Chapter 21

"It's time to come..."

Dray Krimgal, the leader of the Krimgal Mercenary Office, cast a nervous glance at his wristwatch, his throat dry with anxiety. Though their profession was often referred to as mercenary work, they were more accurately categorized as a Private Military Company (PMC). Their bread and butter revolved around utilizing their military might to solve problems, and their tactics were sometimes deemed a tad extreme.

To make matters worse, the Krimgal Mercenary Office was not a well-established or widely recognized franchise, unlike Antares or Platon. In fact, they were just starting to carve out their niche in the industry. Adding to their woes, the group had already garnered a reputation for being unwelcome among the wizard community, and with their limited scale, opportunities were few and far between.

Even if they went to great lengths to recruit a wizard or two, rival organizations would quickly poach them, or they would inevitably abandon the mercenary life altogether, given its arduous nature.

He had been trying to steadily hire at least two wizards to minimize gaps in their magical prowess, but it had to happen just as he won this contract.

"Two of the wizards I hired this time walked out together..."

At Dray's sigh, the young man Weian, who was warming up next to him, grinned.

"I told you not to be too tough on them from the beginning, boss."

"It's not like I asked them to do anything too difficult. I just asked them to endure this once, I listened to their every complaint, but they go and stab me in the back like this!"

"It was probably too harsh for the delicate sensibilities of those gentlemen."

"Right, let's not worry about what's already happened!"

Kidel, a bespectacled woman holding a long gun, and Ike, a burly bald man with thick arms, were among the several mercenaries surrounding Dray and chatting noisily. He weakly chuckled at the sight.

"Okay, it's fine. I got a firm confirmation from Jenny that we'll be able to find a decent wizard for this job. We'll have to recruit some newbies again after this is over."

"Is the wizard coming this time reliable?"

"I heard he's a highly skilled lightning wizard. He'll be a considerable help for this operation."

Wizards with elemental attributes, especially those skilled in ranged combat, are highly coveted and valuable assets in any mercenary group. Their presence alone can provide unparalleled stability, especially when the group is tasked with a large-scale operation that requires coordinated movement.

It is precisely for this reason that Dray Krimgal, the head of the Krimgal Mercenary Office, made the bold decision to offer an exorbitant fee of 20 million cells to secure the services of such a wizard.

"He won't be lacking in ability... I don't know about his personality though."

Dray was fed up with the unsavory personalities and malevolent behavior exhibited by wizards on several occasions. As he pondered this, he lifted his gaze and noticed a figure emerging from an adjacent alleyway.

It was a composed and collected young man, sporting a shirt and leisurely munching on a sandwich as he leisurely surveyed his surroundings.

"......"

The moment the young man locked eyes with Dray, he abruptly altered his course. The mercenaries who trailed behind Dray let out a collective groan as they observed the scene.

"No way..."

"Is that guy?"

Before Dray could even answer, the young man stopped in front of them.

"Is this the Krimgal Mercenary Office?"

"...Are you Van, the wizard?"

"That's right."

After completing his sandwich, Van stashed the plastic wrap inside his bag.

The sandwich was filled with paprika, which he had prepared himself to maintain his health.

Ironically, the paprika tasted just as bland and dry in this world as it did in his previous. Nonetheless, Van was willing to endure such tasteless meals in the name of his well-being.

"Are you smoking before the operation?"

Kidel bared his teeth in a snarl directed at Van, who calmly retrieved a cigarette and placed it between his lips. Despite Kidel's aggression, Van remained unflinching and retorted in kind.

"It's necessary."

Lennok saw no need to justify his smoking habit to the group. He had already smoked one on his way to the location to catch his breath, but he now lit another one to ensure he was fully prepared. With the Krimgal Mercenary Office having shelled out a significant sum of money for his services, Lennok had no intention of holding back.

Dray quietly observed Lennok's behavior before finally addressing him.

"We paid 20 million cells just to hire you."

"......."

"Hopefully, there won't be any setbacks during the operation."

"I'll do my best."

Despite Lennok's initial appearance being so surprising that it was hard to believe they would be going on an operation together, Dray nodded his head in agreement at Lennok's composed response.

"Now that the wizard is here, let's start the final briefing."

Dray retrieved a laptop from his bag, which he had set on the ground, and deftly pressed a few buttons. A hologram materialized from the lens on the laptop's top, projecting a blue light.

The hologram showcased the layout of a three-story building in exquisite detail. Dray spun the hologram once to ensure everyone could view it and then proceeded to provide a detailed explanation.

"Currently, Scavenger is occupying the rooftop of the power plant, where they are stealing the power. And there are two routes to get there, the elevator and the stairs, both of which are guarded by the armed forces of the Scavenger from the three branches."

Given that typically only one Scavenger branch operates in a given area, the fact that Scavengers from three different regions participated in this operation is significant.

"This is a unit that has gathered mana users with some combat ability among the Scavenger. Although it's not difficult to deal with, they are not the type of enemy to be careless about."

Dray continued to speak as he displayed the numbers on the hologram.

"We don't know what these rats are up to by stealing the power, but our job remains the same. As previously discussed, the third unit will break through the first floor, the first unit will enter through the second-floor window, and while the second unit holds them off, the third unit will penetrate the rooftop directly."

Lennok stood beside Dray, his arms crossed as he intently listened to the explanation. Though Dray spoke rapidly, his clear and unwavering enunciation had a calming effect on the listeners, despite the speed of his words.

If there existed a title for a battlefield commander, Dray would surely be worthy of it. As he absorbed the information, his mind wandered to the topic of the renowned mercenary, Antares. If he had the ability to command someone as skilled as Dylan, then he must possess extraordinary talent and skill.

Lost in thought, Lennok's attention drifted from Dray's continuing explanation.

"The 2nd unit will eliminate the enemy forces that have occupied the power facility and confirm that the servers are safe. After that, the 3rd and 1st units will push the Scavengers toward the stairs simultaneously from above and below. Then, the 2nd unit coming down from the rooftop and the 1st and 3rd units coming up from below will repeat the same process. Is everything clear?"

"Yes, sir!!!"

As the resounding response of the mercenaries reached his ears, Dray brought his explanation to a close and turned to glance at Lennok.

"After the wizard unleashes as much firepower as possible during the initial attack, you'll follow the 3rd unit and provide support from the rear as they move up from below."

Lennok silently nodded his understanding. Compared to the previous task of infiltrating a factory and blowing up a basement, this one seemed relatively straightforward. All he had to do was stay in the back and use his magic when necessary.

Even in the previous job, it appeared that Jenny hadn't made an overly challenging request, especially given that Dylan was such a highly skilled individual who could easily attract attention. If not for Croken's involvement, even he would have found the factory destruction request easy to execute.

Although Jenny was aware of Dylan's abilities, it seemed she also wanted Lennok to gain experience with corporate requests, even if it meant pushing him to his limits. Nonetheless, Lennok struggled to fathom why Jenny would go to such lengths to do him a favor.

"Alright. Let's get started. Everyone to their positions!"

Upon hearing Dray's directive, the mercenaries sprang into action, gathering their weapons and equipment with resolute determination.

While some wielded mechanical hammers or unique gadgets, the most common weapons were melee and firearms. In a world where physical abilities can be enhanced with magic, it's not uncommon for both melee and ranged weapons to coexist. However, in this line of work, the desire for magic is almost palpable, as it can prove invaluable in moments of crisis.

As the mercenaries made their way through the streets, the dilapidation of the surroundings became more pronounced. At the end of an alley stood a three-story building, with wires jutting out of its windows and armed individuals patrolling the entrances and windows. The weapons and equipment on display were uniform in color, and there was even a faint magical aura present.

It was clear that these individuals were from the Scavengers. Hailing from District 50, the Vulcan police had long since abandoned this lawless area, allowing groups like the Scavenger to take over other companies' offices and extort them with impunity. While it may have been unjust for consulting companies to lose their offices, they were likely drawn to this area due to the low rent and almost non-existent taxes.

At times like these, when conventional methods prove inadequate, it becomes necessary to call upon a different kind of violent force, one like the Krimgal Mercenary Office, to resolve such troublesome problems.

As Lennok gazed up at the wiring protruding from the windows, his mind wandered. 'It would be so much simpler if I just unleashed Thunder Calling from the get-go.'

With a single strike of lightning to the facility on the roof, they could eradicate all the Scavengers' plans at once. However, such a move could prove disastrous if it caused damage to the server. The financial consulting company had specified that they should avoid any actions that could result in the loss of server data, which was a strict condition that had to be adhered to, despite its difficulty.

As Dray signaled, the mercenaries each sought their own cover and began to advance slowly.

Dray leaned in and whispered softly to Lennok, who trailed behind him. "There's a low probability, but there's always a chance they've hired a wizard. If you sense anything, please notify me immediately."

The fact that they're putting in so much effort in Scavenger, where the already poor people gather, means that this matter is quite important to them.

"Okay... hmm?"

Just as Lennok was about to reply to Dray, he felt a sharp, dagger-like gaze pierce through his magical perception. It was a strange and unfamiliar sensation, but Lennok's potent magical abilities quickly identified it as a visually created illusion crafted by magic.

Someone was observing them from a higher vantage point.

The instant he recognized this, Lennok instinctively extended his magical senses to locate the source of the gaze.

[Whoa...!!]

A voice of shock and surprise echoed beyond the realm of magic. Lennok's finely tuned magical perception promptly identified the precise location of the gaze.

'... Found it.'

Crackle...!!

Lennok swiftly located the source of the gaze, identifying a man who was utilizing magic while kneeling in a secluded room within the three-story building.

Though he was unsure of how he managed it, Lennok sensed that he could do more than merely detect the gaze. He seized control of the wizard's search magic with his own will, completely severing the connection.

As Lennok shattered the magic being cast, the recoil caused the wizard to collapse, blood streaming from his nose and ears. This confirmed that the magic had been successfully neutralized.

"The enemy wizard used a search spell just now."

"... What?"

"I felt his magic, so I caught the thread and suppressed it. We can go in now."

The statement sounded rash and improbable, difficult to accept even with a firsthand witness.

Yet, as Dray nonchalantly shifted his gaze towards the third floor, he noticed the heavily-armed guards, who had been maintaining strict security, suddenly scurrying about in a frenzy.

It was an unexpected breach in their defenses. Dray recognized this as a prime opportunity and promptly signaled the mercenaries to take action.

"Let's go...!!"

BANG!

As soon as the mercenaries received the order, they hurled projectiles and charged ahead. They swiftly blunted the enemy's vision with flash grenades and obscured the area with a thick shroud of smoke.

PWOOSH

Meanwhile, the Krimgal mercenaries soundlessly surged forward along the asphalt, closing in on their objective.

The Scavengers, alerted by the disturbance, swiftly turned their weapons toward the oncoming attackers.

Observing this, Lennok hastily gathered his mana in preparation for action.

(TO BE CONTINUED)