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“What the hell are you babbling about just standing there? Claiming this ownerless land as yours, mine, while talking nonsense.”
“It seems like the Miss doesn’t understand. Originally, when mercenaries who exterminate contaminants choose a place
”
“Is this your house? No, fuck, we were the ones who initially built the houses for the people living here.”
“Mila.”
Of course, Lennok had no intention of stopping her.
He just seemed to restrain her moderately, but in fact, he only fueled her anger more.
Naturally, if there’s someone trying to stop, the anger grows even more – it’s human instinct.
“Don’t stop me. No, don’t you even get angrier when those who came later than us claim the right to occupy an ownerless land?”
Clank!
Mila, who couldn’t contain her anger even while talking, took out her shotgun and as she bent the barrel, Miguel’s face turned pale.
Could he not have thought that she would resort to force right here and now?
But Miguel didn’t just stand by either.
“Enough is enough. It’s not that we don’t have hands to do it

!!”
Notwithstanding the circumstances, the odds were clearly stacked against them as they faced a group of nearly twenty people on the opposing side.
It seemed that the sheer numerical advantage granted them an almost unstoppable power.
The situation teetered on the edge of a collision, a crisis that demanded immediate resolution.
Lennok swiftly observed the movements of the other mercenaries positioned behind Miguel.
Around ten individuals armed with firearms and various gear, accompanied by a young man with narrow, inscrutable eyes, emanating no discernible energy, be it mundane or magical.
Who would take the initiative to suppress the opposition if the battle were to commence?
As Lennok rapidly assessed his priorities, someone who had approached from behind Miguel reached out and touched his shoulder.
“That’s enough.”
“Maoren.”
Having previously scrutinized the young man with a narrow gaze, Lennok noticed a subtle smile playing upon his lips as he cast a brief glance in Mila’s direction.
“I didn’t expect to see a mercenary from the Antares office here. Nice to meet you.”
“What?”
“I’m Maoren of Platon. I’m sorry, but today I’m guiding these mercenaries here.”
Maoren’s words echoed through the air, causing Mila’s face to contort with a merciless expression.
It came as no surprise. The Platon Mercenary Office—a name Lennok had also come across in conversations with Jenny.
In recent times, they were the most prominent mercenary group traversing these lands, alongside Antares.
While Antares operated with a small, highly skilled squad, the Platon Mercenary Office gained notoriety for their ability to recruit talented mercenaries, thanks to their seemingly limitless, mysterious resources.
Maintaining a nonchalant smile, Maoren proceeded to speak further.
“It’s well known that Antares office has a lot of interest in the undeveloped territories. Can we consider this residential area of homeless people part of it?”
In the absence of a verbal response from Mila, Maoren nodded in acknowledgment, as though her silence held all the answers.
“Understood.”
“It’s shameless to ask the mercenaries of Antares office to step aside while they are here. However, would you allow us to rest nearby for a while?”
“Rest?”
“Yes. If by chance, a contaminant passes by, it’s just a matter of who handles it best, right?”
Ultimately, it became clear that he was reiterating the same message in a different manner—they had no intention of vacating the residential area.
The dilemma arose when considering that escalating the situation would inevitably result in the application of force.
Mila, seemingly hesitant to aim her shotgun at the Platon mercenary, eventually averted her gaze, feeling a sense of unease.
Observing Maoren’s departure with a satisfied air, Lennok responded with a subtle nod.
“That’s it. Take care.”
“What? Why? Wait!”
Mila hastily grabbed Lennok, who was about to turn his back and leave the ruins.
“You have to stick to the code if you’ve agreed to work together. Where are you going alone?”
“So, should we compete with those guys to see who hunts the contaminants first? It’s much easier to wander around alone than to do such a tiring thing.”
Lennok held no remorse in his heart for hunting down these creatures known as contaminants.
They posed no significant threat to the sprawling mega-city of Vulcan, they were mere byproducts of some experimental mishap.
Engaging with them would yield nothing more than a meager paycheck—no progress in magic, no survival skills to hone—nothing substantial.
There was no need to waste time engaging in a futile contest of pride.
His goal was crystal clear: acquire the elixir Stemmonia by any means necessary. This time, he was only here to earn some extra money.
However, Mila’s situation was different.
Devoid of Lennok’s exceptional sensory abilities, she struggled to detect other contaminants. In a faceoff against such numbers, it would be arduous for her to gain an advantage in hunting contaminants.
If another conflict erupted, even if she managed to survive, escaping unscathed would prove exceedingly difficult.
They say the disadvantaged party makes the first move, and thus, she finally revealed her trump card.
“Th-The amulet! You know, the one you took. I’ll give you that if you cooperate, okay? I paid over ten million cells for that amulet.”
Momentarily taken aback by the unexpectedly steep price, Lennok paused, but his resolve remained steadfast.
He knew that he wouldn’t be able to secure a higher sum for a used item with limited utility. Moreover, it dawned on him that he would have to collaborate with Mila to obtain the amulet.
How long could they afford to squander time, waiting indefinitely for the contaminated creatures to make an appearance

“Huh??”
Lennok, attempting to pry Mila’s tightly clasped hands off his arm, abruptly turned his head. Mila, initially perplexed, followed suit, redirecting her gaze in the same direction. After a moment, the rest of the mercenaries also noticed the peculiar occurrence.
Thud
 Thud
 Thud
!
A deafening noise, surpassing anything they had encountered before.
Simultaneously, erratic movements surged toward them from beyond the ruins.
There was no doubt.
Contaminated creatures. A swarm of over twenty surged toward the ruins all at once.
Mila’s face lit up with determination as she fervently urged Lennok onward.
“Hey! You’re going to just leave after seeing that? Just try it with me once. There’s nothing to lose.”
“

”
“We can also give those shameless guys a hard time, right?”
Prior to responding, Lennok swiftly surveyed the expressions of other mercenaries.
Although a substantial life force seemed to be converging upon the ruins, the simultaneous appearance of these contaminated creatures, almost as if orchestrated, struck him as peculiar.
It was more logical to assume a deliberate cause and effect rather than mere coincidence.
As anticipated, Lennok’s gaze fell upon Maoren, who stood amidst the turned mercenaries, wearing an unmistakably self-assured smile.
Rather than surprise or elation, it appeared more akin to satisfaction—like when one’s expectations align perfectly with reality.
Observing Maoren’s countenance, Lennok made an instantaneous decision.
“Alright.”
Regardless of the futility of further debate, it would be ludicrous to retreat when a horde of contaminated creatures was rapidly approaching.
Seizing the opportunity for a strategic advantage in securing the elixir, the present competition was paramount.
The thought of the elixir Stemmonia, potentially still available at the auction house, flashed through Lennok’s mind, compelling him to swiftly alter his course of action.
“Run forward.”
“What?”
“Just run. I’ll handle the rest
 Grab the shotgun.”
Fortunately, Mila required no further prompting.
With a resounding clang, she swiftly brandished her shotgun, channeling her power to its maximum, and sprinted ahead, surpassing the other mercenaries.
Before the astonished onlookers could react, Lennok surged his mana to its peak.
Bold and resolute was always the way to commence.
And with the intention of capturing the target in a single shot.
He unleashed it.
[Sink Hole]
Originally a spell used to create a small indentation in the ground, ideal for concealing oneself as a Magic Musketeer, Lennok infused it with an abundance of mana, amplifying its potency. He heightened its firepower, expanded its range, and deepened its impact.
The outcome manifested instantaneously.
The dry sandy ground crumbled beneath their feet.
Whoosh!
In a mere blink of an eye, a pit with a radius and depth of approximately 10 meters swallowed the mercenaries whole.
“What, what the
!!”
“Damn it, what is this!!”
“Suddenly what
!!”
Amidst the chaos of the mercenaries who had fallen into the sudden sinkhole, a few managed to swiftly regain their composure and surveyed their surroundings.
They refused to dismiss the notion that this pit was a mere coincidence.
Determination to escape, even if it meant stepping on their fellow mercenaries, gleamed in their eyes.
Among them stood Maoren and a mercenary radiating an exceptionally strong mana. Surprisingly, Claria, who had been part of Miguel’s group, was also among the quick responders.
Maoren exhibited the fastest reaction.
From a body that emitted no trace of mana, an overwhelming surge of mana—enough to momentarily stagger Lennok—suddenly spilled forth as he prepared to leap.
The disparity was substantial, causing Lennok a slight surprise. However, it worked in Lennok’s favor if Maoren relied on mana.
Just before the leap, Lennok dispersed his mana in all directions, extending it into Maoren’s body, disrupting the flow of the rotating mana from within him.
Whiiiiing!!
Having interfered with the magic deployed by the opponent while dealing with wizards twice, he amplified the sensation he had felt from those experiences and delved into the mana itself, not just the magic.
To what extent this method would affect an opponent remained uncertain, but it undeniably worked against Maoren standing before him.
Lennok severed the flow of Maoren’s mana, coursing from head to toe, in a single stroke.
Crack!!
In that very moment, as Maoren kicked off the ground and leaped upward, his head twisted in an entirely different direction, startling him before he swiftly regained his mid-air balance.
A fleeting mix of horror, confusion, and anger washed over his face.
If such an occurrence befell Maoren, seemingly the strongest among them, it boded ill for the others.
From below the pit, as the mercenaries endeavored to mobilize their mana, Lennok thwarted their attempts, disrupting the physical enhancements granted by mana.
Thud!! Thud
!
“What
 what is this?!”
“My mana won’t budge!”
“Hurk
!”
Irritation, confusion, and fear surged through their ranks.
Erikson even experienced dry heaving due to the backlash from the interference, his mana thrown into disarray.
Unable to recover from the betrayal of their once-obedient mana, the mercenaries found themselves utterly perplexed.
Lennok maintained a composed demeanor as he locked eyes with two individuals—the bewildered Miguel and the instantly discerning Maoren, who glared at him.
Desperately calling out for help, Miguel pleaded, “Mr. Wizard!! Can you assist us? Our mana isn’t functioning properly in this pit
!”
Lennok shook his head, looking down at Miguel.
“Miguel, don’t you understand yet?”
“Huh? What do you mean
?”
Though not entirely grasping the situation, Miguel’s expression slowly transformed from confusion to surprise, and finally to anger. Lennok found a sense of relief in witnessing this metamorphosis.
Disregarding their gazes, Lennok once again summoned his mana.
There was still work to be done.
Crack!
Three ethereal foxes leaped from his palm, swiftly tearing across the ground and igniting their bodies in a blaze of blue sparks. The sparks resonated, forming a net of crackling electricity.
In an instant, the electrified net bypassed Mila and swept through the oncoming wave of contaminants.
Squeee
!
Screaaaam!!
The contaminants shrieked in agony, but unlike before, they didn’t succumb easily to Lennok’s magic. The power of the spell had been significantly reduced, trading firepower for lower mana consumption and increased duration.
Nevertheless, as the foxes continued their sweeping motion, spreading the net of sparks in all directions, the movement of the contaminants noticeably slowed.
While the firepower may have been diminished, the accumulated damage gradually took its toll.
But that was sufficient. The primary objective was to provide support to the shotgun-wielding mercenary engaged in the hunt.
With that in mind, Mila fearlessly dove into the slowed horde of contaminants.
“Ahahahahat! This is absolutely amazing
! I love it!”
Bang!
She wreaked havoc amidst the trembling contaminants, expertly delivering shotgun blasts to their heads.
The dark sludge-like head of a contaminant burst like fireworks, and its eyeballs disintegrated into a cloud of dust.
“That idiot
”
What’s the use if she’s going to obliterate even the items that could be turned into profit in her excitement?
After firing the initial shot, Mila, seemingly coming to her senses, wore a regretful expression.
Observing Mila as she lowered the muzzle of her gun and started aiming for the bodies, Lennok briefly glanced down at the pit.
The mercenaries, too, seemed to have realized that an unknown force was interfering with their mana. Their expressions grew tense as they concentrated their focus, attempting to draw up their mana.