Prototype: Isekai'd

Chapter 21

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"Why should I fear death? If I am, death is not. If death is, I am not. Why should I fear that which can only exist when I do not?"

- Your local cockroach when faced with a human

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"Oh wow, they've got a whole goddamn military operation going on here!"

Yuri watched the militaristic scene in front of him unfold before his very eyes. Dozens of magically-powered aircraft descended from the skies, dropping off what seemed to be soldiers equipped with magic assault rifles to his view. In the farther distance, military equipment could be seen being set up hastily by dozens of military personnel disembarking from large cargo trucks that hovered over the ground.

"What the hell is happening--wait, are tho-are those ARTILLERY PIECES?! The fuck?! Are they going to turn this place into Verdun?! Is there a war happening?!"

What seemed to be literal modern magical howitzers were being set up by the dozens after their parts were unpacked from the cargo trucks before. Before he knew it, they've already set up an entire line of them, already aimed somewhere on the other opposite distance.

"Oh my fucking god--I need to see where they're gonna strike."

Sprinting through the treelines at fast speeds, he then activated "Hunt," allowing him to easily scan his surroundings. So far, he's seen nothing interesting apart from the occasional military aircraft flying above him and their occupants.

"They're aimed at a somewhat fifty or seventy degree angle so I guess they're pretty far? I don't know ballistics well enough, and it's gonna be boring to consume someone who actually does."

'This is why I don't consume every living being I come across when I have the chance. Either I just want a challenge because effort doesn't apply to my current self, or I just don't want their memories. I feel awful thinking about them. I don't want to inherit their goddamn trauma or their thoughts when they happily commit a crime against humanity. It really makes me want to destroy the entire world because of it.'

'I also don't want to lose my original self when I've consumed like hundreds or thousands of people. I don't want to literally end up like that unironic edgelord Mercer who's decided to become evil because he "was" or something--no. I just want to go around and do stupid things to entertain myself, or just follow that made-up goal of mine where I become a god-praising nutjob for shits and giggles.'

'It's better to be fully myself than myself being... fullied? Wait, that sounded wrong.'

For a few more moments, he continued on searching for their targets, until he detected multiple signatures using the "Hunt" ability at the moment when he activated it for the second time. He looked at the strange mysterious group standing in the middle of nowhere, surrounded only by grass and an atmosphere that literally screams badass to him. Hiding in the bushes, he then observed them stealthfully with clear eyes.

"Who the hell are those guys? They're just standing there... menacingly."

Taking a closer look at them, he felt butterflies in his stomach when he recognized one of their faces.

"Oh... OH WOW! HIM?! SWORD GUY?! THE VILLAINS?!" 'What was his name again?' "What the fuck are THEY doing here?!"

His thoughts went all over the place about this villain group he previously encountered back at the now destroyed underground market. A powerful group like this, in the middle of a flatgrass area, seemingly waiting for something to arrive. On the other side, an entire army is being set up, their cannons facing at the area where the group was. After connecting the dots, he reached to a conclusion.