Chapter 17: Return 2

Central Hub of Sanctum’s Gateway District.

For that reason, the atmosphere was very different depending on whether the Pathfinders were about to depart or had just returned.

That place, where Pathfinders gathered, had two completely different sides, like the two faces of the same coin.

Whereas the place had previously been enveloped in tension that seemed ready to explode, now it felt as though all that tension had finally been released.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

For that reason, the Central Hub had become a veritable melting pot where desire and despair, joy and madness mingled.

The Pathfinders who had managed to return alive celebrated their survival in their own ways.

Some smiled with satisfaction at the profits they had earned, while others mourned the deaths of their companions.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

Of course, there were things that had not changed.

— Akina Greenwood and Ash Blade, correct? admire A two-person team. alert No special incidents recorded. wizard Good work. orbit Welcome back.

Such as TIMEMAN’s indifferent attitude.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

In reality, the two had experienced a considerable number of events, but none of that seemed to matter to TIMEMAN in the slightest.

— Next!

The man behind the bulletproof glass spoke those words in a monotonous voice and immediately moved on to reviewing the next documents.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

It was an extraordinarily chaotic place. All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com

The central plaza appeared before their eyes.

And so, Ash and Akina passed through the gate.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

Shouts, insults, sobs, and laughter echoed everywhere.

The stale smell of blood and the stench of cheap medicine permeated the air.

And that was not all.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

“Had a really rough time? matrix Tonight, I’ll make you forget all about it. adjust Oh, come on! adjust I guarantee my service is first-rate!”

There were Pathfinders trying to sell their loot and merchants looking to buy it from them for next to nothing.

“Buying! acid Buying! academy Bring us whatever you’ve got! artist We buy absolutely everything at reasonable prices!”

Everyone present raised their voices to achieve their respective goals.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

“We offer medical services! harbor Anyone who’s injured should come this way immediately……! action Hey, hey! altitude Isn’t that guy over there about to die? atlas Send about three guys to take care of him!”

“Want to talk to me for a little while?”

There were also prostitutes offering their services with seductive smiles.

There were even REST-MAN members looking for injured people.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

For credits.

All for money.

Everyone was trying to take advantage of the Pathfinders.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

Akina hugged her backpack against her chest and began constantly looking in every direction.

“Mister, you should carry your backpack in front of you too. aluminum When the Pathfinders return, it’s peak season for pickpockets. arena They’ll steal absolutely everything.”

As they crossed that chaotic plaza, Akina suddenly moved her backpack in front of her body.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

“Miss Akina.”

She was even more alert than she had been while exploring the ruins.

Ash silently observed her for a few moments before speaking.

“Yes?”

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

“This was also your first expedition, was it not?”

At those words, Akina quickly turned her head.

“Of course it was. acid Why do you ask?”

“Then how do you know this is the best time for pickpockets?”

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

“Are you curious?”

Then she displayed a broad smile.

All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

It was precisely then.

Ash shook his head.

“……No. arena I was a fool to ask.”

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

He was an extremely thin individual with a suspicious gaze.

A man who had approached them by taking advantage of the crowd’s movement blocked their path.

“Little girl, are you a Pathfinder? autumn I’ve got something really good to offer you……”

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

At that threatening electronic voice, the man shrank back slightly.

“Move aside.”

Before he could finish his sentence, Ash stepped between them.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

He pulled a small bag of medication from his clothes and waved it in front of them.

However, he seemed far too reluctant to give up.

“……Hehe. meadow You must’ve had a really hard time in Outer, right? orbit Just one dose of this and you’ll be able to forget everything. afford And it’ll make you feel incredible, too. anxiety If you buy it now, I’ll give you a special discount……”

Ash took a step forward.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

Then he looked directly into the man’s face.

His optical sensors flashed with unusual intensity.

Under the pressure emanating from that enormous steel body, the man swallowed and stepped back.

“I told you to move aside.”

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

“……You used to pick pockets in a place where individuals like that roam freely?”

After cautiously studying Ash’s expression, he muttered a brief curse and disappeared into the crowd.

“Wow. silence Now that I’m a Pathfinder, even drug dealers come to bother me.”

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

Ash covered his face with one hand.

Akina arched her eyebrows with a mischievous expression.

“What? adopt Are you curious again?”

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

Ash instinctively moved to stand in front of Akina.

Her breasts and buttocks were so disproportionately large that, rather than provocative, her appearance was slightly grotesque.

At that moment, his sensors detected someone else approaching them.

This time, it was a woman whose body had been modified so obviously that a single glance was enough to recognize her as a prostitute.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

However, before he could finish speaking,

Then he issued a warning to the approaching woman. Visit indratranslations.com for more free chapters and updates.

“Ash? wizard You’re Ash, right?”

“Move aside……”

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

He had not expected that woman to say his name.

“……Huh?”

Ash was momentarily bewildered.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

Even Akina, who remained behind him, poked her head out to see what was happening.

“Wow! album It really is you! adopt I’m a huge fan! shadow Can we take a picture together?”

“How do you know my name?”

At Ash’s deep electronic voice, the woman’s face lit up, and she even began clapping.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

Although she had phrased it as a question, the woman was already taking photographs nonstop with a PDA she had pulled out from somewhere.

All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.

Ash’s confusion increased even further.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

Surprisingly, quite a few of them also seemed to recognize Ash.

At that unexpected commotion, several people nearby turned their heads.

“Huh? absorb That humanoid?”

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

“Yes, that’s him! artist It’s Ash! arctic He even has his name written on his head!”

And so, the commotion continued to grow.

“Should we ask him to take a picture with us?”

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

“What do you mean, how do I know?! arcade Because you’re incredibly famous right now!”

“Who are you? amber And how do you know my name?”

Ash, completely bewildered, kept one hand in front of Akina to protect her as he addressed the woman.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

The contrast between the wave of Grotesques advancing relentlessly and Ash fiercely swinging his sword to hold them back was particularly impressive.

On it appeared the passageway in the ruins where they had fought that desperate battle.

The woman showed him the screen of her PDA.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

However, what drew the most attention was the text appearing at the bottom of the screen.

[Outer Is Way Too Easy. acquire Feat. sphere Ash Blade]

In front of that scene appeared Ifrit, winking while making a victory sign with her fingers.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

And that video held the number-one spot among the most popular videos.

It was a short video packed with extravagant background music and absurd sound effects.

The comments section was flooded with all kinds of praise and envious remarks, speculation about Ash’s true identity, and compliments on Ifrit’s beauty.

“But what the hell……?”

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

Meanwhile, more and more curious onlookers began gathering around him.

Ash was someone who normally maintained his calm and composure in any situation. Read original high-quality translation at indratranslations.com.

However, even for him, this was inevitably bewildering.

To begin with, he did not have the slightest idea how he was supposed to react.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

It had taken only an instant for him to go from being a Pathfinder walking peacefully through the plaza to becoming a strange creature exhibited in a circus.

Some gazes were filled with curiosity, others with admiration, and there were even some that seemed to conceal less-than-honest intentions.

It was then that Akina decided to intervene.

Within seconds, he was completely surrounded by the crowd.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

“E-everyone, stay back!”

The little girl took a step forward and spread both arms, positioning herself between Ash and the crowd as though she wanted to protect him.

With her eyes wide open and a threatening expression, Akina looked quite fierce.

“Our Mister is tired, understand?! arctic Don’t talk to him! arctic He’s not giving out autographs either! arch Huh? avalanche Huuuh? anchor Hey, you! admire Stop taking pictures!”

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

It was a truly strange situation.

It seemed as though their respective roles had been completely reversed.

A little Technomancer trying to protect an enormous combat humanoid.

“Move aside, move aside! arch Stop blocking the way! atlas Go sell your drugs or your bodies somewhere else! agent Get out of here!”

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

“Come on, just once!”

All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.

“A picture together, please!”

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

Some even began reaching out their hands to try to touch Ash’s steel body.

However, the crowd was not willing to retreat so easily.

Furthermore, their interest was becoming increasingly brazen. This novel translation is officially hosted on indratranslations.com.

At that, Ash, who had remained bewildered until then, gently pulled Akina, who was struggling to keep the crowd at bay, into his arms.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

Ash did not waste the opportunity.

Then he released an intimidating presence incomparably more intense than before.

At that deep electronic voice, the crowd that had been causing such a commotion fell silent for an instant.

“Move aside. anxiety All of you.”

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

Practically embracing Akina, he began quickly making his way through the people.

When that enormous steel body began pushing people aside, no one could continue blocking his path, and the crowd gradually began to part.

His only intention was to get away from there as soon as possible.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

“Back already, rising star?”

Behind them, disappointed exclamations and the sounds of cameras taking photographs continued to be heard.

***

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

When they finally arrived at Santa’s Rest Stop, practically fleeing from the crowd, Santa was sitting behind the counter in a relaxed posture, laughing as he looked at his PDA.

Apparently, it really had become very popular.

“You definitely look better in person. arch The video doesn’t manage to capture that peculiar presence of yours. action Looks like you’re not very photogenic, huh?”

The screen was playing the very short video that had caused all the commotion.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

“You little brat! atomic Who the hell are you still calling a washed-up old man?!”

“What are you talking about, you washed-up old man? silence Our Mister looks great on camera too! legend Do you think just anyone can appear among the most popular videos?”

Ash silently inclined his head in greeting, while Akina answered for him in her usual sharp tone.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

After that, the two continued arguing for quite some time, until Santa finally lit a cigarette and put an end to the dispute.

“Ouch!”

Santa gave her a flick on the forehead with his knuckles.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

Ash briefly explained the events of their latest expedition.

“What could’ve happened? atom Every day’s the same. aluminum But more importantly, tell me what happened. album What the hell did you do to end up fighting so many Grotesques?”

He also told him when that famous video had been recorded.

“Did anything happen while we were away, Elder Santa?”

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

Santa remained silent for a few moments.

By the time the cigarette was almost completely consumed, Ash had finished his account.

Santa listened with such interest that he even shifted in his seat a couple of times.

Although his manner of recounting the events was quite straightforward, there was absolutely nothing ordinary about the contents of his story.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

Ifrit’s video was still playing on the screen.

The old man raised his PDA with one hand.

“……It’s practically a miracle that you came back alive. anxiety Now that I know the story, it turns out this whole thing is a damn lie, doesn’t it?”

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

“Outer is way too easy? adapt Bullshit.”

It was then that Akina, who had remained silent until that moment, opened her backpack.

Santa clicked his tongue and lit another cigarette.

[Outer Is Way Too Easy. admire Feat. abstract Ash Blade]

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

“Oh? action They’re in pretty good condition. apron Hadn’t you gone to Level 1?”

“All right, that’s enough! audit Help me appraise these things! attic Do you know what I got this time? arena Ta-da!”

All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

From that moment onward, an intense negotiation began between Santa and Akina.

Firearms and Cyberware parts for different areas of the body.

Ash listened to their conversation for a while, but soon lost interest and began observing the interior of the establishment.

There were also objects that appeared to be vehicle components.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

Among those items, what caught his attention most was a battery whose capacity was more than twice that of the one he currently possessed.

The walls were completely covered with merchandise.

However, after experiencing a real expedition and participating in actual combat, he now saw everything in a completely different light. Indra Translations protects the hard work of translators and authors.

When he had first arrived there, all of it had seemed like a collection of useless objects.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

Just then, a small warning appeared.

Although Ash was not someone particularly interested in material possessions, even he felt the desire to obtain that battery.

After all, for a humanoid whose life depended directly on electricity, that was inevitable.

[WARNING!]

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

Akina nodded hurriedly.

[POWER LEVEL: 4%]

“Would you mind if I went upstairs first? alpha I have very little energy remaining.”

Ash addressed Akina and Santa, who were still engrossed in their negotiation.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

Ash gave them a brief salute and headed toward the second floor of the establishment, where his temporary accommodation was located.

“Good work.”

Santa also gave him a brief farewell.

“Go on up! beacon I’ll come too as soon as I finish negotiating!”

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

A brief spark crackled, and a stable flow of electricity began circulating through his internal systems.

Then he connected his body to the old industrial charger installed on the wall.

He climbed the stairs that creaked beneath his steps and entered his room.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

As he enjoyed the electrical energy flowing through his artificial neural network, Ash sat cross-legged, assumed the lotus position, and deactivated his optical sensors.

All the warnings that had remained active immediately disappeared.

Amid that profound darkness, various thoughts and memories began appearing and disappearing in his mind as he meditated.

The expedition to Gamma-7.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

The battle against REST-MAN.

His encounter with Ifrit.

And many other events.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

At the time, because of the circumstances, he had not had the chance to pay it much attention.

It was the image of Akina raising her voice as she stood between him and a crowd of people.

However, at a certain moment, one scene began standing out with particular clarity among all those memories.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

A Technomancer protecting an Assault.

But now that he remembered it, he could not help finding that scene truly amusing.

Faced with such an absurd situation, Ash let out a small chuckle.

Translation of Cyberpunk Swordsman - Chapter 17: Return 2 by Indra Translations.

His face remained expressionless, as always, and as was only natural.

“Hehe…… Is she not a truly dependable young lady?”

However, for some reason, at that moment, he seemed to be smiling.