NOVEL NEXT Chapter 25
“Shit!! You corporate bastards, do you know where you are…?! Khe?!”
Missile launcher…? Bazooka? I’m not entirely sure what the correct term is, but the Painkiller operative aiming some magical wand-like weapon used by Middle Eastern terrorists got a hole blown through their neck.
The thug, clutching at their throat, stumbled before falling out of the window along with the heavy weapon. … Hopefully, they’re dead. Just thinking about nearly getting shot by the earlier zombie-like thug with moving arms still leaves me cold.
[KWAAAANG—!!]
“What the…?!”
The surrounding buildings were full of criminals. You could almost call it the middle of a party.
– 7th street team! Who’s in charge?! If you guys don’t take out those rocket-launching bastards heading our way soon, I’m going to kill every last one of you after this op is done! Even if you’re already dead, I’ll kill you again!!
– …This is the suppression team from 7th Street. We just finished an expedited cleaning of the building. The team chattering away without getting into the building is the one from 5th Street, correct?
A sharp strategist had closed all our exits, yet it seemed one of the teams tasked with our cover somewhere had failed. As another of our sturdy turrets burst into flames under enemy fire, it seemed to confirm it.
The mercenaries’ shouts of anger flooded the communication channel. Particularly intense were the cries of our neighboring mercenaries who lost a team member to Painkiller’s surprise attack during our initial clash.
“Ivory lady…! Are you alright?!”
“Perfectly fine, so cut out that fuss! And why are you all suddenly calling me sister all of a sudden?!”
“Well… because you’re a sister?”
He started laughing right after saying that, leaning back while sheltered behind the vehicle with Horatio and Domino. Omens didn’t say much, but cleverly placed himself to shield me from stray bullets or debris… It felt like more than just a routine treatment a team member receives; it seemed like genuine camaraderie.
……I can’t claim to be a saint myself, but I don’t understand why they trust people so easily… They’ll have their big fall before too long.
“Hey!! Daredevil’s team! Recovery crew…!! Don’t just fool around and lend a hand already…!! If Omens went ahead, you’d just break through that entrance, wouldn’t you?!”
“Haha!! Then what about you? Just sitting around and taking all the credits?”
“…Hmph! Recovery crew is under no obligation to move in until neutralization is complete. And if our team hacker gets hurt, it’s not like you’ll take responsibility, is it?”
“Damn…!”
Drilling noises!!
Before formal orders came down, the attitude of our teammates here showed no signs of movement, so the mercenary cursed under pressure, keeping up the firefight. It was sad to lose people, but as a commander… since we’re all hired mercenaries, there was little persuasiveness.
Whiiiing…!
KWAAAAGGGGACK—!!
Somewhere along the line, the turret vehicle from 7th street repositioned ahead of 5th street, plugging the firepower gap that had developed.
7th street cleared. 6th street is still dealing with resisting criminals. 5th street… stalled due to losses sustained by the suppression team assigned to it. Yet, despite the overwhelming force displayed by the remaining mercenaries or moving artillery, the enemies showed no intent of giving up.
They’d hide during turret operation, and when our suppression fire slackened and the mercenaries tried to move in, they’d immediately return accurate fire.
With international law and the Geneva Protocol dissolved, I wasn’t expecting any surrender, but it was odd how aggressively these guys were reacting against the corporation and how freely they spilled blood.
…I’m getting a rough estimate of costs now.
Exatech-made multi-barrel turrets and a hundred mercenaries? A bit excessive for a slum sweep? Watching the decrepit trucks barely surviving explosions as cover makes me furious.
They’re just trying to invest the minimal force needed to guarantee victory, extracting profits while keeping costs as low as possible…!
– We’ve taken down the enemy hiding in a bunker-style hatch in the basement of the 6th street building. Inside… there’s a fairly wide corridor. We’ll continue the suppression.
– …Damn it. We also found something similar in 7th street. As soon as we’ve finished cutting through the locked doors, we’ll move in immediately!
With no positive reports of secured objectives and only ominous signs of impending prolonged combat, we could see just how established the organization was.
Deep down, it must have been drug labs and hideouts. They’d taken over multiple adjacent buildings to hide their true nature and had prepared escape routes and passages everywhere just in case.
When Paradise realized the mission might fail, such delays were unacceptable.
– Recovery team, assist the suppression team in quickly clearing 5th street and move down into the basement. Ensure the hacker stays safe.
– Roger that…
Horschatio replied with a deflated tone upon receiving the order.
Unlike the genuine concerns of family or comrades, worrying about long-term death before the terminal’s role is fulfilled isn’t particularly pleasant either.
“Well… let’s see…”
“…Hmph! You two, protect Ivory while following. …I’ll take point.”
“…Huh?”
Anyhow, I was just about ready to get to work when Omens took the initiative first.
When he searched around him, there was a metallic clang that would make anyone want to cover their ears, and out came something.
Clashing with what could be called gloves, the thing had an exorbitantly metallic composition, resembling a gauntlet more than anything.
Why did they only have armor on their hands instead of more conventional protections? I pondered that briefly, but realized that for those like him, whose limbs are equipped not with protective gear but rather weapons…
“This’ll be a trivial game…!”
The moment the allied turret’s barrage stopped, Omens calmly but powerfully strode out with long strides.
The Painkiller operatives watched this suicidal volunteer traverse the wide-open road unprotected and smirked. But their laughter didn’t last long.
Koom… Koom…!
“What… what?!”
“What size is this guy?! Is it a robot?!”
It seemed that only now did they notice the abnormal stature as the towering figure, larger than the front of trucks carrying turrets, approached.
I’ve felt the same confusion myself regarding scale perception, so I’ll bid you farewell, too.
“What the…?! Fire! Shit, you morons, FIRE…!!”
Bang! Crack!!
Drakkakakk…!!
From small handguns to machine guns, a variety of muzzles aimed directly at Omens and fired.
His mask had a vial embedded that was bubbling as its contents were slowly drained in. After a somewhat delayed but enthusiastic welcoming reception, he lifted one hand, partially shielding his face as he increased his speed.
Koom! Koom! [Koom!!]
“Wha… what…”
The larger target size meant almost every shot hit, riddling his outerwear with holes, but none of the bullets could pierce his skin reinforced with various compounds.
Deflected shots flew in all directions, and bullets that hit straight on deformed under the impact and fell to the ground. Their firepower and ammunition types were insufficient to deal with a tank.
The late-to-target magical wand was now useless. If you possess a build with the size and bone structure for speed, that’s basic knowledge… right?
““Die! You bastards…!!”
All traces of dignity and courtesy displayed at the hotel were gone.
Without needing to bow his head or bend his body, Omens shook up the whole of 5th street as he entered.
KWAAAAAAAAANG—!!
With a sound like bomb explosions, an entrance already weakened by shelling was ripped apart and collapsed inward.
Dust floated up.
Screams and gunfire erupted inside, and intermittently, members of the organization would be tossed out, literally folded in half. As for what exactly was going on inside, some of the less involved members attempted to jump out from the 3rd and 4th floors but were immediately killed by the suppression team that followed them.
Due to the weaknesses inherent in being a pure power type, they were usually not favored in long-range engagements… But seeing such a monstrous performance filled me with a bit of regret.
Even with astronomical costs for the procedure and maintenance, if this kind of performance were possible…
“Shall we go too, Lady?”
“…What? Where?”
“Hey, Horatio. Your reflexes are better, so I’ll look after the lady.”
“Uuuh… that’s inevitable.”
I barely finished asking before Nightfall Domino whipped out some kind of inhaler-like drug and took a long drag.
His previously sluggish demeanor and eyes sharpened.
Proven historically, an adequate dose of stimulant taken before battle isn’t a bad choice. But the dramatic change, like a fish meeting water, was clearly…
“?! Just… hold on a sec!!”
Suddenly my feet left the ground. Flailing my arms in the air only helped a little before I pressed them against my sides.
How such strength arose from Domino’s wiry frame was anyone’s guess, but he swung one arm around my waist, lifting me up against his side.
Now confirmed. This drug must exponentially boost all stats while high.
…How first-time team members can all have personalities this pronounced is beyond me. Or is it precisely because of these strong personalities that they survive and succeed?
“Careful not to bite your tongue!”
“!!”
Perfectly clear vision instantly shattered. Everything blurred past like subway scenery, elongating and smearing into solid lines.
Following the given advice, I quickly shut my mouth, barely resisting the urge to scream.
…!! …!
“Huhk?!”
“Grrr…”
Despite impaired hearing and blurred vision, the two consecutive shots from Domino’s large-caliber handgun and the tumbling bodies of two high-floor operatives untouched by Omens’ rampage were unmistakable.
One hand still clutching someone, he scored bullseyes while running…?
With no implants aiding in accuracy, my shooting skills wouldn’t even dare to present a business card to someone like him.
“……Gulp!”
Once the short journey finished and we entered the building, my stomach felt like it was filled with rainbows (…).
“! Domino! Let’s head down to the basement quickly! That bastard Omens is making quite the mess…!”
“Hey… put me down already…!”
I figured they thought my nausea was caused by the freshly redecorated interior in red paint and scarlet bone fragments, but I wanted to inform them that anyone treated like luggage gets this way.
…Had I spoken up, it would have sprayed something other than words, so professionally, I abstained. It’s absolutely not due to fear of them; it’s certainly not…!!
We bypassed the elevator with its fraying circuit boards and descended to the basement with my own shaky legs via the staircase.
The preceding suppression team seemed to have vented their frustration, as discarded bodies of operatives were left scattered everywhere on the stairs… Each one looking unusual.
“…”
Blood vessels looked ready to burst through their skin and glowed with a bluish tint, and their eyes… while I’m no expert, they were unnaturally glassy.
Beings true to the stereotype of drug-using organization members, they probably came out without fear thanks to potent substances… Then what must our human tank have done to exceed even the effects of those drugs?
“…Reinforcements? Recovery team.”
“Technically speaking… we’ve ended up entering before you guys. So quit being such ingrates!”
“…You son of a bitch.”
We arrived at the basement where a hatch-door leading to the target was located, and were met by the suppression team feverishly working to burn through the entrance.
Though the exchanges weren’t polite, there seemed to be little real discontent with the rapid progress of the mission.
Chiiiiiiiiik—!!
“….”
The conversation ended there. While anxiously waiting, only the fire’s glow greeted us, occasionally accompanied by sounds of combat from other teams at different locations. Suddenly, the ground shook as footsteps approached from the stairs alongside the figure of the commander, Omens.
“… What the hell are you guys doing here? Playing house while you’ve got a fire going?”
“…It’s not finished opening yet. To blow this immediately, you’d need a bunker buster.”
Even disposing of a simple nutrition vial from his mask and replacing it with a new ampule caused visible trembles in some of the mercs. And Omens reacted too, but at an odd moment.
“Bunker buster? ……Move aside.”
“…What?”
The team leader inquired, and the burly tone startled the mercenaries working, prompting them to hastily pack up the burner and retreat.
As the newly inserted ampoule began bubbling and shrinking, veins popped out on the exposed forearms of Omens.
“Wow…”
“…What a maniac.”
BANG!! Krrrrrrrrgikk—!!
As the fist connecting with the ceiling plunged into the floor, the surrounding ground near the hatch was completely crushed. Through the fissure created, he inserted his fingers and… Yeah, he crumpled the steel plate as if it was the lid of a tin can.
Omens then tilted his head upward in as much a challenge—”Try to say anything now.”
…How much does a cyborg enhancement like that actually cost?
[!– Slider main container –]