Chapter 267

Chapter 267

If everything in the world went according to my will, how wonderful would that be?  

Everyone must have thought about this at some point. Days without crises or hardships. A life filled with happiness, where even pain ceases to exist.  

We dream of a life where only warm light endlessly pours down upon us.  

But I have never seen anyone truly enjoy happiness. Not a beggar at the bottom of society, nor the rulers governing entire planets.  

We long for happiness, but we are wretched beings who can never truly grasp it.  

Happiness is deceptively fleeting. Just when you think you have it in your grasp, it slips through your fingers. When you believe it is by your side, it vanishes into thin air before you even realize it.  

Happiness flees from us. What we face in reality is pain, and the fate of life is suffering.  

Throb. Throb.  

I clutched my head. The time for a decision had come. I had already rolled the dice on this gamble.  

If this gamble failed… I had no idea what would happen to me.  

‘There is no safety net.’  

To move forward, I had to be prepared to throw everything away. I couldn’t protect everyone.  

‘Even if sacrifices must be made, don’t stop. Erase my weak heart, just this once.’  

Reaffirming my resolve, I opened my eyes.  

Vrrr—  

Lante and three former Imperial Guards sat nearby.  

We were riding in the cargo compartment of a freight vehicle, heading outside Border City.  

“The development zone is in sight, so we should be leaving Border City soon.”  

Lante spoke while looking at the screen of his terminal. The screen, linked to the vehicle’s cameras, displayed the scenery outside.  

The outskirts of Border City were undergoing rapid development. Like an unchecked symbol of insatiable desire, the city was expanding recklessly.  

Lante and the former Imperial Guards appeared more composed than usual. They had finished maintenance and were fully armed. Though their appearance seemed worn, they must have replaced their cybernetic components with fresh ones.  

Lante and the former Imperial Guards were formidable warriors. If I were still a cadet, their presence would have given me a sense of reassurance and stability.  

However… even with them by my side, I still felt uneasy. A crushing pressure weighed down on me, something they alone could not alleviate.  

“We liked Commander Hemillas. Yeah, we couldn’t help but like him. Even as the Commander of the Imperial Guard, he didn’t blindly serve the Imperial Family—he was someone who represented our interests. Some might call that disloyalty, but to us, he was the best commander.”  

Lante muttered as if reminiscing. He seemed genuinely happy that I had joined them.  

“He was a good father to me as well. There was a lot to learn from him.”

"I hope you've learned a lot. Including how to win people's trust."  

Lante assumed I was leaving Border City to expand the Empire’s Blade faction.  

The subordinate organizations of the Empire’s Blade were abuzz with the news of Lukaus Custoria joining. They believed my presence would attract many neutral forces.  

'Expectations.'  

Lante and the former Imperial Guards had expectations of me. However, I had no intention of meeting them—I planned to use them unilaterally.  

'Given the nature of the Imperial Guard, they’re ideal for exploitation.'  

They were predators, yet at the same time, pitiful beasts that needed to move in packs. Wolves that required someone to follow and devote their loyalty to.  

Clunk, clunk.  

The vehicle rattled. As we hit an unpaved road, the vibrations and noise intensified, making the cargo loaded with us shake as well.  

Even after leaving Border City, nothing unusual had happened for quite some time. It was about the time hunger would start setting in.  

Crunch.  

I chewed on a tasteless nutrition bar.  

Unlike me, who still had a biological digestive system, Lante and the other fully cybernetic members simply drank glucose liquid to finish their meal.  

Clunk, thud!  

Suddenly, a strong impact hit. It sounded like a wheel had come off, and the vehicle tilted to one side.  

Screeech!  

The vehicle swayed violently as if it would overturn but barely managed to stabilize.  

Creak.  

Lante and the others gripped their weapons, pressing their backs and hands against the walls. They looked ready to smash through the cargo hold at any moment.  

Thud! Bang!  

Short bursts of gunfire came from outside.  

Chhh, chhh.  

Lante put away his communicator, which was now filled with static. The external cameras had been disabled.  

"Looks like we have guests. Well, we moved knowing that information might leak."  

Lante gave a quick nod to another member.  

Crunch!  

The squad members tore open the cargo hold with their bare hands and leaped out.  

Whoosh!  

I was about to move forward as well, but Lante’s hand stopped me.  

He signaled for me to stay put. Their mission was to protect me.  

"If combat breaks out, you escape first. You were an Imperial Guard—you know mission priorities. Don't worry about our survival. I sincerely mean that."  

Saying that, Lante stepped outside.  

Hooooong.  

Beyond the broken cargo hold, a vast grassland stretched out.  

The low shrubs swayed gently with the wind.  

—No detections, even with the scanners.  

—There was definitely an attack. Bullet marks confirm it. Stay alert.  

—Not even with all sensors…  

The squad’s short-range communication came through.

—It's a paranormal phenomenon. Prepare energy defenses. Shut down all unnecessary mechanical sensors and rely only on basic senses. Trust your instincts and intuition.  

Lante quickly assessed the situation and issued orders. It was no coincidence that he had been one of Hemillas’s closest aides.  

'Paranormal phenomenon.'  

A term used to describe technologies and abilities that cannot be explained or proven by our current scientific knowledge. Force abilities that defy physical laws and the relics of the Arcane Civilization fell into this category.  

If this were concealment based on existing scientific technology, at least one of our sensors or devices would have picked something up.  

Lante had determined that the enemy was using either Arcane Civilization technology or Force-based concealment.  

'Kinuan is here.'  

I was certain of it. Memories of my last encounter with Kinuan surfaced in my mind.  

'Dead Ronin.'  

Kinuan referred to his subordinates as Dead Ronin. Valek had been one of them.  

The Dead Ronin had the ability to dull even my own senses, blending seamlessly into the crowds of the city. In open terrain like this, they wouldn't be able to hide as perfectly as before, but at long range, detection would still be difficult.  

Difficult, but not impossible. They hadn't physically disappeared.  

I reached for the communicator at the back of my neck, intending to offer some advice. But before I could speak, Lante had already arrived at the same conclusion.  

—Trust your instincts and fire at anything that feels off. Permission granted for large-scale firepower deployment. Use electromagnetic emissions as well.  

I didn’t even need to intervene. Lante had far more combat experience than I did.  

He remained remarkably composed in the face of the abnormal, responding with practiced ease. Even through the comms, his seasoned expertise was evident.  

Thwump—Bang! Crackle!  

I listened carefully, relying solely on my hearing to gauge the situation outside. Heavy gunfire echoed in steady intervals, while electromagnetic grenades detonated in midair.  

—Luka, now’s your chance. We’ll hold the standoff—move.  

Lante’s voice came through my earpiece.  

Swish.  

I pulled back the tarp covering the cargo hold.  

A high-powered two-wheeled vehicle sat before me, its massive wheels exposed. It was built to tear through unpaved roads with ease.  

"…Well, let’s go."  

I pressed the communicator on my chest with a click and mounted the bike.  

It was completely open, leaving the rider fully exposed.  

Guaaaaang!  

The moment the system recognized a passenger, the bike let out an earth-shaking roar. Its engine output was beyond absurd.  

'The vibrations alone could throw a person off. This isn't meant for regular users. It’s designed for full-body cyborgs or exoskeleton combat suits.'  

Suppressing the violent tremors with effort, I steadied my breathing.  

Kiiiiiing!

I stared at the firmly shut cargo hold entrance and twisted the throttle.  

Tukaang—!  

Flames burst from the exhaust. In the blink of an eye, the front wheel was already smashing through the cargo hold’s entrance.  

I ducked my head, letting the crushing force of the wind roll off the back of my skull.  

‘They sure prepared a monstrous machine.’  

The bike bucked violently, as if it could take off at any moment. Even a slight lapse in focus might send it airborne, flipping out of control. Someone had definitely strapped an engine meant for aircraft onto this two-wheeler.  

Gaaaaaaaang!  

The high-powered bike tore across the ground, flattening the low-lying shrubs beneath its massive wheels.  

Kwa-ang!  

Seizing the moment of my escape, Lante and his squad unleashed firepower in all directions. The sound of grenades detonating filled the air.  

With the sheer output of the bike alone, my concentration peaked. The roar of the engine felt unbearably slow, dragging out in my ears like an overwhelming pressure.  

‘The Dead Ronin are caught off guard.’  

I sensed an odd disturbance.  

For a brief moment, the world seemed to pause.  

Far ahead, a patch of shrubs subtly swayed—not with the wind, but against it.  

If I maintained this insane level of focus any longer, my brain would give out from the pressure.  

I blinked, snapping my awareness back.  

Kududududu!  

Tilting the bike, I scraped the ground as I made a sharp turn. The force ripped the shrubs from their roots, sending waves of dust and debris crashing into the air.  

‘I have no business with small fry.’  

If anyone was going to chase me, Kinuan alone would suffice. As for the Dead Ronin or whatever they were, I’d leave them to Lante and his team. My senior comrades were real soldiers—true warriors. They wouldn’t complain about dying here because of me, would they?  

Goooooooo!  

A surge of hormones sent my emotions spiraling. Even in this desperate struggle, I felt the urge to grin. A moment of realization struck—just how much of a wretched bastard I really was.  

Tuuuung! Tung!  

I twisted the throttle to the max while swerving the bike.  

The engine roared as if it were about to explode, and the exhaust howled like a detonating bomb.  

For a second, the thought crossed my mind—maybe Kinuan and the Dead Ronin wouldn’t be able to keep up.  

‘But this much is necessary to make it look like I’m truly running away.’  

A wave of unease surged within me.  

What if Kinuan gave up tracking me here? What if this was the extent of his abilities? What if I had simply overestimated him?  

…Then I would be the one who perishes.  

Right now, I had to trust my enemy.  

Yes, I had always believed in Kinuan. I never doubted that he would easily see through my thoughts and plans.

'So see through me this time, too. You have to.'  

You're a monster, Kinuan. Prove to me that my assessment of you isn't just my own delusion.  

I could no longer sense Lante or the Dead Ronin’s engagement. My bike was rapidly distancing itself from the cargo truck.  

Because of the acceleration, I kept my head low and only lifted my eyes.  

Tuaaang!  

As I crested a hill in the grasslands, the bike nearly launched into the air before slamming back down. The impact jolted my body.  

Beyond the hill, a brown wasteland stretched before me. And on one of its rocks stood a man.  

I had been riding at random, so how the hell had he positioned himself right there?  

Because he's my nemesis, that's why! Son of a bitch!  

"Hah, haha!"  

I let out a wide grin. The man standing there still had the same face as Kinuan.  

Kinuan looked at me and smiled. Even from over a kilometer away, I could clearly see his expression. My dilated pupils felt like they were about to burst.  

He pressed a syringe against his neck and injected himself with something. Then, after calmly closing his eyes, he extended his pistol toward me.  

Bang!  

A single shot.  

I hadn't been sitting still, either. I tilted the bike, trying to throw off the impact point.  

I had no idea what he was aiming for, but I tried to make the shot miss. This high-powered bike wasn't something that could be taken down by a low-caliber handgun.  

Click, screech! Kaaaaang!  

But something strange happened.  

A small component of the bike seemed to twist as it was struck by the bullet. That single impact threw the bike into an uncontrollable state, causing it to suddenly lift and flip over.  

Bwoooong!  

If I stayed like this, I'd get sent to the afterlife along with the bike. While airborne, I twisted my body and launched myself to the side.  

Duaaaaaang!  

The overturned bike let out a monstrous noise as its wheels spun helplessly.  

"Goddamn it."  

Rising from the dust cloud, I began priming my shock pistol, Ruina.  

Only Kinuan and I understood what had just happened.  

‘Freak.’  

Yeah, now that I was facing him directly, I knew.  

I hadn't overestimated Kinuan at all. In fact, now I was starting to wonder if his abilities even fell within the realm of Akies Victima.  

'He predicted my prediction of my own prediction.'  

It sounded like a joke, but that’s exactly what he had done.  

Kinuan had simulated in his head how I would maneuver the bike and then made a predictive shot.  

Is that even possible?  

Of course not. Not in any way that makes sense.  

And yet, he had turned an impossible calculation into reality.  

How was that any different from the precognitive abilities of Force users? That was a perception beyond human reality!  

Kiiiiiing!  

At that moment, my shock pistol, Ruina, finished priming.

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