Chapter 43 : 5 years later

Old City.

A rapidly growing city on the eastern coast of North America. Corporations, recognizing its value, rushed in to claim dominance.

The resulting corporate wars were not honorable competition but sordid, filthy schemes, turning Old City into a den of vice rivaling Neotopia—Sodom and Gomorrah reborn.

The first to exert major influence was Wave, the second-ranked conglomerate.

Wave’s bold, near-gambling strategy—deploying their elite Surfer unit en masse—allowed them to seize control of Old City.

Ikazuchi, late to the game, sent their strongest unit, White Wolf, to counter, but Wave’s overwhelming numbers and entrenched position made a comeback difficult for the latecomer.

Yet one individual began to shift that balance.

“Don’t worry. They’ll never find us here.”

In the basement of a building rarely visited unless deliberately sought out, two men in bodysuits spoke in hushed tones.

“Damn White Wolf bastards. Thinking about how many Surfers that one b*tch killed makes my blood boil.”

“Where’d a monster like that come from?”

“Hell if I know. But if this deal goes through, we’ll turn the tables.”

“The client?”

“Should be here soon.”

One person cost Wave their advantageous position, handing it to Ikazuchi. But that ends today. If this contract closes smoothly, Wave will regain their foothold.

Click, clack.

The steady sound of heels echoed through the underground space.

“They here?”

“…Hold on.”

Sensing something off, one man started to speak when a woman’s flat voice cut him off from across the room.

“Found you.”

Recognizing the voice instantly, the Surfers tensed, readying for combat.

“Damn it! How’d you know to come here!?”

“You guys are persistent. I thought I’d wiped you all out, but stragglers remain. That ends today.”

“Don’t screw with us! You think we’ll go down easy to a b*tch like you?!”

Cornered and facing death, his rage-fueled bravado might’ve intimidated others.

But the woman with long silver hair didn’t flinch, replying with an indifferent glance.

“They always say that. They’re all dead now.”

“Argh…! Die, you monster b*tch!!”

The two men charged. She extended an arm from her coat, aiming her fingers like a gun.

Crackle—!

Blue sparks shot out.

Unable to react to the speed, the struck Surfer convulsed and collapsed.

Seeing his comrade die so easily, the other man panicked, flailing.

“Lame.”

Appearing beside him—when, he couldn’t tell—she threw a light jab.

Crack!!

His head shattered, and he sank to his knees.

Having dispatched her enemies, she stared at the bodies with a bored expression and made a call.

“It’s done. Yeah. I’ll head back.”

Instead of leaving, she pulled a cigarette from her pocket and lit it casually.

“Hoo…”

Her name was Lapis.

No longer a young girl, now a mature woman, she lived as Ikazuchi’s hunting dog—a White Wolf—in Old City.

Five years have passed.

I was sixteen then; now I’m twenty-one. For five years, I’ve worked as a White Wolf in Old City, handling Ikazuchi’s dirtiest jobs.

Well, technically four and a half years? The first six months after accepting Hound’s offer were spent treating my body, ravaged by Stone side effects.

Even so, I never fully recovered. If Stone side effects could be cured, they wouldn’t have such a notorious reputation.

I’m quite different now. I’ve grown taller, my face more mature. I used to hate cigarettes, but now I shake if I don’t smoke daily.

The burn scars on my back from that day remain. Artificial skin could erase them, but Stoners must maintain a pure body, so no choice. I don’t care much anyway.

What else? Five years can’t be summed up in a few lines. I spent six months with Ruby. Ten times that, I’ve lived alone without her.

“…”

I talk less now. More accurately, I have no one to talk to.

I have colleagues. At first, I openly showed hostility, seeing them as Ikazuchi’s dogs, but I’ve since realized it’s pointless.

They’re just working for money, for survival, under Ikazuchi.

After that, I kept a polite distance, treating them as coworkers.

“You’re here early. Good work today.”

The Black guy greeting me is the same. Roland Gorilla, my current partner in White Wolf.

It’s his official codename, not a nickname. White Wolf agents operate under codenames, not real names.

My codename is Thunderhawk. It felt cheesy at first, but I’m used to it now.

Roland’s friendly, tirelessly chatting me up.

“How’d it go? Surfers. Like cockroaches, keep multiplying.”

“Yeah.”

“We’ve been overworked lately. They wouldn’t send us on another mission without a break, right?”

“Dunno.”

“…Your replies are soulless. The corporate war’s tilting our way. If it ends and we get leave, what’s first on your list?”

No hesitation, I answered instantly.

“Going to Neotopia.”

“Oh, right. Family there? You keep in touch?”

“…”

I haven’t seen Ruby since that day. In Old City, I’ve been swamped with missions, no time to contact her.

And I barely have a way to. In this world, post-World War III, long-distance satellite communication is down. Neotopia on the west coast and Old City on the east are too far for real-time contact.

The only way is hearing from Hound, but he’d never tell me much. Just enough to confirm she’s alive, keeping me from losing all will, dodging details. I have no way to find out.

How long will this life go on? I’ve held out, but I’m getting worn down.

Then.

The lounge door burst open, and a woman in glasses appeared.

“You’re both here. I’m the HR manager from Ikazuchi HQ.”

“What’s this about? It’s after hours.”

“I have news. The leadership just declared Ikazuchi has fully secured Old City’s dominance, thanks to your missions.”

“…Meaning?”

“Roland Gorilla, you’re on extended leave until further orders. Thunderhawk, you’re to return to Neotopia immediately.”

Realizing what this meant, I shot to my feet.

Finally. After five years. I’m going back to Neotopia.

I can see Ruby again.

Ruby. My sister, now sixteen. The same age I was five years ago.

What will you look like when we reunite? I’m so curious, even these moments heading toward you feel endlessly long.

Wait just a bit. Your sister’s coming.

A dark alley.

A man, fleeing in panic, tripped and fell flat. Too terrified to stand, he trembled at the approaching horror.

“Done already? That’s boring.”

A girl’s voice, laced with amusement, echoed from the alley’s depths.

Step, step. As the footsteps grew louder, the man, seizing, repeated the same words.

“S-Save me. Please. Save…”

“That’s not it. Don’t worry. Soon you’ll be begging to die.”

“Eek!!”

Emerging from the shadows was a cute girl with black hair in twin tails. But her red eyes—dark, bottomless, swamp-like—revealed she was no ordinary girl.

Her name was Ruby. On the back of her tattered jacket, a red dog dripped blood.