How to Live as an Immortal - Chapter 270
Only Noblemtl
How to Live Immortally Episode 270
270 That’s the kind of craftsman I want
“I’ll use this to help with the repairs.”
Fernandez let out a huge sigh as Gaon, who had kicked away the arm that Psycho had left behind and placed it on the bar counter, spoke kindly.
“Now they don’t even hesitate to openly demonstrate force.”
“There are many people who look down on you for pretending not to know. Like that guy.”
That’s why I deliberately allowed the attack even though I could have ended it in one breath. If you don’t know the process, you won’t understand the result.
As if to prove that the idea was right, at least the people in Columbus turned their gaze away without doubting Gaon’s skills. It was part of the struggle not to become a second Psych.
“I guess the fact that he disposed of a 4-meter-tall cyborg in 10 seconds with his bare hands would be considered gossip.”
“Yeah, that sounds stupid in its own way.”
Next time, he should be a little more relaxed, but just as Gaon was about to lose himself in useless thoughts, Fernandez opened his mouth.
“Just in time, some suitable information has come in.”
The craftsmen I was introduced to by others were all unsatisfactory, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t any gems.
“who?”
“It’s probably more like a group than a person. It shouldn’t be hard to find. I think you can get guidance from someone you know.”
* * *
“… … So that’s why you called me?”
At Gaon’s call, Aris hurriedly ran to the meeting place, Cafe Velvet, and as soon as she sat down, she heard the cold message that made her heart sink.
It’s been a few years since we signed a non-aggression pact with each other. Slowly―
“I thought you knew how to tell a serious story.”
“Is there anything more sound to a prosecutor than a sword story?”
“When I didn’t know her age, that smile seemed refreshing, but now it just comes across as sly.”
“What should I do? Even if Miss Seventy were Seventy, I still think she’s beautiful.”
“… … Age story huzzah… … .”
The reaction was so funny that I got really into it, but that’s not the main topic today.
“They say that each of the four major dark forces has its own specialty.”
If the Lucesia family shows that they are proficient in all aspects of brain science, Ryungyoung is proficient in all aspects of martial arts, including martial arts. In the case of Miyauchi-gumi―
“I heard they have smelting and metallurgy. I heard they have several unique technologies that even Megacorp can’t easily replicate? I’m already looking forward to it.”
“They could have tried to follow suit. However, they probably scrapped it because the unit price wasn’t high enough. All we have is the passion and tenacity that is typical of underdogs.”
“But no one can imitate the craftsman’s skills.”
The secrets passed down from generation to generation were equivalent to the season in martial arts. The techniques that had been improved over generations could not have been insignificant.
Just as the same dish can have completely different results depending on who makes it.
“You probably know one or two good craftsmen. It would be better to be a potter, but I don’t expect you to go that far.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to ask Baekdu?”
“What I want to use is not a product, but a luxury item.”
Ironically, as time went by, understanding of cold weapons decreased. Swords were made functionally perfect in the 21st century rather than in the 23rd century, and in the 24th century rather than in the 23rd century.
Moreover, there are now few people who have a sense of calling and practice refinery.
“You can tell just by looking at the instructor Mr. Genji used.”
The fact that he could refine the hexagon dice so thinly and long means that his skill in handling materials was heavenly. He was worthy of being called a master.
It’s a useless title in the 24th century, but―
“That’s the kind of craftsman I want.”
* * *
District 27, like District 26, which is famous as a tourist special zone, is adjacent to the Yani Sea and functions as a hub for transportation and logistics.
There were floating ports to accommodate the influx of goods from other colonies, and large storage warehouses were located nearby.
Since it is a point where many different types of people intersect, you can get a glimpse of all kinds of cultures.
I could tell that that place was under the jurisdiction of the Miyauchi-gumi without even having to listen to Alice.
Some people have grown huge like sumo wrestlers, while others have worn chonmage (丁?) or have irezumi tattoos.
Is it because it is one of the main strongholds of the Miyauchi-gumi?
Some of them seemed to recognize Alice’s face, but there was only a hint of contempt and suspicion in them. Even if I gave them a hundred concessions, their gazes were not those of an adult.
Come to think of it, the Miyauchi-gumi executive that I ran into in Lacey also vented his complaints in front of Alice. And then he died.
“Hey, I didn’t expect to see you in a place like this.”
I turned my head at the sudden sound and saw a middle-aged man standing with two men. A modern reinterpretation of a country bumpkin with his top of his head not shaved but only tied up.
The middle-aged man wearing a yukata and a haori over it had a listless expression, as if he had just come out for a walk, but no one would let their guard down.
Because what was engraved in the black pupil was a compound eye.
An appearance that resembles an insect rather than a human.
The strangeness aroused a physiological disgust.
“What’s going on here? Our noble Lady Alice would hate to mingle with commoners.”
“I don’t think it’s something you should worry about. Rather than making each other blush, let’s just go our separate ways.”
The man who had been quietly glaring at Alice shouts.
“I heard that you cut off Tonoda’s inspiration from Lacey. No matter how much you don’t like it, aren’t we still family?”
“Even if you’re family, there’s a line that you can’t cross. If you turn a blind eye once, what are you going to do the second time? Broken discipline won’t come back.”
“Even though you are now filling Kenji’s empty spot, you have not truly returned to being a swordsman. Come to your senses. The abuse of power you have wielded will become karma and weigh you down.”
The corner of the man’s mouth twists as he glances at Gaon.
“Or are you planning to create another innocent victim?”
“… … .”
The man standing in front of Gaon, leaving behind the unresponsive Alice, approached him and whispered in his ear.
“If the reward given is unusually high compared to the abilities one possesses, one should be suspicious, but it seems that you lack that kind of caution.”
“I think it’s moderate.”
“I see you haven’t heard it.”
The man shrugged after hearing Gaon’s answer.
“Well, it’s none of my business who gets caught in the widow spider’s web.”
* * *
A stormy man passes by, and silence flows between the two. They just keep walking forward. It was then that Alice suddenly spoke.
“You’re not asking anything?”
“Did you fail once when you hired a substitute like me? Or is your support base weaker than you thought?”
Alice couldn’t find a proper answer to the words that hit the nail on the head and just laughed awkwardly.
“I knew the situation would be complicated. Don’t worry. If I had changed my mind because of that guy, I wouldn’t have taken your hand.”
The former swordsman, Hiiragi Alice.
And Alice, a colonel from the punitive force.
Objectively speaking, her skills were unparalleled. She was stronger than any warrior Gaon had ever encountered. It was impossible to estimate how many times she would have to face death.
That’s who she was.
In terms of military power, it was absurd to seek assistance when they were cornered. If they fought alone, they could inflict significant damage on the Miyauchi-gumi leaders.
But if you can’t solve it, you’ll end up just wandering around –
“It must be a political issue.”
Didn’t you just see that? A formidable opponent was standing there, holding its ground.
“So who is that guy?”
“Kuroiwa Kaito, the next swordsman candidate.”
“Then shouldn’t I look good for you?”
“… … who once competed with me for the position of swordsman.”
Even without hearing it, it seemed like there was a lot of story behind it.
“Aha. That guy looks older than he is, or rather, has more experience than he does.”
“That’s why he’s overreacting. He needs my approval to become a swordsman. It must feel like he’s lost twice without fighting.”
It was the former swordsman, Alice. It was not her intention to stand in the judging seat by accident, but it goes without saying that she would be a thorn in her side.
Didn’t Kenji, the disciple who was supposed to nominate the next swordsman, cut off his own finger and run away from the Miyauchi-gumi?
Moreover, it was Aris who had already retired after killing Yong-Hee of Ryong-Yeong. Who would establish her authority while causing trouble? At least it wouldn’t be the executives.
“Surprisingly, I still value the procedure and delegate some of it to you.”
“It’s such an important position.”
Up until now, Gaon had only thought that Geomho was the mascot of Miyauchi-gumi. However, what Alice was trying to say seemed to be at a different level.
“Why on earth?”
“The swordsman has the power to execute anyone belonging to the Miyauchi-gumi. Since it is a power granted for the sake of gratitude, there must be a just cause.”
A limited, but certain license to kill―
“If it’s a yakuza, it’s worth looking back at.”
* * *
The outskirts of District 27.
There was a lower-level organization within the Miyauchi-gumi that was the only one that succeeded in coming out onto the bright side.
Yohanekai (世羽?).
The business they pursued was manufacturing. It was inevitable that they would create a village of craftsmen. The streets were filled with workshops, each with their own name and doing business.
It was a world where private sanctions were rampant.
It was a time when interest in firearms and weapons was bound to grow. Yohanekai was the one that took over the civilian production market by scratching at that aspect.
Land, land, land.
The sound of hammer and anvil clashing echoed through the streets. At times it was as steady as a sacred symphony, and at other times it was as free-spirited as a fantasy conducted by someone.
“Isn’t this unfamiliar to you, Gaon?”
No, I miss it so much. Now, a scene that I would only see in visual media is unfolding before my eyes.
However, it’s not like nothing has changed.
For example, the primary colored hair in the lined blacksmith shop is an example. A color that cannot be seen in humans. That is―
“Android?”
“I’m an apprentice. Even though I’m a master, I’m not always happy to toil away my body.”
They are the best people to assist the night team as they are physically tireless and mentally unstable.
“Hmm.”
That wasn’t all that was interesting.
It was a sight to behold, refining ultra-pure metals at temperatures reaching tens of thousands of degrees in a plasma furnace, stamping them out onto freshly cast molds with a 3D printer, and smelting and processing them with sub-arms that could move down to micrometers.
Moreover, the artificial eye that extended to the temple detected the slightest crack, and the second brain, which took up half of the brain, even calculated the margin of error.
The body that carries out this series of processes is a body that has been trained to the extreme.
It could be said that advanced technology brought Hephaestus to the surface.
“I think he’s closer to a surgeon than a blacksmith.”
“We have developed in our own way so as not to be eliminated.”
As I walk along the wall, I soon feel a sense of serenity on my skin. It is a place so remote that the hammering of artisans can be heard like an echo.
One cannot help but be immersed in the pastoral atmosphere and forget it.
The power of the one who monopolized the hill with a clear view of the Iron Road.
“The person you want to introduce to me is… … .”
“Yes, he is the president of Yohanekai.”