Chapter 29 : The Youngest

‘Which one of the five is it?’

If the QPD lineup hasn’t changed since I left, then there should be four people I know and one I don’t.

Why one I don’t know?

Because QPD stands for “Quinque Pugiones Dei”—the Five Daggers of God—so it always had five members. Someone

must’ve filled my spot after I left, but I escaped from the Order before they picked my replacement.

That means there’s a 20% chance I don’t know who that person is.

If the one over there is someone I’ve never met, that’s a bit of a problem.

But if it’s someone I have met… that’s a huge problem.

When I was active in the QPD, I wasn’t exactly known for being friendly or caring.

Actually, to be honest, I barely even talked to them.

I was too busy just trying to stay alive—how was I supposed to worry about four other people?

‘Guess I’ll have to take the long way around.’

Cutting through the Love Motel would save 15 minutes, but there are way too many Order troops nearby to risk that.

Besides, this area’s so jam-packed with buildings that jumping rooftop to rooftop is just as good as walking.

Just as I decided on my route and was about to turn off my Secom View—

swish.

The QPD member, who was probably talking to Yuli (the landlord), turned their head… and spotted me.

The data surrounding them, which was already glaringly bright, suddenly flared with overwhelming intensity.

‘They noticed!’

Before I could even react, a chain of data imbued with a Secom command shot out from the QPD agent.

An attack?

No—it didn’t have hostile intent.

The chain shot across the nearly 300-yard gap and touched my body, transforming into an audio message that whispered

in my ear:

─Wait there.

A familiar voice.

So, not the unknown replacement—someone I did know.

Who was it…

Oh no. Oh f*ck.

Of course it’s the last person I wanted to run into.

The obnoxious woman who always spoke to me informally, like we were equals—even though we weren’t.

The same b*tch who caused a scene right up until the moment I left the Order.

I’d spent the past two years trying to forget her.

And now, of all times and all places, I had to run into her here.

What was her name again? It was two syllables…

“Hey. Leilia.”

The QPD member had jumped to the rooftop just like I did.

And when I saw her face with my own two eyes, it all came back.

Kabi.

Right. It was Kabi.

Dressed head-to-toe in black and red—that was Kabi.

When I said her name, she looked surprised for a second… then gave that signature crescent-eyed smile and smirked.

“Wow. I’m honored. The Leilia remembers my name?”

I frowned, not understanding her attitude.

But Kabi just laughed like she was genuinely enjoying this.

“Senpai. Mind if I still call you that?”

“I haven’t been in the QPD for ages. Just use my name.”

“Nah. I got used to calling you ‘senpai’ back in the day. Feels more natural.”

This crazy b*tch.

Why even ask me if you’re going to ignore what I say?

“Honestly, when the Order told us to search your old place, I thought it was a complete waste of time. I mean,

who in their right mind would come crawling back to where they used to live after going rogue? But lo and

behold—our dear Leilia really did come back, huh? You still not thinking things through?”

“Stop trying to provoke me. Why did you come here alone? Don’t tell me you had no reason to call in the

Paladins.”

Kabi twirled her bangs with a finger, then grinned.

“Because that’d be cowardly, duh.”

“What?”

“The Order didn’t even plan to use QPD in this mission. Just sent a few Paladin units. I volunteered. Said I’d

bring you in myself.”

“…Then shouldn’t you have come with them?”

“That would’ve been cowardly too. If I hadn’t joined the search, those idiots never would’ve found you in a

million years. So should I go tattle on them now just because I saw you? Nah. I’m not that kind of person.”

What is this crazy logic?

No matter how I try to piece it together, none of it makes sense.

She’s just saying crazy shit because she’s crazy.

“You realize how weird that sounds, right? If you didn’t want to catch me, you could’ve just ignored me when

you saw me.”

“You’re misunderstanding something.”

Kabi tapped her shoes twice, shaking off dust.

“I didn’t come here to bring you back to the Order.”

She pulled her gloves tight and cracked her neck.

Then—

Shing.

“I came to kill you with my own hands.”

The voice came from behind me.

‘Neural Overclock!’

The world slows. Everything becomes silent.

But… there’s no headache, no dizziness like usual.

I should be suffering side effects since I used Overclock at the Virasion Tower less than a week ago.

Was this a bonus effect from the full cyberware reset?

Either way, I didn’t have time to think about it.

I made a mistake. A big one.

I lost sight of Kabi for a second—

If she were a normal QPD, that one moment could’ve been fatal.

―So it’s true. The Order said you might’ve removed your limiter… looks like they were right.

In this slowed world, only Kabi and I can move normally.

We switch to Secom-based communication instead of talking.

―So you like this?

―Why wouldn’t I?

―You’re happy I removed the limiter the Order installed?

Kabi stared straight into my eyes.

Her eyes—like mine—glowed red from QPD implants.

When I activated Overclock, my disguise would’ve dropped, revealing my true eye color too.

In that moment, her dark red hair floated like a slow-motion flame.

―Whatever your reason was, you know what it means to release the limiter and abandon the Order, right?

―So don’t get caught by some idiot and tortured to death. I’ll make it quick.

Wham!

She dashed forward.

The rooftop cracked under her light step.

Her punch looked simple, but it had terrifying power.

My cybernetics charged up in response.

Two hits.

Boom!

Her first punch met my left arm—blocked perfectly.

But the second was hidden, coming from my blind spot.

Too fast to dodge. Too awkward to block. So—

I countered with my right arm in a sharp hook.

Both of our fists collided, bursting with stored electricity.

Kabi stepped back, surprised, rubbing her left hand.

―What the hell? You’ve been retired for two years. How are you still keeping up with my reflexes?

―Are you seriously asking?

―It’s insulting that a newbie like you thought you were on my level back when I was QPD’s #1.

She bit her lip.

Probably because she knew it was true.

But I wasn’t exactly relaxed either.

‘Has the Order upgraded their implants again?’

We both used full strength in that last hit.

Kabi’s hand is fine. My right hand? 50% systems failure.

BEEP! 

[Severe cyberware damage detected. Use of right arm not recommended.]

A diagnostics window filled my view.

‘Upgrades that big in just two years?’

Well, my implants are six years old. I got them when I was 15.

Meanwhile, Kabi’s using cutting-edge gear made after I left.

Five+ years of tech gap—that explains a lot.

“In electronics, five years is a full generation.”

Then suddenly, Kabi looked down and asked:

―Hey… why?

―Senpai.

What now?! Why just say my name and stop?!

There are three ways to piss someone off—and stopping mid-sentence is one of them.

I waited, tense. Ten deep breaths later, I started actually getting pissed.

―If you’re just trying to stall until backup arrives, I swear—

―Have you ever thought about me since that day?