Chapter 4 : Start – 4

Power Stone.

Commonly just called a Stone, this material is one of the main settings in the original novel.

Think of it as a battery packed with special energy.
Even a tiny Stone holds an immense amount of power, making it useful for all sorts of purposes.

But it’s so rare and its energy efficiency is low, so it’s insanely expensive.
For the average person, using a Stone is pretty much out of the question.

At best, filthy-rich types might carry Stone-powered weapons for self-defense, or corporations use them as industrial power sources.
That’s about it.

But the novel mentioned one other way to use Stones.

A near-miraculous method to harness Stone energy at 100% efficiency with almost no loss.

That method?
Humans using it directly.
By absorbing Stone energy into the body, you can temporarily gain strength that surpasses human limits.

“…If I had this ring.”

I fiddled with the ring case Marco gave me, lost in deep thought.

The process is dead simple.
Connect the Stone’s connector to a brain chip, and you’re done.
It doesn’t have to be a ring—could be a necklace or bracelet.
In the novel, some even embedded Stones in their eyes.

I’ve always thought I needed power to protect my sister.
Not just because I got beat up by thugs.
Living in Neotopia, I’ll face far worse trials than what I’ve seen so far.

I don’t want Ruby to end up with the same future as in the original.
To prevent that, I have to protect her as her sister.

But a Stone isn’t some wish-granting miracle gem.
If it gave power without a cost, it wouldn’t end up in a place like Rat Town.

Stones grant power but destroy the body.
Utterly and completely.

Bursting blood vessels and dying is common.
Some have their blood boil, spewing smoke from their bodies as they perish.
Others might have their brains fried, giving off a roasted smell.

The scariest part?
No one knows when that gruesome end will strike.

The compatibility rate with Stones varies by person.
One use could kill you from side effects, or you might use it multiple times with no issues.

The key point?
The fate of anyone who uses a Stone is never good.

It’s like a poisoned chalice.

A Stone isn’t the dazzling diamond everyone craves.
It’s closer to plutonium, the fuel for nuclear weapons—rare and powerful, but so dangerous everyone avoids it.

Even the money-crazed drifters of Rat Town would run the moment they realized what this ring is, not wanting to get involved.

I’ve got nothing to my name, so what other way do I have to get stronger?
Still, shaking my head, I decided this was just too risky.

Truth is, I don’t need to mess with dangerous Stones.
A simple handgun would be far more practical.
This isn’t a medieval fantasy—it’s cyberpunk.

Not that I could just have one if I wanted.
Tampering with delivery goods could get my head chopped off without a trace.
Handing it to the client and washing my hands of it is the safest bet.

Walking toward the park, I cracked open the case to peek at the ring.

“Hm.”

It’s small—probably meant for a woman?
Since it’s shaped like a ring, the owner must be a Stone user.

Whoever they are, they’ve got some serious guts.
Trading their life for power?
Guess that’s just how it is in Rat Town, so I nodded to myself.

Then, a call notification popped up in the corner of my vision.
The caller was Ruby, who should be waiting quietly at home.

Probably whining about when I’ll be back.
I told her to stay put, but a smile crept onto my face anyway.

“Ruby?
Just wait a bit.
I think I’ll finish early today, so later—”

“Haa, haa!
Big sister…!”

“…Ruby?”

Something was wrong.
Her ragged breathing and frantic voice sent a chill down my spine.

I stopped dead in my tracks, forcing myself to stay calm as I asked,

“What’s going on, Ruby?
Are you okay?”

“Big sister!
A weird person…!!”

Her panting was so heavy I could barely make it out.
Straining my ears, I caught faint shouts from a third party through the call.

“You d*mn brat!
Stop right now!”

“Kyaa!!”

Before I knew it, my feet were pounding toward home.
I prayed desperately that Ruby was safe.

“Hm.
This the place?”

“Yes.”

Two men stopped in front of a shabby house that didn’t match their appearance.

“Alright.
Let’s see just how good our president’s taste is.”

A man with a smug smile stepped forward and knocked loudly on the door.
After a moment, a frail child’s voice came from the other side.

“Say the password.”

Frowning at the unexpected demand, the man glanced at the one behind him.

“What’s this?
A kid?”

“Her little sister, most likely.”

“If she doesn’t meet my standards, you’d better brace yourself.”

Knocking again, Gustav warned the girl inside.

“Hey, kid.
We’ve got business with your sister, so open the door.”

“I won’t open it until you say the password.”

“Alright, password, huh…”

Trailing off, the man rolled up his sleeve.
The other man tried to stop him.

“Causing a scene will draw attention.”

“What’s that to me?
The guy who runs Rat Town can’t even handle a little noise?”

Under the rolled-up sleeve, instead of flesh, there was cold, silver cyberware.

Whirr.
With a light engine hum, his steel fist glowed red.
He took a stance and swung with full force, shattering the flimsy slum door like it was nothing.

As the dust settled, Gustav spotted a twin-tailed girl inside and flashed a smirk.

“How’s that for a password?
Pretty spot-on, right?”

No answer came, but he didn’t care.
Striding inside, he bent down to inspect Ruby closely.

“Well, well.
Not bad at all.”

Even at her young age, her beauty was striking.
But the longer he stared, the more a sense of unease crept in.

This kid.
Why does she seem so unfazed in a situation like this?

“Your sister’s not here.”

“Looks that way.
It’d be nice if our cute little lady could tell us where she went.”

“I don’t know.”

“Hm.
That’s not the answer I was hoping for.”

His hard metal grip clamped over the lower half of the girl’s face.
Gustav leaned in slowly toward Ruby, whose mouth was now covered.

“Say the password one more time, and maybe you’ll tell me willingly?”

“…”

Not even a scream, just silence.
That uneasy feeling hit again, but Gustav shook his head, brushing off the pointless thought.

“Whatever.
What’s the point of messing with a kid?
Right?”

Letting go and standing up, he patted the shoulder of the Capital president, who’d been standing silently.

“You’ve got ten minutes.
I’ll wait here, so find her and bring her back.”

“…Understood.”

“Great.
Hurry up.
I’ll be waiting here all cozy.”

With one man gone, only two remained in the house with the broken door.
Gustav rubbed his hands together, eyeing Ruby with a sleazy gaze.

“What’s your name again, kid?”

“…”

“Little lady, keeping your mouth shut isn’t a smart choice.
I’m gonna have a nice chat with your sister later, and if I’m in a bad mood, that’s trouble, right?”

“…Ruby.”

“Cute name.
I love it.”

Strolling over like he owned the place, Gustav plopped onto the bed.
Not stopping there, he patted the spot beside him, signaling the girl to sit.

Ruby hesitated for a moment, head lowered, then walked to the bed without resisting.

“Ruby.
You know what this is?”

He showed her the lightning-shaped emblem on his chest.

“…Ikazuchi.”

“That’s right.
The symbol of the biggest corporation ruling Neotopia.
Also, the organization I’m part of.”

His face beamed with twisted pride as he bragged.

“I’m aiming for the top of this lightning, and let me tell you, I’ve seen a lot.
The higher-ups?
They’re filthy and vile.
Their heads are stuffed with nothing but depraved desires, obsessed with crushing pretty women.”

The girl kept her head down, not saying a word.
Unfazed, Gustav continued, as if justifying himself.

“I’m different.
Unlike those dirty old bstards, I want pure, clean love.
Yeah, someone like you—untouched by any filth.”

“…”

“If you accept my heart, I won’t lay a finger on your sister.
I swear it on Ikazuchi’s name.”

Without waiting for Ruby’s reply, he reached toward her.
Pulling her face closer, Gustav slowly lowered his head.

Crunch!!

The moment their faces drew near, Ruby bit down hard on his nose, chewing with all her might, then bolted off the bed and ran.

“Argh!
You f*cking brat!!”

Clutching his nose and screaming in pain, the man quickly gave chase.

Ruby burst outside and immediately called her sister.

“Big sister!
A weird person…!!”

She ran with every ounce of strength she had.
But she couldn’t outrun a grown man’s full sprint.
Before long, she was caught in an empty park.

Gustav grabbed her by the collar, lifting her up, his eyes blazing with murderous intent.

“Guess I was an idiot for trusting a sewer-born brat.
I’ll make sure you and your sister live in agony.”

“Let go!
Don’t hurt my sister!!”

Now she was showing the reaction he’d expected.
Yes, this trembling, terrified look was what he’d imagined.
Gustav sneered darkly, whispering to the girl.

“Worrying about your sister even now?
Don’t bother.
You’re both gonna—”

That’s when it happened.
A silver-haired girl appeared in the park out of nowhere.
Striding toward them, she issued a low warning.

“Get your hands off my sister.
Now.”

“Ha, you little—”

Gustav didn’t finish his sentence.
A fist came flying, smashing his face to pieces.