Chapter 109

We followed Armas deeper into the warehouse. There were large and small boxes stacked up alongside shelves filled with various well-crafted weapons.

“Shall we get started?”

As I nodded, Armas confidently took a step forward. He began picking up the displayed weapons and introducing them one by one.

“This is the FR-7 Automatic Rifle. It works with standard rounds, armor-piercing bullets, and even anti-monster ammo. You can attach any accessory available on the market.”

I picked up a rifle as directed. It was a sleek black automatic rifle adorned with various scopes, suppressors, and a vertical grip. Three stars appeared on its status panel.

“Not bad. It fits comfortably in my hands.”

“Of course. This one is a loyal partner that won’t let you down. More than that, it has exceptional patience. It can operate in any dungeon environment, from the extreme cold of Pasta Terra to the deserts of Rostini.”

“This is great. What’s next?”

Next was a hefty shotgun fitted with a drum magazine.

“You won’t find anything like the Apex CC-12 in underground or urban dungeons. Some people call it a ‘vacuum cleaner.’ They say that every time you empty a magazine, all the annoying buggers are wiped clean! The only downside is its weight, but…”

The automatic shotgun was quite heavy, but as I activated my magical power and lifted it, it didn’t pose much of a problem.

“Just a minor issue for our awakened customers.”

Now, a new weapon appeared. It looked rifle-like, but it had a translucent tube connected between two wide, elongated metal plates engraved with magic circles.

“If you have Machinaria Workshop’s M9 Ether Projector, even a non-magic-using Awakened can cast spells. It consumes your internal ether to unleash one of three attacks. You can fire a continuous ether beam, or switch to a cooling ray or an ether net. What do you think??”

Oh wow, this one’s pretty enticing too.

The explanations continued.

“This is W&W company’s latest crossbow, the CR-250. It’s a 30-round whispering death! Plus, it comes with precision bolts made from ether classics.”

“The MK-5 has a total of 5 grenades. You can shoot them continuously.”

“This set includes 10 magical grenades. They might have low power, but they’re effective at neutralizing magical defenses.”

“30 rounds per second! It’s raining death. The manufacturer calls it the ‘Steel Storm.’ Don’t worry about shoulder strain. The Model 60 machine gun has the latest recoil buffer. It’ll be comfortable shooting!”

As I was marveling at the various weapons, the bodyguards behind us pulled out a long rifle from a box. It was equipped with a scope and was rather enormous.

“What is that? A cannon?”

“Haha, that’s what all the customers say when they see this. It’s the M9 Dungeon Piercer. When aimed properly, it can take down even mid-level monsters. It uses conventional machine gun rounds and has a max range exceeding 3km.”

It’s quite large for a sniper rifle. But since we have an inventory, there’s no worry about carrying it around.

Finally, the last item to emerge from the boxes was a large, elongated metal tube.

“Sometimes, you need a real punch. There’s nothing more fitting than the L20 Rocket Launcher for that.”

I was impressed. This was precisely what I was hoping for.

“What do you think? Is there anything you fancy?”

I almost shouted in excitement before managing to calm myself down.

“Give me all of that, right now. I assume you have ammunition too?”

“All of it… Alright. Just show me the cash first.”

As Armas spoke, I gestured.

I tossed the two duffel bags carried by the armed Violet behind me. As the bodyguards opened the bags, stacks of cash revealed themselves.

“You’re well prepared.”

“This isn’t something you check out for just a day or two.”

I replied in a blunt tone, and Armas nodded with a smile as if he understood.

“It would be our honor if you could come back. Where shall we deliver it?”

“Load it into the truck we arrived in.”

When he offered to deliver it personally, I declined. I could store it in my inventory while transporting it anyway.

I suddenly remembered something I had forgotten.

“Right. There’s one thing missing. Where are the heavy weapons? I specifically asked for heavy weapons, didn’t I?”

“Heavy weapons, you say? Are you referring to rocket launchers or anti-material rifles?”

“No, not those. Don’t you have machine guns, mortars, or anti-tank missiles? Ideally the latest models that can be loaded into a truck or carried by a person.”

“What do you mean…”

Armas’s expression subtly changed as he heard my explanation. A look of incredulity, undetectable even through his sunglasses, scrutinized me.

“It would be nice to have a cannon too!”

“Sir, your requests on our first meeting are truly… grand. May I ask what you’re planning to use them for?”

I couldn’t very well let him know that I intended to bombard the School Board and the Magnavis army. I decided to brush it off.

“It’s for hunting monsters. You know how clans are rolling around with armored vehicles equipped with big guns these days. We need them too.”

“…I see. But in situations like this, trust and credibility are ultimately required.”

Armas, cautiously smiling, gazed intently at my face. When I glanced at Manager Leslie, he avoided my gaze with an embarrassed expression.

“That weapon merchant, isn’t he trying to squeeze more cash out of us?”

“I guess there’s nothing we can do about it.”

Indeed, the dark market dealers are really finicky creatures. It might be a sort of negotiation.

Thinking I shouldn’t hesitate in situations like this, I gestured again. A Violet behind me tossed over a new duffel bag. The heavy sound echoed through the warehouse.

“This should be enough, right?”

As the bodyguards carefully opened the bag, bundles of bonds and hefty gold bars glimmered under the warehouse lights.

Armas’s eyes widened momentarily before regaining composure.

“This is an advance payment. Get as much as you can.”

“Oh, I see… Yes. Let’s give it a try.”

The corners of his mouth curved into a smile.

“However, it won’t be of the quality you’re wishing for.”

“Really? Why?”

“Such heavy weapons are bulky and difficult to move out. The bureaucrats need time for greasing. Most importantly, extracting the latest equipment is as difficult as picking stars from the sky. What I can get quickly is merely decades-old outdated gear available on the market. Is that alright?”

As he explained in detail, I contemplated and came to a conclusion.

“That’s fine. Send me a list of equipment that can be procured later through the manager. I’ll have a look and contact you if any of it seems good.”

“Understood. Then let’s meet again within two weeks.”

As the deal concluded, we left the warehouse, receiving a send-off.

“I’ve also left a weapons manual and instructions in there. Additionally, maintenance tools are included. Please make sure to test fire them, and if there are any issues, contact us immediately. We’ll exchange them right away.”

“Oh, you provide after-service too? I thought you’d just sell and leave.”

“Of course. If we make a mistake, our customers treat complaints with bullets. Right there on-site. Haha!”

Hearing Armas’s words, we silently chuckled.

Trucks loaded with weapons left the port. Manager Leslie wiped the sweat off his forehead as he grasped the steering wheel.

“I’m glad it went smoothly. But sir.”

“Hm?”

“Why do you need heavy weapons? Mortars and missiles, like that.”

As Leslie inquired with suspicion, I crossed my arms and repeated what I had said earlier.

“I told you, right? It’s for hunting monsters. You wouldn’t know since you’re a Non-Awakened, but to catch mid-level monsters like Kranos or Krol Tide Nest, just using blades won’t cut it. They’re enormous.”

“Ugh… Is that so? I understand.”

Seeing Leslie flustered made me realize I had made too unreasonable a request. Next time, I should consider the perception levels of those around me when giving instructions.

I had originally thought to ask for an aircraft too. But judging by his reaction, that seemed too much to hope for.

“Let’s look into that on our end.”

“How about a glider?”