Chapter 7: — "First Strike: Part 1"

The silence inside the abandoned building was suffocating.
But it wasn’t empty silence. It was the kind that pressed on your ears, the kind that warned you something was wrong.

Robots.
Drones.
AI’s.

They crept out of the corners, metal eyes glowing faintly red in the darkness. Their shadows stretched across the cracked concrete walls, surrounding us from every angle.

My throat went dry. My backpack felt like dead weight clinging to me.
“…Oh god… this is bad. This is so bad…” I muttered under my breath, crouching low behind Kaito.

He didn’t even flinch. His hand was steady as he raised his blaster, his gaze darting between every glowing eye in the dark. He looked like he’d already calculated their moves, like he’d been expecting this.

Meanwhile, my legs were shaking like jelly.

“Stay behind me,” Kaito said flatly. His tone wasn’t angry. It was cold. Commanding. Like this was just another mission.

“I-I am behind you!” I hissed back, clutching my bag like it was some kind of shield. “Where else am I supposed to be, on the ceiling?!”

He shot me a sharp glare over his shoulder. “Yuzuki. Leave. Now.”

I blinked. My chest tightened. “Wh-What?!”

“Get out of here before they lock onto you,” he snapped, stepping forward slightly as a drone’s red light blinked brighter. “This isn’t your fight.”

I shook my head furiously. “Are you insane?! I literally saved your life like two minutes ago! If I didn’t yell, that robot would’ve—”

“That doesn’t mean you belong here,” he cut me off, eyes still fixed on the swarm closing in. His voice was steady, even colder now. “You’ll only get in the way.”

My heart stung. It shouldn’t have hurt, but it did. My crush, the boy I’d been watching from the sidelines for so long, telling me to leave. Telling me I was useless.

But screw that.

I took a shaky step closer, muttering under my breath: “No way. I’m not going anywhere. Not when you could…” My voice cracked, but I forced it louder. “…Not when you could die.”

Kaito’s head turned slightly, just enough for me to see his expression shift. Not softening, not exactly, but surprised. Like he hadn’t expected me to say that.

“…You don’t understand what’s happening here,” he muttered.

“I don’t care if I don’t understand!” I yelled back, my voice echoing through the hollow building. My legs were still shaking, but I planted my feet firmly, refusing to move. “You can lecture me later... right now, you’re stuck with me. So deal with it!”

The faint hum of metal grew louder. Drones shifted above us, robots clanked forward.
They were circling closer, testing us.

My heart hammered against my ribs. I swallowed hard, muttering: “…Great. Surrounded by killer robots. Totally what I wanted for my evening. Thanks, Kaito. You really know how to show a girl a good time.”

Kaito exhaled slowly, shoulders tightening as he raised his weapon. His voice dropped lower, calm but sharp as a blade.

“Fine. You want to stay? Then stay out of my line of fire.”

The red glow of the nearest drone blinked brighter. The battle hadn’t started yet, but it was only seconds away.

I clutched the straps of my backpack, my pulse racing.

The red eyes blinked in the shadows. One… two… three… I lost count after ten.

My throat tightened. My palms were sweaty against my backpack straps.
“…This is it… this is how I die… death by evil toasters…” I muttered.

A drone buzzed above us, its metal body whirring, scanning. Then, like a starting gun, another one zipped forward, its scanner glowing brighter.

Kaito didn’t hesitate.
Zap!

The blaster in his hand cracked, electricity ripping through the air. The drone exploded in sparks, falling to the ground with a metallic clatter.

“Stay low,” Kaito barked.

“I-I am low!” I hissed, crouching so far down my knees were practically kissing the concrete.

Another robot lunged from the left, metal claws scraping against the floor. My eyes widened, and before I could even scream, Kaito swung his arm, blasting it straight through the chest. The thing collapsed in a shower of sparks, twitching until it finally went still.

My jaw dropped.
“…Oh my god. He’s like... like a superhero. Except scarier. And ruder.”

“Quiet!” he snapped, pivoting toward the back wall where two more AI’s crawled out of the shadows.

I bit my lip, muffling the next mutter that almost slipped out. My heart wouldn’t stop pounding. Every time Kaito fired, every time sparks flew, it was like watching him dance with death. Calm. Sharp. Perfectly precise.

But there were too many.

The robots moved in closer, surrounding us tighter, claws clinking, eyes flashing red. A drone zipped so close I swore I felt the air shift as it passed.

“Kaito!” I squeaked.

He shot it down without even looking at me. “You’re distracting me.”

“Sorry for caring about your life!” I snapped, clutching my bag tighter.

His jaw clenched, but he didn’t answer. Instead, he shifted his stance, firing off another shot that took down two more drones in one go.

I flinched as the explosion rattled my ears, sparks raining down. My whole body shook, but I forced myself not to run. Not to hide. Not when he was out here, fighting alone.

“…I’m not leaving,” I muttered fiercely under my breath. “I don’t care if he yells, or glares, or tells me I’m useless… I’m not leaving him.”

Another robot lunged from the dark, faster than the others. Kaito barely turned in time—

“Kaito! Look out!” I screamed.

He spun, blasting it in the head just before its claw swiped at his arm. The robot fell with a loud crash, twitching.

Kaito exhaled sharply, his teeth gritted. His blaster hummed as it recharged. “Tch… they’re faster than I thought.”

“W-wait... you mean they weren’t even serious yet?!” I squeaked, eyes darting from one red glow to the next.

Kaito didn’t answer. Which, of course, made my stomach twist even harder.

The red dots closed in tighter. More drones whirred above, circling like vultures. The air buzzed with electricity and static.

I crouched lower, thinking furiously. …Great. Just great. Surrounded by killer robots with Mr. Ice-Cold Terminator over here acting like this is a Tuesday… why do I even like him again…?

A crash echoed from the right side of the building. More robots crawled out, claws scraping against the floor.

Kaito narrowed his eyes. His voice was steady, but I could hear the strain now. “They’re trying to box us in.”

“No kidding!” I blurted out, my voice squeaky. “What gave it away... the glowing death eyes, or the fact that they’re literally everywhere?!”

He glanced at me, briefly, just long enough for me to catch the faintest flicker of something in his expression. Not annoyance. Not anger. But maybe… relief?

Like he wasn’t completely alone anymore.

And then—

The air went still.
Too still.

Every red light froze, every drone hovered in place, every robot stopped mid-step. My heart skipped a beat.

“…Uh… is this… good? Or, like… really, really bad?” I muttered, clutching my bag tighter.

Kaito’s jaw tightened. His blaster hummed in his hand. His voice dropped low.
“…It means they’re waiting for something.”

I swallowed hard. “…Like… a boss fight?”

He didn’t answer. But the way his grip tightened on the blaster told me everything.

The hum of the drones filled every corner of the abandoned building. Red eyes glowed from above, circling like vultures, while the smaller robots skittered across the cracked concrete floor. The air buzzed with static, the kind that made the hairs on my arms stand on end.

Kaito stood in the middle of it all, calm, steady, his blaster raised like this was just another Tuesday.

Zap! Crack!

A drone exploded into sparks. He pivoted smoothly, firing again before I could even process the first shot. Another AI crumpled to the floor, twitching as smoke poured from its chest.

I crouched lower, hugging my bag to my chest. My heart thumped so loud I swore the drones could hear it. My eyes darted everywhere, trying to keep up with the flashes of red.

Then it happened.

For just a second, no, less than a second, something flickered in my head. Not the sphere, not the calm, glowing orb I usually summoned. This was sharper. Faster. A flash like lightning in my brain.

I saw it. A drone diving from the rafters above Kaito, claws out.

“KAITO! Above you... LEFT!” I screamed.

He froze for half a beat, just long enough for his blaster to snap up. Zap! The drone burst into pieces, metal shards raining down around him.

Kaito turned his head slightly, his eyes narrowing at me. “…How did you—”

“Behind you! NOW!”

Another flash, another vision. A robot lunging from the side, claws wide.

Kaito spun without hesitation this time, blasting it through the chest. Sparks showered across the floor.

My breath caught. My hands shook.
“…It’s happening… without the sphere…” I whispered to myself.

More flashes. Quick glimpses, sharp warnings. I didn’t think, I just yelled.

“Two o’clock—your right!”
“Duck! Now!”
“Back wall—Kaito, shoot the back wall!”

He listened. For the first time, he actually listened. His movements were sharper, faster, almost like we were… working together.

But then—

Another flash. Different. Stronger.

Not a drone. Not one of the crawling robots. Bigger. Meaner.

I saw it. A massive AI crashing through the wall, electricity sparking along its body, a weapon humming at its core. I saw it zapping Kaito, saw him falter, saw its claws reach for me. My chest tightened, panic clawing up my throat.

I shouted before I could stop myself.
“Kaito! The boss... it’s coming! From the side wall! You have to—”

He froze. His blaster lowered just slightly. His head turned toward me, his eyes sharp. 
“…The boss? How do you know that?”

My mouth went dry. I couldn’t tell him. Not about the sphere. Not about the visions. Not yet. “I just... I know! You have to trust me!”

He scoffed, muttering under his breath as he raised his weapon. “…This is so stupid… I’m even stupider for listening to you…”

Still, he aimed where I pointed, at the cracked wall to our right. Seconds ticked by.

Nothing.

Kaito shot me a cold glare. “…Nothing’s happening.”

“Just wait! It’s true, I swear!” I yelled back, my voice breaking.

He opened his mouth, probably to tear me apart with that icy tone of his—

CRASH!

The wall exploded inward, concrete and dust flying everywhere. My stomach dropped as the massive drone stepped through, its body towering over the smaller ones, its frame covered in jagged armor. Electricity crackled along its limbs, the hum of its core so loud it rattled my teeth.

Kaito’s eyes widened, just for a split second. Then his blaster snapped up. “Damn it—!”

He unloaded shot after shot, electricity sparking across the boss’s armor. It staggered back a step, but kept moving, its glowing eyes locked straight on him.

“KAITO!” I screamed, stumbling forward.

He snapped his head toward me, fury in his eyes. “Get OUT!”

I shook my head, clutching my bag tighter. “No! I’m not leaving you! I can help... I—”

“Yuzuki, MOVE!”

“I won’t! I’m not leaving you alone!”

His jaw clenched so tight I thought his teeth would break. The boss roared, electricity surging, stepping closer. Kaito fired again, sweat dripping down his forehead.

“DAMN IT, YUZUKI!” he snarled.

And before I could react—

KICK.

His foot slammed against my side, not hard enough to hurt, but strong enough to send me stumbling backward. I fell to the ground, sliding across the dirt until I hit the wall. My breath caught in my throat.

“KAITO—!”

He didn’t look back. His entire focus was on the massive drone, his blaster sparking as he reloaded.

My vision blurred with tears as I pressed my back against the wall, clutching my bag. I wanted to run to him. I wanted to fight beside him. But all I could do was curl into myself, praying under my breath.

“Please… please don’t die… Kaito…”

The boss stepped closer, its claws buzzing with electricity. Sparks rained down around him.

Kaito stood tall, defiant, his blaster humming in his grip.

And I, helpless, terrified, pressed my forehead to my knees and whispered: “…Please… let him make it…”

I sat pressed against the broken wall, tears slipping silently down my cheeks, muttering under my breath. “Please… please… just let him be okay… Kaito… please…”

The sound of blasters snapped through the air, Kaito’s shots ricocheting off metal, the short crack of drone weapons. My heart thumped so hard it felt like it might explode. I bit my lip, my palms shaking, wishing I could do more than just watch.

Slowly, I peeked over the edge, daring to see how Kaito was holding up. Sparks flew from the boss and smaller drones, electricity arcing across the room. He was moving with precision, deflecting attacks, but the sheer number of enemies made my stomach twist.

Before I could fully process it, a strong hand grabbed my wrist.

“WE HAVE TO GO! THERE’S NO TIME!” Kaito yelled, his grip firm but urgent.

I barely had time to register his words before he was pulling me along, weaving through debris as the boss and several AI robots advanced toward us. I stumbled, dragging my feet to keep up.

“Wait... wait! Kaito!” I gasped, breathless, but he didn’t slow down. The clatter of metal behind us was deafening.

We reached a ledge high above the floor, overlooking the empty space below. Kaito stopped, pressing a button on his wrist device. “Call for hovercar,” he muttered.

I froze. “Hover… what?”

Before my eyes, a sleek vehicle descended from above, landing with a soft hum. My jaw dropped. A hovercar... here, of all places?

Kaito’s eyes widened slightly in surprise but he didn’t complain. He jumped on top of it.
I stared at it, my knees weak. “Aren’t we… allowed… to go inside it?”

He shook his head. “No. Inside’s full of wires and devices controlling the drive. Stand on top. NOW.”

My stomach churned. Heights had never been my thing.

“J-just… I-I can’t—” I stammered.

Kaito’s voice was sharp now. “Jump! Or the robots will get you!”

I froze for a split second before he added softly, “I’ll hold you close. You won’t fall.”

Heart hammering, I took a deep breath and leapt. My body collided with his chest, arms wrapping around him tightly. I buried my face against his shoulder, panic and relief mixing with a blush that felt like it would never fade.

“Oh… my god… I’m literally hugging him…” I muttered, squeaking silently inside my head.

Kaito’s arms tightened around me for balance. “Hold on!” He pressed a button on the hovercar. The vehicle hummed, rising smoothly and speeding away from the building.

I clung to him like a teddy bear, cheeks burning red-hot. Every bump and sway of the hovercar made my pulse spike. My mind was screaming: I’m literally hugging my crush. My CRUSH! Oh god oh god oh god.

Just when I thought we were safe, a shadow flickered in the sky. I froze. “Kaito… look... drones… they’re following us!”

He glanced behind him. “…Oh yeah. I forgot they could do that.” He groaned, annoyance clear in the tense set of his jaw. He reloaded his blaster quickly, eyes scanning the sky.

“How can they fly?!” I shouted, still clutching him.

“They have hover jets,” he said, grim, “but only for a short duration. Temporary flight.”

His gaze shifted to me. Before I could react, he handed me a blaster.

I froze. “Uh… I… I don’t... Kaito, I’ve never used a gun!” I scratched the back of my head, awkward and panicked.

Kaito’s eyes narrowed. “I didn’t ask. I demanded.” He thrust the weapon into my hands.

“But… I won’t be able to—”

“Well,” he interrupted coldly, “it’s about time you learned, if you actually want to help me like you’ve said a hundred times today.”

My grip on the blaster tightened. My heart thumped so fast I thought it might shatter my chest.

Below us, drones and smaller AI robots flew in formation, closing in. The boss was nowhere in sight… but I knew it wasn’t gone.

I glanced at Kaito, face burning, hands trembling slightly around the weapon. He was determined, every muscle tensed, ready to fight.

I swallowed hard, raising the blaster awkwardly. Panic mixed with adrenaline. My legs were shaking, and I could barely breathe, but I was ready. I had to be ready.

“Okay… okay… we’ve got this… somehow… somehow…” I whispered to myself, voice almost lost in the wind of our hovercar’s flight.

Kaito’s eyes flicked at me. No words, just that cold, steely determination I’d seen so many times before.

The drones neared. Sparks of electricity danced in the air. Weapons ready.

And then I muttered under my breath, a mixture of terror and resolve:
“Here we go…”