Bad Born Blood

Chapter 219

Mushir al-Kashura was wearing a full-body exoskeletal combat suit.  

Kashura’s suit had undergone so many modifications over time that it was difficult to determine its original model. He himself must have been an exceptional engineer.  

‘Even if it's not on the level of a prosthetic, an exoskeleton is still an advanced combat device.’  

The exoskeleton, which supplemented strength and agility, was an all-purpose combat weapon. Since it was made of metal, it also provided basic protective capabilities.  

‘With modern technology, an exoskeleton directly connected to the nervous system can achieve responsiveness comparable to a prosthetic.’  

If someone like Kashura was using it, it wouldn’t be just any ordinary exoskeleton. And inside that solid armor, he had undoubtedly concealed numerous weapons.  

‘The tubes and cables attached to the back of his head are a weakness. If I cut them, his exoskeletal combat suit will stop functioning.’  

I identified Kashura’s vital points—his head, heart, neck, the tubes and cables, and the metal box strapped to his back.  

Wooong!  

Kashura wielded his Firelight Twinblades—or should I call it a Firelight Spear instead? He twirled the plasma blade rapidly as he advanced.  

As the heat spread, the air distorted like rippling waves of mirage.  

Chiiiiik.  

Dragging my Firelight Saber along the ground, I walked toward Kashura.  

The pavement sizzled and carbonized where the Firelight Saber touched, leaving a dark, scorched trail in my wake.  

‘I can’t let the Firelight weapons clash directly.’  

If both sides were using Firelight-series weapons, the battle would take on an eerie, unpredictable nature. I had to attack with unconventional movements that defied common sense.  

I recalled my fight with Valek. I had run countless simulations in my head, anticipating our rematch.  

‘Mushir al-Kashura is massive due to his bulky exoskeletal combat suit.’  

There were physical limits to movement.  

A larger frame meant larger movements, and Kashura’s exoskeleton had a crude, heavy design.  

‘That suit is built for firepower. It’s not suited for fast-paced, close-quarters combat.’  

Lifting my Firelight Saber from its lowered position, I pushed off the ground.  

Kiieeek!  

The Firelight Saber slashed through the air.  

Kashura slid backward without lifting his feet. His boots had motorized wheels, allowing him to move without pushing off the ground. He had two methods of movement—his feet and the wheels.  

‘Now’s the time to press him.’  

I knew Kashura wasn’t fighting at full strength yet.  

Even if my pride was wounded, all that mattered was cutting his throat and claiming victory. Holding back and dying in battle? That would be the ultimate disgrace!  

I bent my knees and lowered my stance.  

Shwik!

Kashura’s spear blade grazed the back of my neck as it passed. The plasma scorched my collar, setting it aflame.  

‘Closer.’  

I pressed in against Kashura. Two pairs of optical lenses looked down at me simultaneously.  

The wheels on Kashura’s feet were spinning in reverse at full force. He was planning to retreat again.  

‘If I aim for his torso, I’ll fail. He’ll slip away before I can swing my blade.’  

Despite his large frame, Kashura had excellent mobility. His movements were broad, yet he never quite entered my striking range. In other words, he was experienced. He hadn’t engaged in close combat without reason.  

He compensated for the weaknesses of his exoskeleton—unsuited for melee combat—with his own skills.  

‘But Kashura has never wielded a spear before.’  

His spear-handling was sloppy. On top of that, he hesitated against another Firelight weapon, clearly unfamiliar with such a fight.  

Chiiik!  

I sliced clean through Kashura’s spear shaft. One of the Firelight Spears slipped from his grasp.  

Now, with only the length of a sword hilt remaining, the "Firelight Spear" reverted back into a "Firelight Twinblades."  

Whik!  

I flicked the falling Firelight Twinblades with the tip of my foot, redirecting its blade toward Kashura.  

Thwoong!  

I twisted my body with explosive force and kicked the weapon’s hilt, sending it flying.  

‘Let’s see how far back you can retreat now.’  

The launched Firelight Twinblades hurtled toward Kashura’s chest as he pulled back. His wheeled mobility made sudden lateral movement difficult.  

Even my Akies Victima predicted that his massive frame wouldn’t be able to evade the thrown blade.  

‘He has only one option left.’  

And Kashura did exactly what I expected.  

Chiiiiiik!  

He thrust out his left hand, catching the Firelight Twinblades’ plasma blade in his palm.  

‘Before his entire hand melts away, he’ll fling it aside.’  

Kashura moved exactly as I had anticipated. He sacrificed one hand to block my attack.  

Clang! Chiiiiik!  

The deflected Firelight Twinblades landed on the road, melting through the concrete and metal, sinking into a pool of molten slag.  

Drip. Drip.  

Kashura’s left hand was in the same state. Just a brief touch of the plasma, and it had already begun to dissolve into a limp, molten mess.  

“Admiration, admiration, admiration!”  

Kashura cried out, repeating the word in a strange rhythm. He smacked his melting left wrist with his right hand, mimicking a clapping gesture.  

“Impressive, Luka. Engaging you in your area of expertise was nothing but my arrogance.”

Kashura widened the distance between us as he spoke. He didn’t even glance at the discarded Firelight Twinblades.  

‘Damn it, I failed to land a fatal blow while he was off guard.’  

I cursed internally. Yet, a part of me was exhilarated.  

Kashura was finally about to reveal his specialty.  

“And now, I fully understand why the Firelight series is a failure. I wonder how many people on Planet Novus can actually wield it effectively. Even the exceptional Valek couldn’t master it completely.”  

Kashura cast aside his remaining Firelight Spear, planting it into the ground as if it were worthless. The spear sank deep as it melted through the pavement.  

‘Kashura is someone detached from material greed.’  

Even if the Firelight series was a failure as a weapon, it still fetched an exorbitant price. The value of its primary material, Ignium, was beyond question.  

Yet, Kashura discarded both of his Firelight weapons without a second thought.  

“Luka, I will grant you Valek’s position. Right now, the one I need is neither Valek nor Kinuan—it is you.”  

It was a curious statement.  

Dduk, dduk.  

A metallic sound came from the box strapped to Kashura’s back.  

Two additional pairs of auxiliary arms unfolded. Each arm gripped a firearm—four in total—ranging from conventional bullets to energy-based weaponry.  

‘Kashura’s specialty is firepower projection.’  

I had expected as much.  

There was no reason for a personal exoskeletal combat suit to be that large. It was a heavily armored platform for high-powered ranged attacks.  

‘That nickname, One-Man Army, kept nagging at me.’  

Someone like me, no matter how skilled, could never earn a title like that.  

Kashura had enough firepower to single-handedly take on an entire unit.  

Clank. Clack.  

The two additional arms on his back moved with precision, loading and aiming their weapons. The motion was unnervingly natural—too fluid to be the result of artificial intelligence or pre-programmed mechanics.  

Machines could be precise, but they rarely moved naturally. Natural movement implied subtle biological delays and inconsistencies.  

‘Are those auxiliary arms cybernetic prosthetics?’  

A chill ran down my spine. I might have completely misjudged the situation.  

‘What if Mushir al-Kashura isn’t using an exoskeletal combat suit… but is actually a full-body prosthetic?’  

I had never considered the possibility of such a heavily armored combat prosthetic—what the Empire classified as a Full-Armor Prosthetic—existing outside its borders.  

It was no coincidence that Kashura reminded me of a Legion.  

‘An individual possessing a Legion-class full-body prosthetic…’

Kashura’s background and true identity intrigued me. A Full-Armor Prosthetic was a specialized form of cybernetic augmentation that deviated from conventional permanent prosthetics. It wasn’t a weapon meant for personal ownership or operation.  

‘And this is outside the Empire.’  

I focused on Kashura’s two additional pairs of arms.  

‘Including his original arms, he’s using three pairs in total.’  

It was an incredibly cumbersome and inefficient design.  

The further a prosthetic deviated from a human’s original form, the greater the strain on the brain. Creating entirely new appendages and controlling them through the nervous system required the brain to adapt structurally. This kind of deviation from human form inevitably led to a loss of humanity.  

Whirrr.  

Kashura had two pairs of optical lenses—four in total.  

Whirr, whirr.  

The four lenses moved independently, each scanning in different directions. Unlike before, they no longer focused on a single unified target.  

His auxiliary arms, each holding a firearm, mirrored this behavior. They moved independently, aiming in different directions as if each arm were a separate entity responding to its own visual input.  

‘What kind of brain structure does he have?’  

The question almost escaped my lips. I could manage dual thought processing, but this—this level of multithreading was beyond me.  

I had no way of comprehending the kind of development and modifications Kashura’s brain must have undergone.  

Creak.  

And soon, I no longer had the luxury to even ponder the question.  

Thwoong!  

Kashura opened fire. All four arms squeezed their triggers without pause, locking onto my every movement.  

‘It feels like I’m being targeted by four elite marksmen at once.’  

…It was horrifying.  

My current position, my intended path, my contingency routes, even the unexpected third option I’d considered—  

Kashura’s gunfire covered all of them, cutting off every possible escape route.  

Bang!  

I deflected a bullet with the back edge of my Firelight Saber and dodged the incoming energy beams.  

Thwoong!  

A concussive round exploded precisely where I had intended to move. I suddenly found myself missing Ruina.  

Just dodging was pushing me to my limits. There was no clear path to approach Kashura.  

He maintained just the right distance while unloading relentless firepower, reloading his main gun with his remaining right arm and passing it off to his auxiliary arms.  

He didn’t allow me a single moment to breathe.  

‘At this rate, my focus will burn out first.’

The fact that I was still holding out was nothing short of a miracle. It was thanks to the bullet-dodging training I had done with Ragnata in preparation for Ilay.  

‘Kashura’s thought processing speed is as fast as mine. And… he’s using Akies Victima.’  

I could sense it instinctively. He wasn’t just reacting to my movements—he was thinking at the same level as me.  

Kashura wasn’t merely responding to my unpredictable movements; he was preemptively blocking them at the same processing speed.  

‘Former Imperial Guard? If he’s an Akies Victima user, what’s his connection to Kinuan?’  

My mind was clear. My concentration was at its peak, driving my body forward.  

…Yet, I was still trapped. Even with Akies Victima, I couldn’t find a breakthrough. Every time I identified a variable or a possible solution, Kashura blocked it simultaneously.  

‘Now that I’m on the receiving end, this is pissing me off.’  

I suddenly bolted to the side, trying to escape the road. If I reached the city streets, his gunfire would become less effective.  

Thud! Thud!  

But concussive rounds exploded along my escape path, forcing me to remain on the road.  

‘Ha, this bastard!’  

The curse escaped me naturally.  

‘I just need a moment, a tiny moment!’  

I had only one option left. Darting between the wreckage, I made a beeline for a half-destroyed cargo truck.  

Screeeech!  

I dashed forward and slid beneath the truck.  

‘Akies Victima isn’t a technique that creates something from nothing.’  

No matter how skilled Mushir al-Kashura was, he couldn’t possibly know everything about FAI’s functions.  

FAI wasn’t just for preheating—it had a built-in cooling system as well.  

Chiiiiiiii!  

As I slid under the truck, I plunged my blade into FAI’s cooling vent and withdrew it. The refrigerant cartridge rapidly activated, surrounding me with thick, dense vapor.  

Kring!  

The frozen refrigerant cartridge, now depleted, was forcibly ejected.  

Tsssssss!  

The superheated refrigerant hit the ground, instantly melting the pavement.  

Enveloped in the rising steam, I emerged from beneath the truck. The glow of my blade had dimmed slightly, its usual fiery radiance momentarily subdued.  

Hssssss…  

Shrouded in vapor, I charged straight at Kashura. One of his optical lenses locked onto my blade, freezing in place as if hesitating.  

He hadn’t anticipated a cooling function. Praise be to Lapis Lazuli, you bastard!  

I had one chance.  

From here on, I would deflect every shot he fired and advance in a straight line at full speed.  

I was certain—I wouldn’t get a second opportunity.