WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Hydrogen B
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◈ Cyberpunk Chivalry ◈
Chapter 10: ENTER THE VOID 3
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She was a dangerous woman.
That much was clear just from looking at her.
For a start, that mechanical eye glowing with a heart-shaped light was anything but normal.
And that was hardly all.
Her full-body cybernetic replacement, much like Santa's, gleamed even now. Her two silver-chrome arms stood out in particular.
Her clothes drew the eye, too.
Over a bodysuit that left every curve on full display, advertisements for various corporations flashed endlessly in glowing geometric patterns.
Then there was her pale purple hair, which gave off its own light, and her two legs shaped like high heels.
If someone shaped Sanctum's glamour and chaos into a human form, would this be the result? Ash thought so.
"Ta-da! It's your least favorite bitch!"
Something flew in as the woman spoke.
They were small drones, each about the size of a baseball.
The drones circled her, casting lights in every color, like spotlights on a stage.
Watching all this from behind the rubble, Akina drew in a sharp breath.
"Ifrit...!"
Ash turned toward her.
Then he lowered his volume as far as it would go and spoke in a whisper.
"Do you know this woman?"
"A little. She's a Pathfinder with Halloween Entertainment."
"Halloween?"
Ash quickly read through the information in his internal database.
//*
Halloween Entertainment.
A megacorporation that controls every kind of media channel in Sanctum.
It brings life to the sealed city by providing its citizens with dreams, hope, and "a little" entertainment.
The company calls its affiliated Pathfinders idols and spares no effort in bringing their heroic exploits to its audience in vivid detail.
(Idols will gladly do insane things to create sensational content. If you meet one, be very careful!)
*//
While Ash checked the information, the Pathfinder sitting on the floor with one leg missing shouted.
"Why? Fucking why are you doing this?"
The man had been groaning in pain before he suddenly yelled. His voice was surprisingly sharp for someone whose face was twisted with pain and fear.
"What did we do wrong?"
At his cry, the dazzling woman, Ifrit, burst into delighted laughter.
"How the hell would I know?"
"Wh-what...?"
"How would I know what you did wrong? You're only dying because you're a REST-MAN. There's nothing in this world I hate more than REST-MANs."
"You crazy bitch!"
The man drew the pistol strapped to his thigh.
But Ifrit was faster.
Booom!
The pistol in her hand, clearly no ordinary weapon, spat fire. One of the man's arms shattered as well.
"Aaaaagh!!"
The man rolled across the floor.
One of the drones filming Ifrit moved toward him. It alternated between shots of his pain-twisted face and the spot where his arm had been blown off.
"Wow!"
Her eyes widening as though she were a little surprised, Ifrit grabbed the drone filming her and aimed its camera at the pistol in her hand.
"Did you all see that? What incredible destructive power! The latest model from Chaka-Chaka Industries, the Bloody Heart Mk.7! What a killer desi..."
"Aaagh! Aaaaaagh!!"
The REST-MAN's screams cut through her rapid stream of advertising patter. Apparently displeased, the woman frowned.
Then, once again, she fired at the REST-MAN's face.
Booom!
The scream vanished with a violent blast. Seemingly pleased with the silence, she winked at the drone.
She did not forget to show off the pistol in her hand, either.
"...Bloody Heart Mk.7! Killer design, right? Its performance is even deadlier! Buy yours now! Oh, and don't forget to enter 'Ifrit' as your referrer! Make sure you get that 5% discount!"
Ifrit's bizarre behavior continued after that.
She grabbed the REST-MAN's half-destroyed face and posed for a photo with him. Then she played music through a drone and danced. At one point, she stepped on the corpse, tripped, and gave an embarrassed laugh.
After chattering away for quite a while, Ifrit suddenly put on a tearful face.
"Everyone! I'm sorry, but I need to take a little charging break! You have to come back later! Okay? Promise me! See you in an hour! This has been Ifrit!"
She finished by blowing an enthusiastic kiss, then activated the cyberware in her shoulders.
The two drones that had been flying around her beeped to signal the end of recording. Then they returned to her shoulders and folded away without a trace. Apparently, that was how they charged.
The broadcast ended.
At last, silence settled over the ruins.
"Phew."
With a short, deep breath, her constant smile vanished. A small frown took its place.
"Ugh! How the hell am I supposed to use this thing?"
Ifrit tossed the pistol aside and rolled both shoulders. Its recoil was so severe that it strained her entire body.
"A pistol that fires large-caliber rounds? What idiot came up with that? What, are my arms supposed to be titanium? Those Chaka-Chaka bastards really are out of their minds. Ugh! If it weren't for the contract..."
She suddenly stopped her irritated complaints.
Then she stared intently at something.
"...Hm?"
Beside the pistol she had thrown away lay a small, translucent wrapper.
[Energy Up! Super Sticks! - Strawberry Flavor♥]
"..."
Ifrit picked up both the pistol and the wrapper. Then she held the wrapper to her nose and sniffed inside.
There was a faint, sweet smell.
Proof that it had only recently been opened.
Her gaze shifted to the corpse.
Had the fleeing REST-MAN suddenly gotten hungry and stopped to eat an energy stick? That made no sense.
Ifrit looked around. Until now, she had thought this was just another spot in the Outer. But once she noticed something wrong, other details stood out.
Footprints, for example.
Footprints marked the thick layers of dust. They led toward the rubble blocking off part of the ruins.
"I know this is the Outer, but isn't it a bit much to leave your trash lying around?"
Ifrit spoke.
No answer came.
"Banana tastes better than strawberry, you know. You've got no taste."
Still no answer.
So Ifrit followed the footprints and aimed her pistol at the rubble.
"Come out."
"..."
"I know you're there. Come out."
A heavy silence followed.
"Don't want to? Then I'll come to you."
Ifrit approached the rubble slowly, taking her time. An uneasy tension was building when a voice spoke.
"That is far enough."
An electronic voice came from behind the rubble.
"Come no closer."
"...A humanoid?"
"What I am is hardly important, is it? I hid because I wished to avoid needless trouble. I would prefer that you leave, lady warrior. I shall let the killing just now pass without question. That is all I have to say. Go."
For a moment, Ifrit felt dazed. It took her a little time to understand the situation.
So a humanoid hiding behind the rubble was threatening her in a refined tone without even showing itself.
After a moment's thought, she was struck by another question.
'Why am I even thinking about this?'
"Cut the crap and show yourself."
"Must I?"
"Want me to shoot?"
"..."
A moment later, Ash emerged from the darkness.
The steel blade was still in his hand.
"You really are a humanoid."
Ash did not answer.
He simply lowered the hand holding his blade in a natural motion and took a few more steps forward.
When he was about five steps away from her, Ash brought his hands together.
A fist-and-palm salute (抱拳之禮), performed with a sword in hand.
His etiquette was flawless. His teal optical sensor glowed as he spoke.
"Greetings. I am Ash Blade."
Startled by his old-fashioned manner and imposing presence, Ifrit took an involuntary step back.
"Oh, yes. Hello..."
She had instinctively slipped into a polite tone, but quickly caught herself and shook her head.
"I'm Ifrit."
"I know."
"Good, then. Are you alone?"
"I am."
She held up the energy stick wrapper.
"So you're the one who ate this?"
"I am."
Silence.
Ash and Ifrit stared straight at each other.
Ifrit spoke first.
The playfulness in her voice had given way to something cold.
"Let me ask you again. You ate this? You, a humanoid?"
"I did."
"You're not alone, are you?"
"I am alone."
The chill turned icy.
"I don't like liars."
Ash answered.
"I do not like those who kill for amusement."
Neither gave an inch. Tension hung between them, ready to snap. The LED heart and optical sensor shone as they glared at each other.
Just then, a voice rang out.
"W-wow! It's Elementary Girls!"
Akina cautiously emerged from the rubble. She stood beside Ash, or rather, half-hidden behind him, and continued.
"Wooow! Aren't you Ifrit from Elementary Girls? I'm a huge fan! I even know your songs. Um, how did it go? Light a fire in your heart, fire in the hole! Yay!"
The girl clumsily sang a line. It was a complete mess. The pitch, the rhythm, even the lyrics were wrong.
Watching her, Ash gave a short inward sigh. Akina was trying to resolve the situation in her own way.
When she even started dancing, Ash waved a hand.
"Young lady, I understand, so please stop..."
"Pfft, hahahaha!"
Ifrit, who had been watching Akina's antics with a blank look, suddenly burst out laughing.
"Hey, kid. You got all of it wrong! And how old is that song? Elementary Girls broke up ages ago."
Ifrit lowered her pistol.
Ash was more than a little surprised.
'That actually worked?'
Ash had no idea what fans meant to an artist, so he could not understand this situation at all.
"Ah. I haven't laughed like that in a while."
Ifrit even put her pistol in its holster, then looked back and forth between the two of them.
"You two a team? Out exploring?"
"Yes! We're here to do some mapping. What about you?"
"Enjoying my hobby."
Her hobby.
That word said a great deal.
"Ah, ahaha..."
"I know what you're thinking, but don't worry. I only fuck up REST-MANs."
She shrugged and spoke as though it were nothing.
"Well, anyway. As long as you're not REST-MANs, we're good. Good luck with your mapping or whatever, kid. If things get dangerous, hide like you did just now..."
Ifrit reached out to pat Akina's head.
But Ash's hand blocked her.
"I hope you enjoy your hobby as well, lady warrior."
"...Guess I didn't need to worry."
With a smack, Ifrit knocked Ash's hand aside and turned away.
"B-bye, Ifrit!"
"Yeah. Let's not meet again."
The woman waved a couple of times and vanished into the darkness. A moment later, Akina let out a long sigh and sank to the floor.
"It feels like an ion storm just swept through here."
Ash had already retrieved the backpack. He took out a water bottle and handed it to the girl.
"You should not have stepped in, young lady. That woman was truly dangerous, both physically and mentally."
Akina looked sulky at his words.
"I know. That's why I stepped in. I thought you two might get into a fight, Mister. Ifrit's a pretty famous idol."
"Then you had all the more reason not to interfere."
Akina stuck out her lower lip at Ash's stern, serious, utterly solemn words. Still, she must have known she had done something wrong, because she soon gave in.
"...Okay. I'm sorry."
Without answering, Ash opened the water bottle for her. Then he looked around.
"I see no reason to remain here. After all that commotion, other things may be drawn here."
After taking a drink, Akina nodded.
"Shall we go now?"
"Let us."
After that brief exchange, the two finished preparing to leave. Just as they were about to enter the darkness of the ruins again, Akina spoke.
"Wait a second."
She picked up the energy stick wrapper from the floor and stuffed it into her pocket. It had been the reason they were discovered. Perhaps this was her own small way of promising not to make the same mistake again.
The two quietly walked into the ruins, which had fallen so silent that the earlier commotion might never have happened.
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