Chapter 41

After a short night had passed,

Daik sent a luxury sedan to Jenny's bar as promised, and it came to pick up Renock.

Seeing Panora sitting inside the smooth, white car, Renock let out a hollow laugh.

As he opened the back door, Renock asked,

"Are you not planning to hide it anymore?"

"It's too late to keep it under wraps. Rumors about us are already circulating in this world."

Panora continued, "We've spread our influence too widely to hide it anymore."

"Indeed."

"Thanks to the successful operation and the elimination of Beck Clinton, the upper echelons are showing significant reactions. Not only have we successfully cut off the gang's funding, but we've also completely severed their ties with the military. The plan's success is now within reach."

Panora's tone was slightly excited.

It was only natural.

Considering the operation she had planned, the maximum expectation was to disrupt the gang's dealings with the military.

Renock hadn't anticipated that he would not only stop there but also eliminate those present and capture Beck Clinton.

The death of the gang's weapons overseer was a significant blow to them.

This meant that the gang's boss would have to step in to clean up the mess.

If they could cleanly sever the head, the remaining limbs could be taken over by Daik.

After listening to her quietly, Renock replied,

"I don't really like just talking about it."

"......I talked too much. I should have shown you the fulfillment of the promise first."

Panora took out a case made of clear blue crystal from a storage compartment under her seat.

A pleasant betrayal.

Renock's senses sharply detected the faint magical aura emanating from inside.

He was certain.

The item inside was something he had never seen since coming to this world.

Unable to look away, Renock stared at the case. Panora didn't prolong the moment.

In such situations, the upper hand between the two was already decided.

She quickly placed the case in his hands and said,

"It took a lot of effort to obtain this item. Not only I, but also the VIPs of the board, exerted considerable influence. I won't go into the details of the pressure and attempts to seize it."

Renock chuckled at her self-congratulatory tone.

When he opened the case, the shape inside was exactly as he had seen on the screen.

Five pencils bound by fluorescent chains.

Each pencil was inscribed with unknown characters, and even the graphite tips had faint gold borders.

Despite appearing old, the pencils were intricately and finely crafted.

The composition was understandable, given why various high-ranking officials and nobles were so eager to find this item.

The neatly arranged magical energy made it clear why this artificially created artifact was treated like a relic.

After staring at it for a while, Renock closed the case and slowly put it in his pocket.

Panora, noticing the satisfaction in his eyes, quickly continued,

"Of course, this is a gift to compensate for the inconvenience we caused you. If things proceed smoothly, we will provide additional rewards as appropriate."

Panora now clearly understood.

A strong mental fortitude and judgment that could overcome any obstacle with just his own abilities.

A powerful presence that revealed itself on the battlefield, along with terrifying talent.

Rather than confining himself to the limitations of being a mage, he was someone who didn't hesitate to do what was needed at the right moment.

Even if he hadn't been in this world, he would have found a way to rise to prominence.

While it was luck that they had connected, whether they could maintain this relationship depended entirely on her actions.

Renock leaned back and turned his head to look out the window.

"So, what's the reason for setting up this meeting today? It doesn't seem like you're planning the next operation yet."

A few days had passed since Beck Clinton's death, but it wasn't time to launch another operation yet.

Renock had a rough idea of how Daik planned to take over the gang's territory, which made him even more certain.

Once the gang's limbs were cut off, they needed to quickly fill the void.

Most likely, Panora's project team was working to fill the gap created by Renock's actions.

"We are indeed putting in a lot of effort to recruit small arms dealers who were collaborating with the gang. We plan to proceed with additional operations after identifying those willing to cooperate with us. I called you here today to discuss a different matter."

"......"

"A completely unexpected guest has offered to collaborate with us."

They parked the sedan in the underground parking lot and headed straight to the first-floor lobby. The midday lobby was bustling with employees holding phones and documents.

While few still recognized Renock, the focused gazes on Panora as she passed revealed her current position within the company.

Everyone now knew how crucial she was to the direction of the massive corporation, Daik.

They took the elevator directly to her office.

Her personal secretary, standing at the entrance of the spacious corridor, immediately informed her of the guest's arrival.

As Renock entered the office and saw the two people waiting inside, he understood the meaning of Panora's words.

Specifically, when he saw Maoren smiling next to the woman with a short haircut.

Plato Mercenary Agency.

They, who had worked with Siger Bang to establish the weapons business in the 40th district, had come to Daik's headquarters in person.