14 Unexpected turn

The giant doorway closed as they had entered the Experiment Sector. They didn’t waste time and continued to explore. They encountered some of the guards, but they easily slipped it silently as they swiftly moved through the shadow and hid in the crates. They had covertly knocked down the enemies before they could ask for help, leaving their bodies hidden in the stockroom or could be in the locker, to where they could hide it, as it may alert the other guards.

After searching this part of the section, they’ve entered another slim pathway, they tried to use the keycards but it keeps blinking the word ‘error’, Al put the device he used before and Cid begins to hack the system, it didn’t take too long and the door is open, “Done deciphering.”

Cid could be heard sipping something liquid and this bugs Ken, “Dude, are you drinking coffee?” He asked.

“Yeah… It helps me to stay focused… and awake.” He roughly replied and again they could hear the shrill sipping sound.

Ken interjected, asking “Will you stop doing that?”

“Stop what?”

“That sound, that sipping sound.” Said Ken, almost annoyed.

“Is it bothering you?”

“Yes.”

After hearing those words, he grins and continues to make sipping sounds louder provoking Ken’s reaction more aggressive, “Hey… asshole!” Ken shouted.

“Hey, how ‘bout both of you stop acting like a child and be mindful that we’re in enemy’s territory.” Linda intercepted the provocative argument. Alastor was silently observing them with a blank expression and decided to leave them behind proceeding at entering the room, “There’s no need for me anymore to be distracted by their sappy argument.”

They’ve noticed that he’s already gone and currently a few meters away from them, they follow and stop arguing. They carefully check every room they passed, most of it is composed only of transcended glasses but it doesn’t look like it’s the usual glasses that could be easily broken.

Ken decided to punch one of those, his right feet moved backward aligning to the other and his right fist pulled close to his chest concentrating the power to his hands, he pulled the string and the fist met the target. Instead of breaking the glass, the windowpane creates a vibrating sound. His hands create a cracking sound.

The others noticed the change of contemplation, “Wait… did you try to punch that windowpane?”

“Yep, I was just trying to confirm if it is breakable… or not.”

He grunts, holding his fist.

“Are you fine?” asked Linda.

“Don’t worry. I’m already used to it.” Linda could still see the pain in his face even though Ken is trying to put a tough face. Alastor turns his eyes around, ignoring him, and continues to stroll.

They entered one of the doorways, hoping to find what they’re looking for, until they found themselves standing in front of the giant circular door, “I see no security. It seems that it is safe for you to press on. But I can’t directly breach it for you.”

“Why?” Linda asked.

“Well, let’s just say that it might be connected to the mainframe and I don’t want to mess up, so you have to find another way to hack inside of it.”

Tin snorted, “Scaredy cat.”

“Hey! There’s nothing I could do okay. The previous computers were connected to another dummy server, so likely there would be no problem if I fail, since I can just disconnect and change to another laptop so they wouldn’t be able to find me, now that they’re in the Experiment Sector, probably it could be connected to the mainframe and I don’t dare to place my bet on it.”

“Whatever.” She hissed while cleaning her gun.

Linda drew closer to the panel, “This could take a while.” She began to open the lock of wirings of the panel and then started to rewire it.

Alastor scoured his glance at the surroundings. His gloomy eyes that cannot seem to faze Ken when their glance meet each other, “Dude, do you realize how terrifying the way you look?” Ken started.

“Realized what?” Alastor asked, confused.

“You know, that looked.” He sputtered the words with a bit of anxiety.

“And then what about my look?” Alastor shrugged.

“It scares me to death.” Still, anxiously he replies.

“Oh, dear,” He murmured. Once he figures the cause, he introspects to what should be done. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it.” He justifies.

“Yes, it is, you look like you’re about to kill someone.”

“Why do I care about how I look? It’s not liked the way I look will hurt somebody.” Alastor looked at him blankly, shrugging and hissed as he replied.

“Obviously duh, but someone might misinterpret those looks.” Ken retorted.

“I don’t see the point,” Alastor mumbled as he still conspicuously altered his gaze to the environment, wary that there may be a possibility of security.

“Maybe that’s the reason why you’re still single.”

“And you’re not?” Al responds, dismissing him.

“Finally, Door’s opening, let’s go.” They turned their gaze at Linda and then she started to patch up the panel and didn’t take a while, the rumbling iron can be heard as the metallic circular door opens. They were about to enter it, but the silhouette of machinery appeared in-front of them, its dull sound of metal clanging gets louder as it gets closer, a silhouette of a missile targeted on them. The gang, side rolls, evading the incoming attack.

The missile lands near them and because of that, they’re not able fully to evade and hurl in the air, heavily breathing as their body hardly reaches the cold ground. Alastor peered back at the entrance where the attack came from, the robot emerged from the bright light that came inside the room, the choke on its four metallic legs creates steam that was produced by extreme heat and expunging sounds like the camera visuals of its four-sided head attached at the tank-like body that has a curved surface, zooms to them, gazing the entire surroundings searching for the enemies.

Thankfully, the door of the Experiment Sector is closed, so that the outside enemies wouldn’t be able to hear it, but on the other hand, there are adversaries that are beyond their anticipation.

“What the hell is that?!” Ken gritted his teeth and stood up.

“It’s a defense security robot… That must’ve been set by one of those technicians if they detect any anomalies.” Linda howled and struggled to return her posture.

Alastor gritted his teeth and pulled out the silver sword. The robot’s chocks created a squeaky sound as it jumped towards them. The gang side rolls but this time they were able to evade, unscathed. Alastor gripped it with the intent to kill. His undivided attention is unlikely to be fazed as adrenaline races around his veins – charging towards the enemy.

“Cid” Linda raised her voice calling him.

“On it.” Cid tapping his computer and hacked the doorway that’s behind them, locking them inside.

“What the hell are you doing?” Ken howled.

“The guards may bust us so it’s better to take the fight to stay in here.” She explained.

“Do you have a plan on how to escape this thing?” He shouted.

“Escape, no. We fight.” Alastor wailed, gripping the sword and started to charge towards the enemy.

The thumping boots echoed as he strongly gripped the sword. The thirteen-foot enemies raised their feet and attacked him, he slid and side rolled continuously as the four-legged tank enemy non-stopping assaulted him.

On the verge of being cornered, he relaxes his breath and his feet meet the wall, running upward then jumping, rolling in the air that is beyond the enemy’s range. He landed on the body surface and did take the chances, stabbing it with his sword. The sword plunged nearly half of it. He could feel the thickness of the iron and estimated that it couldn’t be easily pushed deep within, realizing also that his strength is not enough.

Right behind him, a Gatling gun appears at its curve surface pointing at Alastor. Before it started to roll its pin, Alastor already laid off to its body and let himself fall straight downward. He could see underneath the tank, weapons emerging, countless armaments showed up.

“Al! Over here!” Linda conjured magic, five transcended walls appeared, Alastor rushed towards them. The weapons started to create creaking sounds, turning its way to the enemies.

“Heads up, it’s coming!” Alastor shouted and strengthened its legs without flinching as the countless missiles surged towards them. Ken murmured in guise and crackled its hands, warming himself up. Linda focuses her mana to the walls raising her hands facing the palm to it, pouring her mana to it. She struggled and evaluated the situation. The walls are breaking apart and cannot hold it any longer as the missiles and its machine guns currently attack it, a rigid crack appears in the ground to the walls.

“I can’t hold it much longer!”

She gnarled in distress, the concentration of mana towards the barriers slowly degrading until at certain point that the upcoming missile broke the fourth wall.

Luckily to them, before the last wall was destroyed, the enemy ceased its motion and a steamy smoke came out from its body, dissipating in the air.

He just now noticed that there’s an imprinted name at its side, the words are ‘MB42’.

Linda kneeled, regaining her breath.

“Are you all right?” Ken asked.

“Don’t worry about me, attack while … it’s … now.” Linda partly said while trying to regain her breath. Her eyes seemed to fall as she crawled, Alastor however, seemed not disturbed about her, and his gaze was fixated at the enemy.

“Ken, go help, Al.” She huffed and rested on the ground.

“No, we can’t do this. We have to retreat, Al!” Ken calls out for him.

“No.” He replied.

“What do you mean no?! Dude, she’s not in good condition! We need to get out of here!” He shouted at him.

“We can’t, it’s too risky for us to go back now. If we let this thing on the loose, they might know we are here.” Alastor justifies. Ken understands the reasons and could only do - is to grit his teeth.

The cold breeze caused by the ventilators also causes Linda’s drifting consciousness, but even though she's still clinging, awake. Ken altered his gaze from Linda to the robot “It seems that that thing is currently vulnerable, Linda lay-low for a while. Come on Al!” He howled and charged to the enemy.

Alastor shouted at him, “Wait!”

He leaped forward at the enemy with his fist wearing metallic gloves that intended to reach the head of the robot. Upon landing, the machine jumps backward evading the enemy.

“What the---“Ken was surprised. The choke of the legs penetrates again and jumps right towards Ken.

Alastor came dashing to him, jumped, and pulled him away.

“It seems that thing doesn’t have any bullets anymore.”

“Are you sure about it?” Ken asked.

“Yeah, I’m sure of it.” He grunted as his eyes fixated at the circling enemy. Linda is hiding at the edge of the corner of the crate. Once again, the tank-like robot’s springs penetrate down again jumping upwards, but this time it was more aggressive.

Ken murmured in low voice and grunted dashing away from its attack “Shoot”

Ken asked, bewildered. “You have any idea how to beat this thing?”

“Nope, I have no idea.” Alastor groaned in tiredness.

“Then how the hell will we beat this thing?!” Ken cried out.

“We’ll wait, for now.” He snorted.

“What!”

Not too long, the robot’s internal machines begin to oddly show a sign of complication. Its body started to spark, and wirings blew out from it. The legs crackling voice screeched, deafening in-ears but stopped in a few seconds.

“This is it. Aim at the legs!” Alastor howled and Ken followed him.

Alastor gripped the sword and swung to its legs cutting it in half. His eyes were furious as if he had no intention to slip the opportunity. He gave a grim look at it, as he continuously cut the other feet. The robot kneels as it loses its balance.

Ken grabbed it and aimed at its head, and then he heavily breathed kneeling at the surface of its body and raised his elbow while his fist facing downward. Alastor did the same thing to its legs; he cuts another one of it and notices the change of contemplation of his fellow mate. He decided to go at it. In the last throes of defeat, the robot curve surface unleashes another weapon, but before the machine gun is activated, Alastor cuts the gun in half.

Ken finally pressed its fist to the enemy; the legs of it couldn’t hold the gravity of his power and as a result, the impact of it dug his hand and the parts blew apart, just to be sure that it would be finished, he raised its left fist that eventually came crashing down. The light of its sight blinks slowly until it loses its power. The duo landed away from it.

Linda came for them, smiling and now she regained her composure. “Are you all right?” Ken asked.

“I’m fine… I admit the two of you could be a good team.” Ken sighs and glanced at Alastor, he turned his gaze away from them, “Let’s get this done.” He mumbled.

Ken shrugged and could feel the intense radiance that Alastor emits. Alastor couldn’t carelessly let his guard down, not what they fought just now.

“Hey, dude. We defeated the enemy, no need to worry anymore.”

“Don’t get carried by defeating a small fry.” He snorted. “Small fry, we nearly got killed and you call it small fry?! Add to it, if it weren’t because of me, you’d become dead meat.” “Don’t go full yourself—the enemy we fought now is one of the defects.”

“It’s a defect product? How could you tell?” Ken asked

“Simple, when I first hit it, stabbing it with my sword, I noticed the back of its head, the wirings are jumbled and there are some abrasions at its wire,” Alastor explained.

Linda nodded, agreeing to what he said, “That would explain why its body sparkled and the wirings popping out.”

“Right, from now on, don’t let your guard down.”

Ken sighs and gazes at the entry, “Right, what do we do now?” he asked

“Since Cid already shut the door, we have no choice but to move forward,” Linda instructed. Alastor nodded.