Chapter 507: Excessive Equipment (1)
As Oliver entered Big Wheel's hideout, he stepped out of the car and spoke.
"Greetings... Are you the leader of Big Wheel, Mr. Hog?"
Oliver asked the muscular man standing there stiffly. Judging by his age in the fifties, his neatly trimmed sports haircut, and his roughly grown beard, he seemed to be the leader of Big Wheel, Hog. Fortunately, the guess was correct.
"Who are you?"
"Oh, pardon me. I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Zenon Bright, an employee of the Tower of Magic—Elemental School."
Oliver pulled out a business card from his pocket and handed it to the man. It was white and stiff, like the shell of a freshly laid egg.
Hog silently stared at the card, lost in thought, his eyes reflecting a mix of longing, regret, and jealousy.
"...So, it was you who we attacked?"
"Do you know me?"
"Of course I know you. You're a fixer and an up-and-coming big shot in Landa, not just an employee of the Tower. Though your appearance is a bit different from what I've heard... Damn it, I knew dealing with someone with a high price on their head was risky, but I didn’t expect it to be this bad. I should've taken a closer look, even if I didn’t have the time."
Oliver tilted his head slightly.
"An up-and-coming big shot... in Landa?"
"Are you playing dumb?"
"I honestly don’t know what you’re talking about."
"Just as the rumors say, you're quite cunning. The guy who killed Seamus, seized his influence, pretended to be unambitious, and quietly built up power to the point of taking over an entire district..."
Oliver was momentarily at a loss for words. It was all true, but somehow the details seemed twisted.
"Then again, I suppose a guy who isn't satisfied with a wealthy lover and also serves as the pimp for dozens of prostitutes would need that kind of shamelessness... Did you come here for revenge?"
Oliver raised his left index finger in a gesture asking for a moment. He was confused, unsure what Hog was talking about. A wealthy lover? A pimp for prostitutes? He'd heard such things mentioned occasionally.
"Hmm..."
Oliver let out a low sound as he organized his thoughts. He wondered whether he should ask about these strange rumors first or address the business matter. After a short but deep consideration, he decided to prioritize public matters over personal ones.
"I'm not here for revenge. I've come to propose a deal."
"...A deal?"
"Yes, a deal. I have some questions both personal and professional... Could you tell me who backed and supported you?"
Oliver stated his purpose for being there. After all, the equipment Big Wheel had received was beyond imagination.
Machine guns, submachine guns, and even bikes could be dismissed, but the magical engineering armor seen at the end was simply unacceptable to overlook.
Yareli had mentioned that it was a custom model currently under development, and that it was something that couldn't be made in Celland. Even in the country of origin, it was under strict control.
Finding out who had provided such equipment would be a significant help—not just for this situation, but for other matters as well.
That was why both Derek and Yareli had agreed to come here.
However, after listening to Oliver's explanation, Hog only scoffed.
"Ha! This is different from the rumors. I heard you slaughtered hundreds of druids like you were cutting down trees, so I thought you'd start swinging your fists right away if things went south... But here you are, acting like a gentleman."
"Thank you for the compliment, but it’s a misunderstanding. I didn’t kill hundreds of druids, only 82 of them. There were some circumstances behind it. And I’m not a gentleman, either."
"Hmm... You're even crazier than the rumors say."
"My apologies... So, will you make a deal with me? Even though you attacked us, I understand that you have your own circumstances. You were pushed out by independent gangs, I heard."
Hog flared up.
"Ha! ...Did my men tell you that?"
"Uh... Something like that."
"That's strange. My men aren’t the talkative type."
"Well... In any case, the point is that I’m suggesting we make a new deal. Just tell me who ordered the attack on us and supplied you with that equipment, and I’ll pay a suitable price and leave. What do you say?"
Oliver took out a cylindrical device from his pocket. It seemed to be a recording device, attached to the temples, shoulders, and chests of the gang members who had attacked on the road.
"You're saying you’ll just leave, pay money, and show mercy?"
"It's not mercy, it's just rational. We have our own reasons for not wanting to fight if possible, and it’s best to obtain information willingly. If I offended you, I apologize."
"An apology? ...You've already wrecked our hideout and run over one of my men with a car."
Oliver glanced to the side. The gang member he had hit with the car earlier was lying on the ground, his guts spilling out. The other gang members, alerted by the commotion, were approaching, armed with magical engineering weapons and dark magic items.
"I thought a strong impression would be good for negotiation."
"You're just as annoying as those Tower people... always doing things your own way."
At that moment, Oliver sensed a certain connection. It might have been his imagination, but it seemed like Hog had some history with the Tower of Magic.
The members of Big Wheel, who had gathered around, began to encircle Oliver. Some were armed with ordinary firearms, but a few of the leaders wielded mechanical gauntlets, magic guns, and wands associated with mages.
Each piece of equipment was expensive, and some of it was hard to come by.
"I refuse the proposal. I’ve been promised a great reward for taking you down. If we backed down because we got scared, how would we survive in this world? You need guts to get by."
Despite his words, Hog’s decision seemed driven more by emotion than reason. The issue was that it didn’t seem to be his own will, but rather related to the dark magic items on his body.
Still, just in case, Oliver tried to persuade him.
"If you need work, I can provide some."
"...What?"
"We don’t have anyone handling transportation yet. The original income source of the Road Gang included transport, so would you be interested? Since you’ve suffered indirectly because of our business, at least I can—"
"—You must think I’m some pushover!"
"Huh?"
"Offering me scraps and expecting me to betray my client? What, did you think I'd tuck my tail between my legs just because you sweet-talked me?"
"No, I was just—"
"—I refuse! I'm not settling for scraps! Guys! This is our chance! Get him!"
At their leader's command, the Big Wheel members who had surrounded the ruined building charged at Oliver.
Mechanical gauntlets clicked as they released blue steam, magic guns emitted radiant magical light, and the wand of a mage, presumably from the Agni Sub-School, trembled before spewing fire.
"What a pity."
Oliver, surrounded, muttered quietly. At that moment, a massive truck came crashing down from the sky.
The illegal modified truck, which had been used to attack Oliver, fell suddenly, causing the ground to quake as flames erupted in all directions.
"Argh—!!"
"Fire! Fire!! Aaagh—!"
"Screeaam!!"
The Big Wheel members, who had been focusing on Oliver, screamed as the sudden catastrophe disrupted their formation.
Those outside the truck’s impact range were unharmed, but that changed when Derek descended from the sky.
"It would've been better to start like this in the first place!"
Shouting, Derek, who had fallen into the middle of the fiery chaos wielding a long sword, concentrated his magical power into his weapon, unleashing a magical formula.
Being an Agni Sub-School mage, he manipulated the flames like his own limbs, channeling them into his sword. As the blade glowed red-hot, he slashed through the air.
Eight streams of fire split and surged along the ground, sweeping over the gang members encircling Oliver. His skills had already been decent before, but now they had improved significantly. Not only had his ability to deploy magical formulas become more fluid, but his power and control had also markedly increased. It was clear that the teachings of Kevin had left a noticeable impact.
“Argh!!”
Amidst the blazing inferno created by the fallen truck and Derek’s flames, a voice cried out.
With a heavy rumbling sound, the ground erupted as a massive wall of earth and stone surged upward, crafted from dirt and infused with magical power. It was not a mage behind this act but rather a gang member wielding a magical engineering weapon embedded with techniques from the Gaia Sub-School.
The wielder was a huge man with brawny muscles, who used a hammer-like magical weapon to manipulate the earth, erecting the wall to physically repel the flames. He then activated the weapon again, smashing it into the ground.
Ch-ch-chk! The engine of the magical weapon roared, and the magic and techniques within it intertwined, resulting in an explosion. A stone pillar shot up from the ground beneath the large man's feet, propelling him high into the air. Using this momentum, he leaped straight toward Derek.
Derek showed no signs of backing down; instead, he gathered more flames into his sword, heating the blade to a glowing red to meet his opponent’s attack.
Just as the giant man and Derek were about to clash, something with crimson wings swooped down from the sky and snatched the man mid-air.
It was none other than Unner, who had crafted blood wings using blood magic. Despite her slender frame and delicate appearance, she displayed incredible strength, gripping the large man by his throat with one hand and his hammer-wielding arm with the other.
Caught off guard by the sudden assault and unexpected opponent, the man tried to resist by swinging his weapon. But when Unner applied force to his arm, his bones cracked, and he dropped the hammer.
With her adversary disarmed, Unner threw him upwards and slashed at his abdomen with her razor-sharp claws, leaving deep gashes. Blood and entrails spilled into the air.
Unner then activated her blood magic, taking control of every drop of blood spilled.
[Blood Spear]
Using the blood she had secured, she formed several thin spears and launched them at the gang members who had survived Derek's flames. The gang members tried to defend themselves, but the blood spears, infused with magic, emotions, and intent, pierced through their bodies.
As their bodies were impaled, Unner used the spears as conduits to draw out their blood. It was a sound choice since blood magic, being part magic and part dark magic, grew stronger with more and better-quality materials.
Boom━!!
With the remaining enemies wiped out by Unner, an icy mountain suddenly rose from the warehouses and parking lots near the hideout.
This was Yareli's doing. The plan had been for her to launch a surprise attack on the warehouse and parking lot if negotiations failed and Oliver attracted attention.
The ice magic from the Skadi Sub-School was suitable for subduing opponents while minimizing damage to buildings and property.
Pa-bang!
As everyone’s attention shifted to the icy mountain, Hog gathered magical power in his legs and lunged at Oliver, slashing at him with a knife.
According to the information Unner had obtained by consuming Big Wheel's blood, Hog's knife skills were quite formidable. Even a single swing carried a magic-infused blade that flashed blue from three directions: left, right, and center.
Clang! Clang!
"Impressive," Oliver said, blocking with a quarterstaff held lightly in one hand.
“You damn brat!” Hog snapped, his anger flaring as he pushed his magical power to its limits, accelerating his blade’s speed to a feverish pace. It was a risky combat style that put great strain on his body, but the blade moved rapidly and menacingly.
This reckless fighting approach was part of why his body had deteriorated to the point where he had been driven out of Landa and left to struggle against independent gangs. Yet his fighting spirit remained undiminished.
Clang! Clang! Clang-clang━!!
Hog concentrated magic in his arms and unleashed three nearly simultaneous attacks, followed by a powerful thrust and a flurry of slashes. Despite the intensity, Oliver effortlessly blocked each strike with his quarterstaff and magic shield.
Ssss.
When his attacks kept getting thwarted, Hog retreated to create some distance.
“Should I step in?” Derek asked.
“No, Mr. Derek. If you don’t mind, could you and Ms. Unner assist Ms. Yareli? I sense a strong magical presence over there,” Oliver replied.
Derek glanced over toward Yareli's direction. As Oliver had noted, a powerful source of magic was detected—it was a magical engineering weapon.
Derek gave Oliver a quick look, then moved without complaint, and Unner flew off with the blood she had collected.
“Hah! So, you don’t need any backup for someone like me? You’re awfully confident!”
“No, it’s not that. I don’t underestimate you, Mr. Hog. It’s just that I’m not that strong,” Oliver replied, recalling the Burnt One. Compared to him, Oliver considered himself weak.
“I just think the situation over there is more critical. While I'm here to ask about the people behind you, I also came to secure the equipment you possess... Moreover—”
“Huh?”
“I'm concerned about the dark magic item you’re wearing. What is it?” Oliver asked.
At the question, Hog ripped off his shirt in response.
Beneath his clothing was an armor-like garment that resembled human skin, with a mix of crimson and pink tones. Grotesquely, human faces contorted in agony were embedded across the chest and abdomen.
It was like a vest made from the skin of Bathory.
“You made that from mages and magic users, didn’t you?” Oliver remarked, sensing the energy emanating from the garment.
“So, you know? Thanks to it, I can do things like this,” Hog replied.
As he spoke, the human-skin armor enveloped his entire body. Multiple mouths appeared on the armor, exhaling magic and devouring the surrounding flames.
Hog cloaked himself in the flames and roared triumphantly.
“This feels fantastic!!”