Chapter 51 – Sewer Encounter (3)

Chapter 51 – Sewer Encounter (3)

[Translator – Late Dreamer]

[Proofreader – Seeker]

Chapter 51 – Sewer Encounter (3)

People react in various ways when they experience unexpected events.

Some people just open their mouths and gasp, and others think it’s a dream and pinch their cheeks.

In the case of my future self.

I fell into both categories.

“...You are.”

I was simply unable to gather my wits in the face of the unexpected situation.

Inside the sewer.

Catherine, who had returned later, found Drake and Andrea and made a surprised expression.

It was an expression only possible because she had lived in the sewer with me for a long time.

In this vast underground space.

She would know how difficult it is to find us.

That’s why Catherine reacted the same way I did earlier.

Not to the extent of gaping in surprise.

But half with joy, half with surprise.

Catherine then talked about the ninja she had chased.

As she said.

I had expected that the ninja had fled to deliver information to the surface.

I nodded lightly and explained the current situation to Drake and Andrea.

This person (the vice president) was not Smile John.

The true identity of Smile John was the chairman of the Kojaka Corporation.

In addition, we were currently being chased by a ninja squad, which was the work of the vice president’s brother-in-law, Koichiro Kojaka.

“Wasn’t there a separate person acting as the chairman character?”

This was Andrea’s response.

“Things have really gotten ridiculously twisted.”

This was Drake’s remark after hearing my explanation that the kidnappers had already taken control of the airship before us.

I continued my explanation to Drake, who was smiling with a bewildered expression.

“Anyway, that’s how we ended up escorting the vice president to his destination.”

“What about the reward?”

Drake replied, flashing his gold teeth.

“We haven’t decided on the details yet, but we’ll probably discuss how to handle Smile John... or rather, Kojaka’s chairman.”

I then turned my gaze to Kojaka William.

Drake’s eyes also followed, landing on Kojaka William.

Kojaka William adjusted the mask he was wearing and replied.

“...You’re right, we’re practically in the same boat now.”

It was natural for the vice president, who had been used as bait by the chairman.

On the contrary, it was natural for him to be angry at the chairman.

A trustworthy smile spread across Drake’s face.

Drake walked over to the vice president and lightly placed a hand on his shoulder.

However, due to Drake’s large size, the vice president’s shoulder dipped asymmetrically under the weight.

Drake’s voice was heard.

“Shall we discuss the contract details then?”

This was always the part Drake handled when we took on a commission.

Adjusting details and sorting out compensation.

Soon, I tuned out Drake.

I figured he would handle it well.

Anyway, escaping the sewer was the most urgent matter at hand.

...But at that moment.

From the opposite side, not a person but a large shadow in the shape of a monster appeared.

“....!”

I tried to shout and be wary of my surroundings.

If I hadn’t immediately realized that the identity of the monster shadow was a dead body, I would have screamed a long time ago.

There was a lizard large enough to easily swallow an adult.

The unusual thing was that it seemed to have more than eight legs.

Andrea opened her mouth nonchalantly.

“Ah, this is what I was talking about earlier.”

She passed by the lizard carcass without any hesitation.

.......

I awkwardly scratched my head.

Enduring the embarrassment, I moved my feet.

And then a moment later.

This time, blocking the entire sewer waterway.

The shape of a giant robot appeared.

Since I had almost screamed at the sight of the monster’s corpse earlier, I calmly observed the fallen robot this time.

With a sizzling sound, a short circuit reaction appeared on the robot’s surface.

There was no movement.

The intermittent sparks only indicated that the power was still on.

[Translator – Late Dreamer]

[Proofreader – Seeker]

Drake’s voice was heard from behind, walking arm in arm with the vice president.

“Oh, this is the cleaning robot I was talking about earlier. The signal doesn’t work here, so I hacked it by connecting the circuits directly.”

The numerous sharp gears extending below the robot were very impressive.

.......

What kind of battles have they been through?

It seemed true that they had dealt with all the strange things they encountered while searching for us.

***

Catherine kicked out forcefully.

Her extended kick shattered the thick iron bars of the sewer.

The entire frame of the iron bars flew off into the distance, bouncing haphazardly onto the sandy ground.

“Phew, we’re finally out.”

I took a deep breath in celebration.

I felt alive as I inhaled the (relatively) clean city air compared to the inside of the sewer.

The rainbow-colored dyed chicken comb caught our attention.

...What an incredible fashion.

I sensed that he was not an ordinary madman. I slowly opened my mouth and asked.

“Who are you-.”

“Koichiro Koizaka ...! It really was you!”

Kojaka William interrupted me and shouted in a frustrated tone.

...Sigh.

As expected, my ominous premonition was not wrong.

Well, in this situation, if the amusement park visitors were evacuated, it was almost a 99.9% possibility.

The man called Koichiro Kojaka made a grand gesture and said.

“Hahaha! You managed to come back alive!”

His tone was somewhat annoying.

Koichiro Kojaka.

If I remember the explanation from earlier, he’s Kojaka William’s brother-in-law....

That means he’s the son of Kojaka’s chairman, Smile John.

...Then it makes sense that their speaking styles are similar.

“Did you want my position that much!”

Kojaka William shouted.

The conversation wasn’t what I should be worried about right now.

“...Eve.”

[I am waiting.]

“How many are around?”

After a brief pause, Eve says.

[Confirmed ’49’ biological signals within a 50M radius, I inform you that they are the same signal as the individual named ‘Ninja’ encountered in the sewer.]

As expected.

He couldn’t have come alone.

Koichiro Kojaka....

What a crazy bastard.

It’s easier said than done.

It was incomprehensible to me that he evacuated all the visitors during peak weekday hours, made the employees go home, and waited for us.

I pondered what if we didn’t come today?

What if we went somewhere else?

...Is it wrong to try to understand a madman’s thoughts?

Well, it was.

I thought it would be possible if it was the son of that crazy Smile John.

I swallowed dry saliva.

It was a really big deal.

No matter how much we were the best in the mercenary industry.

Even if Catherine was the protagonist of a game based on this world.

In the end, what is possible and what is impossible is determined.

Our limits were clear.

... we should run away.

Or should we at least try to fight?

The conversation between Kojaka’s vice chairman and brother-in-law is getting more and more heated.

At the same time, the ninjas Eve had detected began to appear everywhere.

Hmm.

I felt like I had to start by dropping lightning.

I need time to gather mana.

I was thinking about it.

...And then.

Something fell from the sky.

I briefly look up at the sky.

In the air, a familiarly designed delivery drone had arrived unnoticed.

I don’t know what fell.

It must have been quite heavy because I heard a bang! from the center.

...What is it?

I looked at the thing that had fallen.

There was a ‘person’ who had landed on the ground in a hero landing pose.

“...?”

It was at the same time that the person landed.

The ninjas around them all collapsed.

Electricity sparked, and limbs twisted on their own.

It was a sign of hacking that anyone could recognize.

Drake who always had a smiling expression frowned and muttered.

“...Hacking? That’s impossible, that’s computationally impossible.”

The vice chairman and brother-in-law, who had become quiet, stared blankly at the person.

.......

But for some reason.

The clothes that the person was wearing caught my eye.

...I feel like I’ve seen those clothes somewhere before.

It was a peculiar outfit that looked like a maid outfit.

Where did I see it... I think I saw it in Eve’s streaming video that I watched—.

Hmm.

Hmm.

“...You are.”

Before I could say anything.

She.

‘Eve’ raises her body.

[I inform you that I have arrived.]

“I say that I have arrived.”

.......

I expected ‘ninjas’ at least, but this was completely unexpected.

Eve appeared!

[Translator – Late Dreamer]

[Proofreader – Seeker]