In a desolate corner of the garbage mountains, two mechs lay in wait, concealed behind piles of trash. Just a hundred meters away, five gnaw-rats rummaged through the garbage in search of food, occasionally glancing around to check their surroundings. Ash assessed the terrain and quickly exchanged a few words with Rune.
Slowly maneuvering Winnie, Ash advanced towards the gnaw-rats, carefully using obstacles to mask his approach. When he reached a distance of twenty meters, he halted, relieved he hadn’t made a mistake thus far. Just as he prepared to strike, a sudden gust of wind swept past him towards the gnaw-rats. Alarmed, Ash cursed under his breath and abruptly pushed Winnie to maximum speed, charging forward.
Winnie rocketed towards the gnaw-rats like a cannonball. But it was too late. The moment the wind picked up, the sharp-nosed gnaw-rats had sensed the threat and scattered. Without hesitation, Ash locked onto one, knowing that once they dove into the trash, catching them would be nearly impossible. Ignoring the other four, he focused on the marked target.
The rush of air roared past his ears, and Ash felt a surge of heat within. His world slowed as his senses heightened, his breaths quick and labored, each one burning his throat like fire. With the gnaw-rat growing closer, Ash kept his hands steady, adjusting his breathing rhythm.
Suddenly, Winnie flung a dagger forward. It struck deep into the ground, just three meters ahead of the gnaw-rat, which was sprinting headlong towards it. Ash almost savored the anticipated scene of blood and gore. But in a remarkable twist, the gnaw-rat twisted its body, planting a paw on the dagger’s blade. With a powerful push, it catapulted off unharmed.
The gnaw-rat’s eyes flashed with relief, as if it had narrowly escaped death. But before it could celebrate, a piercing sound closed in on it. Even its dull hearing picked up the terrifying energy in the approaching wind. Winnie's knee spikes, honed to a razor edge, cut through the air with a chilling whine. If Ash’s knee connected with the gnaw-rat, survival was impossible.
Survival instincts ignited the gnaw-rat's final effort. Its body coiled like a bow, and as Winnie’s knee neared, the creature pushed off against the spike, launching itself toward Winnie's neck.
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A soft “thud” echoed as its front paws were pierced by the spikes. Sharp barbs tore through its soft belly, leaving deep wounds down its hind legs. On Garbage Planet, such injuries were a death sentence for any creature. But it wasn’t concerned with survival now. All it wanted was one final strike at its enemy.
Its razor-sharp teeth, capable of biting through metal, gleamed as it closed in on its target. The gnaw-rat poured every ounce of energy into this desperate attack, knowing this would be the sharpest strike of its life.
Closer, closer. It needed only half a second to deliver the blow. Its eyes blazed, but then… they dimmed in an instant.
A silent blade slashed upward, slicing the gnaw-rat in two. Blood and organs spilled onto the rusty ground, scattering dust.
Ash’s mind finally calmed. Glancing up, he saw Rune standing nearby, watching quietly. At the end of a seven-meter-long titanium rod, another gnaw-rat dangled lifelessly. Rune’s battle had been straightforward: positioned right where an unwary gnaw-rat fled, Rune’s pinpoint attack gave the creature no chance.
Ash waved in Rune’s direction. “Hey!”
Then, he bent down and picked up the gnaw-rat’s split body. “How about that? Pretty good, huh?” Ash boasted.
Rune’s voice was deadpan. “Utterly inadequate.”
Ash scowled. “Inadequate? You have to be kidding me!” His indignation flared at the critique of his proudest skills.
Rune continued, “Aside from basic combat skill, your piloting, shooting, and tactical sense are subpar. Insufficient data to evaluate practical experience.”
“That’s impossible!” Ash exclaimed, stunned.
Rune shrugged, the gesture comically strange for a mech. “Margin of error: 0.3%.”
Ash shot back, “You’re just jealous! You’re trying to put me down!”
Rune replied calmly, “No such possibility exists.”
“Then it’s because my mech’s too old. Haha, that’s it! Want to let me pilot you one day and see?”
Rune paused before asking in a curious tone, “Of thirty-one possible gaps, how did you know one gnaw-rat would pass my position?”
“Pretty impressive, right? Just a gut feeling,” Ash said proudly.
“Gut feeling?” Rune’s electronic eyes gleamed. “Insufficient data. Calculation impossible.”
Ash scoffed, “Calculate? It wouldn’t be instinct if you could calculate it.”
Rune replied coolly, “It was simply a low-probability event.”
“What? You mean I got lucky? Pure chance? I’ll have you know—” Ash growled, his voice trailing off in outrage.
...
Under the dimming light of the setting star, their shadows stretched longer and longer across the rusty ground. Far in the distance, a tall pulse relay tower loomed above Ash’s home like a beacon, pointing the way back.