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The Infantry Support Armored Vehicle, Snow Rabbit, is a command vehicle designed to oversee and direct infantry, as its name suggests. The interior is spacious, is capable of seating multiple operators, has a strategy table, and an admiral’s seat for an arrangement similar to the operations room of an Aegis ship.

Unlike the previous Earth, holograms are displayed in mid-air, and with a height of 11 meters, the area is designed as a two-level space, giving it a futuristic spaceship bridge-like atmosphere that Lanpeach found thrilling.

However, the admiral’s seat is attached to a crane, floating in mid-air like an amusement park attraction. It resembles the captain’s seat from an old space war anime, and Lanpeach absolutely didn’t want to sit in it. What would he do if he were to fall because of the impact of battle? It is a stupid design that didn’t care about inflicting heavy injuries.

“Have you found the enemy-usa? And could you please let go? It’s a bit scary-usa.”

“Don’t worry about it, don’t worry about it. Dry is here to assist the admiral. Helping properly, so tell me what happens when I press this switch.” (Dry)

“Don’t ask after pressing it—whoa!”

“Fun! Press more!” (Dry)

Dry, sitting excitedly in the floating admiral’s seat, was hugging the admiral rabbit, who seemed quite frightened, was trembling, and looking as if it might die. 

Dry pressed a switch on the lap blanket, causing the crane to move violently, turning it into a real attraction.

“The admiral can be ignored-usa.”

“The admiral only says ‘fire the main cannon’ anyway~.”

“I noticed the admiral’s chopstick was broken in half, so let’s redo the lottery-usa.”

The operator rabbits, wearing headsets, didn’t seem to care at all. They were calmly working, manipulating the touch panels with their fluffy, cute paws.

Multiple hologram monitors floating in the air displayed various locations inside the abandoned building, and the exploration had begun.

“I understand we don’t need the admiral. Then, continue the search.” (Lanpeach)

In the game, selecting the [Expedition] command would increase the security level, reducing the number of monsters in the surrounding area. The Snow Rabbit was also just displayed as a dot on the map and Lanpeach couldn’t enter it in the game, so he was really curious about it. 

Chihiro and Sage had also come to observe.

“Roger that-usa. The first floor is clear.”

“Entrance to the basement found, beginning exploration.”

“Entering from the rooftop. No interference.”

“Funya funya~. Keep it up, everyone-usa.”

The efficient movements of the operator rabbits were reassuring. Although one rabbit seemed to be nodding off, it seems common for the system to include one that slacks off, so he gave up on that. It is probably similar to how worker ants behave.

The abandoned building still remained standing, but the exploration drones that were supposed to be used were not being employed.

[We can’t reveal all our tricks. People can betray you at any time unlike Artificial Spirits.] (Libra)

[It is as you say, Libra. People can always betray you. Even if they don’t intend to, information tends to leak.] (Lanpeach)

Libra covered her mouth with a smile while going ‘mufufu’. It seems she didn’t want the exploration drones to be seen. It’s likely that they were those infamous drones, but since it is uncertain whether those drones exist in this beta version world, it would be better to keep them hidden.

Lanpeach’s gaze became distant for a moment, then refocused on the monitor.

◇◇

The interior of the abandoned building was eerily silent, with no lights and only the sound of dripping cold water from melting snow entering through holes in the exterior walls.

But it is too soon to assume there is nothing or no one there.

It must have been an office in the past. Broken desks scattered about, overturned chairs, and lockers piled up into small hills. Only silence ruled this place. However, red eyes glinted from within the debris.

What crawled out from the gaps was a centipede. But it is nearly a meter long, with a bronze exoskeleton that looks metallic and sturdy. Its fangs, extending from its jaws, dripped purple liquid as if screaming it was poisonous.

This was the Building Centipede, a creature known as the slums assassin. It makes piles of debris and makes a nest inside them. It is omnivorous. It would eat any living creature that passes by. Once bitten, paralysis sets in, leaving the victim immobile, only to be crushed and eaten alive by its powerful jaws. On top of that, its exoskeleton is as hard as metal, which can easily deflect bullets. In the slums, areas where these centipedes nested are generally abandoned.

“Kichi kichi kichi!”

It raised its head in search of prey—

*Slash!*

And its head was suddenly severed. 

Without any prior warning, only a faint breeze blowing, the centipede spewed green fluid and writhed on the ground before eventually becoming still.

“Kichi kichi kichi!”

“Kichi kichi kichi!”

“Kichi kichi kichi!”

The other Building Centipedes must have sensed something wrong after their comrade was defeated. They peeked out from their nests. 

They moved their many legs and began to emerge but—

*Bam!* The entire pile of debris that formed their nest was suddenly blown away as if struck by something from the side.

The sound of concrete crumbling rang and the pile broke through the wall, scattering apart, leaving a number of surviving centipedes sprawled on the ground.

The surviving centipedes stepped over the crushed bodies of their comrades and began to clatter their jaws in a threatening chorus.

But their threat was meaningless. There was no presence around them; the centipedes were clattering their jaws with no idea of what happened. It was a completely futile display of intimidation.

Despite this, the centipedes remained on high alert, forming a defensive circle, and intimidating their surroundings, but…

*Slash!*

Another centipede’s head was lopped off. 

Panicking at the loss of yet another member, they clattered their jaws even more, but this was the limit of the intelligence of these insects.

The air stirred, and as the wind blew, the remaining centipedes had their heads severed one by one. 

There was still nothing visible even after seeing their comrades falling. The sharp attacks continued to decapitate the centipedes until they all lay dead.

In the now silent office, all that remained was the twitching of the Building Centipedes in their post-mortem spasms, until the air itself seemed to ripple.

“To all operators, enemy extermination was successful-usa.”

Emerging from the distorted air was a rabbit, holding a red-hot knife. At first glance, it looked like a heavily armored robot in a thick combat suit, with a helmet covering its head, contacting the operators. Its bright red round eyes were adorable, but it exuded the air of a seasoned warrior.

It had used the [Timid Rabbit] stealth skill, which allowed it to evade optical detection, heat detection, motion detection, and magical detection. The skill would not be canceled unless the user took damage.

‘As long as it didn’t take damage’. In other words, it means that even when the user attacks, the stealth won’t break—a powerful skill of the High Rabbit Gunner.

<<Roger that-usa. I’ll stamp the first floor as cleared.>> 

“I won’t let anyone else take the Ace title.”

A cute rabbit stamp appeared on the hologram, and the nose of the rabbit twitched happily. 

Having many stamps meant a high rank among its peers. A higher rank allowed you to exchange stamps for carrot snacks, get priority for seconds during meals, and even secure a sunny spot for naps, so it was important.

<<Second floor secured-usa.>>

<<Third floor cleared too.>>

<<I used the beam cannon to incinerate the fourth floor.>>

<<I went to the neighboring building’s roof.>>

Despite the Building Centipede being a particularly troublesome foe to find and defeat during exploration, it was just a small insect to the High Rabbit Gunners. 

Reports flowed into the command vehicle one after another, with enemy signals disappearing from the building map. This indicated their overwhelming combat power.

Their efficient elimination of enemies without allowing any counterattacks instilled fear and awe in those watching from the command vehicle, even among those who were non-combatants like Chihiro and Sage. They felt that their strength far surpassed that of explorers.

Dry got nauseated from all the rocking and fainted on the seat.

“Amazing, Lan. This place is safe with them around. I don’t think we’ll face any threats.” (Chihiro)

“That’s absolutely right. I’ve been selling spirit armors for a long time, but I’ve never seen or heard of anything as powerful as those.” (Sage)

Both of them were tense, feeling fear at how willy-nilly the Underground District was handing over such terrifying power. Honestly, they felt it was overkill, and wondered which army this force was meant to fight.

Just as they were holding their breath after being shown the power of the Underground District, another report came in—but it wasn’t an ‘all-clear’.

<<Uh, this is the sixth floor. We can’t go any higher-usa ne.>>

<<What happened-usa?>>

<<You see~, it seems like there’s a disguised centipede up here with bright red sensors-usa yo.>>

The rabbit spoke casually, showing no tension. 

The camera displayed the sixth floor, which until then had been filled with rubble and broken lockers, but now it was empty. There was only a bare concrete room spread out.

The rabbit, noticing something odd but not questioning it, casually tossed a liquid grenade.

The grenade rolled across the floor, flashing brightly as it unleashed its stored energy. The energy spread like a wave, dissolving the surroundings as if they were ice, and evaporating them. Rather than melting by heat, it converted the energy, causing everything to disappear.

When the flash subsided, a perfectly circular hole had been carved into the floor, walls, and ceiling.

“Gugyaaaah!”

A scream rang and the building began to tremble as if an earthquake was happening. 

And then, sharp legs began to grow out from the walls, each one of them thick like spears. 

The building that seemed to be made out of concrete began to disintegrate, coiled around, and something showed up. 

The formidable predator that camouflages itself as a building: Buildbeat. After being attacked, the giant monster hidden within the building revealed its true form in pain.

The Builbeat was a towering creature. The rabbit was nothing more than a pebble in comparison. 

The Builbeat opened its massive mouth to swallow the defenseless rabbit that was staring at its pocket.

Chihiro and Sage panicked while watching from the command vehicle, fearing the valuable Artificial Spirit will be destroyed.

“Lan, that rabbit is going to be… Lan?” (Chihiro)

“Huh? He was right next to me just a moment ago.” (Sage)

They looked around, bewildered by Lanpeach’s sudden disappearance. but…

“Strong Air Throw.” 

The Buildbeat shown on the monitor was suddenly lifted into the air as if caught in a tornado, crashing down and shattering the debris on the ground.

“Now then, it would be tasty if this is a boss battle or something. It was worth the wait.” 

Lanpeach stood there, grinning with satisfaction, on the abandoned building that’s supposed to only have rabbits.

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