Chapter 242
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 242
Chapter Title: Assault on Berit Base (1)
Around 1 AM on Kukuru Island, where one might freeze to death without thick clothing.
On the shore of the cramped, tiny island, something descended from the sky, digging into the sand.
Its identity was none other than a black aircraft with a sharp design reminiscent of a jet.
The only difference from a jet was its unusually large size.
It looked like an advanced transport plane straight out of a sci-fi movie.
Naturally, such a large plane would require a long runway.
So it should have been impossible to land on the beach of this cramped, deserted island…
But perhaps it was thanks to its tiltjet engines, which could freely change the direction of their thrust.
The black aircraft landed on the beach with an air of ease. Just how much money did they pour into this thing?
‘Well… I came here on this thing too. So it’s not that surprising.’
It was amazing the first time I saw it. Now, I’m completely used to it. I guess it’s not as impressive this time.
As I was thinking this, the aircraft's door slid open, and a man stepped out.
He had tan skin, a short buzz cut, and dark sunglasses.
Perhaps because of the vest that clearly showed off his muscular build, he gave off the overall impression of a soldier.
The Fixers, however, looked incredibly happy to see him.
Because the man was James, the agent from the Association who always came by when they had a request for the Fixer agency.
I didn't have much of a connection to him… but he played a pretty significant role in the original story.
I’d seen his face a few times while working part-time at the agency, so I recognized him immediately.
“Good to see you all, Crowley Fixers.”
“Oh, look who it is. It’s James. Hasn’t it been months?”
“Haha, it’s been about three months, I believe.”
Lately, though, it had been hard to see him, unlike before.
It was because my dedicated agent, Zelin, had taken over his role.
For the Association, every single trustworthy agent is a precious asset.
It would be a waste to send James when Zelin was already near me.
In any case, perhaps because we saw an unexpectedly welcome face…
Even Alice and David, who hadn’t looked too well, greeted him cheerfully.
They both looked like they hadn't slept properly, having spent the last three days honing their newfound powers.
They’re both young, though. I figured they’d recover quickly with a short nap on the plane.
“Mr. James, it’s been a while!”
“A pleasure to see you again.”
“Yes. Ms. Alice, Mr. David, and… Ms. Yuria, too. It’s been a long time.”
“…!”
Oh, he remembers me.
Back then, I must have been just an ordinary part-timer with no psychic powers or anything…
Either way, it was nice to see him. I waved my hand cheerfully.
James gave me a cool smile, adjusted his sunglasses, and led us toward the aircraft.
“Now, we’re in a situation where every minute counts. Let’s discuss the details inside.”
Following him onto the plane, I saw the interior for the first time in three weeks.
Just how much money did they sink into this… It was still incredible to see again.
Soon, Alice and I led the way, followed by David and Raven, with Zelin last.
The ramp extending to the outside retracted, the door closed, and the floor began to vibrate.
I pressed my face against a nearby window and looked out into the darkness, watching the island grow more distant.
A true vertical take-off and landing aircraft that needed no runway! I couldn't help but marvel.
Zelin soon excused herself to report to the Association.
The rest of the Fixers and I followed James into a conference room inside.
“Please, take any seat you like. I’ll have a meal prepared shortly.”
“Yes! Ahem, by the way… this place is still amazing. It’s like a complete office.”
“If you don’t look out the window, you could believe you’re in a building, not a plane.”
“Seeing it again, those Association bastards sure love spending money in strange places like this.”
The Fixers couldn't help but click their tongues as they looked around the still-gorgeous interior of the aircraft.
Just as David said, you could believe you were indoors if you didn't look out the window.
We sat around the conference room for a while, enjoying the comfort, before James brought us our meals.
What the Association had prepared was none other than a luxurious bento box, tailored perfectly to each of our tastes.
For Raven, who hated vegetables, there was a giant pork knuckle that looked like something out of a cartoon, with an enormous piece of meat on the bone.
For Alice, a bowl of steaming hot rice topped with long cuts of eel and tonkatsu.
For David, a nutritionally balanced full English breakfast, perfect for the morning.
‘A Philly cheesesteak for me. Whoa, it’s hot! It must have been made just now. The bread is crispy, too.’
Time to eat…!
Filled with anticipation, I picked up the Philly cheesesteak and eagerly took a bite from the end.
Perhaps it was the exquisite taste of the savory juices from the warm steak soaking into the bread.
I was so happy I couldn’t stop myself from kicking my legs wildly in the air.
“Hah, I’m stuffed. It’s been a long time since I’ve eaten this well.”
“Sugar… soy sauce… rice… I missed it all so much…!”
“You can feel the chef’s dedication. This person must possess considerable skill and experience…”
“Hee!”
Just over ten minutes later.
Having devoured our respective meals, we all shared our impressions.
Everyone, including me, looked much brighter, seemingly having enjoyed a satisfying meal that suited their tastes.
While on Kukuru Island, eating was part of the training, so we had to cook and eat the island’s creatures.
We hadn't been able to taste any real, proper cooking for a while. I really missed it.
Perhaps seeing how quickly and contentedly we finished our meals…
James called a staff member to clear the dishes, then cleared his throat to draw our attention.
“Ahem, let’s get to the main topic. As you’ve all been informed, today is the day the Metahuman Liberation Army will launch their attack on the entire world. We’re calling it D-Day… and we have less than six hours until it begins.”
“…Six hours. It’s right around the corner.”
At James’s words, a heavy atmosphere descended upon the previously relaxed conference room.
The battle with the Metahuman Liberation Army would be a massive conflict where countless people could be injured or killed.
The fact that it was only hours away weighed heavily on our minds.
It would be best if war never broke out and peace continued…
But since they were the ones attacking, we had no choice but to fight back.
“You can rest assured, however. The Liberation Army has recruited dangerous factions from all over the world, but in the end, a group that cannot unite is bound to have weaknesses. The Association has managed to acquire intelligence and has taken the best possible countermeasures. Well… for now, we can only hope things go well.”
“That’s… a relief.”
“However, no matter how meticulously we prepare, problems can always arise. This is a time when we desperately need your strength.”
He continued speaking seriously, then turned off the lights in the conference room and activated a holographic device.
An empty space nearby lit up with a three-dimensional projection of a certain area.
It was a mountainous region, dense with trees and grass.
It looked like a place where bears might roam, a wilderness completely untouched by human hands.
Just as I felt a sense of familiarity with the place, a thought surfaced in my mind.
James, seemingly having trouble seeing in the dark, adjusted his sunglasses once more and continued.
“This is Berit Mountain, located far from the city and designated as a restricted development zone. Years ago, a businessman purchased the entire area, spanning several kilometers, simply because he liked the scenery… it’s private property.”
“Private property?”
“Don’t tell me, the reason you’re showing us this is…”
“That’s right. Before you went to Kukuru Island, you were told you would be storming a Metahuman Liberation Army base. This is it, the base we’ve uncovered.”
*Zzzing.*
At James’s command, the holographic image seemed to collapse, reforming into a cross-sectional view.
A faint silhouette took shape inside the massive mountain.
No matter how you looked at it, it was clearly a building hidden within the natural landscape.
Raven, who had been leaning back in his chair, crossed his arms and muttered in disbelief.
“I see… so they bought a restricted development zone as private land and secretly built a base inside. Damn sneaky bastards.”
“Correct. It’s so well-hidden that we haven’t been able to determine its exact scale… but we estimate there are at least several thousand personnel inside.”
Right, so the Fixer Association had discovered the Metahuman Liberation Army’s Berit Base, which also appeared in the original story.
So this was the location they found by deciphering the code from the Black Anchor's safe.
The Liberation Army was planning to attack all sorts of cities, including Nighthaven.
This place was likely filled with the supplies and personnel needed to carry out that plan.
So, the idea was to counter their offensive by striking their main base, which would be full of openings.
There was no more effective method at the moment.
But even after hearing all this, there seemed to be a lingering question.
David, who had been quietly thinking, raised his hand slightly and asked a question.
“I’d like to ask something. From what you’ve said, I understand we are to launch a preemptive strike on this location. In that case, what exactly will our role be?”
“Ah, a good question. I was just about to get to that.”
James nodded lightly and manipulated the holographic device, which was displaying the cross-section.
The 3D hologram shifted to a top-down view, like a satellite photo.
Then, James operated the device to display a screen with various colors and lines.
He pointed to a specific part of the hologram and briefly explained the plan.
“First, the strike team selected by the Association will take advantage of the moment the Liberation Army moves its forces out of the base and will attack from here, the front of the mountain. The current objective is to breach at least the second defensive wall by catching them off guard.”
“Huh? I don’t think our names are on this list?”
“That’s right. You won’t be part of the strike team attacking from the front. We need you to act as a separate unit and infiltrate stealthily from the rear.”
In the darkness, James’s sunglasses glinted for a moment.
I had to wonder why he had no intention of taking them off in this dark room.
Anyway. It seemed like we had been handed an absurdly difficult role…
That thought seemed to cross the faces of all the Fixers, including my own.