episode_0052

“Alright. I won’t interfere any further.”

Slowly turning Asura’s nose, I moved towards the dimly lit entrance of the mine shaft.

But the bastard still didn’t move, keeping his gun barrel pointed at me.

The very moment our mechs brushed past each other. Clank-!

Without hesitation, I deployed the GX-Final Impact Pile Bunker on my right arm.

Trusting the performance of the Graviton Dampers and Kinetic Reactor Coating Frame, I momentarily pushed the reactor output beyond its limit. Boom-!!!

The massive super-alloy stake, as if spitting flames, slammed into his flank.

At this distance, he shouldn’t have been able to dodge.

However. Swish-!

An unbelievable sight unfolded before my eyes.

His mech, with movements that seemed to transcend human reaction speed, narrowly dodged the direct hit from the Pile Bunker.

Of course, some parts of his grey armor were scratched and dented by the shockwave and debris, but it was far from a fatal blow.

‘Damn it, he dodged that? Did I underestimate him too much?’

Damn it, I should have finished him from the start. It was a blunder not to use ‘Flow State’ just to test the mech’s performance.

[You filthy stray dog.]

A voice filled with cold fury flowed through the communication channel.

The new laser rifles and ballistic machine guns mounted on his arms simultaneously began to spit fire.

“Tch!”

The enhanced mobility certainly shined.

I sharply maneuvered Asura, dodging the barrage of beams and ballistic rounds.

I switched the Beam Magnum in my left hand to precision sniping mode, linking it with the Hawk-Eye Targeting System to track his movements.

The precision strike assist system highlighted weaknesses like the mech’s joints and sensors with yellow reticles, but his movements were too precise and fast.

Swish-!

A high-energy compressed beam fired from the Beam Magnum grazed his shoulder, but he paid it no mind, instead closing the distance.

His rifle and machine gun relentlessly spat fire, pressuring me.

‘Is he specialized in mid-range combat!’

Briefly activating ‘Flow State,’ I used explosive maneuvers to evade his bullet curtain, while simultaneously opening the Shackle-linked jamming missile pod on my right shoulder.

Dozens of jamming missiles flew towards him in a parabolic arc.

Whiz! Whiz! Whiz!

He wasn’t flustered by the missile barrage, deftly maneuvering his mech to evade most of them.

A few rounds hit his mech, causing sensor interference, but the effect was minimal.

Instead, he even used that brief jamming time to his advantage, launching an even more furious attack at me.

Clang-!

The Aegis Pulse Short-Range Reaction Shield barely blocked one of his laser rifle shots, but the shield energy rapidly depleted, and a warning light flashed erratically.

This was a disadvantage.

He was definitely no ordinary opponent.

Both his experience and skill were clearly considerable.

While it wasn’t to the point of struggling, remaining exposed to mid-range firepower in this narrow cavity was foolish.

To seize victory, I had to close in.

I switched the Beam Magnum to rapid-fire mode, pouring suppressive fire on him, while simultaneously igniting all of Asura’s boosters.

[Do you think you have a chance in close combat? You can’t use the Pile Bunker yet, can you?! Do you think I don’t know that?!]

‘I can use it if I have to.’

Overusing the Pile Bunker would be dangerous, as I had wasted too much output during the initial surprise attack.

It was crucial to find the right timing.

He tried to create distance by spraying machine gun fire, but it was already too late.

Asura’s speed far exceeded his expectations.

[What mobility..!]

Piercing through the raining ballistic rounds, I lunged into his personal space and swung my right arm widely in the air to distract him.

In that fleeting moment, I aimed the Beam Magnum in my left hand just below his cockpit, towards the relatively thinner armored power unit.

Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-!

The Beam Magnum, switched to rapid-fire mode, spat fire.

High-density energy rounds mercilessly pounded his power unit’s armor.

[Ugh…!]

For the first time, vexation laced his voice.

His mech swayed violently, losing its balance.

Clank-!

I plunged the Pile Bunker into the very center of his chest, where he was momentarily neutralized.

Boom-!!!

With a tremendous roar, his mech was engulfed in massive flames and exploded.

The entire cavity violently shook from the explosion’s pressure, and rock fragments rained down from the ceiling.

“Phew… just barely got him.”

I breathed heavily, barely holding Asura upright.

He was a much tougher opponent than I had thought.

If Asura’s modifications hadn’t been perfect, or if my judgment had been even slightly delayed, I couldn’t have guaranteed the outcome.

‘Don’t hesitate. Always do your best to kill your enemies.’

I deeply reflected on my arrogant thoughts from earlier.

With the afterglow of victory, I waited for the familiar system notification.

Since all threats in the area had been eliminated, the data erasure function should naturally activate.

But… no matter how long I waited, there was no sign of a system notification.

‘…What is it? Why isn’t it appearing?’

Puzzled, I frantically re-checked the system log and status window.

[Unidentified ultra-high-risk threat detected in area. Permanent data erasure function deactivated. Threat elimination required.]

Only an ominous message was displayed.

“It’s… not over yet?”

A cold bead of sweat trickled down my spine.

What other threat could possibly remain? Instinctively, I activated Asura’s sensors to maximum output, thoroughly scanning the surroundings.

And at that moment, my gaze naturally settled on the deepest part of the cavity, on the jet-black mech that had been stopped there, exuding a strange pressure, since earlier.

‘No way… that thing?’

No, that couldn’t be. That mech was completely silent, without any energy readings.

Humming-!

With a faint but sharp high-frequency hum, a single line of eerie red ocular light from the jet-black mech’s head began to glow, cutting through the darkness.

Simultaneously, faint steam seeped from various joints of the mech, and its massive metallic body began to move ever so slightly, yet distinctly.

[Threat scan complete… Hostile mech identified.]

A cold, synthesized mechanical voice forcibly opened the communication channel without any warning.

There was no emotion in that voice, yet it held a chilling ruthlessness that sent shivers down my spine.

[Multiple mechs belonging to Chronos Mercenary Group, destruction confirmed… Mechs belonging to Valentine, destruction confirmed… Illegal intruder, confirmed…]

He seemed to have already grasped all my actions here, listing the facts dispassionately.

[As of this moment, this mech, Nightfall, is initiating unmanned automatic defense protocol Level Omega. Eliminating target in sight.]

‘Nightfall…?’

The name flashed through my mind.

As my memories became clearer, chills ran down my spine.

In the game, it was a hidden boss that only appeared in the ultra-difficult areas of the late game.

Simultaneously with its declaration, Nightfall charged forward at an explosive speed.

Blue energy particles erupted like flames from the surface of its jet-black armor, and sharp energy claws formed on both of its hands.

Clang clang-!

I instinctively moved to dodge, but I was a step too late.

Nightfall’s energy claw deeply raked Asura’s left shoulder armor.

The Aegis Pulse Shield barely blocked the direct hit, but the mech reeled violently from the tremendous shockwave.

“This bastard…!”

I switched the Beam Magnum to rapid-fire mode and fired at Nightfall, but it dodged every beam.

It was impossible to believe these were merely the movements of an AI.

It was a meticulous and efficient combat maneuver, as if an experienced ace pilot was directly controlling it.

Several small plasma casters deployed from his shoulder sections, continuously firing blue energy rounds.

At the same time, precision-guided micro-missiles from its waist flew towards Asura, trailing smoke.

‘Damn it, this guy is no joke!’

Activating ‘Flow State,’ I pushed Asura’s mobility to its limit.

I narrowly dodged the plasma rounds and missile barrage pouring down in the narrow cavity, looking for an opportunity to counterattack.

I tried to use the ‘Data Ghost’ skill to extract Nightfall’s weaknesses or system information, but I couldn’t obtain any significant data, blocked by a powerful firewall and an unknown security system.

“Damn it, I can’t break through!”

As several breathless exchanges passed, scratches and dents increased all over Asura’s armor.

The energy claw grazed my left arm, and a warning light began to flash on the right leg’s actuator due to a direct hit from the plasma caster.

This was dangerous.

It was stronger than any enemy I had faced so far.

I gritted my teeth and made a decision.

I had to risk everything I had left.

I reverse-fired Asura’s boosters to create distance from Nightfall, while simultaneously deploying the GX-Final Impact Pile Bunker.

[Skill ‘Flow State’ activated. Reactor Overload 200%.]

Trusting the ultimate energy efficiency generated by the Graviton Dampers and Kinetic Reactor Coating Frame, I once again pushed the reactor output beyond its limit.

[A foolish struggle.]

Nightfall’s cold voice was heard once again through the communication channel.

He still showed no openings, instead charging towards me even more fiercely.

The precision strike assist system activated, highlighting the center of Nightfall’s chest, the dimly glowing part presumed to be its core unit, with a yellow reticle.

Only one chance.

‘Now!’

Asura, with ‘Flow State’ pushed to its extreme, dodged Nightfall’s energy claw attack and thrust the Pile Bunker forward.

Boom-!!!!!!!!

With an incomparably powerful roar, the Pile Bunker struck the central core unit in its chest.

The jet-black armor shattered into pieces and blew apart, and inside, blue energy flames began to burn fiercely.

Nightfall’s movements abruptly slowed, then it lost all power and toppled forward.

The red glow from its head sensor’s ocular light also weakly faded.

“Gah… Hah… Is it really… over…?”

I leaned against Asura’s control stick, battered all over, and panted heavily.

Finally, the awaited system notification appeared in my vision.

[All threats in the area eliminated. Permanent data erasure function activated.]

[Special Mech Protocol Type Nightfall defeated. Confirmation.]

[Reward List]

Credits: 250,000CR

Blueprint: Nightfall Energy Claw (Rank: A+)

“250,000 credits and… a blueprint?”

I widened my eyes and checked the reward list again.

The considerable amount of credits was welcome, but what caught my eye even more was the Nightfall Energy Claw blueprint.

That brutal weapon that had torn Asura’s armor like paper just moments ago.

If the Pile Bunker was a heavy, destructive single strike, this energy claw could be a powerful weapon of a completely different style, specialized in fast, continuous close-quarters attacks.