The Terminator T-1000 had found its target.
Little John remained completely unaware, absorbed in his arcade game, fingers tapping furiously as danger approached from behind.
The T-1000 strode forward, pistol in hand, eyes locked onto the boy.
But before it could take another step, a figure appeared in its path.
The T-1000 ignored him at first—just another obstacle. But no matter how it tried to advance, the man didn't budge, as though rooted to the earth itself.
Expressionless, the T-1000 finally focused on the one standing in its way.
Fenric.
The Terminator felt no surprise, no hesitation. Its program dictated only one solution: eliminate what blocks the mission.
Its right hand morphed instantly into a gleaming blade, stabbing straight toward Fenric's chest.
Clang!
The sound of metal on metal rang out.
The blade stopped cold against Fenric's body. It was as if the machine had struck solid steel.
The T-1000 faltered. According to its database, human bodies were fragile—easily pierced. But this… this was no ordinary human.
Fenric's eyes narrowed. Then, with one hand, he struck.
"Break."
His palm slammed down on the T-1000's head.
Boom—!
The liquid-metal skull compressed instantly, flattened into a warped ball. The force rippled down through its shoulders, twisting its upper body into a grotesque shape.
Screams erupted around them.
The arcade was packed with customers, and dozens of eyes had just witnessed an Asian man slap a police officer's head flat. Panic spread. Arcade players dropped their tokens, scattering for the exits in terror.
Fenric didn't even glance their way.
He continued striking, both hands now hammering relentlessly.
Bang! Bang!
With each blow, the T-1000's form crumpled further, folding in on itself like soft clay under a sculptor's fist.
Of course, Fenric knew physical attacks couldn't kill it. The T-1000's liquid metal would eventually recover. But killing wasn't his goal.
He just needed to compress it.
"Bang! Bang!"
Steel would have shattered under his strength. The T-1000, softer than true iron, fared no better. Under his relentless assault, the machine was pounded into a compact, writhing ball of metal.
The Samsaras nearby exchanged uneasy glances. Watching Shura casually batter the dreaded T-1000 like a toy made even their scalps tingle.
Then, with a flick of his will, Fenric summoned a heavy iron coin bucket from across the arcade. It clanged to the floor beside him.
Without hesitation, he tossed the crumpled T-1000 inside.
Straightening, he turned to the Samsaras and spoke flatly. "I've taken what I need. The rest is yours."
With that, Fenric lifted the bucket and walked out.
Every time the T-1000 tried to surge back into shape, Fenric's mental force pressed it back down, locking it into submission.
Only when his figure vanished completely did the other Samsaras dare to breathe again.
"Damn…God Shura is terrifying!"
"With strength like that, his attributes must be over 400."
"As expected of an A-rank boss. He crushed the T-1000 as if it were dough."
"Exactly. That monster was like plasticine in his hands…"
They steadied themselves and returned to their original task—surrounding the still-confused John Connor.
"Who are you people? I don't know you!" John's voice cracked, eyes wide with fear. He was like a lamb ringed by wolves.
—--
Meanwhile, Fenric carried the bucket into a secluded alley and set it down.
Inside, the T-1000 writhed violently, shifting between liquid and solid, struggling desperately to break through Fenric's mental restraint.
Fenric remained calm.
From his storage, he retrieved a special item: the Tampered USB Drive.
This device could corrupt even Iron Man's armor with a single touch. Against the T-1000, it would be devastating.
He pressed the device against the writhing liquid metal.
At once, the mass froze, convulsing as though infected.
On the USB drive's display, a progress bar appeared:
1%... 2%... 3%...
The virus spread rapidly, consuming the machine's core system.
When the bar reached 100%, Fenric placed his hand over the metal mass.
[Ding! Special item acquired.]
Fenric smirked. The Tampered USB had proven itself once again—the bane of all electronic intelligence.
"I wonder…" he muttered. "Would even Skynet itself fall to this?"
Skynet was different from ordinary programs. It was a true artificial lifeform, with self-awareness and independent thought. Overriding it wouldn't be so simple.
Still, the experiment thrilled him.
He stored the USB drive away and turned back to the barrel.
What lay inside was no longer the T-1000. That designation belonged to Skynet. This machine now belonged to him.
Fenric's eyes glimmered. "System, activate."
The liquid metal pulsed, responding instantly.
"Master, system online. Awaiting orders."
A satisfied nod. "From now on, your name is… Nami."
"Confirmed. Nami at your service, Master."
"Good. Now—take on a human female form. Height, 170 centimeters. Bust… larger. Hips, fuller. Eyes bigger. Hair—orange-red."
The metal shifted and reshaped.
Moments later, a striking young woman stood before him, her figure voluptuous, her features resembling the navigator from One Piece.
Fenric found clothes for her at a nearby shop. Once dressed, the resemblance was uncanny.
"Perfect." He studied her with a satisfied smile.
With his new servant at his side, the first phase of his plan was complete.
Now, it was time for Fenric to hunt down more Terminators.