บท 4: Chapter 4. The Clanging Rusty Factory
In an inconspicuous alleyway, where neither the streetlights nor the moon's glow could reach, the wind scattered a few newspaper sheets across the ground. Suddenly, the silhouette of a man darted by, stirring up dust and paper with his rapid movement. That man running through the night was Noah.
Noah sped forward as if he were the wind itself, using the Wind Technique to transform his magic into a whirlwind that enveloped his body, increasing his speed. Reaching the end of the alley, he bent his knees sharply and leaped onto the wall, bounding upward with a few swift jumps until he landed on the roof. Pausing, he glanced in a specific direction where an arrow had caught his eye.
After Noah had accepted the mission, a guiding arrow appeared before him, which initially startled him. However, after consulting the system, he learned that it was a built-in navigation feature. He then followed the arrow, which had been leading him ever since he left his home.
Now, with his enhanced abilities, his running speed had become astonishing—about 20 meters per second, equivalent to 72 kilometers per hour, nearly on par with Captain America. By surrounding himself with the wind, he increased his speed to 40 meters per second, or 144 kilometers per hour, making him feel like the embodiment of the wind.
After checking the direction from the rooftop, Noah resumed his journey, leaping from roof to roof, his speed amplified by the swirling wind. Gradually, the buildings became sparser, and he found himself on the outskirts of the city, surrounded by forests and undeveloped land.
A few minutes later, he arrived at an abandoned factory. He was dressed in black clothing, including a hat and mask—all to avoid drawing attention. Along the way, he had carefully avoided surveillance cameras, so no one had noticed him.
"Is this the mission location? Some factory out in the middle of nowhere?" Noah stood on a tree branch, observing the factory. Despite the late hour, the sound of machinery echoed from within. His enhanced hearing picked up gunfire amidst the noise. Worried he might be too late to help, he hurried deeper into the factory grounds.
Leaping over the fence, he landed in the industrial zone. Darkness reigned here, with no source of light in sight. The streetlamps had long since rusted and stood without power, covered in dust and fallen leaves.
"An abandoned factory—it looks completely run-down," Noah noted as he surveyed the dilapidated area.
Following the direction of the arrow, the noise grew louder, as if multiple machines were operating simultaneously.
"Huh? Someone restarted this old factory, but why?" Noah mused, hearing the clanking of machinery.
As he moved closer to the source of the noise, he spotted an old factory hall that appeared to have come back to life. The machinery inside, though worn, had started working again, producing a grating sound from broken parts.
The factory gates were closed, and about a dozen men stood in front of them, looking like street thugs. Noah noticed that some of them were armed with pistols, and behind the gates, he could hear not only the hum of machines but also the sound of gunfire.
"I need to get in and see what's going on," Noah said, pulling a baseball bat from his inventory. Since he didn't have a weapon, he decided to use this improvised tool.
"Damn it, when are they going to finish in there? This noise is driving me crazy!" one of the gangsters standing by the gates complained.
"Yeah, it's getting old. Hey, look over there," another said, spotting a figure approaching. All of them immediately drew their guns, preparing for a fight.
"Hey, you there! Get lost, or we'll shoot!" one of the thugs yelled. But the approaching figure kept walking, ignoring the threats.
"Damn it, shoot him!" the gangster ordered.
Bang!
A shot rang out, but the figure didn't fall. The shooter thought he had missed and fired again. This time, he noticed that the person had dodged the bullet.
"Something's wrong, shoot him, kill him!" the thug shouted, and everyone opened fire.
Noah calmly observed as the thugs began firing their guns. The bullets, traveling faster than the speed of sound, were incredibly fast, but he could predict their trajectory and dodge before they pulled the trigger. As the barrage erupted, Noah dashed forward, dodging the shots with ease. The gangsters' faces filled with shock as he suddenly appeared in front of one of them.
With a swift motion, Noah gripped the bat tightly and delivered an upward diagonal strike. Enhanced by wind magic, the bat became as sharp as a blade, leaving a deep slash across the thug's chest. The powerful blow sent him flying, blood spraying into the air.
"What the hell!" the other thugs cried out, shocked at how their comrade had been knocked off his feet and thrown into the air. The bat, surrounded by magical wind, seemed like some sort of sorcery to them.
"Now it's your turn," Noah said, glancing at the bleeding gangster before turning to the others. Their astonished faces amused him. He'd give them a ten out of ten for their expressions.
The thugs with pistols hurriedly reloaded their weapons, while those without guns pulled out knives and charged at Noah. They hoped they could take him down, but to him, their movements were like slow motion. With a single leap, he was in front of one of them and struck with the bat, piercing the thug's body. Blood gushed from the wound, and the gangster fell lifeless.
To Noah's left, another thug swung a knife at him, but Noah blocked the strike with the bat and used his strength to throw the attacker off balance. With a sharp kick, he sent the thug flying several meters, the sound of breaking bones echoing as he hit the ground.
The remaining thugs froze in fear and started to back away, but one of them couldn't escape in time. Noah released a wind blade, cutting through the fleeing man's back, and he fell.
The thugs, still reloading their weapons, trembled with fear. Their hands shook, making it difficult to insert bullets into the magazines. Noah didn't give them a chance. With a few swift moves, he took them all down, leaving himself the only one standing.
"Phew, not bad," he said, surveying the fallen opponents.
Blood was flowing across the ground, but it didn't bother him. Yasuo's battle memories had hardened him to such scenes, even causing him to feel a strange sense of satisfaction.
"Time to see what's inside," Noah said as he headed toward the factory door.
The clanking machinery inside disturbed the grim silence, adding to the ominous atmosphere. Noah glanced at his bat—the whirlwind surrounding it was growing stronger. He hoped it would hold up and not shatter at the worst possible moment.
With a powerful swing, he struck the door, smashing through the steel barrier. Through the hole, Noah could see what was happening inside. He tightened his grip on the bat and prepared for battle.
"Hassagi!" he shouted, echoing Yasuo's famous phrase.
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