Chapter 7: Our way out of hell,,

As they ran for several minutes, desperately searching for a place to hide, they eventually found a tunnel where they could take a brief rest. Ai, trying to catch her breath, sat down on the ground, while Haruka cautiously looked outside the tunnel. She found no drones or robots nearby, but she didn’t let her guard down. Turning to Ai, who was still breathing heavily, Haruka asked, her expression full of worry, “What should we do, Ai?”

Ai met her gaze, sensing the fear and uncertainty in Haruka’s eyes. She took a deep breath before speaking, her voice steady despite the weight of the situation. “We need to get out of this prefecture as soon as possible.” She reached into her sock and pulled out a small device that resembled a pen. “Pelly-chan, it’s me, Ai. Can you bring up the map of Japan for me, please?”

Haruka watched quietly as Ai spoke to the pen, her concern still lingering.

The pen responded almost immediately, its voice light and cheerful. “Yes, Ai. Please wait a moment while I process the map of Japan.”

The two of them waited in silence for a few minutes. Then, a transparent screen appeared above the pen, projecting the map of Japan. “Can you plot a safe route for me, all the way to Tomisato?” Ai asked, her eyes focused on the glowing screen.

“Sure thing! Please wait a couple of seconds,” the pen replied, its voice as bubbly as ever.

As they waited, the map shifted, flickering briefly before disappearing. After a moment, it reappeared, and now only a single red line was visible, marking what seemed to be the safe route. Ai’s eyes scanned the path, and she nodded in approval.

“The analysis is complete. The red line is the only safe route,” the pen informed them. “However, please note, the analysis is not 100% guaranteed to be safe.”

Ai’s face brightened as she smiled. “I’m fine with that, Pelly-chan. Thank you.” With this newfound information, they finally had a clear path forward.

Haruka studied the map with a thoughtful expression. “It seems like the tunnel is connected to the red line, about halfway along its path,” she said, pointing at the map with a mixture of surprise and relief.

Ai quickly glanced at the map again and smiled widely. “You’re right. It’s a good thing we found this tunnel. Thank goodness you noticed it.” Ai let out a sigh of relief, grateful for the small victory.

As they walked through the narrow path that led to Tomisato in the tunnel, nothing bad happened to them—they were safe. There was no sight of drones or the aether sentinels. Ai, leading the way, double-checked the path for their safety, while Haruka followed, her heart at ease for the moment.

“Is there any particular reason we’re going to Tomisato, Ai?” Haruka asked, noticing the curiosity in her voice. Ai glanced over at her, catching the faint spark of intrigue in her expression.

“The prison I was once in is located in Yachimata,” Ai explained, her voice steady but tinged with seriousness. “And the leader told me that if we were ever given the chance to escape, he would lead the inmates to the ocean and help us find a home—a place for humans only.” Her tone was resolute as she continued walking, her steps purposeful.

Haruka, watching Ai’s back, smiled softly. “Then, if he managed to escape with you to the ocean... I guess that would mean a goodbye for us,” she said, her voice light and cheerful despite the weight of the situation.

Ai, taken aback by her response, stopped walking. She looked at Haruka in disbelief, her face filled with shock. “No, you’re coming with us too. I can’t let you stay here and die.” She frowned, frustration clear in her voice. “I won’t leave you behind.”

Haruka shook her head gently, her expression somber. “But I’m a dominion. The same species that put you in that prison. You may be able to forgive me, but what about your kind? Can they forgive me?” Her voice was serious, and the moonlight streaming through the window cast a soft glow on her face, making her look even more distant.

Ai bit her lip, her brows furrowing in irritation. “If that happens, I’ll stay with you. Or we’ll escape just the two of us. I don’t care… I can’t leave you behind in this place. You’ll die because of me, and I can’t let that happen. No... I won’t let that happen, not when I’m still alive.” Her words tumbled out in a rush, her emotions raw and unfiltered.

Haruka noticed the frustration and the pain in Ai’s words. She stepped forward and hugged her gently. “Thank you, Ai,” she whispered, her voice soft and full of warmth.

Ai, surprised by the tenderness of the gesture, felt the warmth of Haruka’s embrace despite her being a dominion. She hugged her back, the connection between them stronger than words could express.

As they walked further, they eventually reached the peak of the tunnel. Haruka grabbed Ai’s sleeve, preventing her from rushing out ahead. Ai turned to her with confusion. “What are you doing?” she asked, rolling her eyes.

Haruka moved in front of her, her expression serious. “Let me check the area first. We don’t know if it’s safe yet. We need to stay vigilant to avoid any surprises.” She peered cautiously through the opening, hiding her body behind the tunnel wall as she scanned the surroundings.

It was unnervingly quiet. No drones patrolled the skies, and no aether sentinels stood guard. Still, Haruka couldn’t shake the sense that something was wrong. The silence felt unnatural, too perfect for a place that had just been thrown into chaos. The air hung heavy, almost as if it were trying to warn them not to go any further.

Ai, however, didn’t see any immediate threats when she glanced outside. Her tense expression softened as she smiled with relief. “We need to move, Haruka. We can’t waste this chance.” She started to step forward, but Haruka stopped her again. Ai looked at her in confusion, but the seriousness on Haruka’s face made her pause. “What’s wrong, Haruka?” she asked, a mix of concern and curiosity in her voice.

“There’s something off about this place,” Haruka replied in a low, cautious tone. “It’s almost as if it’s designed to make us think it’s safe. It’s too quiet, and the wind is too strong.” She surveyed the area one more time, her brow furrowed in suspicion. Ai didn’t fully understand her reasoning, but she trusted Haruka’s instincts. Haruka turned to her, a determined glint in her eyes. “Let me go first, to check if it’s really safe.”

Ai immediately shook her head. “It’s too dangerous for you to go out alone. We’ll check it together.” She pulled the pen from her sock, and in an instant, a sleek gun materialized in her hand. Haruka recognized that Ai was serious and there was no stopping her. She sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly. “Fine, but stay close to me,” she said, and Ai nodded in agreement.

Together, they slipped outside as quietly as possible, their movements stealthy. But the moment they fully emerged; they were confronted with a shocking sight. The area around them had completely changed. Drones hovered in the air, Aether Sentinels patrolled the streets, and dominion soldiers stood in formation, waiting for them to make a move.

They froze, stunned. It had all been a trap. The safe-looking scene they had seen before had been nothing but an illusion created by advanced holograms. They had been tricked. What they thought was a safe haven was, in fact, a carefully set trap.