Kevin had his muzzle leveled right at me.
A pistol-type beam weapon. In short, a beam handgun.
It was useless against a Zork’s carapace, but against a human, it was devastatingly effective. While the power gap compared to ballistic weaponry was vast, the real reason bullets had gone extinct was the sheer efficiency of beam tech—weight and capacity.
A single cartridge held over a thousand shots and weighed a tenth of a traditional magazine. Its rate of fire was insane, easily outperforming a light machine gun. It even worked in a vacuum. Against another person, it was the ultimate weapon.
By all rights, things like swords, spears, chainsaws, and giant swings shouldn't even be necessary in this day and age. The idea of someone’s leg being twisted off by a single giant swing was physically impossible.
Just when I thought I was finally done with that kind of nonsensical reality, this happens! What did I even do to deserve this?!
Wait. Actually, I could think of a few things.
"……I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you had a thing for Melissa."
"Wrong. You idiot."
"……Eh? Then is it Claire? Claire hasn't even triggered any flags yet. She just got ticked off that my human rights were being trampled on and declared she was claiming me—"
"I told you, that’s not it!"
"I’m not giving up my wifey, even if you kill me! We’re legally registered! Are you oppressors going to steal our brides now, too?!"
"Just shut up for a second!"
"O-Okay."
Kevin took a breath, his gaze hardening. "Leo, how much do you actually know about the Jester?"
"It’s overrated. In reality, it’s just a dud of an 'atypical' ability with nothing but garbage powers."
"Haha. And yet, among the Zork, you're the legendary Reaper. Well then, do you know how the Jester was first created?"
"Huh? I heard they’re just born with an extremely low probability."
"Ahaha. Then do you know where that genetic factor came from?"
"Pardon?"
Factors? Genes? It's all just human DNA, isn't it?
"The Jester was a biological weapon created by humanity during the war with the Zork five hundred years ago. They were 'Enhanced Humans.'"
Now, hearing "Enhanced Human" might sound terrifying, but five hundred years later, it wasn't exactly rare. Even I’d had the size of my teeth adjusted while getting cavities removed, not to mention genetic treatments to prevent hereditary diseases or local endemic illnesses. Workers on harsh, un-terraformed planets even had chloroplasts embedded in their cells. Kevin must have had similar treatments for whatever planet he lived on.
"Being an Enhanced Human isn't that special, is it? By the standards of five hundred years ago, we’d all be considered Enhanced Humans."
"Ahaha. How naive. The Empire of five hundred years ago wasn't like the degraded shell it is today. It was a civilization capable of artificially producing Espers! Now listen. When humanity went to war with us five hundred years ago, they created Espers. One of their greatest masterpieces was the Jester."
"Because they can become Sages?"
"That’s part of it. To reach the rank of Sage, one usually has to endure trials, but the Jester is the exception. However, that’s not why they’re terrifying. It’s because their brakes are broken. They feel no fear toward the Zork."
No way. Not a chance.
"I was absolutely shaking in my boots, though!?" I shouted.
What was he talking about? Did he have any idea how hard I’d struggled to keep from wetting myself?
"You have no idea the war I waged against my own bladder!"
"Stop getting angry over things I don't care about!" Kevin snapped. "Besides, what’s with this 'We, the Zork' stuff? You’re human no matter how I look at you."
"Humanity created those insane creatures called Jesters. Jesters didn't fear us, and those who fought alongside them soon forgot their own fear. So, we Zork came up with a counter-plan: we would infiltrate human society with spies. We kidnapped humans and engineered a lineage that possessed Zork factors. That is my clan."
"So... you’re actually a Zork, Kevin?"
"Yes."
"……How long have you been a henchman? If an underground organization like that existed, it would’ve been flagged immediately."
Ideologies were strictly monitored in the Empire. A group worshipping aliens would have been under surveillance from day one.
"Humanoid Zorks are programmed to 'awaken' to their mission during puberty, though the success rate is low. I only remembered mine a few months ago."
"Huh? What kind of deathly inefficient system is that?! It would be way easier to just bribe someone in power and have them defect."
It was an impossibly patient method. The element of luck was too high; it wasn't even a gamble.
"The Zork of that era didn't understand human society well enough for that. That’s why we went underground to study you. We’ve been learning for centuries. We have all the time in the world, unlike humans."
"And? What do you want with me? If you weren't going to kill me immediately, you must have a reason."
"Yeah, I just had to know. How is it that a Jester—who shouldn't be able to produce offspring—is appearing as an atavism in your family?"
"How should I know? I tested negative in the ESP exams. Even if you tell me I’m an Esper now, I’ve got nothing for you."
"Hah. In that case... there’s no choice but to destroy this planet. You’re too dangerous. You were at the top of your class at the Academy, sure, but your actual combat skill was 'high-mid' tier at best. People only tolerated you because of your family name, and I know you bought plenty of resentment in the shadows. But now, you're comparable to the Imperial Guard... no, your strength is abnormal. I mean, throwing a Titan-type with a pro-wrestling move?"
Kevin leveled the gun again.
But he’d made a mistake. He should have cursed his luck for letting his gaze wander, even for a split second!
"Oraaa!"
I kicked off the ground with everything I had.
A cloud of wasteland dust billowed up, stinging his eyes. A classic sand-toss. I used the opening to slide toward the exit—ugofuh!
A searing heat tore through my side.
I’d been hit.
"Don't move!"
"Not a chance, buddy!"
Blood sprayed from my mouth. Damn it, he hit something internal. But I could still move! Whether it was adrenaline or something else, I forced my body to keep going.
I sprinted toward the banquet hall. I could see the tables. I dove in headfirst, no longer possessing the strength or the presence of mind to do anything else.
"H-Hey! Leo, what—you’ve been shot!"
"S-Sam... tell my wife... she’s the absolute sexiest..."
"I’d be executed if I told her that! Princess! Imperial Guard! Leo’s been shot!"
"My Lord Groom!"
I heard Veronica’s voice. To be honest, I didn't think I was the kind of strategist character who died from getting shot in the side.
I wanted to leave her with one more honest word. To tell her: Thank you for supporting a piece of trash like me.
Wait.
Invincible?
Who?