Editing Sorcery Hacker:Volume3 Phase03 (section)

===Part 5===

Let’s review a basic definition.

Ayato Criminaltrophy was a Sorcery Hacker. He could not win a direct magical battle using sorcery guns.

He could not display his power if he did not first stab his Linkage Plug sword into sorcery devices to hack them.

That meant this was a worst-case scenario for him.

He was on an empty rooftop. There were no devices he could use as a Sorcery Hacker and nothing he could hide behind or use as a shield. He was entirely defenseless. If someone simply launched the most basic fire magic from their sorcery gun, he would be blown to bits, unable to evade or defend.

Princess Surace took one look at Ayato’s Linkage Plug and snorted in laughter.

A sword?

Was that supposed to be a sword?

The Linkage Plug lacked the sharp edge a knight used to cut through and overwhelm their enemy. It also lacked weight and penetrative power. It looked impressive when he held it like a real sword, but it wouldn’t function as one.

“We didn’t even need all four of us for this.”

He heard a heavy clanking.

The real princess held a hunting rifle in both hands. But you wouldn’t find a gun like that in any store. It was a one-of-a-kind item a royal gunmaker provided the royal family. The barrel, grip, scope, stock, trigger, and every last screw had been thoroughly optimized for 4th-in-line Surace Bran Zorca Totalinus alone. It was designed to blend into her silhouette as a princess and it was probably worth as much as a noble’s mansion.

The sexy Vice President pressed the polished wooden stock against her shoulder.

“Prepare to die, thief. There is nothing you can do now. Not even scream.”

Ayato immediately took action.

Surace had shifted the long gun against her shoulder, which meant she had taken her eyes off of Ayato for a split second to glance down at the gun.

“!?”

By ducking low and weaving in an S-pattern, he disappeared from her scope despite rushing in from the front. She blindly launched Tertiary Thunderbolt magic and it tore horizontally through the space in front of her. It shot right past Ayato’s ear, but that was all. Even the strongest magic was no threat if it missed. In fact, the recoil of the shot kicked back against her shoulder and caused her to freeze up for just a moment.

That was his chance.

Once he was close enough, out flew his sword. Of course, that was only a Linkage Plug meant for sorcery hacking. No matter how much it looked like a sword, it could not behead a human any more than a palette knife could be used to fillet a fish.

So his target was of course a sorcery device.

''Yes, he was going to hack the royal rifle Surace held in her hands.

The sword tip stabbed into the chamber and Surace bit her lip. It was a part of her silhouette as a princess and she may have been quite attached to it, but she did not hesitate to let it go.

“Ghh!!”

The bullet detonated in the chamber, blowing up the gun from the inside. Fragments of mana-conducting silver formed a wall that slammed into the princess’s entire body.

“That gun is Level 500!! How did you get to such a high level!?”

He had no obligation to answer her.

And he didn’t have time to even if he wanted to.

A crash as loud as a sorcery vehicle accident came from his side. He doubled over and flew through the air. He prepared for his landing and rolled along the rooftop, immediately looking to his new enemy.

“So you released your blade? Smart move. Rolling with that in hand could have sliced you up with your own weapon.”

This was the strongest Bouncer.

Grapple Shields Gark Bryan.

Those thick shields had a brutally dull shine to the edges and they were not just a passive defense. They were bone-shattering blunt weapons.

“I challenge you to a duel, Hexajinx.”

“…”

“I’ve always wondered who would win if the strongest Bouncer and the strongest Forward fought.”

Sounded like this wasn’t about conspiracies or a calculated plan with him. He just loved to fight, but in a different way from Henrietta. He was a walking danger zone who sought out any and all worthy opponents with no concern for what was right and wrong.

Ayato spat out some bloody saliva and squeezed his Linkage Plug’s grip to draw out a new blade.

Don’t fear him.

His shields are sorcery devices. You can hack them.

He kept all that in mind.

Ayato took a quick breath and stared straight at his enemy.

“''Shut up and die, coward.''”

He was pissed.

He had given up on reason.

Ayato’s silence hadn’t been from remaining calm. He had abandoned all attempt at understanding his opponent.

He focused on the situation. Trying to fight fair would be just plain silly.