Chapter 549: Secret of Rex Kingsley

Rex’s feet landed on a protruding 1m large rock with just a slight more angle to trip him. He spun to balance and used the Sniper Rifle as a counter weight, finishing into a circus-like act of the gun softly landing into his shoulders while he himself was on one foot, slowly twisting into a stop. But just at the last dregs of his spin’s momentum were vanishing, he was already facing the other side of the hill so he jumped off, going into a sprint while his left hand pulled the pen-tablet to summon the panel screen of his target sprinting towards his direction.

It all happened in just two seconds.

Rex smiled and stored the pen-tablet on the tube pocket on his left thigh before dashing towards his next target’s location.

*****

Chronos was frowning, “He’s just too good. This is just too abnormal. His instincts, his trap setup, his sniping stability and accuracy, even his style of executing someone he’s angry at…. it's all too oddly good it’s scary. Even given the scenario of changes he had been subjected into, all of those experiences, just for him to grow is just too fast.”

Goldwyn nodded, <He’s only been in Terroa for a few months at most and even if we put into bill all that’s been happening to him so far, all of these changes are just too sudden…>

“According to intel, he’d never actually had any proper military training in his life.” Chronos said as he turned to the old man beside him for opinion.

There was a pause between them before the old gangster gave a microscopic nod. <In Terroa, he did use a Sniper Rifle to finish a Boss during the attack in Jeremiah. There are many witnesses to him summoning a similarly sized sniper rifle like that Anti-Tank one back then.>

Although it was hardly enough to explain how Rex had some monstrous sniping skills, it was enough to make them consider it so the old men turned silent for a few seconds.

A while after, Chronos groaned and said, “When did you last have a video feed from his NLD?”

Goldwyn faced him, <Around a week or two ago at least. Why? Do you think that during these two weeks, he’d gone to so much change in Terroa, even gaining training experiences and mastering modern weaponry? As far as my Intel goes, that was the last time AG and Rex had made contact with each other. Graham said AG installed extra NanoMechs into Rex but I doubt it made any sort of changes since the first installation had a central core included in it. At best, the second installation will only improve the data we could gather after he was mature enough to be harvested.>

Chronos remained silent and watched Rex ran in forest like a released panther. His mind, though, was clouded by thoughts on how to explain these skills that Rex was showing them right now.

The old gangster magically created a wine glass on his left hand and sipped on it, before speaking again, <I’ve also lost and have cut all contacts with the house ever since I had AG sleep. If what you think is right, even if it’s true, then I could only say Rex Kingsley’s ability to learn is monstrous indeed.>

Chronos replied, “It’s something to expect from a teenager who designed a mechanical framework for the independent side of the Android Project.”

<Ah, how could I forget, he’s also a Junior Nobel Prize winner because of that contribution. When that’s taken into account, perhaps there’s a 50% chance that in these two weeks, he indeed met an agent sent by Mitra to train him with these skills, though, I still stand by my verdict that two weeks is still too short a time to master these skills.>

The two old men exchanged a look. “It’s not that far offed to be excluded as a chance. Two weeks is a long enough time for a genius to learn a lot of things that could be of use to him… especially to a desperate genius such as him. We both know that ever since that update in the Janus Console, seeing through Terroa’s system processes has been a huge problem, even for its inventor.”

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As he spoke about this, Rex had begun to slow his movements and set up a pair of SpyCams that oversaw two separate but panoramic-converting camera angles.

<Hmmm.> At the words, this time, it was Goldwyn who let out an audible groan. <So you think he’d learned all of these skills in Terroa? Really? Did you hear what I just said? Even for said geniuses, this is still too fast… a human’s brain still has their limits and capacities.>

“Don’t forget that he’s undergone conditioning in the hands of the twins. They work for me and I’m perfectly aware of their capabilities. They said that Rex is a genius and my opinion of it hasn’t even changed one bit. I do not doubt him. Besides, it’s you who chose him, not me. Why are you starting to doubt your decision?”

Goldwyn grated again, <Because I believe in the analysis of [Database] and he said Rex’s progress is just too fast and too much that it exceeds all the medical data references we’d gathered about him before the accident and until two weeks ago.>

The two old men fell silent.

Rex, on the other hand, was on the run again.

“If someone hasn’t taught him all these skills in Terroa, then how do you explain it?”

This question stumped the old gangster.

He wanted to refute the claim but couldn’t find the proper words to debunk it.

Of course, none of the two could have imagined that their missing “item” was actually in the hands of Rex and that the “downloaded data” from the Panorama HQ was the one that uploaded all these combat information and data directly into Rex’s brain. In addition, Rex’s trillions upon trillions of years of battle experience made his instincts very sharp that he could at least maximize 50% of the uploaded skills and abilities Cortana implanted to his brain. Besides, even if Rex can’t master them at the interim, just his 50% instinctual mastery of it all was enough for him to overthrow every sound and logical explanation to his powerful display. Thanks for reading on ManaNovel!

Since Goldwyn couldn’t refute the claim, he could only try to accept the face value of the argument.

<Do you think… they’re NPCs or was it someone sent by Mitra —if they actually exists?>

“Who knows.” Chronos chuckled. “We pumped so many Fluctlights in the Janus Console during its inception and programed a separate Earth to exist there so it’s not impossible. We’ve even uploaded criminal Fluctlights in it so as to increase that tiny chance of further improving the Mefisto-AI. Who knows if this second experiment with lots of test subjects has produced an actual master of such skills in the NPC population? After all, wasn’t it Rex who also uncovered the main story line we’ve planned into the Terran Universe?”

<The Providence Quest, eh…> although Goldwyn was still skeptic, when this was mentioned, there’s a slight understanding drawn on his face. As he watched Rex setup his trap domain, the gangster concluded. <It was indeed too early for the main storyline to appear when most of the players have yet to even get their hands on even a single Rune Equipment. From the video feeds we uncovered, Rex actually used the easiest lead to discover the Providence Quest. His battle with the Baby Forest Dragon, according to [Database], only had a slim 2% chance of being won and yet he pulled it off thanks to that «Unique Ability» of his. It helped a lot in dealing damage to the Forest Dragon at its most vulnerable moment.>

“See? It’s that, or someone under AG’s thumb did indeed come to Terroa to teach Rex about Military Skills and Tactics in a span of six weeks inside all these time.”

There was a pause between the two while the old gangster turned to look at Chronos with a serious expression.

<What about, no, do you think he lived in there?>

Chronos met his gaze and understood the hidden meaning to his words. His face was also serious when he replied: “Who knows.” It wasn’t even an inquiry but a statement. “Without the Janus Console, we can never know what actually happened inside it during the Mefisto Extraction Experiment. It’s not as if it will change the result though so why’re you worried?” Chronos paused and shrugged. “Well, in my part, at least, I’m not that worried since I’ve already done my part in our deal. Regardless of whether this would affect Rex or not, it won’t affect our plans at all. So why are you still worried? Can’t let go of worldly matters?”

Goldwyn felt the teasing contempt in the old man when he spoke. It made his pride wanted to shoot him right now. Too bad, both of them were not in their real selves or he would have.

<I’m not worried. I’m just…… concerned… is all.>

“Because of AG? Well, I don’t blame you though.”

<…>

“…”

<Truth be told, I’m curious.>

“My impression of you, actually, if you haven’t admitted it I would have doubted you pouring all your life’s work into creating that Database.”

After a slight pause, the two old men chuckled slyly at each other’s exchange. For them, such a talk was nothing more than an extension of their primary experiment.

The two of them stared at the multiple video feed of the event but in the middle of it was Rex who was now sniping the nearest squad in his location.

The squad in question had now erupted into a big chaotic mess as they, just like what happened to Angus’ squad, ran off in every direction like a flock of startled chickens high in marijuana.

It only took him a minute or two to eliminate every member of that squad and it was also the same amount of time that the two old men were silently watching his every action. Even the angle of his expressions, his mannerisms, and his pulse, all of it was recorded and displayed on a separate holo panel screen.

<He’s really too much of an expert. It’s deserving of its just curiosity to be questioned.> Goldwyn clicked his tongue as he gave a verdict. <I bet not even you were as accustomed to those kinds of extreme movements even in your prime.>

Chronos became silent, staring intently at the last scene of Rex releasing a volley of three bullets in one breath to snipe three people hiding behind a couple of trees.

Goldwyn went on, <Sniping isn’t just a skill easily executed like that. It needed years of training and a monstrous level of instinct to execute the three shots he made in one breath. Even experts won’t be like that. Even those trainers with decades of sniping experience can’t do it like that. Even my best assassins weren’t better than him in sniping.>

Goldwyn was serious. He swiped the air, going back to the moment when Rex jumped off the cliff to snipe two people while in midair.

He grumbled, <Especially at this moment… he did not even stop to take a breather and took his two shots without any hint of hesitation.> the gangster looked over Chronos and said his verdict: <This is not normal. I do think he had some control over a small part of the NanoMechs in his body. If not, then it’s either he was genetically enhanced by the forced data-extraction that happened in him when we first installed them in his body.>

Chronos remained silent and only watched every event that happened in the panel screens.

This silence made Goldwyn sigh.

Rex was now setting up a trap and just finished installing a SpyCam into a tree before he took a run towards the two squads that’s in the middle of their skirmish.

“Let’s see how he’ll handle it.” Chronos finally said after a while. “Gibson isn’t an easy opponent to handle.”

Goldwyn was silent.

“But just in case,” Chronos eyed the other, “Can you conduct a scan on Rex’s home. Since he’s here, no one should be defending it, right?”

<Ah!> as if just remembering something, Goldwyn struck his palm with a fist, <That’s one thing I also wanted to talk to you about, old bones. Taking the things the boy said to be true, it would seem that someone on your side gave him a high-level AI. A massive surveillance network was established in his home network and the [Database] can’t access its internal structure without risking being hacked in return. Even if it’s not an AI, whoever designed this security network is a genius-level hacker. The security mainframe itself was on the same level as my [Database].>

“What? Why did you only tell this to me now? This was an important Intel.”

Goldwyn snorted, <As if I had the chance to. Did you forget that it’s still doubtful if Rex really was a member of this so called Mitra? As far as I know, it was the boy himself who was the only member in their clique that’s known to us… aside from AG, if what he’s actually saying is true.>

“…”

<Not to mention; even if we put into account that it was indeed AG’s clique that’s behind him, there’s still no way they could still outdo my Database. It was a fact as well that even AG failed to outdo me even with all his resources poured into creating a security program to lock his New Zeal City.>

“…”

<I think... Rex… Rex had somehow bypassed the security mainframe of the NanoMechs and then merged with it, or at least a part of it, and for what he gained after that, no matter how small it is, that became his base to improve his learning ability.>

After listening to the ranting gangster, Chronos, in the middle of his watching, looked at him. “Do you mean to say that, by some miraculous event, Rex Kingsley bypassed my family’s NanoMech Technology… is that it?”

There was an angry tone in his voice. Chronos is a proud man and his Abraxas Family was ahead of every family in the Five Great Clans when it came to their Military Technology. The [NanoMech] was a weapon technology, the “NanoTech” feature in RPG: Terroa was a part of their clan’s technology and in the front of its “overseers” was Christiana Monarchy —a World Noble under their thumb.

In a way, NanoTech was a downgraded version of the human-compatible NanoMech. NanoTech was an external weaponry technology whereas the NanoMech was also like that, in addition to the fact that it can also be installed inside your body.

This was a technology ahead of its peers and the Abraxas Family Head was proud of its capabilities.

Chronos was confident in the reliability of their family’s technology’s security features so being questioned like this made him annoyed that he had to put pressure to the old gangster.

But alas, he momentarily forgot that this old man was his equal and wasn’t someone intimidated by his family’s background or by his stare.

As a result, he was met with a beaming smile from the old undying bastard, <Hohoho… the old man of the Abraxas Household is angry. Could it be he was planning to rebuke this old man because he’d questioned his family’s treasured technology?>

A weird laugh escaped his lips and Chronos could not help blaming his temper. He lost his cool and now he was being teased by his partner.

He made a sigh, letting go of his fury. He was old and being angry wouldn’t help the two of them.

Besides, now that he had cooled down, he began to ponder over the dying old gangster’s words. It did indeed have some substance to it.

What if Rex found a way to bypass the security of the NanoMechs installed in his body and so led to his expanded learning ability?

If so, then this could explain how he could defeat Kanzu and his platoon back in Lausanne during his rescue of Amanda. This could explain how he was this monstrously adept in sniping, his skills in setting traps fluent and perfect, his instincts very sharp, and his logic-processes faster than normal people.

Even more so, if Rex had indeed managed to take control of even just a small part of the NanoMechs in his body, then there might actually be some complications that will appear in their plans.

When he landed on this conclusion, Chronos was shocked that he stared at the old gangster.

<Eh? What? You wanna fight?> Of course the old man was just teasing him. <Wait. I was just kidding but… do you really think it’s possible?>

Chronos, of course, shook his head. “It’s basically impossible unless he had a microprocessor insert in his brain along with a [Core] of a NanoMech.”

<Right. I have our original [Core] as well as AG’s [Core] that he installed later. I am positive that it is being guarded by [Database] in a secure place that only I am aware of. Besides, [Database] have yet to report to me any hacking attempt that he can’t solve by himself.>

“I at least trusted it to be this much capable.”

Goldwyn raised a brow in the jabbing comment but chose not to say anything. After a while, he asked after pondering over the matter, <If this is indeed the case —in the rarest of the rare case of it being true— how much changes are 1% of all it are capable of giving him?”

Chronos didn’t even pause to think over what his answer was: “At least double.”

<Ho?> for some reason, he was delighted by the sound of this unexpected assurance. Although it was already a given when they made their deal in the planning stages of their plot, it was still a bit of a surprise to hear it like this.

“Perhaps. There’s no logical explanation to it than him actually being able to control a part of it. Even just 1% of them were already enough to make any man exceed any mortal limitations set in humanity that we’ve been trying to hack into.”

The smiling godfather became serious.

He himself couldn’t find any way to berate the old man in front of him when he’s also aware of the implications if his joke was actually the fact of the entire matter.

<I’ll plan the attack on his security network.> the old gangster said with a stern expression, <You send someone to check up on the integrity of the NanoMechs installed in his body.>

“I’ll send the twins. They’re familiar with each other so Rex might not become hostile.”

<Don’t forget that Rex may already be aware of what we did to him so it’s better to be cautious.>

“If it really turns into a fight, then let’s keep him in a cell and do the rest of his conditioning inside a secure facility.”

<…>

“What?”

<Isn’t it better if we had done this earlier?>

Chronos was taken aback and blinked, then he shook his head and answered, “If we had found out about his skills earlier, we would have indeed landed on this decision but we only realized it all now so there’s no helping it. Besides, I only even learned about [Mitra] earlier so there was nothing we could have done then.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a flash of light erupted in one of the panel screens in the other candidates.

The two old men’s eyes then turned to Rex’s live video feed and learned that he had just sniped the candidates’ CP’s vehicle’s gas tank parked just beside their command hub.

Although it was a norm for E-Vehicles in the 22nd Century, Diesel-reliant torque-centered vehicles such as majority of the Military Vehicles were all in need of Diesel Fuel.

Diesel Fuel has low volatility rate than gasoline. It won’t easily “burn” unless from high pressure or really strong fires.

But an Anti-Tank bullet’s slug-to-metal capacity is all but a strong enough of a source to burn Diesel Fuel upon impact. As a result, the entire HQ Tent blew up, killing everyone inside it.

The best part of all, Rex... was still four kilometers away from his target.

<Monster sniping skills.> commented Goldwyn.

“…”

Not even five seconds later, Rex was already on the move. He didn’t tarry and didn’t even disassemble his rifle and just replaced the battery of his exoskeleton before running away again.

The two old men could only shake their heads.

<How many candidates are left?>

“165”

<At least they’re dwindling fast enough.>

“Many squads have capable members.”

<Ah, look, your Gibson is just 500 meters away from our boy. In this distance, his rifle could be used to shoot him down if he aimed properly.>

“Gibson won’t. Maybe when he’s 400+ meters, he may decide to shoot Rex while running but in that distance, he won’t. His personality won’t allow him to shoot Rex on that uncertain distance.”

<Oh? Then it’s more fun to watch how Rex would deal with a cautious and perfectionist assassin.>

“Well, that is, if Rex wasn’t aware of Gibson at all.”

<Aye, you’re right. Gibson was already caught in Rex’s eyes even if he dodged the traps left there for him.>

*****

Rex tucked the pen-tablet back into its thigh slot while he listened to Cortana reporting about the location and distance of Gibson.

[Enemy’s 450 meters at your five, sir.]

‘Does he have a visual on my actions?’

[From the video feed from the Office, he still has no visual of you but he knows your general location because of the earlier scan he conducted with his team.]

Rex smiled but still kept running. He was looking for a large tree or rock ledge to hide and set up a welcoming trap to his pursuer. After all, nobody is fond of having a stalker.

Right now, he was descending the slop towards a valley where four six were about to meet. Rex wanted to set up a trap for them or shoot them so as to hasten this assessment event, but because he had a hunter hot on his track, he didn’t have any choice but to slow down his progress and be cautious of his back.

‘I think confronting him would be the best course of action. But… I don’t want to reveal to Chronos all my cards this early. By now, they had probably seen my skills and are questioning it. But that was a compromise I had to make because I had no other choice if I want to survive in this event.’

[There is an area at your 10 that fulfills the criteria for an ambush, sir.]

‘Great! Mark the location with a location beacon!’

.

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Danger is approaching his base!!!