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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Simzy
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The girl, Julia, didn’t have any real hobbies.
She didn’t know what to do with her free time.
Even if she did, it was a problem.
Because of the rules of the organization she currently belonged to.
For net security reasons, what she could do inside the organization’s building was restricted.
Since she was wanted by the NCPD, Julia didn’t have a hideout of her own.
So, it was difficult for her to go out and do anything.
It was around that time that Julia discovered a “game” she could play.
Since it wasn’t a real game, it didn’t have the quality to be called one.
But it had the bare minimum to resemble a game.
It didn’t take long for Julia, bored out of her mind, to get hooked.
After playing the game for a long time, she was getting tired of the lack of people who enjoyed hunting like her.
Then, for the first time, Julia discovered someone hunting in the game.
“…….”
She wanted to chat and talk to them, but the old mechanical keyboard was the problem.
It was difficult for Julia’s small hands to type smoothly.
And what should she even say?
Who was this person?
Julia didn’t know anything.
Then, she made a mistake with the controls and attacked a monster the other person was fighting.
The other character looked bewildered.
‘…What should I do?’
She had to say something now.
What should she say first?
Then, a memory flashed through Julia’s mind.
It was something she had seen on the net network before.
‘…I’m supposed to say this, right?’
[ BunnyPrincess(Archer): Spot taken. ]
[ RealMageHere(Warrior): ? ]
It was a mistake.
She realized her error after seeing his reaction.
Although she was startled by his sudden cursing and ended up killing his character, it was a mistake nonetheless.
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In that explosive atmosphere, I thought peacefully,
…Cola is so delicious.
If I had played a fantasy game ten years ago, I wouldn’t be drinking cola now.
A brief escape from reality.
But no matter how much I wanted to ignore reality, the actual reality remained.
The leader’s furious gaze was fixed on Julia, who had a calm expression.
All attention was diverted from me.
But regardless of the current situation, their ultimate target was me.
I decided to think about the bounty later and focus on resolving this situation first.
I looked at Julia, moving only my eyes.
I widened my eyes slightly, giving her a silent signal to look at me.
Julia looked at me in response to my signal.
I nodded once.
In a many-versus-one situation, asserting dominance and concealing my position were paramount.
“Hmm.”
Bang!
I activated the prepared magic.
Black smoke spread from my feet, instantly engulfing the entire restaurant.
Even though it was smoke created by magic, it contained a form of physical energy.
It wasn’t enough to inflict significant damage on the enemies, but it was sufficient to create tension and shock.
By the time they fired their bullets in my direction, I had already moved to a different location.
[Protective protocol, activate?]
I felt like I’d heard those words before, at the cafe occupied by terrorists.
I answered softly.
“…Yes.”
This was different from when I had retorted, “Like you even have such a thing.”
Back then, I thought Eve couldn’t connect to the network, but now I knew that wasn’t the case.
There was no reason for me to refuse Eve’s request.
[Initiating hacking of nearby electronic devices and signals. …Complete. Control acquired.]
Simultaneously with Eve’s words, I heard the panicked voices of the enemies from within the smoke.
“We’re being hacked! Everyone, cut the signal!”
“Damn it, my arm…!”
That’s quite effective.
[Synchronizing visual interface data. …Complete.]
This time, a white, mirage-like light gradually emerged through the black smoke.
Circuit patterns were drawn along the lines of people’s limbs and bodies.
Judging by their shapes, it seemed to represent the combat cyberware the enemies were wearing.
“Oh, thanks.”
[Confirmed positive statement from human Lee Shiun. Saving voice data.]
Give me a break on that one.
Anyway, I was trying to spread mana to detect the enemies’ locations, but this made distinguishing friend from foe even easier.
That one with the rabbit doll on her waist must be Julia.
Once I knew their locations, the smoke wasn’t a problem.
The most effective magic here would be large-scale lightning or fire magic.
Magic with destructive power perfect for instantly incapacitating enemies.
However, the location was problematic for carelessly activating large-scale magic.
There were still many civilians around, and Julia was among the enemies.
She tried to help me.
I felt too guilty to attack her along with the others.
Then there was only one option left.
Attacking them individually, with pinpoint accuracy.
Getting close was out of the question.
With my trash stats and close-combat skills, approaching the enemy was suicide.
I kept the gun as a backup option.
For when I didn’t have time to gather mana.
There was no need to use it in a situation like this, where I had some time.
After quickly assessing the situation, I slowly focused my mind.
I felt the mana, mixed with cyberpunk’s polluted air, gather around me.
No incantations were needed for magic.
“Incantations” were just a shortcut to materialize the image of magic.
Not a necessity.
As long as I had the image and concept of the magic in my mind, and enough mana gathered, there was no problem.
Small sparks formed at my fingertips.
Magic was “the extraordinary” manifesting in “reality.”
The smoke was still dark.
Not bright enough to be detected by the enemy.
Bang!!
“Ugh!”
The launched sparks detonated on the enemy.
Even though they were small sparks, in this compressed state, they boasted enough power to incapacitate a single enemy.
It didn’t matter if they didn’t go down with one hit.
I could just fire multiple shots.
Bang! Bang!
Taking down enemies without being detected.
This was my preferred fighting style.
…Honestly, fighting fair and square against chrome-plated cyberpunk lumps was strange.
A moment later, the smoke dissipated.
The only ones left standing were Julia and me.
When our eyes met, I suddenly felt worried.
Would she attack me for setting off the smoke without warning?
Thankfully, she showed no such intention.
I looked around Julia.
I thought I hadn’t taken down many with magic, but it seemed Julia had helped me.
There were many fallen enemies near her as well.
Some were dismembered, others had knife wounds. How gruesome.
The fight was over and it was quiet for a moment, but in times like these, it was best to take the initiative and change the atmosphere.
I opened my mouth to thank her.
“Thanks for the hel—”
Just then, one of the fallen men got up and rushed towards me.
The scars on his body indicated he had been attacked by Julia.
“You bastard!”
It was the leader.
I wouldn’t have time to gather mana.
I drew the pistol I had prepared.
It was then that the man’s head was severed and fell to the floor.
The leader didn’t even scream.
His accelerated body, following inertia, stumbled forward.
His face, rolling on the floor, was still full of rage.
Julia, who had approached me at some point, flicked her blade.
The blue flame that had danced along the blade fell to the floor and disappeared.
Perhaps because of the flame, no liquid, like blood or electrolyte fluid, flowed from the severed section of the body.
“…Be careful.”
“Th… Thank you.”
Formal language slipped out unconsciously.
Hmm, she was a bit scary. About 0.7 Catherine, in my estimation.
I had been careless, thinking she was just a little kid.
As expected of a major character from the game.
She was boss-level.
By the way, where had she been hiding such a long sword?
Julia flicked the extinguished blade again.
This time, instead of the flame disappearing, the blade folded and vanished.
The blade, folding layer by layer, disappeared into the hilt without a trace.
…Was that physically possible?
Considering the flames that had danced along it, there should be a device to generate them.
The way it folded made it seem like the inside was hollow.
Has cyberpunk technology already surpassed the laws of physics?
Eve seemed to notice my gaze fixed on the sword’s hilt and spoke about Julia’s sword.
[Confirmed. It is an ordinary mechanical katana with an empty interior space and no other devices, I explain.]
“…Isn’t that even stranger?”
Then what was the principle behind it?
To create flames in empty space—.
“…….”
There was one possibility.
Julia inserted the hilt into the rabbit doll’s mouth.
I cautiously asked her,
“…Are you a magician by any chance?”
“…W-well, yes, but… I-I’m not a magician compared to you, Shiun-nim.”
So, she was a magician.
“Wow.”
I was quite surprised.
It had been a while since I’d encountered a magician like myself in this absurd cyberpunk world.
…But.
A magician who ignited a katana and swung it around?
“…….”
‘Begone!’
The Archmage within me rose.
‘How dare a magician, who resorts to such physical feats, call themselves a magician!’
…I almost said that out loud, but since Julia herself said she wasn’t a magician, I decided to let it go.
It’s definitely not because I thought I’d lose in a fight.
Anyway, now that the situation was resolved,
I thought I should leave and go home.
I wasn’t worried about the NCPD finding me, but there might be others after the bounty on my head.
I wasn’t worried about being attacked at home.
Because Catherine lived next door.
I’ll omit further explanation.
…Who was it, really?
A bounty on my head?
Everyone in this city had some kind of grudge, but I thought I’d lived a relatively good life.
I’d have to look into it when I got home.
“Then I’ll be going.”
“…Okay.”
“Since you said there’s a bounty on me, I should go check it out.”
“…Alright.”
I also wanted to get away from Julia, who had a dejected expression.
I got up and left the restaurant.
Julia followed me out.
“Then, goodbye.”
“…Yes.”
Being a wanted criminal, did she even have a proper home?
…That wasn’t my concern.
She’d manage.
But, strangely, Julia was walking in the same direction as me.
Hey, why are you following me?
“…?”
“…Ah, we’re going the same way.”
“Is that so?”
You scared me.
“Where do you live?”
“Well, I’m a wanted criminal, so it’s a bit…”
“Ah, right. My bad.”
I almost suspected this innocent girl. Catherine following me around had made me paranoid. I’d struggled to sneak out of the house today, too.
…But what was even stranger was that Julia ended up arriving in front of my house.
“You live around here?”
“…Y-yes, that’s right.”
“What a strange coincidence.”
I didn’t care.
I was home, that was the end of it.
“My house is here, so I’m really going in.”
“…Yes, have a good night.”
I got on the elevator alone.
And at that moment, a shiver ran down my spine.
…What was this?
I had an ominous feeling I couldn’t describe.
Maybe it was because I hadn’t been out in a while.
I had to rest at home for a whole week this time.
I made a firm resolution.
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“…You live here?”
Julia smiled.
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… straight up doxxed himself