2.5: Next Target.

The oil painting is taken back to HQ.

I sit down in a chair at Data Analysis as Tara skillfully pulls up information from various database.

Tara: "There wasn't a lot of Metaflux to extract. It'll be a while before the analysis gives us any useful info."

MC: "Can we figure out where the painting came from?"

Tara: "Already ahead of you! Sold from an art gallery called Flux Arts. It's owned by Thomas. He's a professional art broker."

Tara: "The painting's artist is Rafayel."

MC: "Rafayel?"

Tara: "He's pretty famous, always on the news. Probably why you've heard of him before."

Beep. The transmission is complete. Tara's synchronized data appears on my Hunter's Watch.

MC: "Rafayel, 24 years old. An artist who returned to the country at the start of this year. He's a once-in-a-century genious..."

Records show Rafayel came back from a trip not too long ago. He's an odd one. No one knows his background ror his hometown. He rarely interacts with other artists.

Tara: "Industy insiders say Rafayel locks himself in his studio for half the year, then spends the rest of his time traveling the world for inspiration. As for his paintings..."

Tara: "Just last month, his art broke the record for highest selling price at Lizio Auctions!"

Tara: "An artist of this caliber... Meeting him in person might be challenging."

I skim through the long list of awards before stopping to look at a photo of him. A sense of déjà vu washes over me.

MC: (He's that rambling weirdo with the fish?)

The photo is a good shot. Through the glass and in the middle of a crowd, it captures the moment he turns to look at the camera. He seems to be smiling, yet there's a subtle aloofness.

He quite different from the person I met at that time.

MC: ""Might be challenging" still means there's a chance. Where is the gallery located?"

——————————

The next morning, the Hunters Association arranges a meeting with Thomas.

He's not only the owner of Flux Arts but also Rafayel's agent. Aside from running the gallery, he handles all external affairs for this artist.

Since Rajayel's refuses visitors, Thomas is the only ticket to meeting the man himself.

A while building stands tall in the city's central business district. Flux Arts is on the highest floor.

Staff: "I'm sorry, Thomas is dealing with an emergency right now. If you're not in a hurry, he said you could walk around the exhibition as you wait."

MC: "Thank you very much."

After giving me a guidebook, the staff member quickly leaves.

In the exhibition, the snow-white walls are bare. The overhead lights cast a soft light on them. The more I walk around, the more empty and lonely this place is.

MC: (There doesn't seem to be any fluctuations.)

A spotlight illuminates a large oil painting taking up half a wall. As I get closer to it, I can see each delicately painted brush stroke-the different, colored layers representing the sea.

MC: "The painting is..."

??: "The Day of Ebbing."

MC: "!"

A voice from who knows where echoes throughout the large exhibition.

It sounds familiar. I look around, but the hall is empty.

??: "Every year, there's a day when the tides go against the ocean currents. And using the night's countercurrent, creatures form the deep sea are washed ashore."

??: "Once the tides recede at dawn, they return home."

??: "As a result, everything they've met that night turns into distant memories of the surface world."

??: "Some deep sea creatures are obsessed with the world outside the ocean, desiring its warmth. They stubbornly wait for the sunrise before returning. All just for a sun they've never, ever seen before..."

MC: "Who are you?"

The "person" stop talking. Seconds turn into minutes before he responds in a languid tone.

Rafayel: "Hey. I'm Rafayel."

Rafayel: "This is my art exhibition."

——————————

Flux Arts: This gallery in the city center is owned by a professional curator named Thomas. He is also the exclusive agent for an artist named Rafayel.

Lizio Auctions: Founded in 1749, this auction houses gathers rare art pieces, jewelry watches, vintage cars, and find wines from all over the world. The majority of these items are heirlooms. Contemporary works make a rare appearance.