A voice laced with ill intent came from behind 'Herta'.
Well, she'd been expecting this.
Still, the thought of coming face-to-face with a genius was enough to make her feel just a tiny bit nervous.
She'd barely had a moment to steel herself.
Before she knew it, Lady Herta behind her was already eagerly launching into her taunts.
"What's the matter? No courage to even turn around and face me, you fake, always hiding your head and tail?"
'Heh~'
'Herta', hearing this, let out a soft laugh.
She then slowly turned to face Lady Herta, around whom four mirrors hovered.
A smile played on her lips as she retorted, "Who's the one calling others a fake here? How dare you, with your pointy little head, assume you're the real deal?"
The Lady Herta's eyes swept over 'Herta', taking in the uncanny resemblance, the undeniable talent.
This girl… maybe she should just grab her and take her back for some… 'special attention'.
But hearing 'Herta''s attempt to turn the tables, Lady Herta laughed.
"Heh, let's just wrap this up and take you in. Mirrors, surround her."
With a flick of her petite hand, the four mirrors orbiting her whooshed forth from all four directions, trapping 'Herta' squarely in the center.
An array of optical locking devices swiftly deployed, pinning 'Herta' firmly in place.
The Lady Herta lifted a hand, lightly adjusting her hat as she chuckled, sauntering gracefully towards the trapped 'Herta'.
She stepped past a mirror, reached out a finger, and gently lifted 'Herta''s chin, looking down at her imperiously.
"Little mouse, let's see you try to run now."
'Herta', staring at that devastatingly beautiful, almost succubus-like face now mere inches away, also began to laugh.
"Oh really? I'm not so sure I believe that, Lady Herta~"
"Oh? Feel free to try whatever trick you have. Otherwise, people might think this genius is just for show."
Lady Herta was brimming with confidence.
Trapped within the comprehensive lockdown of her four mirrors, this impostor before her didn't stand a ghost of a chance of escape.
But was that truly the case?
Hearing her words, 'Herta''s smile widened.
She touched the ring on her left middle finger and winked at Lady Herta.
"Lady Herta, I feel I must remind you of something. This space station… it's not my home turf right now. But what happens when you stumble right into a genius's own backyard? I think you know the answer perfectly well."
No sooner had the words been spoken, the AllSpark instantly flared brightly, releasing a relatively weak surge of energy.
Then, the devices 'Herta' had been tinkering with earlier began to morph and shift behind her.
Humanoid, bestial, insectoid… a varied assortment.
In terms of sheer technical capability, aside from their different specializations, these dozen or so mechanical monsters were no weaker than the four mirrors.
They quickly surrounded Lady Herta and her mirrors.
Humph! "Did you think breaking through the outermost firewall meant you could do as you please, impostor?! To willingly venture into the belly of the beast… you've made a grave mistake!"
Lady Herta's voice echoed from all around.
Simultaneously, these mechanical monsters were swiftly 'hacked'—bzzzt-pop!—a brief, sharp digital noise.
But not only did the 'Hacked' monsters disrupt the coordinated blockade of the mirrors, they turned the tables, suppressing Lady Herta herself, ineffective to Lady Herta's hacking.
Faced with such an assault, even Lady Herta couldn't help but show a flicker of surprise.
But quickly, that slight astonishment transformed into curiosity.
"I see… So the reason this space station has become like this… is all because of that blocky thing behind you, isn't it? If this Curio belongs to you… then I, Herta, acknowledge your capability."
And because of Lady Herta's words, 'Herta' was surprised to find the extraction counter below her vision advance a significant chunk closer to one hundred percent.
--+--
[Role-Playing System]
[Name: Bai Ming (Big Herta)]
[Lifespan: 64:00:26 (Paused) +1 Day (Role-Playing)]
[Transformable Character: Big Herta]
[Available Extractions: 0 (78.3%)]
--+--
Heheh, good, good. It really was the newbie benefit, giving her the most suitable character right off the bat.
Otherwise, things might not have gone so smoothly.
'Herta' put away her speculations and looked towards Lady Herta, now restrained in place.
The reflected Lady Herta, of course, wasn't panicked. Instead, she looked at this impressively equipped impostor with amusement.
"I'll admit, you're somewhat interesting, impostor. But if you think a single space station is enough to subdue me… well, you're about to disappoint me."
"Of course, of course. And besides… who said anything about subduing you?"
She certainly didn't believe a lockdown of this level could truly restrain the real Herta.
Just like how the mirror blockade, even enhanced by the AllSpark's creations, would probably only take 'Herta' herself a few minutes to counter if she put her mind to it.
When you got right down to it…
Neither the AllSpark nor these mirrors could be considered masterpieces into which 'Herta' had poured her heart and soul.
They were more than enough to handle anyone else, but used against the original? They were merely passable.
But then, 'Herta' wasn't actually looking for some passionate, passionate intellect showdown with the original.
Frankly, her goal was just to create a significant fluctuation in the original's emotional state.
So~
'Herta' suddenly revealed a smile that made Lady Herta feel distinctly uneasy.
"What are you planning?"
"Acting Station Head, register her as 'Lady Herta' as well. From now on, this 'Herta' is also a master of this space station."
The moment these words were uttered, Lady Herta truly lost her composure. For the first time, a genuine killing intent surfaced!
And AI Herta wasn't happy either: "Eh?! Why?! This impostor?!"
'Herta' watched the shifting expressions on Lady Herta's face and the rapidly rising numbers before her own eyes, her smile so wide her eyes crinkled into slits.
"Do you want the person who restricted you to lift the limitations, or not? You tell me."
"…?"
AI Herta was, after all, just an AI, not a full Herta replica. Faced with the impending outcome of her defeat, she knew when to concede.
And so, very quickly, Lady Herta's identity authentication was approved.
Simultaneously, the restrictions on Herta herself were voluntarily lifted, just before she would have forcibly broken them herself.
But!
This feeling of sheer frustration—of being capable of resolving things on her own, yet being 'spared' by the other party's seemingly merciful act, rendering all her efforts futile—left Lady Herta absolutely fuming.
Of course, 'Herta' wouldn't give Lady Herta a real chance to erupt.
She smiled and waved at the real Lady Herta. "Well then, I leave this space station in your capable hands, the one and only Lady Herta."
No sooner had the words left her mouth, a pale flame suddenly erupted from her left hand, swiftly engulfing 'Herta''s entire body.
"How dare you—?!"
Lady Herta instantly understood this impostor's intention.
This girl! She was trying to escape?!
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.