MHGA Chapter 233 – Are You Man or Ghost
"…Where… is this place…"
Arasaka Raizen slowly stirred from unconsciousness, groggy and confused. There was a strange taste lingering in his mouth—something he wasn't familiar with.
As soon as he opened his eyes, he was met with the sight of an unfamiliar tent ceiling. Instinctively, his senses snapped to alert. The last thing he remembered before blacking out came rushing back.
"!"
He shot upright in a panic—and the first thing he saw was a grinning young man sitting across from him in a chair, and next to him, a teenage boy around seventeen or eighteen wearing a yellow jacket…
Raizen glanced around. The tent was relatively small, furnished with various items. There was a large crate nearby… and on another seat, a woman wearing a Braindance headset appeared to be immersed in playback.
But what truly unsettled Raizen… was the man sitting in front of him.
The man he had personally seen die.
"Are you… human or ghost? Or are you a clone?" Raizen stared at Kairo Retsu. "You're the leader of the Hunters, aren't you?"
"Hm?" Kairo raised an eyebrow. "That almost sounded like you've seen me die before… Wait—have you actually seen me die?"
Kairo scratched his chin and stared at Raizen's face. "Let's see… I think I've only ever died around the Kirin… How would you know about that?"
"Kirin? That monster's called Kirin? Like the one from ancient mythology?!" Raizen's eyes widened. "Is it one of your technological creations? Just who are you people? I've never heard of anything like you… Which corporation do you belong to?"
"Relax. No need to freak out—we can talk this through," Kairo gestured to David. "Have a seat. First off… do you know about Soulkiller? Or about Alt? Johnny Silverhand's girlfriend? The one your Arasaka killed?"
"!"
Raizen's gaze locked on Kairo's face, trying to read him. "You know that name? You…"
"Work with us, Arasaka Raizen," Kairo said bluntly. "We can accomplish the very thing you truly want to do."
"Don't rush to reject or doubt us. I know all of this must feel sudden," Kairo rested his hands together, tapping his fingers lightly. "To me, you're a man of courage—but you lack strength. And this world is suffocating. I believe that after hearing what I have to offer, you'll want to stand with us."
"…Who exactly are you?" Raizen stared directly into Kairo's eyes, his thoughts racing. "You're… not part of any company? Are you… one of those AIs beyond the Blackwall?"
"Hahaha…"
Kairo let out a cheerful laugh.
"Allow me to introduce myself."
He flicked his wrist and made an exaggerated, nonsensical greeting gesture. "Kairo Retsu—Guildmaster of the Monster Hunter Gathering Hub."
"We're Hunters from another world," Kairo said confidently, smiling. "And this young guy next to me is David. He's a native of Night City, and now one of us."
"Come to think of it… we're around the same age." Kairo added casually, like making small talk. "You were born in '95, right? So you're like two or three years older than me…"
"Another world…" Raizen's face screamed disbelief. But the next moment, his eyes bulged in shock—
Kairo pulled out a nearly human-sized Great Sword from thin air.
"Knew you wouldn't believe me that easily… People with burdens tend to be like that." Kairo sighed, slung the Great Sword across his back, and stood up. "In that case, let me show you something beyond your understanding."
Kairo led Raizen out of the tent.
Only then did Raizen realize—the camp was built inside a cave on a rocky slope in the Badlands. The area was surrounded by stone, and only a narrow cliffside opening offered a view of the desert outside.
"This is… the Badlands?" Raizen suddenly felt something strange. As soon as he stepped out of the tent, he noticed some of his cyberware was being affected. "Wait… this interference… Did you bring me near that monster?!"
"Welcome to Night City's Secondary Camp! Located in the Badlands!" Kairo grinned. "We set up camp right near the Kirin's territory—makes it easier to take it down."
"David, make sure our business partner doesn't wander into anything dangerous," Kairo said. "It's about time we Hunters went out on a hunt."
And with that, Kairo leapt from the cave's edge. Moments later, Raizen watched him ride off on a motorcycle into the distance.
"…Where's he going?" Raizen asked, bewildered.
"Guildmaster went to challenge the Kirin. Along with some other Hunters. Said they're doing live training," David scratched his head. "He shouldn't be gone too long."
"He can take on that monster by himself? I saw him die to that thing's hooves just the other day…" Raizen said in disbelief, then suddenly turned to David. "And you—you really are one of the Hunters? Why would you join them?"
Raizen was hoping to extract information from the younger-looking David.
David took a deep breath. "Because I want to destroy those bastard corporations that trample the people I care about! I want them to live freely and openly in this world!"
"You…" Raizen looked at David and took a deep breath. "Let's talk."
About half an hour later, the sound of wooden wheels rumbling echoed from the cave entrance, making Raizen turn toward the source in alarm.
Then he saw—
A rainbow-colored Palico rolled in on a small wooden cart, pulling it into the cave perched on the cliff.
"A cat?!" Raizen's eyes bulged.
The Palico tipped the cart, dumping out a charred, carbonized hunk of blackened remains onto the ground.
And then—
That hunk of scorched flesh, completely desiccated and seemingly lifeless… suddenly began to expand—
And revived, coming back to life as a fully animated Kairo Retsu, shouting as he opened his mouth:
"▇▇▇▇▇!! There wasn't a single opening to attack! That shit-monster is the worst of the worst!!"
"How are you alive?!!! Are you even human or some kind of ghost?!!!!" Raizen was completely freaked out.
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