With Rank S Sentinel making its move, destroying the Rank C Bladed-Arm Sentinels wasn’t that difficult.
In just a few moments, the forest had become silent, save for the faint sound of burning circuits.
Meanwhile, Atom stood among the wreckage with its black armor gleaming faintly in the dim light.
"Good job, Atom..." Russel said with a sigh. He really thought that he was about to die just now.
Around them lay the remains of the seven bladed‑arm Sentinels; their frames were already mangled, but they could still loot something from them.
One by one, Atom bent down, its movements were swift as it knew what to loot from these Sentinels...
From each fallen unit, it extracted the glowing energy cores, storing them carefully within its compartment.
Then, with equal efficiency, it detached the curved blades from their arms.
Clank! Clank! Clank!
The weapons were heavy and still humming faintly with residual power. However, Atom stacked them neatly, as if cataloging trophies.
Russel, still catching his breath, watched in awe.
"You are truly amazing..." His voice cracked, half disbelief, half relief. He wiped sweat from his brow, then forced a grin.
"Guess I owe you my life again."
Atom did not respond. Its eyes flickered once, then returned to scanning the battlefield.
Russel sighed, walking his motorbike closer.
He crouched, tying the salvaged blades together with thick rope.
The bundle was massive, clattering as he secured it to the rear of his bike.
"These will make good study material. Maybe Victor or Vera can figure out how they were built. Or maybe we can forge them into something useful." He chuckled nervously.
"Hell, maybe I’ll hang one on the wall as a reminder not to get chased again."
The Sentinel remained silent, watching.
Russel mounted his bike, testing the weight of the blades dragging behind.
The machine groaned under the load, but it held.
"Nice..."
He then glanced at Atom, who stood beside the hovering Dragoon, motionless.
"You’re coming with me, right? Don’t just stand there like a statue."
Atom’s optics shifted toward him, then back to the forest.
There were no words or acknowledgment.
Russel revved the engine, shaking his head.
"You know, it wouldn’t kill you to say something. Or... well, maybe it would. You’re not built for talking, I get it. Still, a nod would be nice."
The bike then lurched forward with its blades clattering against the dirt as Russel began the ride back. Atom followed, mounting the Dragoon once more.
Soon, the engines roared, carrying the Sentinel smoothly but not too high...
Well, Atom still had to protect Russell, and it didn’t forget its mission.
As they moved, Russel kept talking, his voice filling the silence. "You know, when I first saw them, I thought I was done for. Seven of those things are chasing me... I swear they were enjoying the chase. They’re probably waiting for me to reach our base... No... I’m sure of it. They wanted me to lead them somewhere." He paused, frowning.
"But you showed up. Thanks again, Atom."
The Dragoon hummed overhead, but Atom just stayed silent.
Russel continued. "I don’t know if you understand what that means. But I think they gathered enough information about you. They must’ve sent your information to their network. Next time, they’ll send something worse. Something built to counter you."
He swallowed hard, gripping the handlebars tighter. "And if that happens... I don’t know if even you can win. I hope Kai can help you get even stronger than now."
The forest thinned as they neared the shelter’s perimeter.
Soon, the illusion of the shelter as a hill appeared.
It was perfectly masking the hidden structures beneath.
Russel slowed, glancing back at the bundle of blades dragging behind him.
He also confirmed that there wasn’t anyone following them.
Soon, Russel noticed that the jammers were triggered... It was the base’s defensive device...
At this time, Atom descended beside him, landing with a heavy thud. Its optics scanned the surroundings, also ensuring no pursuit remained.
Russel parked the bike, exhaling deeply.
Just like that, they passed through the illusion!
As soon as he saw the walls and the people guarding it, Russel teared up a little.
"Safe. Finally safe."
He looked at Atom again...
"Thanks. I mean it. You saved me. Even if you don’t say a word, I know you understand."
Atom stood silent. It did not reply but it could understand Russel’s behavior.
Russel shook his head, chuckling under his breath. "You’re impossible. But I guess that’s what makes you reliable..."
He patted the bike, then tugged at the ropes securing the blades. "Come on. Let’s get these inside before someone thinks I decorated my ride with scrap metal."
Together, man and machine crossed back into the shelter’s gate...
The guards were aware of the situation and waved at him.
Russel raised a hand, calling out, "We’re back! And we’ve got souvenirs!"
***
At this time, Victor sat at his workbench, the salvaged blades laid out before him...
Their edges still looked sharp as if the Sentinels they once belonged to barely used them.
’I wonder what kind of process it had gone through...’
He checked it more closely before running his fingers along the alloy, noting the strange coldness he could faintly feel beneath the surface.
These weren’t ordinary weapons.
"This is perfect..."
Normal swords, hammers, and axes had proven clumsy in the hands of Super Soldiers. Their enhanced strength often shattered conventional steel, and their speed demanded weapons that could endure far greater stress.
But these blades... they seemed different.
Balanced, durable, and forged with a material Victor couldn’t identify.
He activated his Appraisal Skill...
[ You have failed to appraise the item. ]
"Oh well..."
Victor wryly smiled as the system window flickered before him.
’I guess it’s because of insufficient skill level.’
Victor cursed under his breath.
His appraisal was too low to reveal the true properties.
Still, he wasn’t helpless. He had the Tyrant Furnace... an artifact salvaged from the wreckage of defeated mechs.
With it, he could repurpose these blades, melt them down, and reforge them into something new.
Victor then scribbled notes across his ledger... After all, he had many works to do.
Potential integration with Super Soldier blades or gauntlets.
If he succeeded, these weapons could become extensions of the Super Soldiers themselves...
Then, he recalled Kai himself, who had obtained these Super Soldiers.
’I wonder what’s going on in Cameron.’
Victor muttered as Kai hadn’t been replying to their messages for a couple of days now!
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