Chapter 326: The Great Actions
Kai’s eyes lingered on the piles of broken machinery.
If Chamber had been tossed aside here, then maybe other "rejects" weren’t as useless as they looked.
He crouched, brushing dust off a heap of twisted plating and scorched devices. He started looking around for something that might have some value.
"Chamber... let’s scan these. You can analyze them..."
’And I’ll confirm with my Appraisal.’
Kai added in his mind.
The pendant pulsed, and soon, he heard Chamber’s voice.
[ Agreed. I’ll begin inspection. ]
Kai pulled out a weapon. Since it was just a test, Kai decided to pick up the nearest one.
It was a firearm with a barrel that was slightly warped and half‑melted. Still, it seemed that it could be fixed by correcting the barrel or even removing the defective part.
Then, Chamber’s voice chimed in immediately.
[ Item detected: Plasma Repeater Prototype.
Status: Defective.
Energy channel unstable.
Risk of overheating after three shots. ]
Kai activated Appraisal.
[ Plasma Repeater (Prototype) ]
[ Grade: C ]
[ Status: Defective - overheats rapidly. ]
[ Effect: Fires condensed plasma bolts. Limited use before meltdown. ]
Kai smirked. "So it works... but only briefly. Could still be useful in a pinch."
He set it aside.
Next, he uncovered a cylindrical device with a cracked casing.
Chamber swiftly checked the item.
[ Item detected: Shockwave Charge.
Status: Incomplete. Detonation radius reduced. Still capable of disabling mechanical units temporarily. ]
"Shockwave, huh... This is interesting..."
Kai’s Appraisal then confirmed it. Of course, he didn’t plan to use appraisal for all the items he inspects... It costs him energy after all. He didn’t want to empty his Spirit Points by doing so many appraisals.
[ Shockwave Charge ]
[ Grade: C ]
[ Status: Defective - reduced blast radius. ]
[ Effect: Emits concussive pulse. Stuns mechanical units for 3–5 seconds. ]
Kai nodded. "Now this... this could buy me time against those Core Guardians. Alright... We’re getting practically the same result. I’ll just trust your words from now on."
Still, if he needed more details about the item that Chamber analyzed, he would just use his Appraisal.
He then dug deeper, pulling free a blade with a fractured edge.
"Now... This is interesting."
Although the item had a fractured edge, it was still sharp!
Just like that, Chamber analyzed the sword instantly.
[ Item detected: Vibro‑Edge Sword.
Status: Defective. Resonance unstable. Cuts are only intermittently enhanced. ]
Kai gently nodded. It would certainly be a great weapon if it were fixed.
"Unreliable, but better than nothing if I need a backup."
Finally, he spotted a small crate tucked beneath scrap.
Inside were spherical devices, dull and scratched. They weren’t A.I. devices like Chamber, as they were smaller in size... they appeared more like grenades!
[ Item detected: Fragmentation Orbs.
Status: Defective. Fuse delay is inconsistent.
Risk of premature detonation. ]
"Why is this thing here? It’s not going to explode suddenly, right?" Kai muttered.
Still, Kai could tell that it would be a terrifying weapon if they could really use it.
"They’re all interesting... But I guess there’s no other item like you here, Chamber."
As he said this, he looked at the small pile he had gathered... a plasma repeater, shockwave charge, vibro‑edge sword, and several unstable fragmentation orbs. Not perfect, but each had potential.
Chamber pulsed warmly.
[ Master, these rejects may be flawed, but flaws can be exploited. With careful use, they can probably be useful. ]
Kai smiled faintly. It was as if Chamber was projecting itself to these rejects and didn’t want them to be completely thrown away.
"Ahem... Right, defective doesn’t mean useless. Guess you’re proof of that. But we can’t carry these items yet."
As he said this, he left the storage and closed the door to ensure that these items wouldn’t get stolen... This was also to keep the others safe since any explosives here might get triggered.
"Alright! Let’s go hack Citadel‑09 and save those people outside!"
The pendant hummed in agreement.
[ Then let us begin. The path forward is dangerous, but I will help you! ]
Kai rose, gripping his lance tightly. With Chamber’s guidance, he followed its instruction and headed to the first node..."
***
Kai followed Chamber’s guidance through the dim corridors.
Clank... Clank... Clank...
The sound of machinery echoing around him became louder as the battle outside became intense.
The pendant pulsed faintly, feeding him directions toward the first control node.
It wasn’t long before the fortress reacted.
From the shadows ahead, three Sentinels emerged, and their armor even had red emergency lights.
Each carried a plasma rifle with barrels glowing as they powered up.
[ Warning: Hostile units detected. Targeting weak points... ]
Chamber’s voice remained calm as they detected the enemies.
[ Their rifles only have 3 charges... Aim for the chest. ]
Kai grinned. "Got it."
Just like that, he activated his Titan Step!
Thud!
The first Sentinel raised its rifle, but Kai blurred forward with his Gene Skill, closing the distance in an instant.
Bam!
His War Lance thrust precisely where Chamber indicated! The core beneath the chest plating was hit!
Sparks erupted, and the machine collapsed just like that!
[ Enemy Unit Destroyed: Sentinel (C) ]
[ +50 Experience Points ]
The second Sentinel fired with its plasma bolts scorching the wall behind him. Kai just ducked low, then charged upward with his Strength Gauntlet, smashing his fist into the unit’s shoulder joint.
Bam!
Metal crumpled and the rifle clattered to the floor, and Kai finished it with a swift lance strike.
The last Sentinel tried to retreat, but Chamber’s voice guided him again.
[ Left knee joint compromised. ]
Kai smiled as his gauntlet crashed into the joint.
The Sentinel toppled, and Kai drove his lance through its core.
[ +50 Experience Points ]
[ +50 Experience Points ]
Kai exhaled, as he looked at the Plasma Rifles before storing them inside his inventory. Unlike the junks, these Rifles were too precious.
"That was almost too easy with you calling the shots."
[ Yes! Tactical guidance reduces wasted effort. ]
Chamber replied, almost smug.
Kai chuckled. "Alright, let’s move."
They pressed deeper until Chamber signaled.
[ First access node located. Behind this door. ]
Kai forced the door open, revealing a chamber filled with humming consoles and glowing veins. The node pulsed faintly, connected to the fortress’s systems.
"Can you do it now?" Kai asked.
[ Master, I cannot breach this system wirelessly. You must connect me directly. Place the pendant against the node’s interface port. ]
Kai blinked. "Right... So you need a hard link... is it this one?" Kai asked, showing what seemed like a small iron altar.
[ Correct. The Citadel’s firewalls are layered against remote intrusion. Only a direct neural‑to‑system connection will allow me to override their safeguards. ]
Kai hesitated, then unclasped the dog‑tag pendant. The rectangular plate extended a thin filament, almost like a cable, shimmering with faint energy.
He pressed it against the console’s port.
Clack.
The node reacted instantly, lights started blinking as Chamber’s hum intensified.
Kai felt a faint tug in the back of his mind, as if his own nervous system was now tethered to the fortress.
"Weird feeling... Is this normal?" Kai asked.
[ ... ]
[ Connection established. Intrusion protocols active. You must defend me while I override the directives. ]
Kai tightened his grip on his lance. "Alright, Chamber. Do it."
The pendant’s hum rose to a rapid cadence, Chamber’s voice echoing in his mind. [ Initiating intrusion... bypassing firewall... rewriting directives... progress at 12%. ]
Kai stood guard as instructed.
The fortress seemed to sense the intrusion... Soon, alarms blared, and mechanical footsteps echoed down the corridor!
Two more Sentinels charged in, rifles blazing. Kai then charged forward with Titan Step carrying him past the plasma bolts.
He slammed his gauntlet into one’s chest, sparks flying, then spun to impale the second with a precise thrust.
[ Intrusion progress: 46%. ]
"Alright... Just work on it!"
The walls trembled, and a heavier unit stomped into view... an Adaptive Construct!
"Shit... That looks menacing, Chamber. I don’t think a low-level Survivor like me can survive this."
Its body shifted, arms transforming into twin cannons.
Thankfully, Chamber could actually multitask even if it was slow!
[ Warning: Adaptive Construct. The weak point is located at the back. ]
Kai dashed sideways as the cannons fired...
Bam!
The plasma scorched the floor.
Kai didn’t stop as he threw one of his fragmentation granades.
The fuse sputtered, but it detonated just in time, shrapnel tearing into the construct’s armor!
Kai seized the opening with his Titan Step, carrying him behind it.
"Haa!"
His War Lance then pierced the exposed core, and the machine collapsed.
[ Intrusion progress: 78%. ]
Kai panted, gripping his lance tightly.
"How much longer?"
[ Almost complete. Final override... 95%... 100%. Node compromised. Control channel rerouted. ]
The consoles flickered, and Chamber’s voice carried a note of triumph.
[ First node secured. The fortress’s defenses are weakened. Two more nodes remain before we can access the core. ]
Kai exhaled, relief flooding him. "So this is how we dismantle Citadel‑09... piece by piece. Good work, Chamber!"
[ Thank you, master! You are correct. Each node we seize reduces Anima’s control. Once all are overridden, I can initiate a full takeover. ]
Kai’s eyes lit up, unaware that their actions created a huge wave of events outside!
Comments