It wasn’t surprising that they were unaware that Lennok had acted alone, but it was rather impressive how they had misinterpreted his actions.
The wizard’s gestures seemed to confirm that, in some way, Lennok had dealt with the individuals stuck to the outer wall.
The new magical support abilities, [Heat Tracking] and [Triple Shot], must have been perceived as a threat by them as well.
As Lennok raised the revolver in his hand, he sensed a noticeable flinch from his opponent.
Amused, Lennok let out a slight chuckle as he twisted the barrel and pulled the trigger without hesitation.
However, he didn’t aim towards the person maintaining the formation ahead; instead, he directed the shots towards the floor and wall of the hallway.
Using the [Ricochet Shot] technique.
Bang! Bang!
With a single impact, the bullets ricocheted in unpredictable directions, piercing human flesh not with their heads but other body parts.
No specific target needed to be identified.
“Ah, Aaargh!”
“My, my leg…!”
The flash from the muzzle emerging from the darkness was noticed, but they clearly hadn’t anticipated Lennok utilizing ricochets.
In an instant, three riflemen who had been positioned behind the two giants clutched various body parts and collapsed.
As if a white flower of ice bloomed upon them, their bodies were gradually encased in freezing cold.
An enchantment imbued within the bullets: [Freeze Order].
The freezing effect, combined with the ricochet, surpassed the power of a mere shot.
The eyes of the wizard and swordsman, who had just lost three of their comrades in the blink of an eye, filled with shock.
Seizing the opportunity, the two giants standing in front of them simultaneously charged at Lennok.
“Kwaaaaaah!!!”
One giant swung a shield like a blunt weapon, while his companion charged an energy gun from behind.
At the rear, the wizard began uttering a spell, and the swordsman slowly advanced with sword in hand.
Taking in the sight of all four adversaries with a single glance, Lennok sprang into immediate action.
[Upper Ground]
Kwoooong!
“Cough…!”
Suddenly, the floor beneath the giant wielding the energy gun rose, pinning him to the ceiling.
The energy gun slipped from his grasp, falling behind the shield-swinging giant, and instantly igniting his shoulder in flames.
“Aaaaaaah!”
As the giant writhed on the floor in agony, the chaotic scene revealed the struggling forms of the other two—one sprawled on the ground and the other hanging by the neck from the ceiling.
Amidst the tumultuous atmosphere, a swordsman materialized and unleashed a beam of light directly at Lennok’s chest.
Ziiing!
A clean and precise strike.
Lennok may not have been well-versed in swordsmanship, but he recognized the absence of unnecessary movements in the attack.
However, this predictability made it relatively easy to disrupt.
Woooooong!
Through a magical interference, he exerted pressure on the swordsman’s wrist. The trajectory of the blade warped strangely, missing Lennok, who stood directly in front, by a wide margin.
The strange sensation of his hands moving on their own caused the swordsman’s shoulders to visibly shake.
KWAHANG!
Without missing a beat, Lennok cast a shocking spell onto the swordsman’s back.
As the swordsman was sent hurtling across the hallway, Lennok averted his gaze from him.
The sequence of events had transpired so swiftly that the wizard’s summoning spell remained unfinished.
Staring intently at the wizard, Lennok inquired, “You don’t appear to be a dark wizard. What faction do you belong to?”
“Si, SiX…”
The luminous power emanating from the wizard’s hands was markedly different from the ominous dark magic Lennok was familiar with.
Had he aligned himself with the terrorist organization? Was he a wizard affiliated with that group?
Lennok wasn’t particularly curious, but something prompted him to abruptly halt the fight and speak up.
The wizard, seemingly realizing this, slowly ceased his incantation and dutifully responded to the question.
“It’s the shock series. It seems like you’re adept at shock magic as well.”
Shock magic was prevalent in this area, that much was true.
Encountering the same type of wizard twice, including the one he had encountered during the pharmaceutical company job, was a first for Lennok.
Still, the wizard wasn’t entirely unobservant, as he seemed to realize that the magic Lennok just blasted at the swordsman was similar to the spells he used.
“I learned by observing someone in action.”
“You mean a gunner like yourself? That’s absurd. No, you weren’t even a gunner to begin with.”
Only then did the wizard’s eyes clear, as if he had regained his composure amidst the chaos.
“Who are you? I’ve never heard of a wizard like you among the freelancers of the 40s district.”
“Uhmm…”
Lennok wasn’t one to boast, so he refrained from asking the wizard if he had heard of someone named Van.
Seeing Lennok’s hesitation, the wizard smirked and continued, “Based on your reaction, you’re definitely more than just a freelancer. Alright, how about this?”
“What?”
“I don’t know how much you were paid to get involved in this, but I’ll double that amount. Help us escape safely from here.”
“……”
“Escort us until we leave the 41st district. We have a vehicle waiting outside to aid our escape; it should suffice.”
Rather than answering immediately, Lennok crossed his arms and tilted his head.
Even if he was trying to buy time with this maneuver, it was audacious to make such an offer in the midst of this situation.
There must be a reason for an ordinary member, not even the leader of the organization, to step forward like this.
“How much money do you have to make such an offer?”
Lennok asked casually, and the wizard took the bait without hesitation.
“Naturally. I can’t disclose the details, but a substantial amount of money will soon flow into our organization. Enough money to reshape its foundation and still have plenty left. It’s not difficult to recruit talented individuals like yourself.”
“Do you think it’s wise to reveal this now?”
Lennok responded with a skeptical expression, but he had a strong intuition.
‘It’s certain. It’s about Reisen.’
The illegal funds controlled by the City Council member that the dark wizards were aware of.
By joining forces with the terrorist organization, they intended to secure a portion of that money. There was no other explanation for such an offer.
In response to Lennok’s words, the wizard chuckled with a meaningful grin.
“Well… that’s because I have no intention of giving you a single penny…!”
Is it finally over now?
Thinking so, Lennok slowly turned his head.
The swordsman, who had been struck by the shock spell and flung behind Lennok, emerged from the office holding something that resembled a USB port.
“Run away!”
As their eyes met, the wizard shouted, and the swordsman swiftly turned around and bolted like lightning.
Kwa-Kwa-Kwang!
The wizard, as if he had been waiting for this moment, recklessly unleashed shock magic at Lennok in an attempt to buy time.
Observing this, the swordsman, with one hand wiping his eyes, boldly hurled himself out of a nearby window.
Shatter-Shatter-Shatter!
The silhouette of the swordsman rapidly vanished far below on the 17th floor.
Lennok, witnessing such desperate camaraderie, wore an expression of disbelief on his face.
“What are you guys up to right now?”
“Ah, if we can just get hold of the encryption key… we’ll have no regrets.”
Observing the wizard, who tightly clenched his trembling hands and shut his eyes as if bracing for the worst, Lennok couldn’t help but chuckle.
It seemed that the wizard had concocted a diversion as soon as he realized it would be challenging to confront Lennok directly.
How would this individual react if he knew that every one of those moments had unfolded precisely as Lennok had intended?
[Target escaped safely . Real-time tracking is in progress. Well done, Van], Hina’s satisfied voice echoed in Lennok’s ear.
“I’ve captured a wizard from the terrorist organization. What should I do?” Lennok inquired, hearing Hina’s response.
“…!”
Although he couldn’t see it, the wizard’s forehead began to bead with cold sweat, as if he had an inkling that this moment would determine his fate.
[Hmm… it doesn’t really matter since we’ve accomplished our objective here. If you wish to eliminate him, you are free to do so.]
“What do you take me for?”
Lennok was neither a bloodthirsty killer nor a madman who relished the thrill of combat.
He merely carried out his assignments out of necessity, seeking the most efficient and low-risk approach given his circumstances.
If he had been undertaking this mission alone, he might have opted to kill the wizard, as keeping him alive would have posed difficulties down the line. However, with the backing of an agent, the situation was different.
Thwack!
Lennok swiftly struck the wizard’s head with a shock spell, causing him to collapse, his eyes rolling back.
“I’ve knocked him out. Take him away. Do as you please with him, whether it be interrogation or otherwise.”
[Hmm… this is somewhat unexpected.]
“What’s wrong?”
[Nothing. We will handle the aftermath then. Our first priority is to restore the internal network that we tampered with while obtaining the encryption key. Begin by vacating the operation area-]
Baaaang!
A deafening explosion resonated through the earpiece.
Lennok initially thought Hina had been caught, but he soon realized the noise emanated from the window and swiftly turned his head.
The Trade Center, a 30-story building, served as the rendezvous point for the operation.
Burning embers rained down like feathers from the building where three freelancers, excluding Lennok, had agreed to meet.
The inferno blazed so fiercely that it illuminated the night sky.
There was no doubt that this had occurred immediately after the swordsman successfully escaped with the encryption key, and it spelled trouble for their group.
Following a moment of silence, Hina’s voice, tinged with gravity, reached Lennok’s ears.
[…We’ve been ambushed.]
Lennok mumbled as he pulled a cigarette from his pocket.
“It must be them.”
[It appears they had powerful operatives concealed on their side for emergencies. It seems they launched an attack on the Trade Center to ensure their safe retreat after obtaining the encryption key… They proved to be stronger than we anticipated.]
“What about the other team members?”
[All communication has been severed. However, life signs are still detected, indicating that everyone is engaged in combat.]
“Hmm…”
As Lennok exhaled a plume of smoke out of the window, he raised his left wrist.
The watch given to him by Agria effortlessly transformed into a telescope, allowing Lennok to enhance his view.
While scrutinizing the interior of the Trade Center and continuously rotating his mana detection, a clear picture of the situation began to emerge.
One wizard and one warrior from the opposing side.
In fact, it was the same superhuman combination that Lennok had been tasked with handling, but even from a distance, it was evident that their skill level far surpassed his side.
The warrior was likely a member of the terrorist organization, while the wizard appeared to be a dark wizard who had been mobilized. They exerted overwhelming pressure on the trio.
The stoic giant and the young man with chlorine abilities somehow managed to hold the frontline, while the woman wielded dual blades, desperately searching for any opportunity. However, she seemed incapable of engaging in close combat.
The man who was accelerating while steam wildly billowed from his mechanically enhanced arms.
Lennok’s attention naturally gravitated toward confirming the immense swiftness that was impossible to perceive without assistance.
Taking his gaze away from the telescope, he calmly spoke up.
“Shouldn’t we intervene soon? If you’re overseeing the operation, it’s crucial to manage the team members.”
Hina didn’t initiate a conversation with Lennok.
It was their first joint operation, a collaboration that had barely come to fruition with Evelyn’s assistance.
Lennok understood Hina’s reluctance to relinquish control.
But Lennok had no reason to speak first.
If an argument were to arise, in this situation, it would be Hina who should yield first.
A moment of silence hung in the air. However, the party that would surrender had already been decided.
[…My abilities aren’t suited for situations like this. In fact, I’m more likely to hinder than help.]
“I see,” Lennok replied, a trace of satisfaction in his tone.
“So?”
[If we wait a little longer, reinforcements will arrive. It would be ideal if you could buy us some time until then. These individuals are valuable assets, not to be lost over a single operation.]
She wasn’t mistaken.
They were struggling due to the unexpected appearance of a formidable adversary, but the team members fighting there were undoubtedly skilled individuals in Lennok’s eyes.
They were professionals on par with those he had encountered at Madam’s.
Taking this into account, they were more than capable of providing assistance if kept alive.
After careful consideration, Lennok rose from his seat.
“Do you know which account their success fees should be deposited into?”
[Of course.]
That was sufficient.
Lennok promptly turned his back and made his way toward the corridor.
(TO BE CONTINUED)
