Attack on Machine

“Ugh… It doesn't really look that safe. Are you sure we can trust this information?” Komoria winced upwards and wrinkled her nose. “This could kill the three of us if it fails. And that's not even the worst-case scenario.”

“No need to fear. On this one day, anything can get up there. Enough passersby have proved that.”

I yawned and glanced over at my two companions. Komoria was being skeptical while Lyra was reassuring her that this way was foolproof. Typical.

I guess I should go back a bit.

Nearly two months had passed since we killed the Basilisk Queen. Something happened soon after, but that's top secret. The important part was that we converted her underground country into our base of operations, converting the monster slaves into our loyal citizens, and spent the next two months getting stronger to take on our next opponent.

It was a pain to get here by the way, but apparently, the princess of us humans was being held here, so we couldn't exactly ignore it—as in, the goddess that forced me to do this in the first place said I couldn't ignore it. 

I needed a good deed and a big one at that.

Lyra had asked around on the surface and discovered that once a week, a blue beam shoots down from the sky and allows anyone to get up to the Flying City.

That's where he lives, by the way. The machine king god—whatever dude.

He was apparently created by the gods with their ‘divine technology’ as a guardian, but like all robots, he quickly became self-aware and built his own country for robots only. He created all of them—a ruler with no one but his children around.

What also sucked was that he had an OP as hell Skill, but that stupid goddess told us she forgot what it actually was. How does that even happen?

A goddess...forgot…

We were now standing below the massive kingdom in the sky. The area was rather rural and devoid of anything besides large rocks and crevices. We were debating behind a stony pillar now, the blue beam buzzing on the other side of it. It was eating up rocks and minerals like a space excavator from games.

Maybe that’s how it sustained itself.

“I still don’t like this. That blue light seems like it's gonna eat us right up!” Komoria shifted uncomfortably where she stood. "I'm against it."

She clearly wasn’t a fan.

Lyra didn’t seem nervous whatsoever—as expected from the calm and stoic scorpion beast-kin.

I didn’t care, but I also didn't want to get us killed, well, at least two of us.

“It will be fine...probably…”

“Probably?” she parroted. "Why are you averting your gaze?!"

That’s right…

Ever since Komoria had that weird transformation, she had been prone to outbursts and would back to me more. Must be a side effect.

I really hope I’m not around her at night again…

We don’t talk about that.

Anyways…

“Wait! Raze! We don’t know if it's s— Welp, there he goes.”

I left them and jumped into the blue light of my own accord. There were rocks and adjacent rubble all around me, but they weren't enough to damage me in the slightest.

I used this chance to take a peek at my stats. It had been quite some time since I had last looked at them.

[Name: Raze Havok]—[Class: Savior/Disruptor]—[Level: 123]

[Skills: Zodiac Wheel: Rabbit (MAX), Tiger (RANK 5), Fearless Confidence (MAX), Supreme Arrogance (RANK 5), Skill Share (MAX), The Seven Deadly Sins: Wrath (MAX), Envy (RANK 7), Gluttony (RANK 6), Blessing of Ares: Boar (MAX), Soul Duel (MAX), Astral Body (RANK 2)]

[Status: Hyped]—[Attack: 65,000]—[Defense: 45,435]—[Magic: 20,000]

That’s right. I’m over level 100 now. I have killed many things, especially kobolds… So...many...kobolds.

I also saved a few villages from monsters and shit and unlocked a new zodiac ability. It was okay.

Having a real weapon definitely helped me a lot. [Curse Breaker] was her name and she was super useful.

I could walk through walls (which accidentally got me kicked out of a hot spring) and could easily avoid attacks.

I could take on relatively strong enemies now and so could my two companions—surprisingly.

That was the main reason we decided to go after the machine king guy at last.

“Waiiit for usssss!” Komoria shouted from below. Slowpoke. Probably the big tits. But what's Lyra's excuse? Oh, I see.

I looked down to see Lyra a few feet below me and Komoria right below her.

It is good to lead by example.

[Name:Komoria Vato]—[Class: Beast-kin Sorcerous]—[Level: 102]

[Skills: Soul Link (MAX), Fireball (MAX), Grand Healing Ward (MAX), Flight (MAX), Blazing Spirit (RANK 7), Night Vision (MAX), Paralyzing Gaze (RANK 8), Skill Share (recipient), Eldritch Form (RANK 5), Class Change: Jinzo (MAX)]

[Status: Nervous]—[Attack: 10,000]—[Defense: 35,000]—[Magic: 60,000]

She had come a long way from when we first met. While both her attack and defense are lower than mine, her magic is really useful for keeping me alive. She had some Skills that I rather not talk about near the bottom, but they sure were impressive in their own ways.

Her eldritch form doubled her stats and gave her these nasty tentacles to work with.

I still shudder after seeing them to this very day.

There was also her alternate body. A second character if you will. With it, she could transform into a robot ninja with all sorts of gadgets and weapons of all kinds that really didn't go with the fantasy setting. I asked her about it and her story went like this:

A while back, way before she was born, her village was under attack by orcs and giants for one reason or another. They were supposed to be wiped out, but a traveling bounty hunter stepped in and killed all of the invaders.

His name was Jinzo and he was a mechanical warrior from another world.

The Vatre worshipped him as their savior and even erected a statue of him. He only stayed with them for a single day, but that was all it took for them to revere him as a god.

I later asked the bitch goddess, Endina, about it since I was curious and she enlightened me.

Jinzo was a human from Japan that reincarnated here in a metallic suit. He looked like a robot from the outside, but he was all human on the inside.

Endina also told me that as compensation for all the lives lost in her village, she would grant Komoria one wish that would help her remember them. She chose to become Jinzo, even if her version was a lot more inflated than the true Jinzo. She wanted to remember the tribe that way—living the life of their savior.

The real Jinzo had disappeared long ago, but a new one had appeared.

I wonder what happened to him?

I pulled my head out of the clouds and looked up. We were almost there now. I could see a large metal gate in the middle of the belly of the large city, agape and awaiting our entry.

I used this time to assess Lyra.

[Name: Lyra the Soft]—[Class: Monk Warrior Beast-kin]—[Level: 176]

[Skills: Infinite blows (MAX), Hardened Body (MAX), Transformation (MAX), Improved Armored Skin (MAX), Titanic Strength (RANK 2)]

[Status: Intrigued]—[Attack: 200]—[Defense: 115,000]—[Magic: 0]

She was a scorpion that was semi-durable—that was all.

Anyways, we finally reached the zenith of the blue beam. After being moved through the maw of the gate we were gently spat onto solid ground—or should I say—solid metal.

“This place looks so...strange.” Komoria got off her butt and padded her clothing. “It gives me the same otherworldly feeling as our scanners.”

That's because they were. This metal-plated ground seemed to really be made from a similar material as our scanners.

Did the gods actually create this material or was it just brought from my own world or another?

I couldn't tell.

“I suggest moving out of here with haste. The locals are starting to stare.”

Huh?

Oh, right…

There were extravagantly designed steel-frame apartments erected all around us like a metropolis. It was like we had found ourselves in an apartment complex, but the other residents were animal-like robots. 

They were everywhere. Jaguars, tigers, lions, or even bears for carnivores and small parakeets or large falcons for birds. They even had robotic lizards, crocodiles, and snakes.

It was a futuristic zoo.

“Ugh...they are coming closer… Should I kill them?” Komoria asked with a tense stare, straining her eyes.

Woah, woah, woah. Who is this girl?!

I was the hotheaded one that always jumped into battle at the very start, yet here was my brainy and always composed companion asking me to willingly start a battle with this district's entire populace. That would not go well. Even I knew that!

“Uh, no. Those creepy snakes are inching closer and closer while the others aren't far behind. I suggest we head for that gated area over there.” I pointed to our far right where a gorilla stood guard behind a doorless gate. “I rather take my chances with the monkey.”

“Gorilla,” Lyra corrected. "You can see his large frame and imposing face. That's no mere monkey."

“Whatever, let's just get the hell out of here,” I grumbled.

Why am I the level-headed one? The hell? Who changed my character? Was is that stupid bith goddess again?

Komoria was still tense as hell, her expression clouded. I moved in to get a better look, her face slightly warped. She was crestfallen.

Is she seriously disappointed that we aren't going to fight? Is the eldritch god whispering in her ear?

I ignored her strangely sullen attitude and pulled her along by the arm. Lyra followed quickly after us, walking while talking as she looked ahead.“How shall we deal with the guardian? The others will surely get restless if we take too long.”

Shit. She was right. We needed a quick and easy way to get past him.

I could just go through him, but then I would be leaving the two others behind and there was no telling what other robo freaks were waiting for us in the next district. This was not something I could solo with so little info. If only I had a life system where I could respawn and try again after formulating a strat. At least I thought of something, though. 

I wasn't exactly the brains of our group, but I came up with a mostly solid solution. “Komoria, use Jinzo and go stealth while carrying Lyra. I’ll hold off the monkey and slip by him after you are home free.”

“He's a goril—”

“Whatever! Just do it!” I hissed. I pulled out the scythe that was strapped to my back and barreled down towards the metallic monkey the size of a mini-van.

Komoria transformed into Jinzo and disappeared from sight while Lyra converted into her larger in length but smaller in height form of a scorpion. She was quickly propelled into the air as if she was floating on air.

Now it was my turn. I always wanted to fight Kong, I guess this would have to do.

“YAR!” I shout like a pirate before leaping into the air and bringing my scythe down on the monkey. His head was twisted, eyes on my allies. 

“Keep your damn eyes over here, baboon!”

“CLANK!"

It was the sound of metal hitting metal. My scythe was on even ground with his large arm that had halted my assault and forced me back a few feet.

I caught a glimpse of a blue scorpion being tossed over the monkey's head and disappearing behind him.

I guess it was my turn to get the fuck out.

Behind me, animals of all sorts were heading slithering, running, or flying toward my direction. I guess they weren't a fan of someone with flesh being in their home. Were they being racist? Well, who cares?

I ran at the oversized metal monkey once more in the same exact position that I lunged at him in the past. He threw up an arm to block me again.

However, the outcome was not the same this time. My scythe’s Skill made all the difference. EZPZ BITCH!

A mere millisecond before we collided, I used the absurd bullshit ability of my weapon, [Shade-step]. The power to make my body completely intangible for three seconds allowed me to pass through his body as if I were a ghost.

I slipped by the monkey with ease, much to his confusion, and continued my run on the other side.

Komoria as Jinzo appeared to my right while Lyra shifted back into her blue pony-tailed and formidable, medium-built body with a modest chest.

We kept on running.

After plunging through quite a few apartment districts and even a few metallic pools and beaches ( I really wanted to see what the water was like), while also repeating the same simple strat that we pulled on the original guardian, we came upon our endpoint. It had to be even taller than the Empire State Building, reaching high into the clouds like Olympus. A three-headed metal hydra, the size of a bulldozer, stood vigilant outside the one and only large silver gateway.

Komoria pouted, her cheeks excessively puffed out in anger at the sight of another guardian. “This really sucks. My magic seems to do less and less after every fight. I could go evil, but I know Raze ain't a fan of that and Jinzo can still only be used once a day…”

“Yeah, this was going to be a rather difficult ordeal.” I ground my teeth together in annoyance. “The hydra’s level is nearly 300. This is some prime BS!”

“If we do manage to defeat him then surely we won't stand a chance against the Lord of this realm. There has to be another way,” Lyra concluded.

None of us wanted to fight this massive thing and it didn't seem interested in us as long as we stood idle.

Then our prayers were weirdly answered. A large circular camera appeared from above the doorway of the tower, its large fish lens set upon the three of us.

“Oh? So you are here? Fantastic!” boomed a metallic voice. A large chasm opened up beneath the hydra, swallowing it whole. New material appeared to fill the gap as if nothing had been there in the first place. “I told my children to let you pass if it's the Savior and his party. They were only supposed to capture and/or kill sky bandits and other trespassers. Sorry about the confusion.”

The ominous voice surrounded us like a cave, echoing from a small speaker right below the camera. I couldn't be sure, but it most likely came from the machine king god—whatever his name was.

I did not trust him and yet, the gateway opened up as if to welcome guests. It would be foolish not to take this offer even if we were walking into the belly of the beast. Trap or no trap, we had to press forward. 

I turned to my companions, seeking their input. “What do you two think? It's pretty shady, but this is probably the guy we are looking for.”

“I agree,” Lyra said. “But we need to proceed with caution. There's no telling how many of those holes he has planned for us. Only one of us has the ability to actually fly.”

Komoria pumped a fist into the air. “The princess must be up there, if we can save her, we could make a killing in cash and refurnish Cave World.”

 I slightly grimaced. Since when did she care about money more than me? Just who is this girl? Have our roles reversed? Surely not, ha-ha-haaa....

"Fuck it. Let's get in there and 100% this quest."

We all came to the same conclusion and proceeded up the stairs and into the heart of our enemy.