Chapter 255: Hero’s Resolve

Thanks to Claire’s keen sight and her experience in the matter, a detailed blueprint was crafted.

Several Earth days later, a tiger mecha loomed above the squad at a towering eight meters.

[I am in your debt, Master.]

Cyberfang exclaimed, bowing its head in submission.

Finally, the metallic beast was back in their squad!

Though as Michael studied the beast and then the blueprints, an irregularity came to his attention.

“Claire, why is there an empty space here?”

To his understanding, unless the mecha was human-powered, there weren’t supposed to be hollow spaces that could act as weak points.

In turn, Claire’s eyes began to gleam in excitement.

“It’s because of our recent encounter with rogue AIs. While they were indeed treacherous creatures, they possessed something that we can make use of. If they are able to extract spiritual energy and use it to their benefit, why don’t we give the same ability to Cyberfang?”

Of course, extracting spiritual energy from humans was out of the question. However, the same couldn’t be said about the aliens.

All they had to do was wait for the researchers to examine how the robots had been able to achieve it and reap the benefits.

Fortunately, with their connections to the Minister of Defence, Livia, they were instantly informed when the examination was completed.

After a few refinements, the mecha could now draw on spiritual energy in dire situations while still relying on electricity under normal conditions. Mecha running on two fuel sources… Truly a marvel of human engineering.

The beast being at full power came at the perfect time, as Michael received a message not long after.

“Finally… They found them.”

He turned towards Ruby.

“The exploration of the underground tunnels is complete… The chambers where your kind were held have been located.”

Ruby’s ears perked up.

“L—Let’s go!”

Due to the massive damage the AIs had caused, the soldiers patrolling the tunnels felt compelled to search every nook and cranny as fast as possible.

At long last, they located several colossal white rooms just like Ruby had described.

Naturally, the crew didn’t linger, making haste. Staying at the side, they witnessed how the soldiers and medics began to escort the altered humans to the surface of the planet.

At first glance, most of them resembled Ruby, displaying feline traits such as altered eyes, cat ears, and tails. It would take time to determine the exact number of those affected, but the estimate was roughly 100,000.

Of course, the soldiers’ discoveries didn’t end there. After a heated internal debate, the truth about Ruby and the other feline humans was revealed.

It wasn’t as some had believed. The feline people hadn’t been created by altering ordinary humans. Instead, they were engineered from the very start. Through the rapid acceleration of cellular growth, the feline people were born.

In hindsight, it made sense why Ruby’s earliest memory was being escorted to her imprisonment. After all, that had been the moment of her creation.

Perhaps one of the most brutal mistreatments of humans in history to date. Ruby, along with her brothers and sisters, was created solely for trial-and-error experiments.

Surprisingly, there were no other altered humans like Michael had originally suspected. A few chambers had been found containing the dead bodies of hybrids, experiments attempting to create a mix of humans, dogs, and other creatures, all ending in failure.

It turned out there was a surprising synergy between cats and humans when it came to DNA, which made the creation of feline people possible.

Unfortunately, while the investigation uncovered some truths, many questions still lingered.

Specifically, what would happen if a feline person and a regular human had a child? Would their offspring be a typical human, a feline-human hybrid, or something else entirely?

Given that there were human lives at stake, the idea of conducting further experiments was never raised, especially with Livia and the Prime Minister of the capital overseeing the case.

By a single glance it became apparent how traumatized the feline humans really were. Of all people, they didn’t deserve to be put under further experiments.

“Well, Boss…” Richard whispered, nudging Michael with his shoulder. “Destiny dictates that it’ll be you and Ruby who’ll figure out what happens when a human and a hybrid bear a child.”

With a scoff, Michael shook his head. Richard’s out-of-pocket joke had managed to elevate his mood, even if only briefly.

Taking a deep breath, Michael glanced at Ruby.

“…So? Do you see them?”

“…”

Ruby remained silent, her eyes narrowed to the size of needles as she scanned the crowds of feline people. Slowly, as time passed, her tail stopped swinging, her ears flattening.

“I… Don’t recognize anyone.” She said barely above a whisper.

Sadly, they had rescued the altered humans too late. Ruby’s acquaintances, or her sisters and brothers as she liked to call them, those that she personally knew hadn’t been able to wait out her return. Succumbing to starvation, diseases, or the robots’ experiments.

Michael sighed. “Even if you don’t know anyone there, do you want to spend time with them?”

“Or do you want us to give you some time alone?” Claire suggested.

Ava nodded in agreement. “People grieve in different ways, after all. Nobody would blame you.”

Before anybody else was able to offer a suggestion, Ruby’s fists abruptly clenched into fists.

“No! I haven’t spent a lot of time in the outside world… But one thing still reigns true!”

She declared.

“I am the strongest of my kin! Look at them! They are weak and fragile, easily exploitable because of their powerlessness and lack of authority! And I… I could have been one of them, or even worse, I could have succumbed to death like my brothers and sisters.”

Ruby turned, her teary eyes looking at Michael with fierce determination.

“The only reason I am alive and here is because of you, Michael! You found me in that dark lab, rescued me, helped me, gave me hope, and made me stronger! Powerful enough to make a change!”

She leapt, enveloping him in her embrace as she buried her face in his chest, breathing deeply.

“Everything… Quite literally everything I have, I own, is thanks to you. So… No, I don’t want to be alone. On the contrary, I wish to stay by your side forever… With the crew, and grow even stronger! Until nothing can stand in my way. I’ll rise as a hero for the feline people and prove to them that they don’t have to be weak! I want to be for them what you’ve been for me!”

Ruby felt that the best way to help her kin was to become a figure they could aspire to be. Much like Michael was to her.

’Did she misunderstand my suggestion? I wasn’t telling her to leave us… Well, whatever.’

Michael chuckled warmly, patting her on the head.

“You don’t have to worry. I promise I will always stay by your side and support you.”

Though Ruby’s face remained buried in his chest, the enthusiastic way her tail began to swing spelled out her thoughts well enough.

Richard, who was observing the exchange, sighed and glanced at the horizon.

“Damn… I was initially joking, but looking at them now, it might turn out I’ve got a talent for fortune-telling…” He muttered.

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