「That’s definitely a Kotetsu.」
A man’s frivolous-sounding voice rang out from the top of a cliff.
He was looking through a pair of binoculars. He then shrugged and shook his head, muttering “That thing’s no good y’know?” in a regretful tone.
「It’s an old-model artillery-type Machina, and to top it off, it’s even moving on autopilot. That’s definitely no good. Ah, what a waste.」
Every time the man’s voice resounded, it was accompanied by the sound of rattling bones.
At the very least, that seemed to be the case to another man who was wearing light blue armor.
***
『I can hear your bones rattling and scraping against each other you know? You sure you’re okay?』
「I don’t actually feel any pain. I’m not really sure why though.」
The one who replied to me was unmistakably a talking skeleton. His name was Damar.
The first thing I saw when I woke up in the present age was this talking skeleton who called himself Damar.
I even wondered if he was already such a creature from the start, but the “person” in question said that he was actually formerly human.
『If you say so. So, who’s going to go inside that tavern between the two of us?』
「Well, you’re the one who’s human, so you should go.」
『Why?』
「There’s definitely gonna be a big fuss if I go there. I’m a monster after all.」
『But I’m wearing a Machina. I’d say I’m already plenty intimidating.』
「Even if you’re wearing a Machina, you’re still human inside there. I, however, am a bona fide monster. Which one of us do you think they’ll trust more?」
Damar pointed at me and then at himself.「You get it, right?」he asked.
『You’re not a monster, but a skeleton.』
「That’s the point! I’m just bones. Have you ever seen a talking skeleton before?」
His skull’s hollow eye sockets stared at me. Well, a moving and talking skeleton was certainly the stuff of horrors. There were people who cosplayed skeleton characters back in my age, but they didn’t go to the extent of shaving all the flesh in their bodies. That was impossible in the first place.
『Nope. You’re the first one I’ve met, in fact.』
As I replied, my head unit emitted an orange glow.
「Well then, show me what you’ve got, Captain. If rumors are to be believed, you can effortlessly take down your opponents in a fistfight without using any weapons. Well, can you?」
『I’m not particularly proud of those rumors you know?』
I opened and closed my fists successively. Alright.
I left my luggage nearby and I moved out wearing my light blue Machina unit.
I gradually accelerated while traversing a gentle slope. A gauge indicating my current running speed was displayed in the corner of my field of vision.
According to my broken memories, I used to be a soldier. My ability to use this Machina freely was also cultivated through intense training and actual combat.
However, that’s already a story from a now-ancient and forgotten past. The cause was unknown, but there was a huge gap between the past age I lived in and the current one due to our civilization being nearly annihilated about 800 years ago.
That meant I can actually be considered quite ancient, but for some reason, I’m still alive.
And so, since I found myself alive and kicking against all odds, I figured I’ll just try to live a good life in this era.
That’s why I enlisted Damar’s help and am now freely making my way in the present age. However, I was practically a rootless vagabond without any home to call my own.
The Kotetsu’s figure gradually entered my field of vision.
Just as Damar said, it was a familiar old-model Machina. I’ve never seen one that looked so dull and weathered, but I suppose the entire paint job’s already peeled off of it.
The reason it was moving now was probably due to someone somehow managing to clear its voiceprint authentication after the Kotetsu waited for so long on autopilot.
The Kotetsu turned toward me in response to the sound of my approach.
However, it was too late.
I gave it a kick with all my built-up momentum and weight behind it and hit the Kotetsu right on its abdomen.
The thick armor plating unique to old-model units managed to withstand my kick, but the Kotetsu wasn’t able to absorb the impact entirely and was blown away.
With a reverberating thud, I landed on the ground and turned my gaze toward the entrance to the tavern that was my original objective.
「Who goes there!? Show yourself!」
That’s when a high-pitched voice rang inside my ears.
I’d be quite sorry if she was just a regular customer, but judging from the convo we eavesdropped on earlier, she was anything but.
I slowly approached her without feeling any pressure. My unit’s biosensor scanned the enemy before me and provided information such as her weapons, but it honestly didn’t matter.
「Huh!? What’s a stray Mail doing in a place like this? ……Hey–」
The woman was bewildered at first but acted all confident again soon after. In response to her call, the Kotetsu moved in to protect her.
Machines, similar to tools, did not have any means to choose their masters. That fact remained unchanged, just like it was in the past.
The earth rumbled and dust was kicked up into the air as the Kotetsu rushed toward me with hostile intent. It looked like it had identified its opponent as another Machina after my earlier blow. Hence, it probably intended to pierce me with its fist that was powered with the force of gravity and its own weight.
I lightly twisted my body to avoid the metal fist, and the resulting impact caused large cracks to appear on the ground around me.
In response to its dull movements, I jumped up, maneuvered in the air, and proceeded to kick the Kotetsu’s right arm.
That resulted in it getting ripped away from the elbow down and falling to the ground in a shower of sparks. I then aimed at its now-wide open neck joint due to the earlier impact and stabbed it with a knifehand strike.
『You can rest now.』
A Machina’s neck joint was thinly armored due to its humanoid appearance, and this was a clear weakness that can be exploited in melee combat between Armored Infantry.
I twisted my knifehand and cut off the wiring system that ran outside the frame. The Kotestsu collapsed on its knees, resembling a human who had their neck broken. The enemy signature displayed on my radar disappeared, signifying that the Kotetsu was now well and truly “dead”.
The woman who had witnessed the entire scene cried out hoarsely.
「W-What are you doing!? H-Hurry and crush this lunkhead already!」
『That…… armor will no longer move anymore.』
I turned around and looked straight at the terrified woman.
「A Living Mail is speaking……!?」
That sounded really strange to me. Machinas were originally designed and made to be used directly by humans, so it was only natural for speech to be heard from them if they were in active use.
I still didn’t know even a shred of society’s common sense. Instead, this was actually the first time I came into contact with a present-age human. There wasn’t a way for me to adequately know what was considered normal in this age based on common sense during my era and the limited information I’d heard from my bony friend.
In any case, that doesn’t matter right now.
『I’m actually starving right now. So, don’t waste any more of my time. Scram.』
「Hiii!?」
When I raised my fists and took a combat stance, the unshaven man dropped his sword in fear.
It seemed that the presence of the Kotetsu was what gave them most of their confidence. The woman’s expression soured. She clicked her tongue and slowly backed away with one hand placed on the hilt of her rapier.
「You better remember this…… You won’t get away lightly from making a fool out of– Giiih?」
She was unable to finish her cliché-sounding lines. Before she knew it, the steel blade of a sword suddenly sprang out of her chest.
It was a thrust that avoided bone and directly pierced the heart. The woman fell to the ground while convulsing and coughing up blood before expiring shortly afterward.
「W-Wait! Mercy– Gyaaah!」
Next to her, blood bloomed out of the unshaven man’s neck like a flower.
The tavern’s guards with cloth wrapped around their lower faces swung their swords without hesitation and claimed the lives of the two bandits as I looked on while thinking about just how hungry I was.
***
TL Notes:
Hi guys. SFBaka here. As you know, I am currently dealing with Type-2 diabetes and need some assistance with my monthly meds. I would really appreciate it if you guys can support me through PayPal or Patreon so I can continue delivering even more chapters of your favorite SF-themed WNs without worrying about all the medical expenses. I will make sure to make it worth your while by giving you guys consistent quality content. Thank you and stay healthy.
Uchuu Kaizoku Translations 
good on them for doing the deed themselves.
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