211 トガミ達の選択
アキラが再び総合支援強化服の試験を兼ねた模擬戦に参加している。トガミとレイナとエリオ達を1人で相手にして5割ほどの勝率を保っていた。繰り返される接戦は、全員の技量の底上げに非常に役立っていた。
エリオ達もトガミ達もアキラにはこの戦力差でまだ手加減する余裕があるのだと思って驚いていた。だが実はアキラも結構ぎりぎりだった。負けても悔しそうな様子を全く見せずに平然としているので気付かれなかっただけだ。
休憩中、トガミが何となくアキラ達の方へ視線を向ける。シェリルが荒野にしては着飾った格好でアキラと笑って話している。その笑顔には相手への強い親愛が浮かんでいた。対してアキラはいつも通りの表情を浮かべている。無愛想とまではいかないが、年頃の少年が麗しい少女と雑談しているにしては反応が薄い。それでもシェリルは
「トガミにはそういう人はいなかったの? カツヤに対抗する派閥のリーダーに祭り上げられていたんでしょう? 言い寄ってくる人がいても不思議はなさそうに思うけど」
「いない。ドランカムは他のハンター徒党に比べて女性ハンターの比率が比較的高いし、事務やら何やらに女性も多いから出会いの機会も多いだろう、なんてほざくやつもいるが、基本的に俺達と同世代の女性はカツヤが全部持っていくから、残りの野郎に機会なんか無いんだよ。あいつ、レイナが戻ったら本当にコンプリートするんじゃないか?」
「ちょっと、勝手に人をコレクションアイテム扱いしないでちょうだい」
いにならないようにカツヤのチームから一旦抜けただけなんだろう? 俺が言うのも何だが、もう十分強くなったんじゃないか?」
「それは、そうだけど......」
妙な沈黙が流れる。トガミの態度は見っともない
トガミが気を切り替えるように話題を変える。
「そういえばエリオ達の動きだけどさ、あれ、基本的にカツヤの部隊の動きの模倣だよな」
「多分それは模倣っていうか、総合支援システムの試験で使っている学習データの元がカツヤ達の部隊の戦闘ログなんでしょうね。だから動きが似るのよ。......何であれがカツヤの部隊の動きって知っているの?」
「シカラベとの訓練でそのログを見せられたんだよ。部隊の動きを見た後に、その欠点や対抗手段を指摘させられたんだ。一日中見せられて、あの頃は夢にまで出てた。あの部隊を1人で何とかする方法を提案しろと言われた時は
軽い苦笑を浮かべているトガミに、レイナも苦笑を返す。
「部隊員の質に大幅な差があるとはいえ、私達は2人で、アキラは私達を敵に加えた上で1人で何とかしているわね」
「俺達の基準でも、少なくともそこまで
トガミ達が軽く笑い合っているとドランカムから通知が届いた。模擬戦への参加を切り上げて拠点まで帰還するように指示が出ており、トガミ達はその旨をアキラ達に伝えて一足先に帰っていった。
拠点に戻った後、トガミ達はミズハに会議室に呼び出されていた。まずは旧世界製自動人形の売却手続きが完了したのでトガミ達の待機処置が終わったことを知らされる。
な様子を見せた。ミズハはカツヤ側のドランカム幹部であり、自分にそんな話を持ち掛けるのは不自然だ。その思いが顔に強く出ていた。
ミズハもトガミの内心にすぐに気付いてどこか得意げに
その反応はトガミとレイナで大分異なっていた。トガミはどことなく冷めた態度を出しており、レイナの態度からは軽い動揺が見られる。ミズハの申し出を、仕方なくカツヤの傘下に入る理由にするのか、カツヤの下に戻れる切っ掛けや口実などの理由にするのか、その差が表れていた。
ミズハはトガミ達に遺跡探索計画に参加する利点などを丁寧に説明した。トガミ達も確かに基本的には十分な利益を得られる良い話だと理解した。その上で、ミズハが穏和な表情で尋ねる。
迷いを見せているレイナに先んじて、トガミが答える。
「断る」
「反カツヤ派のリーダーとして祭り上げられて調子に乗っていた頃の意地でも残っているの? 言っておくけれど、反カツヤ派なんてもう派閥として機能していないわよ? カツヤはそれだけの成果を残しているの」
ミズハの説明通り、あれ程分裂していたドランカムの派閥は、既に消極的であれ積極的であれ親カツヤ派となっていた。シカラベ達のように強固に嫌っている者は
どこか淡々と語るトガミの態度に、好条件をしっかりと理解している様子に、ミズハが逆に困惑を見せる。
「それならどうして断るのよ」
「確かにあいつの下に付けば、俺はもっと強くなれるだろう。だがそれで手に入る強さは、あいつの存在を前提とした強さだ。俺は俺として強くなる。あいつがいなければ機能しない強さは要らない。あいつの構成要素の部品に成り下がる気はない。結構無駄な意地を張っているのは分かってる。だが俺の命を賭けるに足る意地だ。そっちから見ればくだらない意地でもな。だから断る。良い話を持ってきてくれたことには、礼を言っておく」
交渉は決裂した。ミズハが冷たい視線をトガミに向ける。
トガミは一応ドランカム幹部への礼儀として頭を下げた後、振り返らずに退出していった。
ミズハが視線をトガミからレイナに移す。
は、受けるわよね?」
決断の時が来た。レイナは迷いを振り切った。
「すみません。私もお断りします」
レイナが部屋の外に出ると、外で待っていたシオリとカナエが意外そうな表情を浮かべる。
「どうかしたの?」
シオリの要領を得ない質問にレイナが不思議そうにしていると、カナエがどこか楽しげに補足を入れる。
「お嬢。部屋の中で遺跡探索の話っていうか、カツヤ少年のチームに戻る勧誘をされていたっすよね」
「事前の情報収集である程度予想は出来るっす。さっきトガミ少年にちょっと聞いたりもしたっすしね。それで、私と
「お嬢様。説明が足りずに失礼いたしました」
レイナは少し照れくさそうな様子で答えた後、少し心配そうに軽く
気付いていないレイナの様子に、シオリとカナエが顔を見合わせる。
「お嬢様。自動人形の売却が完了したことで、トガミ様がシカラベ様に依頼した訓練も完全に終了しました。つまり、トガミ様とのチームも解消です」
「えっ? あ、そうだけど、まあ、別にそれはそれとしてチームは続けても良いでしょう?」
「お嬢。トガミ少年はお嬢がカツヤ少年の下に戻ると思っているっす。だからもうトガミ少年だけで次のハンター稼業の予定を立てるつもりみたいっすよ。何か早速誰かに連絡を取っていたっす」
「えぇっ!? どうして止めなかったの!?」
レイナは慌てて情報端末を取り出しトガミと連絡を取ろうとする。しかし
ヤツバヤシがクズスハラ街遺跡奥部近くで再び移動診療所を開いている。後方連絡線の延長が中断されているので、延長作業に関わっていたハンターなどが奥部の遺跡探索などに空いた時間を使っており、結構客は多かった。
移動診療所にハンター風のものが入ってくる。ヤツバヤシはその顔を見ると、手でベッドに横になるように指示を出し、受診時間中は基本的に開けっぱなしにしている移動診療所の扉を閉めた。
くして再び移動診療所の扉が開く。ベッドで横になっていたものが外に出て行く。その顔は入った時と別人になっていた。
ヤツバヤシが
(あいつとの取引とはいえ、かなりやばいことに関わっているよな。まだぎりぎりで都市そのものを敵には回していないはずだが、しくじったか? いや、しかし旧世界の技術を諦めるのも惜しいんだよな)
ヤツバヤシはツバキと部分的に取引している。先ほどの一見人間に見えるものを動かしているのはツバキだ。元はティオルの端末で、前回の襲撃で
ヤツバヤシはツバキがそれらを操って何をしているのか知らない。だが知りたいとも思わない。約束は必ず守る。必要以上に関わらない。少なくとも自分からは敵に回さない。それがツバキのような存在と付き合う場合の最善の手段だと考えているからだ。
再び別のものが移動診療所に入ってくる。ヤツバヤシは再び扉を閉めた。
「それでクロサワ、今日は何が聞きたい? またドランカムの内情か? 悪いが大したことは話せないぞ。最近のドランカムはもうカツヤ派が主流だ。俺も結構厳しい立場でね。大した情報は回ってこないんだ」
シカラベの少し自嘲気味な表情にはどこか冷めた雰囲気もあり、いろいろと見切りを付け始めている様子が
「実は最近、俺達の中にドランカムに戻ろうという動きが上がっている」
「何の冗談だ? あいつらはドランカムの体制が嫌で出て行ったやつらが大半だろう? 何で今更戻ろうとする。はっきり言って、状況は更に悪くなってるぞ。俺もそろそろ出て行こうかと思ってるぐらいなんだぞ?」
「俺もそう思う。だがそういう動きがあるのは事実だ。一部の連中はカツヤの下に付くことすら甘んじようとしている。傾向としては、後方連絡線拡張作業に関わっていた連中にその手の考えが多い。カツヤと活動領域が重なって、その活躍を間近で見る機会が増えて、カツヤを見直して考えを改めた。そう考えれば
まるで怪談の類いの話をしているようなクロサワの態度に、シカラベも少し戸惑っていた。
「シカラベ。お前、カツヤが嫌いなんだろ? 何でそんなに嫌いなんだ?」
「何でって、逆に聞くが、あの調子に乗ったガキにどうやって好感を持てって言うんだ?」
「おいおい、しっかりしてくれ。その理由を連中に教えれば、あいつらも目を覚ましたり考えを改めたりするんじゃないかって期待してるんだ。そこまで嫌うんだ。何かあるだろ? 生理的に無理だ。そんな理由でもこの際ありだぞ?」
シカラベが少々酔いの混ざった頭で理由を探ろうとする。カツヤの教育係となった時に細かな嫌悪が積み上がった結果か。知らず
Ch 211
Akira once again joined the coordination support augmented suit experiment, which doubled as mock battle training. Despite having to fight Erio and the other children plus Togami and Reina this time, Akira was still maintaining his usual 50% win rate. It was meaningful training, with each round improving the fighting abilities of all its participants.
His opponents were extremely surprised. They thought that Akira would have enough leeway to hold back with the difference mainly being their numbers. But in reality, Akira was having a hard time as well. The only reason why they thought so was because Akira seemed ultimately unperturbed even after he lost a round.
During a small break, Togami glanced at Akira talking to Sheryl. Sheryl was donning a relatively stylish outfit for someone out in the wasteland. She took great joy in their conversation. Her smile reflected her strong feelings toward Akira. But in contrast to that, Akira was talking like usual. Although it was not like he was completely emotionless, his reaction was rather bland for a boy of his age when talking to someone like Sheryl. But even so, Sheryl still seemed to be extremely delighted.
"You don't have anyone like that, huh? You're pretty famous as the leader of the anti-Katsuya faction, right? To be honest, I think it won't be weird if girls try to approach you because of that."
"Nope. Not at all. I know a few people who used to say that Drankam has more girls both as Hunters and as administrators compared to the other gangs. But almost all the girls around our age are following Katsuya. So the rest of us have none left. Now that I think about it. Once you return to him, I think he'll complete his collection."
"Whoah, can you not treat me as a collection?"
"Sorry. But again, the reason you left his team is because you thought you were too weak and would just slow him down, right? To be honest, you're already strong enough now though."
"That might be true, but still..."
An awkward silence pervaded, Togami prevented himself from doing anything that might hurt his pride while Reina was uncertain on what to do, including matters regarding Katsuya's team.
Togami then changed the subject to change the mood as well.
"By the way, Erio's team is actually moving like Katsuya's team, right?"
"I bet it's some kind of imitation because the coordination system uses the battle log data from Katsuya's team as its learning pattern. That's why their movements are similar... By the way, how did you notice that?"
"Back then when I was training under Shikarabe, he showed me their battle log to analyze. Basically pointing out its weakness and how to face such an opponent. We did that for a whole day. It even came up in my dreams! Back then, I thought that it was impossible to fight such a big group all alone but..."
Togami smiled wryly, seeing which, Reina replied with a similar smile.
"Although it's true that they're weaker, we were able to do that last time. And Akira was able to do that all alone with us joining the other side..."
"At least, we know now that it's not impossible. I guess that just shows that we've improved."
As Togami and Reina lightly smiled at each other, a notice suddenly reached them. So they went to Akira to inform him that they were ordered to leave the training and return back to Drankam's base.
Once they arrived, Togami and Reina were summoned to the meeting room by Mizuha. At the very start, they were informed that the gang had successfully sold the old-world automata, thus Reina and Togami were no longer restricted from dangerous Hunter jobs.
Togami was really interested in that offer, but he still seemed not fully convinced yet. After all, Mizuha was still the officer in the Katsuya faction, so it was weird for her to bring an offer to him, and that suspicion caused him to knit his brows.
Mizuha immediately noticed what Togami was thinking and smiled as she explained.
Togami and Reina did not seem surprised by it. They had seen that coming. But they both reacted differently to it. Togami showed a rather cold attitude while Reina was at loss. It was obvious that one of them took that offer as an excuse to force him to work under Katsuya while the other one thought that it might be a chance to return back to Katsuya's team.
Mizuha proceeded by explaining in detail the benefit of participating in that large-scale expedition. Togami and Reina both understood the benefit that they could obtain. So, Mizuha continued by asking a question in a friendly manner.
Reina hesitated, but Togami replied firmly.
"I'll have to refuse."
"Are you sure you're not getting ahead of yourself with people calling you the leader of the anti-Katsuya faction? Let me tell you this. That faction is no longer functional. That's just how great Katsuya's track record is."
It was indeed as Mizuha said, most of the people in Drankam were actually supporting the Katsuya faction either passively or actively. Although there were still Shikarabe and his cliques who were still taking the opposition side, it was no longer big enough to be called a faction.
Togami, who spoke as if he was talking about someone else unrelated to him, showed that he understood very well how good that offer was. That was why Mizuha was more confused than before.
"So then why won't you accept it?"
"It's true that I'll get stronger if I work under him. But that will be a strength that relies on him. I want to be stronger myself. I don't need power that won't work without him. I don't want to degrade myself to being just another drone under him. I know that it's just my dumb pride. But it's the kind of pride that I bet my life with even if you see it as foolish. That's why I'll have to refuse your offer. At least, I'll thank you for offering me such a good deal."
There was no chance for negotiation. Mizuha looked coldly at Togami and warned.
Togami lightly bowed toward Mizuha, made a 180-degree turn and left.
Mizuha's gaze shifted to Reina.
"You're going to accept, right?"
Her time to make her decision had come, so Reina made her resolve.
"I'm sorry, but I also refuse."
As Reina left the room, she saw that Shiori was already waiting outside with a surprised expression.
"What's wrong?"
Reina was not sure what Shiori was asking about, so Kanae jumped in to fill in the blank.
"Milady, it is about that offer back in the room, or more like, the offer to return back to Katsuya's team."
"We more or less predicted it based on the information that we had gathered. Not to mention, we heard from Togami just now. So then, both Ane-san and I thought that Milady would take that offer to return back to Katsuya's team. But it seems that did not happen, that's why Ane-san is surprised."
"Milady, I'm sorry for the lack of explanation."
Reina blushed a bit and mumbled. She then regained her usual composure before continuing.
Shiori and Kanae looked at each other, it seemed that Reina had not noticed it yet.
"Milady, with the automata already sold, Togami-sama's training with Shikarabe has also been completed. This means that the team has been disbanded."
"Eh? Ah, that's true. But, it doesn't mean that we can't still stay as a team, right?"
"Milady, it seems that Togami thinks Milady will return back to Katsuya's team, that's why he already made his next plan. As a matter of fact, he was already talking with someone regarding that matter."
"Ehh!? Why didn't you stop him!?"
Reina pulled out her information terminal in a panic and tried to make a call. But since there was no answer, she immediately started running to where Togami might be.
Somewhere in the inner part of the Kuzusuhara ruin, Yatsubayashi was driving his mobile clinic. Since the plan to extend the supply route was halted, there were many Hunters around the supply route hunting for relics. Yatsuyabashi did not find any lack of patients from those Hunters.
Something that looked like a Hunter came into the clinic, Yatsubyashi saw that face and pointed to the bed, telling it to lie down there. Yatsubayashi then closed the trailer's back door, which he usually keeps open even when he was treating his patients.
Not too long after that, the door opened and the thing that was lying down on the bed exited the clinic with a completely different face.
Yatsubayashi sighed.
[Although it's a deal that I made with her, this is pretty dangerous stuff. I think it's barely against City Management, but... Well, I wonder if it was a mistake? But again, I can't just give up on learning old-world technology.]
Yatsubayashi had made a deal with Tsubaki. She was the one who controlled the thing that just entered his mobile clinic. It was actually Tiol's terminal and it had kept its human form even after the incident from last time. What Yatsubayashi did was just change the appearance of that terminal. He had done that a few times already. All the terminals that started with a young boy's appearance, were transformed into humanoids of all ages and gender by Yatsubayashi. And just to be safe, he also regularly assigned them with different faces. They were then sent to mix in with the other Hunters working in the ruin, to work on their own goals.
Yatsubayashi himself had no idea what Tsubaki was trying to accomplish by using them. But he also had no wish to know. He thought that the best way to deal with Tsubaki was to fulfil his part of the promise, make sure not to get himself involved more than necessary, and most importantly, not to pick a fight with her.
As another unit came into the clinic, Yatsyubayashi once again closed the back door.
"So then, Kurosawa, what do you want to know this time? Is it about the insider information of Drankam again? I'm sorry but I can't tell you anything. The current Drankam is fully under the Katsuya faction. So I'm already in a pretty bad position, you see. They no longer let me know about important information regarding the gang."
There was a trace of self-mockery in Shikarabe's cold expression. It was clear that he had begun to give up on things.
"Actually, there are some people around me who are thinking of rejoining Drankam."
"Are you joking? Didn't most of them leave the gang since they didn't like Drankam's policies? So why are they thinking of returning back now? Just to let you know, the situation is worse than when they had left. Even I'm thinking of leaving sometime soon."
"I totally agree with you, but it's true that some of them are thinking of returning. Some of them are even thinking of taking it easy, even if it means working under Katsuya. To be more precise, the people who think so are those Hunters who have worked in extending the supply route. They had some of the areas under them overlapped with Katsuya's, and after watching how he works up close, they reevaluated their opinion of him. Although it sort of makes sense, I'm still not fully convinced for some reason. Unlike them, I got too bored expanding the supply route, so I went to take other jobs like the one in Lida commercial district ruin and various other jobs as well. That's why I was not around with them for a while. I can't help but wonder what exactly had happened when I was not around. But when I asked them in detail, nothing struck me as amazing or anything. They don't seem to be hiding anything from me either. To be honest, I'm a bit creeped out by this."
Shikarabe felt that was a bit weird since Kurosawa was talking as if it was some kind of ghost story.
"Shikarabe, you hate that Katsuya, right? Why do you hate him that much?"
"Why you ask? Let me ask you this instead, what is so good about that cocky guy?"
"Whoa there, get a hang of yourself. I was just wondering if I could share with them your reasons, they might change their minds, you know? You really hate Katsuya's guts, so there must be a reason for that, right? Even saying that you just don't like how he looks is fine, you know?"
Shikarabe sobered up a little more and tried to look for a reason. He kept asking himself to think of a reason. It might be the accumulation of smaller grievances from back then when he was responsible for guiding Katsuya. It could be because he had become jealous of Katsuya's talent before he knew it. But in the end, he could not find any good reason, leaving him as simply hating Katsuya without any good reason.
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/
非公開