"You're better off dying here, Bronya Zaychik."
Although Leo Ash said these words, it didn't mean that he currently harbored any killing intent toward Bronya.
On the contrary, in his state of Mind Like Still Water, it was impossible for Leo Ash to generate such an emotion.
As he saw it now, defeating the enemy before him who could threaten his life was what he needed to do.
===============
However, as Leo Ash's hand prepared to exert force, he found that his right hand began to tremble uncontrollably.
"Cough, cough..."
Bronya, who was suffocating from having her neck gripped, could no longer keep up her pretense.
Even if her emotional circuits were damaged, her pain receptors were not affected.
And at that moment, Leo Ash suddenly realized that he...
--had unexpectedly exited the state of Mind Like Still Water.
The skill description didn't specify how long it would last after activation, but for him to be unable to maintain this state in such a short time was clearly against common sense.
Coupled with the trembling of his right hand just now...
Damn it, I can't bring myself to do it at a time like this.
Seeing the trace of hesitation on Leo Ash's face, the pained Bronya immediately seized the opportunity. With a backward leap, she jumped straight out of the room.
With the added propulsion from her exoskeleton, she leaped from the room to outside the apartment's railing in a single bound.
"Hey!"
Watching the girl's actions, Leo Ash was completely taken aback by her ferocity.
Only then did he understand why Bronya had done it.
In mid-air, finally having a chance to focus her mind, Bronya summoned the quantum mech Project Bunny without any reservations.
However, contrary to what Leo Ash had imagined, Bronya only had Project Bunny catch her body and did not launch an attack against him.
After giving Leo Ash a deep look, the young girl left the residential complex before Project Bunny could cause a commotion.
[Oh, you held back at the last moment. Right, being decisive in killing can eliminate enemies, but it won't get you any girls.]
[Even though she's young and not of legal age yet—that doesn't stop her from being stacked in the future!]
[Holding back today is for the sake of future happiness! So your decision is undoubtedly correct!]
Cut the crap. If I actually listened to your nonsense and acted on your suggestions, I would've died from my own recklessness long before I could ever sleep with that well-endowed Bronya.
Leo Ash didn't know why Bronya didn't retaliate at the end, but just because the enemy chose to hold back didn't mean his own actions were without fault.
After the enemy had departed, a slightly calmer Leo Ash realized he had forgotten something.
He possessed powerful skills that could be used in combination, which indeed guaranteed a high win rate against ordinary people.
But first of all, his enemies wouldn't necessarily be ordinary people. In fact, this world was filled with powerful 'monsters'.
Secondly...
He was, after all, a transmigrator.
He didn't know what the original 'Leo Ash' was like, but the current Leo Ash was just an ordinary person who had just transmigrated from the real world.
Although he was an orphan, the country he lived in was relatively safe.
How could Leo Ash, who had grown up in that country, transform into a person capable of decisive slaughter within a few hours of transmigration?
The skill [Mind Like Still Water], to put it bluntly, was a skill that adjusted one's state of mind, calming it to enhance perception and technique, and allowing for rational judgments under a calm mindset.
Leo Ash, who was not prepared to kill, not only hesitated just now but was also shaken by his own reluctance toward the idea, which in turn affected his body's actions.
"This is just awful."
After letting Bronya go, she would inevitably contact Cocolia.
My safe house is compromised, and the intelligence that may or may not exist has been leaked...Forget it, the latter isn't a huge problem, since I never intended to work diligently for Otto anyway.
The biggest problem now is that I have to find a new place to live.
At the very least, I need to ensure that the place I live won't be so easily tracked down by Cocolia.
What a mess. Something like this happened right at the beginning.
Ultimately, it's because I still lack the resolve to kill that I made such a mistake.
After leaving the apartment, Leo Ash took one last deep look at the now uninhabitable apartment and chose to leave via the stairs.
A mistake had been made. What needed to be done now was not to dwell on regret, but to think about how to solve the problem at hand.
Although I am now forced to be a member of Schicksal and even compelled to participate in dangerous missions, this doesn't mean it's all bad.
I am a member of Schicksal, and Schicksal is not only the strongest anti-Honkai organization in the shadows but also the sworn enemy of Anti-Entropy.
If I send the news of my ambush to Rita now and imply that it might affect Otto's plans, regardless of whether Otto realizes it or not...
No, with his intellect, he'll definitely realize my little scheme.
But so what? It's an indisputable fact that Cocolia threatens K-423's safety, and Otto's plan requires K-423's existence.
As long as these two things remain unchanged, once Otto learns that Anti-Entropy has made a move, he naturally won't sit idly by and watch Cocolia's subsequent actions.
Cocolia took care of Raiden Ryoma, but she only has so many resources at her disposal.
If Otto gets even a little serious, he can easily tie Cocolia up, and she won't have the time to bother with me.
As for what happens next...
After sending the message, Leo Ash, now downstairs, suddenly looked up at the sky.
Just a moment ago, the sky, which had been reasonably clear, was suddenly dotted with a few dark clouds.
Taking out the umbrella he had bought earlier in the shopping district from his storage space, Leo Ash already had a rough plan for what to do next.
And just then, he finally heard the notification from the Narrator System.
[Ding! The host has met the conditions to receive a reward. The reward has been sent to the system mailbox.]
Ah, there you are.
So, this means I've already overcome the survival crisis.
[Survival crisis? You scoff at this so-called crisis in your heart.]
[In that absolutely brilliant battle just now, you have already shown that you possess sufficient strength, even enough to spare your opponent in battle to display your magnanimity.]
[Very good, you now have the demeanor of a true powerhouse!]
Give me a break. What powerhouse demeanor? This system of yours has terrible timing for its commentary.