Into the Fire

The city square boiled with chaos, sunlight casting jagged shadows over the surging mass of protestors and Genesis students. Yuki lingered on the outskirts, his hood pulled low as though it could shield him from the storm of voices and violence erupting around him. The rebellion’s banners waved defiantly over the crowd, their bold slogans clashing with the polished arrogance of Genesis College students standing across the divide.

The roar of chants filled the air, punctuated by the sharp crackle of confrontation.

Yuki hesitated, feeling the vibrations of the crowd’s movements beneath his feet. He wasn’t supposed to be here. The rebellion had told him to stay behind, but Jun’s absence gnawed at him, an open wound he couldn’t ignore. Following the protest’s whispers to the square had felt like the only choice, but now, standing on the edge of the brewing chaos, he wished he had stayed away.

At the center of the square, tensions snapped like an overstretched wire.

Shouts turned to screams as the first blows were struck. Yuki flinched as a Genesis student, his arm glimmering with steel augmentation, swung at a protestor. Sparks flew, and the crowd erupted into a warzone. A girl with crystalline eyes hurled shards of light at her opponent, the dazzling projectiles ricocheting off a hastily erected barrier made of raw determination and desperation.

Yuki took a step back, but the crowd surged, shoving him forward into the melee. His hood slipped off, exposing his face to the chaos.

Panic clawed at his chest as he stumbled, jostled by the moving bodies. The air was thick with sweat and fear, the world around him spinning as he fought to stay upright. Just as he regained his footing, a hand clamped down on his shoulder.

“Yuki?”

The voice sliced through the noise like a blade. Yuki twisted around, dread sinking into his stomach as he came face-to-face with Shinichi.

Behind him stood Raina and Tadashi, their expressions a mixture of disbelief and malice.

“Well, look who it is,” Raina sneered, crossing her arms. Her voice dripped with mockery. “I thought you vanished, you powerless freak.”

“You’re with them, aren’t you?” Tadashi spat, gesturing to the protestors. His piercing blue eyes glowed with modified intensity, making Yuki’s insides twist. “The rebellion.”

Shinichi smirked, stepping closer. “The modless imposter. Found your kind after all.”

Yuki opened his mouth to respond, but before he could speak, Shinichi lunged at him.

His super strength activated in an instant. With a gleaming fist, he swung at Yuki’s chest.

The impact never came.

Shinichi’s blow landed but stopped dead against Yuki’s unyielding body. The force rebounded, sending Shinichi stumbling back. His eyes widened in disbelief, the confidence draining from his face.

“What the—” Shinichi muttered, staring at his hand as if it had betrayed him.

Raina’s electric threads sprang to life, snaking toward Yuki with a deadly hiss. They coiled around him, tightening with every second. But instead of binding him, the energy fizzled and fell limp, slipping from his skin like water.

“What is this?” Raina hissed, her voice laced with panic.

Tadashi stepped forward, summoning a burst of energy in his palm. With a shout, he hurled it at Yuki. The blast hit, lighting up the space around them—only to dissipate harmlessly on contact.

The three stared at him, their disbelief giving way to something darker.

“You’re… invincible,” Raina whispered, her voice trembling.

Yuki’s heart raced, his chest tightening. They knew.

Without thinking, he turned and ran, shoving through the crowd with all the strength he could muster. The sounds of the riot faded behind him, but the weight of their stares lingered, heavy and unshakable.

Yuki darted into an alley, leaning against the cold brick wall as he gasped for air. His hands trembled, his mind spinning.

He shouldn’t have come.

The distant sounds of chaos reached him even here—shouts, screams, the clash of mods in the distance. He rubbed his chest, the phantom weight still pressing against him.

A figure emerged at the edge of the alley, and Yuki froze.

Maya.

She stormed toward him, her sharp features set in a scowl.

“What are you doing here?” she hissed, her voice low but laced with anger.

Yuki struggled to find words, his breath still uneven. “I—I had to—”

“You weren’t supposed to come,” she cut him off, grabbing his arm. Her grip was firm, almost bruising. “It’s too dangerous.”

“I was looking for Jun,” Yuki admitted, his voice cracking.

Maya’s scowl deepened. “You don’t get it, do you? This isn’t about Jun. This is about you. If they find out—”

Before she could finish, the mob surged again, and Yuki was swept away from her. Bodies jostled him in every direction, the chaos pulling him back toward the center of the square.

Yuki stumbled free of the crowd just as the government’s forces arrived. The sleek black uniforms of special-mod officers cut through the chaos, their presence commanding immediate fear. Protestors scattered as the officers advanced, their glowing mods lighting up the square like a battlefield.

Among the chaos, Yuki’s eyes caught on a holocar pulling up at the edge of the square.

His heart stopped when he saw who stepped out.

His parents.

They scanned the crowd, their faces pale and stricken. His father was tense, his lips pressed into a thin line, while his mother clutched her chest, her eyes wide with panic.

Before Yuki could react, a hand clamped over his mouth.

He twisted, panic shooting through him, only to come face-to-face with Jun.

“Jun?” Yuki’s voice was muffled against the older boy’s hand.

Jun’s grip was firm as he dragged Yuki away from the square. “I won’t let you get caught up in this,” he growled, his voice low but fierce.

“Jun, stop—” Yuki protested, but Jun didn’t let go.

With a final shove, Jun pushed Yuki toward his parents, who immediately enveloped him in a protective embrace.

“Yuki!” his mother cried, tears streaming down her face as she held him close.

His father placed a steady hand on his shoulder. “We’ve got you,” he said, his voice low and urgent.

“No! Let me go!” Yuki yelled, twisting in their grip.

Jun stood a few steps away, his face shadowed and unreadable.

“Jun!” Yuki shouted as the car doors closed around him.

The holocar sped away, the chaos of the protest fading into the distance.

Yuki’s fists pounded against the window as his parents tried to soothe him. But all he could see was Jun, standing alone in the square, as the world continued to crumble around them.