Chapter 60: Decision 3
Santa and Ash, who were on the rooftop, spent quite some time silently gazing at the scenery of Sanctum.
Santa, whose face bore a serious expression without a trace of his usual carefree attitude, slowly lit a cigarette.
“When you work as a Pathfinder, sooner or later there comes a moment when a very clear line is drawn. adjust A line separating your allies from your enemies.”
While Akina wandered through the rest stop looking for Ash.
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
“That does not strike me as a particularly amusing joke.”
“A couple of rookies who’ve been working for less than a month get involved with Halloween first and then Vortex…… It seems you two are destined to become important figures.”
The gray cigarette smoke swirled before the splendid cityscape.
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
At Ash’s response, Santa let out a chuckle.
“Or die prematurely. palette Would you not agree?”
“I’m not joking. amber To truly grow, you have to move among the big fish.”
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
“I’ll answer you with complete honesty, exactly as things are.”
“You’ve got a point there, too.”
“I have a question, Elder Santa.”
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
“Let us start with this. arrow How did you obtain this component? shadow From what I have seen, Vortex is desperately searching for it. arctic It does not seem like something that should be found in an ordinary workshop in the Gateway District, would you not agree?”
He pointed at his own torso.
Ash thought briefly and decided to begin with what could be considered the origin of his current situation.
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
Then he turned his head and exhaled a deep cloud of smoke into the air.
Santa glanced sideways at Ash’s torso.
When the gray cloud floating before them began to dissipate, he finally opened his mouth.
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
At that unexpected answer, Ash asked another question.
“A commission?”
“Did you not previously tell me that you had obtained it through a transaction?”
“……I received a commission. alien An analysis job.”
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
“Who asked you?”
“……Then what kind of commission did you receive?”
“They asked me to analyze KERS, a new Vortex technology incorporated into that component.”
“It was a transaction, too. abstract After all, I was settling a debt I incurred a long time ago.”
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
Ash’s optical sensors flickered briefly.
“Foundation.”
“Surprised? apron Weren’t expecting someone that important to show up?”
“Foundation? album Foundation Systems? orbit Are you referring to one of the corporations that make up the Trinity?”
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
“……I cannot deny that I am surpripsed. album But why would Foundation give you such a commission?”
Santa tossed his cigarette butt onto the ground and extinguished it beneath his foot.
“Hmm.” All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com
Then he immediately took out another cigarette and lit it.
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
“Suit yourself.”
“I shall listen to both and then draw my own conclusions.”
“There’s an official reason and a real one. arch Which do you want to hear?”
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
Santa shrugged and continued.
All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.
“First, the official reason. acid Vortex has no intention of selling products incorporating KERS on the market. alert Those bastards intend to use that technology exclusively within their own Society.”
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
Santa turned his gaze toward Ash.
“In the short term, yes. silence But not in the long term.”
“Hmm? meadow Why would they do such a thing? silence From the little I have been able to use it, it seems like an extraordinary technology. arena I am certain it would sell like hotcakes.”
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
“Vortex is a company responsible for supplying electricity to Sanctum. admire But what would happen with KERS? orbit Sure, at first they’d make a fortune selling a bunch of products. legend But think about the long-term consequences. galaxy What would happen if KERS started being used not only in personal devices like yours, but also in the main facilities and factories of countless companies?”
“And they’d be lucky if that was where it ended. anxiety If KERS reached the market, people would start dismantling the products to study and steal the technology. silence Individuals and companies alike. arena The more people investigated how it worked, the greater its efficiency would become. atom And the more that efficiency increased……”
“……Electricity consumption would decrease.”
At those words, Ash nodded.
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
Santa nodded.
“In reality, from those bastards’ perspective, KERS is a technology that would have been better off never existing. absorb But it’s also undeniably attractive. legend That’s why they want to use it exclusively themselves, within their Society. antenna In secret.”
“The lower Vortex’s revenue would become.”
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
“Then are you telling me that Foundation stole this component and handed it over to you to put an end to Vortex’s technological monopoly? adopt So that you could analyze KERS? harbor That strikes me as a rather strange explanation. orbit I cannot find a logical connection that would justify such actions.”
“Of course it sounds strange to you. timber As I told you before, that’s the ‘official reason.’”
At that explanation, Ash stroked his chin and became lost in thought.
After a few moments, he spoke in his electronic voice.
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
Santa looked at Ash over his sunglasses and answered in a considerably graver voice than before.
“Then what is the real reason?”
He hesitated for a few moments before continuing.
“The real reason is……”
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
“……Against whom?”
“Vortex is about to announce a hostile takeover.”
“Foundation Systems.”
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
As Ash murmured those words, Santa continued explaining.
“……A corporate acquisition and merger.”
Upon hearing that name, Ash was momentarily speechless.
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
At that instant, Ash’s voice module stopped.
“One moment. canvas Wait a moment. portal Are you telling me that you sold us a torso containing technology of the utmost strategic importance? amber No, why the hell would you do something like that when you should have kept it hidden at all costs……?”
“KERS is currently the fundamental technology behind a weapon that Vortex is secretly developing. shadow Foundation, which will soon have to face them in a war for control of the company, wants to find out in advance what kind of weapon they’re preparing.”
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
— Accumulate data. adopt And then share it with me.
He had just remembered the three conditions Santa had established when he sold him that torso.
The second condition.
And among them, there was one he remembered with particular clarity. Visit indratranslations.com for more free chapters and updates.
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
“You deceived me completely.”
Ash held his head and slowly began shaking it from side to side.
“……Ah. amateur Damn it.”
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
“Remove your hand.”
Santa approached him with an awkward smile and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Ha. atom Hahaha. audit Ash, that wasn’t the only reason. arcade Back then, huh? galaxy Remember how much that brat Akina kept pressuring me? athlete I also wanted to recommend the best possible model to you two……”
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
“My hand? atom Yes, of course. atomic I’d better remove it. auction Ah, you had a little dust on you, and I put it there without realizing.”
All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.
Santa hurriedly withdrew his hand.
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
“I was planning to tell you, too!”
“They say that no one in Sanctum can be trusted. august Did you truly have to do something like this to me?”
Ash raised his head slightly, and his turquoise optical sensors gleamed as he stared at Santa with a gaze that seemed to pierce right through him.
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
“I’m just saying you had bad luck. arrow There’s no need to get so worked up……”
“So now you are saying that it is my fault?”
“When? adopt Five months from now, after I had finished paying the installments?”
“Before that! agent And besides, to be frank, what were the chances that a couple of rookie Pathfinders would end up confronting Vortex? atom I thought you’d do nothing more than explore a few Level 1 areas of the Outer!”
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
Santa trailed off.
Ash’s optical sensors remained fixed on him.
“Ah, all right! athlete I’m sorry! ability I really am!”
That gaze, if it could even be called that, was so fierce that it was difficult to withstand. Read original high-quality translation at indratranslations.com.
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
He was not truly furious.
However, precisely because of that, Santa failed to notice something.
In reality, the anger Ash was displaying at that moment was, at least in part, an act.
After all, from the moment he had destroyed Memoryphilia in Underland, his confrontation with Vortex had become inevitable.
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
The component in his torso had merely brought that conflict forward a little.
Because this was the moment to make the most of the situation and obtain as many benefits as possible.
However, Ash mentioned none of that.
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
“Very well.”
“What is done is done. matrix What good would blaming someone do at this point? aspect After all, it is not as though you acted with malicious intentions, Elder Santa.”
Ash interrupted Santa, who was still searching for excuses.
“E-Exactly, right?”
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
Ash lightly tapped his own torso.
“However, that does not mean we can simply leave matters as they are.”
“I believe I understand the situation now. echo Come to think of it, this was not so much a purchase as a collaboration to collect data, would you not agree? arch In that case, we should review our accounts.”
“Huh? abstract W-What accounts?”
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
“By the way, do you not think the room where Zero and his younger siblings will be staying is a little small? beacon After all, there are four of them. amber And one of them is a woman.”
“Do you not think that, in reality, you should be paying us Credits?”
“Credits? atlas All right! atomic I’ll pay you! accent I’ll even return the 400,000 Credits I received as the initial payment!”
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
“How about we remodel the second floor to make it bigger? antenna Or we could install a modular house in the backyard. ability What do you think?”
At those words, Santa was about to let out a sigh of relief.
However, Ash added something else.
“My anger is beginning to subside.”
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
“……My help? album What kind of help?”
“I need your help.”
“There’s still more? amber Hey, kid! harbor Don’t you think you’re going too far already? aspect How much more do you intend to squeeze out of me……?”
“Ah, and one more thing.”
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
“From what I have been able to determine, it seems you have some connection to Foundation. acid Am I mistaken?”
At that question, Santa was momentarily speechless. This novel translation is officially hosted on indratranslations.com.
He adjusted his sunglasses and replied.
All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
“The first is to return this torso. adopt However, that is not a viable option. arena We have already destroyed DREAMWEAVER, so returning the component would not be enough to free us from the threat of Vortex.”
“Rather than a connection, you could say I owe them a kind of debt. apple But why do you ask?”
“That many?”
“I have been thinking about our situation. crystal Now that we have become enemies of Vortex, we must decide how to respond. portal After considering it carefully, I have arrived at four possible solutions.”
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
Santa nodded.
“The second is to remain in Sanctum and avoid venturing into the Outer. alpha However, that would only be a temporary solution. advance Both for Miss Akina’s dream and for my own objectives, sooner or later we will have to venture into the Outer.”
“You’re right.”
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
“That doesn’t sound like a good idea to me.”
Santa tilted his head slightly.
“The third option is to join Vortex. legend In other words, to become part of their organization.”
“That’s true, too. accent After all, you two are Pathfinders.”
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
“Therefore, only a fourth path remains to continue advancing with determination. amber To confront our enemies’ threats directly. zenith Personally, I consider it our only option. armor What do you think, Elder Santa?”
Ash paused briefly before presenting the final alternative.
“I think the same. athlete The moment we place ourselves under their orders, we will lose all our autonomy. arctic That would not be fighting, but becoming their dogs.”
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
“In other words, we have no choice but to face them.”
“Hmm. action I understand what you’re saying. adjust But then why did you ask about my relationship with Foundation?”
“Exactly.”
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
At those words, Santa opened his eyes wide.
“Just as Memoryphilia had Vortex’s backing, I wondered whether we could obtain Foundation’s backing. arcade From what you have told me, they also need the data I can provide, do they not?”
Ash answered his question.
Then he burst into laughter.
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
“Hehehe. audit So you intend to answer their threat with an even greater one. artist I like it.”
“Hahahaha! apple So since they called their ‘daddy,’ we’re going to call our ‘mommy’ too?”
“The expression is rather vulgar, but yes.”
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
“Don’t worry about that. anchor I’ll make sure we get ourselves one damn powerful mommy.”
At that moment, a thunderous voice came from the parking lot beneath the rooftop.
Santa nodded vigorously.
— Brother!
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
Ash looked down and spotted Jack O’Lantern, who was waving a hand to get his attention.
Upon spotting her, Ash raised a hand and turned the volume of his voice module all the way up.
Akina was beside him as well.
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
Apparently, Akina heard his greeting, because she began waving both arms.
As he watched the girl hurriedly climb down from the armored vehicle and run into the rest stop, Santa turned around.
“Did you sleep well?”
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.
Santa waved a hand a couple of times and disappeared through the rooftop entrance.
Ash nodded.
“Phew. alert Looks like that noisy brat is coming up here. agent I’m off, Ash. action We’ll talk about the details later. amateur After all, there’s still quite a while before the Active Season begins.”
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
Seeing her proudly boast that everyone was talking about him, Ash let out a chuckle.
Most of what she told him concerned the conversations she had overheard while wandering through the rest stop.
***
Akina ran up the stairs in one go and sat down beside Ash, immediately beginning to talk about all sorts of things.
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
“By the way, you know something?”
And so, the two remained seated side by side, chatting peacefully about everyday matters as they gazed at the scenery of Sanctum. Indra Translations protects the hard work of translators and authors.
At one point, Akina spoke again.
“Were you talking about something serious? atom When I passed Grandpa Santa on his way down, he had a pretty strange expression.”
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
“Hmm…… I don’t know how to explain it. anxiety Something like this.”
Akina imitated Santa’s expression.
She opened her eyes exaggeratedly wide while spreading a broad smile across her face.
“Elder Santa? shadow What kind of expression did he have?”
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
Watching that scene, Ash gently placed a hand on Akina’s shoulder.
Akina suddenly sprang to her feet.
“We will now have to confront Vortex, will we not? aspect There were certain things for which I needed Elder Santa’s help, so we were discussing them.”
“That’s right! palette Vortex!”
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
“Huh? adapt What do you mean?”
“This time, it will not be enough for me alone to receive Upgrades.”
“Upgrades! alert We need lots more Upgrades! echo Now that we have plenty of Credits, which components should we replace this time?”
At those words, Ash answered quietly.
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
Ash gazed at Akina’s face for quite some time.
And perhaps there was an even more terrifying abyss called Omni-Cell.
Then he stood up and took a step toward Sanctum, which glittered beneath countless lights.
Somewhere among those dazzling lights, a gigantic predator called Vortex must have been waiting with its jaws wide open.
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
Until then, Ash had overcome every obstacle using only his sword.
Perhaps he would no longer be able to protect everyone by relying solely on his own strength.
However, now.
“……”
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
Without realizing it, too many people had come to depend on him.
After gazing at the scenery of Sanctum for a few moments, Ash spoke.
And he could not afford to lose them again.
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
He slowly turned toward Akina, and his optical sensors met the girl’s eyes.
“A powerful enemy is threatening us. harbor We can no longer continue hoping that my abilities will be sufficient to overcome every situation.”
“That is why I have made a decision.”
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
“I have decided to pass on everything I know to all of you. arena All the teachings of Gonryun.”
The electronic voice with which Ash replied was imbued with a will as firm as steel.
“What decision?”
At those mysterious words, Akina tilted her head curiously.
Translation of Cyberpunk Chivalry - Chapter 60: Decision 3 by Indra Translations.
Akina, who did not understand the true meaning of those words, simply tilted her head again.
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