The face of the suppression unit commander twisted inside his dustproof helmet. It was a shock. Even if it was on the wanted list, it was still a police unit. How had it been redesigned to defy a superior’s order—and even say “Get lost”?
“All units, combat mode.”
All suppression unit members pressed the combat buttons on their electric batons.
Chwaaak— Wooouuung— Chuck—
The batons extended to a length of one meter, transforming into razor-sharp crescent-shaped electronic blades.
“Team One, Team Two, attack.”
At the commander’s order, six out of the twenty suppression unit members simultaneously targeted Pluto’s arms, legs, torso, and head, launching attacks from multiple directions at once.
Chwachang— Ppakaang— Thud—
Teams One and Two were instantly thrown back. One member’s dustproof helmet shattered with a crack. The stunned officer looked at Pluto. White smoke hissed from Pluto’s chest where the blade had struck.
“Reinforced suit, combat mode.”
As every member pressed the button on their combat suits, metal scales rose instantly across the surface—tsutsutsutsu—and all of their reinforced suits upgraded into full combat armor.
“Full assault.”
The commander issued the order in a low, heavy voice. All twenty combat unit members hurled themselves toward Pluto at once.
Ppukak— Kwahng—
Pluto’s titanium alloy fists collided with the electronic blades, bursting into blue flashes. The combat unit members’ attack speed reached 300 kilometers per hour. To the human eye, only afterimages remained. A 50,000-volt charge burst from their electronic blades. As the crescent edge sliced across Pluto’s chest armor, white coolant oil sprayed into the air. Struck directly by the electric shock, Pluto’s body convulsed as if in a seizure. Some of the current diverted through its internal grounding system, but not all of the impact could be absorbed.
The members’ consecutive strikes continued. The surface of Pluto’s armor cracked, and one cooling circuit burst under pressure. Steam billowed out.
Even so, Pluto did not yield.
The drive motors in both fists surged to maximum output with a thunderous roar. Instant output: 80,000 kW. Pluto’s alloy fists tore through the air and shot forward explosively. Five combat unit members at close range were struck simultaneously and hurled backward.
Pluto staggered, but did not lose his balance.
“Fall back!”
At the commander’s shout, the combat unit members retreated in an instant.
Shyuung—
Kuwakwang—
The commander fired an 81mm plasma warhead at Pluto. The warhead struck Pluto squarely in the chest. Pluto was blasted ten meters backward, smashing through a building wall.
Uduuduk— Tuduk—
The shattered building debris sent up thick clouds of cement dust. Steam rose from the ruptured cooling system between the visor plates of the fallen Pluto’s helmet.
“Ugh—”
Zion Kang, who had been behind Pluto and was thrown away together with him, pushed through the rubble of the collapsed wall and staggered out. Blood streamed down from his forehead. From the rebar fragment lodged in his side, blood gushed out. Stumbling, he looked at the robot lying beside him with an expression of disbelief.
“Pluto…”
Pluto’s chest armor, struck by the warhead and blown back by the tremendous impact, was caved in and melted, exposing internal circuitry as it crackled with residual discharge. Pluto did not move at all. The red light in his visor had gone dark.
“Arrest him. Secure the unit.”
The suppression unit commander gave the order. All twenty suppression unit members began moving toward Pluto and Zion Kang at once. At that moment—
Kiiiiiik—
Leo’s Blackcar Y screeched to a stop in front of Zion Kang, kicking up dust as the door swung open.
“Get in!”
Zion stared at the car with wide eyes. Then, without realizing it, he turned his head.
“Then… Pluto…”
“Towing mode!”
Buaang— As Blackcar Y spun around, Zion Kang was dragged through the open door. From the rear of Blackcar Y, an electromagnetic chain fired out and clamped onto Pluto’s body.
Kkiririk—
As Blackcar Y launched forward hard, Pluto’s body was dragged along the road, sparks flying across the asphalt. The commander shouted:
“Arrest them!”
The suppression unit members surged forward, wheels grinding against the asphalt as four wheels deployed from the underside of their walkers. Electric motors engaged instantly, and acceleration kicked in. They began closing the distance on the vehicle.
“Deploy lubricant.”
Something poured from the rear of Blackcar Y. The asphalt turned into a sheet of slick lubricant. The rapidly pursuing suppression unit members lost traction and tumbled across the road.
“Tow reinforcement!”
With a low hum from the electromagnets, the towing chain tightened further.
“Lift up!”
The chain snapped taut. Pluto’s body slammed onto the roof of Blackcar Y. The rear section of the roof crumpled. Part of Pluto’s body tore through the ripped metal and plunged into the car’s interior—right beside Zion Kang.
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