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"Great. This room is definitely not being used.
Looking around the room, Lance is convinced that the first stage has been successful.
But the problem is yet to come.
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Listening closely, he hears no sound.
"So we're underground."
The main rooms must be located in the basement, since the aboveground area would be more visible if something were to happen.
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Lance quietly approaches the stairs leading to the basement. Again, he listens carefully, but again he hears no sound.
"(Are they careless and asleep, or are they understaffed?)"
Either way, Lance has no choice but to go, so he steps onto the staircase.
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He descends noiselessly.
The first basement floor. No sign of anyone.
Basement level 2. No sign of anyone.
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And basement 3.
"I hear breathing. 1 person ......2 ......3 One person 2 people 3 people. (...... oh?)"
As Lance made his way to the hallway leading to the floor, a golem on patrol appeared before his eyes. It was a stocky humanoid.
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"(That's an old-fashioned golem, ...... the type that can only serve a single purpose.)"
This time it's more convenient. There must be intervals between patrols, Lance thought, hiding in the shadows to see what was going on.
He measures the intervals of the patrols with a patience that is unmatched by humans.
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"(They come around every 15 minutes, right?)".
As soon as you know, you do it. Once the golem is out of sight, Lance walks away, his footsteps stealthy.
"(The breathing sounds are coming from this room. ...... bedroom, huh?")
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(I can hear two people sleeping.
"(One more in ...... this room?)"
It sounded like a bedroom, too.
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"(Is Ronder in the room with ......1 people?)"
Lance, who still didn't know what happened to Ronder, imagined that.
"(Anyway, we have to retrieve him first.)"
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He went further down the corridor. There was a laboratory.
"(A noise ......? Is someone awake? (But there is no sound of breathing.)"
Hiding behind the door, I quietly peeked inside and saw a back view of an automaton working on something.
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"(Is that a part of ...... the transition gate (warp gate)? Can an automata handle it?
Lance arrives at his goal, but thinks for a moment what he should do.
"(That automaton was no doubt made from stolen parts. If that's the case, it would be best to stop it and bring it back, but will it be ...... possible to neutralize it?)
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Lance's fighting ability is high, but not enough to overwhelm the battle golem. That much is clear from the last battle.
And it is not always just one automaton at work.
The golem in standby mode does not make a heartbeat or a breath sound.
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"(However, if we hesitate, the patrol golem might come around...)"
Lance stepped boldly into the room.
"What? ...... are you ......?"
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The automaton looked at Lance and sounded surprised.
"Ron......dar......?"
The face of the automaton was that of Lance's memory of Ronder.
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"Do you know my name? You're ...... well, you're from Gilder's place, aren't you?"
Gilder was the name of the creator of the lance, Gimnas' father.
"You know that, are you ...... still a Rhonddaa? Or are you just an automaton with Londer's knowledge?
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The automaton let out a sad laugh at the question.
"I don't have a precise answer to that question.
"What do you mean?"
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Ronder began to answer Lance's question with a wry smile on his face.
"It is true that I have knowledge of Ronder. I also think that I am a ronder. But I also know that I am an automaton.
"...... And?"
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"What am I ......?"
"I knew it. I ...... was still imperfectly transcribing human consciousness, and I was still working on it."
"I ...... didn't have time for that."
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Anyway, let's get back what we stole."
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"That's exactly why I'm not going to listen in."
Ronder's mood changes.
"I am ...... Ronder, I have gained this body and have become immortal. I will not give it up. If you insist, do it by force.
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"If you insist, I have no choice."
Lance suddenly stepped forward and thrust his fist at Ronder's chin.
But...
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"You're late!"
Ronder dodged the punch with a little time to spare.
What!
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"...... This body is wonderful. It is better than Gilder's automata.
Ronder's automaton seems to be faster than Lance's, though by about 20%.
Therefore, all of Lance's attacks are evaded.
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Kicks, fists, body blows. They don't hit him at all.
"Hmmm...you are an instructor after all. You can't seem to master your body, or even your abilities."
It is true. Lance's basic control magic formula (control system) is not designed for combat, but for the primary purpose of protecting and passing on knowledge.
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His body is for security, but he cannot use his abilities because there is no combat sequence in his basic control formula.
And it is Lance who knows this best.
"I don't get it. Why did you come with one? There are still automata and golems left in the facility, aren't there?"
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"That's ...... not what I need to tell you!"
Lance repeatedly strikes out. Ronder = automata is on the defensive, only evading.
"Hmmm, I see. There is no one who can activate it?
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It's your fault!
Yes, it takes a certain amount of magical engineering to activate the automata golem in the underground facility.
But Gimnas, the sole survivor, is only 15 years old. <
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Only Lance can move freely with his own will. That's why Lance is out there last time and this time too.
"Hmmm, I see. That's a relief. You have no backup!"
This was the fact that Lance did not want you to know.
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<
"Then, no hesitation. I'll test the performance of this body to my heart's content."
"Nuh-uh?
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Ronder-Automata turned on the attack.
"G...... empty!"
This time, Lance is on the defensive.
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"Ha-ha-ha, this body is wonderful! Now, this is a place that no human being could ever reach!"
While just barely dodging the attack, Lance analyzes Ronder=Automata.
The body is not the method of the <
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"That's why ...... is so strong."
Lance was unable to avoid Londer's attack, though Londer was still <
"Not yet!"
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The speed of the attack increased even more.
Lance is using his arms, legs, and back to catch and handle the attacks.
"This is ...... not good!"
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Lance decides to play his trump card.
"<
"Oof!
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A mass of wind blows Ronder and the two automaton away from each other.
"Hmm, you can use that kind of magic, can't you?"
Ronder-Automata smirks.
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"Well then, I'll be right with you.
"Whoa!
Ronder (automata) returns with a magic more powerful than the one Lance had fired.
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He seems to be enjoying his physical abilities.
Lance is blown away and slammed into the wall.
"This is not good. ...... I guess I can't win after all. ......"
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Then.
"Do you need a hand?"
A voice was heard right beside Lance.
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