Ch.136B City’s Refugees

The debris collected from buildings is transported to factory facilities within the fortress city, where it’s reborn as recycled materials. Everything that looks like garbage rolling around the restricted zone will become resources used for the city later. I grabbed a large rock in each hand and strode toward the truck.

“Wow, what’s that? Is that really a person?”

“Isn’t that a superhuman? But what rank could they be?”

“Do high-ranking superhumans even do construction work?”

Setting things down gently without noise, not throwing them down with a thud. Heroes standing guard around me paused and marveled at my movements.

“Is that person the A-rank one?”

“According to the report, they’re a victim of human experimentation.”

“Hey! Think about the truck’s suspension when loading the weight…!”

“Speak plainly.”

“Could you break the debris into smaller pieces and load them more evenly?”

Starting with the larger pieces, I stacked them carefully according to the truck’s balance, breaking the heavier debris in half on the spot. As I broke apart rebar and concrete with my bare hands, a water mist was sprayed on me to prevent dust from spreading. It was a misty rain created by superhumans who could control wind and water.

“Hey, did you see that guy’s body?”

“Gulp…”

“When they told us heroes had to come to the site, we complained so much…”

“If I’d known we’d see something like this, I wouldn’t have said a word.”

Though I wasn’t sweating, my skin glistened from the water, drawing uncomfortable stares from the female heroes. I ignored the sticky emotions floating around me and cleared away the debris, sending off one truck.

“He’s like a human heavy machinery.”

“Seeing even the heroes amazed, this Gop guy must really be something.”

“Oh, is that the guy who only uses that weird nickname?”

The citizens focused on their work without worrying about monsters. Even the heroes who had been on guard earlier came down to the site to join the physical labor after seeing that no monsters were approaching.

“W City really is overflowing with resources. They’re using a superhuman of that rank just as a laborer.”

“It’s the opposite. Even Starlight is out here helping. Other heroes too. The city has resources because superhumans of that rank are leading the work.”

“Hey! Water lady! Spray more gently over here! You’re ruining the mixture!”

“Wow, a fire ability user welding is better than construction drones.”

“How can you carry three of these without being a superhuman?”

“Raise three kids and you’ll be able to do it too.”

With heroes and workers joining forces, the foundation work finished quickly. After clearing the debris, I was hired on-site to carry rebar for column installation. I finished this quickly too, making the team-paid workers smile broadly.

“He’s like a god of construction work.”

“When I’m on site, I prefer him over Black Cat.”

And so, the prefabricated building modules that came partially completed from the fortress city’s factory began to be stacked. The construction, progressing much faster and smoother than planned, eventually entered its final stages. Time to fill the interior of the framework built with modules. Since the purpose was to create a structure that could support Black Cat’s weight, it was filled with rebar and cement.

“Can’t Starlight harden it with flames?”

“Tsk tsk… this is why people who don’t know construction…”

“Hardening with flames? If there’s convenience, there’s increased danger. Isn’t that like using a butcher’s knife?”

“Concrete needs time to cure properly to last a hundred years~!”

“We can’t give Black Cat something poorly made! As fast as possible! As sturdy as possible!”

After all the concrete columns entered the curing stage, everyone threw off their safety helmets and cheered.

“Today’s construction is done!”

“Let’s go eat!”

“Construction work comes with meals provided!”

The construction that began in the morning ended before sunset, and everyone walked toward W City, laughing and chatting. After arriving in the city, they washed at temporary shower facilities placed near the outer wall, then went to eat food prepared by citizens. The entire process was being broadcast to all cities through drones floating around the construction site.

“And so ends the first day of W City’s great step forward, creating a playground for the Annihilation-rank monster. Ah, Black Cat, we will use all our strength to create a place for you. This is the first communication between monsters and humans, the first symbiosis. You are now witnessing not just W City’s, but humanity’s new history!”

W City’s broadcasting of the construction process was close to a show of force, warning others not to covet Black Cat. The W City announcer’s emotional commentary was exaggerated but represented the feelings of W City’s citizens. Citizens from other cities who had watched the construction from beginning to end added their comments.

[Why do I tear up just watching people go outside the wall and come back smiling?]

[Wow… incredible. No monsters appeared after all.]

[Does that actually work?]

[City expansion? And they’re not building the outer wall first, but starting with the cat tower?]

[Does Black Cat’s coverage extend not just to W City but the surrounding area?]

[A giant cat tower… we’ve lost. Black Cat is just going to settle in W City…]

[Can’t our city make something like that?]

People who protect themselves from monsters but ultimately believe they’ll die inside the cities someday. To them, W City’s process of creating Black Cat’s cat tower in the restricted zone caused both envy and a sense of loss in other cities. This was only possible because W City had abundant resources and manpower for city restoration, and with Black Cat there, no threat of monster attacks during construction.

[If Black Cat came to our city, we could make something better.]

[Seems too late… Black Cat is just going to settle in W City.]

[This is why being first is important.]

The paradox: to call Black Cat, they would need to prepare something more impressive than this, but without Black Cat, they couldn’t build such things. Citizens gradually let go of their hopes of attracting Black Cat to their own cities. And simultaneously:

[W City really is safe.]

[I want to move cities…]

[I want to go to W City too.]

[I want to see Black Cat with my own eyes…]

Stimulated by the desire for safety, identical movements began to be observed in various cities.

[I want to go to W City.]

[Me too, Black Cat…]

[Me too, me too…]

#

“W City! It’s W City!”

“The monsters aren’t coming closer…! They’re running away!”

“Ah…! We’ve arrived! Finally!”

One day while the cat tower construction was progressing smoothly. W City citizens who were laughing and chatting while making Black Cat’s hide-and-seek house that would become the first floor of the giant cat tower looked up at the shouting sounds coming from far away. Starlight, who had been welding rebar, flew over to see humans and some superhumans who had walked through the restricted zone filled with monsters.

“Refugees? Where from…?”

“We… walked here. Please help us.”

“Sister, get up quickly, we’re here, it’s W City. We’ve arrived at W City…”

“You walked here? Where from…?”

“We’re from G City. Starlight, I’m a B-rank hero from G City.”

“Are you crazy?! You walked from G City?!”

Startled by the refugees’ words, Starlight immediately called other heroes to transport the injured. The workers who had been diligently building the hide-and-seek house didn’t stop working but peeked their heads out to talk about the refugees who had just arrived in W City.

“Did you hear? Those people are refugees who walked from G City.”

“Seems like more than half died from monsters. How did even half of them make it?”

“Apparently one of the superhumans who came with them had a very unique ability, something about survival instinct? An ability to detect when they’re in danger of dying…”

“Better than combat abilities that might attract hordes of monsters like an alarm.”

“But seriously, are they sane? Why walk through the restricted zone?”

The citizens’ murmurs continued on the way back after finishing the day’s construction.

“So there really are citizens who escaped as illegal refugees.”

“Illegal refugees?”

“Haven’t you heard? People from various cities want to move to W City these days.”

“Everyone must know about Black Cat.”

“But there are too many who want to immigrate, and it’s difficult to do it through official routes.”

To immigrate through official routes, one must settle their assets, get government permission, and board the special material transport train that travels between cities. Those with special technical skills, connections to high-ranking government officials, or superhumans in their family could move between cities this way.

“Seems like many people from various cities want to move to W City.”

“The last construction broadcast must have been quite shocking.”

After the cat tower construction broadcast, these limited official immigration applications quickly became saturated. The rulers of each city, who needed to keep necessary talent, completely banned citizens from moving cities. As a result, endless attempts to secretly hide on trains and become refugees continued.

“So now there are no more trains, I hear.”

“Really? I had no idea.”

“Thanks to Black Cat, W City has an abundance of supplies except for food.”

Each city survives together by sharing resources they lack with each other. Recently, W City no longer needed even that thanks to Black Cat’s protection. Though there was no way to reach W City, some people didn’t give up.

Bottom-tier humans who escaped risking their lives, thinking they would starve to death anyway. Those who escaped solely out of desire to live in a better place. Heroes tired of having their lives threatened fighting monsters every day. They quietly gathered and used smuggling routes used by villains to escape the city. To go to W City, which was safe because of Black Cat. Out of nostalgia for returning to the previous era without monster worries. Half of those who risked their lives to escape died, and half survived to reach their destination.

“It’s dangerous for heroes to escape.”

“Shouldn’t that be punished?”

“Even if punished, being where Black Cat is is better.”

Among the workers, refugees who had already arrived in W City earlier put down the rebar they were carrying on their shoulders and said:

“Until now they were suspicious, but now they’re openly doing construction.”

“When you see someone who could become the next generation’s strongest S-rank hero focusing on foolish things like making a giant cat tower, even a fool has to believe in Black Cat.”

“Other cities are dying little by little every time monsters appear, but if you arrive here risking your life, you can be guaranteed safety.”

“Here… it’s worth it even if you have to sleep in the park, really.”

Hearing the voices of some refugees who had now become workers building Black Cat’s cat tower, citizens realized how special W City was becoming. And everyone thought that this wouldn’t be the end of refugees flocking to such a place.

“Hey! More are coming over there!”

“Illegal refugees!”

As expected, more refugees continued to come to W City. Workers who had finished today’s construction of Black Cat’s hide-and-seek house and were about to return to the city turned toward the refugees walking with the setting sun at their backs. Those covered in wounds like the refugees who came before, and superhumans protecting them.

“Have we… finally… arrived…?”

“Everyone, hang in there! We’re here!”

“Please help us! We’re refugees from B City!”

“B City? That’s a fortress city with almost no monster damage even without Black Cat.”

“They’re coming even from B City?”

Citizens looked at each other and murmured at the news that they had come from B City of all places. The B City refugees who arrived with the escort of accompanying superhumans ran after the citizens trying to enter the city.

“Let us in! Inside!”

“I ran a famous restaurant in B City! You won’t regret it!”

“Hey, wait! Refugees need to go with heroes for identity verification before entering!”

“Hey! Hero! A villain from B City has come to surrender! You can arrest me! Please just put me in W City’s prison!”

It wasn’t a hero but a villain who brought the B City refugees. Even the villain was calmly asking to be arrested, which surprised W City’s citizens considerably. And among them, I too was surprised to discover a young child.

“So this is Black Cat’s city…!”

Feeling a strange sensation from the young boy, I looked at him. His gaze turned toward me, standing noticeably out among the workers. Meeting my eyes, the boy raised the corners of his mouth and silently moved his lips.

Nice to meet you.

CXI.