T.A.L.O.S

Her thoughts tangled into a chaotic mess.

The auditory hallucinations that usually accompanied her migraines rang out louder than ever.

Honoka, Honoka. A voice calling her name. Giggling laughter. A rough yet gentle touch. Tanned skin. Black hair just starting to grow in at the roots. Sharp eyes. A punkish look and attitude...

Hummmm—

She drowned it all out in the hum of the Repulser. Sensing something off in her brief hesitation, her three teammates turned their attention back to the front.

She couldn't show even the slightest hint of agitation. Even though she held the position of team leader, that was precisely why she had to be mindful of her team's eyes on her.

The executors within the same team did not just coordinate to carry out missions; they were also meant to monitor one another.

"Hmm... I guess just a name isn't enough."

Swoo chuckled softly, looking at the gentle-faced woman visible behind the shattered tactical mask.

Her face was completely blank. There was no change in her expression.

Yet, Swoo had clearly seen the faint flicker of agitation when she uttered Kou's name.

Of course, it was a minuscule reaction. The woman quickly returned to her executor persona and activated the Repulser.

Seeing this made Swoo wonder once again.

Was Honoka's mind still that of a cyberpsycho, or did she stand somewhere between a cyberpsycho and a human?

If she had to guess, it was likely the latter.

A true cyberpsycho wouldn't be able to receive orders and execute missions like this.

Yet, she couldn't be said to possess sound reason either. It was impossible for a rational human to wear such a hollow expression.

That led to a rough conclusion.

Eden's ruling class, including the ECPD, possessed a way to control cyberpsychos. Perhaps they even knew how to cure them completely.

But they would never release it to the public.

Because the most efficient way to deal with a nuisance was an "accidental death."

And the most common form of such an "accidental death" was going cyberpsycho and being gunned down.

Just like Tybalt, whom she had met before.

Thus, the ruling class prioritized control over a cure, and the result of that was the Honoka standing before her now.

It's just like hypnotic brainwashing.

Was this a matchup of a tanned punk versus hypnotic brainwashing?

Now that was a matchup to get the blood pumping.

"I'm glad you're alive."

Swoo's voice, filled with genuine relief, was swallowed by the roaring noise.

The three executors, excluding Honoka, lunged forward simultaneously. They moved with absurd speed. Even if Enoch pushed his Horde implant to its absolute limit, he wouldn't be able to match this pace.

But that was Enoch. Swoo's senses had long since surpassed such speeds.

Her languid grey eyes widened. Her slit pupils tracked their movements. Her tail, which had been swaying gently amidst the static, puffed up. A thin smile played on Swoo's lips.

How durable were those tactical suits they wore?

She didn't know. So, she decided to find out.

Thud. With a light step, the ground erupted beneath her. A thick cloud of dust filled the air.

The executors were unfazed. Their tactical masks came equipped with thermal imaging as a default.

In the distance, they identified the traces left where Noise had been standing. Following the trail, they predicted her trajectory.

There were five possible paths. Toward those coordinates, the three fired their pistols simultaneously.

The smart bullets were guaranteed to hit their designated targets, which had already been locked on via thermal imaging. At this rate, she would inevitably be hit.

Of course, they didn't expect to finish her with mere tech pistols. This was the assailant who had shot down a tactical transport. To ensure a confirmed kill, the three executors plunged into the thick smoke.

Or at least, they tried to.

With a sharp snap—like the flick of a finger—their vision warped.

"Hmm, are you Beta?"

"Gark—"

Noise, suddenly appearing right before his eyes, struck him across the face. She hit the exact spot where his mask had cracked during the transport's crash.

Was it a fist? Or a leg?

He couldn't tell. Knocked down by the incomprehensible impact, the executor transmitted the data recorded by his tactical suit to his teammates to help them track the opponent's movements.

It was pointless. Noise moved far faster than they could accelerate their movements to match the data.

"You must be Gamma."

*Crunch!*

An unseen strike dug precisely into the joints of Gamma's abdomen. Gamma went rolling across the ground.

"And you're Delta."

Delta barely managed to react. He threw his body aside with all his might. Claw marks, looking as though they had been carved by a massive beast, gouged the spot where he had stood just a moment ago.

The second attack that followed immediately after was easier to dodge.

*Whoosh!* A chilling gust of wind brushed over his head the moment he bent his waist. He felt no fear. Instead, seeing it as an opportunity, he immediately swung his dagger.

As a weapon wielded by a Talos executor, it was no ordinary dagger. While it fell short of a Repulser, it was a blade capable of outputting power comparable to one when pushed to its maximum capacity.

Much like the Mugeuk created by Zyrec in the past.

Just before the dagger slicing through the air could reach its target, a sharp snap rang out, and the blade cut through empty space.

The target had vanished.

Delta quickly turned his head, searching for any trace of Noise. She was nowhere to be seen. He decided he needed to identify and cover his blind spots immediately.

Just as he was about to move according to protocol, a warning sent by Alpha flashed across Delta's retina.

It was a single word, but it was enough to send a shiver down his spine.

Delta looked up.

He instantly regretted doing so.

The moment he raised his head, an incomprehensible impact smashed into him. His nose shattered, and his cheekbone caved in. His broken neck bone tore through his skin, protruding outward.

The self-healing system flashed a warning message.

Staggering, he administered a nano-ampoule. The crushed bones regenerated and snapped back into place in an instant.

Though he would have to have the bones re-broken later for a proper recovery, he had no choice if he wanted to continue the fight.

Gripping his weapon once more, he transmitted the data.

When the snapping sound is heard, the target's position shifts. With just that information, the three executors formulated a new plan.

They took up positions to cover each other's blind spots. Sheathing their tech pistols, they drew two daggers each. Lowering their stances, they kept a wary eye on the sky.

Snap. The sound echoed again. Looking in different directions, they shared their visual feeds. Thanks to this, they located her position much more easily than before.

Beta threw his dagger into the air. Gamma crouched low. Delta stepped off Gamma's back and leaped upward.

The dagger thrown into the air grazed past the target. It didn't matter. A wire shot out from the airborne Delta's hand, snagging the dagger. Snatching it mid-air, he lunged to stab the target.

Snap. The sound rang out. Her position would shift again. Thus, this attack was meaningless. Delta immediately twisted his body to adjust his stance.

A terrifying sound of tearing wind came from behind. Because he had already twisted his body, he managed to dodge it.

Having dodged, it was his turn to strike.

Beta's wire wrapped around ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Delta's body. Beta yanked the wire, spinning Delta through the air. Harnessing the momentum of the spin, Delta swung his dagger.

Snap. The sound echoed.

This time, Gamma's wire coiled around Delta, violently twisting his trajectory.

"What the..."

The words slipped out of his mouth involuntarily.

Noise's position hadn't changed.

"Fooled you."

An innocent chuckle reached Delta's ears. But he couldn't react. No matter how superior an executor's physical capabilities were, they were still human. Without solid footing, they couldn't exert their full strength.

*Craaaash—!!*

His body bent at a right angle as he was slammed into the ground. *Thud! Thud! Thud!* Heavy impacts rained down on him repeatedly. The suit protecting his abdomen shattered. A breathless scream escaped Delta's throat.

"Was that six times?"

I wonder when the new exoskeleton implants are coming out.

Along with that casual monologue, a sharp snap of fingers echoed. The light weight pressing down on Delta's body vanished. In the sky, behind, in front—Noise was nowhere to be seen.

"Delta confirmed combat ineffective. Alpha, moving to engage."

Having finished tuning her Repulser, Alpha stepped forward. The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠asphalt gouged deeply under her light footsteps.

She enveloped not just her hands, but her entire body in the Repulser.

She had covered herself head to toe in the ultimate spear and shield.

She had noticed that Noise was persistently targeting the joints of the tactical suits, as if she knew their exact weaknesses.

But with the Repulser covering Alpha's entire body, breaking through wouldn't be easy. If the enemy recklessly touched her, they would be torn to shreds. Even if they swung a blunt weapon, it would be pulverized into dust.

No, there was no need to make such distinctions. Before the Repulser, all matter was equal. Whatever it was, it would break.

Carrying that heavy conviction, she lunged forward.

*Snap.* The sound echoed. Noise flickered. *Snap.* Alpha didn't bother turning her head to search. *Snap.* Her teammates, who had backed away, transmitted the target's coordinates.

She reached out toward those coordinates. She didn't throw her weight into it; she simply extended her hand lightly and smoothly.

"Oops."

*Screeech—!*

Unlike Alpha, Swoo had thrown her full strength into her strike, and her arm was violently deflected. Not only that, but her body was pushed back quite a distance, and a wound opened on the hand that had made contact with the Repulser.

Swoo widened her eyes and examined the wound.

Bright red blood was flowing.

She had gotten scratches on her skin while dealing with cyborgs before, but she had never bled like this.

It's still red, at least.

Feeling a strange sense of relief, she licked the wound. Where her tongue touched, only smooth skin remained, as if there had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠never been a cut to begin with.

I'm glad I held back then.

If Salvador hadn't appeared at the Westtown bridge, she would have fought the ECPD, and Enoch would have been executed by Talos in the process.

I should buy Grandfather a present.

With that idle thought, Swoo raised her head. Her eyes met Alpha's as she rushed forward.

The situation was different now.

There was nothing around to worry about.

She had already received a message from Angela saying the rampaging cyberpsycho ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had been subdued, and the nearby citizens had already evacuated.

Talos, the threat she was most wary of, was already charging at her with fire in their eyes.

She had been wounded, and she had bled.

Having traded a few blows with Honoka, the Repulser field enveloping her body seemed sturdier than expected.

Since Talos had deployed, the ECPD would take full responsibility for any collateral damage caused to the city.

So, wouldn't it be fine to cut loose just a little bit?

Using thirty percent of her magic instead of a mere one percent...

Should be fine, right?

A deep smile spread across Swoo's lips.

Feeling a strange sense of unease, Alpha accelerated.

Hummmm—

The Repulser waves radiating outward swept away the dust. They pulverized the trash and cars scattered along the path toward Noise. The asphalt was flattened smooth, and the very air trembled.

The electrical currents surging through her body stretched time. Her neural acceleration implants, pushed to their absolute limits, burned through her blood vessels. Blood poured from her nose and eyes, but Alpha paid it no mind and kept the implants running.

She glared ahead, trying to read her opponent's movements.

She didn't even need to try that hard.

It was the exact same move as before.

Seeing Noise throw a punch at her Repulser-clad body, Alpha extended her arm, once again confident of victory.

"Huh?"

A dumbfounded sound escaped Alpha's lips.

The punch pierced straight through the Repulser. Alpha's prosthetic arm was not just deflected, but completely shattered. The horrific roar tore her eardrums. Her body rolled pathetically across the ground.

Loud warning alarms blared in her head. Messages stating she was unfit for combat and notifications of reinforcement deployment flashed incessantly.

Alpha couldn't pay attention to those alerts. There was nothing she could do but stare blankly at the sight unfolding before her eyes.

District 7 of South Peak had been half-destroyed.