American Isekai - Chapter 77 (Patreon)

After my meeting with Patriarch Tavera, I went on to grab some delivery work.

However, I only completed a few jobs, receiving a payout of 50 thousand before disappearing and starting my hunt.

Henevue Rence operated out of one particular warehouse near the outskirts of the city where the area was the poorest. That was supposed to be his holding area, yet he didn’t appear there often.

He personally worked out of a nice housing complex within the Founder’s Market where he could easily work with the Clockwork Association. It wasn’t uncommon for him to appear within their territory, at least when he did appear.

Thankfully, this major auction was bringing him out of hiding and into the open. I wouldn’t have this chance for long, but there was still something I needed to check.

I couldn’t trust everything Tavera said, especially since they were apparently gaining much out of his death. I wasn’t sure how simply taking out a ringleader would make them money, or stop their losses, but if they were gaining, then it was possible that he just filled my head with what I wanted to hear so that I would do this anyway.

So I went to the warehouse. I would confirm for myself if this man was as heinous as Tavera made him out to be.

It took me a while to get to the slums of the city. But although they were considered slums, they were simply less rich than those in the center of the city.

Instead of tall stone buildings, people lived in short wood houses and ran small shops. It was far more modest and my rich presence was a little out of place.

But not enough to attract great attention. Anyone who would recognize me would probably come from the markets themselves, so I didn’t worry about getting spotted. Besides, I could sense every gaze on me through Aura. If there was anything out of place, I would know.

Eventually, after some searching, I managed to find the place.

It was a large desolate area. In the night it looked like everything nearby had been abandoned with raggedy buildings, trash on the streets, and stray animals.

The warehouse in question was one of the larger buildings, though looked more like a garage, and once I found it, I decided to find the roof of a nearby building and do some stalking.

I found a two story shop, scaling another building next to it and using my enhanced strength to jump up on top, inwardly apologizing to the people inside.

Then, I took out my scoped remington-lee, laying down and watching the entrance.

I laid there for close to two hours, seeing nothing. But then, a wagon arrived and pulled up to the front.

People exited the wagon while some men from inside the warehouse exited and exchanged greetings. After that, a large door opened up and let the wagon inside.

And they thankfully didn’t close it. It looked like they wanted to hurry, because once inside, they started loading the wagon.

As I watched my heart only started to beat faster.

I saw them pull two dozen people from an underground cellar, all of them beaten, and of all ages. Children, adults, and the elderly. Unfortunately, the elderly were the minority. The majority were young adults while the rest were mostly children around 10 years old.

They were all stuffed into the wagon before it was sealed up tight, no sound nor openings perceivable that might give away the trafficking operation.

After that, two drivers drove the wagon away, heading deeper into the city.

From a cursory assessment, those two drivers were only Authority 5 and 6. I sensed the strength of a knight from the Authority 5 and mana from the other.

Which meant I could kill them both if I wanted to. However, I had yet to find Henevue.

I wasn’t concerned with connecting him to this operation. I had no doubt that he was. The evidence Tavera provided me with already proved it.

My concern was alerting the man. If I suddenly ambushed his shipment midway, then he might get worried. And the only way this assassination would work is if he were totally defenseless.

I watched the wagon drive away, my reticle hanging over those two men, the confidence to kill them beckoning me to pull the trigger. I could do it. I could save those people, sparing them from the fate of being mere test pieces. I couldn’t imagine the things all those people went through to provide the knowledge the Association now wielded.

This was the dark part of the black market. The truly dark part, not just the drugs or depravity.

And yet, even knowing I could save that wagon of people, I still pulled back.

I let out a shuddering breath, my visage steely as I jumped off the building and started running.

I didn’t have a carriage, nor did I care to call and wait for one. So I ran all the way back to the center of the city where I entered the Founder’s Market.

After that, I found my way to the Clockwork Association’s territories, sneaking through with my Aura as a guide until I found the place Henevue resided.

Like last time, I found a good vantage point about 150 yards away and two stories higher than my target building.

And through my scope, I waited.

After about an hour, I saw the wagon from before roll out of the Clockwork Headquarters, no doubt empty.

Those people I saw were now delivered, fated to test subjects until they died, because I chose not to save them.

But I forced those regretful feelings down and waited some more.

And I laid there, rifle in hand, until the sun came up.

I saw dozens of people come and go, mostly warlocks, but none matching the face of my target.

Yet I stayed until the sun started to rise higher into the sky.

Until my eyes became so bloodshot that it hurt to close them.

“Damn you. Come out already.”

I cursed, and yet no matter how long I waited, Henevue didn’t come out.

Perhaps he did while I was running here, mediating the exchange. So perhaps I simply missed him.

But I didn’t want to leave. I needed to kill this man and I wouldn’t leave until I did.

So I didn’t leave the rooftop. My vantage point gave me a clear view of where he made his exchanges.

Taking out a cigar from my case and a leftover ration from my spatial sack, I took a breath full of smoke, rejuvenation my body and eating the ration for fuel.

After about 10 minutes of that, I put the trash away while stowing the cigar.

And then I closed my eyes, going to sleep.

But it was only for an hour and a half. When the alarm on my Aerial went off, I forced myself back away, started smoking my cigar under the afternoon sun, and went back to watching.

I kept my eyes on that building and the Clockwork headquarters. I checked the face of every single person going in and out without missing a single one.

I ignored the texts I got from Umara, Vetsmon, Feiden, and Plex. Nothing was in my mind except for this mission.

And I stalked the area for 7 hours. Every hour, I would bring out the page with Henevue’s face on it, reminding myself of what to look out for.

The sun set on the city as I waited. My body grew stiff but I didn’t pay it any mind, the cigar acting as my only sustenance and stimulation.

And then, right as it started to become dark, my eyes widened.

I saw him. Henevue and two other men, walking into the headquarters.

I became agitated, but forced myself to remain calm, purging my mind of anything but rational thought.

I watched them discussing something while walking. Henevue motioned to the area twice, likely indicating another shipment.

He received nods of approval before the two parties separated. He was a long time broker, so there probably wasn’t much to discuss. The only reason he was out and about was because of the upcoming auction.

Yet, the man never stopped moving. I had confidence in my shot but wanted to make absolutely sure. One wrong step and I would lose my chance potentially forever.

So I watched as Henevue walked into the headquarters and disappeared from my sight.

I didn’t panic nor regret anything. I simply stayed there, watching the gates as night came.

Midnight soon passed, and the morning started to dawn.

The timing was different, but sure enough, another shipment came.

There it was, the same wagon with more people in it rolling down the street.

From where I could see, it had a few more streets to go before it arrived at the exchange point.

And in that time, Henevue emerged.

My heart pounded as I saw him walk out with another man. This man wore a heavily embroidered cloak, obviously high level, potentially more so than Henevue.

But I didn’t worry about him. I didn’t care. All I cared about was killing Henevue.

He walked out of the headquarters with that unknown man, and then, the two stopped in their tracks, waiting for the wagon.

My heart pounded once more. Then, I swapped the remington-lee for my Springfield.

I adjusted the ladder sight to the proper zero. Then, I calmed myself and took aim.

150 yards was a long way, but my senses were sharper and I could clearly see Henevue. No matter what, my aim would be true and even if I didn’t hit his head, I would hit center mass. I made it so that the worst I could do was undershoot by a slight amount.

And I waited for him to stop his movements. Just one second was all I needed.

I was patient, even as that wagon rolled another group of people to their doom.

And then, I felt the opportune moment as Henevue crossed his arms and started laughing at a small joke with his friend.

I didn’t feel resentment at the fact that he was enjoying himself. All I could see were the faces of those people loaded into the wagon.

My finger was steady as it gently pulled down on the trigger, as smooth as all the other times I’ve fired this weapon.

And I let freedom ring.

*BOOM*

The explosion cracked through the surroundings, startling dozens.

I watched as Henevue’s head exploded with a long stream of red mist and blood. The man beside him jumped in shock, looking around furiously as a defensive shield was activated.

After that, I crawled off the roof I laid on, putting away the rifle.

And when I jumped down, I saw the wagon continuing to roll, two drivers at the helm.

I waited for a short time, letting them roll up to me before pulling out my Trench Gun and firing.

*BOOM BOOM*

Two shells, one that instantly killed the warlock and the other severely injuring the knight.

The knight was blown off the wagon, the wheels coming to a stop.

I simply walked around as he struggled, placing my barrel against his throat before sending him to the afterlife.

With that, I walked around and blasted off the wagon’s lock before throwing open the door.

Inside, I saw another unfamiliar batch of people. Children and adults, but no elderly this time.

As I stood there, looking at them as they watched me in fear, I felt an increasing sense of danger.

I spoke.

“Get out and run, if you wish to survive. This is all I can do right now.”

“...”

Nobody responded, so I simply turned and took off running.

My feet didn’t take me anywhere but the city slums.

I arrived, my body feeling exhausted yet filled with overwhelming willpower. Through my Aura I could sense only one person over Authority 6, and it was a knight.

Still, I walked up to the door with my Trench Gun in hand, placing it against the door lock and pulling the trigger.

*BOOM*

The handle blasted inward, letting me kick open the door.

The entire warehouse was alerted as people came rushing down.

One appeared on the stairway, an Authority 5 warlock who instantly started to cast a fire spell.

I pointed my stick at him and squeezed.

*BOOM*

*SPLAT*

His chest was turned into paste as he collapsed down the stairs.

Then, two more people, both Authority 5 knights, appeared in a doorway.

I simply unloaded into them.

*BOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOM*

All my shells were let out, all of them fully empowered, and each of them reducing those knights to gore.

After that, behind them, I could sense the Authority 6.

So I took out a grenade, filling it with as much power as I could, before throwing right behind those two corpses.

The knight arrived right as the grenade landed. Unfortunately, he didn’t pay it any heed as he stepped forward, focused on me.

“You son of a-!”

*BOOOMM*

The grenade exploded underneath him right as I stepped behind a pillar.

And yet he wasn’t dead, only lethally wounded.

So I walked over to him and hand delivered another grenade, placing it right by his head.

I then stepped aside, hearing it explode and feeling his Aura disappear.

I couldn’t feel anyone else containing power after that. So I looked over, seeing the hatch to the underground cellar.

With easy steps I went and broke the lock, throwing it open before seeing a stairway.

I stepped down, getting hit with a pungent odor, yet disregarding it entirely as some lights flickered on.

And there I saw it. Rows of cages, all of them containing people of varied ages.

They all looked at me, more eyes full of fear.

After a few seconds of processing what I saw, I put away the gun and stepped back up the staircase.

I went over to the corpse of the Authority 6, searching around before finding a luckily intact set of keys.

And when I went back down, I simply went to each cage and unlocked them, throwing them open one by one.

There were close to a hundred people, none of which immediately left even after the door was wide open.

And once I unlocked the last one, I stood at the end of the cellar, the open stairway across from me.

And I announced.

“I’ve killed your captors. There is nobody here that can threaten you. So go. You are free now.”

“...”

I was met with silence. However, there were some people who had more confidence than others, willing to take their chances.

Some of the men stepped out, looking at me before looking at the staircase.

Before they left though, I suddenly reach out.

“Wait.”

They turned back to me, startled. Until I took out my bank card and withdrew small gold coins.

I walked over with 10 in hand, worth 1000 coin total, and placed it into one man’s hand.

And I did the same for the other two before stepping back.

“Hopefully that can get you through the next short while. Now go. Everyone else, step up and I’ll give you something.”

This time, people were more eager as the three men ran up the stairs. Everyone stepped forward, and I rapidly deposited 1000 coin into each of their hands, both adults and children.

One by one they went up the stairs, some in groups, others alone. And I could feel the thoughts and emotions of every single person who walked up to me and slipped past me.

Anxiety, hope, sorrow, dread, apathy.

All of these people were ordinary. Not a single one had any mana, vigor, or psyka within them. And so they couldn’t hide a single detail of their minds from me.

It was all too vivid, like I was experiencing their emotions instead of mine. I could feel the pain of their bodies, the hunger, their beaten limbs, and I did nothing to stop myself from soaking it all in.

Nobody spoke as each person came and went, all of them simply too scared to disturb the process on the slight chance that I might change my mind, too eager to receive and escape this place. But then I heard a soft voice.

“What’s your name?”

I looked up, seeing a young emaciated woman who looked at me with determination in her eyes. Unlike the others, she carried happiness and hope, even some admiration. Whatever she had gone through, it hadn’t broken her spirits.

And she was the only one among this group that was both chained and had a Crest on her hand, dozens of markings resembling slash marks, the indication of a knight.

There was a bit of Vigor within her. But it had been almost entirely exhausted. She looked like she was on the verge of death as she carried her heavy chains.

“...Just call me the American.”

“American… Thank you.”

“...”

I didn’t respond. Instead, I took out a recovery pill and lifted it to her mouth. She looked at me and opened, letting me place it in so she could eat it.

After that, I took out the keys that had been on the body of that Authority 6, undoing the chains that bound her wrists and ankles.

They dropped with a clang, each of them incredibly heavy.

As she spent some time recovering, I handed everyone else the money.

And once she was ready, I handed her the money too.

She looked at it for a second before clutching her hand and running out.

I walked out behind her, exiting the warehouse.

Everyone who had left already was gone, only a few in sight when I emerged, all of them dispersing to escape.

I looked up, seeing the moon hanging bright in the sky.

There was no happiness to be felt. Only regret over the fact that I hadn’t been able to save more. That I had sacrificed a batch in order to secure my kill. That there were countless others before that one.

And I didn’t feel like receiving anything for it. So I simply walked home.

I arrived at the Black Spider Hotel, entering the lobby where I saw the Key Master waiting, as always.

He had a concerned, yet understanding face. I had a feeling he knew exactly what had just happened.

“I recommend rest, John. Allow the night to cleanse your soul.”

“Mm. Thank you, Key Master, for your hospitality.”

“Of course.”

He gave a cursory bow, which I returned before heading up.

And the moment I hit the bed, I passed out, falling into a heavy slumber.