Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: Territorial Dispute (4)
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A tactical operative affiliated with the Hakuga Group.
The ninja known as Shadow darted between buildings like a flying squirrel.
A low groan escaped involuntarily from the throbbing pain in his joints and muscles, but his movements were light as could be.
'Impressive... truly impressive...'
He wasn't someone the Sparo Rapido Family had recruited directly for nothing.
Shadow nodded to himself as he recalled the hulking man he'd just encountered.
The 'nano cells' created with the corporation's latest technology hadn't just been partially destroyed—they'd been outright shattered. And the shock from a mere swing of that attack had pierced through his outer implants, making his bones ache fiercely.
With the target he was supposed to protect already lost,
there was no reason to keep fighting.
Shadow planned to rejoin the main force as quickly as possible and report the 'Hotdog Man's' danger level to the higher-ups.
'I thought he was just an ordinary purist.'
Contrary to Shadow's initial expectations, the guy didn't seem to use mana circuits.
No cybernetic implant signals were detected either, so what the hell was the source of that 'ridiculous strength'?
'Even a beastman, which I'd only heard rumors about, couldn't exhibit power on that level.'
It wasn't his place to judge.
The organization hadn't properly grasped Hotdog Man's identity or goals yet, which was why Shadow had unhesitatingly deployed smoke and attempted to escape.
However.
"...Hey, you."
Shadow reflexively halted at the sudden 'woman's' voice from behind.
His hand blade thrust backward, slicing precisely through the spot where he suspected an intruder might be.
Squeak!
At the same time, long shurikens launched from his fingertips thudded into the ground.
"......"
Shadow slowly exhaled.
No one was behind him.
It felt like he'd been possessed by a ghost.
'...Did I imagine it?'
Well, it was an absurd situation in general.
He'd been sprinting at full speed.
Confirming no signs of life around, Shadow calmed his startled heart and prepared to dash forward again.
—Until he spotted the petite woman blocking his path on the rooftop.
He really had intended to.
"...!!"
Shadow felt a bead of cold sweat trickle down his temple.
He couldn't sense any presence from the woman in front of him at all.
Liberra, the miraculous product secretly developed by one of the megacorps, tilted her head impassively.
"You just came out of that church building over there, right?"
"......"
"And..."
She closed her eyes leisurely, as if focusing on her sense of smell.
"...this blood scent."
It belonged to someone she knew.
Risk City's air quality was abysmal, with winds carrying dirt, factory smoke, heavy metals, and fine dust galore.
But Liberra's sensitive senses could pick out one person's blood scent amid it all.
A chill ran up Shadow's spine like a wave.
'...This is dangerous.'
Counting his remaining shurikens, he quietly asked,
"...What are you?"
"......"
Of course, there was no answer.
She was the one who asked questions, not the one who answered them.
A blunt metal shard poked out from Liberra's long sleeve.
It looked like scrap metal haphazardly picked from a nearby trash can, but it felt sharper than any weapon in existence.
...Shadow quietly gritted his teeth.
"...I saw that suspicious guy running away, so I caught him for now."
"Good."
I gave her a thumbs-up.
A bashful grin came from beyond Liberra's shaggy bangs.
As I roughly ruffled her long hair,
"...!!"
the fake ninja watching us gaped in shock, mouth hanging open.
"That monster..."
Anyway, dealing with the fake ninja wasn't our priority right now.
The church's spacious sanctuary.
The surroundings buzzed with murmuring people.
"W-What exactly happened?"
"...Oh, Lord. Wait a sec. Who was our god again?"
"The name of our god is Hail Cri—, urk, no! A different face is popping into my head."
The people previously brainwashed by the cult leader seemed to be thrown into massive confusion after Troy uploaded the file to the main system.
Still, they looked better off than before, when they'd been rampaging madly.
"...Um, Lord?"
"He's not that kind of person."
"Of course. How could we compare a great god to a mere human?"
"No, I said he's not a god."
"Please don't test our faith..."
The brainwashing itself hadn't been undone.
It was starting to give them headaches now.
Like chicks imprinting on the first thing they see after hatching as their mother, the thoroughly brainwashed couldn't even conceive of other possibilities.
I tried contacting Troy, the one who'd caused all this, but
he must've gotten busy with something, as there was no reply to my message.
Well, what could I do?
For now, I'd just have to sort out this headache somehow.
That's when the detestable fake ninja snickered and muttered to himself.
"As expected, this was the plan from the start. Cutting off the Hakuga Group's hands and feet while steadily building your own forces—"
"Shut that bastard up."
"......Mmph!!"
So, what should I do first?
As I pondered while eyeing the sanctuary swarming with people,
Michael suddenly climbed onto the podium at the far end.
"Alright, we'll now begin the inaugural service for the great and mighty Hotdog God."
"...Drag that guy down too."
"Ah, that's not it..."
No.
Michael was yanked off by Nova, who had been quietly standing by with Liberra.
Anyway.
To properly wrap up this incident, I cautiously stepped forward.
As I ascended the podium, the murmuring crowd naturally quieted.
"Th-That's definitely the person I remember from my memories..."
"...So gods really do exist."
If I shouted hallelujah here, I could probably go full cult route, but of course, I had no intention of doing that.
Grocery store manager was a far more satisfying job than cult leader.
I just planned to roughly explain the situation so they wouldn't panic.
Bzzz—.
Mike feedback hummed.
My amplified voice filled the sanctuary.
"Ahem, hello."
""......""
In the slightly awkward atmosphere, I started with a self-introduction.
"I'm Abel Anderson, manager of the grocery store around here."
"...Is that the holy name of the sacred land from the Lord?"
Ignoring the murmurs,
I quickly laid out what I needed to say.
"They call me Hotdog Man there... Ah, not important."
""...Hotdog Man!""
"Yes, I know, no need to shout. Most of you here—except a few newcomers—aren't aware, but you're infected with illegal malware."
I stated the truth outright, but there wasn't much reaction.
"Malware...?"
"Ugh, my head suddenly..."
They just complained of headaches, like they'd heard something they shouldn't have.
Doesn't look like it'll work.
"In conclusion, church services end today."
""...Huh?""
"Go home, work hard, eat well, sleep soundly, and live decently without bothering others."
That should avoid other problems.
"There are lots of bad people out there, so don't trust strangers easily... Don't guarantee loans or anything. Well, not absolute—just try not to."
Things to mostly follow.
It vaguely echoed the Flying Spaghetti Monster's tenets, but it'd be way better than crazy cult rules.
So, live sensibly on your own.
At the same time, someone in the sanctuary raised their hand high.
"Speak."
"W-What about the Nine Commandments we followed before?"
"All canceled."
The murmurs grew louder, but my role was done here.
"Dismissed."
As I stepped down without hesitation, confused people surged forward.
But perhaps because they couldn't touch the 'god,'
no one blocked my path.
Right after leaving the church.
Michael cleared his throat lightly and spoke in a probing tone.
"...Will that be okay?"
"No choice."
I couldn't look after those people forever.
"No, I mean..."
"What."
"...Nothing."
Michael started to say something ominous,
but nodded to himself and acquiesced.
What a clown.
The peaceful grocery store in Area 49.
Rumor has it a new group of homeless folks had set up camp in one corner of the vacant lot, praying diligently.
They worked the jobs available in Area 49, ate well, slept well, and lived innocently without bothering anyone...
Except for one thing.
One absolute they wouldn't compromise on.
"Ugh, Hotdog Man my ass. No punk with a shitty nickname like that is ever normal."
A newbie homeless guy visiting the store grumbled, oblivious to the mood.
"Probably spiking drinks with sedatives or drugs to gut us for organs. ...What the fuck? Get lost, all of you? Do you know who I—"
And so.
The clueless homeless guy was swiftly 're-educated' by a clubbing from the silently gathered 'believers.'
The store manager was the only one unaware.
The pitch-black room lit up in an instant.
Hakuga Group's tactical operative—codename Shadow—calmly awaited the crisis ahead.
Having lived his whole life in the Hakuga Group, he was confident he wouldn't spill any organizational secrets.
'Just...'
This place, supposedly a group hideout, wasn't actually running a grocery store, right?
'...Why is there so much food?'
Shadow pondered carefully while sitting on a box of cat food.