Tatehan blinked at the information, processing it quickly. A lot had happened to him since reincarnating on Mars— a damn lot, actually. And this was the most shocking thing he'd learned since arriving on this planet.

And that was saying something, considering he'd witnessed far more shocking things. Like discovering there was real civilization on Mars and not the wastelands he was accustomed to.

So she really was a cyborg, a fusion of human and machine. That explained the circuitry, the unnatural perfection of certain features, the way her body seemed almost too precisely constructed.

Has she been constructed?

Her being constructed couldn't be it. The readout said she was seventy percent human and only thirty percent machine. So it was definitely impossible that she'd been built.

If that were the case, it would mean massive amounts of flesh had been added to a robotic body to make it look like this.

It just didn't make sense. That would be like narrating a myth.

The only logical and plausible explanation was that she'd been human originally, and perhaps due to an accident that nearly took her life, they'd had no option but to use robotic parts to keep her whole and alive.

Perhaps that was the only way to save her life.

"She doesn't have much time left," the nurse said quietly, pulling Tatehan from his thoughts. "The bio-neutral core is the only thing that can stabilize her systems now. Her human organs are failing, and the mechanical parts are trying to compensate, but it's tearing her body apart from the inside."

Tatehan looked down at the glowing core in his hands, then back at Lyra's pale, beautiful face.

"What do I need to do?" he asked.

"Get the bio-neutral core, but you've already done that," she said, her voice dropping into something low and sorrowful. "I wish I'd talked to her father more. It was never supposed to end like this."

She looked Tatehan directly in the eyes now.

"The day before he left, the commander told him she'd send dozens of guards with him to hunt the Mauler, but he refused. He ignored my pleas for caution, saying he wasn't afraid of death."

Throughout her statement, tears welled up in her eyes, and as soon as she finished speaking, they fell down her cheeks.

Tatehan stared at her face with remorse. Maybe coming here had been a terrible mistake. He could have avoided all this by staying in the spaceship and repairing it. With the bio-neutral core inserted, he might have reached forty percent with his repair points and gotten the vessel into his system interface.

Because everyone here seemed devastated by Kael's death, and everything they said about him was good.

And he had been the one who killed the man. The man loved by all. The man whose only reason for fighting him was because his daughter was in danger.

'How messed up can life be?'

The nurse looked away from Tatehan, wiping her tears with the back of her hands.

"The core is such a powerful tool. A really... really powerful tool that could be used for other valuable things." She paused, looking back at Tatehan, meeting his eyes directly.

"Thank you so much."

Tatehan nodded, barely steadying himself as he stood. He handed the core to the woman, and she turned toward Lyra.

Tatehan turned to leave, he wasn't particularly interested in watching someone being operated on.

"Wait," the nurse called back.

Tatehan stopped, surprised. Why was she calling him back? Did she intend to...

"I have something for you. Just wait until I'm done."

She pointed to a seat. Tatehan wanted to decline the offer, so he hesitated for some time, studying the woman.

In the end, he sat where he was instructed.

——

The operation went smoothly. With various tools, the woman was able to locate the right place for the bio-neutral core.

Tatehan didn't watch the entire process closely, as he was sitting quite far away, which was intentional on his part.

"It will take a full day for her to regain consciousness," the nurse said after she finished. She now stood in front of him, beaming with a smile.

"You just saved a life."

Tatehan tried hard not to show a bitter expression.

'After I took one.'

As if remembering something, she turned to a shelf and retrieved a box.

Tatehan eyed the box curiously.

What was inside?

The nurse smiled the entire time, opening the box after entering some code on a panel beside it.

The box itself was fairly small, sleek and metallic. Angular geometric patterns were etched into its surface, giving it an almost pristine quality.

It looked futuristic and ordinary at the same time. When he looked closely, it resembled something created a hundred years after Gavin had died, but when he glanced at it casually, it looked like a normal container.

When she opened it, she pulled out...

A pistol!

Tatehan almost reflexively summoned his armor.

The weapon was streamlined and compact, with a chrome finish that caught the light at strange angles. Faint blue lines traced along the barrel and grip, glowing softly like circuitry beneath skin. It had the clean, efficient design of advanced technology, yet the grip and trigger felt familiar, almost conventional.

But the nurse didn't aim it at Tatehan. Instead, she handed it to him.

As Tatehan took it, there was a look of uncertainty on his face.

He was thinking:

Why?

"It's one of Kael's favorite weapons. It doesn't use normal bullets, in fact, the ammunition is endless. Comes in handy."

Suddenly, words flashed across his retina:

[Congratulations, host. You have gained a new weapon: Explosive Pistol]

He squinted.

The kind where the bullets explode on impact?

[You have leveled up!]

[HOST STATUS]

Name: Tatehan

Level: 5 [NEW!]

Species: Human (Enhanced)

Knowledge: 73/100 [+3]

Repair Points: 28/100

[ABILITIES]

• Gravity Manipulation - Level 6.2

• Regeneration (Partial) - Level 4

• Enhanced Durability - Level 0.7

[INVENTORY:]

[Shadow Goblin Cores: 2]

[Chakrams]

[Map]

[Sharp Sword]

[Knight Armor]

[Pistol] [NEW!]

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