"Let go of me!"
The boss, enduring the searing agony of the burn, raised a leg and kicked toward Putato's chest.
BANG!
To her disbelief, despite her heavy, forceful kick, Putato only leaned back slightly. He then caught her long leg and suddenly reached out his other hand.
Putato gripped her wrist tightly, his hand sliding all the way down her arm, leaving a trail of shocking flame-brands on her snowy skin that emitted visible steam.
The boss's entire arm turned bright red from the heat. In a desperate move, she kicked Putato away just as his hand was reaching toward her chest.
"Aaargh! I'm going to cut you to pieces, you trash!"
Facing the maddened, irreverent foe, Putato simply stepped forward in fury, reaching out once more toward her throat.
The boss instantly dropped her weapon and retreated, but her eyes held no fear of flight. Instead, she roared and drew a short wakizashi from her waist, thrusting it in a desperate, suicidal counter-attack toward the approaching Putato.
The snow-bright blade reflected the intense neon lights around them, forcing Philip, who was dealing with the remaining members, to squint. Unfortunately for her, Putato's eyes had been closed from the start.
SQUISH!
"Die!"
This full-force thrust pierced straight through his armor. The boss broke into a predictable smile; she was a veteran of such life-and-death struggles.
Regrettably, Putato didn't recoil from the short blade embedded in his chest as she expected. Instead, he lunged forward, his hands clamping around her smooth neck.
"Wait!!"
She screamed in panic, sensing almost instantly what was about to happen. Her wish was granted: it looked as if she were wearing a glowing scarf of orange light around her neck.
"Gkh-akh-akh!"
Her seared throat made it impossible to speak.
Seeing the strike succeed, Putato calmly stepped back and detonated the brand. He felt his wrath vanish instantly, his mind clearing as his intellect reclaimed control.
BANG!
Blood mist sprayed, and the boss's scream was cut short.
The onlookers watched Putato in awe and fear. Even the Kurokumo members fighting Philip and Yuna stood frozen, staring in his direction.
The female boss still stood in place, but the flesh below her head was gone, leaving only bleak white bone. She looked like a human lollipop, a skull stuck atop a headless corpse, staying upright for two seconds before collapsing with a thud.
"Tch... this thing isn't as useful as I thought."
Putato rubbed his neck, feeling a bit irritated. He felt as though his intelligence had plummeted when his wrath surged, leading him to rely on his durability and tanking attacks unnecessarily. It would probably synergize better with the Dionysian Festival.
Besides, the Kurokumo boss's physical stats weren't bad; he had only just recovered from that kick she dealt him.
"What? You lot are quite honorable, waiting for me to finish my fight before stopping."
As the brutal, armored figure turned toward them, the Kurokumo members decisively chose to retreat, only to be intercepted and defeated by Salvador, who was already prepared.
Yuna stood over the boss's corpse, eyeing Putato with a strange expression.
"Vanda, do you have some psychological issues? Don't worry, it's quite common among Fixers these days."
"Sorry. First time using this Workshop weapon, I didn't control my strength well. I'll be more careful next time."
ROLL.
The boss's head rolled to Putato's feet.
"Tell you what, before we head to the Kendo Hall, how about I treat you all to a meal?"
"I want fried chicken! Philip, Master, hurry up and pick an expensive restaurant!"
The group's atmosphere was harmonious as they enjoyed their meal together. Putato took a moment to check his messages.
[Shamisen: Stop worrying about 'Putato'—they're all the goddamn same! How the hell did you provoke that psycho Yixin? She's one of the Eight Chefs!]
[Shamisen: I've been dismantled until I'm just a head! Answer me right now!]
[Shamisen: Putato, I'll stab you to death, I'll stab you...]
???
How did things go sideways again the moment I looked away?
[Putato: Brandon, how are you?]
[Brandon: Boss, don't worry about me. Earlier, Manager Shamisen bought a safehouse for the streaming department, but she seems to be in a critical situation now.]
Putato hurriedly sent a reply to Yixin.
[Putato: We'll meet tonight. Don't cause trouble.]
[Yixin: Alright! I really miss your scent. I'll take good care of your employees.]
Things were different now. At this moment, Putato felt his confidence surging; a single member of the Eight Chefs was no longer an insurmountable threat. This time, he would show her exactly what being the Work Emperor meant.
At the very least, he couldn't let this woman continue to be a nuisance. He was destined to become a Grade 1 Fixer and ascend to the Pinnacle of The City, women were nothing but a distraction!
With his mind at ease, Putato scrolled through the stream, sending a quick message to comfort Shamisen.
[Brandon:
- Roland [100,000 Ahn]: That donation from yesterday was a mis-click. Can I get a refund?
- Camille [100,000 Ahn]: What is your relationship with Vanda?
- Patches [100,000 Ahn]: An offering for Urban Girl.
- Kokochi [1,000,000 Ahn]: Is this some new form of performance art? Intriguing. ]
[Putato:
To Roland: Everything in The City has its cause.
To Camille: The City is with you.
To Kokochi: The City is the art of man.]
"Is this the Urban Girl stream Senior Yuna mentioned?"
Philip peered over curiously. Putato shared it with a smile, which immediately piqued Salvadore's interest as well.
All four of them sat at the table, watching the same stream. Salvadore looked on with deep interest.
"Actually, I heard about this from Roland, but I didn't expect it to truly be the will of the Prescript. Otherwise, this Urban Girl would have been purged by the Index already."
"It's not like no one has tried to use the name of the Prescripts before; those overconfident fools are all dead now."
"Rest time is over. Let's head to the Blacag Kendo Hall."
"Vanda, you and Philip take the lead again. I see you two are getting along quite well."
...
Blacag Kendo Hall.
Putato cautiously pushed open the thick, heavy ebony doors, while Philip nervously adjusted his glasses behind him.
The hall was brightly lit, and one could see all the way to the back in a single glance.
Many people dressed in black kendo gi were squatting on the floor, while several instructors holding wooden swords demonstrated techniques in the center of the training area.
"Are you looking to enroll in a class, take a grading exam? Of course, we also provide pre-tournament coaching."
A man with a buzz-cut walked up to Putato and politely listed the various types of courses, while Philip's gaze drifted toward the stairs leading to the second floor.
According to Songmi's information, this Kendo Hall was a Kurokumo Clan property, but most people there were genuine students of kendo. Their best bet was to investigate the second or third floors without alerting anyone, to retrieve information on other strongholds and the Kurokumo Clan's ledgers.
The Sakura Alliance needed the ledgers to verify the losses reported by each merchant; otherwise, the accounting would be a mess.
"Vanda, it looks like the first floor is just the training area. We need to find a way to get to the second floor."
"Simple."
Philip watched in surprise as Putato turned away with a smirk, unable to guess what he was planning. Philip had already spotted the Kurokumo members standing guard at the foot of the stairs.
"Look at me! Everyone, look at me!"
Putato strode into the center of the training area, causing several instructors to pause their demonstrations in confusion.
"I'm here to challenge the dojo!"
The students and instructors erupted in a commotion.
Putato was prepared to be swarmed; his goal was to incite chaos so that Philip could use the distraction to get to work.
Despite his meek appearance, Philip was a genius who had reached Grade 5 in just a few years, gathering intelligence would be no problem for him.
"Hahaha!"
"He's even wearing a blindhead. Did he get a Prosthetic head modification and go arrogant? Does this guy even know the reputation of our Kendo Hall?!"
To Putato's surprise, the many students only mocked him disdainfully. The instructors, faces cold, led the two of them upstairs. After whispering a few words to the Kurokumo members in black suits, the Syndicate members actually seemed pleased.
"Vanda, are you sure about this? You probably won't be able to use your Giant Workshop weapon in a kendo match."
Philip felt a growing sense of unease as he watched the Kurokumo members hurry them deep into the hallway. After all, this was an Urban Plague-tier Syndicate; for them as Grade 5 Fixers, this was pushing it.
The only reason Yuna and Salvador hadn't come up was that the Kurokumo Clan would recognize their faces. The moment they saw them, the clan would know someone had been hired to deal with them, likely causing them to move the ledgers.
"Senior Philip, I believe in you."
"Huh?"
Philip was baffled by Putato's sudden whispered message.
"I'm sure you can find the ledgers before I finish the challenge. As for the match, trust me. That's a junior's responsibility."
The group stopped before a set of dark-red double doors adorned with intricate patterns.
Two Kurokumo members respectfully gripped the handles and pushed them open, making sure not to make a single sound. The others glared fiercely at the two intruders, signaling them to keep their mouths shut.
The windowless, dim room contained only Sayo, who was carefully carving a hair hairpin with a blade. She wore a loose, low-slung kimono, and her shoulders, which should have been snowy-white, were covered in large areas of Kurokumo tattoos.
The sheer scale of the ink startled Putato; this woman's physical strength surely eclipsed the female boss from earlier!
Unlike Putato's functional organ tattoos, Kurokumo tattoos were purely focused on enhancing speed and strength. Paired with those specialized sharp blades, they could likely pierce even his exoskeleton.
"Come in. Where did these guests come from?"
Sayo didn't look up. She leisurely tied back her hair, inserted the freshly carved hairpin, and finally stood up.
"Vice President, someone has challenged the dojo."
"What? Not enough money collected, so you brought me a toy?"
"And why haven't Mance and the others returned yet? Yang, go ask them. While you're at it, sever their right legs."
"If this new female boss has an explanation, you know what to do."
"Haha, I'll cut out their tongues."
Lighting a cigarette, Yang swaggered out of the room with a few Kurokumo members. As he passed Putato, he narrowed his eyes and smirked.
"Nice look, kid. I hope you can keep her entertained. Otherwise, the boys handling you later won't be nearly as friendly."
The remaining members stood at attention on either side of the room, heads bowed in silence as they awaited orders.
"Um, I'm just being paid to lead the way. Could I go to the restroom first?"
Philip cautiously raised a hand. His refined, scholarly appearance was quite deceptive. Sayo simply waved a hand, and Gin, standing behind her, immediately stepped forward to lead Philip away.
Gripping a katana displayed on a rack, the 1.6-meter tall Sayo stared expressionlessly at Putato.
"A blind man learned the sword too? Take off the Eye Wrap. And those bandages."
Putato was happy to stall for time by chatting. He reached up, removed the Eye Wrap, and wrapped it around his neck.
"Do you know? Verrucae are caused by long-term pressure and friction on the skin of the lower legs. Through day-and-night tempering of my great heart, I have finally attained a Mind's Eye that allows me to observe even with my eyes closed."
"Like right now, I can clearly see the katana you're holding is nearly as tall as you."
The hearts of the Kurokumo members tightened. The ones who had brought Putato in were breaking into a cold sweat, already calculating the cost of surgery.
Sayo's eyelids lowered. she leaned over, grabbed a katana from a subordinate's waist, and casually hurled it at Putato.
WHOOSH!
The blade, flying like a bolt, was caught firmly by Putato.
"You look quite cute. A hair hairpin carved from your bone should be nice. If you win, I'll give it to you."
"Sigh, there are always those who lack eyes. I'll need a good bath afterward."
CLANG!
Without a single command, two katanas sliced through the air at the exact same moment. Gold and silver clashed violently in a heartbeat.
Sayo's calm gaze went past her golden blade-tip to stare at the still-closed-eyed Putato. Realizing his strength was far beyond a normal man's, she let out a cold laugh.
SWISH, SWISH, SWISH!
Both retreated half a step simultaneously, then launched into a flurry of rapid strikes in unison. A genuine storm of blade-shadows filled the room. Scores of sword-marks appeared on the floor and ceiling, forcing the standing Kurokumo members to scramble back in alarm.
Even Sayo paused, her breathing slightly heavy. Realizing her opponent's strength was not to be underestimated, she eyed Putato suspiciously.
"What exactly are you here for? Were you sent by the Sakura Alliance?!"
"It seems your heart of the sword is impure. To be so distracted during a duel of true blades, watch the blade!"
Hematic Pump!
Putato, who had been suppressing his strength, suddenly unleashed it. The blade in his hand struck down toward Sayo's head like a bolt of lightning.
BANG!
The terrifying force made Sayo's golden blade vibrate with a sharp, high-pitched ring. Putato twisted the hilt, and the golden light fell across Sayo's left shoulder, sending a large spray of blood blossoming outward.
"Young lady?!"
The Kurokumo members in the room could no longer stand by; they raised their blades and rushed forward in alarm.
At the same moment, an explosion sounded from outside the room, followed by Philip's shout.
"Here!"
Salvadore kicked the doors open. Philip, clutching a folder of documents, and Yuna, carrying her violin case, were about to rescue Putato when they saw, with utter disbelief, that Putato had already knocked Sayo down with a single strike and broken out of the encirclement.
Philip, who had been worried sick about Putato, looked at Salvador with suspicion.
"Master... is he really a Grade 5 Fixer just like me?"
Retreating toward Salvador, Putato pulled out the Crusher. The heavy sawtooth blade violently tore through the bodies of three Kurokumo members, instantly making the rest hesitant to attack.
"Salvador."
Sayo pulled the long blade from her shoulder and pushed away the subordinate trying to support her. She recognized the man instantly, then gritted her teeth and looked at Putato, who had inexplicably started shaking a can.
"What is your name? Are you a Fixer from the East?"
"It seems the Sakura Alliance finally spent some money. How about we make a deal?"
Heavy thumping echoed from the first-floor stairs. Yang, who had just been lured away, rushed up with a large force and met Gin coming down from the third floor, effectively pinning the Dawn Office on the second floor.
"We'll lead our people out of the Sakura Alliance. We'll take the loss this time and won't set foot here for at least a month. You can answer to your client."
Salvador's expression didn't change as he replied.
"I don't know what you're talking about, but if you're willing to retreat quietly, we can leave it at that."
Behind him, Philip wanted to speak but hesitated. Putato, still shaking his can, leaned over and whispered a question.
"Besides the ledgers, I found a list of talent the Kurokumo Clan has gathered. They're systematically kidnapping people from the Sakura Alliance to provide silk for the Carnival."
"If we let them leave, the Kurokumo Clan will surely take the people in the warehouse with them."
Both heard Philip's conflicted words. Salvador remained unmoved, while Yuna's brow furrowed.
"Philip, I've told you many times: don't let your emotions dictate your actions."
"Business is business."
The scene fell into a standoff. Salvador then asked Putato in a gentle tone.
"Vanda, what do you think?"
Faced with the boss's question, Putato responded seriously.
"During work, one must naturally fulfill a Fixer's duties, completing the commission is the primary goal."
"Well said. Then we'll do as this lady suggests."
Putato silently re-hung the Lucky Can on his belt, suppressing a chuckle as he watched Philip bow in apology.
While Salvador had to compromise for the Office's interests and the safety of his subordinates, and worry about the ledger Songmi wanted being destroyed in combat, once work was over, who cared? He'd just disguise himself and kick in their door.
Even if exposed, it would be the act of an individual. A man's actions belong to the man himself!