Episode 17
Episode 17
Tudududuk. Body fluids poured out in a gush.
The man stared blankly at the cold blade that had pierced his heart.
The lenses on his shattered goggles replicated the scene into dozens of fragments, as if it were covering everything all around him.
Jjeojeok. The lenses, having reached their limit, shattered, and the same scene was reflected in the tiny shards.
Countless visual data points multiplied enough to overload his Cyberbrain.
Everything pointed to a single truth.
The man struggled to open his vocal organs, which felt as stiff as if they were rusted.
"Im—pos—si—ble."
Air leaked from his partially mechanized lungs, his pronunciation forming and then scattering.
Even so, the mage in front of him seemed to understand, wearing a faint smile.
Chiiiiik-.
Ash-colored snow melted in the heat rising from his entire body. An energy flickering like a blazing flame enveloped the mage.
The coexistence of Mana and Qi.
A miracle that defies the laws of physics defined since the beginning of the universe, turning the impossible into reality.
The mage who had achieved that transcendental feat gripped the hilt of the sword with trembling hands and muttered.
"Huk...... Thanks. You psycho... bastard."
Kicking the hard, mechanical chest, he twisted and pulled out the sword.
Pushuuuk-.
Fresh blood spurted out like a fountain, staining the shallow snowfield red.
"Haak, haak......."
Emul, who had fallen backward just from the recoil of the push, caught his breath and stared at the coldly cooling Cyber Psycho.
Beyond the shattered goggles, the last ray of light faded from the lens fragments.
And soon, the Qi that had been flowing through the Metal Prosthetic Body vanished cleanly.
The Cyber Psycho, who had driven Emul to the brink of death, had been reduced to a mere lump of metal.
Clutching his chest, Emul struggled to lift his body, leaning on his sword.
It must have been the side effects of the Stimulant and the reckless use of his newly acquired ability.
The final blow, where he had desperately poured out the hot energy that had suddenly filled his vessel.
It was an excessive expenditure without thought for what would come after, but Emul did not regret it at all.
Isn't it wiser to use everything and die than to save it and die?
"......I didn't die, but ugh!!"
Perhaps his insides were damaged; black blood surged backward.
Hududuk-.
After spitting out the sticky blood clots that had been blocking his airway, he put the last of his strength into his legs.
"...Hoo. I just want to lie down."
Even climbing over the pile of rubble was exhausting, but it was something he had to do.
Two faint sparks felt inside the factory. It wasn't that camaraderie or anything like that had sprouted in such a short time.
The mercenaries had tried to complete the mission without running away until the end.
Thanks to that, he had saved his own life, so he should at least return the favor.
There was also the calculation that leaving them as they were would crack the trust.
"Hoo, hoo......hoo."
Emul, who had laboriously loaded the two injured people onto the modified truck, rummaged through the glove box.
"...Is this it?"
A metal box containing all sorts of emergency supplies. He took out medicine, bandages, and the like from it to finish the late first aid.
Of course, not for his own body, but for the other two.
Perhaps Emul's regenerative ability had continued even during the battle; the flesh on his calf, where the bone had been clearly visible, was filling in, albeit little by little.
However, his internal injuries didn't seem to be healing, and the side effects constantly churned his insides.
His head throbbed so much that motion sickness felt pathetic in comparison.
Clenching his teeth, he started the truck. An autopilot system that even Emul, who was bad with machines, could easily operate.
After barely setting the destination with fingers that wouldn't listen, he leaned his back against the driver's seat as if collapsing.
*
Bbi-bbi-bbi-.
The sound of machines beeping rhythmically and the smell of medicine mixed with a cool alcohol scent.
A metal cylinder was captured in the vision of Emul, who had opened his eyes faintly.
Ta-ak-!
His shoulders heaved as he snatched the syringe. He caught his breath while slowly grasping the situation.
"A-are you awake?"
Marvin standing there awkwardly in surprise, and the beds placed around. The place where he was lying was also, indeed, a bed.
The damp darkness of the Undeveloped Area seeping through the gaps in the curtains. Unless not much time had passed, he must have been lying there for at least a full day.
That speculation lasted only a moment. There was much to ask, but he brought up the most important thing first.
"...How many hours has it been?"
A voice cracked from not being able to drink water leaked out.
"Y-you've been lying down for three full days."
Emul's expression crumpled. The doctor in front of him wasn't the type to make unfunny jokes.
Noticing the displeased guest's mood, Marvin hurriedly added an explanation.
"I-it was a bit strange. Your vital signs were all normal, albeit on the edge. It was ambiguous because of the poison, but your heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation... looking at the numbers alone, you were fine, but you didn't respond to stimuli. Nothing strange was detected in your nervous system either. And you didn't have any implants worn, either."
"...You sure make it hard to say I almost died."
He replied bluntly, but a tingling chill ran down Emul's spine.
Couldn't he have just never woken up?
'It wasn't... because of excessive bleeding or the side effects of the Stimulant. If it were that, Marvin would have known.'
The cause must have been in an area that this doctor, who was forcing a smile, could not diagnose.
Mana and Qi. Perhaps technology cannot detect the energy of the supernatural category, which is outside the so-called realm of science.
There were no related items written on the physical examination results he had checked previously.
Leaving such fragmentary questions behind, Emul grabbed the blood-stained hoodie that was draped over the chair.
"A-are you leaving already? Even if there's nothing wrong, it's best to take a day or two of full rest."
Emul shook his head and took out his terminal.
"Including the hospitalization fee, how much is it? I always say, let's be thorough with calculations."
"That was paid by someone else who left."
For a moment, a woman flashed through Emul's mind, but there was no way she would come all the way here to pay the bill.
Applying the process of elimination to his narrow circle of acquaintances, it must be someone related to the mercenary office.
"Emul-nim. I say this out of concern, but please rest...."
"Thanks."
Despite Marvin's dissuasion, he left the hospital leaving only words of thanks.
His condition isn't perfect, but he isn't sick enough to need to lie down and rest comfortably.
An elastic splint padded on his shin. He thought about taking it off, but since it wasn't uncomfortable, he just left it.
Is it that heavy plaster casts can no longer be found as time has passed?
While walking, he focused on his inner self, even if only shallowly.
Something turbid where Mana and Qi filled his vessel were mixed together. A sensation as if they had been forcibly attached even though fire and water cannot coexist.
It's not a very good feeling. He would have to take time to look into it slowly, but for now, he headed straight to the Dead Zone.
'There was no one but me in the hospital room.'
He had to determine the life or death of the two fallen mercenaries. If the two had died, it was obvious that it would become a headache.
Because Rahul's office seemed closer to family love that went beyond the vague partnership spirit of hunting dogs.
At least, that's how Emul felt.
Kugung-.
As he threw open the iron door of the container, the noisy interior became as silent as if it had stopped breathing.
The mercenaries' gazes were as if they were seeing a corpse come back to life.
Emul, having become accustomed to the attention, ignored it and walked with long strides.
Unlike his previous visit, beings harboring Qi are clearly felt.
The moment his hand moved to his holster just in case.
Ssaeek-!
He slightly twisted his upper body to avoid the bulk rushing at him.
"Zen. You woke up!"
Setrang, with bandages wrapped tightly around his severed shoulder, ran toward Emul again.
Since he declined being hugged by a man, he easily dodged and asked him.
"Where is Addy?"
"......Addy?"
Setrang's expression was unusual. When he glanced behind him, the other mercenaries' faces didn't look good either.
Emul clicked his tongue inwardly. The distribution of the mission fee upon success was 5:3:2. In the order of himself, Setrang, and Addy.
The mage who received the largest amount had survived by using his colleague's life as a shield.
It would be a conjecture, but it's not unreasonable to think so.
Because people always tend to jump to conclusions in the direction they want.
Emul, who was thinking that, made a face as if he had seen something bizarre.
"Y-you crazy mage...... Keuheuk."
Setrang wiping away tears with his only remaining arm. There is nothing more unsightly than a grown adult man blubbering.
Emul, who turned around, cautiously asked a mercenary he didn't even know.
"Is Addy... dead?"
"Ahem. He woke up a couple of days ago and went out to take a mission just fine. More than that, they said you almost died. That clothes, too... and your voice doesn't sound very good either. Are you sure you're okay?"
Emul shrugged instead of answering.
At the time, it was hair-raising, but he survived in the end, didn't he? What to gain from failure is reflection, not regret and fear.
'Addy is alive, but why is that guy...... Ah, it's because of his arm.'
Setrang is a martial arts-type ability user who uses his body as a weapon. It must be a huge obstacle to get through the mercenary life with one arm.
Even if he wears a prosthetic arm, there's no telling how long it will take to get used to it.
Nodding inwardly, he passed by Setrang and said casually.
"I'll ask an acquaintance if they have a decent prosthetic arm."
The fence isn't very trustworthy, but one cannot deny that he is competent.
If he ends up buying a prosthetic arm through Emul's introduction, it's a profit for that boss too, so they can maintain a smooth relationship.
"......Zen. I won't forget this favor. I will definitely repay you."
Apart from the tone that sounds like vowing revenge, the content is positive.
"Suit yourself."
After answering roughly, he grabbed the doorknob of the office, which was the purpose of his visit to the office, and turned it.
It was even slightly open as if to tell him to come in, having already noticed the visitor's presence.
"You've had a hard time."
Rahul saying that and taking off his glasses, and Emul closing the door, happened almost simultaneously.
"I sure did."
Since being able to feel Qi, Emul realized once again how strong the giant in front of him was.
He would be able to handle someone like the Cyber Psycho who drove the three mercenaries to the jaws of death without any trouble.
That was why he tried to ask while suppressing the rising annoyance.
"Rahul. If someone like you is going to try and say you didn't know......."
However, Emul's questioning was cut off before it could even finish.
"There is no room for excuses. It is entirely my fault."
The giant who stood up abruptly even bowed his head to apologize.
This is the second time. Is it okay for the head of an office to be so quick to bow?
Or perhaps it means he is confident in his own skills, so he doesn't care about his demeanor.
Emul, having calmed his anger, said again.
"...I'll accept the apology. But what I'm curious about is how someone like you didn't know."
"I won't make excuses for that either. The person who holds that information will be here soon, so if you wait a little...... Ah, they're here."