𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟏: 𝐀𝐦𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐡
Sliding down the snow with a gliding motion, raising a cloud of snow.
Chihaya, controlling the All-Rounder, drew the large-caliber handgun, Rock Driller, slung at her waist, grabbed the trunk of a tree, and swung around it to face the opposite direction.
A piercing bullet flew from the Rock Driller, breaking through the snow cloud and aiming at the fern-legged scorpion that had been gliding.
The recoil that would break one’s shoulder if fired with a bare hand travels through the arm of the All-Rounder. The warhead, with explosive power of that magnitude and a tungsten core, penetrated the body of the fern-legged scorpion.
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However, the fern-legged scorpion isn’t built so soft that it would stop with a single bullet. With its pincers open, it swung them at the All-Rounder, showing no signs of feeling pain as it continued gliding.
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“Naa!”
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Yelling an incomprehensible scream, Chihaya leaned her weight to the left while jumping on a pressure-sensitive mattress. The All-Rounder, receiving the command, jumped left and rolled over the snow.
She directed the All-Rounder, which quickly recovered with automatic control, towards the middle of the Wagawa upstream mountain range.
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The fern-legged scorpion pulled out its pincers stuck in the snow, changed direction, and exposed its flank. At that moment, Chihaya’s All-Rounder pulled the trigger of the Rock Driller and shot.
The fern-legged scorpion’s movement slowed as it was hit directly on the flank by piercing bullets. One of the multiple bullets seemed to have damaged an organ, and blue blood started to flow.
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That wound wouldn’t allow the fern-legged scorpion to catch up to the All-Rounder, but knowing its persistence, Chihaya remained alert. She couldn’t lead it to the base of Unison Human-Machine Technology, where compressed hydrogen cylinders were being transported.
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In the forest, Chihaya’s All-Rounder aimed at the charging fern-legged scorpion with the Rock Driller held in both hands.
Two shots, one after the other, were fired.
Two more holes opened in the large body of the fern-legged scorpion, which then became unable to move its legs, possibly due to loss of blood circulation. Its corpse, drawn by gravity, slid down the snow and stopped, caught in the trees.
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Finally breathing a sigh of relief, Chihaya headed back to the place where she hid the compressed hydrogen cylinders, replacing the magazine of the Rock Driller.
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“I’m glad I added the option.”
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Last time, she prepared for the attack of the fern-legged scorpion, against which assault rifles were ineffective, by equipping the Rock Driller, and held it up in front of the main camera.
When renting the All-Rounder, additional fees allow for selecting options. Various weapons can be equipped as options, but this time she chose the handy handgun, the Rock Driller.
Piercing bullets use tungsten for the core and are expensive due to the large amount of propellant. Since Unison Human-Machine Technology is covering the costs this time, it’s reassuring as long as she doesn’t use too much.
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She dug out the compressed hydrogen cylinders she had hidden under the snow to keep them from being stolen or tampered with by animals and had the All-Rounder carry them.
Chihaya looked at the map and battery level. There was plenty of charge left.
The mining base for rare metal deposits, her destination, is only a few hours away.
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While making the All-Rounder walk on the snow, Chihaya sent a message to Unison Human-Machine Technology, emitting the identification signal that had been previously agreed upon.
It was time to contact them so as not to get caught in the security net around the base and be mistaken for an attacker and attacked.
While wondering about the lack of communication, Chihaya, who had climbed the snowy mountain for about thirty minutes, found something black buried in the snow, halfway on the edge of the distant forest. She became cautious and stopped her steps.
Operating the main camera of the All-Rounder, she enlarged the image.
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“. . . . . . Band?”
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Three machines classified as light All-Rounder series, Band, were down.
Although cheap, they have power and good response, so they are often used at construction sites. It is said to be frequently used in the early stages of base development, as it can quickly gather numbers.
The heads with cameras were destroyed on all three Bands.
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――Something that destroyed the Band is nearby.
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Chihaya immediately stepped hard on the pressure-sensitive mattress and made the All-Rounder run.
In an instant, bullets were shot into the snow. Whether it was due to lag or because the All-Rounder had started running, fortunately, it didn’t hit the compressed hydrogen cylinder.
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“That’s dangerous!”
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It’s a cylinder filled with compressed hydrogen. If bullets were shot into it, it would be a huge explosion. Even with the All-Rounder’s metal body, if the transported goods exploded, it would be hopeless.
While desperately running into the forest, Chihaya made the All-Rounder aim the assault rifle and fire into the snow.
But unlike the previous battle with the fern-legged scorpion, the snow didn’t whirl up.
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“It’s wet and hardened with water?! Why?!”
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It was clearly an abnormal situation. It seemed that they had anticipated Chihaya’s behavior pattern, preparing an ambush and hardening the snow.
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Somehow getting the All-Rounder into the forest, Chihaya contacted Unison Human-Machine Technology again.
The reply to Chihaya’s message came while she was leading the All-Rounder deeper into the forest.
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『Due to the destruction of three Bands, we are currently focusing on base defense. We cannot assist as we cannot afford to reduce our units in night combat.』
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It made sense. Night combat has high risks, and that was agreed upon.
However, then.
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『We are waiting for the delivery of compressed hydrogen cylinders.』
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Chihaya couldn’t agree with this sentence either.
During night combat, avoiding an unseen attacker who was fully prepared and waiting, Chihaya was told to deliver the compressed hydrogen cylinders that could explode with a single bullet, and tearfully muttered.
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“That’s unreasonable. . . . . .”
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