In a part of a ruined city, three squads of mass produced Nikkes moved in synchronized tactical formation alongside their Commanders. Their boots crunched over shattered concrete and glass as they pushed deeper into the city, heading toward an abandoned power station.
"Hey… do you know why Command sent us out here?" a young Commander asked, glancing nervously at the ruined high rises around them. "Three Commanders just to secure a defunct power station?"
"Hell if I know," another grunted, keeping his rifle raised.
"I heard rumors that a unique Rupture has been spotted around these area," a third added, his eyes scanning the shadow-drenched alleyways.
The oldest Commander in the unit raised a hand, gesturing for quiet. "Do you think it's too quiet?"
"Isn't it better to be quiet than loud?" the second Commander countered with a nervous scoff.
"Quiet down," the older Commander snapped back, his eyes narrowing as he checked his radar. "I don't like this place."
"What do you mean?" the youngest asked.
"It's too quiet. Like the calm before the storm."
Before anyone could reply, the sky above them split open.
A heavy shadow descended at terrifying speed, crashing into the street right in front of the forward squad. Dust and concrete debris exploded outward. Through the haze emerged a terrifying mechanical beast an Eradicator Mk-1 variant. But this model was different; grafted onto its left arm was a massive, multi-barreled minigun.
"Damn it!" the young Commander screamed, instinctively diving behind a chunk of fallen pillar.
The Nikkes reacted instantly, forming a perimeter and opening fire. Muzzle flashes illuminated the gloom, but the hail of bullets simply bounced off the Eradicator's reinforced plating with deafening metallic clangs.
"FIGHT LIKE HELL!"
The Eradicator Mk-1 shrieked through its synthetic vocalizers. The heavy minigun spun up with a high-pitched whine before roaring to life, shredding everything in its path. Simultaneously, shoulder-mounted pods opened, launching a barrage of rockets directly into the squad's defensive positions.
"Take cover!" a Nikke yelled, grabbing her Commander by the vest and shoving him behind a concrete barrier.
A split second later, the minigun's stream swept across her position. Her frame was instantly reduced to scrap metal.
While the Eradicator focused its fire forward, the secondary force arrived surrounding the beast from all sides.
"Keep it distracted!" a squad leader ordered over the comms. "Set up the rocket and missile teams while it's blind!"
As the heavy weapon operators moved into firing positions, the Eradicator's sensors picked up the energy signatures. It pivoted, turning its heavy armaments toward the missile team.
Before it could fire at them, the distinct chop of rotor blades echoed overhead. Multiple combat helicopters swooped in, opening fire with heavy auto-cannons. The sudden air support suppressed the Eradicator Mk-1, breaking its defensive shield under sheer kinetic force.
"Quickly!" the Nikke squad leader shouted.
The helicopters released a salvo of anti-armor missiles. The concussive blasts obscured the eradicator vision, leaving it completely unaware of a Nikke positioned on a nearby rooftop with a high-caliber sniper rifle.
BOOM!
The sniper's round struck the precise joint of the Eradicator's jetpack fuel tanks. Fuel ignited in a violent burst of flame, rendering its jetpack completely useless.
[WARNING: JETPACK OUT OF FUEL]
[RAGE MODE ACTIVATED]
A bone-chilling mechanical scream erupted from the Eradicator, emitting a shockwave that temporarily stunned everyone in the vicinity. The machine slammed its massive sword into the asphalt, whipping up a dense cloud of dust and debris that served as a makeshift smoke bomb.
It burst upward through the cloud, driving its blade straight through the belly of a low flying helicopter. Reaching up with its minigun arm, it fired a volley of rockets into the surrounding aircraft, causing mid-air explosions before raining a hail of lead down onto the Nikkes below.
"WASTE OF CODE! ALL OF YOU!" the Eradicator roared.
[SLASH COMMAND: OBLITERATE]
[SUCCESS RATE: 100%]
The machine screamed once more, sweeping its giant sword through the foundations of the surrounding structures. Concrete pillars sheared in two, causing whole building facades to crumble onto the battlefield.
[WARNING: CORE OVERHEATING]
[PREPARING TO RETREAT]
Before the Eradicator could jump clear of the rubble, a high-explosive rocket struck its main chassis point-blank, sending the beast crashing onto its back.
"Yes! It's down!" a Commander shouted, stepping out from behind cover and gesturing for his squad to move up. "A week of planning didn't go to waste!"
Before he could celebrate any further, the metallic chassis twitched violently and slammed back onto its feet.
"ITS STILL MY CALL, FOOLS!"
The Eradicator's jaw hinged open, revealing an internal flamethrower. A torrent of superheated flame erupted from its mouth, incinerating the surrounding area and burning everything caught in the blast.
"BURNING BRIGHTER THAN SUNS!"
BOOM!
A heavy armor-piercing shot struck the center of its faceplate, shattering the outer shell.
The young Commander froze in shock as he looked through his binoculars. "Is that... flesh?!"
Inside the helmet of the eradicator was an eye and red flesh all over.
[PROTOCOL 000-01 ACTIVATED]
[UNABLE TO RETREAT]
[SELF-DESTRUCTION IMMINENT]
The Eradicator's chest compartment hissed open. The machine reached inward with its clawed hand, grabbed its glowing core, and crushed it.
An blinding flash engulfed the battlefield. The resulting explosion vaporized everything within a fifty-meter radius.
--
Meanwhile in a high-tech laboratory...
"Argh! Those fools got lucky..."
I scowled, staring at the telemetry screens showing the final moments of the unit. "Though... they did reveal minor flaw in my Eradicator Mk-1 design. I'll give them that at least."
A xscientist stepped forward nervously. "Doctor Xenon... with the destruction of Eradicator Mk-1 - Unit 009, what will happen to the division under its command?"
"They will remain hidden for now," I replied, typing commands into my console. "Send them a replacement unit. In a few more days, the main operation will begin."
I turned to look at a holographic globe marked with dozens of pulsing red indicators.
"These red spots represent all of our hidden divisions. Once the signal is given, we will take over this planet." I turned back to the scientist. "Oh, I almost forgot... prepare for our first impression. Contact the Plague Division and tell them to prepare for Phase 4. Mhm kay?"
"Understood, Doctor Xenon," the xscientist said, bowing before leaving the room.
No sooner had the door slid shut than it was kicked open with a loud BANG.
A man clad in full tactical gear stomped inside.
"YOOOO! DOCTOR XENON! I HAVE RETURNED!" John Roblox yelled at the top of his lungs.
"Agh! You insufferable fool!" I turned around, my face twisted in pure annoyance and disgust. "How are you back already?!"
"The John Division is eternal!" he shouted, throwing his hands in the air and laughing hysterically.
"Get out, you fool!" I snapped.
"Is that your catchphrase or something?" John mocked, leaning against my console. "Because you really like that word."
"GET OUT!"
--
Back in the Ark...
Inside CEO Syuen's private room, fragments of salvaged metal from the Eradicator Mk-1 were laid out across a heavy testing table.
"Ugh... all of this is complete junk!" Syuen screeched, turning over a scorched mechanical component with utter disgust.
"The electronics are completely fried and the metal you brought back is nothing but scrap!"
She turned on her heel, preparing to storm out of the room. "Unless...!"
She stopped, scoffing to herself. "Unless... useless Nikkes, wasting my resources as usual."
As she marched out into the corridor, she collided straight into someone walking the opposite way.
"Hey! Watch where you're going!" she barked, rubbing her forehead as she looked up. Her expression turned even sourer. "Oh. It's you, Commander."
"Syuen..." the Commander said neutrally.
"What do you want?" she snapped, crossing her arms.
"That Rupture that self-destructed I need the data your team managed to gather from its core."
"And why on earth would I give that to you?"
"Don't forget," the Commander replied, his tone growing cold and authoritative, "you are required by central protocol to share any data recovered from high-threat Ruptures."
Syuen clicked her tongue in irritation. "Agh, fine! I'll send it to you later!"
She shoved past him and stomped down the hallway.
Watching her leave, Rapi crossed her arms. "Well... that went better than I expected."
"True," Anis agreed with a sigh.