# Chapter 187: Sorry, I Don't Want to Kill!
"Are you Ikoma?"
Inside the dark Prison Cell, as Footsteps approached, a Man in Black came outside the Prison Cell and asked the grey-green haired young man inside.
Ikoma and Mumei exchanged glances, nodded, and replied, "That's me."
"Come out."
"Excuse me, where are we going?"
The Man in Black looked at him expressionlessly and said, "Base Chief's Office. Senior Director Addison wants to see you."
"Alright then."
Although surprised, Ikoma nodded and walked out. Along the way, he patted Mumei's shoulder, signaling her not to worry.
Only Mima Amatori frowned, lost in thought.
"Ikoma..." Mumei watched Ikoma's retreating back, pressing her lips tightly together. She began to resent her own incompetence and weakness, thinking, "Elder Brother was right sometimes. If I were strong enough now, I could take them away from here."
Following the Man in Black, Ikoma walked through the long Dark Corridor. As he exited the Prison Gate, a blinding Sunlight shone down from the Sky, forcing him to squint and adapt for a while.
Along the way, he saw groups of Army Soldier, and Man in Black who occasionally flashed past with Afterimages.
But what filled his sight the most were rows of exquisite wooden Building and Strange Flag hanging from the rooftops. The Flag had a white background with five black Sphere arranged in the center, connected by one horizontal and one vertical line.
What could that represent?
Carrying this question, Ikoma was led to the tallest Building in the Center Area. Then, in the Office on the top floor, he met Senior Director Addison.
"Please sit."
Sitting behind the office desk, Addison showed him a friendly smile and asked, "Would you like something to drink? How about Coffee? Oh, wait, you probably prefer tea, right?"
"This..."
Ikoma was a little nervous and was about to say no, but the former had already instructed the Secretary outside, "Get him a cup of Matcha."
"Okay."
This left Ikoma speechless for a moment. He found this person a bit too assertive. However, his attention quickly focused on the yellow object on the office desk.
"This is..."
"Heh heh, that's right. This is why I called you here. Can you tell me about it? My subordinates told me this thing has quite a bit of Power. It can even penetrate three Kabane Heart Membrane stacked together."
Senior Director Addison chuckled lightly, while inwardly complaining, "This Power is already comparable to Anti-materiel Rifles. How can a Steam Gun be this outrageous?"
Ikoma hesitated for a moment, then thought about it and said, "Because ordinary Steam Cylinder couldn't destroy the Kabane Heart Membrane, my friend Takumi and I developed this 'Piercing Gun' which has greater Penetration Power and Impact Force."
"'Piercing Gun'?"
"Yes. Actually, it's just a modified Bullet for the Steam Gun. We discovered that when the Shockwave from Gunpowder explosion hits a Metal Plate, a Metal Jet Phenomenon occurs. Based on this, I invented a Special Warhead that can produce a Metal Jet, which I call a 'Jet Bullet'."
As Ikoma spoke, his mood became excited, as if he was introducing his masterpiece to someone, and his voice gradually rose.
"Because we are just Station Repair Worker and couldn't get a real Steam Gun, I modified the Rivet Gun Launcher to fire 'Jet Bullet', which I call the 'Piercing Gun'!"
After listening, Senior Director Addison's Gaze towards Ikoma changed. He no longer saw him as just an ordinary Kabaneri Experiment Subject.
"It seems you have quite a talent in Weapon Development, especially in Bullet Modification. Congratulations, you have proven your Value. Now, please read this Document."
He took out a not-so-thick Data/Files from the drawer and placed it in front of Ikoma. The latter picked it up curiously and began to read.
As he read, the Expression of this 'World Protagonist' became increasingly shocked, and his Pupils contracted violently.
"Another World... World Government..."
To be honest, the Content on it wasn't much, but even so, he read it several times. Senior Director Addison didn't rush him, quietly waiting for him to digest it.
A moment later.
"Excuse me, I'm finished reading." Ikoma put the Document down, but his voice was still trembling.
Addison looked at him in surprise, "You calmed down so quickly? You really are Research Talent, it's just that your Kabaneri Body is a bit tricky."
After all, the Academy of Science couldn't possibly accept a Researcher who could potentially suck Human Blood at any time, could they?
Ikoma smiled bitterly, "I'm also trying to find a way to turn back into a Human, and Mumei too..."
"You want to turn back into a Normal Human?"
"Isn't a Superman Body better?" Addison joked.
"No, I just want to turn back into a Human with Mumei, no matter what!" Ikoma raised his head and said firmly.
"That's not impossible. The key is whether you have the Value."
This meaningful sentence greatly surprised Ikoma, and he quickly asked, "You have a way to turn me back into a Normal Human?"
"That's right, you're from Another World, perhaps there's some special method!"
Senior Director Addison spread his Palm and smiled, "You've misunderstood. Our World might also have a way, but the possibility I just mentioned is a product of your own World. It's just that it's now under our possession."
"What!" Ikoma was startled.
"Do you remember Dr. Shouei who came with you? The 'White Serum' he invented is a Serum that can effectively clear the Kabaneri Virus."
"It is said that for ordinary Kabaneri like you, one dose has a fifty to sixty percent chance of turning you completely back into a Normal Human. However, there are only two tubes of this stuff."
Hearing this, Ikoma suddenly stood up, looking at Addison in surprise, and said, "Isn't that just enough for me and Mumei? Please, I beg you, please let us turn back into Normal Human!"
Saying this, he clasped his hands together and bowed deeply towards the latter with utmost sincerity. However, Senior Director Addison remained unmoved, looking at him calmly.
"On what basis?"
"Huh?"
"Can you tell me why we should use the precious Serum, of which there are only two tubes, on you?"
"This..."
Ikoma was speechless, and his mood became anxious. He quickly asked, "Is there anything I can do?"
"That's right."
Senior Director Addison nodded in satisfaction, "Don't think about asking for something without giving anything in return. Instead, you should think about what you can use to get something."
"Please guide me!"
"You certainly don't have anything to exchange for 'White Serum' right now, but you can work for us. For example, manufacturing the 'Jet Bullet' you mentioned, and also modifying it so that general Gunpowder Firearms can use it, and even finding a way to produce large 'Jet Armor-Piercing Shell'!"
Senior Director Addison opened up his mind and provided Ikoma with directions for future Research, which left the latter stunned.
"As long as you demonstrate sufficient Value in this area, you will have the opportunity to apply to us for a 'White Serum' injection. Perhaps by then, the Biochemical Research Institute might even be able to mass-produce 'White Serum'."
"How about it, will you accept?"
But Ikoma hesitated and asked, "Then are the 'Jet Bullet' I develop and the 'Jet Cannonball' you just mentioned meant to be used against Kabane, or... also used to kill people?"
"Is there a difference?" Senior Director Addison looked at him, puzzled.
"Sorry, I, I don't want to kill people, and I don't want the things I create to kill people..." Ikoma lowered his head, clenched his fists, gripped his pants tightly, and said through gritted teeth.
However, as soon as he said this, the former's face turned cold.
"Oh, is that so?"
"Then you can go back to the Prison Cell and think about it. Come back when you've figured it out!"
***
(End of this chapter)