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“……Sigh.”

Swallowing the saliva pooling in my mouth, and staring with growing anxiety, didn’t change the visible damage.

From the smooth cut surfaces, a sad fireworks display was unfolding, created by severed circuits and split alloy terminals.

Moreover, the once-glossy surface of the composite armor was now etched with countless scratches, as if it had been ground against a steel plate.

In contrast… the Five Eyes agents looked remarkably unscathed, which was quite irritating.

I had believed that Rosalyn, who had diligently investigated my background and approached me to recruit me into the organization, would prevent any extreme situations from arising. But they’re beating him up without any restraint?

Did Tin Can turn some of the agents into mincemeat or something?

I did cut off the power to what is presumed to be their electronic warfare equipment. –

That’s all? …You guys are being awfully petty.

“…Sigh.”

My neck feels stiff from the surging stress.

The underground secret organization, which wasn’t even supposed to be involved until the right time, taking a personal interest in a mere hacker was already burdensome enough, but why did they have to mess with the innocent robot?

Just as I was about to raise my head, fueled by the rebellion that sprouted from the questions and worries swirling in my mind, I realized.

That I was borrowing everything, from the sight I was seeing to the sound that conveyed the peace agreement.

“Sigh….”

……Let’s just bear with it. Let’s endure and add this debt to the ledger in my heart.

If I let my anger explode here, it’s Tin Can on the scene who will pay the harsh price. He’ll only end up more broken.

However, the situation that had already started rolling due to my interference didn’t require much patience… nor did it unfold as I wished.

“A blatant trick. Aren’t corporate forces approaching even as we speak, while we’re hesitating?”

“……Excuse me?”

Asif rejected the hand I extended with an icy tone.

I’m grateful that he at least kindly told me the reason… like hell I am. Why is he so cautious!?

It seems they doubt Asha’s generosity. –

“I heard it loud and clear…!”

I thought I had also succeeded in calmly assessing the situation, but he, with more than one or two heads to be responsible for, was so cold that he didn’t even believe the deal I offered.

Click…!

Swish…….

From the military belt around his waist, a sharply honed hand axe was drawn with an eerie sound, instead of bullets.

A deadly weapon that would be a significant threat even in the hands of an ordinary person. And now, Asif, the special operations leader of a rebel-like organization, was wielding it.

I regretted not just continuing to chat with Rosalyn, who was at least frustrating but controllable… but it was too late.

“Capture only the Droid for future reverse tracing. Strictly prohibit any loud firearms that could pinpoint our exact location. Retreat swiftly as soon as you secure it.”

At the leader’s command. The rearguard began to disperse and conceal themselves, checking the escape route, while the rest each drew their melee weapons and slowly closed the distance.

I looked towards Rosalyn, conveying my disbelief that they would really resort to this, but she just swung her terminal around, telling me to come back to the channel if I wanted to chat more with her.

…Seriously, is she messing with me?

“In front of the guys who are trying to kidnap my baby. Where do I have time to leisurely chat!”

Is that the nickname you’ve decided on for me? It’s certainly a rough expression, yet it carries a strangely endearing quality. –

“Ugh…! Stop talking nonsense! You should prepare to escape too…….”

I stood up, my body creaking from sitting in the same position for hours.

I sent intelligence about suspicious individuals being spotted in the alley to the on-site mercenaries, muttering about countermeasures… and then stopped.

I realized that even if I ran at full speed from now, it would all be settled before I arrived, but I still didn’t like the fact that either I or Tin Can, the unilateral victims, had to back down.

It’s probably one of the timeless common senses in human history.

That there’s a huge difference between resolving things amicably without anyone losing face, and being ignored and taken advantage of.

…Damn it. It’s not like hitting him like a broken object will fix him.

There’s no guarantee that Tin Can, that we’ll win, but anyway, I also want to hit them a little.

Since it’s a fight we win if we just buy time, it’s the perfect opportunity to show them that we’re not easy opponents.

The enemy wielding the hand axe makes it difficult to guarantee victory with the current hardware. If necessary, may I kill them? –

“……No, I’m sorry, but let’s just give them back exactly what we received.”

I barely managed to calm down our killing machine, who was about to make lifelong enemies.

I ran down the building stairs as quickly as possible, deciding on a plan.

The distance was so great that I would obviously have some difficulty controlling my abilities… but that was a problem that would be solved as I got closer. What was really bothering me was that I didn’t know how my signal, which had been modified for Tin Can’s body with its strong self-awareness, would work.

“Tin Can, you trust me, right?”

There’s no need to ask or seek permission every time. I exist for Asha’s sake. –

Ugh, I shouldn’t have asked. He’s not even nervous, even though he’s the one who’ll be disassembled if I make a mistake.

“…That’s too much pressure. Anyway, please do a good job as a signal repeater, I’ll be there soon, so don’t get hurt… don’t even get scratched…!!”

★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★

Whoosh!!

The launched metal fist cuts through the air.

But if you were to ask if there was really any intention of hitting Asif with that punch, none of the combatants present would say yes.

An attack for defense, preemptively blocking any incoming danger.

Asif was impressed by the cunning tactic, like a trained hunting dog’s threatening roar that’s only unleashed when needed.

“As expected…! He’s blatantly stalling for time, his intentions are very obvious.”

You’re the ones who rejected Asha’s pure goodwill. Such a transfer of responsibility is difficult to accept…! –

Crack!! After distracting him by talking, the hand axe, thrown with enough force to tear through the air, was embedded in the ground.

Whether he was quite confident in his accuracy or not, Tin Can barely managed to avoid the recklessly thrown axe again by bending his joints in a way that would be impossible for a human.

The outer armor that was only grazed at first glance looked fine, but the Care Bot, having already been hit once, was well aware that its surface had been sharply shaved off.

……You have quite the nasty temper. –

“Tch! The way you talk is almost human, so I keep forgetting that you’re a robot.”

In the middle of the battlefield, and with the battle not even over, letting go of your weapon is the same as offering your neck to be killed. But since there was more than one enemy, he had no choice but to let it go, as regrettable as it was.

To back up Asif, who was now unarmed, a surprise attack was launched from behind.

Clang—!

“Kuh?!”

The piercing metallic sound of metal clashing hurt the ears, but it didn’t loosen the agents’ grip.

Whether the amplification rate of the implanted Implant wasn’t sufficient, the iron pipe that collided with the armor vibrated wildly and bounced off.

However, in that brief moment, he had already moved out of range, so Tin Can threw himself forward with the single-minded determination to at least seize the thrown weapon.

Before he could reach the location where the axe was embedded, one person blocked his path, and another agent used that opportunity to retrieve the hand axe and hand it back to its owner.

Aren’t you being too cautious? At this rate, I don’t know who’s stalling for time. –

“Damn it! You put this kind of artificial intelligence in a robot that doesn’t even have a gun?!”

The pressure from the clever movements.

A low curse escaped at the provocation that was as sarcastic as a human.

After rejecting the hostile hacker’s offer, and seeing his comrade, who was attempting to ‘capture’ as instructed in the initial engagement, smash his face into the wall and pass out, they never engaged in a one-on-one frontal battle.

They only restrained the guy who possessed terrifying combat power even when unarmed from obtaining a weapon, and slowly chipped away at his defenses.

“What are the hackers doing? If you just forcibly turn off the combat module, we wouldn’t even have to deal with the Droid, would we?”

“Headquarters lady…! Put some more effort into it, somehow!”

“No…!! The firewall keeps changing its structure as if it’s alive, so hacking isn’t as easy as you think!”

However, it was they who were regretting that the battle was dragging on, as Tin Can had said.

The risk of exposing nearby hideouts or affiliated personnel was growing, let alone scouting talent.

“……Those with a physical evaluation grade of B or lower, withdraw. Only combatants with extensive modifications will remain to subdue him in one fell swoop. Rosalyn, I’ll retreat as soon as the enemies approach, so I’ll leave the surveillance to you.”

“Ah… Okay, leader.”

Swish….

Asif, who had given the order, threw off his armor and jacket with a hearty gesture, revealing a gleaming prosthetic arm instead of twitching muscles.

Those who filled the empty spaces left by the agents who had disappeared into the shadows of the alley were all modified humans boasting mechanical arms or legs.

The atmosphere, which had been in a lull for a while, was heightened by the appearance of illegal modifications that didn’t have any safety devices or output restrictions, which could easily crush a household robot.

“Blame your owner for being unprepared.”

……. –

A rough friction sound echoes.

But the machine, which hadn’t lost a single word and had been constantly talking back, maintained a strange silence even after hearing the owner’s insult that far exceeded the acceptable line, and then… completed its restart as if its lost consciousness had returned.

Excuse me, I missed some nonsense while updating the software for a moment. Rest assured, I’ve just received a suitable non-lethal weapon. You told me to return property damage with property damage. –

“…Hmph!!”

With a shout, the distance between the two instantly became zero.

Asif’s sharp blow, the main reason that had forced Tin Can to focus on evasion until now, flew in.

The other agents also squeezed in from all directions to settle the matter… and thought that the match was over at the sight of the Droid not moving at all.

But Asif didn’t know.

That, as the jokingly uttered words had said, a truly invisible weapon had been placed in his hand.

That the only path leading to victory-capture- had just been blocked by a hacker with too many worries.

The Death Blow swung towards the chest where the power source would be.

In reality, considering the physical force it contained, it was no different from a small bomb, but Tin Can simply held out his arm to counter the violence.

Crackcrackcrackcrackcrack—!

The prosthetic arm, which was so sturdy and looked like an impregnable fortress in itself, shattered almost upon contact, like an egg dropped on a rock.

No, it wasn’t shattered… it was self-destructing due to the newly added command.

“What… is that…?”

Rosalyn muttered blankly at the bizarre phenomenon that was beyond her comprehension as she watched the scattering parts, but the person, the machine, who had caused it only gave a truly brazen answer.

I apologize, but the person I serve is so outstanding and superior that no matter who you bring, they wouldn’t even compare, so would you please stop judging them arbitrarily? –

……Even though she herself had no idea.