Chapter 165 - A One-Sided Second Encounter
Rosmerta's subordinates remained as witnesses while we alone would carry out the attack on the enemy's hideout. The members were already in position. I had them set up surveillance and a covert perimeter around the hideout, and Mary and her team were to remain hidden until the moment of the assault. The Kikyo Society is a prominent presence, but as long as they aren’t seen, they excel at cutting off their magical auras and presence. It’s only natural that the elite team can do this much. Now, it’s up to me to make the first move.
Well, let's give the enemy a good scare.
On a distant street from the enemy's hideout, I straddled the Bloomstar Galaxy and removed the limiter. I poured magic into it, revving the engine to a thunderous roar. I gathered a lot of attention for various reasons, but no one dared to come close, sensing the ominous atmosphere. Good, just the reaction I wanted.
The noise might reach the enemy, too. That’s fine. Better yet, I’ll let them hear it. Just enough to draw their attention and wonder what’s going on.
I gradually opened the throttle, moving slowly at first. The bike, as a magical device, doesn’t stall, so a sudden full-speed acceleration would work, but the atmosphere is crucial here. My tension rose in sync with the increasing speed! The wind cut through my hair, leaving a trail of purple-blue strands as the tires left marks on the ground.
Faster, even faster! I transformed vast amounts of magic into propulsion, zipping through the sparse slums. In a leather jacket and sunglasses, riding a sleek, mechanical bike, I felt exhilarated! I pushed the speed to its limits, roaring through the streets at the limit of its capabilities.
The enemy hideout loomed closer. "Let’s do this! Hyaah-hah!"
The Bloomstar Galaxy, with its physical armor deployed, burst through the entrance at breakneck speed. The scenery flashed by in an instant. My dynamic vision captured every detail: their shocked expressions and movements.
And the distinctive eye-tattoo. No mistaking it.
I plowed through anyone in my path and crashed through the opposite wall, escaping outside. "Did you see that? The Bloomstar Galaxy’s brilliance!"
I rode a little further and slammed on the brakes, triumphant. The stunned faces turned to me, their expressions of bewilderment. Hmph, looks like we caught them completely off guard.
Moments later, the Regisamo Cartel, losing their minds in rage, charged through the broken walls—
But what caught my eye were Mary and her team, grinning as they launched their attack from behind. They broke through the damaged walls, hurling the eye-tattooed men outside one by one.
There were only three of them, plus the one I had run over, who was still unconscious from a concussion. A surprise attack followed by a relentless assault. Mary’s team’s raid was quickly joined by Siegrune and the others, making it a relentless assault.
When it comes down to it, even if the enemy had skilled fighters, it didn’t matter. Our members, who could probably win in a one-on-one, were mercilessly overwhelming them in numbers. The enemy’s resistance was fierce but futile. Their tenacity was unsettling, though. Something was off.
Our goal was to capture them alive, so no blades were used, but they kept thrashing around, unaffected by the brutal punches and kicks. It was definitely strange.
The members, sensing the eeriness, started to observe more carefully. They didn’t relax their guard, not even glancing at me as I approached on the bike.
"...Mary, it seems they don’t feel pain."
"Is that so. Then..."
Ah, right. Valeria mentioned something similar before. The enemy was using some kind of drug that made them impervious to pain. That must be it.
If hurting them had no effect, we’d just have to immobilize them. Simple as that.
Taking Valeria’s advice, Mary and her team, with their fierce grins, began to destroy their bodies. From strikes to submission holds, Mary was an expert in martial arts. Beyond her signature throws, she was skilled in joint locks. The Second Combat Unit, influenced by their leader, often trained in these techniques.
Using their numbers to their advantage, they systematically targeted and broke joints—shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees, and ankles. They systematically shattered joints to render the enemy helpless.
Still, the enemy thrashed about. Mary used a throttled Water Jet spell to sever their tendons, a quicker and more precise method than using a knife. Once this was done, it didn’t matter if they felt pain or not—they couldn’t move. It was a brutal tactic, but necessary when the situation called for it.
Another enemy met the same fate soon after.
In the end, the eye-tattooed men were reduced to writhing like earthworms. The overwhelming skill and numbers of our team made this outcome inevitable.
However, there was one thing that caught my attention. They didn’t seem to feel pain, but they also displayed a strength that didn’t match their level of Physical Enhancement Magic. It was hard to tell because they were being beaten up, but it was possible they were using something similar to the magic potions I created.
For now, the details didn’t matter. While the others were tying them up, I would search the hideout.
Turning away from the violent scene, I entered the hideout. The first thing I noticed was a pile of large bags, resembling a grain storage. I doubted they were storing rice or flour. When I tore one open, it revealed nothing but drugs—solid forms, not powders. Probably Crack, as it’s called.
Crack is a solid form of a certain drug. When heated in a pipe, it makes a cracking sound, hence the name. The primary use is to smoke it, inhaling the fumes like a cigarette. This allows the drug to enter the brain through the lungs, producing an intense high almost instantly, faster than intravenous injection.
The high is intense, making you feel euphoric. It can keep you awake for days and numb physical pain and anxiety. Surprisingly, the Regisamo Cartel’s product even has healing properties. I don’t know about the side effects, but they’re bound to be severe.
The high from Crack is short-lived, lasting only a few minutes. Once it wears off, users fall into a depressive state, craving another hit. This cycle continues, leading to addiction. Despite this, there are many users worldwide, leading to a thriving black market, albeit at the cost of a miserable, drug-controlled life.
The Regisamo Cartel’s inventory wasn’t limited to Crack. Other bags contained various substances—capsules, powders, tablets, and liquids. It was like a trade show.
Drugs come in many forms. Stimulants, heroin, cocaine, marijuana—each has different effects, from euphoria and happiness to increased energy and pain relief. Long-term use can lead to hallucinations, mental disorders, and physical issues like organ failure, respiratory distress, and brain damage. The price for temporary pleasure is steep. In this world, similar drugs exist, often in greater variety. Blending them can create even more dangerous substances.
Healing magic can’t cure everything, and it costs money. What would a junkie use their money for?
Naturally, they wouldn’t waste it on healing but on buying more drugs. That’s what makes them junkies.
The small warehouse was filled with mountains of various drugs, an abnormal amount.
"...This much, already at the reconnaissance stage?"
It seemed the invasion had already begun.
Suddenly, a loud, distinctive sound, like a brass instrument, echoed outside. It was likely a magical signal, and it wasn’t from our team.
Stepping outside, I saw the commotion. "Siegrune, what happened?"
"Forgive me, Yukari-dono. They used a loud magical signal, probably to alert their allies."
Of course, these weren’t all the enemies. The numbers were too small, and pain insensitivity made them harder to control.
"I hope Graylease and the others can track them down."
"It will be difficult. They’re not fools."
We didn’t know how long they had been hiding in the Royal Capital. Once this hideout was destroyed, they would become more cautious, making it harder to track them.
...But that’s not our problem.
"We’ll wait for Graylease and the others to return before we leave. Let Rosmerta’s team handle the search."
"Yes, they are better suited for the cleanup."
The sound hadn’t revealed the enemy’s exact location, and they wouldn’t make a conspicuous move now. They would wait for the dust to settle before acting. Rosmerta’s team, on lookout, would find it difficult to identify them, as they wouldn’t expose their eye-tattoos.
We couldn’t stop the message from reaching the Exembra members, but we could delay their reaction. Graylease’s team, while invisible, could intimidate and deter the enemy, buying us more time.
It was a rough plan from the start, knowing the enemy wasn’t fully identified. The remaining members would eventually learn about the hideout’s destruction, sooner or later.
Capturing them before they realized it was better than letting them escape unharmed. We had seized their drugs and gained valuable information. If the drugs in circulation matched what we seized, we could trace the source and find more enemies.
Today’s operation was a success. We would present these results as a gift.
We left the cleanup, further searches, and the handling of the captured enemies to the locals.
I hoped for new information.
The world of drugs is dark, and delving too deeply could make the story too grim. I want to keep it light and enjoyable!
Of course, illegal drugs are extremely dangerous, and even reckless young people should stay away from them. That goes without saying.
Next chapter: "A Favor." I’ll cause a bit more chaos in the Royal Capital before we leave.