episode_0035

Dutch muttered, roughly running a hand through his hair.

He had succeeded in passing the penalty bomb that he almost had to bear onto me.

But in return, he had to give up all the compensation for this commission.

“You kid, no, Kang Jin-woo. I don’t know what you’re thinking, but if you bail, our mercenary group will track you down to the very end.”

As Dutch laid down his threat, the rest of the Steel Fang mercenary group followed him without another word.

“That guy’s mouth just never stops running.”

Scarlet grumbled, a relieved expression on her face.

“It seems the situation has been more or less sorted out.”

Kaien said quietly.

“So, you’ve decided to take on the commission instead? Either you’ve got unusual guts, or you’re really confident in your skills?”

“What if it’s both?”

When I chuckled and asked back, Scarlet interjected from the side.

“I’ll vouch for his skills! The mech I poured my soul into modifying has finished its testing.”

“Well, for us, it’s good that nothing nasty happened.”

Kaien gestured to her soldiers, and only then did they shake off the tense atmosphere and start chatting among themselves.

“So, who’s the client? Considering how desperate those Steel Fang guys were for it, they must be a big shot.”

Alexander Valentine, should I just blurt out that name?

But Kaien seemed well-informed about the situation in Terminus, and there was no real reason to hide it.

“Alexander Valentine. Is he famous?”

At my answer, Kaien’s eyebrow twitched subtly.

Scarlet also tilted her head as if it was a name she’d never heard before.

“Alexander Valentine, huh…”

Kaien squinted her eyes, seemingly lost in thought for a moment.

“It’s a name I’ve heard a few times through rumors. He was once an executive in a giant corporate conglomerate, but he was pushed out in an internal power struggle, lost everything, and was said to have disappeared.”

Indeed, she was a well-connected individual.

“Well, there are also stories that he’s gathering forces for revenge, and either way, he’s definitely a pretty dangerous individual. If someone like that directly commissioned this, it won’t be an easy task.”

“I took it on with that much resolve.”

When I answered as if it was nothing, a moment of silence fell.

“Kaien, was it?”

I glanced at her eye patch and asked.

Kaien, no matter how much I thought about it, was a character never mentioned in the game.

“From the looks of it, you seem to wield a good amount of power, don’t you? You don’t seem like just a simple vigilante.”

At my question, Kaien chuckled.

I could read emotions other than coldness on her face.

Perhaps it was a self-deprecating smile.

“You flatter me.”

She said, sweeping aside her yellow hair.

“I’m merely someone who tries to maintain a minimum of order in the chaotic Terminus. I manage the scrap metal abandoned by corporations and occasionally guide lost sheep onto the right path.”

Pride was evident in Kaien’s voice.

“My official title is Terminus Sector 7 Security Administrator. Cleaning up after troublemakers like Scarlet is one of my main duties.”

She added, glancing at Scarlet, who conspicuously cleared her throat and avoided her gaze.

Kaien stared intently at me for a moment, then subtly raised the corners of her mouth as if amused.

“So, Scarlet delayed those guys’ commission because she was working on your mech?”

“That’s how it turned out.”

When I shrugged, Kaien turned her head towards Scarlet.

“Shall we take a look at that mech of yours? I’m curious to see what amazing piece of work you’ve produced, considering how much effort you put into it.”

“You’ll be surprised when you see it!”

Kaien gestured to the soldiers following her, ordering them to disperse.

They scattered silently, returning to their respective areas.

“Alright, follow me.”

Scarlet led the way, opening the heavy door to the workshop.

In the center, a dark red mech stood on a massive lift.

Kaien stopped, momentarily speechless the moment she saw it.

“Wait, this… it looks like it’s been completely rebuilt?”

“Yeah. It’s practically a new build.”

“The pile bunker, are you crazy, Scarlet? Did you really attach something like that?”

Kaien clicked her tongue in amazement at the sheer bulk of the pile bunker.

“Well, I just did what the client requested.”

“Honestly, I can’t believe you took on a commission like this.”

“What’s there that I couldn’t take on?”

Kaien smiled and shifted her gaze to me.

“The one who accepted it and the one who commissioned it, both of you are crazy.”

Then, she gestured as if she had seen enough.

“Rookie Kang Jin-woo, alright, let’s see you do well.”

It was impossible to tell if she was being sarcastic or genuinely cheering me on.

“Alright. Thanks.”

“Isn’t it too much? Can you really do that commission?”

As Kaien turned and left, Scarlet asked with a worried expression.

“Too much? What do you mean, too much?”

“Well, wasn’t it because you wanted to protect me?”

Her innocent question and speculation made me smile without realizing it.

“You’re right! That’s it!”

Scarlet clapped her hands by herself and beamed.

“It’s not like that.”

“It is too! If you need support, tell me anytime. I can help too.”

She rolled up her sleeves, showcasing the muscles she’d developed from welding.

Seeing their firm texture at a glance, I instinctively poked them with my finger, and Scarlet put on a proud expression.

“They’re hard.”

“Of course they are.”

“I don’t need help. I was planning to do it alone.”

I immediately got onto the lift.

“Are you going?”

“Yeah, I really want to try piloting this mech.”

“Don’t come back with any scratches.”

Scarlet said, placing a hand on her chest.

“If it gets a scratch, it feels like a nail being driven into my heart.”

“Understood.”

Leaving Scarlet’s worried farewells behind, I boarded the cockpit.

The hatch closed, external noise was cut off, and I gripped the controls.

[System startup. All systems normal, ready for launch.]

After easily obtaining takeoff clearance through Terminus Station’s control channel, I ignited the boosters.

The dark red mech soared into the air and swiftly vanished from the sky.

The coordinates Alexander Valentine sent were quite far from Terminus, in an area well off the usual flight paths.

After inputting the destination into the autopilot system, I activated the shop system.

My mech was certainly powerful now.

But I couldn’t help but feel a lingering regret in a corner of my mind.

‘The skill “Flow of Movement” and the “Precision Strike Assist System” are best utilized with a sniper rifle, after all.’

Even when playing the game, my method was to use the Precision Strike Assist System to hit weak points from a distance,

then quickly approach the staggering opponent and finish them with a pile bunker.

[Item: XR-7 Particle Accelerator Rifle (Grade A+)]

[Effect: Fires ultra-dense compressed particles accelerated to near light-speed. Provides extreme penetration and long-range precision strike capability. Particularly effective against energy shields and heavy armor.]

[Penalty/Requirements: Massive energy consumption per shot. High risk of overheating with continuous firing. Significant load on the mech’s energy system. Integration with a separate high-performance sensor and FCS (Fire Control System) recommended for precise aiming.]

[Price: 180,000 CR]

“It’s here, as expected.”

The XR-7 Particle Accelerator Rifle, one of my main armaments.

I pressed the purchase button without hesitation.

[Purchase XR-7 Particle Accelerator Rifle? 180,000 CR will be consumed.]

“Purchase.”

[Purchase complete. 180,000 CR has been deducted.]

[Equip?]

“Yes.”

With my answer, the silver-gray XR-7 Particle Accelerator Rifle was gripped in the mech’s left hand.

It was much longer and thicker than a typical beam rifle, and several layers of blue glowing energy coils were wrapped around the muzzle.

[XR-7 Particle Accelerator Rifle system integration complete. Targeting system and FCS updating.]

A new aiming reticle and energy ammunition display appeared on the cockpit’s HUD.

After several hours of flight, the navigation system finally announced our arrival at the destination.

[Warning: Approaching target area. Surrounding environment extremely unstable. Strong electromagnetic interference and multiple unconfirmed energy signatures detected.]

It was the outskirts of a ruined industrial complex, devastated by past large-scale crustal movements and an unidentified energy explosion.

“What on earth could be in a place like this?”

I muttered to myself, reduced speed, and switched to stealth mode.

I activated the sensors to their maximum, but strong electromagnetic interference significantly reduced the detection range.

This environment was optimal for an ambush.

‘Damn it, a bad memory is flashing through my mind.’

The last mission with the Chronos Mercenary Group came to mind.

How much further did I go?

Beyond the rubble of collapsed buildings, I faintly sensed a presence along with artificial light.

‘Could there be prior guests?’

When I zoomed in using the optical targeting system, the moment I confirmed the moving mechs there, I instinctively furrowed my brow.

“Nesis Corporation guys?”

They were the very mechs of the Nesis Corporation that I had encountered with Yuna’s comrades at the Icarus Base.

At least four or more of them were busily moving around the waste disposal facility, seemingly searching for or installing something.

“I wonder if that guy knows about this.”

This information wasn’t in the intel, so I urgently redirected communications to Valentine.

[Kang Jin-woo? Have you already run into trouble? Or have you found the item?]

His voice was a mix of nervousness and anticipation.

“It’s a problem, alright, Mr. Valentine.”

[What is it?]

“I’ve arrived at the coordinates, but there are unexpected guests. At least four or more mechs that appear to belong to Nesis Corporation.”

[Nesis? Why are those guys there?]

“That’s what I’d like to ask, actually.”

I continued, probing his reaction.

“Is this mission related to Nesis? If so, the situation becomes much more complicated. We might have to re-negotiate the contract terms, don’t you think?”

[No! It has nothing to do with Nesis. This is the first I’m hearing of it myself, and I’m quite flustered.]

According to Kaien, Valentine was a former corporate figure.

Was this what “high-difficulty mission” meant?

Does it mean the mission area is swarming with corporate bastards?

“It would be best not to lie.”

[You’ve already found out about the item’s existence?]

He muttered as if to himself.

No matter how I thought about it, something smelled fishy.

“What exactly is the nature of this item?”

[I cannot say.]

“It looks like there’s more than one corporation searching for this item, doesn’t it?”

He grunted.

Valentine remained silent, as if hit in a weak spot.

There was a reason he wanted the Steel Fang mercenary group to move with three squads.

[Find the item before the others get their hands on it! I’ll give you double, no, triple the original contract fee!]

What on earth was that item to elicit such a reaction? I grew curious.

“Other guys, huh. So there’s more than just one or two, it seems?”

[That’s right. That’s why I tried to find it as quickly as possible! Because of those Steel Fang guys!]

The sound of him slamming a table was clearly audible.

“Understood for now. I’ll contact you again once I find the item.”

[Understood.]

Having cut the communication, I once again observed the movements of the Nesis mechs.

They were still preoccupied, circling the waste disposal facility, searching for or installing something.

“No hard feelings.”

I had pinpointed all target locations.

I activated the Precision Strike Assist System, then raised the accelerator rifle in my left hand.