Roland rubbed his eyes tiredly, then shut down his body's biological simulation system. The moment he did, he felt far more comfortable.
Yes—given his current physical condition, if he didn't simulate the biology of a normal human, he could probably go a full month without sleeping.
Roland felt that was completely unnecessary. It was nothing but self-inflicted torture. And besides… if this went on for too long, he might eventually lose the ability to tell where the line between himself and a machine even was.
It wasn't the Template's influence. It was simply that maintaining such an inhuman schedule for extended periods would make him feel less and less human. In the end, he chose to keep simulating normal human physiology.
"Alright. Let's see which little bastard was bold enough to make a move on my factory."
Roland's face darkened as he began reviewing the surveillance feeds and combat footage Astat had sent over. Whether it was economic losses or damage to his pride, he was going to make someone pay for it. Otherwise, how would that be worthy of his status as the head of PROJECT Corporation?
Soon enough, footage from a destroyed security robot revealed a familiar figure—Butz, missing one arm and one leg.
"Ah. Got you. That settles it—this wasn't just a few people acting on their own. The entire Maelstrom gang is involved. No need to hold back anymore."
Roland nodded quietly. Judging from the footage, the Maelstrom gang hadn't had an easy time either.
After all, these factories were equipped with extremely strong firepower. While they couldn't compare to secret base–level defenses, they were still firmly in the realm of military-grade combat capability.
By his estimate, Maelstrom's losses this time were substantial.
And that assessment was correct. Butz had never expected that a mere factory would be armed to such a degree. Less than ten minutes after they started the attack, large numbers of armed reinforcements arrived.
If they hadn't retreated quickly… none of them would have made it out alive.
On top of that, their objective hadn't even been fully achieved. They had only managed to break into factories with relatively weak defenses, and those facilities produced nothing more than ordinary components—no critical or core parts at all.
In other words, the damage to PROJECT Corporation was extremely limited, while Maelstrom lost at least half its manpower in the process.
...
Bang!
Inside the Maelstrom gang's base, Butz—his missing limbs now replaced with Cyberware—slammed his hand down on the table in rage, leaving a deep dent in its surface.
He had gone head-on against a Night Owl robot. At first, he'd assumed it was a sniper-type unit and rushed in without hesitation. Who would have thought… that thing was hiding a powerful close-combat weapon he had never seen before?
He swore he had never witnessed a blade seemingly formed entirely of energy.
"That Sentarri bastard! Using me like a knife is bad enough, but not telling me something this important?!"
Butz unleashed a torrent of curses. Only after venting for a while did he take a deep breath and force himself to calm down, starting to think about what to do next. Regret was already creeping in.
If he'd known PROJECT's combat strength was this terrifying, he would rather have gone and provoked those lunatics in the Tyger Claws.
"Go. Install the Berserk components Militech sent over."
"B-boss, you know what happens after they're installed…"
The subordinate beside him was instantly alarmed and hurried to warn him.
They'd already tested the components on some of the gang's lower-ranking members. Several of them couldn't withstand the side effects of the Berserk Cyberware and died on the spot, blood pouring from their noses and mouths.
The remaining two were hardly better off. One went completely insane and had to be blown apart with grenade launchers and heavy machine guns. The other used that so-called "Hero Descent" once—only for both leg bones to shatter, triggering Cyberware overheat and literally burning his brain.
The Berserk Cyberware component was nothing but a massive trap.
"Of course I fucking know," Butz snapped. "But we don't have a choice anymore. I know my own body—if I install it and don't activate it recklessly, I can handle it!"
He shot the man a glare, then thought for a moment before adding, "Also, pick a few tougher guys and have them install it too. If PROJECT really comes knocking, at least we won't be completely helpless."
"I… I understand."
...
Vmmm—
With a low mechanical hum, the AV slowly came to a stop on the rooftop of the PROJECT Corporation building. Roland stepped out, while Kiwi approached from the side.
"Boss, they're already waiting for you."
"Good. Let's go to the conference room first. I need to give some instructions. Sasha's situation can wait."
"Yes."
Kiwi nodded and followed half a step behind Roland.
Before long, they entered the conference room. Pyke was sitting in the far corner, fiddling with something on the table. When he noticed Roland arrive, he casually waved his hand and stowed it away.
Roland still caught a glimpse of a tiny energy figure flickering on the tabletop. His mouth twitched slightly, but he said nothing.
On the other side, Vilet was flirting with Tina, legs crossed and posture completely undisciplined. When she saw Roland, she immediately straightened up and sat properly.
The other mercenaries Roland had recruited from outside glanced at one another, then quietly put away the cards they'd been holding.
"Alright. I don't care what you're like in private," Roland said. "I called you here for one reason only. The Maelstrom gang attacked my corporation. I need you to act—and make them pay for it."
He planted both hands on the table and swept his gaze across everyone as he spoke in a low voice.
"Boss, I have a question," Vilet said.
"Go ahead."
Roland glanced at her calmly.
"How far do you want us to go?"
"How far?" Roland let out a cold laugh. "Wipe them out completely. One by one. If we don't make a big enough mess, they'll really think I'm still as easy to bully as I used to be."
With that, he issued his orders.
A grin immediately spread across Vilet's face. Ever since she'd obtained the power of Judgment, she'd grown increasingly fond of combat. Lately, she'd mostly been hunting cyberpsycho.
But cyberpsycho came in wildly varying levels of strength, and she hadn't had many truly satisfying fights in a long time. This time, she finally had her chance.
The other top-tier mercenaries Roland had hired through headhunters were just as excited. Their performance bonuses were directly tied to the number of targets eliminated.
Which meant one thing—they were about to make a lot of money.
After finishing the arrangements here, Roland also issued an order to Lissandra, telling her to have someone place a commission with Jhin.
It would be perfect for training his people—and it would save on costs at the same time.
"If we wipe out the Maelstrom gang…" Roland muttered, "there should be quite a lot of essence, right?"