Splash…, splash….
“Ah, ahhh, ughhh?
Ooooh?!” A thick, slick tentacle pierced through the Echo’s lower abdomen.
Fluids erupted from the Defender’s gaping pussy like a fountain.
A sticky, viscous stench spread in an instant.
‘…
Wow, fuck.
Is this real?’ I’d seen it in game CGs before, but those were censored with mosaics for ratings.
But what was unfolding right in front of me was the raw, brutal, horrific reality—utterly uncensored.
“Ugh?!
Ogohgo!” The tentacle writhed through her innards, burrowing deep into the Echo’s womb.
Each time its thrashing paused, love juices overflowed from the yawning gap like a flood.
The thing before my eyes was no longer worthy of being called an ‘Echo’.
“Filthy virus…” Was that Echo, infected by the Z Virus?
As I swallowed hard at the savagery, the mischievous smile vanished from Pomen’s face.
Replacing it was icy rage and thick killing intent directed at the monster defiling her former comrade.
“Commander, your orders.” “…Repel it.” Click!
Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat!!!
At my command, Pomen’s massive Gatling gun roared to life.
Crimson flames rent the darkness.
Hundreds of rounds shredded the tentacles ravaging the Defender.
“Ah, ahh…, ugh.
Ughhh-!” Bursting chunks of flesh splattered the walls, forming grotesque patterns like nightmares painted in blood.
As Defender-7’s corroded armor peeled away like tissue paper, something odd entered my sight.
‘…?” A red marker appeared in my vision.
‘Huh?
Isn’t this the weak point marker from the game-for named or boss monsters?’ Another isekai perk, like the Money Compass?
My brain lagged, but my body reacted first.
As familiar as if I’d done it thousands, tens of thousands of times—unlike my hazy military memories—I shouldered the K-28 “White Tiger.” Holding my breath, I sighted the red marker.
Bang-!
One clean gunshot cut sharply through Pomen’s barrage.
My bullet pierced the Defender’s joint without the slightest deviation.
Thud-!
The Defender toppled, balance lost.
More red markers bloomed across its body.
Bang!
Bang!
Each shot precisely holed the control processor, power core, drive shaft-one by one.
Then the Defender, crawling toward us, dropped dead still like a powered-down doll.
“…Wow.” In the sudden silence, Pomen’s low whistle echoed.
She blew smoke from the glowing barrel, then swayed her hips seductively as she approached me.
“You said you’d join the front lines, and sure enough, our Commander had aces up his sleeve.” “Yeah?” “Your marksmanship.
Absolutely killer.
More precise than an Echo, even.” “…Stationary target.” Honestly, I wasn’t sure it was even me shooting.
A little in active duty, a little in reserves.
Total rounds handled?
Maybe a hundred?
Yet my body moved like a decades-long pro.
“Hmm…” To my half-assed reply, Pomen leaned in, her hot breath tickling my ear as she whispered.
“That hot shooting skill…
You that good at night too?” “…What?” “I mean, nailing it so precisely.
Bet you’re great at poking other stuff too…” Her husky voice brimmed with teasing and something dangerously close to raw desire.
This vixen.
Her casual flirting drew an involuntary chuckle from me.
“Not the time for battlefield jokes, Pomen.” Was this the same Echo who’d been touched by my words moments ago?
To her brazen come-on, I cleared my throat and turned away smoothly.
“That’s why it’s the battlefield.
Death could come any second.” Pomen narrowed her eyes cat-like, smiling.
“Plus, you’re the first human like you.” “…How?” “Totally different reaction from other humans.
They’d have slapped me silly by now.
‘How dare a lowly Echo harass me sexually?”” “In that way too, our Commander…
is very skilled at handling Echos?” Pomen’s gaze drifted to my waist, then trailed languidly back up.
Utterly incorrigible Echo.
Part of me wanted to ravage her right there, but the spot was all wrong.
“Sigh…
Enough.” “As you command, Commander.” She lingered on “command,” tongue teasing the word like a promise to obey anything.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Bang!
Bang-bang!
Rat-tat-tat-tat-!
Our synergy with Pomen was better than I’d expected.
Pomen blasts the armor apart; I finish the job.
Per Central AI, C-3 sector held Defenders and zombies.
But sweeping the warehouse, every zombie we found was already dead.
Freshly dead, at that.
“Arva’s handiwork.” “Assassin through and through.” “Well…
scout model, technically.” “…Scout?
Arva?” “Pre-cataclysm, yeah.
Now she’s a ghost on recon, sniping, and assassination duty.” “What’d she do before?” I perked up at unknown lore.
Echos were androids for education, guiding, construction, medical, security-versatile tools.
Post-cataclysm, they’d been forced into combat roles.
Some had pre-cataclysm backstories; most didn’t.
Arclight Squad fell into the latter.
New at 2.5 anniversary, scant details known.
The thought of uncovering player-unknown Echo lore thrilled me.
“Arva…
don’t freak out.” “Yeah?” “Zoo guide.
That stiff one?
Guiding tours.
Believable?” “…Uh, no.” Wildly unexpected.
The silent slayer of humanity’s threats—a guide before?
“And you?” “Guess.” A few flashed to mind, but I bit them back.
All too filthy to voice.
“Cafe part-timer.” “You?” “Why?
Weird?” “Nah, must’ve drawn crowds.” Cafe with her slinging drinks?
Lines out the door for guys.
She murmured a soft “Who knows~” and leveled her gun at a wriggling shape ahead.
“Enemy.” “Suppress now.” Rat-tat-tat-tat-!
I shouldered the White Tiger too.
Ready to drop it the second it showed.
Then, in my peripheral—a faint twitch amid the zombie chunks.
‘…Tentacle?’ Thought I’d blinked wrong; glanced at Pomen.
Though she kept firing forward.
“Did Arva leave it as bait?
The Commander doesn’t need to bother.” “Yeah?” “See?
Already collapsing.” “…Right.” If she missed it, probably my eyes playing tricks.
Glancing back suspiciously— “???” One tentacle fragment writhed, coiled tight.
Then rocketed upward via recoil-straight for Pomen’s nape.
‘Fuck-?!’ No time to yell “dodge.” Instinct took over: arm around her waist, shoved her clear.
“Kyaaak!” My left arm whipped the incoming tentacle.
Crunch!
Grating metal death-rattle.
Agony like my brain frying lanced through me.
“Commander-!” Pomen hit the deck, face ashen.
Seeing the Z Virus-infected tentacle latch my arm, fury exploded from her in a roar.
“You fucking bitchhhh!!!”‘ Crunch!
Her fist crushed the tentacle.
Metal and corrupted tissue crumpled; black ichor sprayed everywhere.
“Filthy parasite dares-!” She tore it free from my arm and slammed it into the floor with everything she had.
Boom!
On the cracked tiles, it spasmed wildly.
Crunch!
Pomen stomped down.
Smoke curled from her foot.
Crimson glow raced along the tentacle, incinerating flesh and metal alike.
Moments later, charred husk.
Her blazing eyes slowly refocused.
Her gaze fell to me, sprawled on the floor.
“Commander!!!” Horror scenarios raced through Pomen’s mind.
Shattered bones, shredded meat.
Human flesh couldn’t withstand zombie scraps.
Worse: the Ark’s sole hope, infected by Z Virus.
But reality was…
“Whew, that was close.” A wrecked black metal frame-shattered.
“Ah…?” Pomen froze in place.
Not relief.
A primal shock hammered her core.
“Why?” Decades of data shrieked denial at the illogic.
Humans don’t shield Echos.
Humans use Echos as meat shields, disposable trash.
No human sacrifices self for an Echo-impossible.
Yet…
As if mocking her data, the Commander eyed his mangled prosthetic arm and grimaced.
Prosthetic or not, the pain felt real.
Yet he didn’t blame her lapse.
“Pomen, you okay?” “!!!” Just those worried words.
And they utterly demolished her.
The mask of sly grins, taunts, and chatter—shattered.
Tears poured uncontrolled from her wide eyes.
“Why…” Sobbing, she crawled to me.
Ignoring the cold deck grating her knees.
“Why…?!
You’re hurt!
So why?
Why ask if I’m okay?
Why?!” Her voice cracked, quavered.
“Why…
to junk like us…” “To mere tools-Echos-why treat us like humans?!” I scratched my head at her pleas.
I wasn’t this world’s human.
Didn’t know their scorn for Echos.
But there’s one truth: I couldn’t survive solo here.
“Told you.
This isn’t your solo battlefield.
It’s our reality—you and me, surviving together.” “You’re no tool.
You’re my comrade in arms.” Me, saying this cheesy line?
Crushingly awkward.
“Ah, aaah…!” Hit her hard, though.
Teary-eyed, she buried into my chest.
Her full breasts squished brazenly through my suit.
‘Can’t help it.’ My cock twitched, prodding her.
“…Commander?” Crying done, she peeked up, face still damp.
“Yeah?” Her eyes flicked to the insistent poke.
Fleeting confusion…
then her signature sly, intrigued grin.
“Nastier than I thought.
Body’s too honest?
Popping for an Echo?” “…I’m a guy.” “Echos aren’t girls.” “Look like hot women to me.” “…Hmm.” She ground her hips closer.
Soft hand toyed with my crotch.
“Feel good?” “…Not complaining.” “Love it…
yours is scorching.
Aaah, wanna feel it raw, not through clothes.” Tear-smeared face, voice pure mischief.
“Ngh.” Her gentle grip—she’s not messing around?
No way we here with an Echo?!
Wrong spot!
Then.
“Commander.” A cold, metallic voice from behind.
Arva.