NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3: New Identity
"…With this, the subjugation of the monsters has been officially completed. However, the area remains closed off from the public, with the entrance restricted only to the residents and the authorized personnel."
"The future of the district remains unclear, as there have been reports of mana residue and alien moss developing in the basements and the underground passages. While the claims remain to be confirmed, some experts in the field are speculating about the possible emergence of a new Forbidden Zone."
"Although a month has already passed since the incident, the government has yet to provide any explanations as to the reasons behind the dungeon break. Was it caused by the Awakened Association's negligence in managing the Gates, or was it an anomaly that couldn't have been prevented?"
"It begs the question… Is there anywhere that is still safe in this world?"
"Reporting from the scene, Kia-"
The news reporter was suddenly cut off, as the TV screen turned black. Letting out a sigh, Lane tossed the remote to the side, leaning back on the sofa and closing his eyes.
"A month, huh… Time sure flies…"
Initially, when he suffered from the unexpected demise, he intended to just take a short break, before finding a new identity and getting back in the game. He believed the subjugation would take much longer - possibly half a year, if not more. After all, dealing with the dungeon breaks differed from normal dungeon raids. Dungeon breaks outside of the Forbidden Zones only occurred when the dungeons in question were overflowing with monsters, resulting in the number of monsters being several times higher than usual. And the Gate that erupted was an A-rank, which was difficult enough to deal with under regular conditions.
However, it just so happened that a lot of elite teams from the nearby Guilds were available to assist in the subjugation. After the initial disaster, many powerful forces were quickly mobilized, bringing the situation under control, at least for the most part.
It differed quite a lot from Lane's expectation, but it wasn't all that surprising. It was an unprecedented event, after all, so it was hard to tell how it would unfold. And it wasn't over yet anyway, with the changes to the environment, as well as the Gate's potential instability.
Either way, it was about time for Lane to stop lazying around, and return to the Association.
He glanced at his phone, checking the notification, but there were no new messages. It's been a few days since he texted his friend, an A-rank Guide, but she still hasn't responded. Was she in a dungeon or something?
If she was, then there was no point waiting any longer, as there was no telling when she might return. It wasn't like Lane needed the guiding yet, he just wanted to get it done while he had time to spare. Of course, he could also seek a Guide from the nearest Forbidden Zone… But he still had a lot of fertilizer in stock, and there was nothing specific he wanted to purchase, so he saw no point in making a trip just for that.
"Well then… It's time to find a new life."
Lane slowly got up from the sofa, stretching languidly. The sun was already setting, it was a good time to hit the clubs.
By the time he arrived at one of his usual spots, the place was already rather crowded. Which was fine by Lane - actually, it suited his purpose perfectly. He immediately headed upstairs, and after getting himself a drink at the bar, took the most inconspicuous seat on the balcony overlooking the dance floor.
As he sipped his Pina Colada, his grey eyes, which were seemingly casually gazing at the people below, suddenly gleamed with soft azure light. In the dark club filled with flashing lights, it was almost unnoticeable, easy to overlook even by Espers. Even if anyone saw something, they would likely consider it just a trick of an eye. Which was one of the main reasons why Lane picked this place to start with his hunt.
The azure light was one of the abilities he plundered in the past, Mana Scan. It allowed Lane to scan his surroundings, finding even the smallest traces of mana. It was useful for many things: spotting monsters in the dungeons, finding Mana Stones, assessing equipment…
…Or finding the Awakened within the crowd, as Lane was doing right now.
There were quite a few Awakened mixed with the civilians on the dance floor, both Espers and Guides. Lane immediately excluded them all from his potential targets. While possessing the Awakened came with many benefits, there were just too many things to consider if he wanted a long-term identity. Finding someone suitable could take a while, and Lane simply couldn't be bothered with it at the moment.
He was planning to act as a Guide anyway, so any civilian would do. The Guide's physique was pretty much that of a normal person, after all.
Therefore, he focused his sight on the rest, his eyes quickly sweeping through the crowd.
All of a sudden, he paused, the corner of his mouth rising slightly.
"…That might do."
He found an acceptable body for himself.
Of course, it didn't necessarily mean that his search was over. The fact that the guy Lane spotted had looks decent enough to be worth possessing was just the basic criterion. It was more like passing a preliminary round. Next, he would have to pass the basic background check.
Still, despite finding a potential target, Lane didn't immediately make a move. He sat in place, discreetly observing the young man he picked as he danced and interacted with the people around him. He was waiting for his target to get drunk, so that he would let his guard down. This way, Lane might be able to lead him away without using any of his abilities too much.
After all, the unauthorized use of Esper's abilities was against the law. If he were to be spotted and reported, things could get troublesome.
And naturally, Lane didn't want any trouble to come his way - at least not when he was in his real body…