Chapter 125
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 125
Chapter Title: Vacation (3)
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[Head Counselor: Look up at the sky. Surprisingly, the world might not care about us at all.]
[A: It's not about the world. It's personal. Between individuals. There was just a little misunderstanding.]
[Head Counselor: What kind of misunderstanding?]
[A: Ah; uh……;]
I'm walking while replying on my smartphone.
It probably wasn't entirely wrong advice.
[A: Give me a moment. I need to prepare myself mentally…… I'll contact you again later.]
I'd borrowed psychiatry textbooks from Akane and memorized them directly into my Notebook like Latynel script.
Being specialized knowledge, it took up nearly 10 units of capacity.
I'll erase it from my head the moment the counseling ends.
—Out of the way! Move!
Vrooom—!
Something streaked over my head—a skyboard. It had a magic formula slapped onto the engine's rear for output beyond stock.
Pretty dangerous and obnoxious way to get around, but no one on the street bats an eye. No one complains or gets mad. If you pulled that in the capital right now, you'd be in irons immediately.
That's because this is Tricity, a city where common sense runs different.
Right now, I'm strolling through Tricity not as Sion Askal, but as "Dale Kal."
Putting Akane's training method into practice, and job hunting while I'm at it.
—Whoooa~!
I glared at the still-raging skyboard's engine with the SZX-9500 Mana Optics Microscope. Suddenly, the magic formula invisible to the naked eye came into view.
A level 3 magic formula. If I had to name it, something like Acceleration.
I opened my Notebook.
■ Memories
■ Magic Formulas
A new [Magic Formulas] folder under [Memories].
If I recall the actual magic formula I just observed here, it gets filed and pasted as-is.
■ Magic Formulas
└Acceleration
Saving it like this means I can pull it out anytime without digging through memories. As long as my mana reaches, of course.
Kwaaaaah—!
A sudden roar echoed, and I turned that way. A ferocious blaze. A pillar of fire mushrooming upward. It exploded inside some cube, then fizzled out.
—Behold the performance of the level 5 magic formula 'Lumir Cube.' Available now at a special price of 5,999 ren from Trinity Industry.
The flame was level 4, the cube level 5. I copied both magic formulas into my Notebook exactly.
And that's not all.
Chimney-top purifiers for exhaust. A puppy robot whose entire brain was a magic formula. Brooms sweeping the ground on their own in midair, and more...
Through the SZX-9500's lens, Tricity looked alive with mana. Formulas sprouting unregulated like particles drifting toward me.
Suddenly, Akane's insight hit home.
Just walking Tricity's streets was learning for me.
She's right.
These diverse formulas and free-flowing mana would build the foundation of my Notebook, nourishing its database to grow.
"...Ow, my head."
Pain flared. Side effect of staring at mana too long. I pressed my temples and turned off the SZX-9500.
The world returned to normal.
By then, I'd reached my destination.
[Section D-44]
D-44 sector.
Tricity's closest to the underworld. Dim atmosphere, neon signs and power lines tangled over buildings.
Streets lined with monster corpses, stalls hawking illegal gear. Pedestrians far from normal—gas masks, modded mech limbs, full-body tattoos standard. Even a whiff of 'freak' energy here and there.
The reason I came here? A bar.
[Whiskey, One Glass]
Flickering neon sign.
I pushed open the door. Midday hush inside. A few drunks slumped over tables, just the bartender at the counter.
I approached him.
"New face this early. What'll it be?"
Middle-aged giant easily over 2m—Gustav Berenjo. Nice to see a familiar face after so long.
"First-timer? How about the bartender's pick, 'Baras's Tear'?"
He's a good guy. Despite a shady past.
"Work."
"...Hm?"
"Looking for a job."
Gustav eyed me silently. His face went slack as he poured beer into a big mug.
"Kid. Have a drink and head out."
"Not beer. Got 'Rail's Sigh'?"
Slang for 'sent by someone.' No actual intro, of course.
"...Hmmm."
Gustav scratched his sideburns.
"Well... Ever heard of the dark web? We're pretty advanced these days."
"EasyCash."
I gave my ID right away. Gustav checked his smartphone.
"Level 11... Young early adopter, huh?"
Mostly from selling department store gift cards, but level 11's solid for D sector.
"Won't ask who referred you. What line of work you selling?"
I answered immediately.
"Mage."
"..."
Gustav blinked.
"Mage... Common yet rare profession."
Meaning lots of fake scam artists.
"Name?"
This bar? Gustav's a broker. Hooks people up for illegal or lawless gigs.
Why seek him out? S-grade freak Growl—the guy meant to be Jedric's future ally. Lesson learned there.
"...Kal."
Even if Sion Askal climbs high in Libra, if their manpower and unity stay as brittle as pre-regression, there'll be limits.
So, some external 'pruning' to weaken them is necessary.
Like preemptively cutting out Growl.
"Dale Kal."
Dale Kal exists solely for money and revenge.
"..."
Gustav snapped his fingers seriously. A blue barrier bloomed around us.
"Kanya's mage was you?"
I nodded. Kanya's Tricity's fixer on the outskirts. Owns 51% of this bar.
"Selling formulas but chasing gigs like this? People's circumstances vary. Lucky timing—got a job needing hands."
Gustav pulled a file from under the counter and handed it over.
"Noble 'Ramil Bara.' Know him?"
"B-sector pillar. Prepping for elections now, right?"
"Yep. Some crazy hyenas grave-robbed his grandfather's tomb. Butchered the gravekeeper and guards, carved up the corpse."
Hyenas: Tricity slang for armed syndicates.
"Family hired mercs first, but bar gigs trickled down too. Multiple targets."
I skimmed the file.
"Our cut: one guy, 'Miller Adams.' Took the grandfather's hand. Kill or capture, 10,000 DP. Return the hand, 40,000 DP."
Miller Adams. Worn face. 183cm, 65kg scrawny low-rank sorcerer.
No one I know.
"Good pay for a first job."
"Leads?"
"His ride turned up at our sector's edge. We searched it, but here's the address if you want."
"Send it."
I handed back the file. Gustav stowed it while asking,
"Got wheels?"
"..."
I nodded at the counter side. Skyboard leaning by the jukebox.
"Can I borrow it?"
Looked fun riding around earlier.
Rrrumble!
I parked the skyboard.
Gustav's coordinates. Abandoned car smack in a forest path. Footprints everywhere—lots of visitors.
Slam— Popped the door. Interior plain, but I sat in the dusty back seat.
Huuu...
Deep breath, eyes closed.
Slowly probed the car's past. Rewound the space's memories via Notebook.
—We're going!
Sudden frantic voice. I open my eyes.
—Fuck that more than anything! Boss asshole, tell that fucker to pick up!
Driver's seat: Miller Adams. Matching the file photo, raging on the phone.
I watch him quietly from the back.
—Buried one hand for now. I'll grab it once things cool.
Wipes snot and sweat nonstop, blabbering.
—Why the fuck would I tell you the spot? How do I trust you fucks! I didn't even know it'd be like this!
Car stops. Click—Side brake up.
—Before I fucking gut you! Thought it was just killing and grave-digging! Why's 'Paradise Lost' butting in!
Miller steps out.
—Listen good. No word till my safety's guaranteed...
Bam!
Door shuts. Memory ends.
I rewind further.
Not where he gets out, but first where he gets in.
—Listen good. No word till my safety's guaranteed...
Miller returns inside.
Car backs up, gripping the wheel.
Scene reverses. Soon, dirt-caked Adams climbs in, like he buried something.
—Fucking bastards think I'm a sucker. One finger's a million ren—how much for a whole hand...
As he starts the engine, I look out the window.
A 'mountain.'
Not far: Gern Mountain in D-43 sector.
"...Done."
Released the memory, hopped out, mounted the skyboard.
...
Gern Mountain, D-43 sector.
I'm trekking up. Wand gripped just in case, eyes closed, sniffing with Treasure Hunter.
Location comes naturally.
Dunno why, but the stolen corpse felt like treasure.
Sniff sniff— Sniff sniff—
Stopped at a flat spot.
Around here.
Exactly... under my feet.
Prodded the ground with my toe a few times.
Click— Something triggered. Magic formula. Alerts if dug up.
"...He's coming."
Safety measure, but works for me. No hunting needed—10,000 ren walking right in.
I waited before digging. Still. Wristwatch: 5 minutes.
Yawned through 15.
[A: Am I late? 4 hours passed. Please open a new session.]
[A: Not 'please,' again.]
Handled [A]'s counseling on my phone: 30 minutes.
Tatata—!
Frantic footsteps from the mountain base.
Below the foothills. One guy sprinting here, gasping.
"Hah... Hah..."
Sweat-drenched, he glares at me.
"Hey!"
"Finally here? If it'll take 30 minutes, why bother with the formula?"
"Who the fuck sent y—"
He draws his hip pistol. I raise my wand. Fire a pebble with Acceleration.
Bang!
Kwaa—!
Pebbles and bullet fire together, but the pebble crushes the bullet and blows off his whole right hand.
Kwaa, kuaaaah—!
Handless, he screams, rolls, passes out.
"...Level 3."
I was mildly surprised.
Output didn't match.
Just replicated this morning's acceleration formula exactly...
Level 3 with that power? Could pass for 4, even 5.
—Such thoughts flashing.
────Whiiiiiir.
Vibration through the air. Space trembling.
Killing intent.
Instinctively, Perion surges. Thoughts accelerate wildly.
In that speed, I spot it.
Blue line streaking. Sniper formula from somewhere on the ridge.
Sensed the ambush—relic activates. Left arm burns hot. Road gravel floats up, forming a shield.
Chrrrrrr!
The stone barrier blocks the plunging line. Catches the spinning projectile, reversing its spin by force.
"..."
I watch. Mana-condensed bullet.
Losing mana slowly against the barrier. Four overlaid formulas.
Thanks to Perion? Their purpose and principles decode instantly.
Magic Bullet, Spin, Detonation, Targeting.
New ways to use them pop up naturally.
I point my wand at the halted bullet. Add Acceleration.
Whirrr...
Bullet spins pinned in the barrier. I infuse mana into the enemy's lingering formulas, reactivating.
But tweak trajectory and path.
Simple.
Reverse the circuits I see—that's it.
Craaack...
Acceleration deepens uncontrollably. My edited formulas flip the bullet's vector.
Same trajectory that reached me.
Reverse direction on launch.
Lock the angle, fire.
—Snap.
Release the held bullet. Odd weakness washes over me, then—
Kwaaaaaah—!
Blue mana shatters air, shooting up like a comet. I watch the soaring streak calmly.
"..."
Amazing.
I'd just recycled and returned the enemy's magic formula.
Yet mine was twice as thick and massive.