Chapter 178
Chapter 178
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 178
Chapter Title: Rosé Packs a Punch
-----------------------------------------------------------------
It hadn't been long since she learned it, but she already looked proficient.
But then Rosé, whose cheeks were growing redder by the second, squeezed her eyes shut and yelled, "...Ugh!"
"Gah!!"
A shock pierced straight through to my back. I clutched my stomach and rolled on the ground.
A real no-holds-barred strike.
If I were a regular person, my gut would've been punctured.
"You okay?"
Only after I'd been lying there for a while did she finally come over, poking me worriedly.
She even smacked my butt, as if to spread out the pain. "This is Lemon's fault."
"What did I..."
"We almost had a disaster."
"What disaster? And so what if there was one? What more could happen besides a kiss in that state?"
"Besides a kiss...?"
She suddenly looked upset again.
Why was her mood swinging so wildly today? 'Is it that time of the month...?'
Probably.
From what I'd seen online, this was exactly when you had to step up.
"You look extra pretty today. Did you do your makeup or something?"
"Mm..."
Rosé made it clear she wasn't thrilled, then let out a sigh.
I handed her the snacks I'd been saving and got to the point of my visit.
At least she took the food. That was a relief.
"So, what's up?"
"I heard about that."
"...?"
"Back then, in the conference room. You fought because of me? The bald captain told me."
"That damn guy..."
Why'd he have to go and say that.
I'd kept quiet about it on purpose.
I figured if she heard Bashmut's offer, she might waver.
I'd decided to shut down even the slightest possibility.
But if he'd spilled it, what was the point?
It could've even backfired.
I waited anxiously for Rosé's next words.
"You did good."
"...Huh?"
Not what I'd expected.
She seemed angry, but not at me—at Bashmut.
"I'd have praised you more if you'd landed a solid hit. Who does he think he is, ordering me around? Right?"
"Uh..."
"And he said I'd get stronger faster with him? That's nonsense. I level up quickest with you, Lemon."
Now it was my turn to blush.
I stared at her, mesmerized. She was showing such a reliable side.
Today's Rosé felt like more than I could handle.
'Definitely Rosé, though.'
She met my eyes and grinned.
I flinched and looked away.
Then her voice whispered in my ear again.
"I've been thinking... This all happens because we're too weak."
"Yeah...?!"
Wait, that's not it.
"Right? If you were stronger, Lemon, would that big-sword guy have looked down on you like that?"
"No, that's not... I mean..."
I knew exactly what was coming next, and I squirmed.
"See? So there's only one answer. Training! Nothing but training. You think so too, right, Lemon?"
"..."
"Once this job's done and we're back, let's start training again. We'll work hard together until no one looks down on us."
It hadn't even been that long since special training ended.
I swallowed a silent groan.
I was starting to truly hate Bashmut, the root of all this.
*
Diubai Planet had pretty extreme temperature swings.
Hot during the day, cold at night.
That was why the locals paid so much attention to their clothes.
Half the people walking the streets right now were bundled up in full-body suits—everyday all-in-one gear with insulation and heating functions.
They looked bulky, like a group of people in mascot costumes shuffling around.
"I wanna wear one of those."
"The actual feel isn't that great, miss."
"You've tried it?"
"Yep. Feels especially stuffy if you're used to moving your body. Would be even worse for a martial artist like you."
Maybe it was the strong sunlight, but Saladian's bald head seemed to shine even brighter here.
I trailed behind the two of them, quietly scanning our surroundings as they chattered away.
We were on the road heading to the city outskirts.
But there weren't many buildings around.
It felt downright desolate.
There was a reason for that, though.
To withstand the temperature swings, most structures used a semi-buried construction method. You could spot the mound-like protrusions everywhere, like graves.
Those were all buildings.
'Not quite what you'd call an underground city, though.'
No signs, but navigation made it easy to find our way.
"Huh? What's that?"
"A local critter called a cluckbird. Named for the clucking sound it makes when it breathes. You see them everywhere here."
"Is it tasty?"
"Quite the delicacy. Want to try one?"
"Of course!"
"Alright. I'll treat you to dinner once the job's done."
"Baldie Uncle's the best!"
One minute she's on guard, the next she's treating him like an ally because he offers food.
'Need to wrap this up quick and head home.'
The world outside is full of kidnappers lurking everywhere.
I squeezed between them and pointed ahead at what looked like a massive tumulus on a hill.
"That it?"
"Yep."
"Even on the outskirts of a big city, they're using it openly. Ballsy."
"This city started as a Union Army outpost during the planet's early development. That mound was their HQ."
"So instead of hiding it halfway, they stashed the monster somewhere under their influence?"
"They must've felt secure about security. If it weren't for someone like me, no one would know."
Monsters carried alien factors.
Meaning they showed contamination reactions.
Normally impossible to hide, but if the military—responsible for surveillance—was involved, that changed things.
"You sure?"
"...Not 100%. Maybe 80-90%?"
"Hmm..."
"I've caught signs of monsters being moved through there multiple times. Most recent was yesterday—they went in but didn't come out. So odds are even higher today."
I had no choice but to mull over Saladian's words.
If we failed, it'd be like committing a crime against the military.
We'd be in deep trouble immediately.
'Failure's not an option.'
With Darmosa backing me, we wouldn't get slapped with treason right away, but it'd still be a major blow.
The Superhuman Unit formation would be dead in the water for sure.
Too many risks to bet on probabilities.
'...In that case.'
I looked at Saladian and asked again.
"You said that's not the only suspicious spot, right? Tell me all of them now."
"Here."
I checked the info right away.
Three spots on this planet alone.
A few more on nearby planets.
'Start with that one.'
I awakened my senses.
Just scanning within 300 meters, but to be thorough, I activated my horns too.
My sensory field shot out, reaching the HQ building.
I swept from the ceiling down to the basement, leaving no corner unchecked.
Target: alien reactions.
The reactions from a monster's mixed alien factors weren't that strong, but the fact that they were blended with alien made them stick out to my senses anyway.
Nothing.
There were alien reactions, but not from a monster.
Just two Claw specimens, probably held briefly for experiments or some unknown purpose.
No monster reactions anywhere.
'Did he lie?'
Saladian had pegged the odds at over 90% for that building.
But no monster.
Instead, my senses picked up multiple energy signatures rivaling superhumans.
'...Why...?'
Not just any superhumans—elite-level ones, at least ten of them.
'And one in particular is especially strong. Wouldn't lose to Saladian.'
He'd said that building belonged to the military.
But would the military have that many powerhouses hanging around?
Sure, possible.
Raid a few legions, and you could fill those ranks.
But all clustered right when we were about to raid? No explanation for that.
I eyed Saladian again.
Nothing off about him supporting Rosé's words.
'Sleazy guy, but not the type to scheme like this.'
He was a canon character.
They put real effort into his ability design, but plot tangles kept him off-screen.
So I remembered his personality pretty well.
'If not Saladian, then a pre-set trap.'
Setting a trap meant they'd read his movements perfectly.
They probably hadn't anticipated me and Rosé, but no evidence meant we'd still get nabbed on entry.
"What's wrong?"
"Hold on." He picked up on my vibe and cut the chit-chat.
I kept expanding my senses.
The other two spots Saladian flagged were in adjacent cities.
Close enough to cover with expanded senses.
I pushed until my head throbbed faintly, finally hitting my goal.
'No there either.'
Failed to find alien traces at the other two.
But expanding my senses turned up a monster reaction in an unexpected spot.
I cross-checked the location with the map, realized something, and spoke to Saladian.
"Looks like you owe me one, Captain."
"Found something?"
I nodded and summoned the shuttle we'd come in on.
"We need to head back where we started. Got any gear you can hack?"
"All security-locked."
"Don't tell anyone our destination."
"..."
"And the opposition seems worse than we thought."
Soon, the shuttle hovered overhead.
We jumped aboard, and I took the pilot's seat.
Switched from auto to manual and ramped up speed.
"We'll have to make a scene the second we arrive. Louder and flashier the better, so keep that in mind."
"Making a spectacle? Right up my alley."
Saladian got it instantly.
The shuttle tore across Diubai's skies at max speed.
Saladian didn't clock the destination until halfway, then jolted in realization.
"That's..."
His face twisted fiercely.
Our target: the desert Superhuman Unit's ground outpost, the one we'd passed on the way into the city.
"See that transport ship?"
"Hm..."
"When and where'd it come from?"
"Regular supply shuttle to the outpost. Wasn't scheduled for today, but they said the timeline got bumped up. That's the target?"
"Yes."
" Odds?"
"100%."
Our eyes met.
Saladian peered into mine for a moment, then nodded.
"I trust you."
I waited for him to head to the hatch, then unlocked it.
'Probably prepped to backstab in a pinch, but now we can turn the tables.'
The second we reached the spot, Saladian leaped out.
The shuttle near-sonic speed? No issue for him.
"I'm going too!"
Rosé followed right after.
I'd meant to say "together," but they were already gone.
I smacked my lips, halted the shuttle, and chased after them.
BOOM!!
The instant I landed, a massive explosion rocked my ears.
'Already started.'
The supply shuttle lay in three chunks, erupting in flames—somehow he'd sliced it up.
Saladian didn't stop there.
Sand surged at his touch, coalescing into a colossal dragon.
The dragon roared silently, then hammered the wrecked supply ship once more.
"...Good showmanship. Film it all."
-Am I the director today, Master?
"Shoot it well, and there's a reward."
-I'll title it "Bald Fury Against the Flames."
"Already feels Oscar-nominated."
Chit-chat ended there.
Outpost soldiers and unit members were rushing out amid the sudden chaos.