"In an ideal world, the task of the samurai would be to confront an external threat and provide humanity with the tools to achieve its goals.

It's not an ideal world. ”

—Professor Asimov, Lecture on Opposing Threats, New Oxford University, 2027

***

"You could have warned me that it would be so loud!" I shouted.

I did warn you.

"No, you said it would be loud, not this loud one." I rubbed my palm against my uncovered ear and my other hand against my shoulder, but that didn't stop me from frowning at the constant ringing. Shooting in an enclosed space, the sound of that bomb was just too loud. There was a loud bang, but it was over quickly. The grenade I threw made my enemies wail like a mad Kraken.

At least no one knocked on the door anymore.

The aliens may be as shocked as I am. If their hearing is better than that of humans...

I pat both ears to make sure they don't have blood, and then move my jaw a little until the pressure pops out of the ears? Aside from the sound? Either way, it doesn't matter. I shot at aliens in a relatively safe elevator, which was fun, but I still needed to keep going. Those idiots won't save themselves.

I shook my head, trying to ignore the fading sounds in my ears as I pulled out my gun and placed it in front of me. "Alright, Miaris, open the door."

The door creaked open. A mixture of green and black sludge seeped through the door into the tiny crack between the elevator and the floor. There was enough gooey and some of it flowed in.

"What the hell?" As the sludge rolled closer, I took a step back and stood up on the tip of my toes. "What's that?" I asked. The door was still only a crack open, but I couldn't see any living things on the other side, only a few centimeters of liquid goo covering the floor.

These are the remains of the enemy.

"They're glued?" I asked.

Don't you know what resonant frequency does?

"Yes, not this," I said, gesturing to all the flesh and other things that looked like they had been stirred in a blender.

The door finally opened, revealing a large hall littered with a dozen skeletons, all that remained of tattered muscles. Some have holes in their skulls and bodies, those I have photographed before, but the rest are fresh.

I wrinkled my nose, stepped into the goo, and stuck my head out of the elevator. It's nothing. At least, there is nothing alive.

"Oh my God, it's had a big impact on them," I said.

Truly. Do you want a new total of points?

"Yes," I said.

The target is destroyed!

Reward...... 80 points!

Current Points: 192! Attaboy.

"Is that all?" I asked as I walked up to a skeleton that splashed too loudly. If the mucus doesn't wash off, my shoes are basically finished. The same goes for my pants.

Doubt. On this floor alone, it is estimated that there are dozens of people. Reconnaissance of the opposite side is often quite thorough.

"Why?" I asked. "I'm talking about reconnaissance." I don't think leaving a small group of survivors here and there doesn't really hurt them.

Biomass. Each hunt is marked with pheromones. Every great gathering of plant life, a piece of fertile soil, food sources, and so on.

"Are they hungry?"

Endless.

I walked out of the lobby area, careful not to make too much noise. There is a plaque on the wall that shows six or so companies that have areas on the floor with arrows pointing in the right direction to the office. The plaque tried to connect to my auger, but I turned away.

"Now, if I were an idiot, where would I be?" I muttered.

Shrugging, I found a corner with the right line of sight to stop and pulled out the small radio Simmons handed me. It took me a bit of work to get it right, but soon I was locked on the channel and Simon's voice came through the lock.

"Samurai?" He asked.

"My name, you know," I said.

"You never gave it to me, and I don't have time to ask people about it. Are you done? ”

I stared at the device. He was so much bolder when I wasn't there. "Nope. Just arrived at this level. I hope this is the right floor." Encountered more than a dozen small animals that needed to be sent away. So I'm a little busy too. Do you know where your idiocy is? ”

"North side, close to Fi

a

-Tek office. Whether you find it or not, come back quickly. The situation we are facing is evolving and needs to be addressed. ”

"Got it. Is that all? I asked.

"It is. Simmons is off. ”

"How the situation is developing?" I asked empty. "It sounds like fun."

The Vanguard is often called upon to deal with matters that are beyond their original remit.

"The story of my life," I said. "Let's go, let's go."

I do have it in your head. You don't need to tell me to go with you. I'm already on the road together.

According to the sign hanging from the ceiling, Fi

a

-Tek's office is located in another corner of the building, which means it's a bit of a walk to get there. Walk past other offices that have glass walls and useless "cool" furniture that many startups love. Who needs seven couches in an accounting office?

As I moved, I felt myself getting more and more nervous, and only the cracking and rumbling of a small war and the squeak of wet shoes in the distance accompanied me.

"Hey, Miaris. That alien juice is fine for me too, right? ”

It has a certain toxicity. But the drugs that are still in your system should eliminate the worst-case scenario, and I suspect that by the time the toxins have stabilized, you will have replaced some of the organs they put at risk.

"What if I want to replace my body part?"

I don't think you're a body purist. Narcissist.

I snorted. "Fuck no. Give me all the cool web parts. I'm just wondering, there must be some samurai who aren't interested in this. ”

There are many ways to improve yourself. It's hard to find one that fits any particular person.

I heard two gunshots in front of me. "Let's put that on hold for now," I said.