Episode 236 – Expansion (1)

Expansion (1)

Jade gazed upon Jude Velot. Dark blood-like fluid seeped from his cracked skin, and his hair disintegrated like ash. Soon, his body crumbled into mere fragments.

It was the death of a phenomenon.

Jade confirmed his demise. Brushing back his hair, he lifted his head.

Shattered space. Through the twisted gaps and fissures, there was the sky.

He closed his eyes, bathed in a handful of sunlight. A halo of light drenched his entire body.

“…Insignificant.”

Thus, the end of battle is always empty. Nothing remains, and no sentiment arises.

Because destruction is, after all, an act of creating nothingness.

“…”

Jade looked down at his hands. There lay the remnants of Jude Velot’s annihilation. The fragments of darkness he had personally clenched.

He took another step back.

He had emerged from the basement of the mansion and crossed the continent.

With a speed that easily surpassed the speed of sound, he arrived at a certain place.

[Petra Hospital]

Petra Hospital, where Eceline was admitted.

However, unable to approach closely, he stood at a distance, peering through a window.

There she was.

Holding a pencil in her left hand, drawing pictures for children with a clear smile, a truly beautiful woman.

“…”

Jade silently watched her. A faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. A somewhat strange feeling spread through his heart.

He realized the identity of that emotion a little belatedly.

“It wasn’t meaningless.”

I killed a phenomenon.

Perhaps, I killed the man who came closest to me.

It wasn’t merely an act of destruction.

“…It was to protect you.”

If because of me, you remain in this world.

That would be a satisfactory outcome.

Jade turned with the grace of a noble.

Every stride he took was imbued with refined dignity.

* * *

[Breaking news. According to an announcement from Magic Tower, as of this moment, the indiscriminate death curse has been extinguished…]

An emergency broadcast echoed throughout Edsilla.

The message was clear: the death curse had vanished.

As expected, the monster that had been masquerading as World’s Demise was slain by Jade, and the future had changed.

I leaned against the railing on the rooftop of Petra Hospital.

One by one, patients who had been afflicted were being discharged. Among them, Berry caught my eye.

His face quickly brightened. He was adorable, bouncing around the flower-filled garden.

I turned and leaned back against the railing.

“…Why the hell do you look like that?”

Rotten-faced Layla was there. She fiddled with her teaming bracelet and glanced at me.

“Nah, it’s nothing.”

It was clearly not ‘nothing’ by the look on her face.

“Is it because your name didn’t come up in the news?”

“What are you on about! I don’t care about that!”

Layla snapped.

“Besides, my name did come up. Assistant to Elly, Layla. Elly said she’d mention it during her interview.”

“So what’s the problem then?”

“…”

Layla sneakily peeked at me. She hesitated, then finally spoke up.

“Shion, you know about Raquel Dra, right?”

“Huh? Yeah, I know.”

She spoke with a surprisingly serious tone.

“…I think I’ve got a lead on him.

A lead.

It was slightly disconcerting, but it probably wasn’t a significant clue. Even if I were to grasp the lead, Raquel Dra would ultimately be ‘Dale Kal’, so it had nothing to do with me anyway.

“What lead?”

“There is one.”

“What is it? Tell me.”

“It’s not time yet. It’s not certain…”

Layla shook her head vigorously. I was baffled.

“So what am I supposed to do?”

That’s when it happened.

Beeeep──

A high-frequency alarm sounded from within my pocket.

A Libra-exclusive phone.

It was an order from Zia.

“Hey. I gotta go.”

I quickly stepped onto the railing. Layla reached out startled.

“Whoa!! Shion’s gonna commit suicide!!! He’s off to end his life!!!”

“Are you crazy? Even if you fell from here, you wouldn’t die.”

“…Oh, right. I forgot-”

There are other things to forget.

I jumped from the hospital rooftop to the ground below.

* * *

Lithium Corporation. At the cornerstone of the arms industry, work was in full swing.

“The main product we’ll be selling is handguns. For now, they’re not much different from off-the-shelf models, but R&D is actively underway.”

Sonya gestured towards the production line and the workers as she spoke.

“Even these facilities are on a different level compared to those small and medium enterprises. The volume of output we’re talking about is on a whole other scale.”

It was possible because Zia had quite a number of companies under various aliases. From parts factories to mana stone mines, transportation companies, research labs, and so on…

“However, it seems we’ll eventually have to deal with that Quantum Mechanic bastard.”

I nodded at Sonya’s words.

“What happened now?”

“The bastard has sent a request to use their mana stones. It’s called a request, but it’s practically coercion.”

“Yes. If we use synthetic mana stones, we’ll end up in bed with them.”

Synthetic mana stones are illegal. They’re a cheap and convenient illegality. But accepting them means being manipulated.

“Right. But we have no intention of using their synthetic mana stones. That’s why I was thinking… you might know more about this area.”

Sonya turned to look at me.

I said, “I have a plan in mind.”

“A plan?”

“Yes.”

I had already drawn aggro with Grawl’s synthetic mana stones. Just need to throw the needle slightly, and they’ll bite, thinking it’s a good deal.

“Let’s set it up, give it a try.”

I spoke as I looked at the smartphone Sonya was holding.

“Is that okay?”

─…Yes.

Zia’s voice flowed through.

Sonya displayed the screen. It was a video call, but Zia’s face flickered like a black mosaic.

─Do it…

The direct descendants of Libra don’t get captured on camera. They wear artifacts that prevent it at all times.

─I trust you… Shion Ascal.

“Yes. I will proceed as such.”

…

For two days, I studied Jesco. With Grawl’s help, I figured out their organizational structure, confirmed their scale, and dug up all sorts of personal information.

─The top dog is obviously Jesco! The second in command is Face, and the third is Crow, but there’s a bit of a feud between the two! They have factions!

Factions. The easiest structure to exploit, but also the one that requires the most caution.

If mishandled, sowing discord can actually solidify their bonds.

─And Jesco has a backer too! A big shot in the underworld called ‘Blocker’.

Blocker.

I’m familiar with him. Drugs, illegal synthetic mana stones, body modifications, you name it—a king of the underworld dealing in all sorts of shady stuff.

─Of course, rather than a backer, Jesco is more like a finger on Blocker’s hand.

“Tell me more about the second and third in command.”

─Yes! The second in command, Face, has been serving Jesco from the start! He was famous for his fistfights in the back alleys, and he even taught himself Magic Body! On the other hand, the third in command, Crow, is an elite. A university graduate. I hear he’s the one with connections to the local police!

Their faces said it all.

Face was a thug covered in scars, Crow was a bespectacled intellectual.

─Shall we start today then?

“Yeah. Let’s do that.”

─Great! I’ll send out the message right away!

I nodded and first put on the Infimian. The concept was a dealer who had tried to sell illegal synthetic mana stones to Lockhard. The face was roughly modeled after a homeless man from a desert country.

…

As a dealer, I visited the weapons factory. It was under Jesco’s umbrella, a place called [Mountain].

“…So, you want to sell these synthetic mana stones?”

The CEO this time looked like a weasel. I nodded at him.

“Yes.”

“Is this your first transaction?”

“No. I had a client before, but they suddenly disappeared.”

“…I bet they did.”

He smirked. Then he skimmed over the synthetic mana stones I had laid out in the open suitcase.

“Alright. I’ll buy them. Just wait a moment. I’ll send for the cash.”

The CEO sent a message somewhere.

It couldn’t be an order to bring cash; he was probably reporting to Jesco.

“Ah. They’re almost here. Care for a cup of tea?”

“No, thank you.”

I carefully shook my head, pretending to be cautious. He leaned back with a sneer.

“Suit yourself.”

Tick-tock─ tick-tock─ tick-tock─

Quietly, the sound of time passing. The numerous workers in the factory glanced over and snickered, and I deliberately made an anxious face.

“…It’s getting too late. I should go for today—”

“Ah. They’re nearly here. Stay seated.”

The CEO waved his hand. I sat back down, halting my attempt to stand.

Right after.

“Ugh──!”

Someone from behind put a mask over my face.

“They’re here now. Have a good trip.”

With a mocking tone, I quietly smiled.

…

I was put into a truck with the mask still on.

Rattle-rattle- rattle-rattle-

It seemed like we were traveling on a mountain road without any actual roads.

‘We’re just going around in circles. It’s super close.’

According to Grawl, who was tracking us, it was just a bluff.

Anyway, I was intentionally kidnapped.

‘We’re going underground. Jesco’s underground, that’s where!’

Soon the path smoothed out, and the truck parked.

“Get out.”

A gruff voice hoisted me to my feet. I staggered, led by them.

“Stand up straight, you fucker.”

The walk seemed endless.

No, how vast is this place? Did they build a separate bomb shelter or something?

“Sit down.”

They shoved me into a chair.

I shivered─ my shoulders, head, legs, hands, all of it. It was an act of utmost effort.

“──You seem quite the scaredy-cat.”

Then, a voice mixed with grease and arrogance flowed from in front.

“A mana stone seller with balls this small. Take off his mask.”

“Yes.”

Whoosh!

The mask was ripped off. I slowly opened my eyes.

Jesco was right in front of me. Clad only in a dirty gown over his bare body. He looked at me and smirked.

“Where are you from, huh? No ID, and I don’t recognize your face.”

“…From abroad, I came from abroad.”

“Abroad? Your Edsilla is too fluent for that.”

“Areal befura kasan arahal.”

I spoke in a foreign language.

I had learned it all, just in case, using 「Notepad」.

Jesco’s expression shifted slightly.

“…You’re from Arahall?”

Arahall, the desert nation where Elise had once been kidnapped during her travels.

There was no particular reason for choosing that as my cover.

Simply because Jesco himself hailed from Arahall.

“Crus-”

“Alright, enough. Speak in the common tongue. It’s giving me a headache.”

Jesco waved his hand dismissively.

He looked at me, furrowing his brow, but his demeanor was much more benign than before.

That’s why they say it’s all about connections by blood, friendship, or school.

Personally, I rank them as blood > friendship > school.

For some reason, those who operate in the shadows seem to value friendship even more.

“…Which part of the desert?”

“From a region in the south called Krobs.”

Jesco’s eyes narrowed. He idly scratched his temple with the handgun he held.

Of course, because Jesco was also from Krobs.

It’s not common to meet someone from your hometown in a foreign country. Even less so, a fellow townsman in the same shady line of work.

“Haven’t you heard the rumors about ‘Quantum Mechanic’?”

“Yes. I’m just here to sell mana stones…”

“…The quality of the mana stones is decent. Not as good as mine, but still.”

“I didn’t know there was a different category.”

“Well, you wouldn’t.”

I quietly glanced at him from the corner of my eye.

Of course, I could kill him right now if I wanted to. I had a short dagger hidden within my clothes.

But that would only change the head of the snake.

“Where do you synthesize the mana stones?”

“I have a small factory set up.”

“…Alone?”

“Yes.”

Jesco let out a snort of laughter.

“Alone… you don’t have a team?”

“No.”

“You seem to have some talent. But you can’t sell here.”

He pointed the gun at me.

“This entire supply radius is mine. Illegal mana stones can’t move without going through me.”

I put on a crestfallen expression. Jesco chewed his teeth and let out a small sigh.

“What happened in the desert… never mind.”

He was clearly curious about my background.

Again, it’s really not common to meet someone from your hometown in a foreign country.

I was inwardly disappointed. I had prepared to answer any questions he might ask.

“Maybe… you. Interested in becoming a technician?”

He proposed to me. I widened my eyes in surprise.

“A technician…?”

“I’ll let you sell under me. I’ll give you 3% of the net profits.”

At that moment, some of the guys behind me stirred.

3% of the net profits. It seemed to be a rather generous offer.

“As long as I can sell my goods…”

“Good. Then, Face. Show him the factory first.”

Jesco gestured to someone behind me.

“Yes.”

He roughly pulled me to my feet. That’s when I finally saw his face. Face, the second-in-command, his features marred with deep scars.

He pulled me close and whispered in my ear.

“Consider yourself lucky. I’m sparing you from getting your head blown off.”

Luck.

He was right.

I had manipulated my luck to get in here, after all.

“Th-thank you.”

But Face had other grievances.

Of course, the 3% of net profits.

It was about the money.

These gangster types shout about loyalty, and on the surface, they seem more loyal than anyone, but in reality, they’re the ones who betray the easiest.

“Write down the location of the factory.”

“Yes.”

I feigned subservience and scribbled down a makeshift factory location on the paper. Face glanced at it before pulling the mask back over my face.

When I opened my eyes again, I was in front of a setup factory that Grawl had prepared in advance.

“This is it?”

Face asked.

“Yes.”

He let out a forced laugh, seemingly a bit perplexed.

“It’s damn small.”

“I apologize.”

I had made it small on purpose.

It was a place to showcase my talent.

Of course, Grawl would take care of the actual work, but how important a talented technician is in this business, how much money they can generate, and how serious the wars fought over them can be…

I had experienced it all too bitterly before my regression.

“This is where the mana stones are made?”

“Yes. I’ll show you. The process of my work.”

Once they witnessed my talent, they will become speechless.