𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟑: 𝐀𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐲
With exceptional athletic ability, even capable of backflips, the Trigger Happy breaks through the wire formation.
Its agility is astounding. Effortlessly jumping over a wire one meter high, landing beyond the next wire, and sliding under the subsequent one with all momentum intact.
Kicking off a tree trunk and jumping onto a branch, it runs along it, using the trunk as a shield against the arrows fired by the Renegade Warrior coming from behind.
When a branch breaks under the Trigger Happy’s weight, it lands on one foot without any signs of instability.
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The Renegade Warrior running after Trigger Happy also has extraordinary capabilities.
True to its name, the Renegade Warrior, appearing in a form like Japanese armor, tears the wires with a tungsten blade, breaking the branches that are holding them. The sheer strength is unimaginable.
Even if the real grenades mixed in explode, the Renegade Warrior pushes through the blast, moving forward without a hint of disturbance.
Despite having the defense power of a heavy Actanoid, it can move at speeds of about 150 kilometers per hour. Considering that heavy Actanoids usually max out at around 80 kilometers per hour, the speed is terrifying.
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Chihaya’s All-Rounder, classified as a light Actanoid, can only move at around 100 kilometers per hour. Escaping is impossible.
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“. . . . . .Fu, fu-he he, he heh.”
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Chihaya doesn’t even have the luxury to calm her racing heart.
Left on the battlefield reluctantly, Chihaya’s goal is merely to profit by recovering damaged units.
Strapped for cash due to frequent expenditures, Chihaya should avoid combat at all costs. Yet, the battles keep coming, and this time, it’s against two cutting-edge Order-series Actanoids with specs far exceeding her antique All-Rounder.
Defeat is certain. But with no way to escape, fighting is the only option. The only chance is to take a shot.
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“Losses, no, no, no, no. . . . . .”
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Muttering like a madwoman, Chihaya looks at her wallet beneath the monitor and resolves herself.
She must ensure the All-Rounder survives and treat herself to something delicious.
Chihaya directs the All-Rounder’s right shoulder towards the wire formation. The shoulder-mounted sub-camera displays the wires and captures the Trigger Happy deep in the woods.
The assault rifle 『Breakthrough』 is aligned with the right shoulder. Due to the lack of a head, this position is necessary to target the opponent.
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It’s a highly disadvantaged situation. However, the positional relationship that allows her to wait at the exit is a slight advantage.
How to utilize this is the question. She has scattered grenades, including dummies, to prevent the enemy from getting close, threatening to blow everything up with heavy machine-gun fire.
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” K, Ku ru, ru. . . . . .!”
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The moment the Trigger Happy breaks through the wire formation, Chihaya pulls the trigger.
A hail of bullets in full-auto mode attacks the Trigger Happy.
It’s within range, but the Trigger Happy must have anticipated it, evading with a lateral jump even before Chihaya pulls the trigger, and attempts to sprint through the grenade-laden area at top speed.
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“F, Fast.”
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Chihaya knew it, but the Trigger Happy was too fast.
The lag in the display shows the scene from a fraction of a second earlier. It’s too late to aim the gun in response to Trigger Happy’s movements.
Although she knows she must aim ahead of the Trigger Happy, it skillfully maneuvers behind Chihaya’s All-Rounder. Lacking a head and forced to aim sideways, her All-Rounder couldn’t cope.
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The Trigger Happy didn’t fire a single shot as it ran through the grenade zone, passing by Chihaya’s All-Rounder, and calling out through its built-in speaker.
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“Hey, pass!”
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A woman’s laughter.
Looking quickly at the wire squad, she could see the Renegade Warrior slashing through the wires and running towards her.
It then dawned on her that the entire purpose was to bring the Renegade Warrior here and pit him against Chihaya.
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“B, But, that voice is definitely. . . . . .”
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Without a doubt, the voice of Trigger Happy’s Mecha Mecha Guidance Commander was that of the drunk woman from that night.
Crying out in frustration, Chihaya aimed her gun at the approaching Renegade Warrior, wondering what grudge led to so much trouble being caused.
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Was the Trigger Happy planning to watch the fight? It aimed its hidden heavy machine guns from far behind the All-Rounder.
Even if she managed to handle the Renegade Warrior, the Trigger Happy would shoot her in the back, and the All-Rounder would be destroyed.
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Facing certain defeat, Chihaya tearfully looked at the wallet beneath the monitor.
At that moment, a realization flashed through her mind.
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“――Ah, the ‘pass’ means that paper?!”
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Understanding the mistake, Chihaya abandoned the operation of the All-Rounder.
She grabbed the wallet and pulled out the paper. It was the paper given to her that night by the drunk woman, along with $60, with the name Shimitsu Nei and a string of characters resembling a password.
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The unmanned All-Rounder was obviously vulnerable.
The Renegade Warrior, treating it as a mere obstacle, slammed his tungsten blade into the All-Rounder’s right leg.
The right leg twisted inward, crushed with a terrible cracking sound. Red strings of text flooded the system screen in front of Chihaya.
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The All-Rounder, unable to stand, was forced to the ground. The rear camera showed the Trigger Happy aiming its heavy machine gun at the Renegade Warrior.
At that instant, Chihaya turned on her microphone and quickly read the password on the paper.
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“６５DY７７ING!”
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The Renegade Warrior, who had been about to bring his tungsten blade down on the All-Rounder’s body, suddenly stopped.
The side camera showed a close-up of the tungsten blade.
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“It, it stopped? . . . . . .Fu-he he.”
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Chihaya, collapsing onto a pressure-sensitive mattress, let out a strained laugh from the tension.
Right after, a female voice came from the Renegade Warrior.
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“――Stop code authenticated.”
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A stop code. Chihaya looked down at the paper in her hand.
So the writing on this paper was an emergency password to shut down the Renegade Warrior’s AI.
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She didn’t know why the Mecha Mecha Guidance Commander had entrusted her with this paper that night, pretending it was a coincidence, but Chihaya held her chest, relieved that the crisis had passed.
From the Trigger Happy, who had had its finger on the trigger, came a stunned and confused female voice.
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“Stop code? Why do you know that. . . . . .”
“Eh? W, What do you mean?”
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It wasn’t anything at all; perhaps she person shouted “pass” because she person knew I had a piece of paper with a stop code written on it, Chihaya tilts her head in confusion.
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“Ah, I left the voice changer on. . . . . .”
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She almost understands why she didn’t notice, but logically thinking, it’s still strange.
After all, if she turns off the voice changer, she should remember the person she dragged around that night.
Chihaya regains control of her All-Rounder and tries to open the settings for the voice changer.
In the meantime, messages from the Renegade Warrior continued.
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“Commander, don’t use something like a stop code, it’s lame. Well, this last battle is my win, so I’ll confiscate the prize—starting the self-destruct sequence now.”
“. . . . . .Huh?”
“. . . . . .Eh?”
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The Trigger Happy and Chihaya’s All-Rounder both let out dumbfounded voices and look at Renegade Warrior.
The Renegade Warrior slowly raises his right hand, bending his index finger.
Five more seconds until self-destruction, they realize, and Chihaya shudders.
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“Whyyyyyyyyyy??????!”
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The Trigger Happy runs away like a desperate rabbit, reaching out for help. Chihaya’s All-Rounder, with its legs crushed, can’t escape and is caught in Renegade Warrior’s self-destruction.
There, Renegade Warrior, having caused significant casualties, was reduced to splinters along with the last victim.
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