In the midst of the chaos they were caught in, and the tense atmosphere around the area, Haruka heard a familiar voice that tugged at her attention. Without a thought. She turned, pressing her lips together as she saw Sakura standing there, waving her hands energetically. Her smile seemed to brighten the entire place.

  Haruka's eyes widened, and her brows knitted together in a mix of surprise and disbelief. What... is she doing here? she thought.

  All of a sudden, a gentle touch landed on her shoulder, snapping her out of her thoughts.

  "This is perfect timing," the young girl said, her tone calm yet calculating, her soft voice carrying a chilling edge. "We can use her to distract the pursuers."

  Haruka shook her head twice, her lips parting in protest. She took a deep breath before speaking. "I don't want her to get involved in this," she said, her voice low but resolute. Her eyes reflected the depth of her conviction.

  But the girl protested back. "She won't get involved." She paused, her gaze fixed on Sakura with a tense look in her eyes. "Just talk to her casually, and if possible, ask her to walk with us all the way to the train station."

  Haruka's lips pulled downward, a crease forming between her brows as her stomach churned with unease. Yet the weight of their situation pressed her forward. Taking a steady breath, she walked slowly toward Sakura, forcing a smile to gather on her face.

  "Sakura, what a coincidence. I thought you already went home," Haruka said, but her voice trembled slightly, betraying her attempt to remain calm. This is wrong. This is a mistake. We shouldn’t let her get involved in this.

  Sakura's grin widened as she shrugged. "This is the way to my house. And what about you, Haruka?" Her gaze shifted to the girl on Haruka's back. "Who's this young cutie on your back?" she beamed, her tone playful and carefree.

  The young girl smiled broadly, leaning into Haruka's back with a gentle press. "Hello! I'm Ai, Haruka's younger sister. It's a pleasure to meet my sister's friend." She giggled, striking a playful pose to match Sakura’s enthusiasm.

  Sakura’s eyes sparkled with delight, her face lighting up like a child discovering a hidden treasure. "YOU’RE SO CUTE, AI-CHAN!!" she exclaimed, her joy surging forward like a tidal wave.

  Ai’s playful expression softened into a sweet, almost pleading look. She leaned her head slightly toward Sakura, hesitating before speaking in a small, earnest voice. "If you don’t mind... Could you help us walk to the train station? It’s really embarrassing, but we got lost and forgot the way." She clasped her hands together, closing her eyes as if in prayer. "Please, this is a lifetime request for me."

  Sakura laughed, her soft chuckles building into loud, uncontrollable bursts of joy. "You’re exaggerating too much, Ai-chan!" she said, waving her hand dismissively before giving a cheerful thumbs-up and a wink. "Leave it to me! I’ll lead the way." She turned, blissfully unaware of the danger looming just behind them.

  Relief washed over Haruka’s face. Despite the tight situation, she managed to loosen her shoulders. She blinked twice, her body relaxing in a fleeting moment of peace—Suddenly.

  A sickening crack tore through the air, followed by a searing burst of heat.

  Haruka barely had time to react before the horrifying sight unfolded—Sakura's head erupted in a violent explosion. Shards of metal sprayed outward, catching the harsh light like deadly stars. Haruka’s breath hitched as Sakura’s body crumpled, folding into an unnatural heap. The light of life extinguished in an instant.

  Haruka and Ai’s eyes widened in shocked, their breaths caught in their throats. Haruka’s legs felt rooted to the spot, her mind going blank as disbelief shimmered in her trembling eyes. Ai’s face twisted in horror, but her instincts kicked in. She bit her lip hard and gripped Haruka’s shoulder tightly.

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  "RUN, HARUKA, RUN!!" Ai’s voice pierced the haze of shock, snapping Haruka back to reality.

  Her legs moved before her mind caught up, carrying her forward in a frantic sprint. Haruka’s breaths came in ragged gasps, sweat streaking down her face. She didn’t dare to look back—not at the crumpled, lifeless metal frame of the one she had called a friend.

  The path in front of them blurred as they sprinted through the narrow streets. The drones’ once white eye devices glowed an ominous red, their mechanical gazes locked on the fleeing pair. Without a second's hesitation, they pursued with relentless precision, their engines roaring with an intimidating sound that reverberated through the alleys.

  Haruka’s breaths came in sharp, uneven gasps as she pushed herself to run, every muscle in her body burning with exhaustion. Yet, she couldn’t stop—not when their lives depended on it.

  As they neared the bridge connecting to the train station, its structure loomed under dim, flickering streetlights. The soft hum of the station's electrics mingled with the distant clang of the approaching machines. Just as they reached the midpoint of the bridge, a shadow descended over them.

  Haruka skidded to a halt, her breath catching in her throat. Her eyes widened as she took in the scene ahead.

  A massive, heavily armed steel robot blocked their path, its towering frame radiating an aura of unstoppable power. Its design resembled a giant crab, with six thick, sturdy legs that spread wide like a predator ready to pounce. The armored body at its center was covered in sharp, angled metal plates, gleaming faintly under the dim streetlights as if mocking their helplessness.

  On either side of its hulking frame, two enormous pincers snapped with a mechanical hiss, each one powerful enough to crush through steel. Haruka’s gaze drifted upward, and her breath caught—the sleek missile launcher on its back was locked forward, its deadly aim leaving no doubt of its purpose. This was the Ironclaw Titan, a machine built for destruction.

  Its glowing red eyes swept over the scene before stopping on Ai. The cold, unfeeling precision of its gaze sent a shiver down Haruka’s spine. The air felt dense and stifling, each breath heavier than the last as the ground faintly trembled beneath the weight of the behemoth.

  A cold, mechanical voice boomed from the robot’s speakers.

  “Warning. I have found No. 000012, the escapee from the human prison colony. I have been ordered to capture you—dead or alive.”

  As the robot appeared in front of them, its chilling, mechanical voice filled the air. Haruka and Ai’s faces went pale, drained of color, as if they had already given up—given up on running. The terror was suffocating, and in that moment, they felt trapped in a nightmare.

  Ai could feel Haruka’s fear in every tremble of her body. Her hands shook uncontrollably, the vibrations moving through her arms, her legs—every part of her—until they bumped lightly against Ai’s. It was clear that the terror was taking over her, and she knew the weight of the danger they faced.

  “I repeat, Warning. I have found No. 000012, the escapee from the human prison colony. I have been ordered to capture you—dead or alive.”

  As the robot prepared to fire a missile from its back, Haruka suddenly snapped back to her senses. But even though she was now aware of her surroundings, the danger they faced was still overwhelming, and their chances of survival seemed slim. The missiles launched toward them with terrifying sound and speed. Overcome by fear, Haruka closed her eyes, bracing for the worst.

  The explosion erupted with a deafening roar, shaking the bridge beneath them. The structure started to collapse, chunks of debris falling into the water below. Slowly, Haruka opened her eyes and what she saw left her stunned. Ai stood in front of her, holding a glowing shield that shimmered with energy. As Haruka looked at it, something unexpected happened—a system in her mind automatically scanned the shield. A text box appeared in her vision, readable only by her:

  “Anti-Missile Defense Shield (AMDS),” the glowing text read in her vision. “A mechanism designed to detect and neutralize missiles mid-air, using energy fields to protect its wielder.”

  Haruka was taken aback by the sudden appearance of the text box. She had never experienced anything like this before, nor had she expected something so strange to occur. But she didn’t have time to dwell on it.

  Ai was still holding the shield, and despite her efforts to stop the missiles, the force of the explosion had taken a toll on her. Haruka could see Ai's side bleeding as the impact caused serious wounds. Ai winced in pain, her body faltering, before she slowly sank to the ground, losing consciousness.

  Haruka, in a panic, looked around. The bridge was slowly breaking apart, and they would soon fall into the water below. She had no idea what to do. The seconds felt like an eternity. She needed to act fast—before it was too late.