Co:Nfro:Ntatio:N

Tackle and Epongi’s fight spilled out of the terminal and into the streets. Citizens scattered, shouting in alarm as the two leapt over obstacles, striking at one another with unrelenting force. Tackle’s fists glowed with the energy of her data-infused gloves, each strike aimed with precision.

Epongi smirked, dodging her attacks with ease, he mocked. “Is that all you’ve got, lousy girl? You can’t keep up with me.”

Tackle kept swinging, the veins on her forehead tightening. “Really? You sure about that?”

Their battle moved toward a service tunnel leading underground. The enclosed space was dimly lit, lined with rusted pipes and flickering lights. The walls were tight, forcing both fighters to adapt their combat styles.

Epongi’s voice echoed as he weaved attacks. “You’re out of your league. Just give up already!”

Tackle ignored his taunts. She ducked low, flipping switches as she moved. Epongi sneered, lunging at her.

Suddenly, the tunnel plunged into darkness.

“What the—?!” Epongi growled, disoriented.

Before regaining his bearings, Tackle surged forward and landed a powerful punch to his face. The force sent him flying through the pipes and into the wall, metal buckled under the impact. He stumbled through the wall and into an elevator shaft.

“You were saying?” Tackle taunted in the pitch-black tunnel. “I’m lousy? But you didn’t even notice me flipping switches while we fought. You’re the dummy here.”

Epongi groaned, pushing himself up, fury burning in his eyes. His body glowed ominously as he shouted, “That’s not fair! I don’t even know what your gloves do!”

Tackle smirked, barely visible in the dark. “Why would I fight fair against someone like you?” she retorted, charging forward.

High above the city, Shinku and Binar scaled the towering building, their movements precise and relentless.

Shinku shouted as he climbed. “I know what you’ve been doing, Binar! You’ve been supplying drugs to dealers, targeting hybrids, trying to kill them off. And Kirria… You killed her, didn’t you?!”

Binar glanced down at Shinku after reaching the top of the building, he mocked. “You’re one hell of an investigator. Bravo! You’ve got it all figured out!”

Shinku’s expression hardened as he reached the rooftop. He charged forward, closing the gap between them.

The game plan is simple, Shinku thought, his injured arm throbbing. Don’t let him touch me.

Binar stood still, his data emanating around him. His thoughts were calculating, precise. Our programs are similar. Shinku’s program disables whatever it touches, while mine overrides it. Whoever lands the first hit wins. And that will be me.

Shinku leaped into a roundhouse kick. His foot collided with Binar’s forearm. In midair, Shinku widened his hand and fired an EMP.

Binar reacted swiftly, backflipping out of range. “You telegraph where you’ll shoot your EMPs every time,” Binar taunted.

Shinku somersaulted, breaking his fall and regaining his footing. Without hesitation, he sprinted toward Binar again, his injured arm shooting oil as he pushed his body to its limit.

Binar echoed across the rooftop, menacingly. “Program: Infection.”

Shinku’s steps faltered as a searing pain surged through his left arm. He glanced down in horror, seeing his arm darken, covered in writhing patterns of binary code.

“Uh—!?” Shinku stammered, staggering backward. “How’d Infection hit me? Your hands haven’t touched me!”

Binar’s taunted. “Infection is a sophisticated program,” he explained. “You see, it’s very similar to AIDS. If you didn’t know, humans are the only ones who can catch Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. But the way it functions, as a virus attacking white blood cells, is the foundation for my program.”

Shinku writhed in agony as the binary code spread further up his arm.

“My data works the same way,” Binar continued, his slow, deliberate steps closing the gap between them. “It invades your body, systematically dismantling everything that makes you… well, you.”

Shinku’s eyes darted around for options, his body trembling from both pain and frustration.

Binar gestured at the rooftop. “I infected the building when I backflipped earlier. The moment you touched it, you were mine. Anything materialized from data is my playground.”

Shinku, struggled to get up. “You…” he growled, the words barely escaping his lips.

“You’re already broken and battered as it is,” Binar sneered. “Let me put you out of your misery.”

But Shinku’s eyes locked onto something behind Binar.

Binar caught the shift in focus, his gaze darting behind him just as a disabled billboard groaned and tilted precariously. Realization struck him.

Did he shoot a web at me and the billboard simultaneously?!

“How tricky you are,” Binar muttered, leaping to the side as the massive sign crashed where he had been standing. But mid-air, debris dislodged by the billboard rained down upon him.

“How unlucky,” Binar hissed as the rubble struck him, sending him tumbling to the ground.

From beneath the debris, Binar emerged, his helmet visibly dented and leaking oil. Groaning as he pulled himself free.

Shinku, forced himself to his feet. His breathing was ragged, his injured arm nearly useless.

With a burst of determination, Shinku aimed and fired an EMP directly at his hand. The pulse hit true, causing the infected hand to convulse unnaturally, its movements jerky and erratic.

Binar examined his damaged hand, “A smart move, but it won’t be sustainable. You’re still a novice when it comes to utilizing your program.”

Shinku didn’t respond, keeping his focus sharp.

Binar’s voice remained cold and calculated as he charged forward. “Your EMPs only disable for ten minutes at most, isn’t that what you said? Once the wave dissipates, the Infection will spread again, and you’ll die. The fact that it’s already latched onto your data confirms my victory.”

Their clash resumed in a brutal exchange of hand-to-hand combat. Shinku swatted away Binar’s hands at every turn, his movements frantic yet calculated. Binar pressed forward, thinking, Still, as a failsafe, I’ll make sure to infect his other arm. One more touch is all I need.

Shinku fired another EMP web, forcing Binar to leap back. Their battle moved across the connected rooftops of the city. Glass beams linking the buildings cracked under their feet as they clashed.

Binar maintained his speed. “You’re persistent, I’ll give you that,” he said, his voice calm.

Shinku’s arm ached, the Infection threatening to creep further up his body. I can’t let it spread. I have to outlast him. Just ten minutes—that’s all I need.

As Shinku fired another EMP web, Binar smirked. “The longer this goes on, the more data you waste, Shinku. You’re fighting a battle you can’t win.”

But Shinku, undeterred, leaped onto the next rooftop, determination burning in his eyes. I don’t care how long it takes. I’m not losing to you.

The clanging of metal echoed throughout a construction site as Johe and Bontly pursued Gork through the labyrinth of scaffolding and unfinished beams. The autonomous machinery around them lifted and welded materials to build an arena that seemed to stretch endlessly into the sky.

Johe leapt from one metal bar to another, his baton flashing with each strike. Gork blocked with his metallic wings, sparks scattering from each impact. The two moved with precision and ferocity, their silhouettes darting against the glow of welding sparks.

Gork countered, twisting his body to swipe at Johe with the edge of a wing. The strike nicked Johe’s cheek, drawing a thin line of oil.

“Cheap shot, birdbrain!” Johe flipped backward to maintain his distance.

Bontly launched his grappling arm toward Gork, the mechanical cable whirring. He latched onto Gork’s wing, pulling him off balance.

“You’re welcome!” Bontly shouted, reeling Gork in.

Johe grinned, leaping toward their tethered foe. “Thanks for holding still!” he shouted, bringing his baton down in a wide arc. The blade slashed through part of Gork’s wing, sending a jagged piece clattering toward the ground.

As the damaged wing tumbled, Gork’s eyes widened. “Dammit!” he yelled, twisting mid-air to grab the falling fragment.

Bontly launched himself upward, his grappling arm still attached to Gork, his fist cocked and ready.

Johe, plummeting down from above, shouted, “Bont, now!”

“I’m on it!” Bontly roared, his massive fist hurtling toward Gork.

“I can tank the hit!” Gork snarled, bracing himself as Bontly’s punch connected, sending him crashing through a steel beam. The force caused an autonomous drone—a bulky, insect-like machine carrying construction materials—to lose its grip.

“Bont, watch out!” Johe yelled as the machine toppled.

“I’ll keep you safe, Sir!” Bontly bellowed, throwing himself into the debris. His shoulder and elbow plowed through the falling wreckage, shattering it into harmless pieces as sparks showered around them.

Gork reemerged, spiraling like a metallic comet. His wings folded into a spiked ball as he slammed into Bontly, grinding him against the steel wall of the structure. Sparks screamed from the impact as Bontly’s footing faltered.

“Help me!” Bontly shouted, struggling to maintain control.

Johe, battered but determined, stood atop Bontly’s shoulders. He swung his baton wildly at Gork, but the spiked armor deflected every blow. “When he’s spinning, his defense gets stronger!” Johe shouted.