13th Project: Substitute Coder

Year-End Special Chapter: Debugging the Remnants of Revelation

"It didn't do anything?" Usada-san gasped, stomping the ground in frustration.

There's no other way to defeat a Malware unless we deal a finishing blow to its core, which is a command console. But where is it?

"Seijuro! Its front limbs are down!" 

The Malware lost its balance and fell down to the ground. As I navigated myself around it, it smashed its head towards my location and luckily, I dodged it in time. But that time was enough for the spider like Malware to regenerate its lost limbs.

Wait a second.

"Usada-san, attack him again and try to go to his left when he starts chasing you!"

"Are you using me as bait?"

"No I'm not! It's important!" I yelled at her before switching my attention onto Keith.

"Continue what you are doing, Keith. I think I have an idea on killing this one."

He raised his eyebrow at first before nodding and launched his missiles onto the Malware's limbs.

As Usada-san hit its head again, it began screaming and tried to whip its leg towards her but its leg went flying after being blasted down by Keith. Usada-san then ran towards the left in which it began plowing its head attempting to crush the rabbit girl, though her speed was unmatched for the Malware to follow.

It turned its head towards the person that attacked him and was trying to counter anything the person had thrown.

It was being overly defensive.

"Keith, go to the Malware's right!"

"Got it!"

He dashed to its right while launching missiles, which made the Malware turn its head towards Keith. At the same time, Usada-san threw a barrage of slashes on its left side, taking Malware's attention back at her.

He faces the one attacking him, trying to hide his weakness from the targets showing their hostilities against him.

That's it!

"Restrain the Malware!" 

"Chains of Unforgivingness!" Keith chanted his own magic, obviously learned from this server, as gigantic metal chains appeared and shackled its right limbs

"Nails of the Orderly Light!" Usada-san chanted her restraining magic, summoning swords that spun around her before it skewered onto Malware's left limbs, seemingly paralyzing it.

As fast as I could, I ran beneath the Malware and summoned a huge sword that sliced its gut. When it went down to its stomach, I slid out of the way and stopped after reaching the other end of the Malware.

And I was right, and slightly disgusted.

Behind the Malware was the command console containing the codes controlling it. That was an easy puzzle to decode for a creature attempting to destroy the world. Nonetheless, one blow to the console would finish this job. 

However, the Malware knew what I was planning in its desperation, it howled out loud and went for a rampage, highlighting and deleting the restraints in its appendages before facing towards me and leaped in my direction. Good thing I teleported away from the landing site. Bad thing is, it's already evolving considering how he deleted the chains locking him down.

"Attack him with less to no contact!"

"Roger!" Keith responded as a bunch of machine guns appeared above him and blasted towards the Malware.

"Wait, how can I whack him with my sword, peko?"

"Ask your sword or something! You should know how magic works in this world!" Keith replied with sarcasm in his tone just before he dodged the spider-like Malware's legs.