Chapter 46
Chapter 46
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 046
Chapter Title: Eye Contact
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"When do we head out?"
Samuel pushed up his glasses and asked.
"Right now."
"This is ridiculous. They expect us to move with some criminal scum?"
Roach from the Intelligence Agency's Rapid Response Team said in disbelief.
"Just follow orders for now. It's the section chief's command."
"But Captain, doesn't this feel like they're just disrespecting us no matter how you look at it?"
Another team member, Mask, who was riding in the low-noise tactical vehicle, nodded in agreement.
"No matter how skilled he is, including an illegal immigrant in an op this important? Even for support team, this crosses the line!"
"Honestly, don't you think so too, Captain?"
"I heard the support team leader and Cash pushed for him hard."
"Those desk-jockey lifers think they know field ops and stick their noses in? What a joke."
"That 'skill' they keep hyping is probably just some lame police propaganda anyway!"
Rain, the leader of the Rapid Response Team, responded with silence.
But though he said nothing, resentment was building inside him too.
It felt like the support team was looking down on them.
At this point, it was a matter of pride.
They were the elite veterans of the Intelligence Agency. The very idea that they needed help from a non-citizen—worse, a serious criminal—was humiliating.
"Doesn't matter. Field command is still mine anyway."
Rain said.
"We just gotta bring the guy along."
They figured they could handle the mission just fine on their own.
No need for some criminal's help.
"So we treat him like a scarecrow just standing there?"
"Exactly."
He'd never liked the support team much anyway. Nitpicking desk-jockeys with no real skills.
'Now they're meddling in our turf—the field?'
The support team had started this pissing contest.
No way he'd play along nicely now.
"There he is."
At the end of their gaze stood a young man who looked barely twenty.
"One thing before we move out."
This was the first thing the apparent team leader spat out upon linking up with the Intelligence Agency's Rapid Response Team.
"One: No chit-chat, just follow behind us. Two: Do nothing. Three: Don't forget one and two. Got it?"
"......"
This felt like déjà vu somehow.
Kyle nodded anyway.
"Sure. Whatever you say."
If they handled everything and he just stood by, that was perfect for him.
100 million just for showing up, up to 400 million. No sweat.
'Looks like all three are overflowing with confidence. I can treat this like a nighttime stroll.'
Just then, Roach passed by Kyle with a sour face and whispered.
"Cocky bastard."
"...???"
Kyle scratched his head at the baseless hostility.
'What's his deal?'
Then Rain, the team leader, began a quick briefing.
"Hideout's about 2km northeast from here. If the informant's still alive, they'll be holed up there."
"Rescue signal was picked up four hours ago. Better hurry."
"Check implant battery levels. Black Forest messes with long-range comms, so hit hard and fast. Understood?"
"Yes."
At the same time, a faint light hummed over their bodies with a soft whir.
"No stragglers."
With that, the team leader kicked off the ground, and the three dashed madly into the dark forest.
Roach chuckled over their private comms channel.
"What's with all the secret whispers?"
The three response team members' eyes widened at the prisoner now matching their pace effortlessly.
They wondered if he'd used some magic, but no.
Rain muttered after scanning Kyle quickly with his eye implants, making the other two flinch.
'That means...'
'Pure physical ability?'
'Is that even possible?'
Kyle blinked at their incredulous stares.
"...?"
'Why are they staring? Eyes on the front.'
True to its name, the Black Forest was oppressively dark. Tree canopies blotted out the sky unless you craned your neck all the way back. The path was lit only by faint sunlight filtering through and glowing mushrooms near the roots.
Kyle glanced at the three leading the way.
'They've got the build, but normal proportions. Combat power doesn't seem that high.'
Implants usually bulked up with power output.
'Special lightweight models for intel work, maybe?'
Made sense for stealth ops.
"Almost there. Enemy presence?"
"None."
"Confirmed."
They arrived at a small clearing and checked their position again.
"This the spot?"
"Affirmative."
"Set booby traps."
"Confirmed."
Shoulder implants opened, releasing drone traps that scattered outward.
Meanwhile, Rain scanned the ground and found a hidden lever in the brush.
He signaled, and Roach and Mask readied their guns.
Rain yanked the lever.
The underground hideout door rumbled open.
"Breaching."
"Roger."
The two rushed in, Rain following.
"Hm..."
Kyle watched silently, then scratched his head and descended the stairs late.
A musty dampness hit his nose.
'They built a spot like this somehow.'
Narrow and dark inside, but stocked with preserved food, implant chargers—everything for a few days' survival.
Then voices from deeper in.
"Informant alive—confirmed!"
"...! Status!"
Kyle blinked.
'She's alive?'
Unexpected. Jinx's rule: in cases like this, pretty informants rarely survived. Like with those alchemists before.
But seeing her supported by the team, Kyle raised a brow.
'Well, good news is good.'
Live rescue meant bigger payout.
"Move!"
Just as Roach roughly shoved Kyle aside while supporting her.
"N-no!"
The informant clung to Kyle's clothes instead.
"No... don't go out...!"
Surprised by her reaction, Rain soothed her.
"It's fine. No one's outside."
"No... no. There is. There is...!"
"She's panicking."
"What the hell happened?"
Mask moved to inject a sedative behind her back on Rain's signal.
Boom...!
Something exploded. They all looked up.
"That's..."
"Booby trap...!"
Roach peeked out and saw traps triggering everywhere.
Bangbangbangbang!!
"Captain!!"
"Ambush?!"
The informant covered her ears and screamed.
"I told you no!!!"
"Roach! Mask! Defend against the attack! And you!"
Rain pointed at Kyle by the informant.
"Stay put and don't do anything stupid!"
"......"
He rushed up shouting.
"Tactical shields!"
"Tactical shields!"
Clank! Back plates unfolded into cover around the hideout.
They cringed behind raised gun outputs.
"......"
"......"
The forest fell eerily silent, as if no traps had gone off.
Rain watched, then ordered.
"Flashbang."
"Confirmed."
Roach hit a red button. Flares lit the darkness instantly.
Revealing dense clusters of異形 around them.
Roach yelled.
"Monsters!!"
"Grraaah!!"
Black fangs charged. They opened fire.
Red lasers pierced the dark.
Rain kept suppressive fire.
"Return fire!! Don't let them near the hideout!!"
"Roger!"
Thick lasers rained on the horde. A massive tree melted at the base and toppled.
"Block their paths like that!"
"Front plasma grenade!"
"Wipe 'em out!"
Amid the fierce gunfire overhead, Kyle looked down at the trembling informant clutching his clothes.
"Sob, hngh, sob."
"Hmm..."
Finally, the assault eased. Rain beheaded the last monster with a plasma cutter, exhaling heavily.
"...Last one?"
"Seems so for now."
He checked battery.
"Report batteries."
"52%."
"47%."
"We need to evac now."
Their lightweight stealth implants weren't for prolonged fights.
"Roach, bring the informant and—"
"C-Captain."
"...?"
Roach's trembling voice pointed ahead.
"There...!"
"!!"
Dozens of eyes glowed in the dark. But these were bigger, truck-sized shadows encircling them.
Rain gaped.
"Damn it...!!"
"Fire!!"
'Fools...'
Caught in the trap so neatly.
The summoner smirked at the desperate Intelligence team.
'What can trash like them do?'
His summoned demonic beasts: Unitas, E-to-D grade. Not super strong individually.
But their horror was endless swarms.
Individuals meant nothing against the horde.
Kill, kill, kill—endless.
This area was their nest.
"Monsters? Plenty to rot."
The summoner cackled slyly.
Lasers blazed again amid charging dozens, hundreds of monsters.
Tear, slash, shoot.
The team fought valiantly, but limits loomed.
"C-Captain! Battery at 8%...!"
"Can't even retreat like this!"
"Damn it...!"
'No support calls possible here...!'
Trapped completely.
Then a scream grazed his ear.
"5, 4, 3... d-discharged! Aaaagh!"
"?!"
Roach dragged down and mauled by a burrowing monster. Blood sprayed like a fountain. Mask's eyes shook in terror.
"R-Roach!!"
"Mask! Get it together!!"
Infrared smoke and plasma bombs bought momentary space. He yelled.
"Damn it, back to the hideout! Retreat to—!"
He glanced at the hideout and froze.
The prisoner stood there arms crossed, casually watching like on a walk.
Lips trembling, Rain screamed.
"What the fuck are you doing?! Do something!!"
Kyle narrowed his eyes.
"Didn't you tell me to do nothing?"
"Wh-what?"
"You said it earlier. Do nothing. Forgot?"
"Th-that was...!"
Then Mask's despairing voice from behind.
"C-Captain, we can't hold!!"
Kyle nodded.
"Want help?"
"...!"
Rain's eyes quivered helplessly.
"Y-you have a way?"
"Help us, please."
Swallowing hard under that blunt gaze, he dropped to his knees before Kyle.
"I-I was wrong...! Please, just help us somehow!"
"Tch. Knew it'd come to this."
Kyle cracked his knuckles and passed him.
"Tell your men to fall back."
"...What?"
"They'll be in the way up front. Get behind me."
"!!"
Smoke cleared; a monster freed from plasma charged Kyle.
"Hey, danger—!"
As black fangs bared for his throat.
"Kieeeeek!"
Kyle extended his hand. His eyes flashed eerily.
"!?"
A crushing silence slammed the forest.
"Wh-what?!"
The summoner looked up in panic as the assault halted abruptly.
"Why'd they stop?!"
He couldn't fathom it.
A man in black tactical gear emerged from the hideout.
And the horde froze in unison. Like on cue.
Not just that.
"Nng... nng..."
They even backed away slowly. His jaw dropped.
'No way...'
Trembling monsters' eyes and legs.
He muttered in disbelief.
"...They're scared?"
Dozens, hundreds of demonic beasts cowed by one man.
Monsters lived by animal instinct. Unitas grew bolder and fiercer in swarms.
For them to feel primal fear meant one of two things.
'A top-predator mega-beast.'
Or, despite the swarm...
'...Something beyond specs.'
"?!"
He flinched. Eye contact with the distant man. Eerie yellow eyes, inhuman.
The man's lips moved.
-You?
"Sh-shit...!"
Instinct screamed: he'd fucked up big.
Pale-faced, he scrambled down the tree to flee.
Boom—!
A lightning bolt pierced his skull with vicious speed.
"Aaaaaaaagh!!!"