East Seal Prison Island was an overwhelmingly harsh environment. Even Jack, who had survived countless battlefields as a Hunter, didn't consider himself weak.
But navigating this crisis alone was absolutely impossible.
That was the honest impression Jack — no, Jack and the others — had upon approaching Prison Island.
And as for the people imprisoned on such a prison island, they were probably exactly the kind of dangerous individuals befitting such a place.
From what Jack could see, the three people brought along as extras with Thousand Transformations happened to share common traits.
None of them had outstanding combat abilities. All came from countries far from the Empire. And none belonged to any organization — they had no backing.
Prison Island should have been collecting thieves from all over, but the majority were probably those captured near Zebuldia.
Even inside the prison, human connections definitely existed. In this situation, Jack and the others — with no backing and little recognition — were sure to be looked down upon inside the prison.
What Jack came up with to break through this situation was — Thousand Transformations.
A Level 8 Hunter, the kind not found even in a single small country. Someone of such stature that even Jack, a former Level 6 Hunter who had been well-known in Pepuri, wouldn't dare challenge.
For that matter, even the hated enemy who had suddenly appeared in Pepuri and crushed Jack hadn't been Level 8.
Under the wing of Thousand Transformations — a Level 8 Hunter known throughout Zebuldia — they would at least be safe within the prison.
More than that, using his prestige, it wouldn't be impossible to build a new power base within the prison.
Fortunately, during the transport, Jack had had time to coordinate with the other two. Even with restraint clothes, blindfolds, and earplugs, there were things you could do.
He didn't trust them that much, but their goals were the same.
The passage leading into Prison Island. They refused to end up like that rabble that had gathered to prey on newcomers.
As Jack had hoped, the prisoners swarming the passage didn't seem to be much of anything.
Thousand Transformations slowly walked out through the opened doors. Jack followed cautiously, keeping watch around them, while the man showed not the slightest hint of vigilance.
And so, Jack, Grand, and Zack became Thousand Transformations' subordinates.
At least, that's what everyone around them was supposed to believe.
The interior of the prison was like a labyrinth.
In dim corridors, within countless cells, sat countless pale-faced thieves. Some spots on the ceilings and walls were caked with blood stains — this was nothing like a prison in an advanced nation. If anything, it resembled a slum.
Thousand Transformations, who had been walking ahead, furrowed his brows and spoke.
"Quite the place."
"There's no management whatsoever. There wasn't any mention of this beforehand."
Most Red Hunters, once captured, were typically sentenced to prison time. In Pepuri, they'd often been drafted to subdue Monsters, but this time Jack had heard absolutely nothing of the sort from the prison officials. In fact, once inside the prison, he hadn't laid eyes on a single guard. The prisoners were doing as they pleased.
"We need to gather data. First, we should deal with these handcuffs."
"Absolutely. Wearing these things is practically an invitation to be attacked. Though it seems Thousand Transformations has already gotten his off."
Looking around, most of the imprisoned individuals had their handcuffs removed. Some had only the connecting chain broken while the cuffs themselves remained — but this meant they hadn't had the guards unlock them.
For those imprisoned here, handcuffs were trivial. At least, before the Mana Materials ran out.
And if Jack's thinking was correct, how you dealt with these handcuffs would determine the hierarchy within this prison.
If you didn't even have the power to deal with the handcuffs, establishing a new power base inside this prison was nothing but a dream within a dream.
Jack flashed a grin and addressed their leader walking ahead.
"Heh heh... Thousand Transformations. Would you perhaps be able to do something about these handcuffs?"
By the time Jack's blindfold had been removed, Thousand Transformations' handcuffs were already off, with no remnants to be found nearby.
The vast amount of Mana Material one had accumulated could grant Hunters strange powers.
He was Level 8, after all. It wouldn't be surprising for him to possess unusual abilities.
At Jack's question, Thousand Transformations widened his eyes with a puzzled expression.
"Huh? ............Why?"
The more you looked at him, the more he seemed like an airhead with no sense of strength.
But that couldn't possibly be true.
In an environment where Mana Material was being stolen away, a man this oblivious... Was he skilled at deception and concealment, or was his power so far beyond everyone else's that nothing registered?
"If the data I've collected up to this point is correct, removing the handcuffs is essential. Of course, unless this is a scheme to deliberately invite an attack — but surely there aren't such idiots who'd attack in the current situation... right?"
Wait. Deliberately inviting an attack... If what the thieves had told Thousand Transformations about being thrown into prison was actually true, it could happen — no, it could have happened.
Grand's expression darkened. He must have been thinking the same thing as Jack.
That Thousand Transformations had been deliberately trying to lure an attack, and Jack and the others had interfered.
This was bad. Thousand Transformations must have realized why Jack and the others had ingratiated themselves with him... If he judged them to be more of a hindrance than useful, he'd cut them loose.
"I-I can break them myself, of course. Something like this...!!"
He pulled with all his might on the handcuffs attached to both arms. Jack was a Level 6 Hunter, but in terms of raw arm strength alone, he was somewhat more confident.
Straining flesh and bones, pain shooting through both arms. He pushed himself to the limit for several dozen seconds, and the chain connecting the handcuffs shattered. His momentum carried his arms slamming into the wall. Enduring the pain, Jack looked at Thousand Transformations.
"Th-There. How about that, Thousand Transformations? As you can see. If I still had my Mana Material, it would've been even easier."
"............Yeah, yeah, that's right..."
But they were sturdy handcuffs. If most of the thieves in the prison had broken free of these, then Jack and the others' position was quite precarious.
"I don't have brute strength, so I can't break them that way. However, if you give me some time, I should be able to gather the data needed to pick the lock. Incidentally, I can also scout out a few pawns for Your Excellency."
Grand spoke in rapid succession. His position was probably the same as Jack's. No — looking at him, Grand didn't seem to be the fighting type, so he might be even worse off than Jack.
If they couldn't ally with Thousand Transformations, surviving in this prison would be extremely difficult.
The last one was Zack, but— Zack was observing Thousand Transformations with a fixed, studying gaze, yet didn't offer a single word of excuse. Both of his wrists still had the handcuffs firmly attached, with no signs he'd even attempted to break them.
Even Jack couldn't read her.
She was supposedly a cannibalistic serial killer, but there was absolutely no trace of that aura, which was unsettling. Claiming to have eaten five hundred people was insane, but in Jack's eyes, she didn't appear to be that powerful.
"For now, I'd like to know what kind of people are in this prison..."
"If so, we should first confirm the factions... heh heh."
As expected of a Level 8 — full of motivation from the start. The knight in charge of transport had said Thousand Transformations had come to this prison of his own volition. Was there some connection?
They probably needed to start by learning the rules of this prison.
"Your Excellency, I — Grand — am particularly skilled at this kind of investigation. I'd like to go gather data."
"Huh? ...Oh, sure. I'd appreciate it if you could, but... 'Your Excellency'?"
"You are Your Excellency. Compared to me — who was careless, got captured, and talked myself into a corner until it was hopeless — you, who came here of your own free will, are absolutely worthy of the title. Please, allow me to continue calling you that."
"Ah, sure... Well, if that's what you want."
Hmph... flattering, is it. But Jack understood.
That gaze didn't match the obedient words coming from his mouth. It was the look of a beast wondering when to slit your throat. Thinking about it that way, even those polite words sounded like insolence disguised as respect.
But that was perfectly fine with Jack. If they were going to align themselves with Thousand Transformations, the more incompetent his companions were, the more valuable Jack became.
There was no chance of winning — plotting against a Level 8 was absurd. But Jack was different.
"Then let us find a room to use as our base. This place is crawling with enemies — even for a Level 8, having a room where one can sleep safely would be for the best."
First, earn trust. Show his strength. And if possible, provoke an escape and get Thousand Transformations to cooperate.
Jack smiled back at the same kind — fellow thieves — who were watching him with scrutinizing eyes.
He'd make them all regret locking Jack the Bloodied in a place like this.
§ § § What a mess. What was I supposed to do from here?
The inside of the prison was worse than I'd imagined. A constant stench hitting the nose, dim corridors. The people passing by — old, young, men, women — all devoid of life, with only their eyes harboring a dark glow. As expected of a prison for serious criminals. Even the Decadent District, the worst neighborhood in the imperial capital, wasn't this bad.
If Jack and the others — the three who'd been transported together and had inexplicably decided to follow me — weren't here, I'd have been stripped of everything in five seconds.
Well, Jack and the others were serious criminals too, of course.
Honestly, all I'd asked for was a tour, and to be thrown straight into a prison like this — I had to question whether Officer Jin was sane.
...No, maybe he thought it would be okay because I was Level 8?
In that case, who bore the most blame?
I was resting in one of the cells Jack had arranged for me when Grand, who'd gone out to gather information, returned.
A refined man wearing sharp-eyed glasses. Unlike Jack's violent aura, he had the air of an intellectual mafia member. What on earth had he done to end up here?
The handcuffs that had been on both his wrists earlier were now removed. Well, lock-picking skills weren't uncommon among Hunters...
"Your Excellency, it appears there are currently two major factions within the prison. Territory is split evenly down the middle, and most of the prisoners belong to one or the other."
"...And the people who greeted us when we first arrived?"
"They were the rabble who couldn't get into either faction. Well, we already knew from the data that those types — the ones who'd fold to that level of intimidation — were small fry."
There had been a ton of them, and they'd looked pretty tough... But for Grand they were just rabble, and it was certainly true they were something to be feared for me.
"Grand, but I think we shouldn't let our guard down based on my data. According to my data, they're actually quite formidable."
"! That's..."
We'd fought Red Hunters plenty of times before, but there were countless instances where we'd struggled against opponents who were clearly below us. What we thought were ten turned out to be a hundred...
As Grand faltered for words, Jack laughed and said: "Gahahaha! Thousand Transformations is right, Grand! Even useless cannon fodder have their uses. That's what makes me, Jack!"
"? What do you mean?"
With a skeptical look on his face, Grand listened as Jack spoke with a grin brimming with confidence.
"Blood! I have the power to steal Mana Material by bathing in my opponent's blood! That's what makes me, Jack the Bloodied! As long as I have Mana Material, breaking out of this prison will be a piece of cake. The scraps in here should still have some Mana Material left."
"!? Such an ability — one not even in my data!? Then, being captured—"
"I drained most of the Hunters in Pepuri of their Mana Material, so I had a bounty put on me and got caught. Figured it was a good way to reduce the competition while boosting my own power, you know."
"That's..."
Grand stared at Jack as if looking at someone beyond saving.
...There really were all kinds of thieves in this world. We'd encountered our fair share, but the world was wide indeed. And it made sense that he'd been caught and thrown in here — every country was desperate to recruit Hunters these days.
"Indeed... If we could gather enough Mana Material, escape might actually be possible. We still don't have enough data, though."
"Who needs data? We've got Thousand Transformations! Let's just take the top spot on Prison Island and bust out. There aren't that many guards — if we can just get outside the prison island, it's basically a win. Right, Thousand Transformations?"
These people were casually talking about a prison break. What was I supposed to do with this?
Should I just pretend I didn't hear?
"...I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that. I came to Prison Island for a reason, and I intend to go home right away."
I still hadn't gathered the data Citry wanted, but I was getting out of here.
I didn't get along well with thieves (not that I got along well with anyone).
At my words, Jack nodded with a knowing air.
"True, true. There may not be any need to take the top spot. Just breaking out of Prison Island should be enough to burnish our reputation. Very well, we shall follow your lead."
"...Yeah, yeah, suit yourselves."
I felt like my intentions had completely failed to get across, but I nodded along anyway.
Whatever. As long as I could get home safely, that was all that mattered. Jin would come pick me up at the right time, right?
"Hey, Zack. What about you?"
"...I follow the guidance of the Great Will. That is all."
Zack stared at me while delivering this curt response. I was done... I didn't want to be in this space anymore. But I didn't know what to do. I was completely stuck.
"Speaking of which, about food — it's distributed once a day, and the two major factions in the prison — 'Fox' and 'Snake' — control who gets it. It doesn't trickle down to anyone else. What shall we do?"
"Fox and Snake...? ............I hate them both."
Snake — the 'Eight-Forked Serpent' — was an organization feared among criminal groups specifically for its militant nature. Known for its brute force and cruelty across multiple countries, its members were said to possess strength rivaling that of high-level Hunters.
The reason I knew this was that our group had once raided a gathering where the head of this organization — which had been expanding its influence into the Empire — happened to be present. By the way, they apparently weren't as strong as their reputation suggested.
As for the Fox... well, it probably wasn't about actual animals. It shouldn't be about the fox from the Wandering Inn either.
That said, I didn't exactly have detailed information on them. I just... didn't like them much. Lately, there had been too many baffling things involving foxes...
Yeah, I definitely remembered Termu and Kechachakka.
"Have you had run-ins with them?"
"Well, not exactly 'run-ins'..."
It wasn't me who'd fought them — it was Riz and the others. My face might not have been recognized. Plus, with other criminal organizations too, I'd never personally laid a hand on any of them. My face being noticed was probably just coincidence.
Yeah, let's stay positive.
"Under Snake, you have militant organizations including the Barrel Grand Bandit Gang. Under Fox, you have several groups, including thieves captured by the Code."
"Hmm, the Barrel Grand Bandit Gang, and Code's thieves, huh..."
"You know them?"
"No, not at all?"
I'd never seen or heard of them. In the end, I hadn't gotten involved with the Code's crowd either.
"So the food is something we have to fight over. All right, let's do this, Thousand Transformations!"
"No, I'm not really hungry..."
"Don't be like that! Come on, come on!"
My life was more important than a meal... especially since Jin would be coming to pick me up before long.
Pushed forward by Jack, I screamed internally.
How did I end up in this situation in the first place?