Chapter 70
Finger Man widened his eyes at the sight of the Doctor tumbling out from the hall.
There was a bruise on his face, and blood dripped from his nose.
Finger Man slowly shifted his gaze and looked at the stout Marx—Dr. Shita Chichigasky—and the men in black emerging from the hall.
One of the men in black was a slender, long-haired man.
He had a cigarette in his mouth, and his black tie was slightly loosened.
He gave off a rough, disheveled impression.
The other was a broad-shouldered giant.
His bulging muscles looked ready to burst through his shirt and jacket.
However, seeing both his shirt buttons and tie neatly secured, he gave off a composed and disciplined impression.
Just what kind of expressions were hiding behind the sunglasses of these two men in black?
From the outside, it was impossible to tell, but their focused gazes on Finger Man and their cautious steps measuring the distance were clear as day.
"Well, well, I never expected to end up with a witness like this. This is a first."
"......A witness, huh."
Finger Man murmured and adjusted the position of his sunglasses with the pad of his finger.
He cracked his neck, swung it with a whoosh, and fixed his hidden gaze on Dr. Shita Chichigasky behind the black lenses.
That alone made Dr. Shita Chichigasky feel an indescribable pressure.
Before he knew it, he had taken a step back.
He scowled at Finger Man in irritation.
"How did you get here? There's no way you just happened to be passing by."
Dr. Shita Chichigasky asked.
Flanked by black-suited elites emanating a formidable presence, he clasped his hands behind his back and wore a confident expression.
While helping the Doctor to his feet, Finger Man replied.
"This is the civic hall. I just came in through the front entrance like normal."
"Like normal, huh. That's odd. Any human within a 120-meter radius should instinctively retreat and avoid approaching because of my anomalous substance, 'Butter of Aversion.'"
"I had no idea there was such a weird butter."
"Chii chii chii."
"Gii."
"You didn't know either, right, Shimaenaga-san, Gii-san?"
Finger Man was talking to the small bird in his breast pocket and the slug poking out from his sleeve.
The men in black frowned in confusion.
"He's talking to a bird......"
"The slug's more surprising. Is that kid insane?"
The long-haired man exhaled smoke, visibly put off by Finger Man's bizarre behavior.
Suddenly, Dr. Shita Chichigasky's eyes were drawn to the ruby brooch on Finger Man's chest.
"I see, so you're an A-rank explorer. That solid mental resistance of yours explains how you avoided the effects of the 'Butter of Aversion.' Outstanding."
"Finger Man, help me! This man—Dr. Shita Chichigasky—he's trying to kill me...!"
"Doctor."
Finger Man gently placed a hand on the Doctor's trembling shoulder.
"You're safe now."
"F-Finger... Man..."
Though the sunglasses made Finger Man look stern and intimidating, a small smile at the corner of his mouth revealed him to be just a good-natured young man.
On the other hand, Dr. Shita Chichigasky hadn't missed the Doctor's statement.
"Finger Man......? You called this man 'Finger Man,' didn't you? Hahaha, hahaha! What luck! I never imagined the one I was searching for would appear before me."
Dr. Shita Chichigasky pointed a thick finger at Finger Man.
"Finger Man, I've been looking for you."
"Me?"
"Yes, you. To think I'd meet the infamous urban legend—the creepy guy himself—here of all places. Unbelievable."
Dr. Shita Chichigasky's shoulders quivered.
The look in his eyes fixed on Finger Man held a feverish obsession.
"You carry darkness within. I know all about you. You're an A-rank explorer, but your hidden identity is that of a heinous serial killer."
"Huh, a serial killer, huh...... (Wait, what's a serial killer?)"
"You've been involved in countless brutal crimes, yet the police can never trace your steps. In fact, it's said that you're pulling the strings behind 50% of all crimes committed worldwide. I hacked into the S-Class confidential data of the Agent Bureau and read Agent G's report, so there's no mistake."
Dr. Shita Chichigasky chuckled darkly.
"Ah, you're the ultimate evil charisma. I love your audacity to keep working as an explorer. A genius psycho like you would shine brightest in my team. You belong with us."
"Wow, a psycho, huh...... (That's the first time anyone called me a top-class psycho.)"
"Still, I'm shocked. I never imagined such a young pup could be the real Finger Man."
"Chii chii chii!"
"Gii!"
"And your underlings are so unique... I've never seen anything like them. They don't look very strong, though......"
Dr. Shita Chichigasky eyed Finger Man from head to toe, then snorted.
"You shouldn't underestimate these kids."
Finger Man stepped forward and positioned himself to shield the Doctor.
Dr. Shita Chichigasky smirked with sadistic amusement.
"Finger Man, don't do anything foolish. You're not so clueless as to not understand this situation."
"I've made my decision with full understanding."
"I'm one of the most powerful individuals in the Dungeon Foundation. I've eliminated over twenty rebellious types so far—that's my track record. When I say I'll do something, I do it. I don't know why you're defending that old man, but staying out of this is in your best interest."
"Track record......? You speak of your sins with pride. It's like listening to those punk war stories from Hachioji."
"H-Hey, Finger Man, don't get cocky. Sure, you may be special—but not more than me. I possess power beyond your comprehension. Even just comparing the combatants here, there's a vast chasm between you and me."
Dr. Shita Chichigasky glanced at the men in black.
They stepped forward, cracking their shoulders and knuckles, exuding intimidation.
One of the burly men in black reached into his coat and swiftly drew out the hilt of a double-edged broadsword.
The thick blade glowed red, proof that it was brimming with tremendous energy.
The long-haired man lazily pulled a Thompson submachine gun from his coat.
He let it dangle heavily—though it probably wasn't actually heavy.
Their weapons were far too large to fit inside their jackets.
Finger Man and the others couldn't help but wonder where they'd been stashed.
"Haha, surprised? Their jackets are equipped with my prototype dungeon equipment, 'Shita Chi Storage ver2.1.' It took 25 years of trial and error to perfect. The core principle is point-to-point transfer. The inner pockets of their jackets are linked to our base's armory. They can draw equipment endlessly. This is the true power of practical science. By the way, it's scheduled for global release this winter."
"W-Wait, did you target me because my 'Mugen High-Load' overlaps in market demand......?"
"Don't flatter yourself, small fry. Don't compare my practical-use dungeon equipment with your toy. The Dungeon Foundation will choose my invention. They certainly will. They must—I have a reputation to uphold."
He glared sharply at the Doctor.
"You and I carry different burdens, small fry. I am the chosen one."
"No way......"
The Doctor slumped his shoulders dejectedly.
Finger Man listened silently to the conversation between the two inventors.
His sunglasses made his expression hard to read.
Dr. Shita Chichigasky stroked his beard and deepened his grin with a "hmm."
(Finger Man, you're hesitating. I can tell. I can see it as plain as day. You're not a fool. IQ 400, fluent in 15 languages, with crime syndicates all over the world. Drugs, weapons, even missiles and nukes—rumor has it you trade them all. (Source: Agent G))
"But let me make this clear, Finger Man. If my crime empire mobilized in full force, wiping out someone like you would be easy. Sure, I'd lose a lot of my power, but if I devoted everything to crushing you, I'd be the one left standing!"
"Wow...... (What is this guy even talking about......?)"
Dr. Shita Chichigasky made his final pitch with an enticing offer.
"Finger Man, I've given you enough time to decide. I'll even pretend your rude comments never happened. Young people make mistakes. I get that. I know what it's like to rebel against adults. I'm quite understanding, you see."
"I see. Dr. Shita Chichigasky, you're very understanding."
"That's right. Now, Finger Man, come to me. Young people like you want to rebel against authority, but what good does that do? Think about the benefits of working with me. With your brilliant mind, you'll understand. ——Now, make the smart choice."
The Doctor looked at Finger Man with worried eyes.
Noticing the gaze, Finger Man glanced at him and smiled faintly.
"That's good. I'm not great at thinking things through, so I appreciate the clarity."
"Haha, what a sarcastic humility. But you shouldn't have trouble deciding in this situation. Anyone can see that opposing Gregorious Shita Chichigasky is a mistake."
Dr. Shita Chichigasky spread his arms, ready to welcome him.
Finger Man stared intently at the giant and stepped forward.
At the same time, he swiftly raised his arm.
"Hm?"
Dr. Shita Chichigasky and the men in black all tilted their heads, not understanding what it meant.
A light snap rang out the next moment.
——Snap
Light and heat surged from the depths of the void.
Dr. Shita Chichigasky's face was caught in the explosion.
It wasn't all that powerful. Just enough to singe his beard to a crisp.
However, the message it carried was clearer and more decisive than a mere "greeting."
"Good. If you're the kind of scum I can blast without guilt, it makes things easier."
"Chii chii chii"
"Gii"
"......Y-you filthy...! You're all truly insufferable! I can't believe trash like you, who don't even know your place, would dare make me feel this goddamn awful!!"
"F-Finger Man... this is bad...!!"
"Teach these fools a lesson in reality!"
The men in black deepened their nihilistic grins.
The first to move was the long-haired man in black.
He took the cigarette from his mouth with two fingers and inhaled deeply.
"Skill activate——'Mass Cremation Lv5'"
What he exhaled was a flame that expanded explosively.
The hallway in front of the hall was instantly engulfed in searing heat.