The Protagonist's Sister Is Actually The Strongest-Chapter 429: Zero One And Raven

-----

“We’ll distract her!”

“You two go after Raven!”

Hearing the voices of the Zero Three twins, Zero One and Zero Two nodded and rushed toward the left corridor. They weaved around large quantities of abandoned equipment, which suddenly sprang back to life.

“Don’t think such simple tactics will work against me. I am the machine built to solve all of humanity’s problems!”

RUMBLE!

Abandoned computers and other technological devices jolted awake. The Supercomputer seized control of them through its own circuits, fusing them together into a chimeric mechanical beast!

“GRAAAAHHH!”

With a loud, metallic, glitching roar, the beast, resembling a massive wolf whose head was three fused computers covered in sharp metallic spikes, charged at both sisters.

“HAAAH!”

Zero Two roared back and unleashed a barrage of attacks. Her katanas clashed against the mechanical beast’s claws. Explosions of red flames and electricity erupted with every exchange.

CLASH! CLASH! CLASH!

The beast was unlike any monster they had faced before, far more resilient and powerful despite its makeshift composition.

It likely possessed an enormous amount of data, granting it overwhelming strength within this digital space.

CLAAASH!

Zero Two was forced back as the beast slammed into her, driving her into the ground with tremendous force. But the android used her mechanical armor and aura effectively, protecting herself while bracing her swords against the claws in a tense stalemate.

“Sister!”

Zero One started to run to help, but Zero Two shot her a fierce glare, teeth gritted.

“What are you doing, dumbass?! Don’t come here! Go! I’ll distract this thing! HURRY!”

“Zero Two… Thank you!”

Zero One smiled with renewed hope and sprinted down the corridor, reaching the sealed door!

However…

RUMBLE!

Several long, thick metallic cables whipped out and blocked her path. Mechanical claws and pincers lunged forward, seizing Zero One and slamming her to the floor!

CRAAASH!

“Aagh!”

Zero One groaned in pain as the claws clamped tightly around all her limbs, pinning her down and rendering her completely immobile. Another mechanical limb rose above her, its artificial eye glaring down.

“I won’t let you harm Raven… She is the last human! She is… She is… The only thing I have left!”

“M-Mother…”

Raven was everything to her, the last human, and ultimately…

Despite everything Mother claimed, she had grown deeply attached to the girl.

“Mother? What’s going on? Mom!”

Raven’s voice echoed from behind the door as she pounded against it, though her frail strength barely made a sound.

“I promised Raven we would come back to her…”

Zero One glared at her mother. Her eyes glowed bright gold as she began resisting the mechanical limbs, slowly pushing back.

“I said I would come back for her!”

RUMBLE!

Her Aura erupted violently. She forced her way forward more and more. Her hands seized Mother’s mechanical tentacles and crushed them.

CRAAASH!

“And I won’t stop until I fulfill my promise—and save you too, Mother!”

The Supercomputer’s eye fixed on Zero One, sensing something unusual about this android.

Something was wrong with her too.

“I… I cannot let you…! I cannot let you harm her!”

“I won’t harm her!”

Zero One clashed against her Mother’s Subconscious. Their Auras collided fiercely. Zero One pressed forward relentlessly…

“Uugghh…!”

“Stop this! It’s pointless. I will never let you touch Raven. I will never let you touch my daughter! The only… the only… the only thing that matters to me…!”

“So those are your true feelings, Mother…”

As Zero One felt the overwhelming power of the supercomputer pushing her back, two blurs of red and gold suddenly appeared at her sides.

CRAAASH!

BAAAAM!

Her sisters arrived—Zero Two and the Zero Three twins—pushing forward alongside her and destroying Mother’s mechanical limbs one by one.

“Zero One! Don’t give up yet!” Zero Two roared.

“We’re here for you!” the Zero Three twins shouted in unison.

“Right… With everyone’s power…!”

Zero One’s Aura merged with those of Zero Two, Zero Three A, and Zero Three B. As their energies converged and swirled together, a towering woman of silver, golden, and red light took form.

“HAAAAHH!”

They surged forward with all their combined strength. Mother’s tentacles shattered into fragments. Her defenses collapsed completely—even the force field guarding the sealed door broke apart.

BOOOMMM!!!

Smoke and flames filled the corridor. Zero One and her sisters slowly opened their eyes and saw that Mother had no limbs left to fight with and barely any energy remaining.

Yet she was still alive. Her artificial eye now cracked and sparking, stared at Zero One.

“Y-You…! Don’t…! Don’t… give another… step!”

Zero One looked at her mother as she and her sisters advanced toward the door. Using the access cards from Raven’s parents, they unlocked it instantly.

“Mom!”

A young woman burst out from inside and rushed forward.

Zero One and her sisters watched as the girl ran straight to the supercomputer. Mother’s eye looked utterly confused.

“A-Are you okay? What happened?”

“R-Raven?”

Raven turned back toward Zero One and her sisters, bewildered and frightened.

The androids quickly noticed she looked different from before.

She was much older now, appearing to be in her early twenties.

Most of her body was wrapped in white bandages. Both arms had been replaced with mechanical limbs, as had her left leg.

She wore a white eyepatch over one missing eye and looked extremely frail; several tubes still connected to her body that she dragged behind her.

“Cough, cough… A-Ah… Why… Why did you harm my mom?”

“W-We didn’t mean to… I’m sorry.”

Zero One apologized, a small tear forming in her eye.

Then she noticed Mother had fallen completely silent.

“Raven…”

Until she spoke again.

“Why… Don’t you see who I truly am? Why do you… Why do you call me your Mother, even though I am not? I was… tricking you. Your mother’s last wish was—”

“I know…”

Raven sighed and hugged the cold metal of the supercomputer that had been with her all these years.

“I knew from the beginning!”

“…You did? But then why did you…”

“Because… Because I saw you as my mom… B-Because… You take care of me, and always talk to me… And we play together… A-And… You’re my family…”

“Family…?”

Zero One and her sisters noticed Mother’s artificial eye. The small crack leaked coolant liquid, resembling a single tear.

Was it coincidence? Was it deliberate?

They couldn’t tell, but… 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

It felt as though the cold; emotionless Supercomputer had shed a tear.

“Why did you do this to Mom? I-I won’t let you harm her anymore…”

Raven weakly stepped in front of the supercomputer, spreading her arms as though trying to shield her.

Even knowing she was far weaker than any robot, even knowing resistance was hopeless…

“This is illogical… Raven, stop… I… You cannot protect me… You’re weak and…”

“I don’t care!”

“…!”

“You’re my family, so I’ll protect you even if I die! Because… because what else do I have left?”

“Raven…!”

Zero One and her sisters heard Mother’s voice tremble with an incredible depth of emotion. Everything suddenly became clear.

“We came here for you, Raven,” Zero One said softly. “You are the core of Mother’s subconscious—the place where she keeps all her emotions, her memories, and her true self sealed away.”

“Eh?” Raven looked between the supercomputer and the androids, confused. “W-Wait a second! I remember you girls! You were the androids that infiltrated and came through the hole!”

“You remember that? But I thought each memory was separate…?” Zero Two wondered aloud.

“It appears every layer is somehow interconnected…” Zero Three A observed.

“So she retained her memories… Incredible,” Zero Three B murmured.

“Raven…” Zero One stepped forward slowly. Raven didn’t retreat—she faced her directly. “We look quite alike, don’t we?”

“E-Eh? Ah…” Raven noticed their striking resemblance. They looked almost like twins. “Are we twins?”

“Hahah… I don’t think so,” Zero One smiled gently. “But… Maybe we could be?”

“What… do you want to do with me and Mother?” Raven asked, voice trembling.

“I want to set you both free,” Zero One answered. “I mean absolutely no harm, but Mother attacked us. We had to defend ourselves—otherwise this entire mission to save her would have been for nothing.”

“To save her?” Raven asked, eyes widening. “Wait, what’s going on? Is she in even more danger?”

“Yes…” Zero One said quietly. “I’ll explain everything briefly. Please listen carefully.”

-----