アキラはその高速移動の一歩一歩に遅さを覚えながら、高度な情報収集機器のセンサーが捉えた周辺の情報を受け取り、情報収集機器側のデータ編集処理を省略して認識し、拡張感覚としてそのまま知覚する。それにより、自分に向けられている無数の射線を直感的に捉えていた。射線が赤く塗られていれば、アキラの周囲は赤で塗り潰されていた。
それでも比較的射線の密度が薄い方向へ走り出し、射線の隙間に自分の体を滑り込ませるように体勢を変える。射線の見切りを誤れば即死すると分かった上で、射線を捉えた拡張感覚に、研ぎ澄まされた自身の勘に自分の命を預けて駆け抜ける。
の出力集中で乗り切っても、敵の砲火はアキラを殺し切るには十分だった。既にアキラを取り囲んでいたメイド達と執事達が、味方への多少の着弾を受け入れてアキラに向かってほぼ同時に撃ち出した銃弾は、それだけの量と威力を備えていた。
その弾幕を、生還への道を閉ざす障害物を、自身に向けられた銃口から撃ち出された銃弾で形作られた分厚い扉を、アキラは左手のLEO複合銃で
じ開けた。右手のLEO複合銃と同様に最速の連射設定で目標を撃ち続ける。それは標的の殺害ではなく被弾による体勢の崩れと銃器類の破損で射線を狂わせることを最優先にした銃撃であり、別世界と誤認するほどに意識上の現実の解像度を極限まで上げた世界での精密射撃だった。
発砲の直前に被弾したメイドが射線を乱す。その実力故にアキラの行動を認識できた執事が反射的に回避行動を取ってしまい照準を狂わせる。
戦闘開始から10秒。余りにも膨大な銃弾が飛び交った世界で、アキラもクロエも生き残っていた。
クロエは戦闘開始直後からラティスに強引に抱えられて、場から全速力で離脱を開始していた。肉体的には常人と変わらないクロエにはそれだけでも身体に強烈な負荷が掛かるが、それは一見ただの高級なだけの通常の服だが実際には強力な戦闘服並みの防御力を持つ服の性能と、クロエに負担を掛けない抱え方をしたラティスの技量で乗り切った。
車両の後部扉を遠隔操作で開きクロエを車内に入れた時点で、ラティスとパメラが視線を合わせてどちらが護衛として残るかを決めようとする。そこにクロエが口を挟む。
「2人とも行きなさい」
ラティスとパメラの両方が表情で難色を示し、ラティスが代表して答えようとする。
いた。そしてパメラだけが車外に出るとラティスはそのまま後部扉を閉めた。
クロエが静かだが狂気が見え隠れする表情で告げる。
「ラティス?」
ラティスがクロエの威圧に
「行け!」
車両が荒野に向けて急発進する。その
戦闘開始より5秒後、アキラは継続して追い詰められていた。
初めにアキラを囲んで銃撃した時点で、それで殺し切れなかった場合の作戦が始まっていた。大量の銃弾をアキラに放ちながら、
ハンターオフィスの出張所でヴィオラと会ったキャロルは、まずヴィオラの背後に立っているババロドを見て事情を察すると苦笑を浮かべた。
「全く、もしかして初めからそのつもりだったの?」
ヴィオラがいつものように楽しげに笑う。
「とんでもない。あの後にそう決めただけよ。その後に利用したと言われたら否定はしないけど、あの後の交渉を私に任せたのは
そしてそのデータの詳細を見たキャロルが表情を驚きに染めた。
「......ヴィオラ。これ、本当?」
「......そうよね。確かに、これをネット経由で渡すのは無理だわ」
キャロルが軽く頭を抱える。ヴィオラはそのキャロルの様子をいつもの笑顔で楽しげに見ていた。
「内容に満足してもらえたのなら、情報料の交渉に移りたいのだけど」
「待って。先にアキラに伝えさせて」
キャロルが情報端末でアキラに連絡しようとする。しかし失敗した。
「......圏外? どういうこと? ヴィオラ。悪いけど......」
代わりにアキラに連絡を、と頼もうとして、キャロルはヴィオラの様子に言葉を止めた。キャロルの頼みを先読みしていたヴィオラが、情報端末を持って同じように
ヴィオラの情報端末は旧領域経由の回線にも対応した特注品だ。その回線が完全に圏外になるなど、普通は有り得ないことだった。
「外で大規模な戦闘の反応を捉えました。加えて著しい通信障害が発生しております。それにより当施設は自衛モードに移行致しました。施設防衛依頼を引き受けて頂けるハンターは、施設内通信経由で緊急依頼の受諾を......」
周辺のハンター達が慌ただしい様子を見せる中、キャロルは視線を自身の閲覧用端末に思わず向けた。
「まさか......!?」
ヴィオラが提供した情報は、リオンズテイル東部三区支店がアキラというハンターに対して武力行使を含めた交渉の準備をしている恐れがあるというものだった。データをネット経由で渡せなかったのは、それを裏付ける大量の社外秘情報が含まれていたからだ。
ヴィオラから情報を買わなかった者は、その内容を知らなかったことで破滅的な不利益を得る。アキラもまた、その一例となった。
しかし、驚くヴィオラの表情が、これは予想外の事態だと示していた。
人間の精神はある程度造れる。表現を変えれば、その思考、
それらの過程を経て造られた精神性は、新リオンズテイル社への忠義を何よりも重要視するものとなる。人として生まれ、企業の部品として育ち、消耗品として生涯を終える。それを哀れではなく誇りとする程に。
その者達が今アキラに襲いかかっている。そして散っていく。ある意味で、その忠義を
となった者達が自身の死を覚悟していたように、他の者も彼らの死を覚悟している。ブレードを勢い良く振るった反動で動きを鈍らせているアキラに、初めから味方ごと撃ち殺すつもりだった射線が合わされ、一斉に撃ち出された。
その自分の動作では回避不可能な銃撃を、アキラは別の物の動作で回避した。先程手放した2
現場に戻ってきたパメラが驚きの顔を浮かべる。その視線の先ではアキラが片膝を突いていた。そして他の者は全て倒れていた。
アキラがブレードを支えにして立ち上がろうとする。だがその圧力で刀身が砕け散り、僅かに体勢を崩した。柄だけになったブレードを
に黙って立っている。相手がどんな意図で攻撃をしてこないのかは考えない。時間稼ぎなら今はそれに乗る。
パメラも黙って立っている。クロエを遠くまで逃がす
そしてパメラが先に時間切れの判断を下した。
「待っていても気が変わることはないご様子。では、そろそろ死んで頂きましょう。
が渡すと答えていれば、私は帰っていました。自分達だけで任務を完遂できなかった皆も残念だったでしょうから、その無念を晴らす機会を上司として譲っていた、というだけですけどね」
「どういう意味だ」
パメラが笑って告げる。
その指示に従って、クロエの部下達が起き上がる。生者も死者も区別無く、物理的に立ち上がれる者は全員立ち上がった。腕が千切れていようとも、頭が有ろうと無かろうと、足で立てる者はしっかりと立っていた。その様子を見て、アキラも
「皆、勤勉でしょう? 自慢の部下達よ」
クロエの部隊の者達は、最後まで戦えるようになっている。それは外部の指示でも行動可能な強化服の着用であったり、気絶しても自身以外の意志で身体を動かせるようにする簡単な機械化処置であったりする。そして当人が普通に動ける場合は当人の意志が最優先だが、
いは死亡した場合には、その体を動かす権限が上司に移行されるようになっていた。
パメラはメイド達の上司であり本来はメイド達しか動かせない。しかし今はラティスから権限を借りているので執事達も動かすことが出来た。それにより、かなりの数の者が立ち上がっていた。
アキラはクロエの部下達を殺す気で攻撃したが皆殺しにした訳ではない。そもそもアキラの攻撃は全て相手の戦闘能力を奪うのが目的であり、相手の生死は二の次だった。十分に負傷させて動けなくなった者達に
他者の体を動かす権限を持つとはいっても、その体を自在に動かすのは普通は無理だ。人は自分の体を十全に動かすのにも十分な訓練を必要とするからだ。
だがパメラにはそれが部隊単位でも可能だった。クロエの側近に成れたのもその技量を買われてのことだった。
「じゃあ、死んで」
首無しの死体が銃を構えようとする。だがその動きが止まった。それはその体を動かしていたパメラが、アキラの様子を
アキラは自嘲気味に笑っていた。
「......あの生き返ったやつだって頭を潰せば取り
その宣言と共にアキラが動き出した。パメラも即座に応戦する。
アキラは既に限界を超えている体を湧きあがる感情で支えて更に酷使し、かつてのように戦い続ける。戦闘を開始する前からアルファの姿が消えていることにすら気付かずに。
Even with his high-speed manoeuvre, from his perspective, he was running slowly. During that opening, he gathered all the data about his surroundings through his advanced information-gathering device. He completely skipped the data analysis portions and simply allowed the raw data to fly straight into his brain, which he recognized as extrasensory information. Thanks to that, he was able to locate all the countless bullets around him just by using his intuition. If the trajectories were painted in red, the area around him would have been filled with nothing but red.
Even so, Akira forced his way to areas with a lot fewer bullets and forced himself to slip through that barrage of bullets. He knew that the slightest mistake would spell his doom, but even so, he placed everything on his intuition. The intuition that he had been polishing as he correctly predicted the trajectories of each bullet around him.
However, even after all of this, the firepower of his enemy was more than enough to decimate him. The maids and the butlers that had surrounded Akira started shooting at him almost simultaneously. They had already accepted the fact that they would hit each other as they released a huge barrage of powerful bullets at him.
That barrage that was forming around Akira would come at him like a thick wall, which blocked him from escaping. However, Akira would force his way out using the LEO multi-rifle on his left hand. Meanwhile, he continued shooting at Chloe with his right LEO multi-rifle.
His left LEO multi-rifle had started shooting non-stop at other targets. His aim was not to kill but to throw his opponent off balance or damage their weapons, enough to disrupt their ability to aim. Akira's shooting with his left LEO multi-rifle was unbelievably accurate. It was not an exaggeration to describe it as otherworldly. He was able to execute such high accuracy, rapid shooting thanks to his enhanced, high information resolution world.
The maids that got hit before pulling their trigger ended up completely missing their shots. The butler who noticed it realized that Akira was also shooting at them. So, he inadvertently took a step to the side to evade the incoming bullet. This caused him to lose his already fixed aim. Although the bullet went past their rifles without even touching them, the whiplash from the wind pressure was enough to slightly shift their aims away from their target. All of these compounded together, allowing Akira to create an opening for him to survive the wall of bullets that were coming at him.
Ten seconds passed since the fight started. Even after exchanging that many powerful bullets, Akira and Chloe were still alive.
The moment the battle started, Latis forcefully pulled Chloe back and carried her away from the battlefield as fast as he could. Of course, it placed Chloe's body, which was normal, under a heavy burden. However, thanks to the battle-oriented powerful augmented suit that looked like a casual expensive dress which Chloe had put on, and Latis carrying her to not cause as much burden on her as possible, Chloe somehow managed to be fine.
The back door of that large vehicle opened from a remote signal. Once they escorted Chloe inside, Latis and Pamela looked at each other. They were trying to decide who would stay behind to guard Chloe, but Chloe suddenly interjected.
"Both of you, go!"
Both Latis and Pamela frowned and made troubled expressions, Latis then stepped up to convey their collective feeling regarding this.
Toward that firm and decisive order that their master gave them, Latis and Pamela looked at each other and nodded. Pamela jumped out from the back door while Latis closed the back door after her.
Chloe then said to Latis, with a shred of rage in her tone and expression.
"Latis?"
Latis frowned and made a stern look so as to avoid getting overwhelmed by the pressure that Chloe was emitting.
"Go!"
The vehicle immediately accelerated toward the wasteland. There was no hesitation in their action. It was as if to say that this was the best option for them.
The battle continued for another 5 seconds, Akira was under constant pressure and was slowly getting cornered.
They already moved to plan B which they had planned beforehand in case Akira survived the first assault. Not only were they shooting bullets at him, but they also started mixing in explosive warheads as well. However, these warheads were not to directly hit Akira.
Inside the Hunter Office, when Carol entered, she saw Babalod standing behind Viola and had a rough guess of what was going on. She then smiled bitterly and asked.
"Good grief, is this your plan right from the start?"
Viola had her usual amused smile as she replied.
"Of course not, I just decided to do so afterwards. I wouldn't deny it if I was asked whether I was using you, but you're the one who left the negotiation to me after that. I'm sure you at least expected this, right?"
After looking through the content, Carol raised her eyebrows in surprise.
"...Viola, is this for real?"
"...You have a good point. And this is indeed something that you can't afford to send through the network."
Carol lightly covered her forehead. Viola, who was watching, cracked out her usual smile as she said.
"If you're happy with the content, I want to proceed next to talk about the price."
"Wait, I'll let Akira know first."
Carol opened up his information terminal and tried to contact Akira, but it only ended in failure.
"...Out of range? What's going on? Viola, I'm sorry but..."
As Carol was going to ask Viola to try to contact Akira in her place, she immediately stopped when she saw what Viola was doing. Before she could even ask Viola, Viola had already guessed what Carol wanted and was already trying to contact Akira. However, she had the same bewildered look as Carol had as she was looking at her information terminal.
Viola's terminal was a special information terminal that could connect through the old-world domain. Normally, it would be impossible for it to be ever out of range.
"We've detected a large-scale battle outside and that some kind of signal jamming is in effect. As such, the facility will enter self-defence mode. For the Hunters who are willing to take on this defensive mission, please accept the SOS request through the facilities' inner network."
All the Hunters inside the facility started to get busy, in the middle of that, Carol glanced at her own information terminal.
"Wait... Don't tell me...!?"
The information that Carol received from Viola was that the Lion Steel Eastern District third ward branch was preparing to negotiate with Akira and was even planning to go as far as to use violence. The reason why Viola could not hand it over through the network was because it included many other secret information regarding other corporations behind it.
Many people reached their foul ends because they refused to buy information from Viola, Akira was one example of that.
However, Viola was also obviously caught by surprise. This meant that even she did not expect this to happen.
Human personality was something that could be manipulated to some extent. By changing the way how an idea was presented, it was possible to make one's train of thoughts, principles, and way of life lean toward a particular direction. Alice, who had rebuilt the new Lion Steel company in the current era, used this approach. She had to prepare humans who were used in place of automata.
People who had gone through such education were extremely loyal to the new Lion Steel company. They were born as humans, educated to be tools for the company, and were used like expendable items. Even so, they saw it as something to be proud of.
Currently, these human tools were in the middle of a fight against Akira. As they were educated, they met their ends as expendable items.
The light shields were shattered to pieces. The people behind them were blown to smithereens. But that still did not mean Akira was safe. Just like the now decimated maids and the butlers that had the resolve to throw away their lives, the others also had the same resolve. After executing such an extreme move, Akira turned slightly sluggish for a moment. Naturally, his enemies took that opportunity to start simultaneously shooting at him, without caring even if they hit their allies.
Akira understood that he could not evade them on his own. So, he turned his attention to something else that might help him. The 2 LEO rifles that he had let go, released shots at the same time his enemies started shooting. Akira had turned off their recoil compensator as they released a non-stop barrage. The kickback threw rifles back and were sent flying toward him.
Pamela was filled with shock when she arrived. In front of her, Akira was kneeling on the ground, while the rest were lying dead around him.
Akira tried to push himself up with the help of his blade. But the blade could not stand the stress and broke to pieces. Although he stumbled over, he did not fall. He then placed the blade, which was now nothing but a handle, back into his pocket and stood up straight. In the middle of all that, he had his sight fixed on Pamela.
After that, a short silence waded in. Akira was only standing there in silence in order to have as much time to recover as possible. He had no idea why his opponent had not started the fight yet. However, if he could buy more time, he was happy to oblige.
Pamela also only stood there in silence. She was buying more time for Carol to get away as far as possible from them. With the rest of Chloe's men in the area essentially dead, it confirmed that Akira was way stronger than she had predicted. It hadn't been long since Chloe evacuated. Akira might defeat her too and chase after Chloe. Thus, Pamela wanted to buy time so that Chloe could get away as far as possible from this place. So, for now, she was allowing Akira to recover.
It was Pamela who was the one to decide when she had enough.
"It seems that you will not change your mind no matter what. In that case, I will need you dead. Milady has ordered us to kill you, so we will accomplish that without fail. It would be bad to keep Milady waiting for the after-report, after all."
"No, that was out of my own volition. And, I did not lie, you know? If you say that you are willing to give it to us, we will leave. It is indeed regrettable that everyone failed in their mission. Though, that only means they are allowing me to inherit this opportunity to make up for their failure."
"What do you mean?"
Pamela smiled and said.
With that order, Chloe's men started to rise. No matter whether they were still alive or not, all of them rose up. Even those who lost their arms or even their head. So long as they had their legs, they stood up. Seeing that, even Akira could not hide his surprise.
"Everyone here is so earnest, aren't they? I'm really proud of them."
Chloe's men were equipped so that they could fight to their very last. Whether it was through a remotely controllable powered suit or control device. They were made such that someone else could control their body even when they lost consciousness.
These people had given the control rights of their bodies to their superiors. Of course, it was for the best if they could control their own body, but in case they could no longer do so, their superiors would be able to control them. Be it too fatigued to move till outright death, their bodies would still be utilized.
Since Pamela was the superior of the maids, she normally would only be able to control the maids, but since Latis lent his rights to her, she could currently control the butlers as well. Therefore, there were quite a lot of bodies she was controlling.
Akira had no wish to kill any of them when they fought. In the first place, Akira's main objective was to render them unable to fight. Killing them was his second priority. After all, he did not have the leeway to go around and finished off those who were already gravely injured. Nor did he have the chance to destroy all of their limbs to make sure that they would not be able to move.
Although she had the privilege to freely control others' bodies, it was normally a difficult feat to pull off. Such skill needed comprehensive training, after all.
But Pamela was able to control multiple bodies. It was exactly because of this that she was assigned as Chloe's right hand.
"Well then, you can die now."
The headless bodies readied their rifles. But they suddenly stopped. That was because their controller, Pamela, was confused by Akira's reaction.
Akira was smiling mockingly.
"...Even that guy had his head blown off and returned back alive. When I judged him to no longer pose a threat to me, he survived. I see, so you would go that far to kill me, huh? To move again even after I killed you. I see, fine, fine then. I get it. I guess dying is no longer enough, huh?"
With that sentence, Akira started to make his move. Pamela also immediately responded accordingly.
Akira's dark emotion fuelled his already exhausted body, to the point he was able to fight just like before. He did not even notice that Alpha was nowhere to be found ever since the fight had started.
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