Chapter 44
Chapter 44
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Unbeknownst to Myself (6)
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The moment I heard the notification chime about "digging my own grave," I was already being shoved out by a MegaCorp employee riding on the truck.
More precisely, thrown.
Unlike when I'd landed on the truck, I instinctively rolled to minimize the impact, executing a proper landing technique.
Shwaaa….
I swept the rain filling the road with my body.
But I couldn't afford to worry about the acid rain seeping through the gaps in my raincoat.
Bracing my hand on the rain-slicked asphalt, I calmly rose to my feet. That's when I saw a man in shabby clothes, looking like a bum, leisurely stepping down from the truck that had paused its run.
The man flicked his lighter's striker a few times with familiar motions.
"…Damn. Even on a rainy day like this."
When the wet flint wouldn't spark properly, with a click, a blue flame appeared at his fingertip.
I watched until the end as he casually lit his cigarette.
Normally, I'd have lunged at the opening or muttered curses through the stinging pain.
But this time, I could only stay silent.
A sense of crisis rang like deafening alarm bells,
and instead of chills, I felt a prickling malice against my skin.
"So…."
The dry eyes of the MegaCorp employee—or mercenary—turned toward me.
"What are you?"
A cheap thug's tone.
But the weight of his words was anything but light.
Black cigarette smoke drifted toward me on the wind and rain.
Ugh, that's toxic….
Unlike the boss's herbal smokes, this felt like it was compounded purely from the worst things for your body.
"And what's with that ridiculous mask. Heh…."
His mood apparently lifted by the modest cigarette that looked like some drug cocktail, he started strolling slowly toward me with a smirk.
Every minor motion overflowed with confidence.
That must've been why he always smoked at the entrance.
Of course. Who else but a brazen MegaCorp employee daring to siphon off company goods?
And he'd driven the truck all the way to sketchy Area 49 alone.
Something only possible with extreme confidence in his skills.
"……."
I didn't bother answering him.
I was too busy steadying my breath, but I'd also caught on to his intent to fish for my info from his casual attitude.
He was a thief who'd stolen corporate goods, and I was the robber trying to take them. Not much conversation to be had between us.
Maybe irked by my attitude, he clicked his tongue and clenched then flexed his fist.
"Kids these days got no romance. Say something. They didn't fiddle with your brain for security or weld your mouth shut."
I was convinced the man worked 100% for MegaCorp.
A different breed of evil from the gangs.
Chatting casually about nasty topics with such leisure.
Though his slouchy cigarette-chomping didn't look like your typical MegaCorp suit.
Since he hadn't figured out my identity yet, maybe I could just bolt?
…No, probably not.
I weighed the odds, but instinct said impossible.
He hadn't taken his eyes off me for a second.
"Come on, let's talk. I need to know why my movements got leaked, and you wanna grab the truck's cargo."
As if exhaling smoke again, he slowly tilted his head up.
"Ha, this is hilarious. Heh heh. You hit us knowing what's inside? Fuck."
A raindrop from the sky nailed him right in the eye.
No helping it; even humans blink instinctively.
Now.
I kicked off the road the instant I saw it.
The whole world stretched out like pulled taffy.
Thump.
Bursting through hovering raindrops, I charged at him at max speed.
And.
In the slowed time, his eyes flashed and locked back on me.
"Ah."
Thinking about it, he'd casually blocked my ambush even without knowing anything.
His perception matching mine was only natural for a powerhouse like him.
Motions slicing a second into pieces.
By the time I snapped to, his hand gripped my ankle.
Thrill like the front seat of a rollercoaster gripped my body.
My airborne form crumpled the truck's hood before stopping.
The force was so strong, the truck slid back a few centimeters on the wet road.
He calmly dusted off his hand.
"Ah, habit. Tossed you again. Lots of cyberbodies with weird functions these days. Try not to grab 'em unless I have to."
His eyes curved slyly.
"Coulda just gripped since you're a purist anyway. What's the point of mana circuits if you won't cyber up? You're crippled without 'em."
He chattered excitedly to himself.
Probably hyped by the narcotic cig in his mouth.
I barely exhaled the air bloating my lungs.
"Phew…."
This was hopeless.
Honestly, a different trajectory and I'd have plunged straight into the canal below.
The matchup was overwhelmingly against me.
I unconsciously glanced down at my feet.
…Wow.
My ankle was a mess.
Not just a simple fracture—compound, maybe.
Just from being grabbed.
Pain was less than expected.
Maybe shock numbed it.
Either way, mobility gone meant near-certain loss.
Two prior ambushes had already failed.
Not giving up yet, though.
I cut regrets short.
Straightened to face the approaching footsteps.
"By the way, I like purists. Can't block pain with nerve blockers, no drugs so brains stay nice and tender. Fun to mess with."
He stopped just out of my reach.
"So, fingers or toes first?"
If I could just land one punch on that smirking face, I'd die happy.
And that instant.
Geo's voice rang from above the canal.
"Hey, you corporate dog-licking piece-of-shit manager fuck! There's one more up here!!"
…Damn it, Geo. Just run already.
His gaze naturally flicked up.
"Oh ho."
His voice boiled with nauseating sadism.
So.
I lashed out with my foot without thinking.
Too far for a punch.
Unconscious, so the kick was blindingly fast.
If only my foot wasn't broken….
Still, muscles bracing the bone should've delivered decent impact.
"……!!"
Catching him off-guard, he clutched his gut and staggered back.
Shock filled those dry eyes.
Seemed he'd bitten his tongue on impact.
About half lolled out roughly.
Blood kept spilling despite swallows; mixed with rain, it dripped from under my smile mask.
Oh well.
I just quietly raised my middle finger.
Couldn't let him touch Geo.
Maybe 'cause I had a much younger sister, I couldn't ignore a kid busting their ass.
Like how I had to help Liberra.
"…Fingers it is then. Hm, fine."
He started smirking again, but his face had hardened.
Anyway, I'd pissed him off, so I'd seized control of his emotions─.
My vision went black.
"Won't need those eyes anyway."
The odd sensation of fingers piercing my mask's eyeholes transmitted.
Vision fully gone, but unlike before, no panic tremors.
Too many ordeals lately for PTSD over this.
Though nightmares for days ahead.
…?
Yet, beyond the pitch black, something hazy writhed into "view."
Roots like red veins sprawled vividly in the dark.
At the base, "Trait Points" flashed with the number "1."
This is….
As a game hobbyist, I recognized it instantly.
…The skill tree?
Various roots shaped like guns, fists, spiderwebs, etc., eagerly awaited something.
A sight I could've stared at for hours, but sadly, the enemy wouldn't wait.
I swiftly scanned the invisible view.
And.
I spotted the isolated skill tree.
The world brightened again.
Thanks to instinctively turning my head when he gouged my eyes, one was only lightly damaged.
Regeneration probably started there.
High enough regen to expel embedded bullets, it seemed.
I locked eyes with the guy gripping my fingers.
"What. Not a normal purist, but a mutant─."
He cut off mid-sentence, staggering back.
Not by choice—shock dominated his face.
A special power influencing without touch.
The basics of superpowers.
"…Psyker?"
Telekinesis.
He muttered, piecing it together despite panic.
"Didn't expect an unregistered psyker in the city. Makes sense in Area 49, though."
All his fingers clicked open.
I'd seen him light his cig with fingertip flames, so probably gearing up to fight with cyberware.
"Regen rivaling mutants, physical prowess like a mana user, and now powers? Gonna cash in a nice bonus for once."
His eyes burned with greed.
"First time fighting a psyker, but output doesn't seem too high. Burn the skin from afar and…."
Then, his words abruptly stopped.
An unpleasant sensation must've hit his body.
"……Wait."
Couldn't touch internals yet, but externals were fair game.
Honestly didn't wanna go this far….
But to win here, no choice.
"S-Sorry."
I apologized with my freshly regenerated tongue.
Before he could block nerves with cyberware, I unleashed telekinesis.
Then.
The man's external organ spun several—no, dozens of rotations.
"……!!!!"
I'll skip the gory details.
Hurt me as a fellow man.
Face drained white, he stumbled back, flipped over the guardrail, and plummeted into the canal below.
Kwaaa…!
Hearing the splashing waters,
I quietly closed my eyes.
Rest In Peace—no, Piss Off.
What a grueling fight….