いな! アルファ! 何とかならないか!?』
『ならないわ。まだ強化服の掌握が済んでいないから、照準補正とか、強化服の操作を含むサポートは限定的になるって説明したでしょう? 自分でしっかり支えなさい。それでも一応制御しようとしているのよ?』
む。ほぼ同時にアルファが荒い運転で勢いよく進路をほぼ直角に変える。その直後、後方から変更前の進行方向に沿うように大量の銃弾が地面に着弾し続けて線を書く。アキラの後を追ったカツヤが車載の機銃で狙ったのだ。
『すぐに反撃! このままだと的になるわ!』
みながらもう片方の腕でDVTSミニガンを構えてカツヤの車両を狙う。
『狙うのが無理なら銃の固定に意識を割いて! こっちで車体ごと合わせるわ!』
アキラは指示通り狙うのを止めると、強化服の身体能力でDVTSミニガンをしっかり握って構えたまま体を硬直させて引き金を引く。車体と、アキラの体と、発砲中のDVTSミニガン、その動きのずれが少なくなった状態で、アルファが射線をカツヤの車両にアキラの車両ごと強引に合わせた。
無数の銃弾がカツヤの車両に撃ち込まれ装甲を削っていく。アキラは着弾地点から火花が飛び散り辺りを照らす光景を見ながら、大量の弾丸が断続的に自分の車両の後方を駆け抜けていく音を聞いていた。相手の攻撃のたびに
いて一気に加速しながらカツヤの車から距離を取る。アキラが追跡防止を兼ねて、A4WM自動擲弾銃に持ち替えてカツヤの周辺に擲弾を景気良くばらまいていく。
アキラが困惑気味な険しい表情を浮かべる。
『引き剥がしたか。しかしあのスリを助けるために正面から1人で乗り込んでくるなんて、あいつちょっと頭がおかしいんじゃないか?』
自分の言動を理解していないのか、理解した上で棚に上げているのか、同類がいることへの驚きなのか、少々判断に迷うアキラの発言にアルファが
何がどの程度違うのか。それは個人的な解釈に依存する部分が多い。少なくともアキラは本気で違うと思っているようなので、アルファはその辺りの指摘を取りやめた。
『アキラにも穏便に済ませる意思があったようで何よりだわ。できればその意思をもう少し尊重してくれると
『その意思が通るかどうかは相手次第で、基本的に俺の意見は却下される以上、尊重するにも限度があるんだ』
自分が誰かと意見や証言などで対立して、その選択を他者に委ねた場合、自分は常に選ばれない。アキラの頭にはその類いの諦観がこびり付いている。アキラがスラム街で生活していた頃、どこかの集団に属さずに独りで行動していたのはその
アルファはアキラの態度から事情は分からずともその根が深いことは理解した。同時にいろいろと好都合だとも判断した。
『確かに聞く耳を持たない人と延々と交渉しても無意味だし、取引が成立する可能性が著しく低い交渉を早めに蹴るのは悪い選択ではないと思うけれどね』
自分の言い分が通ったと思ったのか、アキラが僅かに表情を緩めた。
『少し先の入り口から
『運が良ければ大丈夫よ』
自分には乗り物を失うジンクスでもあるのだろうか。アキラはふとそう思った。
出撃準備を済ませたエゾントファミリーの部隊が、拠点の広間から庭にいる敵の迎撃に向かおうとしていた。元ハンターや民間軍事会社に在籍していた経歴を持つ戦闘要員で、素人に銃を持たせただけのような者とは異なる者達だ。
その広間にアキラの車が飛び込んでくる。庭で加速して扉を突き破ってきたのだ。戦闘要員達が即座に反応して車を銃撃する。大量の銃弾が車体に撃ち込まれていくが、アキラは乗っていなかった。
戦闘員達の意識が車に集中している間に、アキラが広間にDVTSミニガンを構えながら飛び込んでくる。そしてそのまま広間を
アルファが被弾したアキラを注意する。
『もっとしっかり避けなさい。少しぐらいは被弾しても大丈夫だと言っても、被弾のたびに残存エネルギーをかなり消費するのよ』
『分かってるよ! しかし多い! 初めの奇襲であんまり倒せなかったみたいだな!』
『倒れただけの敵にはなるべく止めを刺すようにして。そうしないと切りがないわよ?』
被弾して気絶している男の強化服が着用者の生命兆候の乱れを読み取る。回復薬や加速剤などを調合した戦闘薬が男に自動的に注入される。気絶していた男の目が開き、薬で一時的に強化された状態で戦力に復帰した。
それを見たアキラが表情を
ね飛ばされ、銃弾を食らい続け、時にはアキラに蹴り飛ばされて、少しずつ数を減らしていく。荒れ狂う弾幕が生者と死者の選別を済ませていく。
やがて生者と死者の割合が逆転する。状況がアキラの有利になり始めた時、その割合がまた一気に逆転した。
にアキラも険しい表情で撤退を検討し始めた。一度下がって別の箇所から再度侵入する。アルファがそう指示を出せばすぐに撤退するつもりだった。そしてアルファが指示を出す。
『一度撤退か?』
『突入して』
アキラは予想外の指示に困惑しながらも、真剣な表情で
監禁されているこの部屋からでも何らかの異変が起きていることは理解できた。警報が鳴り響き、部屋の外からは大勢の者が走る音も聞こえていた。
この異変に乗じて逃げ出せないだろうか。シェリルはそう思ったが具体的な手段は思いつけなかった。部屋の唯一の出入口であるドアには鍵が掛かっていて、それを
そしてその何かが起こる。部屋のドアが開いて数名の男が中に入ってくる。先頭の男がシェリルに銃を突きつけながら、一度没収した情報端末を差し出した。
「死にたくなければアキラと連絡を取れ」
シェリルは真剣な表情で情報端末を受け取った。
の奥に進んだアキラが廊下を走っている。走りながらDVTSミニガンの弾倉を交換して、不慣れな強化服で無理をした代償を少々多めに回復薬を飲み込んで支払っていた。
『結構危なかったな。油断したつもりはなかったけど、ここのやつらは随分強いんだな』
アキラは無意識のうちに敵の個人単位の強さを、前にシェリルの拠点を襲った強盗達と、苦戦したザルモを除いた者達と同程度と考えてしまっていた。しかし先ほど戦った者達の実力は装備も含めてそれを軽く超えていた。
こんな大きな拠点を構える大組織なのだ。構成員の質も高いのだろう。アキラはそう思い、無意識に敵を侮ってしまっていたことを猛省する。だが乗り込んだ選択に後悔はなかった。
『それにしても、あいつはあのスリを助けに来たんじゃなかったのか? 何で俺の後を追うんだよ』
『アキラがスリの居場所を知っていると誤解しているのか、途中で気が変わって先にアキラを殺したくなったのかもね』
めるアキラに、アルファが一応提案する。
『その面倒事も含めて、アキラがもう手に負えないと思っているのなら、無理をせずに撤退を選択して。さっきも結構大変だったのでしょう?』
『確かにさっきは大変だったけど、俺もさっきの戦闘でこの強化服に大分慣れてきた。
アルファはアキラの表情や口調からそれが強がりなどではないと判断した。同時にアキラの適応力に称賛よりも警戒を抱く。アキラはたった一戦で新しい強化服に戦闘時に不安を覚えないほどに慣れたことになる。その適応速度は、またもアルファの予測値を超えていた。
アルファはその不確定要素に懸念を抱きながら、それを
『残念だけれど分かっていないわ。それらしい場所を探すしかないわね。情報収集機器でそれらしい反応を探っているけれど、今の所は反応無しよ』
『......何人か尋問すれば居場所ぐらいすぐに分かると思ってたけど、あの強さのやつらから悠長に聞き出すのは無理だよな』
あの強さの者達を相手にして痛めつけて話を聞き出す余裕などない。殺す気で対応しなければ逆に殺されてしまう。行き当たりばったりの付けがアキラにいろいろと降りかかっていた。
アルファが急に前言を翻す。
『アキラ。シェリルの居場所が分かったわ』
『分かったのだから良いじゃない。案内するからついてきて。あと今からシェリルから連絡が来るわ。いろいろ口裏を合わせて。私が仲介するから情報端末の操作は不要よ』
「お前がアキラか。この女を殺されたくなかったら武器を捨てて投降しろ」
「誰だ?」
「ふざけてんのか? 本当に殺すぞ?」
「どこの誰かも知らない人間から急にそんなことを言われてもな」
「この女がボスとの交渉を蹴ったのは事実だ。だからこの女がここにいるんだろうが」
「そうか。それじゃあアルナっていうスリがここにいるって話も事実か? それもヴィオラに教えてもらったんだ」
「そのスリが何の関係があるんだ?」
「そのスリには個人的な事情で死んでもらいたいんだ。ここにいるのならついでに殺しておこうと思って」
「てめえの事情なんか知るか! 今は関係ねえだろうが! お前に関係があるのは、お前が俺達の言うことを聞かねえのなら、この女が死ぬってことだけだ!」
アキラの条件次第で要求を飲むような返事に、男がある程度平静さを取り戻す。
「何だ? 言ってみろ」
「シェリルは本当にまだ生きているのか。お前達が言うその女は本当にシェリルなのか。その2つを確認したい。実は門の警備をしていた男と話した時に相手の様子を確認したんだけど、どうも俺のことを
男がアキラの疑り深さに舌打ちする。だが同時に人質の存在を確認する以上、この人質には価値があるとも判断する。仲間に手で口を塞がれているシェリルに情報端末を突きつけて、仲間の男に目配せする。
解放されたシェリルが情報端末を手に取る。男達に威圧されながら少し険しい顔で話し始める。
「......シェリルです。えっと、監禁されていましたけど、
シェリルの口調はどこかたどたどしい。話をしながら状況を改善させる何かを探して考えているためだ。加えてアキラが助けに来てくれたことへの動揺と喜びが、たどたどしい口調に拍車を掛けていた。
「無事なんだな? 何でそんな場所に一人で行ったんだ。シジマの拠点に行った時は俺もちゃんと付いていっただろう?」
あの時の騒動を考えれば、交渉時にアキラを連れていかないという判断は十分考慮に値する。そのことに気付いていないのか、棚に上げているのか、それでも現状よりはましだろうと考えているのか、その辺りをアキラがどう考えているかは難しいところだった。
「す、すみません。エゾントファミリーとの交渉はヴィオラから持ちかけられて、その時の話の内容では護衛が必要とは思いませんでした」
「交渉をしくじったとか断ったとか聞いたけど、また拠点とか縄張りとか全部寄こせとでも言われたのか?」
「語弊があるかもしれませんが、組織ごと傘下に入れという要求でしたので、広義では拠点も縄張りもエゾントファミリーのものになると考えて良いかもしれません。ただ、どちらかと言えば指揮系統を欲しがっていたようで、しかもその指揮系統にアキラまで含まれていると考えていたようで、それをアキラに相談もせずに私があの場で判断するのは難しい状況でした。それで、断りました」
シェリルはアキラの少し驚いたような声を聞いて意外に思った。アキラならば自分は別にシェリルの徒党の者でもないと考えて、私が断ったことに別段興味を示さないだろう。そう思っていたのだ。
男がシェリルから情報端末を取り上げる。
「本人確認は済んだか? じゃあもう一度言ってやる。この女を殺されたくなかったら、武器を捨てて投降しろ。今から言う場所まで手を上げて出てこい。場所は......」
「それ、俺は殺されるよな?」
「......何度も言わせるな。俺達の言うことを聞かねえのならこの女が死ぬ。お前はそれだけ分かっていればいいんだ」
「俺はハンターだ」
「ハンター稼業は基本的に命賭けだ。だから許容範囲は命賭けまでだ。確実な死は許容範囲外だ。だからその要求は飲めない。第一、俺が死んだらシェリルが助かる保証もないだろう。取引になってねえよ。代わりに俺から提案だ。シェリルを助けて、アルナってスリを殺したら、俺は大人しく帰る。そっちも俺の邪魔をしない。これでお互いに遺恨無し。これじゃあ駄目か?」
「俺の恋人を殺すと脅したのに、それを忘れてやろうって言ってるんだ。十分だろう。それとも、交渉は決裂か?」
「ああ! そうだ!」
次の瞬間、アキラが部屋のドアを蹴破りながら飛び込んできた。突然のことに驚きで硬直している男達の
「交渉を蹴ったのはそっちだ。文句言うなよ」
文句を言う者は誰もいなかった。男達は全員ほぼ即死だった。
アキラが男やシェリルと話していた内容はただの時間稼ぎだった。アルファがシェリルの居場所を
ヴィオラの情報も疑っていない。ヴィオラに何らかの悪意があったとしても、虚偽の情報を渡すのではなく正しい情報を渡した上で誘導したり誤解させたりする。アキラは何となくだがそう思っていた。
自分が到着するまでシェリルが無事ならそれで良い。その程度の考えで話を引き延ばしただけだった。ただし本当に取引が成立したのならば、アキラは本当に彼らを見逃すつもりだった。
「一応確認するけど、無事だよな? ちゃんとシェリルに弾が当たらないように気を付けたつもりなんだけど......」
「あ、はい。大丈夫です。助けに来てくれてありがとう御座います」
「......まあ、助けるって言ったしな。何が何でも助けるって訳じゃないけど、これぐらいは許容範囲だ」
シェリルはそのアキラを見て頼もしさを覚えた。そしてそれ以上にアキラを敵に回してしまえば自分達もその程度の面倒事として同じように片付けられてしまう可能性を、その恐怖を覚えた。
アキラはその善悪は別にして大幅に倫理に欠けており、殺人への
アルファが笑って撤退を促す。
『シェリルも助けたことだし、すぐに拠点から脱出しましょう』
アルファはアキラにさっさとここから撤退してほしいと考えている。そのために先にシェリルを助け出させたのだ。アキラがアルナを無理に殺すことでカツヤに恨みを残し、より一層の面倒事を招くのはできれば避けたい。更にアルナがこの騒動に巻き込まれて死ねばより都合が良い。そのためにもアキラにはすぐにここから離れてほしいのだ。
アキラが難しい顔を浮かべる。アキラもアルファの言い分は理解できる。だが未練が残っていた。
『取りあえずこの場にいても仕方ないわ。もっと周囲の状況を探れる場所に移動しましょう。ここに増援が来ても面倒だから少し急いでね』
『そうだな』
"This kickback is no joke! Alpha, can you do something about this?!"
"Nope. As I said, I haven't finished taking control of the augmented suit so I can't help you fix your aim or anything else that includes controlling your augmented suit. So use your own power to try to stabilize it. Or do you still want me to try?"
Akira flusteredly held on to his vehicle. Almost at the same time, Alpha made a 90 degrees turn. When she did that, countless bullets came from behind and drew a line on the ground as it tried to catch up with Akira, it came from the machine gun on top of Katsuya's vehicle.
"Shoot back now!! At this rate, he'll one-sidedly keep shooting on you!"
Akira grabbed at his vehicle with one hand and used his other hand to aim his DVTS minigun at Katsuya's vehicle.
"If it's impossible to properly aim at him, at least keep it aimed at one point, I'll try to help by adjusting the vehicle's position."
Akira stopped trying to aim just like he was told to. He used his augmented suit to hold down his DVTS minigun aiming at one point before pulling the trigger. As the effect from the shaking of the vehicle, Akira's aim, and the kickback that threw off his aim had been minimized, Alpha adjusted the vehicle position to aim at Katsuya.
Katsuya's vehicle was riddled with bullets, shaving off the armour platings covering his vehicle. From Akira's point of view, the fire sparks coming out from the bullets hitting the armour plating made it look like he was shooting fireworks as he was also listening to the bullets that went past him and landed behind him. Every time they released a barrage, a flower-like flash illuminated the dark courtyard.
Alpha used that opening to accelerate the vehicle and put more distance between them. At the same time, Akira quickly switched to his A4WM automatic grenade launcher and scattered grenades in Katsuya direction to prevent Katsuya from chasing him any further.
Akira had a stern expression plastered on his face as he said.
"That guy finally retreated, huh. But still, to think that he would raid the base from the front just to save a pickpocket, is that guy even right in the head?"
Alpha looked exasperated at Akira. She had no idea if Akira just simply did not realize what he too was doing, or if he understood what he was doing but was just ignoring it for now, or he was surprised to find someone who was as reckless as him.
There were many parts of Akira's argument that were actually subjective to individual interpretations. But since he honestly thought that they were not the same, Alpha decided not to point it out.
"I'm glad to hear that you were actually willing to resolve this matter peacefully. Now, if only you would keep that up a little more, I would be really happy."
"It depends on whether the other side would respect that or not. But people tend to not let me do that, so as long as that's true, I don't see any reason to stubbornly stick with it."
If he only put out his argument and opinion, then let others take the decision, more than often things would not go as he wanted to. That kind of pessimistic thinking was carved in Akira's head, that was the main reason why he stayed alone and did not get involved with any gangs when he was living in Slum City. He always thought joining a gang would give him more loss than what he could gain.
Alpha understood without knowing the detail that there was a deep reasoning why Akira was like that. While at the same time, she also found that beneficial for her too.
"Well, it's true that it's useless to try to negotiate with someone that won't even listen to you. I don't think it's a bad move to just abandon a negotiation with a low chance of success."
Akira's stern face relaxed for a bit, it might be because he thought someone finally agreed with him.
"We'll break through the mansion from the entrance not too far ahead. You'll have to leave the vehicle behind and search the inside of the mansion after that. Since you'll be leaving your vehicle behind, there's a good chance that you'll lose it too, so just keep that in mind."
"If you're lucky, you won't lose it."
Akira thought for a second if he was cursed to keep losing his vehicle or something.
Once the squad from Ezont Family finished their preparation, they immediately scrambled to the courtyard to fight the invaders. All of them were either former Hunters or were in the army before, they were not like those amateurs with rifles.
As they were passing through an atrium into the courtyard, Akira's vehicle suddenly busted into the atrium. Akira paced his car to its full speed before he charged it into the door of the mansion. Ezont Family's squad acted immediately and started shooting the vehicle. The vehicle was riddled with bullets in no time, but Akira was not in it.
When those people were shooting at the vehicle, Akira jumped into the atrium with his DVTS minigun ready in his hand and opened fire just like that.
Alpha warned Akira who just got shot.
"Try evading better. Even if it's alright to get shot a few times, every time you get hit, your energy reserve will also get hit pretty badly."
"I know!! But it's just that they're too many! It seems that I didn't get enough of them with the surprise barrage!"
"Make sure to finish those who are already lying on the ground, otherwise, there'll be no end to them, you know?"
Those who got hit and just fell unconscious on the ground were resurrected by their augmented suit. When the augmented suit read a disruption in its user's life signal, it would inject its user with medicine, accelerator drugs, and other battle stimulants to wake them up and allow them to temporarily continue fighting for a short time.
When Akira saw that, he could not help but frown.
Ezont Family's soldiers were killed one by one, some of them were run over by Akira's vehicle, some of them got shot down by Akira, some of them were blown away by Akira's kick. The fierce battle died down as more and more dead bodies kept piling up.
As the dead bodies finally outnumbered those who were still alive. Akira slowly but surely got the upper hand in that fight, but that was when another sudden change in situation happened. A reinforcement suddenly poured in from inside the mansion.
Akira started considering pulling back and assaulting the mansion from another side. If Alpha told him to do so, he was planning to do so right away. Alpha then gave Akira an order.
"Temporary retreat?"
"Force your way into the mansion."
Although Akira was surprised by that unexpected order, he had a stern face as he looked at the direction Alpha was pointing at. He then gathered his resolve and started running. Akira had to pass through several positions where he had no cover in order to follow that order, but he did not hesitate at all.
She was able to notice the change in the situation from the room that she was locked in. She could hear the siren going off outside accompanied by the sound of people running around.
Sheryl thought of using the current chaos to escape, but she could not find any ways to do so. The only door in that room was locked and she did not have anything that she could use to force it open. Although there was something going on outside, it did not change the fact that she was not able to get out of that room on her own.
Then something happened. The door to that room suddenly opened and a few men came into the room. The man who was leading those men aimed his rifle at Sheryl and held out her information terminal that was confiscated before.
"If you don't want to die, give Akira a call."
Sheryl extended her hand and took that information terminal with a serious face.
After Akira went through the atrium, he kept running into the deeper part of the mansion through the hallways. He loaded a new magazine into his DVTS minigun while running. He had to pay for the price of using his new augmented suit, which he was not used to yet, with a few pills of medicines.
"That was pretty dangerous. I thought I keep myself vigilant back then, but those guys were pretty strong."
Akira inadvertently compared the strength of the people that he just fought to those robbers that he fought in Sheryl's base excluding Zalmo, who he had especially extra trouble fighting against. But if he included his current equipment, these people were a little stronger than those robbers.
As Akira thought that it was to be expected that the guards defending such a huge base would be rather powerful, he then regretted the fact that he was unconsciously looking down at them before. But he did not regret his decision to raid the base.
"But still, didn't that guy come to this place to save that pickpocket? So why is he chasing after me desperately?"
"He might have misunderstood that you know the location of that pickpocket and decided to kill you first."
As Akira looked immensely annoyed, Alpha suddenly made a suggestion to him.
"If you think that it's already way outside your calibre, you can decide to withdraw, you know. That fight just now was pretty bad after all, right?"
"Well, it's true that it was rough, but I somehow started to get the feeling of how to use this augmented suit from that fight. As expected of an expensive augmented suit, it doesn't seem hard to operate. That's why I should be able to give a better fight next time. It's rather unfortunate that I still can't get your support, but I don't think I'll withdraw yet."
Alpha understood that Akira was not trying to sound strong from the way he said it. While at the same time, rather than being happy with his ability to adapt, she thought that she needed to be careful with it. Akira was able to get used to his new augmented suit to the point that he did not worry about it at all just after a single fight. That ability to adapt was way above her expectation.
Although Alpha was worried about that kind of thing which was outside her prediction, she did not show that on the surface. She was still smiling like usual as she said.
"Unfortunately, I still can't find them. I guess we have no other choice but to check all the locations where they might be held. I've always been keeping my eyes on the information-gathering device for any signal that might indicate their locations, but I still got nothing until now."
"...I'm sure I can easily find them if I interrogate one of those guys, but with how strong they are, I guess that's out of the question, huh."
Akira did not have the leeway to take his time interrogating one of Ezont Family's soldiers. If he did not fight them with the intention to kill, he might get killed instead. If he did not do that, he would get overwhelmed fighting those people.
Alpha suddenly turned to Akira and said.
"Akira, I know where Sheryl is."
"I got her location now so it doesn't really matter, does it? I'll guide you there. And also, she'll be calling you soon. Just tell her what I'll tell you. I'll also be the one connecting you to her, so there's no need to use your information terminal."
"So you're Akira, huh? If you don't want this girl dead, throw away your weapons."
"Who is this?"
"Are you being serious here? I'm really going to kill this girl, you know?"
"Well, I mean, I don't even know you, so it's not like I can take you seriously even if you tell me so..."
"It's true that this girl refused an offer from the boss. That's why we're holding her here."
"I see. Then, how about the information that a pickpocket called Alna is also here? I also got that from Viola."
"Does this have something to do with that pickpocket?"
"Because of a personal reason, I want that pickpocket dead, you see. So if she's really here, I'm just thinking of killing her while I'm here."
"I don't care about your personal reason or what not! That pickpocket has nothing to do with this right now, does she!? The only thing that matters here is if you would obey us or not, and if you won't, then we'll kill this girl!!"
Since it sounded that Akira might accept his demand depending on the things that Akira wanted to confirm, that man calmed down for a bit.
"Oh, so what is it?"
"Is Sheryl really alive? And if the girl who you have with you is really Sheryl or not? I want to know those two things first. Judging from the guys who were mocking me in the entrance, it won't be strange if you guys already killed her, you know. After all, it seemed that you guys are not scared if I came here to take revenge. So if Sheryl is already dead, then it won't be strange if you guys took her information terminal and used it to call me in order to trick me. In the first place, it's weird for Sheryl to come to this place alone without asking me to accompany her. It doesn't seem like you guys kidnapped her either, and even if I wasn't able to accompany her, she should have at least given me a call. There's also a possibility that someone stole her information terminal, used it to ask for a meeting with your boss, and said something that she shouldn't have to your boss, so the person that you have there might not be the real Sheryl. If she's really Sheryl and she's still alive, then I don't mind listening to your demand. After all, I don't want to throw away my weapons just to save someone who's pretending to be Sheryl, you see."
That man clicked his tongue after hearing how paranoid Akira was. But since he was trying to confirm the identity of the hostage, that in itself meant that Sheryl had some value as a hostage. He then extended that information terminal to his friend who was covering Sheryl's mouth and signalled him.
After that man let Sheryl off, she took that information terminal. The other men were still pointing their rifles at her as she started talking to her information terminal with a stern face.
"...It's Sheryl... Uhhh, I'm being held here but I'm not injured. So, uhh, I'm okay at the moment. Ah, yes, it's the real me. Please believe me."
Sheryl somehow sounded rather awkward. It was both because she was buying more time while thinking about what she could do in that situation as well as because she was so surprised and delighted to find out that Akira really came to save her.
"So you're okay, right? Then, why did you come here alone? I was there with you when you went to Shijima's base, remember?"
In reality, considering the fight that almost happened because of Akira back then, it was enough of a reason not to bring him along again. Sheryl could not understand what Akira was thinking about that matter, if he just did not notice it himself yet, or if he was just putting that aside for now, or if he thought that it was way better to do so rather than having to face this kind of situation.
"I-I'm really sorry. Viola introduced me to Ezont Family and brought up that offer to me. Judging from what I could gather from her that time, I figured that I didn't need any bodyguard for this."
"I heard that you refused their offer though, did they tell you to give up your territory again?"
"Although it might sound suspicious, they wanted us to work under their gang. So I think it can be interpreted that my territory will be Ezont Family's territory too. But if I have to make a guess, I believe that they were talking about the chain of command, and in that chain of command, they wanted Akira to be in it too. So, since I thought that it's not my place to decide that, I refused their offer."
Sheryl was a little surprised since Akira too sounded surprised. She thought that since he never considered himself as a part of Sheryl's gang, he would not have any interest in such matters.
One of the guys there then snatched Sheryl's information terminal again.
"You confirmed that she's the real Sheryl now, right? Then let me tell you this again, if you don't want this girl to die, throw down your weapons. I'll send you a location, come to that location with your hands up an-"
"You're going to kill me there, aren't you?"
"...Don't make me say it again. If you don't follow my instruction, we'll kill this girl. That's all you need to know."
"...I'm a Hunter, you know?"
"Working as a Hunter means regularly risking my life. And risking my life is the most that I will do. I have no plans to go along with something that would definitely kill me. That's why I can't accept your demand. In the first place, if I die, there's no guarantee that you guys won't kill Sheryl too. This won't even be a negotiation. I'll make a suggestion here instead, if you hand over Sheryl and kill that pickpocket, I'll leave peacefully. And make sure that you guys don't interrupt me on my way out either. This way both of us won't have to face any loss, what do you think?"
"I'm saying here that I'm willing to forgive you for threatening to kill my lover. Isn't that enough for a reason? Or is it that there's no place for negotiation?"
"Yeah, that's right!"
Right at the next moment, Akira kicked down the door to that room. He already had rifles in each of his hands. Everyone in that room was frozen by that sudden turn of events, Akira used that opening to fix the aim of both of his rifles and immediately opened fire. The closed room and the close range did not give them any chance to evade nor to shoot back. In the next moment, those guys were lying on the ground, drowning in their own blood after being riddled with bullets.
"It's your fault for saying there's no chance for negotiation, so I won't accept any complaints, okay?"
Of course, no one was complaining there. Deadmen could not complain after all.
Akira was actually just buying time when he was talking to Sheryl and the other guys. The moment Alpha said that she knew where Sheryl was, Akira already knew that it was really Sheryl and that she was still alive.
He also was not doubting the information from Viola. Although Viola might have had a bad intention when she shared that information, for some reason, Akira was sure that Viola would never lie. She would only share real information, though not everything, to manipulate people.
He was only buying time to make sure that Sheryl was alright until he arrived. That was the only reason why he did that. But if they had accepted Akira's offer, he was willing to peacefully leave too. But of course, he did not think that they would accept his offer right from the beginning.
"Well, just to be safe, are you okay? I was trying to be careful as not to shoot you by mistake..."
"Ah, yes. I'm okay, thank you very much for coming to rescue me."
"...Well, I did say that I'll help you out if something were to happen. Though it's not like I'll come to your rescue every time, I can at least rescue you if it's only this much."
For Sheryl, Akira seemed so reliable from that short exchange. While at the same time, she also thought that if she ever made an enemy out of Akira, he might clean her up like what he did just now.
Putting aside whether Akira was a good person or not, one thing was for sure, he had a very low moral value and had almost zero aversion toward killing other people. To top it off, he had the power to do so although he obeyed a vague set of moral values. Sheryl thought that it would be scary to have him as an enemy, but that also did not erase how scary he was even if she had him as an ally.
Alpha smiled at Akira and suggested he withdraw now.
"Well, we've rescued Sheryl now, so let's get out from this base."
Alpha wanted Akira to get out from that base as soon as possible. That was why she decided to help him rescue Sheryl. She wanted to avoid the situation where he killed Alna, which caused Katsuya to have some grudge against him which definitely would cause more trouble later down the line. Moreover, it would be great if Alna got killed by chance in the middle of the ongoing chaos. That was why Alpha wanted Akira to leave that place as soon as possible.
Akira looked conflicted. He understood Alpha's argument, but he could not just leave either.
"Well, one thing for sure, we shouldn't stay in this place. Let's move somewhere else where you can better ascertain the current situation. It would be troublesome if they send some reinforcements to this room, so let's hurry up."
"You're right."
Rebuild World (WN)
リビルドワールド
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/rebuild-world/
Action Adventure Drama Harem Mecha Mystery Sci-fi Seinen
Abandoned Children Adapted to Manga Adventurers Alternate World Anti-social Protagonist Apocalypse Artificial Intelligence Beautiful Female Lead Cautious Protagonist Child Protagonist Dense Protagonist Determined Protagonist Distrustful Protagonist Futuristic Setting Gangs Gunfighters Harsh Training Lack of Common Sense Male Protagonist Manipulative Characters Monsters Near-Death Experience Older Love Interests Poor Protagonist Poor to Rich Ruthless Protagonist Shota Sudden Strength Gain Survival Twisted Personality Unlucky Protagonist Weak to Strong
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n9736dt/
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