NOVEL WEB Chapter 220.1
Chapter 220.1. Heist
Within the inner town, there’s a concrete building, devoid of decoration, with a stark, prison-like appearance.
The building, which looks like a mere square box, resembles a fortress. It has been reinforced with magic alloys to solidify its walls further.
The numerous guards stationed there are armed with automatic rifles and have well-trained physiques. To someone unfamiliar, this fortress-like building might arouse curiosity, prompting them to search for a signboard. They would then understand.
[Magic Tool Warehouse: No Entry for Unauthorized Personnel]
That’s what it says.
This is the most critical facility within the inner town, storing the highest-grade magic tools. The warehouse was built to ensure that these powerful magic tools, accumulated over the decades, would never be stolen.
Originally, it had thick concrete walls, heavy magic-alloy doors, and was guarded by numerous sentries even at night. However, that is now in the past.
The guards are dead, and the 10-centimeter-thick magic-alloy door was ripped open by a powerful force, left wide open.
A midnight coup. Behind it, some were secretly scheming.
In a dimly lit basement, a man slightly furrows his brow. He’s a man of impressive stature.
“…Report again.”
In a deep, low voice, the man turns to the soldier reporting to him. Saluting, the soldier repeats the report in an emotionless voice.
“Yes. Miyoshi Nagayoshi has issued a ceasefire order. He is repeatedly ordering the coup forces to cease fighting, Ares-sama.”
“Hmm… I see. So, Uriel’s brainwashing has been undone… Unfortunately, the four archangels have been defeated. I did warn that incompetent commander to stop.”
With his hand on his chin, Ares, one of the Divine Machines, speaks in a tone of exasperation.
“The Order of Fools. From what we’ve gathered, they’re an unidentified group, likely mixed with Fairy Machines, given their strength and the number of girls among them. It was absurd to think that the battle-crazed one wouldn’t enter the fray. I warned that the four archangels would be killed… and it happened as predicted.”
It was a mistake from the start to try to put all four archangels into a single core, Ares thought, mocking the foolish commander who came up with such a stupid idea.
It was a unique machine, not a mass-produced one, so weakening it like that was unthinkable. As expected, they were killed easily. Seeking versatility was ridiculous.
But the inner town is in chaos, and even with a ceasefire order, the turmoil won’t subside for a while. The result is more than sufficient.
[…We bought some time. Bacchus, did you manage to unlock it?]
Touching his temple, he sends a thought to Bacchus, his fellow Divine Machine.
[Aah? Just finished unlocking it. As expected, the Gate Crystal was stored here.]
Bacchus responds with irritation. Bacchus had been working on unlocking the room in the farthest part of the Magic Tool Warehouse, which was sealed by powerful barrier-type magic tools. It seems he succeeded.
As expected of the god of craftsmanship, Ares nods with satisfaction.
[Well done. Now, retrieve it and escape immediately. Take any other valuable magic tools as well.]
[Got it. But where are you, anyway? Weren’t you supposed to be guarding me?]
Bacchus sends his thoughts in a reproachful tone, to which Ares responds with a chuckle.
[At the bank.]
Though still in a basement, Ares was in the vault of the inner town’s bank. Despite his muscular and sculpted physique resembling that of a warrior, Ares had a cloth wrapped around his head and was busily stuffing wads of cash into a sack.
Anyone seeing him now would undoubtedly be disappointed by his petty thief-like appearance.
[Ares, why are you robbing a bank? This wasn’t part of the plan.]
Fortune, another Divine Machine, sends her thoughts in a cute voice, to which Ares replies unabashedly.
[As the god of war, I must secure military funds. Nothing can be done without money. Isn’t that right? Every day we’re eating old rations of unknown origin. Can you stand that? Besides, cash is irresistible.]
Ares raises his voice in irritation, halfway through.
[Your last words were your true feelings, weren’t they? Honestly, I’d like to dissect that old man’s brain to see what’s inside, since he doesn’t care about food, just absorbing energy from elements to stave off hunger. He even eats raw rats running around because he doesn’t get sick thanks to his high stats. Unbelievable.]
Replenishing energy from elements is tasteless and doesn’t improve one’s mood. So, Divine Machines normally eat meals. While the mass-produced Machine-Heaven units don’t care about food, the Divine Machines do.
After all, gods and such concepts generally love banquets, alcohol, and food. Ares and the others, of course, share this trait.
They were fed up with the 100-year-old rations that had been stored on an old warship, which looked like clay and tasted worse than bland hardtack.
It was unbearable. With a stern face turned into one of rage, Ares continues stuffing the money into a bag from the broken vault.
“The bag is full, Ares-sama.”
“There’s still room in the pockets. Stuff it into the collar and hem as well.”