Loci, a happy-looking man covered in a lab gown and wearing a long-sleeved turtleneck, had pale skin and dark circles under his eyes as he stood straight across the table.
"This won't do; this metal is so beautiful," he muttered.
He was gazing at the metal in his hands—not the cheapest metal, but the most costly and hard-to-find metal in the world. He hadn't let anyone know about it, having used all his savings for this project. He couldn't afford to eat anymore because his sponsor had stopped supporting him, and he was hiding from everyone. Yet, he still chose to take the metal, just to indulge himself.
After all, the person he trusted had told him he only had a year left to live because so many people wanted to take his life. And it wasn't like he could just run away—he was terrified of those in power. What he didn't know was that an assassin was already in his house. Loci was in the basement, and the assassin was moving toward him, their footsteps nearing his location.
"Are you sure about this place? It's such a mess. Does anyone even live here?" a man in a black suit asked, walking carefully as though every step might lead to disaster.
"Madam told us the guy living here has an obsession with robotics. That might explain the state of his house," a girl in a school uniform replied. She wasn't a student anymore, but she liked wearing uniforms to look younger.
Loci was still mesmerized by the metal in his hands—his heart racing with excitement. The idea of buying what he wanted with his own money, without anyone's help, made him feel ecstatic. This was the first time he had experienced such a feeling. His heart raced with joy, his eyes gleamed, and the excitement of creating another robot with the precious metal filled him with happiness.
He was almost aroused just imagining himself completing a robot with the special metal. "Ugh... I want to jerk off," he moaned softly, suddenly hearing footsteps outside the door.
He snapped back to reality. Grabbing the metal, he hid it under the bookshelf. "Damn it, they didn't even give me a chance to fantasize about my new project," Loci muttered as he straightened up.
(BANG!)
A sudden loud noise echoed in the basement—the door had been forcefully kicked open. Loci froze when he saw a man and a young girl holding guns.
"Who..." His legs began to tremble, his eyes wide like an owl's. "Who are you?" he asked, his voice shaking. Fear surged through him as he slowly backed up until he reached the far end of the room.
The man in front of Loci didn't hesitate to point his gun at him. Smirking, the man's eyes glinted with malicious excitement.
"The President has decided that people like you are no longer needed in this world."
Loci's heart slowed, his eyes burning with anger. "What..." he clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. "What do you mean I'm not needed? I'm a robotics scientist!"
Fueled by rage, Loci pounded his feet on the floor and swung his arms. He grabbed a chair, shouting, "I've devoted my life to my work!" He glared at the two intruders before throwing the chair at them.
"Get out! Get out of my workshop!"
The two easily dodged, and the man slowly approached Loci, his footsteps heavy and deliberate, savoring the fear on Loci's face.
"Ha!" The man grabbed Loci by the collar, spat in his face, and smirked.
"What a pathetic man," he said before kicking Loci in the stomach.
Loci glared at him, his eyebrows drawn together in defiance. The man noticed and grabbed Loci's hair, forcing their foreheads together.
"Listen, your career is in our hands," the man whispered, his voice low and menacing.
Loci spat in his face. "In your hands? My ass!"
He stomped on the man's foot and kicked him in the stomach.
"I won't disappear just because you think I'm no longer needed!"
"Ugh, this is so annoying," the girl complained, kicking the man's legs, sending him sprawling on the floor. She pointed her gun at Loci.
"If you don't finish him, I will!"
(BANG!)
A bullet pierced Loci's body, and he collapsed to the floor, blood spilling around him.
'So this is how I die?'
'I don't want to die yet...'
'Please, if there's a god, goddess, or anyone—grant me another life. Give me a chance to prove that robots are useful.'
His heart was beating irregularly, and he struggled to breathe, but he could still move his fingers.
[A world to prove that robots are useful... PROCESSING...]
'Huh?'
"Ugh... That hurts, Anya," the man groaned, standing up and hugging the girl.
'I heard something, didn't I? A voice... But it didn't sound human...'
[Hearing non-living things... PROCESSING...]
"I knew it. I heard something. Who are you?" Loci said aloud, confusing the two intruders.
The man grabbed Loci's hair and forced him to sit. "What the hell are you babbling about?" he snarled, eyebrows drawn together in annoyance.
"Don't you hear it?" Loci gasped, struggling to breathe, his heart racing.
"What!?"
Frustrated, the man pointed his gun at Loci again. "Never mind, you'll be dead soon enough," he muttered before firing another shot at Loci's left shoulder.
(BANG!)
'Ugh! If only my body were made of metal, maybe I wouldn't feel this pain...'
[Achieving a body made of metal... PROCESSING...]
(BANG!)
Another bullet hit Loci, making him gasp as blood flowed from his wounds.
'Ugh! The third shot hurts so much. If only I had a body like a robot, I wouldn't feel this heat...'
[Achieving a robot body and heat resistance... PROCESSING...]
(BANG!)
Loci watched the man who was shooting him, his vision blurring. The man was laughing, his expression twisted with cruel excitement, even as the girl yawned in boredom.
'How distasteful... If only I could survive this...'
[Acquiring skills: Transmigration and Soul Movement... PROCESSING...]
[Combining skills: Transmigration and Soul Movement... Creating ultimate skill: Selfish Death... PROCESSING...]
Loci couldn't move, but he could still see the man shooting him, his heart slowing with every moment.
'How long will this go on? They're so loud. Can't they let me die in peace?'
[Acquiring skills: Peaceful Shot and Peaceful Eye... PROCESSING...]