Chapter 145. Victoria Kazimieśi Domain (5)

“Damn it, what’s this mess, Victor?”

Steel mill.

Molten steel poured like lava from the high ceiling, hissing.

Hiss!!

Amid the acrid smell of melting steel, thick steam surged, filling the air.

A man, staring at chained machine parts being transported, clicked his tongue.

“Explain, Victor.”

Amid the deafening piston sounds of modern presses, a sharply dressed man emerged through white steam, cursing.

“Madness. Can’t you handle this?”

His low voice cut through the mill’s noise.

“Sorry, boss.”

A tall man, hair slicked back, bowed deeply to the suited figure.

Victoria Kazimieśi’s 19th Outsourcing District, 8th Avenue.

A small-scale steel mill in an industrial zone.

Though modest, its output rivaled larger mills.

Unlike typical factories, its steel underwent a unique process.

The flamboyantly dressed man, unfit for the setting, checked his device, saying.

“This won’t yield enough for the underworld’s black market. Doesn’t meet their contract terms.”

Tapping a massive part, he added.

“The black mages’ demands to our 19th district Scavengers were clear. Why haven’t non-mages for bio-forging been melted? We have captives.”

“No excuses, boss.”

Bowing, the man, hands behind back, added.

“Victor, you know we need more non-mages. This won’t meet deadlines.”

“But, boss, freelancers dispatched by the council for the human beast investigation are here.”

Victor, slick-haired, bowed, murmuring.

“Skilled outsiders make causing a stir unwise. Our scattered fighters would take heavy losses.”

“You don’t get it.”

The boss growled.

“Victor, we made a deal. No delivery, no pay. That delays our resolution.”

“…”

Resolution.

Victor’s face twitched, refined anger surfacing.

The Scavenger leader gestured, asking.

“Tell me, Victor. What do we, Victoria’s rightful heirs, aim for in this gang?”

“For the day of resolution, boss.”

“Right. It’s near. We can’t let plans falter.”

Tapping his head, the boss added.

“You forgot? We secured a strong ally for the resolution. Freelancers won’t matter. The human beasts were…”

A finished metal part crashed loudly.

The suited man glared.

“…Boss, what’s wrong?”

“Victor, sense anything?”

“No, sir.”

“Hm, tired, maybe.”

Rubbing his forehead, he shook his head. Victor added dryly.

“Our guards are posted. Intruders would’ve been caught.”

Checking the conveyor belt to the underground line, he turned forward.

Obviously, the boss’s mistake.

Otherwise, it didn’t add up.

“Fine, Victor. I’m checking resolution prep. It’ll take time.”

The Scavenger boss adjusted his uniform.

Victor draped his coat over his shoulders.

“Victor, finish it before I’m back. Non-mages have uses.”

“Yes, boss.”

Bowing, Victor watched the boss vanish into the mist.

Turning, he entered the mill’s depths.

Before a boiling furnace, he opened a rusted container.

“Aaah!!”

A young woman screamed, bolting out, limping, shoving Victor, clutching a small bundle, fleeing desperately.

“Pointless resistance for a non-mage.”

Victor muttered, snapping his fingers.

[Metal Band]

Iron rebar shot from the wall, striking her ankle.

Crunch!

Bones shattered, and she fell, silent, clutching the bundle.

Even then, she held it dearly.

“Escape where?”

Victor asked coldly.

“You know. Outsourcing districts are farms for non-mages like you.”

Stepping before her, he continued.

“You’d breed if left alone, right?”

Staring impassively, he added.

“Your kind fascinates me. No talent, no wealth, yet you churn out kids.”

His emotionless eyes continued.

“Just passing down pain.”

Kneeling, he gazed at the trembling woman, saying softly.

“Even if life’s instinct is reproduction, not everyone qualifies. Society has standards.”

Stroking the wailing child in the bundle, he murmured.

“From birth, this was your fate, poor child.”

His sunken eyes added.

“The world’s always unfair.”

Muttering to no one, he stood.

“Please, spare my child…!”

Clutching the child, she pleaded, but he raised an arm indifferently.

Clatter!!

Black sand-iron swarmed, forming a jagged saw in his grip.

“First, cutting both mother and child’s legs ensures no more running. Easier, right?”

Calmly raising the saw, he swung.

The woman, shielding the child, screamed.

“Kya, kyaaa!! Please, save—”

A muffled gunshot and spark burst from the saw’s side.

Clang!!

The recoil twisted his arm, and he staggered, turning.

“…What?”

“Quite a lecture.”

A clear, calm female voice echoed. Victor narrowed his eyes, swinging the saw.

“Who? Show yourself!”

“Who?”

Catching the voice from the second-floor railing, he froze.

“Intruders revealing themselves? Boring.”

Bang!!

A flash sliced the steam, a bullet piercing Victor’s left knee, slamming into the ground.

“Guh, gaaah!!”

Spitting, he bit his lip, activating a hidden radio, shouting.

“Grrgh, guards! Second floor, intruder!”

> —Understood!!

As guards rushed through the steam to the stairs, a blue-black flash carved a sharp arc.

Slash!!

Slicing all in one strike through the mist.

“What, what?!”

***

“Reliable, huh?”

A voice came from above.

Confirming a fallen Scavenger, I sheathed my sword, glancing up.

“With a pair like you, a sniper’s life’s easy.”

On the second floor’s iron railing, April aimed her rifle.

“Don’t kill.”

“I know.”

She replied lightly, scoping in a two-eye stance.

“As per your plan. Honestly, I doubted it’d work. Didn’t think of the mill’s steam. Two left.”

“Right.”

Nodding, I faced forward.

Sniping’s ambush advantage could offset multi-foe challenges.

Thus, this plan worked.

Looking up, April sat on the railing, calmly aiming.

Knee raised in a modified sitting stance, her arm rested on it, hugging the rifle’s forend.

Her slender arm held the long barrel steady.

Bang!!

She fired again.

The muffled shot, dampened by silencer and magic, roared.

Her fifth shot.

The bullet hit an enemy’s shoulder, toppling the fifth foe off the railing.

April muttered calmly.

“Trash feels good to hit.”

Cycling the bolt, ejecting the spent casing.

As the brass danced, she reloaded a .308 round smoothly.

Raising mana, she steadied her breath.

Executing it expertly, the sniper shifted targets.

The 4x scope’s precise crosshair locked on.

“Guh—!”

Victor, re-aimed at close range, sensed his fate, mouth agape.

Groaning, he raised mana, but too late.

April pulled the trigger calmly.

Bang!!

Muzzle flash tore the darkness.

Blood sprayed from his leg, blue currents webbing his body.

[Lightning Stun]

Crackle!!

“Gaaaah!!”

Screaming, he foamed, eyes rolling, collapsing.

Confirming the unconscious foe, April lowered her scope.

Satisfied, she stretched her legs, glancing at me.

“Done. Enemies neutralized.”

“For all your whining, you did well.”

She clicked her tongue, grumbling.

“Had I messed up, I’d be dead, not whining. Cut me some slack.”

Click!

Bantering, she pulled the bolt, tilting the barrel to check the empty chamber.

Drawing rounds from her thigh holster, she reloaded.

Prepping for potential fights post-battle, her skill prompted my question.

“April, one thing.”

“Huh? What?”

To her curious gaze, I asked confidently.

“If the pay’s good, would you take private jobs? Long-term contracts?”

“What’s that about?”

Squinting suspiciously, she grinned.

“Oh, you want me? We could keep pairing up~”

“…”

I looked away. Panicking, she shouted.

“Kidding! Kidding!”

“Let’s talk later.”

Approaching the fallen Victor, I nudged him, confirming he lived, frothing.

I gazed coldly.

Scavengers.

Faced them in the 37th district, but different regions meant different groups.

Not the same organization.

Scavengers were a widespread gang, a district synonym. Thus, I knew.

Poking Scavengers yielded info.

Two reasons drove this.

First, original knowledge.

Victoria Kazimieśi and its satellite districts’ details.

Scavengers weren’t as informed as Omen’s northeastern underworld.

But as local powers, they’d know beast info, including investigation spots.

April approached, asking softly.

“So, now what?”

“Get info.”

“He’s out cold.”

“Use awakening magic.”

Her eyes widened, sparkling with excitement.

“What? Awakening magic?!”

Leaning close, she said.

“That’s for healers! Rare, too. You know close combat and that?”

“Of course.”

Saying so, I stomped Victor’s bullet-wounded leg.

“Gaaaargh!!”

Snapping awake, he thrashed, eyes bulging.

Watching the flailing man, I added lightly.

“Done.”

“Wow…”

Ignoring April’s chilling gaze, I pressed on.

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