Published at 21st of June 2026 6:45 am

Chapter 362: So What?

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The killbot performed even better, in that first round, than Nicolai would have expected. It started off by immediately shifting position, multiple tonnes of metal moving with deceptive ease, as it slipped sideways to stand directly over the girl, using its bulk to protect its client. Doubtless it would be opening up its transport cubicle for hera small protected container killbots used when extracting valuable people or things from dangerous environments.

Nicolai and the Modules had memories of doing exactly that, when on a security detail. In fact Aiming was grousing about how annoying it was to have to look after squishy humans, sympathising with that distant killbot. There was a very strange feeling within him. Some mix of yearning, nostalgia, and loathing. The first two when he remembered the simple joy of being so perfect in form, the last when remembering GRECKONs control over him.

It was quite an old model, bigger than was now common, but very heavily armed. The Modules identified it as a bruiser-type, with more of a straight combat focus than stealth. A lot of weapons, and a lot of defensive countermeasures. They also came to the definite conclusion (put into words by Cyberwarfare) that Zero-Twelve would have chopped that thing into scrap in ten seconds flat. The other Modules nodded approvingly. Yes, that was right.

More important than its armaments, the bot also clearly knew what it was up against.

Killbots were built to be fast and manoeuvrable, and as was common, this one possessed jets to augment that. The arena was a slice of mountainside with a forest of overlarge white-barked trees clinging to it, and the killbot darted through this area like a gigantic, extremely heavily armed fox. One which was also capable of flying for short bursts.

Clouds of screaming missiles tore smoking holes in the forest, railcannon slugs turned anything they hit into clouds of pulverised matter, hails of heavy-explosive rounds from two gun-limbs slashed lines of fire and destruction over the landscape. A whole suite of countermeasures and situational weaponry flickered into action as necessary; lasers and masers, sonar and resonance devices, hologram projectors and multi-spectrum smoke grenades. The bot released all of its drones shortly after picking up its client, and these were serious drones of the kind the Trade Link did not sell, drones that split into mixed killteams and moved under their own guidance to seek and destroy.

The Modules offered grudging approval upon witnessing this strategy of wholesale, no-holds-barred destruction, and caused his implants to heat as they began nitpicking specifics, arguing with one another, and coming up with what they, personally, would have done. The power usage of his bionic eye was ramping up as they used multiple of its lenses, recording in extremely high detail for the AfterActionCritique they would create later, which would go over everything the other killbot had done wrong in obsessive detail. Cyberwarfare was already saying that if they ever got a chance, they should send this critique over to the other killbot. The Module was certain it would be interested. Nicolai was equally certain that it would likely respond to the critique with a barrage of napalm missiles.

The opponents this bot faced were not simple. To take part in this Tournament one needed to either be Tier 2 or possess quite a weight of augmentation. The Cultivators came with Silver Nets, lightning Symbiotes, teleportation, the ability to transform into mist, or fire, or shadow. The Cyborgs, on the other hand, seemed to have expected this bot as many of them were armed with missile launchers, signal jamming rigs, EMP lances, thermite injecting rounds, magnetic snares, vibroblades and mono-filament nets, foam launchers. Even if the killbot had been removed, this would still have been the greatest display of Earth-tech and weaponry hed yet seen on this planet. A lot of those things must have been received as Challenge or Quest rewards. Serrin had many questions, and Nicolai did his best to explain what they were seeing, but after a few too many corrections from the Modules he opted to just allow them to speak directly to Serrin via the Hornets skinsuits speakers. Serrin had talked with the Modules beforeNicolai had explained they were AIs, to which the Hornet had nodded understandingly. He was pretty sure Serrin did not, in fact, understand, but the Hornet seemed entirely accepting of these disembodied voices.

Though some seemed determined to take the bot down, there was quite a large number of participants and the majority simply wanted to ensure they were a part of the final thirty-two. By the time the round ended, the bots chassis was ripped open and smoking in several places, was missing a leg and both gunlimbs, and had many sensors and weapons on one side all gummed up by fast-setting foam. There were also numerous magnetic snare plates attached to it, each plate trailing a number of thick metal cables all of which ended in a cluster of hooked drag anchors that had been catching on trees and ripping them free with each of the bots movements, continually slowing it.

In spite of all this, the Modules judged it to remain at about 54% combat effectiveness.

Nicolai sat back, thinking on what hed learned. It had been a very interesting fight. Those from Earth had, almost overwhelmingly, been the ones to do all the actual, noticeable damage to the bot. And yet it had treated the Cultivators as the major threat. Many times, the bot had been forced to launch itself away when a Cultivator came too close, even though this movement had then exposed it to missile strikes or magnetic snares.

Or, to be more specific, it had specifically treated the Cultivators who possessed the ability to transform as the primary threats. A woman who dissolved into shadows, a pair of men who became human-shaped fires, another who burst into a cloud of mist. All of these forced it to disengage and flee, and after some time Nicolai had realised it must be avoiding Soul Sense range.

That wasnt to say it was incapable of dealing with these methods, however. In fact it managed to strike down the shadow user, and one of the fire-form users. For the first, it tossed out a series of flares that banished all shadows, and the Cultivator was forced into human form. She had no way of dealing with the rain of heavy-explosive rounds that followed. For one of the fire users, it utilised a series of cryo-grenades.

Serrin had realised what was going on about halfway through.

It doesnt have a Soul?! the Hornet had yelped in shock. I thought it was just hiding it! So thats why it cant let them get close, they could just reach inside and get up to all sorts of mischief! Why why does it not have a Soul?!

I told you before, people and beings from my planet do not naturally have a Soul. And only humans, upon arriving here, seem able to gain one.

Yes but I thought I mean even that? How can something like that have no Soul! Its like, like, like making a gigantic, huge fortress but never installing any rituals or formations, a massive glaring obvious stupid weakness! Serrin seemed to find the very idea of the bot having no Soul offensive, but gradually he calmed. Still huh. Ha. I suppose, well, I suppose its a good thing, in a way. I mean, imagine if something like that also had a powerful Soul. He shook his head and released a disbelieving laugh. It would be unstoppable.

Yes, murmured Nicolai. He was gazing into the arena but at that moment his eyes were far away, and the Modules were clustered tight around him, sharing blissfully in the fantasy that had risen to rampage through his mind with Serrins words. Imagine.

Amongst the competitors, there was one other who caused the bot major issues. Someone Nicolai recognised.

It was Xuejings brother, Hanwei of the Nara. He wore the fabled Nara clan armour, which as similar in appearance to the samurai armour of long-ago Japan, but this armour was also an Artifact. Hanwei bore a large, double-headed axe, another Artifact. Watching him, Nicolai came to realise this man was a Tier 2 Cultivator on a level he had not witnessed before. He tore through opponents almost as easily as the killbot. And, more than anyone else, he came the closest to penetrating the bots defences to strike the girl within.

Hanwei was capable of teleporting, and was the one exception to the rule that it had been primarily those from Earth to do actual damage to the bot, for the simple reason that hed clearly done his homework. In his storage he had a collection of shaped-charge javelins, and the moment he teleported into striking range he would throw them, one handed, then teleport again to avoid a counter-attack.

Whether he would have eventually succeeded through this, or if the bot might have predicted and countered one of his teleports Nicolai wouldve shrugged and said it could go either way, but the Modules were 101% certain that the bot had been analysing the pattern of his attacks and that, given a little longer, it would have successfully predicted one then had a railcannon round ready and waiting the moment he teleported. Their professional pride seemed wounded by the sight of him flicking in, delivering a destructive blow, and flicking back out again. Either it wouldve worked that out and crushed him, or its a moron, said Simulations, prompting a round of fervent nodding from the others. They certainly wouldve won, Soul or no Soul, if it was them against the teleporter.

The fight ended before that point, the final 32 reached, so it would never be known.

###

Threat Analysis had been data-mining the crowd throughout this, and it now had a large amount of information for him. Simple gossip between people, friends explaining this or that to one another, useful insights could be filtered from all of it.

Also of interest was what they had been saying about him. It was much as hed expected.

They called him a bloodthirsty madman, a demon in human skin, a monster with control over an evil spirit.

He could see their point of view. Hed gotten footage of the Tournament, now, having found Starzs Local signature and contacted him.

Hed anticipated having to pay this time, but that couldnt have been further from the truth. Starzs attitude had seen quite a change.

Anything I can do for you, champion, Starz had murmured unctuously. Please, um, just let me know. Seriouslyanything, at all. I really, uh, just want to be your friend.

Nicolai gazed up at the sky. So, the Dark Spirit was public knowledge. The Black Gift would be too, in time. These thoughts affected him far less than they had before.

What hed just witnessed had sunk within him and joined with his earlier realisation.

He and the Modules had come to the conclusion that the best way to ensure he maintained control was to strengthen his Soul.

Or, put another way: he needed to grow stronger.

That was what it came down to. That state there was power there. Hed gone deeper into it, and as a result become capable of things hed never done before. He didnt understand how, but hed been able to empower his Symbiotes by drawing on the Dark Spirit. If his Soul was strong enough, would he be able to reach that state while retaining Control and with no need for the Blade?

And if so

So what if he was a demon in human skin?

So what if he was a bloodthirsty madman?

So what if they feared and hated him?

So what?

A bloody reputation carries benefits all its own, and fear can be very useful.

As to the Dark Spirit being revealed, all it truly meant was that there was no longer any need to conceal it. He was free to use his full strength.

Free to simply be himself, whoever that was.

###

Nicolai and Serrin filtered out of the Duel Arena amidst the crowd of chattering spectators. Serrin was doing his own chattering, expounding on moments from the Tournament. The Summoner had won it, in the end. Each round shed summoned a new being. Nicolai was now far more receptive to Serrins chatter, the pair discussing what theyd witnessed. It was strange, but he felt that a kind of weight had been lifted. Watching and analysing the fights had calmed him, helped him think everything through.

The Mask was settling closer over his face, and suddenly he found himself reaching. He put his hand on Serrins shoulder, held him in a brotherly manner.

Thank you for this, he said. It was not only the Mask that made him speak these words. He felt true gratitude to the Hornet. Even after all hed seen, Serrin stuck with him. At that thought he was reminded of the Rippers message, and experienced an unpleasant sensation as contradicting aims and desires grated one against the other, digging away at his certainty and leaving him on shaky ground. He forced the thoughts down.

Of course, said Serrin, nodding, seeming very pleased with himself. Its nothing. I was very interested to see her fight, after everything Id heard. Can you imagine facing her?

Nicolai snorted. You wouldnt face her, but something she calls up.

So bitter, mused the Hornet. I, for one, would like to fight that dragon. Shed won the last round, against Hanwei, with that.

Im not saying I dont want to fight those beings she summons. I just dont see anything impressive about being randomly granted such power.

How do you know it happened randomly? Serrin challenged him.

See for yourself. Nicolai sent over a video hed watched earlier, after checking through the footage hed gained from Starz. Bundled with it was a short interview, of the Summoner herself.

Im a Hero of Humanity, the girl declared, staring earnestly back at the POVdoubtless Starz himselfHeaven chose me, and I dont know why me but I think Im meant to save everyone. And thats what Im going to do. That was the highlight, to which Starz had added heroic music. It was so saccharine that Nicolai mightve thought she was as fake as he was, but he saw no signs of it. He wasnt sure if that made it worse or not.

Shes a good person, murmured Serrin after watching. He nodded to himself. And thats probably why Heaven chose her. He gave Nicolai a sidelong look. So perhaps its not random at all, but simply that sometimes being a good person pays off. One thing is for sureyou humans are lucky to have her.

He rolled his eyes, reflecting that this Hero of Humanity had gained herself a new fan. Hero of Humanity. The phrase dug at him. Back in the castle he recalled Chosen saying that Vikrum was a Hero of Humanity. Hed assumed they were just puffing up their leader, but the wording had always struck him as a little odd. Now he realised it was more than hed thought, and another point of confusion became clear.

Symbiotes of Change were said to be unbelievably rare. So how was it one had fallen into Vikrums hands?

Now, it seemed to him that Heaven must have given it to Vikrum. Part of some personal quest, like what Maxine had had with the radios. Presumably, hed needed to break it in to become a true Hero of Humanity and gain his own ridiculous power.

If Vikrum was aware of this, too, then it was no wonder the man was so set against him. Hed stolen Vikrums shot at greatness.

This was especially concerning when considered in the light that, though very rare, there were more of those Symbiotes out and about.

And if Vikrum should find another one, was it possible he could continue whatever task hed been set? Was it possible he could use it to become a Hero of Humanity, and gain some equally over the top power?

He frowned at the thought. He did not like the idea of an enemy being out there with the potential to become so strong. Someone who was not necessarily logical in his actions, andwho might opt to pursue the enmity he felt regardless of how sensible it was to do so, regardless even of whether there was any point in doing so.

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