The strong decide

What was that? Who suddenly threw that javelin?

*SIGH* "I though you would make the right decision kid, seems like you still have a lot to learn."

Miss Izumi reveals herself from behind the corner of the alley-way.

Looks like even that rat-man can recognize her:

"You… You fucking bitch! My knee-cap!! Don't think that you're the only big fish in this pond! I'm one of Thompson's men! You can't touch me!"

Wasn't Thompson that guy Miss Izumi wanted dead?

But still… He's not begging for his life anymore, maybe he knows that Miss Izumi won't let him go that easily…

"You're probably just a debt-slave anyways. Besides, I'm not scared of some thug that likes to hang around with scum."

The rat-like man looks visibly worried, seems like she hit the nail on the head.

He suddenly turns toward me.

"Y-Young man! You'll let me live right? For my daughter?! YOU PROMISE-"

*SCHLICK*

Miss Izumi fired another javelin, and this time, not at his kneecap…

"Y-You killed him… You actually killed a person in public…"

"I just finished your work for you… I know you probably rationalized it in your head, something like: 'he deserves a second chance' or 'maybe he wasn't lying about his daughter'."

"B-But maybe he wasn't? You don't know everythi-"

"SO WHAT? So what if he had a daughter? Everyone has family! What if he wanted to take revenge on you, or even worse, on one of your loved ones! He tried to stab you to death and rob your corpse! Don't pretend like you don't know that, don't pretend like he'll just stop being a piece of shit after you let him go, stop making excuses! The strong are just and the weak fall beneath them, you know this!... You're not morally conflicted, you're just scared of getting your hands dirty…"

"I…. I…"

I fall to my knees, unable to refute anything she just said…

*SIGH* "This isn't the first time I've taken a life reo, and it probably won't be the last either. You'll destroy yourself with guilt if you carry those regrets and doubts with you. Some might call it heartless or cold, but the only thing you can do is move forward, trust your own decisions and hope you won't be judged to harshly when it's finally your turn."

…

"Does… Does it get any easier?... Killing I mean…"

"No…"

She thinks about it for a while and retracts her answer:

"Yes… it gets easier."

…

Miss Izumi walks over towards the murdered man's corpse and starts looking through his stuff.

"What are you doing? Isn't that disrespectful…"

*SIGH* "And let it be stolen by some other dangerous criminal? He had a pretty special cartridge with him… Well, since you defeated him. Here, catch!"

After grabbing something from out of the man's exposed chip implant, she throws it towards me.

I catch it, it's an orange cartridge. This could be pretty helpful for coming up with some new magics… But still, It was looted from a corpse…

Apparently, miss Izumi noticed my conflicted expression.

"Look Reo, It is what it is. Not what it should be…"

*SIGH* "You're right, he has no use for it anyways…"

"Good boy! Then I'll take all of his U-Coins, as an… Extermination fee? Anyways, I'll compensate you with this F-rank health elixir, looks like you desperately need it."

She tosses me a plastic bottle with a disgusting looking, chunky, green mixture. I've seen these advertised before, even the lowest ranking health elixir can heal burnt skin and broken bones in a matter of days.

They aren't cheap either… Perhaps miss Izumi is a better person than I thought.

But before I could express my thanks for the elixir, I already regret my previous thoughts as I see her scoop up a comically large pile of U-Coins from the man's corpse. Goddam, looks like this street peddler was actually pretty loaded.

She catches the disappointed look in my eyes.

"What? If you're not happy with the arrangement, just try and take these U-Coins from me!"

She releases a bone chilling aura as she says those words, truly terrifying! Though, for a platinum Machia, she really is a money-wolf…

"N-No go ahead, I'm fine with the cartridge…"

I shouldn't push my luck, especially not with miss Izumi.

I quickly down the health elixir miss Izumi just gave me, in hopes that she'll release her pressure if I show some good faith.

…

"Blegh! This tastes horrible!"

It tastes like a mixture of green pea soup and spoilt milk, not to mention the smell…

"What did you expect? It's only F-Rank after all... Anyways, why don't you analyze that cartridge already?"

Analyze?! Don't tell me she knows about my programming powers…