𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟎: 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞
A shadow raced through the forest, moving at tumbling speed.
At times, it tumbled down the slope, but quickly resumed its pace, taking a defensive stance whenever needed.
Chasing the shadow was a fierce-looking creature that resembled a bipedal small dinosaur. It pursued the shadow relentlessly, hot on its heels.
Desperation filled the shadow.
“Why. . . . . .”
Inaudible mutterings escaped its lips, forming words that only it could hear. These were the words of Usabuki Chihaya, her habitual speech.
Two animals were on her tail. Even though the forest’s trees obstructed their view, the creatures pursued the shadow with uncanny accuracy.
Through gaps in the trees, glimpses of the pursuers could be caught. They were creatures reminiscent of extinct Earth dinosaurs—raptors. These beings, known as yenvers, possessed tiger-striped scales and measured around four meters in length and three meters in height.
With unusually long whisker-like sensory organs, they detected ground vibrations, tirelessly tracking the shadow’s movements.
Despite sprinting at full speed, the shadow couldn’t put much distance between itself and its pursuers. Escaping would be a formidable challenge.
Amidst her sprint, Chihaya stole a glance at the assault rifle called [Breakthrough,] which she gripped with both hands.
“. . . . . .Ugh, I feel like throwing up.”
Her eyes brimmed with tears as she muttered, searching for a small flat spot. Pivoting on her right foot, she directed the rifle’s barrel through the gaps in the trees.
There was no need for precise aiming; she unleashed a continuous spray of bullets. The theory was simple: firing enough would eventually lead to a hit.
Upon pulling the trigger, a barrage of bullets burst forth, grazing tree trunks, stripping bark, and hurtling toward the yenvers.
The yenvers reacted to the sound, looking up. However, a metallic clang resonated as the bullets were repelled.
“Just as I suspected?!”
Despite being within effective range, the yenvers’ scales were resilient, easily withstanding conventional firearms. Witnessing human weaponry bounce off what resembled small dinosaurs was both pathetic and disheartening, even though the bullets’ repulsion must have caused pain. The yenvers emitted threatening roars and charged downhill together.
In that perilous moment, as Chihaya turned to flee, a pursuing yenver caught up and lunged from behind.
“What in the world?!”
With a pitiful cry, she tumbled down the slope, her vision spinning wildly.
Suddenly, the ground vanished—more precisely, it lay several meters below.
“――Ah.”
A fall ensued, and subsequent developments flashed through her mind. Gravity took hold, and she plummeted.
A heavy impact echoed as she collided with the ground, the resonance reverberating through the small valley. Such vibrations surely reached the highly attuned yenvers.
Swiftly, Chihaya regained her footing and retrieved the fallen assault rifle. Thankfully, it appeared undamaged. Though it might not fatally wound the yenvers, it remained her sole lifeline, and she was determined not to see it broken.
Chihaya surveyed her surroundings in haste. The aim was to locate an escape route, but an unexpected sight greeted her in the small valley.
“. . . . . .A container?”
An overturned cargo container, painted a conspicuous red, lay before her. Though devoid of any transport vehicle, it seemed the yenvers had attacked it, causing it to topple into the valley.
Given the current scenario where her firearm was rendered ineffective, the discovery of the container was a welcome stroke of luck.
Then, a piercing howl akin to nails on a blackboard, amplified several times over, pierced the air from the valley’s rear. The yenvers seemed to descend into the valley floor, searching for Chihaya.
Time was of the essence. Chihaya sprinted toward the container with fervor, wrenching open the partially crushed door.
“――Uh-huh.”
Yet, what the container held wasn’t firearms or bullets.
Instead, a substantial cache of drilling explosives lay within.
A twisted smile formed on Chihaya’s lips as she glanced back at the approaching yenvers, her eyes welling with near-tears as she stepped into the container.
The yenvers had spotted her. Without hesitation, they thrust their heads into the container’s entrance.
As she observed the yenvers entering the container, their surprisingly neat teeth bared and drool evident, Chihaya pressed the barrel of the assault rifle 『Breakthrough』 against her chest.
“Ugh, w, welcome this.”
Upon pulling the trigger, the ejected bullet pierced Chihaya’s chest and struck the battery. . . . . .
The battery detonated, igniting the surrounding drilling explosives. The container erupted in flames, with the yenvers trapped within.
The resulting roar shook the small valley, leaving a crater in its wake.
“Falling alongside an explosion, that’s the worst.”
Staring at the screen bearing the words 『Signal Lost』, Chihaya paid her respects to Actanoid, the life-sized humanoid robot she had been operating.
Okay,for a while.