Vol 3 Chapter 3 (1/2)

LEVEL 3: Even the Best Laid Plans go Awry, but Such is This World

Chapter 3: Talk of Unfinished Dreams

PART 1 of 2

“WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKE UPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!”

“Argh!!”

What the hell!? What happened?! An accident!? Fire!? Hurricane!? Earthquake!? An… an elbow? Stupid retarded Ranta had elbowed hi him awake

“What the hell, Ranta!?” Haruhiro raged “Quit doing duh of your stupid antics!”

“No need to get so pissed off!” Ranta said “You were sleeping like the dead and I had no idea when you were gonna get your ass outta bed, so I did you a favor and politely woke you up!”

“I couldn’t fall asleep last night so I was up late!” Haruhiro roared “What’s wrong within!?”

“So even you ad!”

“How the hell did I admit that!?”

“You’re wrong to sleep like sleeping beauty when I went through all the trouble of getting the information early so I can tell you!”

“Uzo interjected hesitantly

“Shut up, Mogzo!” Ranta yelled “This is between me and Haruhiro! You stay out of it! Neither of us can move on with our lives until this problem is solved, so this is what’ll deterot that, Haruhiro!? We’ll finish it here and now!”

“Finish what!?” Haruhiro demanded

“What do you mean, ‘what’!? That, you idiot! THAT! In other words… as that again?”

“Like I would know!”

Haruhiro let out a heavy sigh and sat up Above his head was the sa as always, and because he slept on the top bunk, the bed creaked when he moved

“So,” Haruhiro turned reluctantly to look at Ranta “What’s this inforot?”

“It’s—!” Ranta grinned fiendishly

The expression on Ranta’s face annoyed Haruhiro to no end How the hell Ranta could piss so, Haruhiro didn’t know, but it pissed him off It must be another one of Ranta’s “special” talents; the talents of the lowest of low-lives

“Since you decided to sleep in,” Ranta continued “And Mogzo said sory, so I went to the bakery by ht outside of Nishi+machi, Tattan Bakery There just happened to be a couple of Cri about it So I asked what they were talking about, and… hold on! Everything’s got a sequence, order, progression Just like dating girls, yeah? Whoa, whoa, Haruhiro… it’s waaaaaaay too early for you No reason to get pissed off about it ‘Cause you’re still a virgin, right? Notfuck is my randeur of ers to dance in wild ecstasy for me…”

“And… how long are you going toshi+t?” Haruhiro casually inquired

“I’ that co but the truth! The facts!” Ranta exclaimed

“Fine And the information?”

“First, you get down fro down at hty It’s ridiculously stupid”

The bunk beds weren’t that high The top bunk was just about the height of Ranta’s shoulder when he was standing And Haruhiro wasn’t even standing; he was sitting up on his bunk He didn’t feel particularly good about looking down on Ranta, and it wasn’t fro either

“I’ht here,” Haruhiro stated

“You got a death wish or so!? Want me to kill you!?” Ranta shouted

“You’re a pain in the ass”

“What? Did you say so to me?”

“Yeah, I did I said that you’re like a parasite No, I’m sorry Not ‘like’ I said you ARE a parasite”

“Idiot! I’m not a parasite, I’m a worker bee!”

“So you’re okay with being an insect?”

“Wait, what?”

Not wanting to continue the annoying and pointless exchange, Haruhiro climbed down from his bunk and sat down on the bottom bed

“Just get to the point already and tell me what that information is,” Haruhiro demanded

“Quitfun of me! I’m not some senile old retard!”

That rin from ear-to-ear

“Unlike Haruhiro, Mogzo knohere I’ood joke! Haruhiro sucks He doesn’t get anything ‘cause he doesn’t have even a shred of a sense of humor!”

Haruhiro felt his thoughts beco darker and darker but strived to keep his head clear and temper in check

“The inforain

“Hey, don’t go blas, Haruuuuuhirooooo…”

“Ranta The information”

“Whoa Here we go again Persistent, aren’t we?”

“Goddaan to choke the life out of hi around!”

“E-enough!? W-wait… C-c-can’t… breathe… you trying to… k-kill me!? F-fine! I’ll t-tell you… Crimson Moon… directive…”

“Crilances with Mogzo

Mogzo, or rather his storumble, and his face turned red with embarrassment

“S-sorry… I’zo explained

“No need to apologize, Mogzo,” Haruhiro said “It’s not like you can help it Ah, there’s some bread over there Why not have some of that?”

“That’s MY bread!” Ranta shouted “I’ood bakery just outside of Nishi+!!!”

Since Ranta was being such a selfish greedy-guts, Haruhiro and Mogzo decided to go into town together to grab breakfast so with theht while they walked and haughtily explaining the Crimson Moon directive to them

Apparently, a directive was a set of orders given to the members of Crimson Moon’s Altana branch At least, they were called a “set of orders”, but compliance was not enforced It remained up to the individual members themselves whether or not to respond to the directive However, those ere capable of carrying out the ood reason tended to lose respect ast their fellow Crimson Moon members

That basically meant that if it was a reasonable directive, everyone was expected to just carry it out without co tooto participate in missions

Monetary compensation

A portion of the payned up and the rest was paid upon successful completion of the mission If someone were to accept the advance payment but not do the work, a ed that the person had acted with malicious intent, they would also be summoned to appear at Crimson Moon’s Headquarters Failure to obey the su placed on their heads

Bounties were also considered directives and were placed on criminals or dishonestthis sort of prizeout of it They were aptly called Bounty Hunters

Co on a directive wasn’t paid in cash, but rather a thin bronze coin that served as a payed for cash at Yorozu’s or any financial institution contracted with either the regular army or Crimson Moon

Haruhiro and Mogzo decided to stop for breakfast at a food stand in Laborer’s Alley that specialized in a noodle dish called sorruz The food stands in the area were packed orkers since early , and it was much livelier here at this time of day than the marketplace in the Altana’s northern sector

Sorruz was a dish with yellow-colored wheat noodles and broiled ood when he first tried it, but it re faintly fa here to eat every now and then “Every now and then” soon became habit and in the end, he developed a fondness for the dish

Haruhiro and Mogzo blew on the hot broth as they ate, slurping the noodles vigorously Even as hethe himself a bowl of noodles too

“Man, this is awesoood! Sorruz is the best!” Ranta declared

“Quitsnot into your bowl,” Haruhiro admonished

“I can’t help it! It’s running like crazy! Haruhiro! You just don’t get how good sorruz is!”

“Sorruz is really good,” Mogzo agreed, working on his second order of noodles already Or not…

“Mogzo, that couldn’t be your third bowl already?” Haruhiro asked

“W-well… yes,” Mogzo adood I can’t help it…”

“daht! But I’ed cook “Hey mister! Another order of sorruz!”

“Coht up!” the cook confirmed

“Heh,” Haruhiro grunted, taking his ti the noodles to his ood, but he couldn’t stuff hi His stomach couldn’t take it

“But you know, Mogzo,” Ranta continued “Good as this is, couldn’t we make it ourselves if we tried?”

PART 2 of 2

“Err…” Mogzo hesitated “Uh… y-yes, I suppose we could… maybe? But the broth is…”