Combat System Forced Reboot
The distance between them was within striking range. Neither machine was far from the other.
The Corvus lowered its sword into a ready stance. It was as if he was inviting an attack to his shoulder—a stance known as the Myoken.
In a Silhouette, the subtle intricacies of swordsmanship couldn’t be replicated; the actions were fundamentally pre-registered motions. That said, these machines boasted a remarkable versatility, allowing them to incorporate numerous combat patterns.
It was impossible to discern which technique the Corvus intended to combine with his stance. Unit 5 responded with its blade raised to Seigan—a neutral, middle-guard position. Castor seemed poised to execute a strike with minimal openings.
Unit 5 made the first move, slicing horizontally. It was a calculated attempt to perform a kirioroshi—a downward cut meant to sever and finish.
Had Castor anticipated this? The Corvus suddenly shifted its posture. In a split second, Castor changed his guard and swept the incoming attack aside with precision.
The Corvus then charged Unit 5 directly, using his machine’s weight to ram into it. Unit 5 staggered backward under the impact, unable to resist the force from the Corvus’s heavier machine. The weight disparity was undeniable, leaving Unit 5 at a disadvantage.
Just as it seemed the confrontation might escalate into a clash of overhead strikes, Kou opted to shift into a defensive stance.
「Truly, this was an exceptional acquisition, though I ordered the Murders to capture Takaba Hyoue, he managed to escape. But fortune smiled on me in the end. I gained the body of this pilot, who fought to the bitter end. Not only is he a skilled Development Engineer, but he also possesses the ability to overwhelm you with his techniques. This body is a treasure.」
Hyoue ground his teeth in frustration. Castor was referring to the events that had occurred when this Defense Dome fell. In a sense, it was as if Shuji had taken his place, sacrificing himself in his stead.
Kou gave no response. He feared being drawn into the enemy’s rhythm. His breathing grew heavier—he could feel it. The truth was, he lacked confidence in his ability to win.
This is bad, Hyoue thought as he observed. Kou’s unease was obvious. His insecurity was glaringly apparent. Hyoue recalled how both he and Yuzuki had been rattled by the unexpected sight of Shuji’s face—and ultimately lost because of it.
But Kou was different. He wasn’t as shaken as they had been. Instead, it was the realization of the sheer disparity in skill that weighed heavily on him. That, in itself, was dangerous. His hesitation dulled his blade, and uncertainty crept into his movements. It was fair to say he was developing a psychological disadvantage.
After all, Shuji himself was a fourth dan in kendo and had trained under Hyoue from a young age. Comparing Kou to Shuji in terms of skill was an unfair standard, to say the least.
「You won’t win with just horizontal strikes, why don’t you sheathe your sword and try something else?」
Kou remained silent. He knew better than to fall for such a ploy. Attempting to sheathe his weapon would leave him open to a lethal counterstrike. This wasn’t a game.
For a moment, the Corvus seemed to spread some invisible wings wide, like a great bird preparing for flight. Then it moved, raising its blade high into an overhead stance.
Kou recognized the stance immediately. No—he recognized the elegance it conveyed.
「Kinshichououken… the Heart of the Flower.」
「You remember well, Kou.」
Castor replied with a twisted grin.
Kinshichououken (Golden-Winged Bird King Sword) was a technique derived from the Ittou-ryu school, a discipline rooted in single-sword style. It could be considered one of its ultimate teachings, a principle deeply ingrained within the school. The form itself was multifaceted, its name referencing the Garuda from Indian mythology.
Shuji, like Yuzuki, had practiced Hokushin Ittou-ryu, and the Kinshichououken—a form belonging to the five foundational stances—was his favorite.
Even Ko, still a novice in the ways of swordsmanship, had once been captivated by the beauty and elegance of that stance.
‘The Heart of the Flower’ was one of Shuji’s cherished sayings. A flower holds beauty and nectar, drawing butterflies and bees toward it because of what it contains. The same could be said for the sword. Its essence, its true nature, is what matters most—not the form, whether it be high, middle, or low stance. The key lies in grasping the essence of victory.
To wield the high stance with the mindset of the low, or the low stance with the mindset of the high—this fluidity transcends form. True mastery conceals its essence and achieves victory beyond appearances.
Of course, Kou’s school also preached many principles, but his current skills were far from manifesting such ideals.
「Even so… I’ve got no choice but to fight!」
Both made their moves at the same time. Unit 5 attempted to create distance, aiming for the Corvus arms with a Gyakufuu no Tachi (Reverse Wind Sword). However, its blade was swiftly neutralized—trapped and pinned as the Corvus sword pressed against its spine-like ridge.
「Damn it.」
Ko muttered, instantly understanding what had happened. It was another variation of the kirioroshi technique, skillfully executed.
The Corvus, lowering its center of gravity, thrust its blade straight through Unit 5’s torso.
「I won’t damage your body, you are too valuable to waste.」
The blade drove cleanly through Unit 5, emerging out the back. For a human, the point of penetration would correspond to the solar plexus—angled upward toward the core systems. The Corvus’s strike pierced directly beneath the MCS, destroying the reactor power pack with precision, and leaving everything else intact.
「A thrust attack!」
Kou’s eyes widened in shock. He hadn’t anticipated such a precise stab from that position.
The Corvus lifted the impaled Unit 5 high into the air, sword and all.
「In the end, a great raven can’t lose to the likes of a shrike. You’re nothing more than prey skewered for later.」
With a wide motion, the Corvus swung both arms downward, flinging Unit 5 like a ragdoll. The battered machine hurtled through the air, slamming back-first into a pile of rubble over a hundred meters away.
The reactor came to a halt, and without the shock-absorption functions of the MCS, Kou slammed his head hard against the interior. Blood trickled down from a gash on his forehead as his consciousness began to fade.
「I won’t let my guard down. Zanshin—the spirit of remaining alert—is essential. Don’t you agree, Kou?」
Castor remarked coldly, addressing Unit 5, which lay motionless amidst the rubble, its frame bent awkwardly.
◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆
「I can’t win… can I?」
The thought came unbidden. There was no way someone like him could defeat Shuji. His vision blurred as consciousness ebbed. His hands, weak and trembling, could no longer grip the controls.
That isn’t me, Kuo.
A voice echoed faintly, as though from a great distance. It wasn’t real—just an auditory hallucination. But unmistakably, it was Shuji’s voice.
Kou had no strength left to respond. It was only a fragment of his fading mind, a fleeting illusion in the haze of his dimming awareness.
「…Push back. That is not Shuji.」
The voice of Unit 5 shook Kou awake.
「Unit 5?」
On the screen, the Corvus was still visible, maintaining its stance with zanshin, vigilant and unrelenting, watching for any movement from Kou.
「Yeah… you’re right.」
Kou whispered, his grip tightening around the control lever.
What would Shuji-san think in a moment like this?
A memory surfaced—words Shuji used to hum quietly during their game sessions, now echoing vividly in Ko’s mind.
「Never give in. Never. Absolutely never… Never.」
Suddenly, his mind cleared, his awareness sharpening like a blade honed for battle.
「He’s going to come closer… I just need to land one strike. Unit 5, there’s got to be a way to channel enough power to hit him with everything we’ve got—just once.」
Speaking to his trusted machine as if it could hear him, Kou began analyzing his options. He couldn’t use Prometheus’s Fire, but he resolved to find a way to unleash Unit 5’s remaining reserve energy stored within the MCS. Every last bit would have to go into this one move.
All Kou needed was for his right hand to move—just for a moment.
「Pilot’s combat intent confirmed. Initiating deep-level Fennel OS program release. Activating Prometheus Fire’s latent potential ability.」
「What? Unit 5?」
The Fennel OS of Unit 5 began exhibiting behavior he had never seen before.
「Activating latent ability: Indomitable Will. Fennel OS processing limit reached. Synchronization rate with pilot has dropped to 43%. Reaction speed and enhanced perception capabilities have significantly declined.」
The MCS console panel lit up with a brilliance that filled the cockpit.
Before him, the image of the Corvus advancing came into view. Its blade was raised high, both hands gripping the hilt, ready to deliver a decisive blow.
「What is happening…?」
Kou muttered, his mind struggling to comprehend the phenomenon unfolding before him. Even he did not understand what was occurring.
The Corvus loomed closer, its blade poised to descend in a fatal strike.
「Combat system forced reboot. Resuming combat actions immediately.」
Unit 5 spoke with resolute clarity. A declaration of a warrior driven by Indomitable Will.
◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆
Castor, piloting the Corvus, approached the fallen Unit 5 cautiously.
「I’ll only disable the machine, nothing more. Come to think of it, this guy always loved those last-minute comeback tactics, even in games.」
Castor let Shuji’s memories guide him. To Shuji, Kou wasn’t just a junior colleague—he was like a younger brother, someone he could spar with in swordsmanship and play games with, transcending the boundaries of workplace hierarchy.
「It’s always awkward dealing with a fallen opponent. Even when you’re sure they won’t move, it feels unsettling.」
On the battlefield, anything could happen. Castor knew better than to underestimate his adversary.
「Let’s start with the arms.」
Castor raised Corvus’s blade to strike the seemingly motionless Unit 5.
Then came a deafening explosion.
Unit 5’s armor suddenly purged itself, parts of its plating ejecting violently.
「What?!」
Through the protective goggles of its shattered armor, Unit 5’s camera eyes glowed with an eerie light. Its blade, Kogetsu, swung upward with ferocity.
The Corvus barely managed to deflect the strike, but the blow carved deep into its chest armor. Several armored muscles were severed in the process, leaving the Corvus heavily damaged.
「That’s right, Unit 5 wouldn’t stop just because it lost its reactor.」
Hyoue muttered as he watched Unit 5 begin to move again, his gaze a mixture of hope and awe.
Five years ago, it had gone berserk—a machine that continued to fight even without a pilot. It was a weapon with its own will.
「Even without a pilot, you kept fighting, didn’t you? Unit 5. If Ko is still in the fight, there’s no way you’re going to give up now.」
Unit 5 had been Hyoue’s creation, endlessly modified and improved by Kou. To Hyoue, it was no surprise that the machine had risen again. It was simply in its nature.
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