Chapter 176

In the outside world, they were showering each other with a rain of gunpowder, while inside, shattered glass shards fluttered like a storm.

Due to excessive pressure, the reinforced glass that should have shattered into blunt shapes transformed into sharp, fine pieces that poured out, but no one inside the venue paid much attention to it.

Anastasia had prepared herself for this outcome.

Zero aimed to quickly assess the enemy level he had previously heard about only through communications.

Finally, Lieutenant Min was verifying the identity of the newly appeared intruder.

In any case, Zero’s appearance served excellently as a trigger to break the standoff situation.

– “…If you do not withdraw, I will shoot immediately.” –

“Che!”

Is that the one who killed the pursuers? An Exatech Droid?

If the obstruction is evident, the specific affiliation doesn’t matter. Either way, if it blocks the narrow entrance, it will be difficult to advance.

At least, since the robot is standing guard like a barrier, the girl’s potential gunfire could be disregarded!

Daga-ga-gak—!!

As the lieutenant dashed inside, sparks flew like fireworks from his rear.

Even though he was turning his gun to match the target’s speed, upon seeing the dwindling ammunition lodged against the wall and carpet, Zero ceased fire.

With irregular steps and adjustable acceleration, that soldier must have clearly had experience dealing with combat machines multiple times; Zero concluded that an attack relying on monotonous predictive calculations would be hard to land.

He hadn’t expected the soldier to leap in without a hint of hesitation after hearing the warning.

His circuit board warmed slightly at the fact that an action taken to buy cooling time for the overheated internal buffered joints turned out to be a painful waste.

There could be no further mistakes. They were intolerable. The enemy’s position had become closer than anticipated, creating a situation where she could get injured.

“Wait, are you okay!?”

– There is no malfunction in operation. –

Now, without hiding the ominous pressure, Zero, fixated on the lieutenant, calmly responded to Anastasia’s question.

Just after the task was completed, alongside the struggle with Masanari at the Enema headquarters, the Droid had been in an indefinite standby state without receiving replacements or repairs.

Having just broken into the battlefield with a goal of rapid arrival, the damages and wounds accumulated as he added new injuries from high-caliber penetrating shots; it was clear at a glance that the armor did not look intact. However, for a Droid, armor was an accessory and a consumable; a type of shell.

Even if shattered bits flowed out, as long as the important circuits and pipelines remained unharmed, it had fulfilled its role.

Moreover, what was crucial now was the enemy right in front who was catching their breath.

“Hu……”

The air quivered between Lieutenant Min, who had closed his eyes, and Zero, who had heightened the scanning intensity.

Zero’s domestic robot sensor lacked a depth amplification feature, so even though it couldn’t grasp the contents hidden beneath the military uniform, at least five to six implants could be detected from the exposed fingertips.

It was evident that he boasted a density and modification rate typical of an officer from the Heirong company regarding power augmentation.

In contrast, Lieutenant Min viewed Zero’s armament, which appeared weaker and more tattered than expected, with wariness. He was assessing the robot based on past experiences battling similar machines.

Ordinary Droids would typically transmit repeated warnings or instructions if enemy contact persisted without a proper response.

But this black machine opted for silence following the initial threat, despite having no explicit command.

Active responses, a flexible stance, and even the tingling sensation of murderous intent.

Overall, it evidently surpassed the scope of the design typically equipped with minor artificial intelligence in robot types.

It would be unlikely… that it was an “enemy of humanity,” which had spilled out from the closed city, a highly dangerous area.

Against an enemy whose formation consisted of clearly bothersome vanguard and unproven rear, taking a strategy of rushing forward while ignoring what lay ahead was now ambiguous. Moreover, there was no certainty of subduing it with just the rifles and pistols in hand.

Creeeak…! Bang—!!

……Underneath, Lieutenant Min’s thigh tendon was pulled tight. One knee bent, and his hand half-formed into a fist. Mental preparation for the clash was complete alongside physical readiness.

Thus, with the determination that it was time to cross the dangerous bridge, without either side indicating who would go first, a person and a robot collided.

“Damn…! If you fight like that again, how am I supposed to help!?”

…Whether someone burst out in frustration at the certainty of a high-speed battle occurring again or not.

“Ha…!!”

– ……! –

The two flows collided head-on at the center of the room with a perfectly measured impact.

Lieutenant Min’s choice, rebounding like a fired arrow, was a surprise back kick aimed at the relatively lightly armored head, swung like a sickle without even a setup.

In response, Zero’s number was… defense? That was dismissed within 0.02 seconds.

Based on the external situation observed before it came flying in, it was still too early for Kasane’s subordinates to crumble under fire. Furthermore, even if some of them surrendered with diminished morale, if she resolved things with this woman early on, she could disappear while minimizing witnesses, just as her master desired.

Then what must be delivered was a powerful attack equivalent to that. Fortunately, even if a turn was lost, there were still ways to catch up if Zero exerted just a little effort.

In an instant, Zero’s knee shot up vertically to the chest level, tracing an odd trajectory.

The compressor, which acted as the ligament in the pelvic driving section and knee, operated at a madness that violated safety regulations, thrusting out with zero waste of energy while maintaining the same height and speed.

If the sole audience had the fighting knowledge to recognize the staggering yet breathtaking kick, they might have uttered the well-known name of Brazilian kick from the back of their mind.

BAM——!!

“What!?”

The ripping of Lieutenant Min’s military pants, the exploding composite armor of Zero.

As if a scene from a movie unfolded, both shins crossed in an X, creating a pressure wave.

Shards of glass scattered about the floor seemed to roll off to the corners, trying to flee the battlefield, and caught by the unexpectedly strong tremor, the girl steadied her handgun and bangs.

All companies are focused on their formalities.

The trend of voluntary resignations is rare, and the fact that many companies care for lifelong employment more than expected also plays its part.

Even if, from a macro perspective, they are disposable components, a long history of study revealed that definitely distinguishing between the humans inside and outside the fences benefits inter-group competition, apart from flexible politics.

In such a sense, the concept of ’employment = enlistment’ is applied. The hard-nosed military supplier Heirong Corporation not only imposes strict discipline and rules on its members but also exerts effort in various ways to elevate the quality.

The somewhat high cost is an investment they can manage as they corner the weaponry and munitions market.

It includes the basics of developing implants or equipment, an enormous amount of combat doctrine and skills that respond to all situations, and even martial arts tailored to the opponent.

As a result…….

“Heirong Baktusul – Black Dragon Combat Technique, Style 6: Láng yá fěnsuì (Wolf Fang Crush).”

“Huh…!”

– Each move! You are truly energetic…! –

With a screech that tore the air, the two fists that made contact penetrated the space where Zero was holding back, instead striking the wooden chair behind, obliterating it completely.

During the intense evasion maneuver, Zero’s blade shot out like a streak of light towards the lieutenant’s head, but she lowered her posture, splitting her legs, and narrowly managed to tear her ceremonial cap.

If Zero had felt dejected at not being able to break a leg on the first exchange, the lieutenant inwardly clucked her tongue at this wicked robot cleverly dispersing her power by self-releasing additional armor just before colliding.

A fierce assault followed by another fierce assault, her onslaught aimed solely at destroying solid objects might have appeared foolish at first glance, but it possessed a specific grace and style.

If Enema invested in the limitations of pure humans and their latent physical violence, Heirong focused on technique and skill.

Combat mode was about destruction rather than suppression, rushing in to restrain the target’s power while they still had strength rather than waiting. It was the very essence of combat against Droids.

Anastasia, who alternated witnessing the true colors of the two Mega Corps pursuing different extremes up-close, thought, “Ah, those Heirong bastards. True to their origins, their close-quarters combat skills are no joke.”

…Indeed, there was a reason it was bothersome to hunt factions from both a distance and close-range, or that the close-range damage was as high as the pursuers’.

“Well, starting now, I’m going to actively fumble about with various things. I’ll try to match you as much as possible… I can’t keep up with anything faster than my perception. I’ll give you a signal when I’m ready, so be careful.”

– Understood. Force-ending background subroutines. Activating the entire remaining memory, reallocating all assigned areas to spatial perception…! –

Crash!!

As Zero brought its blade in response to the incoming kick, its angle instantaneously shifted to stomp down, breaking one of the composite swords in the process, she decided to intervene.

It wasn’t simply that she disliked obstructing a fair fight; she had hesitated, worrying that interfering might be counterproductive. However, if a loyal Droid was struggling against a formidable opponent, that narrative entirely shifted.

Ping…!

“!!”

From below to up, it was the second time today.

Lieutenant Min’s eyes flicked up in alarm as a projectile flew through the empty space beside the Droid.

“Ugh! …What a cute trick!”

“No, you’re the one who came here to kill me first!? This crazy bitch is truly shameless!”

It might have been a manifestation of an instinctual rejection of an absurd death.

However, to someone nearly dying, it was a rather unscrupulous utterance, prompting Anastasia to raise her middle finger as if to say she wouldn’t lose.

With the hope that the lunatic would become a bit more wary of her “gun,” she wrapped up the not-so-serious provocation, which, despite not being intended, seemed to be surprisingly effective.

Once again, the surprising and irregular attack was sufficient just once. Why? Because once it works, there’s no need to use it on the same target again.

So… in the next time, it has to be a finish, combining with Zero, and she carefully examined the functions embedded in the home system.

Meanwhile, Zero could not suppress its lament at having to lead the combat until that point naturally.

It was not because of the sudden burden of responsibility, but rather a self-reproach that its abilities were insufficient, repeatedly complicating her situation.

Given that its foundation was a domestic service robot, it inevitably had outdated output limits, insufficient basic strength, and numerous trivial problems.

Especially, even after expanding its memory to the limit.

In combat situations, the errors and mismatches resulting from the complex trajectory and impulse calculations meant that it inevitably bore significant losses. …However, there were no substitutes at present for throwing tantrums.

……More, more. A little faster, a little more efficiently. Anastasia must open the path toward victory.

With her unique cellular traits and brilliant inspiration, she had taught that there was a greater possibility and world beyond that cramped research facility or desolate desert—wasn’t it her parents who granted her even a name so generously?

She must not continue to show such shameful appearances……… Shame? It was clearly an emotion she demonstrated often. After the battle ended, she would verify whether one felt this way at such times, comparing it with related past memories for lessons.

– Accelerating coolant circulation cycle, Overclocking max boost. –

“Ugh…!!”

Lieutenant Min bit her lip as she observed the Droids in the final phase transitioning to a new stage.

Was it plotting to flee while it was fully engaged?

No, that couldn’t be. Such a clumsy approach to fail its mission was something her pride wouldn’t allow. So…!

“Heirong Baktusul, Style 4: Bǎihé qiēduàn (Lily Break).”

Vrrr…!

Aside from horizontal sweeping combined with rotational force, the carpet was torn out, flying into pieces.

A deep entry into a seated position would have led her to consider thrusting down, despite the mobility loss required to proceed with the owner, but…

Zero took a sidestep.

Jumping into the air, it unleashed all the ammunition from the magazine it had saved. And the lieutenant, waiting for that moment, dived toward the death gate.

The rising floor material collided viciously, and bullets that had ripped the military uniform grazed her skin dangerously, but nonetheless, she succeeded in reaching underneath it within the time of flight, her muscles taut. She had grasped the bloodied tip of the makeshift knife she had picked up.

She intended to deal a serious blow while this damn machine couldn’t move.

“Heirong Weapon Technique, Style 2: Lónggǔ jiěxī (Dragon Bone Split).”

“Explode…! You scrap metal on the verge of breaking!!”

– Oh dear. –

As the arm, remaining unshaken by burying the combat boot into the floor, shot out with a centered weight,

Zero maintained a reaction as if it saw something that was unrelated.

With a brilliant formal name of Tin Can, it had widely failed to introduce itself because conditions didn’t allow for it, or perhaps because it found it amusing to create an atmosphere and ultimately lose pathetically?

Unfortunately, neither were correct.

The real answer was the starkly logical laugh that followed seeing the lieutenant return to the center of the room, not realizing that the hacker at play was dancing on top of her head.

“Damn! Who allows you to use such ultimate techniques!!”

[ Changing the floor tiles! How about a stylish marble floor for the lady? ]

“!?”

There was no time to properly take in the absurd system messages springing up on the room monitor.

She had resolutely stepped on a contrasting path and, as a reward for stubbornly occupying the area with the most space to maneuver, began to retreat from the very center, which hadn’t come through unexpected failure.

What meaningful outcome could possibly arise from forcibly swinging that damned edged weapon in this state? There would be none.

If one picked the wrong path, adjusting quickly would be one approach.

Click!!

Tat-tat-tat-tat—!

The lieutenant, now soaked in blood, discarded the blade she had wielded loosely and drew out her sidearm without even aiming.

Disregarding Zero who had been left behind, she threw herself into her absurd antics.

“Ow?! What the hell…!!”

– Daring! –

Anastasia, who popped her head and was watching the masterpiece, gasped and took cover.

Zero, taking off after kicking the ceiling upside down and seizing the chandelier, landed much quicker than a natural drop, following through with the lead shot as if chasing it with its own armor.

Moreover, it also aimed to throw nearby objects like chairs as cover.

With fragile wooden furniture, after being swung at a hundred times, would only break but fail to transfer its physical force, neither side had shown great concern until now. Yet, that amount of obstacle was sufficient to reduce the kinetic energy of the projectiles.

One side shot while the other stubbornly bore through.

The dynamics of one side having all the fun couldn’t last long.

Ping!!

As soon as the sound of an empty magazine echoed, the Carebot, which had been acting as a shield, charged in with its eyes literally blazing red.

Just then, a bullet ricocheted and inadvertently activated the sprinkler, causing water to pour inside, allowing it to glide near.

It ejected the remaining blade, hidden away to avoid damage.

Seeing this, the lieutenant abandoned her now useless rifle and pulled out her already holstered pistol.

The interface of firearms and blades, the radical extremes of the two met at what can only be described as a precarious gap.

*KADUNK!!*

The shattering muzzles and blades fulfilling their roles cracked.

It seemed to represent how tangled both sides’ expectations and schemes had come as they approached the finish line. However, at this moment, Lieutenant Min was confident of success.

“You’re not the only one who can use trickery…!”

The judgment was decisive. On the girl’s side, there was a fundamental weakness. She might occasionally manage to fire a pistol and execute minor tricks, but fundamentally, she was at the level of a powerless civilian.

Inevitably, when aiming for the target, the Droid would establish an obstruction.

In other words, simply depleting her ammunition could lure this hunk into the fray!

“Finally caught you…!!”

With the armor coming off, the relatively weaker skeleton was exposed, leading to an intense low kick aimed at the robot’s leg.

To smash one side and proceed further might have seemed unassailable.

However, her oversight was that a silent hunter was waiting patiently to extend the means she felt most confident in, yet that was the only point of misfortune.

– 3… 2… 1… Impact. –

BANG!!

★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★

“Seriously, worrying people!!”

As Zero’s grip seized the crazy woman’s ankle and calf like a fisherman pulling up a catch, Anastasia rushed out from behind a concealed table.

Both Zero and I had noticed that, in urgent situations, those remarkably sturdy kicks would come out unconsciously. I realized this purely from an observational standpoint, but the difference was that it analyzed her behavior in real-time during combat.

Overall, the muscle strength might be overflowing—after all, that was what implant upgrades were for.

However, it should be impossible for a human body, neither pursuer nor cornut, to endure a full swing of a Droid to this extent. How was she able to withstand it?

We half-concluded it was because that right leg had essentially replaced her skeletal structure after shattering the armor and even splitting the blade during the opening clash.

If that were not the case, there would be no logical reason for her to discard the more flexible means of arms or firearms entirely and straightforwardly resort to kicking.

The problem was whether Zero could read that decisive vicious movement and respond… it was a relief to think it had successfully taken it all in.

There was no question about making a serious effort; the thought that this time, “this calculation wasn’t wrong!” was not something a fool who had gnawed away at her own lifespan should be uttering.

If she desired praise, it wouldn’t be hard to offer it. But the fact remained that she had gotten rather tattered.

“Ugh!? Where do you…!”

– Stay calm, quietly. –

As Lieutenant Min tried to force a struggle, powering her lower body, Zero lifted her vertically.

Then promptly slammed her down onto the opposite floor! Ouch.

THUD!! CRACK! BANG!

“Ah…!”

The reason for the various sound effects was that, just like in a meat-processing procedure, the consecutive swings embedded her physical body into the shattered marble pit.

It was perhaps in such a scenario that the coldness of artificial intelligence shone through.

She could have thrown her far away, but ruthlessly accumulating damage without creating conditions for a decisive finishing blow only added to the comprehensive effects.

If it were me… I might have felt a bit relieved at the point of blood spillage?

“Ahhh—!”

The woman swung in a spasm-like manner, burying her face into a wet puddle.

Between her disheveled hair, Zero hung from the ceiling light like a spider.

With hints of discomfort, she cast a glance at me, who was still lying on the marble floor with both hands resting on the wet surface.

It was a situation that was hard to see at a glance. I wouldn’t reproach her.

…Though I certainly wouldn’t let it slide.

“…? Poison, perhaps? To dissolve?! Heirong soldiers wouldn’t resort to such clumsy means…!”

“I know, I know. You guys have some sort of toxin-decomposing implants. So I’m aiming to employ somewhat different ones.”

Well, maybe she was trying to say that she wouldn’t give in? I wasn’t quite sure. Not wanting to engage in lengthy conversation, I omitted the follow-up remarks from my mind.

After the incident where my consciousness was entwined with Helena in the sub-facility of Paradise, I had resolved to be cautious about accessing others’ implants indiscriminately, but now was an exception.

If Zero were still capable of finishing her off, it would be restrained; however, after that treatment, it was impossible to allow an armed child to approach a hazardous substance even as she was slowly regaining consciousness.

Of course, there was no way to let go of this hard-fought opportunity… so she aimed to finish it from a distance.

This bullet, she wouldn’t be able to evade, even with the slightest movement of her head.

……Slap.

“……”

This was the first time I infused such murderous intent into my preparation.

No, that’s not right. I may have raised the output to simply induce electroshock to a head or heart.

This time, I wanted to inject the sticky emotions of wealth into the very circuitry from the stage of manipulating the codes, and it was my first endeavor to do so.

I didn’t know where the implants started or ended, how thorough the security was, or what mechanisms acted upon the body.

The more unknowns there were, the more it bestowed brutal intent and aggression. This tiny devil aimed to ensure that the enemy would crumble from within.

Go. Go and tear into that arrogant soldier, bite your master.

Swallow the cries of anguish, suppress the limbs.

It’s not about needing to tear flesh and cause suffering aimlessly.

It’s to carve out life, its very essence.

So that poor soldier can embrace a peaceful night (May she can go gentle into that good night).

However, regardless of how elegantly it was framed, the results I produced condensed into a single phrase.

**“……Die.”**

In an instant, it seemed as if a black wave rippled across the entirety of the white marble floor.

…A rather eerie, discomforting hallucination. The imagery contained was indeed too malevolent.

“…Huh?”

Just moments prior, the soldier, who had been convulsing and trying to rise even in her lying position, let out a faint dying gasp. …And that was it.

The shaking limbs gave up their struggle and slumped down.

The fire that had flickered in her eyes vanished, the once brilliant light extinguished, as a cloudy mist filled her pupils.

The shared destination for everyone is resolutely calm and serene like that.

Once arrived, not a word or news would be delivered to anyone.

As I solemnly bore witness to that scene,

I was left with a sense of bewilderment over what exactly had transpired… yet there was also an immense relief that both Zero and I had endured all of this until now. …It was indeed significant.

Moreover, it had been a kind of euthanasia, which, while only assumedly lacking pain—she’d surely have no complaints in the afterlife. Or rather, she shouldn’t.

With the intention of finally ending this tiresome experience with Enema, I beckoned Zero, who was gazing blankly at the fallen woman.

What was with that stare? Given that she didn’t warn me, she probably wasn’t alive.

It would be wise to move quickly if planning to head for a hotel in the Black Market that allowed anonymous stays.

“…Let’s take the safest, least conspicuous route possible. Oh, did any cameras catch us on the way? I’d like to scrub that record if possible.”

– …It seems approximately 150 to a maximum of 400 witnesses saw me dashing. Should I include the body cams they were equipped with? –

“………What did you say.”