I Woke Up 120 Years After The Apocalypse-Chapter 18: False Master

Akram drew his blade, instinctively ready for combat. His eyes were wide open, focused, but above all anxious as he faced the opponent standing before him.

What emerged from the shadows was not human.

It was a robot, a machine with a black chassis, partially rusted, its dim gray neon lights flickering weakly, a sign of both its age and its danger.

The shape of its head was simple, almost crude—round, but with sharp edges—and a cold smile had been carved into its face with a blade.

Its limbs were long, radiating a threatening strength.

The fact that Akram had not heard such a noisy machine terrified him. It meant the robot decided for itself when it wanted to be seen... or not.

"Come on, come at me, I’m waiting!" Akram shouted, taunting it.

The robot moved instantly, almost appearing to teleport right in front of Akram.

Its speed was overwhelming, yet it made almost no sound as it moved, except for a single sharp click.

CLACK

Akram didn’t have time to raise his blade. The robot slammed a straight punch into his stomach, sending him flying across the room and into the tables of the HQ, which exploded on impact.

Akram twisted on the ground, nearly coughing up his insides. The wounds from his fight with Kravash hadn’t had time to heal yet, and the pain felt twice as intense.

"ELIMINATE FOR THE M-M-M-M-MASTER." the robot’s metallic voice screeched as it calmly advanced toward its prey, its mechanical breathing growing louder.

Akram’s vision blurred, his breathing became ragged. He pressed his hands against the floor to keep himself from collapsing under the pain.

He forced himself back up, gripping his weapon. If he was going to die, it wouldn’t be by giving up.

He launched himself forward and attacked the robot relentlessly.

Very few strikes landed. The robot dodged every attack with cold precision and agility, as if it could see the future. And the few hits that did connect didn’t seem to affect it at all.

Once again, the robot blocked Akram’s strike and sent him flying into the wall, where he crashed heavily.

Blood spilled from Akram’s mouth. His body began to give out, starting with his legs, which refused to lift him.

Fuck... Come on, get up, damn it, get up! he thought, slamming his fists into his thighs repeatedly.

The robot increased its pace and stood directly over him.

It raised its blade, ready to bring it down on Akram’s neck.

Akram saw his life flash before his eyes. This really felt like the end.

Shit, already..? he thought.

As the robot swung its blade down, something unexpected happened.

It glitched.

Its body twisted violently, emitting metallic groans as it stumbled backward several steps.

"OBEY ORDER MASTER M-M-M AGENT OF C-C-C..." it repeated incoherently.

Akram realized this was his chance, and he wasn’t going to waste it. He thrust his prosthetic arm forward and triggered the mechanism, deploying his portable crossbow.

BOOM

He fired at his opponent. The explosion’s shockwave slammed Akram’s head against the wall, forcing him to squeeze his eyes shut.

"Take that, you bastard!" he shouted, convinced he had ended the assassin’s existence.

The smoke slowly cleared... and with it, Akram’s relief vanished.

The robotic assassin was still standing. It briefly ground its metallic limbs together before releasing a thick cloud of smoke it had absorbed.

Akram was left speechless, unable to understand how this was possible.

The blast should have at least disabled it for a moment... How could it still be standing? Unless... Akram thought, slowly beginning to understand what his opponent truly was.

The robot lunged at him again, every strike aimed to end his life.

Akram blocked as best he could, but the more he defended, the closer each blow came to being fatal.

His injuries made everything harder. He struggled to move and evade, forcing him to endure each crushing hit from the assassin.

But as his strength faded, something caught his eye.

Something on the robot’s chest, now exposed after its tunic had been torn apart by the explosive chestnut.

A symbol. An acronym.

"CME."

Akram immediately understood what the machine truly was.

"Unit zero-one-zero-seven–zero-three, immediate shutdown." he shouted, just as the final blow was about to land.

The robot froze instantly.

"Password?" it replied, motionless.

"one-nine-zero-five." Akram added, his tone sharp and commanding.

The robot raised its weapon and stepped back, visibly unsettled.

"H-How is this possible... An a-a-a-a-ancient hu-hu-hu-hu-human?" it stammered in disbelief.

The robot that had attacked Akram was no ordinary machine—it was a CME Shinobi unit, from the company Akram worked for during the age of human supremacy.

These robots were designed for close protection of high-ranking figures and for eliminating threats.

As a department head, Akram had once been assigned such units, which explained his knowledge of the protocols.

He struggled to his feet, leaning against the overturned table beside him.

"Yeah, an ancient human... damn-..." he muttered, clutching his wounded stomach.

"What is your name, robot?"

"Lerius, m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-mister." the robot replied with difficulty, its speech glitches intensifying. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

"Who is your master?"

"Z-Z-Z-Zarod the Great, sir."

"Tch, ’the great,’ my ass..." Akram scoffed.

"And your previous master, who was he?"

"I-I-I-I was synchronized and configured by my first master, Doctor Obram Kaelis."

Akram went silent.

He lowered his head, his gaze sinking into shadow. Then a smile formed... followed by laughter, loud and uncontrollable.

Sir, you saved me once again... he thought, overcome with nostalgia for his mentor.

One question, however, gnawed at his mind. A question that made him deeply uneasy, but one he absolutely needed answered.

"Status of Doctor Kaelis?" Akram asked, unsure.

"Unknown." Lerius replied simply.

Akram exhaled slowly, almost relieved not to have heard the worst possible answer.

He locked eyes with the robot, a new plan forming in his mind.

"Lerius, initiate reprogramming."

***

At the same time, Elliot and Baron were struggling to hold back the bandits’ forces.

They had reached the walls and were pounding on the main gate, while their supply of explosive chestnuts was nearly exhausted.

They were constantly being fired upon by enemy crossbowmen, their defenses built by Akram now completely destroyed.

Elliot attempted a risky maneuver, retrieving the chestnuts Runa had left behind after her turret was destroyed.

Zarod didn’t miss the opportunity.

He fired again, aiming at Elliot as he left cover, hitting him directly in the shoulder.

Elliot fell from the wall, leaving Baron alone.

"ELLIOT!" Baron screamed in panic.

"I-... I’m alive, Baron, I’m alive! Argh!" Elliot replied, rolling on the ground in pain.

Zarod intensified the assault. The bandits redoubled their efforts, steadily breaking down the main gate and shattering Vulkania’s defenses.

And just as Baron was about to be overwhelmed, Akram emerged from the HQ.

Lerius stood at his side.

Akram walked straight to the gate and ordered Lerius to open it, which he did without hesitation.

Zarod stared at the scene, stunned.

"What the hell is this...?" he said aloud.

The bandit leaders turned toward their chief, equally confused.

As soon as the gate opened, Lerius rushed outside and began a bloody dance.

In moments, several bandits were cut down by his blade and dexterity, all in a terrifying silence.

Zarod shouted for his troops to retreat:

"STOP! FALL BACK, DO NOT ATTACK!"

He paused, fists clenched, teeth grinding, his body trembling.

"HOW DID YOU DO THIS, YOU CURSED ONE?!" Zarod screamed at Akram.

Akram, barely able to stand, one hand pressed against his side, replied with a smile.

"I DEFEATED YOU, ZAROD OF THE DUNES." he said, declaring his victory.