Chapter 34 – Settling Unfinished Business
Right now, Zenin Kyūjō and Genos were circling high above City L, scanning the vast urban sprawl below.
This was the third location they had investigated. With Kyūjō's Infinity Perception System fully activated, everything that occurred within the city was laid bare to his senses in an instant—every movement, every source of heat, every pulse of life and energy.
Within seconds, Kyūjō's sharp gaze turned toward the northeastern sector of the city. His expression darkened.
Deep underground—hundreds of meters below—lay a massive fortress entirely constructed from reinforced alloy. Inside, rows upon rows of identical Metal Knight drones stood in perfect formation, their cold metal bodies gleaming under artificial light.
But what drew Kyūjō's attention most… was a colossal figure at the center of the base—an unfinished machine standing thousands of meters tall, clad in black composite armor and bristling with heavy weapons.
The enormous construct wasn't yet complete. Swarms of smaller robots moved busily around it, assembling, welding, and calibrating its systems.
Amid them, a middle-aged man with blond hair and mechanical augmentations fused into his body stood observing the process, his white lab coat faintly illuminated by the control panels around him.
He was the only living being within the entire facility.
"Genos," Kyūjō said quietly, his tone firm. "I believe I've found the real body of Metal Knight."
Without hesitation, the two dove toward the source.
They entered through a disguised hatch on the surface, descending rapidly into the underground fortress.
Kyūjō didn't bother concealing his presence—there was no point. The entire facility was saturated with surveillance systems; stealth would be meaningless.
Standing before an enormous steel door, Kyūjō raised his voice, calm but resonant.
"Metal Knight, would you come out for a moment? We're heroes of the Association as well. We came today to discuss something with you."
Though spoken gently, his words carried through the complex like a wave of pressure—the Starforce resonance vibrating through every circuit and metal beam.
But no reply came.
Through Infinity Perception, Kyūjō could clearly sense the man's reaction—startled, nervous, scrambling to activate the defense systems and deploy armed drones toward the entrance.
Kyūjō sighed and shook his head.
"Predictable."
With a casual lift of his hand, a soft tremor rippled outward.
In the next instant, the massive steel gate—hundreds of tons of reinforced alloy—crumbled into metallic dust.
"Come on, Genos," he said flatly. "Something about this man reeks of deceit."
Without waiting for a response, Kyūjō advanced. Every robot that dared to obstruct them was obliterated instantly, reduced to molten fragments as they pressed deeper into the facility.
— — —
Inside the command room, Bofoi—the man known to the world as Metal Knight—stared at his monitors in horror.
In less than a minute, his entire mechanical defense force had been annihilated.
"Impossible…" he muttered, panic rising in his throat. "Has the Association discovered my plan? Did they send him here to erase me!?"
His eyes darted to the massive robot still under construction—the Ultimate Knight—unfinished, unarmed.
If only he'd had more time…
But before he could act, the final door to his chamber disintegrated into dust with a low, echoing hum.
— — —
"D-don't kill me!" Bofoi screamed the moment Kyūjō stepped through. "I confess! I surrender to the Association! It—it wasn't me! It was Rakweivsky's doing! I was only following orders!"
Kyūjō's brow twitched slightly.
Rakweivsky? The name triggered something in his memory.
That man was one of the original founders of the Hero Association—an influential figure hidden deep behind the organization's structure.
So Metal Knight wasn't acting alone…
Still, Kyūjō had no interest in the politics of the Association. He hadn't come to play judge or investigator.
He was here for something far more personal.
"Look into my eyes," Kyūjō ordered softly.
Bofoi's head lifted involuntarily. His gaze met Kyūjō's—and in that moment, shimmering ripples of light spread within Kyūjō's pupils, like the overlapping rings of water.
Bofoi's eyes glazed over. His pupils dilated. His consciousness went blank.
"Genos," Kyūjō said evenly. "If you still have questions about your destroyed hometown… now is the time to ask."
Genos clenched his fists, his mechanical joints creaking. He took a step forward, his voice steady but trembling with restrained fury.
"Tell me," he demanded, "the truth about the city that was annihilated five years ago."
Bofoi, trapped in the trance, began to speak.
The truth spilled out, raw and damning.
As Kyūjō had suspected all along—the tragedy that forged Genos the Demon Cyborg truly was Metal Knight's doing.
Five years ago, Bofoi had deployed one of his experimental combat robots to a small rural city as part of a weapons test. The robot didn't malfunction. It performed perfectly, following its mission parameters without error.
The entire city was erased.
Thousands of innocent lives vanished in a single night.
And from beneath the rubble, one lone survivor was found—
a boy whose broken body still clung to life.
Genos.
Kyūjō stood silently as the truth settled in the air like ash.
Genos's expression darkened—not with confusion, but with cold, focused rage.
He silently reached out and downloaded every bit of data from Bofoi's systems, transferring all files and research into his internal drive.
Then, slowly, he raised his right hand.
The energy reactor within his core began to pulse. Flames gathered along his arm, burning brighter and brighter until his entire frame radiated incandescent fury.
Bofoi, still kneeling on the floor, stared blankly forward—unaware of his impending end.
A single burst of plasma erupted from Genos's palm—
an inferno born from vengeance, fueled by the cries of a thousand souls.
In seconds, Bofoi's body melted into molten metal and black smoke, vanishing completely from existence.
— — —
Kyūjō approached quietly and rested a hand on Genos's shoulder.
"It's over, Genos," he said softly. "It's all over now."
"From this day on, live not for revenge. As your teacher, I hope you'll find happiness in ordinary life. Learn to walk forward—not to destroy, but to protect."
Genos stood frozen, then bowed his head silently.
Together, they ascended from the ruined base and soared beyond the clouds—
toward the starship once gifted to Kyūjō by Boros, the Dominator of the Universe.
— — —
Once aboard, Kyūjō began transferring the ship's ownership codes to Genos.
He then subtly rewrote the memories of the main crew and even Dr. Kuseno, altering their systems so that Genos would now be recognized as the rightful captain of the vessel.
As Kyūjō worked, Genos's chest tightened with unease. Something in his master's demeanor felt… final.
"Sensei," he said quietly, "what are you planning?"
Kyūjō smiled faintly, shaking his head.
"Genos, I'm just a wanderer," he replied, his tone gentle. "This world is beautiful… but wanderers don't stay in one place forever."
"If one day I disappear—or you hear I'm gone—don't look for me, and don't grieve."
"Trust your teacher. I'll only be traveling… to another world, to see new horizons."
He paused, then added with a faint chuckle, "Oh—and Genos, under the base in City L, there's still a rather large toy buried down there. If you're curious, send your team to retrieve it. I'm sure you'll find it interesting."
Before Genos could reply, the air around Kyūjō shimmered. His form began to blur—then dissolve into a cascade of golden particles.
Within moments, the man who had once been called the Light of City Z was gone.
Only the faint echo of his presence remained—
a warm, steady radiance lingering in the air,
like a star continuing to shine long after its light had crossed the heavens.
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