The value of friendship

D1 walked through the battlefield, its steps mechanical, unhurried. Sand crunched beneath its feet as it approached the small figure still digging frantically on hands and knees.




Timmy stood up in panic.

"ELEO!!!" he squeaked, his tiny voice echoing across the wasteland.




But Eleo didn't turn.




He kept digging—faster now. Hands raw, fur stained with dust and blood.

D1 stopped beside him, casting a massive shadow.




THUD!




A savage kick smashed into Eleo's cheek, launching him backward in a cloud of sand and blood.




His body tumbled across the dirt—but before he even stopped rolling, Eleo was already scrambling back on all fours, charging toward the same spot.




D1 raised its arm to block—but Eleo didn't attack.




He skidded to a halt, dropped low, and started digging again.

"Where is it…?"




D1 tilted its head.




"…?"




Timmy stared, jaw trembling. "He's not… fighting back?"




Kawai covered his face with his wings. "Meep Meep!"




PQ burst into laughter. "BAHAHA! Oh wow! The bunny kid isn't even worried about his friends or the damn robot! This is comedy GOLD!"




D1's foot slammed into Eleo's arm.

CRACK.




Eleo gasped in pain, falling flat.




Still—he gritted his teeth, dragging his body forward with one arm.

"Gotta… find it…"




Another kick.

WHAM!

Eleo's face snapped sideways, a few teeth flying into the air and landing in the dirt like broken dice.




Timmy winced, turning away. Kawai let out a tiny sob.




Eleo coughed, blood dripping from his mouth. He used his elbow to push himself up, limping back to the same spot again, breathing heavy.




"…Abby…" he mumbled.

"I'll find it…"




PQ leaned back, howling with laughter. "This kid is too stupid! It's hilarious! He's like a broken wind-up toy that only knows dig!"




D1's fingers clamped around Eleo's long ears and yanked him into the air. Eleo's legs flailed uselessly.




Then—




THWACK!




D1 extended its leg like a trap post.

Eleo's small body slammed gut-first into it mid-fall, the impact rippling through him.




"GHK—!!"




Before he could react, D1 grabbed his body, spun, and slammed him face-first into the sand with crushing force. A shockwave puffed out in all directions.




Timmy fell backward from the force. "ELEO!!"




Eleo slowly pushed himself up—arms shaking, legs trembling.

He spat out a mouthful of sand and blood.




Eyes bleary. Body twitching.




He turned his head slightly…




…and crawled right back to digging.




WHAM!

D1's foot crashed into Eleo's ribs. Again. And again. Each kick pounded down like a piston, stirring up clouds of dust and blood.




But Eleo didn't scream. He didn't run. He didn't stop.

Even as the hits came—he kept reaching, crawling, pawing through the sand.








Then—his hand froze.








Wrapped between his dirt-caked fingers…


A glint of silver. A tiny, cracked charm.








Abby's necklace.








Eleo's bloodied face lit up with raw determination.


He clutched it tight, gritting his teeth as D1 raised its leg once more.








But this time—Eleo caught it.








Gasps rang out.


Eleo's other fist clenched tight, necklace still dangling.








He looked up slowly, eyes burning with fury.








"Alright," he growled. "I found it…"








"…Now I'm gonna break you for hurting my friends."








BOOM!








A brutal punch to the chest caved in D1's armor, launching the machine backward in a trail of sparks. A crater formed where it landed, smoke hissing from its dented body.








PQ's jaw dropped. "W-WHAT??!"








Timmy and Kawai peeked through their fingers.








Timmy shouted, "YEAH!!! ELEO, KICK HIS BUTT!"








"Meep Meep!!" Kawai chimed in, flapping in place with excitement.








Eleo looped Abby's necklace around his neck, eyes narrowing.








And then—








BOOM!








He was gone in a blur of motion.








D1 barely had time to react—its arms shot up to block, but Eleo was already behind it.








"INK BARRAGE!!"








A flurry of glowing, ink-covered fists slammed into D1's back like a hailstorm, each hit exploding with small shockwaves, staggering the machine with every blow.








Eleo zipped back in front of it, his hands morphing—swirling, inflating with inky mass.








"INK HAMMER!!"








CRASH!








The twin hammers smashed down on D1's head, flattening it to the ground with an echoing boom. Eleo grabbed its body, flipped it over, face-up, and—








WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!








Left. Right. Left. Right. Ink hammers pounded into D1's face, sparks and dents flying.








PQ screamed, his voice cracking. "NOOOOOOOOO!!!"








Timmy doubled over laughing. "HAHAHA! You're done for, PQ!"








With a final roar, Eleo leapt into the air and brought his hammer down—








CRUNCH.








D1's head shattered, fragments exploding into the air like glass under pressure.








Eleo stood over the wreckage, panting hard, covered in bruises, blood, and ink.








He turned slowly toward PQ, eyes locked on the trembling figure.








PQ let out a high-pitched, panicked shriek, eyes bulging.








"GYAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!"








He tried to scramble away, arms flailing—but too late.








"INK ROPE!!" Eleo shouted.








Tendrils of glowing ink burst from his hands, wrapping around PQ's legs, arms, and mouth in an instant. He slammed into the sand, hogtied and helpless.








Eleo gave a satisfied nod. "There. He's tied up."








Timmy climbed on a rock and shouted, "Let's gooooo! That's what I'm talking about!"








Kawai bounced excitedly. "Meeeeep! Meep meep meep!!"








But Timmy suddenly froze. "Wait… Eleo… what about the others?!"








Eleo blinked, staring at the wreckage around him.








"AH—CRAAAAAAP!! RIGHT, RIGHT!!"








He took off running in the opposite direction, flailing wildly. "TONYYYYY!! KENJIIII!! CHIYOOOOOO!! DON'T BE DEEEAD!!"








"INK ROPE!!"








Eleo swung his arms wide, and thick ink strands shot out, wrapping around Tony, Kenji, Olorun, and Chiyo's unconscious bodies.








"Gotcha!" he shouted, yanking them toward him with a loud fwip! before sprinting back into the cave, dragging his team behind like a line of defeated warriors.








As soon as they tumbled inside, Eleo dropped to his knees, grabbed the nearby water cup, and splashed it all over Kenji, Chiyo, and Olorun's faces.








"WAKE UP! WAKE UP!"








Chiyo coughed. Olorun snorted. Kenji groaned.








"W-What happened…?"








Timmy popped out from behind a rock, flailing his little arms. "ELEO beat the robot up! He caught PQ, too!"








PQ, still tied up and gagged in the corner, rolled his eyes and muttered through the ropes, "Tch… If I'd upgraded him, I would've won..."








Olorun sat up, groaning, "Shut up, you bastard." He looked at Eleo and gave him a half-smile. "Anyway… nice job, Eleo. Our strong little leader did it again."








Chiyo leaned back with a deep sigh. "Yeah… I really thought we were gonna lose this one."








Tony stretched, bones cracking. "Same. My spine was literally shivering."








Kenji rubbed his temples. "Wait… Eleo… were you knocked out too?"








Eleo beamed with pride, puffing out his chest. "Nope! He didn't even knock me out!"








Kenji narrowed his eyes. "Then why didn't you help us during the fight?"








Eleo scratched the back of his head. "Oh, uh… I was looking for Abby. My friend's necklace. I dropped it."








Chiyo blinked. "Huh?"








Olorun squinted. "Wait… what?"








Tony tilted his head. "So basically… you were scavenging for a trinket while we were getting our asses handed to us?"








Eleo held up the necklace defensively. "W-Well, I didn't wanna lose it! It's important!"








Kenji stood, brushing dust off his pants, voice cold. "Eleo. Answer this."








Eleo gulped.








"If we were all in danger… and so was that necklace. Who would you save?"








Eleo stared at him. "I… uh…"








The silence was thick.








Kenji turned away. "That's what I thought."








Timmy gasped. "Wait… what?!"








Kenji clenched his fists. "If your friend's necklace means more to you than we do, then I'll leave. I don't want to be part of a team where I don't matter."








Olorun raised his hands. "Whoa, whoa, whoa—okay, yeah, I feel a little hurt too, but come on, Kenji. That's a bit far, man."








Chiyo stood. "Kenji, that's harsh. I get being upset, but… what if it was your swords? Would you have done anything different?"








Kenji didn't flinch.








"I would've saved you," he said calmly. "I think of you all as family."








He reached behind him and pulled out his sheathed blade—one unlike the other sword. Simple. Worn. Its grip frayed, its scabbard faded.








He walked over to Tony, kneeling in front of him, and placed it in his hands.








"That sword belonged to my big brother."








Tony looked down at it, stunned.








"…You want me to use it?"








"No," Kenji said. "I want you to break it."








Everyone froze.








"What?" Chiyo whispered.








Kenji's eyes stayed on the blade. "Because if I ever start valuing steel over my family—then I've already lost."








He stood, walked away silently, and sat by the mouth of the cave, the wind blowing through his hair.