RMXIR chap 1 p2

Zero inserts the chip into the Ride Chaser's onboard monitor before he's even finished talking.
With a whirr from the reader, footage from the chip begins its playback.
I can’t even begin to grasp what it shows.
"...If this is real, then this isn't just some random incident. This is big."
I can't respond; the words just won’t come out.
I have no idea how to react--not after being shown something like this.
“This is worse than anything we could’ve prepared for. We might be machines, but this is like a nightmare.”
It truly is a nightmare--a recording that leaves you wishing you could just wake up and leave it behind.
It’s to be expected: as a Maverick Hunter, you are bound to witness tragedy. What had transpired here, though, goes far beyond anything I’d ever encountered before. There’s no doubt Mavericks exist, not anymore.
It’s never crossed my mind that a day could come where I’d go Maverick, too. Not even once. But this is why we take it upon ourselves to be Maverick Hunters, to protect humans and Reploids who live peacefully from the threat of mayhem and violence.
In a sense, it’s a way to convince ourselves. You tell yourself that, as a Maverick Hunter, you’ll never become a Maverick. The reality is that year after year, the number of Mavericks keeps rising. In spite of that, the Hunters continue to work together to fight for and protect humans and civilian Reploids from harm.
In this way, we maintain peace.
And yet, the memory chip entrusted to us contains footage of Maverick Hunters slaughtering civilian Reploids.
“There’s no way… I won’t stand for this!”
I rush down the highway towards Maverick Hunter HQ; an attack en route left our Ride Chasers destroyed. In light of the message--that Reploid’s last moments--wehave to get back to HQ no matter what.
“I’m going to check the vicinity while I try to find another route. You keep following the highway, X.”
With that said, Zero’s off, abandoning the overpass for the city proper. Nothing bad can possibly happen to someone like Zero, so I do as told, following the highway towards HQ.
“I can’t believe that Commander Sigma would go Maverick… I just can’t!”
That chip contains evidence of Commander Sigma’s insurrection against humanity itself, and Hunters who pledged themselves to his cause followed him down that path. The rebellion extends past this city alone; its banners threaten to smother the whole world. This is a statement, declaring all humans and any Reploids who defy their rule will be crushed.
“There must be a mistake here, somewhere… There has to be.”
I mutter it to myself like a wish, fighting off Mechaniloids and Reploids blocking my path. Why must my fellow Reploids become Maverick? Why must we fight against each other?
None of my former comrades can offer an answer.
“Why… Why are you doing this….”
How many Reploids and Mechaniloids have I destroyed by now...
The remains of my fallen comrades fill my scope as more enemies advance towards me. I aim my buster, feeling an overwhelming sense of dread. Inhale… Exhale… Taking a deep breath, I steel myself against my apprehensions. Body too tense, I don’t have a second to relax when--
“Huh. Didn’t expect you to come back here alone.”
Before I can even react to the voice that booms out behind me, an enormous figure engulfs my vision and slams me hard into the ground.
“What’s the matter, X? Can’t even land a single hit on my Ride Armor?”
“Damnit! Fine, then. How about this!”
I unleash all the energy in my buster on Vile, but he easily neutralizes my attack with his own assault.
“No… No way!”
That shot took everything I had. That charge shot, my special technique and most powerful attack, had no effect on him whatsoever.
No, I shouldn’t think like that. Even if my attacks don’t work, I couldn’t afford to throw in the towel now!
“If I can’t take you out with just one hit, then I’ll keep firing until I beat you!”
When Vile suddenly appeared, he trapped me with his Ride Armor. In order to escape, I target the road around me, firing off buster shots to break it up and create enough space to get free. From there, I immediately counterattack, but he simply repels all of my shots. Deciding that close combat puts me at a disadvantage, I keep some distance from Vile and launch a constant barrage of charged shots. I know that the continuous overuse of my buster will damage it with every shot, but I have no other option.
“This is it Vile. Either you get destroyed or my arm goes down trying!”