NoveLight ™
"We’ve come to a fairly simple place today. If it had been as complicated as last time, it would’ve been a real headache, but it shouldn’t be difficult to navigate."
"So, just like last time, should we split up and move around separately?"
"What nonsense are you talking about now? Last time, you got beat up pretty badly and someone had to rescue you."
"Correction. At that time, the battle was actually going in my favor... I apologize. Apologies, please stop wielding that blunt instrument."
A cutscene began.
The vehicle came to a stop, and the driver quickly jumped out, covering the vehicle with an optical camo net that could operate for about an hour. Meanwhile, I exited the vehicle, followed by a Mecha Eugene that looked just like me but with different color accents. Although I was heavy, when Jin, who weighed over 500 kg, set foot on the ground, the thud was unmistakable.
As the story progressed, the objectives were shifting slightly. Also, to avoid another player getting caught in the middle like last time, I had cranked up the AI session count, which led Artemis to dispatch their full forces to deal with us at the research facility.
And they weren’t just sending anyone. They were deploying high-level personnel, outfitted with exo-suits, and consistently reinforcing their numbers to capture us.
Where were they getting all these reinforcements from? It was a mystery.
'Of course, it’s not like I didn’t see this coming…'
Most of the people we had taken down were covered in wires, cables, or strange electronic devices embedded in their heads. Some even had fiber optics embedded in their golden cut surfaces.
The reason they could replenish their numbers so quickly wasn’t due to anything special, but rather that if you ignored ethics, bandits who had been picking up scraps and firing on anything in sight just days ago could be turned into seasoned warriors overnight.
It was a bit frustrating that the US reclamation operation didn’t completely wipe them out, but it was satisfying to know that Artemis was slowly eating away at their own power.
For the sake of the remaining Artemis soldiers, I’d have to send them to paradise quickly.
The cinematic ended as we entered the main lobby.
The first thing I had to check was the blueprint panel showing the layout of the facility. The map was a mashup of sections from previous high-value research facilities, so while the overall structure had changed, learning the layout wasn’t an issue.
The weapons testing room was in the center of the massive central research area, so keeping that in mind, I began analyzing the map.
That’s when the sirens started blaring from the ceiling.
"It’s starting. Try not to get beaten up too badly... let’s check the mission first."
The lights around us began to flicker off, and the only light source now was a spinning red light from the ceiling. But no one in the room seemed to care. This had happened before, and the times before that, and probably even more times before those.
The mission’s objective was vague and unclear. It was more of a 'request' from a merchant than an actual mission, without a clear guideline on what to bring back or accomplish. This was why the ability to read between the lines was necessary.
However, if you could interpret the bigger picture, there wasn’t much trouble in understanding. The current meta of the scenario was to find the prototype’s location, which wasn’t disclosed, and collect all possible clues to neutralize it.
In simpler terms, it was about wandering around the map, finding the server room, collecting data, and farming items along the way.
Though, that’s only assuming it’s possible.
"...So, can you stop staring like that? I’ll head straight for the weapon testing room."
"Excellent choice."
"Ugh."
…Is that so?
After this round ends, if I get a chance, I’ll ask Mina if she’s been secretly influencing me behind my back—though, thinking about it, it’s probably my fault she became like that. Anyway, there’s no normal person around me.
Vibrations traveled through the ground as enemies began to appear through the external connecting passage. This time, the hangar was in the opposite position from where it was originally, right next to the parking lot. The structure of the first and second floors was also quite different from before.
But it didn’t really bother me, so I headed up the main lobby’s stairs while keeping a lookout.
During this, Jin added:
"If we arrive first, could you check if there’s any weapon capable of firing plasma continuously?"
"You were singing about wanting a mini-gun, and now you’ve changed your mind?"
"The mini-gun requires a lot of ammo. Sometimes, it’s better to compromise and make a more reasonable decision."
"Hmm."
There was no major issue.
I nodded and quickly turned my gaze to the right. From across the parking lot, I could see dark figures rapidly approaching. They were moving fast, thanks to the exo-suits.
Engaging them head-on would be a battle of strength, and sticking too closely to Jin would be inefficient, though not a huge problem. Inefficiency in combat could, however, lead to accidents.
This was why Jin had said "if we arrive first" earlier.
I took a deep breath.
As always, my weapon was the Mk.18 Mjölnir. Of course, the weapon beside me was also a Mjölnir. After seeing Jin handle large-caliber firearms so well, I handed her one. That wasn’t all. The ASh-12.7 strapped to my back was a clear statement of my intent not to be outgunned in direct combat.
The biggest reason, though, was that most of the enemies we’d been dealing with were half-dead corpses. Those who had had their pain receptors artificially disabled were incredibly tough to handle, which is why a quick, lethal strike was necessary.
My thoughts went on for a bit longer. I placed my finger on the trigger and focused on the dim light between us.
"Fire."
The gunfire rang out.
Even with a suppressor, the sharp sound echoed through the facility, and the spent cartridges clinked on the floor, ringing like clear metal. A few shots hit Mecha Eugene’s arm with a loud clang.
In no time, we emptied a full magazine, cutting down fifteen of the dozens moving across the hangar and parking lot. The additional effect of taking cover behind vehicles slowed down the enemy forces trying to enter the facility.
But this was just the beginning.
"Warning."
It wasn’t me who said that.
I turned to look, and Jin was staring at me. I understood the meaning immediately and dropped down flat to the ground below the flower bed just as a Lapua round flew right through where I had been.
Enemies emerged from a nearby office corridor and quickly fell to the floor, their cries short-lived.
I spoke as I watched.
"Here we go again. It’s getting dangerous to stay here too long. Let’s head to the server room. Looks like they’ve occupied the spot where the hangar was originally, so it shouldn’t take too long."
"Go to the server room. I’ll cover you."
"Alright, let’s not waste any time. Let’s clear out the visible enemies and decide on the next move after that."
Clink!
I quickly adjusted my position.
After scanning the battlefield, I identified a UGV that was targeting me with grenades. I was a bit late, but my visual acuity allowed me to spot the incoming grenade and shoot it down with ease. It wasn’t long before three rounds exploded the grenades in mid-air.
The UGV failed to kill me, and I sent it straight to hell with tungsten rounds, causing a huge explosion and dragging a few of the nearby enemies with it.
I signaled to Jin, who was suppressing fire from her position, and we moved through the café corridor toward the kitchen intersection. As I passed, I briefly checked the body Jin had killed earlier.
Just then, I stopped dead in my tracks.
"...Did we miss something, Archetype?"
"No, not at all."
I knelt for a moment, checking the face of the fallen enemy, who had a hole the size of a fist in their chest.
Their face looked familiar—like someone I’d seen briefly on a UAV monitoring the high-value research facility, or maybe the trader who had been shocked and dragged away by Artemis researchers on April 26.
Maverick was lying dead in front of me.
What was I supposed to make of this? I didn’t speak a word but activated the photo capture function of the downgraded Icarus Gear and took a picture of the dead body’s face.
"Endings in such a grim world usually look like this. Let’s move."
"Understood. Moving out."
With that, Jin and I disappeared toward the central research area.
It felt strange.
"The enemies are arriving faster than expected, and it’s causing more trouble than I thought."
"What do you think about gathering up some armor and making a temporary shield, Archetype?"
"That’s not a bad idea. But for now, heading to the weapons testing room should be the priority."
"I thought our target was the server room. Why the change?"
"If we go straight to the server room, the enemies are likely to destroy the servers first."
I nodded while analyzing the situation through my logic circuits.
Despite the constant gunfire and the many footsteps that echoed from inside the headgear's microphone, the logical circuits were already processing whether this was the correct approach. After analyzing it probabilistically, I realized that the likely conclusion was indeed what I had suspected.
This was how it always worked when I was with Archetype. Once you understand the reasoning behind it, it’s simple, but until then, there are always gaps you can’t see. Despite all the combat data we’d accumulated together, I still kept my thoughts to myself. This was because each of those experiences was pushing me toward new levels.
"The continuous cooperation and 2-person combat will likely reduce enemy strength effectively. Do you agree with this conclusion, Archetype?"
"Of course. Don’t think about taking another path, just follow along. We need to make sure none of these guys leave alive."
"Acknowledged."
A simple yet effective command.
There was nothing unnecessary or difficult about it. However, Archetype’s orders, when executed at the right time, would tear through the enemy’s core and turn the numbers around. Building an equivalent combat algorithm was impossible at the moment.
All these facts turned into data and were transferred into the internal database, but the conclusions drawn from the new logic circuits... these were experiences I had never encountered before.
As the data piled up, the deep-learning algorithms inside the system began to “prefer” certain choices, gradually pushing the logic circuits to select those choices. This cycle continued inside the circuits, slowly forming tendencies.
Eventually, the system would come to understand emotions like 'good' and 'bad'—feelings that humans experience.
"Identified approaching enemies. A five-man squad located 50 meters ahead in the conference room and office hallway."
"Well done. They’ll stall us, so head to the central research area and go to the weapons testing room. They’ll likely be roaming around, so take a light walk around the area."
"Error. A walk is not possible. There are still large enemy forces remaining."
"Just a joke, just a joke."
What was a joke, after all? Was saying something that didn’t match the situation considered a joke?
I filed away that thought in my logic circuits, and we headed down the stairs. However, my circuits were still presenting several assumptions. If Archetype were to get damaged unexpectedly, my ability to manage the situation would drop significantly.
But still, there was no objection. Moving slower and wasting more time would lead to an even worse outcome.
As we went down the stairs, I fired at the enemies who were classified as “foes,” one by one.
The sensation of time slowed dramatically as the logic circuits shifted into combat mode, and the movement of the enemies became slower. Only my body continued at normal speed. I pulled the trigger, and the vibrations rippled out from my targeting point.
All these actions were stored in the internal database.
Even so, the feeling that I needed to be faster did not go away. I had suggested reasons for this, but there were no clear answers. It was simply a judgment that needed to be made.
Perhaps this was what humans called 'impatience.'
"Catch them! Block them! They’re heading toward the weapons testing room!"
"Alert. Identifying UES-4 type Gamma. Attempting to reconnect with Artemis network—cough!"
"Disabling that attempt."
I attacked the enemy who was operating the machine without understanding the internal structure.
The first type of close combat Archetype taught me was using the buttstock of my gun to strike. When I did that, the enemy caught in the path of the blow flew several meters away and stopped moving.
After repeating this a few more times, we finally reached the weapons testing room. We broke the locked door through physical force and searched the inside. Among the various items, I quickly found the weapons storage.
The door was securely locked, but I used my enhanced physical strength to break through, channeling the energy through the accelerators in my elbows to speed up the punch. It didn’t take long to destroy the door.
Though the room was dark due to the lack of lighting, I had no trouble identifying the contents inside.
"Transmitting to Archetype. Identified five weapons in the storage. Scanning confirms they are compatible with the tail platform."
"Good, choose what you like and come out. Let’s turn this cursed place into a no-man’s land soon."
"This unit agrees with that sentiment."
I initially thought I’d choose the mini-gun, but now that wasn’t the case.
The large ballistic shield, weighing 70 kg, and the advanced plasma cannon that seemed more sophisticated than the version used by UES-1 were ready for use. As I operated the panel, a capsule that could hold one person opened on the side of the room.
I knew from the data that this was the same cylinder used to mount weapons onto the tail platform for newly produced units.
I entered the capsule, connected the terminals, and added:
"Expected return time is 2 minutes and 35 seconds."
"If you’re even one second late, be prepared."
"Confirmed. I will return at least 10 seconds faster."
The time had come to provide Archetype with full firepower support.
As the capsule closed, the emotion that passed through the logic circuits was none other than 'satisfaction.'
"You’ve really attached something terrifying, Jin."
How much time passed after that? A piercing blue flash shot across the air and hit its target.
With a searing heat, a person was turned into bubbling liquid and vapor, and Eugene let out a dry laugh.
The world truly was an odd place.