Chapter 51 – Sewer Encounter (3)

[Translator – Late Dreamer]

[Proofreader – Seeker]

Chapter 51 – Sewer Encounter (3)

People react in various ways when they experience unexpected events.

Some people just open their mouths and gasp, and others think it’s a dream and pinch their cheeks.

In the case of my future self.

I fell into both categories.

“…You are.”

I was simply unable to gather my wits in the face of the unexpected situation.

Inside the sewer.

Catherine, who had returned later, found Drake and Andrea and made a surprised expression.

It was an expression only possible because she had lived in the sewer with me for a long time.

In this vast underground space.

She would know how difficult it is to find us.

That’s why Catherine reacted the same way I did earlier.

Not to the extent of gaping in surprise.

But half with joy, half with surprise.

Catherine then talked about the ninja she had chased.

As she said.

I had expected that the ninja had fled to deliver information to the surface.

I nodded lightly and explained the current situation to Drake and Andrea.

This person (the vice president) was not Smile John.

The true identity of Smile John was the chairman of the Kojaka Corporation.

In addition, we were currently being chased by a ninja squad, which was the work of the vice president’s brother-in-law, Koichiro Kojaka.

“Wasn’t there a separate person acting as the chairman character?”

This was Andrea’s response.

“Things have really gotten ridiculously twisted.”

This was Drake’s remark after hearing my explanation that the kidnappers had already taken control of the airship before us.

I continued my explanation to Drake, who was smiling with a bewildered expression.

“Anyway, that’s how we ended up escorting the vice president to his destination.”

“What about the reward?”

Drake replied, flashing his gold teeth.

“We haven’t decided on the details yet, but we’ll probably discuss how to handle Smile John… or rather, Kojaka’s chairman.”

I then turned my gaze to Kojaka William.

Drake’s eyes also followed, landing on Kojaka William.

Kojaka William adjusted the mask he was wearing and replied.

“…You’re right, we’re practically in the same boat now.”

It was natural for the vice president, who had been used as bait by the chairman.

On the contrary, it was natural for him to be angry at the chairman.

A trustworthy smile spread across Drake’s face.

Drake walked over to the vice president and lightly placed a hand on his shoulder.

However, due to Drake’s large size, the vice president’s shoulder dipped asymmetrically under the weight.

Drake’s voice was heard.

“Shall we discuss the contract details then?”

This was always the part Drake handled when we took on a commission.

Adjusting details and sorting out compensation.

Soon, I tuned out Drake.

I figured he would handle it well.

Anyway, escaping the sewer was the most urgent matter at hand.

…But at that moment.

From the opposite side, not a person but a large shadow in the shape of a monster appeared.

“….!”

I tried to shout and be wary of my surroundings.

If I hadn’t immediately realized that the identity of the monster shadow was a dead body, I would have screamed a long time ago.

There was a lizard large enough to easily swallow an adult.

The unusual thing was that it seemed to have more than eight legs.

Andrea opened her mouth nonchalantly.

“Ah, this is what I was talking about earlier.”

She passed by the lizard carcass without any hesitation.

…….

I awkwardly scratched my head.

Enduring the embarrassment, I moved my feet.

And then a moment later.

This time, blocking the entire sewer waterway.

The shape of a giant robot appeared.

Since I had almost screamed at the sight of the monster’s corpse earlier, I calmly observed the fallen robot this time.

With a sizzling sound, a short circuit reaction appeared on the robot’s surface.

There was no movement.

The intermittent sparks only indicated that the power was still on.

[Translator – Late Dreamer]

[Proofreader – Seeker]

Drake’s voice was heard from behind, walking arm in arm with the vice president.

“Oh, this is the cleaning robot I was talking about earlier. The signal doesn’t work here, so I hacked it by connecting the circuits directly.”

The numerous sharp gears extending below the robot were very impressive.

…….

What kind of battles have they been through?

It seemed true that they had dealt with all the strange things they encountered while searching for us.

***

Catherine kicked out forcefully.

Her extended kick shattered the thick iron bars of the sewer.

The entire frame of the iron bars flew off into the distance, bouncing haphazardly onto the sandy ground.

“Phew, we’re finally out.”

I took a deep breath in celebration.

I felt alive as I inhaled the (relatively) clean city air compared to the inside of the sewer.

The neon signs of the city had been hidden by the concrete walls in the garbage dump outside the city.

The buildings had twinkled faintly above.

Fortunately, we were able to infiltrate the city without any further problems after that.

We also prevented the ninja from delivering information.

It also thanks to Drake and Andrea clearing out the monsters near the passage in advance.

A notification appeared on one side of the visual interface, indicating that the signal had been connected.

[Signal recovery detected. Your current location is near the lower ‘Cloud Park’, I inform you.]

Cloud Park, you say.

…….

Did I just say the air was clean?

I take that back immediately.

I could already feel the thick city smog passing by the tip of my nose.

Cloud Park.

The largest industrial zone in Neon City.

I didn’t realize it because it was getting dark.

Seeing the sky covered in gray clouds, it seems to be true.

…At least it’s fortunate that there aren’t many people around.

I looked around at the others who had come out with me.

It seemed like everyone had noticed that the signal was connected, and they were all busy doing their own things.

Drake seemed to be reporting via radio to Natasha.

Catherine and Andrea were staring blankly at their messages, saying things like, ‘I want to wash up.’

I turned around and approached William Kojaka.

He was also busy talking on the phone as soon as he came out of the sewer.

“Um, yeah. Uh. It was an assassination, yeah. … Koichiro Kojaka.”

Listening to the conversation, I guessed he was calling a subordinate.

I wasn’t sure since it wasn’t a hologram call, but I thought it was probably right.

I quietly waited by William Kojaka’s side until he finished his call.

Maybe he was concerned about me.

William Kojaka said one last thing and ended the call.

“Um, could you please investigate where it went from and to?”

I spoke to William Kojaka after he ended the call.

“Then, Vice Chairman.”

“Yes.”

“Shall I take you to the headquarters as we first discussed?”

“… Please, I don’t know who I can trust now.

Well, it wasn’t a difficult task.

I nodded.

[Moving to headquarters, I confirmed.]

I was bothered by what Eve said.

I let it go in one ear and out the other.

Maybe she’s just trying to give me information or investigate in advance.

I brushed the dust off my body and continued speaking.

“Shall we go to the Center Plaza in the middle level?”

Since it’s MegaCorp’s headquarters building. Of course, I expected it to be at Center Plaza.

However, William Kojaka slowly shook his head at my words.

“…No, the corporate headquarters building moved a while ago.”

“Ah, then where should I take you?”

For some reason.

He couldn’t answer my question right away.

…….

I heard his answer and asked.

“Why is the headquarters building there?”

“…I was against it.”

I really don’t understand.

***

The second-largest corporation in the world, a megacorp.

The headquarters of Kojaka Corporation.

I don’t know the exact reason.

It is said to be located right in the middle of an ‘amusement park’ operated by Kojaka.

Of course, even if it’s the headquarters.

There are city-specific headquarters in cities all over the world, so it wasn’t particularly strange.

Since it was a company with a mascot character as its chairman, it seems that other people also saw it as just another peculiar act.

Come to think of it.

I also seem to remember seeing an advertisement for an amusement park run by Kojaka while riding a monorail a long time ago.

Anyway, I couldn’t understand it within my common sense.

“…As I said before, I was against it.”

Did he read my sharp gaze?

Kojaka William made an embarrassed expression and made excuses. He didn’t look like the vice chairman of a megaCorp.

We got out of the unmanned taxi. We were walking for a long time through the entrance of the amusement park.

I thought about waiting for the vehicle Natasha was sending, but I wanted to get things done quickly.

But one thing was strange.

Even considering that it was a weekday, there was no one around, unlike the amusement park operated by MegaCorp

.

Even the employees were gone.

I searched the news through Eve about that part.

[Checking the news from NCB24, 《Currently, an unexplained accident has occurred at ‘Pete Mac Land’, an amusement park operated by Kojaka, experts are trying to figure out what kind of accident happened while all the users were evacuated─.》, I provide.]

…….

Well, it could happen.

Of course, there was also an ominous premonition.

But anyway.

The fact that I have to take the vice chairman to the headquarters building does not change.

We crossed the middle of the amusement park, where no sound could be heard, preparing for a possible battle.

And then.

Someone’s applause was heard.

It was a man wearing an outfit with a dazzling sheen that bothered me as if he was showing off his wealth.

The rainbow-colored dyed chicken comb caught our attention.

…What an incredible fashion.

I sensed that he was not an ordinary madman. I slowly opened my mouth and asked.

“Who are you-.”

“Koichiro Koizaka …! It really was you!”

Kojaka William interrupted me and shouted in a frustrated tone.

…Sigh.

As expected, my ominous premonition was not wrong.

Well, in this situation, if the amusement park visitors were evacuated, it was almost a 99.9% possibility.

The man called Koichiro Kojaka made a grand gesture and said.

“Hahaha! You managed to come back alive!”

His tone was somewhat annoying.

Koichiro Kojaka.

If I remember the explanation from earlier, he’s Kojaka William’s brother-in-law….

That means he’s the son of Kojaka’s chairman, Smile John.

…Then it makes sense that their speaking styles are similar.

“Did you want my position that much!”

Kojaka William shouted.

The conversation wasn’t what I should be worried about right now.

“…Eve.”

[I am waiting.]

“How many are around?”

After a brief pause, Eve says.

[Confirmed ’49’ biological signals within a 50M radius, I inform you that they are the same signal as the individual named ‘Ninja’ encountered in the sewer.]

As expected.

He couldn’t have come alone.

Koichiro Kojaka….

What a crazy bastard.

It’s easier said than done.

It was incomprehensible to me that he evacuated all the visitors during peak weekday hours, made the employees go home, and waited for us.

I pondered what if we didn’t come today?

What if we went somewhere else?

…Is it wrong to try to understand a madman’s thoughts?

Well, it was.

I thought it would be possible if it was the son of that crazy Smile John.

I swallowed dry saliva.

It was a really big deal.

No matter how much we were the best in the mercenary industry.

Even if Catherine was the protagonist of a game based on this world.

In the end, what is possible and what is impossible is determined.

Our limits were clear.

… we should run away.

Or should we at least try to fight?

The conversation between Kojaka’s vice chairman and brother-in-law is getting more and more heated.

At the same time, the ninjas Eve had detected began to appear everywhere.

Hmm.

I felt like I had to start by dropping lightning.

I need time to gather mana.

I was thinking about it.

…And then.

Something fell from the sky.

I briefly look up at the sky.

In the air, a familiarly designed delivery drone had arrived unnoticed.

I don’t know what fell.

It must have been quite heavy because I heard a bang! from the center.

…What is it?

I looked at the thing that had fallen.

There was a ‘person’ who had landed on the ground in a hero landing pose.

“…?”

It was at the same time that the person landed.

The ninjas around them all collapsed.

Electricity sparked, and limbs twisted on their own.

It was a sign of hacking that anyone could recognize.

Drake who always had a smiling expression frowned and muttered.

“…Hacking? That’s impossible, that’s computationally impossible.”

The vice chairman and brother-in-law, who had become quiet, stared blankly at the person.

…….

But for some reason.

The clothes that the person was wearing caught my eye.

…I feel like I’ve seen those clothes somewhere before.

It was a peculiar outfit that looked like a maid outfit.

Where did I see it… I think I saw it in Eve’s streaming video that I watched—.

Hmm.

Hmm.

“…You are.”

Before I could say anything.

She.

‘Eve’ raises her body.

[I inform you that I have arrived.]

“I say that I have arrived.”

…….

I expected ‘ninjas’ at least, but this was completely unexpected.

Eve appeared!

[Translator – Late Dreamer]

[Proofreader – Seeker]