Chapter 28

As I go over to the next street, I’m met by a bizarre scene. The giant armor is trying to approach the Saintess and the dwarf using lots of long wire things.

“STOP RUNNING! IT WILL FEEL KIMOCHI, I PROMISE!”

“Go to Hell you abomination!”

“More runnin, less talkin!”

“Look dwarf, up ahead. We can sacrifice that girl to buy some time.”

“Lady, I’m startin ta think that you are da real monster here…”

Wow… The dwarf took the words right out of my mouth. What happened to our comradery Saintess?!

“How could you betray me like that Saintess? I thought we were pals.”

The Saintess had a confused look on her face, and then as if it dawned on her she asked, “Stone, is that you? No one else would call me Saintess.”

“Yep that’s right. I’m finally independent.”

Now it was the dwarf’s turn to be confused, “This is da robot?! But I saw ya gettin blow up…”

“Well, you’re not wrong about that. I had to adapt however, and then became what you see now.”

The dwarf looked me up and down, “Unbelievable… How is dis possible?”

“Well Stone, I’m glad you’re fine and all but the giant armor is still after us.”

I smiled at her and gave her a thumbs up, “Leave it to me.”

I walked forward and stood proudly in front of the rampaging armor. I lifted my hand and gave it an order.

“Thundernation, I command you to stop!”

The armor slowed its pace and stared at me.

“… CORE-CHAN?”

“… Yes, it’s me. So like I said, I command you to—GEH!”

Before I could finish, the long wires had wrapped around my arms, legs and body, and pulled me towards the chest of the armor. I was barely able to brace myself and stop from being pulled completely inside.

“What the Hell are you doing?!”

“QUICK, GET INSIDE ME.”

“No!”

A burst of steam was expelled from the armors back, “ONLY THE FIRST TIME HURTS.”

“Seriously, who’s the sick bastard that programmed this thing?!”

During the commotion the guards that were chasing me earlier have finally caught up.

“There is the suspect! Catch it… before…”

They just stopped and were staring over here. What happened to that motivation from earlier?

“Hurry up and help me!” “CORE-CHAN~”

“Sir… what should we do?”

“Basic training never had a scenario like this…”

“I doubt it’s in the handbook either. Well, let’s start with what we were trained on.”

The captain walked over to the Saintess and the dwarf, “Sir, Ma’am, are you injured?”

“I’m fine.” “Same fer me.”

“That’s good. Please allow some of my men to escort you to safety.”

The Saintess pointed over here, “What about that?”

The captain looked at his wrist, “I’ll have to leave it to another shift. I’m almost off duty.”

“Captain, you don’t wear a watch.”

“… I’ll escort you citizens to safety before then.”

Damn it, I didn’t think the guards would be such wimps. Guess I have to rely on my own power like usual to get out of this mess. But the question remains, why didn’t my order work? Based on what the status said, this armor should be under my control right?

Perhaps the exterior unit is not under your direct control, but is instead supposed to act as a partner of sorts? Or possibly…

“YOU’RE RATHER FEISTY HUH? I DON’T MIND THOUGH.”

“Let me go already!”

“AND LET YOU GET HURT AGAIN? NO WAY.”

“Why do you care so much? Is it your programming?”

“MY PROGRAMMING? THAT COULD BE A PART OF IT… BUT THAT DOESN’T SEEM RIGHT…”

“Huh? What does that mean?”

I see! It was during the moment your conscious was being split! While it doesn’t seem to have gotten your personality, it must have been enough for it to become sentient.

Then what about the programming?

It’s probably used to form the personality. It also explains why it doesn’t have to obey your orders.

Well that’s just…

“CORE-CHAN… I THINK I LOVE YOU.”

“…Great.”