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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator:Bobt
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Despite achieving considerable success for a goblin, William still lived in Northstreet, the worst crime area in Midland. When asked about that, he would sink deeply into his chair and answer like this:
“I was born on this street, and I will die on this street too. This place is my root. I don’t want to leave my kin.”
Yet, he never tried to donate or help for the sake of those kin, so he could be considered an ordinary goblin if ordinary.
Locke thought this was also a stinginess quite befitting a goblin while looking at the paper cup and instant coffee placed in front of him.
As he was picking up that paper cup and sipping it, the office door opened and William, dressed in an expensive white suit, walked in with a waddle. A white fedora hat and a contrasting black cane were tucked under his arm.
He walked towards his chair past Locke and the large, luxurious solid wood table, and began to ramble.
“Sorry, Locke. I told you to come first and made you wait. I had a bit of a struggle with my daughter who refused to go to school. The crazy bitch, I sent her to an expensive private school and she’s whining about it being too stuffy or whatnot. Maybe I should just toss her into a boarding school. Hey, have you ever been married?”
When Locke shook his head, he laughed.
“Wise. Try not to if possible. Sometimes you just want to kick out your wife and kids.”
“Says the guy with four wives?”
William, who had been climbing onto the chair, opened his eyes wide as if asking what nonsense that was.
“Four? What are you talking about? It’s five. I had a wedding ceremony three months ago, didn’t you know?”
“…I didn’t.”
“Haha. I guess I didn’t send you an invitation. I’ll have to scold my employees a bit. They’re always just kissing up to people like city councilors. When the person we really need is right here.”
Locke couldn’t help but laugh at that goblin-like marital life and smooth-talking. William, who had sat down on the large custom-made executive chair, also cackled seeing that laughter.
“Ah, come to think of it. Philip said to send his regards.”
“Why doesn’t he do it himself?”
“Why? Because he’s afraid you might stab him.”
When Locke made a face as if asking if he was serious, William laughed again.
“He said he messed up the last two jobs in a row? Because of the clients too. The rumor has already spread throughout the industry, so Philip is having a bit of a hard time. In the midst of that, he was whining, worrying that you might get pissed and come to stab him.”
“…Do I look like that kind of psycho?”
“In the eyes of ordinary people, Auror Masters are already half-crazy. In an era of firing missiles and launching spaceships into Earth’s orbit, is it normal to spend a lifetime training swordsmanship to death without implants?”
Locke couldn’t help but show another empty smile at William’s joke-like words. William seemed to think the atmosphere had loosened up enough, so he clapped his hands.
“Now then, let’s talk business. This job is about hijacking an item in transit. If the situation is bad, destroy it.”
“Robbery isn’t my specialty. Usually, you’d run a team for that kind of job.”
“That’s true, but the dynamics of this case are a bit complicated. On our side, rather than getting dull by putting in a lot of people, we’re expecting quick work to be done by putting in one exceptional person.”
One of Locke’s Eyebrows twitched.
“Our side?”
“Hmm, that’s…”
“I will explain about the job.”
The one who answered Locke’s Question was not William, but the wall on one side of the office. The wall where the sound came from slid open and a large monitor screen appeared. On that screen, someone was sitting, buried in shadows with only a faint outline visible.
Seeing him, Locke muttered,
“You’re the client.”
“That’s right. You could also call me the money provider who will pay you and William. A very wealthy one at that.”
At the monitor’s reply, Locke turned to look at William. But that goblin only gestured towards the monitor as if telling him to keep listening.
As Locke’s Gaze returned, the shadow in the monitor opened his mouth again.
“Tomorrow at around 12:30 PM, a trailer will enter from the eastern Dragonland via Route 15. An autopilot trailer escorted by heavily armed combatants. What I want is to either seize the contents of that trailer or make it unable to reach its destination at all.”
“Seize or destroy. What’s in it that’s so important?”
The shadow in the monitor was silent for a moment as if pondering how to answer this. But soon, as if his thoughts were sorted out, he continued.
“There are truly many foolish people in the world. Slum residents who advocate for corporations despite being workers, extremists who even detonate bombs, or rockers who shout anti-corporatism just to rebel against authority. But among them, there are especially dangerous ones, and they are dragon worshippers.”
He paused for a moment as if giving Locke time to be shocked. But Locke just scratched his chin and gestured for him to keep talking.
“…It’s been a whole century since dragons went extinct due to the world war. However, although their palaces and castles have been turned to dust by the power of the atom, there are still those who remember their mighty power and rummage through the shattered ruins. Occasionally, they do find real dragon relics. Most are useless golden plates, but sometimes relics with real dragon spells appear.”
“Dragon spells. Even so, it’s not like the dead dragons will come back.”
Even with the shadow’s explanation, Locke was indifferent. The shadow nodded as if it was a good point.
“Of course, it’s an old spell from before even the emergence of cyberspace. But it’s also the power of a race that once fought the entire old world. It’s worth enough to study.”
“So, you want me to seize that relic before it enters the research lab of those dragon worshippers? If that’s difficult, just destroy it so they can’t have it either?”
The shadow nodded again, and by then, Locke could also vaguely guess the identity of the shadow. And also the rough structure of this request.
Locke leaned back in the chair and tilted his head slightly.
“Getting involved in corporate fights doesn’t usually end well.”
“…Corporation. Is there a reason you think so?”
The shadow asked as if it was nothing, but even that was as good as admitting that he was a corporate person.
Locke said,
“Excavations in Dragonland require permission from the Midland administration. There are illegal excavations, but those guys don’t use the highway. So those who confidently enter through the national road must have obtained legal excavation permits. Corporations large enough to exert influence on the administration, like megacorps, would be involved.”
“Hmm…”
“Such information about a major corporation’s assets moving can only be found out by another major corporation. And, you said ‘this side’ wants to put in one exceptional person? Then there’s another side. That would be a megacorp too. They’ll have team-level troops.”
Locke gave a bitter smile as if he could already picture that scene.
“It would be a proxy tripartite war between megacorps. Those trying to protect, those trying to seize, and us slipping in. Maybe there are even more.”
“There are only three. As you said, the trailer side, the hijacking side, and us.”
“Even that’s enough of a mess.”
The shadow naturally continued without particularly denying or emphasizing that he was a corporate person.
“Actually, we’re focusing more on destruction than seizure. That’s why we’re trying to put in a minimum number of personnel.”
“I’d think you’d covet a dragon spell.”
“Even so, it’s an old spell from over a hundred years ago.”
The corner of Locke’s Mouth twisted.
“But you can’t stand others having it?”
The shadow nodded as if saying isn’t that how it always is. Then he leaned forward slightly to reveal the area around his mouth outside the shadow and said,
“By the way, the pay will be quite substantial. As I said earlier, I’m a very wealthy money provider. So now, should I look for someone else?”
It was a shadow in the monitor who didn’t reveal which corporation he was from until the end. Locke, who had been quietly looking at that figure, suddenly picked up the paper cup in front of him and emptied the cold coffee. After putting down the paper cup with a thud, he stood up.
“No. I’ll take it.”
* * *
The short reminiscence ended thanks to the sight of another modified truck being split in half.
Locke slightly turned the steering wheel to avoid the wreckage of the modified truck rolling towards him. The truck and those injured and killed by the lizardman’s blade were rolling, scattering blood, flesh, and shattered steel plates and bolts everywhere. It seemed unlikely to expect any survivors among those inside.
Locke’s gaze, which had been looking at the rearview mirror, turned back to the top of the trailer. The lizardman swinging his double-bladed sword and roaring, and the silver-haired female mercenary with a black-and-white cyber arm were facing each other.
Due to the majesty of the lizardman blowing away the modified trucks with his double-bladed sword, it seemed like the female mercenary would also be dealt with soon, but upon closer look, the situation wasn’t so one-sided.
“Kie-e-e-!”
“Shut up, you lizard bastard!”
The lizardman’s blade flashed, aiming at the female mercenary. However, she surprisingly dodged the attacks with flexible and agile movements. And as if she had noticed something from the lizardman’s earlier action of protecting his head and belly, she took advantage of the opening and fired her pistol at the guy’s white belly.
As if that attack was the right answer, the lizardman hurriedly covered his belly and retreated. Then, from the remaining modified truck’s side, rifle bullets flew in tut-tut-tut to cover the female mercenary. It seemed that if they could buy more time, they could create a bigger opening in the lizardman.
“They won’t last long.”
However, Locke viewed the mercenaries’ situation pessimistically. Regardless of the confrontation, as they entered Midland’s city center, there was no time left. Even right ahead, vehicles were hurriedly making way, avoiding the shootout on the road. And that meant Locke also had no time left.
Locke’s Hand quickly changed gears and stepped deeply on the accelerator. The Black Night’s engine rumbled heavily, increasing speed.
While he got close to the trailer, several exchanges occurred between the lizardman and the female mercenary. But in the end, the lizardman couldn’t keep up with the mercenary’s movements, and the mercenary couldn’t penetrate the lizardman’s skin.
“You fucking son of a bitch-!”
Locke heard her shouting what sounded like a battle cry or a scream, and operated the Black Night’s terminal. When a few beeping sounds came from the terminal, he took his hands and feet off the accelerator and steering wheel. But the Black night was still sticking close behind the trailer at the same speed.
After confirming that the speed remained the same, Locke rolled down the window. As the cool wind poured onto his face, he slipped out the window with a movement that was unbelievably smooth. His body stood on the roof of the Black night.
The positions of the lizardman and the female mercenary had switched while they were enthusiastically shooting and slashing at each other. Thanks to that, she could see the Black Night sticking close to the trailer behind the lizardman and Locke standing on top of it.
“You’re going to climb up here?”
The next moment, Locke’s body leaped and landed on the edge of the trailer. Even though he had jumped at least seven or eight meters, there was no sound from Locke’s Feet landing on the trailer. It was as if a feather had settled.
But perhaps due to the lizardman’s strange reptilian senses, he suddenly turned back while glaring at the mercenary. Locke’s Figure was reflected in his yellow vertical pupils. Immediately, his mouth opened wide and a bizarre roar poured out.
“Kie-e-e-!”
“Yeah, you use a sword too.”
Locke’s body slowly stood up. At the same time, a gray blade was rising from his right hand. Seeing that, the female mercenary’s eyes widened.
“I’m going crazy… a lizardman, a Black night, and even an Auror Master… is it some retro special today?”
That gray blade was also reflected in the lizardman’s eyes. The mouth that had been roaring closed tightly. The next moment, he completely turned his back on the mercenary and faced Locke. Whether he trusted the tough skin on his back or thought Locke was much more dangerous than that was unknown.
The lizardman, who faced Locke with a serious attitude, pointed his double-bladed sword forward. Then, mysterious letters glowed on the blade surface of that double-bladed sword, and the blade part began to glow yellow. It was a light that looked similar to Locke’s Gray blade at a glance, although slightly different.
Seeing that light, the corner of Locke’s Mouth lifted slightly.
“Is that the dragons’ spell?”
The lizardman just slowly growled without answering, keeping his sword pointed at Locke. As if saying the only important thing was the fact that they were pointing swords at each other right now. Locke also sent a silent agreement upon seeing him.
On the overpass of Midland, a large trailer was running past numerous vehicles. And on top of it, a warrior inheriting the blood of dragons and a seeker of the way of nothingness were facing each other, pointing their swords at one another.
The silver-haired mercenary behind the lizardman unconsciously gulped and came to her senses. She wasn’t in a situation to just keep watching either. So the moment she turned on the radio channel to shout at the rest of the team members who were also mindlessly staring at the trailer…
The Auror Masterand the lizardman moved.
The mercenary instinctively maximized the performance of her electronic eyes and special goggles. Instantly, the shooting frame increased to hundreds of frames, and the world slowed down as if it had stopped. Dust floating in the air was visible.
And the two swordsmen were uniquely moving at their own speed in that slow world.
In an instant, the Auror Blade and the lizardman’s double-bladed sword, which had gotten close, collided, aiming for each other’s lives. The two blades of light clashed, sparking a dazzling light. And before that light completely faded, the blades collided again in succession.
As the afterimages of light remained, it looked to the mercenary’s electronic eyes as if countless starlight was bursting between the Auror Masterand the lizardman. A wall made of twinkling dots was erected between the two.
And the moment the light that had burst first finally disappeared, the Auror Master’s gray blade suddenly pierced through the wall of starlight and grazed the lizardman’s right shoulder.
“Keh-e-!”
Along with the lizardman’s scream, the mercenary’s eyes also regained their own time. She grimaced at the rapidly growing pain in her eyelids.
When she unknowingly closed her eyes tightly and opened them again, there was the lizardman staggering back with his right shoulder cut off, and the Auror Masternonchalantly flicking his Auror Blade as if playing around. The lizardman’s severed right arm was firmly grasping the double-bladed sword that had flown and stuck into one side of the trailer.
Locke’s eyes turned to that double-bladed sword. The blade of the double-bladed sword, whose mysterious light was fading, was jagged like a saw. It had endured the Auror Blade that could cut even armored vehicles once or twice. Of course, it was meaningless as it couldn’t keep up with Locke’s Swordsmanship anyway.
Locke turned his gaze back to the lizardman and pointed the Auror Blade. The lizardman’s yellow pupils, which had been fierce when facing the mercenaries, met it and trembled. Seeing those eyes, Locke lifted the corner of his mouth like before and said,
“Step aside. Or pick up your sword again.”
He didn’t bother to add that if you want to die, go ahead.
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