“Crafty…”
At first glance, it may appear as a seemingly ordinary adjective, but for Lennok, it holds profound significance.
In many ways, it aptly characterizes Lennok the wizard.
Rather than being perturbed by this descriptor, Lennok responded with a relaxed chuckle.
He had never been remiss in concealing his authentic self, even for a fleeting moment.
Beyond mere alterations to his appearance and the manipulation of his magical patterns, he assumes an entirely different persona, extending to the very texture of his skin and the fragrance he employs.
For a mere scholar of arcane arts, it remained an insurmountable challenge to unearth the core of his being, a facet he had safeguarded even in the most perilous of circumstances.
If someone perceived something exceptional in Lennok’s appearance, it would be attributed to other factors, rather than an immediate recognition of his talent or identity.
“How interesting.”
While her bold deductions and forthright words might have come across as impolite initially, Lennok found a certain kinship in them.
Her approach to conducting business and interacting with people might be somewhat unrefined, yet she possessed the acute intuition and discernment characteristic of a wizard.
Simultaneously, her unwavering readiness to seek collaboration with someone she had just met evoked memories of certain freelancers he had encountered.
“May I know the reason for your thoughts?”
Casia promptly responded.
“Well, it wasn’t difficult… First, the life signs I detect from you are very faint. That’s the first clue.”
“…”
“Either you’re a wizard highly skilled in manipulating mana or a capable person who possesses such an artifact. That alone is obvious.”
“What’s the second?”
“The cigarette you’re smoking.”
Casia smiled.
“It’s from Plumber’s orchard, right? I know because I’ve personally looked into similar items for personal reasons.”
Is she referring to the quest for narcotic cigarettes for pain relief?
Lennok was not surprised, given his knowledge of Baila’s rare ailment.
“That cigarette is definitely Red Scarlet… a high-quality product that’s hard to come by, considering the personality of its creator. You must also be highly skilled to have received it.”
“…”
Plumber’s Orchard… Lennok swiftly recollected and acknowledged it.
Considering his previous encounter with the Antares Mercenary Office in that botanical garden, it was apparent that Plumber’s products circulated in both legitimate and shadowy circles.
It wasn’t surprising that Casia was one of their clientele.
However, her ability to identify Red Scarlet and deduce Lennok’s identity exceeded the ordinary.
The enigmatic old man who occasionally made cryptic remarks also appeared to be an extraordinary individual.
Lennok had contemplated engaging in a separate conversation with the old man at some point, but for now, it seemed unnecessary.
Lennok grinned.
Holding the cigarette between his fingers, he replied deliberately.
“You have a keen sense of judgment. It befits someone who escorts Director Baila.”
“…”
This time, she was the one rendered speechless.
The expression on her face when her true identity was laid bare was truly something to behold.
A faint quiver was discernible at the corner of her mouth, barely visible beneath her mask.
“A shame. I don’t know who you’re…”
She attempted to evade for a moment, losing her composure, but swiftly recognized the futility and bowed her head.
Instead, she began emitting a potent mana slowly.
Whee…!!
“… Who are you? Are you targeting me?”
Her reaction was understandable.
“You seem to be misunderstanding.”
However, Lennok tilted his head slightly and replied.
“Had you not initiated the conversation, there was no need for me to provide such answer.”
“That’s…!”
“There was no need for both of us to talk about each other’s identities only to get caught in our own traps.”
Originally, it was Casia who initiated the conversation, successfully engaging Lennok, who initially appeared disinterested in conversing. What could she have possibly wanted to discuss?
She went to great lengths, even broaching topics related to talent, in her effort to propel the conversation forward.
“……”
“Earlier, you said that trains using unofficial routes are inevitably targets. Considering your affiliation, this ultimately seems like a power struggle between research facilities. On top of that, Director Baila’s health is also involved in this political operation.”
Upon hearing Lennok’s incisive remark, Casia’s complexion grew pale.
“How could you possibly know that…”
Lennok brought the conversation to a close by stating,
“Don’t worry. Nothing of that sort will happen. The reason I’m heading to the autonomous region has nothing to do with your personal circumstances.”
“You’re a more dangerous person than I thought.”
Ultimately, it boiled down to the sequence of events. Casia, who initially sought Lennok’s cooperation, now harbored doubts about him, rendering the situation nearly untenable.
Releasing a sigh, Casia spoke, although her fingers still trembled slightly.
“Anyway, this is all I wanted to say. Please make your decision as soon as possible. I need to go and check if I can request cooperation from others.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
“Excuse me?”
“Among the people on this train, the only ones with decent combat abilities are the two of us.”
Lennok had already assessed all the train’s occupants for potential threats.
The sole individuals with genuine combat prowess here were a cyborg with mechanical limbs, a gentleman sporting a fedora, and a gunner slumbering in the last car.
The aura or energy exuding from the three was unremarkable.
“Perhaps it would be better for you to give me all the artifacts and entrust me with resolving the issue.”
“Look, I get that you have a keen intuition but—”
Just as Casia was about to retort, gazing at Lennok’s stoic countenance,
Boom!!
A muffled, weighty impact resounded from the rear of the train.
Though not near enough to directly disrupt the train’s operation, the noise could hardly be considered coincidental given the current circumstances.
“……”
Both wizards promptly activated their magical senses, seemingly in unison.
Lennok, being the first to discern the source of the disturbance, furrowed his brow, while Casia blanched.
“This is…”
Lennok sighed and remarked,
“It seems that the friends you were worried about have arrived.”
Within a radius of several kilometers, over thirty entities were rapidly approaching.
Considering their steady and uniform pace, it suggested they were pursuing the train via motorcycles or cars.
Given that only a select few were privy to Lennok’s destination in the autonomous region, and he had adopted a new identity long before embarking on this journey, the chances of an information leak were minimal.
This implied that the individuals currently chasing the train were not targeting Lennok but his companion.
Casia seemed to share this realization as she shivered with an uneasy expression.
At present, only two wizards with exceptional magical perception had detected the situation, but it wouldn’t be long before the other passengers also became aware that they were being pursued.
Ultimately, someone would need to step forward to address this precarious situation.
“Sigh…”
Though it was vexing to become entangled in such a situation, the imperative was clear: the train had to safely reach the Autonomous Region. Furthermore, this particular train operated only once a month. Missing this opportunity today could leave him languishing in Vulcan, an outcome that would be far from productive. It would be counterproductive to allow the train to encounter any issues while preoccupied with Casia’s predicament.
Extinguishing the last vestiges of his cigarette, Lennok spoke.
“First, explain the situation to the engineer and ask them to increase the train speed.”
“Yes?”
“Also tell them not to stop the train under any circumstances, and then come back and help.”
Lennok rose from his seat as he spoke.
“I’ll take care of the rest for now.”
“…Okay. I’ll deal with it as quickly as possible and return.”
Thankfully, she swiftly grasped the implications of Lennok’s words and made her way to the front of the train.
Without any further ado, Lennok proceeded to the rear car of the train.
Creak!
An empty, antiquated passenger compartment.
Unperturbed by the commotion, a vagrant sat serenely.
Without hesitation, Lennok picked up the substantial rifle case positioned at the vagrant’s feet.
Considering that the vagrant had not stirred even as Lennok approached him deliberately, it appeared that he was not a seasoned marksman.
It would be more advantageous for Lennok to wield the weapon himself while discreetly concealing his identity.
Lennok seated himself across from the vagrant, calmly holding the rifle case in his grasp.
Initially, a security lock on the case presented an obstacle, but after contacting Davi, hacking the mechanism took a mere two seconds, and the case opened.
“Hmm…”
[He’s carrying quite a good piece for a gunman.]
As Davi, perched on Lennok’s shoulder, remarked, the item unveiled within the case was notably impressive.
It resembled a sniper rifle but had clearly been customized for use in urban warfare as well.
A scope equipped with a screen, a handle featuring a biometric system, and an array of laser pointers were affixed, indicating the extensive effort the vagrant had invested in his firearm.
The rifle also boasted intricate custom embellishments in ivory hues, which Lennok inspected before lightly scratching his cheek.
“I was going to use it and discard it… I should give it back nicely.”
While Lennok derived satisfaction from employing artifacts or relics belonging to others, he was no highwayman who would pilfer from an innocent person.
Borrowing it for a short duration would suffice.
“Davi, unlock the biometric code.”
[Confirmed.]
As Lennok gripped the ivory-hued handle of the rifle, the red light on the screen swiftly transitioned to green.
Click!
Effortlessly, Lennok hoisted the rifle and murmured while inspecting the magazine.
“Modified for compatibility with various calibers of ammunition. Must have cost quite a bit…”
[If alchemy was used in conjunction with the modification, it’s not impossible. Probably, that’s his style, investing heavily in his equipment.]
“Hmm.”
With a tinge of remorse, Lennok cast a basic sleep spell on the vagrant. There was no necessity for him to be cognizant of the events that would transpire henceforth; perhaps it was better for him to slumber peacefully.
Exiting the rear passenger compartment, Lennok passed by other bewildered passengers and promptly unlatched the train’s door.
Woosh!
As the frigid dawn breeze swept into the compartment, accompanied by the raucous rumble of the train hurtling along the tracks, only fleeting glimpses of the swiftly passing grasslands were visible in the darkness.
“Wait, what are you doing?”
“Are you sane? Close the door quickly!”
“Some weirdos are targeting this train!”
A few passengers appeared to possess a rudimentary sense of mana and had a rough grasp of the unfolding situation.
However, already aware that none of them could provide assistance, Lennok disregarded the voices behind him and stepped out of the train.
“Are you planning to jump off a moving train?”
“Ha, but that might actually give me a better chance of surviving.”
“Have you lost your mind?!”
Unperturbed by the misconceptions of others, Lennok acted without hesitation, hurling himself from the train.
Wham!
Simultaneously, he employed magic tethered to the train’s ceiling to stabilize himself and cast a levitation spell on his coat, raising his entire body upward.
Thud!
Despite a noisy tumble upon landing, Lennok successfully ascended to the train’s roof.
Davi, the elemental, remained silent, exhibiting a small kindness by refraining from commenting on his cacophonous descent. Lennok’s agility might have appeared somewhat lacking due to his suboptimal motor skills, but he had achieved his primary objective.
Lennok promptly summoned numerous magical threads to securely anchor himself and the train’s roof. He then affixed the rifle he held to his shoulder.
Click!
“Davi, prioritize targets for shooting, please.”
[Assigning numbers to 37 life-forms approaching from beyond 300m in the rear. 17 on the lower left side of the train, 20 on the upper right side, approaching at a speed of 70 km/h.]
Vroom…
Dim engine noises emanated from a distance.
He recognized it instantly. The sound of motorcycles.
[Ready.]
Roar!!
Just as Davi concluded speaking, a multitude of motorcycles emerged from the train’s rear, dispelling the darkness as they accelerated. Their lights were extinguished, likely an effort to leave no trace, rendering them appear highly methodical.
Observing their unwavering acceleration, it seemed they had yet to discern Lennok on the train roof.
Perhaps it was prudent to begin by dealing with the one attempting to attach himself to the train first.
As he peered through the scope and naturally initiated the gathering of mana,
[Aiming Correction]
[Precision Shooting]
[Armor Piercing]
Whirr…
The sensation of mana swirling within the rifle was distinct. Custom-crafted, the firearm seemed to possess a greater mana conductivity than any other Lennok had encountered.
As the rifle absorbed the effects of three distinct aiming-enhancement spells, it began to emit a faint glow and hum.
Lennok promptly aimed at the first motorcyclist who was on the brink of striking the train door with a club.
Sensing the touch of the chilly night breeze, he squeezed the trigger.
The unfamiliar recoil caught his finger as the muzzle flashed.
BANG
