[Oh, Malina. You're still the same. Is it because you inherited elven blood?]
"Could it be...you're Carbel?"
Malina seemed to know the identity of the man inside that steam robot.
Since Malina had connections with Dead Dagger, this Carbel was probably a fellow rogue who received training together in the past.
"What happened? You should have definitely died when I killed you that day. I dismembered all your limbs and pushed you down into that pit."
Osian revised his thoughts after hearing Malina's words.
'...Now that's quite a brutal thing to say.'
Well, in an organization that treats human lives like flies, there's no way close friendships would form.
Osian silently watched the conversation between Malina and Carbel.
[Yes, that's right. I actually came very close to death. But whether fortune smiled upon me from heaven, I was saved by the organization. And I became able to be active again.]"That wasn't the kind of wound that could be recovered from. I tore you apart with the power of shadows so you couldn't even regenerate."
The power of shadows is a power that Rogues wield that includes skills like wound aggravation.
It's a kind of debuff that prevents health recovery, but it's practically useless since it doesn't work on boss monsters.
'But when this is applied to actual people, nothing could be more terrible.'
Those wounded by a rogue's blade rarely recover.
There would be differences depending on skill level and proficiency. But Malina is someone who has mastered all rogue-class skills and qualified for ascension.
The wounds she inflicts directly wouldn't heal without intervention from high-ranking priests or paladins.
Recovery prevention, then wound aggravation, just imagining it is horrific.
'And there's no way a paladin or priest would treat a blood-stained assassin.'
From what Malina said, Carbel was practically a walking corpse.
Even if he was rescued by Dead Dagger, his life would have been rapidly depleting.
Yet he was alive.
[That's right. It's quite a distant memory now. Was that about 50 years ago? I've become old enough to be a grandfather now. Though you're still as vigorous as ever.]
50 years.
Even if the shadow curse Malina inflicted was lifted, it wasn't a timespan one could endure but the reason was soon revealed.
"What exactly did you do to your body?"
[When I was first rescued, I was in truly terrible condition. The wounds you inflicted kept opening even when cauterized with fire, and wouldn't heal even when sealed with medicine.]
The giant robot spread its arms wide as if making an exaggerated gesture.
Its appearance reminded one of a giant spider. The thick backpack it carried on its back made it look even more so.
Though the one inside would be male, Osian thought it looked exactly like a black widow spider.
[So I boldly discarded my physical body.]
"You discarded...your body?"
[Yes. It wasn't an easy thing to do. But what kind of world is this? It's a world where even humans replace their flesh with machines through scientific advancement. It wasn't possible 50 years ago, but technology advanced and I gradually became able to move.]
Carbel said that at first, he was merely maintaining life signs at a minimal level, literally a living corpse.
Unlike a vegetative patient whose body is alive but mind is dead, his mind was intact but body was dead.
[It wasn't easy. There was the rejection of machinery, and your curse had penetrated even my internal organs. So I boldly discarded those as well.]
"So you became a modified human."
[Hahaha. Modified human, you say. That term is somewhat offensive to me now. Though it's true I benefited from their methods, I can say this with certainty. I am the pinnacle of what modified humans can achieve.]
Modified humans are madmen who replace their flesh with machinery but even they don't commit the kind of madness Carbel did.
The foundation of modified humans is still human after all.
Even though they replace body components with machinery, their final form always remains human.
Sometimes they undergo more extreme modifications for special purposes, but even then their form remains 'humanoid' but Carbel didn't do that.
Look at that bulk. Though it has a slightly more streamlined human form for a steam suit, who could call that human?
Malina seemed to realize what Carbel had done too.
"Don't tell me you transplanted your brain into a machine?"
[You're quick to catch on. Is it because you're the best disciple of ‘she’ who was better than anyone at killing people?]
"Shut up!"
The 'she' Carbel mentioned was clearly Sabrina.
It wasn't strange that she would have a direct disciple who could use all techniques, given her mastery.
'More than that, transplanting a brain...was that even possible?'
It's an era where all sorts of things appear - modified humans, enhanced humans, mutants.
It didn't seem strange that someone would preserve a human brain in formalin and transplant it into a machine.
Whether it would work properly or not was another question, but seeing this scene, even that seemed successful.
[Malina. The era you knew is gone. In this current age, our Dead Dagger has become stronger by becoming one with society's darkness. You can see that just by looking at my current form.]
Carbel spoke while his red optical sensors glowed.
The process of transplanting a human brain into a machine to become one, Carbel was the successful result of that experiment.
'He has neither the limitations of a steam suit controlled by a human, nor the drawbacks of an automaton that only performs programmed tasks. He's the result of cleverly taking only their advantages.'
In some ways, Carbel could be said to have opened a new horizon.
Perhaps someone who only cared about practical benefits would have their eyes light up at that form but Osian felt disgust rising up.
It felt like watching some kind of filth moving in a pitch-black pit down below.
The result of throwing away ethics, morality, and humanity, even if you dress it up as evolution or innovation, that distinctive stench doesn't go away.
[As a traitor to the organization, you cannot meet an ordinary death. It is our law that you must suffer eternally. But Malina, as you know, she is merciful. She wants to give you a chance.]
"What chance are you talking about, when you tried to kill me on sight?"
[If you had died from that, there wouldn't even be a chance. We needed to confirm your skills were still intact. Though there are some unexpected impurities mixed in.]
Carbel's eyes swept back and forth between Kudan and Osian.
His long arm extended toward Malina.
[Return to Dead Dagger. This is her message to you and her greatest mercy. Don't let her choice be in vain.]
Malina may be a traitor who left Dead Dagger, but her skills are real.
Sabrina must already know her talent since she raised her personally.
They probably want to persuade and use her again rather than dispose of such valuable talent.
'Though it seems like those assassins couldn't do much in this city, they probably can do quite a lot.'
Just looking at the machinery composing Carbel's body, they're definitely not ordinary components.
The fact that such a huge bulk moves as smoothly as oiled machinery clearly shows the use of very expensive special materials.
'They must have backing. A company providing the funds to prepare such a body. And they become that company's invisible blade, eliminating competitors and obstacles.'
It's one of the common ways those who make violence their profession ally with capital.
When money and force join hands they can fill what each lacks.
[This is your only chance. Show your loyalty to Dead Dagger again here and now.]
At those words, Malina's face twisted terribly.
"The only thing I can tell you here is that I should have opened your skull that day and scrambled your brain myself."
[How foolish.]
Carbel didn't seem particularly disappointed by Malina's outburst.
[I actually expected you to respond that way. I wasn't particularly keen on this myself. After all, what comedy is this, that I should recruit a traitor who butchered my body?]
Carbel slowly lowered his extended arm.
[So I'm actually grateful for those words. Because finally, I can give you revenge far beyond what I suffered.]
Both arms moved to the backpack.
Carbel quickly drew weapons from the backpack and aimed them this way.
They were super-sized guns befitting his massive bulk.
-Thoom thoom thoom thoom thoom thoom!
Each shot rang out with the heavy sound of firing a cannon.
The large-caliber rounds far exceeding ordinary guns tore through the space.
'What kind of thing is this?'
Osian quickly retreated backward. He quickly deflected one round flying straight at him with Storm Shield, but his arm tingled.
This wasn't a weapon made to shoot at humans. It was probably an anti-materiel gun made to target other steam suits. It was practically artillery shells.
If it was single shots, he could show off the technique of splitting them with his Starlight Sword, but this madman was rapid-firing them, with both hands at that.
Moreover, Carbel wasn't the only enemy fighting.
The crow masks lined up behind Carbel moved.
Every time they moved their limbs, there was a subtle sound of machinery adjusting.
"So they're similar ones, huh."
As if hearing Osian's muttering, Carbel responded.
[Oh. You're still not dead? More than that, you have quite a good eye for detail. That's right. These are the Raven Squad, a special unit I created gathering only unique subordinates from Dead Dagger. You'd do well not to underestimate them.]
Carbel's words weren't empty boasting.
Two Raven assassins at the front crouched down and jumped high.
Though their legs were hidden by clothing, it was obvious without seeing that they were made of special prosthetics.
They kicked off the building's outer wall in mid-air to climb higher and drew their guns, then countless bullets rained down.
Surprisingly, the bullets were black in color. The power of shadows was imbued in those bullets.
'Considering they could imbue that power in ranged arrows too, [Tracking] series skills must perfectly complement modern firearms.'
Though their firepower was less than Carbel's guns so he could block them with his shield, that was just a feint.
On both sides, other Raven assassins had already infiltrated and were throwing punches.
Sharp blades had sprung out from the backs of their prosthetic hands.
-Slash!
The Nebula Silk caught the arm of the assassin diving in from the left.
Before the guy could react and retreat, the cloak strongly pulled his body and threw him at the one attacking from the right.
-Crunch!
As the two collided, Osian's sword skewered them both simultaneously.
'It doesn't feel like piercing flesh.'
Even most modified humans keep their internal organs human, but these guys didn't even have that.
Like Carbel, they had replaced most organs with machinery except for the brain, spine, and nerves.
Osian tried to pull out his sword but it wouldn't come easily. The Raven assassin impaled on the sword had grabbed Osian's arm.
There was a similar incident just before, but these guys were on a different level. The prosthetic hand with powerful grip strength looked ready to crush Osian's wrist.
"With just that kind of thing."
Osian snorted and pulled his sword with force.
At that moment, the Raven's mask suddenly flipped up, revealing a dark red mechanical face.
When the guy opened his mouth wide, a gun barrel was visible.
Crunch! Osian's shield crushed his mouth and blew away his head.
"Such worthless tricks."
Malina and Kudan were in similar situations.
They were dealing with the persistently attacking Raven assassins while responding to Carbel's artillery-like gunfire.
It was only possible because they had already entered the realm of superhumans.
'But if we continue like this, we'll only end up being worn down.'
Then there's no choice but to open a path.
Though helping the Blood Brotherhood isn't particularly pleasant, he couldn't just stand still against enemies targeting his life.
'Well, I just learned a new Starlight technique. It wouldn't be bad to test it out here.'
It was time to use the new technique.