The Terror Spider lacked any kind of paint or polish. To streamline production, unimportant mechanical components were left exposed, while only the core areas—housing the battery and control chip—were reinforced with armor plating. Yet this didn't make it fragile. The exposed parts were deliberately non-critical, designed to ensure the robot could keep fighting even after sustaining damage. And with its overwhelming firepower, getting close to it was nearly impossible. Zack had packed every conceivable conventional weapon into this beast, from armor-piercing rounds to high-explosive bombs. The result was a devastatingly powerful relic of the gunpowder age, ready to dominate any battlefield.
"Alright, big brother, how are we doing this?" Annie asked as she hopped out of Tarantula, tilting her head smugly. "No matter how we compare, Tarantula is obviously the best." As if echoing her confidence, Tarantula displayed a heart-shaped smile on its emotional interface.
"Let's compare firepower," Zack said with a grin. He pointed to two hills in the distance, divided by the scars of a space-based cannon blast. "See those? Each one is about the same height—roughly 300 meters." He smirked. "Pick a hill. After ten minutes, whoever has the lower hilltop wins."
"Firepower?" Annie's confident grin faltered, her shoulders slumping as she eyed the Terror Spider's array of weaponry. The sight of its massive gun barrels didn't help her confidence. "Uh, big brother… How about we start with mobility instead?" Annie asked sheepishly.
"Mobility?" Zack knocked her lightly on the head with a knuckle. "You've got flight capabilities. How is that even a fair comparison?"
"Ow!" Annie rubbed her head, pouting. "Fine, I'll take the hill on the right," she grumbled, clearly feeling cornered.
"Perfect. I'll take the left," Zack said. With that, Zack gave the activation command. The Terror Spider, which had been dormant until now, came to life with the whir of servos and clanking metal. It immediately began ascending the hill, each step deliberate as it searched for the optimal firing position.
Annie, not to be outdone, climbed back into Tarantula. Her mech quickly took off, its boosters igniting as it sprinted up the other hill.
Zack reached a prime vantage point and called out, "Countdown starts now—three, two, one… go!" The moment he said "go," Tarantula leaped into the air, its propulsion wings unfolding to stabilize its flight. Hovering over the hill, Annie unleashed a barrage of firepower.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Missiles streaked through the air, detonating across the hilltop in a chain of explosions. The blasts echoed through the valley, scattering dust and debris. Meanwhile, the Terror Spider didn't bother with anything fancy. It firmly planted itself at a vantage point, transforming into a stationary weapon platform.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
A relentless hailstorm of armor-piercing shells, depleted Graphene rounds, high-explosive grenades, and micro-missiles poured down on the opposing hill. The sheer volume of firepower turned the mountainside into a fiery inferno, with smoke and rubble cascading down like a landslide. Even from miles away, the towering columns of black smoke and flashes of fire could be seen. Though the thick smoke obscured the actual damage, the rolling boulders and collapsing rock faces gave a clear indication of just how effective the assault was. "Big brother! This isn't fair!" Annie's voice crackled through the comms, tinged with frustration. "How am I supposed to compete with that thing?"
Zack grinned,. "Don't worry, Annie. I'm only using conventional weapons. If you're scared, feel free to admit defeat now."
"Scared?!" Annie huffed, clearly annoyed. "I'll never admit defeat!" She clenched her fists and shouted, "Tarantula, call the swarm!"
Moments later, a dark mass emerged on the horizon, flying rapidly toward the battlefield from NYC Base. The "swarm" was Annie's secret weapon—a fleet of micro-drones controlled by Tarantula. These drones were small, fast, and armed with everything from explosives to EMP devices. The design improvements were undoubtedly influenced by Zack. "Little Annie, calling in outside support… isn't that considered cheating?" Zack turned his head slightly, chuckling as the buzzing swarm approached.
"No… it doesn't count," Annie replied, her tone unconvincing. "The drones are part of Tarantula! They're… partners! Partners can't be considered cheating, right?" Her excuse was vague at best, but Zack didn't press the issue. Instead, he laughed heartily, the sound echoing through the barren mountain range.
Annie's swarm drones, however, were no laughing matter. As the first drone broke formation, it dived straight toward the hill Annie had chosen to attack.
Boom!
A thunderous explosion erupted on the hilltop, sending shockwaves across the valley. Even Zack, standing some distance away, felt the ground tremble beneath his feet.
Before the smoke cleared, the second drone followed.
Boom!
Annie's drones didn't swarm all at once; instead, they attacked in a calculated, sequential manner, maximizing the impact of each strike. Within moments, the hilltop had been flattened by several meters. "Looks like you're not going down without a fight, little Annie," Zack remarked with a grin. He gave a new command to the Terror Spider.
The machine, which had been firing relentlessly at the other hill, paused briefly, stepping forward with a heavy, metallic thud. It left a pile of spent shell casings in its wake.
As it leaned forward, armor panels on its back opened, revealing a sleek gun barrel. Though its caliber wasn't massive, the weapon exuded an intimidating presence. "Big brother! What is that?!" Annie's voice crackled through the comms, tinged with panic. "Why is Tarantula's alarm going off like crazy?!"
"Nothing to worry about," Zack replied casually, almost mockingly. "Just a little… self-detonating hydrogen battery." Nuclear weapons were far too destructive and messy for Zack's taste, but hydrogen-based explosives had been reworked into cleaner, more conventional options. Though slightly weaker than their predecessors, they packed enough punch to handle large-scale threats while keeping collateral damage manageable.
Hearing this, Annie froze. "A hydrogen battery?!" She immediately landed Tarantula and jumped out of the mech, stomping over toward Zack with an exasperated expression. "Alright, you win! I'm done!"
"Oh, giving up already?" Zack teased, raising an eyebrow as she trudged toward him, visibly defeated.
"Yes!" Annie huffed, lowering her head as she muttered, "You always cheat anyway…"
"Fine, no mushroom clouds today," Zack said with a laugh. He issued a command for the Terror Spider to stand down. The hydrogen battery had already been tested a few days ago, so there was no need to detonate it now. But as Zack looked at Annie, he noticed something off. Her usually cheerful demeanor seemed dimmed, and her hands fidgeted nervously with the hem of her shirt.
"What's wrong, little Annie?" Zack asked, his voice softening.
Annie hesitated for a moment before looking up, her eyes red and slightly misty. "Big brother… do you dislike me?"
Zack blinked, caught off guard. "What? No! Why would you think that?"
"You… you really don't?" Annie's voice trembled slightly as she asked, her gaze uncertain.
Zack sighed. "Of course I don't dislike you. Why would I? Ever since your mother entrusted you to me, I've been taking care of you. You're like family—everyone in the mansion feels the same way."
"Do you… like me then?" Annie pressed, her big eyes widening with hope.
Zack chuckled. "Of course I do."
Hearing this, Annie's mood instantly shifted. Her eyes sparkled, and she became her lively self again. "Really?!" she exclaimed, practically bouncing with energy.
"Yes, really," Zack replied, still unsure why she had doubted him in the first place.
"Okay!" Annie grinned, her earlier gloominess forgotten.
"Alright, let's head back," Zack said, shaking his head. He could never fully understand what went on in the minds of these girls—and frankly, he didn't want to try.
"But your car broke down… can I give you a ride?" Annie offered eagerly.
"Forget it," Zack replied with a laugh. "I'd rather walk than get in your mech."
"Then I'll walk with you!" Annie declared, practically skipping along beside him.
And so, under the fading light of the day, Zack and Annie began their trek back to the base, leaving behind the smoldering hills and the Terror Spider standing watch like a sentinel on the battlefield.