Rebuild World: Volume 2 Part 1 E-Book

Nahuse

• Herausgeber: J-Novel Club
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Serie: Rebuild World
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Seitenzahl: 464

Beschreibung

Akira is riding high after his successful rescue operation. With new gear and new friends, he’s ready for the next phase of his relic-hunting career. But Akira isn’t the only young hunter in the wastelands, and success might just paint a target on his back.

Katsuya, a rookie with the hunter syndicate Druncam, is desperate for recognition, but the veterans around him are more interested in Akira’s feats. Unaware of how much support Akira receives from the ghostly Alpha, Katsuya struggles to outdo his fellow up-and-comer, pushing himself and his friends into ever greater danger in the process. But just when it seems he’s pushed his luck too far, Katsuya has a mysterious encounter of his own.

When a major job throws these two young hunters together, Akira must come to grips with Katsuya’s one-sided rivalry while facing down a nest of new and deadly monsters.

Leseprobe

Chapter 31: Reconnaissance

A boy from the slums set out to become a relic hunter, to claw his way up out of the back alleys. Then, in the Kuzusuhara Town Ruins, he found a new goal: he met a mysterious beauty and accepted her request to conquer a certain ruin of the Old World. But that job was currently beyond his ability. So he strove to grow stronger—to gear up, train relentlessly, and survive battle after deadly battle—all so he could see his task through to the end.

Now he was a full-fledged hunter, this child who had once left the slums with only the dingy clothes on his back and a pistol in his hand. Today he wore a powered suit, carried massive anti-monster rifles, and rode a desert motorcycle.

But the road to his ultimate destination still stretched far into the distance. He would need even greater power if he hoped to complete this first job he’d taken as a hunter and live the life he’d once dreamed of when he hid out in the back alleys. And so, he kept hunting, side by side with the enigmatic woman only he could see.

His name was Akira; hers, Alpha. Their career was only just beginning.

◆

Akira sped across the wasteland. His motorcycle automatically scouted for nearby enemies, thanks to the sensors he’d rented from the Hunter Office. It also recorded his route, scanning radius, and the numbers and species of monsters he encountered or killed. This data would determine how much he got paid for his current job—minus the rental fee and the cost of any repairs.

He was running this patrol solo, not bound for any particular destination. Working alone offered much greater liberty than joining one of the city-sponsored patrol trucks, as he had been doing recently. He could patrol wherever and whenever he chose. But the price of freedom was total personal responsibility, without even the modicum of safety that came from the municipal officials divvying up patrol areas to hunters according to their skill level. He could have brought a team along, but then he would be answerable for his companions’ well-being too. And because he wasn’t riding on a municipal truck, there was no official to curb his wilder instincts.

So he had to figure out how to strike the right balance between risk and reward. Patrolling danger zones swarming with powerful monsters would earn him extra pay, but a mistake could leave him facing a monster swarm on his own. If he kept to safe areas and just killed time, however, the equipment rental fee would leave him in the red. No one else was around to stop him if he cut and ran, or to get in his way if he got greedy and stuck it out—everything hinged on his decisions alone.

As a result, working alone came with far greater advantages and disadvantages than joining a patrol group. Akira did have Alpha to help him, and her support tipped the scales in his favor, but patrolling the wasteland on foot was still out of the question. With the motorcycle he’d earned for his last job, however, he could now make the most of his advantage.

If he spoke to Alpha out loud, the rented instruments would have recorded it as an interminable monologue. So as he worked, he talked to her telepathically instead.

I was worried about running into a whole pack of monsters, but we haven’t seen a single one. Kind of a letdown, honestly, he remarked. He felt bemused. After his recent experiences, he had half expected any journey through the wasteland to land him in the path of a ravening horde.

After the slaughter in that battle the other day, it’s a wonder there are any left, she replied cheerfully.

I guess you’re right.

But don’t worry that overhunting will leave you short of prey. The monster population will recover in no time, and then you’ll run into them as often as before, Alpha added, smiling.

Akira gave a grin that was less than enthusiastic. Glad to hear I’ll always have something to hunt as long as I’m strong enough to bring it down. Does that mean it’ll be peaceful around here for a little while? He paused, looking pensive for the first time in the conversation. Now that I think about it, where do all these monsters come from? I mean, hunters cull them periodically, but they still bounce back so fast we never run out of targets. It doesn’t add up.

Some ruin—either undiscovered or too well guarded to take over—must have a fabricator that’s pumping them out nonstop, Alpha said. As for whether they’re made locally or drifting to this region from somewhere else, your guess is as good as mine.

Well, that explains the robots, anyway.

And the animals too.

Akira started. Living monsters come from factories? he asked. They don’t breed?

That’s right. I mean, it’s not always easy to draw a hard line between manufacture and reproduction, but they’re definitely mass-produced.

With that, Alpha smugly launched into a detailed explanation, as much to show off her knowledge as to answer his question. Although all entities hostile to humans were currently labeled “monsters,” she explained, not all were harmful by design. Even beasts created as living weapons had originally been engineered to perform specific functions—indiscriminate killers were no use to anyone. And whatever a creature’s purpose—livestock, pet, guard animal, or bioweapon—its forgotten creators had usually controlled its gestation all the way down to the level of cell division. To maintain high standards of quality, Old World engineers had eliminated the randomness of natural mating.

They had even created machines with the power of self-replication—robots that were born rather than built. Given the necessary materials, such creatures multiplied like animals—but without accidental mutations. So these machines ended up with identical specifications, like goods off a production line, as long as there was someone to monitor them.

While the Old World factories stood, they would continue churning out their products—be they animal, robot, or something in between. And even destroying a factory would do nothing to halt the monsters it had already released. Some beasts also went feral and reproduced in the wasteland, growing ever more deadly in order to adapt to their harsh environment. Machine learning allowed robots to do likewise, deriving self-replication from self-repair.

The monster problem would threaten human territory if left unchecked, but it defied a permanent solution. And so, the ELGC did the next best thing—they sent hunters to exterminate hostile creatures and to explore and conquer the Old World ruins that produced them. Even Akira’s solo patrol job was part of the League’s far-reaching countermeasures.

No wonder there are always monsters around, Akira said, unsure whether he was more annoyed or impressed by the Old World after what he’d just heard. They’re made with the same ancient tech I keep hearing so much about, so of course they defy common sense.

But you’ve still taken down plenty of them, Alpha pointed out, hoping to raise his spirits. With a knowing grin, she added pointedly, I wonder who you have to thank for that.

I know, and I’m grateful. Akira chuckled.

Then show it by killing that thing without any help from me. Alpha pointed to a lone monster in the desert. This will double as a test of your current abilities.

On it.

The beast was a long way off, but Akira picked it out and drove straight for it. Once he had gotten a good look at his target, he stopped his motorcycle and dismounted, raising the output of his powered suit as he lifted his CWH anti-materiel rifle.

The large predator was full of the tenacious vitality needed to live in that harsh terrain. Its muscles bulged as its four powerful legs pounded the earth, propelling it across the wasteland at a speed that belied its bulk. Its thick fur, harder than most metals, could deflect bullets from the pistols so common in the slums—the beast wouldn’t so much as flinch. Even an AAH assault rifle would require sustained fire to bring it down.

But Akira had a CWH, more than powerful enough to kill the beast in a single shot—if he hit it. With Alpha’s support, he wouldn’t even have needed to stop. An ultra-precise shot as he sat atop his moving bike would have done the trick. But that wouldn’t be his own skill, and he knew it. So he dismounted and held his weapon steady.

Without his powered suit, he would have struggled even to lift the CWH. Thanks to the suit, he could raise and aim it, but he still lacked experience with both suit and gun. Centering the behemoth in his sights proved a challenge. Nevertheless, he did the best he could and pulled the trigger. His weapon roared, and a generic armor-piercing bullet tore through the air toward his target.

But Akira’s best wasn’t good enough. His shot passed harmlessly by the beast, leaving it unfazed.

Disappointed, he took a deep breath, steeled himself, and trained his sights on the monster again. Gripping the rifle in both hands, he planted his feet firmly on the ground and braced himself to minimize the recoil. He grimly aimed and fired again. His second bullet also went wide—nearer the mark, but still not even grazing it. Another disappointment.

But moping would get him nowhere, he told himself as he steadied his breathing yet again. When he raised the rifle and stared down the sights this time, a blue line appeared, displaying his bullet’s predicted trajectory—Alpha’s support.

Didn’t she want him to do this without her help? He glanced in Alpha’s direction. Her smile told him he wasn’t ready to take out this monster all on his own yet. With the faintest of grimaces, he returned his attention to his target.

Akira had targeting assistance now, but his suit was still under his control, not Alpha’s. He strove to remain calm as he trained the blue line on a point between the creature’s eyes. His target was running toward him, its head lurching in all directions. He used his suit to stabilize his weapon, steadying the faintly wavering line as he took aim, focused, and waited. The moment his enemy’s head connected with the blue line, he squeezed the trigger.

The armor-piercing bullet sped through the air, its trajectory matching Alpha’s prediction almost perfectly. This time, he shot true. Fragments of the beast’s tough hide went flying, torn off by the projectile, but it didn’t bleed. He had only grazed it.

Close, but no cigar, Alpha chimed in.

Not even when I can see the trajectory, huh? Akira sighed. Looks like it’ll be a long time before I can land a shot like that on my own.

You’re also firing from fairly long range because it keeps you safer and makes for better training. Now focus—your target’s closing in.

Okay. Next shot.

Akira’s third bullet hadn’t frightened the monster off. The enraged brute continued its charge, faster and faster, radiating hatred and ravenous hunger. Akira watched it through his rifle sights and fired again and again, just as he had countless times against Alpha’s virtual targets. But this enemy was flesh and blood, and unless he finished it off first, his corpse would lie on the desert ground for real this time.

Like a voice growing louder in his ear, his mounting fear became more insistent and urgent with every missed shot. Jump on your bike and drive off, it said. Or ask Alpha for more support. But Akira held firm and smothered its cries. Calm and focused, he kept firing grimly.

Then—blam!—he scored a clean hit at last.

The armor-piercing bullet could punch holes in machines’ metal plating. It tore through the beast’s steellike coat, shredding the muscles that supported the creature’s bulk and smashing bones and organs as it carved a tunnel through the brute’s body and shot out the other side. Even that grievous wound wasn’t enough to kill the freakishly tough monster, but it slowed down. And as far as Akira was concerned, a slow monster was just a target.

He calmly, painstakingly aimed at his enemy’s head and fired again. This time, his bullet demolished its skull and scrambled the brain within, killing it instantly.

The monster had gotten closer to Akira than he would have liked, but all was well that ended well. Having confirmed the kill through his sights, he relaxed, lowered his rifle, and let out a long breath.

You did it! Alpha cheered. Not too shabby.

Yeah? Akira responded distantly, a slight frown on his face. He felt that Alpha’s praise was sincere, but he also knew he couldn’t have killed the beast without her help. So his joy was not unalloyed.

Well, ammo costs shouldn’t put us in the red, anyway. Right? he asked, trying to distract himself.

Probably not, Alpha agreed.

Good. Akira nodded and grinned to boost his own morale. For the moment, he told himself, he was doing well as long as he stayed in the black.

Akira was back on his patrol route, making small talk with Alpha, when a thought struck him.

Hey, remember how you said we’d be running patrols until I got my hunter rank high enough? he asked. How high are we aiming for, exactly? It went up to seventeen after that emergency job.

Around twenty should do, I think, Alpha replied.

Twenty, huh? What do I need it that high for?

Because then you can rent desert vehicles on much better terms.

Vehicles designed for the wasteland, Alpha went on, naturally boasted higher performance—and steeper price tags—than ordinary cars. Rental shops couldn’t turn a profit if rookie hunters kept driving off in their most expensive vehicles, never to be seen again, and insurance could only cover so much. So most businesses scaled their fees with hunter rank. Proven veterans paid less for rentals, while rank ten hunters might find it cheaper to buy a car outright. At rank twenty, a hunter could begin renting fairly impressive desert vehicles, with insurance, and still end up in the black.

But do I really need to rent a car? Akira asked. I mean, I’ve got my motorbike, and it’d be pricey either way. Couldn’t I just ride to other ruins on this?

No. Alpha shut him down. Your motorcycle doesn’t have much storage space for ammo. You’ll need to buy or rent a car, and cars built for the wasteland don’t come cheap, so you’ll have to rent for the foreseeable future. A car is also a better choice for hauling relics back from the ruins.

Makes sense, I guess. Still, could we swing by some ruin on my bike in the meantime? This thing can carry small relics like medicine.

No, not until you’re fully equipped for it. That means a car and, ideally, scanners. Other ruins can wait until you have those.

I dunno... Won’t that take a while? Akira’s curiosity about relic hunting beyond the Kuzusuhara Town Ruins, not to mention his dwindling supply of medicine, made him unusually persistent.

Alpha gave him a smile he knew all too well. Seeing that look dimmed his enthusiasm, and her next words snuffed it out completely.

As I believe I’ve mentioned before, my scouting abilities are most effective in Kuzusuhara Town. I won’t be able to detect threats with nearly the same precision in any other ruin.

Akira grimaced as he pictured what that drop in performance could lead to.

Scanners will do a lot to make up for my reduced capabilities, Alpha continued. Do you still want to visit other ruins with your current gear? If you insist, I won’t stop you, of course. If you really want to, let’s go! Right now!

Got it. Scratch that plan, Akira said quickly. He knew that at his current skill level, entering a ruin without Alpha’s guidance would be suicidal. Getting ambushed from all sides wasn’t his idea of fun. So I’ve gotta buy scanners and a car? And the CWH wasn’t cheap either. That twelve million aurum I made is sure going fast.

That’s hunting for you. Look at it this way: if working a ruin costs you more than you earn, then you’re not ready for it.

Akira considered. I guess you’re right.

There was no shortage of overconfident hunters who lost their lives in ruins beyond their ability. If Akira hadn’t met Alpha, he would have been one of them. Their encounter had been a strange twist of fate, and without it he wouldn’t be alive. He grinned wryly at the thought.

◆

Akira went on working patrol jobs, taking days off to recuperate in between his trips to the wasteland. One such rest day found him visiting Cartridge Freak to resupply on ammunition. Elena and Sara were already there, chatting with Shizuka, so he joined them after placing his order. The conversation turned to powered suits, and Akira was startled to learn that Elena didn’t use one.

“You mean you’ve only been wearing body armor?” he asked artlessly. “You must be a lot stronger than you look, then. All those scanners I saw you carrying seemed heavy.”

He had naturally assumed she wore a powered suit, given the sturdy straps she wore to support her various instruments. Her gear, he felt sure, weighed enough to crush him without one.

“That’s right, and she still calls herself delicate.” Sara laughed, amused at Akira’s reaction. “Kind of a tough sell, don’t you think?”

“Well, I, er...” Akira wavered, unsure whether it was safe to agree.

“I don’t want to hear that from someone who swings around an A4WM grenade launcher one-handed,” Elena retorted, miffed. “Do you have any idea how much that thing weighs fully loaded?”

“What do you expect?” Sara responded. “I’ve got nanomachine augments. I’d be plenty delicate without them.”

“And that chest you’re so proud of would go back to being flat.”

The partners smiled menacingly at each other. Akira flinched, even though their ire wasn’t directed at him. Shizuka, happily watching the sparks fly, noticed his unease and intervened.

“That’s enough, you two,” she said, grinning ruefully. “You’re scaring Akira. This isn’t the place to show off what intimidating hunters you are, unless you want him to steer clear of you.”

The pair dropped their teasing and turned to Akira, who found the attention disconcerting.

“Oh, well, I don’t know about ‘delicate,’ but I do think you’re slim and pretty, Elena,” he said, struggling to piece together a pleasing intercession from his meager vocabulary.

Elena, an experienced negotiator, immediately recognized his attempt to smooth things over for what it was. But she also sensed his sincerity, and that put her in a good mood.

“What about me?” Sara asked, staring straight at Akira with a smile that plainly demanded a response.

“I think you’re very pretty too, Sara,” he answered hurriedly, much to her delight.

“And me?” Shizuka joined in, half-joking. She’d gotten a kick out of watching her friends’ reactions.

“You’re pretty too, Shizuka,” Akira said. He could tell that she wasn’t being serious, but he still felt a little embarrassed answering her, and it showed.

What about me, Akira? Alpha chimed in.

Akira never wanted to look like a weirdo who talked to empty space, but he made a special effort to avoid it around Shizuka. So, when Alpha interrupted their conversation, he got annoyed and spoke more coldly than usual.

You look great. That good enough?

Why are you always so sharp with me? she demanded, annoyed at his slapdash response.

Because I know for sure you’re just messing with me. I’m trying not to glance at you without meaning to, so don’t make it any harder for me.

Shizuka, meanwhile, was startled to find that Akira’s compliment pleased her more than she’d expected—so startled that she missed the slight shift in his gaze.

“Is calling people ‘pretty’ your go-to for smoothing things over?” she teased, grinning to mask her thoughts.

“No, but I don’t know how to come up with anything clever,” he said. “And even if it’s not that creative, it’s still true.”

“I...I see.”

Each woman noticed the blushes on the others’ cheeks and realized she probably looked the same. As they were unsure what to say without calling attention to their discomfort, an awkward silence fell.

Akira also felt the embarrassment in the room, and tried to change the subject. “Come to think of it, you don’t wear a powered suit either, Sara,” he said.

“Me?” Sara responded. “I’m augmented, so most run-of-the-mill suits would actually make me weaker. Plus, I’d have to worry about nanomachine compatibility when I chose one.”

“Oh, that sounds rough.”

“There are suits that get around all those problems, but they’re a bit out of my price range,” she added. “Body armor that boosts nanomachine efficiency will be a better fit for me until I’ve got more funds.”

“Nothing’s ever easy, is it? So, Elena, what kind of suit did you buy?”

Akira was just trying to keep the conversation on safe ground now that they had put that awkward pause behind them. Elena, however, grew flustered.

“Huh? W-Well, it’s pretty high spec. I got Shizuka to pick it for me, just like you did.”

“Really?” Akira probed deeper. “High-end suits must look pretty different from mine, right? What’s it like?”

“Oh, I’m not sure how to describe it,” Elena said evasively, trying not to meet his gaze.

Akira looked mystified. He hadn’t meant to bring up any touchy subjects.

“Since you’re having trouble putting it into words, you might as well show him,” Shizuka cut in, grinning triumphantly. “It will be here sometime next week, so be patient until then.”

“H-Hang on!” Elena exclaimed.

“All right, then. I’ll wait,” Akira said. He couldn’t make sense of Elena’s panic, but going along with Shizuka’s suggestion seemed like a safe bet.

Elena, on the other hand, was at her wits’ end. She hadn’t agreed to show him her suit, but she couldn’t bring herself to say that she didn’t want to. Shizuka, who knew why her friend was so flustered, looked all mischief. Sara guiltily struggled to hold back a grin of her own.

Akira had no idea what was going on, but he tried changing the subject again. “So,” he wondered, “did you buy your scanners on Shizuka’s recommendation too?”

“No, I bought them at a different shop, although I forget which one,” Elena replied, leaping at the chance to change the subject. “You don’t carry scanners, do you, Shizuka?”

“I sell guns to hunters,” the shopkeeper said. “I don’t like to stock things that I don’t know much about—it causes problems. I will order them on request, but that’s the most I can do for you.”

“I thought this was supposed to be a general store for hunters,” Elena objected. “Scanners seem like a no-brainer, especially since a lot of guns are built to pair with them. Don’t you agree, Akira?”

Elena and Shizuka stared at Akira, each seeking a different answer.

Akira dodged the question. “You see, I’m planning on buying a scanner one of these days, so I hoped Shizuka might be able to give me some pointers,” he explained.

“Sorry.” Shizuka shook her head. “They’re outside my area of expertise. If you’re looking for recommendations, mine is to ask Elena.”

“Me?” Elena said. “I’m not sure what to tell you. It depends on what you’re going to use it for—detecting threats, mapping ruins, or helping you pick out relics. The type of hunting you do makes a difference too.” She wanted to give Akira some helpful advice, but she knew so much about scanners that she struggled to recommend just one. After hemming and hawing a bit, however, she remembered a device she’d left to gather dust at home. “I know, why don’t I sell you one I bought to try out a while back. It wasn’t my style, but it’s an all-around type, which should make it good for a beginner. What do you say?”

“Does it have quirks that turned you off of it?” Akira asked.

“More like it had no quirks—no identity. To make a long story short...”

Anxious to prove that she wasn’t trying to off-load useless junk, Elena launched into a detailed explanation. Scanners marketed to hunters came in two basic types: composite and stand-alone. Stand-alone models were optimized for a single function, such as motion detection, echolocation, or visual identification. Composite scanners bundled all those features into one package and automatically collated the resulting data to display scouting reports and three-dimensional maps.

Both versions had their pros and cons. Stand-alone scanners could be replaced individually in the event of a breakdown. Hunters could easily upgrade them by adding specialized equipment with new features, or mix and match sensors from different manufacturers. On the other hand, condensing the data they collected into useful reports was a hassle. Universal formatting standards existed, but they only went so far between different kinds of products. Analyzing the mixed output of different devices and transforming it into something of value required considerable technical acumen.

Composite scanners spared their users that trouble, but at the cost of freedom. Most comprised parts from a single manufacturer and needed to be completely replaced or sent out for repairs if any one component failed. They also didn’t offer many options for the software that converted their raw data into scouting reports.

Elena preferred to process her own data using a custom array of stand-alone scanners. But composite models had been growing more common recently, so she had tried out a device from a popular product line. In practice, however, she had found it half-baked and left it to gather dust.

“So, if you work in a team, then you might as well have an information specialist, but I think a composite scanner is a better fit for someone hunting alone,” Elena concluded. “The model I’ve got is small, good for solo work, so it shouldn’t slow you down. What do you say?”

This sounds like a good deal to me, Alpha added. The only question is whether you can afford it.

“Er, I’m interested, but how much would it cost me?” Akira asked.

“Good question. It’s used goods from your point of view, and I’m only hanging on to it because it wouldn’t resell for much, so how does two million aurum sound?”

Cheaper than the going rate, Elena’s offer would still clean out most of the remaining balance in Akira’s account. It could easily be his first step toward downgrading to a room without a bath again. But Alpha, Elena, and Shizuka were all in favor, so he quashed his doubts and said, “All right. Can I just transfer the money to your account?”

“Sure,” Elena replied.

Akira tapped his data terminal.

“The payment went through,” Elena said, checking her own. “We have a deal. Swing by our place with us, and I’ll give you the scanner right away. See you later, Shizuka.”

Elena and Sara smiled at their friend and walked out of the store. Akira bobbed his head to her and followed them without another word.

◆

At the hunters’ home, Elena asked Akira to wait in the living room while she went to look for his new scanner.

“Sara, keep your clothes on,” she warned her partner, who was preparing to strip off her body armor as usual.

“What’s the problem?” Sara protested. “This is our place.”

“No. Akira’s here, remember?”

“Don’t worry; I’ll keep something on up top.” Sara brushed off her concern. “I don’t lounge around almost naked like you usually do.”

Elena scowled. “I said no. Don’t take anything off until he leaves.”

“Fine, fine. You made your point.” Sara sounded annoyed, but she stopped undressing and went to keep Akira company.

Elena sighed and began trying to figure out what dusty corner she had left the scanner in.

Sara poured three drinks on her way to the living room. “Here,” she said, handing one to Akira. “Sit tight while Elena tracks down your new gear.”

“Oh, thank you.” Akira felt nervous as he accepted the beverage: Sara was still wearing her armored suit, as Elena had insisted, but she had pulled her front zipper down, exposing a swathe of her breasts. Akira’s gaze wandered around the room as he tried not to stare when she sat down across from him.

“Don’t mind me; I like to let my hair down at home,” she said, chuckling at his discomfort. “Why don’t you relax too? At least take off the top of your suit.”

“No, I’m fine like this,” he responded.

“Really? Well, I won’t force you.”

Akira chatted with Sara while they waited for Elena, but his struggle continued. Refusing to look at her while they talked seemed rude, so he ended up facing forward. But he couldn’t keep her in view without also seeing her cleavage, and completely ignoring her chest’s allure was beyond him. Sara found his childish reactions amusing.

“Take a good look if you’re that curious,” she said, smiling suggestively. “Like I said before, I owe you my life, so I’ll let it slide.”

“If you’re doing that on purpose, please zip up,” Akira responded sullenly.

“No, really—don’t hold back!”

“Saying stuff like that will get you hurt one of these days.”

“Oh? You mean you won’t be gentle?”

Akira’s expression stiffened. An inviting note in Sara’s voice suggested that she wouldn’t mind as long as he was gentle. But he was also convinced that she was taunting him, so he looked away from her, annoyed and embarrassed.

“Sorry, I guess I took that too far. I’ll close this now.” Sara chuckled and zipped up her suit.

Akira turned back to face her, although he still looked a bit sulky.

“Now, let’s be serious,” she said, still smiling but no longer teasing. “You really ought to take off the top of your suit.”

“Why?” Akira asked, suspicious and still a bit annoyed.

“To mentally shift gears and keep a feel for what’s normal. What you wear affects your mood, and powered suits and body armor are combat gear. You want to stay on your toes in the wasteland, but you shouldn’t carry that attitude home with you. That’s why using your suit as casual wear is a bad idea.” Sara’s expression grew sterner as she spoke. Akira realized she was telling him something important, and he straightened up in his seat. “Sure, always being battle-ready has its upsides, but there are limits. If you stay on high alert twenty-four seven and never take time to unwind, you’ll build up mental fatigue without realizing it. Eventually, it’ll be too much for you, and you’ll collapse.”

Akira thought back to his days in the back alleys. In a sense, his attitude then had been just what Sara was talking about. He hadn’t even been able to take waking up for granted, since the risk of being killed in his sleep had been a fact of life.

“Some people manage to always stay on the alert, but I don’t see that as a good thing either,” Sara continued. “It blurs the line between the danger of the battlefield and the safety of everyday life. Either they stop seeing battlefields for what they are, or battle becomes their whole life, and they lose touch with ordinary experiences.”

It was true: After throwing himself into hunting, Akira had spent his days in the even harsher environment of the wasteland. But sleeping in hotels had also given him periods of safety. So becoming a hunter had finally given him the ability to make that distinction.

“So, when you’re in a safe place, you ought to take off your combat gear to give yourself permission to relax. Even just opening it up in front feels a lot different from being fully suited up.”

That psychological shift was part of the reason why Elena and Sara dressed so casually at home. (The other part was that, in the process, they had gotten used to the comfort of letting it all hang out.)

“You’re probably living out of a hotel. If it’s too cheap for you to feel safe in, I’d say that moving to a nicer one where you can relax is worth the extra cost. You won’t be able to get a good rest if you skimp on lodgings. If you’re not careful, it can hurt you at least as badly as cutting corners with your ammo.” Sara gave him a warm smile, taking the edge off her earnest speech, as she added, “Of course, you’ve got your own finances to think about, so I can’t demand you move to a pricier hotel. Still, this is our home, and it’s safe enough for us to lounge around half-dressed, so make yourself comfortable.”

Akira considered briefly before responding, “I understand.” With a smile and a nod, he peeled off the upper part of his suit.

Sara looked satisfied. “Not to brag, but we spend a bundle on security,” she continued, grinning now for a different reason than before. “To prove to ourselves that we can let our hair down here, like I was saying. In fact, it’s so safe that Elena doesn’t think twice about walking around buck naked.”

“D-Does she really?”

“Yeah, even when you were passed out in the other room, she’d wander out of the bath and right into the living room—where we are now—without even bothering to towel off. I warn her, but she won’t listen.”

“I...I see.” Faced with an awkward topic, Akira opted for a noncommittal response.

Just then, Elena returned with the promised scanner. Her arrival in the middle of that particular conversation made Akira visibly nervous—a fact that was not lost on her.

“What have you been telling him, Sara?” she wondered.

“I was just explaining our home security,” Sara replied. “The benefits of taking off his combat gear and relaxing when he’s in a safe place—that sort of thing.”

“Akira, is she telling the truth?”

“Y-Yes, she is,” answered Akira. His reaction didn’t sit quite right with Elena, but she could see that he really had taken off the top of his suit, so she assumed Sara had tried to undress again and left it at that.

“In that case, I agree,” she said. “Relaxation is important. You’re safe here, so make yourself comfortable.”

“Th-Thank you,” Akira replied, a little stiffly. It was all he could do to keep his imagination from running wild when he looked at Elena.

“Here’s the scanner I sold you,” Elena said, setting down a dusty box in front of him. “A Senba Electronics all-in-one model—called a Midnight Eye, if I remember correctly. It wasn’t for me, but there’s nothing wrong with its specs. I think everything it came with is in there, but if I’m wrong, just chalk it up to the risk of buying used.”

“Thanks a lot. Do I need to do anything special to set it up?”

“I configured it when I tried it out, so it should be ready to go out of the box. Feel free to reinitialize it if my settings give you any trouble. Try mapping your hotel room later to get a feel for using it. I’m guessing you’ve never used a scanner before, and you’ll be a lot safer testing it there than in the wasteland.”

“I understand.”

“Apart from that... Actually, that pretty much covers it. Sorry I can’t give you much in the way of expert tips. I just haven’t spent enough time with that thing.”

“Don’t be. You’ve already done me a huge favor just by selling it to me. Thank you for everything.” Akira bowed politely. “Now, I should be on my way.”

“Leaving so soon?” Elena asked, surprised. “I wish you’d stay and unwind for a bit.”

“Sorry, but I’d like to go home and practice using this thing.”

Elena didn’t want to force the issue, so she and Sara walked him to their front door. He bowed again and left before his unease around Elena became too obvious.

“Sara, what did you tell him?” Elena asked, suspicious once more.

“Hm? Nothing much,” Sara replied. “I guess I did walk into the living room with my top open, but I did it up again because Akira couldn’t stop staring.”

“Oh, is that all?” The explanation satisfied Elena. She asked no more questions—and instead launched into a lecture. “Honestly, how many times do I have to tell you to be more careful about that sort of thing? Even with Akira, you need to be...”

◆

Akira opened the box as soon as he got back to his hotel room. Inside were an oblong device—the scanner itself—and an assortment of accessories. He picked them up and was inspecting them curiously when Alpha spoke up.

Stop dawdling and connect it to your data terminal.

“Are you going to fiddle with this thing too?”

Of course. I’m going to completely overwrite its software so that you can get the most out of my support.

“Oh. Well, I don’t mind as long as it makes my life easier.” Akira hooked the scanner up to his terminal, and Alpha immediately set about taking over the device.

I’ll be done by tomorrow, so we’ll test this out in the ruins then, she said.

“I thought we were gonna steer clear of them until I can rent a car built for the wasteland.”

I only said that we wouldn’t be making relic-hunting trips to far-off ruins. Visiting a relatively safe one to practice using new gear won’t be a problem. Don’t get lazy with your weapon maintenance.

“Sure thing.”

Akira began servicing his arsenal—two AAHs and a CWH. At present, these three rifles were his lifeline. He was still getting used to using the CWH, so he took extra care as he worked on it. Keeping his mind on maintenance stopped it from wandering back to what he’d heard at Elena and Sara’s home.

Meanwhile, as Alpha busied herself with reprogramming the scanner, she also observed his every move.

Chapter 32: The Higaraka Residential District Ruins

A short drive west from Kugamayama City—too far for even veteran hunters to make it on foot, yet close enough for a day trip in a desert vehicle—lay the Higaraka Residential District Ruins. The site had once housed a treasure trove of relics, but over-hunting had stripped it of anything valuable. Now it was just a deserted collection of crumbling structures. Less desirable relics could still be found there, but those hunters who could make a trip that far out found other ruins more profitable, so nowadays few bothered.

Akira was riding across the wasteland toward Higaraka to test the scanner he’d bought from Elena. According to Alpha, this ruin had densely packed buildings and relatively nonthreatening monsters, which made it perfect for trying out new gear. Akira looked forward to the trip with curiosity, as it was his first visit to a ruin other than Kuzusuhara Town, even though he didn’t expect to find anything of value.

But I can still bring back any relics we find while training, right, Alpha? he asked.

Go ahead. I don’t mind, she replied. Higaraka is so picked over that hunting there is a waste of time. So trying to find something will make good practice.

Great! Akira mused that Higaraka might be past its heyday, but only by the standards of hunters who could afford to go there. He still hoped to find more valuable relics there than he could in the Kuzusuhara outskirts.

The ruins came into view. As they drew closer, the scanner sprang to life under Alpha’s control.

Elena and Sara are up ahead, she noted to Akira, enlarging a portion of his field of view.

Zooming in with his naked eyes could only do so much, but feeding him video captured through the scanner produced a clear picture. Sure enough, Elena and Sara were up ahead, standing next to their car as if they were waiting for someone.

You’re right. I wonder what they’re doing out here. Akira decided he might as well say hello and headed toward them.

Elena greeted Akira with a casual wave—she’d known he was coming thanks to her own sensors.

“Fancy meeting you here,” she said. “What brings you out this way? Oh, just so you know: there isn’t much left in this area worth finding, so I wouldn’t recommend it for relic hunting.”

Akira shook his head. “I was planning to practice using my scanner here,” he replied, pointing to the device.

“Ah, so that’s it. The monsters around here aren’t much of a threat, and a lot of buildings with complicated layouts are still standing, so it might be just the place to give that thing its first test run in the wasteland.”

“And what brings the two of you here?” Akira asked. “This isn’t the kind of place you normally work, is it?”

“We’re here for training too. Well, training other people, anyway. We took a job as instructors.”

Akira looked a little surprised. He hadn’t realized that teaching could be part of a hunter’s trade.

At that moment, their scanners detected something approaching. They both turned toward the new arrivals—Akira because Alpha had clued him in, and Elena because she had noticed on her own. An enlarged video popped up in Akira’s field of view, showing a car heading their way. Then he recognized the passengers, and his look grew wary.

◆

A car emblazoned with Druncam insignias was crossing the desert from Kugamayama City to the Higaraka Ruins. It had three passengers—Katsuya, Yumina, and Airi.

The trio’s performance in the massive attack had earned them limited freedom to operate without a minder. They couldn’t accept jobs or make relic-hunting trips on their own initiative, but they could venture into the wasteland unattended if necessary. Their superiors at Druncam had even told them that the syndicate might consider them full-fledged hunters if they performed well enough in that day’s exercise. Needless to say, that had Katsuya champing at the bit.

Officially, their team would no longer need a supervisor once their trainers, Elena and Sara, declared them fully competent. In reality, however, the syndicate was more interested in this test as a move in its negotiations to recruit the two women. If the pair agreed to join Druncam, they would take charge of Katsuya’s team. Naturally, the young hunters would then have to put up with rookie treatment for a while longer. Druncam hadn’t told Katsuya’s team that part, of course. The syndicate had just challenged the trio to prove they were ready to go it alone.

So Katsuya was raring to go, and not only because he was eager to hunt alongside Elena and Sara, even in a mere training exercise.

“We’re almost there,” he said. “Yumina, Airi, let’s make this count.”

Yumina was happy to see him so enthusiastic about training; yet she also felt disappointed at the sight of her crush so excited to work with Elena and Sara. That, added to her concern over the gloom she had occasionally glimpsed in him recently, spurred her to put a damper on his high spirits before they got out of hand.

“We’ll do our best,” she said. “Just try not to piss off Elena and Sara by charging in on your own or something. Don’t make me punch you like that time you made a scene while we were on patrol.”

“I already told you, I’ll be fine,” Katsuya responded. “You worry too much.”

“Only because you give me reasons to worry. Seriously, don’t screw this up.”

“I know, I know! Relax. I wouldn’t take that tone with Elena and Sara, and they won’t trash-talk us like those guys did. So I won’t pull another stunt like that. Make sense?”

“Well, you’ve got a point.”

“Don’t you also agree, Airi?” Katsuya asked, pressing his advantage now that Yumina had eased off. He expected a curt affirmative and no more, but he only got half his wish.

“I do,” Airi replied.

“See?”

But she added, “We’ll have no problems unless you’re too busy ogling Sara’s boobs to pay attention to us.”

“Don’t worry,” Katsuya answered evasively, a far cry from his confident tone thus far. Now he wasn’t even looking at his teammates.

“Hey!” Yumina shouted with renewed intensity. “What’s with that wishy-washy answer?! People call you the face of our whole generation of Druncam hunters! Do you have any idea how much trouble we’ll be in if you ruin our reputation by giving women hunters creepy looks?!”

“Don’t worry!” Katsuya repeated more emphatically. “Okay, conversation over! We’re coming up on our rendezvous point with Elena and Sara! We want to pull off this job without a hitch, so both of you check your gear! Leader’s orders!”

“Jeez,” Yumina muttered, sighing. Airi’s expression didn’t change. They both knew that Katsuya was trying to bluster his way out of the conversation. But his orders made sense, so they obediently began inspecting their equipment. Despite their squabbles on the drive, the trio was deadly serious about this job.

Katsuya hopped out of the car as soon as they reached the rendezvous point, eager to greet Elena and Sara—

—And froze at the sight of Akira. He couldn’t hide his shock: the boy he’d assumed dead was not only very much alive, but standing with Elena and Sara at the job site.

◆

Akira felt puzzled when he saw the young Druncam hunters, but inferring that they must be Elena and Sara’s clients, he let the matter go. Not wanting to get in the way, he said his goodbyes to the women and, with a bob of his head, rode off on his motorcycle, heading deeper into the ruins. As he departed, his eyes met Katsuya’s stunned gaze for a moment, but he thought nothing of it.

Once he had driven far enough into the ruins that he probably wouldn’t get in Elena and Sara’s way, Akira stopped his bike and took another look at his surroundings.

It’s not much like Kuzusuhara Town, is it? he remarked as he surveyed the ruins with an expression akin to disappointment. He had expected to see some grand new vista, but these dilapidated structures felt much like the all-too-familiar slums. Nothing suggested this site had once been home to an advanced civilization.

The Higaraka Residential District dates from a different era than Kuzusuhara Town, Alpha said. They’re both ruins now, but this one probably seems closer to the present day.

The brief explanation only confused Akira, so she launched into a longer one, smiling all the while.

Modern civilization developed by deciphering Old World technology. But the term Old World referred not to a single culture, but to all civilizations that had come before. And those past societies had analyzed technology from even more ancient epochs, which they had also called the “Old World.” Each new civilization had scraped together Old World relics, the fragments of its predecessors’ wisdom and glory, in order to rebuild its world. Then, intoxicated by that power, it had crumbled, swallowed up by forces it could not fully control. The wreckage of these ruined cultures became fragments of the past scattered throughout the world and, ultimately, the foundation on which the next society would build.

Thus, the history of the Old World was a cycle of collapse and reconstruction. Modern society was safe for now, but there was no guarantee it wouldn’t end up as just another link in the chain. Even Akira’s hometown, Alpha said, might be known as the Kugamayama City Ruins in a hundred years’ time.

That made a powerful impression on Akira, who felt as if he had touched part of a grand history. Yet he had no choice but to live in the present. He wouldn’t blame anyone else for dwelling on the past, but he was more concerned with how his todays would affect his tomorrows.

So he turned his attention to training.

He put on one of the accessories that had come with his scanner—a display visor akin to a slim pair of glasses. The transparent screen didn’t block his view and could be raised to his forehead if it ever became inconvenient. And since the device had originally belonged to Elena, it was small enough for Akira to wear comfortably. He started as overlays displaying data on his surroundings immediately filled his view.

So, er, what do I do now? he asked.

I’m still checking this scanner’s capabilities, so just explore the ruins and get a feel for using it while I do, Alpha replied.

How am I supposed to do that when I’ve got no clue how it works?

I’ll bring up the manual for you, so put your reading lessons to work and figure that out for yourself. I can operate the scanner most of the time, but people will get suspicious if you don’t know anything about it.

The scanner’s instruction manual appeared in Akira’s view—Alpha’s doing, not a feature of the device. He wanted the ability to read documents like this without help as much as Alpha wanted him to learn it. So he followed her directions and got to work, wrestling with the manual, the scanner’s controls, and the data on his display as he headed deeper in.

Akira did his best to handle everything on his own, from driving his motorcycle to scouting for enemies and operating his scanner. Even so, Alpha alerted him to the presence of weak monsters before he noticed them himself. He took them out with his AAH and moved on. Why had he failed to detect the threat on his own? Was it due to his scanner’s specs, or maybe because of the way he had it configured? Had he overlooked an alert? Doubts about his competence plagued him as he wandered the ruins.

He poked around in the remains of buildings, looking for relics, and found long-abandoned eating utensils and a few other odds and ends. These were technically products of the Old World, but they wouldn’t be worth much, given the abundance of modern-day equivalents. They were still lying here because the hunters who had risked their lives and fortunes in these ruins hadn’t deemed them worth taking. Akira hesitated briefly, but ended up putting them back where he’d found them.

Despite the lack of worthwhile finds, the buildings themselves were in decent shape. Long years of degradation had not overcome their sturdy Old World construction.

Think anyone secretly lives in places like this? he mused, looking the structures over inside and out.

If so, they must be in so much trouble that even lying low in the slums isn’t an option, Alpha responded. They would have to procure their own food and water while fending off monsters and bandits.

Meaning most people would be better off in the slums?

Exactly.

Akira continued exploring until he came across a partially destroyed house.

What happened here? he asked, a suspicious scowl crossing his face.

Crumbling buildings were all around him, but as far as he could tell, this destruction was recent. Something massive seemed to have passed through the area, and some of the smashed walls appeared to have been bitten through.

Alpha, didn’t you say only weak monsters live in this place? he demanded.

According to my research, yes, she replied. Elena said so too.

You’re right, she did. Guess I’m overthinking things.

But we can’t trust old data, Alpha added. That massive attack might have altered the ecosystem, or some monsters that escaped extermination then could have gone to ground here. Don’t let your guard down.

Something was bothering Akira. His intuition was sensitive to trouble, if nothing else. It had helped him survive long enough to meet Alpha—and it was also part of the reason he considered himself so unlucky.

◆

Katsuya’s team lined up in front of Elena and Sara, ready for their training in the Higaraka Ruins. Yumina and Airi were focused, but Katsuya’s concentration was wavering after his brief glimpse of Akira.

“You’re going to be exploring these ruins at your own discretion,” Elena told them, looking stern. “This is a training exercise, and we’re your instructors, but we don’t think you need us to tell you how to do every little thing at this point, so we won’t. Make your own decisions.”

“The monsters here shouldn’t be too dangerous, but always take reports like that with a grain of salt,” Sara added, smiling as usual. “We’ll be observing you from a distance, so call for help immediately if something goes wrong.”

“But try to act as if we’re not here. Pretend that the three of you came here alone.”

“Don’t let your pride stop you from calling us right away, though,” Sara cautioned. “Training or not, that kind of stubbornness causes trouble.”

“We’ll evaluate you after you finish,” Elena concluded. “Normally, we’d also grade you on when you decide to turn back, but stay out for no longer than four hours today. Of course, you’re free to withdraw before then. Knowing when to stop is an important skill.”

Elena and Sara glanced at each other and nodded, confirming that they had nothing more to add.

“Any questions?” Elena said, surveying the trio. “If not, let’s begin.”

Yumina was the first to respond.

“You told us to ‘explore,’ but what are we trying to do here, exactly?” she asked.

“Figuring that out is part of your training,” Sara answered. “Act like you’re here on a normal relic-hunting trip.”

“But I thought there were no valuable relics left in these ruins?” Yumina persisted.

“Forget about that for the sake of the exercise. Bringing you back alive is part of our job, so we can’t exactly train you in a place full of priceless relics and deadly monsters.”

“We know that there’s nothing good left here as well as you do. So, don’t worry: we won’t mark you down if the only relics you can find aren’t worth much,” Elena added. But Yumina still looked unconvinced, so Elena elaborated: “We’ll be evaluating you based on a variety of different factors, like how long it takes you to write off one site and move on to the next, and how alert you are to your surroundings. So gather relics as you would normally. Of course, we’ll give you bonus points if you find anything valuable that everyone else has overlooked.”

“I understand.” Yumina nodded, satisfied.

Airi spoke up. “Are there any minimum requirements you expect us to meet during this exercise? Our objectives will affect how we act.”

“No,” Elena answered again. “If you need a goal, it’s to produce the greatest possible results with the least possible effort. Earn returns that justify your risks, and keep making the best choices, given your abilities, as long as you can. If you ask me, decision-making is the most important part of hunting.” Mentally, she laughed at herself: she had nearly died in the Kuzusuhara Town Ruins because she had chosen poorly.

“Ordinarily, your first question should be whether it’s even worth hunting for relics in Higaraka, like Yumina asked,” Sara added, picking up on Elena’s feelings and grinning. “But since this is a training exercise, assume you had a good reason for coming here.”

“So, getting in and out quickly is still a valid goal,” Elena continued, setting her own past aside. “If you do that, just explain to us why you’ll be retreating and what you plan to do next. We’ll evaluate you based on your answers.”

“I understand,” Airi said. “I’ll aim to explore efficiently without retreating.”