“When I look back, I had a pretty bad blabbermouth, didn’t I? I went on and on and on when I first talked to Charles. It makes me cringe just thinking about it. I think I also got a great naming sense now. I mean, who doesn’t want a great naming sense? I named two dudes you know. Tim and Dun. Pretty nifty stuff, eh? Actually, why don’t I call you Rob? It’s perfect!”

The masked man who still clearly retained his blabbermouth knocked his fist against an open palm in triumph. He was sitting atop the beaten body of a giant man with tattoos and piercings covering various parts of his muscled physique. The man had seen Em loitering around their territory. As a thug, it was only right that he sought to rob the stupid-looking individual in a black suit and a top hat. Easy prey, easy money, he thought. It didn’t go the way he expected though.

The thug coughed out blood and in a hoarse voice threatened weakly, “M-My boss...will cut...your throat!”

Em just looked down on him silently. His clean, white mask somehow gave the thug the creeps. Em leaned in slowly and the thug tried to struggle and escape but his battered body wouldn’t move an inch. Soon he came face to face with the mask and the thug held his breath in trepidation.

“Who’s your boss?”

“W-What?”

“Tell me where he is! He seems like a fun guy,” Em laughed.

The thug was hesitant about revealing his boss’s name. He’ll get lynched if the crazy man before him actually troubled his boss! Em seemed eccentric enough to do so. However, Em casually gripped his neck and squeezed hard, choking an answer out of the thug.

“H-He’s Atahualpa, crime l-lord of the 5th District!!”

“How should I know where the 5th District is?”

“What!? But it’s so close... I-I mean, yes, it’s just a short distance eastwards. T-There’s a huge skyscraper, you can’t miss it.”

“Thanks, Rob! I hope we meet again soon.”

Em brought down a swift chop on “Rob’s” head. Luckily, Rob only passed out on the ground and there was no bloody mess. Em got up from his place on the thug’s back, dusted off his suit, and fixed his top hat. He leisurely walked out of the shady alley he was in while whistling an off-key tune and joined a streaming crowd of people in the main street. Strangely, no none seemed to mind that he was a wearing a white mask.

Towering skyscrapers surrounded the people. Vendors were calling out loudly in a bid to attract customers and fragrant aromas meandered through the air. The main street was jam-packed with many people of many backgrounds. Unkempt hobos with shaggy hair loitered in the alleys and pitifully asked for donations on the street. Once in a while, there was a person with a suit or expensive clothing like Em who hurried on their way to their destinations, remaining a distance away from the poor. Sometimes, there were shady individuals with tattoos like Rob who growled whenever someone met their eyes. Other times, there were throngs of bulky men in black suits and shades. They surrounded important-looking people, indicating that they were bodyguards. Everyone avoided these intimidating bunches of guards.

Em gave a few slips of paper currency he found on Rob to a vendor selling kebabs. He thanked the vendor, walked away, and opened a hole in his mask where he could stuff his meat. When he took a bite, the juices, tenderness, and spice of the meat surprised him and he quickly downed the rest of the kebab.

It truly was what one would envision as a bustling, metropolitan area. Em smiled under his mask, clearly enjoying himself in a new environment. He continued on his way until he arrived at the giant skyscraper that stood much taller than the surrounding skyscrapers. It was covered entirely in clean, tinted windows. The structure reflected the sunlight spectacularly. One would think that this was a place like New York City on Earth, had it not been for the fact that there were three, red suns and that the color of the sky was an abnormal shade of orange. The overhead scene was a clear reminder that this was a fantasy world. Em was truly curious as to what this new world would offer. But first…

“Helloooooooo!” he screamed at the giant metal gates of the skyscraper.

Strangely, the crowd whittled down to almost nothing around this structure. The atmosphere was tense and foreboding as if it threatened encroachers and told them to turn back. The giant, metal gates were shut tight. Only a dreadful silence responded to Em’s call.

Em didn’t notice this peculiar silence and screamed again, “Anyone hoooooooome!”

This time, a communication box on the side of the gates crackled and spoke.

Identify yourself. If not, you will be considered a threat and will be removed promptly.

“Uuuhhhh, lemme see...Oh yeah! Your friend Rob recommended that I, Em, meet...Ata Kappa? Atar Hoolpa? Ala Poolpa? Yeah,” Em explained having difficulty recalling the name.

We do not know anyone named “Rob” and Mr. Atahualpa would not know a rude fool like you. Leave, or you will be removed.

“Aww, come on! I just want to get informationー”

Em was cut short when turrets rose from the top of walls. With the distinct clanking of metal, they adjusted themselves and pointed their large barrels towards the intruder. A whirring sound filled Em’s ears and continuous lines of bullets started bombarding his position from all directions!

Em jumped back and dashed in a zigzag path, dodging the lines of fire. The turrets oriented themselves towards his direction constantly, spitting out a stream of bullets and destroying the ground and nearby trees and walkways. If it was any other person, they would have been pumped full of holes by now.

But fortunately, or unfortunately, it was Em that these turrets were up against. He took his time weaving through a shower of projectiles and enjoyed his first real experience with automated firearms. The turrets couldn’t catch him. Em picked up stones from the destroyed pavement and leisurely threw them at blinding speeds towards the turrets. One by one, they were hit with stones and exploded in a blossom of fire. Finally, Em stopped when all the turrets were taken out.

“Hey, can we talk now? I just want information, pleasー”

Em was again cut off when the destroyed turrets descended downwards and new ones, all in pristine condition, took their place. The familiar whirring sound started up once more and the barrels pointed towards their target.

“Fine. I didn’t want to do this but…” Em muttered.

He walked to two nearby trees and deemed them of sufficient size. The ground split and roots were upturned as he casually ripped them from the ground. He threw both of them like spears, and with the speed of tactile missiles, they destroyed tens of turrets in an instant. Em threw a few more trees, quickly wiping out the rest. He walked leisurely and stopped in front of the metal gates, and with a light tap, they crumpled and were blown away as if someone smashed an aluminum with a hammer. The gate shot forward and crashed through the entrance of the skyscraper with the accompanying sound of glass shattering. Scores of bulky men in suits and shades and assault rifles spilled out straight afterwards. They lifted their weapons and pointed them at the man in a top hat.

“State your name, affiliation, and intention, or we will fire!”

“Em. White Realm. Information. There, you happy? You won’t shoot, right?” Em asked hopefully.

Of course, the guards decided to pull their triggers anyway. Unfortunately for them and Atahualpa, this was the biggest mistake they could have ever made.