Code 0

Zack headed toward a deserted basement.

He picked his way through a damp, moldy passage before coming to a halt in front of a massive door. He fished a key out of his breast pocket, unlocked the door, and took a quick look over his shoulder to ensure he wasn’t being followed before slipping inside.

The moment the door swung shut, I heard the distinct click of the lock engaging.

I waited until I was certain the coast was clear before revealing myself. I gave the knob a turn, but as expected, it wouldn't budge.

I pulled out a bit of slime, drizzled it into the keyhole, and set to work. I’d made sure to study the basics of lockpicking in my previous life, so this was child's play. After all, being able to crack a lock on a whim is a prerequisite for any proper Eminence in Shadow.

By the way, I keep my slime supply tucked away inside my body just in case I’m ever subjected to a surprise search.

I checked for any signs of movement on the other side. Feeling like the timing was right, I eased the door open and slipped into the room.

I found myself in a sprawling, dimly lit warehouse.

Deep in the back, the glow of a lamp cut through the gloom. A group of men had gathered around it. I suppressed my presence and crept closer, ducking behind a nearby wooden crate. For the record, the crate was empty.

The men were huddled around the lamp, deep in conversation. Zack was right there among them.

"Boss, everyone’s here," one said.

"I see..."

The man they called "Boss" stepped forward. I’d been picturing some stereotypical thug leader, but his appearance was surprisingly youthful. He couldn't have been older than his early twenties.

He was a clean-cut, handsome guy with shoulder-length grey hair. He didn't have the vibe of a delinquent at all; if anything, he looked like the intellectual type. Judging by his build and the way he carried himself, there was no doubt he was trained in the martial arts. Between his looks and his general aura, he didn't look like a prisoner in the slightest.

I love a good gap between appearance and reality. It’s a nice touch.

"Good work, comrades," he said, his voice resonant and commanding as he surveyed the group. "Comrade Doem was quite pleased with the wealth of information you’ve all gathered."

He went around the circle, speaking to each man individually and asking what they wanted as a reward.

I see. So that whole story about the guards being the information pipeline was a total lie.

"Zack, what is your wish?"

"I—I want an increase in the quality and quantity of the food," Zack stammered. "Enough for at least two people."

Zack, my man, you are a true friend!

"Careful, Zack! Eat too much and you'll get fat!" someone jeered.

Zack just gave a weak, wry smile as the others joined in the laughter.

"Boss, I want another strip party!"

"Me too!"

"Again?" the handsome Boss sighed. "Try to keep it in moderation."

He continued listening to their requests one by one. Once he was finished, however, his gaze turned sharp.

"I have a request for you all. Recently, incidents of our comrades being attacked in the Royal Capital have been on the rise. Just yesterday, an executive's carriage was ambushed, leaving seven dead."

For a split second, I wondered if he was talking about me, but I hadn't even left the detention center yesterday. Looks like there’s another culprit on the loose.

"The perpetrator is a professional who stalks their targets without making a sound. We’ve taken to calling him the 'Owl.'"

The Owl, huh? Not bad.

"As for this 'Owl,' we’ve found traces suggesting he has already infiltrated this detention center."

Zack’s eyes widened for a fraction of a second.

"Is something wrong, Zack?"

"N-No, nothing..."

Zack averted his gaze, trying to escape the Boss's piercing stare.

"The Owl’s objective is to make contact with Clara Oriana. Find him before he reaches her. Is that understood?"

The men all nodded in unison.

"That concludes our business... wait, I forgot one thing," the Boss said, his tone dropping. "The execution of a traitor."

He drew a knife and locked his eyes onto Zack.

"—It’s you."

The knife flew with incredible speed. I doubted anyone in the room besides me could have even reacted to it.

The blade grazed Zack’s cheek and buried itself in the face of the man standing directly behind him.

"This fool was leaking our information to the Royalist Faction," the Boss declared coldly.

The rest of the men watched in a daze as the traitor collapsed, blood spurting from the wound.

"You’re dismissed. We’re done here."

At the Boss's command, the men scrambled to leave.

"—Zack."

Zack alone was called back.

"Are you... hiding something from me?" the Boss asked, looking down at him with frigid eyes.

"N-No, sir."

Cold sweat trickled down Zack’s face.

"—I see. I trust you."

The Boss gave Zack’s shoulder a firm pat and walked out of the warehouse.

Left alone in the dim light, Zack let out a massive sigh and wiped the sweat from his brow. I stepped up and gave his shoulder a pat of my own.

"W-Waaaaagh?! What the—?! It's just you! Dammit! Don’t scare me like that!"

Zack literally jumped out of his skin. When he realized it was me, he looked like he was about to blow a fuse.

"Sorry, sorry. You did a good job keeping your mouth shut, though."

"As if I’d say anything! I’d be a dead man the second I opened my mouth."

"Fair point."

"Wait... don't tell me you're the Owl?"

"Sadly, no," I replied.

"You’re... not?" Zack looked at me skeptically.

"I didn't do anything yesterday. It’s probably just a competitor in the same industry."

"Whatever. Look, if you get any info on this Owl guy, pass it my way, will you? You saw how it went—I'm being suspected. Mostly because of you."

"Information is easy enough to find. Whether or not I can share it is another story. It's a small industry... most experts are acquaintances, after all."

And there we go—my insurance policy in case I never find out who the Owl is.

"Man, I’m serious. I'm counting on you. You saw the Boss—he's terrifying. You can use Magic Power, so you might be able to handle him, but I’m totally screwed."

"Oh, by the way, his Magic-Sealing Collar is a fake."

"W-What?!"

"Yep."

"You've gotta be kidding me... Does that mean even you can't beat him?"

"—Is that what you think?"

I released a tiny surge of Magic Power, just enough to make the very air tremble.

"N-No. Actually, maybe you could..."

"Well, whatever... Hm? What’s this?"

Perhaps because of the atmospheric vibration I’d just caused, a single scrap of old paper fluttered down in front of me. I picked it up—and a brilliant idea struck me.

"—I see," I murmured, my voice dripping with mystery.

"Did something happen?"

"A message from an agent. I think I have a lead on the Owl’s identity now."

"S-Seriously?! That was fast!"

"Have a look."

I handed the blank scrap of paper to Zack.

"W-Wait, there’s nothing written on this!"

"It’s a sophisticated cipher that only reacts to a specific Magic Power wavelength. I’m the only one who can decode it."

"No way... I can't see a damn thing..."

Zack pulled the paper close to his face, flipping it over and holding it up to the light to check for a Watermark.

"I'll tell you a little of what it says."

"...Is that okay?"

I nodded and dropped my voice to a low whisper.

"Code 0."

"C-Code Zero?"

"Zero is the number of the beginning. Which means—"

"Which means...?" Zack gulped.

"—Everything begins."

As the words left my lips, I completely erased my presence and vanished using ultra-high-speed movement.

"Wha—?! He’s gone?! No way, the door is still closed..."

I held my breath inside my wooden crate and waited patiently for Zack to leave.