Max's visor auto-identified it.
[Battle Titan-Class Machine Detected]
His stomach twisted. Titan-class? Just my luck…
[Black Titan]
A combat-class robot designed for security, meant to counter looters that entered the facility.
The machine's head turned toward him, its optics burning like miniature suns. It let out a deep, synthetic snarl, lowering itself into an aggressive stance. Its massive forearm cannons hummed to life, locking onto him.
"Move!" Max shouted, diving behind cover as the machine opened fire. A barrage of plasma bolts tore through the air, incinerating the metal walls behind him.
The Ravager roared in defiance, charging forward and unleashing its mounted energy cannon. The blast struck the Titan's armor, but it barely left a mark. Instead, the larger machine retaliated with a devastating swipe, sending the Ravager crashing into a nearby wall.
Max winced. That's not good.
The Stalker took this chance to attack, decloaking behind the Titan and striking at its exposed joints with surgical precision. Sparks flew as it managed to carve through some plating, but before it could retreat, the Titan whipped around with terrifying speed.
With one powerful swing, it sent the Stalker flying, slamming it against the corridor wall. The cloaked machine twitched, struggling to get up.
Max cursed. He was outmatched. Fighting an Apex Titan head-on wasn't an option—he needed to think fast.
His eyes darted around the area, searching for something—anything—that could give him an advantage.
"Okay just something that could prevent me from using magic" Max thought as he looked around, he has formed his mana core allowing him to use magic even in this body, but he don't want to in this sci fi world and instead want to rely on tech in this world , Then, his Focus picked up something promising:
[Overload Conduits Detected – High Voltage Discharge Capable]
A smirk tugged at Max's lips. That'll do.
He quickly activated his wrist interface, remotely accessing the facility's power grid. As the Titan advanced, charging another blast, Max tapped a final command.
[Overload Initiated]
Electricity surged through the conduits above, crackling like an approaching thunderstorm. Before the Titan could react, lightning arced from the ceiling, striking its armored frame.
The machine let out a distorted howl, its systems short-circuiting as electricity coursed through its body. Sparks erupted from its joints, and for the first time, it staggered.
"Now's my chance!" Max sprang into action, drawing his energy spear and leaping onto the stunned machine. With all his strength, he drove the weapon into the exposed core on its back.
The Titan convulsed violently, its corrupted energy surging wildly. Its optics flickered erratically before—
BOOM.
The explosion rocked the entire bunker, sending Max flying backward. He hit the ground hard, rolling to absorb the impact. Smoke and fire filled the corridor as the Titan's remains crackled with unstable energy.
For a moment, everything was silent. Then, a single message flashed on his Focus:
[Hostile Neutralized]
Max let out a breathless chuckle. "Well… that was fun."
As the dust settled, he pushed himself up, checking on his machines. The Ravager was battered but still functional. The Stalker, though damaged, managed to rise as well.
"Alright," he muttered, patting the Ravager. "Let's get out of here before something else wakes up."
With the bunker still shaking from the battle, Max grabbed his data drive and made his way toward the exit—knowing full well that whatever Project Titan was, he had only scratched the surface.
Returning back to his base, Max began to look through the files as he coughed.
"Wow, even at the end of the world, there were still some idiots thinking about making weapons," Max muttered as he stared at the file.
Project Titan was created by a scientist involved in Project Zero Dawn. They used the last remaining parts of Hades and Hephaestus, two sub-AIs repurposed for destruction and advanced tool production, to create another AI-driven Titan. This AI was solely focused on weaponizing Weapons of Mass Destruction—like the Black Titan inside the facility.
"Hm, but isn't that a good thing for me?" he mused, deciding to go back to the facility. According to the records, the Titan AI was still in its core containment unit.
"Hm, System, can I install a powerful command tool to let me override it?" Max asked.
[That will cost 1200 UP.]
"Okay, great," he muttered, beginning to plan his return. However, according to the archives, there were over hundreds of Guard Titans stationed on the path leading to Titan Heart—the Core of the Titan AI.
Max exhaled sharply, staring at the screen.
"Hundreds of Guard Titans… That's a damn army."
Even with his overrides and combat enhancements, taking on that many high-grade machines head-on was suicide. He needed a strategy.
"Alright, let's break this down," he muttered, rubbing his chin.
The facility's blueprints showed multiple access points. The main entrance was heavily fortified, with automated turrets and layered security barriers. However, there was an old maintenance shaft on the eastern side—its power readings were unstable, suggesting it hadn't been used in years.
"A potential weak point."
Max pulled up his system interface.
[System, analyze possible infiltration routes.]
[Processing…]
[Recommended Route: Maintenance Shaft - Risk Level: Medium]
[Detected Hazards: Structural Instability, Automated Drone Patrols, Possible Corrupt AI Presence]
"Better than charging in like an idiot." He smirked.
Packing his gear, he made sure to bring extra energy cells and a backup hacking module. His Stealth Mode Cyberware would help, but prolonged use drained his energy reserves too fast. He needed to be quick and precise.
As he stood at the base's exit, he gave one last glance at his Stalker unit, which was crouched nearby like a loyal hunting beast.
"Guess it's time for another round of machine hunting," he muttered before heading toward the facility.
The journey back to the facility was uneventful, but the tension in Max's mind never eased. He moved swiftly, using his Stealth Mode Cyberware to avoid unnecessary fights. The Titan Heart was the real prize—wasting energy on lower-tier machines would only make things harder.
As he reached the perimeter, he crouched behind a fallen structure, scanning the area.
[Facility Perimeter: Guard Titans Detected – 12 Units]
***
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