East and West (4)
The entrance to Atogram was an arched gate thirty meters high.
Its enormous size didn't look out of place—after all, the city's walls were far taller.
- User code confirmed. Entry permitted.
Unlike reality, everything here was automatic; the massive iron doors slid open to the sides.
Just the first sight left Shirone dizzy.
"Wow, there are so many."
All manner of craft moved through the cutting-edge city.
Neon signs on the buildings flashed so many colors it made his head swim.
"Yolga's son said he'll meet us tonight, so let's hunt until then. We'll be the ones to raise our levels," DeathGongju said.
"Before that, how about fitting the parts? Using a rifle is kind of annoying."
A group passing by saw Shirone's party and burst into loud laughter.
"Haha! Hey, look at those kids. Isn't that an old rusty helmet? They still wear those?"
"Brings back memories. We wore those to hunt Metalrats. You still got Tenmen around?"
DestructionDemon707 slammed his foot.
"Ugh, those guys. If I hadn't scrubbed my codename, they wouldn't have dared talk to me."
Shirone asked, "You said he was level 180, right? Maybe that user's even higher. High-level players do gather here."
"No, just by looks they're barely level 100, if that. You can tell from the parts. They're from Spread—mass-market stuff. If someone over level 100's wearing that, it's actually hilarious," StrongestCodename said.
"When you get to Atogram you can end up with about twenty thousand galaxies. Usually people just buy a package parts set—that's the norm."
Shirone asked, "Then what about Selective Options? It keeps flashing that you can buy things at the 'Electronic Shop.'"
"Turn off the beginner tips. They're annoying while hunting. I'll explain. First, go into Selective Options."
A slot appeared as instructed, and below it: 'Electronic Shop.'
"The functions for Selective Options are purchased at the Electronic Shop. Right now you'll probably only have 'Communication.' That costs twenty thousand galaxies, and it's less efficient than buying a package—unless you plan to operate in an organized group like Tenmen."
"True, we can just communicate by voice. But there's only one slot—do we add functions to it?"
"Yeah. You get one slot at level 20, another at level 30. You can equip up to three options. From level 40, new functions get registered in the Electronic Shop every ten levels. From then on you mix and match options according to your taste, situation, or mission."
"If Yolga's son backs you, you could buy the communication option, but that's a personal call. We've got time until tonight, so let's buy the package and hunt for now."
DestructionDemon707 looked at Shirone.
"By the way, are you sure Yolga's son will help you? Would we get galaxies too?"
"Probably. I don't know how far he'll go to help, but he'll have to hand over everything he has."
It was a matter that affected humanity's future.
"Really? You must be really close."
There was a slight misunderstanding, but there was no need to explain at length.
"Haha… well."
DestructionDemon707 pointed toward the city.
"Then let's go to Maron. For beginners, Maron's the best."
They entered the commercial district that specialized in parts; it was packed.
"Wow, so many."
"In High Gear, second only to level, parts are the most important. Two hundred seventy companies have shops here. Some are player-run."
"Player-run?"
"Of course. Players can trade everything now. Some sell components from stalls; others buy a shop with galaxies and open a storefront."
"Be careful with player-made parts," DeathGongju added. "They can have unique or powerful functions, but they're often weak in balance. If your right arm is a MegaMix product and it isn't compatible, you'll just be throwing money away."
"That's your story," StrongestCodename snapped, and DeathGongju bristled.
"I'm telling you for your own good! If we had overflowing galaxies we could experiment, but we're poor. Buy as carefully as you can."
When they reached Maron, humanoid units with exposed steel frames approached.
"Welcome. How may I assist you?"
"We want parts. Maron package—beginner. Still twenty thousand galaxies? When's the sale period?" DestructionDemon707 asked. The attendant robot answered kindly and brought out a box larger than a person.
"They really paid attention to the packaging."
On the outside, an attractive girl winked as if begging to be bought.
"Commercial parts all come boxed. Once you open the box, refunds aren't allowed. Some collectors buy multiple boxes of the same model even if they don't use them."
"So we can't check the contents. Well, it's a program—no defects, right?"
"No defects per se. But you can check the contents. Look for the AI Simulation mark on the box. Touch it and you can do a virtual trial."
Swallowing the thought That's already virtual here, Shirone reached out and touched the box.
An electrical signal scanned him, and before he knew it the parts were fitted.
"Huh?"
The appearance was almost identical, but bearings were visible at each joint and seams showed on the face.
"Heh! Neat, right? Try things in the simulation, and if you like it, buy it. Oh, and like DeathGongju said, player-made goods won't have this feature—so be careful."
Joints—
Shirone rotated his elbow a full 360 degrees and turned his neck to look behind his back.
"This is really strange."
"It'll feel odd at first," DeathGongju said. "But articulation joints are incredibly convenient in combat. Of course, durability becomes an issue later. Anyway, we don't have the galaxies to buy anything else."
Following the others, Shirone placed his palm on 'Purchase' and paid the galaxies.
"Choose immediate swap. You'll experience it eventually, but that option's kind of weird."
He was curious about swapping into an android body, but the aversion still sat stronger.
"All right. Immediate swap."
When the transaction completed, the replacement proceeded and four people transformed into androids.
"Now let's hunt. You'll get used to the parts after a bit of play. So, where should we start?"
"We don't have a nationality, so let's go to neutral territory. Of course, it'll be annoying there too."
They left Atogram's north gate and, a kilometer away, found an abandoned city.
Creepy-looking creatures roamed it and several players were merrily hunting.
Area Info: DESTROY-033
"Destroy is a basic hunting ground in High Gear. Since we're level ten, let's take down the war robots first. See that thing?"
A tripod-legged unit bounced its legs and looked around.
As auto-aim locked on, Shirone's right arm shifted mechanically.
Chiiing! Chiiing!
In less than a second, his hand transformed into a gun barrel the length of a handspan.
"Ugh!"
"Don't flinch. For beginner parts this is decent. The main firepower is energy rounds. See the vertical gauge at the side of your view?"
"Yeah. It says 1,000/1,000."
"Energy rounds use a battery. One battery fires a thousand shots. Other companies sell live-ammo options, but we can't afford that many galaxies. They're also less efficient."
"How much is a battery?"
"Five hundred galaxies. That should be enough even if your hunting goes badly. Let's start."
Gunfire echoed through Destroy-033.
The speed and firepower were on another level compared to when they were biological.
Bang! Bang!
Every time the four of them concentrated energy rounds, a war robot exploded with a satisfying crack.
"Five hundred rounds left."
"We've already collected two thousand galaxies. A little more and we'll level up."
Shirone had the best results.
"There! And over there!"
He destroyed war robots while spinning not only his elbow joints but his neck as well.
'…Incredible adaptability. He said it looked creepy before.'
One thing was clear.
'He says it's his first time in High Gear, but this guy's fought a ton.'
Shirone had watched rankers' raids via satellite broadcast before.
It taught him that it wasn't just functions—strategy, tactics, reflexes, and judgment mattered.
'They're low-level but…'
Watching Yahweh2 fight had given him a familiar thrill.
'What the hell is this guy?'
For the first time he was curious about the player's identity, but DestructionDemon707 shook his head.
He wouldn't like it if someone dug into his real identity either.
'Let's just hunt.'
With that mindset, Shirone refocused—until he suddenly shouted.
"Move!"
At the same moment sparks flew from DeathGongju's body.
"Ugh!"
The three others turned and saw someone grinning two hundred and fifty meters away.
User codename— Gaepan5Bunjeon.
'From the Western nation.'
Shirone had sensed it before through intuition, but beyond warning them there was nothing he could do.
DeathGongju yelled, "Hey! What do you think you're doing? You trying to get us killed?"
"Ha ha! Sorry. My bad, my bad. I was trying to take out the wolf over there and—oops. Sorry."
Gaepan5Bunjeon apologized, but the party stayed annoyed.
"Don't call that a mistake."
Auto-aim wouldn't make that kind of error, and the parts covering his joints put him at least level twenty.
"Level twenty hunting here?"
They thought about fighting, but didn't want to lose the equipment they'd just bought, so they turned away.
"Don't worry about it and move on. He's just bored—picks on beginners."
Shirone glanced at DeathGongju's side.
"It's broken."
"Yeah. Durability eighty out of a hundred. It's a Maron bolt gun. Let's avoid him. His armor's probably better than ours."
When the owner said that, Shirone backed off and glared at Gaepan5Bunjeon.
He grinned and waved.
After another ten minutes of hunting, Shirone felt that irritating sensation again.
"Move—"
Bang.
DestructionDemon707's left arm shattered.
'Penetration confirmed.'
It was deliberate. Shirone spun around, eyes wide.
Gaepan5Bunjeon rubbed his head.
"Ha ha! Sorry! Messed up again. I'll be careful from now on, so just let it slide this once."
Shirone didn't believe him.
"Fight him. That's malicious."
"If we counterattack, it becomes a hostile act. If we die in that state, they'll take our loot. That's what he's after—"
Before the sentence finished, Shirone launched himself off the ground and fired his energy gun at Gaepan5Bunjeon.
"Hahaha! Did you just shoot me? That's a hostile act!"
The level-23 AI was automatically dodging Shirone's rounds.
'Heh. Maron stuff's easy.'
Gaepan5Bunjeon didn't have much to lose, but he enjoyed seeing a player's indignant reaction.
"This is what a bolt gun is." A heavier-sounding energy round fired compared to Shirone's weapon.
And Shirone—
"Huh?"
He kept trying to evade the incoming barrage while counterattacking. The distance closed.
"Oh? Oh?"
Gaepan5Bunjeon's evasion probability began dropping rapidly toward zero percent.