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‘This is… absurd.’

Even if it was a prosthetic, he had shared the battlefield with it for over a decade.

Moreover, it was a custom-made product complete with pressure-sensitive feedback sensors, so there was no way he could have misfelt it.

There was definitely the sensation of hitting something.

Even though his arm was shattered the moment it made contact, if it had broken due to the difference in force, the opponent should have suffered some meaningful damage from the impact as well, but the Droid in front of him was excessively unscathed.

Asif observed the prosthetic fragments scattered in the air in the drawn-out time.

He was too late to pull back, as his center of gravity was already leaning forward due to his certainty of victory.

If so, he should at least leave behind information that would be helpful to the branch agents who would suddenly lose their commander.

The scattering fragments were almost perfectly intact, hardly appearing to have collided with anything and shattered.

Even using the term ‘fragments’ was inappropriate. It was as if the components that made up the prosthetic had simply detached from where they should have been for no reason.

Question after question arose, and the curiosity that bloomed gave rise to stubbornness.

It wasn’t as if Five Eyes would be defeated just because he died.

Rosalind would carry out the remaining operation on her own, but his pride as someone who had been rolling around in the field wouldn’t allow him to fall without uncovering the secret of this absurd magic.

Just how? No matter how sophisticated the artificial intelligence was, how could he have been toyed with before even recognizing the danger?

……Indeed, Asha-nim. You’ve devised an ingenious defense matrix. If something like this is possible, we’ll need to acquire dedicated parts to amplify the signal strength separately. –

“……?”

Why was the guy who nonchalantly shattered his prosthetic now spouting nonsense as if he finally understood something?

Well… isn’t it obvious? This isn’t a result that a combat machine could produce with a simple punch.

Right, beyond that thing’s communication device. Maybe the hacker the branch had requested to recruit. …Wait a minute, Network Hacker?

Asif re-displayed the Cyberware hologram he had put down to guard against the upcoming follow-up attack, and he was finally able to confirm the exact state of his prosthetic.

“You bastard…!! When did you infiltrate my system?!”

Since you keep rejecting Asha-nim’s goodwill, isn’t this the only way I can offer it to you? –

Grinding his teeth didn’t change anything.

The information conveyed by the numbers and letters imprinted on his retina was simple. And chilling at the same time.

Right now, his prosthetic was prioritizing self-diagnosis and inspection commands from an unknown source over the combat commands issued by Asif’s brain.

Releasing the outer armor for internal inspection, disassembling the joints for precision cleaning, discharging coolant and fuel exposed to contamination, and so on. The signals that had flowed into the circuit were busy wreaking havoc on his arm.

Creak!!

Fortunately, it wasn’t a persistent virus or anything, and control returned when he belatedly regained his senses… but that didn’t mean the parts scattered in the alley would reassemble themselves.

In the end, with only the bare bones of his arm remaining, proper resistance was difficult, and Asif was slammed to the ground after being grabbed by the scruff of his neck by the tin can.

“Damn…!”

“I don’t know what kind of trick you pulled, but if I catch you, I’ll turn you into scrap metal…!”

Thud!! The surrounding agents reflexively tried to rush in at the heavy impact sound, but they regained their composure at Asif’s voice, who was trying to figure out his opponent even while covered in dust.

“Don’t make direct contact with the mechanical parts on its body! Keep your distance! Rosalind! Did you notice too?!”

“A faint radio wave is being detected near the Droid’s body! It seems to be indiscriminately overworking the built-in transceiver… I need more time for details….”

Rosalind was just as offended, and she barely managed to identify the nature of the magic even while stammering. But the problem was that knowing it didn’t create any clever solutions.

A large-scale radio wave blockade would solve it in an instant, but it was an unreasonable request in the current situation where it was difficult to even fire a single bullet at will.

“…In short, it’s surrounded by some kind of field. Unfortunately, there’s no more time to spare for investigation. Either overwhelm it and suppress it, or plan for later.”

“It’s damn tricky that we can’t touch it with prosthetics or artificial legs.”

“I wonder if these artificial eyes are okay….”

……. –

The remaining Five Eyes members muttered and readjusted the weapons they had each taken out.

It was quite a remarkable sense of duty and fighting spirit for a simple sabotage mission that had turned into a full-scale close combat, but… from the perspective of the tin can, who was still receiving Anastasia’s intentions, it was simply absurd.

If they had respected the owner’s judgment that they were not people or forces to be particularly hostile to, there would have been no reason for either side to suffer losses.

Fundamentally, they had goodness, but they were suspicious patients who couldn’t accept goodwill or kindness as it was… well, that’s probably why they were clinging to impossible tasks like building an ideal nation.

Aren’t you being too stubborn? –

From any point of view, they had lost the upper hand in negotiations, so they should admit their mistake and bow their heads, or retreat.

It was difficult for artificial intelligence to understand them, as they were fixated on the one-dimensional choice of a forceful breakthrough and were trying to fight to the end.

Was it a determination not to compromise with those associated with corporations? If that were the case, they wouldn’t have even tried to bring in Anastasia in the first place? Or was their reason paralyzed by endorphins or dopamine secreted in their brains?

The answer to that question was given simply by Asif, who was looking at the prosthetic parts scattered at his feet as if they were precious.

After transferring the hand axe to his other, intact arm.

“Wouldn’t it be too much of a blow to our pride to immediately tuck our tails in after taking just one hit? Especially since you’re all being so considerate as the elite of the capital headquarters.”

…Is that so? –

The tin can briefly searched the network for various uses of the word ‘pride’ and the cases in which it could be applied, and then re-examined its severed fingers.

If it applied that here.

Two fingers and one arm… the calculation still didn’t add up.

Then I will also return only as much as I received, as ordered. –

“…That invoice seems a bit excessive.”

The gazes of those present stopped on their leader’s dangling prosthetic, and then clung back to the conscienceless Droid.

Asif grumbled at the absurd calculation method, but the Care Bot’s judgment criteria were always elsewhere.

Compensation for Asha-nim’s surprise is separate. –

Crack!!

Before the Five Eyes side, who were at a loss for words, could even utter a curse, the Droid made the first move along with the sound of asphalt cracking.

Further conversation was a luxury.

“Don’t be fooled! It has excellent mobility, but the speed itself isn’t that great…! Shit?!”

Now there was no flamboyant preparatory motion or foreshadowing of force being applied to the limb joints.

Pulling back the fist to unleash it for acceleration? Rotating to add centrifugal force to the kick?

The tin can, which had acquired an overwhelming advantage that was no different from a full-body weapon limited to Modified Humans, simply approached as it pleased and stretched out its limbs.

And that alone was enough to plague the agents with the threat of incapacitation.

Steel pipes, axes, hammers, sickles, swords. There was no need to bother covering or considering the length of the weapons the enemy was holding.

“Fuck!”

Whoosh…!! Clang!

Some cut through the air, and some inevitably left their owner’s hands and fell to the ground.

What good was it to swing with great momentum? If the tin can penetrated within range before the weapon could even touch it, they had to throw everything away and retreat.

“Waugh?! What the hell…!”

“Fall back and overwrite the intruding false signals! Don’t let it run wild inside!”

Asif roared at his comrade, whose artificial leg had been dismantled by the reversed Midas’s hand because he was too late to backstep.

Even though they were predicting and preparing for what would happen, it seemed they couldn’t help but panic when they actually experienced it.

The fear of the unknown may be above courage or conviction.

“?! What is this… I definitely dodged it?”

“The radio waves are getting stronger! At this rate, it’s not just grazing, it’s going to be difficult to even approach…!”

“You bastard…!!”

It would have been fortunate if the flow had been reversed to the point where the hunter was being hunted, but this was closer to a scene where parents were playing tag with young children.

Asif, unable to bear it any longer, gave up trying to find an opportunity and clashed with the tin can again.

His running posture was precarious and the momentum of his attack was much weaker due to his messed up and shaky sense of balance, but the axe blade was still sharp and his will was still full.

The kick that was slammed out crashed into the back of the tin can, which had been chasing after the agent who was faltering while clutching his broken artificial leg and rolling artificial eye.

Even if the armor was intact, there would definitely be a clear shoe print left, and the Care Bot’s scanner turned red at the highest level due to the extremely rude riot.

Do not be arrogant. If it weren’t for Anastasia-nim’s request not to kill you…. –

“Hmph!”

The hand axe that was swung, interrupting the admonishing words, grazed past his head, and his bare prosthetic arm plunged into the tin can’s waist, wanting to somehow limit its movement.

It seemed that he didn’t hesitate to make additional contact because the prosthetic had already had its flesh stripped off once, but… it was too soft. She only said not to take lives, who said she would quietly take it?

Crack!!

The Care Bot’s elbow, which was slammed down towards its own side, chewed on the prosthetic like a bear trap that had caught a foolish sacrifice.

And as its body spun around, the prosthetic, unable to withstand the force, tore from the middle and was pulled away.

“!! Asif-ssi!”

If you had decided to retreat from the beginning, there would have been no need to suffer such collateral damage… –

The tin can, which was throwing away the scrap metal that had been stuck in its side as if it were nothing, felt something strange at the strangely creaking joints and Asif’s face with a satisfied smile.

Following that relieved gaze, what he saw when he turned his head was the hand axe stuck in his shoulder.

It seemed that it was impossible to completely split the armor with an arm that only had an Implant, but since the blade part was almost invisible, there was bound to be slight damage to the main body underneath.

At the moment when he was wondering if he should ask Anastasia for permission for a higher level of response.

“Leader! The mercenaries are coming soon!”

“…Good. Let’s all meet safely!”

…? –

With one mind and one purpose. Each of them picked up evidence that could identify them, and they began to disappear into the shadows with their backs turned.

One blow. A result that was embarrassing to even call a valid hit, let alone a clean hit.

But Asif and Five Eyes, including Rosalind, decided to retreat as easily as if they were refreshed.

Even though the power difference had suddenly become unbalanced and their positions had been reversed.

It was the specialty of the rebels to launch a surprise attack on the strong as the weak and run away. It was a judgment that could be made because there was nothing to be ashamed of.

Shall I pursue them? If I follow them now, I can completely wipe them out. –

H… Haa…! You’re really…!! Just wait there! –

The calm negotiator from before was nowhere to be found, and the communication was filled with panting groans.

I should have been the one to greet her, but instead, I made my master come… Lamenting my disqualification as a Care Bot, Tin Can busily moved its legs.

The solitude wasn’t long. A small shadow fell on the corner just before reaching the main road.

Lightly, like a bird detached from all worldly affairs. Her sudden appearance… After confirming the familiar silhouette, she abruptly grabbed the wall and started retching.

“Ugh…! I can’t… I can’t do this anymore. It’s not just a single jolt of electricity, but running with continuous signal emission and diffusion… Just kill me instead….”

……I’m sorry. –

It had only been half a day apart. Seeing her master’s health deteriorate in so many ways, Tin Can vowed to never tolerate Anastasia’s solo actions again.