AutoTerra: Operating Systems

Chapter 80: Giving Death

“Say, who is your master? Whoareyou? And from which side did you get the order?”

Tenma was cornered, drooping limp on the floor with her legs and right hand pierced by a spear. Want to attack by kicking Astan using one free leg is also free. His strength was drained away, coupled with the fatal injuries he received. His armor was also damaged, making various foreign substances from this ship enter and started to poison him slowly.

It is free to be free. His life time was a little longer.

For all of Astan's questions, Tenma responded with a laugh even though she heard a little ringing due to enduring the pain. “Hissst…. I won't say it, not even until the end of my life! Argh!”

Tenma screamed again and felt the pain in her left hand and leg. Apparently, both limbs were pierced by iron pegs created by Edrick through the Ability Program.

The chairman was sick of seeing his wits at these last moments. So, it might not matter if he tortured the fake Tenma a little.

“You can take your step off his hand, Astan. He's not going anywhere,” said Edrick flatly. The system panel appeared before him. “Let him babble. I'll try to snatch two of our team's flash drives from the system storage.”

As per Edrick's orders, Astan kept his foot away from Tenma's left hand. But, he was still pointing the muzzle of his weapon.

Despite being tortured like this, the fake Tenma can still laugh out loud with a ringing. Knowing the fact that the angel of death will soon pick him up, makes Tenma's psyche becomes disturbed.

“...Why?! Why, Astan…? Why don't you like the Re:Set System in you? With System Re:Set, you can become very powerful. You even... can surpass the power of Gods though.”

“You... is a suitable candidate for System Re:Set. You should be, you're proud! There are thousands of system users who scramble to use System Re:Set because it is considered much more complete than System AutoTerra. But, they all ended badly…. No one fits using that luck system.”

Astan's getting his rifle. “Don't you think of that damn system as a bringer of luck!”

“You're blind! Precisely System Re:Set is the best delivery to get what we want in the universe!”

Inside Tenma's mind and could only be seen by one, there was a single transparent notification panel appearing.

[Warning! AutoTerra system is impaired]

[Starting the data transfer process.].

Then the transparent panel turns into a thin gray color.

[Starting user soul synchronization process]

[Loading.].

As the mysterious process took place in his mind, Tenma increasingly raved indistinctly.

“Ahahaha…. I. I did fail to bring you and sample the Re:Set System on my master. Even if you manage to hand over System Re:Set to the trial, the trial will still be able to be thwarted!”

Astan and Edrick both flinched. From this chatter, they got one fact that the party who sent this intruder most likely has plans for the BioEmerald trial in the future. If this is the case, they are obliged to report the news to superiors.

“And for you, Astan Pradipta Cornell…! You must prepare, because from now on. You will be hunted by my master!”.

The system panel in Tenma's mind again notified him.

[Welcome back, User]

[Thank you for using our system service]

[As a gift. You will be sent to a dimension that suits you. Be the strongest in the universe]

Knowing the notice, Tenma revealed a smile behind the helmet. He knew, the notification was just a joke. He had failed to carry out the mission, hence not something desirable that this system would give.

“Astan.” Two flash drives appeared in Edrick's hands. “I've already snatched two of his flash. Now, it's up to you.”

If the almost stolen data has returned, there is no point for Astan to continue dealing with this person.

“You want me hunted down or killed by your master's side though, I don't care.” Instant's finger was ready to pull the trigger. “I've already been involved in your system games.”

In the final moments of Tenma's fake death, he had a faint look at the thin black shadows cast around Astan's body. He understood the shadow's sign. It was a very appropriate decision to make Astan as a candidate for the Re:Set System user.

If the master's side could subdue Astan, then Astan could become a very profitable weapon of destruction. But if Astan fails to be conquered…

Perhaps a great calamity will occur in the future, for their side as well as the universe.

“If they want me...” Instant's speech resumed, “Then the death I will give.”

Astan immediately shot Tenma in the head with a long shot. The fake Tenma Chapel was crushed along with his helmet, chopped to pieces, blood gushed profusely, skeletal fragments and brain shards spread across the surrounding floor and his armor.

Astan continued to shoot the head even though it was destroyed. The fact that the real Tenma had been killed before leaving with them, one team massacred this alien intruder, nearly failing the mission, and the fact that Astan's brain was planted with the Re:Set System. All of this really made his heart angry.

Even killing this one culprit was still not enough to assuage this anger. Unfortunately, Astan still has to be able to hold it. His ego was not something important, returning to headquarters was the main thing.

“Astan...”.

Seeing Astan finish off their enemies in such an inhumane way made Edrick stay on the spot. His body was a little tense, not expecting that Astan would over-act this way.

But, maybe it's no problem. If Edrick was in the position of Astan, surely he would do the same to avenge the death of their colleagues.

“Argh!!! Shitty!”

Edrick's tense momentarily dissipated when he heard Astan's shrill scream. The image of Astan that Edrick thought was terrible became strange when he saw the hunter shouting while stepping on a pool of fake Tenma head blood.

“Sucks! It sucks! Shitty!” Astan pointed at Tenma's body. “Why does this guy insist on not telling who told him to?! Whoever wants me and the Re:Set System, if I knew the people, I would be a human being!”

Edrick stared at Astan. If those words were said by someone else, it would definitely be called a joke. But if Astan says it, Edrick believes it.

The proof, he just saw that Astan really made a fake Tenma into a human being.

“Hei, Astan.” Edrick started talking, “Don't you overkill him so? I thought you were gonna let him live and hand him over to the military headquarters.”

Astan stroked his helmet. “For what? There's no point in bringing this man alive with us. If he dares to kill our comrades, why must he let him live?”

Astan continued, “Not that I don't trust the military. There was still a chance he could escape when he was about to be handed over to them. Digging information from him is also free. Just sorry, mate. Now, I'm not a soldier anymore who needs to obey the laws and rules.”

“I am a hunter who is free to do anything to survive.”

His last words sounded very strong. Edrick also breathed. If it is like this mindset of a hunter, he is reluctant to interfere. It is worth often spread rumors that the military and hunters often fight, apparently the mindset of both sides is too contradictory.

For a moment Edrick had noticed the two flash he had obtained. In the process of getting those two flashbacks back, he thought it was necessary to use the Type-5 Hack Ability. But apparently, Tenma's fake AutoTerra System is offline even though it's not dead, so Edrick can more easily seize it.

It's a little weird according to Edrick. The AutoTerra system will go offline immediately if the user is dead. Then why is Tenma's fake AutoTerra System inactive before the person dies?

“You think of something?” tanya Astan was calmer when he saw his partner daydreaming.

“Something weird, Astan.” Edrick replied, “The person's AutoTerra system went offline before he died.”

Astan was astonished, understanding Edrick's intentions. Impossible AutoTerra System someone can stop active first before the user dies. There is no reason to make such a thing happen.

As they spoke, the two did not realize that the flesh from Tenma's neck piece was beginning to twitch. Slowly changing into a lump of mouthed clay meat accompanied by many fangs.

“Astan, the!”

The two are shocked to see a creature resembling a large leech jump out of Tenma's neck hole, darting rapidly to break the glass protecting a red button on one of the command room's control tables, push that button until it triggers a loud alarm.

...~*~*~*~...