Long time no see

Clang! Shing!

On an uninhabited asteroid, Rover and Aemeath piloted the Tunneler, repeatedly swinging its long blade at the black mech Aleph-1 had modified.

"Scan complete. Target identified as the Tunneler. Its chassis and handheld weapon both show wear and deterioration compared to their condition on Solaris centuries ago. Only its core has been enhanced."

After several exchanges, Aleph-1 delivered an accurate assessment.

The Tunneler's current condition baffled Aleph-1.

"The inability to retrieve all the 'parts' scattered across Lahai Luo in a short time is understandable, but why is the weapon in its hand even smaller than before?"

In Aleph-1's memories, the Tunneler had sealed Aleph-1 away centuries ago with a Greatsword, not the barely serviceable blade it wielded now.

"How could an emotionless thing like you possibly understand any of this? Explaining it to you would be a waste of breath!"

Clang!

Aemeath clearly had no desire to waste words on Aleph-1. She simply kept swinging the sword, attacking the hunk of metal before her.

Naturally, she had also seen Mo Bai being absorbed by Aleph-1's true body earlier.

That was why she was so anxious now.

Even knowing that she had never met him before, she could not stand by and do nothing—not when Mo Bai had come to her and Rover's side to fight the Threnodian.

And...

When he had been taken away, a sudden pang had shot through her heart.

That was not how she should have felt at losing a stranger or a temporary comrade.

"Agitation. This is the drawback of having a heart."

Aleph-1's voice rang out again, and the mech the Tunneler had been holding down began to move.

Aemeath's earlier movements at the Tunneler's controls had been swift and powerful, her fierce assault forcing the black mech back again and again.

But