episode_0051

[Kang Jin-woo-ssi. An opportunity has arisen to borrow your skills once more. What do you say? Of course, the compensation is more than generous, befitting your reputation.]

“Let’s hear the details of the request first, Valentine-ssi.”

[Haha, I like how quickly you get to the point. The content is very simple. You just need to completely and cleanly annihilate all the troublesome hostile forces’ machines appearing at the given coordinates. Please don’t ask for the reason; just ensure a clean job with no lingering aftertaste.]

Annihilate all machines within a specific area. Don’t ask for the reason… It was a request that openly reeked of something fishy, but credits were what I desperately needed right now.

I needed to replenish the funds that had bottomed out due to Asura’s extensive modifications and the purchase of top-grade parts. The scale of the compensation Valentine subtly hinted at was too attractive to refuse.

“Understood. Please send me the coordinates and target identification codes. Also… I’ll need half of the request fee as an advance. I need preparation funds, and it’s also a matter of mutual trust, you see.”

[Hahaha, of course! You don’t miss a beat. I’ll process it immediately.]

After finishing the brief communication with Valentine, I immediately boarded Asura again.

I gave Scarlet an excuse, saying I was going on a final test flight for the newly installed parts, but she didn’t drop her suspicious gaze, as if something displeased her.

After some high-speed flight, I arrived in the airspace above the target area Valentine had designated.

Activating Asura’s Hawk-Eye targeting system at maximum output to precisely scan the ground, dozens of machine signals were soon densely detected on the HUD.

And the moment I confirmed their identification codes, my hand gripping the control stick tightened subconsciously.

‘…Chronos Mercenary Group? Why are these guys here…’

What appeared on the monitor was the all too familiar, yet now utterly detestable, Chronos Mercenary Group’s emblem, along with a formation of old model Bugbear units moving in a line.

A complex feeling settled deep within my heart.

I had no good memories of them whatsoever, but I also didn’t want to face them again as targets of a unilateral massacre in this manner.

‘First… should I try to initiate a conversation? No…’

I was about to operate Asura’s communication system to open a channel to the entire Chronos Mercenary Group, but I stopped myself and let out a long sigh.

‘What kind of conversation could there be now? Let’s just focus on the mission.’

I shook off the brief fragments of thought from my mind and gripped the control stick once more.

Cold resolve gleamed in my eyes.

This too was the path I had chosen. If I couldn’t avoid it, the only option was to finish it definitively.

First, the Arclight transformed its Beam Magnum into precision sniper mode.

The Hawk-Eye targeting system and the precision strike auxiliary system linked organically.

The cockpits and power units of the three Bugbears at the front of the formation, along with other critical weak points, were clearly marked with yellow crosshairs.

*Whoosh-! Whoosh-! Whoosh-!*

Three high-energy compressed beams fired almost simultaneously, and in the blink of an eye, the three Bugbears leading the formation exploded in massive flames.

[Gaaah! W-what?! Where did that come from, you bastard!]

[E-enemy attack! Everyone scatter! Damn it, we can’t even pinpoint the enemy’s location!]

[Snap out of it, you fools!]

The Chronos Mercenary Group’s communication channel instantly devolved into chaotic pandemonium due to the sudden surprise attack.

Their old Bugbears frantically tried to scatter their formation and desperately counterattacked, but it was already too late.

[Damn it! Let’s talk! Please! What do you want?! Why are you doing this?!]

Ignoring their screams, I opened the shackles-linked disruption missile pod on my right shoulder.

*Whizzz-! Ping! Ping! Ping!*

Dozens of disruption missiles arced sharply, piercing through the scattering Bugbears.

The sensors of several Bugbears, either directly hit by missiles or caught in the shockwave of nearby explosions, were momentarily paralyzed, and their machines’ movements noticeably slowed.

[D-damn it! System is down! I can’t see anything!]

[A-I can’t see ahead! The dashboard’s dead too! Someone help me!]

[Snap out of it! We’ll provide cover until the sensors recover! Pinpoint his location!]

The perfect combination of the Kinetic Reactor Coating Frame, Raptor Leg Frames, and Impulse Agile Auxiliary Thrusters bestowed upon Asura an utterly insane level of mobility, truly in a league of its own compared to before.

‘To be this good even without activating the Movement Flow skill… It’s truly a monster.’

Asura evaded the real ammunition and old-model laser attacks raining down like a storm from all directions, dominating the battlefield.

Their antiquated targeting systems simply couldn’t keep up with my movements.

[T-that’s impossible, right? How can movements like that even be possible?!]

[It’s a monster! That guy isn’t a pilot, he’s just a monster! We’re all going to die!]

Switching the Beam Magnum to rapid-fire mode, I unleashed a merciless barrage of beams upon the Bugbears, who had already lost their will to fight and were in disarray.

High-density compressed energy beams exploded without cease, tearing through the Bugbears’ crude armor like paper and ruthlessly destroying their internal systems.

Not long after, only the scrap metal remnants of Bugbears, spewing black smoke and ceased to move, were strewn across the battlefield.

“Is this… the end?”

It was at that very moment, as I paused to catch my breath and survey my surroundings.

A single surviving Bugbear had, unnoticed, approached my blind spot from behind and fired its old model rocket launcher mounted on its shoulder, as a last desperate act.

[High-speed object detected approaching from rear.]

There was no time to evade.

Just before the heavy rocket shell directly struck Asura’s back, *Clang-!*

The Aegis Pulse Short-Range Reactive Shield Generator on its left shoulder detected the danger and deployed a blue energy barrier in the blink of an eye.

The rocket shell collided with the barrier and exploded futilely, and Asura only took a slight impact, suffering no significant damage.

[M-monster bastard!]

The surviving one, terrified, desperately resisted by wildly firing its gatling gun.

[O-don’t come here! Please don’t come! What do you plan to do, you bastard!]

*Clunk-*

The pile bunker on its right arm had already completed all deployment preparations towards the enemy’s cockpit, and it pierced through with a massive steel stake.

*Boom-!*

With a tremendous explosion, the last Bugbear shattered into pieces and scattered into the air.

I quickly shifted my gaze to the HUD.

The numerous red signals that had been cluttering the display were now all cleanly gone.

“Huu… It’s quiet now.”

I paused to catch my breath and looked around.

The still-burning wreckage of Bugbears created a desolate scene.

Why on earth did these guys come all the way to this remote place, only to die so pointlessly?

Old Man Valentine had kept completely silent about the reason, but I had no intention of letting it slide.

‘Data Ghost.’

I activated the enhanced skill.

I felt a sensation of faint blue light particles seeping into the surrounding Bugbear wreckage along with my consciousness.

Fragments of data still remaining in their damaged systems began flowing into my mind, much clearer and faster than before.

Encrypted communication logs, fragmented sensor logs, and… most importantly, the operation order.

[Operation Name: Reconnaissance and Pre-emption of Disposal Mining District 7] [Issuer: Chronos Mercenary Group Commander, Bulldog] [Primary Mission: Secure and thoroughly explore the designated Disposal Mining District 7 area. Immediately recover and report to command if valuable resources or data are found within the area.] [Additional Directive: Engagement permitted if any hostile forces are discovered within the operation area. However, minimize unnecessary escalation and friendly casualties.]

“Bulldog… and searching an abandoned mine.”

This was the moment the real reason Valentine had ordered me to annihilate them all became clear.

As expected, he wasn’t just removing hostile forces in the area because they were bothersome.

He was trying to prevent anyone from finding or securing something valuable in this abandoned mine.

‘Then Old Man Valentine’s true intention, which he tried so hard to hide… is inside that abandoned mine.’

All the answers must lie beyond that dark, gloomy opening.

I informed Valentine that the mission was complete, and a reply immediately came saying that payment would be issued once the settlement was finalized.

‘There’s no reason to come all this way and just turn back.’

As Asura’s headlights illuminated, two strong beams of light cut through the dark interior of the abandoned mine, and I carefully entered.

“What on earth could be in a place like this, abandoned?”

The floor was littered with the remnants of rusty old mining equipment and mineral transport rails, broken beyond recognition.

How many hours had I wandered?

It was right then, as annoyance slowly began to creep in because I couldn’t even guess what Valentine was so desperately trying to find.

At the end of a narrow, long passage, an unexpectedly vast, colossal cavern appeared.

There, a single machine stood motionless, its functions ceased.

“What… is that? It looks familiar.”

Sleek yet gracefully curved jet-black armor.

*Screech-!*

From directly behind me, with a piercing, flesh-rending sound, a high-output energy beam struck the rock wall right beside me and exploded.

As I reflexively twisted my machine to evade and quickly turned around, another machine appeared silently from the dark mine entrance I had just passed, aiming precisely at me.

With a dark grey, practical design, and equipped simultaneously with a new laser rifle and a real-ammunition machine gun, appearing specialized for mid-range combat on both arms, it was clearly the machine of a well-trained elite mercenary at a glance.

Without further attack, it first forcibly opened Asura’s communication channel.

A dry male voice flowed through.

[A curious stray dog, aren’t you? Haven’t you learned yet that excessive curiosity is harmful to your health?]

“Who are you? Are you a mercenary sent by Valentine?”

[You have no need to know my identity. You’ve completed your mission and presumably received your due compensation. Disappear from here at once.]

There wasn’t a hint of emotion in his voice, but it was, in itself, a clear ultimatum and a warning.

“So that machine sleeping in this abandoned mine must have been Old Man Valentine’s real target.”

The man was silent for a moment, then continued in his emotionless voice.

[…Pointless speculation will only hasten your demise. I will handle the conclusion here. You, remove your hands now and return. I will absolutely not tolerate any further intervention.]

His words were practically a death sentence in the guise of a threat.

I tightened my grip on the control stick even further.

My heart pounded unpleasantly, but I didn’t want to completely ruin my contractual relationship with Valentine by fighting this unknown individual here.

“Understood. I won’t get involved anymore.”

It was at that very moment, as I turned Asura’s nose to exit the cavern.

‘System message?’

Suddenly, a familiar blue system notification window flickered and appeared in a corner of my vision.

[Data Ghost – Special Condition Notification] [Condition: Upon complete elimination of all hostile forces and threat elements within the current area, the function to permanently erase all activity data related to this area can be activated.] [Current Status: Unidentified ultra-high-risk threat element detected within the area. Data permanent erasure function disabled. Threat element elimination required.]

‘Unidentified ultra-high-risk threat element… Surely, it’s referring to that guy.’

‘What should I do? Should I just kill him?’