"It seems we're being completely underestimated..."
Facing Lester's contemptuous remarks, the large male automaton named Alde standing opposite them emitted a voice loud enough to make the air tremble.
"Hmph, hahahaha! Perfect! We stand here by our master's command—not merely to win, but to demonstrate the might bestowed upon us by our master! Since you're so eager to become the foundation for displaying our power, we'll gladly grant you this opportunity!"
"Listen well! I'll give you two one minute! During this time, we won't move even a single finger. Attack as you please—if we retreat even one step, we lose. Come at us with everything you've got!"
These words made Lester's veins bulge in fury as he glared at the two machines.
"You pieces of scrap metal...!"
Clenching his fists, Lester was about to step forward to teach them a lesson when a beam suddenly shot from the side and exploded against Alde's temple.
"...That hurt, Rimcy."
Alde's head jerked from the impact as he turned to complain to his companion.
"A well-deserved lesson. Honestly, you worthless scrap—who gave you permission to joke around like this? If you have energy to waste on meaningless drivel, you should be using it for our master's sake. All we need to do is faithfully obey our master's orders and execute them flawlessly. Or has your brain malfunctioned? Should I drill a hole in it for an on-site inspection?"
Rimcy didn't even glance at Alde, treating his protest as nothing.
At some point, she had drawn a large pistol-type Lux weapon, pressing its barrel against Alde's forehead.
"However, that mediocre fool insulting our master is also unforgivable. Withdrawing our declaration now would disgrace our master, so reluctantly, I'll agree not to take any offensive action for one minute."
"Then why did you shoot me?"
"Because you annoyed me."
"..."
Listening to the two automatons completely ignore him and bicker among themselves, Lester gritted his teeth until they creaked, his eyes burning with rage. His fury surged uncontrollably.
In the special observation room, Roy watched the two highly distinctive automatons below with keen interest.
"They can make automatons like these?"
"Theoretically, yes—but with significant limitations."
Claudia also stared at them in astonishment, taken aback by their behavior and arrogance.
"Standard military automatons require human control, so their reaction speed is inevitably slower than humans. These two are autonomous, meaning they're equipped with AI programs. But their personalities are so pronounced that it's almost unsettling."
"Do you find them unsettling?"
"AI at this level is practically indistinguishable from humans. It makes you question whether to treat them as people or tools—ethical dilemmas like that. Don't you think so?"
"Not really."
Claudia gave Roy a surprised glance. Seeing his indifferent expression, she quietly marveled at the framework of his psyche.
In the world of Type-Moon, there were plenty of non-human creatures with intelligence rivaling humans, so Roy was long accustomed to such sights. Seeing two highly intelligent AIs now was hardly surprising. Claudia was only shocked because she hadn't encountered those beings before.
Roy observed the two automatons, his mind gradually stirring with ideas.
His world had deteriorated to its current state, now facing an acute shortage of personnel. Not only were there too few magi to exorcise curses, but even the guard units deployed against magical beasts were pitifully inadequate.
If these automatons could be transported back to replace the guards in protecting cities and driving out magical beasts—or even reclaiming land and sea in the future—they would likely prove incredibly useful.
Of course, this was contingent on their AI not going rogue or rebelling against their masters. In a world like Type-Moon's, AI rarely caused major incidents, but even minor troubles were best avoided.
"The battle begins!"
"This is... completely one-sided!"
Roy snapped out of his thoughts and looked down at the stage below, startled by the sudden turn of events.
After the match was declared, Alde and Rimcy stayed true to their word, not moving an inch. Lester swung a giant battle-axe as tall as himself, only for it to freeze mid-air.
Roy's sharp eyes discerned a transparent barrier blocking Lester's path.
"A defensive barrier? A machine can generate one all by itself?"
Roy's eyes widened slightly.
Constructing a defensive barrier required massive energy extracted by enormous installations—both conditions were indispensable. The entire Seidoukan Academy had only three comprehensive arenas capable of deploying such barriers, underscoring the difficulty of the feat.
Yet before them, a single automaton had generated a barrier entirely on its own?
"It's small, only the size of a palm."
"That alone is astonishing."
Alde conjured a palm-sized barrier, yet it held firm against Lester's assault. No matter how hard he strained, veins bulging across his body, he couldn't advance an inch.
Lester twisted his axe, changing angles, but his weapon immediately collided with another new barrier.
"Ahahaha! So much for your bravado—30 seconds have passed. Time's running out!"
"Grrr! Lion's Roar—!"
Enraged, Lester's face flushed crimson as he recklessly channeled his prana into his axe. The blade swelled to over twice its size, carrying terrifying momentum as it struck toward Alde.
Boom!
Amid the deafening crash, Lester stared blankly at the barrier, not a single crack marring its surface. His expression, once twisted with fury and humiliation, froze in place.
"One minute."
Alde's deep voice rang out.
With a wave of his hand, a massive hammer taller than his own frame materialized in his grip. He hefted it like a sandbag before bringing it down with a crushing blow.
On the other side, the chubby boy Randy Hook pulled out two pistol-type Luxes and continuously fired at Rimcy. However, the light bullets he shot were intercepted mid-air by identical projectiles, deflecting them away without a single one hitting Rimcy.
"Monster..."
Rimcy fired a single shot, striking Randy's emblem.
With that, Alde & Rimcy secured victory in the first round.
The overwhelming power displayed by the two automatons deeply shocked all spectators present and made a grand impression before the entire world.
"Truly impressive!"
Roy watched the two automatons below, a delighted smile spreading across his face.
While others inevitably began to share Claudia's concerns—worrying whether such highly intelligent artificial beings might threaten humanity's position—Roy felt nothing but exhilaration.
"Were they created by Ernesta Kuhne? She seems like someone worth meeting!"
***
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