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“Cough…! Keuh… Cough!!”

Hazy smoke blurred my vision, making it difficult to discern the exact situation.

The police visor I had put on just before blocked the dust, but my body, caught in the shock, pleaded for breath and commanded me to cough like crazy.

Even in the midst of the chaos, where I couldn’t even tell if the finishing material powder I was staring blankly at was falling from the ceiling, or just tumbling along the floor with the wind, it was quite funny that my body was telling me to breathe first if I wanted to live.

“Asha! Right now………!!”

I barely managed to understand the first word, which was almost a scream, but my ears were muffled as if I were submerged in water, so I couldn’t hear the rest of the words properly.

I understand that the collection unit is going to start eliminating the intruders in earnest…! But damn, who the hell came up with the idea of attaching a bomb to their own elevator and sending it down?

“Ugh…!!”

I barely managed to turn my creaking body over and support my upper body with my elbows.

If there’s any silver lining, it’s that at least there weren’t any troops inside when this explosion happened, so if I calmly prepare to fight back, I’ll be okay….

“……Ha.”

Crackle… Crackle…!!

Scattered shards of glass were crushed under heavy mechanical legs, and a ghost emanating an eerie aura was stirring up the wreckage from the elevator shaft, which had become an empty cavity.

It was strange to say that something exploded inside… A metal hand reached out from the broken door of the elevator, which had completely collapsed, and roughly pried open the gap.

Screeeeeech—!!

Fragments scattered in all directions.

The steel plate crumpled easily, suspiciously due to poor construction… and the god of steel, which Paradise Corp. must have provided, revealed its form.

Powered Exo-Skeleton Armor.

A weapon developed by ExaTech, a haven for machine enthusiasts, and the essence of modern warfare, in which the user rides.

The defensive capabilities and various resistances provided by the precision alloy that makes up the exterior.

The installed large-capacity battery and ultra-capacitor assist with superhuman strength and mobility.

Most importantly… even without special talent or aptitude, its performance can be fully utilized through training.

But from the moment she brazenly opened her head, which should have been the most carefully protected, this destroyer’s purpose was clear.

“I… I can’t accept this ending…?! Lena!”

“You’re out of your fucking mind!!”

A curse word came out on its own.

It wasn’t like an explosive had gone off.

The source of the shockwave that sent people flying was a simple descent. Gravity added to it, but from the moment Ann, who hadn’t received any significant modifications, was moving around without any discomfort, I could guess the Suit’s specs.

“Why are you going this far…!!”

“If you won’t kill me… I’ll make it so you have no choice but to kill me…! Even if it’s just so we can be together……!!”

Ann cut off Helena’s words, who still hadn’t specifically realized the weight of the obsession-hatred that had been building up for nearly 5 years, almost two thousand days.

Apparently, being kindly asked to get out of her life was a major disqualification for her.

But if I just keep looking at Helena so defenselessly… I’m not soft enough to miss the third Clean Shot I’ve been given.

I laid my body back down on the floor and slowly grabbed my Peace Maker pistol that had returned to my arms.

…Now I can give her the rest she wants.

“…….”

I took a breath and aimed at Ann’s head, staring at my destined opponent as if savoring her.

I covered the opposite side of my right hand holding the pistol with my left hand and lined up my two thumbs as if to stab the target.

The piles of garbage-like facilities scattered around were annoying in many ways, but it was close enough that it would be difficult to miss.

I originally thought that my shooting skills weren’t bad at all, but I remembered the experience of being forcibly taught by Helena, whose pride exploded as soon as I said I was going to apply to the riot police.

In the process, the rifle, which was tiring to even maintain a proper stance, let alone control the recoil… was eliminated by expert evaluation.

Instead, I would maintain light armament with a weapon I was familiar with, and put an end to this bad relationship based on repeated training to develop accurate and solid skills.

Bang—!!

The trigger was pulled.

Clang!!

“What?!”

“!!”

Ann’s arm, swung like lightning, knocked away the bullet.

I thought it was a surprise attack from a perfect blind spot, but how…? It’s not like she’s looking at the muzzle and reacting in advance like someone else!

There was no time to reconfirm the question in detail. Ann, who had completely avoided death and looked surprised at her own skill, regained her senses and roared.

“You…! Don’t interfere anymore…—!!”

“Crazy…!!”

The Suit’s fingers, as sharp as animal claws, picked up a large piece of the torn elevator door. Actually, it was more like lightly hooking it than picking it up.

In an instant, a projectile much larger than the tiny bullet I shot was loaded into Ann’s launcher.

I desperately tried to get up from my prone position, but it was too late.

A mass bomb was ejected with a roaring sound that tore through the air, like an airplane engine starting.

……Ah, damn. I was sure I was dead when I saw the flying meteorite filling my vision.

Come to think of it… Neo Haven’s powered exoskeleton armor had an automatic environment recognition system.

I didn’t immediately recall the name because it was a common option that sometimes ignored the damage you took… and just increased your defense a bit, but I remembered it now.

I should definitely get one of those luxury items when I have enough Credits to maintain it later… Just as my escapism was coming to an end.

Crack!!

“Ugh?!”

“Asha!! Why are you spacing out?! You almost got killed!”

Our superhuman, who could perform similar movements with just the implanted low-end enhancement Implant, wrapped his arms around my waist and evacuated me.

My head was shaken so violently that my neck almost snapped, and I almost bit my tongue, but… I could confidently answer anyone who asked. It’s better to look a little ridiculous than to have my body crushed.

“Lena… Lena…!”

“…….”

Helena, who had no more words to mix, rushed back to the front to see the end with Ann, who had become a clear enemy as soon as she evacuated me.

My current location is far away in the corner, next to the middle-aged bearded man who is still unconscious in this mess.

…I admit that there’s a pretty big difference in physical ability, but I’d argue that I’m not so bad that I deserve this treatment.

Therefore, this is not a tactical retreat, but a change of battlefield.

A battle to secure a more effective means of attack than a gun and to deal with the collection unit that has begun to enter other areas instead of the collapsed Elevator 3.

Crash!! Bang!

Crackle!!

The two people’s fierce battle is getting further and further away.

I wondered if I was being considerate again, but seeing Ann’s relentless attacks, which were almost crushing the surroundings as if nothing but Helena mattered anymore, it didn’t seem like there was room for that.

It’s hard to imagine her losing… but her sword won’t be invincible either, so she’ll need my help soon.

• Keep in mind that the squad in charge of guarding Entrance 3 was wiped out without even being properly briefed. Also… in case of emergency, autonomous administration of test product PK-013 is authorized. –

Of course, this isn’t about me… it must be targeting Helena, who caused the accident.

“Hoo… I’ll clean up quickly and come back.”

The person who was already far away couldn’t hear me, but I made a bold promise as if to myself and focused my mind.

The item that replaced the gun was my terminal, which I had recovered in the midst of the chaos.

At the same time as the splashing hallucination, I calmed my consciousness.

Escaping from the hopelessly small human brain compared to the vast virtual world, to the computing device. Through the circuit’s signal generator, through the backdoor I had opened earlier, to the harvest area network.

Deeply… deeply… deeper. Despite being the first Abyss Dive in a long time, practically since the lab, the dive continued smoothly.

Rather, sitting on my Throne, created from the darkness, and looking at everything with a light gesture, I even felt my ego becoming clearer.

“Now, what do I do with those guys…….”

I checked the size of the collection unit swarming in through the security cameras installed at each entrance.

These crazy warmongering bastards. It’s all exposed on camera that they’ve brought everything, from smart guided cluster bombs to indoor high-explosive grenades, as if they’re going to start a war against just one intruder.

This… even if I succeeded in seizing authority, is this a force that I can handle alone…?

There’s no armory, and the only structures that are searched are prisons and medical equipment-like equipment. If there’s anything left that I can use here……… Wait, there’s so much.

There are dozens of operating rooms being searched. In addition, various robots connected to the system.

“…You guys are also out of luck.”

It seems like they came in assuming a street fight with sleek, state-of-the-art equipment… I’m sorry, but under these conditions, I’m not just an individual.

Therefore, I will personally help you feel the unprecedented horror of the environment itself, where all the surrounding machines are hostile to you.