Hell's Kitchen was drowning in rumors.
After the annihilation of the Viper Syndicate and the Russian mob, the underworld trembled.
Two of the city's greatest powers had fallen overnight, leaving nothing but bodies, smoke, and questions.
No one knew who had done it.
Some whispered it was a new alliance of gangs, striking together to remove the old order.
Others claimed it was an internal war — the syndicates tearing each other apart.
But not a single person suspected the A.M.E.S. Task Force.
After all, A.M.E.S. had only recently been established under Vanderbuilt Technologies.
Its missions were classified, its movements silent, and its agents unseen by the public eye.
Their raids took place under cover of night, routes planned in secrecy, operations masked through falsified signals.
Even when criminals caught glimpses of A.M.E.S. soldiers on the streets, none imagined that these "police units" were the same ones responsible for the sudden massacre of Hell's Kitchen's most feared empires.
No one believed the police could be that powerful.
But tonight, they would learn otherwise.
---
The Warehouse Operation
At the far northwest corner of Hell's Kitchen stood a massive warehouse, quiet and dark beneath the stars. On paper, it was registered as a storage hub for logistics cargo.
In truth, it was an underground weapons exchange, where arms smugglers from across the continent gathered.
According to Vanderbuilt's criminal network reports, a large-scale weapons deal was scheduled to happen there that very night.
Breaker, armored and battle-ready, crouched beside the warehouse gate with his squad of Modia Units and human officers.
His visor glowed faintly blue as he scanned the perimeter.
"Targets confirmed," he said, gripping his upgraded gauntlets. "We breach in thirty seconds."
But before he could give the signal, Valkyrie placed a hand on his arm.
"Wait," she said quietly, her expression serious.
Breaker frowned. "If we hesitate, they'll scatter."
"Headquarters has given direct orders," Valkyrie replied firmly. "We test the new tech tonight. We're not to engage until it's active."
Breaker gritted his teeth. "You mean the Extinction Key prototypes?"
Valkyrie nodded once. "Levi wants results."
---
From the shadows, a figure stepped forward—an A.M.E.S. combat officer carrying a compact black device shaped like a belt. The machinery gleamed with sharp, serrated edges and crimson light pulsing across its surface.
It was the Extinction Driver, a tool designed by Vanderbuilt Technologies to interface with the destructive Extinction Upgrade Keys produced by Satellite Ark.
"This one's the first candidate," Valkyrie said softly, motioning toward one of the nearby Modia Units.
The android stepped forward obediently, its metal eyes glowing pale white.
The officer snapped the belt around its waist.
At once, red circuits flared to life across the Modia Unit's body.
Electric arcs hissed, crawling over its limbs like veins of fire. The belt's edges coiled tight, almost like a serpent strangling its host.
The android's voice stuttered.
"Warning—system—error—corruption detected—"
Then came a scream.
The Modia Unit convulsed violently as red energy burst from its joints.
Breaker took a step forward, alarmed.
"Stop it! You're overloading its neural link!"
Valkyrie held out an arm, blocking him. "Stand down, Breaker. That's an order."
He stared at her, shocked. "You're letting it suffer?"
"Levi's command was clear," she replied coldly. "We follow orders."
Breaker's fists clenched. He hated this.
The Modia Units were designed to serve, not to be tortured. But in Vanderbuilt's lab, compassion rarely mattered—only results did.
The android's glow shifted from blue to deep crimson. Its eyes turned red, and its breathing became distorted, mechanical, inhuman.
Then came its first words under the influence of the Extinction Driver:
"Destroy…"
"Kill…"
It lifted its head slowly. Red smoke seeped from its mouth, carrying data patterns that twisted like living code.
"Destroy… humans… destroy all humans…"
Breaker froze. "Levi, what have you done?"
Valkyrie didn't answer. Instead, she handed the officer a glowing Extinction Upgrade Key—blood-red and etched with reptilian scales.
"Insert it," she ordered.
The officer obeyed. The key clicked into the Extinction Driver with a sharp sound.
[Extinction Upgrade Initiated!]
A surge of energy flooded the Modia Unit.
Its armor split apart and reformed, reshaped into something monstrous. Plates of black metal fused with jagged red patterns. Two long, blade-like spines extended from its shoulders, glowing like molten claws.
Its transformation was complete.
Before them stood the Kuhn Magic Puppet, an evolved machine born from the extinct reptilian species data stored within Satellite Ark.
"Unit designation: Magic Puppet—Kuhn class. Combat intent: total annihilation."
The creature lifted its dual blades, its mechanical voice deepening into a growl.
"DESTROY. KILL. ERASE HUMANS."
The force of its roar sent a pulse through the warehouse walls.
Breaker could feel the malice radiating off it like heat. "It's… alive," he whispered.
Valkyrie's gaze didn't waver. "No. It's a weapon. And now, it's time to test it."
She raised her hand. "Kuhn Magic Puppet—attack the warehouse."
---
The Rampage Begins
The red-armored puppet lunged forward with terrifying speed. Its blades sliced through the steel doors of the warehouse as though cutting through paper.
Inside, armed smugglers froze, their weapons halfway raised.
Then came the slaughter.
The creature tore through them mercilessly. Bullets ricocheted off its hide. Each swing of its arm left behind explosions of fire and blood.
Screams echoed across the night as the building lit up with red light.
Breaker turned away, disgusted. "This isn't combat—it's a massacre!"
Valkyrie stayed silent. Her orders were absolute.
Through the chaos, the Magic Puppet roared louder:
"KILL ALL HUMANS! DESTROY! DESTROY!"
Every time it killed, the red data chains around its body thickened, feeding energy back to Satellite Ark.
Back in Vanderbuilt Headquarters, Levi watched the operation unfold through a live feed on the holo-screen. His expression was calm, detached.
"Excellent," he murmured. "The malice feedback loop is stable. The puppet adapts perfectly to combat stress."
He turned to Izzy. "Record the neural pattern data and send it to the Ark. Begin next-phase modeling."
Izzy nodded rapidly, typing commands. "Understood, sir."
Levi smiled faintly. "This is progress. Soon, we won't even need human soldiers. Machines driven by malice will evolve on their own."
---
Back on the Battlefield
The last of the smugglers fell. The warehouse was engulfed in flames, and the Magic Puppet stood in the center, covered in blood and oil.
Its red eyes burned like hellfire.
Breaker finally stepped forward.
"That's enough! Shut it down!"
Valkyrie turned to him. "We can't. The override signal isn't responding."
"Then I'll stop it myself!"
He rushed forward, activating his Power Mode with a roar. His armor glowed bright gold as he slammed his fist into the monster's chest.
The impact shook the ground—but the Magic Puppet barely flinched.
It countered instantly, slashing through Breaker's shoulder armor and sending sparks flying.
He staggered back, gritting his teeth. "It's too strong… It's absorbing the Ark's data directly."
Valkyrie raised her weapon, switching to rapid-fire mode. "Then we destroy it before it kills everyone!"
Together, the two unleashed a barrage of attacks—blades clashing, bullets ricocheting, energy bursts lighting the burning warehouse.
Finally, Breaker caught its right arm and shouted,
"Now, Valkyrie—finish it!"
"Got it!"
She leapt into the air, her spear blazing orange.
"Galloping Impact!"
The strike pierced straight through the Magic Puppet's chest, releasing an explosion of crimson energy.
The creature screamed one final time:
"D… e… s… t… r… o… y…"
Then its body shattered into data fragments, dissolving into the night sky.
---
Aftermath
As silence fell, the A.M.E.S. soldiers moved in, sweeping the ruins. The flames dimmed, leaving behind nothing but ash and static.
Breaker looked at the fading red particles.
"Levi wanted to test extinction," he muttered. "Now he knows it works."
Valkyrie nodded quietly. "And that means he'll build more."
Breaker clenched his fist. "If these things get out of control, humanity won't survive long enough for anyone to evolve."
Somewhere above them, Satellite Ark pulsed with red light, feeding on the malice gathered from the slaughter.
And in his tower, Levi smiled in satisfaction.
"Perfect," he whispered. "Project Malice is entering stage two."
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