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A factory that could create anything as long as it had materials was now moving on its own to hunt for resources. Meanwhile, what were the other cities doing?

They were just watching. To be precise, they weren’t just watching.

[Today, emergency supplies sent from each city are arriving in City W daily…]

[Refugees in City W are lining up to receive rations.]

[In response, the International Refugee Organization has issued a stern warning to City P─]

The other cities were sending supplies while turning a blind eye to the actions of City P.

It wasn’t an incomprehensible act. They were all scared. A colossal robot suddenly appeared, rampaging and smashing heroes and military weapons alike…

No one knew how strong that super robot, which looked like it jumped out of a comic, really was. In the midst of this, no city eagerly offered support to their S-class heroes to fend off the robot.

The balance between heroes and villains in each city was maintained. This meant that no one had the upper hand; they all had roughly equal power. If an S-class hero sent to another city ended up dying, the entire city could potentially fall.

“Did we send anything? That thing?”

“Of course! Where else would we spend our money if not on something like that?”

“We are an evil organization, right…?”

As I forced a laugh at the boss’s words about sending relief supplies, the TV once again showed the massive robot, the Steel Titan, blasting tanks and fighter jets.

Steam erupted from the Steel Titan’s body as its arm moved with an unbelievable speed, snatching a tank.

And what did it do next? Whoosh – it hurled the tank at the fighter jet. The fighter jet, which had been roaring through the air, was hit with pinpoint accuracy as if the Steel Titan had predicted its trajectory.

Hundreds of millions of dollars vanished in an instant, and dozens of lives were lost meaninglessly. Even from our perspective as villains, it was a sight that made one cringe.

‘Well, even if they are called villains or terrorists, they probably don’t kill as many as those who die in wars…’

Thus, war is a terrible thing, and the humans who casually incite such wars are even more terrifying.

For humanity, freedom is far too extravagant, and it seems like the right course of action would be to strip everyone of their free will and grant them only the predetermined liberties.

Turning the TV channel, I saw citizens who had not yet escaped for various reasons, along with the heroes saving them.

[There’s no need to panic! Everyone can reach a safe place, so please wait your turn─]

[Just because a building is collapsing, the country isn’t falling apart! Citizens! Stealing or taking items is a crime─]

Even in a hopeless situation where everything was crumbling, there were those who didn’t lose hope and continued to save people. They sacrificed themselves for the sake of others. Watching them, my disdain for humanity melted away like snow, leaving behind only pure longing and excitement in my heart.

Just as I was about to smile at that scene, the phone suddenly rang. The boss, after nodding several times during the conversation, cautiously looked at me.

“─Scientist?”

“Yes, boss.”

“They say you have a guest… What will you do?”

“Me?”

I tilted my head for a moment, wondering if I had a guest, and the boss informed me who it was.

“They say it’s a scientist you worked with in City P. Steelstone.”

“Why is he here…?”

“Well, he clearly doesn’t know. Will you meet him? Or refuse?”

Surprised that Steelstone, who should be fixing the Steel Titan in City P, had come all the way here, I quickly arranged a meeting with him.

Exiting the office and heading down to the lobby, I found Steelstone covered in even more soot than when we were at the laboratory.

“Steelstone! What brings you here…?”

Before I could finish, I took a closer look at the robe Steelstone was wearing. It was so billowy that it was hard to tell, but his right arm was completely missing.

Noticing that I had sensed something strange, Steelstone raised his empty right shoulder and greeted me lightly.

“─Hey. Doctor Eight.”

Seeing Steelstone again after a long time, he was now without his right arm.

* * *

“It’s green tea. Have some.”

“Thank you.”

Inside the laboratory. Only after we reached a place away from others did Steelstone throw off the robe and awkwardly grasp the teacup.

His movements suggested he wasn’t used to having just one arm. This made it clear that he hadn’t always been like this.

In other words, his arm had been lost not long ago. It wasn’t difficult to guess why it was severed.

‘Did he rebel because the Steel Titan he had treated like a son was killing people without care?’

Of course, he was one of the few who knew that Steel Titan was made as a battle weapon. Regardless of the design philosophy or original intention behind its creation, no one would be willing to accept their child killing people.

Especially not Steelstone, who surely found joy in creating weapons rather than killing.

“What about your right arm…?”

“─Oh, that? I gave it away. To the New Age.”

“..But you only have your left arm remaining….”

Steelstone looked at me as if I were speaking nonsense, and after a few coughs, I realized what he meant by the New Age.

“You came out from Punk Technology?”

“I built the Steel Titan, so I thought I would no longer be needed. Just as I was saying that, they wouldn’t just let me go.”

“A single arm…”

Steelstone stroked his severed right arm with a bittersweet smile. The man who had once used both arms to create robots losing his arm meant something far greater than just the loss of a limb.

Moreover, it was also to prevent others from getting support to create weapons that could beat the Steel Titan.

“So, why did you come to see me?”

“……There are a few things I want to ask.”

“Yeah. Go ahead.”

In response, Steelstone explained everything he had experienced. This included how the Steel Titan went rogue the day after I left, and how it reacted to commands and moved.

After hearing Steelstone’s story, I realized the reason why the Steel Titan suddenly lost its heroic spirit and ruthlessly began slaughtering people.

“That’s… hacking.”

“Hacking? You mean you can hack into souls?”

“You can. People can be hypnotized nowadays, can’t they?”

I corrected the spelling of “hipnitize” to “hypnotized” for clarity.

“……No way, mind control?”

“Yes. Indeed.”

I hadn’t considered it. I never imagined they’d attempt mind control on a machine, let alone that it would actually succeed.

However, as we can see from the fact that impossible feats can be accomplished through superpowers, there is a mystique to superpowers that defies logical explanation.

For instance, a superpowered individual can create wind in space. They can freeze fire, and teleport without any tools.

There are many instances where simply believing you can accomplish something that defies science leads to its realization.

“But it’s strange. I made sure to block external access.”

“However, the Steel Titan’s soul would be securely concealed deep within. It’s impossible unless someone inside can manipulate the Steel Titan, let alone have the mind control ability over machinery.”

If someone could pull that off, it would mean a spy was already hidden within Punk Technology.

No, looking at City P’s actions, it’s more likely that spying was their actual goal from the start rather than it just being a coincidence…

“……So you’re saying that someone among us made the Steel Titan like this?”

“To say someone would overlook the truth, it’s more accurate to say it was originally designed to be a weapon. ─Everyone except Dr. Steelstone was probably on the same page.”

“That’s impossible, it can’t be…”

Hearing that, Steelstone was sniffling for a long time. There’s nothing more pitiful than a grown man crying, but I quietly closed my eyes.

After a while of sniffing, Steelstone raised his head and murmured.

“That’s… isn’t that too pitiful…?”

Due to adult circumstances.

A newborn child became a weapon that only knows bloodshed.

It was only natural for Steelstone, who genuinely considered the Steel Titan his son, to feel pity.

“Too, too much. Humanity. Shouldn’t people act like this…?”

“Indeed.”

“How, how could this happen…?”

After a period of cursing, Steelstone seemed determined and wiped away his tears, fixing his gaze on me.

The faded, ember-like eyes were replaced by a blaze that flared brightly somewhere.

“─Help me, Doctor Eight.”

“……With what?”

“Save the Steel Titan.”

“How can I help with that?”

“If it’s you, surely you can, can’t you?”

Steelstone murmured as if he knew everything. I remained silent for a moment, staring at him.

Upon noticing my gaze, Steelstone flinched and immediately kneeled, banging his head on the ground repeatedly.

“─I want to save my son! From the hands of humans!”

A father’s sincerity.

Sometimes it can move even the villain.

I gently placed my hand on his shoulder and lifted him up.

“To break the Steel Titan’s brainwashing, we need to make contact with the control device. But that’s probably difficult for you now, right?”

“I’ve already resigned…”

“Well, there’s only one option left.”

“What do you mean…?”

“You have to take down the Steel Titan and connect directly to its core.”

When he heard that, Steelstone looked up at me, his eyes filled with disbelief. I nodded and smiled.

“Mr. Steelstone, you’ll have to create another child.”

I handed over the red potion.

Steelstone, upon receiving the potion, looked up at me with eyes full of salvation.

In the eyes of a father, the last conscience of humanity shone through.