Chapter 60
Chapter 60
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Translator: Mod7
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: Chapter 6 - Calculations
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My nerves were frayed.
I carefully reconnected Amy’s severed head, meticulously weaving the torn flesh and severed nerves together.
Sweat dripped from my brow. I wiped it away, my hands moving quickly, my focus absolute.
Ideally, I would have used a high-powered microscope and specialized surgical tools,
But with my enhanced vision, thanks to Alraune, and the nimble vines that extended from my fingertips, I was able to repair Amy.
“…”
And Amy,
Her mouth slightly open, patiently endured the procedure, her eyes never leaving mine.
Just as I was focused on the surgery, Amy, with her beautiful lenses, was focused on me.
We were one, my vines flowing through her body, becoming her new veins, her new nerves.
It was a strange feeling. And Amy seemed confused by the sensations.
“Are you okay? Report any abnormalities immediately.”
“I-I’m fine.”
She blinked more frequently than usual, her voice and the air she exhaled slightly warmer.
“Doctor, there is… activity outside the cave…”
“Juho! They’re coming!”
Both Amy and Isaac,
Delivered urgent warnings.
But I couldn't stop.
I hadn't finished connecting Amy.
“Juho, how much longer? What’s happening…!”
Isaac rushed into the cave.
He was using crutches, his leg replaced by the weapon we had created, but he was still surprisingly fast.
“Not yet. Not yet…”
“Almost finished. Don’t do anything stupid. We’ll make it in time.”
Isaac swallowed hard, his anxiety palpable.
“We need more time.”
“Isaac, I told you, we’re almost done!”
I tried to reassure him,
But Isaac knew that the surgery required more time.
He wouldn't listen.
Instead, he grabbed one of the working rifles, tucking it under his arm, next to his crutch, and headed back towards the cave entrance.
“Isaac! Don’t go!”
Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision. My body, overwhelmed by anxiety, was wasting precious fluids.
Alraune absorbed the tears, and Amy’s face came back into focus.
“Damn it, Amy! Move, please!”
***
As the situation grew more urgent,
Isaac positioned himself outside the cave, determined to buy us time.
Ratatatatat-
The human weapon in his hand, the rifle, roared,
The barrage of bullets creating a barrier, preventing the spiders’ approach.
“Stay back!”
Isaac shouted, using the most aggressive and threatening words he knew.
Even if they didn't understand the language, they understood the message.
Faced with Isaac’s threat,
The spiders hid among the trees, the standoff continuing.
“What should we do?”
But it was only a matter of time before the spiders overwhelmed him.
While he could hold them off for a while, blocking the narrow cave entrance,
The spiders were already formulating a plan to incapacitate him and enter the cave.
“Hmm…”
But,
Contrary to our expectations,
Arachne remained calm.
She paced back and forth in front of the cave, her hand stroking her chin thoughtfully.
It was strange. Having been tricked by Juho before, having witnessed the downfall of her kingdom, she should have been more cautious, more suspicious.
“Wait. Give them time.”
She almost seemed to be enjoying this. She sat down, crossing her legs, humming a tune.
The new Queen’s nonchalant attitude, so out of sync with the tense atmosphere, confused the other spiders, who exchanged uneasy glances.
But none of them understood Arachne’s true motives.
Perhaps they would never understand.
Love, after all,
Burned brightest when you saw your beloved at their most vulnerable.
“I can’t wait to see what he’s prepared. Juho’s secret present.”
Arachne had anticipated Juho’s attempt to escape.
After all,
A newfound determination, a spark of defiance, had rekindled in his eyes recently.
The flame that had flickered and died after capturing Isaac and Aria,
Had been rekindled.
“Let’s have some tea. Bring it here.”
Arachne didn't fully grasp the power of human technology.
But she was certain that the gift Juho was preparing would be something special, something surprising.
“Bring it here. Are you deaf?”
“Y-yes, Your Majesty…”
So she waited, smiling,
Anticipating the humans’ creation.
The culmination of centuries of technological advancement.
The precious treasure that had rekindled the light in Juho’s eyes.
“Good. Once I finish this tea, you may enter the cave.”
Arachne’s long fingernails tapped against the teacup.
Tap- tap-
“Subdue the male first, then bring Juho to me.”
And perhaps,
Deal with those annoying underlings while they were at it…
“Th-then shouldn’t we enter now, before he finishes whatever he’s-”
“How dare you question my orders?”
Honestly,
She had no intention of sharing the male with those… inferior specimens, letting them increase their numbers.
Slice-
Arachne’s foot lashed out, severing the head of the spider who had dared to speak out of turn.
The movement was too fast for the eye to follow,
And the large spider collapsed, twitching and convulsing.
Slurp-
Then, a delicate sip of tea.
She savored the fragrant aroma,
Her eyes, one eyebrow raised, scanning the other spiders.
“Any other [sisters] who wish to question my authority? No?”
She and Juho were enough to rebuild the spider kingdom.
She had no intention of creating another overcrowded, disgusting nest.
That’s why they had failed before.
“Good. I’m almost finished.”
Arachne’s teacup was almost empty.
The spiders’ faces paled, their already white skin becoming even whiter with fear.
Slurp-
The tea tasted particularly good today.
A faint smile played on Arachne’s lips,
And she drained the last drop.
***
“Still not finished? Hmm…?”
The reconnection was almost complete.
I had stitched the torn flesh together using Alraune’s vines, and the nerves, though crudely, were connected.
The surgery was in its final stages. Now, we just had to wait for Amy’s circuits to adapt and integrate with the repairs.
“Yes. My apologies. Combat functions are still offline.”
But it was taking too long. The surgery had been successful…
Or perhaps I had made a mistake. While it had gone surprisingly well, considering the circumstances, perhaps it was too much to expect a full recovery.
“Just a moment. Th-this is strange… I didn’t miss anything…”
“Perhaps it is due to the extended period of separation. My apologies.”
Amy could move her body now,
But she wasn't functioning at her full capacity. This wasn't good. She needed her combat capabilities, at least enough to defend us against the spiders…
“Please re-examine the connection points.”
Amy touched the back of her neck, requesting assistance.
But we couldn't wait any longer. Isaac was outside, buying us time, firing his rifle.
Bang- ratatat-
“Please… please…”
I examined the connections one last time. But neither Alraune nor I could find any errors.
It was beyond our ability to fix. All we could do now was pray for a miracle.
“You can’t get through-! Never!”
Ratatatatat-
A deafening roar echoed from outside the cave. Isaac was firing his rifle non-stop.
The spiders were trying to break through. If this continued, Isaac would be overwhelmed.
Even with a healthy body, holding them off would be difficult,
And Isaac was missing a leg.
He was a sitting duck, no matter how many bullets he fired. The spiders would simply keep their distance and attack him with their webs.
“…Stay here. While Isaac and I buy us some time, try to reboot your systems and activate your combat functions.”
I grabbed [his] knife, preparing to help Isaac.
Even in hand-to-hand combat, I wouldn't be easily defeated.
“Isaac, hold on! I’m coming-”
But my body wouldn’t cooperate.
“Doctor.”
Amy grabbed my wrist.
“Stay here.”
Despite her earlier report about her limited functionality,
Amy’s grip was strong enough to leave red marks on my skin.
Our eyes met.
Amy’s advanced processors,
Had already calculated the optimal solution.
Her thought processes were different from those of Jenny, Arachne, or any other living being.
Amy made the decisions I couldn't.
Even if they were,
Inhuman, unethical,
Amy didn’t care.