After talking to Shishima, Ming accompanied Shirley back to his base. But their pace was slow, even slower than when Akira was dragging Wataba's corpse. The reason is that Shirley walks very slowly behind Akira, and if Akira walks at his normal pace, she will be left behind.

Every time I'm left behind, Aki

A will call her, and she will run to him quickly. But it didn't take long for her to be left behind again. And every time that happens, when he calls her name, she runs slower and slower to Aki

a's side. She ended up not running, but walking, and then finally stopped. She just wouldn't come forward.

Even for someone as ignorant as Akira, he knew that Shiryl was acting strangely. So, he walked over to her and checked on her. But when he walked up to her, he was even more confused than before, and Shirley lowered her head and cried without making a sound.

Shirley looked confused, and finally realized that Akira was standing beside her. Then she slowly raised her head. Usually Shirley would say something that wouldn't make Jing's mood worse, but this time she didn't say anything, and the only thing she could do now was to look up.

Their eyes met, and Akira was puzzled to see Shirley crying silently. After a short silence, Akira, who didn't know what to do, finally squeezed out some words in this situation that was clearly beyond his ability to communicate.

"W-What's wrong?"

When he asked, Shiryl couldn't help but cry.

Akira remembers that the same thing happened when he first met Shirley. He then turned to Alpha for help.

"It's not my fault this time, is it?"

Alpha smiled playfully.

"Well, I'm wondering now. But at least, as before, it will attract people around it and can cause problems. ”

Aki

A's face twitched because it was the last thing he wanted to see.

Akira had thought that dragging the crying Sheryl back to the base would cause unnecessary worry, but she couldn't be left alone. So, just like last time, he decided to take Shiryl back to his room.

Akira moved to a hostel with smaller rooms. In order not to attract attention, Akira somehow brought Shiryl to this room. But he still didn't know that in this situation, a girl was sobbing in front of him.

The last time he asked her to take a dip in the tub, she calmed down. But this time, he was in a cheap room without a bath, so he didn't have that option. He knew that a cheap shower was not a substitute for a bathtub.

Akira tried his best to get out of this situation, and he finally came up with a solution. He slowly approached Shirley and hugged her awkwardly. He remembers the last time he was hugged by Shizuka, and although he was flustered at first, he eventually calmed down. So he tried to do the same with Shirley. If She

Hate it, he decided to stop and take a step back.

Shirley didn't resist or say anything, he hugged her. After a while, her cries grew louder and louder, and she slowly hugged Akira back.

Akira was so surprised that she tried to get out of the way, but Shiryl hugged him so tightly that he couldn't break free. He finally gave up and sighed. He just let She

yl hugs him. He hugged her softly, too. After a while, She

yl before he stopped sobbing. After saying that, she cried and emptied the battery and fell asleep.

“…… What the hell is that? ”

Akira muttered, looking tired, not understanding what had just happened.

Shirley has reached her limits.

The gang she was in was destroyed and she couldn't join other gangs. After losing everything that protected and sustained her life, she had no choice but to temporarily live in the back alleys of the slum city. It was an emotional burden for her.

It was because of her emotions that she couldn't think clearly, so although she was obviously the target of her attack, she thought that there might be a glimmer of hope if she didn't remember her. So, she tried to talk to him, hoping to help her get out of her current situation.

But that glimmer of hope was dashed. Before she could say anything, Ming noticed her and threatened her, and she trembled and couldn't speak for fear of being killed. It further crushed her already tired heart, and her spirit was broken.

After that, something unexpected happens, Aki

A agrees to support her, but in exchange, she must create a new gang to replace Sibea's gang, and she must become the boss of that gang. But that doesn't mean she's finally in a safe place. Some people came to her base to threaten her, but she was always able to bluff to drive them away. But the experience of crossing those dangerous bridges again and again broke her heart even more.

What's more, running your own gang is not so easy, there are many problems, and Akira doesn't go to the gang very often. When he did visit the gang, someone from her gang attacked him. Aki

a The merchant who introduced her intimidated her, Aki

a threatens to kill her if she does anything stupid. Aki

A may be helping her, but he doesn't look like an ally of hers. Shirley has been asked to understand this several times.

Finally, the latest events. The negotiations with both sides ready for a shootout were enough to push Shirley's exhausted psyche to the limit. It was beyond her means.

Eventually, she had to think about what to do next after all she had been through, so her journey back to the base was very slow and heavy. Only then did she realize that she would have to face such a situation again and again in the future. The moment she realized this, it gave her heart, which had reached its limit, the last stimulation and a complete collapse.

Cher burst into tears unconsciously. She just kept crying, and she didn't even realize it. She just wanted to rely on one person, whoever it was. She cried and looked for a place to lean on. She didn't know how long this state had lasted, and by the time she realized it, someone had already hugged her. She didn't even know who it was. But one thing is for sure, that warm hug is saying that you can rely on that person.

So Shirley hugged the man back to make sure he didn't walk away. It was only when she had exhausted all her strength that she breathed a sigh of relief, because when she was asleep, the huggers did not shake her off.

Akira sat on the floor, operating his information terminal. Shirley was still hugging him. It seemed that she would not let him go for a while, he was waiting for her to wake up, and he was doing something else.

So, Aki

a Decided to go online during this period. It is also a form of training that collects information using information terminals.

The internet on the East End is flooded with a wealth of information. It is so large that it is almost impossible for a person without the ability to search to find what he or she is looking for. Of course, there are some search sites, but even with it, it's hard to find anything for Akira, who has spent her life in the back alleys of a slum city.

Usually, any important or very valuable information is not free. They need to be purchased directly from an individual or organization that acts as an information broker. There are countless paid service sites online that offer information tailored to hunters. They provide information such as the location of the ruins that still hold expensive artifacts, a guide to fighting powerful monsters, and much more.

Finally, there are countless websites that offer all kinds of information for free for some reason. For hunters who want to survive and succeed in the eastern region, being able to extract important and valuable information from these sites is an important skill.

But Ming's current search capabilities don't even have accurate search results for the next day's weather or nearby restaurants. If he asked Alpha, he might be able to find it right away, but now he is doing his best to cultivate. He has had a lot of experiences, he was lured into chasing some unimportant information that came into his eyes or something else that caused him to waste his time online.

Just as Akira was using her free time to learn trivial things, Shellyl finally woke up.

Shirley was still in a daze, staring at Huang up close, still holding him.

"You're awake, can you let me go?"

Crystal thought that Shellyl should have calmed down, and tried to break free from Shellyl's embrace as she spoke. But when he does, She

Yl hugged him desperately, and it looked like she was almost going to cry again.

Shiryl then pleads with a distressed Akira.

“… Please help me. ”

She

Yl looks weak when she asks Aki

a When she asked for help, her eyes began to water, as she had nowhere else to turn to.

“…… Please, please help me. ”

Akira is silent because she doesn't know what to do, and Shiryl thinks it's no, so she pleads with him again when she starts crying.

A short nap allowed Shirley, who was emotionally unstable, to have enough energy to cry again.

Although Ming was accustomed to seeing anger, ridicule, and hostility, he was not used to someone looking at him with teary eyes and begging for something from him. Because of this, Jing couldn't bear the pressure of those eyes and reflexively replied to Shiryl.

"Of course, I'll help you."

Shiryl was stunned for a moment, then smiled with relief. She closed her eyes and seemed happy. It was only then that she let go of her grip on Akira's hand, as if she would die if she let go. Shiryl then leaned over Akira, hugged him, and fell asleep with a happy face.

"Is there any mistake..."

Akira sighed in bewilderment.

And then Aki

a put She

Yl picked it up and put it on the bed, then began his daily maintenance of his gun. When he maintained his AAH assault rifle as usual, he realized again that it was his lifeline, so he carried out the maintenance very carefully.

The AAH assault rifle is very popular because it is sturdy, can withstand violent treatment, and can be used for a long time in harsh environments. It makes perfect sense when they say that this is the gun that hunters have loved for the past 100 years.

Aki

a He was also owed a gun in many cases in the past. Thanks to this gun, he has been able to live until now. Although he was just a beginner not so long ago, Aki

a Proficiency in the use of AAH rifles for firearm maintenance.

"Instead of buying other guns, buy an extra rifle for backup."

"That's right. I can also carry two guns in both hands. ”

Then, Aki

a Imagine yourself traveling with two guns in your hands.

“…… Sounds cool! ”

Alpha is able to receive Aki

A glorious image of holding two AAH guns, this is Aki

a Sent unconsciously telepathically.

"If you carry two guns like that, most of your bullets will miss, and you may even tear off your arm from recoil."

Akira realized that Alpha had read the image in his mind and replied awkwardly.

"S-So that's a no, isn't it?"

"Well, after all, you don't have the strength to handle two guns. So, if you use a single-arm handling AAH rifle, it won't serve any other purpose than a shooting warning. Once you've got the booster set, you'll be able to withstand the rebound from the gun even if you're in bad posture. So if you want to carry two guns at the same time, you should at least wait until you get your booster set. ”

"Hearing that made me can't wait for the enhanced suit...... But there won't be more events until we get that, right? ”

"Can you stop triggering the flag like that?"

“… Good. ”

Akira regained her usual mood and continued to carry out maintenance. As he spoke, he glanced at Shiryl.

"Alpha, what the hell is that?"

Alpha shook his head slightly.

"I don't really understand either. I'm sure she's too tired, but when she wakes up, it's best not to ask her too much. ”

Alpha didn't ask Aki

A explains She

YL's psychological condition, because she thinks it might be better that way.

"Akira, how about you take a break today? I guess this issue is solved for the time being, but there may be another problem tomorrow, so you might as well have a good rest. ”

"You're right. After doing this, I went straight to sleep. ”

After the maintenance is completed. As usual, Akira took a shower and suppressed the feeling of wanting to take a shower before going to bed. Now that the guest was already in bed, he just pushed her aside and sat down next to her. Although it looks like Aki

A climbed into She

yl's bed, but he was the one who paid for the room. What's more, Shirley has been snuggling up to him for a while. So he was sure that Shirley wouldn't mind sharing a bed with him, and he slowly fell asleep.

The next day, Shirley wakes up before Akira. Looking around, she was still a little dazed, but when she found Akira sleeping next to her, she groggily hugged him and fell asleep again.

But when Shirley suddenly hugged him, Aki

a Woke up immediately. He then tries to wake up Shirley, who is asleep again.

"Don't sleep anymore, wake up and let me go."

After saying this, Ming was afraid that what happened yesterday would happen again.

But Cher obediently let him go. Still looking drowsy, she yawned and rubbed her eyes gently. Akira smiled at this.

"Good morning."

“…… Morning, morning. ”

With Shiryl's performance so different from the day before, Akira looked a little puzzled. She looked relaxed and had no traces of yesterday. She has a big smile and looks much prettier than usual, but also intimidating.

After that, they had breakfast together. As usual, it just heats up frozen food. So in short, it's not very tasty and tastes bland. But they were in a different mood for breakfast than usual.

Akira is shocked by the change in Shiryl, and he's been eating his breakfast. As for Cher, she seems to be in a good mood. Their mood is very different compared to the breakfast they ate.

Shirley then stopped in the middle of breakfast and bowed to Akira.

"Akira, I'm really sorry for the trouble I caused you yesterday."

"Huh? Ah, it's okay, don't worry. ”

After blurting out without thinking, Jing remembered what had happened the day before. Although it was Shiryl who started the trouble, he was probably the one who caused the trouble. Although he didn't feel guilty, he understood.

So, Aki

A was worried if this was Shiryl's roundabout way of expressing that she hated him. But when she says thanks, she is actually very honest. And because of the bad thing that happened yesterday because of him, Akira was a little upset, so she answered in a way that tried not to offend her.

"Well, a lot happened yesterday, but if anything happens again, you can tell me."

If Sheryl thinks that yesterday's events were something she unnecessarily involved him in, it will at least be in her actions. So, he said this to ease her thoughts, but Shellyl answered her with something unexpected for Akira.

"In that case, can I hug you again?"

Shirley replied with a smile. Akira asked Shellyl, a little surprised.

“… But why? ”

"When I do that, I feel safe. Like, you know, I felt very relaxed. ”

"Nope."

"It won't bother you, will it? And you don't lose anything either. ”

"No, I'm going to lose something. Ah, that's it, I'm going to lose my mobility. Besides, we're having breakfast right now, and it's hard for me to hug me, right? ”

"In that case, I'll feed you."

“…… At least let me eat my own meal, okay? ”

Shiryl leaned back towards Akira, who had stepped back a little. She kept smiling and insisting on Akira.

"In that case, I'll just finish my breakfast and make it, right? It's really hard to manage a gang. So I'm really tired right now. Not to mention what happened yesterday. Just think of this as a sanity check for me. If you let me do this, I'm sure I'll bother you less in the future. So that's okay, right? ”

Akira understands that if he agrees to her without thinking about it, then Shellil will do everything she can to keep her clinging to him. But if he vehemently rejects her, then there is a chance that what happened yesterday will happen again. In contrast, it might have been better for him to let her snuggle up to his side, after all, it would not cause him any inconvenience.

"Alright then, you'll be fine when we're done with breakfast."

Shirley suddenly smiled happily.

"Thank you."

Although only a little, Shiryl is able to manipulate Akira. Alpha realizes this because she decides to be more careful with Shirley.

After breakfast, Shirley clung to Akira as promised. She hugged him from the front, and he sat down, straddling Akira. She wrapped her arms around Akira's back and neck, looking relaxed. But she then asked Aki

a Asked for more.

"Can I ask you to hug me or pat me on the head?"

“…… Well, I don't mind, though. ”

When Akira did what he asked, Shiryl began to mumble to herself, looking very happy.

What the hell am I going to do here...... 】

Akira made an embarrassed face when she asked herself this question. But when he saw Alpha's teasing smile, his mood suddenly went bad.

"What?"

"Nothing. It seems that she really likes you. ”

"And what do you want me to do......

"I don't know, I don't have an answer to that question. But if you don't leave her, we're going to have to start today's lesson in this situation, you know? ”

When Aki

A realizes that he might really need to be in SHE

Aki starts studying with yl close to him

A tried to get She

yl left him.

"Cher, can you let me go now? I have other things to do. ”

“… I understand. ”

Shirley replied in a sad tone, reluctantly letting go of Akira. He breathed a sigh of relief at the thought that Shirley wouldn't let him go.

Shiryl then smiled at Akira.

"I will go back to my base. I have to explain what happened yesterday to everyone in the group. If you can, can you accompany me back to base? ”

"Okay, of course."

"Thank you very much."

Shirley looked happy and bowed politely to Akira.

Afterwards, Akira accompanied Shiryl back to her base. Shirley had a great time all the way. Although Ming looked at her with a puzzled expression, he didn't pay attention to it, and walked back with a happy smile on his face.

When they arrived in front of her base, She

yl politely addressed Aki

A bow.

"Thank you so much for being with me all the way here. I'll get back to you if there's anything I need. And, even if you have nothing to do here, I'd be glad if you could visit the gang. I'm going to do my best to manage this bunch, but because it's hard work, it's really helpful to have days like today that give me a breather. ”

"Well, I'll be back when I'm free."

"Thank you so much, I'll wait for you."

Shirley stood still and saw Akira off until he disappeared from her sight.

***

On the way back, Akira muttered. He looked back at everything that happened yesterday, like She

YL's emotional breakdown and many other things.

“Alpha，She

YL has really changed, hasn't it? It's like, she's changed so much that I just can't explain it. ”

"Well, she's not depressed or anything, I don't think there's anything to worry about."

"You're right, but it's still ......"

Alpha said with a displeased expression.

"Instead of worrying about her. I really hope you are more careful before getting your booster set and don't cause any problems. Last time it was dangerous, you know? ”

Akira smiled wryly and made some excuses.

"I'm sorry. You see, I didn't expect it to get that bad. ”

Aki

A said sorry because he couldn't have foreseen this, and he didn't apologize for making the situation worse. Akira didn't realize it. Alpha, who noticed these facts, was reminded how difficult it was to control Akira. Then she gave Akira a warning with a serious face.

"From now on, you must not go out until you get the booster set."

"Yes, I hear your voice loud and clear. I'll just stay in my room. ”

***

Shirley's kids didn't sleep last night. After that incident, Akira and Shiryl went out and the night passed and did not return. As a result, half of the children start worrying.

The kids thought that Akira and Shiryl had been killed, and that they had started an all-out war with the Ishishima gang, so most of them had already run away from the gang. And most of the children who stayed behind did not do this, because they believed that Shirley and Akira and the group of Ishishima had negotiations, but stayed there because they had nowhere to go.

So when Shirley returned, it caused a commotion in the gang.

Although the children looked at her worriedly, Sheryl was not bothered by this, and she maintained a confident smile.

"I'm back. Did anything happen after I left? ”

The kids just flocked to Cheryl.

"What's going on with this issue!? Or rather, how are the negotiations going?! ”

Although all the children gathered around her and made a fuss, she was calm.

"It's going well. We talked to Shijima and sorted everything out, so now there are no problems. ”

The children started making a lot of noise. While this is a very comforting answer, it is also a very unexpected one. Therefore, at the same time, they tried to inquire further.

"You—You said it was okay!? What about Akira!? He's not with you!? Was it killed?! ”

"Are you saying it's true that you talked to Ishishima?! But we did kill one of his gang members, you know!? Then why did you end it with one sentence?! ”

"Do we have to hand over our bases and territories?! How did that part end?! ”

Shirley smiled and calmed everyone down and put them at ease.

"Akira is not injured. Shijima's gang will not ask us to hand over our base and territory, they may even cooperate with us. So it's okay, don't worry about it anymore. ”

Shirley looked confident in front of everyone. And judging by the way she speaks, it doesn't look like she's lying or trying to deceive them. And so they calmed down, though they found it incredulous.

Immediately after, Shiryl's face became serious, and she said in a tough tone.

"So, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you guys do your job, like clearing the territory, patrolling, or collecting metal wreckage? Or is it something you've done? ”

"Hmm, no. In this case, we don't think it's time to do something like that......"

"So, where are the people who are not there now? Did you change your itinerary or something? ”

Then the children looked at each other and hesitated for a moment before telling Shirley.

"The people who are not here are...... I think they left the gang and ran away. ”

Shiryl just replied nonchalantly.

"I see. In that case, we have to redo everyone's schedule. ”

It's all in She

yl was expected. Even if she estimated the number of people who left the gang, she was not surprised at all. Her only thought was that it was a good thing that she was able to kick out those who gave up at the first sight of the threat. Then, in a calm tone, she gave the command.

"Elio, take a few children and go find the escapees. If you find them with our guns or food supplies, please recover everything. But you don't need to bring those kids back. Alicia, confirm how many people have left the gang and how many are still here. Report back to me when you're done. As for the rest of you, follow your usual schedule now. ”

Some of the children looked at each other, and some wanted to ask Shirley more questions. Some people can't understand what's happening. Some people just stood there dumbfounded. But no one started working.

Sheryl's face turned serious.

"Go! Right now!! ”

All the children immediately scrambled to do their work. Shirley just stood there watching them leave in a hurry and then back to her private room.

***

Alicia and Elio, representatives of the children who remained at the base, are talking. Elio asked Alicia cautiously with a puzzled expression.

"Say, it's just about Shirley. She's scarier than ever, isn't she? ”

Shirley could still smile confidently at what had happened yesterday, and Alicia had the same impression. But in order not to worry Elio, in order to keep herself calm, Alicia said with a smile.

"I think it's just your imagination. However, she seemed to be in a good mood and confident in me. ”

"Is that so? I get it. Well, she did say that there is no problem now. But since that happened, I guess it's better than looking worried, right? ”

"That's right. But we should also go, otherwise she will be angry. ”

"You're right."

Elio and Alicia then swapped their gear and went about their own work.

Shirley is in a good mood and is considering her next plans.

Shirley was a smart girl from the start. And with her cleverness, she can also do well in the gang in Sibia, and can also live a fairly comfortable life. In contrast, she is not good at anything related to combat. Of course, there are a lot of battles in the slum city, but every time it happens, Shirley always hides behind someone else's back until the end.

But after the gang to which she belonged was disbanded. She is thrown into a world where she can be killed at any moment. It's a world that needs to be adapted little by little, and she's suddenly thrown there unprepared. It's a world that's too cruel for her.

Days of endless tension, fear, and pressure from such a world were very heavy for her. Her heart can still hold on, but it has left countless cracks in her heart. In the end, the final blow crushed her heart.

As her heart grinds into dust and drifts away with the wind, she is looking for a place to lean on. Then she found a place to cling to, and it became the new foundation that sustained her, and she collected the broken heart piece by piece into a new shape.

The cracks between the pieces she collected were filled with what flowed from the new foundation. Haven, a sense of relief, trust, and dependence glue the pieces together, and even change them.

When Shirley meets Akira, her mind is rebuilt from scratch. It has been rebuilt again and again without changing its name or identity. Until now, Sheryl has not been able to perform to the best because she is afraid. But now that she has a sense of security, confidence and freedom again, all of a sudden, the idle gear inside her fits perfectly into the big picture.

Shiryl then turned back and looked back at her past self, careless and full of loopholes. There are a lot of areas for improvement. When she decided to do better in the future, she thought back. She has a lot of things she wants to try in her mind. She's re-evaluating, re-evaluating, and refining all these ideas that she has.

When she's thinking about the future of her gang. She knew, for herself and Aki

a benefit, it must become bigger and do better. Creating a world where she and Akira can live happily ever after has become very important to her.

Shirley smiled charmingly as she imagined the future she hoped for.

When Akira receives the notification of the arrival of Shizuka's enhanced set, he immediately stops studying, packs his things, and heads to Shizuka's shop.

Akira looked excited as soon as she entered the store. Shizuka saw him and gave him a welcome smile.

"Welcome, what you ordered has arrived. I'll take you there, and you'll come with me. ”

Shizuka took Akira to the store's warehouse. He saw many items and goods lined up in the warehouse, and then his eyes fell on the reinforcement suit on the hanger.

The gray-black reinforcement suit that hangs there is made from something that looks stretchy. There is a metal part that forms a skeleton that extends from the spine of the suit to all 4 limbs. And it is not equipped with a helmet or any head equipment.

Aki

A circled around it, his eyes locked on the augmentation suit. Shizuka looked at Akira, who was more naïve than usual, and giggled.

"This is the TLT Type C Enhancement Kit. Its name is Chiron. It may be 2 generations behind the latest generation of the booster kit, but its hardware isn't much different compared to the current generation. The basic setup software has been updated to the latest version, so don't try to increase its functionality by installing new software. In the worst-case scenario, the wrong adjustment can distort it in the opposite direction of what was intended, so be careful. ”

Aki

A's eyes were still locked on the gown, and he listened to Shizuka. He looks like a toddler excited about his new toy.

Intrigued by his curiosity, Aki stretched out his hand and touched the gown. The suit is made of synthetic fibers with countless thin and stiff wicks woven together. Following the thin wick, his fingers touched the metal skeleton.

Akira continued to feel the metallic part. The metal part was much softer than he had imagined, and with a light touch, the metal part was deformed, as if it were made of chewing gum. Akira retracted her fingers in panic.

"S, Shizuka-san. It's softer than I thought it would be, though, is that normal? ”

Shizuka laughed, which made Akira breathe a sigh of relief. But part of that laugh was Shizuka enjoying Akira's hilarious reaction.

"It doesn't matter. The part is elastic and soft when the set is closed so that the user can easily equip it. So, don't just stand there, let's try to put it on. The first time I set up I need your body measurements. So take off your clothes as I measure your body. ”

Shizuka then measured Akira's body like last time. With that, she walked to the back of the booster suit, operated the information terminal, and sent the data to the suit.

Once the data is received, the booster automatically adjusts itself when it starts to squirm. The sleeves, inseams, and body parts of the suit were readjusted to mimic Aki

a body. Akira couldn't help but gasp when she saw this. After adjusting, Akira puts on his suit with the help of Shizuka.

The soft and resilient metal parts of the suit did not hinder his movement as he gear it and tried to move his limbs. But for weight, it's a different story. Although the weight of the dress is distributed over the humanoid, it is still heavy if he tries to move inside, Aki

A gets tired quickly.

Shizuka took a closer look at Akira and nodded slightly.

"yes, you look cool."

"Thank you very much."

Akira replied shyly, and Alpha interjected.

"Yes, you look really cool!! That's great! ”

"Shut up."

"Why are you treating me so badly?"

"Because it sounds like you're laughing at me right now."

Alpha looks angry, but Aki

A just ignored her. Shizuka then proceeded to inspect the booster set.

"Alright then, go ahead and turn it on, the switch should be somewhere around your waist. While I think there should be no problem, if you feel that something is wrong, be sure to cancel the startup process immediately. ”

"Okay."

Aki

a Then opened the suit. As the booster set activated, he could feel the metal parts woven into its wick and skeleton begin to harden. At the same time, Akira couldn't feel the weight of the suit anymore.

The booster kit supports its own weight, which moves with the user, which is why the user does not feel its weight when it is opened.

Huang Huang couldn't feel the weight of the suit, and Huang was a little surprised. Looking at Akira's performance, Shizuka knew that there was nothing wrong with the enhanced suit.

"It looks like there are no problems with the suit starting. Remember to move slowly now until you get used to the enhanced physical abilities of the enhanced suit. I would have suggested that you pick up a few random heavy guns over there to test your booster, but if you accidentally break them, there will be problems. So don't touch anything, okay? You can go to the wasteland and pick up some wreckage to test your strength. Also, remember to be careful when picking up a gun. If you use your booster violently, it can easily break. Please note that the metal part of your augmentation suit will only harden to provide support if you are carrying a heavy firearm or any other object. So remember, you're basically still vulnerable to bullets and monsters, okay? ”

（p4553

: Basically a set of 8 million AU

um suit, no bulletproof? o_O）

（Silavi

: I believe that now the bullets / guns are stronger than we are in the RL)

Akira nodded firmly.

"I understand. I'll be careful. ”

"The other items that appear with the booster set are in the box over there. It should include additional backup energy packs, maintenance kits, and simple manuals. You should be able to find a site to download a more detailed manual in the simple manual. So be sure to read the manual...... I guess that's all, do you have any other questions? ”

Akira thought for a long time before asking Shizuka.

"By the way, do people usually use helmets in their augmentation suits?"

"Armor, augmentation suits, and basically any other equipment are actually optional. Are you one of those people who like to wear helmets? I'm sorry, I should have made it clear to you beforehand. ”

Shizuka apologizes to Akira with an apologetic face, and he answers while panicking.

"Ah no, I just wondered if it would be weird if I used a helmet and an augmentation suit. I don't mean to complain. I did say that when I consult with you, I will tell you if you need anything. So please don't regret it. ”

"Is that so? I'm glad to hear that. ”

He was relieved to see Shizuka smiling at him and knowing that she had regained her usual mood. So, he continued to ask her questions.

"Shizuka-san, you did ask me if I was the kind of person who would wear a helmet, right? So some people would rather not wear a helmet, right? ”

"Yes. It's actually more common, you know. Some people prefer to use the information terminal on their head, so the helmet provided with the booster set gets in their way. And there are also people who don't want to put anything on their heads either. That's why head gear is optional when you use the Enhancement Set. ”

"So there are people who do that, right? Honestly, I think it's safer to wear a helmet......"

"Somebody does do that, you know. For example, neither Sara nor Elena use full helmets, right? ”

Akira recalls his memories of Sarah and Elena's augmentations, and it does. He also remembered that the hunters who attacked Sara and Elena also did not use helmets. But even then, he didn't have enough reason not to use one. It only made him more skeptical. So he looked puzzled and asked Shizuka again.

"That's true...... But why? ”

"Well, there's a reason for that, but it's a mysterious thing, you know."

"Something mysterious, huh?"

"Yes, do you want to hear it?"

"Yes, please."

Seeing that Akira was genuinely interested, Shizuka began her story with a smile.

"There are hunters who don't want to wear any helmet, no matter how good it is. For example, this helmet, although it is a full helmet, it is bulletproof and has a wide-angle display, so the field of view with and without a helmet is exactly the same, and it can also transmit sound without hindrance, just like with or without a helmet. It fits perfectly without putting any pressure on your head, and it's essentially weightless if used with a reinforcement kit. But even then, there are people who don't use this helmet, do you know why? Not because of money, of course. ”

Akira was silent for a moment, trying to come up with a reason, but he couldn't think of anything. Then he gave up and surrendered.

“… I do not know. ”

"For some reason, wearing a helmet lowers their intuition, or so they say."

"Intuition, huh?"

Hearing the reason for the surprise as an answer, Jing looked puzzled. Shizuka smiled as if enjoying his reaction, exactly as she expected.

"Yes, intuition. It looks like those guys will throw out a powerful helmet or any other defensive gear to keep their instincts sharp, you know. Because I also seem to me to be a person with sharp intuition, it's not like I'm incomprehensible to them. ”

"Hmm...... I don't seem to understand ......."

"Well, it's very subjective indeed. Some people are skeptical about it, but in the end, because it's about their own feelings, there are a lot of people who trust their instincts and do whatever they want. As long as they decide to their liking, I don't see any problems. But it can cause some problems in some cases, for example, when arming people who work in private military companies. There is a story that the man in charge of arming his squad did not believe in this mystery and forced everyone in his squad to equip their helmet. Do you know what happened at the time? ”

"W-What's wrong?"

"While they used high-quality helmets to convince his squad, their mortality rate increased, you know."

Shizuka said in a mysterious tone while watching Jing's reaction, and then smiled with satisfaction.

"It doesn't seem like there's any real evidence, which is very doubtful when you say you don't want to use a helmet because it gets in the way of your intuition. But tangible evidence like mortality does emerge. That's why it's called the Mystery Stuff......"

“…… Uh-huh, so, would it be better if I didn't wear a helmet? ”

Shizuka's answer calmed Akira, who looked overwhelmed.

"I'm sorry, but I don't have a clear answer to that. After all, there are also people who are very fond of their full helmets. Still others took the story seriously and were killed without helmets. If you want to wear a helmet, then I think you should. If you don't want to, then you shouldn't. That's all I can tell you. Not to mention that I've heard that good hunters can be embarrassed when using equipment they don't normally use. So like I said, it's completely a subjective topic and you should decide for yourself. ”

Akira looked a little ambivalent before making a decision, and smiled wryly.

"I understand. Now, since I don't have the money to buy a helmet, I'm assuming I'm one of those people who doesn't like helmets. ”

Shizuka said with a smile.

"It's probably better than hesitating. Anyway, you can buy an optional set later and let me know when you change your mind. ”

"Yes."

Shizuka then changed the subject.

"Remember, just because you bought yourself an enhancement set, doesn't mean you can do anything dangerous, okay? If anything bad happens, please contact me. If you find any glitches, please come to me, but keep in mind that it will take at least a month to fix it. Ah, and also, before you leave the store, be sure to turn off your suit or put it in your daily life mode, or you might damage things before you know it. ”

Aki

a The booster kit was then turned off, so its weight suddenly returned. He felt that it was impossible to go back to the hotel in this situation, so he reopened it and switched it back into daily life mode. The weight of the suit was greatly reduced. Although there was a slight weight, it did not hinder his movements.

Aki

A and Shizuka then returned to the store and they started talking professionally like customers and shopkeepers.

"I've tried my best to pick an enhancement set that will satisfy you. I'm sure you'll come up with a lot of things once you actually use it, but I hope you're happy with it now. If you find anything you want to complain about, there's no need to back down. If it's within my range, I'll help you. ”

"I think it's fine, but I'll come back if there's anything."

Shizuka smiled, and it seemed that Akira was satisfied. She went on to add.

"There's one thing I forgot to tell you. Don't forget that you'll need to buy energy packs and other things for your booster kit in addition to the usual medications, so keep that in mind. It would be pointless if you only bought a new energy pack when you ran out of energy. Now that you've bought it, you have to take good care of it and use it at any time. ”

"Yes, I'll be careful. Thank you so much for everything. ”

Akira bowed politely, and Shizuka smiled and handed some of her things to Akira while joking.

"Don't mention it. Now that you have the Enhancement Set, you should be able to use guns that you couldn't use before, right? I'll be looking forward to it when you order more guns. ”

"I want to meet your expectations, but before that I have to make enough money. So please be patient. ”

Akira replied with a casual smile. Then he lowered his head and went home.

Shizuka muttered as she sent Akira away.

"But other than that. Not long ago he bought an AAH rifle, and now he has bought an enhanced set, well. It's really fast. What's more, he was fortunate to be rescued by Elena and Sarah at a critical moment. He may become a great hunter in the future...... Just maybe. ”

Shizuka looked a little worried, and then came back to her senses.

The faster a person runs on the path to success, the more focused his attention is, the narrower his vision becomes, and finally, the more damage he suffers when he encounters bad luck.

Shizuka immediately changed things in her mind, and then subconsciously said her thoughts and played a prank.

Akira, who had already returned to her room, smiled at the enhanced suit hanging from the hanger.

"Now that I have the Augmentation Set, I can start looking for the relics again."

He needs to put the remaining 500,000 AU

um paid Shijima, and he was almost out of money. He only had enough money to stay a few more days in this unen-suite room.

Aki

A wanted to make more money and move to a room with a bathtub as soon as possible, but Alpha rejected the idea.

"We're not going to the ruins anytime soon, you know?"

"Huh? But you said I could go to the wasteland again after I got the booster, right? ”

"Of course you can go to the wasteland, but you can't go to the ruins. It's dangerous, and I've decided to keep you safe, you know. I'll do my best to find a solution to your bad luck. ”

From Alpha's tone, it felt like she was exaggerating her situation. Akira was slightly stunned, he didn't know if his bad luck couldn't fight back unless he had the same determination.

"I see. If you say that, there's no way around it. So, what should I do from now on? It's almost out of money to even live in such a cheap room, you know? ”

"It doesn't matter. We will accept the request of the hunter's office and make money for the time being. Your goal now is to complete the Hunter's Office request and increase your Hunter level until you can borrow a car to explore the wasteland. ”

"Vehicles, huh? Hmm, is there any reason for me to prioritize? ”

"It's tiring to run away from a bunch of monsters on your legs, isn't it?"

Although Ming was convinced of this reason, he made an ambivalent expression as he realized that Alpha's wording was like he should encounter another group of monsters in the future.

"The next step is to explore the ruins for the sake of collecting them. I will also be the one to choose the request. ”

“…… Well, since you say so, then I'll leave it to you. ”

"Let's go rest today. I'll finish setting up the booster kit while you sleep. Tomorrow you'll have a full day of plyometric training. I'm going to get you used to it so you can at least fight while using it. Then we will accept requests from the day after tomorrow. ”

"Enhanced suit setup? But Shizuka has already done that, right? ”

Alpha smiled invincibly at Akira, who was a little sour.

"She only configured the most basic parts. I will configure settings tailored to you to maximize my support capabilities. I just need you to connect your information terminal, and I'll do the rest myself, you can rest assured. ”

Akira picks up his information terminal and uses the cable from the augmentation kit maintenance kit to connect his information terminal to the augmentation kit. Upon plugging in, a series of symbols, numbers, images, and characters appeared on the information terminal that he did not recognize, but he remembered that something similar had happened to Alpha when configuring the information terminal. So he didn't worry about it and went to rest.

Alpha was busy configuring Aki through the message terminal

A's enhanced suit, Aki

A is doing my own research with notes and stationery. But then he remembered what Shizuka had said.

"Hey Alpha, Shizuka-san said that some people have worse instincts when they wear helmets. Are you sure? ”

"Yes, it's true."

Aki

A was a little surprised because Alpha said it as if it was true, and suspected it was stupid in the first place.

"You made it very clear, huh. Even Shizuka-san's own belief has been said to be mystical, you know. ”

"This is a miscalculation and misunderstanding due to the inability to obtain the accurate information and knowledge needed. This is because it is not possible to translate personal feelings empirically or to communicate with such things or many other factors. It is precisely because it cannot be analyzed with current technology that it is called metaphysics. ”

Akira looked completely confused.

“…… Please explain it in language that is easier for me to understand, okay? ”

"Of course. Let's imagine that you are seeing a low-resolution image of the ruins of Kudzubara. It's vague, but you'll still be able to make out it. But even if the person who sees the picture doesn't realize it, there is a difference between the picture and the real scene. Since this is a blurry image, you won't be able to make out all the details in it. The same goes for a full-face helmet with a wide-angle display or high-quality binoculars. There is always some information that gets lost. If some of the missing information contains warnings of impending danger, then you won't be able to notice it. This is not limited to information from the visuals. The same reasoning can also be used for any information received through any part of your brain. ”

Akira looked puzzled, and many questions crossed her mind.

"It feels like there's someone behind you and when you look back you really find that person. Some people have this intuition. But those people have this intuition, not because of their senses of sight, hearing, touch, taste, or smell. Of course, they can't see what is behind them, they can't hear, they can't smell, they can't touch it. These people may not be able to see the person behind them directly, but they may have an organ that allows them to feel the gaze. They may be people who used old-world technology to get this organ, or they may be descendants of such people. It's also possible that they got a relic that allowed them to do so, and they kept using it without realizing they suddenly gained a superpower. So using a helmet might hinder that organ or relic. ”

Akira looked dazed, as if she couldn't understand what Alpha had just said.

"Although you are talking to me telepathically, this is only what happens between me and you. Like I said before, it's possible because there are some peculiarities in your brain. But this is not limited to our case. In some cases, other people can also communicate and send messages to another person or thing through telepathy. For example, some twins can communicate telepathically or similarly when you somehow notice danger near the people around you. You may not be able to communicate directly with the people around you, but some information can be transferred unconsciously. This transmission of information may be blocked by a helmet. ”

Aki

A could barely comprehend all the new information that flooded his brain.

"Basically, people with good intuition are those who, for some reason, are able to unconsciously receive information and make decisions based on that information. For hunters who often risk their lives on the job, they are constantly honing and relying on their instincts, so letting their instincts be dulled is like having them fight monsters with one eye turned a blind eye. The more they rely on intuition, the more they don't have it, and they will be killed. ”

Alpha then paused her explanation for a moment.

"Do you understand something?"

Akira was still confused, but somehow blurted out an answer.

“…… In short, if I put something strange on my head, what is usually hard to notice becomes something that I can't notice. It might even hinder our telepathic abilities, right? ”

Alpha was a little surprised when he heard his answer, but immediately smiled happily.

"Although you don't understand anything, I think it's enough that you can understand so much. So, no matter how good the equipment is, if it gets in the way of my support, you can't use it. ”

"But how do I know if it's going to get in the way of your support?"

"I'll know right away, I'll warn you, so don't worry."

"I see, I see."

Aki

A breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that Alpha would warn him if he tried to equip anything strange that would unknowingly hinder Alpha's support.

"So, is that enough? Or shall I explain it to you again with a lower difficulty? ”

"No, that's good enough. You can tell me the rest of the details when you teach. ”

"Is that so? Feel free to ask me when you want to hear the rest. ”

"Okay, of course."

Aki

A rejected the offer because he felt that if he agreed, she would continue with the lengthy and difficult explanation. But he didn't know that Alpha had guessed his answer.

Alpha smiled as he watched as Akira tried to dodge the topic. By looking at Akira's reaction, how his expression changes, how his mood changes. She was able to deduce Aki

A's tendencies, character, what he likes, what he hates, what shocks him, etc., basically, the roots of his character. Because of this, she has been observing Akira all the time.