Cyber Era Witch
Chapter 479 - 427 Infinite Armor

Chapter 479: Chapter 427 Infinite Armor

On the outskirts of Anjiu City, the newly developed industrial park was essentially monopolized by Nestor Corporation, forming a contiguous manufacturing district to supply the military with firearms, bullets, and artillery.

Inside an armored maintenance workshop, Miyazato Kazama commanded her spirit bodies.

These spirit bodies, which she called "Worker Bees," looked like amber-colored translucent sprites with facial features similar to Miyazato Kazama’s. They were busy maintaining and tuning the damaged Witch Armor that the witches had swapped out, with Pan Ruiyi’s large and heavy black Armor being particularly eye-catching.

"Armor that can learn, let’s see what you’ve learned now," Miyazato Kazama murmured to herself, her eyes gleaming with an aggressive light as if she wanted to dismantle and devour the whole Armor.

Witch Researchers needed a deep understanding of mathematics and physics, and right now, Miyazato Kazama was also touching the edges of her own knowledge.

She watched three different terminal panels simultaneously, which respectively displayed battle simulation experiment programs, artificial intelligence deep learning statuses, and mechanics analysis diagrams, helping her continuously optimize and iterate Armor designs.

Researchers needed ample time and resources to convert sudden inspirations into practice, and Miyazato Kazama was grateful for the valuable opportunities she now had.

Combining human technology and witches’ power, the achievements created in her laboratory were truly priceless, and these self-adaptive Witch Armors that concentrated technical essences supported Battle Witches to shine on the front lines.

"How does it feel?" Lila connected to the workshop’s communication channel.

"Better than ever," Miyazato Kazama pressed the button to join the channel, speaking excitedly about the Armor, "The big fight with the Crystal People made these evolutionary armors even more agile and battle-ready. Every mark left from taking a hit and every crystal remnant that penetrated the Armor’s gaps made them smarter, and these records have been used to upgrade its built-in AI."

"They can follow the wearer’s combat style."

"Yes, now the Armors can repair themselves and adjust power in various parts to accommodate different battle specs. Besides, they possess the advantages of Nanometer Armor, Pale Legion Armor, and Powered Armor. I believe they’ve passed the tests and are ready to enter the production sequence," Miyazato Kazama said.

"Your work is admirable. How about your life? I saw your application; you want to investigate and contact other companies and laboratories for Witch Researchers."

"Of course, I want them to understand that there is a place in this world that allows them to freely develop their talents," Miyazato Kazama confidently stated, "Fraternity Company has a professional Witch Rescue Team that can bring them out of other companies."

"We will make contact," Lila said, "Perhaps we will also let our witches take action, rescue high-value witches from other companies, and have them join our ranks."

"Maybe that’s the way for witches to survive in this era," Miyazato Kazama said enthusiastically, "I’ve understood it, I’ve understood it all!"

"Understood what?"

"I mean," Miyazato Kazama composed herself after the initial excitement, organizing her thoughts clearly, "I realize that magic power, appearance, emotions... these unique characteristics distinguish witches from humans, making witches almost outsiders in society. But now we have a universal metric that can put witches and humans back on the same starting line—that’s ’labor.’ Witches and humans both create value through their labor. From this perspective, the differences between the two ’races’ are infinitely reduced, both competing to transform the world and develop themselves through the output of labor."

"A good perspective."

"The best outcome," Miyazato Kazama cheerfully remarked, "Lady Farosa can also use the Witch Council to stratify and grade witches, establishing laws, and she is fully capable of reigning over all witches. Nestor Corporation will also treat other witches as equal, ensuring fair treatment."

Wrong. Lila thought to herself. Miyazato Kazama got one thing wrong.

Witches skilled in production and logistics, even those of average ability or utterly useless, can indeed join the human order of production.

But what about Battle Witches? Any witch with a chance to rise to the pinnacle of power would not settle for less. Most witches, from birth, are driven by an inner longing to pursue great magic power, to congregate all great powers upon themselves. Undoubtedly, ambition is the primary nature of witches.

Hopefully, Lady Farosa can solve this rationally.

"Nestor Corporation will welcome more witches," Lila said.

"That would be for the best..." Miyazato Kazama greatly admired Nestor Corporation.

Based on principles of broad cooperation, joint participation, and emphasis on fairness, Nestor Corporation had become a large-scale cross-industry cooperative federation, covering military, agriculture, security, education, research, information services, and other sectors.

The advantages were evident: a highly integrated digital and information system maximized dispatching efficiency; comprehensive basic welfare allowed everyone to cast off mundane worries and focus on their work; a flat and low-hierarchy structure eliminated excess staff, becoming as compact and efficient as possible, allowing members to exhibit their talents during execution, eliminating traditional outside management.

In terms of forcefulness, they had demi-gods, supernatural beings, and magical items, meaning anyone wanting to hinder Nestor Corporation’s valuable progress to date had to prepare across all domains and levels, or else they would only invite calamity upon themselves.

"Back to the Armor; you are the designer of these Armors," Lila said, "You have the right to name them."

"Hmm... Nestor X-01 Type ’Infinite’ Class Witch Armor," Miyazato Kazama was prepared.

"Infinite Armor." Lila understood, "A fitting name."

"These military-grade Armors will become Nestor Corporation’s invincible equipment," Miyazato Kazama was satisfied, "What’s my next topic?"

"The previous battle with Qing Yao showed that we need to substantially increase the mobility of Battle Witches."

"The Iron Wing Propulsor is currently the most mature solution," Miyazato Kazama pondered, "I can research and replicate its lightweight version, more suitable for controlling mid-close range airspace. But lacking key materials, such as nickel-molybdenum-tungsten alloy, takes at least nine months to procure now."

"We’ll take care of the raw materials, don’t worry."

"Yes," Miyazato Kazama glanced at the time; it was time to get off work. She bid farewell to Lila and then made plans to dine out with Ai Katagiri.

Meanwhile, Lila finished her work and went to Xu Yang’s room. She took care of her master’s room, who had not returned home, tidied the house, and cleaned his office.

Many objects still retained the essence of their owner, which made Lila yearn deeply.

There was no doubt that, from the beginning to the end, Lila’s heart was overflowing with treasured memories and longing for her master, and this impeccable loyalty never faded with the passing of time.

But...

If her master didn’t return home, what was the point of a clean bed, neatly arranged bookshelves, and a tidy desk?

She wandered alone on the top floor of Shijin Mansion, whenever she gazed at the traces her master left all around the room, Lila would reminisce every moment spent with her master within her programs. At the same time, an irresistible force stamped a tag of sorrow in the data flow of her Mind Core Chip.

She was infinitely grateful that her master had cut her life in two, clearly dividing it into two halves, the first being torment and pain, and the latter being happiness and achievement. Compared with her master, Lila considered herself nothing but dust that could be obliterated at any moment. However, no precise calculations could predict when the master would return, and every second of separation made her feel ruled by nullity and the end.

The Little Fool quietly followed behind Lila, wherever Lila went, she followed, and when she stopped, the Little Fool stopped too. When her expression was sad, the Little Fool also bit her lip.

"What are you doing?" Lila turned to look at her.

"Quack, quack," the Little Fool pointed to her own mouth, signaling her desire for food and drink.

"Can you bring him back?" Lila asked, "Lila dares not ask the master for anything."

"Quack?" The Little Fool was puzzled.

"There will be milk," said Lila.

The Little Fool pondered and decided to fight for the sake of her own stomach.

She approached the terminal, and after tapping away on the keyboard for a while, she found Xu Yang’s secret channel. As she had been sitting in a fixed spot for a long time, observing the affairs of the world, she gradually became familiar with various matters.

The signal was sent, and soon communication began to establish.

"Hello?" Xu Yang had been busy all day with matters concerning Nestor Middle School and was planning to spend the night out, never imagining he’d receive a communication from his own office—one must be playing with his terminal.

"Gua, gua, gua, hang," the Little Fool said while gesticulating, as if that would emphasize her point.

Hearing the Little Fool’s childish language, Xu Yang felt something was odd and decided it was better to go back and check.

Once Xu Yang arrived back at Shijin Mansion, he returned to his beloved work and activities, which immediately calmed his busy heart. There sat the Little Fool, being proper at a table, and there was Lila, gently watching him.

"Welcome home, Master," Lila bowed at Xu Yang’s feet, looking up to her master with boundless reverence.

"Come on, Lila," said Xu Yang as he lifted her by the waist and headed to the bedroom.

The Little Fool watched them leave, sitting at the table, deep in thought.

...

At dawn, on an unnamed Kojima about one hundred nautical miles northeast of the Northern Archipelago, over five hundred people gathered.

The surf repeatedly lashed at the shore, boulders covered in moss were haphazardly scattered across the rugged beach, and flotsam brought by ocean currents piled up—an unfortunate gift to the island. Evergreens and shrubs grew wildly in the center of the island, and the rarely visited dense forest was full of vines and small lakes; only the oldest manuscripts recorded the location of this unnamed island.

These five hundred people were followers, the last of the followers, venerating an ancient and mighty god and performing a ritual here.

The prophet had foretold this moment, and the greatest among their sect had revealed the truth to them. Here on this Kojima, precise to this morning at 8:09 AM, they were to witness a spectacle that others could not even imagine.

They stepped out of their trinkets, technology products, and clothes, throwing them into the ocean, among the followers were many successful men and women who now forsook all, returning to a state of primal nothingness.

The followers formed lines along the coast, sitting or standing, listening to the sound in the wind, feeling how the spray from the powerful waves landed on their dry skin. They had fasted for five days, their souls nearly leaving their bodies.

——It was time.

Giant waves roared onto the shores of the uninhabited island, heralding the arrival of the Ancient God. The followers let out excited shouts, raising their hands high, using their skin to feel the sudden surge in temperature.

They shrieked, their eyes beginning to blink furiously due to pain and swelling, but they didn’t want to miss this spectacle.

Boom!

A blinding flash of golden red light burst forth as the magic formula for teleportation activated. Suddenly, a hundred-meter-tall giant appeared before them, its majestic silhouette making the followers cry out joyously. Its huge arms cradled another life that was close to death, and it turned its head to gaze at the hundreds of tiny humans standing on the beach, welcoming the brightest light in the world.

"Yan Duo—" It let out a fearful and piercing shriek, never imagining there would be so many insignificant humans standing, witnessing the most dazzling glare in the world.

Sparks exploded around, and the followers on the beach reveled and laughed as their fragile skin peeled away beneath the scorching heat, and their eyes exploded under the intense sun and glittering light, their long-standing wish finally fulfilled.

The towering giant, holding a posture of fear, retreated from the Kojima, leaping into the sea to continue its journey.

The surviving followers struggled to crawl in the direction the giant had fled, as if they were chasing a dream. One by one, they sank into the sea, knowing they had transcended all that was mundane and witnessed sights unseen, transcended and reached a higher, nobler realm, dying at dusk contentedly.