Traveling through the game world, starting out as a third-rate villain

【Morse, are you there?】

“I'm here.”

It was a meaningless question, but Senior Emilia seemed a little uneasy.

【Two officers from the local Security Bureau just came to see us. Sylvie recognized them.】

“Margarita?”

【Yes, one is called Margarita, and the other is Harlan. According to Sylvie, they were the ones who brought her out of the basement.】

“Is that so? What did they say?”

【They asked me a lot of questions about Maya's whereabouts and where she was last seen.】

“I understand……”

I nodded. If Senior Maya went missing, the academy would definitely take action. After all, she was one of the top students in the academy and one of the most important forces in the future.

Moreover, this was clearly not an ordinary case. Sylvie was kidnapped, and Maya was missing.

‘I guess the academy put pressure on them.’

【Have you found any clues?】

“Not much, I'm still looking around. Did you mention me to them?”

【Um……】

Hearing this, I couldn't help but sigh. If they knew I was wandering around outside alone, they might stop me for overstepping my authority.

‘Oh well, maybe it's not that bad.’

In any case, Awakened police and the Federation would intervene in this matter sooner or later, and if my guess was correct, the demon this time was quite powerful.

‘I need to advance the investigation as independently as possible.’

【Is that bad?】

【Please tell us, we will do our best to help you.】

“I need you to conduct an in-depth investigation into the local folklore and legends of West Oukes. Dig into the history of this city and see if there are any unusual events, supernatural phenomena, or information that might reveal the origin of the incident.”

Actually, I didn't really need this information. Most of the time, these stories don't provide many clues. What I needed was for Emilia and Sylvie to distract themselves. Sylvie had just experienced a trauma, and Emilia seemed a little anxious.

【Local folklore and legends? What's the use of that?】

“This doesn't feel like an ordinary case.”

【I understand……】

Her voice didn't sound too convinced, so I played my last card.

“I think this is related to Senior Maya's disappearance.”

【……Understood. We'll start investigating right away. Is there anything specific you want us to look for?】

“Nothing specific, I just want to understand the history of this city.”

【Okay, we will contact you immediately once we find valuable information. Be careful out there.】

“Thank you, Senior Emilia, please let me know if there's any news.”

After hanging up the phone, I refocused my attention on the task at hand.

I stopped a passing taxi, got into the back seat, took out my smart watch, and checked the information organized by 【Tribe】.

“Sir, where are you going?”

“Elm Avenue.”

“The old library?”

“Yes.”

“Understood.”

The vehicle drove smoothly down the street, and I began to delve into the missing persons' information.

— — — —

【Tribe Report: Missing Persons—West Oukes】

Mili

Age: 28

Health condition: Good

Awakening Test Result: Qualified as a Hunter

Potential: Medium

— — — —

Daniel Johnson

Age: 24

Health condition: Excellent

Awakening Test Result: Qualified as a Hunter

Potential: Medium-High

— — — —

Olivia Harris

Age: 26

Health condition: Average

Awakening Test Result: Qualified as a Hunter

Potential: Medium-High

— — — —

Benjamin Rodriguez

Age: 34

Health condition: Good

Awakening Test Result: Qualified as a Hunter

Potential: High

— — — —

Sophia Carter

Age: 27

Health condition: Excellent

Awakening Test Result: Qualified as a Hunter

Potential: Medium

— — — —

‘This……’

As I browsed the new information, new questions emerged. All the missing persons not only qualified as hunters, but also had at least medium to high potential, which indicated that the demon was not targeting ordinary people at all.

This was also the sad reality of this world. Not all humans have the ability to become awakened hunters, and not all awakened people will become hunters.

This is also why hunters are so precious.

‘Now things are gradually becoming clearer.’

I noted all of this in my mind.

Squeak!

“Sir, we're here.”

Just then, the taxi stopped.

“Here you are.”

After paying the fare, I got out of the car and headed to the next location.

Elm Avenue was a narrow street lined with old trees, their branches intertwined to form a canopy that blocked out the sky. Dim streetlights cast long shadows, adding a touch of mystery to the surroundings. At the end of the street was an old library.

The lights were still on.

“Should we come again later tonight?”

“Hmm~”

“Kiss kiss……”

The street here was relatively lively, with many couples and pedestrians walking along the street.

I walked through the bustling Elm Avenue, blending into the crowd and using 【Shadow】 to conceal my presence. The conversations of couples, the laughter of friends, and the occasional footsteps intertwined, drowning out any subtle movements I made.

I casually looked around, keeping my senses highly alert while not attracting attention. The old library at the end of the street quietly witnessed the passage of time, its inviting appearance forming a stark contrast with the ominous atmosphere brought about by the recent missing persons cases.

As I approached the old library, I instinctively activated 【Perception Insight】, enhancing my senses to detect any anomalies.

The library appeared undisturbed, but I couldn't rely solely on appearances.

My eyes scanned every corner, looking for any signs of a struggle or anomalies that might unlock the mystery. In the silent night, even the slightest detail could be a key clue.

Whoosh! Suddenly, a gust of wind stirred the leaves, and my attention turned to a corner where there was a faint glimmer of light. It was so quiet that not many people noticed it.

I moved cautiously and discovered faint traces of mana lingering in the air.

‘Hmm……’

There, I found a small earring on the ground. It was a magic item, constantly emitting mana into the surrounding area.

‘This is……’

I took a closer look and found that it was a cheap mana accessory that could brighten the wearer's skin.

‘Is this Olivia's?’

I carefully put the earring into my pocket, intending to study it later.

Looking around, there weren't many signs of a struggle, but there were some marks on the ground.

‘This is blood.’

A drop of congealed blood caught my attention.

The lack of obvious signs of a struggle suggested that the demon's actions were more swift, which meant that it had become more powerful.

‘I even doubt whether I can find any traces next time.’

Taking one last look around, I decided to explore the inside of the old library.

Squeak!

Pushing open the creaking door, I stepped into the dimly lit space, greeted by the smell of old books and the gentle sound of pages turning.

An old man with glasses behind the counter looked up, squinting at the unexpected visitor.

“Good evening, young man. Is there anything I can help you with?”

His voice carried a warm hospitality, and the dim lighting of the library created an atmosphere of quiet contemplation.

“I'm looking for some information, specifically about a lady named Olivia Harris. Does she come to this library often?”

As I asked this question, the atmosphere seemed to change. The old man's expression changed, and a hint of sadness flashed in his eyes.

“Olivia… She used to come often, immersing herself in the world of books. I haven't seen her for a while now.”

His answer carried a hint of melancholy, prompting me to inquire further.

“Do you know where she might have been recently? Or whether she came here before she went missing?”

The old man's gaze became suspicious.

“Why are you asking about Olivia? Are you a friend of hers?”

I quickly thought for a moment and replied, “I'm her cousin. Her sudden disappearance has made our family very uneasy, and I'm trying my best to gather any information that might help find her.”

After I mentioned that I was her cousin, the old man's expression softened, and suspicion was replaced by sympathy.

“I understand. This is sad news. Olivia was a bright lady. If there's anything I can help with, just ask.”

“Thank you, this means a lot to our family. Can you recall when Olivia last came to the library?”

The old librarian leaned back in his chair, squinting his eyes, trying hard to remember.

“Let me think… It was about a week or so before she went missing. She borrowed a few books and mentioned something about classical literature. She really liked those books.”

“I understand… Did she mention seeing anyone or anything?”

“No, she didn't mention it. She has always been a quiet girl who likes to read in the corner.”

“Then, did you notice anything unusual around the library during that time? Any strange people or things?” I asked, hoping that the librarian could observe some clues that would help the investigation.

The old man tapped the counter with his fingers, frowning and concentrating on recalling. “Hmm... There was one strange thing. On the nights before she went missing, I heard some strange noises outside.”

Mentioning strange noises, my interest was piqued. “Strange noises?”

“That's right, it felt like it was coming from underground, like something was moving down there, but when I checked, I didn't see anything.”

This unexpected detail made me even more curious. “Coming from underground? That's very unusual. Did you notice anything unusual about the soil or anything else that was off?”

He shook his head, his expression somewhat troubled. “No, there was nothing wrong on the surface. It was more of a feeling than something I could see, and it gave me the creeps.”

I thanked the librarian for providing the information.

‘Underground……’

Especially the mention of underground reminded me of something.

‘Time to go back, it's already late.’