Strongest Deliveryman In The Apocalypse

Gary's jaw dropped.

For a second, he wondered if this was some kind of trap—an invitation before execution.

But Sobin's expression carried no malice. Just plain sincerity, tinged with the nonchalance of a man who thought offering strangers rides after walking out of explosions was perfectly normal.

"…Y-you're serious?" He croaked.

"Of course." Sobin patted his shoulder reassuringly. "Can't leave a fellow Rider stranded in the wasteland. What kind of professional would that make me?"

The man's thoughts spun wildly.

He wanted to scream, 'I'm not a Rider, I was the one trying to blow you up!'

He wanted to bolt, to flee into the horizon and never look back. But Sobin's grip was firm, his smile unwavering, and the shadow of Bessie loomed behind him like a slumbering beast eager to be set loose.

For the first time in years, the Plunderer leader felt true despair.

"C-can't refuse that, I guess," he muttered, forcing a shaky grin.

"Great!" Sobin clapped him on the back, nearly knocking the air out of his lungs. "Come on, you'll love Bessie. She's got charm."

Behind them, the base burned, black smoke curling into the sky like a funeral pyre.

**********

'What should I do now?'

Gary sat stiff in the passenger seat, hands clenched on his knees. Every second he stole a glance at Sobin—casually humming some off-key tune as he drove Bessie one-handed—his stomach flipped.

The man had destroyed his base.

Killed every one of his men without breaking a sweat. And now here they were, sitting shoulder to shoulder like coworkers on a road trip.

Gary's lips twitched. 'What kind of twisted irony is this?'

He coughed into his fist and quickly pulled out his RCD, feigning nonchalance as the faint light from the device lit his nervous face.

"J-just checking my messages…"

"No problem at all!" Sobin didn't even look up and just flashed a bright smile. "So what do you think of Bessie? Sweet, right?"

"Indeed…" Gary forced a laugh that came out more like a dying wheeze. "L-lots of charm..."

He scrolled through his notifications, hoping to distract himself from the suffocating presence beside him.

Then his thumb froze.

One headline pulsed brighter than the rest:

"[Fugitive Alert: Rider Sobin. Wanted Alive. Substantial Reward for Capture.]"

Gary's eyes bulged as his fingers trembled as he tapped the notice.

The Rider Association's seal gleamed across the screen, official and unshakable.

The bounty amount nearly made him choke—enough to rebuild his base ten times over, enough to buy him a fleet of rides… more than enough to turn him from hunted to untouchable.

His gaze darted sideways.

Sobin was still humming, tapping the steering wheel in rhythm, eyes fixed ahead as though road trips through apocalyptic wastelands were the most natural thing in the world.

'He's a criminal…?' Gary thought, struggling to breathe evenly. 'That explains it. The merciless way he tore through my men, the ease with which he flattened the base… But…'

He squinted, studying Sobin more closely.

The man's shoulders slouched. He had a goofy, relaxed grin on his face, like a boy proud of his shiny new toy truck. He even bobbed his head a little to his humming, oblivious to Gary's trembling.

'Isn't he a little too stupid for that?'

Gary licked his lips. His brain spun like a cyclone.

Was this an act? Some elaborate facade designed to lure enemies into lowering their guard? Or was this lunatic really just a simpleton in the body of a demon?

"Say, Gary," Sobin said suddenly, making Gary jolt so hard he nearly dropped the RCD.

"Y-yes?!"

"You prefer beans or jerky?"

"…Huh?"

"I got beans and jerky in the back. Haven't decided on lunch yet." Sobin tilted his head in mock seriousness. "Important choice. Life-or-death stuff."

Gary blinked. His mouth opened, closed, then opened again. "…Jerky?"

Sobin snapped his fingers like a man who'd solved a world crisis. "Knew you had taste."

Gary turned back to his RCD, pulse pounding in his ears. 'No. This can't be an act. No one pretending could be this stupidly casual… right?'

Since it had come to this, Gary began to scheme deeply. The reward was too tempting for him not to wonder how he could nab it by taking advantage of Sobin.

But just as the thought settled, the truck shook violently.

The ground itself rumbled. Dust plumed on the horizon.

Sobin's humming cut off.

He narrowed his eyes, foot pressing heavier on the pedal. "Hmm?"

"W-what now?" Gary stiffened.

Then he saw them!

A tide of beasts, claws tearing sand, fangs glinting under the sun.

Dozens… no, hundreds… of C-Rank monsters, their snarls blending into a deafening chorus. And towering above them all, a grotesque monstrosity marked with a horned crown.

—B-Rank, without question!

Gary's throat went dry. His body pressed back into the seat instinctively.

"Oh no, no, no—this is it—"

The swarm barreled forward like a living flood. Dust choked the sky. At first glance, it looked like they were charging straight at Bessie.

Gary's hands flew to the dashboard, knuckles white. "They're coming right for us!"

But Sobin squinted. Then—

"…Wait. No, they're not."

Gary blinked. "What do you mean, 'they're not'?!"

"They're running away." Sobin pointed lazily. And indeed, the monsters' eyes weren't locked on them. Their bodies angled away, desperation etched in every leap.

But Sobin didn't swerve. Didn't brake. Instead, he grinned. "Well, guess I'll cut through."

"CUT THROUGH—?!"

Before Gary could protest, Bessie surged forward, plowing into the chaos.

What happened next burned itself into Gary's memory forever.

Sobin leapt out of the truck mid-charge, his hand flashing like a blade. He wove through the swarm like a predator among sheep, every swing dropping monsters in sprays of gore.

One beast lunged—its skull split before it touched him.

Another roared—its torso cleaved in two.

Gary's eyes widened with every kill. Sobin wasn't just cutting monsters down. He was laughing.

"YES! Another quest complete! Hahaha!" Sobin's voice boomed between shrieks of dying beasts. He didn't sound like a murderer.

He sounded like a man checking off grocery list items.

Gary's jaw dropped. 'He's insane… He's enjoying this!'

The B-Rank monster tried to rally the horde, but Sobin vaulted onto its back, jamming steel through its neck. The creature screamed, collapsing under its own weight as Sobin landed lightly beside it, blood raining around him.

Silence followed.

A graveyard of monsters stretched across the sand.

And there Sobin stood, chest heaving, face split with a manic grin.

Gary shivered.

His mouth moved on its own. 'Monster… He's not human. He's a monster.'

"Hey, Gary!" Sobin turned suddenly, grin wide, eyes gleaming.

Gary flinched so violently he nearly headbutted the window.

"Y-yes?!"

"Almost at my next mission point." Sobin wiped his blade on a carcass, cheerfully striding back to Bessie. "Gotta escort a civilian caravan to a mid-tier settlement. Where do you wanna get off?"

Gary's lips parted, no sound coming out. His heart pounded like a war drum.

'He doesn't even know… He doesn't know he's wanted.'

An idea wormed into his skull.

If he followed Sobin to the settlement, he wouldn't need to fight him. He wouldn't need to risk anything. All he'd need to do is hand Sobin over. Pretend he was the one who captured him. The Rider Association would shower him with rewards.

Gary's trembling lips slowly curled upward. He forced out a calm, friendly tone.

"I'll… come with you to the settlement. Escort duty sounds good."

"Sounds great! It really feels nice to have company." Sobin beamed, slamming the wheel.

Gary turned back to the wasteland, hiding his grin.

Inside, his mind roared with laughter.

'Hahahaha! Perfect! Absolutely perfect! Sobin, you gullible idiot. Soon, you'll be my payday!'