Crossing the World

VI - Shelters (Karen)

The next day I decided to try a tool that I had always looked at with a passionate feeling. Yeah, I'm talking about the exoskeleton.

Before going to the mission control center, I went to the dining room and ate some synthetic meat along with a glass of nutrient liquid. It was a bit bitter, but I forced myself to spend it.

The mission control center is located at the very top of the shelter. I think they built it with the aim of minimizing the signal barrier from the outside. The closer to the surface, the easier it is for the equipment to pick up the signal.

After reaching the mission control center, I re-attached the electronic cable into the hole in my wrist. As before, a virtual menu appeared before me.

"If I use an exoskeleton and carry five cyborgs, how much energy do you have to maintain the shelter?"

"Since you have added very high quality water into the tank, I should be able to last for a year."

"What if I bring five ballistic cannons, an A16 laser, a high-pressure plasma shield, and mount a booster jet on each cyborg?"

"Who do you want to fight with?"

Hearing the AI question, I grinned.

"Of course with that red fucker throwing a spear at me."

"Actually I refuse to give the equipment to the layman. However, your rights have now become the highest. I'll last for two months."

"Then, prepare everything I mentioned earlier and charge to the maximum."

After I finished giving the order, my consciousness immediately split into five different places. Each consciousness grasped a high-explosive ballistic cannon in the shape of a rifle.

I began to control them all, walking steadily towards my body that was still connected to a quantum computer.

After my left eyeball confirmed all the cyborgs that stepped near me, I removed the connecting cable and stepped back to leave the door on the floor open. Then, when the floor door opened completely, a fullplate armor made using primorial carbon showed itself.

"Here is the main character! That legendary exoskeleton armor! Ahhhhhh!"

Something that appeared before me was not much different from ordinary futuristic metal armor. The design is also rather old-fashioned with shiny black as the base color. Actually there is no other color other than black except the faded blue LED lights on the second eye and the middle of his chest.

"Exoskeleton type AK-677. This is the latest model we have. The maximum flying speed is ten times the speed of sound. Maximum load that can be handled by 400 tons. It is resistant to cosmic radiation, has a plasma shield, can protect users from nuclear attacks, and is equipped with an A16 laser and a pulsar as its main weapon. In addition, I have also installed the latest teleporter and communicator output as an additional feature."

"The specs are absolutely crazy. But why is the design so old-fashioned?"

"It's just a prototype. However, don't worry. The AK-677 is very safe and works well. I'll start thinking about the design after the actual product is finished."

Well then, there's nothing to discuss anymore, right? Let's try this luxury and avenge my previous defeat.

As I walked closer, the armor began to open, revealing its empty interior. I put myself in it and the AK-677 started closing slowly.

The two holes in my hand were connected to the wrist of this armor, making all the outside sensations that came into contact with the surface of the armor also felt on my skin. My eyesight was sharpened and filled with virtual sentences complete with maps and armor anatomy showing his status.

Although the armor is quite high, my short body can be adjusted well. I really feel like I'm fusing with the AK-677 and getting a new body.

"I think I know why this armor is called an exoskeleton instead of a futuristic armor. Being in it is really awesome."

"All status is normal. You can use the AK-677 for three days before the power runs out. Please keep in mind, each embedded feature has only three uses except the booster jet. Last warning, if you want to use a pulsar, please use below ten percent. Otherwise, I'm afraid the land you're shooting on will turn into a sea of lava."

Ugh ... really terrible. How could this AI create a weapon of destruction and allow a commoner like me to touch it?

Three days, huh? It was indeed too short when compared to the other exoskeleton armor. However, I believe AI will increase its power capacity someday.

"Then, let's start a genocidal project!"

I activated the teleportation feature and entered the coordinates I got through the travel history the last time it was somehow stored. It would be too long and troublesome if I went there manually. So, activating the space jump would be the best option.

"Okay, I'm leaving!"

This time I landed on the sea and splashed because there was no footing whatsoever. The five cyborgs I brought were also experiencing the same thing. It was fortunate that my first jump was on land. Otherwise, I could die silly from drowning.

"Okay, let's try one more time."

I re-activated the teleportation feature and entered the previous coordinate point. After being convinced that there was not the slightest mistake, I made a space jump for the second time.

This time I landed where I should have been. The ground full of pebbles was instantly wet by the seawater carried by me. I even saw some small fish rebelling on the ground. I ignored all the poor fish and chose to look around. Orange skies and weathered trees filled my twelve fields of view. What a slightly nostalgic sight.

The spears around were gone, but the empty shells were still scattered. It seemed that the red species had taken back the spears and corpses of its comrades. It's also a bit strange to know that language packs categorize them as species without intelligence.

Where should I look for them?

I activated the booster jets on my soles and back followed by the five cyborgs doing the same.

"Whoa?! To flying! I really fly!"

The land is getting away from me so my field of view is getting wider. Together with the vision strengthening features of the AK-677, I can see all the way to the far end of the horizon.

Ah, the beautiful view. Although there were no trees and only land as far as the eye could see, I was satisfied with all that considering this was my first flight.

All this time I was just practicing flying inside the virtual world. I always thought it was just a formality. I never thought there would be a day when I actually fly.

"Ah, that's them!"

As I enjoyed the scenery around me, my eyeballs saw a red dot at the end of the horizon. As I increased my sight limit and used the zoom feature, the stupid red species that had previously nearly killed me started to show.

It looks like that place is their settled territory. If I count roughly, it's probably about 500 people. Hm, quite a lot also for the size of this hell-like world.

"How do they eat?"

Honestly finding them on a barren plain like this was quite absurd. Well, whatever. Since I'm in a good mood, let's remove them painlessly.

I activated the main weapon feature and set the power amount by ten percent. In addition, the five cyborgs also raised their respective ballistic cannons and aimed them at the settlement.

"Let's see as good as what this gun called a pulsar is."

Let's start the show!

When my five separate consciousnesses locked onto the ballistic attack target, I punched the trigger of the five cannons through the cyborgs I controlled. Not long after, I also activated the pulsar on the AK-677.

The chest of my armor shot out a very dazzling blue light. My body was even pushed back with a very strong and painful pressure. Through ten cyborg visions, I could see the electron jump around the blue light I was shooting, making a thunderous sound like a lightning strike.

The incident took less than a second. Rays with a speed of about 300,000 kilometers per second shot and hit the target without giving a chance to dodge.

Then, the land was illuminated by a white light that was as dazzling as the sun had just descended from the sky. As if not to let it all end there, a loud bang blared to all corners of the land accompanied by a gust of wind like a storm in broad daylight.

"This ... was beyond my expectations. If I use all the power, maybe the planet's just a name."

I could only stare at the sea of fire that was now creeping upwards, burning the surrounding air and blocking the view with billowing black smoke.

"Pulsar, huh? I'd better not touch her again."

My journey for revenge ended without a climax. It was a really boring day.

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