Chapter 136
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 136
Chapter Title: What the Hell?!
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Where am I?
Takuya's vision suddenly shifted, and as he looked around his new surroundings, that was the thought that crossed his mind.
But that bewilderment didn't last long. Takuya, who had been through every imaginable ordeal in his life, quickly regained his composure and assessed the situation.
For instance, he checked for escape routes or quickly figured out where he might be.
In that brief moment, Takuya came to a simple conclusion.
'No escape routes. Probably inside a workshop.'
It was a straightforward assessment, but more than enough to grasp his current predicament.
It seemed Takuya had gotten dragged into something bizarre again.
And this time, without even doing anything.
'My luck...'
Takuya inwardly sighed for a moment, but shook it off.
He scanned the area, which he suspected was a workshop.
Oh, and for reference, the reason he was so sure it was a workshop was simple.
Simple and complex-looking machines were everywhere, along with disassembled parts and materials he'd never even heard of.
Places like this were typically either workshops or labs, but this one looked way too grimy to be a lab, no matter how he squinted at it.
If his memories of unwanted lab visits were accurate, labs should be piled high with paperwork, not engineer toys—not to mention they usually bothered with hygiene for any potential variables.
Takuya thought that as he started to look around.
"You rotten little brat! Why hasn't he shown up?!"
Until a thunderous roar erupted from the corner, loud enough to make him wonder if lightning had struck.
Takuya turned toward the source of the voice.
He needed to meet whoever was there and figure out what the hell was going on first.
'Still, better safe than sorry. Gotta be ready to counterattack.'
Thinking that, Takuya crept forward cautiously and soon arrived at the source.
And what was there was...
'An old man?'
A white-haired geezer with a body healthier than most young guys.
He couldn't see the face since it was turned away, but the beet-red skin suggested he wasn't in a good mood.
Takuya stared at the old man for a moment.
He figured getting involved with this guy wouldn't end well, so he started to slip away.
"Hey, you there!! Who the hell are youuuu?!"
The moment he took a step back, the old man somehow pinpointed his exact location like a ghost.
Takuya turned to see the old man's face glaring right at him, and thought...
'What now?'
Bolting might not be bad, but running off here would just make him look like the prime suspect.
Maybe talk first and bail if it went south?
"I can hear those gears turning in your head!!"
As Takuya racked his brain, the old man apparently noticed and bellowed.
Takuya hesitated—should he just run?—but decided to try talking. He approached with his hands up in surrender.
"I took a wrong turn."
Standing before the old man, Takuya finally got a good look at his face.
And his evaluation?
'This old coot ain't gonna be easy.'
Not easy at all.
More like a massive pain in the ass.
The reason was obvious from his face: pure crankiness mixed with vicious spite.
You know those teachers at school who are extra venomous?
Exactly that expression.
But with a heavy researcher vibe to the spite.
To put it precisely, if Yuzuke the geezer had the spite of a power broker, this old man had the spite brewed in isolation, festering like fine wine.
No leisure, just overflowing rage.
Normally, Takuya would've bailed on sight, but sadly, he'd chosen dialogue over escape this time. No choice but to engage.
As Takuya opened his mouth to speak...
"You! You're that rotten little brat!!"
The old man's face twisted upon seeing him, and he jabbed a finger at Takuya, yelling.
Takuya was caught off guard.
Wait, why am I the rotten brat?
Blindsided by the sudden accusation, Takuya froze, but the old man barreled on regardless.
"Hand over the clock, now!! Don't you dare shove that precious thing up your ass!!"
Takuya blinked in confusion.
A clock? Out of nowhere?
He pondered briefly, then...
'Clock? Wait, I do have one... Ah, no way?'
Remembering the part he'd gotten from farming and clearing a scenario before, he pulled it from his subspace pocket.
The moment he did, excitement overtook the old man's rage. Takuya figured withholding it might cause trouble, so he quickly handed over the part and clock.
And then...
"Yesss~!"
Snatching the clock and part, the old man's scowl melted into childlike glee—like he'd reclaimed a stolen wife. He plopped into a chair and got straight to work.
Watching the whole thing, Takuya muttered...
'What the actual fuck?'
He couldn't help the profanity.
***
How much time passed since the old man dove into his work?
Takuya couldn't say a word—the geezer radiated a "don't you dare interrupt" aura—so he just wandered the workshop.
And in doing so, he realized a few things. Well, more than a few.
First off, this wasn't your average workshop.
No normal workshop would make something like...
[Potion That Turns Men Into Bitches]
And that was just the start.
[Basic Dick Growth Implant]
[Pill That Turns Beastkin Into Furries]
[Beam That Turns Bread Into Dicks]
[Pistol That Ripens Things Perfectly]
[X-Ray Glasses]
And so on.
Setting aside the ethics of whether a workshop should even produce these, every single item screamed "does this even work?"
And after cautiously testing a few...
'Why the hell do these actually work?'
They were real.
Of course, he hadn't tested everything.
Just the X-ray glasses.
'The rest are all too sketchy for me to try.'
The basic dick implant piqued his interest, but implanting that in his spine? Pass.
Anyway, Takuya realized this place was no joke—and neither were its products.
Plus...
'This workshop has just that one old geezer.'
The only one who might hold the key to escaping was that guy fiddling with the clock.
Thinking that, he toyed with the X-ray glasses while waiting for the work to finish.
"Kuhahaha! Finally! Finally!! It's done!!"
The old man's thunderous laugh snapped him awake—he'd been drowsy, eyes closed with the glasses on. He looked over.
The old man stood from his chair, thrusting the repaired clock high— the finished product, not just the part.
Takuya approached, wondering what had him so worked up.
—Vmmm!
Suddenly, the clock hummed faintly, slipped from the old man's hand, and flew straight to Takuya.
"Wh-what?!"
Takuya stared dumbfounded at the clock now hovering before landing in his hand.
Why was the clock flying?
And he wasn't the only one shocked.
"No way! I fixed it, so why the hell's it going to that rotten brat?!"
The old man looked just as baffled.
Takuya started to ask what was happening, but...
"Kuh! So it prefers a player like him over a guy like me! Guh!!"
The old man grumbled incoherently, then...
"Filthy world!"
With that, he flailed his arms wildly.
A blinding light enveloped Takuya, and when he came to, he was back in the alley outside the workshop—the same spot from before.
Utterly confused, he looked around.
And realized.
'I'm back.'
Back to where he started.
At the same time, he wondered.
'What the hell was that?'
Weird space, shady items, bizarre old man.
Everything was off the wall.
Honestly, it felt like a dream.
But the proof it wasn't a dream was crystal clear.
[Stopwatch]
[Nude X-Ray Glasses]
The items from the workshop and the pristine golden pocket watch were undeniable evidence.
His head spun at the proof, but Takuya quickly framed it positively.
'Whatever. Free goodies, right? Cheers~'
Pocketing the watch and glasses, he resumed walking.
Takuya calmed his rattled nerves, carefully stowing the pocket watch and X-ray glasses in his pocket.
His head reeled at the confirmation it wasn't a dream, but he shrugged it off fast.
No point overthinking—nothing to gain, and weird experiences like this weren't new.
With that, Takuya headed back to the hospital.
Brimming with massive questions.