episode_0066

Johann. The monstrous guys I met while solving the Bram Stoker incident that happened in Tonyboni.

Come to think of it, even he didn’t show a clear advantage against Raleigh, who was assisted by JQ’s drone, but he did seem quite relaxed.

‘If I go around flaunting that I got some good cyberware, I might get beaten up if I’m not careful…’

This guy, and the guy who came to assassinate Closing Age, I don’t know why there are so many unknown experts.

Is this place actually like a martial arts world?

Anyway, I frowned deeply at the headache-inducing sound that kept ringing without any thought of stopping until I answered, and I took his call.

[“Long time no see, John. How have you been?”]

“Damn it. I don’t like being obsessed over by some shady guy.”

I didn’t want to wake the others who were sleeping soundly in the living room, so I went outside the house, filling my lungs with the fresh air mixed with the scent of morning exhaust fumes, and walked down the corridor.

Thump- Thump- It must have been rush hour, as zombie-like salarymen moved in an orderly fashion, squeezing their life out, passing by me.

Did I also look that dead on my feet?

“So why are you suddenly contacting me at this hour?”

[“Haha! Don’t be too angry, just look at this.”]

A video file appeared in the call log.

Thinking it might be some new porn, I played it, and it was footage of a battle that took place on the Junk Palace rooftop, filmed by someone.

On the stage where mercenaries, gangsters, and assassins had invaded during Closing Age’s performance, all sorts of screams and shouts were mixed in, making it feel like my ears would burst if I didn’t lower the volume, but the problem was that my face was quite clearly visible.

JQ’s jamming had stopped the media drones from making a ruckus, but it seemed it hadn’t reached the audience stands.

“Damn it.”

Muttering curses, I passed among the lifeless-faced ZOM-BUSINESSMEN leaving the building and went up to the rooftop.

[“Hahahaha! What’s wrong? Your face came out well!”]

“If you’re just going to tease me, hang up.”

[“Ahahahaha! Sorry, sorry. Anyway, I contacted you this time because there’s something I want to tell you.”]

*Clank* I turned the doorknob to the rooftop, but it didn’t open, as if it were solidly locked.

Even after pulling a few more times, it showed no sign of opening, so I irritably pushed it hard, and with a *crunch*, the doorknob was crushed and the lock mechanism shattered.

*Screeech-* In the end, I roughly kicked open the door that had yielded the rooftop to my overwhelming strength and took out a cigarette.

Although it was still 7 o’clock, I looked up at the ceiling, which was producing a blue midday sky for the efficiency of corporate workers, and rummaged through my pockets only to find I hadn’t brought my lighter.

“Ah, damn it… my lighter…”

“Here’s a light.”

*Hiss* A small flame burned the tip of the cigarette, and a heavy, acrid smoke rose.

“Oh, thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.”

The only advantage of this era was that with lung filters and other auxiliary implants, there was no need to worry about toxic substances like tar.

As I inhaled the bitter cigarette smoke, I looked down at the vehicles already filling the roads and causing traffic jams, and the AVs leisurely going their way as if they had nothing to do with it, and exhaled a thick cloud of smoke.

For a moment, my vision blurred with the gray smoke, but it soon dispersed and vanished like a mirage.

“So what is it you want to tell me that you’re taking so long?”

“I wanted to tell you about the guy you guys fought against.”

I leaned against the roughly installed rebar mesh, made to minimal safety standards, and turned my head to see Johann, a Mongoloid man wearing a ridiculously hot-looking long coat, smiling broadly.

“By the way, how the hell did you know where my place was?”

“I have my ways~ I’m a bit of a shy person, so I thought it would take some time to come straight to your house, so I politely waited on the rooftop. How’s that? Am I not friendly?”

“Friendly, my ass… I’m getting chills, it feels like I’ve got a stalker I’ve never even known attached to me for life.”

If it were any ordinary guy, I could just roughly teach them a lesson, but this guy is ridiculously strong for no reason, so I can’t even do that, which is an even bigger problem.

Anyway, the identity of the guy who seemed overflowing with the will to leave traces as if he were Juwolde.

Considering the level of cyberware he used, he definitely wasn’t an ordinary guy.

“Ah~ I don’t know why such a kind person like me has so many obstacles in life. What if you really don’t want to hear it?”

“I’d recommend listening if I were you~”

I sighed deeply, nodded my chin, and resignedly signaled him to speak, and Johann opened his mouth as if delighted.

“Do you happen to know who the most famous mercenary is?”

“Hmm…”

Honestly, if I were to pick out a famous person among mercenaries, no one significant comes to mind.

Mercenaries fundamentally operate in the shadows, or at best, under corporations, so to those living ordinary lives, the names of even major figures would be entirely unfamiliar.

Moreover, even if someone knew, they would either be in a position with enough money to hire a mercenary, or someone with nothing to lose, thus falling outside the ‘normal’ category.

“I don’t really know.”

“Well, that’s possible if you’re not interested. It might sound a bit childish, but among mercenaries, an old topic called ‘Seven High’ circulates.”

“Seven High?”

“It’s like a title referring to the seven strongest mercenaries or mercenary groups in Eclipse Point.”

Anyway, thinking that people in any era are equally fond of ranking things, I casually tossed the half-burnt cigarette onto the ground and extinguished it by grinding it with my slipper.

“It’s not like a martial art where you line people up in a ring; after all, they’re just humans who’ll die if shot or stabbed, so what’s the point?”

[“Haha! That might be true, but the people who are part of the Seven High are monsters you’d only see in urban legends, like Yoshimura-ssi.”]

“Yoshimura?”

I tried to recall if I had heard that name somewhere, but nothing specific came to mind.

Noticing my expression, Johann nudged my side and explained, asking if I hadn’t already seen him.

“You know, that old man we saw in Tonyboni.”

“Ah, that monstrous old man.”

It seemed the crazy old geezer who could just *swish swish* and cut through buildings was named Yoshimura.

Indeed, if all the guys in the Seven High were cosmic-horror-like monsters like that old geezer, I’d confidently live with stress-induced gastritis and stomach cramps for the rest of my life.

[In the case of temporary short-term organ failure, through constant reconstruction procedures, it’s close to an immune state, and unless there’s a fatal injury like vital organs being destroyed, if enough calories and time are available…]

‘Ah, yes. I heard your performance appeal clearly.’

I silenced Martina, who was habitually rambling on about her self-PR.

“Yoshimura-ssi, the Fallen, Banishment, the Martial Monk, the Crusher, the Sorcerer… It’s a list of genuine monsters, said to be able to contend even with megacorps, though it varies slightly depending on the enthusiast.”

“Is this a game? And… you said Seven High, but there are only six.”

“Lastly, the Shape Shifter. They extremely conceal their appearance, and their method of handling requests always changes according to the client’s demands.”

At the answer I received after asking about the last one on the list, I recalled the Bear Claw the guy had used.

His slightly awkward usage, as if it wasn’t his main weapon or wasn’t used often, and his hybrid weapon arm, combining Mantis Blades and Gorilla Arms.

Furthermore, considering that the death threat sent to Closing Age appeared to be from Juwolde, and that Bearhand, their leader, used Bio Bear Claws as a weapon, I could somewhat deduce a causal relationship by letting my imagination run wild.

“I wondered if he had the skill to just break through us and kill Closing Age, but didn’t take out his real weapon…”

[“Ahaha! You figured it out?”]

The Shape Shifter.

Perhaps he had only brought out the Bear Claws on purpose, at the request of some individual or corporation who wanted to take out both Closing Age and Juwolde simultaneously.

Should I say we survived thanks to that characteristic?

“Did I face off against such monsters twice without realizing it?”

[“Huh? Wasn’t it three times?”]

Johann looked at me with a puzzled expression and tilted his head.

“What do you mean? It’s two, counting that wraith old man and the Shape Shifter.”

[“You met Banishment, didn’t you? Not the whole team, but.”]

“I did?”

When on earth did I meet them?

As I frantically searched through my memories, and my mental state was about to collapse at the thought that there had been even more situations where my neck was almost snapped, Johann pointed to himself with his finger, as if trying to act cute.

[“Oh, didn’t I tell you? My team’s name is Banishment!”]

Oh, for fuck’s sake.

***

*Clink* Two cups were placed on the table.

“Thanks for the hospitality, Vampire Miss.”

First, it was awkward to keep talking outside while puffing on cigarettes, so I brought him in, and he naturally took the cup placed on the table.

Come to think of it, this guy also knew about Martina.

Of course, he probably didn’t know that her personality was a super AI created by Ayakashi Corp.

“Hoo-aah… I don’t have enough sleep…”

“Hmm… your skin will definitely get worse.”

Yuki and Kana were still dazed, as if they hadn’t gotten enough sleep.

I told them to go to their room if they were sleepy, but perhaps not wanting to, they received cold water from Martina and drank it.

“Ahem. Luna Anthony Taylor. She’s the leader of Rune’s Bar and a fixer.”

“Hmm~ It’s an honor to meet such a promising talent. Nice to meet you. I’m Johann of Banishment.”

Watching Luna exchange introductions with Johann with a slightly tired face, I sipped the liquid in my cup.

This is definitely what you need for a hangover.

“But this tea is a bit red?”

“Then don’t drink it.”

[“Haha! It’s being offered, how could I ungraciously refuse?”]

Johann, playing the fool, tilted his cup and *slurped*.

“Pfff! Cough! Choke! Spicy! *Gasp!* It’s, it’s spicy! It’s not tea! What is this?!”

“It’s a ramen teabag.”

“Why would anyone drink something like this… *Sniff*..!”

He coughed violently, as if he had choked, and snot ran down his face, a far cry from his earlier composure.

To be able to drink fresh ramen broth, which provided a spicy kick incomparable to disgusting kibble, thanks to MSG being liberally added to give it flavor.

One truly couldn’t be luckier.

“It’s just spicy enough, good for hangovers. My head felt like it was about to split after drinking something that felt like industrial alcohol, but I already feel better.”

“…”

For some reason, as Martina’s indifferent gaze turned to my side, Luna and both fox twins simultaneously turned their heads with a *swish*, but I ignored them and once again enjoyed a cup of morning ramen tea.

Mm. Good and spicy.