Chapter 29
Chapter 29
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 029
Chapter Title: Madness
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A perfectly executed [Internal Force Fist Punch] crumpled Gibson's face, sending his body hurtling down toward the street below.
Kyle realized with a start.
[Internal Force Fist Punch]
Enhanced: Generates a powerful shockwave
'Oh no, did I hit him too hard?!'
His entire body was laced with implants, so he wouldn't die from an Internal Force Fist Punch, but this was a genuine skyscraper.
If he fell like this, military-grade implants or not, he'd shatter into pieces.
Kyle slammed both hands into the wall and planted his feet, firing off [Wereking Step] once more.
"Urgh...!"
The massive recoil hit him all at once.
No wonder it was a technique used by werewolves.
Every time he unleashed [Wereking Step], he could feel his muscles twisting and tearing because his stats couldn't keep up.
But at this point, that was a minor issue.
Resetting his body instantly with the curse, he shot toward Gibson faster than gravity could pull.
That's when he spotted another party underway on a lower balcony.
Upper-class citizens chatting leisurely on a balcony covered in red carpet.
Just before the unconscious Gibson reached it, Kyle barely managed to grab his arm.
A sickening crunch echoed as the implant-replaced shoulder twisted, but Kyle ignored it.
With the balcony just inches away, he finally gripped an external fixture with his left hand.
Gibson's body whipped downward like a rope under the pull of gravity.
Kyle swallowed hard as Gibson's leg just grazed the balcony.
'Wow.'
That shaved off ten years of my life.
The elite citizens below carried on their pleasant conversation, oblivious to the middle-aged man dangling right above their heads.
"Oh my, is that so? Hee-hee."
"Yes. And then the company..."
"......"
Kyle gulped involuntarily and quietly hauled Gibson up.
That's when the Intelligence Agency agent's exasperated voice crackled in his ear.
*
In an office far from the skyscraper, Intelligence Agency agent Jim Gordon, who had been monitoring the operation, still couldn't believe what he'd just witnessed.
'Wasn't he supposed to be a mage?'
So what the hell was that display outside the building?
'A natural without implants, how...'
Climbing walls at insane speeds was one thing.
But punches with impossible power?
It didn't match any mage combat style he knew.
'...Is that some kind of magic too?'
He had no idea.
Maybe heretical mages had a school like that.
Especially from the 8th Special District—anything could crawl out of that demon den.
"Honestly, a bit unexpected."
His fellow agent Cassie pushed up her glasses and chimed in.
"I figured since he's from a penal unit, he wouldn't be very professional."
That's why she'd strongly opposed HQ's decision to deploy him, even temporarily removing his bomb collar for operational reasons.
She still remembered what the section chief had said.
'The bomb collar's just for show anyway. He's got skills that make it pointless. Just follow orders.'
So what kind of guy was he?
But look at this.
Despite being a serious criminal, he was surprisingly docile and followed orders to the letter during the op.
They'd stressed not letting the other party leader alert any citizens, and he'd pulled it off impressively.
'And that freakish skill on top...'
Yet he didn't brag or strut—not even a little. That earned him points.
She let out a quiet sigh.
'Our rapid response team could learn a thing or two.'
Hell, she'd love to recruit Kyle Clark straight into rapid response.
Jim Gordon smacked his lips, clearly thinking the same.
"Shame he's a penal unit convict."
"...Yeah."
That's when it happened.
"Senior!"
The rookie next to them called out.
"High-speed shuttles approaching fast!"
"High-speed shuttles?"
Two VTOL transports sliced through the skyscraper forest, blue engines flashing.
"What the hell?!"
Cassie finished her quick analysis.
"Merida Security..."
Her eyes widened.
"Merida Insurance Company's special security team!"
"Why are they here?!"
"No idea! Gibson never signed up for that service, even with his private security..."
A sudden thought hit her, and she spoke up.
"No way..."
Her pupils trembled.
"To silence him in case of emergencies...?"
"What?"
*
"So that means..."
"Things were going too smoothly!"
'Marie Fleetwood, you bitch!'
With Gibson slung over his back, Kyle scaled the wall again and unleashed [Wereking Step] to kick off the building with all his might.
His superhuman propulsion sent him rocketing forward.
He landed lightly on the next rooftop and fired off another [Wereking Step], shouting,
"Where's the neural data chip?!"
"Even if you say that...!"
The extraction point was still far off.
Then, amid roaring engines, meteors streaked over his head, drawing glowing trails before slamming down like autocannon fire.
Boom boom boom boom boom!!
"Crazy!"
'In the central admin district?!'
Kyle dodged with [Wereking Step] and realized the meteors were arrows. He was dumbfounded.
'What kind of arrows are these?'
Another volley rained down, forcing him to hurl himself to the next building.
The spot he'd been standing exploded with lethal force, pulverizing it.
Kaboom! Dust billowed up, and Kyle stared in disbelief.
"Do they even want to rescue this guy?"
If that had hit, sure, he'd survive—but Gibson would've been paste.
Jim from Intelligence replied.
"Then what?"
"......"
Whistle.
If they couldn't have him, better dead. Kyle clicked his tongue at their ruthless mindset.
'But this implies there's someone else behind Gibson...'
Just then, an insurance shuttle screamed overhead.
"That bastard's dodging like a pro!"
The security team's magus archer nocked another arrow at Kyle and yelled.
"Annoying!"
The arrow split into dozens mid-flight, infused with strange mana, raining down like a meteor shower.
Boom boom boom boom boom!!
But Kyle evaded every one with otherworldly agility.
Ranjha, the team leader, narrowed his eyes at the display.
'That eerie movement...'
It felt just like a wolf's nimbleness. He grabbed the archer's shoulder.
"Stop, Scott."
"...! Boss?"
"Pilot. Match his altitude."
The shuttle adjusted to track Kyle sprinting across the rooftop.
Ranjha drew his staff and activated it.
A massive wind barrier erupted, blocking Kyle's path in an instant.
"...!"
It wouldn't hold him long, but that was fine.
Scott gaped at the battered staff in Ranjha's hand.
"B-Boss?! That magic artifact...!"
The wind mana churned violently, enough to rock the shuttle.
A prickling dread at his nape made Kyle hurl Gibson backward just as—
"!?"
A razor-sharp windstorm devoured his position like a beast.
Kaboom!!
The rooftop was literally shredded.
That power could've blendered the whole building from above. Everyone froze, jaws dropped.
Through the clearing dust, a shadow emerged.
"!!"
The security team stared in horror.
Right in the epicenter of the direct-hit spell stood a man.
Not pushed back a single step.
"What the... how..."
Aside from his shredded suit, he looked utterly unscathed. Disbelief rippled through them.
"How's he standing there fine?"
"What the hell is he?"
"Is that even human?"
Kyle exhaled softly.
'Whoa, that was close.'
He'd been diced to bits a dozen times in that split second, but his boosted endurance let him tank it as a shield.
Glancing back, Gibson lay intact from the torso up—arms and legs gone, but whatever.
'Limbs are implants anyway. He'll manage.'
Meanwhile, the two shuttles circled, boxing him in.
Tension thickened. Scott asked,
"B-Boss. What now?"
"......"
Ranjha stared silently at Kyle, then swallowed hard.
'It's definite.'
That familiar uncanny movement, and zero damage from a direct hit on top of that durability...
Cold sweat beaded from fear.
'He's a Bearwolf.'
If vampires had great bloodlines with progenitor sires, werewolves had Bearwolves—the pinnacle of their kind.
Ranjha, who knew their true power as apex predators, couldn't move a muscle.
'Damn it, we picked the wrong fight...!'
If that thing went all out, no one here would survive!
"B-Boss...?"
"Everyone, freeze...!!"
Ranjha's pale face twisted as he bellowed. The team flinched.
"Push him more, and we're all dead!"
"!!"
Scott and the others' eyes bulged.
They'd never seen their cool-headed leader like this.
They watched Kyle tensely.
Sure, he'd shrugged off the spell, so he wasn't normal.
'What kind of monster is he to rattle the boss like this?!'
Kyle narrowed his eyes at the weird shift in vibe.
'What's their deal?'
These aggressive attackers were suddenly treating him like a live bomb.
'Some kind of trick?'
As he edged back and scooped up Gibson, the sky darkened with a boom boom boom!
Storm clouds rolled in unexpectedly. Everyone, Kyle included, looked up.
Flash! A bolt of azure lightning tore through the night, piercing one shuttle's engine dead-on.
"!?"
Whoomph!
And it didn't stop.
Another bolt struck, igniting the second shuttle's engine.
The shuttles fought to stabilize amid the chaos.
Kyle frowned.
'Lightning magic?'
He had no clue what was happening.
'But...!'
This was his chance.
With Gibson on his back, he triggered [Wereking Step] again.
Whoosh!
In a blink, he blasted through the shuttles.
Startled, Scott drew his bow, but Ranjha stopped him.
"Stand down...!"
"...!"
"That guy's..."
He exhaled shakily.
"...beyond us."
His hands still trembled with fear.
*
A bit later than planned, but atop a maglev train zipping through the admin district—illegally boarded—Kyle sighed in relief.
"Phew..."
'Guarding's way harder than attacking.'
He'd nearly blown the mission.
Lifting Gibson by the neck, he popped open the panel at the nape.
"This it?"
As the agent described, there was an insertion port. He yanked out the neural data chip and crushed it.
'Just a backup anyway.'
Gibson would spill the real intel once he woke.
"You're Mr. Clark, right?"
"?!"
The sudden voice startled him. He whipped around.
And there she was—Marie Fleetwood in a prim dress and her old hood, gazing up with sparkling eyes.
She asked again.
"Right?"
"??????"
Kyle just blinked in bewilderment.
"No..."
He didn't even get to ask how.
"Knew it. Wasn't seeing things at the party. Yup."
Nodding to herself, she thrust out her hand.
"...?"
A gem of a different hue rested on her palm.
"I managed a really pure cut this time!"
"Uh..."
"Take it, and show me some magic like last time?"
Kyle gaped at the absurdity and countered,
"...Wait, you chased me all the way here for that?"
Marie Fleetwood nodded vigorously.
"Yes!"
"......"
Kyle was utterly speechless at her otherworldly madness.