Chapter 93

Chapter 7 Masked Ball (9)

***

“Ugh... I do have a plan, but it’s a bit complicated to explain.”

“Why? Didn’t you read all of the professor’s memories?”

“Because I read ‘all’ of them, it’s complicated. Human thoughts don’t just pop up like searching for an item A; they come with a lot of associated memories. Especially this guy, he has so many thoughts that it feels like time flies by just watching him. It’s like a grapevine.”

‘Actually, I did find the plan the professor had organized, but there’s no need to tell him that, right?’

It wasn’t a lie that reading memories was complicated. When someone thinks of an ‘apple,’ unconscious keywords like sweetness, red color, and fruit come up, and from there, a myriad of related memories start to surface.

But he was someone special. Wasn’t he a deformed life form born from someone else’s consciousness?

Hyde had already found the ‘simplified Old Picture counter-strategy for Ian and Vex’ in the professor’s complex memories.

=====

1. Stall for time. The powerful mental wave caused by the berserk state. Since it echoed throughout Sector 47 last time, it will definitely be heard by everyone in Sector 47 this time too. They would have heard it in the Dome as well, so if we stall for a bit, the Inspection Department people will swarm in like bees. We can leave the rest to the experts.

2. We don’t know how many forces the Enforcement Department has committed here, but they must have left some personnel inside to coordinate the Raptor attack. There will definitely be terrorist attacks at the Core, which manages the city’s total power, and the turret control center for city defense. With the Inspection Department out of the way, if these defense institutions are also attacked, the Dome will be left defenseless. We must intervene and stop it. The management personnel are not civilians, so just a bit of warning will be a big help.

3. Once the Raptor attack is thwarted and the Inspection Department’s exosuit team returns after dealing with Old Picture, the situation will be over. All that’s left is to clean up the remaining stragglers, and this incident will be resolved.

Conclusion: Stall for time in the car, and head to the Dome when the kids arrive.

=====

A neatly organized plan, as if it was rehearsed for someone to see. It was probably a message to Hyde in case the professor lost consciousness. If we move like this, it will work.

It’s definitely a good plan. Prioritizing the safety of the group, it allows for some maneuvering and still achieves the desired effect.

But Hyde was dissatisfied.

‘This is my first time in this world. There are such huge monsters! And enemies I’ve sworn to hate for life! And a reliable teammate, and a cargo hold full of awesome weapons! To just pass by and call it a day? No way! Absolutely not!’

Safety is important. If the shell, the professor’s body, dies, he dies too.

It’s also important to follow the rules set by the shell. If he goes out and starts eating people or ignores the current situation and goes off to play, he’ll become a target of suspicion, and the shell won’t plan for Hyde to come out again.

But the most important thing is that whatever he does, it must be fun enough to satisfy him.

The tower hijacking in Tobrun? It was fun. Destroying a magic tower that controlled a city and facing a 6th-tier mage.

The battle against the demonized lich necromancer? No need to ask! The adrenaline, excitement, and thrill of flirting with death! He was so angry that he wasn’t called to join!

‘It’s fun. I want it to be fun! Joy, sorrow! Hope and despair, happiness and unhappiness! Any stimulation is so precious! Ah, it’s fun! The shell’s precarious life is so incredibly fun!!!’

Since Hyde was born, the memories and vague sensations he experienced through the professor’s mind were all intense situations where he faced strong opponents or similar crises, with strong emotions coursing through his spine.

To Hyde’s soul, those moments had become his true ‘life.’

Hyde had been addicted to such strong stimuli for a long time.

“First, I need to take on that big guy.”

Hyde’s plan, completely different from the professor’s, came from this dissatisfaction.

Saving the group and protecting Sector 47 from the Raptors while ensuring survival would follow the professor’s intentions. But the method would be a bit different.

“Damn. We can’t just pass by, can we....”

“Right. From what that guy is doing, it seems more focused on the mental aspect than the physical. If that thing goes berserk, where would it focus its attention the most?”

“The Dome... right?”

Slap!

“Correct! It’s where the most ‘consciousness’ is concentrated. I don’t know why it projects its past onto others, but there must be a reason, right? If so, the place that can transmit the most memories with one cry would be inside the Dome’s walls, where civilians overflow.”

‘Hmm? I just blurted out what came to mind, but it actually makes sense, doesn’t it?’

The reason Old Picture continuously emits such a peculiar mental wave was a reference to the professor’s thoughts. But the following words were just blurted out to convince Ian and Vex, and they actually made sense.

‘Wow... It’s different from when I was just peeking inside. The performance is amazing!’

Hyde’s assessment after using the professor’s brain directly. Until now, he had only fought frantically as soon as he came out, but this was the first time he had engaged in such complex thinking. When he thought of one thing, the thoughts branched out rapidly, overwhelming his ability to follow them.

Hyde was starting to like being outside more and more.

“W-What? Why do we need to attack the Dome, stop Old Picture?”

“Because I want to live.”

Hyde answered Vex’s question without hesitation.

“Look. The Raptor Society is famous for its mobility, firepower, and strict military discipline. On the other hand, the Dome is famous for urban warfare, mechanized infantry, and defensive battles... or rather, garrison defense. This is a rough summary of the military characteristics of the two groups. The Dome is known for never losing in its territory, especially in urban defense. You guys know why, right?”

“No way. Even though I’m a powder weapon enthusiast, the overwhelming ancient civilization defense weapons of the Dome... I was completely stunned. My jaw dropped so much it might have hit the ground.”

The obligation of at least three hours of manpower generation per day for the densely populated population, resulting in the accumulation of enormous power and the operation of ancient civilization city defense facilities using that power.

The Dome boasts firepower close to the peak of ancient civilization in urban defense.

“Right. Ancient civilization defense weapons. Candel-class mounted railguns, plasma walls, super-strong magnetic deflectors... These are the reasons for the Dome’s reputation worldwide. But since these facilities are so important, they have a very complex activation process. If Old Picture pushes in with its massive body and gives a strong [KREEEEEEEEENG~], what will happen?”

“...The city will be paralyzed.”

“Exactly! Civilians, troops, and management personnel will all grab their heads and cry, ‘Waaaah! I’m a mouse daughter-in-law! I want to die!’ The Enforcement Department probably prepared this act for a 100% success rate, but even without the act, if Old Picture was properly provoked, it would likely attack the city with a high probability. If the city is paralyzed, there will be no management personnel to activate the ancient civilization defense facilities, and if the city’s defenses go down and the black reptiles attack...”

“The Raptors... will take over Sector 47.”

Clap clap clap clap!

Hyde clapped dramatically and winked at Ian, who had reached the conclusion.

“Right! Finally, that rock head is starting to work! HIV members are wanted by the Raptors. You won’t be able to live in the professor’s shelter anymore, and escaping from the Raptors who now dominate this area will be very difficult. Even if you escape, you’ll be caught soon. You know that, right? How the Raptors use captured humans. Metal, you’re from the Raptors, right? You should know well.”

“...Bio-diesel. Just thinking about it makes me want to vomit. Let’s stop talking about it.”

Slurp!

Hyde unconsciously wiped the saliva from his mouth. The Raptors, named after carnivorous dinosaurs, seemed to have similar tastes. Extracting oil from humans who had outlived their usefulness. Given the Raptors’ heavy use of oil, they had developed ‘bio-diesel’ as a substitute for gasoline.

“Anyway, if that thing goes to the Dome, we’re all dead. If we just block it half-heartedly, we’ll get hit by that [KREEEEEEEEENG!] and our brains will turn to mush. If we’re going to draw its attention, we need to give it a powerful blow, right? At least something that will make it unable to scream.”

“Firepower... I did bring some, but is it okay to use it? The professor brought it for a plan.”

“Ah, don’t worry. He just prepared it as part of the usual act. If the act goes well, he planned to give it to the people of Sector 47 as an apology and for image management. Even if it’s a promotional B-grade item, it’s a premium item for ordinary survivors. It should be more than enough as compensation for the wasted day.”

Well, in the end, the blame will fall on the losing side.

Squeak!

Hyde’s words made Ian stop the car and sit quietly for a moment.

“What? What?”

“...Tsk. Your way of speaking is starting to sound like the professor.”

“Oh! So? Do you feel closer to me now?”

“No. I find it even more repulsive. Get out! Since we have to take down that monster, we need to arm ourselves.”

“Oh! Arm! Show me the gun! I want to shoot- Aaaah!”

Ian opened the door and kicked the excited Hyde out, then got out of the truck and opened the cargo hold.

Clunk! Clunk!

“Pick what you like. Especially, you prefer small and powerful ones, but this time we’re dealing with a monster, not people. I’ll pick something for you-”

“Waaaaaah!!!”

With a still uneasy look, Vex silently followed behind him. Just as Hyde was about to recommend a weapon, a huge cheer from the side made Ian involuntarily turn his head.

“It’s a gun! GUN! Weapons! Gunpowder! Real ones! Not just in memories! Real guns!”

There, Hyde was diving into a pile of wooden boxes, using a crowbar to open the lids.

Click! Clack clack!

“Beretta 92! Made by Beretta in Italy! It’s a pistol that defined an era! Hmm~ The smell of metal! Maybe because it’s a model that has consumed a lot of blood over its long use, it smells like blood!”

Clunk!

“FN P90! Also known as the paintball! The professor really hated this one! During his special ops days, he thought he was dead and got hit in the leg by one of these when a fallen comrade used it. Wow, I’ve seen that memory dozens of times. To actually see it in real life!”

A reaction far more professional and enthusiastic than expected.

Vex couldn’t help but look at Ian. When they lived together, Ian used to show the same enthusiasm when new firearms arrived.

“Uh, hmm... You know a lot...”

“Of course! I’ve read the professor’s gun-related memories hundreds of times! These are the same models that were sold at the entrance of the offline market when the professor first went there. He really wanted them, but they were too expensive, so the shell just drooled. This one saved his life during the Tarel Ground defense, and there’s no end to the stories...”

Clack!

Hyde pulled out a particularly large revolver from the pile of used firearms.

“This one. The S&W M500 is really special to me. When the professor used magic in that world, he imagined this and fired the blood-made bullets.”

Ian nodded involuntarily at the gun Hyde held as if it were a treasure.

S&W M500. A charming weapon.

A long barrel and a revolver-type 5-shot cylinder.

It uses 500 S&W Magnum rounds, which produce nearly twice the kinetic energy of the 50AE rounds used by the Desert Eagle, the superstar of large-caliber pistols.

But it’s also a weapon that, despite its impressive masculinity, is not highly favored due to its weight, capacity, and practicality. Ian himself wasn’t particularly interested in pistols, so he classified it as a promotional item.

‘Maybe... he’s not as bad as I thought.’

Seeing Hyde look at the firearms as if they were idols, Ian’s eyes gradually softened.

“Cough! Parasite... Hyde. You’re more cultured than I thought.”

“Hehehe. Can I take this? The shell knows how to use it, so I can definitely use it!”

“Cough! Sure, go ahead. The ammo is in that corner.”

“Thank you! Really, thank you, Metal! I should try it out right now-”

Clunk!

“Wowwww!!! Grenades! M67! Nicknamed the Apple because of its round shape!”

Thump.

“It’s an explosion! A bomb!!!”

Thump thump! Thump thump!

Hyde, acting like a child visiting Disneyland for the first time, was excited.

Seeing Hyde, who looked at the firearms as if they were the greatest treasures of his life, Ian’s heart started to race involuntarily.

The professor and Vex. Good friends, but there was one thing he regretted.

Ian had long dreamed of a companion who, like him, could stay up for days discussing firearms.

Although Hyde was a parasite in the professor’s body, his soul was different from the professor’s, with a trigger and a fuse. A soul obsessed with gunpowder and bullets, just like his.

Hiss!

In the end, Ian couldn’t control his silly smile.

***

Clunk! Clunk!

Clunk! Clunk!

“Listen carefully, idiot. We have about 15 minutes until the reinforcements arrive. We need to stop Old Picture with just the two of us during that time.”

Looking at the giant body of Old Picture, which was faintly visible in the distance, Ralph Montclaire spoke to the new Inspection Department member who had come with him.

“Even though the suit’s shield can block the mental wave to some extent, it can’t completely block it in that state. We’ll likely lose consciousness after 2-3 hits. So we need to completely draw its attention and escape with full power before that happens.”

“To draw the attention of that huge body... a slingshot won’t do, right? Should I dance in front of it?”

‘Maybe this idiot will be fine. If depression had legs, he’d definitely avoid it.’

Montclaire thought, looking at his subordinate, Ezelle, who seemed light-hearted despite the life-threatening mission. If he had to pick the person furthest from depression in the world, he would choose this cocky subordinate without hesitation.

“That’s why I brought this. Thunder Clap.”

He didn’t intend to drag other members into this suicide mission, but Ezelle’s pre-installed weapon on the exosuit was too necessary to leave behind. Thunder Clap. After barely subduing Old Picture with makeshift methods and causing countless casualties, it was specially developed to deal with large variants.

Thunder Clap is a weapon consisting of a compressed battery and a connected glove, two parts. It releases a massive amount of power through the glove parts on the exosuit’s hands for a short time, and the appearance and sound of electricity crackling when it operates are like clapping, hence the name.

‘If we had eight, or seven more exosuits with Thunder Clap, we could aim for complete subjugation... but the situation isn’t favorable. Still, we should be able to draw enough attention.’

The downside is that it relies on close combat and quickly depletes power, limiting the use of shields and other auxiliary devices. Against Old Picture, it means enduring the mental wave with a weakened shield right in front of the monster.

“...I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have dragged you into this dangerous situation when you’ve only been in the Inspection Department for a short time.”

“Ah, come on. Even if you didn’t come, I would have come alone. Thank you for coming with me, Chief Montclaire!”

“Funny guy. You’ll become great if you survive, idiot!”

Clunk! Clunk!

The two exosuits arrived at the central area, determined. As they prepared to charge, something strange caught their eyes.

“What is it? Someone... is being chased by it?”

“That’s not bad news. It means someone has already drawn its attention before us... We might not have to engage it until the main force arrives. A large black truck... are they Raptors? It looks like a Raptor armed truck, but there’s no mark, so it’s ambiguous. Do you recognize who it is? The sound of gunfire suggests they’re actively drawing it in.”

“Hmm...? It’s hard to tell without a telescope...!!!!”

Suddenly, Ezelle’s eyes widened. The black armed truck without the Raptor mark he had seen at the professor’s shelter before. And the professor’s group, who were involved in the play by the Enforcement Department.

Connecting the dots, it wasn’t hard to guess who was in the truck ahead.

“My God... Why are they always at the center of things...”

“Why. You know... Ah, where are you going!”

Clunk, clunk!

“Hey! Wait! We don’t need to draw attention first! Idiot! Hey, you-”

Ralph tried to stop his suddenly possessed subordinate,

“I have a reason to go first, Chief!”

“You little... Stay there! Hey, hey!!!”

Clunk clunk clunk clunk!

Ezelle was already running towards the armed truck and the rapidly pursuing Old Picture.

***