Chapter 115: Power Getting Creepier
FWOOSH!
Meanwhile, deep beneath the glamorous lights of Playmore another side of the city was beginning to wake up.
The underground.
Where criminals wore luxury brands. Where politicians secretly gambled fortunes. Where Savages auctioned weapons, information and even human lives behind golden curtains and smiling faces.
And tonight Champagne, Mardale Aranos and Zachia were headed directly into its jaws.
Mardale walked ahead confidently through the crowded lower streets.
"We'll need proper clothes."
Champagne immediately looked down at himself proudly.
"What do you mean we?"
"I already look expensive."
Mardale didn't even look back.
"You look like a nightclub criminal."
"That's still expensive."
Champagne argued instantly.
Meanwhile Zachia quietly stared at his own reflection in a nearby window. Still wearing his warrior-like outfit.
Champagne pointed dramatically at him.
"Exactly."
"If anyone needs changing it's Samurai Jack over here."
Zachia slowly turned his head.
"…I don't know who that is."
"Good."
Champagne replied.
"Keep it that way."
Mardale sighed heavily.
"We don't have time for this."
Champagne folded his arms stubbornly.
"Then let's vote."
Mardale immediately regretted allowing that sentence to exist.
Champagne pointed between them dramatically.
"All those in favor of suits?"
Mardale raised his hand and Zachia raised his hand.
Champagne looked betrayed.
"…Democracy is fake."
Moments later the three emerged from a luxury underground tailor wearing suits so expensive they almost looked illegal.
Mardale wore a dark charcoal suit with silver lining and gloves. Elegant and dangerous. The type of man who looked like he owned entire countries in secret.
Zachia wore a black fitted suit with subtle red patterns beneath the coat, his swords hidden under a long overcoat. He looked less like a warrior now and more like an assassin nobles would hire to erase bloodlines.
Then there was Champagne.
Gold accessories, layered chains, custom black suit with dragon embroidery, glasses indoors again for absolutely no reason.
He looked at his reflection proudly.
"…Yeah."
"I'm him."
Zachia looked genuinely confused.
"Who is him?"
Champagne pointed at himself.
"Me."
Mardale ignored them both.
"In order to infiltrate the auction smoothly…"
"…we need disguises."
Champagne nodded.
"Finally."
"Now you're talking strategy."
"There's someone I know."
Mardale continued.
"Best in the city."
Without warning he grabbed both of them.
FWOOSH—!!
The air twisted violently as the world stretched, and suddenly they stood in an entirely different section of Playmore.
* * *
The atmosphere here felt strange.
Unregistered, and forgotten.
Almost erased from the rest of the city.
The signs were old, the streets narrow. Even the lights flickered differently.
Champagne looked around carefully.
"…What part of town is this?"
Mardale adjusted his sleeves calmly.
"The Unknown Sector."
Even Zachia narrowed his eyes slightly.
People watched them from windows without speaking. Others disappeared the moment eye contact was made.
No police, no guards and no cameras.
"This place doesn't exist officially," Mardale explained.
"Which is exactly why dangerous people love it."
They stopped before a strange shop hidden between two rusted buildings.
A neon sign buzzed overhead.
FABIATCHY AESTHETICS
Champagne stared at the sign.
"…This looks illegal."
"It is."
Mardale replied casually before walking inside.
The moment the door opened music blasted through the room.
Bright lights. Medical equipment. Luxury couches. Half-finished sculptures. Designer masks hanging on walls. And at the center stood a heavily tattooed man with a thick beard, open floral shirt and gold jewelry.
Mike Fabiatchy looked up from his work.
Then immediately smiled widely.
"Mardale!"
He opened his arms dramatically.
"Mi amigo!"
Mardale smirked slightly.
"Long time no see."
Mike walked forward and hugged him aggressively.
"You disappeared again!"
"You teleporting psychopath!"
Champagne blinked.
"…You know weird people."
Mike suddenly looked toward Champagne and Zachia.
His eyes sparkled immediately.
"Ohhh…"
"…Fresh faces."
Champagne took one step back instantly.
Mardale pointed toward the group casually.
"Transform them."
"Into the most handsome men this city has ever seen."
Mike cracked his knuckles dramatically.
"Leave it to me."
Champagne immediately whispered toward Zachia in absolute horror.
"…I quit."
Zachia blinked once.
"What?"
Champagne slowly pointed at Mike.
"If that greasy old man touches my face…"
"…oh hear me God."
Mike froze dramatically, then slowly turned toward Champagne.
Offended, deeply offended.
"Greasy?"
He pointed at his own face.
"This is artisan skin care."
Champagne looked unconvinced.
"That beard got engine oil in it."
Mardale laughed loudly for the first time all night.
Even Zachia almost smiled slightly.
Mike walked closer toward Champagne inspecting him carefully like expensive furniture.
"Hm."
"Good bone structure."
"Too much attitude."
"Terrible fashion restraint."
Champagne gasped.
"YOU'RE INSULTING ART."
Mike ignored him completely and looked toward Zachia next.
"…And this one."
He narrowed his eyes.
"This one has silent killer aura."
Zachia nodded calmly.
"…Thank you."
Mike clapped his hands suddenly.
"Perfect."
"We begin immediately."
Champagne backed away slowly.
"No."
Mike smiled.
"Oh yes."
Snap....
Mike Fabiatchy snapped his fingers dramatically.
FWOOOSH!
Immediately hidden doors around the shop opened.
Assistants rolled out trays of equipment, luxury fabrics, holographic scanners and strange surgical-looking tools that made Champagne question every decision that led him here.
Champagne pointed instantly.
"Why are there saws?"
Mike looked confused.
"For precision."
"PRECISION WHAT?!"
Meanwhile Mardale Aranos calmly sat down on one of the couches crossing his legs.
"You're overreacting."
Champagne looked at him in disbelief.
"Easy for YOU to say."
"You teleport."
"If my face gets ruined I gotta live with it."
Mike grabbed Champagne's jaw suddenly and turned his face left and right under the light.
"Hm."
"Yes."
"I see the vision."
Champagne looked terrified.
"There should never be a sentence called 'I see the vision' during surgery."
"It's not surgery."
Mike replied casually.
"It's enhancement."
"That sounds even more criminal."
Meanwhile Zachia sat completely still while one of the assistants scanned his face.
Unlike Champagne he genuinely did not care.
Mike pointed at Zachia approvingly.
"This one understands professionalism."
Champagne folded his arms angrily.
"No."
"This one lacks survival instincts."
Mike ignored him again and began walking around them like a sculptor studying marble.
"The underground auction is attended by elites."
"Crime lords."
"Noble families."
"Weapon dealers."
"Savages."
"Politicians pretending not to be criminals."
He pointed directly at them.
"You cannot walk in there looking like fighters."
"You must look like predators."
Mardale nodded slightly.
"He's right."
Champagne sighed dramatically.
"…Fine."
"But if I wake up ugly…"
"…there will be war."
Mike smiled proudly.
"Impossible."
"You're in the hands of an artist."
Thirty minutes later the transformation began. The assistants worked with frightening efficiency.
Hair styling. Facial adjustments. Temporary skin-tone layering. Micro-contact lenses. Luxury fragrances. Tailored coats. Jewelry. Custom gloves.
Even their posture was corrected.
At one point Mike smacked Champagne on the back with a ruler.
"Stand straighter."
"You look like a thief."
"I AM a thief."
Champagne argued.
"Yes."
Mike replied.
"But now you are a rich thief."
Meanwhile Zachia emerged first.
The room went quiet.
His hair had been slicked slightly back while still maintaining his sharp appearance. His suit was redesigned into a long black-and-red luxury coat with hidden weapon compartments.
A faint scar was added near his eye.
He no longer looked like a wandering swordsman, he looked like nobility raised through violence.
Even Champagne blinked.
"…Okay."
"…That's hard."
Zachia looked at himself calmly.
"…I look dangerous."
Mardale smirked.
"You always did."
FFFRRR.....
Then the curtains behind the fitting area burst open dramatically.
Smoke rolled outward.
FWOO...
♪♪♪
Music played for absolutely no reason.
Champagne walked out slowly.
Gold-black suit. Silver dragon patterns. Hair adjusted perfectly. Rings on nearly every finger.
A long luxury coat hanging from his shoulders, even his glasses had changed.
He looked less like a fighter now and more like a billionaire criminal mastermind that manipulated governments for fun.
Silence filled the room.
Mike placed a hand over his heart proudly.
"…Perfection."
Even Mardale stared for a second.
Champagne slowly removed his glasses.
"…Say it."
Nobody responded immediately.
"…Say I look good."
Mardale sighed.
"You look expensive."
Champagne pointed triumphantly.
"THAT'S ALL I NEEDED."
Mike suddenly became serious again.
"Listen carefully."
He pressed a button.
PING!
A holographic image of a massive underground structure appeared before them.
"The auction site."
Multiple floors rotated slowly on the hologram.
VIP chambers.
Private gambling halls.
Hidden elevators.
Weapon vaults.
Security routes.
Mike pointed toward the lowest level.
"The real deals happen underground."
"Stimuleigh is probably being moved through private bidders."
Mardale narrowed his eyes.
"So we infiltrate the VIP section."
Mike nodded.
"But there's a problem."
The hologram zoomed toward the center chamber.
"Auction security is handled by the King's private enforcers."
Even Mardale's expression changed slightly.
"They don't care about status."
"They don't care about money."
"And if they suspect you…"
Mike looked directly at Champagne.
"…they remove people permanently."
Champagne slowly put his glasses back on.
"…Good."
He smiled.
"Now it sounds fun."
* * *
Far outside the glowing borders of Playmore where the luxury roads faded into steel checkpoints and massive security gates a black armored vehicle slowly approached the entrance.
Step...
Step.....
Step....
The guards stationed there immediately reacted. Spotlights turned on, and weapons raised. Scanning systems activated. Playmore's border security was infamous for one reason, they trusted nobody especially after dark.
"Vehicle identified."
"No registration."
"Unknown passengers."
Within seconds more armed guards surrounded the vehicle with disciplined precision.
Their movements were sharp, practiced and Professional.
One guard stepped forward carefully.
"Engine off."
"Hands visible."
"Exit the vehicle slowly."
The doors opened and four men stepped out calmly. The first three were immediately recognizable to anyone from Kingsville.
Mirage.
Shogun.
Baekho.
But the fourth man…felt wrong.
He wore a long dark coat.
A blue Jean jacket underneath.
Gloves.
Cool glasses.
Calm posture and no visible weapon, yet every guard instinctively felt uneasy looking at him.
The lead guard approached cautiously.
"What business do you bring to Playmore?"
The mysterious man slowly removed his glasses.
Then calmly said one word.
"Baby."
Silence.
Almost every guard nearby heard him clearly and all of them reacted differently.
Shock, confusion, and discomfort.
One guard blinked repeatedly.
"…What?"
Another whispered quietly.
"Did he just say baby?"
Even Baekho looked slightly confused as he leaned toward Mirage.
"…Did boss lose his mind?"
Mirage remained silent but even he was watching carefully.
The lead guard straightened himself again.
"…Sir."
"We asked your business."
The man calmly smiled.
Then spoke again.
"Tell me where the Underground Auctions are."
"Let us pass peacefully."
"And after that…"
His eyes darkened slightly.
"…kill each other."
The atmosphere froze.
Nobody moved and nobody blinked, then something horrifying happened.
Click....
Click....
The guards slowly lowered their weapons.
Not naturally, not even willingly.
Their movements looked delayed and forced. Like puppets whose strings had suddenly tightened. Their eyes lost focus completely.
The lead guard turned stiffly toward the others.
"The Underground Auction is beneath the Third Royal District."
"Entry requires invitation chips."
"VIP access routes are hidden through the lower casino halls."
Another guard stepped forward mechanically and handed them access cards.
"Welcome to Playmore."
The mysterious man smiled faintly.
"Good."
The Silver Moon members quietly entered the vehicle again.
Not one of them spoke since even they looked disturbed now.
Then the first gunshot rang out.
BANG!
One guard shot another directly through the head.
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
Then another.
And another.
Suddenly the entire checkpoint erupted into chaos. Gunfire exploded everywhere. Guards turning on one another.
Screaming.
PSSSH!
Blood spraying across the concrete. Some tried resisting, while others looked trapped inside their own bodies.
Forced to pull the trigger.
Within moments the checkpoint became a graveyard. Inside the moving vehicle Shogun swallowed nervously.
"…Boss."
"…Your power is getting creepier."
The man calmly put his glasses back on.
"I know."
When the vehicle finally entered the massive glowing city the four figures stepped out together.
Towering lights reflected against their silhouettes.
The mysterious man (Gyoran Chitsujo) inhaled deeply.
Then smiled.
"…Ah."
"Now this feels alive, besides....."
"...I think its time to visit an old friend.."
He looked toward the center of Playmore.
Toward the palace. Toward the underground auctions. Toward the chaos slowly waiting to unfold.
"It's time to have fun."
High above the city standing atop a building while monitoring the streets Brandon saw everything.
The checkpoint massacre. The black vehicle. The purple-haired brothers. And the man leading them.
His eyes widened immediately.
"…No way."
He instantly pressed the communicator in his ear.
"Team."
His voice became serious, more serious than usual.
"We might have a huge problem."
To be continued....