Chapter 14: We are on our own now,,

Kaede’s angry expression became rigid as she watched her fellow humans pointing their guns at them with the clear intent to kill. She had known this moment might come, but she hadn’t imagined it would happen so soon. “I guess your hatred has overshadowed your will to survive,” she said calmly.

The man aiming a gun at her left side growled in frustration. “This is our way of surviving! We’re not like you—a coward, Kaede!” he shouted, his hands trembling uncontrollably.

“Those damn machines took our freedom from us! How can we live quietly, knowing they’re still out there?” another voice—a woman’s—shouted angrily. Her rage was palpable, but Kaede only smiled, a hint of sorrow in her expression.

The woman, unable to contain her anger, snapped. She fired her gun, but the bullet sparked as it struck the barrier surrounding Kaede, unable to penetrate.

“The revenge you’re chasing is pointless,” Kaede said softly, her voice steady. “I can feel the hatred in your heart. Believe me, I hate those machines too.” She paused, gently patting Ai on the head. “But this kid… she’s just starting to live her life in the outside world. She still can’t survive on her own. That’s why I can’t let my hatred overshadow what truly matters to me now.” Her words were sincere, and her smile was genuine.

Hiroshi, visibly angered, sneered arrogantly. “Don’t forget who saved you back there, you old hag,” he spat, his face contorted with rage.

Kaede smiled faintly. “I’m grateful for that, Hiroshi. Truly, I am. But that won’t stop us from leaving this country,” she said, her voice resolute, her eyes firm with determination.

Hiroshi’s glare intensified. He raised his hand in a commanding gesture. “Fine then! If you’re not willing to sacrifice your life for humanity, we’ll take it as compensation instead!” he roared. His finger pointed directly at Kaede. “FIRE AT WILL!”

His men opened fire. The barrier held, but cracks began to form as bullets relentlessly hammered against it. The sound of the cracking echoed ominously.

Saul and the others burst out of the Humvee, rushing to shield Kaede and Ai with their bodies. Kaede and Ai stared in shock, unable to believe the others were risking their lives for them.

Kaede’s eyes widened in shock as they embraced her, their determination unwavering. Tears welled up as she whispered, “Why... why would you do this?”

“We protect what’s important,” Saul said simply, a small smile breaking through the chaos.

The barrier finally shattered, and bullets rained toward them without pause. Resolute, they braced for what they believed to be their final moments. Smiles spread across their faces, accepting their fate together. But Ai’s eyes remained wide, her expression serious. She wasn’t ready to let this be the end.

Just as the bullets were about to strike, they stopped mid-air, frozen as if an unseen force had halted them. Gasps echoed from the soldiers, and even Hiroshi’s face twisted in shock.

From the Humvee, a woman stepped out. Her face was serious, her hands extended toward the bullets, holding them in suspension. Ai turned toward the sound of footsteps, and tears streamed down her face as she recognized the figure. “H-Haruka…” she whispered, her voice breaking with emotion.

Kaede and the others looked at Haruka, their expressions shifting to relief and disbelief. None of them had expected a dominion to save them from their own kind.

Haruka scanned the scene, her sharp eyes taking in the humans who had surrounded Ai and the others. She saw how Saul and the rest had thrown themselves in harm’s way to protect Ai, shielding her with their bodies. Her brow furrowed deeply.

“Ai,” Haruka said, her voice calm but serious. “Are these people human?”

Ai nodded weakly. “Y-Yes. I’m sorry, Haruka… they’ve turned on us. They want us dead,” she replied, her voice trembling with pain.

Haruka’s frown deepened, her frustration evident. She glanced at the soldiers and then back at Ai. “Can I kill them?” she asked coldly.

Kaede shook her head gently, her voice weak but resolute. “Please don’t, Haruka. Let’s—just run away. We’re tired,” she pleaded. Haruka glanced at the group, noting their frightened, traumatized faces. The oppressive air of their surroundings made their desperation palpable. She could see it—they wanted to escape, to leave everything behind.

Haruka nodded softly, surprising everyone. A warm smile crossed her face, an expression so rare for a dominion that it left Kaede and the others stunned. Until now, they had only seen dominions smile while taking human lives. “Alright then,” Haruka replied gently.

Raising her finger, she pointed skyward. Instantly, the bullets suspended in mid-air shot into the heavens, disappearing harmlessly. The humans around them froze in shock, their disbelief tangible. A dominion helping humans? It defied everything they had known.

Hiroshi roared with fury, his frustration boiling over. “YOU’VE REALLY BETRAYED US, KAEDE!” he bellowed, his voice trembling with rage. He gestured aggressively, not toward the soldiers this time, but toward the tanks, missiles, and snipers stationed around their hideout. “IF BULLETS WON’T WORK, LET’S SEE HOW YOU HANDLE MISSILES AND TANKS!” His laughter rang out, twisted and merciless.

The missiles launched in unison, the tanks fired their rounds, and chaos erupted. Haruka turned to Kaede and the others, her voice calm but commanding. “Please, get ready to leave. Go inside the car now.”

As she began walking toward the incoming missiles, Kaede, with what little strength she had left, grabbed Haruka’s arm. “Where are you going?” she asked, her voice tinged with desperation.

Haruka paused, surprised by the concern in Kaede’s voice. She had never experienced such kindness directed at her. “Don’t worry about me,” Haruka replied. “I can survive this attack and stop it with my power.” Her tone was firm, protective, but Kaede shook her head, her expression resolute.

Before Haruka could protest further, Kaede smacked her lightly on the head, shocking everyone. Ai’s eyes and mouth widened in disbelief, and even Haruka stood frozen, unsure how to process what had just happened. She thought she was hated because she was a dominion. Her expression softened as she felt Kaede’s warm hand gently cup her cheek.

Kaede leaned her forehead against Haruka’s, her voice soft and filled with care. “We want to run away, but I never said we’d leave you behind. Come with us. There’s no point in escaping if it means leaving you here alone. It feels like I’d be abandoning my own daughter to the battlefield.”

Haruka’s eyes widened, her breath catching. For the first time, she felt a warmth she had longed for, a genuine affection she didn’t think she could ever experience. Without realizing it, she nodded. Her reaction surprised even herself. She glanced at Ai, who smiled back with relief, tears glistening in her eyes.

Saul carried Guidarts’ lifeless body as the group climbed into the Humvee. Haruka leaped onto the roof, standing firmly as the vehicle roared to life and began moving forward. The deafening sound of incoming missiles filled the air, growing louder with every passing second.

Ai, peering through the door, saw the massive missiles hurtling toward them, their speed blinding. Haruka stood tall atop the Humvee, her black hair whipping in the wind. Her eyes were filled with determination. She had found her purpose—to protect these people.

As the missiles closed in, Haruka extended her hand. The missiles, tank shells, and sniper bullets froze mid-air, suspended as if held by an invisible force. Hiroshi, watching from the safety of the hideout, growled in disbelief, his face twisted with frustration and shock.

Inside the Humvee, Saul and Sean stared in awe, their mouths agape. Kaede winced as her wounds were tended, but she managed to glance at Haruka with gratitude. Ai, meanwhile, smiled through her tears, overwhelmed by emotion.

Haruka clenched her fist, and the suspended missiles erupted in a fiery explosion. The tank shells and bullets melted instantly in the intense heat. Haruka’s lips curled into a smile—a smile not born of destruction, but of resolve.

She had found her purpose, one that transcended the hatred of humans and the cold directives of the dominions. She longed for something more—a family not bound by the strings of the government, but one that genuinely cared for her. And now, she had found it.