The following morning, Genji opened his eyes to a beeping alarm. This was the signal they had agreed upon when starting their plans. Genji rose from his seat and stepped outside, leaving Rosaline to accompany her father. From this point onward, it was up to Genji to execute their plans.
'It should be any time now,' he thought, stretching his muscles in preparation for the imminent events. Minutes later, a loud explosion reverberated in the distance, casting a luminous cloud of fire and smoke over the city.
At that moment, Genji burst into action, diving into the shadows and dashing toward the city center. He swiftly bypassed the swarm of robots heading for the terrorists and vaulted over a mechanical wall. Using a taser Bennet had prepared, Genji overloaded the security features and advanced further inward.
He raced past the skyscrapers enclosing the forbidden zone and encountered a line of guards. Genji swiftly drew his EMP rifle and eliminated the nearby targets before quickly moving through, triggering alarms as robots scrambled to handle the unexpected intruder.
Unlike other zones in the city, the security measures of the forbidden zone were impenetrable. A wall of laser scanners and patrolling robots made entry without detection impossible. Even if someone found a way to disable these measures, the anomaly would only trigger another alarm.
Therefore, Genji had no choice but to charge headfirst into this area. However, he remained undaunted by the challenge. This wasn't his first time charging into a dense crowd of enemies.
The nearby turrets powered up and locked onto Genji, prompting him to take cover swiftly. As he dashed out from the other side, he used one energy cell of the EMP rifle to instantly disable the turrets.
More robots pursued him, firing their lethal lasers, but they struggled to land a hit due to Genji's erratic movements. Except for a light graze on his shoulder, Genji emerged unharmed after dispatching this wave.
Genji seized a plasma rifle from his enemies and pushed forward, dispatching most waves with his dual firearms. Yet, this wasn't without a cost, as Genji suffered multiple cauterized wounds from the encounters.
The robots guarding the forbidden zone had superior abilities compared to those Genji usually faced, enabling them to predict his movements to some extent.
Fortunately, these wounds were non-fatal, preserving his combat abilities. Although moving through the pain was annoying, it wasn't debilitating.
After charging through the area for a while, Genji encountered a squadron of bulky robots. They sported thick armor, composed of interconnected hexagonal plating, and had compressed turrets mounted on their shoulders. While slow, they boasted impressive defense, impervious to most weapons.
Both of Genji's rifles proved ineffective against this advanced defense. The EMP bullet bounced right off, while the plasma shot barely left a dent. Realizing the rifles had reached their limit, Genji discarded them.
"I guess it's time for me to get serious," he said, drawing his sword.
The robots' eyes glowed menacingly red, observing the incomprehensible weapon switch. Despite consulting their preset settings, nothing in their database could guide them in this situation. They had never encountered someone who would willingly swap out his advanced weapons for an outdated sword.
Before they could analyze further, a streak of light blinded their sensors. "Target possesses an unidentified sword-like weapon. Exercise caution." That was the last report they transmitted before their circuits disintegrated into tiny strips of metal.
Genji pressed on until he reached a field of barren dirt, devoid of metal or technology. At the center stood a building covered in vines and overgrown greenery, with flowers swaying in the bright sunlight.
It was an unusual sight compared to the surrounding city, but Genji knew he had found the place. One of the defensive measures of this building was a constant EMP wave that would destroy most mechanical creations. This created an environment that barred any machines from entering, leaving only normal lifeforms.
While EMP waves were lethal against machines, they had limited effects on living creatures. Although they disrupted the bodily functions of mammals, they were generally manageable. This was especially true for plants, which had different body structures and hundreds of years to adapt to them.
"Genji activated Solid Core and charged into the field. A dull headache hit him, but it quickly faded as he adjusted Solid Core to defend against it. When the pursuing robots saw this scene, they had no choice but to give up the chase and report upward.
Cutting intent coated his sword as he approached the main entrance. With a sharp pivot, Genji sliced through the large doors and landed in an open lobby. He looked around and determined that there was nothing noteworthy here.
Genji raised his sword again and stabbed it into the ground. A wave of cutting intent surrounded him and carved out the floor beneath, allowing him to drop down into the basement.
After recovering from the fall, he pulled out the radar device and scanned for Deep Blue's position. Dim lighting indicated he was closer but not by much.
'So Deep Blue's body is still underground.'
Genji prepared to perform another drop when a sudden sense of danger overwhelmed his instincts. Quickly changing his swing, Genji dove aside, narrowly dodging a high-frequency vibrating blade.
When he rolled back onto his feet, Genji saw a cyan android walk into view. In its hand, Genji spotted a similar blade shaking the air around it.
"The Exterminating series," Genji said, spotting a familiar logo on the right side of the chest.
"I am model G-081, Type N. Code name Slasher. Prepare for termination."
Without waiting for a response, it accelerated at Genji, appearing beside him with a downward slash. Genji hurried to parry the attack but knew this wasn't a feasible option after feeling his hands go numb from the force.
'Since I can't block it, I'll just cut through it.'
Responding to his intent, his cutting ability flared up, coating his entire blade. When the two weapons clashed again, Genji braced the large impact and cleaved through the vibrating blade.
The android's eyes glowed with surprise, but its processors quickly determined the optimal move. It unleashed a heavy stomp, igniting a condensed explosion that propelled itself backward.
Yet this wasn't enough to avoid the streak of light that extended outward from Genji's swing. The android scrambled to block this, but its materials weren't strong enough to resist.
When the smoke cleared, an android with a missing forearm and half-decapitated head appeared. The android had ducked backward at the last moment, barely saving itself.
"Danger level exceeds reported levels. Reevaluating..."
The android tossed aside its broken sword and drew another one from its leg.
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"That's a sharp weapon you have there," Genji remarked, noticing a nick on his weapon in the corner of his eye.
"Exterminate!" With these words, the android charged at Genji again, slashing with its highest possible speed.
However, Genji was prepared this time and ducked beneath the slash with a short swirl. As the two combatants neared each other, Genji executed a quick draw, bisecting the android's torso. Before the android could recover, Genji brandished his weapon again, cutting the upper half into ribbons.
With the fight finished, Genji sat down and took out some food. Due to his weakened physique, utilizing cutting intent required a considerable amount of stamina. This meant he had to replenish himself often if he engaged in high-intensity battles like this one.
He preferred not to run dry mid-battle, even if it meant giving his opponents more time to gather their forces. A few minutes later, Genji stood up and searched for the passage downward. Since his opponents were already prepared, it didn't make sense to waste his stamina when the added time wouldn't make a difference.
After some further searching, Genji found the stairs. It wasn't difficult because the entire floor was deserted. Upon descending, he entered a wide room resembling a grassy plain—a simulation complete with a gentle breeze and the faint warmth of the sun. Genji didn't know how they managed to simulate such an environment, but he understood why the previous floor was so empty.
His enemies preferred to engage him in this area rather than in the cramped hallways above. Not only was the environment conducive to their tactics, but it also provided ample space for them to display their specialties.
Genji spotted multiple robots from the Exterminating Series on this floor. First, there was the liquid-shifting model capable of changing its body at will to adapt to any circumstances.
Next were the same slasher models Genji had encountered on the previous floor, handling the melee aspect. Behind them were a few models unfamiliar to Genji.
The third type of robot had an insectoid shape resembling a dung beetle. A cloud of grey particles hovered around them, emitting a faint hum. These were nanobots—robots smaller than the eye could see, visible only due to their vast numbers.
Further along, were giants standing at 3 meters tall, adorned with armors of firearms. Not a single inch of their bodies was empty of some kind of artillery, giving them an intimidating appearance.
Lastly, there was a peculiar humanoid with spiky hair and multiple drones hovering around it. Unlike the other models, there was only a single unit, further emphasizing its uniqueness. The drones also emitted a frequent blinking red light, giving an ominous sensation.
Genji couldn't discern the purpose of this robot by its appearance alone, but there was no doubt about its danger. Deep Blue wouldn't have deployed only a single unit otherwise.
Genji clenched his sword tightly and readied himself against this group. The robots observed him for a moment before two slasher models and one liquid silver model charged at Genji. The slashers appeared beside him almost instantly, while the liquid silver morphed into a blob that pierced the air above him.
Performing a full 360-degree spin, Genji slashed out a ring of light, forcing the slashers backward. This maneuver granted him enough space to evade the rain of spikes that descended from above. Twisting his body to conserve momentum, Genji slashed upward, bisecting the blob. Unfortunately, the robot was in liquid form, rendering most of the damage ineffective.
Genji flashstepped out from the encirclement and materialized before an artillery giant. With a forceful slash, he cleaved the robot in half before it could fully charge its firearms. However, before he could follow up with more attacks, another artillery giant forced him backward with a plasma barrage.
Then, two more liquid silver models flanked him with piercing jabs, compelling him to parry. Genji used this moment of contact to adjust his midair position, dodging the second robot's attack.
The silver spikes pierced into its partner's blob, merging and returning with increased velocity. In the blink of an eye, Genji found himself surrounded by a web of spikes, each traveling at different speeds and reflecting off the other robot.
Dagger Arts: Focus Strike
Suddenly, a resounding clang of metal echoed before a ferocious force tore through the bindings. This was Focus Strike, an attack Genji had developed in the previous world, harnessing all his body's strength in a single strike. While it possessed tremendous force, its side effects were equally paralyzing.
With this attack, the wall of liquid metal scattered aside, preventing the robots from reforming temporarily. Genji swiftly swapped his sword to his left hand and flashstepped, leaving a deep cut on an approaching slasher as he passed.
Genji materialized above the main group of robots and twisted his body, unleashing a massive wave of light. The insectoids rushed forward and commanded the nanobots to block with their six arms. A cloud of black particles rose into the path of the cutting intent, like moths to a flame.
Numerous popping sounds resonated through the air as arcs of electricity fried the nearby nanobots. Then the blade of light continued downward, slashing through half of the robots below.
At that moment, the spiky-haired humanoid grabbed a drone and hurled it at Genji like a frisbee. As it approached, a light beeping sound emanated, while its blinking red light sped up. Genji realized something was amiss and channeled Solid Core to its maximum potential.
In the next instant, the drone exploded, propelling Genji backward. He careened into the distance, crashing into the ground and skipping over the rocky surface like a pebble across water. Amidst these bounces, Genji managed to land on his feet and adeptly converted the force into a controlled slide.
When he finally halted, two deep trenches lay before him. His left side also bore heavy burns, with patches of skin peeling off in large chunks.
These wounds weren't from the explosion but from the high-voltage electricity discharged during the drone's detonation. Otherwise, the force of the explosion would have killed Genji.
'So that's why there's only one of those. If there are more, they might blow themselves up before they get me.'
In that instant, Genji realized more robots were standing than expected. He swiftly scanned the battlefield, locking onto the insectoids, who were repairing the robots by replacing damaged parts with nanobots.
'Shit. I needed to eliminate those first.'
There were plenty of nanobots in the area, enough to repair the robots numerous times over. It appeared these nanobots could self-repair as well, leaving Genji no choice but to eliminate every controller. Otherwise, he'd face an endless cycle of revivals until he was exhausted to death.
'Fine, I'll stake everything on a single strike.'
His gaze fixed on the regrouping robots, and he pushed flashstep beyond its limits. His body tore against the air's friction, yet his mind focused on seizing the opportune moment.
Genji reappeared before the group, his sword raised overhead. Both hands gripped the handle, yet he relaxed his strength by half. No need for excessive force; his aim was to concentrate all power into one strike, not leave imprints on the weapon.
A colossal wave of cutting intent, larger than any he had unleashed before, materialized and swirled in the still air. The robots' eyes widened in astonishment, but before they could react, Genji swung down.
Then silence enveloped everything. It was pin-drop silent. The cutting intent had also vanished, leaving a tableau of motionless robots frozen in time. Suddenly, the air ruptured into a tremulous storm, rushing to fill the vacuum. This commotion crashed against the paralyzed robots, causing them to collapse into strips of metal and flickering wires, damaged beyond repair.
The only survivors were those at the periphery and the liquid silver models that transformed in time. However, survival didn't equate to combat readiness. The scattered liquid models would take hours to reform into fighting shape while the other robots were severely damaged. The only reason they were alive was because their core processors remained intact by a stroke of luck.
Among these survivors was the spiky-haired humanoid bomber. However, all its drones had joined the scrap pile, leaving it with little combat power.
Genji moved closer to finish off these remaining robots when a concentrated plasma bullet slammed into his sword. His fatigued body couldn't resist the impact, causing the shot to snap the weapon from his hands, exploding in the distance and destroying his sword.
Glancing towards the source of the shot, Genji spotted the air distorting to reveal an anchored sniper. Its barrel tip emitted smoke, while its body morphed under molten red metal.
This was the Stealth Sniper, the 6th model of the Exterminating series. Unlike the others, this model couldn't operate independently. It functioned as full support with only two abilities: stealth and sniping.
Once set up, it cloaked its user with a distortion field, capable of eluding all detection. However, once anchored, it couldn't be moved until the user undid the setup. It also possessed only one shot, requiring half an hour to cool down between firings.
Moreover, its stealth effects became useless after firing, becoming a burden to its users more than anything. It was extreme, forcing the user to kill in one shot or face severe consequences.
But despite these limitations, it boasted immense firepower—the highest damage among the Exterminating series, capable of penetrating any obstacle. That was why this model was still in use.
And behind this weapon stood a familiar figure with crimson-red hair: Sinclair.
"You've finally shown yourself. For some time, I thought you were planning to hide until I die of old age," Genji remarked, drawing his spare weapon.
"Why would I do that when you've come here to commit suicide?"
"Suicide? Me? As if. Today, it's you who dies."
"Is that so? Then allow me to show you despair. Come out!"
At his command, the air around Sinclair distorted, revealing multiple robots that had been concealed under the Stealth Sniper's effects.
'Shit. Round two,' Genji thought, facing another group of robots, identical to the previous batch. 'This is going to be a hard battle.'