Chapter 255
A question naturally arose.
Then which side was the weakest?
Communist Ninja, Dead Cell, Luddite.
Weren’t they all well-known groups in the terrorist faction, second to none?
If there were Valentine and Militia among the megacorps, there were these guys among the terrorist sects.
The worst villains boasting fame and achievements similar to the Taliban or IS in the 21st century, the so-called Terrorist Dynasty.
Among these terrorist dynasties, which was the strongest, and which was the weakest?
It was hard to make a judgment. It was because each group’s characteristics were obscure.
Dead Cell were terrorists pushing the extremes of cybernetic technology.
As lunatics who seriously believed that replacing the entire human body with machines was evolution into a new humanity, they were powerful, and full of high-output bio-weapons that were just as dangerous and burdensome.
Fighting them was a terrible thing even just to imagine.
Because they were people crazy about body modification, there was no knowing what would pop out from where and how to launch a Surprise Attack mid-fight.
Perhaps in terms of the grotesqueness and killing capability of their cyberware, they would surpass even the military equipment made by corporations.
Corporations at least had a minimum standard, mindful of the public’s gaze, but such a thing did not exist for them.
Instead, compared to other sects, their numbers were small, so solely by headcount, they lagged the most.
On the complete opposite side, at the other extreme from such a Dead Cell, was Luddite.
As a group that wanted to destroy machines, their technique was not as outstanding as Dead Cell’s. However, their headcount was overwhelming, and their trademark EMP and unique Bioware were threatening.
Thinking about it again, I was dumbfounded by their appearance. I had a feeling, but to think it was real, and it was.
The cooperation between Dead Cell and the Communist Ninjas? That could happen. It was surprising, but not to the extent of being impossible.
But cooperation between Dead Cell and Luddite? This was truly unbelievable. If I hadn’t seen it with my own two eyes, I would have dismissed it as ridiculous bullshit.
It made sense, as their ideologies were far too different.
If Dead Cell was a machine fetishists' gang, Luddite was a Machine Destruction Gang. Fundamentally, they were two sects that didn’t mix, like water and oil.
I heard they started gang wars among themselves so often that there wasn’t a quiet day in Sprawlfield, so I didn’t know how they ended up joining hands like this; it wasn’t even a case of sleeping with the enemy.
The Meredith Family was indeed a target that would make all of them drool.
For Dead Cell, crazy about cybernetics, Anatomia Corp.'s divine skill would look appetizing, and for the luddites, who considered brutally killing ravers their life’s work and reward, a pure raver nobles family would be a target they wanted to smash to pieces.
But apart from that, there had to be a reason why two terrorist sects that growled at each other as mortal enemies joined forces.
Did the Communist Ninjas act as a bridge? To say that, those New-Mecha Komuninjas didn’t seem to have the social skills or the warm disposition to be interested in mediation.
“The slaughterer’s entry!”
“Gouranga! The bourgeoisie are all to be killed! They must be killed.”
There was no doubt. They were just crazy Commies thrilled by the taste of rich people’s blood.
The Communist Ninjas had an average headcount. Compared to Dead Cell, they were many, and compared to Luddite, they were few.
Their visible technique was not that outstanding. For one, they didn’t use firearms at all, which said it all.
The problem was that, apart from that, their fighting skill was amazing. It seemed it would be incredibly difficult to stop those Ninjas who were going around indiscriminately killing people while performing aerial acrobatics that were hard to follow with the eyes and scattering swords and shurikens.
Especially if my eyes weren’t mistaken, I thought I saw the ninja who introduced himself as a Chunin, that is, a mid-level ninja, slice a bullet flying toward him with a katana.
What kind of crazy bullshit was that! He even succeeded and then flew over to slice the bodyguard who shot the gun, executing a cut into three, making my mind go faint just watching it.
Even if we ended up fighting by some chance, it seemed I absolutely had to avoid any mid-level or higher ninja.
What was the conclusion?
I didn’t know which of the three groups was the weakest, nor did I have any desire to find out.
My honest feeling was that I didn’t want to clash with any of those three!
However, Team Leader Hank had clearly said we would break through the weakest side with force, and regardless of my preferences, it clearly seemed to be the right choice.
Because of that, I assessed the situation and prepared myself mentally before opening my mouth.
Even if we fought, shouldn’t I at least know which group we were fighting!
“Which side… is the weakest?”
Team Leader Hank frowned at my cautious question. His mouth contorted as he whipped his head around to look this way, as if asking if that was even a question.
Just as I was debating whether I should plug my ears at the sight of him looking like he was about to burst out with abusive language at any moment…
“Oh, I was just wondering that myself. Team Leader Hank, which is the weakest among those terrorists? Is it the luddites?”
Team Leader Hank paused at Alexandra’s innocent question.
He swallowed back the abusive language that was right on the verge of popping out of his lips and answered kindly.
“I also do not know which is the weakest among those terrorists, young lady.”
Huh? What was he talking about.
Alexandra asked, as if speaking for my thoughts.
“Then how will we break through the weakest side?”
“Even if we don’t go out of our way to find out, the weakest side is bound to reveal itself. Just wait about 10 seconds.”
Ah, now I felt like I somewhat understood what Team Leader Hank was saying.
Unlike me, who had caught on, Alexandra tilted her head and waited 10 seconds with bright, clear eyes.
“Six, five, four, three, two, one, zero… ding. Nothing much is happening? Team Leader Hank. 10 seconds have passed, so why is nothing happening yet?”
At this point, it was admirable. Was she born so audacious?
During the Luddite Gang’s terror attack, two bodyguards sacrificed their lives for Alexandra, and even then, she was in a crisis right on the brink of death.
It wouldn’t be strange if it remained as trauma, and it actually seemed to be the case.
But for her to show such an innocent appearance even when a similar - no, an even more serious terrorist incident had broken out, and with the culprit from back then, Luddite, appearing once again, was truly astonishing!
Was this even possible?
Unable to understand, I stared at her for a moment, and saw that the hands she had clasped behind her back, unlike her calm face, were trembling violently. Shaking with tightly clenched fists, she was like an aspen tree in the wind.
“…”
Her calm appearance was all acting.
For a moment, I felt the urge to hold tightly those pitifully trembling hands, but I didn’t put it into action.
What kind of crazy bodyguard would make unnecessary physical contact with their escort target? It was impossible, if only out of fear of Team Leader Hank over there, and furthermore, out of fear of the Iron-faced Family Head Eugene Schneider.
“…young lady. Just a little more - .”
It was the moment Team Leader Hank sighed and tried to say something to Alexandra, who was whining like a child on purpose because 10 seconds had passed.
“How dare you try to harm this body! You are lowly and dirty bastards! There’s nothing to consider, Maximus. Sweep them all away!”
It was obvious who the owner of this shrill voice was. It was clear just from seeing Alexandra’s expression crumple.
At Matilda Sedouforne’s command, Iron Dog Invincible Maximus stepped forward.
However, contrary to the command, sweeping away all the terrorists from the three groups was too much even for an A-rank ronin.
Also, an A-rank Ronin was not a stage one could reach with force alone. Rather, what was even more important than that was using one’s head, the brain.
Indeed, fitting for an A-rank Ronin, Iron Dog Invincible Maximus looked around carefully inside the area and made a swift decision.
After sending a hand signal to the other bodyguards escorting Matilda Sedouforne, he immediately shot forward in one direction like a projectile.
The place he was heading was the opposite wall being blocked by the Luddite Gang!
At the same time Maximus charged in like a bulldozer, the bodyguards also surrounded Matilda Sedouforne and set off.
At the same time, Team Leader Hank shouted.
“We’re moving too. Right now!”
A disciplined hand signal. It was an instruction for Ms. Kali to clear the path in front, and for Team Leader Hank and me to escort Alexandra from behind.
Without a moment’s hesitation, we immediately followed behind Iron Dog Invincible Maximus.
Thanks to Alexandra running with all her might, we were actually faster than Matilda Sedouforne, who had set off first!
And we benefited very greatly from that.
CRACK - BANG!
Clang-clang-clang-clang - vwoooom - KABOOOM!
The sound was incredibly loud. It was the sound of Iron Dog Invincible Maximus brutally smashing the Luddite Gang members.
He swung a steel arm the size of a human torso to smash people’s faces, to deflect bullets, and to move suddenly with a speed hard to catch up to, to break through.
He activated his bio-arm to scatter a Shockwave similar to the one he used on Team Leader Hank, but much more powerful, disintegrating the clustered luddites as if a bomb had gone off.
If it had been Dead Cell or the Communist Ninjas instead, they might have been able to hold Maximus back for even a moment.
However, Luddite did not have weapons or an expert with a strong enough weight class to hold down an A-rank Ronin, like Dead Cell’s extraordinary cyberware weapons or the communist faction’s mid-level ninja who handled a katana like a ghost.
Quantity over quality was their strength, but that quantity absolutely did not work against that ruthless ronin!
The sight of them being pushed this way and that was truly no different from leaves scattering powerlessly in the autumn breeze.
In that short time, had Iron Dog Invincible Maximus finished his judgment up to that point?
The Luddite Gang members scattered in confusion, turning from a mass into scattered dots.
They were certainly not a weak group. But now, they became undoubtedly the weakest group.
When one looked at them like stray lambs scattered from the flock, the eyes of our Schneider Family’s group - and especially Kali Haywood at the lead - shone brightly.