I stepped out of the shop and headed straight toward the city gate.
The new pistol was tucked at my waist. The baton in my hand… or at least, I tried to hold it.
I clenched my prosthetic hand.
Its movement… was delayed.
Like a shadow following my body half a second later.
"…weird," I muttered.
I tried gripping the baton.
Clang.
The baton fell to the ground.
"Difficult," I said flatly.
Reina floated beside me, staring at my hand. "Of course it's difficult. You just got it. Your nervous system hasn't adapted to the delay yet."
I picked up the baton again with my right hand.
"What if you control it?" I asked. "Would it be more accurate?"
Reina went silent for a moment. "I'll try."
Suddenly—
My hand moved on its own.
The mechanical fingers closed with precision. The baton lifted, spinning smoothly between them.
Fast. Clean. Stable.
"…wow," I muttered.
"Full control is easier for me," Reina said casually.
She spun the baton once more—faster.
Then when she tried to tighten the grip—
"Agh…!"
I winced.
Pain spread from the metal joint through my entire arm.
"Arche?" Reina's voice changed. "What's happening?"
"It feels… strange," I said, holding my breath. "Painful. Like… it's being forced to move."
Reina immediately stopped.
"Analyzing," she muttered quickly. "Neural connection isn't stable yet. Intensive use will trigger pain. This hand can't be used continuously."
I steadied my breathing.
"The good part?" I asked.
"I can adjust your movement delay. So the timing difference can be compensated."
"So… it's still usable."
"Usable, yes. Fighting effectively? No."
I gave a faint smile.
"I don't need to fight well."
Reina looked at me.
"I just need… to kill those two bastards."
Silence for a moment.
Then I stepped past the gates of Firmament.
The outside wind greeted me again.
I stood at the entrance of Sector F-02.
Quiet.
Too quiet.
No mechanical sounds. No movement. Even the wind felt reluctant to pass through.
"…silent," I muttered.
"Understandable," Reina replied. "With so many beginners ending up in official clinics… this area is being 'cleared' by Beginner Hunters."
I stepped inside slowly.
"It's fine. We won't go too deep," I said. "I just want to see their traces."
Reina sighed. "Alright. But don't be reckless."
We walked through the ruins.
Step by step, until I finally saw it.
The place where I almost died yesterday.
Bullet holes in the walls. Scattered debris. Dried bloodstains.
I stood still.
Reina floated, beginning her scan.
She moved quickly, circling the area, her eyes glowing as she processed data.
"Interesting," she murmured.
"What?"
"From the bullet remains," she said, "this isn't a cheap weapon. Large caliber. Heavy class. Usually only sold in high-end shops."
I frowned.
"For hunting beginners… they're too serious."
Reina continued.
"Footprints… heavy. Deep pressure. Military-grade boots. Not standard gear."
I looked down.
The prints were clear. Deep. Consistent.
"And this," Reina added, "leads toward Firmament."
I narrowed my eyes.
"Makes sense. They hunt here, then return to the city."
"But…" Reina paused.
"There's more?"
"There are other tracks."
She pointed deeper into the ruins.
More footprints. Messier… but not like a battle.
"…these aren't combat traces," she said. "More like… gathering."
I stared longer.
There were many.
Not just two people.
"…so it's not just them," I muttered.
"Correct," Reina said. "This is a group."
I exhaled slowly.
Not random hunters. Not desperate individuals.
This… was something bigger.
"…an organization," I said quietly.
Reina nodded. "Yes. They operate like one. Gathering, sharing loot, hunting systematically."
"…strange."
"And that's not all," she continued. "If they have gear like that, it means they have a supply chain. We can trace it through shop data in Firmament."
I turned. "You can access shop data?"
Reina puffed her chest, full of confidence. "Of course. I'm a high-grade magitech AI. Something like that is trivial."
She laughed softly—arrogant.
I just sighed.
"…but," she continued, "it'll take time. We have to filter all heavy equipment purchases. One by one."
"Not efficient," I muttered.
We were about to move—
BANG!
A gunshot shattered the silence.
I immediately tensed.
"Reina?"
"Scanning!"
Her eyes flashed. Her voice sharpened.
"Five heat signatures. Quite far. Not moving fast… stationary positions."
"Details."
"Two in the center, close together. Three spread in front. Formation… encirclement."
I narrowed my eyes.
"…a hunt."
"Correct. Beginner Hunters are hunting."
I immediately ran in the direction Reina indicated.
"Arche, wait!" she snapped. "Don't be reckless!"
"I know!"
"Don't get too close! They have heat sensors too!"
I stopped abruptly.
"…right."
I looked around.
"Find higher ground."
I climbed the ruins, my right hand gripping tightly, my mechanical hand following slightly behind.
When I reached the top—
I saw them.
Three people.
Fully equipped. Heavy weapons. Hiding behind debris. Surrounding a small building.
"Arche," Reina's voice entered my head. "I'm sharing thermal vision."
Suddenly—
My world changed.
Five red silhouettes appeared in my sight.
Three outside. Two inside the building.
"…I can see them," I muttered.
"The two inside are injured. One is barely moving," Reina explained.
From inside, weak return fire echoed.
"Do we help them?" Reina asked.
I stayed silent.
My eyes locked onto the three hunters.
Not them.
Not the two bastards I was looking for.
"…no," I said quietly.
"They're part of the organization," I continued. "But there are three of them. I only have one clip."
"High risk," Reina replied.
"I wait until they split. Take one."
"And those two beginners?"
"…not my problem."
Reina fell silent for a moment. Then nodded slightly.
"Logical. Your safety comes first."
We waited.
Silence.
Then—
"Arche!" Reina's voice suddenly shifted. "They're sending an SOS broadcast through A.R.M!"
I frowned. "SOS?"
"They're opening price negotiation."
I paused for a moment.
"…how much money do I have left?"
"Eight Nexbit."
I smiled faintly.
"Connect it."
Reina immediately linked the signal.
A woman's voice came through. Panicked. Breathing uneven.
"Are… are you the one receiving this SOS!? Please help us! We'll pay 1000 Nexbit if we make it back to Firmament alive!"
I looked at the three hunters.
"…your enemies are three people. Fully equipped."
I spoke calmly, firmly.
"I want 2000 Nexbit. And I want payment now."
Silence for a moment.
"What!? 2000!?" the woman's voice rose. "That's—!"
Gunfire echoed behind her.
"…fine!!" she shouted in panic. "I agree! But you have to escort us to Firmament! Half now, the rest in the city! No more negotiation!"
I smiled.
"Deal."
The connection cut.
I turned to Reina.
"Take the request."
Reina nodded. "Request accepted."
I took a slow breath.
Revenge could wait.
For now—
I had a job.
And 2000 Nexbit.