Chapter 94-Oversized seafood

Chapter 94: 94-Oversized seafood

The crab raised its enormous claw against Noel. Noel knew he couldn’t dodge in time.

His stomach dropped as the shadow of the pincer swallowed him and for one terrible moment, his mind went blank.

He had spent his entire life believing that if he remained calm enough, thought quickly enough, and made the right decisions, he could find a way out of almost any predicament.

Apparently, he had never considered being murdered by a giant metallic crab. "Damn it!" He cursed loudly.

He squeezed the trigger.

Click.

His eyes widened as the magazine was empty. "You’ve got to be kidding me!"

BOOOOOOM!

The crab’s claw came crashing down. Noel threw himself sideways, ignoring the agony that tore through his injured shoulder. The pincer smashed into the deck where he had been standing, crushing the metal beneath its weight.

A shock wave swept across the surface, knocking him off his feet. He hit the ground hard and rolled toward the ship’s wall, barely managing to avoid being thrown overboard.

Pain exploded through his shoulder. He bit back a groan and tried to scramble upright, but his arm refused to cooperate. His weapon lay several meters away, beyond his immediate reach.

The crab pulled its claw from the damaged deck and then it turned toward him.

"Oh, come on!" Noel gasped. "Don’t you have anything better to do?"

The creature answered with a hideous screech. Its legs began moving and Noel’s blood ran cold.

"AMBROSE!"

"I’m trying!"

Ambrose was already moving toward his brother, firing as he ran. Bullets hammered against the crab’s armor, producing a series of sharp metallic pings. A few struck the injured joints, drawing more dark fluid, but the creature barely slowed.

It was too fast, too strong and it was rapidly becoming clear that they couldn’t kill it with ordinary bullets alone.

Ambrose’s heart hammered against his ribs as he watched the crab close in on Noel. He couldn’t reach his brother in time, 009 was down, their weapons were nearly useless and the ship was being torn apart around them.

For the first time in his life, Ambrose felt genuinely terrified of what would happen if he failed.

"Noel, MOVE!"

Noel tried to push himself up. His injured shoulder gave way and forced him to collapsed onto one knee.

The crab lifted its claw and then a metallic shape shot across the deck.

KRAAANG!

The pincer was knocked sideways just before it could crush Noel.

Noel stared. 009 stood between him and the crab, its damaged shoulder hanging at an unnatural angle. Sparks flickered beneath its armor, and one of its eyes pulsed erratically and yet its remaining arm was locked against the crab’s claw, holding the enormous pincer away from its master.

[Threat to protected personnel detected.]

Ambrose nearly sagged with relief. "009! You’re alive!" He shouted with relief.

[Combat functionality remains available.]

"That’s wonderful! Now please don’t die!"

[Request acknowledged.]

"That wasn’t a request! That was an order!"

The crab twisted its body, trying to force 009 to the ground. The robot’s feet scraped across the deck. It’s damaged arm trembled under the pressure.

Noel’s eyes widened. "009, let go! You’re going to be crushed!"

[Negative. Master Noel remains within the threat zone.]

"That’s not what I..."

The robot suddenly released the pincer, dropped its center of gravity, and drove its remaining fist into the injured joint beneath the crab’s claw.

CRACK!

The creature shrieked. Its pincer jerked open, and a stream of dark fluid spilled across the deck.

009 immediately seized the opportunity. It grabbed the base of the damaged limb and twisted with all its mechanical strength.

The crab struggled violently. Its remaining legs scraped against the deck, tearing long grooves into the metal as it attempted to regain its balance.

SNAP!

The injured limb separated at the joint. The crab recoiled, shrieking so violently that both brothers instinctively covered their ears.

Noel stared at the severed claw lying beside the robot and for a moment, he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. They had actually managed to take one of its limbs off.

Ambrose, however, looked as though he had just witnessed a miracle.

"YES! THAT’S RIGHT! LOSE ANOTHER ONE, YOU OVERSIZED SEAFOOD!"

"Ambrose!" Noel shouted.

"What?"

"Less celebrating, more shooting!" He reminded his brother because they couldn’t relax until the mutant was dead.

"Right!"

Ambrose snatched a fresh magazine from his belt and reloaded. His hands were shaking, but his movements had regained some of their precision.

The crab was wounded. It bled and lost it’s limbs. They had a fighting chance but the creature wasn’t finished.

Its remaining claws slammed against the deck as it lunged at 009 with renewed fury. The robot dodged one strike, but the other caught its side.

BANG!

009 crashed into a pile of metal debris. It’s body skidded across the deck before coming to a halt near the railing.

[Structural damage detected.]

Ambrose’s face fell. "How bad is it?"

[Damage assessment incomplete.]

"That isn’t an answer I want to hear. I want to know if you are damaged too badly!"

[I am attempting to complete the assessment.]

"Well, attempt faster!"

Noel finally managed to get back onto his feet. His shoulder throbbed, but he forced himself to retrieve his weapon. He couldn’t afford to remain on the sidelines, not while 009 was taking all the punishment or while Ambrose was running out of ammunition and certainly not while that monstrosity was still standing.

His gaze shifted toward the crab. Its movements had become uneven. The missing limb had disrupted its balance, and the injuries to its joints were beginning to take their toll but it was adapting.

Rather than charging blindly at 009 again, it turned toward the brothers. Its remaining claws spread apart. The creature lowered its body.

Noel’s expression changed. "Ambrose, get down!" He warned his brother.

His brother barely had time to react before the crab swept one of its massive legs sideways.

The limb struck a heap of broken metal, sending fragments flying across the deck. Ambrose threw himself behind a damaged equipment cabinet. A jagged piece of metal whistled past his head.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THIS THING?" he yelled.

"IT’S TRYING TO KILL US!"

"I KNOW THAT, NOEL!" He rolled his eyes, desperately trying to catch his breath.

"THEN STOP ASKING STUPID QUESTIONS!"

Despite everything, Ambrose almost laughed. Their situation was so hopeless that his brother’s insults were somehow comforting. Just then the equipment cabinet shuddered as the crab struck it.

Ambrose’s laughter died instantly. "Oh, we’re definitely going to die here."

"Not today!" Noel shouted.

He leaned out from behind the wreckage and fired at the creature’s exposed joints.

One shot missed, another ricocheted from the armor and the third struck the same damaged joint Ambrose had hit earlier.

The crab’s leg buckled. Its body tilted sharply to one side. "009!" Noel shouted. "NOW!"

For a moment, the robot remained motionless and then its remaining eye flashed as he processed the command.

[Command received.]

009 surged forward. Despite its damaged shoulder and flickering systems, it moved with astonishing speed. It slipped beneath the crab’s lowered body and seized the injured leg with its functional arm.

The crab tried to pull away but 009 held on. Its feet dug into the deck as it applied pressure to the damaged joint. Metal groaned.

The crab thrashed, slamming its remaining claws against the surrounding wreckage. One strike grazed 009’s back, tearing away a section of armor but the robot didn’t release its grip.

[Applying maximum mechanical force.]

Noel’s eyes widened. "009, your structural integrity..."