8 – Ruins, Albyon (8)
A sound could be heard in the distance.
Eerie, scraping sounds that resembled hundreds of scratching against the walls.
The blood froze. It felt as if everything had turned to ice. The trembling body reacted a beat too late.
An unexpected situation that hit us without preparation.
For a moment, we stood there dumbfounded. Various complicated thoughts raced through our minds.
…And then.
I looked at Scarlet Peridot’s face.
Her pale complexion. Only after seeing it did I realize how much time I had wasted.
“…Oppa.”
I remembered why I had kept playing Drakan.
…Not twice.
I can’t do it twice.
Move.
“Scarlet! Did you get the supplies?!”
The paused time starts flowing again.
“They, they are still there! But…!”
“For now, let’s move!”
Luckily, we had prepared in advance. We almost ended up going empty-handed.
[Intruder detected]
[Security system under inspection…]
[No signs of detection.]
[Recruiting troops…]
[No remaining troops.]
The machine that had been babbling abruptly stopped. The flashing red lights returned to white.
However
I hear the sound of a timer. The unusually loud ticking needle sound covers the entire facility.
I grabbed her cheek and looked straight into her eyes.
“Stay alive, Scarlet.”
“……”
Scarlet Peridot placed her hand on her chest. After taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and opened them again.
The voice still sounded weak, but the vitality had returned.
“…Not exactly a dragon, yet called a dragon.”
The sarcastic remark lacked strength.
Nevertheless, determination found its destination.
“To think my life depends on the first gamble I make. It doesn’t sit well with me. I’m not prepared… and I haven’t even assessed the enemy’s power.”
“But you have to do it.”
“You’re right.”
She nodded her head. She held onto me tightly.
“…I want to go out too.”
Scarlet Peridot’s voice returned.
Calm, rational, sharp, and cold-hearted.
Just as usual.
“Together with you.”
…
“What about Jinhyeong?”
“I’ll take the lead. You follow behind.”
“I’d rather…”
“My synchronization rate is only 50%. I’ll be confused and weak. There will come a moment when I have to inevitably abandon the Titan. So, until that moment, use me as a shield. It’s okay. In the final moment, both of us can ride on one Titan. That’s our best chance for escape.”
Scarlet Peridot boarded the Titan. She quickly inspected the interior and forcibly synchronized with the Titan’s core.
Flametail Unit 2 began to activate. Light entered the two enormous machines.
[Access…]
[Internal facility check in progress…]
[Pilot identification in progress…]
[System starting.]
Amidst numerous holographic windows, her screen connected.
“Do you hear me?”
“I hear you.”
“Drakan, stick close and follow me.”
“…You don’t have any thoughts of sacrificing yourself, do you?”
Scarlet Peridot raised her head.
“I won’t lie to you like that.”
“…Alright.”
Even if such a moment comes, I’ll just have to save myself by force.
[1 minute left.]
My synchronized vision began to move the real-life Titan for the first time. Smooth sensations and movements.
An electrifying thrill surged through, as if I had become a giant. It’s different from the simulator. This one is a little more…
Agile and powerful!
“Let’s go, Drakan.”
The only escape route began to open. Scarlet Peridot’s Titan stood at the front.
Armed with a tactical shield and a massive gun, combining ammunition attached to the back, the giant emitted a loud mechanical sound.
Unpleasant sounds of metal were heard from below the opening escape route. As if it was expected, the cleaning crew of Harvesters began to rush in.
She took a short breath. Moving the creaking Titan, she brought the tactical shield forward.
A tactical approach to minimize damage while breaking through.
“…Drakan.”
She called my name.
I replied, “I’m listening.”
“…Please survive. Both of us.”
“……”
Instead of replying, I tightly gripped the giant tactical shotgun.
Let’s go.
Fight for survival.
…
“Confirm Titan 2 system.”
“Connection starting…”
“Blocked.”
“Hacking attempt failed.”
“Farmer. Give orders.”
Numerous panels blinked. Farmer quietly held his breath.
Inhale and exhale. It meant nothing to him, his body didn’t breathe oxygen in the first place. Yet, there was a reason behind the need to maintain respiration.
To predict the behavior of intelligent life forms, one must become an intelligent life form.
That was the task of the Harvest Command specimen, Farmer.
To resemble humans more than anyone else, for the future of the Harvest.
To resemble humans, and then exterminate them all.
Farmer, Previs exhaled steam from his entire body.
“How long since the cleaners went in?”
“Order confirmed.”
“Cleaner 362 entered sector B.”
From Noble mtl dot com
Orders are quickly executed, devoid of any conflicts.
Instantly actionable commands, weapons.
Previs checked the battlefield beyond the panels.
“…Titan.”
A machine originally created for simple mining purposes.
But now, it was different. Through countless resource wars and territorial invasions, the simple mining robot evolved into a human weapon.
And that human weapon became the weapon of these indigenous creatures after decades of battlefield experience.
If Previs had to choose the best Titan among them, he could name the Titan of the clans without hesitation.
Strong and robust.
Rugged yet delicate.
If the Titans of other races were only at the level of “following” the human’s Titans, then the Titans of the clans were already a new level of their own field.
Those who have the most advanced technology on this planet.
How many armies had they sacrificed to invade the city of Albeion?
Two of those machines were in front of them. The people inside were probably surviving clan members too.
Previs quietly glared at the machines beyond the screen.
The glorious Titan pilot who resisted until the end.
He was operating the same machine as that one.
“Kill them.”
As the escape route opens, the screen behind the panel begins to flicker.
One of the Titan vessels raises its tactical shield. A massive barrel thrusts forward, spitting fire.
A simple janitor couldn’t possibly stop the advancing entity. However, they were deployed to assess their combat capabilities.
Kwaaang!!!!
An explosion erupts. The janitorial vessels are instantly swept away.
Previs casually glances at the broken janitors.
“They’re pathetic.”
There was only one conclusion.
Just ratlings hiding in an underground facility.
The interest fades.
“Farmer. Janitor Model 112 destroyed.”
“Requesting additional reinforcements.”
“Three Combines ready for deployment nearby.”
“Designation: Shunayzer Zero.”
“Give the order.”
A Titan-class vessel designed to counter Titans.
Combines.
They should be enough. For such mediocre Titans.
No need to use a sledgehammer to kill a fly.
Having confirmed the Titans breaking through the encirclement with aerial reconnaissance drones, Previs nods his head.
“Deploy the Combines.”
“Deploy the Shunayzer Zero.”
“Deploy the Shunayzer Zero.”
“Deploy the Shunayzer Zero.”
The Harvest Titan units appear, demolishing parts of the buildings.
Massive barrels spewing fire. Some sections of the structures crumble under exploding gunpowder.
Janitors are torn apart by bullets that spare no allies. The Titan of the Dragonkind wielding the shield wavers.
A feeble Titan crouches without even considering resistance.
Firepower is on our side.
Ranking is higher on this side as well.
“It’s over.”
Farmer Previs summarized the situation like that.
Until beyond the panel turns red.
“Snizer Zero destroyed.”
“…What?”
Previs quickly turned his head. He felt a huge explosion coming out from beyond the screen with his whole body.
The Titan, which had been hiding behind a single aircraft all along, began to move. Its armament consisted of merely a large cutter knife and a tactical shotgun.
But…
One nearby Combine was split in half in an instant.
“What…?!”
Previs slammed down the panel. The newly measured combat rating appeared before Previs’s eyes in an instant.
“Danger level 8…?!”
A danger level rarely seen even among numerous war records.
That…
Isn’t it similar to the one he killed last?
“…No.”
Previs denied it.
No. Don’t be mistaken. He is dead. I killed him with my own hands.
Destroying a single Combine was nothing but a coincidence.
Don’t get excited. You have to think logically.
“…I change the orders.”
The farmer of the Harvest.
Commander individual, Previs issued additional orders.
“Add 5 more Combine aircraft. No room for carelessness. Increase the risk level of the escaping race. “
“Demanding rating.”
“The rating is…”
Previs lifted his head. Another Combine aircraft suffered. A blade was lodged in its remaining shoulder.
The boundary between torn body and head. The torn-apart aircraft sluggishly moved its body.
It took just 1 minute for three aircraft to suffer.
I blinked for a moment, and everything was already blown away.
Once again, the plan required revision.
“…Declare threat level 8…no, level 9.”
Previse felt a surge of emotion. He wondered what this feeling meant.
It was the same as then. When he saw the Dragon species burning during their final moments, a wave of pleasure washed over him.
Being a commander level entity and a ‘Farmer’ did not mean he enjoyed full autonomy. All actions of a ‘Farmer’ were solely for the sake of his species.
…But.
There were emotions he could feel within those actions.
During the war of conquest, he fought fiercely with the last remaining Titan and a young Dragon species who peered from behind torn gloves.
“…..”
But he had died. Previse knew this. He had personally confirmed the extinction of his life signs.
He felt nostalgic for memories that would linger for the rest of his life.
…But.
Wasn’t someone to take his place now in front of him?
“Prepare the Frost.”
Farmer Previse turned around.
“I will move personally.”