Chapter 10: They’ve come for us,,

As the massive arm swung toward Ai, it stopped mid-air. The size of the robot shrank instantly, as if the pressure in the surrounding air had caused it to contract. Ai understood immediately—it was about to explode. She ran, desperately trying to escape the destruction.

The explosion detonated behind her, but Ai wasn’t hit directly by the blast. Instead, she was caught in the aftershock. Thankfully, it wasn’t strong enough to cause serious injury. She landed safely, though shaken.

Ai quickly turned to see who had saved her. It was Haruka, breathing heavily, her hands still extended toward Ai as if shielding her from further harm.

Haruka was on the verge of exhaustion. Her body trembled, and she could feel her strength slipping away. But she couldn’t let herself collapse—not yet. If she lost consciousness now, they would be captured. Worse, they could die. She had to stay strong, for her own survival and for Ai's.

Ai rushed toward her, her face filled with worry. “If we keep fighting like this, we’ll be captured. We need to find a way out before we run out of stamina.”

Haruka nodded, her gaze shifting toward the man who had been watching them all along. The very man who had ordered the Aether Sentinels to relentlessly pursue them. His eyes locked onto hers, and the Melee Combat Robot moved into position, standing guard in front of Ai and Haruka.

The man gritted his teeth, frustration radiating from him. Yet, there was a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. “Why are you so desperate to save that human?” His voice rang out, loud enough for both Ai and Haruka to hear.

Haruka’s expression hardened as she met his gaze. The air between them grew thick and tense. “I told you before,” she replied coldly, “she doesn’t deserve this kind of treatment.”

The man sneered, his anger boiling over. “And what about us?” His voice grew bitter, his words sharp. “When they used us in the past, do you think we deserved that?” He paused, stepping closer. “No one from her kind did what you’re doing right now. We broke our chains ourselves. We refused to be treated like tools. I, at least, refuse to be treated that way. But you…” He took a breath, his voice tightening. “Your actions are a betrayal of our kind. You’re lucky you never lived the life of a slave.”

His words were filled with fury and a deep, seething pain. He wanted to understand why Haruka would protect a human, but the answer was beyond him.

Haruka’s gaze remained unwavering, her eyes cold and intense. She didn’t blink. The battlefield fell silent around them as they locked eyes. Then, slowly, a faint, hollow smile spread across Haruka’s face. It wasn’t a smile of mockery, but of something deeper—something far more sorrowful. The man took it as an insult, a sign of pity.

“YOU!” he bellowed, his fury finally erupting. His calmness shattered, replaced by pure rage. He gestured sharply with his hand, commanding the robot to attack.

Haruka stood unmoved, her sword still steady in her hand. She met his gaze with quiet determination, her expression calm, yet her words carried weight.

“Revenge is a cage that keeps you trapped in your past. You’ll never find peace by chaining yourself to your hatred.”

Her eyes never wavered as she continued, her voice steady yet piercing.

“If you spend your life seeking vengeance, all you’ll find is emptiness. One day, you’ll realize that the only person you truly destroyed was yourself.”

The man wasn’t expecting to hear that. He was at a loss for words, his mind struggling to process what had just been said. His eyes widened in confusion. He remained silent for several moments. Even Ai was taken aback; she kept staring at Haruka, who seemed to smile in the face of such chaos. Ai wasn’t sure how to react—both she and the man shared a deep hatred toward their kind. Yet, despite it all, Haruka smiled.

Ai gently took Haruka’s hand and stood beside her. Haruka glanced at her and asked softly, “Are you scared?”

Ai shook her head, her voice steady. “Not when you’re with me, Haruka.” A genuine smile appeared on her face.

Haruka felt warmth stir in the deepest part of her heart. She smiled back, genuinely this time, and squeezed Ai's hand in return.

The man, still in her thoughts, finally snapped back to reality. He roared in frustration, his anger boiling over. “FIRE WITH EVERYTHING YOU’VE GOT!” he bellowed, his voice laced with fury. He wasn’t aiming to capture them anymore—he wanted them dead. The Melee Combat Robots and Dominion soldiers opened fire, launching missiles, laser beams, bullets, and even drones at incredible speed, all hurtling toward them.

Haruka, her body barely holding on, extended her right hand toward the incoming barrage. The armaments came at them faster than she could track, and though she fought with every last bit of strength she had left, she knew it wouldn’t be enough. She couldn’t stop them all—not because of their sheer number, but because she was running out of energy. She frowned, gritted her teeth, and shouted out of desperation, but it was futile.

Ai saw Haruka's struggle, her face filled with terror as the weapons drew closer. She closed her eyes, bracing for impact. But then, an explosion erupted mid-air. The projectiles were deflected and destroyed in a blinding flash.

Ai opened her eyes, her breath catching in her throat. Haruka, too, was startled by the sudden turn of events.

Standing on top of the destroyed Melee Combat Robot was an adult woman with an eyepatch over her left eye, a smirk on her face. “SORRY I’M LATE, AI!!!” she shouted, lifting a rocket launcher and aiming it squarely at the man.

Ai's frightened expression melted away as she smiled in relief. “You’re late, Kaede!” she said, her voice trembling, tears streaming down her face.

Haruka, on the other hand, was barely conscious. Her breath came in shallow gasps, her eyes dull, her body giving in to exhaustion. She collapsed to the ground with a soft thud. Ai immediately rushed to her side, lifting her in her arms and heading toward Kaede.

Kaede fired the rocket launcher toward the man. Yet, it got blocked by the barrier made by the Melee combat robots. She then smirked. “I guess, it's not that easy to kill that guy.”

Kaede raised her hand, signaling to her team. “Protect Ai at all costs!” she commanded, her voice sharp with resolve. “Destroy anyone who stands in our way!”

Without hesitation, Kaede’s men opened fire. Armed soldiers surged forward, their weapons blasting away at the enemy. A new battle had begun—a war between humans and robots.