Chapter 5
Chapter 5
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: Prisoner Number 43471 (2)
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The hatch burst open with a deafening bang!, and the outside air rushed in.
I'd practically been shoved out of the helicopter, and I took a deep, greedy breath.
"Hoo... ~."
It had been so long since I'd tasted real, outside air.
"Move it, you idiot! Unless you want your head blown off!"
At Walter's nagging, I hurried after him.
The factory loomed overhead, a grim and foreboding sight.
One corner had collapsed entirely from what must have been a massive explosion, flames roaring skyward as proof of the devastation.
Sticking close to the wall with the other inmates, I checked the terminal attached to my tactical gear.
"This the map?"
I was fiddling with the low-res screen when a sharp crack rang out.
The head of an inmate right behind me exploded in a spray of gore.
"Fuck! Get to cover! Sniper!"
Walter dove behind the wall and yelled.
"Where? Where's it coming from?!"
The scarred guy who'd tried to gouge out my eye earlier pointed upward.
"Rooftop! That rooftop over there!"
"Damn it!"
Right then, a high-pitched whirr filled the air, and Walter's right arm split open, revealing a hidden barrel.
"Covering fire!"
At the same instant, a glowing blue plasma beam condensed at the muzzle.
Realizing what it was, I ducked low.
Shwoooom!—
The searing beam grazed the wall and slammed into the sniper's position.
BOOM! The rooftop erupted in a fireball.
"Whoa."
That was kinda cool.
Made me wish I could get a new arm like that myself.
"Now! Into the factory! Hurry!"
The scarred guy on the other side shouted.
"You're insane?! We don't know where the next bullet's coming from!"
"You forget what's around your neck?! Stall HERE AND WE'RE ALL DEAD ANYWAY! I'LL COVER—RUN, YOU BASTARDS!"
Walter fired another plasma beam at the rooftop to keep them pinned.
Shwoooom!—
Then a yellow-haired beauty with a massive sword shoved the scarred guy aside and stepped forward.
"You cowards with dicks acting like pussies!"
Her legs gleamed with a strange mechanical whine.
BOOM!—She rocketed off, leaving the other inmates cursing in her wake.
"That damn bitch!"
Reluctantly charging after her, they reached the B Gate door where I was pressed against it.
The inmate fiddling with the panel glanced back.
"Door's locked!"
"Outta the way!"
The swordswoman drew her long blade and took stance.
A razor-sharp whirr—a red laser edge ignited along the blade.
With a vicious whoosh, the sword slash cleaved the door clean in one stroke.
Shing!—
The cleanly bisected door revealed the factory interior.
"Hmph."
She snorted elegantly, flipping her hair with a swish.
That's when BOOM!—a blast of heat from inside swallowed her whole, like it had been waiting.
Splat.
"......"
"......"
"......"
There she lay—a charred husk on the floor, what had been a beauty moments ago.
We all stared at her.
"Shit."
Who muttered that?
It was the signal. Massive flames engulfed us.
*
Thoom!—
In a mobile command trailer not far from the industrial complex.
"3rd Platoon..."
The ground trembled. An officer monitoring the situation turned to Joseph and reported.
"Presumed all combat-ineffective."
"......"
A cold-faced bob-cut beauty standing beside Joseph—Lyn Yenitz—spoke up.
"Looks like the sabotage wasn't explosives... but a superpower."
"Or magic."
"Magic? A heretic mage, then?"
"Who knows. Send in the waiting 4th Platoon, and we'll get a feel."
She let out a small groan at his response.
"Even so, that power... not sure if Alpha Team's ice user can handle it alone."
"We'll call in Investigation Bureau Special Forces if needed."
"No."
She turned. A stiff-suited man with a hard expression stared them down.
"Those Special Forces are beasts who don't care what they destroy. If they so much as risk recovering the factory data, Kepler Corp will file a formal complaint with the city council against the department."
"......"
Joseph whispered to her.
"Why'd they let that guy in?"
Inspector Yenitz shook her head.
"Got a call from the councilman. Said I had no choice."
"Which one?"
"Councilman Martin Rockton."
"Rockton Family?"
Joseph's face twisted.
Of all the political dynasties, it had to be that one.
"You know as well as I do—this Security Stabilization Project only flies because of the Rocktons' tacit approval. Pissing them off gains us nothing."
"Tch."
Clicking his tongue, he spoke again.
"Relay to Special Forces Alpha Team: Deploy 4th Platoon preemptively, gather more intel on suspects, then move to suppress. On-site command to deputy."
Joseph grabbed the radio.
"Transferring execution authority for penal 4th Platoon to Alpha Team. Oh, and..."
He glanced at the man behind, loud enough for all to hear.
"Prioritize securing data from the manufacturing plant safely. Over."
That's when an alarmed officer spun around.
"Captain!"
"What?"
"3rd Platoon... there's still movement!"
"What?"
He rushed to the monitor, brow furrowed. Sure enough, one signal was moving.
"...Survived that?"
Enough firepower to obliterate the east gate entirely?
"That inmate's number?"
The officer answered Yenitz's question.
"43471."
He swallowed hard and repeated.
"Prisoner Number 43471."
"43471..."
Joseph and her eyes widened.
"...Kyle Clark."
It was the new transfer inmate.
*
"Wow, this is a real random box."
Revived after dying once, I muttered in disbelief.
Like pulling an SSR explosion trap from a gacha roll.
The whole platoon wiped in a blink.
"Minesweeper level."
Who'd have thought such a powerhouse was hiding in there?
'No, a mage? Whatever.'
Glancing at the charred squadmates, I brushed off my butt and stood.
"Hey, old man."
I approached Walter slumped by the wall.
"Old man."
I slapped his face. He'd been playing dead; his eyes flew open.
"Hey! Fuck off!"
"What're you doing?"
"Can't you tell? Playing dead!"
The bodycam must've fried in the blast. He planned to tough it out till things settled.
"...Now I see how you've survived this long."
"Jealous!?"
"Nah, wouldn't dream."
Honestly, without special amnesty dreams, it was genius.
"But how'd you survive? Swallowed by flames."
"Tough body."
Obviously, I wasn't telling anyone about immortality.
Stun guns, sleep, anesthesia still worked. Immortality didn't mean invincible.
Like burying alive deep underground.
Plenty ways to exploit it.
Best survival for an immortal? Never let on you're one.
"Tough? No implants visible. Hardening superpower?"
I shrugged and changed subject.
"Gonna head out first."
"Huh? Where?"
"Special amnesty."
He gaped, getting it.
"You're nuts?!"
"See ya."
"Hey!!"
"Oh, right."
I turned back, grabbed the pistol from Walter's waist.
"Borrowing this. Mine's toast. Terminal too."
"......"
Ignoring his insane-stare, I headed for the factory.
B Gate was obliterated, like it'd taken a direct missile hit.
Weaving through lingering flames, I entered, scanning for the blast culprit.
'Not here.'
Terminal map check.
'Deeper in.'
Cops thought sabotage.
'But if just sabotage, why not bail early?'
They were still holding.
Why?
'Other goal.'
One needing time inside.
'Like...'
Eying production facilities, I thought.
'Pharma manufacturing data.'
No signs of life. Following map to basement.
'Database control room around here...'
Heap of charred corpses at stairs' base—security team, by rags.
'Tight hall fight? One-shot wipe.'
Rifled bodies, snagged a decent military knife.
Approaching control room—
"Still far?!"
"One more try!"
"Hurry! Can't spam magic forever!"
'Mage confirmed.'
Won't change much.
Aimed pistol carefully—
"Hm...!?"
Mage whipped around, eyes locking.
"Who the hell?!"
"Oops."
Magic circle flared; flames snaked at me.
BOOM!—
"Gaaah!"
Hacker cowered in terror.
"We handled it! Focus on hack!"
"O-okay!"
Hacker plugged line into neck port in cold tank, went limp, eyes shut.
Meanwhile, revived me played dead amid ashes, waiting.
"One of those cops from before?"
He flipped my body— I drew hidden pistol, fired.
"Wha—?!"
Bang!—
"Agh! Fuck!"
Bullet grazed ear; he clutched it, retreating, blood streaming.
I rose; he frantically cast at me.
"You bastard!"
Vision faded.
Thud! Boom boom boom!
Gatling flames riddled me dead again. No biggie.
Revived, I charged through black smoke.
"How...?!"
He gawked at unscathed me.
Threw knife.
Whish! Clang!
Bounced off defense magic.
'Mages suck.'
Diving inside barrier— whirr! Red circle underfoot.
"!!"
"Die!"
Twisted late.
Flame pillar erupted, shredding limbs.
BOOM!—
He laughed down at crumpled me.
"Hahaha! Idiot. Think I'd fall for that cheap—"
Good hand to head, pulled trigger.
Bang!—
Died, revived, limbs regrew.
"What...?!"
Stunned, he slipped.
I closed in.
"Shit...!"
"This range."
Gun to his neck; eyes quivered.
"Defense magic useless, right?"
"N-no...!"
I fired without hesitation.
Bang bang bang!—
*
"Say that again?"
Meanwhile, command trailer.
Joseph's face went slack at Alpha Team's report.
"Situation... resolved?"
Monitoring officer shouted.
"Captain! Bodycam feed!"
"Patch it through!"
Central monitor: Alpha Team live bodycam.
As expected—pointing at factory basement corridor to control room.
Shaky cam showed explosion-ravaged chaos, flames everywhere.
One man stood center.
Trembling hacker beside; dead mage at feet.
Lyn Yenitz murmured.
"Prisoner Number 43471..."
Kyle Clark.
He was there.
Unscathed. Pristine.