Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Real Combat
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Practical martial arts.
-This is the Quickhub transport ship. I'm Chalt Hub, the head of Quickhub Trading Company. First off, we're incredibly grateful for your help. We'll do anything you ask.
Overly deferential.
They still looked tense.
They seemed worried that we might be new pirates.
"No, we're good. Any serious injuries? How's the ship's condition?"
-...Well, we'll have to check, but the propulsion section seems damaged. It'll probably need repairs. If it's not too much trouble...
Even as Chalt spoke, R3D3's scan results on the transport ship kept coming in.
It couldn't move on its own in this state.
I didn't know their repair capabilities, but the damage wasn't something they could fix quickly.
'Hmm, what to do.'
They needed help.
But the transport was too heavy to tow with my shuttle.
I could force it, but that would likely make me late getting back to the Academy.
'Could I just leave them...?'
The signal jammer was already down.
The nearest planet was a day's trip away.
If they sent a distress signal, a rescue team should arrive within two days at most.
As long as nothing else happened, they'd be fine.
But would nothing else happen?
With suspicions about the pirates' identity so strong right now, I couldn't ignore the chance of "something else" occurring if I left them.
I pondered for a moment, then thought of another option.
"I'm tied up right now, so I can't help directly."
-Th-That's understandable. What you did is more than enough...
"Instead, I'll hand over the pirate ship I captured."
-...The pirate ship?
Under interstellar law, if piracy is confirmed, the captor gains ownership of the ship and any other assets used in the crime.
So that pirate ship was mine.
Of course, dividing proceeds with the transport ship they'd been fighting would involve more complex calculations, but since we'd taken down all the pirates, we had priority.
"The pirate ship's output should be enough to replace your damaged propulsion, right? Of course, it's not free. I'd like you to hand the captured pirates over to the planetary government and file the report."
-About our benefactor...
"Handle that however you like. Saying you got help from a passerby should be fine."
I planned to stay anonymous and dump the complications on them.
I'd let R3D3 handle everything to minimize issues.
Still, best if it all blew over like nothing happened.
-...Ah. Thank you so much. We'll transfer the pirate ship to you as soon as we arrive.
"No need. You keep it."
-Pardon?
If I was passing it all off, I might as well do it cleanly.
From my perspective, wrapping it up neatly like nothing happened was ideal.
I was about to end the call when they reacted unexpectedly.
-W-Wait a second. Benefactor, you're a Cradle of Heroes Academy cadet, aren't you?
"...Uh, yeah?"
I was startled.
They recognized me?
-Y-You even got a commendation. Leonard, right?
With my name out there, pretending otherwise was pointless.
I could hear someone next to Chalt excitedly confirming it was me.
'How did it come to this?'
I'd gotten more famous lately, but I was still a flash in the pan.
My face had been on broadcasts months ago.
I figured no one would remember it anymore, let alone get caught here.
-Wow, it's great to meet you. My kid's a cadet too, so I remembered you. To think we'd get help like this!
"...Haha. Nice to meet you."
Anyway, that changed things.
I decided to travel with them, even if it meant being late.
If something happened after I left, it'd be hard to deal with, and if handled right, it could boost my rep at the Academy.
That wasn't all.
'What the hell were those pirates?'
Their setup, motives, and boldness to pirate with a patrol fleet nearby—plenty of oddities.
I ordered R3D3 to ramp up surveillance on the pirates and began docking the ships.
Soon after docking finished, Chalt and one of his crew boarded my shuttle.
"Have a seat here."
"Thanks again for the help."
As the pressure stabilized, Chalt removed his helmet and extended a hand.
I shook it, and he gripped mine firmly with both hands.
His trembling hands showed he was still on edge.
"Hub as a last name... You have family among the second-years, right?"
"Yes. My daughter, Cheryl Hub. She'll be deployed to the front lines soon, so we won't see her for at least a year. I was on my way to visit her during this chance, busy as I am."
Made sense why I didn't recognize the name among second-years.
The destination matched too.
I planned to take a round-trip liner from the planet I was heading to back to Terra.
"That was a close call. Could've caused problems for a reserve superhuman right before deployment."
Chalt's face hardened.
He let out a heavy sigh, as if the thought alone was grim.
The woman beside him spoke up, barely containing her anger.
"Those bastards were kidnappers for sure! They mentioned us to get to my daughter—what were they planning?"
"Really?"
"They didn't say outright, but the signs point to it. They ignored the cargo hangar completely. And their weapons were for capture, not killing."
True, lots of injuries but no deaths.
Miraculous compared to typical cases.
Explained why they'd held back on easy high-powered weapons and dragged out the fight.
'Is this that?'
I recalled groups that might pull something like this.
Amid the alien invasion unity, radical factions still acted out.
Plenty existed.
But targeting Academy cadets narrowed it down.
'Probably the [Purists] or [Elohim Church].'
The groups I named were two of the space era's top three problem children.
First, the [Purists], who advocated for pure-human society and despised 'mutants' from body mods or gene edits.
Opposites were the [Next Generation], aggressively pursuing gene manipulation and mods for perfect artificial humans.
Finally, the [Elohim Church], who worshipped aliens and claimed the invasion was cosmic purification sent by higher beings.
Next Gen (or Nexters) were pro-superhuman, so unlikely culprits.
Most superhumans had 'technical enhancements' like mods.
Purists hated superhumans and viewed the Academy suspiciously.
Not all cadets, though—about 20% were pure humans, splitting Purist opinions.
Still, not healthy support, so plenty possible they'd target pure-human cadets for planned crimes.
'Either way, getting involved would be a headache... And Elohim does anything without surprise.'
No need to overthink motives.
They'd do anything for their goals.
Pure fanatics.
Elohim was seen as the tamest of the three now, but that'd change in a few years.
They'd step up with something humanity would reel from.
"You look tired. How about resting first and talking later?"
Chalt nodded positively.
His breathing finally evened out as tension eased.
I treated the injured right away.
Made treatment fluid, patched severe wounds first, and had those needing rest board my shuttle.
The rest unpacked from the pirate ship.
Locked the remaining pirates in a hangar corner.
Uncomfortable, sure, but given what they'd done, they'd take it.
Once sorted, I quietly called R3D3.
"Anything? Hear anything?"
-No conversations at all.
"Even locked up together?"
-Yes.
"Trained pros?"
-Doesn't seem so. No signs of professional training from their combat behavior.
Might've deliberately used amateurs for the job.
"Hmm..."
-We can use simple drugs and interrogation to extract info. Proceed?
"...No."
I shook my head after a moment.
Wrong move could snowball into a real mess.
Doubtful it'd yield much anyway.
This case was shit.
The kind that sticks if touched.
It already smelled, but if I didn't dig deeper, they probably wouldn't bother with me.
'Not yet.'
An issue to address eventually.
But not time to stick my neck out.
"Just leave them. Hand to the military. Alliance HQ handles the rest. We just stay vigilant till then."
-Understood, Master. Beep!
The three linked ships slowly crossed space.
Silence hung inside.
*
Finally reached the Academy.
Even rushing, I was late.
But pre-reporting the situation let the headmaster waive punishment.
The real issue was elsewhere.
Unlike my expectations, the incident blew up big.
Not just Academy-wide—broadcast across Human Alliance, my name back in the news.
"Damn it..."
-Why, bro? Don't like my face?
"I said keep it quiet."
I fumed at the hologram before me.
Napahel just grinned wider.
Too realistic tech was annoying sometimes.
Wanted to punch him, couldn't.
-Pfft! Told you I'd use you as our family star. Can't miss a golden chance.
"Yeah, right."
Miscalculation.
If I wanted secrecy, should've smoothed it over even after Chalt recognized me.
Forgot the Monarch family was watching—news was inevitable.
And Napahel ignored my wishes.
Another person might've at least asked.
Credit for calling to calm me after stirring it up.
"Could've given a heads-up at least."
-Eh, wouldn't change anything?
I nodded agreeably.
Honestly, different from my prediction, but not bad.
'Might be I'm over-worrying...'
Superhumans were Alliance heroes now, Academy cadets future ones to protect.
Whatever group was behind it, they'd lay low for a while.
And whatever they planned, targeting cadets would stop.
"Heard anything?"
-The pirates? Nothing solid yet, but if something pops, I'll pass it on. They can't keep quiet from us forever.
"Yeah. Tell me straight if you hear—no holding back. I'll call it even."
-Of course.
I shrugged.
Name was out there anyway.
Riding with Monarchs, glory-hungry nobles? Fine for boosting value.
"How's the research?"
-Ah, wanted to talk about that. Where'd this data come from? Lab kids nearly fainted in shock.
"Any progress?"
Referring to the 'cosmetics' research handed over per agreement with Director Fontana.
Even great info's worthless without results.
-You bet! In real-use testing now.
"...Already?"
Less than a month since handover—beyond fast.
How'd they run that lab?
If not rude, I'd ask.