Hammersmith's body and the bullet were both moving, and their paths intersected, making it look as if Hammersmith had actively crashed into the bullet.
"Trouble!"
As Hammersmith's thought flashed, the bullet fiercely struck his exposed fleshy skull, sparking tiny flames.
After being hit by the bullet, time seemed to accelerate abruptly, and Hammersmith was thrown to the left by the bullet's impact.
"Ding! Ding!"
Along his falling trajectory, two bullets were already waiting, instantly striking his metal right shoulder.
The impact caused Hammersmith to stumble again, and bullets were already waiting for him in that direction as well.
Two bullets, as if accidentally, struck Hammersmith's metal leg supports.
"Not good!"
Hammersmith lost his balance, leaning forward as if to fall to the ground.
But the bullets behind his ears were faster, one on the left and one on the right, grazing past his ears, rebounding directly after colliding with the floor, their spinning tips aimed straight at his fleshy skull.
Seeing this, Hammersmith's crimson cybernetic eyes sharply contracted.
After his cyberware surgery, over ninety-seven percent of his body was metal cyberware; only this half-skull he was born with was made of flesh, making it the relatively weakest part of his body.
And this human female, targeting his fleshy skull with her attack, was extremely malicious.
The series of actions just now sounded very complex, but in the eyes of an observer, it was like this:
A flash of lightning streaked past, and Berry fired a few shots at the lightning. Afterward, the electrified phantom seemed to be shocked, or as if it hit an invisible wall, twitching a few times in place before Hammersmith's form was thrown out.
Hammersmith stumbled to a stop, reaching up to touch his forehead. When he pulled his hand back, it was stained with a trace of crimson.
This flesh-and-blood person actually managed to injure him. Hammersmith found it hard to believe, and then fury surged in his heart. How long had it been since he was injured, since he was humiliated like this?
With this thought, Hammersmith looked up, his crimson eyes fixed on the petite human who had appeared in front of the hall, letting out a low growl from his throat.
Meanwhile, on the other side.
"Old Del! Old Del! Damn it!" Jackie desperately called the Delamain taxi, but there was no response.
The signal must have been blocked by Arasaka; Jackie couldn't contact anyone now.
Left with no choice, Jackie could only rush out of the building to find the vehicle Berry had mentioned.
Bursting through the shattered door, he first saw a ground littered with destroyed facilities and human remains, before spotting the bullet-riddled MPV armored car.
"V, hold on!" Jackie opened the passenger door. Because it was in the way, he quickly took the "Jian" from V's waist and casually threw this priceless Saburo's treasured blade onto the ground.
"Hey, Jackie, don't forget the relic chip…" Placed on the seat, V's face was weak, but she hadn't forgotten their purpose for being here, the damn fuse of it all—the relic chip.
"It's alright, hold on, V!" Jackie casually tossed the relic chip box into the backseat, encouraging V. "We'll get you back safely!"
Just as Jackie was about to go back and rescue Berry, several explosions rang out, and a figure was thrown out of the building's main entrance, rolling a few times on the ground. Who else could it be but Berry?
Berry was in a very sorry state now; her two kinetic arm guards were sparking with electricity, almost useless, and her clothes were torn in many places, revealing streaks of blood.
She had truly overplayed her hand this time.
Berry smiled bitterly in her heart.
The completely enraged Hammersmith was not someone she could stop in her current state. When Hammersmith unleashed all his cannons in his fury just now, Berry almost lost her life. She barely escaped the hall by combining fleeing and fighting.
However, her savior was about to arrive.
Just a few more seconds.
Berry wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, her eyes filled with determination.
"Is this all you've got? Why aren't you as strong as before!" Adam Smasher punched through an obstructing pillar and walked out of the building, stepping on the rubble.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Berry fired a few more shots, but all were dodged by the prepared Hammersmith, who tilted his head. Instead, he strode forward with his metal legs, charging like a tank.
Just as Hammersmith furiously charged towards the barely standing Berry.
"Hey! Hammersmith! Taste this!"
As Jackie's deep voice rang out, several electromagnetic grenades, like soda cans, were thrown at Hammersmith's feet.
Several dull electromagnetic explosions erupted, and the bright light made Berry close her eyes.
Electric sparks erupted everywhere, engulfing the charging Hammersmith.
"Run! Berry!"
Without hesitation, Berry closed her eyes, dragged her gun, and ran headlong towards her car.
She quickly dove into the car's back seat. Seeing Berry get in, a frantic Jackie jumped into the driver's seat, floored the accelerator, and roared away, leaving only rising dust behind.
"Do you think you can escape, you meat worms?"
The electric light died down, and the towering Hammersmith stepped out onto the stairs. The grenades just now had only momentarily flashed his eyes, completely useless.
Watching the black car speed away, Hammersmith unhurriedly walked down the steps.
As long as he activated his Sandevistan, he could catch up to those who thought they could escape him, Hammersmith, in two seconds. There was no need to rush.
However, while pursuing that human female, his pursuit ammunition was almost depleted. Before chasing them, he might as well find a suitable weapon.
Hammersmith walked with heavy mechanical steps to where Berry's vehicle had stopped, bent down, and picked up Saburo's treasured blade—the "Jian."
He didn't understand swords, but that didn't stop him from using them to chop people. When he drew the blade from its sheath and saw the clear, sharp light emanating from the "Jian"'s body, Hammersmith instantly decided.
He would use this blade to dismember the woman who had injured and pursued him earlier.
Hammersmith, a nearly one hundred percent cybernetically modified body, had lost his appetite, libido, and desire for sleep, but he had other ways to satisfy his mental needs: by slaughtering his enemies, using their wails and screams to satisfy himself.
Just as Hammersmith was about to activate his Sandevistan to chase them, a gust of wind blew, and before Hammersmith could react, an armored hand grabbed his right arm, which was holding the blade.
"Weapons also choose their masters. Did you not hear the blade in your hand weeping…"
The man's deep voice rang out, and Hammersmith turned back in disbelief.
Thick crimson armor, a demon mask beneath a red lacquer helmet, and a pair of clearly defined black and white eyes in the mask's eye sockets, radiating boundless fighting spirit.
This person was truly Berry's second combat body—Akechi Mitsuhide, the "Samurai."
The lord of Tanba Province, who, at a critical juncture of historical change, unhesitatingly stood on the side of justice, honoring the head of the Minamoto clan—the Ashikaga Shogunate family. On that night at Honnō-ji, he raised the banner of rebellion against the heretical Great Demon King Oda Nobunaga and successfully subjugated Nobunaga—the loyal samurai, Akechi Mitsuhide of the Mizuiro Kikyo.
Of course, everything after the name was Berry's fan-fiction.
The real Akechi Mitsuhide probably died long ago in the wilderness of Ogurisu Village.
"You're fucking looking for death!"
But no matter who the opponent was, Hammersmith had no intention of getting acquainted. With a frown, he swung his right arm, intending to break free from the man.
But unexpectedly, when Hammersmith swung his arm, there was no obstructing force.
Mitsuhide's gauntleted hand was as agile as a fish, flowing with Hammersmith's force downwards, then suddenly gathering strength and slapping Hammersmith's wrist-like area.
Unexpectedly, the opponent would use such a move. Hammersmith, caught off guard, loosened his grip, and the "Jian" in his hand dropped. Mitsuhide, however, quickly reached out, caught the blade, and pulled it back. A white light flashed, faintly accompanied by a crisp ringing sound.
"This technique is 'Mutodori'!"
Mitsuhide, holding the clear "Jian," stood up straight, causing the armor plates on his body to clatter.
"Without killing, the swordsman wins by not being killed—that is the essence of 'Mutodori'."
"But for a scoundrel like you, I doubt you can understand, hehe."
"I don't know what you're talking about. If that's your last words, then die!" Without further ado, Hammersmith was very wary of this suddenly appearing guy.
He didn't want to waste time. As soon as he finished speaking, he immediately activated his Sandevistan, transforming into a phantom and throwing a punch, moving too fast for the naked eye to react.
"Is that your confidence?" But facing the rapidly approaching iron fist, Akechi Mitsuhide stood motionless. "You enjoy hurting others and put on a fierce facade. Don't you yourself fear pain?"
Hammersmith ignored the nonsense; his fist was already close to this unknown guy's ridiculous medieval helmet. With one blow, he could shatter his head.
"If you are so stubbornly misguided, then I shall teach you a lesson." Akechi Mitsuhide's eyes beneath the demon mask suddenly widened, and a tiger-like aura burst forth from his body.
"Dynalar Sandevistan Mk.4! Activate!"
Suddenly, Mitsuhide also emitted leaping blue electric arcs, his body constantly trembling, transforming into a phantom.
The "Jian" transformed into a full moon, rising sharply, accompanied by a dragon-like clear hum and a flash of white light, blinding to the eyes.
The sword clashed with Hammersmith's arm, sparks flew, and a grating metallic clang echoed.
The "Jian" was unharmed, but Hammersmith's left arm was cut into several inches by the blade, and its internal wiring was sparking.
This guy also had Sandevistan installed.
Hammersmith narrowed his eyes, looking at the samurai holding the sword high.
However, he still smiled.
Did he think that having Sandevistan installed would allow him to fight him? What a joke.
In the same Sandevistan state, their speeds were similar, but Hammersmith's incredibly powerful combat ability, due to his full cyberware, was the true foundation of his strength. He was certain that this mysterious guy absolutely couldn't withstand three rounds.
"Looks like you haven't learned your lesson yet." However, Mitsuhide, also in bullet time, caught sight of Hammersmith's furious expression and smirked sarcastically. "Then, how about this?"
A polite inquiry. While Hammersmith was still wondering, Mitsuhide moved again.
"Second Stage Sandevistan! Activate!"
Suddenly, Mitsuhide's body glowed even more intensely with electricity, almost completely submerged in wildly flickering arcs. Amidst the flashing electricity, a sound like a thousand birds chirping could be heard.
Mitsuhide, like a thunder god in the electric light, moved.
But Hammersmith was horrified to find that he couldn't even clearly see Mitsuhide's movements.
Mitsuhide was now like someone facing an ordinary person who hadn't activated Sandevistan; all his movements appeared as rapidly streaking phantoms in Hammersmith's eyes, impossible to discern.
In Mitsuhide's world, things were actually very simple.
He drew the blade back, circled it under his body, and then sharply swung it upwards. The blade's shadow, trailing electric arcs, streaked past.
As the blade flashed, Hammersmith's metal arm was cleanly severed, the smoothly cut limb still floating in the air. Hammersmith, as if in a slow-motion world, still stared at Mitsuhide, not realizing his arm had been cut off.
Until everything ended, and time returned to normal.
Hammersmith's arm clanged to the ground, sparking as it rolled a few times.
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