Chapter 60
Chapter 60
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: Territorial Dispute (10)
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As I've mentioned several times before, the military turret at the grocery store, which Nova controlled separately, fired shells of an overwhelming 20mm caliber.
People unfamiliar with firearms might not grasp why something just 2cm in size is such a big deal.
The 'caliber' of the rounds was 20mm.
These monstrous bullets could range from as small as 20x30mm to as large as 20x139mm.
Think of it as roughly the size of an adult's palm.
For reference, even 12.7mm rounds from anti-materiel sniper rifles weren't made for shooting people.
They'd just blow off a human limb.
Therefore.
Thudududu──!!!
First off, my ears hurt like hell.
It's not for nothing that earplugs are issued during military shooting drills.
Maybe my cochlea got temporarily messed up, because a sharp ringing filled my ears.
At the same time, the old asphalt exploded, sending up thick clouds of dust like a smoke screen.
Thududud!!
The shockwave made the air tremble.
What had pissed off Nova so much?
'Dew...'
It was like beholding the god of mechanical devices—Deus ex Machina— in all its majesty.
Honestly, it was overkill for guarding a grocery store's security, but that made it feel all the more reassuring.
'...No corpse left behind.'
Remembering the black tiger who had been eyeing me hungrily made my shoulders shudder involuntarily.
At that moment, even joking lightly that the leather club was a few blocks down was impossible.
No, really.
The fact that this massive (deranged) golden sun wanted to turn my exit into an entrance was utterly terrifying.
Was his male hormones overproducing so much that everyone but himself looked female?
Anyway.
Whiiiing….
The eardrum-shattering gunfire stopped.
The turret barrel, spinning at high speed, emitted hot heat as it slowly came to a halt.
"Ugh, look at all this dust…."
I brushed the incoming dust off with my palm.
The already desolate streets of Area 49 now looked like the ruins right after a war.
The road traffic authority would have a tough day today.
If this were still inside the grocery store, I'd have teared up without realizing it.
Luckily, I'd anticipated every possibility and lured the Hakuga Group's boss—the black tiger, now probably liquefied—outside.
The gentle breeze began dispersing the thick dust clouds bit by bit.
But Nova was still staring intently beyond the dust, and Liberra held some metal scrap in her hand—I had no idea when she'd pulled it out.
Hmm, that settles it.
"No way anything survives intact from that…."
Oh crap.
I reflexively clamped my mouth shut.
Essentially a resurrection spell on the level of 'Did we get him?'
The magic words that could revive someone even three days after their funeral worked their charm once again.
Right after.
Bwoong!
A massive concrete chunk flew toward me from the thick dust.
Clearly bigger than an adult body.
I twisted my body reflexively to dodge the concrete block.
And then.
"...Ah!"
I remembered what was behind me.
My precious groceries—
Kwaang!!
No time to use telekinesis.
No, even if I could, I couldn't have stopped a concrete block with that much kinetic energy mid-air.
A new door had been added to our grocery store.
A gaping hole where an automatic door used to be—one you couldn't even lock.
My head was heating up.
Every morning, sweeping and cleaning the store spotless was my routine.
Thanks to the thick glass walls, the entrance hadn't completely shattered, but the spiderweb cracks were enough to spike my stress levels.
I turned around stiffly.
"A sneak attack with half a beat delay."
Vertically slit pupils glared at me from within the smoke.
"Not bad. A real fight should be like this."
More relaxed tone than expected.
The figure emerging step by step through the thick smoke brushed the dust off his shoulders.
"…You're unscathed."
"I'd already seen the turret."
Seeing it meant you could block it?
How?
"What kind of monster are you…."
My mutter made him furrow his brow.
Seemed like 'monster' rubbed him the wrong way.
"…Heard you're a magic user. Let's see what you've got."
The bastard clenched his fist tight.
And soon, a massive wall appeared before me.
'……Whoa.'
Look at the size of that fist.
The pressure was so intense I almost mistook it for an actual wall.
I lowered my stance and dodged the swung fist.
Strong wind pressure flipped my hair back, and even without contact, the shockwave tore my facial skin slightly.
'Ouch.'
If it had hit dead-on, my head and body would've separated.
Still.
The MegaCorp employee I met in the black square back then was way faster.
Dokun─.
From my dodged position, I grabbed his elbow and swung a left hook using the momentum.
Liver blow.
A fundamental human weak point—proper hit to the solar plexus and even a normal person can't breathe.
A numb sensation like hitting a hard tire with a hammer spread through my fist.
'Still, not as tough as I thought….'
I kicked him away and retreated, just as his massive fist slammed into where I'd been.
Kuwoong!!
'I can handle him?'
Of course, this wasn't everything.
Sandwiched between flying asphalt chunks.
We exchanged glances.
"Speed: pass."
"?"
Sudden evaluation made a question mark pop up over my head.
He casually scratched his side where I'd hit him.
"Strength's decent too. Heard you're a purist magic user, but this physical ability without mana circuits… Impressive. Gene mod surgery, huh?"
"What…."
"No need to hide it. Common in this line of work."
No, I don't even know what you're talking about.
As I didn't respond, he clenched his fist again.
"But refusing to use mana to the end hurts my pride a bit."
I widened my eyes.
A blue barrier formed around his fist.
That's….
"What now? Still not using it?"
"This crazy mixed-up world—."
My words cut off midway.
──!!
Then.
The whole world spun.
Kwaang!!!
Of all directions, this way again.
No chance to redirect mid-air; my body smashed through the grocery store glass.
It had been just a hole before, but now an entire glass wall collapsed.
Even as I slid across the floor on my body, I was busy checking the store.
"…Ha."
The counter with the embedded concrete chunk and the utterly wrecked interior were fully visible.
Heartbreaking.
Not because of my broken arm, but worrying when I'd clean and fix this mess.
As I slowly stood, shattered glass poured down.
'You're beyond saving.'
Have to neutralize him….
I stepped out intending to use telekinesis.
But.
"How dare you."
"……."
Nova and Liberra charging at the black tiger in fury were faster.
Nova, with specs like a walker unit produced from minerals and gas, was overpowering the guy twice her size in a contest of strength.
Asphalt crumbling beneath him as his body was slowly pushed back.
"…Didn't see this coming."
At that moment, he swiftly pulled his neck aside.
A spurt of blood a beat late.
If he hadn't dodged, it'd be a much longer gash.
The retreating black tiger clutched the neck wound with his palm and glared sharply at Liberra, who had approached unnoticed.
"…Interesting."
I wanted to applaud the sight.
But as I said, my arm was broken.
"Good job, my kids!"
Just cheered instead.
He spotted me emerging unscathed from the store and looked surprised.
"Heh, you leaped back instinctively? Reflexes worthy of awe. Makes me curious what procedure you had… Getting more interesting by the minute."
Like a beast's fur bristling in rage.
His snow-white hair and eyebrows stiffened sharply.
Like Super Sonic….
No, not that cute.
The sensation of facing an enraged predator.
"…Tch."
"Re-engaging."
Liberra and Nova took positions beside me.
A brief silence.
He naturally lowered the hand covering his neck wound.
"What the…."
The wound wriggled and healed on its own.
I had regeneration too, but this felt on another level.
While I was flustered.
He shook off the blood from his palm.
"Ever thought of coming out from under that bitch and working under me?"
Sudden recruitment pitch.
"Out of nowhere?"
"That's why I came in the first place."
Why punch then….
Wait, no, we fired first.
The black tiger pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the remaining blood.
"Bringing all your people and going full war with the mafia isn't a bad option, but the timing's a bit early."
True, few reasons for the Hakuga Group boss to come here personally.
…Thought he was just crazy.
"I can meet any conditions you want. What do you say?"
Twice as crazy as I'd thought.
I flipped him off without answering.
My broken arm throbbed, but I couldn't stand listening to his bullshit.
Conditions my ass.
His very actions made me want to puke.
"I'd rather bite my tongue off."
"No need to answer now. My number's on the card I gave you."
"Can't that beast understand human speech…."
My taunt halted his steps.
"Haha…."
A blue barrier formed over his fist again, this time sharpening like a beast's claw.
He swung his hand sideways, slashing a long gash—right across the grocery store building again.
"Taunt in moderation…."
"You fuck—."
"…??"
Stop breaking shit already!!
The black tiger looked briefly puzzled at my cursing, then leaped several meters high, scaled the building wall, and vanished somewhere.
Th-that bastard's running!
Liberra and Nova approached me worriedly, as I clutched my neck from blood pressure.
"…Is your arm okay?"
"User. Injury severity is critical."
But my eyes still chased the vanishing black tiger's back.
"Forget my arm—we gotta chase that store-wrecking bastard and beat him to death—."
"“…….”"
Slightly chill atmosphere.
"…I mean, just saying."
I awkwardly backpedaled.
On the rooftop, the Hakuga Group leader—the black tiger—freely traversed as an optical HUD popped up before his face.
His subordinate handling the organization's staff role.
"Why the call?"
"Yeah."
This was why the black tiger had awkwardly retreated.
"Pretty likable."
Especially his unyielding personality.
At that moment.
His subordinate asked hesitantly.
A worried tone.
The black tiger calmly shook his head.
"No, nothing happened."
"…Not yet."
"Fine, hang up. I'm heading back now."
Without hearing the full reply, he ended the call and gently rubbed his abdomen where Abel Anderson had struck him.
Not because it hurt.
…Gurgle.
His stomach growled from hunger.
Appetite and lust have similarities.
He barely calmed his body swelling with excitement.
'Yeah, gotta hold back here.'
Here.
The grocery store was a total wreck.
People from the vacant lot rushed over at the commotion.
"…What? A raid?"
"No unusual patrol reports…."
"What the hell happened…!"
"Hotdog Man! You okay?!"
I waved off the panicked crowd that I was fine.
But I didn't open my mouth.
Every glance at the trashed store boiled rage from deep in my dantian.
First, I calmed the panicked people.
Gathered only the core members in the warehouse.
Then dragged out the 'weapon box' I'd secretly stashed in the corner.
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I can't let this slide.
For the grocery store's revenge, at least….
"……Can't we just repair it?"
"Quiet."