Chapter 103
The term 『Moses’ Sword』 sounds familiar. It’s the ship’s figure I saw in Ver2.00 that parted the sea. If I remember correctly, it vaporized water using a principle similar to a microwave oven. Just when I thought an intense shock wave was coming, there was a floating sensation followed by a smooth entry into the sea.
《Switching to underwater mobility mode. Deploying screws.》
「Let the match begin! Right off the bat, the term ‘Moses’ Sword’ has come up, but if I recall, this technology was used in the Ark.」
「That technology was originally designed for deep-sea exploration. By repeatedly vaporizing the surroundings and allowing new water to enter and vaporize, it reduces the impact of water pressure. The gas is quickly discharged towards the surface using a dedicated pump. Of course, there’s also the pressure from the vaporized gas, but it’s still a groundbreaking device that eliminates the need for countermeasures against flooding compared to conventional methods. The Reformists used it to escape from the Machine Beasts.」
The view is dyed in blue. A crystal-clear blue that can never be seen in ordinary seas. Fish, startled, flee to the deep bottom of the ocean. The screen displays Apollyon’s full body and point count, while the surrounding monitors show several small, trembling blue circles.
Clicking the help icon reveals that these blue circles are detecting vibrations emitted by parts as markers. Red circles indicate enemies, and Apollyons can generally detect each other within a range of about 100 meters. However, this doesn’t apply during combat, and right now, red ripples are starting to spread on the right-hand side.
…Now, what to do? There’s no doubt I’m in the spotlight, and aside from Nakamoto, I should have the longest history with Apollyon among this group. I want to win if possible. In that case, what I need first is…
「Parts. Powerful ones at that.」
Apollyons are sturdy, one way or another. Attempting to destroy such a thing underwater would be quite challenging. Of course, if we had something like torpedoes, it would be a different story, but in close combat, it’s clearly disadvantageous. Moving too fast would make it impossible for the 『Moses’ Sword』 to keep up with vaporization, resulting in tremendous water resistance. The only option would be to fully grapple and tear off the arms one by one.
Even with long-range weapons, ordinary guns would be rendered useless by water resistance. It’s a dead end in all directions. Well, if it’s early in the game and the equipment is lacking, it might be manageable.
With that in mind, I start moving using the propulsion unit extending about 2 meters from the waist to the back, outside the effective range of the 『Moses’ Sword.』 The two screws attached to the unit slice through the water as Apollyon begins its descent into the deep sea.
「Oh, Quickly Loser is the first to fall! Nakamoto precisely pierced through the cockpit! Despite being equipped with a 4-screw propulsion unit designed for high-speed mobility, it should be able to move at triple the speed, but the opponent is too formidable!」
「Nakamoto is the strongest at all distances, so there’s no way to win in a one-on-one fight. Badly Loser is approaching from a position hidden from Nakamoto. It’s an underwater metal-cutting nipper with a length of 3 meters, a 2-point part that can be used in combat.」
「He’s approaching while using his fallen ally’s machine as a shield. This is bad! Shooting is ineffective, and Severely Loser is closing in from behind. At this rate, it’s going to be a pincer attack!」
Other areas seem to be getting heated right from the start. That being said, I’m not too worried about Nakamoto. You might have forgotten, but the player side isn’t that strong, fundamentally. They’re probably better than when they were losing to the Ver1.06 weak Machine Beasts, but due to the unavoidable crappy login restriction system, their skill level is abysmal. On the other hand, there’s Nakamoto, who is 「synchronized.」 It’s an impossibly unfair game.
As for me, I’m in a dubious position… Just as I thought that, an unfamiliar message appears on the console.
《Orange Assist System starting up.》
Wondering what this is, I try operating it a bit, and a nostalgic synthesized voice from Ver2.00 starts playing.
『he Orange Assist System is a combat support program for Apollyon. Based on the operational data of Apollyon by Prophet Orange, it assists all actions. Originally, it was integrated into Apollyon’s system, but as the number of Apollyon users increased, the shareable parts were retained while the rest were separated into a dedicated program for the Prophet.』
Come to think of it, Apollyon wasn’t used much in combat until Ver2.00, so I’m the pioneer. That’s why the program was built based on me as the reference. Teo mentioned something like that too, but it was true after all. I’m really indebted to Momiji, I think to myself as I observe the surroundings.
The machine, accelerated by the combined force of gravity and the screws, is rapidly descending towards the seabed. I heard it’s no more than 3000 meters deep, so it shouldn’t take more than an hour at most. The surroundings are getting darker and darker, with only the sound of the commentary echoing.
「Oh my, Badly Loser’s cockpit has been penetrated! It seems they made a hole in the shield with the first shot and passed the second shot through it. What skill! Meanwhile, Severely Loser’s limbs have been torn off by Teo’s grappling technique from the side, forcing a retirement. Brutal!」
That’s what you get for choosing such a name. And Teo is quite strong too, as expected. However, having encountered no one and starting to feel a bit bored, I turn on the light to pass the time. With no Apollyon reactions in the vicinity, I figure I won’t be spotted by the light now, but what I see is something else.
They were growing from the deep bottom of the sea. The five thick stems had leaves with a metallic luster. They look familiar. Not in the sea, but on that desolate land. I have a memory Reina showed me in 2060.
「Crystal trees…?」
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