A wave of heat rose from the coffee cup, obscuring Sasha's flustered expression. Noid didn't press her for an answer. Instead, he said, "Sasha, is your offer to get a prosthetic arm still valid?"
She had calmed down and asked him with some confusion, "I thought you didn't want one before."
He gave a wry smile. His previous refusal was partly because he had grown used to using one arm. Another part was a deep-seated desire to avoid the battlefield, to make himself incomplete so he could hide and be protected.
The battlefield was still terrifying, but he would no longer retreat. Moreover, the work he was about to do required both hands to be most effective.
"Okay, come with me after the shop closes."
When closing time arrived, Noid hung the 'Closed' sign and walked over to Sasha, who was waiting.
"Where are we going?"
"The military district."
"Huh?!"
While he was still in a daze, Sasha used her superhuman physique to grab him by the collar and lead him away.
Even though it was late, the military district was still brightly lit and bustling. People, seeing Sasha and Noid walking together, came out of their way to watch, discuss, and secretly observe.
Sasha walked with a leisurely pace. He, on the other hand, had a stiff gait. Although he was standing straight, he felt like he was sneaking around. Rumors about Sasha and Noid's relationship had long since surfaced and then died down. But the sight of them tonight reignited the curiosity of everyone in the military district. Some people even whispered that they were on a date.
Unfortunately, they were not going on a date; they were going to get Noid an arm.
"Sasha, is this... very expensive? I don't have many points."
Looking at the lab full of modern equipment, he nervously tugged at her sleeve. Even though his ID card was an inanimate object, he could feel his points screaming in fear of being drained.
"No need, this is just from an elite doom."
"If it gets out that I'm using your military credits, it... wouldn't be good, would it?"
Sasha suddenly turned sharply, her voice cold. "And so what? I fought for seven years straight. I destroyed a total of 372 elite dooms and tens of thousands of dooms. What right do they have to interfere? I'm using my money to help someone who I... I..."
The atmosphere became awkward. Noid innocently shrank his head. Fortunately for Sasha, she had her back to him, so he couldn't see her flustered expression again.
"...who I... consider a friend. That's right... a friend."
Noid stood frozen there. He didn't understand why his relationship with Sasha, which was usually so harmonious, had become so awkward. Was this a side effect of his rebirth?
However, he didn't dislike it. On the contrary, he felt the bond between them had grown stronger.
Sasha left, leaving him alone on the lab table. Although the overall lab had a somewhat cold feel, the table was covered with a soft mat, and the temperature could be adjusted to be comfortable.
A group of people entered the lab and began to explain the procedure. Noid didn't remember much. He only remembered them asking if he wanted an anesthetic. He said no, and then his body automatically went into a coma because of the intense pain.
...
Noid woke up to a completely new sensation from his left arm. He was a little surprised. The robotic arm in his imagination would have looked like a piece of machinery. But his robotic arm, aside from him feeling the internal parts moving, looked like a normal arm with an armored shell.
"Are you awake?"
Sasha sat next to the lab table and asked. Noid nodded and gently moved his robotic arm, like a child seeing a new toy for the first time.
"This is my fault. They mainly work with reformers and forgot to tell you about the pain of direct neural connection."
"Reformers are really something. You guys can endure this kind of pain normally."
Noid hesitated for a moment, then opened his mouth.
"Sasha, can you make me a reformer?"
"No, we're not discussing this. This way... is for the best."
Sasha was a reformer, but she didn't talk much about them in front of him. Noid was confident that even with the extremely high mortality rate, he wouldn't die because he had the Infinite System.
Sasha was not only worried about the sky-high mortality rate but also the fact that reformers, even after becoming super-humans, had to pay a very high price: a shortened lifespan. No reformer had ever lived past 25.
Seeing the atmosphere turn heavy, Noid cleared his throat, dispelling some of the tension.
"Sasha, let's go get some breakfast."
"Okay."
The two returned to the coffee shop. He made breakfast and ate with her. Then, he opened the coffee shop.
Sasha had left. Noid's early morning shift was over. He finally had time to calm down and called up the system. He clicked on the store section.
"Infinite, I want all the equipment for the paralysis gun."
The store image began to change, showing only a few items, one of which was Noid's paralysis gun.
Paralysis Staff:
Except for the handle, the entire staff instantly emits a paralyzing electric current for living creatures with a value below 1.2.
Above 1.2, it causes a slowing and electric shock effect.
No effect on living creatures with a value above 1.5.
Price: 30 accumulated points.
A.T.A Armor:
Resists physical damage below 1.0. Gradually decreases up to 1.5.
Durability gradually decreases depending on the number of times it is hit and the strength of the attack.
The head protection part has a mask with observation, zoom, and analysis functions.
Price: 100 accumulated points.
Paralysis Bomb:
Paralyzes living creatures with a value below 1.3 within a 10-meter explosion radius.
Price: 50 accumulated points.
He bought all of them. Noid even bought 10 paralysis bombs. Then he used another 1000 accumulated points to buy reconnaissance equipment. At the same time, he integrated it into the mask of the A.T.A Armor.
When he was alone in the shop, he began to do physical exercises.
Because he knew Sasha, he also knew the exercises used to train newbies. Now was the time for that knowledge to come in handy.
...
"Revered Doom Lord."
"Revered Doom Lord."
"Revered Doom Lord."
In an underground tunnel, nearly twenty people were prostrating themselves before the head of a doom. Although the head had been dead and rotting for a long time, these people didn't care. They just kept kneeling and chanting.
"Revered Doom Lord, your incarnation has been killed by the despicable ones. Today, we offer you a sacrifice. Please give us the strength to take revenge."
The leader pulled out a young girl who was tightly bound. Tears streamed down the girl's face. Despite her bound hands and feet, she struggled desperately. The fanatic pushed the girl toward the piece of corpse, making her stick to the rotting fluid that flowed from the doom's head.
Suddenly, a hand pulled the girl out of the rotting fluid. At the same time, a flame burned the doom's head. The flame illuminated a black figure. In a dark windbreaker, the entire person was discreetly protected by black armored plates. In one hand, he held a staff, and in the other, a gun. Both were flickering with electricity. His face was covered by an oval mask that covered his entire face, revealing only two cold, green eyes.
With a single shot, the fanatic was paralyzed and fell. Then, a blow from the staff broke the fanatic's jaw.
"Too bad, your lord is not having a meal today. He doesn't need to anymore."
"You arrogant fiend!"
The people from the doom cult seemed to have their sore spot touched. They drew their knives and rushed madly at the black figure. But their sharp knives, which could easily kill people, couldn't pierce through the armor. The black figure didn't dodge or evade, directly charging through them. He took advantage of his unbreakable armor to wipe out each person one by one. The bullets from the gun and the staff both had the ability to paralyze, and with an additional blow from the staff or the gun butt, he defeated the followers.
One of them, terrified, shouted at the black figure, "Who are you, you despicable fiend!!!"
Then, a strike from the staff hit the top of the follower's head, knocking him out. Along with a reply.
"Although I don't deserve that title yet, you can call me... your nightmare."