episode_0018

I look at the people in front of me.

People who still can’t come to their senses, their waists swaying back and forth.

The person in front of me staggers, and a man who looks like a thug kicks him in the back.

“Move properly.”

“They can’t understand what we’re saying anyway.”

And another man laughs as he watches.

As expected. My guess was right.

I recall when Eclipse and I first came to this neighborhood.

A so-called slum.

In other words, it’s a place where public safety is at rock bottom.

Despite that, no one picked a fight with me and Eclipse, and I never even saw anyone commit an accident while we were walking around outside.

A slum with good public safety?

If public safety is good in a place where public authority doesn’t reach, there’s only one thing to think about.

“But, is it really okay to take these guys?”

One of the men, looking dim-witted, raises his hand and asks worriedly, and upon hearing those words, another person gets angry and nods.

“It’s fine. Have you been living being deceived all your life?

“Instead, we’re preventing accidents, right? Huh? We’re like the police of this place.”

“That’s right. And these guys?”

A man bumps my shoulder as I walk, staggering.

“This is like a tribute now. A tribute for us protecting the peace in this damn place.”

“Ah…”

“Yeah. So, quickly manage those guys. Once we hand this over, we’re done.”

Firebringer, who was walking behind me, looks at me with a bewildered expression, but I say nothing.

So, that’s why.

I thought it was too quiet.

Even though I, Eclipse, and even Firebringer openly entered the hideout, no one even thought about harming us.

No, is it because of my face?

Anyway, what I felt as I looked around was that the public safety was too good.

But I didn’t see any traces of a vigilante group either.

I slowly follow behind those guys.

How much time has passed?

We ended up entering an abandoned building.

“We’ll wait here now. The collection agent will probably come soon.”

The thug says that and sits down.

I look around.

Not a single person in sight.

And the fact that there isn’t a single person in sight means that it’s time for us to move.

I give Firebringer a look.

At the same time,

-Whoosh!

Fire erupts from Firebringer’s body, and she sets the floor on fire as is.

“What!”

The thugs who were sitting down and resting hurriedly get up and look at us.

But it was already too late when they realized that.

I quickly run and land a punch on the chin of the bewildered man,

-Thwack!

With a tremendous sound, the man falls to the ground as is.

“This bastard!”

At the same time, another man also pounces on me,

I quickly duck to avoid the man’s attack, then trip him up and slam a knee into his solar plexus as is,

“Ugh…!”

The man collapses to the ground with a groan of pain.

Did Firebringer handle it well?

I turn around and look at Firebringer, and she was already looking at me, having nicely warmed up three men.

“You fight well?”

“I had to live up to my face.”

Even though I didn’t want it, the world wanted me, so I had to respond to that call.

“Ah, you’re saying that you had no choice but to improve your fighting skills because everyone keeps picking fights with you?”

“That’s right.”

I didn’t want to fight this well either, but what can I do if the world won’t leave me alone.

Living a life where bumping into someone’s shoulder by mistake leads directly to a fight wasn’t an easy life either.

“Anyway…”

Firebringer trails off and looks around.

An empty abandoned building.

“Did we come to the right place?”

“We came to the right place.”

I answer, dragging the fallen people.

First, I need to hide these guys somewhere and tie them up or something.

“Do you happen to have any rope to tie these guys up?”

“Oh, um. Should I burn their feet?”

How can she have such a villainous idea.

“Do it right away.”

“Yes.”

Firebringer nods at my words and diligently starts burning the feet of the unconscious people with fire.

“It’ll probably hurt a lot every time they step for the next few days?”

“That’s why they won’t get up.”

Even if they’re addicted to drugs, they’re kidnapping people as they please, so they deserve to have their feet burned.

I look at the staggering people, waiting for Firebringer to finish burning their feet.

People who are already addicted to drugs.

What are they going to use these people for?

The first thing that comes to mind is organ trafficking, but don’t organs get damaged if you do drugs?

“…Hmm.”

I don’t know. I’m not someone who lived thinking about those things.

“I’m done burning them.”

And Firebringer approaches me.

“What should we do now?”

“Let’s wait.”

“Again?”

“The buyers will probably come.”

“Then we’ll ambush that buyer?”

“No, from now on, we’re the sellers.”

It’s only just begun.

We need to go deeper.

*

How long have I waited?

The sound of footsteps comes to my ears.

They’ve come.

“Get ready.”

“What, what should I do?”

“Just cross your arms and cover your face. That’s all you have to do.”

I’ll be the one doing the talking anyway.

“If anything happens, just set them on fire.”

“Ah, yes.”

And Firebringer leans against the wall with her arms crossed, as if carrying out my orders well.

Yeah. Just stay like that.

Not long after,

A man appears.

As expected of someone from the back alley, look at him wearing all black.

“The goods?”

And, as if it’s natural, the man looks at me.

“They’re over there.”

When I point to the staggering people with my hand, he heads towards them and starts checking the people.

Rolling their eyes back, tapping their shins, and even talking to them.

That sight of him treating them like merchandise rather than humans made me feel quite bad, but now was the time to endure.

“They’re all top-notch goods.”

They’re not top-notch when you look at them as humans, but they are top-notch when you look at them as merchandise.

“That’s right.”

I continue speaking smoothly.

“As always.”

“Hmm.”

The man stares intently at the people before turning his gaze to me.

“I’ll take them. Have everyone prepare.”

“Understood.”

I nod and start pushing the people.

Please wait a moment.

*

After lining up the people, the man who was watching the scene calls me.

“Okay. Then let’s go now.”

I nod and give Firebringer a look, and she follows behind me as well.

It’s going better than I thought.

I follow behind the man again.

Before long, we arrive at an alleyway.

“…”

I raise my head and look up.

An old building is visible this time as well.

But unlike the abandoned building from before, this time it felt like people were living there.

“…”

As I slowly move my foot to go inside,

“Wait.”

The man in black who had been pulling the people ahead stops and reaches out to block me and Firebringer.

Firebringer’s body stiffens, and the man slowly opens his mouth.

“Take the payment.”

“Yes.”

He hands me a cash envelope, and I check the envelope.

Quite a large amount.

“I gave you extra as always. Especially since there were some pretty good products today.”

“I see.”

“Okay. Then go back now.”

The man turns his body,

And I look at Firebringer.

“Firebringer.”

“Yes?”

“Attack.”

“…Yes!”

And, as she waves her hand, a flame erupts.

*

The media says that they can’t catch drugs, but that’s a lie.

It’s not that they can’t catch them.

They’re not catching them.

Even the heroes are condoning it to some extent, and only the media and other people are noisy, but this is a tacit agreement.

That’s why Homme, the boss of the drug organization, could always stretch his legs out and sleep well.

Well, in a way, he was able to get people in exchange for protecting the safety of the slums.

It costs money to move the public authorities.

In other words, it costs a lot of money to solve the public safety in the slums.

The politicians who are too busy filling their own bellies didn’t want to spend time and effort on such a place.

“You said the goods have arrived?”

“Yes.”

The subordinate next to him bows his head at his words.

“Okay. Sell them as usual.”

That’s why he received tacit permission for organ trafficking only for people who were addicted to drugs and not in their right minds.

Living in a place where he is the king, receiving only praise from others, there’s nothing to be sad about or envious of.

“Okay, today too-”

-Bang!

And, a sound that breaks his daily life is heard.

“…Wh, what is it.”

He opens his eyes wide, and the subordinate who heard those words also looks at him with a bewildered expression.

“Pl, please wait a moment. I’ll take care of it and come back.”

“…Okay.”

I lost my composure for a moment.

Just as he was about to take a breath and tell him to take care of it quickly,

-Aaaaaagh!

A scream starts to be heard.

“Wh, what is it.”

He gets flustered again, and before he can even say something,

-Kwajang!

The door to the room he’s in is smashed, and a hot heat rushes in.

“Do you know where this- Aaaaaagh!”

And the person who stepped forward to protect him while shouting is engulfed in flames and collapses to the floor as is.

“…Hoo.”

Someone enters through the door.

It was a person with a face like a demon.

It’s not that his appearance wasn’t handsome, but more than anything, that wickedness.

That face was showing the path he had walked.

It must have been a path even worse than the one he had walked.

The man stiffens his body,

“Hey.”

And slowly opens his mouth.

“Let’s close the business.”