いでいる。強化服は空き部屋に置いた格納棚に収納されている。アルファは前のように強化服の制御装置等の掌握作業を続けていた。
「アルファ。強化服の調整ってどれぐらい掛かりそうなんだ?」
『明日の夜ぐらいには終わるわ。荒野に出るのはその後ね』
「結構掛かるんだな」
『以前のものより格段に高性能な強化服だからね。それにやることは単純な制御装置の乗っ取りではないのよ。強化服の性能を限界まで引き出せるように新しい制御ソフトを一から構築しているようなもので、それを考えれば驚異的な早さなのよ?』
アルファの話は事実なのだが、アキラは少し驚いた程度の弱い反応しか示さなかった。アルファが少し不服そうな態度を見せる。
『アキラの専門外のことだから仕方ないのかもしれないけれど、もう少し反応が欲しいところね』
「そう言われてもな。俺がその手のことに驚けるだけの知識を得るまで気長に待ってくれ」
に必要な知識はどれも専門的なものばかりだ。
『大分先になりそうね』
この手の知識からアキラの興味を引くのは当分は難しそうだ。アルファはアキラの素っ気ない返事からそう判断した。
アキラの情報端末に通話要求が届く。通知元を確認するとヴィオラからだった。
「アキラだ。何か用か?」
「......シェリルのことについて話があるのよ。少し良いかしら?」
ヴィオラの口調には僅かな乱れがあった。平静を装っているが完全には無理で、内面の焦りが僅かに
み出ている。アキラはそう感じ取って
訝
「......シェリルがエゾントファミリーの拠点に監禁されているわ。このままだと殺される恐れもあるわ」
アキラの表情が僅かに険しくなった。
アキラが少し素っ気ない口調で答える。
「状況は、分かった」
「話はそれだけか?」
「もう一つあるのよ。あのアルナってスリだけど、あの子もエゾントファミリーの拠点にいるわ。保護されているのか、監禁されているのかは知らないけどね」
アキラの声が不機嫌なものに変わる。
「......知っているかもしれないけど、私もシジマと一緒にアルナを捕まえるなり殺すなりしようとしたのよ。でも残念ながらドランカムのハンターに邪魔されて失敗したわ。アルナがスラム街のそこらにいるのなら、また試しても良いけれど、
普段の余裕を感じさせようとしながら、恐る恐る都合の良い意見を通そうとしている。ヴィオラの口調はその意図を感じさせるものだった。
「そう? そうよね。話はそれだけよ。......私が言うのも何だけど、アキラもこれ以上アルナを狙うのは辞めた方が良いわよ?」
アキラの機嫌が明確に悪くなる。
「......どういう意味だ?」
「そんなに機嫌を悪くしなくても良いじゃない。労力の問題よ。たかがスリを殺すためにエゾントファミリーを敵に回すなんて割に合わない。それだけよ。勘違いしないで。アキラではエゾントファミリーには勝てない。そういう話ではないわ。単純に割に合わない。そういう話よ。それに私の情報だと、カツヤってハンターがアルナをドランカムの人員にしようと幹部に掛け合っているらしいのよ。
なものに変わっていた。だが自分の立場を思い出したように、僅かな沈黙の後に再び僅かな焦りを含む口調で話を終えようとする。
「それだけよ。じゃあね」
「そのエゾントファミリーの拠点の場所を教えてくれ」
「そんなものを聞いてどうするの? いえ、何でもないわ。すぐにアキラの情報端末に地図とか位置情報とかを送るわ。じゃあね」
ヴィオラは少し慌てた様子で通話を切った。そこからは会話を続けて
『アキラ。さっきも説明した通り、強化服の調整はまだ終わっていないわ』
「別にアルファのサポートを受けられないってだけで、強化服として使えないってわけじゃないんだろう? まあ、使えないのなら最悪防護服の代わりにするよ。AAH突撃銃とA2D突撃銃を生身でも使えるように改造しておいて良かった。他のは車の銃座に設置して使うよ」
アキラが本気で言っていることはアルファにも分かった。アキラは強化服がない時にもAAH突撃銃だけでシジマの拠点に乗り込んだことがあるのだ。装備の充実や実力向上の程度を考慮すれば、相対的にはその時の無謀さと
シェリルを助けに行くついでにアルナを殺すのか、アルナを殺しに行くついでにシェリルを助けるのか、それは本人にも正確には分かっていない。どちらか片方だけなら動かなかったかもしれない。だがその両方を合わせれば、アキラが動く十分な理由になっていた。
『スリを殺すかどうかは、もう一度ゆっくり考えるようなことを言っていた気がしたけれど』
「言ったけど、そのゆっくり考える時間はなくなったみたいだからな」
猶予はなくなったのだ。アルナがドランカム所属の人間になる前に殺さなければ、ドランカム自体を敵に回す覚悟が必要になる。今ならまだエゾントファミリーを敵に回す覚悟で済むかもしれない。既に手遅れかもしれないが、行動に移るなら早い方が良いことに違いはない。つまり、今だ。
アルファが少し真面目な表情をアキラに向ける。
『前にも言った通り、それは私のサポート外。私がそれに付き合う義理も義務もないのよ?』
アキラが立ち止まってアルファをじっと見詰め返す。それなら付き合わなくて良い。以前のアキラなら特に気にせずにそう答えていた。アルファもその返答を予想した上で、説得を続けるつもりだった。
だがアキラは軽く笑ってその予想を覆す。
「好きなだけ甘えて良いって言っただろう? 頼むよ」
アルファがかなり意外そうな表情を浮かべる。そしてどこか楽しげに苦笑した。
「助かる」
『変な言質を取られてしまったかしらね』
「下手なことを言うものじゃないな」
アキラとアルファは少し楽しげに笑い合った後、すぐに出発の準備を始めた。
アキラが準備を終えて車の運転席に乗り込んだ。助手席には既にアルファが座っていて、
『それにしても、アキラは私を良いように扱う手段を少しずつ覚えてきたようね』
アキラも冗談交じりの態度で答える。
「それはあれだな。日々の教育の成果だな」
『あら、私の所為だって言いたいの? 教える内容を間違えたかしら』
「......これで良しと。送信内容を前もって用意していたと思われないように少し時間を空けたけど、開けすぎだったかしら」
ヴィオラの表情にはアキラと話していた時の焦りなど全くない。あの態度は全て演技だ。平静を装っているように装っていたにすぎない。ヴィオラはいつもの余裕と平静さで、いつも通りに
既に日が沈み始めている時刻。門の警備をしている構成員達が近付いてくる車に気付いた。構成員達が車へ銃を向ける。車は門の近くまで来た辺りで彼らに止められた。
数名が銃を構えたまま車を取り囲む。男が運転席のアキラを見て脅しと嘲笑の両方を顔と声の両方に乗せる。
「シェリルがここにいるって聞いて迎えに来たんだ」
「シェリル?」
男は組織の下っ端で詳しい話など全く分からないが、それでもそれらしい名前のやつがボスに呼ばれていたことは知っていたので、中に連絡を取ろうとする。
「アキラだ」
男がアキラを何度か横目で見ながら上司らしい者と情報端末で連絡を取っている。
「......え、あ、はい。そう名乗っています。シェリルを迎えに来たとか言っています。......いや、そう言われても、俺にはただのガキとしか......、いえ、確かにスラム街のガキとは違って装備は
「お前、本当にアキラか?」
「その本当のアキラってのが誰のことかは知らないが、俺の名前はアキラだ」
「シェリルの徒党の後ろ盾をやっているハンターがアキラって名前なんだが、お前か?」
男が仲間から送られてきたアキラの画像と目の前のアキラを見比べる。確かに同一人物に見えるが、上の人間が説明したような
「......ええ、はい、確かに画像のやつです。......分かりました」
「そのままそこで待ってろ!」
アキラは運転席に座ったまま
『そっちはこいつらがあのスリの身柄を確保している理由次第だ。ここの連中がスリの被害に遭って、見せしめに殺そうとしているだけなら放っておくよ』
アルファが少し意外そうな様子を見せる。
『アキラはそれで良いの?』
『別に、あいつを殺すのは俺だ、なんて
アルファとしてもそれでアキラが満足するなら問題ない。アルナがアキラとは無関係な事情で死ねば新たな厄介事を招くこともないだろう。そう判断して、状況をその方向へ推移させる方法を思案し始めた途端、それはあっさり破綻した。
男達が別の車の接近に気付いて警戒を高める。窓もなく全面を装甲で覆っており、カメラ等で周囲を確認する種類の戦闘車両だ。車体上部には機銃も付けられていた。
車が門の近くで止まる。横開きのドアが開いて武装した少年が出てくる。カツヤだった。
カツヤが警戒している男達を威圧する。男の一人がその威圧に
「何だてめえは! ここがどこか分かってんのか!? 死にてえのか!」
カツヤが怒りを
ったのはお前らだな! 返してもらいに来たぞ!」
「何言ってやがる! どこの馬鹿だ!」
男の一人がカツヤの車両に付いているドランカムのマークに気付いて顔を
「お前、ドランカムのハンターか!」
「そうだ。俺はドランカムのカツヤだ。どんな理由でアルナを連れ去ったのか知らないが、黙って返すっていうなら今なら許してやる。返さねえって言うのなら......」
にドランカム所属のハンターを殺せばいろいろと面倒なことになる。カツヤを包囲しようとしていた男達の動きが鈍る。連絡係の男が慌てて上に連絡する。
「......はい! 緊急で......、カツヤっていうドランカムのハンターがここに......」
『あのスリを助けに来たのでしょうね』
『なんであのスリがここにいるって知って......』
アキラはヴィオラからの情報との関連性を疑って言葉を止めたが、確証もなく、自分は勘も良いとは思っていないので、取りあえずは別の可能性を優先させる。
『......まあ、ドランカムの情報網とかがあるのかもな。エレナさんの話だとあいつはちょっとした幹部扱いらしいし、その手の情報の入手手段でもあるのかもな』
まれているけれど、どうするの?』
アキラは車から降りると、上と連絡を取り続けている男の前まで行って話に割り込む。
「何だ、邪魔するんじゃねえ! 黙って待ってろ!」
アキラが男の通話先の相手にも聞こえるように大きな声ではっきりと伝える。
「ここにアルナがいてまだ生きているのなら、殺すから俺に引き渡せ。
男がアキラの宣言に困惑していると、今度はカツヤが割り込んでくる。
「ふざけるな! そいつにアルナを渡したら絶対に許さないからな!」
男が更に困惑しながらアキラとカツヤを見る。片方は殺す
この時点でアキラは大人しくする選択を完全に捨てた。今まで通り、いつも通り、今回も自分の要求は通らない。カツヤだけが中に案内されてアルナが引き渡される。そう決めつけた。
アキラはついさっきまで、シェリルとエゾントファミリーの
『結局こうなるのね』
『もうあいつには二度引いているんだ。二度あることは三度ある、にしてしまうと、これからも何度でも、になりそうだからな。もう引き下がれない。三度目の正直にしておかないとな』
以前と異なりアキラの装備は充実している。少なくとも引き下がる理由になるほど致命的ではない。時間制限もある。アルナがより大きな力の
アキラが車の銃座に取り付けていた武器を外して装備し直す。
『アルファ。シェリルとスリの場所とか分からないか?』
の外にはいないということしか分からないわ。ヴィオラからの情報に拠点内の見取図が含まれていたけれど、シェリルとスリの位置までは記載されていなかったわ』
『乗り込んで適当なやつから聞き出すしかないか』
『私も探すから見つかったら教えるわ』
車はそのまま拠点の庭を勢いよく進んでいく。内部の者達がアキラを銃撃し始める。アキラも車から取り外した強力な火器で応戦する。
ませるカツヤに、周りの男達が銃を向ける。カツヤの言い分としてはアキラを狙っただけなのだろうが、やっていることはエゾントファミリーの拠点への発砲であり、明確な攻撃行動だ。もう相手がドランカムのハンターだろうが放置はできない。
男達がカツヤを殺す気で引き金を引く。それに反応したカツヤが回避行動を取りながら反撃する。銃弾が飛び交う中でカツヤはその実力を示した。銃弾を浴びた男達が即死し、
カツヤは険しい表情で車に乗り込むとすぐにアキラの後を追った。
地と血に伏していた死にかけの男が、残った力を振り絞って情報端末を操作していた。襲撃を知らせる緊急警報を送信して、恨みを込めた表情のまま息絶えた。
「もう一度聞く。お前はカツヤと非常に親しい仲で、何かあれば助けてくれると約束もしている。そうだな?」
アルナが
「そうよ! 絶対助けてくれるわ!」
「だがお前はこんな状況だ。助けられなかったってことじゃないか?」
アルナはドランカム保有のキャンピングカーの中にいたのだが、あるハンターにこの車を使うからと追い出されてしまった。ドランカムの敷地内でどうすれば良いか思案していると、今度は警備員に部外者だと認識されて敷地の外に追い出されてしまった。敷地の外であたふたしていると、カツヤがアキラを探してスラム街の方へ行ったという話を耳にしたので、不安に押し流されてそのままスラム街の方へ行ってしまった。そしてスラム街の近くでロゲルトの部下に
「まあいいさ。そのカツヤが本当にそこまでお前を大切に思っているのなら俺達にも好都合だ。お前が俺達に迷惑を掛けた分、そのカツヤにしっかり借りを返してもらう。断られたらお前を殺して憂さを晴らすだけだ。お前が大切な人質になることを期待してるぜ?」
ロゲルトはアルナの表情からその期待値を計る。期待できそうだと判断して笑い、部下と一緒に部屋から出て行った。
監禁場所に一人になったアルナが悲痛な表情で
部屋から出たロゲルトの情報端末から緊急の連絡を知らせる音がする。ロゲルトが険しい表情で応える。
「俺だ。何があった?」
「ボス! 襲撃だ!」
「どこの連中だ? まさか、ハーリアスのやつらか!?」
ロゲルトは部下の慌て振りからそう判断したが、報告を聞いて驚きの表情を浮かべる。
「何だと!?」
襲撃者はアキラとカツヤ。その報告はロゲルトには余りにも予想外だった。更に一緒に送られてきた通話記録を聞いて大きく表情を険しく
(どういうことだ!? なぜどちらもあいつがここにいると知っている!? 露見するにしても早すぎる! 当日だぞ!? しかも引き渡し交渉もせずにいきなり襲撃だと!? 不自然すぎる!)
ロゲルトがその不自然を解消させるものに気付いて表情を鋭くさせる。
(......まさか、ヴィオラが俺に話を持ちかけたのは、俺にアキラ達を利用させる
ロゲルトの表情が一瞬固まる。その後、激怒の表情で情報端末越しの相手に指示を出す。
「すぐにその2人を殺せ! 投降させる必要はない! 拠点の外にいる戦闘要員を全員呼び戻して全力で対応しろ! 格納庫の機体も全て出撃させろ!」
「待ってくれ。ガキ2人に幾ら何でも大げさだ。第一、あの機体はハーリアスとの抗争用のとっておきじゃ......」
「ガキが2人だけで俺達を敵に回すわけがねえだろうが! 恐らくヴィオラがハーリアスと
「わ、分かった!」
部下が慌てた様子で通話を切った。ロゲルトが非常に厳しい表情で周りの幹部級の部下達に指示を出す。
「了解。シェリルとアルナとかいうガキの方も始末しておくか?」
冷静な部下達を見てロゲルトも冷静さを取り戻し、僅かに思案する。
「......いや、一応人質として使ってみろ。交渉もせず忍び込みもせず、正面からいきなり襲撃してきたんだ。本気で助ける気はないのかもしれないが、試すぐらいはしておけ」
ロゲルトはそれだけ指示を出すと格納庫へ走り出した。他の部下達も指示通りに動き始めた。
Just like with the previous augmented suit, Alpha was working on the control device of Akira's new augmented suit.
"Alpha, how long will it take until my augmented suit is ready?"
"It'll be done sometime around tomorrow night. We'll head to the wasteland again after that."
"Hmmm, that's pretty long."
"Unlike your previous augmented suit, this is a high-quality augmented suit after all. Moreover, it's not like I'm just simply hijacking the control device. I'm basically rewriting the software from the bottom-up to be able to pull out its full power, so putting that in consideration, finishing it tomorrow night is pretty fast, you know."
Alpha was telling the truth, but Akira barely showed any reaction to it at all. So Alpha pouted and said.
"It's understandable since it's out of your area of expertise, but I really wish that you would show more interest in it."
"Even if you told me so... Just wait patiently until I have enough knowledge to be honestly amazed by something like that."
Forget difficult things like that, Akira only had barely enough common knowledge according to the current standard. Not to mention, he would need all kinds of complex information that normal people would not know in order to be honestly amazed by what Alpha just said.
"Seems like it would take quite a long time until you reach that point, huh."
It seemed that it was not an easy thing to get Akira interested in that kind of information. Alpha thought so from how he replied apathetically.
A call suddenly reached Akira's information terminal. When he checked the caller, it was from Viola.
"It's Akira, what is it?"
"...It's about Sheryl, is this a good time?"
Viola's voice was rather rough. There was a hint of fear and it was obvious that she could not keep her calm. Akira also noticed that and frowned, but it was out of suspicion.
Akira noticed that and mumbled.
"...Well, this doesn't surprise me at all."
"...Sheryl is being held in Ezont Family's base. At this rate, she might even get killed."
Akira's face slightly turned stern.
Akira replied rather indifferently.
"I understand the situation."
"Is that all?"
"Just one more. About that pickpocket, it seems that Alna is also in Ezont Family's base. But I don't know if she's also being held there or if the Ezont Family is sheltering her."
Akira's voice immediately changed, he sounded slightly annoyed.
"...You might already know that Shijima and I tried to capture or kill Alna, but unfortunately, Drankam got in our way. If Alna is still somewhere in the slum city, we can try again, but it would be too much of a trouble if she's under Ezont Family's protection. That's why, I know that you didn't ask us anything, but in case you were expecting us to be able to capture Alna... I'm sorry that we can't satisfy your expectations. I hope you can understand."
Viola sounded slightly scared although she also sounded rather relaxed at the same time.
"Is that so? Well, you have a point there... Although it might sound strange for me to say this, but it might be a good idea for you to give up on killing that Alna, you know."
Akira's mood clearly worsened.
"...What do you mean by that?"
"There's no need to be that angry. It's simply a matter of too much trouble, you see. It isn't worth getting into trouble with Ezont Family just in order to kill one pickpocket. That's all there's to it, so don't misunderstand me here. It's not like I'm saying that you can't win against Ezont Family, it's simply a matter of whether it's worth the trouble or not. Moreover, from the information that I gathered, it seems that Katsuya Hunter is making a deal with a Drankam officer to make Alna a Drankam member. Of course, that officer is opposing his request, but it's only a matter of time before she gets overwhelmed. It's a whole different thing between killing a mere pickpocket and killing a Drankam member. Not to mention, Drankam seems to be in a rather good relationship with the Kugamayama City Management. So in the worst-case scenario, you might get the whole city against you. No matter how strong you are, it's stupid to get into a fight against Drankam. I'm sure you know at least that much too, right?"
In the middle of her explanation, Viola's tone slowly turned to normal. But once she remembered her position, after a short pause, she once again sounded rather scared as she said.
"That's all, later then."
"Tell me where's this Ezont Family's base."
"What are you planning to do with it if I tell you...? No, it's nothing. I'll send the location to your information terminal after this. Later then."
Viola flusteredly closed the call. It seemed that she was scared since continuing the call might only turn the situation worse.
"Akira, as I explained to you, the augmented suit is not ready yet."
"It's not like it's useless just because I can't receive your support, right? Well, if it's useless, I can just use another armour though. I'm glad we modified the AAH and A2D assault rifles so that I can use them without an augmented suit. As for the CWH anti-material rifle and DVTS minigun, I'll only use them when they're ported on my vehicle."
Alpha understood that Akira was being serious. There was a time when Akira went to Shijima's base with only his AAH assault rifle and no augmented suit. Considering his opponent and his equipment at that time, it might be equally as reckless as what he was going to do this time. So it was rather impossible to stop Akira who had made his decision using his equipment as an excuse. So Alpha decided to try a different method.
Akira himself could not tell if he would only save Sheryl while aiming for Alna or that he would kill Alna while he's saving Sheryl. If it was only one of those, he might not have decided to move out. But with both of those things pointing at the same location, it was enough of a reason for him to move out.
"I believe Shizuka told you to think about it one more time about killing that pickpocket though."
"She did, but it seems that I don't have the leeway to take my time any longer."
Akira was running out of time, if Drankam gave protection to Alna, he would have to prepare to fight Drankam in order to kill her. But right now, he just needed to prepare to fight Ezont Family in order to kill her. As a matter of fact, he might be already too late, but it did not change the fact that the sooner he made his move, the better it was. And that would mean to make his move now.
Alpha made a serious face and said to Akira.
"Like I said before, I have no obligation to provide you support for this, you know?"
Akira stopped and stared back at Alpha. Normally, he would casually say that she did not have to help him in that case, and Alpha was actually expecting him to say that and was planning to use that to convince him.
But Akira lightly smiled and said to Alpha.
"You did tell me to spoil myself with your support, right? So help me."
Alpha looked obviously surprised. She then smiled bitterly, a little amused too at the same time.
"Thanks!"
"I wonder if it was a mistake telling you that."
"It's really something you or I should not say lightly."
Akira and Alpha smiled at each other, they then immediately prepared themselves to move out.
Once Akira finished his preparation, he hopped onto his vehicle. Alpha was already sitting on the driver assistant's seat. She then teased Akira.
"But still, it seems that you are starting to learn how to use me, huh?"
Akira replied with a joke.
"That's well, that's all thanks to all of your education."
"Oh my, are you saying that it's my fault? I might have taught you things that I shouldn't have."
"...That should do it. I delayed some time before sending the information to make him think that I didn't have it ready beforehand, but did I delay too much?"
Viola's expression did not show the fear that she had when she was talking with Akira. All of that was nothing more than her acting. She was just acting scared like how she was usually acting calm. She looked completely fine like usual as she said.
Right when the sun was about to set. The entrance guard noticed a vehicle heading in their direction. They immediately aimed their guns at that incoming vehicle. But that vehicle stopped not too far away from the entrance.
The guards quickly surrounded the vehicle. One of the guards saw that it was only a young boy driving that car, he then mockingly said to Akira.
"I heard that Sheryl is here, so I'm here to pick her up."
"Sheryl?"
Since that guard was only a lackey in the gang, he did not know the details of what was going on inside the gang, but even so, he felt that he heard that name before when his boss summoned that Sheryl. So he made a call to the people inside the base.
"It's Akira."
That man was talking with his superior through his information terminal while glancing at Akira from time to time.
"...Eh, ah, yes. He said that it's his name, and he said that he's here to pick up Sheryl... No, even if you say so, he looks like just a common brat from my point of view... Well, it's true that he has better equipment than a common slum brat, it won't be strange if he calls himself a Hunter with his equipment... No, he doesn't look that strong."
"You, are you really Akira?"
"I don't know who's this real Akira that you're expecting, but my name is Akira."
"I'm talking about that Akira, a Hunter who is protecting Sheryl's gang. Is that you?"
That man compared the Akira from the picture that he received from his co-worker and the person in front of him. The person in front of him did look like the one in the picture, but he did not seem like a strong Hunter that his superior told him about. He then frowned and made another call.
"...Yes, it's the brat from the picture... I understand."
"Just wait there!"
Akira was still sitting in the driver's seat as he nodded. Alpha, who saw that Akira just obediently nodded, lightly smiled.
"That would depend on the reason why these guys are protecting that pickpocket. If these guys are also a victim to that pickpocket and are planning to publicly execute her to make an example out of her, then I'll just leave her be."
Alpha raised her eyebrows in surprise.
"Oh, you're okay with that, Akira?"
"It's not like I need to be the one who kills that pickpocket. As long as she would end up dead, I don't really care about the rest."
If that was enough for Akira, Alpha had no complaints about it at all. If Alna got killed somewhere that had nothing to do with Akira, it would not cause any trouble for him afterwards. As Alpha was thinking of a way to accomplish that, her plan was immediately crushed.
Another car was heading in their direction, the guards there immediately noticed that vehicle. It was a fully armoured vehicle with no windows. It was equipped with multiple cameras to let the people inside it see the situation outside the vehicle. It was even equipped with a machine gun on top of it.
That vehicle stopped not too far away from the entrance, the side door of that vehicle opened and an armed young boy stepped out. It was Katsuya.
Katsuya's aura intimidated the guards. One of the guards there winced back from that aura as he tried to hide it by yelling at Katsuya.
"What the heck's with you?! Do you even know where you are right now!? Do you want to die?!"
Katsuya glared angrily at those guards. Although they were already aiming their guns at him, Katsuya did not show any fear at all.
"I know you guys are the people who kidnapped Alna. I'm here to get her back!"
"What are you even talking about? Who is this stupid guy?!"
That guard noticed the Drankam stamp on Katsuya's vehicle and winced.
"You, you're a Drankam Hunter, huh?"
"I am. I'm Katsuya from Drankam. I don't know why you kidnapped Alna, but if you will obediently return her back now, I'll still forgive you. If you don't..."
Ezont Family was indeed a strong gang, but it would still give them a lot of trouble if they killed a Drankam Hunter. The guards there slowly surrounded Katsuya. The guard who was responsible for communication flusteredly called his superior.
"...Yes! It's an emergency... A Hunter from Drankam by the name of Katsuya is here..."
"I bet he's here to save that pickpocket."
"Why he would even know that pickpocket is he-"
Akira was suspecting that Katsuya also received that information from Viola, but since he did not have any proof and he had no trust in his own intuition, he decided to just forget about it and consider other possibilities.
"...Well, it might be from Drankam's information network. According to Elena-san, he's treated as one of the officers in the gang after all. So it might be possible for him to get that information from there."
"So, he's glaring at you though, what are you going to do?"
Akira stepped off his vehicle and said to the guard who was still talking to his superior.
"What?! Don't bother me! Just shut up and wait!"
Akira then yelled to let the person, to whom that guard was reporting, hear him.
"If that Alna is still there and alive, give her to me and I'll kill her, either that or kill her yourself now."
That man was confused by what Akira just said. But Katsuya immediately interjected.
"If you give Alna to him, I'll never forgive you!!"
That man looked even more confused as he looked at Akira and Katsuya. One of them told him to kill Alna while the other was there to save Alna. But both of them were telling him to hand over Alna to them. The weak-looking one looked at that man with a slightly stern face, while the strong-looking one glared at him with an angry face as both of them were demanding him to hand over Alna.
At this point, Akira already fully abandoned the possibility of peacefully resolving the current matter. Just like everything that happened to him until now, it was just like always, this time too, it did not go as he wanted. He thought that they would only let Katsuya in and they would hand over Alna to Katsuya.
Up until now, Akira looked at himself as an outsider in this conflict between Sheryl and Ezont Family. That was why he peacefully came and asked the entrance guard, and if Sheryl was returned to him without any trouble after that, he would not look at the Ezont Family as an enemy.
"It still turned to this in the end, huh?"
"I've backed off twice from getting into conflict with him. And just like people say, if you've done it twice, you can do it thrice. At this rate, I feel like I'll always avoid getting into a fight with him. That's why I won't do that this time, just like they say, third time's the charm."
Unlike before, this time Akira was properly armed. Or at least, it no longer gave him a reason to back off again this time. There was a time limit too, he had to kill Alna before a stronger organization took her in. Akira no longer had any reason to withdraw.
He then quickly reached for the guns fixed on his vehicle, removed them, and equipped them himself.
"Alpha, do you know where's Sheryl and that pickpocket?"
"Unfortunately, I only know that they're not outside the mansion. Viola did send the blueprint of the interior of the mansion, but it doesn't say where Sheryl and that pickpocket are held."
"I guess I have no other choice but to raid the base and ask them, huh?"
"I'll try to look for them too and tell you if I find them."
As Akira's vehicle went straight into the mansion through the courtyard, people inside the base started shooting at him. Of course, Akira shot back with the powerful rifles that he just took off from his vehicle. The night scene immediately filled with flashing muzzles.
Katsuya seemed obviously vexed. The guards around him immediately aimed their rifles at Katsuya. Although he was only aiming at Akira, it did not change the fact that he released shots into Ezont Family's base. It was obviously an act of hostility. Even if he was a Hunter from Drankam, they could not just let that go.
The guards shot at Katsuya aiming to kill him. Katsuya reacted to evade them while shooting back at those guards. Katsuya showed his skill in that fight. The guards were riddled with bullets as they fell down one by one to the ground, some of them were immediately killed while some of them were severely wounded after that exchange.
Katsuya made a stern face as he hopped back to his vehicle and chased after Akira.
One guard was still alive albeit badly wounded and was drowning in his own blood. He used the last life force that he had left to reach for his information terminal to send a notification in order to alert everyone that they were under attack before he let out his last breath.
"I'll ask you one more time. You're close to that Katsuya and he promised to save you if anything happens to you, right?"
Alna was still shaking, but she replied back firmly.
"That's right!! He'll definitely save me!!"
"But you're in this situation now. Doesn't that mean that he wasn't able to save you?"
When Alna was hiding in one of the camping trailers owned by Drankam, a Hunter came and kicked her out since he was about to use that vehicle. As she was thinking about what to do inside Drankam's base, a guard found her and kicked her out since she was an outsider. When she was loitering around outside Drankam's base, she heard that Katsuya went to the slum city to look for Akira. She was so worried and ended up going to the slum city too. And that was where she was kidnapped by Rogelt's men.
"Well, it doesn't really matter. If Katsuya really holds you that dearly, then it's good news to us too. I'll have him properly pay for all the troubles that you caused us. And if he refuses, we can just kill you too. I'm expecting that you'll be a good hostage, okay?"
Rogelt looked at Alna's face and guessed how good she was as a hostage. He decided that it was worth making her a hostage as he smiled and left the room with his men.
Alna said so with a pained face now that she was left alone in that room.
The moment Rogelt stepped outside the room, an emergency alarm reached his terminal. He pulled his information terminal out and asked with a stern face.
"It's me, what is it?"
"Boss!! It's an attack!!"
"Who is it from? Don't tell me it's the Haurias!?"
Rogelt thought so judging from how panicked his men were, but he was surprised when he heard the reply.
"What!?"
The attackers were Akira and Katsuya. Rogelt did not expect that at all. He was even more surprised when he checked the record of their exchange.
[What's the meaning of this!? Why do they know about Alna and Sheryl!? I understand it's only a matter of time before they knew it, but this is just too fast!! They found out about it on the same day!? And they even raided the base without giving us a chance to negotiate! It's just too strange.]
Rogelt immediately noticed why it happened and made a grim face.
[...Viola! Don't tell me that she brought that plan to us not so that we can manipulate them but to make them attack us?! Did she also say something to them that made them not even try to talk it out first? But even if that's true, why would they attack us? There's no way they can win with the only two of th-]
Rogelt froze. After that, he immediately shouted at his men.
"Kill both of them!! There's no need to give them a chance to surrender! Call back everyone outside the base to fight them!! Use all the powered suits inside the hangar too!"
"Wait for a sec, isn't that too much just to fight two young Hunters. Not to mention, we stocked those powered suits to fight Haurias in the first place..."
"If they're your common young Hunters, there's no way they would raid our base just with the two of them, you know!! If my guess is correct, that Viola might have something to do with Haurias!! They might even come here using this chaos!! Go! Make sure that the powered suits are ready before I'm there!"
"O-okay!"
His men flusteredly ended the call. Rogelt still had an extremely grim expression on his face as he looked around his officers and his men and told them.
"Roger that. Should we kill Sheryl and Alna too?"
Rogelt was able to regain some of his calm after he looked at his men who were calm in that situation. After giving it a short thought, he then said.
"...No, try using them as hostages. Both of them attacked us without even giving us a chance to talk it out, they might not be here in order to save them in the first place, but at least give it a try."
Rogelt quickly ran towards the hangar after he said that while his men immediately went to move as they were ordered to.
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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