Chapter 67
Thunk!
The shock pistol, Ruina, roared in rapid succession. Energy particles swirled, mixing with the smoke.
Rick moved erratically, leaving afterimages as he tried to slip out of my line of fire.
'Rick's defense rating can't withstand shock rounds.'
Shock rounds could damage even full-body prosthetics. No matter how high its protection level, a full-body combat suit couldn't endure them.
Whoosh!
I leaped in place and flipped through the air. Then, swinging my sword mid-air, I delivered a weighted strike.
Crunch!
My sword, Crucis, shattered concrete and tore through metal like it was nothing.
Both Ruina and Crucis prioritized firepower and destruction. Because of this, Rick couldn't block my attacks—he could only evade. I had completely shut down one of his combat patterns.
Eliminating a pattern made it significantly easier to read the opponent's movements.
Thunk!
You needed to be faster, Luka.
I expanded my nervous system and heightened my senses. Sharpening my mind, I crammed every bit of sensory input into my brain. Chemicals and hormones surged like a breached dam, flooding my mind. Unnecessary emotions dulled. Mercy vanished. Fear no longer existed. An unnatural surge of aggression and combativeness transformed me into a war machine.
Combat logic and tactics piled up in my mind like puzzle pieces. I was piecing them together.
At the same time, I detached my tactical thinking through dual cognition. A version of me now observed myself.
Good. My state was at its peak. Today, I would give everything.
Vrrrrrrr—!!
Pushing my output to the limit, my combat prosthetics let out a satisfying hum. Everything was perfectly tuned and maintained—there was no resistance, not even for a fraction of a second. The characteristic dullness of cybernetic prosthetics had disappeared. In this moment, this hunk of metal felt as natural as flesh and blood.
I could do this.
I slid back, lowering my knees and torso as I regulated my breathing.
Crack!
I kicked off the ground, launching forward. A fissure formed where I had stood.
I squeezed Ruina’s trigger until the magazine ran dry, restricting Rick’s movements. The six shock rounds had left the office riddled with gaping holes, like a bug-eaten fruit.
Whoosh!
My feet barely touched the ground. With minimal movement, I leaped continuously, maintaining my acceleration. As I bounced between the walls and ceiling, I grew even faster.
'Die, enemy of the Empire.'
And for Felix’s share, too.
…Crucis caught up to Rick.
Screeeeech—!!
The sound of metal slicing through metal rang out. Sparks burst brilliantly. As I advanced, I slipped past Rick’s side and exhaled the breath I had been holding. Heated air escaped from my lips.
Thunk!
Rick’s left arm fell to the floor. I had severed his shoulder with Crucis.
Shhhh—
A shiver ran down my spine. It was exhilarating beyond words. There had never been a strike more satisfying than this. If just cutting off an arm felt this good, how refreshing would it be to take Rick’s head? My brain might melt from the sheer euphoria of it.
“…Hah.”
I must have looked like a lunatic, but I couldn’t stop myself from letting out a pleasure-filled chuckle. Then, straightening Crucis once more, I fixed my gaze on Rick, now missing an arm.
Click.
I spun Ruina in one hand and reloaded. The spent coolant casings from my earlier shots still glowed red-hot on the floor.
“You are now a fully realized Imperial Guard, beyond any doubt.”
Rick spoke as he touched the severed edge of his shoulder. Tiny components clattered to the ground.
“For His Majesty the Emperor and the citizens of the Empire, I will now pass judgment upon you, Rick Silva Núñez.”
I suppressed my rising excitement and spoke mechanically. Even with victory in my grasp, I remained vigilant, observing Rick closely.
Something nagged at me. He wasn’t using a sword, a spear, or any kind of weapon. More than that, he didn’t seem to be hiding one either.
There was no reason for him not to use a weapon. A warrior of Rick’s caliber would be even more formidable if armed. Even now, after losing an arm, he still refused to draw a weapon. That could only mean one thing—there was a reason.
“Luka, as a gift for your growth, allow me to show you one of my tricks.”
With those words, Rick’s combat suit began to glow.
Wuuuuung!
A thin, thread-like light emerged along the seams and edges of his suit.
My cybernetic eyes attempted to analyze the phenomenon, but all they returned were endless errors. I had seen this kind of occurrence before.
Flash!
Rick vanished.
This wasn’t high-speed movement. His physical existence had literally evaporated!
“Luka, I won’t bother with obvious words. That the Empire isn’t worth your loyalty, that the people's voices matter—none of that would mean anything to you. You are an utterly individualistic person, after all.”
The voice came from about five steps behind me. A chill ran down my spine. This was an ability I had never anticipated.
'Force power?'
Rick had teleported. The energy wavelength pattern resembled the technique used by the Holy Knights of the Holy Corite Alliance.
Whoosh!
I spun around, slashing my sword. Rick blurred and vanished. My blade cut through nothing but the afterimage of light.
Rick reappeared exactly where he had been before. My mind reeled. This unexpected variable had completely shattered my predictions. I had to discard all the combat logic and strategies I had prepared and build a new one from scratch.
…It was hopeless. No matter how many times I ran the scenarios, the conclusion remained the same. There was no way to defeat Rick if he had teleportation abilities.
Seeing my rigid expression, Rick scratched the back of his helmet.
"Now that you've seen this, I can't just let you walk away. Don't count on luck. This time is different. I'm going to crush your brain and kill you for sure. This is my final offer, Luka. Will you live as a machine, or will you live as a human? You still have a choice."
Rick extended his remaining arm, palm open toward me. I didn’t care for abstract questions about being a machine or a human.
I shut my eyes in this desperate moment. The thought lasted only a fraction of a second. My chances of victory were slim. My chest trembled. Rick had made it clear—if I refused his offer, he would kill me.
My loyalty to the Empire had been pure, like a child's unshaken belief that their parents were always right.
But now, I knew better.
The Empire was not always right. There was plenty of ugliness, plenty of darkness. Yet the Empire had acknowledged me. Hemillas had accepted me. Ilay Carthica was my friend. Giselle… she was family, for now. And well, there was Gabriel and Gilda, too.
No matter what anyone said, the Empire was where I belonged. My place was mine to claim and protect.
"My name is Lukaus Custoria, the sword and shield of the Empire. The Empire’s enemies are my enemies."
I holstered Ruina. Extending Crucis forward, I braced the blade with my other hand.
"Are you really going to spend your life doing dirty work, only to be discarded in the end?"
Rick sneered.
There was no hesitation in my gaze. I stared him down. Do not give up on possibilities, Luka. Akies combat techniques—no, the skills I had honed—were what I had to trust.
"If someone has to do the Empire’s dirty work… then that will be my role."
I had never thought of myself as someone driven by grand ideals or convictions.
But maybe—just maybe—I had found something close to one.
Rick placed his remaining hand on his hip, sighed, and looked down at the floor. Then, slowly, he lifted his gaze.
"So, that's his answer. You hear that? Kinuan, I know you care about him, but he's a lost cause."
The ironclad resolve I had forged threatened to crack.
Why? Why was Kinuan’s name being mentioned here?
I followed Rick’s gaze upward, my eyes widening.
A man who should not have been here stood at the broken window frame.
Kinuan’s coat fluttered in the night breeze. Without hesitation, he stepped forward, letting himself fall freely.
Tap.
Like a crane descending with effortless grace, Kinuan landed beside Rick. His half-lidded eyes glanced downward.
…The first emotion I felt was betrayal.
I knew this day would come. I had always known that one day, Kinuan would become my enemy.
But knowing it in my head and being ready for it in my heart were two different things.
"You… were an enemy of the Empire after all?"
I tried to suppress my emotions. I wasn't sure if I had succeeded.
There was no way for me to see my own face.
* * *
Kinuan stood firmly beside Rick, making it clear whose side he was on.
The way he looked at me was cold.
"Luka."
Hearing my name from his lips made me flinch, my attention snapping to him like I was responding to a superior.
Habits were a terrifying thing.
"Are you an enemy? Or an ally? That’s the only conversation that matters."
"I want to be on your side."
Kinuan gave me an ambiguous answer. He always did.
But today, I wasn’t going to let it slide.
Rick, who had been listening to our exchange, interrupted with irritation.
"Kinuan, why him? Wouldn’t Ilay Carthica be a better choice? He already resents the Empire—it’d be easier to recruit him."
As expected, Rick and Kinuan were working together.
And Rick even knew about Ilay in detail.
Just how many dissidents were embedded within the Empire?
"Ilay is exceptional, but he's not an Akies-compatible candidate."
"Is Akies combat technique really that important?"
"If you’re going to play a double agent, you need to think like Akies Victima. Finding someone as compatible as Luka isn’t easy. The fact that he found his way here, even amid all this chaos, is proof of that."
Kinuan revealed a critical secret right in front of me, as if it were nothing.
Today, I had learned a lot.
Rick had teleportation abilities.
Kinuan was a double agent.
Now that I had heard this, there was no way I would be allowed to leave here alive.
…Unless, however unlikely, I managed to kill them all and walk out.
But at this point, it wasn’t a question of whether it was possible or not. There was no other path for me.
Like scraping at the bottom of a dried-up well, even if the outcome was meaningless, I had to wring out every last drop of possibility. Clinging to the hope of a miracle.
"Rick, let me speak with Luka for a little longer. Just wait a bit. As a friend, I ask this of you."
Kinuan spoke as he sank lazily into a tattered sofa.
I didn’t want to talk to him.
But buying time wasn’t a bad option for me, either.
Rick took a step back, giving us space to talk.
"I won’t take long, Luka. I need someone to take my place. I don’t have much time left."
"I have no intention of betraying the Empire. You know that better than anyone."
"And I also know you’re constantly wavering. If things continue as they are, you’ll become an Imperial Guard. The most prestigious soldier of the Empire… You’ll receive honor, status, and every material support you could need. But in return, you’ll have to become ‘part of a machine.’"
The Imperial Guard was granted the ultra-high-performance full-body prosthetic—Legion.
"Becoming part of a machine is just… a matter of perspective. We don’t become Legion; we use it. Like any other prosthetic, it’s just a tool."
Hearing my words, Rick let out a small laugh.
Kinuan shot him a glare before continuing.
"It’s not a matter of perspective. It’s a clear fact. Legion isn’t like other full-body prosthetics. It’s not a weapon that can be controlled by a human brain. The training process for the Imperial Guard is essentially about stripping away humanity, leaving behind only the personality and cognition necessary for war. The core component of Legion—the ‘biological computer’—is the brain of the Imperial Guard. Artificial intelligence can’t respond to rapidly changing situations as efficiently."
Suddenly, I recalled Hemillas’ words.
- To endure for a long time, you need something irrational and inefficient inside you. That’s the key to opening the box of humanity.
Commander of the Imperial Guard, Hemillas—my father—had given me that advice with genuine concern.
He didn’t want me to be consumed by Legion.
"You’re smart, Luka. You know exactly what I mean. I can see it in your eyes—you’ve already understood."
"Even if that’s true, it’s not a reason to betray the Empire. All I have to do is make sure I don’t lose to Legion."
I steeled my resolve.
"Kinuan, that’s enough. Let’s end this. He’s not someone who can be swayed. I respect that about him, but it’s a shame."
Rick stepped forward as he spoke. Kinuan also rose from his seat.
"A shame. Truly, a shame."
Kinuan spoke quietly, his voice tinged with regret. As if leaving my fate to Rick, he walked past him.
Flash!
It happened in an instant.
Kinuan’s arm moved smoothly. His palm opened, revealing a hidden blade that shot forward.
"Kuh…!"
Kinuan’s dagger pierced through Rick’s chin, driving straight up through his skull.
Rick trembled violently, his blood-filled eyes shifting to look at Kinuan.
"To think I’d have to kill you here, Rick… What a pity."
Kinuan twisted his arm. The blade churned through Rick’s brain.
Thunk.
Rick’s body sagged. His limbs twitched sporadically as Kinuan withdrew the dagger.
Rick dropped to his knees, then collapsed forward.
…Rick Silva Núñez, the Empire’s most wanted criminal, was dead.