Chapter 68

Sector 55. Southern underground waterway, Gate 4.

Even in the 50s sector, which was mostly abandoned in the city government's development plans, Sector 55 was reportedly scheduled to be developed as a new water source for the city.

Because of this, most of the area was designed around the vast underground waterway, and even now, after the development plans were halted, traces of this design remain evident.

Walking along the aimless waterways, Renock passed through the desolate site where a cold wind was blowing, and found the entrance leading down to the sewer.

Gripping the iron ladder with his gloved hands, a faint chill was transmitted to him.

The damp, icy sewer. The cold metal ladder and the biting chill that made his nose tingle.

After slowly spreading his magic power, Renock confirmed the surroundings. The only light came from the entrance in the ceiling, and the rest was pitch black.

He remembered the location where the client had received the request, but not where the pillar was found.

Perhaps due to the confusion caused by quickly escaping after Drey was injured.

Of course, Renock wouldn't forget such a thing, but he couldn't expect the same from others.

The dedication of the mercenary team, who managed to escape without additional losses, was commendable.

Ultimately, Renock had to confirm the pillar himself, either through his magic detection or by searching on foot.

[Kee... Shaa...!!]

The sound of Renock's boots tapping the ground echoed as he walked.

The environment was so desolate that he began to doubt whether he had entered a dungeon rather than a city.

The problem was, if the pillar was not within the range of his magic detection, it might indicate a serious issue.

He didn't think the pillar had moved far from the Cremgal Mercenary Office.

After all, the radius of his magic detection was far beyond that of an ordinary mage, but if it still hadn't been detected, something was definitely wrong.

Renock slowly turned around and retraced his steps.

'There are two possibilities.'

Renock's mind rapidly processed the situation, drawing conclusions.

'Either it's hidden by a high-level concealment spell, or someone else has already retrieved it.'

During Drey's unconscious state, it was possible that another mercenary or official had noticed the pillar and taken action.

Renock had anticipated this possibility from the start, but he still needed to confirm it himself.

The more he thought about it, the more he believed the pillar was still hidden somewhere in the sewer.

'If it was powerful enough to curse a mercenary like Drey, it must still be here.'

He decided to check the gate area again. If he couldn't find it, he would have to hand the matter over to the city government agents.

With the pillar found, his immediate task in the sewer was complete.

Once he handed it over to Evelyn, the agents would investigate and search for any remaining traces.

Thinking this, Renock turned his head toward the exit of the gate.

Suddenly, a strong presence appeared within his detection range.

[La la la...]

A carefree whistling sound came from the distant darkness.

Thud, thud.

With slow, deliberate steps, someone emerged from the darkness, cutting through the low murmur of the water and the gate's noise.

A single sword hung from his waist, and his suit was loosely unbuttoned.

Pale skin peeked out from the collar.

Most strikingly, instead of a human head, an android-like joint was perched on his neck.

Only the faint red glow behind the visor covering his eyes hinted at his direction.

The whistling mercenary stopped walking when he saw Renock.

A naturally human-like voice, almost indistinguishable from a real person, flowed out.

[Ah, I felt a strange magic power, so I came back. And here's a new guest.]

He nodded in satisfaction.

[This is really helpful. I've been wandering around this sewer for half a day without eating anything. I never imagined it would be right under the gate. Thanks to you, my job is much easier.]

"Much easier?"

[Yeah. My client wanted me to bring that thing. The amount of money they're willing to pay for trash is ridiculous. Throwing me into this freezing place and telling me to figure it out on my own? What a joke.]

"......"

[But providing the service my client wants is the professional spirit of Manson. So, I'll take that pillar.]

......This guy seemed to have a screw loose, despite his steel head.

Renock, without responding, was lost in thought. Then, he recalled something and asked.

"Are you the freelancer known as Mad Manson? I think I've heard the name before, along with Striker."

[Mad? What the hell is Mad? Is there someone who goes around with a stupid nickname like that?]

"Is it not you?"

[But my name is Madison.]

"......"

He was clearly not a normal madman.

It was certain that the man mentioned by the man in the bar was this guy, Mad Manson.

Renock glanced at the pillar floating above his head and said,

"Unfortunately, that pillar already has an owner. I can't hand it over to you."

[Oh, really? I've never heard of that.]

"Of course. Did anyone know about it during the half day you wandered here?"

Renock smiled faintly and slowly gathered his magic power.

"It's a shame you made a trip for nothing. I'd appreciate it if you left now."

The pillar's ownership was clear from his words.

Though he called himself a freelancer, his nature was closer to that of a lawless outlaw.

If things went wrong, he wouldn't hesitate to draw his sword.

Renock, sensing that a fight was inevitable, didn't mince his words.

[Hmm... I can't agree with that.]

Freelancer, Mad Manson, pondered for a moment and shook his head.

Taking a step forward, his hand instinctively moved toward the sword at his waist.

[The stronger one should be the owner, right?]

Then, Renock remembered. Evelyn had once asked him if he was prepared to kill another freelancer.

It was a pointless question.

What hesitation would he have in killing robbers who tried to steal others' work with no regard for consequences?

"So,"

Crack...!!

With a blue electric light glowing between his fingers, Renock smiled.

"I'm the owner. Don't you understand?"

Mad Manson

Before the words were even finished, the two superhumans moved simultaneously.

Crack...!!

The ground where Manson stood was crushed, and his body vanished in an instant.

Kaaang!!!

A sharp whistling sound sliced through Renock's side.

However, the momentum was nullified by the shield, and the sword's edge lost its direction, slicing through the air.

[Oh ho.]

Staring blankly in amazement, Renock forcefully pushed a ball of electricity toward Manson's face.

Let's take away that arrogant guy's vision first.

[Lightning Bound]

Crack...!!

A powerful electric current burst forth, illuminating the dark sewer passage.

The condensed ball of electricity split into hundreds of streams.

The speed of casting the spell wasn't particularly fast, but the speed at which the ball exploded was even faster.

This slight gap slowed Manson's reaction for a moment.

Hundreds of electric streams enveloped his body.

Kaaang!!!

This spell, which boasted considerable power even in the early days of freelancing, was designed to slow down even a monster like Kroken for a moment.

However, Manson managed to escape the small electric storm without much difficulty.

[You're a lot more fiery than I thought.]

In his hand, a long black cloak appeared.

The cold metallic sheen of the cloak flickered as the remnants of the electric current hardened it, but it seemed to provide adequate protection for Manson.

An artifact, perhaps.

For a freelancer with such a reputation, carrying various tools wouldn't be unusual.

In fact, it would be more unusual for a freelancer to be as light as Renock, who was concerned about the weight of his equipment.

Manson, stroking his metallic jaw with his left hand, muttered,

[You're surprisingly fast for a mage. Your shield is strong too... Could you be stronger than I thought?]

"......"

His muttering was hard to respond to, and he immediately shook his head.

[Whatever. It's easier to deal with a mage. I'll just knock you out and ask you questions one by one.]

Despite his steel head, he was a deeply troubled opponent.

However, the movement he just displayed was far from trivial.

'This is the first time I've faced a swordsman since Jude Russell.'

It had been a while since he encountered a swordsman after the dark-skinned vampire swordsman at the port.

In a world where the power of guns and magic is undeniable, cold weapons are difficult to handle without considerable skill.

One would need confidence in their own abilities, senses, and physical strength to choose such a weapon.

However, warriors who overcame these various penalties and reached a certain level of proficiency wielded movements and insights that were difficult for Renock to match.

'And, a swordsman doesn't just use a sword.'

Just as Renock used guns as auxiliary equipment, Manson could use various weapons similarly.

Before this thought could fully form, Manson suddenly raised his left hand and struck his own temple.

Clang!

"......What are you doing?"

[Damn it. Why won't it come out? I didn't want to bash my head with this old can.]

Clang!

Saying this, he struck his metallic head again, and this time, a long glass vial popped out of his mouth.

A vial containing a dull gray gas.

Holding it between two fingers, Manson shook it and sneered.

[You're definitely a rookie. There's no need to be cautious... Gah!!]

Kaaang!!!

There was no need to listen to his words.

Whatever trick he was trying, standing idly by would be foolish.

Instead of responding, Renock drew water from the nearby waterway and poured it over Manson's head.

Simultaneously, he gathered the coldness in his hand and scattered it, causing the sewage to freeze instantly and bind Manson's movements.

[Ice Round]

Clang...!!

While this spell was only effective in areas with water, it far surpassed ordinary public magic in environments where the necessary conditions were met.

The ability to manipulate the battlefield to his advantage in specific environments was one of the reasons Renock favored ice magic.

[No, wait...!!]

Reacting to Renock's spell, Manson's entire body was instantly encased in ice and hardened, and the vial slipped from his fingers.

Confirming that Manson's plan was foiled, Renock immediately manipulated his magic to create a white magic circle in the air.

[Explosion (爆結)]

Twisting his left hand to rotate the magic circle, the ice shards attached to Manson's body stood up and exploded.

Kaaang!!!

Compared to the grand explosions Renock often caused, this one was relatively small.

However, the difficulty of causing an explosion using only ice as a medium from a distance of several meters was self-evident.

The practical application of a unique spell learned from Eden's research journal.

Renock had been applying this method not only to electric magic but also to ice magic, continuously creating new spells.

Endless inspiration and unerring intuition.

These two essential talents of a mage resonated and complemented each other, constantly forging new paths.

Moving his five fingers, he caught the ice fragments floating in the air.

Simultaneously, the fragments that had been scattered changed direction and rained down on Manson like a shower.

A level of mastery that made it seem as if he could freely manipulate attributes, almost indistinguishable from a superhuman.

The newly created spell didn't even need a name.

Whoosh...!!

The cold rain of ice burned the dark sewer white.

Did I finish him off?

Though he thought he had taken all necessary precautions, Renock didn't make the foolish mistake of verbalizing the spell.

He only used his magic detection to confirm Manson's vital signs.

However, he couldn't prevent Manson's hand from suddenly emerging through the icy fog.

Clang!!

Despite enduring such a fierce attack, the shape of Manson's hand, holding a pistol, remained intact.

Renock quickly cast a shield, but the bullet hit the amplifier faster.

The impact shattered the amplifier, and the gray gas inside began to leak explosively.

It quickly filled the sewer.

Afterward, Renock's brow furrowed as he realized the effect of the gas.

'My magic... '

The shield surrounding him and the coldness from his spells began to deteriorate.

It was interfering with the structure of his already formed spells, gradually dismantling them.

Rather than completely nullifying the magic, it seemed to alter the environment where the magic was located, distorting the pattern.

Though the method was different, it felt similar to an EMP designed to counter mages.

Watching his deteriorating shield, Renock was lost in thought when Manson's voice came through the thick gray gas.

[Hmm~! It's always so fragrant. The smell of a mage panicking. It's very sweet.]

"......"

[Your magic isn't working properly, right? I can tell from your expression. This is probably your first time experiencing it. I don't use this easily, even with considerable preparation.]

Clunk, clunk.

A tall figure emerged through the gas.

Despite being frozen and caught in the explosion, his appearance was surprisingly intact.

There were still wounds visible through the torn clothes, but they were healing at a visible rate.

Seeing this, Renock's eyes narrowed.

'Ordinary endurance, but good regeneration... Definitely a rare type.'

Recalling the physical-type freelancers he had worked with, most focused on minimizing damage when struck, rather than recovering from it.

Dylan, who had managed to stand up after his spine was broken by Kroken, was one of the few exceptions, suggesting that Manson belonged to a similar category.

Manson, holding his head with one hand and turning it this way and that, tilted his head as if just noticing Renock.

[Not running?]

"What?"

[Your magic should be barely working by now. Most mages would be terrified and running away at this point. You're tougher than I thought.]

"......"

[Well, a stupid guy is better than a coward. It's more satisfying to decapitate a stubborn opponent than to let a coward beg for mercy.]

Swoosh!!

Seeing Manson walking confidently with his sword, Renock said,

"The gas you just used isn't a spell or a magical item."

[Oh ho.]

It was impossible for a mere item to interfere with the spells Renock had constructed.

His magic control far surpassed that of ordinary mages.

A freelancer's expendable item couldn't achieve what other mages could only dream of.

To interfere with his magic, one would need a treasure of legendary status.

Thus, the interference with his magic was more likely an indirect alteration of the environment rather than a direct attack on him.

"The gas slows down the movement of magic, causing the spell structure to collapse slowly. Given that it doesn't target a specific individual, it wasn't intentionally created for this purpose."

Placing his hand on his waist, Renock concluded,

"Superhuman ability, or perhaps the effect of a unique plant or animal. Such a useful item in combat must be incredibly expensive."

[......]

Hearing Renock's words, Manson stopped his incessant chatter and stared at him.

[Oh? You're quite sharp. I didn't expect you to find the pillar before me...]

"......"

Leaning his sword on his shoulder and tapping his metallic jaw, Manson said,

[Want to work with me? I don't know who you're working for, but staying alive here won't mean much. My client is a very high-ranking person.]

"High-ranking?"

[Yeah. I have a lot of work to do, and it would be helpful to have someone as smart as you. If you join me, I can put in a good word with my client.]

High-ranking...

Manson didn't reveal his client's name, but Renock, who had a general understanding of the situation, immediately deduced the identity of the employer.

'The Rayson side must have caught wind of this and sent someone.'

Does Evelyn know this? Whether the agents are aware of Rayson's involvement and have a contingency plan is a crucial issue.

He couldn't afford to waste more time.

Madness

Without responding, Renock made a gesture, and Manson sighed deeply.

[Ha... Talking to someone who thinks they're so smart is exhausting. You just wasted time.]

"Let's finish this quickly."

[Yeah. I don't know what to do anymore. I'll just peel off your face and see what happens...]

Sssssss!!

His casual attitude up to this point seemed to be a facade.

A flash of light from Manson's hand turned into a blade, aiming precisely for Renock's neck.

The gray gas from the shattered vial.

A sharp, unexpected strike exploiting the gaps in Renock's collapsing magic.

The blade, curved in a way that made its trajectory hard to predict, accelerated as it approached, aiming for Renock's carotid artery.

Kaaang!!

Blocked by the shield, it was deflected uselessly.

[......!!]

The effect of the gas was truly remarkable.

Manson, who hadn't expected Renock to maintain his magic, hesitated and stammered,

[How...?]

Renock replied,

"If the gas interferes with the structural properties of magic, causing the spell to collapse, then rearranging the magic power accordingly is the solution."

Simple words, but the method was transcendently complex.

It was like continuing to draw the same picture while adjusting the brush size in real-time.

Especially considering the intricate and complex nature of spell construction.

However, Renock captured every change in the flow of magic in real-time, rearranging it and casting spells effortlessly.

Before Manson could fully grasp this incredible ability, a shock spell hit his head.

Kaaang!!

[Grgh!!]

Manson's form, as if grabbed by an invisible hand, tumbled backward.

Renock, seizing the opportunity, cast two gravity whips and swung them.

Manson, despite being pinned to the ground, reacted quickly.

He rolled and kicked off the ground, flipping to the side.

Simultaneously, he planted his sword in the ground and spun to regain balance.

The moment his feet touched the ground, his form vanished from Renock's sight.

Sssssss!!

This time, his body moved first, not the sword.

Navigating the narrow sewer passage, he seemed to defy gravity, moving in unpredictable patterns.

High-angle maneuvers that made it hard to guess his position, not just his direction.

This wasn't just to confuse Renock's senses and vision.

In a closed environment like an underground sewer, using high-power spells was difficult.

Manson, understanding this, continuously forced Renock into a dilemma, making it hard for him to take the risk.

His ability to show such movements in this damp, dark