Three of the communication devices belonged to the Rustjaw gang, while the other two were linked to RedHawk. His fingers danced across the screens, moving between them almost gracefully. The flowing messages were digital echoes of the chaos in the city. Some were filled with curses, others called for help, while some contained plans focused on the next target.
Suddenly, Raven snapped his fingers. One of his eyes narrowed sharply and highlighted a message.
“Add ‘fuck’ to the end of that sentence.”
ION silently executed the command.
He then pointed to another message, this time with a more mocking tone in his voice.
“There you go again, playing nun! Come on, be a little rude!”
ION gave no response. Silence wasn’t a choice—it was a necessity. All of its active nanites were working at full capacity.
Some of the nanites were mapping the real-time locations of gang members in the city through the [MSS-14] Multi-Spectrum Scanning System, while others were infiltrating communication networks via the [VIRUS-9] Vector Intrusion Relay for Uplink Synchronization, sending messages from hacked devices or manipulating the flow of information through redirected data.
The city was burning underneath. Clashes had erupted on every corner, in every neighborhood. The sounds of fighting, exploding devices, and screams formed a kind of background score. A faint smile played on Raven’s lips, as if he were watching an opera of chaos. But anyone who looked closely into his eyes would see a disciplined, lethal seriousness beneath the surface.
Moments later, ION’s voice echoed in his mind like a metallic whisper:
“You can move now.”
Raven instinctively tucked the devices into the inner pocket of his jacket and grabbed his bag. Without wasting a second, he descended from the rooftop. The cold, slightly damp night air hit his face. Some of the streetlights were out, others flickered dimly. He moved swiftly through the city’s patchwork of neon-lit and shadow-drenched streets. ION’s directions appeared in his mind in real time, and he followed them with military precision.
As he passed through some streets, he saw Rustjaw and RedHawk members clashing. Broken glass, broken heads, everything that could be broken was broken.… But one thing was clear: Rustjaw had the upper hand—larger in number and better organized. The gang war would end soon, which meant Raven was running out of time.
He finally reached the mouth of the alley he had been heading for. Waiting in the shadows, he paused for ION’s final check.
“Okay. No one’s around.”
As soon as he got the all-clear, he sprang into action. Quickening his steps, he rolled his eyes slightly when he saw the familiar neon sign on the corner of the street:
Drail’s Tech Shop
As he pushed open the door and stepped inside, the scent of rusted scrap, old oil, and burnt circuitry hit him like a slap. This was Drail’s infamous tech shop—though calling it a “shop” was perhaps giving it too much credit.
He headed straight for the targets ION had marked. He moved among the shelves, tossing specific devices and scrap parts into his bag. Just like the last time he’d come here, he heard the toilet flush. Moments later, Drail emerged with groggy eyes from the bathroom door.
Raven ignored him. His hands were already placing a new battery into his bag.
But for Drail, this was a different story. His eyes widened in fear, and he hurriedly grabbed the old doormat from behind the door, pointing it at Raven like a weapon.
“You're here to steal again, you bastard?! I’m calling Rustjaw right now! You’re dead, asshole!”
At that exact moment, ION’s voice echoed in Raven’s mind:
”[LST-08] Localized System Termination Unit active. We have 3 minutes.”
Even though ION’s voice was only in Raven’s head, its effect spread through the entire shop. The communicator in Drail’s ear crackled and died. The devices in Raven’s pockets went silent. Every small electronic part on the shelves shut down, one by one. A deep silence and tension filled the room.
Raven walked slowly toward Drail. Drail, panicked, fiddled with the communicator in his ear but got no response. Raven calmly reached out, took the device, dropped it on the ground, and crushed it under his heel. Metal and plastic crunched beneath his boot as Drail just trembled.
Raven turned back to the scrap pile. As he jammed a bundle of wires into his bag, Drail spoke—his voice shaky but defiant:
“Aren’t you ashamed of stealing, huh?”
Raven turned slightly, raising one eyebrow. His eyes locked onto Drail’s for a brief second. Then he shook his head and resumed searching.
“You build weapons for the Rustjaw pricks, you dumbass.”
Drail flinched at the words. His hands still clutched the mat, but now it was more of a shield than a weapon.
“I have no choice! Do you even know what they’d do to me if I didn’t work for them?!”
Raven tossed a small module into the air, caught it, then hurled it at Drail. It hit the wall and clattered to the floor.
“Yeah? And do you know what they do to people with the weapons you build for them, you piece of shit?!”
ION’s full list of required scraps was secured. Raven slung the bag over his shoulder and headed for the door. Right before leaving, he turned to Drail, curled all his fingers except the middle one.
“We’re both bad guys. But I’ve got a robot in my head—which makes me the super bad guy! You? You’re just a forgettable side villain. So long, dickhead!”
He swung the door open and stepped out. His breath steamed in the chilly night air. He picked up the pace—he knew Drail’s gear was only temporarily disabled. Even if it was fried, the shop was full of devices. It was only a matter of time before he tipped off Rustjaw.
Raven dashed through the alley, reaching the junction with the main street. At that moment, a question flared in his mind.
“You’re sure that fat woman at the ticket booth isn’t there, right ION?! If she’s there, this whole plan goes to hell!”
ION’s voice poured into his mind, this time with a sarcastic calm:
“Yes. I’ve hacked her phone too. She took time off because you beat up her husband. Someone else is on duty.”
Raven checked his watch. He still had an hour before the train departed. The routes, the crossings, the escape probabilities he’d mapped out… everything was running like clockwork.
“Nice!” he shouted, his voice a mix of relief and the thrill of impending chaos.
He quickened his steps toward the station stairs. In the distance, the red neon letters atop the terminal were blinking. Just as he was passing a side alley, a metallic voice shattered his focus, booming in his mind:
“Dodge.”
ION’s voice wrapped around Raven’s brain like a red alert. He moved on reflex—no time to think. His feet struck the ground, then he hurled his body forward. Rolling across the narrow stone pavement, he could feel the wind graze his lower back—something had nearly clipped his neck.
He landed on his feet before hitting the ground fully, quickly regaining balance. But when he turned around, his eyes widened in horror.
A two-meter-tall shadow blocked the alley.
The man—or whatever could still be called a “man”—had not a single hair on his head. No scalp, no eyebrows, no eyelashes. Just smooth, cold skin. But the most striking thing were his arms—both were bionic. Not rusty steel or junkyard-grade scraps. These were polished, flawless mechanical limbs, gleaming under the dim light like chrome sculptures.
And on his face… an orange mask. A thick metal jawpiece that started under his chin and reached up to his cheekbones. It wasn’t just for show. That mask completed the face.
Kornath “Jaws” Vos.
This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Leader of the Rustjaw gang. Former champion of the blood-soaked Black Pit Fight Arena. A monster who’d crushed countless fighters in the ring and showed the crowd what victory really looked like.
And now he stood directly in front of Raven.
“I knew I’d find you here, you little shit!” Kornath bellowed.
His voice was metallic. Cold, emotionless, unsettling. The mask didn’t move. His jaw didn’t twitch. The voice seemed to come straight from a modulator—stripped of all feeling, mechanical as death.
Raven immediately dropped into a stance. He didn’t bother to hide his thoughts.
“Cool mask.” he said with mockery.
Kornath’s reply was a punch that shook the air itself.
A downward strike so forceful it scattered pressure like an explosion. Raven narrowly dodged, throwing himself to the side as ION’s commands flashed like lightning in his mind:
“[CQC-11] Close Quarters Combat Support Module activated. [NRC-15] Neurochemical Regulator activated. [TAM-18] Tactical Analysis Module activated. [IRM-10] Internal Rhythm Manipulator activated.”
“Wait, you want me to fight that thing?!” Raven shouted, breath coming in short gasps. The asphalt had shattered where the punch landed.
“Yes! We don’t have a choice. Fight.”
ION’s voice was clear. Commanding. Non-negotiable.
Raven wasn’t dodging anymore—he was running. Kornath’s every step shook the pavement as he pursued Raven like a predator.
“Stop talking to yourself and fight me, you rat!” Kornath growled.
His words were full of rage, but the robotic monotone couldn’t carry it. That only made it more terrifying.
Gasping, Raven reached for his bag. His right hand slipped into the Super Punchinator.
“That shitty glove’s not gonna save you!” Kornath snarled.
But those words shifted Raven’s face. His brows furrowed. His lips tightened with resolve.
He closed the distance between them fast. Kornath charged in return. Two shadows sprinted toward collision.
ION kept feeding commands:
“Feint right. His right arm is heavier—use the imbalance.”
Raven lunged to the right. Kornath followed, but Raven abruptly slid left. Just as ION said, Kornath’s right arm was heavier. His body lost balance for a brief second.
“It’s not called a ‘shitty glove’…”
Raven grabbed Kornath’s left arm with his right hand. The glove’s lights flared. Blue sparks of electricity surged along the bionic joint. Kornath’s left arm shuddered.
“It’s called… the Goddamn Anti-Dickhead Super Punchinator!”
ION // SYSTEM FEEDBACK — [Session: 0009| Operator: Raven Karr]
Interface: ION_v4.6.1_β // Connection Stable [?]
[?] [MSS-14] Multi-Spectrum Scanning System
- Operational Efficiency: 14.0% (↑2.9%)
- Primary Function:
→ Detects Myralite density fluctuations
→ Identifies biological threats and contaminants
→ Locates electronic traps and signal irregularities
- Critical Limitation:
→ Available Maximum range: 1 km
→ Operates at 4.3% efficiency in passive scan mode
[?] [CQC-11] Close Quarters Combat Support Module
- Operational Efficiency: 9.2% (↑2.8%)
- Primary Function:
→ Enhances close-quarters combat performance via predictive enemy movement mapping and dynamic muscle memory augmentation.
→ Utilizes neuromotor feedback loops to refine reaction speed and execution precision in real time
- Side Effect:
→ Induced neural strain resulting in moderate to severe cranial discomfort (See Incident Report #A2-02)
[?] [TAM-18] Tactical Analysis Module
- Operational Efficiency: 11.4% (↑2.7%)
- Primary Function:
→ Executes rapid threat assessment using pattern recognition and biomechanical weakness detection
→ Outputs real-time tactical suggestions based on opponent posture, movement patterns, and structural vulnerabilities
- Sample Algorithm Output:
→ “Target #X exhibits instability in the left knee joint. Optimal strike angle: Y°”
[?] [VIRUS-9] Vector Intrusion Relay for Uplink Synchronization
- Operational Efficiency: 9.2% (↑3.8%)
- Primary Function:
→ Establishes simultaneous uplinks to 240+ target devices
→ Identifies and exploits encryption vulnerabilities in real time
→ Chains through compromised nodes to deepen network penetration
→ Executes stealth data breaches and remote protocol overrides
- Critical Limitation:
→ Energy draw scales exponentially with active links
→ Susceptible to signal noise in high-saturation zones
→ Traceability increases after prolonged continuous activity
[?] [LST-08] Localized System Termination Unit
- Operational Efficiency: 9.8% (↑2.6%)
- Primary Function:
→ Emits short-range electromagnetic pulses to disable nearby electronic systems
→ Effective against unsecured or unshielded devices within a localized radius
- Critical Limitation:
→ High power output causes rapid internal heat buildup
→ Ineffective against shielded or hardened circuitry
[?] [IRM-10] Internal Rhythm Manipulator
- Operational Efficiency: 6.8% (↑2.6%)
- Primary Function:
→ Enhances attention span and focus capacity via brainwave synchronization
- Side Effect:
→ REM cycle irregularities; potential onset of prolonged insomnia syndrome
System Notice: Stated efficiency percentages apply only under conditions of full, synchronized nanite allocation to each individual module. Partial or multi-tasking deployments may result in fluctuating efficiency levels.
Raven // BODYCHECK
→ Seriously? This is what you’re wondering right now?
→ Right in the middle of a boss fight?
→ Wasn’t that long ION // SYSTEM FEEDBACK enough bullshit for today?
→ Some chrome-jawed bastard just called the Super Punchinator a “shitty glove” and tried to make abstract art out of Raven’s face.
→ You think there’s time for a cozy little gear rundown?
→ Okay, maybe you’re not that curious. Fair. It’s a webnovel, we’re only nine chapters in. The main character’s not gonna die yet, right?
→ I mean… maybe something interesting happens. No promises.
→ Now click on the next chapter button and get out of here!
Data logged. No escape. If you made it this far, Grimhaven either chewed you up or you’re just as stubborn as Raven. Comments, ratings, support… all sacrifices to the algorithm god. See you next chapter.
Or not—depends on whether Raven survives.