Chapter 98

A lone wizard lay unconscious under suppression, while several injured fighters moaned in pain nearby.

Equipment of various kinds and sizes lay scattered across the floor, disregarding their original order.

Lennok scanned the area, quickly spotting what he needed and grabbing it immediately.

It was a slender rifle, dropped by a fallen rifleman.

Though unintentional, it was the perfect weapon for the current situation.

As Lennok gripped the somewhat heavy rifle, memories of his military days resurfaced, bringing a familiar yet unfamiliar sensation.

While not pleasant, these memories inevitably reminded him of Earth.

Nostalgia surged unexpectedly at that moment.

Lennok forcefully pushed the memories aside and adjusted his stance.

Though he had acquired a long-range weapon, Lennok knew its limitations well.

Even in a world with magical engineering, guns themselves were no different from what Lennok was familiar with, as he had encountered them multiple times before.

Based on the specifications of this rifle alone, it couldn’t reach the distant building.

But that was not an obstacle he couldn’t overcome.

[Targeting Correction=2 Levels]

[Distance Amplification]

[Concentrated Fire]

Wooong!

The combination of auxiliary magic he assembled consisted of only three types, but their power and level had clearly surpassed his previous capabilities.

The blue mana light gently flickered, enveloping the rifle’s muzzle and tracing a faint arc before releasing the shot.

Thaaang!

The bullet flew through the frozen air, seamlessly maneuvering between the two skyscrapers.

Its path remained undisturbed, its trajectory accurate.

With wide eyes, the charging man was struck in the jawbone, crumpling to the ground.

Kwaang!

Witnessing the unexpected impact that sent the man sprawling, Lennok swiftly adjusted his aim.

The next target was the weary wizard peering out from the building.

The magic combination remained unchanged.

Reloading swiftly, he fired again.

Thaaang!

Even a physically adept warrior would struggle to react in time to the shot.

However, the wizard summoned a writhing black wall just in time to block the bullet.

Through his enhanced mana detection, heightened senses reached their limits. This temporary boost in reaction speed surpassed normal physical capabilities.

It was the same principle that allowed Lennok to face warriors like Beck Clinton.

A smile naturally curved Lennok’s lips.

“This is enjoyable.”

The battle that ensued became a repetitive process.

Reload, fire, reload, fire.

Despite the increased functionality and efficiency, the magic-assisted shooting did not burden Lennok, as it consumed less mana compared to conventional spells.

Shoot, eject, switch when the bullet ran out, pick up another firearm when the barrel overheated.

While long-range sniping could be challenging on its own, how many could withstand the impact of such consecutive, powerful strikes?

Snipers specializing in such abilities typically faced various penalties due to their reliance on singular, potent shots. However, for Lennok, who effortlessly overcame these disadvantages with his abundant talent, such concerns were irrelevant.

Especially in this particular scenario.

Knowing that battles against superhumans seldom offered such favorable circumstances, Lennok pulled the trigger without hesitation.

The peculiar battlefield, nestled between two towering buildings.

Setting aside the question of his sniping skills, opportunities as comfortable as this were rare.

So, he decided to savor it while it lasted.

Ratatatatatang!

Emptied.

The bullets, which couldn’t even graze Lennok’s coat when fired by the riflemen, now glowed with a brilliant light, streaking across the night sky and showering down on the terrorist.

The freelancers, seizing this opportune moment, knowing that the long-range support from the rear was friendly, confidently pressed their advantage.

Naturally, the battle raged on.

And finally, Hina’s voice reached the four individuals through their earpieces.

[Prepare yourselves.]

Her voice sounded slightly agitated, unlike her usual self.

But Lennok detected a faint hint of fear mixed in.

“......”

“You don’t understand that woman well. If Evelyn Marcia becomes directly involved, it’s all over. We need to wrap things up swiftly before her access rights are granted in the council.”

Craig’s words caused Jaun, who had been lost in thought, to fall silent.

Jaun, with a pensive expression, gazed into the distance and murmured, “Indeed, at this point, to find someone capable of handling her... we may have to find a mare..”

“That would be the worst,” Craig declared in a gruff voice. “There’s nothing right about involving those lunatics. Bringing uncontrollable monsters into this game will only disrupt the design.”

“...Don’t worry,” Jaun said, rising slowly.

“I have no intention of relinquishing Reisen’s slush fund to them.”

”......”

“We must seize every opportunity. Cooperation was the premise from the beginning, wasn’t it?”

A sly laugh, tinged with mockery, escaped Jaun’s lips.

“Once we’ve set things in motion, we can’t afford to stop. If you’re hoping for a dramatic compromise with the city administration, wake up from your dream. This time, we’ll have to battle each other to the finish line.”

“An obsession with material possessions often leads to the downfall of one’s work,” Craig replied, his gaze fixed elsewhere. “Money is merely a means; it cannot be the ultimate goal.”

“What are you blabbering about?” Jaun laughed. “That’s just an excuse uttered by those who lack money.”

The final exchange starkly revealed their contrasting values.

And with that...!!

With these words, Jaun’s body transformed into a tiny crystal and vanished.

Craig stoically observed Jaun dissipating into the hot desert air.

After a moment, he retrieved a cellphone from his pocket, and he too vanished without a trace.

As the scorching desert winds swept over their previous location, no evidence of their presence remained.

⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩

“The downfall of Reisen?”

Evelyn’s office.

Despite its luxurious appearance, the space seemed disorganized, with miscellaneous items strewn about.

Among the clutter, the most prominent objects were the small vegetables scattered across the office.

Evelyn seemed to indulge in her hobby even while at work.

“Yes.”

Evelyn casually reached out across her desk, plucking a carrot from the scattered vegetables and biting into it raw.

Lennok tried to avert his gaze, but the pungent smell of the onions was unavoidable.

“Want one? I grew them myself. It’s a personal hobby,” Evelyn offered.

“No, thank you. I’d rather hear the full story first.”

“I grow them organically. You should try one. It’s quite a challenge to do so in this lousy city air.”

Meeting for the second time, Evelyn remained as eccentric and self-willed as ever.

After handing Lennok a cucumber, she began to speak again.

“The slush fund accumulated by Reisen over the years was the result of colluding with giant corporations. I plan to expose the city council’s corruption using this opportunity.”

“I’m not particularly interested in that,” Lennok responded.

He had already recognized her as extraordinary, but he didn’t anticipate her having such intentions.

In fact, he never expected her to be so candid about her plans with him.

Lennok was still too unfamiliar with the power struggles surrounding the city to become involved.

“Don’t worry, I have no intention of burdening you with anything difficult.”

Even as they discussed such weighty matters, her expression remained composed.

While Lennok managed to maintain a straight face, the bitterness of the cucumber lingered in his mouth.

One day after the operation at the trade center had concluded, the two of them held a meeting to finalize all the follow-up actions related to the mission. They were joined by the three freelancers who had been hired for the job, all within a span of 24 hours.

Officially, the meeting was meant to confirm and provide the success fee that Lennok had independently taken over this time. However, it was evident to everyone who had been the driving force behind the entire operation from start to finish.

From Lennok’s perspective, he had long been disappointed with the abilities of his teammates, but those who had worked with him for the first time would likely have a different perception.

While it was natural for the funds deposited into his account to increase, it was somewhat surprising to see Evelyn in attendance. When she initially approached him, he had brushed it off, but it was unusual for someone as skilled as her to be involved in trivial matters of compensation.

That could only mean Evelyn Marcia highly valued the abilities of the wizard known as Van. However, to be honest, it wasn’t a pleasant realization.

Cooperating with her and the city government’s agents this time somewhat aligned with his original intentions and served as a way to repay a debt from the past.

Normally, it would be best to avoid any entanglement with such dangerous groups.

Yet, Lennok found himself increasingly drawn into the heart of the city’s affairs.

“The reason I’m sharing this with you is because the adversaries we might face in this operation may not be limited to just terrorists.”

“What do you mean?”

“As a result of my involvement in this operation, a disciplinary committee was convened. Due to our deviation from instructions, my authority will be significantly reduced, and Reisen will start to make his move accordingly.”

Evelyn’s emerald eyes turned towards Lennok.

They possessed an intensely clear gaze that instinctively made one feel tense, even knowing that it was a perfectly controlled manifestation of mana.

“Van, are you prepared to eliminate your fellow freelancers?”

(TO BE CONTINUED)