Chapter 68
"Phinid Eisel, affiliated with Archi's office, possesses expertise in spells that induce confusion in the mind, specializing in the rear disturbance. I wield an SMG as my weapon and also have knowledge of mechanical martial arts."
Following Lennok's instructions, the candidates took turns introducing themselves, showcasing their specialties, spell types, and affiliations, before awaiting evaluations.
An employee, positioned nearby, recorded their introductions and created evaluation forms that included the results of the initial physical tests.
The candidates felt uneasy about the employee's behavior, but they silently stepped back after being promised that the documents would be disposed of once the tests were completed.
However, it was likely more due to their reluctance to voice concerns in front of Lennok than solely relying on that promise.
It was only after the seventh candidate, a middle-aged woman, finished introducing herself that Lennok shifted his attention towards Panua and Manya.
The two naturally approached him, understanding his intentions.
"Have you made your decision?" Panua inquired.
"I don't see anyone useful aside from three," Lennok replied matter-of-factly.
Those three were a Druid with the ability to communicate with animals, a curse-specialized wizard, and Agria Noto from Cybrid Echo.
The remaining candidates either had uncertain spell types or didn't possess combat abilities that could be directly employed in battle.
In essence, there were few wizards skilled enough to assist in operations.
If they couldn't directly contribute to executing operations, their unique abilities needed to be exceptionally rare or possess a definitive effect to justify their selection. However, the gathered wizards didn't meet these criteria.
Even the hooded individual who had spoken earlier could only employ sound magic for the attack, lacking the capability for search or tracking. That was why Lennok decided to render him unconscious.
"It's not surprising," Panua replied. "If we can select around six, including the Mr. Wizard, that would be fortunate. Tests are also being conducted on Killian's side, so we won't be short on numbers."
"What if we have to eliminate one of those three?"
"What?" Panua's voice expressed surprise.
Lennok silently indicated one of the candidates with a nod of his head.
The candidate in question was a cheerful young man with a smiling face, emanating a unique aura. An animal resembling a squirrel rested on his shoulder, and he wore a loose, brightly colored robe.
Although a versatile Druid adept in various forms of natural magic, including actual communication with animals and shared senses, he was the one who shouldn't be selected in this scenario.
Surrounding the three with another round of sound magic, Lennok whispered in a low voice.
"Judging by his belongings, he is likely affiliated with the city government."
"...Are you suggesting that young man is an agent?"
Lennok directed his gaze towards the young man's waist in silence.
The druid carried a seemingly unremarkable small staff, but Lennok's potent mana-sensing ability easily pierced through the disguise.
Within the staff, an intense green wave writhed as if on the verge of bursting at any moment.
He had only glimpsed it visually once, but Lennok didn't miss it.
It was the same wave he had sensed emanating from the unknown device Evelyn carried during the confrontation with Croken.
"......"
Was it a mere coincidence?
Encountering the same wave he had only witnessed once during his six months in this field?
Lennok wasn't willing to take a risk-based on such a slim chance.
Although he didn't elaborate on the details, Panua accepted Lennok's decision without question.
Eventually, all the other candidates were dismissed, leaving only one pale-faced curse wizard.
The druid glanced at Lennok with a peculiar expression for a moment, then offered a cheerful smile and left the premises.
It seemed that he had no regrets about the outcome of this test.
Lost in thought, observing the druid's departure, Lennok was approached by the remaining curse wizard.
With a face that made it difficult to determine his age, the curse wizard confirmed his selection with a slight smile and extended his hand for a handshake.
"My name is Allen. Let's work well together in the future," Allen greeted Lennok with enthusiasm.
"I'm Van. We will discuss the details once the rest of the team is selected," Lennok responded, maintaining a professional demeanor.
"Of course. Personally, I'm quite drawn to the success bonus proposed by the head of the planning team. Ideally... Hmm?"
Allen appeared pleased about being selected and seemed eager to discuss matters with Lennok. However, when Agria approached from the side, he immediately retreated without saying a word.
"Mr. Wizard, could we have a private conversation for a moment?" Agria asked, leading Lennok to a secluded spot and pulling out an object.
"This is a personal gift for you from our team," Agria explained.
"A...gift?" Lennok echoed, his curiosity piqued.
"I heard that our new agent was caught in an embarrassing situation during the last operation. While it may not significantly impact the organization's reputation, we would prefer to avoid any unnecessary prejudice."
Was she offering him a bribe of sorts to win his favor?
Lennok looked down at the object she placed in his hand—a wristwatch designed for convenient carrying. Its blue display contrasted against a white background, making it stand out.
Surely, she couldn't be giving him a simple wristwatch as a gift. Agria seemed to sense his doubt and quickly provided an explanation.
"This is a new product we are developing in collaboration with the Baritz Corporation. It can replace all the functions of a mobile phone and can transform its shape for various purposes in emergencies."
As she spoke, Agria pressed a button on the side of the watch. The watch swiftly flipped over and transformed into a metal glove that encased Lennok's left hand.
"Like this. It's durable enough to block bullets easily. Not only does it serve as a self-defense tool, but it also has various patterns and functions for emergencies."
The glove transformed into a dagger, then into a short stick, and continued to showcase its versatility without interruption—a demonstration of its many transformations.
".........."
In technical terms, it was a multi-tool.
While Lennok wasn't particularly enticed by all the options, the fact that it could replace a mobile phone and function as a telescope caught his attention.
Agria seemed to interpret Lennok's silence differently and resumed speaking.
"Rest assured that we strictly adhere to Baritz Corporation's basic software rules for privacy protection. If you have any concerns, it can be checked at an after-sales center without any problem. Well then, I'll be going..."
As Agria turned around and made her way back to the stage, Lennok observed her, deep in thought.
Noticing Panua, who had followed them, Lennok asked, "What exactly do they want in return?"
"They are interested in obtaining our cutting techniques used for manufacturing industrial tools at our headquarters. It's an old technique for us, so it's not a significant loss... but they have been quite insistent, so we have been holding off on providing them with an advance," Panua explained, then looked at Lennok with a surprised expression.
"I find it rather surprising that you're so indifferent towards Agria."
Lennok retorted, his expression grumpy.
"Well, it's not as if she's the one who fled in the past... I don't hold grudges for such things."
To be precise, Lennok wasn't particularly concerned about Agria Noto's presence. Ever since he had become proficient in magic and considered himself a skilled wizard, there were very few colleagues who could truly assist him.
Even Dylan, a competent mercenary in his own right, proved to be of little help when it came to dealing with Croken Asilus. While Lennok cooperated in selecting team members according to Dyke's demands, this mission was no exception. He had grown accustomed to resolving everything on his own.
After completing his own test and taking a brief walk, Lennok noticed that Killian's physical examination had also concluded. Approaching the stage were three individuals who looked somewhat worn out, as if the test process hadn't been easy.
Killian, hands in his pockets, looked up at Lennok and declared, "It's done."
Lennok didn't respond, but his gaze shifted toward the three people standing behind Killian.
Among them were a reserved young man, a sturdy individual with a contrasting build, and a young woman wearing a deep hood. While they had passed Killian's test and possessed some level of physical preparedness, they seemed less experienced than they appeared.
"Based on my standards, these three might prove useful. With them, future operations should encounter fewer obstacles," Killan remarked.
"Are you sure?"
"...I've done my best."
"........."
The three individuals didn't react much to Lennok's direct gaze. They might have overheard an earlier remark about Lennok assuming command. The hooded individual who had opposed him earlier must have been an unusual character.
However, a faint, indiscernible expectation lingered in the eyes of the three individuals. As talented people themselves, they were likely curious about Lennok's level of expertise. It was rare to see a high-level wizard working as a freelancer in this field.
Meanwhile, Lennok was lost in thought, contemplating the selected participants.
'Three people....'
Including the curse wizard he had just chosen, which made a total of five.
With Lennok included, the team consisted of six members.
On the surface, having three in the vanguard and three in the rearguard might not appear inadequate in terms of numbers. However, one of them was a curse wizard who held little utility in battle.
Even though Lennok didn't have high expectations for his teammates, he wondered if this team composition was the right answer.
"Hoo...."
As Lennok sighed and lost himself in thought, Panua calmly addressed the group.
"Now that we've completed the team selection, let's proceed with the briefing for the second operation. Please follow me to the meeting room."
The meeting room was spacious, capable of accommodating hundreds of people. With a tiered structure, Panua stood on the stage at the bottom, activating the screen, while the others found their seats.
Once she ensured that all the members had settled down, Panua began explaining the operation.
Pointing to three photos displayed on the screen, she swiftly conveyed the details.
"The weapons trade in the 40s districts is heavily influenced by these three organizations: the Cigar Bang gang in District 48, the Plato Mercenary Office, and the Scavenger."
Photos of numerous organization members, the Plato Mercenary Office signboard, and the Scavenger emblem flashed on the screen as Panua continued her explanation.
"When Cigar Bang illegally imports weapons, the Plato Mercenary Office handles their distribution, and the Scavenger oversees the sales. The key player among them is Cigar Bang, the gang responsible for weapon imports."
The other two photos disappeared, leaving only the image of the gang members.
Accompanying the photo were piles of rifles, all of them military-grade weapons marked by the defense force or damaged by fire.
"They are smuggling a significant quantity of weapons into the city by striking deals with retiring soldiers. It's essentially a case of defense corruption."
"It's difficult to believe that the higher-ups in the defense force aren't aware of this," commented one of the team members, observing the number of guns in the picture. The sheer quantity missing from official records was absurd.
"We've heard rumors that the gang boss has connections with a high-ranking general in the defense front. This is why Cigar Bang, despite being smaller in scale compared to other major gangs in the 40s districts, manages to dominate this weapon industry," Panua explained, swiftly transitioning to the next screen.
"In summary, the situation is straightforward. The Plato Mercenary Office handles all distribution costs, while the Scavenger takes care of the footwork in selling the weapons. Meanwhile, Cigar Bang assumes the most dangerous risks."
"Efficient," murmured Jode, sitting with his arms crossed in front of Lennok.
Hearing his remark, Panua turned her head and shot him a cold glance.
"They have managed to maintain this delicate balance thus far, but this sort of lucrative operation can crumble into ruin with the slightest mistake."