Chapter 198
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 198
I stopped by Lapis’s workshop.
“Oh, Luka? Just a moment. Let me finish this first.”
Lapis was manipulating a holographic blueprint projected in the air. As her hands moved, the components of the hologram swapped and spun.
I waited for her to finish before getting down to business. We discussed a way to preheat the Hwagwang Yedo.
“A device to amplify the Hwagwang’s heat? Hmm, I wouldn’t recommend it. The sword’s design is incredibly delicate. I’d rather not mess with it if I don’t have to.”
Lapis’s expression was troubled, but I pressed her.
“In battles at this level, the fight is often decided before the preheating is even done. I once fought someone who used two swords from the Hwagwang Series. He just ground the blades together and finished preheating in an instant.”
“That makes sense. The best way would be to use a homogeneous metal… like using Ignium as a whetstone to create friction. That’s a decent method, at least.”
“But Ignium isn’t exactly a metal you can get your hands on whenever you want, is it?”
Lapis nodded. She spun around in her swivel chair before coming to a stop.
“What if we had you carry some highly combustible material to spray on it and ignite?”
It sounded like a last-ditch suggestion born of desperation.
“Nothing cumbersome or time-consuming. That’s no different from regular preheating. Even if it’s difficult to make, the process itself has to be simple and fast.”
“You’re asking for a lot.”
“My apologies, but this is non-negotiable. It’s fine if you don’t have an idea right now.”
“…I’ll have something ready for you next time. As long as I say the funds are for supporting you, almost any request gets approved. There’s nothing we can’t do with enough money.”
Next, I had her inspect my prosthetic body. There were no specific malfunctions, but I’d been too busy for a checkup lately and figured it was best to get one now.
Beep.
Lapis opened a port on my prosthetic and plugged in a cable. My body’s internal data filled the monitor.
“The mood at the company has been strange lately. Ever since you showed up, it feels like… everything has accelerated.”
“If you’re anxious, just quit. With your skills, you could work anywhere.”
“Haha, I’m not that anxious. Besides, I can make whatever I want here. No other company would give me this much autonomy. Master Japa is a unique person. A unique Tajirun, to be precise. Tajiruns are usually highly exclusive, but of all the people I’ve met, Master Japa is the most open-minded and least discriminatory.”
I wanted to say something, but held my tongue. It seemed Lapis didn’t know about Japa’s obsession with humans.
“Japa is… certainly a unique individual,” I muttered, my words heavy with implication.
“And above all, he’s incredibly capable. We somehow managed to pull through that recent surprise attack, and the company has grown even larger because of it. Oh, wait a second. This graph here is bizarre.”
Lapis stared at the complex collection of graphs, formulas, and numbers for a long time. Her already large eyes widened even further.
“What is it?”
“…Lu-Luka! How did you do this? Are you using the Force or something? Did you literally stop physical time? The signals being sent to your prosthetic are impossibly dense. So dense that even a high-responsiveness body like this couldn’t keep up with the signal input, causing action delays. It’s as if you’re pre-programming your actions before you even move. If this were a cheaper prosthetic, the signals would have misaligned and it would have broken down. You can’t open your hand and clench your fist at the same time, after all.”
She was likely referring to my fights with Valek or the Elite Guard Captain. It wasn't my area of expertise, but I understood the gist of what she was saying.
Whenever I entered a state of deep concentration, time felt like it was stretching out. It was a side effect of high-speed thinking. When that sensation peaked, it even created the illusion that time had stopped completely.
“It’s because I underwent chemical treatments on my nervous system.” I gave a vague excuse, too lazy to explain the details.
“I know things like that exist. But… and I know I’m biased, but the Lazuli 21 is a masterpiece. It’s a high-output, high-responsiveness prosthetic. For the signal density to be so high that it causes action delays in a body like this is just absurd.”
“Well, you’re looking at the proof.”
Her eyes sparkling, Lapis gathered the data. Once finished, she unplugged the cable and closed the port on my body.
“…I think I understand why the Imperial Army uses full-body prosthetic soldiers. If you had a full-body prosthetic, Luka, you’d be far stronger than you are now. Your nervous system is already better optimized for a cybernetic body than a biological one.”
“That’s how I was trained,” I replied flatly, shrugging on the coat I had taken off.
“But a living brain doesn’t have unlimited capacity. If you enhance certain functions to an extreme degree, other functions inevitably deteriorate.”
“I know that, too. Far better than you do.”
Countless scenes flashed through my mind.
“So, Luka, don’t throw away the flesh and blood you have left. Because that flesh and blood, which I’m sure often feels like a burden, is probably the only thing keeping you from becoming a machine.”
Even without experiencing it firsthand in the Empire as I had, Lapis understood the dangers of cybernetic prosthetics. Despite her love for machines, she never downplayed their risks.
Lapis is an excellent expert.
But I didn’t need her advice. I had already lived through it all. I simply waved a hand over my shoulder and walked out of the workshop.
* * *
I retrieved Ragnata from the confinement cell in the company building. She was still missing both legs, but her treated arms were perfectly fine.
With her arms bound in front of her, she climbed into the duffel bag without a word of complaint.
“This is better than last time. It even has a soft cushion. Was this custom-made for me?”
Japa and his unnecessary flourishes. It was called a duffel bag, but it was practically a mobile sleeping bag. The inside looked comfortable and cozy.
“Cooperate, Ragnata.”
“Am I not cooperating already?”
“I’m saying this because I hate unstable partnerships. We’re going to support the Anima Mobile School. Japa runs a scholarship foundation. A lot of capital has come in recently, so we have money to burn.”
“What an attractive offer. But I find it hard to believe Japa would spend that much on a washed-up assassin like me. Which means… Japa is willing to spend that much for your sake. It makes me wonder what kind of relationship you two have.”
Ragnata’s insight was excellent. It was a different kind of insight from mine, yet similar in its sharpness. Hers was born from practical experience.
No matter how I carry myself, I’m still a greenhorn who hasn’t even lived half a century.
Ragnata was an uncomfortable presence, but she gave me advice without hesitation. She was also someone who could sharply call me out when my mental state grew unstable.
The irritation that flares up every time I face Ragnata is… because she looks right through me, pointing out my weaknesses and flaws. She never hesitates to point out my mistakes, either.
I had no intention of spitting out medicine just because it was bitter. If it was necessary, I had to swallow it.
Ragnata was someone who could challenge my judgment and put the brakes on my emotional rampages. If some half-baked amateur said the same things, I would have just ignored them.
But because I respected strong, experienced veterans, I listened to Ragnata’s opinions and mulled them over.
I need Ragnata.
Besides, it wouldn’t matter if she died in a dangerous situation. Her life was a gift from my generosity, and Ragnata wouldn’t resent me for taking it back.
“You were an Imperial soldier, a highly trained elite. Back then, a superior officer you respected must have acted as your reins. It’s only natural that you’re unstable now that those reins are gone. Your employer, Japa, is merely an employer, after all.”
Damn, she really is annoying. It made me want to throw her back into the basement.
I pulled out the gag Japa had given me and flinched. As I tore open the packaging, I found myself looking at a rather embarrassing object. It was a ball gag.
…Specifically, the kind you’d see in holographic ads floating around the red-light district.
Japa! That damn snake-head!
I screamed internally. Ragnata stared at me with a knowing smile.
“My, my. I can handle up to ten years younger, but… any more of a gap than that might be tough.”
Ah, lately, those kinds of jokes were hard to take. I like women my own age. And human women, at that!
“…Shut up, you old hag,” I snapped.
“Old… hag. Hmm.”
It seemed even Ragnata was shocked by that one. Calling her an old hag was highly effective. I should keep that in mind.
Swoosh.
I hoisted the duffel bag containing Ragnata onto my shoulder. There was a flap on top that, when pulled down, would cover her head completely.
* * *
Valek was not in Border City. However, he wasn’t far; his hideout was within a day’s travel.
Rumble, rumble.
I was riding in the back of a cargo transport. The ride was terrible, but neither I nor Ragnata were the type to complain about such minor discomforts.
Beep.
My terminal rang. I had been resting with my eyes closed, but now I uncrossed my arms and stood up.
Creak.
The cargo door opened automatically. I tossed the duffel bag out first, then lightly jumped down after it. I thought I heard a faint groan, but that was none of my concern.
Thud!
The Japa Trading cargo truck drove off as if nothing had happened. I stared at the truck, which had Anguis Regina painted on its side, before turning away.
Before me lay a primeval forest without a single footpath. The eerie silhouettes of wild beasts darted between the trees.
An undeveloped area.
Planet Novas was full of unexplored and undeveloped regions. Even within a nation’s territory, there were countless places untouched by civilization. Public security was stretched thin just maintaining order within the cities; virtually no nation had the resources to manage the wilds outside them.
Rustle.
I opened the flap of the duffel bag and slung it over my shoulder.
“We don’t seem to have traveled very far, yet there’s such a dense forest here. That’s never a good sign,” Ragnata said, observing our surroundings.
“It means it’s a dangerous place. Which is why my prey is hiding here.”
Valek was holed up deep inside this forest. Neither Japa nor I knew why. My only job was to capture him, beat him down, and squeeze the information out of him.
“The man I’m hunting is Valek. He’s an Akies Victima adept, and he uses a pair of dual swords called the Hwagwang Magnetic Swords. That’s what makes him a headache. If our blades clash, we’ll both blow up.”
I explained the situation to Ragnata. Since I’d brought her for her advice, I intended to give her the necessary information.
“I take it you need to capture him alive?”
“I need to extract information from him. You used dual swords, too. If you have any good strategies for fighting a dual wielder, let me know.”
I started walking toward the forest. I hadn't noticed it from the outside, but as soon as I stepped inside, my senses felt strangely dulled. My brain, reacting to the unfamiliar environment, began to heat up.
“A strategy against dual swords? Are you stupid, boy? What else is there besides fighting well?” Ragnata chuckled.
“Right. Dumb question.”
Even I had to admit it was a foolish question.
Snap, snap.
I pushed forward, snapping through the dense branches. At least the ground wasn't muddy, which was a relief.
Click, click.
A strange sound echoed nearby. I narrowed my eyes, peering into the distance.
“As I thought. This place is home to mutants. There’s a reason it remains undeveloped despite being so close to Border City,” Ragnata commented, looking in the same direction.
“Mutants?”
“That’s what I call them. Since Nomads wander all over Planet Novas, we often run into bizarre monsters.”
I observed the creature through the bushes. It was shaped like an ape with thick limbs, but its skin was hairless, covered instead by a hard, rocky hide that clung to it like armor. From beneath its blunt hands, elongated claws protruded like hooks.
Click, click.
Since it didn't have a name, I decided to call it a ‘Rock Monkey’ for now. The Rock Monkey was tearing open the belly of its kill, busily eating.
“If you don’t want to cause a scene, just go around it. In my experience, mutants that have undergone rocky mutations are cautious, not aggressive. Even if it notices you, it won’t attack,” Ragnata whispered.
I nodded and took a wide detour around the area.