Narrator: Previously on: Hi-fi Rush A Real Defect.
Chai: Hey! big guy! I give up!
Peppermint: Chai, what are you doing!?
Chai: I cannot hurt, I am practically without hope for victory, at this point it is useless to continue. However!
At my 'However' he was confused.
Chai: However, I want and listen well. I want you to hit me with the strongest blow you have.
HG-0G at that point he loaded the cannon he had on his right shoulder and then he shed the bombs. When they were close enough, I detached from the wall and dodged to the right while the bombs exploded creating a huge chain explosion and raising a cloud of smoke. Taking advantage of the diversion I took 808 and as I had fortunately hoped at the point where I had to be there there was a huge hole in the wall that I crossed, I looked forward while I ran and also in the other rooms in front of me there were holes in the wall. Woh! How powerful this attack was? If I had been stopped on the spot at this time I was sure that even the ashes would not have remained. A little further on then I saw the familiar glass floor, I jumped over a little bit and then I pretended that I was breathless. At that point the Romanian of the glass that was encouraging and in the end it yielded, finding me, finding myself falling downstairs. Drawing myself on the ground I got up and cleaned my dust while 808 returned to the shape of a cat next to me, the room immediately became dark and then they realized a couple of red eyes that were approaching me, I knew exactly who it was therefore I didn't have Reason to be frightened, everything I did was crossing my arms as I smiled.
But remembering that I had to pretend to be slightly worried to appear more believable, I uncrossed my arms and recreated my guitar while preparing to fight.
The lights in the room then turned on revealing what those two red eyes actually were.
???: Oh, woh, woh, woh, woh, woh, woh! Calm down little guy, I'm on your side.
I raised an eyebrow to make it look like I was confused. Suddenly there was a deafening noise in the room and we both looked towards the source coming from him.
I always liked the fact that he being a robot found a way to show facial expressions with a marker.
The sound of doors opening was hear and along with quick footsteps.
Peppermint: Chai, don't be dead!
Then when they both looked at each other Peppermint changed from ngry to friendly.
Peppermint: Macaron. I presume?
Macaron: Peppermint! Wonderful to finally meet you in person.
They both shook hands.
Then CNMN approached as he drew a new expression.
CNMN: Sir Macaron says expressions make me feel less off-putting.
808 was watching with confusion, while I was smiling because we finally have heavy artillery.
Chai: Is he the informant you were telling me about?
Peppermint: Yes. Chai. Meet Macaron, my man on the inside.
Macaron: Chai? Your name wasn't... you know... that?
Chai: No. And anyway you can say it, it will also have the same pronunciation as what you were thinking but I assure you that if you let me write it you will see that there is nothing wrong.
Peppermint: Yes, of course, Gabe Itch. Anyway, was it YOU hacking the test labs?
Macaron: Just my way of showing who's boss.
Chai: Judging by your suit, you must work for Vandelay.
Macaron: Yeah, I was the head of R&D under Roxanne Vandelay. So Kale brought his crew, and now this SPECTRA...
Chai: A disgruntled employee...
Macaron: But this place is my whole life. I wanted to do something... And I realized that I can. From inside.
CNMN: I will say, you may have to do more than just pick on Zanzo.
Chai: I agree with you about that.
Macaron: I was thinking of a non-violent solution!
Chai: It would work, only if they didn't try to kill me.
Macaron snorts in sadness.
Peppermint: Something big is going down, Macaron. We've got to be proactive.
Macaron: But fighting... isn't my style.
Chai: Really? So can you explain to me why you have a punching bag?
I pointed to the punching bag near the wall.
Macaron comes close to it.
Macaron: Sometimes the job gets a bit stressful. Knowing who took everything from me.
I smiled, pointing to the wall with the Zanzo poster.
Chai: Zanzo.
He turned to where I was pointing.
Macaron: ZANZO!
He ran towards the wall and destroyed it.
Chai (mind): One puuuuuuunchhhhhhh!
One of the pieces of the wall flew near Peppermint who knelt down as she examined it.
Chai: Me too.
Having said that, everyone stood in various parts of the room like in the game, now surely Macaron would have asked me to talk to him for a moment so as to unlock the chip upgrade. But I remembered that this is no longer a game and therefore he would not talk to me, further proof was also the fact that Peppermint had not opened the shop and that he did not find the "money" that was in the game so... I wonder, what is the same in this reality compared to the game? Maybe the chips? If I haven't found them floating on the floor, this doesn't mean that they don't exist, perhaps they are both hidden and resting on a table and have the size of real chips like in my reality. I'll have to check it out, and luckily I'll be able to do it in this level because the chip located here is easy to find.
A time skip later...
To summarize: Macaron joined us, I completed the tutorial on how he can help me, I went back to the lab where the enemy with the Z-shield was, I beat him I moved on, I didn't go into the AR lab because I didn't want to work too hard, we found another way to reduce Zanzo's budget, I'll just say Hack, I tore other robots to pieces and now here I am in front of him.
Zanzo: My masterpiece! Now everyone will see... That i am...
All the lights of the room moved on and all the machines stopped.
Zanzo: Defunded!?
I had a mischievous smile on the face because I always liked to see it like this and that it would have happened even with some changes compared to the original.
I approached him and I was in front of him by now as he was on his knees. The door behind me opened and the others who saw me I was about to finish it even if I actually had something different in mind.
Zanzo: This is all... Because of YOU!
He pulled out a blade from his back and try to hit me but i dodge it. While the blade passed by my side, I grabbed his arm I turned around and then with the other hand I took him to the chest, raised him from the ground and then I threw him with all my strength towards macaron.
Chai: Macaron, on the fly!
He seeing Zanzo who was coming to him while he screamed, pulled his arm back and then gave him a strong fist that sent him to the window where the giant robot was located, Zanzo broke the glass and then hit the wall and exploded. At that moment then I saw what we were looking for.
I took it and looked at her for a second and then I launched her to Peppermint.
Peppermint: Let's see what you have on SPECTRA...
With that said we all went to Zanzo's computer.
Peppermint: Here it is. Right on the desktop.
Macaron: Oh, uh, ohh...
Peppermint: Ok. Let's see... "SPECTRA..." "cognitive manipulation," "regulation of mental stimuli..." They plan for complete mind control! Just like i thought!
Chai: This is not good, is there a way to turn it off?
I stole the question from Macaron.
Peppermint: According to this, only with the pass-keys ALL the bosses.
Hearing this I had just remembered who was about to arrive and I froze for a second, recovering I immediately ran towards the glass window in front of me and destroyed it. This slightly scared Peppermint, Macaron and CNMN who looked at me in surprise and fear.
Peppermint: Chai what's wrong with you?
Macaron: Little guy, is everything okay?
I turned to them and they saw my worried look.
Chai: We have to get out of here.
Peppermint: What-
Chai: Now!
I shouted the last part making clear the urgency of the request. Peppermint took the key and ran next to me followed by the other two.
Chai: Let's meet at the hideout, I'll explain there why I'm rushing and screaming.
The trio immediately jumped onto the ramp just in time avoiding the oncoming group.
808 and I then looked up at the group.