Chapter 208: Their Respective Training
Akira was going through training with Alpha in his home. Sometimes, he would also participate in mock battles with Erio and the other children in the wasteland. He had decided to only go to the ruin again once the automaton and the other relics he brought back from Lida commercial district ruin were fully converted into money. But for some reason, it was not done yet.
Old-world automata were highly valuable relics to corporations for many reasons. Whether to improve their own technology or to fix them before reselling again, there were many companies trying to get their hands on these automata. Normally, one should have no problem selling them, it should have been easy to exchange them for money. But that was not the case this time and the reason for that was because they were brought back to the city as a team with Akira.
If it was solely Togami’s team, they could just leave selling the automata to Drankam, which can use its connection. Even if there might be some problem regarding how to divide the money, it would be solved between the team selling the automata and the gang. Even if the result might not be ideal for Togami, they could make up for that by negotiating with the gang. That way, the gang would be able to secure its share with no problem as well.
But with Akira added to the equation, it was not that simple. After all, Akira was only allowing Drankam to handle the sale of the automata to make it easier to divide the money later. If Drankam took a cut on that money, Akira would obviously complain. If it was just a common Hunter, Drankam could just crush him using their connection with City Management. But when it came to a Hunter above Rank 40, in the worst-case scenario, it might end up in a full-blown war and the damage from that war would no doubt have some form of repercussion.
Normally, Drankam would first buy the relic from the Hunter to gain full-ownership of it before selling in order to avoid this problem. But there was another problem with that approach. If the negotiation with Akira did not go well, it might significantly reduce the profit that Drankam might gain from the transaction.
Personally speaking, Akira himself said that he had no problem dividing the money evenly. But according to the report from Togami and Reina regarding Akira’s contribution in securing the automata, it would not be strange if he demanded half of the reward. On the other hand, if they tried to negotiate with Akira, he might change his mind and decide to demand more shares than he had right now. And in the worst-case scenario, Viola might stick her nose into the negotiation and carry away most of the profits. Drankam already knew Akira’s relation with Viola from Mizuha’s report.
Drankam was stuck in a difficult position, trying not to worsen its connection with a high ranking Hunter as well as the company it was working with.
To top it off, companies were also working behind the scenes to make adjustments. The automata that Kurosawa’s team had destroyed the other day already changed hands to a certain company. If there was a relic that resembled the complete form of that destroyed relic, it would speed up the investigation process of said relics. Moreover, it might shed a light on its connection with the fifth automaton that got away. If possible, the aforementioned company also wanted to get its hand on that automaton as well. Thus it was working behind the scenes for that.
With all of these factors added into the complexity of the matter, they ended up taking more time than usual to sell the automata.
Akira already knew what was going on from a short report given by someone from Drankam, which in response, he only said that he would wait patiently if it might sell for a lot more. He already got the expense from that expedition covered by Shiori, so he had no reason to rush it. Although the smaller relics were already exchanged for money, all of them were used to cover the expenses.
Because of this, and some other things, Akira decided not to go exploring ruins for the time being and spent most of his time training inside and outside his house.
—*—*—*—
Togami and Reina’s group were about to get out to the wasteland when Reina, who was sitting on the driver’s assistant seat, mumbled.
“Good grief, I wonder when we are going to be allowed to do Hunter jobs again.”
Togami smiled wryly.
“Calm down, if you don’t like the training, you can take a break instead, you know?”
“It’s not that I don’t want to do it and I do still think that I need more training. But we’re not even allowed to do common monster extermination requests, you know? Isn’t that a bit too strict? Don’t you think so too?”
“Well, you have a point there.”
“Right? I really wish they would lift the restriction.”
Togami’s team was given a temporary restriction from Drankam so they could not do Hunter jobs. This was for the sake of preventing matters from becoming more complicated in case the rightful owners of the automata died. Although they were not exactly happy about it, they decided to obey the restriction. However, as they felt that it would take more time than usual, they decided to negotiate with the higher-ups. In the end, they were allowed to do some low-risk Hunter jobs.
“Our job today is to help out in testing a still-in-development augmented suit. Although it’s just training because we’re not allowed to do dangerous Hunter jobs, we are still getting paid for it. Depending on how you take it, it might actually be a good offer. By the way, where is Shiori-san?”
The only maid sitting on the back seats was Kanae.
“Ane-san has another business to attend to. Milady, Ane-san left because she thought that we’re not going to leave the city. Although I’m letting you out to the wasteland, it would be a great help if you try to be careful. After all, it is still the dangerous wasteland. So make sure not to just go hunting for monsters on a whim when we spot one. I don’t want to get split open by Ane-san after all.”
“I know, so can you please just let it go for a bit for a change of pace.”
Reina lightly sighed.
“Shiori has been bugging me about my mannerism again lately. She has also been actively making me take on that training again. To be honest, I don’t think it’s necessary at this point… Although mannerism is indeed important, I just don’t see why she’s getting stricter lately…”
Before Reina continued her thought, Kanae smiled and interjected.
“I don’t know if it’s because you’ve been working with Togami-boy a lot lately, but Milady, your word-usage is getting rough lately. So I bet Ane-san wishes to fix it before it gets worse.”
“Ughk, well.”
“How is that my fault?”
Reina, who knew that Kanae was not completely wrong, became flustered. Togami only smiled bitterly in response to it. Kanae deliberately chose her words such that the heart of the matter was to be taken lightly. But of course, neither Reina nor Togami noticed it.
Erio and Togami were actually helping to test the coordination support system augmented suit. Since Akira did not participate in the test that day, the team was divided between Togami and Reina versus the rest.
The mock battle was divided between the minority vs the majority. The minority referred to those who were using the augmented suit with the overloaded setting. After Erio decided to keep using the overloaded setting, some other children actually asked for the same setting. While the rest, or the majority, were children who were using the original restricted setting. Although the difference in their numbers was huge, they were able to put up a good fight which showcased the difference in their fighting prowess.
That was when Togami’s team came. After a short explanation from Tabata, they decided to set the mock battle as Togami’s team vs the rest. Since Kanae was only there as a bodyguard, she did not join the mock battle and only participated as an observer running around the battlefield.
As Erio and the other children took a short break until Togami’s team finished their preparation, they started to talk about the new addition to the test.
“Say, that maid is the one from back then, right? But where is the other one?”
“Yup, you’re probably right. But to be honest, rather than that fake-looking maid, I actually prefer the other one that looks like a proper maid.”
“Is that so? I actually like this one more though.”
“…You have a very bad taste, you know?”
“What did you just say?!”
The start of the mock battle cut their endless idle talk. As they went to their respective starting positions, they then waited for the signal to start the mock battle.
Erio nervously waited while mentally preparing himself when the support system from his helmet made a suggestion.
“Detected high anxiety level. Please keep calm to ensure effective decision making.”
“…I know.”
“It’s Yatsubayashi. Open up the air composition adjustment function! You should be able to use the modified battle stimulant that I made! Those two once worked together with Akira out in the wasteland, you know! So basically they are like 2 Akiras! If you don’t want to get a one-sided beating, just use the battle stimulant although it’s still in the clinical trial phase. You can’t get strong unless you prepare yourself to take risks, you know! Use the augmented suit, the coordination support system, and the battle stimulant, they are your shortcut to gain super strength. I know they’re still in the testing stage, but just use them! ”
Yatsubayashi’s excited voice could be heard from the support system. Although Erio was surprised by that voice, he seriously considered that offer, and eventually, his wish to get stronger trumped.
“…Alright, I’ll use it.”
“Roger that, injecting the stimulant now.”
The inside of the helmet turned slightly green from the battle stimulant. Every time Erio inhaled, he could feel his anxiety level lowered and his five senses sharpened. The pain from the previous mock battle also slowly alleviated. As he waited for the countdown, he could feel the power coursing through his limbs, even the countdown on his display felt like it was running at a slower rate.
Erio’s spirit was lifted, he thought that he might have the chance to win with his newly gained power. The moment the signal for the start of the mock battle went up, he immediately kicked the ground and started running.
It was two against many and their opponent was supported with the coordination system. Normally, it would have been hopeless, but Reina and Togami compensated for that difference with their equipment and skill. They kept moving around to cause confusion. Although they did not communicate with each other, they moved around together as a team very well. They divided the fight into smaller 2 against 1 fights as they hunted their opponents one by one. When they were about to get surrounded, they would charge to break the encirclement to get away and then maintain the upper hand.
No one was taking it easy in that battle. If they let their guard down even for a split second, the other party would immediately turn the table around. But Togami and Reina felt a sense of satisfaction as they continued to fight with a smile on their faces.
Reina shot down another one of her opponents and thought.
[These guys are strong! I heard that they are not Hunters and just amateurs though, is this the power of the coordination support system? If equipment can really make them this strong, I can imagine why Akira would splurge his money on equipment and training. I had been really ashamed of myself from back then, but…]
Reina smiled.
[I can’t let people think that I’m nothing without my equipment! I can’t let myself lose for the sake of all the training that I did with Shiori and Kanae as well.]
Togami also shot another one down as he thought.
[They are strong. So this is the power of the coordination support system, huh? If I’m not mistaken, Katsuya’s team was using a stable version if not the beta version of this system and they were using it superbly. I even heard that some officers in the gang are thinking of getting this system for all the young Hunters in the gang. I can understand that, but…]
Togami lightly smiled.
[Just how much would it cost? No wonder why Shikarabe and the other veteran Hunters don’t like the young Hunters. Well, I’m on the side of the Hunters who would receive the support, so I have no problem with it, but the veteran Hunters would basically pay for it. Well, sooner or later, I would be joining their side though. I can’t really afford to lose now against people with nothing but excellent equipment, after all, I need to get stronger and earn more money. At least more than what I would need to pay in the future…]
Togami and Reina did their best in order to surpass their past selves. Because of that, they were able to annihilate their opponents and won the first hard-earned victory.
Although Erio and the other children lost the round, Yatsubayashi was satisfied with the result. He then amusedly said to Tabata.
“How was it? It has this much effect with only this price. It is pretty impressive, no? Its cost-benefit ratio is way higher than your usual battle stimulant.”
“Even if that’s true, it’s not like I can do anything about it. It’s true that our augmented suit allows them to use the battle stimulant in the middle of the fight. But it is originally for medicines. Not for battle stimulants mixed with accelerator drugs. Moreover, the available medicine is based on the other companies that the main company is working together with. So we can only use yours for testing like this.”
Yatsubayashi frowned and said.
“Even with this result?”
“I don’t have authority to decide which medicine to use. Well, I will at least send the data to the main company though. So just hope that they would consider using your battle stimulant.”
Yatsubaya looked even more displeased.
“I bet for people like them, performance is number two and they will pick the medicine from some big drug company for the sake of their companies’ interest anyway. Good grief, these people keep giving vague refusals. No wonder cheap but good medicines would never reach the market.”
“Safety takes precedence and it’s important to confirm and prove it. That is why those huge corporations spent most of their money on that, no?”
“Humph, I wonder about that now.”
Tabata looked at the obviously displeased Yatsubayashi and lamented his decision.
[…Good grief, I ended up letting a weirdo join the testing. I really hate my stupidity from that time. Although he’s really a good doctor, he’s just suspicious, or more like, I feel like he’s not the usual doctor.]
Tabata allowed Yatsubayashi to attend the testing after a short negotiation with Viola. He was basically the doctor for Erio and the other children. Because Viola used the previous incident as leverage, Tabata could not refuse her demand.
Tabata then thought of something and asked Yatsubayashi.
“Say, this is just a random guess, but you are not from the Rebuild Laboratory, are you?”
“Why do you think so?”
“No reason in particular.”
Yatsubayashi smiled as if to laugh at himself as he said.
“If that is really the case, I would be working hard on my research with an unlimited amount of budget from the huge corporations by now.”
He then continued but with more spirit this time.
“If you really think that I am that good, it would be great if you would provide me with some aid money for my research. If only I can get a proper production line for mass production and finish off the rest of the testing, I’m sure it would sell like hotcakes. Wait, no, a license would be enough, so if you can offer this drug to some medicine companies connected to your company, then…”
“Haah, like I said, I have no authority to do that. So just give it a rest.”
“Really now, you guys are just insufferable.”
Tabata rejected Yatsubayashi’s offer, thus making him look more displeased than before.
When the Rebuild Laboratory was disbanded, some of the researchers went rogue since they did not like their research being controlled by the Corporate Governments. Even to this day, many were still actively pursuing their research in secret while running away from the Corporate Government. That was a common rumor which was flying around between researchers in the eastern district.
Tabata already knew about that rumour, which in that case, that would mean Yatsubayashi might have a connection with some big companies. But Tabata just shook his head and threw out that thought from his head.
Erio frowned and looked desperate. They finished some rounds after that, but they could not win against Reina and Togami at all, not even once.
They had different equipment, different talents, different accumulated experience from both training and real battles. There were many reasons why they could not win a single round. Erio knew that those reasons were reasonable. But, he just could not accept it. After all, if he accepted them, it felt like it was the same as giving up. He would be shutting himself from taking the road that the strong took. That kind of distorted thinking was what pushed him further.
As the next round started, Erio whispered to himself to be stronger.
“More…”
The system made a guess out of that incomplete sentence.
“Warning, using more battle stimulants would put the body in immense stress. Do you still want to use more battle stimulants?”
“…More.”
“Understood, injecting battle stimulant.”
“…Stronger.”
“Warning, using battle stimulants would put the body in more stress. Do you still want to use more battle stimulants?”
“…More!!!”
“Understood, injecting battle stimulant.”
Erio said so unconsciously, but the system kept injecting more and more battle stimulants. The huge dose of battle stimulant granted him immense power. When he started the next round, he felt like he had temporarily become superhuman.
Reina could not react when Erio suddenly started moving unnaturally fast. The moment she noticed, it was already too late. She could not evade the incoming bullet and the exchange ended up in a draw. As the ‘hit’ notice came up in her display, she laid down on the ground in deep frustration.
Togami did his best even after his only ally in that mock battle was shot down, but since the rest of the opponents jumped into the fray thinking that it was a good chance after Erio shot down Reina, the round ended in his loss even though he put up a good fight.
The signal to end the mock battle came up. Those who were lying down on the ground after receiving their hit notice pushed themselves up again. Erio’s team realised that they had won the round and celebrated their victory.
Kanae went to Reina first, she then said apologetically to Togami who came a bit later.
“Sorry, it was my fault.”
“Well, it can’t be helped. They’re really strong, I got shot too.”
Kanae then said with a serious face.
“Milady, that boy who shot you down is dangerous.”
“Dangerous? Well, I indeed think I need to be more careful against him next time though.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
Kanae pointed at Erio who was still laying down on the ground. Although the rest of the team were already back up, Erio was still lying there, not moving. The other children noticed that and went to check on him, but since he did not respond even when they called his name, they started to panic and went to call Yatsubayashi.
“That boy, I bet he used a copious amount of battle stimulant. He’s unconscious from the side-effects. Both Ane-san and I are carrying a similar trump card, so I can somewhat tell.”
“Oh, I see. That explains why he suddenly moved so quickly. It’s pretty amazing that you can tell. Is he going to be alright?”
“I can’t really say for sure. It might be already too late for him. He might be not moving because he’s already dead instead of simply fainting.”
Reina and Togami frowned in response to Kanae, who said so lightly. Yatsubayashi who just arrived immediately went to check on Erio. He then asked for help to carry Erio to the trailer.
“Hmmm, looking at that, it seems like he’s going to be okay. In the worst-case scenario, he might spend a few days sleeping, but he’s not going to die.”
Reina and Togami sighed in relief. Even for them, they would feel bad if someone ended up dead during the mock battle.
“I see, thank goodness. By the way, Shiori and you have a similar drug, right? Are you going to be okay using them?”
“We are trained as not to make mistakes and use too much of the drug, so we won’t get to that point. By the way, the reason why we don’t let Milady carry such a drug is simply because we don’t wish for you to use such a drug. After all, it would be bad if Milady made a mistake and ended up killing yourself. Well, when Milady uses that drug, that would be after Ane-san and I die, so it’s not like using that drug would help Milady in any way in that situation. That’s why we don’t allow you to carry such a drug right from the start.”
There were occasions when Kane or Shiori would use a huge dosage of that drug, knowing well that it might kill them. For example, back then when they had to fight the old-world automaton that called itself Olivia, Kanae and Shiori used the drug close to its lethal dosage. Fortunately, Olivia withdrew so they could conserve their strength and they had the chance to prepare themselves to face the backlash, so they were somehow able to stay alive. Although they looked fine from the outside, it was actually a pretty dangerous situation.
Of course, Reina did not know about that, but when she remembered back then when Shiori had to push herself during that fight in the underground city of Kuzusuhara ruin. She could not help but to make a conflicted expression.
Togami, who was listening to their exchange, then threw a question.
“Now that I think about it, is it better if I prepare something similar for myself?”
“I won’t stop you, but normally, it’s important to stay under the dosage limit. If you often get too fired up during a fight, it’s kind of dangerous to carry such a drug. There are many people who end up overdosing because of that. I bet that boy is exactly one of those types of people.”
Togami looked at himself and frowned.
In the end, Erio was sent home. When he woke up five days later, he found Alicia looking at him worriedly.
Erio really regretted his action as Alicia angrily scolded him while crying.
When Reina and Togami were participating in the mock battles against Sheryl’s gang. Akira was meeting Shiori on the first floor of the Kugama building. Akira was surprised when he saw Shiori in a business suit instead of her usual maid outfit.
“So then, what is it that you want to talk with me about?”
“Before that, are you okay to talk here instead of in some restaurant on the upper floor? Please don’t worry about the expense. I was the one who called for you, so I’ll pay for the expense.”
“Well, I have plans to go there in the future. So, I’m fine with this place.”
Shiori’s face slightly stiffened.
“…I see. In that case, please let me get onto the main subject, and also, please don’t worry and order anything you like.”
Shiori explained to Akira why they took a lot of time selling the old-world automata. Although she went into a bit more detail compared to what he had heard from Togami, the main points did not change. He listened to the explanation while finishing his order.
“…Because of this, it will still take some time until we can sell the aforementioned relic. If Akira-sama wishes for it, I can also help out to make the process faster…”
“No, it’s fine. There’s no need for you to go that far. It’s not like I’m in immediate need of money right now. And also, I know that it’s just that expensive of a relic, so it’s understandable that they are having trouble negotiating about the price and that kind of stuff. As a matter of fact, I’m thankful that you paid for the expense early on. That’s why I won’t ask you to do more than that.”
“…I see, very well.”
Akira noticed that Shiori’s face slightly stiffened again and found it strange.
“Is that all?”
“No, there’s another thing. The food is here, so let’s eat first before we continue.”
Shiori tried her best to stay calm as she gently smiled.
Although it was not as delectable as the food on the upper floor, it was still good. Akira relished it since it was still much better than his usual food back home. After a few minutes, his mood got better. Shiori tried to gauge his mood before she nervously brought up the next subject.
“It is about the white card that you let us take. According to my connections, it seems that it is a highly valuable item, although, it’s not directly convertible into money.”
“Ohh, is that so? That’s pretty impressive.”
“So well, you can say that there will be further compensation for you, I’m planning to pay back the profit in some kind of form in the future. Although, as I said, it’s not directly convertible into money, thus your compensation would not be in the form of money. As such, if you have anything you want me to do, please do tell me. I would try my best to comply.”
Akira’s hand stopped from transporting food into his mouth and raised his eyebrows. He then frowned and said
“…No thanks, to be honest, I thought that this matter has already been settled.”
“Indeed, it is understandable to take that matter as something of the past after it has been settled. Please take this matter as the card being just that valuable, to the point that we feel bad for receiving so much profit without giving anything in return. Although, due to the nature of the matter, I can’t really tell you the details. But, what I have said so far is the truth.”
That remark piqued Akira’s interest. But his curiosity was in the opposite direction of what Shiori thought. Of course, Shiori did not know that as she stared at him and slowly became more anxious.
“It seems that you have a lot in mind, but please just tell me if you have anything you want at the moment. If it’s something that I can help with, I will do my best to comply… Although, as expected, I can’t help you if you want to get in relation with Milady.”
“Don’t worry, I have no such interest.”
Akira said so immediately that Shiori looked slightly offended by it. He thought that it was unreasonable to get that stare from her as he continued to think.
Personally speaking, he just wanted to get that troublesome card off his hands. As a matter of fact, he was thinking of just stating that the matter was completely over. But if he strongly refused, Shiori might get suspicious of him instead. Thus he tried to just ask what came up in his mind.
“In that case, I actually want your equipment, will that work?”
Shiori did not expect that at all and it was obvious from her reaction.
“…Akira-sama, I didn’t know that you have an interest in my maid outfit and the undergarment of my augmented suit. If you really want them, I don’t mind giving them, but…”
Akira flusteredly tried to fix her misunderstanding.
“Not that one! It’s true that they are included as your equipment, but I’m talking about your blade. I witnessed just how sharp it is numerous times in the past, not to mention, you used it to slice open that huge monster in the Seranthal building, remember? I just thought that it would be great to have that kind of blade. I’m sure that it’s not a blade that you can normally find in common shops, right?”
“I see, the blade, huh.”
“Why would you even think I would want your maid outfit and what not…”
Akira said as he ruffled his hair, in contrast to him, Shiori smiled amusedly.
“Very well, if my blade will be enough, I’ll bring one to you later.”
Akira was actually asking for the contact to buy that blade and not the blade itself, so he was surprised by her reply.
“Is that okay? I don’t know the details, but it’s not cheap, right?”
“It is a company equipment so I can’t really tell you the precise price, but it is indeed not cheap. But even so, it is still an expendable equipment. So it’s only given that I have spare blades, so don’t worry. I can just use my spare blade.”
“Hmmm, even if you say so, I don’t feel okay getting something that expensive, you see.”
“…If Akira-sama thinks that it might be overcompensation, then I have one request, please don’t tell anyone about that card. It is not like I can compel you to do that, but it is related to the secret information from big companies, so it might cause a problem if you do it. And it applies even when you’re talking with me, will that be okay?”
For Akira, who wanted to just cut all ties with that card, it was a good offer for him as well. Even more so if it was taken as a bribe to keep him from leaking some secret information. It was also a good excuse to accept such terms to obtain that expensive blade. So he immediately nodded and said.
“Alright, I won’t say anything to anyone.”
“Thank you very much!”
Both Akira and Shiori smiled thinking that they were able to get through the negotiation well.
After that, Akira and Shiori talked about some other stuff while enjoying the food before leaving the building. Shiori then left for a bit and returned back with a blade complete with its maintenance kit inside a trunk. Akira received that trunk, said their goodbyes, and left back home. While Shiori went back to the inner wall after seeing him off.
As she was looking at Akira’s back, Shiori thought.
[It’s a good thing that I was able to leave a good impression for now. I want to believe that it will not be a mistake.]
At first, Shiori was uncertain whether to completely forget about the white card or bring it up again to Akira in order to try to leave a good impression on him. In the end, she chose the latter.
With this, even if Akira discovered the truth later and realized that he mistook just how valuable that card was, the chance for him trying to inflict damage on Reina would lower. Moreover, bringing up that it was a company secret might also be a good excuse when it came to it. Shiori thought so and felt slightly relieved.
A call then came from Kanae.
“Ane-san, how is it going over there?”
“No problem at all, how about over there?”
“We’re on the way back now. Ah, by the way, Ane-san, about Milady taking the request for the mock battle training without your permission, should we talk about how we are going to handle this matter?”
“I will act as if I don’t know about it. If Milady slips up and says something about it later, I will handle it accordingly, so you don’t need to say anything.”
“Roger that!”
Shiori knew from the start that Reina and Togami were going to take on that request. As a matter of fact, it was their plan to keep her away from the city in case her negotiation with Akira did not go well.
“By the way, it seems that Milady has gotten stronger than we thought. To be honest, I think she has a good chance of living off as a Hunter, you know?”
“If Milady chooses to do so, it is my job to make sure that other doors will still be open to her.”
“Ane-san, you’re as doting as ever.”
“Humph, I don’t care what you say.”
Kanae closed the call, Shiori seemed to be thinking about a lot of things as she returned back.
Once Akira arrived back home, he slowly unsheathed the blade that he got from Shiori. He looked happy as he looked closely at the blade.
“I got a pretty good weapon, though I think it’s a little too long for me.”
Since it seemed that Akira would keep looking at that blade if left alone, Alpha warned him.
“Akira, you should stop there. Put it back into its sheath and connect it to the maintenance kit. I will readjust the control device through the information terminal.”
“Alright.”
It was long enough to cause trouble for Akira to sheathe or unsheathe but the mechanical sheath could open up on its side, thus it was easy for him to slide the blade in and out of the sheath. The blade came with a combat sheath and maintenance sheath. The maintenance sheath could fix the blade and it was using the same repair cartridge that was used for his augmented suit.
The grip and the combat sheath could be equipped with an energy pack. Moreover, if it was set to work with the augmented suit, it could use the energy from the augmented suit as well and leave the energy in the grip empty all the time. This way, it would be harmless even if the opponent picked up the blade.
Both the energy-based operation of the blade and the physical-based operation of the grip were able to synchronize with the read-type augmented suit. Combined with his time compression, Akira could use the blade to make a quick manoeuvre without any trouble.
The blade was also equipped with anti-forcefield armour. Within a certain range, the blade was better both for defence and offence compared to a gun. Then, in exchange for the blade and a huge amount of energy, it could cut a huge monster from a distance just like what Shiori did in the Seranthal building.
The blade itself was as sharp as an old-world blade, which Akira rarely found and was able to use. So basically, he had gotten himself a better blade than expected.
Akira was content that he received much better equipment than he had expected, Alpha then smiled at him and made a suggestion.
“Well, since you have a blade now, how about we train on how to use it as well? Akira, do you want to try it out now?”
“That’s a good idea.”
Akira extended his hand to reach for the blade but Alpha stopped him using his augmented suit. He did not expect it and turned to Alpha, who then pointed her finger at two floating blades.
Akira understood what Alpha was telling him, so he grabbed the blade. Due to the augmented reality and Alpha’s control over his augmented suit, it felt like there were really two blades. He took one while Alpha took the other one.
“As I thought, it is really convenient to be able to do this training. After all, it is dangerous to use the real blade in the training, I might cut my vehicle by mistake.”
“The blades themselves are identical. So don’t complain if my blade suddenly extends out, okay?”
“Okay.”
Akira took some distance from Alpha and faced her.
“Let’s start!”
Right at the next moment, Alpha threw her blade. Although they were close enough to trade blows, the blade flung and sliced Akira into two. His head rolled over and painted the floor red followed by the headless body a moment later. Akira was not able to react at all.
But of course, it was all just an image from Alpha. Akira saw the image of his head on the ground and smiled wryly.
“Isn’t that cheating?”
“Nope. Like I said, the blades are the same? So I won’t accept any complaints. If you don’t want to get the floor covered with your heads, make sure to block the blade, okay? Let’s start the next round then.”
Akira used his time compression to focus on defence right from the start this time. Thanks to that, he was able to survive a bit longer compared to last time.
Since that day, he started incorporating blades in his training. Thanks to that, the floor of his garage was littered with his dead body every single day.
Chapter 208: Their Respective Training
Akira was going through training with Alpha in his home. Sometimes, he would also participate in mock battles with Erio and the other children in the wasteland. He had decided to only go to the ruin again once the automaton and the other relics he brought back from Lida commercial district ruin were fully converted into money. But for some reason, it was not done yet.
Old-world automata were highly valuable relics to corporations for many reasons. Whether to improve their own technology or to fix them before reselling again, there were many companies trying to get their hands on these automata. Normally, one should have no problem selling them, it should have been easy to exchange them for money. But that was not the case this time and the reason for that was because they were brought back to the city as a team with Akira.
If it was solely Togami’s team, they could just leave selling the automata to Drankam, which can use its connection. Even if there might be some problem regarding how to divide the money, it would be solved between the team selling the automata and the gang. Even if the result might not be ideal for Togami, they could make up for that by negotiating with the gang. That way, the gang would be able to secure its share with no problem as well.
But with Akira added to the equation, it was not that simple. After all, Akira was only allowing Drankam to handle the sale of the automata to make it easier to divide the money later. If Drankam took a cut on that money, Akira would obviously complain. If it was just a common Hunter, Drankam could just crush him using their connection with City Management. But when it came to a Hunter above Rank 40, in the worst-case scenario, it might end up in a full-blown war and the damage from that war would no doubt have some form of repercussion.
Normally, Drankam would first buy the relic from the Hunter to gain full-ownership of it before selling in order to avoid this problem. But there was another problem with that approach. If the negotiation with Akira did not go well, it might significantly reduce the profit that Drankam might gain from the transaction.
Personally speaking, Akira himself said that he had no problem dividing the money evenly. But according to the report from Togami and Reina regarding Akira’s contribution in securing the automata, it would not be strange if he demanded half of the reward. On the other hand, if they tried to negotiate with Akira, he might change his mind and decide to demand more shares than he had right now. And in the worst-case scenario, Viola might stick her nose into the negotiation and carry away most of the profits. Drankam already knew Akira’s relation with Viola from Mizuha’s report.
Drankam was stuck in a difficult position, trying not to worsen its connection with a high ranking Hunter as well as the company it was working with.
To top it off, companies were also working behind the scenes to make adjustments. The automata that Kurosawa’s team had destroyed the other day already changed hands to a certain company. If there was a relic that resembled the complete form of that destroyed relic, it would speed up the investigation process of said relics. Moreover, it might shed a light on its connection with the fifth automaton that got away. If possible, the aforementioned company also wanted to get its hand on that automaton as well. Thus it was working behind the scenes for that.
With all of these factors added into the complexity of the matter, they ended up taking more time than usual to sell the automata.
Akira already knew what was going on from a short report given by someone from Drankam, which in response, he only said that he would wait patiently if it might sell for a lot more. He already got the expense from that expedition covered by Shiori, so he had no reason to rush it. Although the smaller relics were already exchanged for money, all of them were used to cover the expenses.
Because of this, and some other things, Akira decided not to go exploring ruins for the time being and spent most of his time training inside and outside his house.
—*—*—*—
Togami and Reina’s group were about to get out to the wasteland when Reina, who was sitting on the driver’s assistant seat, mumbled.
“Good grief, I wonder when we are going to be allowed to do Hunter jobs again.”
Togami smiled wryly.
“Calm down, if you don’t like the training, you can take a break instead, you know?”
“It’s not that I don’t want to do it and I do still think that I need more training. But we’re not even allowed to do common monster extermination requests, you know? Isn’t that a bit too strict? Don’t you think so too?”
“Well, you have a point there.”
“Right? I really wish they would lift the restriction.”
Togami’s team was given a temporary restriction from Drankam so they could not do Hunter jobs. This was for the sake of preventing matters from becoming more complicated in case the rightful owners of the automata died. Although they were not exactly happy about it, they decided to obey the restriction. However, as they felt that it would take more time than usual, they decided to negotiate with the higher-ups. In the end, they were allowed to do some low-risk Hunter jobs.
“Our job today is to help out in testing a still-in-development augmented suit. Although it’s just training because we’re not allowed to do dangerous Hunter jobs, we are still getting paid for it. Depending on how you take it, it might actually be a good offer. By the way, where is Shiori-san?”
The only maid sitting on the back seats was Kanae.
“Ane-san has another business to attend to. Milady, Ane-san left because she thought that we’re not going to leave the city. Although I’m letting you out to the wasteland, it would be a great help if you try to be careful. After all, it is still the dangerous wasteland. So make sure not to just go hunting for monsters on a whim when we spot one. I don’t want to get split open by Ane-san after all.”
“I know, so can you please just let it go for a bit for a change of pace.”
Reina lightly sighed.
“Shiori has been bugging me about my mannerism again lately. She has also been actively making me take on that training again. To be honest, I don’t think it’s necessary at this point… Although mannerism is indeed important, I just don’t see why she’s getting stricter lately…”
Before Reina continued her thought, Kanae smiled and interjected.
“I don’t know if it’s because you’ve been working with Togami-boy a lot lately, but Milady, your word-usage is getting rough lately. So I bet Ane-san wishes to fix it before it gets worse.”
“Ughk, well.”
“How is that my fault?”
Reina, who knew that Kanae was not completely wrong, became flustered. Togami only smiled bitterly in response to it. Kanae deliberately chose her words such that the heart of the matter was to be taken lightly. But of course, neither Reina nor Togami noticed it.
Erio and Togami were actually helping to test the coordination support system augmented suit. Since Akira did not participate in the test that day, the team was divided between Togami and Reina versus the rest.
The mock battle was divided between the minority vs the majority. The minority referred to those who were using the augmented suit with the overloaded setting. After Erio decided to keep using the overloaded setting, some other children actually asked for the same setting. While the rest, or the majority, were children who were using the original restricted setting. Although the difference in their numbers was huge, they were able to put up a good fight which showcased the difference in their fighting prowess.
That was when Togami’s team came. After a short explanation from Tabata, they decided to set the mock battle as Togami’s team vs the rest. Since Kanae was only there as a bodyguard, she did not join the mock battle and only participated as an observer running around the battlefield.
As Erio and the other children took a short break until Togami’s team finished their preparation, they started to talk about the new addition to the test.
“Say, that maid is the one from back then, right? But where is the other one?”
“Yup, you’re probably right. But to be honest, rather than that fake-looking maid, I actually prefer the other one that looks like a proper maid.”
“Is that so? I actually like this one more though.”
“…You have a very bad taste, you know?”
“What did you just say?!”
The start of the mock battle cut their endless idle talk. As they went to their respective starting positions, they then waited for the signal to start the mock battle.
Erio nervously waited while mentally preparing himself when the support system from his helmet made a suggestion.
“Detected high anxiety level. Please keep calm to ensure effective decision making.”
“…I know.”
“It’s Yatsubayashi. Open up the air composition adjustment function! You should be able to use the modified battle stimulant that I made! Those two once worked together with Akira out in the wasteland, you know! So basically they are like 2 Akiras! If you don’t want to get a one-sided beating, just use the battle stimulant although it’s still in the clinical trial phase. You can’t get strong unless you prepare yourself to take risks, you know! Use the augmented suit, the coordination support system, and the battle stimulant, they are your shortcut to gain super strength. I know they’re still in the testing stage, but just use them! ”
Yatsubayashi’s excited voice could be heard from the support system. Although Erio was surprised by that voice, he seriously considered that offer, and eventually, his wish to get stronger trumped.
“…Alright, I’ll use it.”
“Roger that, injecting the stimulant now.”
The inside of the helmet turned slightly green from the battle stimulant. Every time Erio inhaled, he could feel his anxiety level lowered and his five senses sharpened. The pain from the previous mock battle also slowly alleviated. As he waited for the countdown, he could feel the power coursing through his limbs, even the countdown on his display felt like it was running at a slower rate.
Erio’s spirit was lifted, he thought that he might have the chance to win with his newly gained power. The moment the signal for the start of the mock battle went up, he immediately kicked the ground and started running.
It was two against many and their opponent was supported with the coordination system. Normally, it would have been hopeless, but Reina and Togami compensated for that difference with their equipment and skill. They kept moving around to cause confusion. Although they did not communicate with each other, they moved around together as a team very well. They divided the fight into smaller 2 against 1 fights as they hunted their opponents one by one. When they were about to get surrounded, they would charge to break the encirclement to get away and then maintain the upper hand.
No one was taking it easy in that battle. If they let their guard down even for a split second, the other party would immediately turn the table around. But Togami and Reina felt a sense of satisfaction as they continued to fight with a smile on their faces.
Reina shot down another one of her opponents and thought.
[These guys are strong! I heard that they are not Hunters and just amateurs though, is this the power of the coordination support system? If equipment can really make them this strong, I can imagine why Akira would splurge his money on equipment and training. I had been really ashamed of myself from back then, but…]
Reina smiled.
[I can’t let people think that I’m nothing without my equipment! I can’t let myself lose for the sake of all the training that I did with Shiori and Kanae as well.]
Togami also shot another one down as he thought.
[They are strong. So this is the power of the coordination support system, huh? If I’m not mistaken, Katsuya’s team was using a stable version if not the beta version of this system and they were using it superbly. I even heard that some officers in the gang are thinking of getting this system for all the young Hunters in the gang. I can understand that, but…]
Togami lightly smiled.
[Just how much would it cost? No wonder why Shikarabe and the other veteran Hunters don’t like the young Hunters. Well, I’m on the side of the Hunters who would receive the support, so I have no problem with it, but the veteran Hunters would basically pay for it. Well, sooner or later, I would be joining their side though. I can’t really afford to lose now against people with nothing but excellent equipment, after all, I need to get stronger and earn more money. At least more than what I would need to pay in the future…]
Togami and Reina did their best in order to surpass their past selves. Because of that, they were able to annihilate their opponents and won the first hard-earned victory.
Although Erio and the other children lost the round, Yatsubayashi was satisfied with the result. He then amusedly said to Tabata.
“How was it? It has this much effect with only this price. It is pretty impressive, no? Its cost-benefit ratio is way higher than your usual battle stimulant.”
“Even if that’s true, it’s not like I can do anything about it. It’s true that our augmented suit allows them to use the battle stimulant in the middle of the fight. But it is originally for medicines. Not for battle stimulants mixed with accelerator drugs. Moreover, the available medicine is based on the other companies that the main company is working together with. So we can only use yours for testing like this.”
Yatsubayashi frowned and said.
“Even with this result?”
“I don’t have authority to decide which medicine to use. Well, I will at least send the data to the main company though. So just hope that they would consider using your battle stimulant.”
Yatsubaya looked even more displeased.
“I bet for people like them, performance is number two and they will pick the medicine from some big drug company for the sake of their companies’ interest anyway. Good grief, these people keep giving vague refusals. No wonder cheap but good medicines would never reach the market.”
“Safety takes precedence and it’s important to confirm and prove it. That is why those huge corporations spent most of their money on that, no?”
“Humph, I wonder about that now.”
Tabata looked at the obviously displeased Yatsubayashi and lamented his decision.
[…Good grief, I ended up letting a weirdo join the testing. I really hate my stupidity from that time. Although he’s really a good doctor, he’s just suspicious, or more like, I feel like he’s not the usual doctor.]
Tabata allowed Yatsubayashi to attend the testing after a short negotiation with Viola. He was basically the doctor for Erio and the other children. Because Viola used the previous incident as leverage, Tabata could not refuse her demand.
Tabata then thought of something and asked Yatsubayashi.
“Say, this is just a random guess, but you are not from the Rebuild Laboratory, are you?”
“Why do you think so?”
“No reason in particular.”
Yatsubayashi smiled as if to laugh at himself as he said.
“If that is really the case, I would be working hard on my research with an unlimited amount of budget from the huge corporations by now.”
He then continued but with more spirit this time.
“If you really think that I am that good, it would be great if you would provide me with some aid money for my research. If only I can get a proper production line for mass production and finish off the rest of the testing, I’m sure it would sell like hotcakes. Wait, no, a license would be enough, so if you can offer this drug to some medicine companies connected to your company, then…”
“Haah, like I said, I have no authority to do that. So just give it a rest.”
“Really now, you guys are just insufferable.”
Tabata rejected Yatsubayashi’s offer, thus making him look more displeased than before.
When the Rebuild Laboratory was disbanded, some of the researchers went rogue since they did not like their research being controlled by the Corporate Governments. Even to this day, many were still actively pursuing their research in secret while running away from the Corporate Government. That was a common rumor which was flying around between researchers in the eastern district.
Tabata already knew about that rumour, which in that case, that would mean Yatsubayashi might have a connection with some big companies. But Tabata just shook his head and threw out that thought from his head.
Erio frowned and looked desperate. They finished some rounds after that, but they could not win against Reina and Togami at all, not even once.
They had different equipment, different talents, different accumulated experience from both training and real battles. There were many reasons why they could not win a single round. Erio knew that those reasons were reasonable. But, he just could not accept it. After all, if he accepted them, it felt like it was the same as giving up. He would be shutting himself from taking the road that the strong took. That kind of distorted thinking was what pushed him further.
As the next round started, Erio whispered to himself to be stronger.
“More…”
The system made a guess out of that incomplete sentence.
“Warning, using more battle stimulants would put the body in immense stress. Do you still want to use more battle stimulants?”
“…More.”
“Understood, injecting battle stimulant.”
“…Stronger.”
“Warning, using battle stimulants would put the body in more stress. Do you still want to use more battle stimulants?”
“…More!!!”
“Understood, injecting battle stimulant.”
Erio said so unconsciously, but the system kept injecting more and more battle stimulants. The huge dose of battle stimulant granted him immense power. When he started the next round, he felt like he had temporarily become superhuman.
Reina could not react when Erio suddenly started moving unnaturally fast. The moment she noticed, it was already too late. She could not evade the incoming bullet and the exchange ended up in a draw. As the ‘hit’ notice came up in her display, she laid down on the ground in deep frustration.
Togami did his best even after his only ally in that mock battle was shot down, but since the rest of the opponents jumped into the fray thinking that it was a good chance after Erio shot down Reina, the round ended in his loss even though he put up a good fight.
The signal to end the mock battle came up. Those who were lying down on the ground after receiving their hit notice pushed themselves up again. Erio’s team realised that they had won the round and celebrated their victory.
Kanae went to Reina first, she then said apologetically to Togami who came a bit later.
“Sorry, it was my fault.”
“Well, it can’t be helped. They’re really strong, I got shot too.”
Kanae then said with a serious face.
“Milady, that boy who shot you down is dangerous.”
“Dangerous? Well, I indeed think I need to be more careful against him next time though.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
Kanae pointed at Erio who was still laying down on the ground. Although the rest of the team were already back up, Erio was still lying there, not moving. The other children noticed that and went to check on him, but since he did not respond even when they called his name, they started to panic and went to call Yatsubayashi.
“That boy, I bet he used a copious amount of battle stimulant. He’s unconscious from the side-effects. Both Ane-san and I are carrying a similar trump card, so I can somewhat tell.”
“Oh, I see. That explains why he suddenly moved so quickly. It’s pretty amazing that you can tell. Is he going to be alright?”
“I can’t really say for sure. It might be already too late for him. He might be not moving because he’s already dead instead of simply fainting.”
Reina and Togami frowned in response to Kanae, who said so lightly. Yatsubayashi who just arrived immediately went to check on Erio. He then asked for help to carry Erio to the trailer.
“Hmmm, looking at that, it seems like he’s going to be okay. In the worst-case scenario, he might spend a few days sleeping, but he’s not going to die.”
Reina and Togami sighed in relief. Even for them, they would feel bad if someone ended up dead during the mock battle.
“I see, thank goodness. By the way, Shiori and you have a similar drug, right? Are you going to be okay using them?”
“We are trained as not to make mistakes and use too much of the drug, so we won’t get to that point. By the way, the reason why we don’t let Milady carry such a drug is simply because we don’t wish for you to use such a drug. After all, it would be bad if Milady made a mistake and ended up killing yourself. Well, when Milady uses that drug, that would be after Ane-san and I die, so it’s not like using that drug would help Milady in any way in that situation. That’s why we don’t allow you to carry such a drug right from the start.”
There were occasions when Kane or Shiori would use a huge dosage of that drug, knowing well that it might kill them. For example, back then when they had to fight the old-world automaton that called itself Olivia, Kanae and Shiori used the drug close to its lethal dosage. Fortunately, Olivia withdrew so they could conserve their strength and they had the chance to prepare themselves to face the backlash, so they were somehow able to stay alive. Although they looked fine from the outside, it was actually a pretty dangerous situation.
Of course, Reina did not know about that, but when she remembered back then when Shiori had to push herself during that fight in the underground city of Kuzusuhara ruin. She could not help but to make a conflicted expression.
Togami, who was listening to their exchange, then threw a question.
“Now that I think about it, is it better if I prepare something similar for myself?”
“I won’t stop you, but normally, it’s important to stay under the dosage limit. If you often get too fired up during a fight, it’s kind of dangerous to carry such a drug. There are many people who end up overdosing because of that. I bet that boy is exactly one of those types of people.”
Togami looked at himself and frowned.
In the end, Erio was sent home. When he woke up five days later, he found Alicia looking at him worriedly.
Erio really regretted his action as Alicia angrily scolded him while crying.
When Reina and Togami were participating in the mock battles against Sheryl’s gang. Akira was meeting Shiori on the first floor of the Kugama building. Akira was surprised when he saw Shiori in a business suit instead of her usual maid outfit.
“So then, what is it that you want to talk with me about?”
“Before that, are you okay to talk here instead of in some restaurant on the upper floor? Please don’t worry about the expense. I was the one who called for you, so I’ll pay for the expense.”
“Well, I have plans to go there in the future. So, I’m fine with this place.”
Shiori’s face slightly stiffened.
“…I see. In that case, please let me get onto the main subject, and also, please don’t worry and order anything you like.”
Shiori explained to Akira why they took a lot of time selling the old-world automata. Although she went into a bit more detail compared to what he had heard from Togami, the main points did not change. He listened to the explanation while finishing his order.
“…Because of this, it will still take some time until we can sell the aforementioned relic. If Akira-sama wishes for it, I can also help out to make the process faster…”
“No, it’s fine. There’s no need for you to go that far. It’s not like I’m in immediate need of money right now. And also, I know that it’s just that expensive of a relic, so it’s understandable that they are having trouble negotiating about the price and that kind of stuff. As a matter of fact, I’m thankful that you paid for the expense early on. That’s why I won’t ask you to do more than that.”
“…I see, very well.”
Akira noticed that Shiori’s face slightly stiffened again and found it strange.
“Is that all?”
“No, there’s another thing. The food is here, so let’s eat first before we continue.”
Shiori tried her best to stay calm as she gently smiled.
Although it was not as delectable as the food on the upper floor, it was still good. Akira relished it since it was still much better than his usual food back home. After a few minutes, his mood got better. Shiori tried to gauge his mood before she nervously brought up the next subject.
“It is about the white card that you let us take. According to my connections, it seems that it is a highly valuable item, although, it’s not directly convertible into money.”
“Ohh, is that so? That’s pretty impressive.”
“So well, you can say that there will be further compensation for you, I’m planning to pay back the profit in some kind of form in the future. Although, as I said, it’s not directly convertible into money, thus your compensation would not be in the form of money. As such, if you have anything you want me to do, please do tell me. I would try my best to comply.”
Akira’s hand stopped from transporting food into his mouth and raised his eyebrows. He then frowned and said
“…No thanks, to be honest, I thought that this matter has already been settled.”
“Indeed, it is understandable to take that matter as something of the past after it has been settled. Please take this matter as the card being just that valuable, to the point that we feel bad for receiving so much profit without giving anything in return. Although, due to the nature of the matter, I can’t really tell you the details. But, what I have said so far is the truth.”
That remark piqued Akira’s interest. But his curiosity was in the opposite direction of what Shiori thought. Of course, Shiori did not know that as she stared at him and slowly became more anxious.
“It seems that you have a lot in mind, but please just tell me if you have anything you want at the moment. If it’s something that I can help with, I will do my best to comply… Although, as expected, I can’t help you if you want to get in relation with Milady.”
“Don’t worry, I have no such interest.”
Akira said so immediately that Shiori looked slightly offended by it. He thought that it was unreasonable to get that stare from her as he continued to think.
Personally speaking, he just wanted to get that troublesome card off his hands. As a matter of fact, he was thinking of just stating that the matter was completely over. But if he strongly refused, Shiori might get suspicious of him instead. Thus he tried to just ask what came up in his mind.
“In that case, I actually want your equipment, will that work?”
Shiori did not expect that at all and it was obvious from her reaction.
“…Akira-sama, I didn’t know that you have an interest in my maid outfit and the undergarment of my augmented suit. If you really want them, I don’t mind giving them, but…”
Akira flusteredly tried to fix her misunderstanding.
“Not that one! It’s true that they are included as your equipment, but I’m talking about your blade. I witnessed just how sharp it is numerous times in the past, not to mention, you used it to slice open that huge monster in the Seranthal building, remember? I just thought that it would be great to have that kind of blade. I’m sure that it’s not a blade that you can normally find in common shops, right?”
“I see, the blade, huh.”
“Why would you even think I would want your maid outfit and what not…”
Akira said as he ruffled his hair, in contrast to him, Shiori smiled amusedly.
“Very well, if my blade will be enough, I’ll bring one to you later.”
Akira was actually asking for the contact to buy that blade and not the blade itself, so he was surprised by her reply.
“Is that okay? I don’t know the details, but it’s not cheap, right?”
“It is a company equipment so I can’t really tell you the precise price, but it is indeed not cheap. But even so, it is still an expendable equipment. So it’s only given that I have spare blades, so don’t worry. I can just use my spare blade.”
“Hmmm, even if you say so, I don’t feel okay getting something that expensive, you see.”
“…If Akira-sama thinks that it might be overcompensation, then I have one request, please don’t tell anyone about that card. It is not like I can compel you to do that, but it is related to the secret information from big companies, so it might cause a problem if you do it. And it applies even when you’re talking with me, will that be okay?”
For Akira, who wanted to just cut all ties with that card, it was a good offer for him as well. Even more so if it was taken as a bribe to keep him from leaking some secret information. It was also a good excuse to accept such terms to obtain that expensive blade. So he immediately nodded and said.
“Alright, I won’t say anything to anyone.”
“Thank you very much!”
Both Akira and Shiori smiled thinking that they were able to get through the negotiation well.
After that, Akira and Shiori talked about some other stuff while enjoying the food before leaving the building. Shiori then left for a bit and returned back with a blade complete with its maintenance kit inside a trunk. Akira received that trunk, said their goodbyes, and left back home. While Shiori went back to the inner wall after seeing him off.
As she was looking at Akira’s back, Shiori thought.
[It’s a good thing that I was able to leave a good impression for now. I want to believe that it will not be a mistake.]
At first, Shiori was uncertain whether to completely forget about the white card or bring it up again to Akira in order to try to leave a good impression on him. In the end, she chose the latter.
With this, even if Akira discovered the truth later and realized that he mistook just how valuable that card was, the chance for him trying to inflict damage on Reina would lower. Moreover, bringing up that it was a company secret might also be a good excuse when it came to it. Shiori thought so and felt slightly relieved.
A call then came from Kanae.
“Ane-san, how is it going over there?”
“No problem at all, how about over there?”
“We’re on the way back now. Ah, by the way, Ane-san, about Milady taking the request for the mock battle training without your permission, should we talk about how we are going to handle this matter?”
“I will act as if I don’t know about it. If Milady slips up and says something about it later, I will handle it accordingly, so you don’t need to say anything.”
“Roger that!”
Shiori knew from the start that Reina and Togami were going to take on that request. As a matter of fact, it was their plan to keep her away from the city in case her negotiation with Akira did not go well.
“By the way, it seems that Milady has gotten stronger than we thought. To be honest, I think she has a good chance of living off as a Hunter, you know?”
“If Milady chooses to do so, it is my job to make sure that other doors will still be open to her.”
“Ane-san, you’re as doting as ever.”
“Humph, I don’t care what you say.”
Kanae closed the call, Shiori seemed to be thinking about a lot of things as she returned back.
Once Akira arrived back home, he slowly unsheathed the blade that he got from Shiori. He looked happy as he looked closely at the blade.
“I got a pretty good weapon, though I think it’s a little too long for me.”
Since it seemed that Akira would keep looking at that blade if left alone, Alpha warned him.
“Akira, you should stop there. Put it back into its sheath and connect it to the maintenance kit. I will readjust the control device through the information terminal.”
“Alright.”
It was long enough to cause trouble for Akira to sheathe or unsheathe but the mechanical sheath could open up on its side, thus it was easy for him to slide the blade in and out of the sheath. The blade came with a combat sheath and maintenance sheath. The maintenance sheath could fix the blade and it was using the same repair cartridge that was used for his augmented suit.
The grip and the combat sheath could be equipped with an energy pack. Moreover, if it was set to work with the augmented suit, it could use the energy from the augmented suit as well and leave the energy in the grip empty all the time. This way, it would be harmless even if the opponent picked up the blade.
Both the energy-based operation of the blade and the physical-based operation of the grip were able to synchronize with the read-type augmented suit. Combined with his time compression, Akira could use the blade to make a quick manoeuvre without any trouble.
The blade was also equipped with anti-forcefield armour. Within a certain range, the blade was better both for defence and offence compared to a gun. Then, in exchange for the blade and a huge amount of energy, it could cut a huge monster from a distance just like what Shiori did in the Seranthal building.
The blade itself was as sharp as an old-world blade, which Akira rarely found and was able to use. So basically, he had gotten himself a better blade than expected.
Akira was content that he received much better equipment than he had expected, Alpha then smiled at him and made a suggestion.
“Well, since you have a blade now, how about we train on how to use it as well? Akira, do you want to try it out now?”
“That’s a good idea.”
Akira extended his hand to reach for the blade but Alpha stopped him using his augmented suit. He did not expect it and turned to Alpha, who then pointed her finger at two floating blades.
Akira understood what Alpha was telling him, so he grabbed the blade. Due to the augmented reality and Alpha’s control over his augmented suit, it felt like there were really two blades. He took one while Alpha took the other one.
“As I thought, it is really convenient to be able to do this training. After all, it is dangerous to use the real blade in the training, I might cut my vehicle by mistake.”
“The blades themselves are identical. So don’t complain if my blade suddenly extends out, okay?”
“Okay.”
Akira took some distance from Alpha and faced her.
“Let’s start!”
Right at the next moment, Alpha threw her blade. Although they were close enough to trade blows, the blade flung and sliced Akira into two. His head rolled over and painted the floor red followed by the headless body a moment later. Akira was not able to react at all.
But of course, it was all just an image from Alpha. Akira saw the image of his head on the ground and smiled wryly.
“Isn’t that cheating?”
“Nope. Like I said, the blades are the same? So I won’t accept any complaints. If you don’t want to get the floor covered with your heads, make sure to block the blade, okay? Let’s start the next round then.”
Akira used his time compression to focus on defence right from the start this time. Thanks to that, he was able to survive a bit longer compared to last time.
Since that day, he started incorporating blades in his training. Thanks to that, the floor of his garage was littered with his dead body every single day.