Chapter 65. 0-Rank Combat Record
『Transcendent Emperor Colossus』
Thud. Boom.
Afterword
A slow punch collided.
No, in reality, it wasn’t that slow.
Both the opponent and us had grown gigantic, so it only felt that way.
The cockpit shook from the massive shockwave.
Even though our punches clashed with similar force, we were the ones being pushed back.
After the exchange of punches, X Magina’s knee buckled.
Given that the robot is driven by our combined will, it meant we couldn’t withstand the shock.
“Delayed reaction!”
“Is the weapon deployment still not ready?”
Everyone was voicing their concerns, but they were just words birthed from simple anxiety.
Since we shared consciousness, we already knew the reason.
The transformation was too delayed.
We were thrust into close combat without time to deploy our weapons.
We needed to create distance and deploy our armaments.
As opinions coalesced, we attempted to create distance.
Thud. Boom boom boom.
An unidentifiable shock struck X Magina’s body, causing our posture to falter once again.
“What the heck!”
“It’s an explosion!”
An explosion? Where even?
I couldn’t see Colossus initiating anything.
Could it possibly be dragging up warships again…?
Thud. Boom.
I could hear it.
A battleship wasn’t right in front of me?
A Colossus made of numerous battleships.
If the countless bulges protruding from that body meant something…
Rather than random protrusions made from poorly assembled metals, if each little bulge were a battleship’s turret…
That thought shared among us was confirmed through an expanded view of the camera.
Countless bulges fired flames.
Creeeak.
With a bizarre sound, Colossus’s punch was raised once more.
“We’re recovering our position!”
Thud.
The rolled feet shook the ground as we desperately corrected our posture before the punch was thrown.
Crash.
Another punch collided.
Thud. Clang.
Knocking down a massive form over the ocean, X Magina knelt.
If this continued, we would be defeated.
Though it was only two exchanges, it painfully signaled our fate.
The relentless bombardment continued.
The overwhelming difference in specs.
The battle between colossal robots was decided in an instant.
A single attack from either side, and one outstretched punch could destroy the opponent’s mainframe.
In such a situation, if we keep being pushed, a second attack would end it.
Somehow… we had to deploy our weapons.
While everyone’s will was in unison, things didn’t go as planned.
Although Colossus raised its punch slower than us, it was covered by its turrets.
Currently, the pouring bombardments prevented us from standing.
Creeeak.
Colossus raised its third fist.
Despite our best efforts, there seemed to be no time to regain posture.
We were gonna die.
The battle would end with three exchanges.
Was this really all we had, putting all our power into it?
Even as those thoughts crossed my mind, everyone refused to give up and braced themselves.
Enduring the bombardment, to block even a single punch again.
“Let’s goooooooo!”
A golden flash crossed before my eyes.
A voice devoid of dignity or elegance resonated from the cockpit speakers.
A massive hammer appeared.
And the tiny being wielding it.
Riding atop a yellow lightning bolt, a Magical Girl swung the hammer with one hand.
In a moment of collision.
The two Awakeners were sent flying.
Unable to withstand Colossus’s punch, they absorbed the recoil in their bodies.
Perhaps due to their size, despite their efforts, the result wasn’t great.
The Magical Girl’s hammer merely shifted the trajectory of Colossus’s gigantic fist slightly.
However, that was enough.
The slow, slow fist of Colossus required a long time to load that powerful punch.
“If I do this much and lose, I’m gonna die!”
“Shut your mouth! You’re making my ears ring!”
Even as their bodies were pushed away by the recoil, the two Awakeners chattered enthusiastically as they flew somewhere.
They couldn’t waste the chance they created.
Following the trajectory calculated by Blue and Green, I moved my head.
Whooooom.
The enormous fist of Colossus brushed past the side of X Magina’s head.
Even though it was a missed punch, the shockwave that grazed by shook the cockpit.
Time was bought.
Enduring the pouring bombardments, we gritted our teeth and lifted X Magina.
If the bombardment was simple, even if slow, we could regain our stance.
The stance of the newly risen X Magina had changed.
Its legs spread apart.
Left hand to the sky.
Right hand to the ground.
Channeling everyone’s will.
Ding ding ding ding ding!
The engines roared furiously as they began to amplify energy.
The left hand, wrapped in heat, turned crimson.
The right hand, encased in coldness, turned azure.
As if attempting to stop that, bombardments rained down again.
But it was useless.
Bang. Boom boom.
As turrets separated from both legs, X Magina unleashed bombardments along with forming a green shield in front of its arm.
Blocking the opponent’s shells while ours continued to rain upon the enemy in a one-sided bout.
They couldn’t waste this chance.
Whoooooosh.
The jet engines mounted on our back spewed flames according to our will.
Let’s go.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
We dashed forward, cutting through the ocean towards Colossus.
Creeeek.
An obnoxious metallic sound echoed as Colossus raised its fist again.
It was already too late.
With a left hand dyed red.
With a right hand dyed blue.
We continued to strike Colossus’s body to prevent it from regaining posture.
Relentlessly.
If there was one advantage we had over Colossus, it was our speed.
Pouring everything into this continuous flurry of blows, we kept striking.
Even if the enemy staggered and fell, we pursued relentlessly.
Crash. Crash. Kaboom.
Explosions erupted from Colossus’s body.
A chain reaction of the stored shells within it.
The enemy’s surface began to crumble.
Splash. Plop.
Metal fragments fell from Colossus, sinking into the sea.
The giant’s body began to collapse.
Now. It was the last.
A black gravitational field spread on the ground.
The last technique for restraining the enemy.
Kaaiiiing.
The engine, having shattered its limits, began to break apart.
With left and right hands clasped.
Gathering maximum energy.
To smash the enemy’s head.
“454744!”
Laughter echoed.
Bzzz. Bzzz.
A loud alarm blared.
Red warning lights assaulted my eyes.
What’s happening?
As I opened my eyes, the first thing in my sight was the cracks and the red stains.
Had the visor broken?
I threw my helmet away.
The alarm continued to ring.
I pushed aside the debris that pinned me down and stood up.
Before my eyes were the red stains.
Yellow, crushed beneath the debris.
Black, left with only half a body after the explosion.
This couldn’t be reality. Just moments ago we were winning, weren’t we?
What the hell happened…
…Colossus had taken control of X Magina.
I heard Park Hyunseok’s voice and turned my head.
Was it because he was pinned under the ruins? He had lost a leg.
Control…?
Weren’t we exceptions?
If X Magina could also be controlled, why hadn’t that been the case from the start?
“This is my guess, but from the beginning, that thing was targeting our energy. It likely planned to swipe it at the last moment.”
If so, did that mean all the battles were meaningless?
The desperate attacks from the Awakeners and even Green’s sacrifice?
“Dong-hoon, can you still move?”
Using my strength to get the words out, I nodded.
For some reason, while everyone else had collapsed, I remained unscathed.
…Then kill me.
My thoughts paused.
What on earth was he saying?
“X Magina is not fully controlled. It might be because Green died, but X Breed has not been dominated.”
…So, does that mean you want me dead?”
“While you were unconscious, I wrapped things up with the remaining three. Once we activate again, we’ll be summoned back to the cockpit.”
It seemed that agreement had been reached without my consent.
Was that what it meant?
The machine with a soul wouldn’t be controlled by Colossus.
So the only one left unharmed would have to reclaim control at the expense of the remaining four lives.
“Stop babbling.”
…Is there any other way?”
“Three out of five. We have the numbers on our side. We’re moving.”
I helped Hyunseok, who could barely stand, towards his seat.
In the main control room, which had never been attacked even once throughout countless battles.
The usually spotless cockpit was now a mess.
Screens shattered and turned black.
Wires sticking out of the ceiling burst with sparks.
Flashing light bulbs dangled.
I helped Hyunseok into his seat, then sat in mine.
Of the five, only two survived.
In just a day, three had died.
Is this what it meant for emotions to dull from too much sadness?
Hyunseok also felt lost his consciousness as I sensed his will fade.
Move. You have to move.
Thud.
Weakly, the colossal form of X Magina budged, but that was all.
On the broken monitors, barely legible words floated up.
Connection refused.
Three out of five.
Did that still mean we couldn’t take control?
“Move, I sayyyyy!”
Had my anger triggered a response?
X Magina started to activate.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
As if even standing was an effort.
Only bitter laughter escaped me.
Even with my dead comrades helping, this was it?
(Activation rate 49%: Blue to be eliminated.)
A bizarre phrase appeared on the monitor.
Was this an illusion I created?
Gazing at the monitor again, the illusion faded, revealing different figures.
Engine connection rate 49%.
Body connection rate 49%.
Point rate 49%.
Amplification rate 0%.
As if demanding me to sacrifice Hyunseok.
Don’t mess with me.
What value could there be in victory achieved through such sacrifices?
“Move, X Magina, dammit!”
I slammed the monitor in front of me.
Crash.
The screen shattered.
Now even my monitor was gone.
Did I lose control and act out of emotion?
Truly, this is the end.
I rested my drained body against the chair.
Now it was really over.
Nothing remained.
Not X Magina. Not even me.
…Not even me?
Blue had spoken.
If death allowed the machine to be infused with a soul, it would break free from control.
Then… wouldn’t dying be the solution?
Green was able to operate X Breed after dying.
What could I not achieve?
I picked up a glass shard lying on the floor and raised it slowly to my neck.
My hand began to sweat around the shard.
Was it really necessary to go this far?
Time was running out. None knew Colossus’s next move.
If Blue wasn’t healed quickly…
Such empty wills whirled in my mind.
In that anxiety and agony, my sweaty hand moved.
A slight scratch on my neck.
The pain made my hand open.
The glass fragment fell to the ground, shattering.
I couldn’t die.
490% 49% 4970 49% 49% 49%
4996 49% 49% 4996 49% 49%
49% 49% 49% 49% 49% 49%
4996 4996 490% 4996 49%6 4996
49% 49% 49% 49%.
Beyond my monitor, on a barely illuminated different screen, those figures appeared.
As if trying to break my will.
As if mocking me for not being able to die.
Thanks to that, a resolution arose.
A decision to kill someone.
How easily could I take a life?
Before the monitor, now cracked, with sparks sizzling.
I hurled my head towards it.
[Scenario destruction confirmed]
[Permissions granted]
I heard someone’s voice.
Let’s begin.
“To be brief,”
“You’ve earned your qualification,”
“The story is just about to conclude. This is practically the first time on Earth.”
“But, it’s disappointing. I lack sufficient power. Absolute power. If not for that, I’d be perfect.”
“Well, just roll around for about 300 years and come back, right?”
“Ah? Who am I? You’re just going to forget anyway. I’m Hyun.”
I opened my eyes.
Still with my head pressed against the monitor.
For a brief moment, I lost consciousness, but it felt as if I gained something important.
Now, I could move.
My will ignited.
Let’s go. Yellow. Green. Black. Blue.
This is it.
Outsider. The name of my new power.
“Deus Ex Machina!”
The brass robot soared.
Casting aside all unnecessary burdens.
All embellishments just for show.
Useless gloves.
Electronic devices meant for communication.
Leaving behind only the brass gears.
It transformed into pure machine.
Now, even will was unnecessary.
Deus Ex Machina was me.
It was all of us.
I could see threads intertwined with every machine of the world. I soared through the sky, severing them.
From afar, I felt communications returning.
From afar, I sensed the power of machines beginning to move again.
I felt humanity’s machines starting to pulse back to life.
The Colossus felt panic and confusion around us.
As she lost her limbs, she grew weaker.
With disbelief, she turned her head towards us.
The conclusion was instantaneous.
The gear hand of Deus Ex Machina pierced her core.
Colossus’s colossal body began to fall apart.
The end of the story.
In an instant, her core was ripped away. The emotions of Colossus poured out.
Apology. Sadness. Guilt.
“53615727279, 43686961264.”
Until the very end, her words were incomprehensible.
If we, now machines, couldn’t comprehend them, could they be anything but the words of a machine?
Sensing the power of the Awakeners fading away.
We plunged toward the sea.
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