath synthetic skin. Cybernetic limbs, seamlessly integrated into flesh, glimmered under the artificial city lights. Most were subtle and hidden beneath clothing, barely distinguishable from natural human parts. But the others were impossible to ignore.

For example, one man wearing a business suit tapped the side of his head and made a call, the sign of this was his flickering irises. Then, there was a woman with arms sleeved in silver plating, adjusted the lens of a mechanical eye before continuing her conversation as if it were the most mundane thing in the world.

A businessman in a crisp suit casually tapped the side of his head, his irises flickering as he placed a call—his neural implant acting as an invisible interface. A woman with silver-plated arms adjusted the lens of her mechanical eye mid-conversation, as if it were as mundane as brushing a stray hair from her face.

Even the children…

Briar's gaze landed on a young boy. Unlike the others, his modifications weren't sleek or decorative. His right arm and leg were entirely cybernetic. It was practical and rigid. The kind given to accident survivors. Or victims.

She didn't know his story. She didn't need to.

Something inside her twisted. The sight of these humans, fused with metal and circuits, sent a foreign kind of unease crawling up her spine.

"This…" Her voice trembled as she took a step back. At the same time, her eyes widened in sheer horror.

"You're starting to get it now, aren't you?" Klaus said, smiled as he took in the sight of her unease. "The Sanctuary, or what we call the Imperial City, doesn't just house the most brilliant minds on the planet or those who have obtained bodies beyond humanity (Ascendants). I suppose you can call it the heart of human evolution. Anyone who lives here simply aren't normal."

Briar swallowed and forced herself to speak despite the dryness in her throat.

"What is that? Why do they look like that?"

Klaus shoved his hands deeper into his pockets and replied simply, "Cyberware."

Her brows furrowed.

"It is a term used to refer to any cybernetic technology permanently installed into the body. Well, it primarily has to deal with the nervous system. It was originally created for purely practical and medical purposes, but they've since become a way of life. They're really common here so just think of them like tattoos and jewelry."

Briar couldn't tear her gaze away from the people around them.

Klaus continued with an almost disinterested expression. It was like he was explaining something to a naive child.

"Advanced implants. Neural enhancements. Augmented bodies. Whatever the case, this is the pinnacle of human technology. Here, flesh is a choice. Those who wish to keep their organic bodies can, but the vast majority embrace the future."

"You mean they replace parts of their bodies? Why? Doesn't that make them… less human?"

"What? No. How could you think like that?" Klaus almost looked shocked. "Well, not necessarily. Let me ask you this... If you replace your arms and legs with mechanized parts, does that make you a cyborg? By definition, yes. But does it make you less human than the next person? Not at all. If anything, cyberware is just another form of self-expression." He paused, then smiled. "After all, uniqueness is another form of currency."

He gestured toward a group of enforcers in tactical armor, stationed near a perimeter marked by a holographic red warning line.

"And then, there are those guys. The IMPD, the Imperial City Police Department. Some of them use enhanced cybergear for protection, but a rare few are more machine than man. Full-body conversions, enhanced Bioware, top-tier Cyberware. Barely organic at this point." He nodded toward a heavily armored unit moving in synchronized precision. "They're called MaxTech. The elite of the elite. Well, if you don't count the military, then yes. They're not your regular chrome."

"They're the elite among the elite, huh? I take it they don't show up often."

"You're a hundred percent right. They only step in when someone with cyber implants or an Ascendant goes completely off the rails. And judging by this, I'd say that's exactly what happened. Just because you obtain a body that surpasses humanity doesn't mean your mind follows. That's why Psychics, who directly attack the mind, are followed as the most dangerous type of Awakened. Ah, so it was a psycho Ascendant. Damn guy."

Klaus clicked his tongue at the dismembered Awakened, whose remains were being loaded into the EVO-5 Sentinel.

The EVO-5 Sentinel was an aerial vehicle powered by an advanced anti-gravity system, developed by EVO TECH. Its bulky, armored design blended civilian and military aesthetics, giving it the look of a futuristic, high-security transport, almost like an advanced bus built for war.

Of course, countless variations existed, serving as public transport or private shuttles for civilians. Aerial vehicles dominated the skies, far outpacing traditional land-based travel in both speed and efficiency. Naturally, only the wealthy and elite of Imperial City could afford such luxuries, leaving ground transport to those of lesser means.

This was certificate an era that had long since abandoned the past without hesitation or regret.