Villain Hiring: Help! Author Wants Me Dead-Chapter 60: *Bonus Chapter*
P/S: This is the bonus chapter for 100ps completion!!
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"Did you hear? The soldiers have been more on edge now than in the last ten years."
"There’s also some news about an announcement that’s going to be broadcasted around the world."
"What could it be to gather so much attention…?"
The idle chatter of those around us filled the air as we stood in the long line outside the massive city gates.
The crowd was restless, murmuring about the increased security, the tensions rising across the empire, and the strange announcement that had the entire world holding its breath.
I adjusted the hood over my head, scanning the people around me. Merchants carrying wooden crates filled with goods, mercenaries clad in armour, families with weary expressions—all waiting their turn to enter the city.
Behind us, the vast stretch of the wilderness we had crossed over the past few days felt like a distant nightmare.
The scent of damp earth and blood still lingered in my mind, but here, standing before these towering gates, it felt like we were on the threshold of a different world.
The guards stationed at the entrance looked far more disciplined than the ones I had seen in back at our house.
Their armour was sleek, reinforced with an unknown metal that glowed faintly under the sun.
Their weapons weren’t simple swords but firearms and energy blades, technology that seemed almost foreign compared to the crude steel of the outer lands.
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I turned to Sylvie. "This place is different."
She gave me a small, knowing smile. "Of course it is. The forest doesn’t just divide the outer and inner parts of the empire in terms of land, Noah. It divides entire eras of civilization."
I frowned. "What do you mean?"
She let out a quiet sigh, glancing up at the towering walls of the city. "For the people living outside, it’s as if we’re still stuck in an old age—limited resources, barely any advancements in technology, relying on swords and basic magic to survive. But in reality…"
She gestured toward the city. "Humanity has changed. The world has changed. Ever since the invasion of the Hollow all those years ago, humans have been forced to evolve.
They developed technologies far beyond anything you’ve seen, advancing in ways that outsiders like us can’t even begin to imagine."
My grip tightened around my cloak. I had read about the Hollow before—the sentient creatures that had invaded and nearly conquered Earth centuries ago.
Back then, humanity had been on the brink of collapse, but through some miracle, they fought back.
Only now did I realize what that meant.
The war hadn’t just been about survival. It had forced humans to become stronger.
To advance.
To change.
And we—those who lived outside this vast city—were nothing more than remnants of an outdated era.
A relic of the past.
I turned my gaze back toward the massive gates. The world waiting beyond them was not the same world I had grown up in.
It was something else entirely.
A City of the Future
When we finally reached the front of the line, the guards studied us carefully.
Their eyes lingered on my dagger before one of them scanned me with a strange device, a thin blue light passing over my entire body.
"No registered ID detected," the guard muttered, glancing at his partner. "Outsider?"
Sylvie stepped forward with a smile, handing over a small metallic card. "We’re travellers. Here’s my ID."
The guard took the card, pressing it against a floating screen that hovered in front of him.
A few seconds later, a soft beep confirmed our entry, and he handed the card back. "Welcome to Zenith City."
I took a deep breath as we stepped through the gates.
And what I saw left me speechless.
Towering buildings of metal and glass stretched into the sky, their surfaces reflecting the bright glow of hovering vehicles that zoomed past at impossible speeds.
The streets were lined with shops, each displaying advanced devices, mechanical limbs, and magical artifacts I had never even heard of.
Large holographic screens floated above the city, broadcasting news in real-time.
"BREAKING NEWS: The Grand Emperor to make an urgent announcement soon—experts predict a major shift in the world’s current structure."
"The Mercenary Guild has announced the capture of several high-profile criminals this week, with bounties reaching millions of gold coins."
"Reports indicate increased Hollow activity near the empire’s borders. Citizens are advised to stay alert."
Everywhere I looked, the world felt like a dream.
People dressed in sleek, futuristic clothing walked with mechanical assistants trailing behind them.
Vendors sold weapons that hummed with energy, glowing with runes and advanced technology blended into a single, powerful force.
Even the air felt different—cleaner, lighter, buzzing with an invisible force I couldn’t quite understand.
I turned to Sylvie, my voice barely above a whisper. "This… this isn’t just a city."
She smiled. "No, it isn’t. It’s a glimpse into the future."
For the first time in my life, I felt small.
I had spent my years training, believing that strength meant knowing how to fight well.
But this—this was an entirely different battlefield.
Power wasn’t just about physical strength anymore. It was about knowledge. About adapting.
And right now, I was nothing more than an outsider looking in.
A stranger in a world that had already moved on without me.
As we walked through the bustling streets, Sylvie kept close, occasionally pointing out key locations.
The Merchant’s District, where traders from all over the world gathered.
The Adventurer’s Guild, a place where warriors and mercenaries took on dangerous missions.
The Imperial Palace, visible even from a distance, its spires gleaming like a beacon of absolute power.
But the more I saw, the more uneasy I felt.
Because despite the beauty, the progress, and the sheer advancement of it all…
I could sense something lurking beneath the surface.
Whispers in the alleys. Shadows moving too quickly to be natural.
Guards stationed in key locations, their eyes sharp and alert as if they were expecting something to happen .
And the people—despite their seemingly comfortable lives—walked with a sense of underlying tension.
I exhaled slowly.
Something was coming.
Something big.
And whatever it was…
It was about to change the world all over again.
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A/N:
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