Chapter 69
Honestly, it was too sloppy to be called a plan.
It was just one clumsy Trick.
By now, anyone could have Guessed It, but the idea that flashed through my mind was to break Ned Ludd's katana.
Even if I didn't completely shatter it, just causing it to Malfunction or get damaged would be enough.
The plan was to achieve the Neutralization of his weapon in one way or another.
I felt it when I cut off the Man Hunter's Hand, but the presence or absence of a proper weapon was a factor that profoundly impacted a fight.
If the Man Hunter hadn't been barehanded back then, if he had had even one weapon capable of going up against a chainsaw, the situation would have been completely different.
It was a meaningless assumption at this point.
If he had kept his weapon in the first place, he wouldn't have even been able to enter the bar. And I wouldn't have tried to fight him either.
Anyway, weapons were just that important.
Leaving aside the Chainsaw Man, who valued his favorite weapon as much as his own life and couldn't even fight without it, since that is an Extreme Case.
Wasn't the reason the other Ronin inside the bar couldn't hold their own against the Luddite gang that they had been stripped of their main weapons due to the Bar Regulations, and their secondary weapons, their cyberware, had been neutralized due to the EMP?
Humans are beings that use tools, and without tools for fighting—weapons—they cannot properly exert their strength in combat.
That was why I stepped up.
Ned Ludd didn't seem to know it, but his katana was in a very precarious state, and I figured that if I could somehow cause its Destruction, I would have a chance of winning.
But as I barely blocked Ned Ludd's blade that struck through the air like a whip with a
Swoosh─
I couldn't help but think.
Could I have seen it wrong?
Could it be some kind of Optical Illusion, or an Abnormal Function of my brain?
Far from having cracks, it looked perfectly Fine.
I clashed my sword against that glowing red katana over and over to deliver a shock to it, but there was absolutely no sign of its condition changing any further.
I felt like just a little, just a little bit more would do it... but with this crude method of clashing, it seemed absolutely impossible.
It felt like my hands, arms, and legs would break before Ned Ludd's katana did.
My hands were beyond numb; blood was oozing from my scraped palms inside my gloves.
My arms hurt so much they felt like they would shatter with the slightest Movement, as if the bones were broken. It was as if my body was staging a Strike Protest, declaring it couldn't take any more.
Slash.
It was an expected result. My dull and exhausted arms couldn't react, and because of that, my leg got cut.
The fast and accurately shot blade smashed the Ceramic Block and passed through, tearing out a handful of Flesh and Muscle.
Red blood dripped down.
My leg, which was already hard to move, now completely refused to listen.
Even this was the result of barely twisting my body at the last moment. If I hadn't, my entire leg would have been sliced off.
"Oh, you dodged this. I was trying To Cut off your leg."
Thanks for the kind explanation. I already knew that.
Ned Ludd sneered and swung the red-hot blade again.
It was truly marvelous how he didn't even get tired, completely consumed by the murderous intent to kill me.
At this point, shouldn't it be time for him to take a breather, even if just from the exhaustion of hitting me?
How could a person not shed a single drop of sweat? Were all drug addicts naturally like this?
Amidst an experience that brought back the Trauma of my School Days, I urgently raised one arm.
Swooooosh──Thud!
A Transparent Barrier surged from the large, heavy bracelet wrapped around my arm, blocking the blade that chopped down from above.
It was an Energy Barrier like something out of an SF Movie. Of course, it wasn't anything like that.
It was just a Portable Carbine Plastic Shield, a Lightweight Product modified into a bracelet form so it could be used for emergencies in truly critical situations.
It was small in size and on the thin side, making it difficult to actively Utilize in combat, but it was a piece of armor that could be used in a Critical Moment like now.
This belonged to that android Scouter over there, Mr. Ravin Haywood.
Perhaps because it was heavy, he would take it off his wrist and check it in with his other weapons whenever he drank, and thanks to that, I was able to borrow it and put it to good use like this.
Since I saved him from almost getting lynched by the Luddite gang members earlier, I figured he wouldn't have any Major complaints.
Would he really refuse to lend a Portable Transparent Wrist Shield to his Savior?
...Of course, the story would be a bit different if the Wrist Shield he lent me ended up completely broken.
Thud─Cra, crackle.
But the edge was already splitting.
Even though I was blocking it with all my might, the barrier couldn't withstand Ned Ludd's Drug-Fueled Super Strength and the katana's Plasma blade.
"I'm disappointed if you thought you could hold out with just this."
Looking at the dented perimeter, Ned Ludd rolled up his sleeves.
Then he mercilessly struck down with the blade in an Axing Motion.
Bang! Crack, crunch, cr-r-rack.
Thud, screeeeech───.
A Flurry of Blows from the katana was chopping and beating like Crazy. In a short moment, he battered the Shield more than ten times.
It was to the point where I wondered how I managed to block all of it.
Truly, literally, somehow, I brought the barrier up to block the strikes being swung from all different directions, with different strengths and trajectories.
A State of Concentration that made me wonder if I was almost possessed.
Lost in Self-forgetfulness, I had only one memory left: somehow thrusting out my Shield-bearing arm whenever I saw the angle of an incoming Strike.
However, that bizarre Trance State was broken not long after.
Craaack.
It was the sound of the Transparent Barrier breaking. A piece that had been miserably shattered and broken off rolled across the floor.
The upper part of the Shield was completely mangled by the blade, dented and unsightfully cracked.
It looked like it would be hard to expect any more utility from it as armor.
Ned Ludd sneered at my limp arm, still strapped to the ruined barrier, and spoke.
"Come to think of it, that was your nickname. hand Butcher. I wonder what kind of reaction you'll have if I cut off that hand."
Swoooooosh─!
*At the same time, the blade struck down again like a ray of light.*
The Plasma Heat of the wavering Plasma wafted over me as the red katana plummeted in my Slowed Vision.
On my arm, right on top of none other than my wrist.
"...!"
He was trying to cleave through both my wrist and the barrier at once with the katana.
It was an absurd act, but ridiculously enough, the guy possessed the Superhuman Strength to fully realize it.
I urgently twisted my arm to block it with the lower part of the Shield, which was at least somewhat intact.
With a crunching sound, the tip of the blade poked through the gap and gradually descended.
It was like that even though I had put down my katana and was supporting the Shield with both arms.
As I was being pushed back with strength, it felt as if all the muscles in both my arms were burning and melting away.
The edge of the blade advanced at a slow speed toward my chest like a guillotine.
As if Ned Ludd didn't like that, he placed his remaining hand on top of the hilt.
When he added more Force with his cyberarm missing two fingers, the blade closed in like an arrow, at the speed of ice cream melting in midsummer.
It dug into my clothes far too smoothly, instantly melting and piercing through even the Rubber Block covering my chest.
Now, all that was left was the bare skin underneath, my chest muscles, and bones.
I was almost, truly almost there now...
That katana must have been put under plenty of load from smashing the barrier, too.
I couldn't end it like this. I couldn't do that, if only because it would be unfair after holding out for so long.
"Urgh... Aaaah... Aaaaaargh!"
Did the last ounce of my strength burst out in this Moment of Crisis?
With my head burning hot and my heart feeling like it would explode—I gritted my teeth, let out a bizarre scream, and blocked the bearing-down blade with just one arm.
And with my remaining hand, I urgently rummaged through my pocket. There was a small object that fit tightly in my hand.
I didn't even harbor any doubts like, “Will this be effective?”
I just threw it right away.
My brain had no power left to think. I had used up even that energy to block everything.
It was a small, circular object. Through my vision, my eyes squinting from exerting so much Force, a kind of Small Grenade... or something similar, flew out
It was terrible control, and the aim was awful too, because there was no strength left in my arm.
Even if you asked an elementary school student to Throw a ball, they could Throw it harder than this.
Grab,
The grenade that flew feebly was caught mid-air.
Ned Ludd's three-fingered hand, the prosthetic arm spewing current, tightly gripped the explosive and scorched it with electricity.
"What's this now? Did you Throw it at me? The direction was completely off."
Look at that arrogant attitude.
I could feel him relishing his Overwhelming Superiority in the way he went out of his way to catch something he could have just dodged.
Then again, he wouldn't be scared at all no matter what I threw.
Since there was nowhere that manufactured old model grenades anymore, he could naturally rule out that possibility.
Any grenades coming out these days are all electronic explosives, and if he flowed a high-voltage current through his cyberware after catching it like that, it wouldn't even be able to achieve Activation and would just become a useless lump of Scrap Metal.
He probably also calculated that since he didn't know the extent of the grenade's power, it would be better to reliably cause its Neutralization with electricity rather than to dodge it.
But... this wasn't electronic.
With EMPs popping off Outside, why would I have brought an Electronic Grenade?
This was a Mechanical Grenade, a rare sight in the World these days.
Still, it wasn't the type where you pulled a pin and threw it like in the old World, but the kind where you pressed a button and threw it, and it caused an Explosion a few seconds later.
And its power was... highly explosive in many ways.
Poooow───!
With a loud noise, a Red Liquid burst out from the grenade in Ned Ludd's hand, accompanied by an Explosion.
It looked as if a water balloon had been popped.
It was an explosive, all right, but of a somewhat different kind.
Ned Ludd's expression turned strange as he was instantly covered in the unidentified watery Red Liquid.
For reference, thanks to the helmet I was wearing, and thanks to wrapping my body tightly with clothes and Plastic Wrap, the liquid didn't touch my body at all.
Only Ned Ludd took a Direct hit to his skin, and to his ugly mug.
At first, his reaction was like, “What is this?”, but then his expression hardened as if he realized something,
and after about 3 seconds, he contorted his face into a deep frown, twisting his expression as much as possible like a demon.
Gagging as if he couldn't breathe, he stood up in place and staggered, unable to open his eyes.
He swung his katana-holding hand haphazardly while trembling.
It worked perfectly. I had dealt him a solid blow.
What I threw at him was a Pepper Grenade I brought from the Warehouse.
A Self-defense Product, modified into a bomb form, shoots Chemical Tear Gas Liquid using the liquid called Pepper Spray that goes inside weapons—or pepper or Chili Spray.
I wasn't sure whose item this was, but since it was a Mechanical Bomb rolling around in the Warehouse, I put it in my pocket and brought it just in case it might be useful.
Since it probably wasn't a commonly used item, Ned Ludd wouldn't have Recognized it at first glance either.
It was a World where, for Self-defense, carrying a pistol or a weapon that could kill a Real Person was much better, and Pepper Spray or bombs were considered children's toys.
But it earned its keep like this.
As I saw Ned Ludd jumping around wildly while screaming with both eyes shut tight, a giggling laugh escaped me naturally even in my exhausted state.
I was dragged into this World before going to the Military, so I didn't know for sure, but perhaps the Gas Drill conducted in the Military felt similar to that.
Inhaling a lungful of gas from a CS Capsule would look exactly like that: Tears and Snot pouring out, face stinging, and lungs in agony.
Of course, it was an effect that wouldn't last long.
There was a reason why tear gas weapons didn't catch on as Self-defense products.
Because most humans had increased their resistance to these types of attacks through Body Modification and cyberware.
Since it was normal to Carry around modifications like Eye Wash, Respiratory Stabilization, and Skin Coating as a baseline, it might be possible to paralyze an enemy for a short while,
but you couldn't expect any firepower beyond that, such as completely causing the Neutralization of the enemy.
Even now, isn't Ned Ludd, who seemed completely done for, gradually recovering, squinting his eyes and struggling to squeeze out his voice?
"You, you... Bas─tard─s!"
So I had to handle things quickly while he was showing an opening.
Right now.
I stood up from my spot, gripping the Jet-Black Katana.
I dashed toward Ned Ludd, who was holding out his sword in a Defensive Stance with his eyes narrowed.
At first, I thought about taking this opportunity to Attack him directly, but I soon changed my mind.
He would probably dodge.
Even in such a messed-up state, he had that level of ability.
Even as he sputtered snot and spit in sheer rage, those slightly opened eyes were following my movements.
And as exhausted as I was, I still couldn't launch an Attack capable of piercing his weak point in one go.
In the end, I would go with the original plan.
"Haaaaah!"
As if to show off, I raised the sword high up and swung it down strongly.
As for Ned Ludd, affected by the tear gas, unable to see well, and with his senses disrupted, he didn't try to Counterattack but took a defensive Approach.
He tried To defend by holding his katana in a Stance to parry, similar to what I had been doing.
Perfect. It was exactly the target I wanted.
It felt like looking at firewood on a chopping block, or a fish placed on a Cutting Board.
What I was Aiming for wasn't the person, but the sword that person was holding.
Claaaaaang─!
As I struck down with all my might, a Powerful Impact was transmitted. Sparks flew, and my whole body trembled from the recoil.
The two blades collided, scratching and biting at each other. Metal interlocked with metal, making a disagreeable noise.
With my hands drenched in blood and sweat, and my ears filled with tinnitus, I truly could barely hear it.
The sound of something cracking and splitting.