Dark room inside.
An old man focused on the content on the monitor screen.
《Bounty Board》
【Bounty】 [Julia] (Updated)
(Photo registered on the city ID)
Information has been received that the target was confirmed near the Business Zone, South Pilly.
Due to the high-risk level of the target, we are recruiting people to attempt a group assault.
Upon success, the NCPD bounty, corporate bounty, and civilian bounty on the target will be equally shared.
Anyone interested can contact via private message, below is the deep net address, or through secret comments.
ㅡ It’s been a while without news, but I guess he’s still alive.
ㅡ Stop posting bounty stuff on the game board.
ㄴ To the rice farming board.
ㅡ (This is a secret comment.)
ㄴ(This is a secret comment.)
ㅡ Just posting something so dangerous like it’s nothing ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
·
·
·
ㅡ (This is a secret comment.)
ㄴ(This is a secret comment.)
The old man casually stroked his long, unkempt beard.
“……Hmm.”
He let out a short, pondering sniff.
However, the thought didn’t last long.
If he hadn’t seen the post, it would have been different.
But now that he had seen it, he couldn’t ignore it.
The old man closed the bulletin board.
The long-familiar scenery of the ‘game’ unfolded inside the monitor.
Just then, a character hopped over to where the old man’s character was.
[ InfoSeller7 (Warrior): Oh, you were by the bulletin board. We’re gathering a party for the Kantalos raid, would you like to join? ]
If it had been before checking the bounty post, he would have happily replied he’d join, but unfortunately, given that important business had come up right now, the old man had no choice but to type a message indicating his refusal.
[ P2034871140 (Warrior): No, I have something to take care of today, so I can’t join. Let’s go together next time. ]
It was finally time for him to go out after a few weeks.
The old man hurried to prepare to leave.
29. Wizards’ Outing (3)
The acrid smell of gunpowder filled the air.
“……Huh.”
I didn’t know what had happened, but I cautiously guessed that a force with considerable firepower had perhaps rushed in.
Eve identified the identity of the person (who used to be one) sprawled on the floor.
“This is a member of the organization ‘Black Doom.’ No biological signals detected.”
Whether it’s Black Doom or Kajat Doom, I didn’t particularly care.
The body was separated in the order of head, chest, abdomen, like an insect joint, and if there were still biological signals detectable, it couldn’t be considered a person anymore.
In fact, while ‘gang members’ and ‘bugs’ could be categorized similarly for having tenacious vitality, that’s just how it is.
As I entertained such useless thoughts in my head, I asked Eve another question.
“Is it the organization that commissioned the ambush on Julia?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
While it was sort of a careless deduction, there remained a certain discomfort that couldn’t just be brushed off with a smile.
“…It feels like a meteor has just fallen or something.”
“‘Catherine’ is currently resting on the sofa of the Golden Smile Condominium.”
The most obvious candidate that came to my mind was supposedly just lounging at home.
“……Hmm.”
There weren’t any particular alternatives to Catherine.
In fact, it’s only natural for a ‘gang organization’ to have countless animosities even if it just breathes.
So, it’s only fitting to think that something happened without me knowing.
I muttered that thought to myself.
“Should we just go back?”
“Biological signals detected inside the building, currently moving outside.”
“Eh?”
Hearing Eve’s words, I looked at the entrance of the building with black smoke seeping out.
“Are they not running out?”
“Correct.”
With the surroundings turned to ruins, I couldn’t imagine there would be an organization member just walking around peacefully.
In other words, it was highly likely they were the ones who caused this situation.
Should I gather some mana just in case?
We kept watching the entrance of the building with some level of vigilance.
Walking out of the building was a ‘senior citizen,’ which is a rare sight in the Cyberpunk world.
The reason it’s rare is….
You would naturally understand it just by observing the high crime and suicide rates in Neon City.
There was another reason too.
Usually, when people reach that age, they would undergo implant procedures related to ‘anti-aging,’ just like Bill, who lived on the same floor before.
Nobody hates youth.
Even around me, there are many cases like that.
There’s Kojaka William, who is nearing his 80s but maintains a middle-aged appearance, and the Chairperson, who changed his whole body with a Bioware body.
But the person standing before us now was.
A truly ‘classic’ type of old man.
His long gray beard flowed unkempt, and while his gray suit showed signs of age, it was neatly maintained.
Like the old men of that age, he stood in front of us with a cane in one hand.
Eve explained the identity of the old man.
“I’ve identified the target. He is a bounty hunter registered in the NCPD identity database.”
“At a glance, he doesn’t exactly look like an ordinary old man.”
“About 60% of his whole body is reinforced with cyberware implants. I particularly recommend that Siwoon avoid close combat with this individual.”
I didn’t plan to anyway.
(In the martial world of Cyberpunk, they say to be wary of children, women, and the elderly.)
He fit that description perfectly.
By the way, if he’s a bounty hunter, does that mean he’s also after Julia?
I prepared to gather mana for such a scenario.
I was about to do it.
“……Teacher?”
“?”
Even if Julia next to me didn’t say that.
The old man, having seen Julia, showed a hint of surprise in his wrinkled eyes.
“Oh, Julia. You seem to be doing well since your face is bright.”
…Julia’s teacher, huh.
It was quite natural for a certain ‘possibility’ to arise in my mind.
I asked Julia about that possibility.
“…Were you perhaps the one who taught her magic?”
“……Yes, he’s my magic teacher.”
I lowered my wariness of the old man a step further. He was also Julia’s acquaintance, and wizards were incredibly rare in this city.
Just like how people showcase their connections through blood ties, local ties, and schooling, wizards would (probably) have such connections as well.
Just when I was about to express my delight.
“……What’s going on? What in the world happened?”
“Is someone standing over there?”
“Hey, you guys!”
Just then, it seemed that the gang members who had gone out were returning, and I could hear a voice that sounded rough from behind us.
Eve looked at them and said.
“They are members of ‘Black Doom.’”
This is real.
Living in Neon City for a long time, one can tell just by hearing the voice whether that person is a gang member or not.
“Looks like bugs are swarming in again.”
The old man naturally passed by us.
It was in the direction of the newly arrived gang members.
Since they were the kind of guys who would drop dead with just one flick from Eve’s eye, I tried to stop the old man’s actions.
At that moment.
Suddenly, a ‘grenade launcher’ appeared out of the old man’s empty hand.
“?”
The gang members seemed equally startled.
They stood there with their mouths agape, watching the magic show.
I sensed a vague flow of mana.
Instinctively, I realized the old man had used ‘Invisibility Magic.’
And not only that.
I also noticed there were numerous ‘weapons’ hanging behind the old man.
“…….”
No wonder.
I wondered where Julia learned the fundamental absurd magic of igniting flames on a katana.
…Her master isn’t acting much like a wizard.
He’s practically a fraud.
Using an old appearance to lower the guard of the enemy before annihilating them with powerful artillery.
– KWAANG!!
It was just ridiculous.
After finishing the job, the now empty-handed old man slowly walked over to us using his cane.
Did he even realize how absurd I found it?
Calmly, he introduced himself in a quiet tone.
“I’m sure Julia told you about me. I’m ‘Merlin,’ the one who taught Julia magic.”
It sounds like a nickname, no matter how you look at it.
No, that aside.
Merlin (uses a grenade launcher).
Julia (ignites a flame and swings the katana).
“…….”
In fact, it made sense somehow.
If wizards could boast about their fame solely based on magic, the status of magic in this world would definitely be a bit different.
…but even so.
‘……Are they really wizards? Hehehe….’
This time, even I empathized with what my inner great wizard was saying.
What kind of wizard is that….
*
The old man, Merlin, kindly explained the circumstances that led him to this place.
“So, you came because you saw the game bulletin board?”
“Right.”
As a bounty hunter, he claimed to be a user of the classic game we played.
He elaborated that he couldn’t ignore the post about his disciple Julia’s ambush that he saw there.
But instead of that, a different curiosity arose in me about Merlin.
“…By any chance, what is your character’s name?”
“It’s a bit of a complex name. From the way you speak, I gather you also play that game.”
“Haha, I play occasionally just for fun. It’s okay if it’s troublesome to mention.”
“Oh no, actually, it feels a bit inappropriate to call that game a backworld network anymore.”
…..
Suddenly, I felt an ominous tension.
As if sensing my feelings, Merlin continued speaking.
“…By any chance, have you heard of the ‘Warrior Craftsman Union’?”
I was caught off guard for a moment.
But I managed to maintain my poker face.
“Oh, I only go in occasionally, so I’m not very familiar with it.”
Good, that was smooth.
However, regardless of how smooth I was, I couldn’t stop Julia’s mouth.
“…My ID is ‘RabbitGangDude’.”
“Dealer?”
““……””
At that moment, Julia’s chat from earlier flashed through my mind.
[ RabbitGangDude (Archer): My mom asked me to quickly run an errand for tofu ]
[ P2034871140 (Warrior): Dealer? ]
…Hmm.
I suddenly felt like I might know the wizard’s (warrior’s) ID standing right in front of me.
Should I just burst out the smoke now and run away?
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