317. Highlights (2)
Although he was her son, Astrid didn’t really pour much trust into him.
Of course, one might think it strange to have such feelings considering the footsteps the male had taken up until now, but that’s just how parents feel when looking at their blood kin.
Especially when the other person has control over all of Martop’s facilities, such worries are justified.
However, there was one thing that she could be certain of.
“I… Is that really okay?!”
While observing Professor Boris urgently speaking with his disheveled hair and his trademark large glasses precariously perched on his face, Astrid let out an exasperated sigh.
Her son had a way with women, indeed…!
“…Boris, weren’t you originally someone who wasn’t interested in others-“
“Professor, I am your son, after all?! Aren’t you worried?!”
…
No.
They probably hadn’t even spent a full day conversing face to face.
But how did they manage to turn a woman who had no interest in anything other than machines and dinosaurs into someone who now eagerly blinked her eyes in just that time?
From Noble mtl dot com
…
No, seriously, how did he do it?
Was he emitting pheromones?
Even without that, there was already a truck’s worth of women who were entangled around him, but if even breathing in his vicinity caused entanglement…!
“I’d rather you kill me.”
“Yes, yes?! You, too, Doctor, do you think the same way? Leaving me as I am would be just perfect for dying, right?!”
“No, I didn’t mean…killing me.”
Astrid, while even experiencing a headache from the position of having all her organs stored in life-supporting devices, gripped her head with the appearance of a steel giant, yet Boris’s trembling hands continued to speak.
“W-We have to help, right? Professor Mobius is the opponent…!”
“How can we help?”
Of course, aside from those emotions, at the moment, there was the reality that they had very few means to help their opponent here.
Professor Astrid spoke with a slightly rigid voice.
“All of our ‘pieces’ that we can control…are all under the influence of his facility’s control.”
Of course, even Professor Martop himself, as a professor, had a certain amount of combat power due to self-modification, aside from those pieces, but still.
“…There’s no way for us to intervene in that level of combat.”
Even within the continent, it was said that the battles between the highest-ranking individuals would usually be determined within a few seconds, or perhaps even within a fraction of a second.
But what unfolded before her eyes now.
It was a battle where a moment’s distraction, even the slightest distraction, would immediately lead to defeat.
The aggressor, of course, was Professor Mobius. This was his home ground, and the Martop, said to be the peak of human technology, was filled with things that lived up to its name.
Dozens, hundreds, thousands of beams pouring in from all directions. It was probably a bombardment of solar beams weaponized by Mobius, prepared in advance in nearby facilities. Beams of light that could surpass the speed of sound rained down densely towards Dao’s direction.
Even if they were considered formidable opponents, they would be easily overwhelmed by attacks like a beehive.
“-Haah.”
With a deep breath, Dawood’s ability to evade everything is truly impressive.
He predicts their movements. He marks the range of the “attacks” that would cause damage. He moves his body within that range and finds a way through.
It’s a terrifying display of movement that anyone would be awestruck by, but Astrid’s first thought is not admiration, but rather curiosity.
“…Something’s strange.”
Just a moment ago, Dawood was trembling from exhaustion, having used up all his stamina. But now, his appearance is completely different.
The fatigue he had just moments ago seems like a lie, as he effortlessly deflects Mobius’s menacing attacks that come at him in split seconds.
In reality, even Mobius seems quite taken aback. Although he did manage to significantly drain Dawood’s stamina, now it seems like he is unconcerned and confidently fighting back with terrifying force.
“…I feel like I’m missing something.”
Among the preparations that man has brought, including various techniques, abilities, items, and most importantly, magic.
All of them are within Mobius’s calculations. He wouldn’t have come unprepared for this.
But still, something.
Some crucial aspect that they overlooked.
“…Despite being so formidable, it seems it won’t end like that.”
Within Astrid’s thoughts, the voice of Alpha standing beside her resonates.
She snaps back to reality and looks around, realizing that the situation is indeed getting much bigger than expected.
“It seems the stakes are higher than I thought. Even Professor Mobius seems to have come prepared.”
As they speak.
-…
-….
-…….!!!!!!!!
The other “research blocks” that make up the tower of eternity gradually draw closer to this stage.
“-That bastard.”
Astrid realizes.
Quite literally, every single weapon in the tower of eternity is being poured out here.
Although Dawood is currently holding his ground, this will ultimately upset the balance.
“And if that’s the case, then we are also here. A means to help.”
At Alpha’s words, Astrid’s thought process abruptly halts.
“Alpha.”
“Yes.”
“If we gather all the facilities like that, won’t there eventually be a place where the control system management is lax?”
“The AI is flawless, but Mobius is the one manually utilizing it. It’s only natural.”
Alpha chuckled.
“We’re trying to expand our influence.”
When two people spend a long time looking at each other’s faces, there are things that can be understood without words.
Alpha and Astrid smiled at each other as they said that.
Expanding influence. If Mobius is trying to gain the upper hand in that way.
“…Certainly, we can help from that aspect too, right?”
There must be a way to give back from our side as well.
“…Yes? Yes? What are you talking about?”
While the two were talking, Boris, who couldn’t follow the conversation at all, turned his head quickly and spoke in a puzzled voice.
“Boris.”
Of course, as a result.
Although he received an uneasy question.
“Hovercar, do you know how to drive?”
“…Yes?”
“Neither I nor Alpha can do it. But you can handle machines, right?”
…”
Boris’s body stiffened.
●
“-Site 1. Railgun, supersonic micro-drones, heat-seeking smart ammunition, prepare.”
Along with such words from Mobius, the voice of an AI that sounded like a control system within the Matap continued.
[Administrator authorization confirmed. Preparation complete.]
“Fire. Commence.”
[Commencing.]
With those words.
-!!!
-!!!!!!!!!!!
A blinding flash as if my eyes were going blind burst forth from every direction.
It feels as if all the weapons prepared throughout the mausoleum are pouring towards me at once.
But, once again.
“-Haah.”
My heart races. The world accelerates.
The ‘range of cognition’ widens as if splitting my head. Meanwhile, my senses become sharper than ever.
I can count the exact number of tiny beetles nearby, the number of blades of grass, the number of pebbles and gravel on the ground, and even the total number of hairs on my body, to the point where I can count them all.
Among them,
I instantly calculate and derive what kind of attack it is just by looking at its form and when it was created.
The trajectory of the bullets, another bullet, the path of the continuous barrage, the range of the blaze, and the gaps in between.
I calculate them all in an instant. In a fleeting moment.
“Four seconds.”
I mutter while sidestepping.
One. Two. Three. Four.
The bullets flying towards me barely miss me.
The pattern ends on the fourth second.
Continuing on.
“Three seconds.”
One. Two. Three.
Without stopping, I leap forward during that time.
The heat-seeking smart bullets raining down from above barely brush past the gap in the blaze I was just in.
The pattern ends on the third second.
The next pattern is unavoidable. Therefore, I brace myself to endure it.
Hold Ultima, generate a shield.
The range encompasses my entire body. In the shape of covering a 120-degree front.
-!
The storm of another bullet that comes rushing from the front is immediately blocked at the forcefield.
[…What is this? Are you predicting the future or something?]
“Well, I’m just avoiding and blocking.”
[Avoiding and blocking also require anticipating the opponent’s attack. How can you respond to each and every one of these chaotic situations?!]
Caliban continues to dodge the attacks coming at him, smiling at Caliban’s question.
Even the slightest mistake could result in a relentless string of attacks that could take his life, but well.
It’s not that difficult.
Activation time. Time reaching me. Evasion direction and my range of motion.
Combining these ingredients to produce optimal results.
It is not a difficult task for ‘myself’ right now.
Thinking like that, I suppress the pulsating ‘yellow’ energy in my chest.
“…Not yet.”
I don’t feel like I’ve fully mastered it yet.
In the ‘integration’ that Jea-sang-nim and I practiced, this level of ability is just the beginning.
If I can truly harness the power of the yellow demon, this level is nothing more than a drop in the bucket.
“…You are really annoying, you know.”
As I think that, Mobius’s voice reaches me.
It is a genuine expression of annoyance. His face is saying, “Aren’t you already pouring it all out and not dying?”
“-But, I can’t endure it like this forever. I’ll just wait for you to die on your own in this spot-“
“You don’t have to wait that long.”
I say that and take a deep breath again.
“It’s only 10 minutes.”
“What?”
“Until you die.”
“…”
“Can you wait that long?”
Mobius’s face contorts horrifically.
●