Chapter 41 Battle at Factory, Adam and Eve

As the first light of dawn pierced through the somber clouds, casting a warm golden glow over the world, a solitary aircraft emerged from the shadowy canvas of the sky. The endless sea below seemed to stretch into eternity, its depths reflecting the hues of the awakening sun. However, this serene tableau was disrupted by a vast expanse of grey clouds that clung to the heavens, shrouding the journey in an air of mystery.

The lone aircraft, wings slicing through the damp mist, pressed forward in determined solitude. It was a vessel navigating through a realm caught between the ethereal brilliance of daybreak and the lingering obscurity of night. The hum of engines echoed in the empty expanse, a stark contrast to the tranquil beauty of the world beneath.

As the aircraft pressed onward, the landscape below began to transform. Emerging from the misty veil, the destination materialized—a collection of factory buildings standing sentinel against the desolate backdrop. These structures, predominantly composed of iron, reached towards the heavens with a rugged determination, their surfaces bearing the scars of time and neglect.

Rust, like the fingerprints of decay, painted the walls and many iron surfaces, a testament to the relentless passage of days. The factory buildings stood as silent witnesses to an era long past, where industry once thrived but now lay forgotten. The hues of the rusted paint whispered tales of resilience, each flake a fragment of history clinging to the skeletal framework.

As the aircraft descended, the pilot witnessed the surreal fusion of industry and abandonment. The factory buildings, though worn and weathered, retained a skeletal majesty, casting long shadows over the cracked and overgrown concrete below. The air carried the scent of aged metal, a fragrance tinged with the melancholy of a once-vibrant hub of activity.

As the aircraft slowly descended, it underwent a transformation, morphing into a sleek mecha that landed gracefully on its two legs. The defensive cover from its chest opened, revealing the pilot. With long silver-white hair and eyes of different hues—one red and the other light grey—the pilot descended.

Lucia, the pilot, couldn't help but note the familiarity. "It's really the same from the anime," she thought to herself. Her attire echoed her original style—a black shirt, a black skirt paired with a blood-red jacket, long black thigh-high stockings, and black boots. 

(Lucia's POV)

The reason I came to this place is because of the abundance of Goliath Engel machine life forms. Selling their parts and machine cores can fetch me a significant number of coins. While engaging in intimate moments with my wives provides rewards, they are one-time occurrences. For instance, the first kiss or taking someone's virginity yields a one-time reward. Therefore, I can't solely rely on these interactions; selling the creatures I've defeated becomes a necessary means to earn income and upgrade the system. Although, I remain uncertain about the specific benefits of upgrading the system.

"Strange..." I scanned the surroundings, but there were no signs of machine life forms.

'There was a battle when 2B came to the factory in the anime, but I didn't encounter any on my way here. Is it because the plotline changed? What am I even thinking? The plot has already shifted with my interference in the tragedy of A2 and Lily,' I contemplated to myself. 

"Is this what we call the 'calm before the storm'?" I mused.

*rumble*

The ground began to shake, and the buildings followed suit. After a few moments of unsettling vibrations, the ground erupted, and Goliath Engel emerged, standing tall. Simultaneously, numerous machine life forms swarmed from all directions. To add to the chaos, four more Goliath Engel machine life forms made their appearance.

"It seems the Red girls really stirred things up," I smirked, observing the machine life forms rushing towards me. 

[Multiple enemies detected! 'One woman army' skill will be active!]

[Stats have increased greatly because of the massive enemies.]

"Perfect. Collect the loot, Rin."

[Understood.]

(General POV)

Lucia smoothly drew Sakura from the Gate of Babylon with her right hand, spinning it skillfully from right to left before securing it in her left hand. Shifting her right leg forward and bending her knee slightly, she assumed a poised katana-drawing stance, gathering energy into her blade.

Suddenly, time stopped, and everything froze. Her red eyes flashed momentarily as she swiftly drew the katana, unleashing a blinding light as it left the sheath. Despite her enemies being at a distance, her slashing movements were rapid, almost imperceptible. The space and dimensions twisted with each stroke, creating a mesmerizing display of diagonally, horizontally, and vertically straight lines in front of her.

After the katana danced through the air, she slowly sheathed it in front of her with a resonant 'clang' sound. The moment the katana returned to its sheath, time resumed, and everything reverted to normal.

The space restored itself after the slashes dissipated, leaving behind glass-like, transparent pieces that touched the ground and disappeared. Many machine life forms in front of her were torn to pieces, scattered across the ground. Even two out of the five Goliath Engel machine life forms were reduced to metal fragments due to the powerful attack that reached them.

It was the 'Abyssal Slash' skill, and fortunately for the remaining four Goliath Engel, the attack barely missed them as they were outside the skill's range.

If they were normal humans, they might have been terrified by the insane AOE attack, but being machine life forms without sentience, they cared little about their comrades and rushed towards Lucia. Checking the EXP percentage of the Goliath Engel, Lucia was satisfied with the results.

[You have killed Small Biped! You have received 0.0025% EXP!]

[You have killed Medium Biped! You have received 0.0085% EXP!]

[You have killed Medium Biped! You have received 0.0085% EXP!]

[You have killed Small Biped! You have received 0.0025% EXP!]

...

[You have killed Small Biped! You have received 0.0025% EXP!]

[You have killed Goliath Engel! You have received 10% EXP!]

...

Having already surpassed Level 64, the EXP required to level up again had increased. Thus, receiving 10% EXP was significant for her. She turned off the notifications again and prepared to face the remaining machine life forms.

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In an unknown underground expanse, a mesmerizing scene unfolded. Towering pillars, massive in scale, reached upwards in various directions, supporting the weight of the sand-laden ground above. 

What made these pillars unique was their composition—strangely, they were not crafted from conventional concrete but assembled from machine life forms. These mechanical beings, small bipedal entities, interlocked and held each other in a surreal dance, combining their forms to create the colossal supports.

The pillars stood like silent sentinels, their metal frames glistening faintly in the ambient light. These intricate structures seemed to defy the logic of ordinary construction, forming a network of interwoven beings that stretched towards the unseen depths of the underground realm. 

At the center of this subterranean ballet, a colossal ball-shaped mass of solid metal hung in midair. Supported by the multitude of pillars, the ball seemed to float as if suspended by an unseen force. 

This central sphere served as the heart of the underground domain. It, too, was an amalgamation of the same small bipedal machine life forms, intricately intertwined to form a complex network of veins that pulsed with maso energies.

The cavernous space echoed with the faint hum of machinery and the soft whirring of gears as the bipedal entities tirelessly held their positions, creating an organic yet mechanical symphony. The atmosphere was a blend of eerie tranquility and the palpable energy of the interconnected life forms.

As if choreographed by some unseen force, the pillars and the central metal sphere coexisted in a delicate equilibrium, a testament to the harmony of the machine life forms. 

In this enigmatic underground world, the intertwining of beings and structures formed a mesmerizing spectacle—a subterranean dance of life and mechanics, where the very essence of existence pulsed through the metallic veins of the colossal heart suspended in midair. This is the machine nest.

Underneath were numerous machine life forms heading towards the pillars to reinforce the colossal ball-shaped mass of solid metal.

The scene repeated, countless times:

After almost all the machine life forms had reinforced the pillars and colossal ball-shaped mass, they began to glow and move slightly, as if the entire structure was breathing.

Ba-bump

...

Ba-bump

...

Then, the center of the colossal ball-shaped mass cracked, and a bright liquid light seeped through. Metallic, human-bone-like machine life forms dropped to the ground. 

At first, they lay there as if immobilized, but their fingers and limbs started to shake as they attempted to stand up. A multitude of lights surrounded them, and flesh began to form on the metallic bones, covering them.

After a few moments, the machine life forms transformed into humanoid male figures with shoulder-length white hair, displaying perfect musculature and devoid of any clothing. Lacking discernible male or female features, they closed their eyes, standing like statues.

Shortly after, another machine life form dropped again, repeating the process. The Red girls hastened the progress, installing data from the machine server. 

Almost all the data stored in YoRHa had already been copied by the Red girls, and they utilized this information to expedite the enhancement of the new machine life forms.

Slowly, their red eyes opened, and they cast glances at each other before raising their heads to gaze at the ceiling. They were programmed to capture the YoRHa androids and extract information provided by Lucia, they stood as unique entities in contrast to other machine life forms, capable of independent thought from the moment of creation. Surveying the surroundings where smaller machine life forms had been transformed into pillars, they assessed their environment.

The machine nest's energies were depleted from the production of these two entities, and the ground began to shake. The machine life forms, once interwoven into pillars, crumbled and tore apart one by one.

"Let's... go…" one of them said, and the other nodded. In unison, they leaped upwards as the ceiling crumbled, exiting the underground machine nest just as it began filling with sand.

In the heart of a desolate desert, where the relentless winds sculpted the landscape like an artist's brush, stood a graveyard of modernity. 

Apartment buildings, relics of a bygone era, lay half-buried in the shifting sands. Once bustling with life, these structures now stood as silent witnesses to the passage of time, their windows shattered, and their walls slowly succumbing to the embrace of the desert.

The wind carried with it a haunting melody as it weaved through the skeletal remains of the apartments, creating an eerie symphony that echoed the whispers of a civilization long forgotten. Occasionally, a sandstorm would rise like a furious tempest, obscuring the buildings from view and shrouding them in a veil of golden particles.

Suddenly, at the center of those ruined buildings, a whirlpool-like phenomenon occurred. Unlike water, it consisted of swirling sands, and two human-shaped silhouettes emerged, flying out from the sand and heading in an unknown direction.

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The Red girls had made the decision to assess the combat abilities of the current YoRHa soldiers by sending a mix of weak, moderately strong, and only a few Goliath-type machine life forms to Resistance camps. However, Lucia's unexpected action of coming to the factory, where Goliath-type machine life forms were hidden for later use by the Red girls, and destroying them was an unforeseen development. The unknown energies in the area prevented the Red girls from connecting with the YoRHa network, rendering them unable to spy any longer.

At the abandoned factory, numerous facilities lay reduced to the ground, some ablaze due to the intense battle that had unfolded. The unexpected clash had left a scene of destruction and chaos in its wake.

<-- enemy -- kill>

<-- kill -->

...

Unlike other places, this area was swarming with enhanced medium biped machine life forms wielding swords and Goliath biped machine life forms. Two Goliath Engel had already been reduced to metal pieces by the 'Abyssal Slash' skill, and Rin automatically collected the metals, obtaining two large machine cores.

"It's been a while since I fought. This feels really good," Lucia remarked. She turned around, swiftly slashing at the medium biped behind her attempting to attack from her back. Lucia moved with agility, slashing through the machine life forms to her right and left as she advanced toward the remaining Goliath Engel machine life forms.

*Roar!*

The Goliath Engel roared as it attempted to smash Lucia with its bucket-wheel-like hand. However, Lucia, with her swift movements, had already evaded the attack, leaving the Goliath Engel to only destroy the floor. The ground shook, and dust spread, leaving behind a cracked floor due to the powerful impact.

The 'Z'-shaped red light rays moved at a rapid speed, annihilating all machine life forms in their path. The red light emanated from Lucia's sword, 'Sakura,' glowing a vivid crimson red as she swiftly dispatched her enemies. Additionally, black and red crescent moon-shaped sword waves were released in all directions with each of Lucia's attacks.

Machine life forms retaliated by shooting dark purple energy bullets at Lucia, but her speed rendered the bullets ineffective, causing them to hit each other instead. The bullets also split in half whenever the sword waves struck directly.

Though this was a battle, it resembled more of a massacre, with Lucia effortlessly eliminating the machine life forms. Amidst the chaos, golden ripples appeared at random locations, and numerous daggers were shot at the machine life forms from those points.

It was the 'Gate of Babylon' skill, and Lucia was utilizing all her skills because, as she reasoned, what was the point of having them if not for moments like these? The variety of skills proved invaluable in the face of the overwhelming number of machine life forms.

Soon, Lucia reached the Goliath Engel, and it attacked her again with its hand. Evading effortlessly, Lucia jumped onto the hand and rushed toward its head. The Goliath Engel attempted to shake her off, but Lucia moved swiftly and reached its head quickly.

With a nimble jump, she landed on the head of the machine life form and skillfully swung her sword in midair, leaving numerous sword marks on its metal face. Her incredible sword technique, the 'Heavenly Demonic Sword Art,' unfolded beautifully and lethally.

The sword was coated with corrupt energy and a blend of mana. The offense was so potent that shockwaves rippled through the surroundings. Even the sword waves cut through the Goliath Engel's hard metal body as if it were butter. The display of Lucia's skills was both mesmerizing and deadly.

"Two more to go!" Lucia declared, turning around to face the incoming attacks as she descended from the sky. A laser beam shot toward her from one of the Goliath Engel, but Lucia skillfully parried it with 'Sakura' in midair. Redirecting the laser beam with the 'Extreme Reflection' skill, she struck another Goliath Engel's shoulder.

*Swing*

*Boom!*

The Goliath Engel's shoulder was hit and severed from its body. Bouncing back, it fell heavily to the ground, causing the earth to shake. Roaring in frustration, it attempted to stand up again.

Lucia dashed towards the Goliath Engel that had shot the laser beam earlier, performing the 'Heavenly Demonic Sword Art' on her way. Moving with incredible speed, she danced through the battlefield, slashing her sword swiftly and gracefully.

In a matter of seconds, she reached the giant machine life form, the Goliath Engel, and effortlessly cut through its legs. The solid, hard metals yielded to her sword like butter, causing the giant machine life form to tip forward due to the imbalance.

Lucia leaped multiple times, reaching its head where the core was located. With precise strikes, she destroyed the core and instantly collected it.

*Bang!*

The ground shook again as the Goliath Engel fell, and multiple missiles were launched towards Lucia as soon as it touched the ground. Standing on the fallen machine life form, Lucia swiftly released sword waves to counter the missiles and parried another laser beam, changing its direction. The missiles were systematically eliminated by her sword waves, while the laser beam swiftly struck down any machine life forms approaching her.

The laser beams also hit the factories, reducing them to ashes along with the machine life forms. Lucia couldn't help but think it was a waste, as the body parts could have been sold. However, the normal machine life forms' defense was not as formidable as the Goliath-type ones. Thankfully, the machine cores from the Goliath bipeds remained intact and were not destroyed by the laser beams.

After finishing the parry against the laser beam, Lucia headed towards the last Goliath Engel and swiftly defeated it. Standing on the destroyed body of the Goliath Engel, she surveyed her surroundings. The once-standing factory buildings were now crumbled, reduced to mere bricks, and some areas were still burning from the laser beams' path.

The aftermath revealed a landscape with too many machine life form corpses piled up in the silent aftermath. Numerous buildings from the factory were now gone, and only a few structures remained standing amidst the battle's destruction. The dust lingered, fires still burned on the ground, and machine body parts were scattered across the battlefield.

"It was fun. Right, Rin?"

[Indeed...]

"I will head back now then."

Lucia stored all the body parts of machine life forms and cores into her inventory, disappearing from the scene as she transformed into light-blue particles.

While Lucia was engaged in the intense battle at the factory, a simultaneous conflict unfolded at sea. Whale-like machine life forms could be seen on the ocean, shooting numerous laser beams in all directions from their heads.

Over the sea, YoRHa's flying units clashed with a multitude of flyer-type machine life forms, including Goliath Flayers. The colossal Whale-shaped Goliath machine life form advanced towards the shore where the Sea City was located. On the shoreline, Resistance and YoRHa soldiers fought fiercely against the approaching threat. The battle raged on both land and sea, with the fate of the city hanging in the balance.

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