The factory workers were perplexed. They weren't sure whether to be angry at the Starlight Knights or grateful that they had come to help.

While they appreciated their arrival, the Knights clearly weren't normal people. Even as laborers, they knew that Fixers made their living through violence and had uncertain futures. They knew Fixers could be stupid, violent, and overly sensitive.

In that sense, how should they describe the Starlight Knights? They didn't seem like Fixers.

Even when Fixers accepted a request for money, they never hid their contempt when dealing with laborers. But from David, who stood as their representative, to the members lined up behind him, none of them showed any such attitude.

However, the fact that they arrived wearing fancy armor only to immediately take it off and proceed bare-bodied made them quite untrustworthy.

"Are you worried?"

David asked, apparently sensing their gaze. The foreman waved his hands in surprise.

"What? No, no! How could we..."

"You might not understand why we're proceeding without armor, but please don't worry and just watch. Our lives are precious to us too, after all."

After David's explanation that there must be a good reason for removing their important armor, the foreman decided to believe them for now.

'Well, I have no choice. We should be grateful that they even accepted a request from people like us.'

Of course, the best outcome would be if this strike ended successfully. The problem was the hired thugs employed by the factory. As they nervously glanced at the threatening thugs, David quickly picked up on their concern.

"You seem worried about them."

"Well, that..." "

You can speak honestly. It's natural to be concerned."

"...They say the factory has hired mutant mercenaries. To be honest, I'm extremely anxious. I've heard they can be exceptionally cruel."

More dangerous than regular hired thugs were gang members, and even more dangerous than those were mutants. Born with powerful strength and supernatural abilities, they could easily accomplish things ordinary people couldn't.

Just one mutant could effortlessly slaughter all the factory workers gathered here.

"Mutants, yes, that would certainly be dangerous."

"Will... will you be alright?"

It was a question that might trigger their pride and anger. It wouldn't have been strange if they decided to run away. But David showed the opposite reaction. He simply smiled with complete composure, as if it were nothing.

The workers' foreman didn't understand what this meant. He could only be certain of one thing: these people were vastly different from ordinary Fixers.

"Just watch. No, actually, ignore us and focus on what you need to do."

After saying that, David returned to the Knights and explained the situation to his companions.

"Mutants."

Mutants were definitely dangerous. In the past, they had been discriminated against, but awareness was improving lately. Those naturally born with great power had become objects of envy. In fact, the discrimination they faced in the past was also mixed with jealousy, so the fundamental perspective hadn't really changed.

Among the Knights gathered here, there wasn't anyone who hadn't once harbored such thoughts. Except for Jonathan, the only mutant among them.

No, perhaps Jonathan had been even more desperate. He was a mutant, but his ability manifestation was weak compared to other mutants. He could make his skin as hard as stone, but to exceptional mutants, there was little difference between him and powerless humans.

"This is our knight order's first monumental request, surely no one's going to chicken out?"

"Ha. Looks like we need another bet today. Whoever takes down the fewest will be subjected to hell training."

"Wait. That's actually a reward. We should do the opposite. The loser is banned from using the physical training room for a day."

"What? That's a brilliant idea!"

What would appear to be torture to others had become something they couldn't go a day without doing.

The strike that seemed about to fizzle out before it even began started again. The construction workers occupied the factory entrance holding picket signs and shouted:

"Protect workers' rights!"

"If you cut our daily wages, what are we supposed to live on!"

"We have families to support!"

They hadn't been educated. Therefore, their claims weren't logical, nor were their sentences eloquent enough to persuade others.

But there was desperation in their cries. Pure emotions shouted from the bottom of their hearts carried a certain power. However, their opponents were the cold monsters of capital.

As the strike began, the hired thugs who had been positioned on one side started to move. They were mutants. Several of them didn't even look human, making the workers anxious.

"Ugh."

"Mu-mutants."

At that moment, the Starlight Knights stepped forward. They had removed their armor and wore ordinary clothes for ease of movement.

There were six members in the knightly order. But there were 15 mutants on the other side. They outnumbered them by more than double, and including the regular hired thugs who weren't mutants, they were close to 50 in number.

If they called that many people, they clearly intended to completely crush the workers this time because there would be no consequences even if they did.

But strangely, the Starlight Knights didn't show any fear despite the numbers. As if they couldn't feel fear, they blocked the mercenaries' path.

The workers watched silently. Strangely, they felt a warmth growing in one side of their chests.

Seeing them gave the workers an inexplicable courage, a certainty that they could accomplish something. The workers raised their voices louder and lifted their picket signs to assert their rights, their lives as human beings.

Even if they were discarded, even if they were just rusty cogs that no one would take responsibility for. Today they would spin with all their might to survive for tomorrow.

And there were those who stepped forward on their behalf. The knights.

When the Starlight Knights blocked their path, the mutant mercenaries frowned. Having a smaller group standing confidently before them caused irritation and even bewilderment.

"Who are these guys?"

"Are they Fixers? Ridiculous. Don't they value their lives?"

As the mutants muttered this and were about to clear away these annoying people, it happened.

"Hm? Well. Look who it is."

A large man among the mutants looked at the Knights and stepped forward.

"Jonathan. Never expected to see you here. Seeing you're still alive, you must have a long lifeline."

Jonathan's massive build was exceptional even among the Knights. But the mutant who recognized him, while not as big as Jonathan, was also quite muscular and bulky. If Jonathan was pure muscle, this one had more fat.

He had broad shoulders and lots of muscle, but his lower belly protruded even more impressively.

Jonathan recognized who had called him and frowned.

"Hoggs."

The mutant called Hoggs revealed his pearly white teeth in a grin.

"I heard nothing about you, so I thought you'd died somewhere, but it's nice to meet you in a place like this."

Though he said that, his tone was clearly mocking Jonathan. In fact, Hoggs was looking at Jonathan with contempt.

It couldn't be helped. Before becoming a knight, Jonathan as a Fixer was clearly beneath Hoggs.

"Meeting like this, I'll warn you for old times' sake. Withdraw now. Then I'll let you go."

"Withdraw?"

"Yeah. So we can dispose of that trash quickly."

Hoggs pointed toward the striking workers when he said "trash." His gaze toward them was full of contempt and disgust.

"Are you saying you're going to kill them all?"

"Isn't that obvious? We've shown mercy several times and given them chances to disperse, but they've rejected it entirely."

"The labor union won't stand for it."

"How many workers does the labor union actually care about? Despite their size, they have no substance. Even if all that trash over there dies, they'll just protest verbally without taking any real action."

Labor unions were organizations created for workers' rights, but as with most organizations, they rarely upheld their founding principles completely.

Even among unions, they categorized workers into those who needed attention and those who didn't. A hierarchy existed behind the scenes even among workers who thought everyone was equal.

"Even if a few of them die, do you think anyone important will step in? Not at all. That's what this city is like. If you're not strong, you get eaten. You know that, don't you?"

Hoggs said to Jonathan with all humor gone from his face.

"So step aside. Or would you like me to remind you of the old days?"

At the mention of "old days," another mutant colleague stepped forward and asked:

"What's going on? Did something happen between you two?"

"Ah, it's nothing much. This bastard recklessly came at me once in the past. So I completely destroyed him."

Hoggs giggled as if recalling a fond memory. Hearing this, his mutant colleague wondered if that was possible, looking at their appearances.

While Hoggs was large, Jonathan now looked like he could be an ogre hybrid. And what about those muscles? His trapezius looked like a normal person's shoulder.

But he soon dismissed his doubts and agreed. They were mutants. More important than appearances was the level of their supernatural abilities. And as far as he knew, Hoggs was quite impressive even among physical enhancement mutants.

No matter how big Jonathan was, if his abilities as a mutant were weaker, he would lose.

Indeed, Hoggs wasn't wrong. In the past, Jonathan couldn't stand injustice and charged at Hoggs, only to be thoroughly beaten.

"Jonathan. I won't let you off this time. So take your lackeys and get lost. Or should I smash those guys' heads first?"

As the Starlight Knights bristled and were about to step forward at Hoggs' words, Jonathan raised his hand. They looked at Jonathan intently, then showed signs of agreement and stepped back slightly.

Hoggs thought the whole process was well-rehearsed, like the desperate struggle of the weak trying to show off. Either way, Jonathan spoke.

"Hoggs. Come to think of it, our revenge match from back then was never settled."

"What? What did you just say?"

Hoggs doubted his ears for a moment. But seeing Jonathan's expression remain serious, he had to change his mind.

"Fine. So you want to settle this here, is that it?"

A simple-minded brute who doesn't listen to words. Hoggs stepped forward, flexing his arm. Simultaneously, his body transformed into metal with a dull glow.

Hoggs was a physical enhancement mutant with body hardening abilities.

Yes. As a mutant, he had the same ability as Jonathan. But unlike Jonathan whose skin was like stone, Hoggs was made of metal. It was harder than Jonathan's and had higher shock absorption.

His ability was completely superior so it was natural for Hoggs to look down on Jonathan.

Jonathan didn't answer. He just silently blocked Hoggs' path. Hoggs approached Jonathan with veins popping on his forehead. As the metal man clenched his fist, a grinding sound echoed.

It was evidence that not only did his skin harden, but his overall physical abilities increased as well. Hoggs threw a punch with a thunderous sound.

Jonathan watched the scene dispassionately and simply caught it with his hand.

-Thunk.

As the punch was blocked so easily, confusion spread across Hoggs' face. In the past, Jonathan's skin would have shattered from this punch even if he used his ability to block it.

Jonathan looked at Hoggs' fist caught in his hand and smiled slightly.

"You've gotten weaker. Or maybe I've become too strong."

He was already stronger than Hoggs without even using his mutant abilities. In the past, Hoggs was such a high wall that Jonathan couldn't win once even if he tried a hundred times, but now he looked so small.

When Jonathan twisted Hoggs' arm to the side, a chilling sound echoed.

-Crack!

A strength that surpassed the tensile strength of skin hardened like metal so easily broke the arm of the physically enhanced Hoggs.

"Arrrrgghh!"

When Hoggs screamed, the mutants watching from behind widened their eyes. They immediately stepped forward to help Hoggs. As if they had been waiting for this, the Starlight Knights also began to move forward.

"Knights, advance."

David clenched his fist with a smiling face. The others wore the same expression.