The Broken 4th Wall

For what I'm about to say, I'm sorry for not being sorry to whoever might open the recording of my mind.

The ideology. The cursed theory. The absurd idea. All of it will be exposed in a matter of time, and might even be throwing me behind bars. By the time anyone is decrypting my brain chip, you know you've released something hideous.

It might be disappointing to break it to you, but the city of the 22nd century is nothing like what you see in those sci-fi movies or even a certain prehistoric cyberpunk video game.

What? The game was like, released 130 years ago, with a depiction of cyberpunk cities from 70, or 80 years ago? Totally irrelevant at all.

It was NOT even close, I repeat this to whoever opens this recording and finds it disappointing, whether in the distant future or people in the past. Open it at your own risk.

Flying cars, an intergalactic war against stars and galaxies, cyborg breeds, or even mutual alien life. No, nope even close to the life of the 22nd century. Too delusional, as how a Gen Z from back then would say.

The city here is just some old city from a hundred years ago. Nothing extraordinary visual-wise, except some parts of the roads are embedded with a hatch for vehicles to access the underground facilities.

Why, you ask?

*BAAM!*

Exactly because of THAT fudging thing that just crashed onto the building in front of me. The global government is too focused on developing military and defense technology against them.

I guess, this is the rumored First-Class-threat-that-ruined-my-whole-peaceful-morning-trying-to-act-as-a-supernormal-NPC that had just appeared before my eyes. A comically large insect, like from those series that had run out of monster design.

I wonder who hit it and make it stumble.

I better keep this store trip a quick one, before the whole city is gone, reduced into atoms. There's an Asian store just around the next block. Shouldn't be that far from where I'm now.

I ran with all my might across the sidewalk and immediately hit open the glass door, leaving the scenery of Kaiju's confrontation behind. Instead, I'm confronting the confused and terrified store clerk at the counter.

"C-can I help you, sir?" Great, based on how perceptive the reaction of this clerk is, this one will be over in an instant upon giving my request.

"Ah hin kchyap mahnee… hEggs… weh ih ist…??"

What the hell did I just say?

I couldn't even spell words correctly. I was wheezing out of breath throughout the entire conversation. Dry, my throat is really dry.

Taking a deep breath, I regain my composure before asking the clerk properly this time. If only I had on me those shoes, none of these asthma experiences would happen. I should've done more cardio.

The clerk swiftly tells me the aisle of each one and the last item I want. I thanked her. This is looking bright.

Eggs, sweet soy sauce, and fried shallot. Despite being so advance in the timeline, this little Asian store keeps every transaction process traditional. Scanning a barcode for payment, that is.

Finally, with this, I'll be able to finish my Nasi Goreng and talk business wit-

*BAAM!!

Are you fudging kidding me now?

I barely even escaped from death when that insect suddenly was about to crush me under its body.

Instead, my groceries are now all over the place and under this comically large insect.

Seriously, whom the hell knocking this thing around the city buildings? Why can someone just kill it with one punch and blow it away?

*SKREE!*

"Get away from there, sir!" One of the SKEF troops noticed me and shot the beast. But it didn't even bother.

Turning its body on me, now this insect starts targeting me. Swinging its tail around the block while continuing to chase me down with the tentacles. Those SKEF troops can't even get close thanks to the same tentacles rampaging.

Hold up, I don't remember studying insects like this in school before?

It's a not-so-scorpion like Kaiju? Yet with a hideous twist.

A pair of muscular claws, a set of gigantic fangs, four pairs of sharp legs, two pairs of frilly tentacles from its butt, and a swift sting on the edge of its tail. An abomination at its finest.

Besides the main Kaiju I'm facing, it also spawned little underlings of the same form, in the size of a car each. Crawling across the street in front. Spreading in all directions.

Well, little might be inaccurate they're crawling around like cars.

Coming from the left and right, spitting acidic venom from their fangs, I'm having a hard time evading all of it on my own. They already got me surrounded.

As much as I want to eat my breakfast now, I hate it whenever I'm switching to my working mode.

I know it'll attract all sorts of journalists later, documenting the fight as if I'm a late hero or something. Putting everyone's attention on my antics. Infesting my personal space for dumb interview sessions for the whole week.

Can't they even have some consideration for someone that worked sweat and blood for society? Sense of privacy, where are you??

Despite all that, what choice do I have now?

"Initiate extermination module."

I take a deep breath. I clench the strap on my shoulder tightly, as the backpack plants itself onto my behind. Like a rain of daggers on my back, little needles pierce through the skin, infusing the suit with my body. I winced a bit enduring it.

The wave of yellow decrypting synapses overflowed throughout my torso, then to both arms and hands before finally covering my face and nape. Revealing the whole structure that it decrypted.

A fully formed black and grey cybernetic suit has become one with my body.

Well, not quite, when I just realized I'm still in my sandals and shorts. Only my torso has transformed.

Regardless, this is more than enough.

.

<System online. Scanning the area>

.

Not even a second, the Optical Holographic Display in my iris started scanning the surrounding. Beeping with each finding. To keep it simple, OHD is something similar to HUD in old video games for people of the past. Funny texts and numbers that popping on the screen.

"Ten of them?"

I strengthen both my feet. Ready to take off and send a groundbreaking fist from up above, taking all of them down at the same time. While other Ravagers can only take one of these bugs at a time, for me, little underlings like this are my daily meal. Day in and out.

I can feel the energy channeling through my lower body. I extend both feet rapidly, pushing the ground away from me.

*Thud!*

.

…And I flop to the ground face first.

I didn't even jump that high even after the dramatization. I forgot, that I don't have the mobility module on me.

"Tch, this is so annoying!"

I barely dodged that spitting venom. The ground underneath it started to dissolve. With ten of them, and without my versatile mobility, this will be one helluva round of boxing.

Right after one of them swings their claws, I slipped between the attack and got closer at point blank. Channeling the electrifying energy swirling in my core to the right hand.

However, another swift attack comes from behind. I quickly vault over it while keeping on charging the right hand. Twisting my body midair, facing the ground beneath me.

As the energy flow intensifies, I can feel the air crackling around me. Twitching yellow impulses spread through my right hand. Focusing on my target, even the time itself feels like flowing slowly.

With one punch, I release the discharge onto the ground underneath them.

*BOOM!*

The shockwave pushes the ground around me to crack up. Penetrating them with the protruding concrete chunks. Along with the air expanding and exploding, the three in front got blasted away. Opening up a path for me to get a better vision of today's problem.

I took them out in a single attack.

What's left, is figuring out how to bring down that monstrosity. An insect, as large as any building nearby.

The sounds of explosive bullets, gunshots, and metal banging cover the vicinity. Despite that Kaiju is already surrounded by SKEF and Ravager units, it won't even budge a bit. They can't even leave a mark on its skin, let alone penetrate and make significant damage.

Moreover, the underlings keep spawning from their brood mother's belly. Taking their stamina away to deal with the underlings instead. I don't know how many corpses are there scattered around the vicinity, both from the civilians and troops.

I mean, who am I joking? The First-Class Kaiju against mere groups of SKEF infantries, third-rate machinery, and low-level Ravagers alike, what should I expect from them in the first place?

All that they're doing, is making more holes on the streets, the same story goes for the building from the misfire.

This is going nowhere, and I have to finish my cooking and tidy up my apartment.

True, there are some Ravager units like me, but they're nothing except mid to low-level ones. Their exertion rate of the suit capability is at 70% or even 80% max at Overclock state.

Me? Even if I were to take a sip of tea now would make it at 80% already, my OHD told me.

That's why, high-level Ravagers are often considered in their own league.

After the slightest touch on my ears, the communication module is online. I immediately state the situation.

"This is Vanguard-6 to Base. Joining in the operation. Over."

[Roger. Rerouting SKEF and Ravager units command chain for Vanguard-6 to use.]

"Copy that." I take a glance once more at their condition. "Hold the defensive formation. Make use of the buildings for wall maneuver. Harpoon drones set to standby."

[Understood. Executing order.]

The infantrymen are slowly retreating to the buildings. The machinery and Ravagers take some distance away from the main Kaiju. Only the drones left hovering above it, dodging its swift tail rampaging.

The stage is set, just like what I wanted.

"Let's make this quick."