Game of Higher Hands - The Owner of the City

13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFTKpIVtTc5

I turn around.

Slow.

No rush.

If you rush in a place like this, you die faster. Simple rule.

Behind me are people.

Not many.

Six.

Maybe seven.

Hard to count when they all wear the same dark coats and don’t move much.

They are standing in a line.

Too neat.

Too calm.

Like they have been waiting for me.

One of them speaks.

“You entered the storage zone.”

His voice is flat.

Not angry.

Not curious.

Just… official.

Like a worker reading rules.

I look at him.

“Is that what this place is called?”

No answer.

So I continue.

“Sounds boring.”

Another one steps forward.

“You should not be here.”

I nod.

“I get that a lot.”

They don’t react.

That is interesting.

Most people react.

These don’t.

I glance at the glass walls behind me.

Mei is still there.

Frozen.

Stored.

Not moving.

I look back at them.

“So,” I say. “You collect people.”

The first man answers.

“We preserve data.”

I tilt my head.

“People are data now?”

“Yes.”

“That’s depressing.”

No reply.

Then the air changes.

Not sound.

Pressure.

Like the whole building is holding its breath.

The men step aside.

Not quickly.

Not scared.

Just… making space.

Someone walks out.

From the end of the corridor.

Slow steps.

Heavy presence.

I feel it before I see it.

My ability reacts.

But differently this time.

Not information.

Warning.

WARNING: UNKNOWN AUTHORITY DETECTED

I exhale.

“…Finally.”

The figure appears.

Tall.

Not too big.

But wrong in proportion.

Like the body was designed from different versions of a human and stitched together carefully.

No visible weapon.

No armor.

Just a coat that looks too long for the space.

He stops.

Looks at me.

I look back.

For a few seconds, nobody speaks.

Then he says:

“You are not registered.”

I laugh once.

“Yeah, I usually don’t register for things.”

He tilts his head slightly.

“You are inside my system.”

I nod.

“Your system is broken.”

Silence.

The air becomes heavier.

The men behind him step back again.

Not fear.

Respect.

So this is the boss.

I can feel it now.

Not because of appearance.

Because of control.

Everything here responds to him.

Even the air.

Even the light.

He speaks again.

“You interacted with stored units.”

I look at Mei.

Then back at him.

“Yeah.”

“That unit is not authorized for release.”

I shrug.

“Too late.”

His eyes narrow slightly.

First real change.

Small.

But real.

“You are interference,” he says.

I nod.

“Cool. That sounds important.”

Then he moves.

No warning.

Just movement.

I dodge immediately.

Not thinking.

Body reacts first.

He appears where I was standing.

Not fast like a punch.

Fast like space skipped.

I step back.

“Okay,” I say. “That’s new.”

He turns slightly.

“You have combat training.”

I shrug.

“Some.”

He moves again.

This time I block.

Arm hit.

Impact heavy.

My arm goes numb for a second.

I slide back.

Feet adjust.

Balance stable.

Good.

Still usable body.

He watches me.

“You are inefficient.”

I smile.

“I know.”

Then I rush forward.

No waiting.

If he controls space, waiting is death.

I strike.

Left feint.

Right punch.

He blocks without effort.

I kick.

He moves slightly.

My leg misses.

But I use the momentum.

Spin.

Elbow.

He catches my elbow.

Stops it completely.

That should not be possible.

He looks at me.

“You are predictable.”

I laugh.

“Most people are.”

Then he throws me.

Not hard.

But precise.

I hit the wall.

Pain spreads.

I stand up slowly.

Wipe my mouth.

“Okay,” I say. “You are strong.”

He nods.

“Yes.”

Simple answer.

No pride.

No emotion.

Just fact.

Behind him, the glass walls flicker.

Mei inside stays frozen.

But I notice something.

The system reacts when he moves.

He is not just a boss.

He is the control point.

I exhale slowly.

“So you are the one running this place.”

He answers:

“I maintain it.”

I smile.

“Same thing.”

He raises his hand slightly.

The air changes again.

Pressure increases.

Space feels tighter.

My ability reacts.

But still unclear.

Only one word appears.

CORE AUTHORITY LAYER

I pause.

“…Oh.”

Now I understand.

This is not just a monster city.

This is a controlled system.

And he is the handler.

He looks at me.

“You will be processed.”

I stretch my hand.

“Processed sounds painful.”

He steps forward again.

The whole corridor responds.

Glass vibrates.

Light shifts.

Even sound disappears slightly.

I breathe in.

Slow.

Focus.

My body is not enough.

But my mind is still working.

I look at him.

Then at the corridor.

Then at the glass.

Then at Mei.

I grin slightly.

“Hey,” I say.

He pauses.

“You can hear me, right?”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

I point at him.

“You are the boss of this place.”

“Yes.”

“And bosses usually have one problem.”

He waits.

I smile wider.

“They are always standing near the control room.”

Silence.

For the first time, his expression changes.

Very small.

But real.

I turn my head slightly.

Down the corridor.

Deeper inside.

Where the system feels strongest.

“I guess I found where I need to go.”

He speaks slowly.

“You will not reach it.”

I step forward.

“Let’s see.”

And I walk toward the deepest part of the city.

With him watching me from behind.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTTXtg1cVb3

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