[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
Chapter 728: The Great Path (6)
-…What?
-Huh?
-What… was that just now?
A momentary silence fell at the antigovernment pistol, “Obstruction of Official Duties,” and its threat.
First of all, they were unsure whether the pistol had really spoken.
-What the hell? Did that bastard just talk?
Before long, Eroom glared at Obstruction of Official Duties, which was swiveling its muzzle this way and that beside Yeongwoo’s head.
Then the weapon really did turn its muzzle toward Eroom and speak in the cold voice peculiar to machines.
× So, the first victim to challenge my authority has appeared.
At that, Yeongwoo finally turned his head toward his shoulder with an incredulous expression.
“No, you bastard… What the hell is with the way you talk?”
Even for projection equipment, this seemed like too much.
He had wanted a firearm that could skillfully shoot on its own without its owner having to pay attention, not some insane weapon that could think and even talk for itself.
-Like owner, like gun. From where I’m standing, it looks like exactly the right thing was made for you.
Sevio’s whiskers twitched as he, too, wore a dumbfounded expression.
Then, sensing Yeongwoo’s gaze, “Obstruction of Official Duties” waggled its muzzle.
× Why? Is something wrong?
“…What? Shouldn’t you at least be polite to me?”
× I think this is sufficiently polite.
As it said that, it waggled its muzzle once again.
It was showing that the muzzle was not pointed at its owner—in other words, Yeongwoo.
Then.
Whirr.
It swiftly aimed at Eroom again and warned him.
× Hey, I believe I told you not to move.
-Don’t give me that bullshit. The transaction with your owner has concluded properly. Therefore, there is no reason for me to remain under threat.
Surprisingly, Eroom recognized “Obstruction of Official Duties” as an individual personality and attempted to converse with it.
At that, Yeongwoo pressed a hand to his forehead and furrowed his brow.
“Fuck, what the hell is going on?”
What was more, he would soon have to lend this deranged weapon to Eroom.
After all, the reason he had forged the weapon in the first place was to use Eroom Salzeo to hold off Mohir.
“Both of you, shut up for a second. I’m starting to get a headache.”
Meanwhile, Eroom pulled himself together and tried to leave with Dots Salzeo.
-Whatever the case, the only thing left for us to do is escape this filthy place, is it not? So hurry and…….
At once, “Obstruction of Official Duties” spat fire from the muzzle at the tip of its index finger.
× How dare you!
Bang!
An unexpected discharge.
That insane pistol had certainly been warning him for some time, but no one present had expected it to actually fire.
And the most startled of them all was, naturally—
-……!
Eroom Salzeo, who had just avoided the bullet by the narrowest of margins.
No, strictly speaking, he had not avoided it entirely.
The bullet had grazed his thigh, and blood was already trickling from the wound.
-…That crazy bastard.
Eroom’s expression became complicated.
The first reason was the bewilderment stemming from the fact that he had failed to properly dodge that shot.
The second was the simple fact that his opponent was a pistol.
Just a pistol.
Of course, it was a talking pistol, but in any case, what was there to question or argue about with something that was merely a piece of equipment?
-Do something about that thing. You’re its owner, after all.
In the end, Eroom asked Yeongwoo to intervene, but Yeongwoo’s attention was elsewhere.
“Don’t tell me… you couldn’t dodge that just now?”
-……?
“Hey, you’re bleeding from your leg right now.”
-Do you think I am unaware of that?
“So you really couldn’t dodge it, right? It’s not like you chose not to.”
Even Dots Salzeo wore an anxious expression at Yeongwoo’s question.
A legendary pistol capable of landing a bullet on a fourth-grade being.
Had such a troublesome weapon now fallen into the hands of that wicked planetary shipmaster?
-…It happened suddenly, and I was merely unable to move properly because my body has yet to fully recover.
Eroom Salzeo offered an excuse that was not quite an excuse, wearing a disgruntled expression.
At that, Yeongwoo stared intently at the man’s leg with a cunning look.
“You’re a fourth-grade being. Does it make any sense to say you failed to dodge because a bullet suddenly came flying at you?”
Then “Obstruction of Official Duties” promptly chimed in.
× Then how about I announce it before firing this time, so you can try dodging properly? I imagine everyone present is curious about the result.
Click, click.
Obstruction of Official Duties repeatedly flicked its thumb, producing an irritating loading sound.
Eroom gritted his teeth and was just about to retort when—
Swish.
Yeongwoo waved his hand and stopped the conversation.
“Ah, everyone, enough. The fighting is already over.”
Of course, Yeongwoo was curious about the result as well, but he had decided it was not something worth forcing at the expense of Eroom’s pride.
Not only did he soon have to use Eroom to hold off Mohir, but would there not eventually come another time when he needed to use the man’s “favor”?
Therefore, he needed to maintain at least a minimal cooperative relationship with him.
And above all—
‘He really couldn’t dodge it just now. Though it’s not like he took a direct hit… In any case, I’ve properly confirmed the new weapon’s performance.’
After finishing his calculations, Yeongwoo turned his head slightly toward his shoulder and spoke to the pistol.
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
“Everyone here is an ally. So stop doing crazy shit. The real enemy is outside.”
× Outside……?
Obstruction of Official Duties menacingly waved its index finger around as it searched for the enemy.
Yeongwoo sighed and pointed at the ashen portal that had appeared nearby.
“Once we go outside through there, some crazy machine bastard will chase us.”
× A machine? Strictly speaking, I’m a machine too. Are you asking me to shoot one of my own kind?
Because of the pistol’s ridiculous appearance, it was difficult to tell which of its words were jokes and which were serious.
“Surely you don’t actually have a problem shooting machines, right? I sincerely hope not. Because if that’s the case, you’ll spend the rest of your life stuffed inside the catalog, never seeing the outside world again.”
As Yeongwoo said this and registered the new pistol in the Weapon Catalog, Obstruction of Official Duties sensed some sort of change, suddenly clenched its fist, and raised its little finger.
× Of course it was a joke. I promise. No machine will dare act up in front of me.
“I’m not so sure. I wonder if you’ll be able to say that in front of Boss Lemu as well…….”
In any case, there probably would not be any major problem for the time being.
Having finished greeting his new weapon, Yeongwoo slowly turned his head and looked at Eroom and Dots, the two Salzeos.
“There were a lot of complications along the way. Anyway, you all worked hard. Now we just have to go home.”
Yeongwoo, Sevio, and Musio would return to the Earth ship.
Eroom Salzeo and Dots Salzeo would return once again within the sturdy fence of their family.
And after Yenta Varangkula returned to the Black Zone’s guide headquarters, he would receive his pay along with proof that he had safely escorted this client.
“There, this is a happy ending, isn’t it? Let’s get going. We’ve been here too long.”
When Yeongwoo said this and pointed at the portal, Yenta stroked his horn and spoke.
-Then… I suppose we have all agreed to travel together? I can adjust the destination of this portal somewhat.
“Adjust it? To where?”
-Well… you need to reach the hangar quickly, do you not, sir?
“That’s right. Don’t tell me you can make this portal lead directly to the hangar?”
-A direct route would be difficult… but I can request that it connect to a nearby free-trade zone.
“Either way, that means we’ll be closer. Then hurry.”
The instant Yeongwoo gave his approval, Yenta operated the pad at his waist and held it near the portal.
-Since no warrant should have been issued concerning the surface level yet, the request should be approved without much trouble.
And sure enough, a green light appeared on Yenta’s pad.
Piiing!
Then the ashen portal rippled violently and slowly began turning green.
It had transformed into a completely different portal from before.
-As I said, passing through here will take us directly to a free-trade zone.
“…Why are you telling me that?”
When Yeongwoo tilted his head and asked, Sevio elaborated.
-You lot stand out too much. There are two members of the Salzeo bloodline among you, and you dragged some sort of knight order all the way here.
“Ah, the free-trade zone. That’s the place where people were fighting in the middle of the boulevard, right?”
-All free-trade zones are like that. Once we arrive, thousands of random bastards will be roaming the streets.
“Then…….”
Yeongwoo was about to tell them to put on the transparent cloak again, but soon had no choice but to close his mouth.
He had realized that there was only one cloak to begin with, and there was no way to conceal the private soldiers Eroom had brought with him.
“That could be a problem.”
-It certainly will be. Even if only one-tenth of the people we encounter on the road charge at us, there will still be hundreds.
Then Eroom Salzeo spoke, his jaw clenched tightly.
-It will not be a problem at all. How do you think I reached this trading hall in the first place?
“True. All sorts of bastards must have charged at you from the moment you passed through the Black Cliff.”
There had been a reason Eroom had gone out of his way to bring private soldiers into the Black Zone.
-Opening a path should not be particularly difficult. Though the road may become somewhat filthy.
At those words, Sevio added a different opinion.
-But isn’t Mohir chasing us? If a commotion breaks out in the streets near the hangar, he’ll detect it and come after us in no time.
“Isn’t that unavoidable? It’s not like we can deliberately take the long way around, can we? That would carry considerable risk too.”
When Yeongwoo brought the discussion to a close like that, Yenta cautiously offered his opinion.
-I also believe opening a path as quickly as possible is our best option. In any case, Mohir’s target is you, sir, so once you leave this place, he likely won’t try to create further conflict with Salzeo.
Yenta’s argument was that even if only the enraged Mohir and Salzeo remained in the hangar, it would not lead to the worst possible outcome.
In other words, the best course of action was to get Jeong Yeongwoo out of the Black Zone as quickly as possible, by any means necessary.
“Good. Then it seems our course has been firmly decided.”
A chaotic melee that was highly likely to break out the moment they passed through the portal.
Feeling his heart pound, Yeongwoo looked at Eroom Salzeo.
“You’re ready, right?”
-What about your gun? No, first, give me back my sword for a moment.
When Eroom asked for his family’s sword, Yeongwoo took the sword he had already placed in the catalog and tossed it to him.
“Don’t you need the gun too?”
When Yeongwoo followed up with that question, Eroom hesitated briefly before asking in return.
-I have a feeling that gun may shoot me if it gets displeased. Do you not have another sword? I would rather use a different weapon.
“Really?”
At that, Yeongwoo held out another family sword, “Blessing of Frost,” to Eroom.
It was the legendary greatsword that Alden, the third son of the Miras family, had offered to him as tribute.
“It’s a little big, but someone like you should be able to swing it with one hand, right?”
-Whatever it is, it will be better than that gun.
Then “Obstruction of Official Duties” aimed its index finger at Eroom’s forehead and spoke.
× Don’t worry. I’ll provide covering fire.
A suspicious pistol that kept emphasizing “I.”
Yeongwoo barely managed to suppress the thoughts threatening to become complicated inside his head and pointed at the green portal.
“Eroom, you go first. While you lot are getting beaten to a pulp, I’ll try to find a way through somehow.”
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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