Chapter 70. The Marauder, No. 9 (2)
No. 9 scratched at the wound in his side.
“This toy hurts, sure, but it won’t kill me. You’re seriously underestimating an Archon’s regeneration.”
Blood was still flowing from where the harpoon had struck him.
But just as he said, the wound in his side was already closing as though it were being erased.
The speed of his recovery was astonishing.
Kevin stared at him in horror.
“He really is a monster.”
“Yeah.”
Yukgap nodded with a bitter expression.
A monster.
Perhaps no word described Abraxas more plainly than that.
“Whoa, look who it is! Zeta! How have you been?”
At that moment, No. 9 glanced over the deck and suddenly shouted in delight.
Everyone’s gaze immediately turned toward Yukgap.
Caught in an extremely uncomfortable situation, Yukgap awkwardly answered,
“Uh... yeah, I’ve been fine. What about you?”
“Same as always. Raiding, smashing things, killing people, eating them. Our job never really changes, does it? Hahahaha!”
No. 9 laughed with complete innocence.
Then his body gradually shrank.
Before long, he had transformed into a muscular man with brown skin.
He looked to be in his mid-twenties.
He wore nothing but swim trunks, leaving his lean, powerful physique fully exposed.
Even in human form, traces of gills remained around his neck like tattoos.
“You have no idea how bored I’ve been since you disappeared! I never thought I’d run into you here.”
No. 9 casually leaped onto the ship and approached Yukgap with obvious delight.
Yukgap watched him carefully before asking,
“By the way, Iota... you do know I deserted Abraxas, right?”
“Oh, right! You did!”
Only then did No. 9 flinch and hurriedly step away.
Apparently, he had genuinely forgotten.
Kevin, who had been watching the exchange, quietly asked,
“Are all Abraxas Archons... intellectually challenged?”
“No. Absolutely not. This bastard is a special case.”
Yukgap immediately denied it.
No. 9 simply spoke with an easygoing expression.
“Anyway, I’ve got orders too. I’ll just eat the Mercenary King and leave.”
He continued as casually as if discussing dinner.
“I heard the Mercenary King only travels by sea because planes are too risky when it comes to terrorism. That’s why they sent me.”
He spoke about killing someone as though it meant absolutely nothing.
If I hadn’t escaped, maybe I’d be talking exactly like him.
With that thought, Yukgap warned him.
“You can’t do that, Iota. I need the Mercenary King alive.”
“Why?”
“He might know something about my past. I left Abraxas because I want to recover it.”
No. 9 shrugged as though he did not understand at all.
“Why bother learning stuff like that? It only makes your head hurt.”
No. 9 climbed back onto the deck.
Under the sunlight, his muscles gleamed bronze.
“Anyway, I’ve got my orders.”
He grinned.
“I won’t kill you, but if you get in my way, I’ll probably chew off an arm or leg.”
With those words, No. 9 threw himself back into the sea.
Bubbles surged upward.
Then the huge shark from before slowly emerged again.
No. 9 bared his terrifying teeth and warned Yukgap,
“So stay out of this, Zeta.”
“This is the dock where Yukgap was supposed to meet the Mercenary King!”
Victoria arrived at the waterfront shown on the map.
No. 5, who had followed her, closed her eyes and faced the open sea.
A moment later, her expression hardened.
“Damn.”
“What is it?”
No. 5 took a deep breath.
“I can smell a lot of blood from beyond the sea.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“And I know whose blood it is.”
“Then we came to the right place.”
Victoria stared toward the horizon.
No. 5 asked,
“So how do you intend to reach them? Do you have a boat?”
“Hehehehe. Don’t worry about that.”
Victoria laughed confidently.
As if he had been waiting for his cue, Robert spoke.
[Doctor, preparations are complete.]
Victoria immediately raised her voice.
“Code Blue! Code Blue! Repeating, Code Blue! Serial number B-567921!”
Robert’s eyes flashed the moment he heard her.
[Voice authentication complete. Switching to aquatic travel mode.]
Whirrr. Clank.
Various components burst from Robert’s body with a tremendous mechanical noise.
His frame separated, shifted, and reassembled.
Before long, Robert had transformed into a large personal watercraft.
“Ta-da! What do you think? With this, we can get to Yukgap!”
Victoria sounded proud of herself.
But No. 5 still looked deeply worried.
“Are you really going? No one can defeat No. 9 in the sea.”
Victoria immediately answered as she climbed onto Robert.
“Our restaurant’s chef is in danger. Of course the owner has to step in!”
She looked ready to follow Yukgap even into hell.
No. 5 hesitated before speaking carefully.
“Then I’ll tell you that Archon’s weakness.”
Her expression became serious.
“It may prove useful.”
BOOM! BOOM!
The ship kept shaking violently.
Every impact made it tilt as though it might capsize at any moment.
“Attack! Keep attacking!”
