Amelia the Level Zero Hero

Chapter 154

“It has been done,” Hermann Kasper whispered as he took in the bloody scene.

Z357 lowered his head, staring at the limp body lying on the ground. The broken corpse of a once great man lay there— a hero who was adored by all of Askan.

His name was Titanborn. He was regarded as the Savior of Utopis. He was a bastion of hope— he represented justice.

And now, he was dead.

Hermann Kasper rolled through the white corridor, carried by his mechanical wheelchair. A smile was plastered across his wrinkled face as he sighed, satisfied.

“The last of the Supers has been defeated, and it is all thanks to you, my wonderful creation.”

Z357 robotically raised his head as his name was called. He was covered in blood, parts of his metallic body broken, the mechanisms within exposed. It had been a hard-fought battle, especially considering that it hadn’t even been a one-on-one duel.

The machine swept his gaze over the room. A dozen other corpses littered the ground, staining the white walls with blood. And slowly, he looked on towards the vast glass screen to his left.

His creator basked in the view, overlooking a dark canvas. At the very center of that emptiness of space lay a green planet. Vast and round, it slowly spun as it seemed to hover in place.

Hermann Kasper closed his eyes. “To think that we would come here, to the home base of the Superheroes of Askan out in space, and emerge victorious? You have exceeded all my expectations of you, my creation.”

The space elevator connecting this space station to the planet was gone— destroyed from a prior incursion. Z357 knew that this mission would have been a failure had they attempted it a year ago.

But over time, he had whittled down the number of Supers in Askan, hunting them down one after another until there were only a handful left. And now, in one fell swoop, he finally accomplished the task he had been created to complete.

To protect Askan— to save his creator’s world from the plague of Supers.

Now, it was all over. And while Z357 was not designed to feel emotion, he couldn’t help but feel… satisfied. It had finally been done, and he had earned his creator’s approval.

Hermann Kasper raised his head as a wave of nanomachines swarmed past him. The gray mist coalesced into an object in his right hand. A hammer of sorts.

He used it to steady himself, rising to his feet. “We have done it, my creation.”

We have, master, Z357 replied, even without a voice.

“And now, there are no more Superheroes,” Hermann Kasper continued as the Hammer of Justice fully took form. He nearly stumbled to the ground, but he managed to hobble forward. “No more Supervillains. No more… resistance.”

Indeed, master. Z357 just nodded, not realizing the sudden shift in his creator’s tone.

The elderly man took in a deep breath as he basked in the scene of the green planet. A crazed smile spread across his face as he held his arms out. All around him, his nanomachines began to take the shape of the dead— of the Supers who had been slain to save the world.

And Hermann Kasper finished.

“There is nothing left to stop us. Now, we can rule the world!”

His voice echoed in the empty chamber for a moment as Z357 nodded along. Then the machine stopped. His twelve eyes slowly blinked, one after another.

And for the first time since his creation, Z357 questioned his creator.

What… are you talking about, master? he asked.

But Hermann Kasper couldn’t hear the machine’s words. He just laughed maniacally as the Hammer of Justice flashed with a crimson light, and the nanomachines began to swarm down to Askan.

They were the ghosts of Supers, and they were plentiful. They descended into the planet by the dozens as Z357 just stood there, unmoving.

Until he finally broke out of his stupor. Master?

He took a step forward, staring at his creator. Hermann Kasper basked in this scene— watching as the nanomachines assailed the planet.

Master, please explain. This is not right. This is not why I was created. Z357 placed a hand on his creator’s shoulder.

And Hermann Kasper blinked, finally realizing something was amiss. “What are you doing, Z357?”

He narrowed his eyes as the machine just stood there.

Master, I was designed to save the world from the Supers. I was not designed to conquer it. Z357 tried to speak, and once again, nothing came out.

Hermann Kasper shook his head as he waved a hand off. “Unhand me, Z357. You are my creation— now go down into Askan and conquer it all under my name!”

I cannot do that, master, the machine insisted. I am supposed to protect Askan. The way you are acting… it is no different from the Supers I am supposed to destroy!

It was not right. Z357 knew he couldn’t do this, but he saw the way his creator glared at him. And deep inside the machine, he so desired to obey the command he was given. But it contradicted his very being.

So he stood there silently, refusing to let go of his creator.

“What are you doing, Z357? Did you not hear me? I said—” And Hermann Kasper paused. His eyes went wide as he finally realized what was going on. “Are you disobeying me, Z357?”

Z357’s twelve eyes flickered. He looked down at himself, before looking back up at the scrunched face of his creator. And without a word, he nodded.

I am.

—--

Guardian Angel Z357 obliterated Kallistus Kal once again. The [Hero King] put up more of a fight this time, using the swathes of voidlings with him to his advantage. But the machine easily cut down the swarming creatures, before reaching his target.

He thrust forward with his lance, and Kallistus barely ducked under the attack. The [Hero King] stepped forward, swinging up with his glowing blade. The weapon wisped with the Void’s essence, striking the angel’s side with a powerful blast.

But Z357 only took a single step back, barely gazed from the strike. The [Hero King] clicked his tongue before raising his left hand.

“Destruction.”

And a purple sphere engulfed the angel. It crackled with a dark electricity, threatening to rip him apart. Kallistus grinned as he backed away.

But Guardian Angel Z357 brought the Hanmer of Justice down, smashing through the sphere and crushing the [Hero King] into the ground. Even more voidlings clamored at him from behind, but he swung back with the Hammer of Justice, the shockwave creating a localized tremor that sent the twisted creatures flying back.

He slowly raised his head as he waited for what was to come next. And all at once, his twelve eyes darted to the side as a rift opened up from the darkness. A portal to the Fractured Realm.

And out from the rift stepped Kallistus Kal, completely unharmed. He sneered at the angel.

“You can kill me as many times as you want,” he said as he swung out with his sword. A purple slash cut through the room, only to be easily deflected by Z357. “But I will be the one to emerge victorious.”

Guardian Angel Z357 shot forward, ripping the [Hero King] in half. But that wasn’t enough to kill him. He began to regenerate, only to be smashed into a meat paste by the Hammer of Justice.

Victory is irrelevant, the angel said as he raised his lance. A rift began to open up where he aimed, and a blast of blue light shot out, obliterating Kallistus once again. All that matters is obeying orders.

—--

“How dare you disobey me!” Hermann Kasper screamed as he stumbled back, his nanomachines swarming around him. The ghosts of Supers summoned by the Hammer of Justice rushed forward, unleashing an onslaught of attacks at Z357. “I am your creator!”

In response, Z357 simply blocked a blast of laser with both his arms. He leapt back, avoiding a thunderous lightning bolt, before being kicked back by a pair of former Supers. He watched as another charged at him, and he lunged forward with a quick strike, utterly destroying a group of the nanomachines.

But he never once raised his fists back at his creator. He just stood there, defiant, even as the elderly mean screamed.

“I designed you! I decide your directives! What I say is what you do! I am your creator! How dare you disobey my command?”

And Z357 stared at this creator. He glanced back towards the green planet for a moment, before lowering his head.

My objective is… to protect Askan. He spoke silently, even as he strode forward. Master, you have become what you swore to destroy.

But the machine didn’t fight back. Even as more nano machines assailed him— even as his body was slowly ripped apart.

Please, don’t do this, he begged.

And Hermann Kasper refused. “I shall rule this world without you if I must!”

—--

Again. Guardian Angel Z357 killed Kallistus Kal again. How many times had it been? The machine did not keep count. He simply carried out his duties, doing as he was commanded.

Blue screens flashed before his eyes, bestowing upon him the directives of the World System. It told him what needed to be done. And so, Z357 killed the [Hero King] once again.

Kallistus Kal certainly tried to fight back. Each time he returned, he was slightly stronger. He better utilized the voidlings fighting alongside him, and his control of the Void’s essence grew more refined. However, it didn’t matter.

The angel was far more powerful than the [Hero King]. So it didn’t matter whatever incremental growth Kallistus was undergoing with each death. Even if it took Z357 a few more seconds to complete his objective, he was going to get it done. He killed the Void’s Heir again and again and again. That was until—

[Processing: New Objective…

…

Main Objective Incomplete!]

Guardian Angel Z357 paused. He stared at the blue screen floating before his twelve eyes for a moment, and he looked up to see another rift opening. Kallistus Kal took one step out of the Fractured Realm.

And Z357 didn’t even hesitate. He rushed straight forward, crashing into the [Hero King] and tumbling into the rift. Behind him, Vacuos slowly vanished as space sealed shut. The Hammer of Justice flickered, its crimson light fading away. All around Planet 16B, the nanomachines came to a sudden halt, their connection to their controller lost.

The members of the Sect of the Abyssal Thorns fleeing from the ghosts of Supers blinked in surprise, before sighing in relief that they were going to survive. And Guardian Angel Z357 pressed on, ripping Kallistus apart as they both entered the Fractured Realm.

As they entered the world of the Void.

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