Sorry for the delay, I've been busy saving our democracy, in a gaming spree like I haven't had in years xD
As always I hope you like it.
-
The screen flickered, displaying an elegant red animation intro with the Neo-Tokyo skyline and skyscrapers in the background. Upon finishing, the presenter, impeccably calm in appearance, appeared in the center of the screen, with news holograms constantly moving behind her.
In a calm tone, she said in Japanese, ["Welcome to the Neo-Tokyo News Network. We begin with an international news that has shaken the megacorporation Militech. Twelve hours ago, an unprecedented assault took place on one of Militech's bases on the outskirts of Night City."]
The screen split in two, showing the presenter on one side and the morning-after images of the Militech base, partially in ruins, with smoke still rising from the destroyed buildings.
The images changed again, accompanying the presenter's words. ["According to Militech's 'official' version, the attack was carried out by a group of nomadic terrorists known as the Wraiths. They exploited a system update to bypass security measures and carry out their attack. The Militech representative claims that the base forces were able to repel the attack and asserts that, apart from the few destroyed buildings, the corporation has suffered no further damage or theft of technology."]
As the presenter summarized Militech's press conference, images of the conference appeared beside her, showing the Militech public relations representative giving a briefing, with microphones and cameras in front of him.
["However, Militech's official version is called into question by different testimonies from city witnesses, who claim to have seen an unidentified aircraft flying over Night City."]
The screen changed to various sequences with Japanese subtitles of different testimonies from Night City citizens. They narrated how they saw a black ship flying between buildings at high speed before descending and leaving a vehicle on the ground. The news footage also showed the damage to buildings, with many of them having hundreds of broken windows, corroborating the witnesses' accounts while casting doubt on the official narrative.
["Despite Militech's efforts to contain the situation, questions continue to arise about what really happened that night, even affecting Militech's actions, which have dropped by 4.5% since the attack on the base was announced, the largest drop the company has experienced in over 20 years."]
The presenter left the statement hanging, emphasizing the financial impact the incident had on Militech with a certain pleasure, even smiling slightly at the bad news for the American corporation, before adding, ["We will continue to monitor this developing story and provide updates as more information becomes available. Now, in national news, our respected Arasaka has also commented on the 'attack' that Militech suffered, casting doubt on its ability to protect—"]
Before she could finish speaking, the screen went blank, plunging a certain office in Hakonen Castle into an uncomfortable silence. Sitting behind her desk, Hanako, with her assistant Yumeko standing beside her, stared at the three young people steadfastly before them, who avoided their gazes.
"Well? What's your 'version'?" Hanako asked, never imagining that by allowing them to meet Lucyna, they would end up being accomplices to her son in nothing less than an assault on a whole Militech base.
On one hand, Hanako was as angry as she was proud to learn of the efficiency with which they had all worked with her son, perfectly fulfilling the purpose she had in mind when creating the Cloud unit.
Moreover, causing a significant amount of losses, both monetary and in reputation, to Militech, which for any self-respecting Arasaka... would make her smile, even if only slightly... Hanako was sure, even her father would be glad to hear the news.
According to her security chief, Oda, whom Hanako asked how he would carry out the assault on the same Militech base and how he would take the ship they were developing, he frowned and replied that it would be difficult to carry out... And yet, these young people in front of her had done it and had enjoyed doing it...
"I-I don't know what you're referring to, Hanako-sama," replied the young Afro-American man, taking a step forward while nervously squeezing his cap between his hands.
"Oh, you don't know, Chancellor? It seems that your time in the city has made you reckless if you really think you can get away with lying to me," Hanako said, focusing her gaze full of reproach on him.
"I-I would never try to lie to you...!" Chancellor quickly replied, almost as a whisper, concluding as he took a step back and aligned himself with his brothers, "I'm just playing dumb, ma'am!"
Hanako released her gaze from Chancellor, allowing him to breathe again, while adding, "I see..."
Surprisingly, the next one to try to deny the facts was Lewis, who took a step forward and said, "With all due respect, Oyakata-sama, I believe our best strategy is to say nothing. Even though there are many suspicions, we should continue to deny our involvement in what happened, relying on the lack of solid evidence.
At the same time, shift responsibilities onto... "the grandson of Musashi Hatake." We only did what we were ordered to do," he said solemnly, not daring to look at her.
"I see..." Hanako repeated with the same tone, nodding slightly as she found Lewis's bold yet respectful intervention amusing. Meanwhile, she signaled Niobe, elegantly seated beside her, who lit up her eyes as she activated the holographic cannons, beginning to broadcast part of the latest message from... "the grandson of Musashi."
["Ma, I don't know what you've taught those guys... but they're uncontrollable!... They didn't stop until they practically forced me to attack Militech's base... I didn't want to, you hear me? All of this is their fault!"]
Before the message could finish, a female voice interjected, ["You're going to get them in trouble."]
Her son's projection quickly turned towards her and said, ["Sha! Shut'up."]
Before turning back to the front and concluding with a falsely reproachful tone, ["Where was I? Ah, yes! You talk big about discipline this and discipline that, and the people who work for you are like this... Tch, tch, tch, what an example."]
Listening again to her son's brazen response, Hanako couldn't help but roll her eyes before turning to the incredulous Esme, Lewis, and Chancellor, who were still staring at the halted hologram of Sora, containing their laughter, before it disappeared.
When they finished processing what her son had just sold them...
Chancellor was the first to react, gritting his teeth as he muttered, "Bastard!"
Lewis could barely contain himself as he exclaimed, "The nerve..."
While flustered Esme tried to refute his version, "That's not what happened!"
Observing their reaction to the message, Hanako remained silent, slightly surprised by the "familiarity" with which they dared to insult her son in front of her, deservedly so. She sighed before adding, "Obviously, knowing him, I can't believe a single word he says, but... I see that knowing the truth about him, being my-"
Before she could finish, "I don't know what you're referring to, Hanako-sama," Chancellor interrupted, looking her in the eyes for the first time.
Followed by Lewis, who, copying his brother, glanced at Hanako and added, "Sorry for losing our composure, it seems that... 'the grandson of Musashi Hatake' has that ability."
Even young Esme spoke between the lines, also looking seriously at Hanako, "Yes, it's better if we're more careful with what we say here, we don't know who we might offend."
Understanding their intention to protect her, Hanako smiled faintly before dismissing it completely. "I appreciate it... but if you think that's going to make me forget your involvement in the assault on the base... you're very mistaken... now start telling me everything that happened on your visit to Night City and the condition of Lucyna."
"Before saying anything..." Chancellor, though still cursing inwardly, believing it might be something important, approached the table and placed a black chip with blue markings on it. "Ha-Hanako-sama, this is the message that... the grandson of Musashi Hatake asked me to deliver to you."
Surprised by the sudden message her son had prepared, excited to know what it would be, Hanako ignored her usual software security and inserted the chip into the port on her neck, letting all her anticipation flip upon incredulously listing its contents.
"Three types of different missile launchers, twenty-two Bakuryū surface-to-air missiles, and another twenty-two Tenran air-to-air missiles, in addition to six heavy Ōgon Gatling guns with over five thousand rounds of 20 mm Vulcan ammunition..." Upon finishing, Hanako stared at the three before asking angrily, "is this a late April Fool's joke?"
The three froze again before responding, each trying to excuse themselves simultaneously. While cursing Sora for still playing with them by getting them into trouble with his own mother.
"We didn't know the content!" Chancellor exclaimed quickly.
"We thought it was some kind of... close message," followed by the flustered Lewis.
"It's true! We never imagined it would be a list of weapons for his new ship!" Esme concluded, earning reproachful glances from her other two brothers for saying too much.
Before Hanako could reply, Yumeko beside her lit up. She then leaned towards her, sharing the information she had just received.
After hearing it, the air around Hanako changed completely. From enjoying dealing with the hurried Cloud team, her expression turned into a worried one upon learning about the latest suspicious movements, or rather the lack thereof, within her brother Yorinubo's Taka faction.
Concerned about the suspicious calm and sudden silence of her spies within it, who, although alive, seemed to have been detected and sidelined from the faction's true activity, covering their movements.
Trying to hide her concern behind a serious expression, Hanako said, "Let's continue this topic later. We have more pressing matters to attend to." The three young ones remained silent, awaiting her orders as they noticed the notable change around them.
"Esme," Hanako began, her tone serene yet authoritative, "prepare the weapons Sora requested from our warehouses. Make sure to use the usual smuggling procedure to avoid any mishaps."
"Chancellor, Lewis," Hanako continued, directing her attention to the two young men, "I want you to carry out a reconnaissance mission on various bases and warehouses of the Taka faction in Japan. Use the devices Sora provided you to maintain a low profile and not attract unnecessary attention." Chancellor and Lewis exchanged glances before solemnly nodding, accepting the task assigned to them.
With clear and understood orders, the room fell silent as the three young ones dispersed to fulfill their tasks, leaving Hanako lost in her thoughts, unable to shake off the uncomfortable pressure weighing on her chest, worried about her brother's suspicious actions.
-
So, two weeks quickly passed as Hanako unsuccessfully attempted to uncover the Taka faction's plot, only managing to solidify her troubling suspicions the more she investigated.
Meanwhile, her son Sora, following his mother's orders, maintained a low profile during these two weeks. However, it wasn't because he suddenly heeded Hanako's advice, but rather because he was too engrossed in his work to barely emerge from his bunker beneath the city.
When his work was unveiled within 24 hours, 15 days after the assault on the Militech base, on the day that came to be known as "The Battle in Night City," his work stood out as the next big breakthrough after CHOOH2.
-
On October 9th, 2072, 14 days after the assault on the Militech base, at 7:22 PM, 21 hours before the "Battle in Night City," a massive metal hump silently emerged from the ocean, shattering the tranquility of the waters off the coast of San Simeon, a small abandoned town located approximately 53 km northwest of Morro Bay, and consequently Night City.
A section of the metal hump opened, allowing a convoy of six AVs to take off, seeming small in comparison to the titanic nuclear fission submarine from which they departed.
The lead AV of the convoy landed on the helipad installed in the town's port, while the others carried out a heavy aerial cargo operation. They generated a loud roar as they unloaded the large black container they carried into a red brick factory, partially devoid of its roof.
Three imposing figures emerged from the AV that landed in the port. One stood out for his intimidating mechanical frame over two meters tall, another for his face concealed behind a mask and the sharp sensation he conveyed with his hand resting on the hilt of his sword... and the last, for the pleasant yet simultaneously false smile he flashed upon seeing the captain of the Taka forces awaiting them.
The abandoned town now buzzed with activity, with over 300 men working tirelessly, moving and installing equipment to turn it into a makeshift base. Yorinubo, flanked by Adam in his imposing Samson frame, and his masked bodyguard with a red oni mask animation, was greeted with nervous reverence by the base leader.
As he led them to a more suitable area for briefing, in the abandoned town hall building, where several armored trailers were gathered, functioning as operations rooms and mobile servers.
The captain couldn't help but glance fearfully at Smasher several times, who exuded a more dangerous aura than usual, especially due to the sudden and unsettling tremor in his head, as if there was a glitch in the servos of his neck.
Despite appearances, Adam's frame was perfectly fine; the tremor was just a sign that Adam was still human and couldn't fully control his ongoing cyberpsychosis attacks, escaping as a small and unnerving tic.
Due to his current state, literally on the edge, after having voluntarily been deprived of any stimuli or sense for over two weeks, counting only to keep from losing his mind. Unable to wait for the moment to stop counting/containing himself.
Even Yorinubo feared Smasher's current state, causing him not to release his hand from his leash, the master key that controlled his Cyberframe.
Upon arriving in front of the town hall, the group entered one of the spacious trailers, large enough for Smasher to enter. Following protocol, after the doors were closed, ensuring no one could hear them, the captain welcomed their faction leader, "Yorinobu-sama, it is a great honor to receive you. Please forgive my lack of introduction upon your arrival, but following your orders, we are employing maximum security protocols to protect our movements."
After listening, Yorinubo nodded. "I expected nothing less. Are all preparations ready for tomorrow?"
Approaching the holographic table in the middle of the mobile operations room, the Taka Captain informed as his fingers moved over the keyboard embedded in its metallic edge, "Almost, sir. We have mobilized the maximum number of operatives without drawing attention within the Corporation, able to gather two full battalions with 150 soldiers each, ready to move at your command," he announced firmly. "Though I don't believe it will be necessary based on the information we have about the target, with the arrival of the Kujira submarine, we have aerial support from its armament, fighters, and AVs."
"The only thing missing is for the engineers to give the green light..." Pausing for a moment and glancing at Smasher, the captain concluded, "To the 'equipment' you brought with you... once they're done, everything will be ready, sir."
After finishing typing, the Captain executed the file containing all the mission information, materializing a three-dimensional map of Night City on the holographic table. And the faces of the two mission targets.
Due to a lack of available images on the network for one of them, it proved to be a real challenge for Takas' agents, who had the seemingly simple task of obtaining a clear photograph of one of the two creators of a young company. Despite their efforts, all the photos taken turned out blurry or distorted. However, finally, after numerous attempts, they managed to capture a clear image of his face by pure luck, reflected on a nearby surface.
Staring at one of the two target photographs, Yorinobu had to agree with Smasher after recognizing the undeniable resemblance to Silverhand. However, he also noticed familiar features on his face, which deeply puzzled him. The similarities aroused in him a sense of familiarity he couldn't shake off when looking at his face.
Turning his attention to the other photo, of a young and attractive woman, Yorinobu remarked... "It seems we are repeating history..."
The captain, amused by Yorinobu's comment, inquired, "Is something the matter, sir?"
"It's nothing," Yorinubo reflected for a moment, ironically finding the situation amusing, though a bitter taste lingered within him, mixed with a hint of disgust at repeating the same actions he had questioned and repudiated in his father.
The captain stepped forward and pointed out, while explaining, various points on the holographic map. "Tomorrow, at dawn, we will mobilize all our forces and position ourselves on the outskirts of the city as a mobile base where we will oversee the first step of the mission, the extraction operation to be carried out by Mr. Smasher here present."
As he spoke, a large red arrow appeared on the map, stopping just short of the city. Then, a smaller arrow split off and entered the city. "To support and extract him from the city, we will mobilize the first battalion to enter the city in advance, leaving the second battalion on standby in case it is needed."
The map changed again, showing the Vista del Rey sub-district, zooming in on a renovated warehouse that served as the workshop for a small but promising company in Night City.
Looking at Smasher, the captain continued, "Although I would strongly recommend using your current frame and an elite team to quickly infiltrate the building and, once the objective is secured, be extracted directly nearby by standard AVs... Following Yorinobu-sama's specifications, once Mr. Smasher is deployed with his power armor from a heavy AV, and has the target in his possession, the ground convoy will meet with him and transport him to a zone where he can be extracted by the heavy AV, or get him out of the city as quickly as possible."
"Once the extraction operation is complete, half of the mission will be accomplished. To finalize it, we will use the Target's personal connection with the real objective to get him out of the city and lure him here. Where Mr. Smasher will be waiting and where he can utilize the full potential of his Power Armor.
"Remember, Mr. Smasher, don't you dare use the weaponry of your power armor in the city..." The captain left the statement hanging in the air, implying the risk and consequences of such action.
["I won't, unless I'm forced to do so..."] Smasher replied, staring at the "little" captain.
This concerning attitude prompted the Captain to seek Yorinobu's intervention, who said, "Calm down, Adam, if everything goes as planned, you just need to contain yourself a bit more."
["Hmmp"] 'Adam' simply grunted, ceasing to hassle the Taka captain.
Smiling, unfazed by his response or lack thereof, knowing what bothered Adam, Yorinobu turned towards the entrance and said, "Come, Adam, let's talk..." Adding, looking at his third bodyguard and the captain, "alone."
Once outside, Yorinobu walked with Smasher silently trailing behind him towards the abandoned red brick factory of the small village, while every man they encountered stopped to greet them.
Inside, Taka's engineers and technicians were finishing cutting open one side of the massive black container with welders, which had been dropped inside the building by the AVs just moments ago. When it finally collapsed, all present gazed at the imposing figure within the container.
The Dai-Oni Mark 13 towered over four meters tall, projecting a commanding presence. Its colossal proportions made it a true mountain of black metal, instilling fear and respect in those who beheld it.
Though smaller in comparison to the rest of the body, the head had a traditional design, resembling the ancient Kabuto Japanese helmet, with large horns protruding from it, evoking the image of an authentic Oni.
The armor's torso was shielded by a massive cuirass, composed of overlapping thick metal plates offering impenetrable protection. Angular finishes and intricate details on its surface intensified its intimidating appearance.
Its shoulders were robust and powerful, reinforced with additional plates giving them a rounded shape. Its hands were large with only three gigantic fingers ending in claws, designed to handle heavy weapons with ease.
The armor's legs maintained a mechanical, sturdy aesthetic with joints capable of supporting the enormous 1,800 tons of weight steadfastly, giving a sense of a true mobile fortress.
Without disturbing the technicians and engineers working on the Dai-Oni, Yorinobu and Smasher stood in front of the large container, observing the imposing armor.
"A true marvel, wouldn't you say? If I'm not mistaken, the last time you used one was in 2023?" remarked Yorinobu, with a glint of admiration in his eyes.
Smasher nodded. ["By the end of the fourth war... Though my current frame would be on par with the Dai-Oni of that time."]
"With the Mark 13, certainly not," added Yorinobu confidently about the project that he had taken up after it was abandoned following the death of his half-brother, Kai Arasaka.
Yorinobu explained the improvements of the Dai-Oni Mark 13 as he observed it closely. "The Mark 13 incorporates a miniature reactor that provides power to the entire armor, complemented by over 27 thrusters that enhance its mobility and an experimental antigravity engine to reduce its weight, granting it remarkable agility, especially considering its size. Additionally, its armor is composed of an advanced metal alloy that offers exceptional protection against a variety of attacks.
In terms of weaponry, the Dai-Oni Mark 13 is equipped with an array of offensive systems, ranging from plasma cannons to high-precision missile launchers, enabling it to confront a wide range of threats. Its arsenal also includes close-range weapons such as energy blades and flamethrowers for close-quarters combat.
Moreover, this version features an autonomous drone in low orbit, capable of deploying weapons, ammunition, and even spare parts directly onto the battlefield, providing invaluable tactical support.
The Mark 13 represents a milestone in the evolution of combat technology, achieving what even my half-brother Kai could not: matching or even surpassing the IEC's Dagoon version, which served as inspiration for the Dai-Oni. This breakthrough brings us to a point of convergence where a single person equipped with this armor could become more dangerous than an entire army." Yorinobu concluded, having to shake his head as a disturbing image intruded his mind, preceding a troubling question: 'What would happen if two armaments of the magnitude of the Dai-Oni were to face each other?'
For his part, Smasher nodded as he absorbed the information, internally impressed by the significant improvements of the Dai-Oni Mark 13. However, it intensified the discomfort he already felt. So much so that he finally couldn't contain himself and asked, ["Why?"]
Seeing Yorinobu's confused expression, Adam added: ["Why are you willing to invest so many resources? The submarine, the battalions, mobilizing your entire faction to cover our movements... capturing the girl... This goes beyond the deal we made."]
Upon hearing his question, Yorinobu raised his voice, saying, "Everyone out."
He didn't shout, just raised his usual tone of voice slightly, but its effect was unparalleled. All the people working stopped, left their tools, and without saying a word, exited the old factory.
When they were completely alone, Yorinobu removed his polite mask and responded to the question. "You're absolutely right, Adam, of course all of this is for something much more important... than the tantrum of an old product refusing to be categorized as obsolete."
Despite his disrespectful words causing Smasher to stare at him, clenching his metallic fists... Yorinobu, unperturbed but without removing his hand from the master key, continued... "Your vengeance has had the fortune to align with the interests of several parties, myself included..."
Knowing whom or what he referred to, Adam asked, ["What do those things gain... behind the wall, from all of this?"]
"You! Of course... I told you, didn't I? They have grand plans for you." Faced with Smasher's steady gaze, unconvinced by his "flattering" words, Yorinobu sighed before adding, "You're not the only person they're interested in... one of them... is the young man who defeated you. From their perspective, he's dangerous, and they would be more at ease if a concerning variable within their plans... were to disappear."
At Yorinobu's words, Smasher's expression darkened, unable to express, due to his metallic body, the mix of emotions he felt from disbelief to fury. The revelation hit him hard, awakening a hidden envy towards the one who had defeated him. While he was seen as a mere pawn for their machinations, the young mercenary was considered a threat.
Suppressing his renewed resolve to end him, Smasher asked with his robotic voice laden with distrust and discontent, revealing the frustration burning within him: ["And you, what do you gain from all this?"]
"Me? I was offered what many others were... Technology. The ability to alter someone's mind while they sleep, what they feel, what they like and dislike, all of it, without them realizing the slightest bit..." Yorinobu replied honestly, unable to prevent a sinister smile from forming on his lips.
Smasher didn't need to imagine too much whom he intended to use such technology on, knowing the twisted feelings Yorinobu harbored for his sister.
Under Smasher's icy gaze, Yorinobu cleared his throat before continuing. "We've discussed enough. Come, let's allow the engineers to continue their work. Tomorrow is an important day."
-
Outside the red brick factory, a prominent blond bioengineer, dressed in a white coat and glasses, approached Yorinobu from behind. With his distinctive Scandinavian accent, he reported "Yorinobu-sama, as ordered, we've installed the customized Soulkiller reader in one of the trailers."
Without addressing him as he watched Adam depart, Yorinobu replied, "Good work."
"Yorinobu-sama, may I ask you a question?" the bioengineer continued cautiously.
"If I can answer, I will, Mr. Anders," Yorinobu agreed.
"Where did you get the customizations for the reader? I've never seen anything like it. Even during installation, I've learned. Whoever is responsible needs to be hired or at least persuaded to share their advancements with us. Sir, their understanding of consciousness digitization surpasses ours, easily by decades!" Helman exclaimed with astonishment.
"That's what I'm trying to accomplish, Helman." replied Yorinobu, as he too walked away from the factory, leaving one of the main figures in Arasaka's Soulkiller project, bioengineer Anders Hellman, puzzled.
-
The next day, on October 10, 2072, 15 days after the assault on the Militech base, the CEO's office at the Iron Beast workshop, located in the Vista del Rey sub-district, was shrouded in tense silence as the clock struck 4:12 PM, just 10 minutes before the start of the "Battle in Night City."
In the midst of this charged atmosphere, the sounds of retching echoed from the adjoining bathroom. Natasha, the CEO's assistant, held a towel with a worried expression as she watched Judy vomit. "Another late night out?" Natasha asked, her tone tinged with veiled reproach and concern.
Judy, with sweat-drenched hair clinging to her forehead, pushed aside a lock before weakly responding, "No, we haven't been out for weeks, Sora's been busy."
Natasha's brow furrowed even more. "Have you eaten something bad?" she asked more insistently.
"No," Judy responded, trying unsuccessfully to sound convincing.
Natasha's expression grew more serious. "Judy... how long has it been since... you know, the lady in red visited you?" she asked cautiously.
Judy looked up incredulously, though her voice trembled slightly. "Are you kidding?"
Natasha shook her head. "I'm not. Knowing how 'active' you two are, I have to ask. So, Judy, how late are you?"
"F-Four weeks," Judy admitted, feeling increasingly anxious about the conversation.
Natasha's eyes widened with surprise and concern. "Oh my god... Are you-?"
"Shhhh! Keep it down!" Judy interrupted, feeling a lump in her throat. "It's just a few days late, nothing more," she added, trying to convince herself, still in denial.
"Weeks, not days," Natasha corrected gently before bombarding her with more questions. "Have you taken the test? Have you told Sora anything?"
"No! Of course I haven't told him anything! And I think I'll keep it that way until he finishes his work... I don't want to bother him. Besides, there's nothing to tell, it's just a delay..." Judy replied, while trying to continue denying the situation, though it was becoming increasingly difficult. Judy concluded by asking Natasha, "Right?"
Before Natasha could respond, someone barged into the office as if it were their own home, announcing energetically, "Rebecca, the corpo bodyguard has finished eating, consider yourselves protected!"
Judy and Natasha stared at Rebecca, who carried on her back her iconic and colorful Budget Arms Carnage shotgun, almost bigger than herself. Rebecca suspected something was up due to the sudden silence her entrance caused. Before she could ask what was going on, Natasha stepped forward, saying cheerfully as she left the office, "I'm going to buy the test, be back in 10 minutes."
"What test?" Rebecca asked as Natasha left the office.
Judy hurriedly replied, "A work-related one."
After Natasha left, Judy stroked the robotic cat Luna lying on her desk and slumped heavily into her chair. As she squeezed her hands over her face in an attempt to clear her mind, at that moment, she had a small breakthrough from denial to bargaining, when she asked herself, 'But... what if I'm really... pregnant?'
Panic suddenly overwhelmed her. 'We're too young,' she thought, 'and Sora is too reckless and daring to be a father,' she told herself. 'How would he react to finding out? Would he be angry? Or maybe he would be happy?' As she imagined the best possible scenario, a small smile appeared on Judy's face before quickly fading away... when the security alarm sounded throughout the building, startling them both to their feet.
"What the hell is that?" Rebecca asked, instantly on edge.
"It's the anti-aircraft alarm from the security system Sora installed," Judy responded tremulously, referring to the sound of the World War II alarm, its shrill echoing throughout the building, warning everyone inside that something is about to happen.
Immediately, the rooftop turrets activated and began firing.
The shots lasted for a few seconds until they were practically silenced by a loud rumble, shaking the entire building. Shortly after, several explosions occurred simultaneously, destroying the turrets that were still firing on the roof and causing serious damage to the heavy AV that flew over the workshop. Unfortunately, they didn't even manage to scratch the heavy payload it dropped.
The destruction of the turrets prompted an unsettling, brief silence, which was broken by heavy footsteps, echoing through the rooftop and stopping right above the office where Judy and Rebecca were, their hearts pounding.
A few seconds later, a loud crash shattered the roof of the office. Judy and Rebecca couldn't help but cough through the dust cloud it generated, freezing in fear as two bright red lights illuminated and approached them from within.
Revealing itself as an imposing metal behemoth, bristling with several gigantic weapons on its back, so large that it had to hunch over, smashing the roof with each step it took.
Smasher, clad in his towering Dai-Oni Mark 13 armor, disregarded Rebecca and headed straight for his target, Judy. Luna intervened, perched atop the desk, ready to activate. Even the metallic parts of Judy's chair behind her lost their form, turning into smoke and silver liquid that began to cover her legs.
Misinterpreting the robotic cat as an attempt to protect its master, Smasher didn't bother and raised his massive metallic hand to grab the paralyzed Judy. This prompted Rebecca, upon seeing him, to react again by grabbing her shotgun and activating her Fox-shaped AI, and consequently her Sandevistan.
Surprising Smasher within his armor, when she appeared in front of him aiming upwards and firing at the head of his armor with her Carnage shotgun.
Rebecca's attack, despite being point-blank, only caused the armor's head to move slightly backward... angering Smasher, who also activated his Sandevistan and closed his fist to try to crush Rebecca with it.
In those milliseconds as Smasher's fist approached, cutting through the air like a black flash, the AI installed by Sora in Rebecca's Sandevistan activated and surpassed the maximum % of temporal dilation.
Overloading Rebecca's nervous system and brain, causing her to bleed from her nose and feel as if the nerves within her body were burning... but despite all the pain and discomfort...
Rebecca's perception of time practically stopped for a moment; to her, it seemed as if the world had paused, except for the fist that was about to strike, which continued to approach slowly, giving her time to dodge it by leaping aside.
Rebecca ended up on the floor, bleeding from her nose, breathing heavily and motionless, unable to move her body due to the pain and discomfort caused by the overload of her nerves. Meanwhile, Smasher extended his arm towards her, and from inside his forearm, he unfolded an overwhelming cannon pointing at her head.
As Rebecca imagined what such a cannon would do to her small body, she could only close her eyes before it dispersed. When it did, an explosion occurred nearby, generating a shockwave that shook her, accompanied by fragments of the ground hitting her.
When she opened her eyes, surprised to still be alive, Rebecca found herself confronted by a female figure protecting her, adorned in black armor with plated silver details on the most armored parts, and wearing a short white jacket. The armor accentuated her curves and was brimming with advanced technology. Grasping Smasher's arm with her two hands and a third claw emerging from a metallic scarf around her neck, ending in a metal claw that fell down her back, she managed to divert the cannon enough to save her life.
["Rebecca, can you move?"] Asked the woman through the speakers of her armor.
She couldn't help but exclaim, "J-Judy!" with difficulty due to the pain and surprise at the sudden transformation. Taking advantage of the opportunity given by Rebecca's shot at Smasher, Cortana and her subdivision Luna merged again, taking control of Judy's paralyzed body, while generating a nanobot armor around her body.
["More or less, it's not the time for-"] Cortana had to interrupt herself when she suddenly began to move quickly with surprising grace, to dodge the gigantic hands trying to grab her.
Anticipating and calculating each lunge, Cortana maneuvered through the air with an agility that would put any Olympic gymnast to shame, jumping and spinning between the huge black arms trying to grab her, with an almost hypnotic fluidity, using her third arm to propel and divert herself.
Despite her efforts creating nanobot blades to counterattack while dodging, she only managed to scratch the dense armor, without inflicting any significant damage.
As Cortana fought, Judy, unable to even move her mouth, exclaimed in her mind; 'What the hell is going on?!'
Surprised, when her consciousness suddenly shifted to her own cyberspace, leaving behind the dizzying and distressing sensation of following Cortana's fast and acrobatic movements.
Suddenly, Judy found herself in an idyllic Laguna Bend, right in front of a sign that read 'Los Álvarez,' in front of an incredibly embellished version of the house she grew up in. Next to her, as neighbors, there was a Japanese-style house with a sign reading 'Los Inuzuka.'
It was then that she was greeted by a copy of herself, with a body entirely formed by a code between blue and purple. With a voice that sounded almost identical to hers but noticeably calmer, she said, "Calm down, it's me controlling your body."
Despite having a different face than she remembered, 'her face!' Judy, upon recognizing the naked body made of code, exclaimed: "Cortana!? What's happening? Where are we? What is this around my body? Why do you look like me? Ah! And one more thing I forgot... WHY THE HELL DOES THAT TERRIFYING THING SEEM TO WANT TO TRAP ME!?" Full of questions she couldn't contain, she blurted them all out at once.
"Do you think it's the right time to catch up? I've been inside you all this time, what you're wearing is a Nanobot armor designed by Sora to protect you, I sound and look like you because much of my code has been replaced by the digitization of your consciousness, and about why Adam Smasher, mounted on an Arasaka Dai-Oni Power Armor, is trying to trap you, if I had to guess, I'd say it's to lure Sora into some trap. Now that I've answered all your questions, I'm going to focus on protecting our body... and our child, okay?"
Faced with the overwhelming amount of information that generated more questions, Judy exclaimed, "What do you mean by our body? Wait!" Then, upon processing something more important, she asked with difficulty, "So... I'm really..."
Cortana quickly responded for her: "Pregnant, yes, you are or we are. And just so you know, my remaining part of Cortana thinks it was a mistake not to tell Sora anything."
As soon as she heard it, something changed within Judy. The fear of losing her own life or Sora's faded away, replaced by a new priority: the well-being of her future child.
This change drove her to ask anxiously, putting her hands on her belly, "Cortana, will you be able to protect it?"
"My main priority is to protect your life, but I'll certainly do everything I can to protect it," Cortana replied, despite the circumstances, with a faint smile as she comforted Judy.
However, this gesture quickly disappeared when something changed in the physical world. A somber expression crossed Cortana's face, causing Judy to worry.
"Things are getting complicated out there," Cortana said seriously, "so you have to make a decision. Either you let me handle this and you stay here..." Cortana hesitated for a moment before continuing, "Or... I've finished mapping your brain. If you agree, I can synchronize with you, and together, as one, we can face this."
Judy took a deep breath, "What does it mean for us to synchronize, like Sora and his Soulcode?" she asked, feeling that the sudden idea of merging with an AI was overwhelming, but in that moment of crisis...
"More or less but different, Sora's Soulcode is just a digitization of his consciousness, in his case think of one becoming two, while ours would be two becoming one, since you would synchronize with a part of the code that I still maintain from Cortana with specially selected information to complement your deficiencies, for example, in this case... in combat."
"So you're saying that when we synchronize, I'll be like an upgraded version of myself?"
"It's one way to see it, but it could also change your personality... the field we're traversing is entirely new, I can't be totally sure of all the variables." Seeing doubt in Judy as she listened, Cortana added, "Although... I've already replaced my code containing my consciousness with the one created from mapping your brain, so what remains of Cortana is practically pure information, and a few memories that I don't want to let go of."
With a hint of curiosity, Judy asked, "Before answering, did you make this place?" referring to Laguna Bend, which formed her cyberespace.
"Yes..." Cortana replied with some reluctance, although they had the same tastes, fearing she might not like it.
"It's very beautiful, I like it," Judy replied with a smile, looking around, before focusing on Cortana, and after making her decision, said, "Do it."
As soon as she said it, the code that formed Cortana's body, and the projection of Judy's consciousness merged, thus two becoming one.
In the office, Smasher grew tired of trying to catch her and deployed the high-caliber cannon from his forearm, aiming it once again at Rebecca, who remained kneeling, still recovering from the overclocking of her Sandevistan.
Just as Smasher fired at Rebecca, Judy appeared in front of her and quickly mobilized a large portion of the nanobots from her armor to create a large two-handed silver shield that stood between the cannon blast, her, and her friend.
The impact of the cannon blast resonated in Judy's bones, deforming the shield and causing her to dig her feet into the ground as she was pushed backward. At the same time, the white jacket of her armor was trimmed, as the nanobots composing it moved to replenish what was lost in the shield, filling its cracks and restoring its integrity.
After enduring half a dozen shots, despite the pain and pressure she felt in every fiber of her being, Judy did not hesitate to maintain her position protecting Rebecca behind her.
Before Smasher could pull the trigger again, Maine, Dorio, Pilar, and security chief Avaray burst into the room, accompanied by their Iron Beast doberman, Lady.
Quickly overcoming their initial surprise at seeing Rebecca and Judy targeted by an imposing black armor, they opened fire without hesitation. However, the impacts of their weapons seemed like pellets reflecting off and leaving mere scratches on the armor, which continued to aim at them unperturbed, opening fire against them.
Just as he was about to fire again, a deafening roar echoed in the room as an explosive projectile hit the armor, pushing it backward and causing the space next to Judy and Rebecca to be torn apart by a salvo of large caliber projectiles.
Maine, moments earlier, with a somber expression crossing his face as he saw the ineffectiveness of their attacks, quickly deployed his own Projectile Launch System on his arm, diverting Smasher's attack and allowing Cortana to grab Rebecca and regroup with them.
This led to a tense standoff, with everyone aiming their weapons at the gigantic black armor. Avaray, recognizing the armor, took the opportunity to point out: "What the hell is Arasaka doing attacking Iron Beast when its main shareholder is none other than Hanako Arasaka herself?"
["I couldn't care less who the main shareholder is, hunk of flesh,"] Smasher responded from inside the imposing armor.
Upon hearing how he was addressed, Avaray gritted his teeth and confirmed, "Smasher?"
Confirming it, with an unsettling and dangerous gleam in the Dai-Oni's red eyes. This provoked a tense response on the faces of everyone present upon discovering who was inside the armor.
Not believing it was worth even addressing them, Smasher activated one of his shoulder pads; from the slit that divided them, the upper part rose, revealing a row of small and compact missiles, which were fired as soon as Smasher finished marking the targets that stood in his way.
When the missiles were about to impact, Maine, Dorio, Pilar, and Avaray, who had positioned themselves in front of Judy/Cortana and Rebecca, managed to stand their ground. The four activated their Sandevistans, easily dodging them by moving a few meters, unlike Maine and Avaray, who appeared surrounding Smasher.
Before Dorio could do the same, Maine interrupted her, looking her in the eyes. "Get out of here, the old man and I will stay here taking care of Smasher."
Knowing it was neither the place nor the time to argue, Dorio could only ask, "Are you sure?" Her concern evident in the tense tone of her voice.
Removing his sunglasses and getting serious, Maine replied, "Yes, besides... I think he would be the perfect subject to test my new arm," smiling at her affectionately for the last time before refocusing on Smasher.
Maine stowed away his useless weapon and deployed his Projectile Launch System from his left arm again, while he tightly clenched his new right arm, installed just a few weeks ago, with muscle fibers braided and bones made from advanced titanium alloy reinforced with carbon nanoparticles. At the same time, he activated the first step of his Limit Gear, increasing his heart rate.
Following his order, Pilar helped Rebecca move, sharing a last knowing look with Maine, who affirmed determinedly, insisting they leave. Meanwhile, Dorio pushed Judy, pulling her out of the room. The latter said to them, ["I've activated the protocol. When they comes... use them to escape, it's an order, okay?"]
"Yes, girl, get out of here," Maine replied, followed closely by Avaray, who affirmed, "Of course, boss." Both smiled at their young leader, recognizing the concern in her words.
Maine, intrigued by how Smasher remained motionless as their target left the room, asked, "I'm surprised you let them go. Eager to fight us?"
Smasher, with a cold determination, replied: ["Don't overestimate yourselves, dead meat... it's not you I want to fight against...."] Cutting off the radio signal where Yorinobu was yelling at him to continue with the mission... thus revealing his own plans. Then, Smasher disappeared and reappeared in front of Maine with his arm flexed, ready to strike him, as he declared, ["Die."]
At the same time, as Judy's group fled at full speed amidst the flames and chaos left by Smasher's attacks, the battle in the office erupted with a deafening roar and a subsequent shockwave that expelled a dust cloud through the office entrance.
Dorio, with a clear unease reflected in her eyes, approached Judy, who led the group fully covered in her advanced black and silver armor, with a short white jacket.
"Girl, what protocol were you talking about? Can they really use it to escape?" Dorio asked, her voice slightly trembling.
Before Judy could explain the purpose of the 'Who's gonna save the world' protocol she had just activated, it explained itself when dozens of metallic dogs emerged from the stairs, ignoring them and passing between them in the opposite direction, heading determinedly toward the office.
The protocol not only activated a few Iron Beasts but all of those in the factory. From the other side of the hallway's observation windows, which faced the manufacturing area, hundreds of Iron Beasts of all races and sizes, some complete and others in process, but all capable of moving, ran along the walls toward the top floor. Breaking the windows and flooding the floor like a tide of metal.
Now that there was no need to explain anything, Judy said to the surprised group through the speakers of her armor, ["Yes, I believe they will all be able to buy them a few seconds to escape."]
!
Despite the initial surprise, Smasher wasn't bothered by how the burly mercenary managed to halt his blow by gripping it with both hands. However, it was paid with blood, which streamed from the mercenary's eyes due to the effort, despite having utilized only a quarter of the force of his armor.
What truly irked Smasher was the vapor that emanated from the right side of his body, the same vapor that accompanied the blow that haunted him every day since the Gala. The blow that had been able to defeat him.
Knowing that the mercenary also possessed the mysterious Cyberware did not sit well with Smasher at all, prompting him to increase the power of his armor. This action caused a dangerous red glow in the eyes of the gigantic armor as he flexed his other arm with twice the previous strength.
Before he could strike again, Avaray and Lady intervened. Despite her age, Avaray agilely leaped onto the back of the armor and placed the barrel of her rifle between the narrow gaps in the armor, unloading its contents.
Meanwhile, the Doberman, Lady, following the anti-AT-AT strategy, opened her mouth and launched a hook that magnetically attached to one of the armor's legs, connected to a sturdy black cable. She quickly began to run and jump between Smasher's legs and arms, hindering his movements with each turn she took.
Maine didn't hesitate and leaped toward him, activating his Limit Gear for the second time. The braided muscle fibers of his right arm, which began to emit white vapor, tensed to the limit before snapping.
Breaking the wind and generating a powerful wave of air upon connecting such an uppercut to the armor's head, it forced Smasher and his 1.8 tons to step back. Tangled in the black cable, Adam was unable to take that necessary step, collapsing... as if on an icy planet.
Maine smiled upon seeing Smasher fall, but his expression was clouded by the pain and blood that gushed from his arm, resembling the pulp of a fruit subjected to too much pressure without breaking. The skin of his arm showed cracks, unable to withstand the maximum tension released by his braided muscle fibers, which, along with his bones, remained intact.
At that moment, hundreds of Iron Beasts burst into the office, ignoring the injured Maine and Avaray to pounce on Smasher on the ground. As more poured in, they buried him under a metallic tide.
Disconcerted but not entirely, they recalled the protocol Judy had indicated. Maine and Avaray exchanged a knowing glance as they saw the layer of Iron Beasts surrounding Smasher begin to fluctuate with his attempts to free himself. Knowing they were no match for him, they simply ran out of the office.
"Hold onto Lady and don't let go," Avaray warned Maine, gripping Lady's collar as they both ran, anticipating the swift descent awaiting them. Maine followed suit, using his metallic left arm to secure the collar.
The three jumped through the broken window of the hallway facing the office, falling several floors into the spacious manufacturing area of the workshop before Lady shot a hook from her mouth to the ceiling, halting their descent.
Before they could even touch the ground, nearby doors swung open abruptly, and Judy's group rushed in. With no time to rejoice at seeing them safe and relatively unharmed, Dorio urgently informed them, "There are hundreds of Arasakas at the main entrance. We have to get out through the rear, quickly," grabbing Maine's injured arm and helping him move.
Just as they were reaching the back door, a deafening crash filled the air behind them as Smasher landed after jumping from the office floor, with some Iron Beasts still attempting to restrain him. The group turned in time to see the cybernetic colossus hurtling toward them with seemingly unstoppable ferocity.
With no other choice, the group prepared to defend themselves in a confrontation they knew most wouldn't survive.
But just as the collision seemed inevitable and he was about to reach them, one of the huge industrial cranes, typically used for moving heavy material loads, violently shifted, opening its claws and crashing into Smasher, creating an unpleasant noise of metal scraping against metal as it halted his charge and pushed him in the opposite direction.
The group stood dumbfounded at the sight. All the workers should have evacuated by now. Then they saw one of the engineers sponsored by Hanako, operating the crane controls.
"Jerry!" exclaimed Judy, admiring her employee's bravery. Adding with a touch of humor, "I'll definitely talk about this to your Dm!"
The mention of his Dm caused Jerry, despite his nervousness and fear, to muster a slight smile. He continued to press several buttons and levers to keep the crane immobilizing Smasher operational. Urging them to move, Jerry exclaimed, "QUICKLY, GET OUT OF-"
Unable to finish when, from his jaw, the rest of his head disappeared with a blast from Smasher. While struggling against the crane, he aimed one of his arms at Jerry, controlling it, and ended his life with the forearm cannon.
"NOO!" Judy cried out in anguish, grabbing one of Pilar's weapons and firing with as much ease as fury at Smasher, seeing the brutally decapitated body of her brave employee fall.
Being grabbed by Dorio and Pilar, who prevented her from getting closer as they dragged her out of the workshop, still having time to escape thanks to Jerry's sacrifice, with Smasher immobilized under the crane, now inert, atop him.