Chapter 66: Joining a Operation
[: 3rd POV :]
As Daniel wandered deeper into the heart of Velaria Nexus, the bustling energy of the city grew more intricate and layered.
Towering signs buzzed with glowing runes, and vendors shouted over the noise of floating vehicles and magical broadcasts.
The mixture of mana and machine continued to fascinate him—but what truly caught his attention was a strange rectangular device floating on display behind a glass panel.
It pulsed softly with blue runes and had a crystalline screen that shimmered as if it were made of liquid starlight.
It reminds him of Modern Phone, except it was called something else.
"Mana Phone," the sign above it read.
"Latest model—runs on condensed core circuits, 6-tier rune grid, long-range transmission over a wide network of channels. Limited stock."
Daniel tilted his head, eyes narrowing as he approached.
He'd seen similar devices before in some of the ruins he'd explored—primitive communication stones or mage-linked mirrors—but this was different.
Sleek, portable, and refined through both arcane engineering and advanced technology.
The shopkeeper—a short elf with brass goggles and mana cables running from his neck into his collar—noticed his interest and leaned forward on the counter.
"You new around here, human?"
Daniel nodded once.
It was weird to say that a human was new around here.
But for the Elf, with experience, he could tell that Daniel wasn't familiar with around here.
"Then you'll want one of these," the elf grinned, tapping the glass.
"It's not just a communicator. It links to city-wide maps, public gate schedules, guild networks, bounty boards, and even elemental weather forecasts''
''Some say it's like holding a miniature library and scrying orb in your hand."
Daniel glanced at the price displayed below.
2 Mana Coins.
It wasn't a small sum.
In fact, to most citizens, it would be the kind of purchase reserved for nobility or guild elites.
But to Daniel, it was nothing.
He reached into his inventory, and with a subtle flick of his hand, a sealed pouch of gleaming Mana Coins materialised.
The elf's eyes widened, his goggles nearly slipping off his face.
"W-Wait… those are actual Mana Coins?! Not platinum—not enchanted gold—but mana-imbued currency?"
Daniel placed two of them on the counter without a word.
The shopkeeper stared, stunned and silent for a moment, before hastily grabbing the device and offering it with both hands, as if he were presenting a sacred relic.
"P-please take this. A pleasure doing business with you, sir. I've included a crystal charger and a set of rune-lock wards—free of charge!"
Daniel accepted it calmly, watching as the mana phone flickered to life, its interface instantly responding to his mana signature.
The screen projects dozens of functions.
He was impressed.
More than that, this device would be useful.
It would allow him to move more easily within this hybrid city, access information instantly, and remain ahead of whatever storm was brewing.
Pocketing the phone, he looked back once more toward the city.
He passed a few vendors along the way and noticed more price signs now that he paid attention. Items were tagged by currency tier:
Bronze Coins – for basic food, drinks, and transport.
Silver Coins – for equipment repairs, common scrolls, and basic lodging.
Gold Coins – for higher-tier potions, enchanted weapons, and beast cores.
Platinum Coins – for rare materials, spell upgrades, and artefact-grade gear.
Mana Coins – for legendary services, top-tier items, black market deals, and artefacts from other realms.
Every 100 coins of a lower grade could be exchanged for one of the next tier—meaning 100 Bronze made 1 Silver, 100 Silver made 1 Gold, and so on.
But Mana Coins weren't just the peak—they were also scarce and tightly controlled, used for dealings with powerful factions, advanced research, or even gate access in classified areas.
And Daniel had thousands of them sitting silently in his dimensional inventory—spoils from forgotten cities, collapsed ruins, and sealed vaults long erased from history.
He was far richer than anyone could possibly guess.
And yet… that wealth meant nothing without purpose.
As Daniel leaned against the edge of a stone railing overlooking the glowing streets of Velaria Nexus, the faint hum of magical circuits resonated beneath his boots.
The city pulsed with life—yet his gaze was fixed on the Mana Phone he now held in his hand.
The device flickered with swirling mana as he tapped and navigated its interface.
It had taken him some time to understand the gestures and commands, but he was nothing if not a quick learner.
What began as idle curiosity had quickly turned into something deeper—a yearning to reconnect with the ones who mattered.
His fingers trembled ever so slightly as he opened the Guildwide Broadcast Archive, then the Noble Alliance Newsfeed, and finally, the Continent Status Overview.
And there they were.
Images and reports of Caelira, standing tall and radiant, her silver hair flowing behind her, draped in ceremonial robes woven from starlight itself.
The caption read: "Elven Queen Caelira Addresses the Mistwood Council Regarding Intercontinental Threats"
A slow breath left his lips.
Then came Kael—cold-eyed and composed, dressed in obsidian-lined armour with a crimson sash over his shoulder.
"The Sole Prince of the Demon Realm Speaks Out Against the Black Market Slave Rings"
Then Manork, imposing and proud, stood amidst his legion, marked as a High Demon Lord, known for razing strongholds of corruption.
"Manork Declares Vengeance Upon the Zero Organisation for Crimes Against the Weak"
And lastly, Rika, gentle and poised, offering aid to rescued children in a foreign land, her tiara barely visible beneath her travelling cloak.
"Princess of the Western Kingdom Supports Treaty for Victim Protection and Sanctuary"
Daniel's heart tightened as he read each name.
Memories surged forward—of laughter, shared meals under their cells, silent nods during the night, and quiet promises made if they made it out.
His thumb hovered above their images as he whispered under his breath, "So… you're all alive."
A quiet smile broke across his face—not one of relief, but one laced with longing.
A part of him had always feared the worst. But now… now he knew they were safe and strong.
Yet the warmth in his chest was quickly cooled by the next notification.
[Urgent Notice: All Intercontinental Teleportation Networks Restricted]
Due to rising criminal activity—including illegal slave trades, noble kidnappings, and the resurfacing of the Zero Organisation—all active portals between continents will be sealed.
A global conference will be held in 5 days.
Travel clearance will resume post-conference, depending on security conditions.
Daniel's expression darkened. The name burned into his vision.
Zero Organisation.
His hand clenched around the mana phone.
He remembered them.
He remembered their twisted experiments.
Their cruelty.
The way they had enslaved and mutilated innocents—like Erina and the others.
How they'd operated in the shadows, untouchable by law, driven by something far more sinister than greed.
"...It's them again," he muttered, voice low.
His jaw tightened.
"When will they stop…?"
And now, because of them, he couldn't reach the people who mattered most.
Not yet.
His fingers moved fast, navigating through bounty boards and encrypted networks.
He marked every known branch of the Zero Organisation flagged in the city, on the continent—any trace he could find.
If the world were calling for a summit to discuss peace and security, Daniel had no interest in speeches.
He'd deal with it in his way.
Still, he took one last glance at Caelira's image glowing on the screen, her eyes fierce yet kind—like he remembered.
"I'll see you soon," he murmured, a quiet vow.
Then he turned away from the edge and melted into the city's labyrinth, the glow of his mana phone fading into his cloak—his presence vanishing like a whisper before the coming storm.
Daniel walked through it all, his cloak rustling softly behind him as he passed unfamiliar signs and languages.
His mind was still circling the news of the Zero Organisation and the teleportation lockdown.
He had come here for information and to gather himself—yet something else tugged at his senses.
A distant murmur drew his attention—a large group gathered outside a tall, obsidian-glass building marked by a silver crescent emblem.
The building looked like a hybrid between a military headquarters and an adventurer's hall, with banners fluttering from the balconies, each bearing the symbol of a blue moon encircled by swords and stars.
People were gathered near a projection screen showing grainy, black-and-white footage—figures in cloaks, cages, and strange rituals.
Daniel slowed his steps.
The footage changed to display statistics: estimated lives lost, known enemy operators, and redacted locations.
Then it cut to a firm-faced woman with an armband bearing the same silver crescent, speaking into a set of magical microphones.
His curiosity piqued.
He stepped toward a group of armoured individuals standing near the screen and gently tapped the shoulder of a bulky man who looked like he had seen his fair share of battles.
"Excuse me," Daniel asked, keeping his voice polite. "Is there some sort of event happening here?"
The man glanced at him with raised brows, clearly surprised someone didn't already know. "Huh? You serious?"
"I just arrived in the city recently," Daniel replied calmly.
"Ah, makes sense then." The man crossed his arms and tilted his head toward the building.
"That's the Blue Moon Guild, one of the top independent guilds in Velaria. They're gathering manpower to launch a large-scale assault on an illegal facility."
"Illegal facility?" Daniel narrowed his eyes slightly. "What kind of operation?"
"We don't know the full details," the man replied, his expression grim.
"But word's been spreading across the backchannels and merc lines—it's big. Bigger than the last five raids combined."
Another hunter beside him added, "Yeah. Supposedly, they found a site trafficking in forbidden alchemy, slave binding rituals, and possibly weaponising monsters. Zero's name came up."
At that, Daniel's eyes narrowed.
Zero… again.
"So," Daniel continued, his voice low and steady, "anyone can join this operation?"
"Yup," the first man nodded.
"Doesn't matter if you've got a hunter license or not. They're desperate for numbers and need hands''
''You just walk in, go to the counter, and register''
''They'll assign you to a formation if you pass the physical screening. It's happening in three days."
Daniel gave a short nod. "I see. Thanks."
Without another word, he strode toward the building.
Inside, the atmosphere was buzzing with tension.
Adventurers, mercenaries, bounty hunters, even mages in high-collared robes stood in lines.
The air smelled of steel and incense, and the walls were lined with live maps, magical detection screens, and a registration desk flanked by magical golems.
A woman with cybernetic eyes and a formal tone gestured to him.
"Next."
Daniel stepped forward.
"Name?"
"Daniel."
"Guild affiliation?"
"None."
"Hunter license or adventurer tag?"
"I don't have one."
She blinked, tilting her head slightly. "You're not from around here."
"No."
"Doesn't matter," she said, scribbling something down with a glowing stylus.
"This op's open to anyone. Just know that once you're in, there's no backing out unless you're dead or disabled. You clear on that?"
Daniel smiled faintly. "Clear."
"Alright. Head to Station Three for physical calibration and mana compatibility check. You'll be sorted into a squad after that."
He accepted the black sigil token she handed him—marked with the Blue Moon crest—and slid it into his coat.
As he walked past dozens of hardened warriors and fresh recruits, he glanced back toward the screen now playing overhead—a frozen image of the Zero Organisation's insignia burned against the wall of a hidden compound.
Daniel's eyes sharpened.
"I was planning to go alone anyway," he muttered under his breath.
"Guess this just makes it easier to find them."
And with that, he disappeared into the depths of the guild's war preparations—his path clear, his wrath quiet but coiled, waiting to strike.