The Golden Warrior
A sly grin crept across my lips.
Honestly, I'd half-expected it. Carlos had that untimely burst of power, so there was no reason Lira couldn't pull off the same trick.
Overclock was basically a berserk state.
Explosively multiplying the P.V. virus surgically adapted to the human body.
To trigger it, you needed a catalyst. You had to shatter the body's balance to unleash the virus's full potential.
But that broken balance didn't snap back easily. A soldier immune to the P.V. virus who popped a catalyst would turn cadaver in a heartbeat—done in by the virus raging inside them.
Catalysts were a last resort. The Defense Bureau never recommended them, not even in the absolute final hour.
But what if you could control it deliberately?
The risk dropped dramatically. You could restore balance right before hitting the limit. Sure, there'd be some backlash, but compared to dying or turning cadaver? Laughable.
Which meant, in a pinch...
When facing an insurmountable obstacle, nothing beat it.
A berserker cloaked head to toe in gold charged ferociously.
I swatted her lightly with a tentacle ripped from my back.
The berserker, all momentum but lacking real power, flew back helplessly, tumbling across the ground over and over.
But she sprang right up. Lira returned to her starting spot with the same ferocious drive. Her clothes were shredded to rags, but steam rising alongside her golden blood regenerated the wounds in seconds.
Her madness didn't wane a bit. If anything, she charged even more desperately, more viciously.
I whipped a tentacle at her like she was pathetic. This time, I hardened it solid and smashed her. I felt bones crunching under the impact.
Lira bounced away again, but it didn't take her long to stand.
Ah, she really doesn't know when to quit. But... I don't hate people who try this hard.
Still, messing around like this, I'd be stuck with Lira forever. Zombie? Ghoul? Vampire? What the hell do you call a berserker soaked in frenzy like her?
None of those lifeless things compared to a vibrant, brainy maniac like this.
While I took a breather, Lira charged again. I swung a tentacle as usual.
But the result was different.
The moment I thought I'd hit, Lira's body twisted in an impossible direction for a human.
I swung again, but she dodged with another jerky maneuver.
I figured it out quick.
Lira's Cheon-gong-gi fists were the culprit behind those freakish moves.
Instead of blasting compressed shockwaves at the enemy, she vented them into empty air for propulsion.
Defying inertia for insane mobility.
Obviously risky as hell. Shockwaves strong enough to yank her mid-flight.
She wasn't really dodging tentacles—just tanking equal or greater force with her body.
Any normal person would've died. Organs bursting, bones shattering after a couple boosts.
But to Lira right now? Meaningless.
Her body was an infinite resource—shatter and mend in seconds. If she could grit through the pain, it was the perfect way to close in on me.
"Show me... more?"
I'd finally spoken up, but Lira didn't even acknowledge it. Too busy dodging to reply?
My bad for not being considerate.
Guess I'd have to match her effort... by sprouting more tentacles.
Three more erupted from my back. Now four tentacles writhed, ready to pound Lira.
One lashed out, followed by two more. Faster than Lira's fragile movements—but no match for her instant bursts.
-Boom!
A massive explosion rocked the air. Golden blood sprayed from Lira's Cheon-gong-gi arm.
She slipped the tentacles like it was routine now.
But what now? Difficulty just spiked at least fourfold from before.
A tentacle was already waiting where she burst toward.
She charged without hesitation.
Another huge boom—she evaded again.
Lira's body launched into the air.
Charging Cheon-gong-gi took time. She couldn't spam those shocks forever.
Checkmate. Too bad—looks like that's it.
I swung a tentacle leisurely. Lira twisted desperately.
Beautiful struggle, but a mere twist wouldn't save her.
But the next instant—
The tentacle pierced straight through Lira.
This wasn't planned?
In my defense, I hadn't meant to wound her that bad. Beating her lightly and causing actual dismemberment? Big difference.
But instead of dodging, she'd twisted into the tentacle, impaling herself.
Why the hell—?
I tilted my head in momentary confusion. In that split second, a grin spread across Lira's lips.
"I'll show you."
She thrust both arms back.
A familiar hum filled the air as it vibrated.
"How I rip bastards like you apart."
-Boom!
Double Cheon-gong-gi acceleration—she rocketed forward, using the piercing tentacle as a rail at overwhelming speed.
Golden blood smeared along the tentacle she rode.
I'd never imagined closing in like this.
What kind of lunatic turns herself into a donut and charges?!
"Die—!!"
Still, one tentacle left.
Smashing her at that velocity would've shredded her. I wrapped her gently instead. Some impact, sure—but survivable.
Lira reached me but couldn't speak, softly coiled in the tentacle.
"Guh... kkh, hack..."
Squeezed too hard? It was choking off her airway. Fine, she'd earned a little slack.
"Heh... hehhe..."
Suddenly, Lira started chuckling.
Abrupt, but not inexplicable. Staying sane after that much punishment? That would've been creepy.
Still, I hadn't wanted her this broken. Must've taken a bad headshot mid-fight.
Poor young Lira. Best to put her to sleep for her own good.
I sidled closer, hands outstretched. I didn't know much about knocking folks out—wrapping the neck should do it in minutes? Risky for normals, but perfect for our pitbull terrier.
-Click.
Wait, when did she ready the Cheon-gong-gi? Right at my chest?
"Nice and warmed up."
Familiar pose. Lira's signature move for sure.
Not some ultimate technique—just building an ultimate gauge mid-fight. Basic stuff: stockpile energy, unleash at the clutch moment.
They called it...
"Buster."
Blue light flashed. Then my entire vision went blinding white.
Carlos held back the endless cadaver horde.
No real trouble. Too easy for the numbers.
"Their movements are off. It's not like they're targeting us—we just happen to be in their path."
"Agree."
"What do you mean? So this whole horde's just... passing by?!"
The flustered enforcer stammered. Not that simple, obviously.
"Look around properly."
"I am!"
Panicked by the overwhelming cadavers, the soldier was blindly spraying bullets. No time to look.
Pointless effort anyway. Might kill some, but mostly just agitating them.
"Stop. No need to shoot anymore."
Enforcers gawked at Carlos in confusion. None disobeyed, though.
"Look again. Are the cadavers charging us?"
Gunfire ceased. With some breathing room, enforcers awkwardly scanned around.
"No... they're not."
Still baffling. They'd been blasting away thinking it was an assault, but now? Carlos nailed it.
Cadavers just moved. Enforcers were in the way. Clashes were pure accidents—guns and claws flailing in panic.
"Are they... running away...?"
A newbie enforcer muttered in disbelief. Defied all common sense.
Cadavers: flesh-craving killing machines. They never feared. Never tired. Fearless slaughter bots.
Absolute truth.
Yet reality contradicted it head-on. Undeniable, shoving the truth in their faces.
"Yeah, they're fleeing. Something over there—whatever it is—has this whole horde terrified."
Carlos stated it flatly. The truth the panicked newbie desperately wanted to deny.
"Any report from Lira?"
"Negative."
Carlos kept his cool, but inwardly? Anxious.
No contact from Lira. Not a good sign.
She was impulsive, sure, but cutting off squad comms for a solo op? Rare as hell. Especially now—something was up.
And the horde fled straight from where Lira and Nera hid.
'Taken down by cadavers?'
Unthinkable for Carlos.
But why the gnawing unease? That gut instinct wouldn't quit.
"Nova. Clear the area fast."
"Confirmed."
Her qubits, scanning terrain, descended from the sky.
Horde mostly gone now. No need to conserve for recon.
Quadruple qubits unleashed a barrage of bombs.
The already scorched surroundings got swept again.
Lost, wandering cadavers crumpled under the barrage.
Nearby enforcers stared blankly.
"This is... 1st Squad."
Too awestruck for self-awareness. Lucky—no one cared.
Nova ignored people anyway. And that starry-eyed admiration? Carlos knew it well.
The enforcer's mutter drifted away on the wind.