Chapter 311: Gears (4)

The cold mist settled over the suburban road at dawn.

The asphalt surface, silently torn apart, suddenly glowed red, and dozens of lasers burst forth, soaring into the sky.

Kwaaaang!!

Two figures emerged from the deafening roar. Rundel, his entire body tattered, and Lennok, drenched in sweat, followed close behind.

Lennok pulled out a cigarette, caught his breath, and smiled.

“Didn’t you say you’d hold out until I suffocated to death? You’re impatient.”

“Hah, I was already filtering out the heat and breathing long ago…”

“You’re quick on the uptake.”

Kkadeudeudeudeuk!!

The moment Lennok finished speaking, dozens of mechanical tentacles crawled up the shattered asphalt, a writhing mass, simultaneously glaring at Rundel.

Crimson laser beams gleamed from the mouths of dozens of snakes as thick as cars.

The mass of tentacles spread wide like a peacock’s tail. Yet, this sight was something Rundel himself had intended and created.

Seeing the snakes now turn their mouths toward him, Rundel let out a hollow laugh.

“I cut all the power lines ages ago, yet it’s still moving like this… What the hell are you?”

The installed heavy equipment parasitic magic artillery, June’s Serpent.

Its power and autonomous judgment capabilities were truly immense, yet it had an inherent limitation: it wouldn’t operate unless installed in place and supplied with power.

But Lennok completely ignored such drawbacks, dragging the artillery he had installed in the mine’s depths up to the surface to press Rundel.

Lennok, staring intently at Rundel, grinned and said.

“I’m acting as its battery.”

Pazzzzzzik!!!

The electric current flowing from Lennok’s hands precisely entered the severed mechanical tentacle mass from below.

A perfect conversion, without an inch of error, into power suitable for the tentacles’ specifications and purpose.

Simultaneously, Davi reset the defense system of the suppressed tentacles, targeting Rundel.

“F*ck…!!”

With Rundel’s dying cry, the lasers fired from June’s Serpent engulfed the suburban road area, sweeping long along the median.

Kwagwagwagwa!!

A rain of lasers streamed from behind. Lennok, comfortably watching Rundel flee like mad, asked Davi.

“Davi. Are you done with the analysis?”

“I’ve recorded the output and operating principles of the component with the built-in temporary space manifestation function.”

Davi replied immediately through Lennok’s earpiece.

“However, to seize control of that modified body, direct contact seems necessary. Since it uses an independent system, hacking is difficult without circuit intervention.”

“You don’t have to worry about that.”

Lennok replied, turning his gaze from Rundel, who had vanished in the laser barrage.

“He seems to be running out of steam, so he’ll try to make a move soon.”

If Rundel’s last gambit in such a desperate situation was—

Kwaaaang!!

It wouldn’t be ultra-close-quarters combat, engaging by fully projecting a temporary space, would it?

A temporary space leap, covering tens of meters. Rundel, who had shattered Lennok’s shield with beam blades drawn from both hands, snarled.

“Sorry, but let’s just forget about the data collection.”

“Was that something you needed to apologize to me for?”

“Instead, if I tear your corpse apart and take it back, won’t my friends in bioengineering do something for it?”

Kiiiing!!

The beam blade relentlessly sliced through Lennok’s shield, deflecting the barrage of lasers and burrowing close.

The shield surrounding Lennok’s body rotated, compressing to absorb the incoming light energy, but.

Kiiiiik!!

With a grating sound like scraping metal, the shield unnaturally pushed aside, and in reverse, Lennok’s unprotected body began to expose itself.

“I told you.”

A triumphant voice, like a fleeting moment, piercing his mind.

Confidence laced with blatant mockery.

“It’s useless, didn’t I say?”

It swapped positions by pushing the space occupied by the shield aside with a temporary space.

It completely pushed the space and instantly transferred the positions of the blade and shield. The beam blade Rundel swung was drawn in, striking towards Lennok’s abdomen.

Sssshhhhiiik!!

Dozens of exchanges crossed in the blink of an eye. A move that simultaneously calculated the manifestation of temporary space and the spatial displacement to render the opponent’s offense and defense meaningless.

If he pushed the shield aside and attacked through momentary spatial interference, it would be impossible for Lennok to engage in normal offense and defense.

The “unforeseen interference with physical laws” Rundel spoke of referred precisely to this kind of killing technique.

No matter how much Lennok tried to counter Rundel’s attacks with his shield and lightning magic, if Rundel displaced space as he wished, Lennok would inevitably expose an opening.

Furthermore, if Rundel’s position couldn’t be properly pinpointed, it would be impossible for Lennok to block Rundel’s attacks in a head-on confrontation.

“The heart first!!”

Ssssweeeash!!

Rundel, who instantly appeared behind Lennok, lightly thrust his beam blade forward.

Lennok reacted immediately, turning his shield backward and striking down with lightning, but all these offensive and defensive moves were pushed aside as if tilting to one side.

Conversely, Rundel’s blade curved like a crescent moon, aiming for Lennok’s chest from the front.

A miraculous technique capable of dividing space into two with a single temporary space, pushing them in different directions.

Someone seeing this deadly move for the first time would find it impossible even to react.

However, Lennok calmly nodded, even as he watched the blade’s radiance approach his nose.

“As I expected.”

“What?”

Kiiiiiiik!!

At that moment, the shield that had been pushed to Lennok’s sides bent unnaturally inward, instantly blocking Rundel’s blade.

Teoong!!

“…!!!!”

A near-instantaneous block. But Rundel also realized what Lennok had done and screamed with an astonished cry.

“You predicted the degree of spatial displacement and bent your shield to match it…!!”

If Rundel created a temporary space and pushed the existing space entirely to one side, Lennok only needed to move his manifested shield and magic to match that displacement.

However, that was only possible if one could predict and react to the exact moment and distance of the spatial displacement.

Even a single failed prediction would result in immediate death.

Lennok knew exactly how Rundel intended to strike at his vital points, yet he was actually waiting for that peculiar spatial interference.

Precisely to wait for the moment Rundel became fixed to a single space.

The fleeting opening when what he thought was a sure-kill follow-up attack missed its mark.

Lennok’s palm relentlessly pierced that momentary gap, embedding itself in Rundel’s solar plexus.

The heavily compressed mana in his hand rotated, forming a shape of endlessly blooming flames.

[Construct Fire]

The essence of firepower, compressed to its limit, plunged directly into Rundel’s body, causing his massive mechanical form to explode backward.

Kwaaaang!!!

──────!!!!

Rundel, screaming an indescribably grotesque cry, was sent flying out of the clearing and began writhing wildly on the spot.

“Damn it…!!”

Once heated and warmed, the components did not cool easily.

The exoskeleton covering Rundel’s body fell away, revealing his gaunt body, where machines were joined.

Biological tissue purely for sustaining the mana source. The pinnacle of cyborgs, with his entire body replaced by machines except for a portion of it.

However, its technology and durability were more refined and complete than anything Lennok had ever seen.

Lennok, walking out of the clearing, spoke.

“The fact that you took that attack head-on tells me what you are.”

“You didn’t just choose temporary space manifestation as the pinnacle of your modified body technology. That form is merely the result of sacrificing your entire body for that single function.”

“Data transmission disabled…!! When the hell did you?!”

Lennok slowly raised his mana, looking down at Rundel, who was frantically fumbling at his chest.

“To dedicate one’s entire life to the manifestation of a single function… truly a life no different from a machine part.”

A group of madmen who modify their entire bodies to realize the technologies they research.

The very name Gearsight explicitly demonstrates their purpose and origin.

“I don’t know what you plan to do by joining hands with the Defense Force Headquarters now, but it doesn’t matter.”

Lennok’s left eye, which had been glowing violet, returned to black.

“I’ll find out plenty by tearing that body apart while you’re still alive.”

“Uwaaaaaaaah!!”

A scream like a shriek.

Immediately after, Rundel’s gaunt body explosively accelerated and shot towards Lennok.

A nearly zero-to-one-hundred, sure-kill strike that created non-existent speed by pushing the entire rear space upward.

Kiiiiiiik!!

But even that final desperate struggle, before Lennok, effortlessly came to naught.

Lennok, who had stopped Rundel’s body mid-air, said.

“It was an excellent experience for me to get a feel for spatial combat.”

“A ‘feel,’ you say… I see.”

Only then did Rundel realize what Lennok had done and let out a hollow laugh.

“I was just performing a trick in front of a sorcerer who directly manipulates space?”

“Just a part… just a part…”

Rundel, looking vacant, began to ramble.

Lennok listened to his muttering for a moment, then used Davi’s power, which he had infiltrated into Rundel’s body, to sever his consciousness.

The light in his eyes, which had surfaced between his mechanical skull, vanished as if extinguished, and his limp body was bound by mana threads.

“It’s strangely modified power, so it tastes weird.”

Only then did Davi, with wires in her mouth, leap from Rundel’s collapsed body.

“It’s like it’s slightly undercooked, if you know what I mean.”

“Did you properly cut the data transmission?”

“He had his consciousness data backed up to the Gearsight public network, so I briefly disabled the transmission and erased the entire backup data.”

Davi tapped Rundel’s fallen head with her tail, then lifted her chin and said.

“You won’t have to eat this tasteless electricity again.”

“Good job.”

Lennok stroked Davi’s head, then picked her up and stood.

The moment Lennok countered Rundel’s spatial displacement and embedded Construct Fire into his solar plexus, Lennok digitized Davi and inserted her directly into Rundel’s body.

This was because he was certain that if Rundel’s body operated with most of its parts replaced by machinery, there would be room for the Cyber-Electronic Spirit’s power to interfere.

From the moment that prediction proved accurate and Rundel’s data transmission function was neutralized, the battle was effectively over.

Lennok had only indulged Rundel’s final struggle to confirm if the space he manipulated could counter Rundel’s temporary spatial displacement.

Once that was confirmed, it was enough.

What was important was not only exposing the internal traitor but also the achievement of directly capturing a member of Gearsight.

“Send a message to Pallard and inform him of the situation.”

Lennok said, turning towards the parked bike.

He massaged his stiff shoulder and pulled out another cigarette from his pocket.

He lit it, took a deep drag, and sat on the bike, letting out a long sigh.

“Just tell him we found evidence of Gearsight’s involvement.”

Agent Headquarters.

The vast auditorium located in the headquarters’ basement. It was a remarkable place with a tiered stage capable of comfortably accommodating hundreds of people.

Pallard, standing on the central podium where the stairs converged, began to speak in a calm tone.

“We’ve confirmed the identities of 67% of the Defense Force intelligence agents registered in the city government’s security network.”

Paat!

Simultaneously, countless photos of Defense Force members appeared on the screen. Well over half of them were marked with a bright red ‘X’.

“We’ve captured and eliminated nearly seven out of every ten intelligence agents. Considering it was a highly adventurous operation, it’s an extremely successful outcome. Of course, the immense contributions of those two cannot be denied.”

It was obvious who those two people were without needing to be told.

Among the numerous seats in the auditorium, eyes naturally turned to Van and Ilya, who were seated separately from each other.

Van with an expressionless face, and Ilya, eyes closed with her arms crossed.

“Especially Van, who encountered a Gearsight combatant during the operation and still achieved results comparable to Ilya. No need for long explanations; let’s just confirm directly.”

The screen changed, revealing somewhat grainy camera footage.

A man, his entire body fitted with heavy restraints, was shown confined in a solitary cell.

Tsuzuzuzuzuzu!!!

A form that was rather uncannily not that of a human.

While undeniably having a human face and form, all its constituent elements possessed an alien awkwardness, closer to machinery than to life.

“…….”

Upon seeing that sight, Ilya’s eyes deepened. Lennok didn’t miss that moment and watched her quietly.

“You understand why I’m revealing this information to you, don’t you?”

Pallard said.

“I believed it was necessary to inform those who cooperated with the operation that all of this is not just a simple Defense Force coup.”

Silence fell.

“Gearsight. The heretics of magic-engineering research, rejected even by the machine city of Machina. Elites armed with superior intellect and modified bodies.”

Pallard continued, addressing the silent freelancers.

“We don’t know why they participated in this, but it’s now certain they have a direct involvement. We might have to face an enemy beyond merely stopping the fortress.”

With those words, the screen changed again, displaying satellite footage taken from high in the sky.

“In the Mobile Fortress assault operation that is about to begin.”

Kwooong!!

A colossal steel fortress, stomping the ground as if to shatter it, emitting an endless rumble.

Its massive form slowly but surely advanced, emitting dazzling magical light in all directions.

The number of gun barrels and armored plates on all sides of the fortress was, by eye, well over thousands.

Beyond merely forming a network of fire by itself, it possessed the formidable presence of a strategic weapon designed to establish front lines and create defensive barriers.

Noise burst through the screen, filling the grand auditorium.

Pallard deliberately allowed the noise to fill the room as he spoke.

“Let me say this now. Those who wish to withdraw should inform me as soon as possible.”

“What do you mean by that?”

An older middle-aged man in the front row expressed his displeasure.

“Do you mean there might be someone among us who would betray us during the operation?”

“…….”

“No one here would act that way unless they want their head blown off by Divine Bow after she returns from her vacation.”

“It means the situation outside is that urgent right now.”

The man fell silent at Pallard’s calm reply.

“While you were eliminating the agents, I was waiting near District 13 with agents I had separately assigned. I thought that if the Defense Force Headquarters were targeting District 13, they would move towards it while their intelligence forces were being eliminated. What do you think the result was?”

Without waiting for a reply, Pallard continued.

“There was nothing. District 13 was never on the Headquarters’ radar from the start. Their only goal was to buy time until the Mobile Fortress advanced near the megacity.”

“That means…”

Only then did the people who understood Pallard’s words nod.

The Agents hadn’t merely planned the operation to confront the Mobile Fortress.

They were moving to eliminate the intelligence unit, keenly observe the enemy’s reactions, and, based on that evidence, discern the Headquarters’ true objective.

“It means the Defense Force Headquarters’ objective is likely not the closed-off district, but rather near the undeveloped area of Vulcan.”

“Precisely.”

Hina nodded at Panua’s additional comment.

“The not-so-short grace period of two weeks was a lie to conceal their true objective… Simultaneously, they likely intended to advance near the undeveloped area while causing chaos within the city and conducting diversionary operations.”

That true destination itself was likely connected to the goal of Gearsight, who had joined hands with the Defense Force Headquarters.

While they couldn’t be sure what it was immediately, it was clear that they had to prevent the Headquarters from approaching the undeveloped area.

“Most of the Agent field operatives not bound by the Prohibition Edict have gone to the city outskirts to determine the Mobile Fortress’s route. The likely transit point will be near Satellite City Delta.”

Pallard, gripping the microphone again, continued.

“I’ll give you half a day to prepare. By then, everyone remaining in this conference room will go outside the undeveloped area and participate in the Mobile Fortress assault operation. Any questions?”

“I believe our forces are excessively lacking.”

Ilya, who hadn’t taken her eyes off the footage of the captured Gearsight combatant, suddenly spoke.

“We succeeded in eliminating the Defense Force special unit, but according to what has been discussed so far, that was merely a part of diverting our attention towards the megacity. The Defense Force’s true core strength will still be deployed near the Mobile Fortress.”

“So?”

“Lieutenant General Treffen, who commands the Headquarters, is an Archmage-level physical ability user… The three Major Generals remaining under him have also officially reached Level 7, and their colonels are likely those who can freely wield Property Transformation of mana.”

There was no particular secret regarding the Defense Force’s strength.

They were a direct military organization under the city government that guarded the outermost boundary of the megacity Vulcan.

Even after having been on a continuous decline for 20 years, with their power and reputation long faded, it was still natural that many Archmage-level superhumans and military-rank ability users were stationed within them.

Excluding the Level 8 ‘monsters’ who were considered beyond specification, superhumans of military-rank and above had always been regarded as major combat forces within the city.

“Considering Gearsight’s participation, our forces are insufficient even with an optimistic view… It seems difficult to predict our victory.”

Her words were like pouring cold water on the heated atmosphere. However, it was an issue that absolutely had to be addressed in this meeting.

The important thing was not merely to stop the Mobile Fortress’s advance, even at the cost of their lives.

It was to return with their forces intact and alive through the entire process of assaulting the Mobile Fortress, eradicating the Headquarters’ key executives, and crushing Gearsight’s plan.

Unlike the Agents who risked their lives for the city’s order and security, wasn’t that process precisely what freelancers should prioritize above all else?

Regardless of whether they moved forward for the immediate success of this operation, whether they had a chance of victory was a very serious issue.

In this operation, only a very small number of Archmage-level ability users, including Lennok, could confront the Defense Force Headquarters.

Ultimately, to successfully conclude this operation, they would have to directly face the Headquarters’ generals and other key executives, and the fact that their specialized combat forces were outnumbered during that process was leading to a situation where victory was difficult to predict.

But Pallard nodded readily, even after hearing Ilya’s sharp question.

“An excellent point.”

“…….”

“From the moment the Defense Force Headquarters’ coup erupted, both Councilman Meyer and I were aware of that issue. That’s why, before the previous assassination plot, we divided our roles and moved in different directions.”

Pallard smiled confidently.

“A Level 7 Archmage who is not bound by the Prohibition Edict in this megacity, yet is capable of stepping forward for the city’s safety and order.”

Kiiik!

With those words, the door beside the grand auditorium opened, and someone slowly walked in.

“She will be the last participant in this operation.”

Bright golden hair reaching her lower back and eyes as blue as the ocean. A young woman dressed in a simple shirt and a low-saturation blue suit.

But the surge of mana flowing from her body was incredibly strong, not yielding to anyone else present.

“My name is Aris Richellen.”

As Pallard subtly stepped aside, she ascended the podium and began to speak.

“It’s my first time participating in a gathering like this, but given the circumstances, we’ll have to bear with some discomfort. Please take care of me.”

The efforts of Pallard, the Deputy Director of the Agents, who had gone to great lengths to gather reinforcements, were not in vain.

As a result, he had succeeded in bringing the most suitable reinforcement for this matter in the entire city.

The top talent of Sinclair Magic Tower. A distinguished professor at Rebatenon University. A monster who completed the Hierarchy in their late twenties.

Recognized as a master of diversified elemental transformation magic, she was an undeniably famous and skilled individual in this city.

He had succeeded in recruiting Aris Richellen for this operation.

Aris, who had lifted her head, and Lennok’s eyes met simultaneously.

“…….”

Lennok, sweating coldly, subtly averted his gaze.