I Am Not a Robot. Beep-bop

Chapter 6: The Day the Rust Rain Fell… 5

Human.

It’s a human!

A person!

For the first time in this third life, I was facing a being with intelligence, a member of humanity!

‘Wow, w-wow! They’re wearing a gas mask, but they have a head, arms, and legs, just like me!’

I felt thrilled.

Humans exist.

In truth, until I encountered them, I couldn’t be certain that humans like me existed in this third life.

After all, I wasn’t even sure if this place was Earth, so how could I be confident humans would exist here?

If this world had been one where bipedal cockroaches had replaced humanity, it probably would’ve taken me a very long time to adapt.

Moreover, isn’t it said that humans cannot live alone?

Well, in my previous life, I had been a Demon King, and now, I’m a metallic body equipped with an auxiliary personality.

I wasn’t sure if I could still consider myself human.

But even so, I wanted to live as a human.

In that sense, the appearance of those gas-masked humans was quite a welcome sight.

When I first opened my eyes and was greeted by a Scrap Orc in a pile of junk, my mood was severely dampened.

But now, seeing other humans lifted my spirits in a way I hadn’t expected.

However, they all wore identical gas masks and identical uniforms.

It wasn’t just a uniform; it seemed to double as armor—perhaps a kind of military outfit?

From their appearance alone, it looked more like prisoner clothing.

‘They’re not even lowering their weapons… Do I look that menacing?’

Well, to them, I was probably just a girl covered in raw flesh and blood.

In novels or comics, this might seem romanticized and cool, but in reality, it’s just horrifying.

I could understand their subtle tension and hostility.

【Huff.】

【Huff…】

A standoff continued for a brief moment.

The humans, all identical in their gas masks, neither closed the distance between us nor retreated.

They simply held their weapons ready.

It was a situation too vague to call outright hostility.

But then, who are we?

We’re people.

Civilized beings equipped with basic ethics and rationality.

It is said that the beginning of human civilization wasn’t the discovery of wheels or fire but evidence of healed broken bones.

The willingness to help others.

If someone is injured, it is only right to support them and stay until they heal.

This is the great start of human civilization, the first step toward ethics.

In other words, dialogue is the most basic courtesy and the start of communication.

There’s a saying that you can gain gold with words.

Even in this awkward situation simmering with hostility, proper mutual respect could lead to a resolution.

With that thought, I opened my mouth.

“Why don’t we try… talking?”

It had been a while since I’d spoken to someone, and my words stumbled out as if I were biting my tongue.

Fortunately, my voice didn’t sound bugged like it did when I first woke up.

However, no one responded to my words.

All I could hear was the sound of breathing filtered through their gas masks and the rust-tainted rainwater pouring down.

【Huff-】

“…Hmm. Can you not understand me?”

Could it be that we spoke different languages?

If the language was different, they wouldn’t be able to answer me.

As I am now, I can no longer use the versatile magic I wielded during my time as the Demon King.

Naturally, I can’t simply use magic to directly convey my intentions to others despite any language barrier.

Magic formulas aren’t the issue.

I can still chant a spell right now if I want.

But this damn magic requires mana as its energy source.

The problem is that even sustaining this metallic body and my consciousness consumes mana.

Earlier, when I didn’t want to touch the Scrap Orc, I attempted a pentacasting, but the magic failed to manifest, and my power shut down, activating the Emergency System.

It seems this tin can—or rather, my metallic body—has an absurdly inefficient energy consumption rate.

‘Earlier, the battery was at roughly 8%…? I guess I’ll have to refrain from using magic or complex formulas for the time being.’

In any case, it would be troublesome if we couldn’t communicate.

If basic communication isn’t possible, how can I convey that I have no hostile intent?

-Clang!!!

At that moment, I felt a sharp jolt near my neck.

Something stabbed at my neck with the force of an awl.

The metallic surface of my body repelled the attack, and I reached out to grab at the air.

【…!】

-Crack!

Though I seemed to be grabbing at empty space, I could feel a faint weight.

It wasn’t hard to deduce that it was someone’s neck.

“Invisibility magic? I thought I felt something approaching, but there wasn’t even a sign of magic activation…”

【Gurgle, ah!】

-Snap!

As I applied a bit of pressure, the color returned to the invisible person’s body, and they became visible.

They were another gas-masked human.

It seemed they had pretended to guard me while secretly trying to slit my throat.

As I choked them, they stopped struggling and passed out.

Hmm, it seems this body’s base specs are quite impressive.

Although I feel like I’m in the body of a young girl, I could easily lift and strangle an adult male with one hand until he fainted.

-Click!

The gas-masked humans then began pulling out awl-like weapons and blades.

Sigh, that’s too much.

I tried to talk, didn’t I?

I admit that my blood-soaked appearance is terrifying, but I made it clear I had no intention of fighting.

And yet, this is their response…

“Can I take this as a declaration of hostility?”

【…Huff!】

I wasn’t sure if they understood my words, but their gazes grew sharper.

Instead of answering, sparks began to leap from the long awl-like weapons they held.

Ah, fine.

Got it.

So, this is your signal to attack, then?

-Swish!

The gas-masked humans quickly advanced, their footsteps eerily silent, likely due to some special ability or magic.

My vision blurred slightly as they approached, and the sparks on their awls grew fiercer.

It looked like they could pierce through metal as if it were paper.

With my mana and magic currently drained, I couldn’t rely on spells.

Without magic, I had no choice but to face this with my body.

Now I had to withstand all those sparking awls with this tin can of a body.

“Sigh.”

Let me reiterate: this is my third life.

I can’t say this with certainty.

My memories are heavily damaged, and everything I’ve experienced could just be delusions.

Or perhaps, manipulated memories and fabricated delusions have been injected into me to the point where I’m like Theseus’s Ship—everything artificial, with none of the original remaining.

But such questions don’t matter right now.

They might be relevant one day, when I’m so well-off and idle that I have time to indulge in unproductive philosophical musings like, “Who am I?”

What I mean is…

If I assume everything I’ve experienced in life so far is true, then the current situation is not just easy—it’s practically child’s play.

Because I was…

“The Demon King.”

【Butchering Initiated】

-Crack!

A creaking sound emanated from near my spine as countless tendrils, the same ones my Auxiliary Personality used to torture the Scrap Orc, burst forth.

When the Auxiliary Personality took over my body, I retained full memories of the experience.

And now, the knowledge of how to manipulate these mechanical tendrils naturally settled into my mind.

Whether or not I still have a brain, one doesn’t need detailed knowledge to move their own limbs.

The gas-masked humans, surprised by the sudden appearance of the menacing tendrils during their charge, scrambled to evade.

Still, not all of them were successful.

-Squish!

【…!】

【Gurgle, gasp…】

About three of them were impaled by the tendrils, while the others managed to dodge.

Of course, I hadn’t aimed to kill them.

The tendrils targeted legs and ankles to incapacitate mobility rather than vital organs like the heart.

“Alright, you three can sleep over there.”

【…!】

I lifted the first three impaled humans with the tendrils and threw them aside.

The sheer power of the tendrils was evident from the ease with which they flung a person.

-Thud!

【Ugh…!】

Oops.

Maybe I threw them too hard…

They hit the tree spine-first, and I think I heard something crack…

If their spines really broke, I’d extend my sincerest… no, most amusing apology.

I won’t be compensating them, though.

I’m just a broke, hollow shell of metal.

Still, they shouldn’t die.

At worst, they might end up vegetative.

-SCREAK!

But then, a sharp whistle sliced through the air, aimed directly at me.

The gas-masked humans, who had been biding their time to surround me, began their attack.

-Swish!

-Thump!

It was quite an elaborate maneuver.

An awl charged with electricity narrowly grazed my cheek.

With my battery running low, I had to dodge with minimal movement.

-Clang!

-Ting!

Of course, I could predict all their attack trajectories.

Having lived as a Demon King and experienced countless battles, I retained those memories, but this mechanical body provided an additional advantage.

Its eyes automatically marked incoming attack paths with red projections, making them easy to follow.

The accuracy of these projections meant that all I needed to do was avoid the red lines, and I could evade even the fierce attacks of the gas-masked humans without taking a single hit.

‘This body moves just as I will it.’

I had expected my movements to feel awkward in this mechanical body.

With its metallic frame and steel fibers, I thought my reflexes would be sluggish and that I might have to endure a few hits.

However, whoever designed this body seemed to have created a masterpiece beyond “high-performance.”

This body moves more naturally and fluidly than a human’s.

In fact, it moves faster and more seamlessly than my original body ever did.

It feels as though it’s my true body.

No, even if I still had my original flesh, this body would undoubtedly surpass it in speed and fluidity.

Ah, this is it.

As I grew accustomed to the movements, an involuntary smile crept across my face.

It obeys my will.

As I became more familiar with it, I began to dodge attacks by mere strands of hair.

With one upward strike of an awl, I disrupted the sequence of their synchronized attacks, causing their formation to collapse.

Moving my body, I recalled the overwhelming power I wielded during my Demon King days.

There was no need for mana-powered reinforcement or coating.

This metallic body itself was durable enough that lightly deflecting an awl with its side was no challenge.

【…!】

【Huff!】

【…!!】

It would have been nice if this could have been resolved through conversation, but unfortunately, the gas-masked humans showed no intention of ceasing their hostility toward me.

Even as they panted heavily, they continued to attack relentlessly.

Upon closer inspection, they seemed to be targeting my neck, heart, head, and eyes—areas that required precision and skill.

It was clear they had experience killing people.

And it wasn’t just a few of them; all the gas-masked humans were attacking with such expertise.

‘Should I just kill them?’

That would be the simplest and cleanest solution.

The idea of annihilating these gas-masked humans, who had rejected dialogue, began to creep into my mind.

But killing is a last resort, and I’m not some thrill-seeking psychopath who kills the first people they meet.

Granted, they were the ones who threatened my life first, but since I’m stronger than them, it’s my prerogative to show mercy, isn’t it?

To kill is to sever all ties and connections that the target might have, taking on the karmic burden of those severed links.

Yes, karma.

Words like sin, karma, and retribution weren’t coined for no reason.

I have no desire to start my third life carrying the burden of mass murder.

If I’m going to kill them, I should at least know who they are first.

If I can incapacitate them, then that’s what I should do.

Oh, wait…

“You’re using electric awls, aren’t you?”

There was no need to dodge them, after all.

I curved my lips into a smile and stopped dodging the dozens of consecutive awl strikes.

Of course, the gas-masked humans’ attacks were still dangerous.

Whatever method they used to charge their weapons, the mana sparks crackling from their awls were intense.

Even with this metal body, I’d be riddled with holes if I were hit unguarded by one of those strikes.

Now, it was time to switch strategies.

I abandoned the thought of using magic with this mana-starved body.

But I could prepare to receive their attacks instead.

Typically, reinforcing one’s body with mana involves coating the entire body in it, but I didn’t have enough mana for that.

Instead, I focused mana on a limited area at the precise moment of contact, just where and when the awl would strike.

This required intense concentration, but it wasn’t particularly challenging for me.

The nearest awl was aiming directly for my eye.

A glossy, glass-like eye.

The attacker’s precision in targeting my eye actually made it easier for me to focus.

If I were still human, this would have been more than enough to blind me—or even drive the awl into my brain.

-Clang!

【!?】

The gas-masked human faltered in surprise.

Well, it’s only natural to be shocked when an awl, driven precisely into my eye, bounces back.

【Charge Confirmed.】

In that fleeting moment, the electric current from the awl flowed into me.

But it wasn’t just electricity.

Mana sparks.

Pure energy that had been converted into electricity.

The moment this energy came into contact with my mana field, the mana reinforcing the awl was absorbed back into me, leaving the awl as an ordinary weapon.

Luckily, the glossy surface of my eye seemed to be as durable as my metallic skin.

“So, I can recharge with this. Got it…”

I didn’t know how my grin appeared to them, but…

The mana currents in their awls were surprisingly “delicious.”

If I had to describe it…

It’s like the taste of zero-calorie Powerade.