Chapter 99. The Lab Rats’ Rebellion (1)
No. 8 spread his wings wide and melted into the vast night sky.
The black fur covering his body was perfect for hiding among the shadows of darkness.
His flexible, supple wings barely made a sound no matter how much he moved them.
Like mist.
At times, like a ghost.
He possessed a physical form, yet left no trace behind as he glided silently through the sky to carry out his objective.
That was the mission Abraxas had given him.
He had never asked to be given a body like this, but some sense of duty compelled him to follow his orders thoroughly.
Tonight, as always, he planned to circle the city several times as a shapeless shadow.
The only difference was the sprayer mounted on his back, filled with pathogens that would be released lightly over the city below.
Even with the device attached, it did nothing to disturb his silent flight.
Just like yesterday, he intended to finish his mission quietly and return.
He had never thought beyond that.
Dudududududu!
As he flew above the city, a loud noise suddenly came from the distant sky.
An engine was rattling noisily somewhere ahead.
“What is that?”
Perhaps a light aircraft or a drone had been launched.
No. 8 turned toward the sound with a wary expression.
If someone spotted him, things would become troublesome.
He planned to intercept whatever it was and bring it down.
But what entered his red eyes was something completely unexpected.
“Hey, asshole! Where do you think you’re going?!”
A flimsy glider-like light aircraft that looked ready to fall apart at any moment was roaring toward him.
And crouched inside it was Yukgap.
He was piloting the aircraft with his teeth clenched.
“Zeta?”
Shock crossed No. 8’s face when he recognized him.
He had never imagined they would meet in the sky.
“I told you not to call me that!”
Yukgap shouted angrily.
“I’m Yukgap!”
“I threw away that old name!”
No. 8 stared at him in disbelief.
“How did you even find me?”
“You think I’d forget your scent?”
“It’s all over the city. Finding you was easy.”
“You truly are impossible.”
No. 8 glanced at the crude aircraft carrying Yukgap.
“More importantly, what exactly are you riding?”
A stiff mechanical voice came from the center of the aircraft.
[I am Robert in flight mode. I have been modified so that I, too, can fly through the sky like you.]
Apparently, they had modified the golem No. 8 had seen before into a light aircraft.
The very idea of doing something like this with a golem was absurd.
“Your sense of humor has improved since we last met.”
No. 8’s words were openly sarcastic.
Yukgap did not care.
“Doesn’t matter.”
“We’re going to stop you somehow.”
“With that?”
“Why? You think it’s funny?”
“Funny would be an understatement.”
No. 8 casually circled Yukgap several times.
There was not a single wasted movement in his flight.
It was almost as if gravity simply did not apply to him.
“As you said, I am physically one of the weakest Archons.”
“But in exchange, the flight ability I received is unmatched among living creatures.”
“And yet you intend to fight me in the sky?”
No. 8 openly mocked him.
Yukgap shouted back without concern,
“We’ll see about that!”
“Attack!”
[Receive the baptism of fire!]
The front of the aircraft flashed.
A stream of oil-fed flame blasted forward.
No. 8 twisted his body and effortlessly avoided it.
The fire only barely grazed his back.
“A flamethrower?”
“That certainly could be dangerous.”
“But it’s far too slow.”
No. 8 scoffed.
Yukgap ignored him.
“Doesn’t matter!”
“Keep firing!”
[Exterminate! Exterminate!]
Several more bursts of flame shot forward.
But they merely grazed No. 8 and failed to land a proper hit.
At first, No. 8 played along almost for amusement.
Eventually, however, he grew irritated.
“Zeta, your stage is the ground.”
“Not the sky.”
“Why don’t you make your exit?”
He pulled out his overtechnology weapon.
The Noise Gun.
The moment Yukgap saw it, he shouted in alarm,
“Dodge! That’s the Noise Gun!”
But No. 8 had already aimed it directly at him.
A piercing ultrasonic cry burst from his mouth.
Piiiiiiiiiiii!
The instant the ultrasonic wave struck the Noise Gun, it was amplified again and again.
It transformed into a massive invisible battering ram and surged toward Yukgap.
Although it could not be seen, the violent distortion of the air made the sheer force of the attack obvious.
“Move!”
“If that hits us directly, we’re going down!”
Yukgap hurriedly steered Robert sideways.
The blast missed its intended target and struck Robert’s left wing instead.
With a deafening crash, the entire wing shattered.
[My left wing has been destroyed! I can no longer maintain proper flight!]
“I know!”
“Just keep going forward!”
Yukgap gritted his teeth and forced Robert onward.
With one wing gone, Robert somehow managed to maintain balance and stagger through the air.
The sight was almost pitiful.
“Where do you think you’re going?!”
