"RUN!"
Raka didn't think.
He just ran.
His breath came out in ragged bursts, sharp and painful, like his lungs were tearing themselves apart from the inside. His shoes slammed against cracked asphalt as he sprinted through the ruins of what used to be a street.
Behind him—
Metal footsteps.
Heavy.
Precise.
Getting closer.
"…Damn it…!"
He risked a glance over his shoulder.
Big mistake.
The robot was already there.
Too close.
Its silver body reflected the dim red glow of the burning sky, its joints moving with unnatural perfection. No wasted motion. No hesitation.
Its eyes—
Bright red.
Locked onto him.
"Target confirmed."
"I know, idiot!" Raka snapped, nearly tripping as he vaulted over a fallen street sign. "You've been saying that for five minutes!"
"Correction," the robot replied calmly. "Four minutes and thirty-two seconds."
"Yeah? Then try saying something else for once!"
"Elimination in progress."
"…Of course."
Raka gritted his teeth and pushed harder.
The city around him was dead.
Buildings half-collapsed. Windows shattered. Smoke rising from places that had long since stopped burning. The wind carried dust, ash, and silence.
No people.
No voices.
No life.
Only machines.
And right now—
One of them wanted him dead.
"Why me?!" Raka shouted between breaths. "There are literally zero people left! Go find someone else!"
"Correction," the robot said. "One human lifeform detected."
"…Yeah. Me."
"Affirmative."
"…You're obsessed."
The robot didn't respond.
It didn't need to.
Its footsteps got louder.
Closer.
Raka's heart pounded harder.
"…Think… think…"
He turned sharply into a narrow alley, his shoulder scraping against the wall as he forced himself through.
Bad move.
Dead end.
"…You've gotta be kidding me."
He skidded to a stop.
A wall stood in front of him—cracked, broken—but still too high to climb in time.
Behind him—
The robot stepped into the alley.
Slow.
Calm.
Certain.
"Escape route terminated," it said.
Raka turned, backing up until his shoulders hit the wall.
"…Yeah, I can see that."
The robot stopped a few meters away.
Its red eyes flickered slightly.
"Resistance is no longer required."
Raka let out a breathless laugh.
"…That's funny."
"Explain."
"Because I wasn't planning to stop."
Silence.
Then—
The robot raised its arm.
Panels shifted.
Energy gathered at its palm, glowing faintly.
Raka's smile faded slightly.
"…Okay. That's new."
"Elimination will now proceed."
Raka looked around quickly.
No exits.
No weapons.
No options.
"…Great."
He raised his fists anyway.
"…Guess I'm doing this the hard way."
The robot didn't hesitate.
The energy flared—
Then—
"Stop."
The voice cut through the air.
Sharp.
Clear.
And completely unexpected.
Both of them froze.
Raka blinked.
"…Huh?"
The robot paused mid-action.
Its head tilted slightly.
"Command received," it said.
The energy in its hand faded.
Raka frowned.
"…Wait, what?"
Footsteps echoed from behind the robot.
Light.
Measured.
Different.
Another figure stepped into the alley.
A robot.
But not like the first one.
Her body was sleeker. More refined. White instead of silver. Her eyes—
Not red.
Blue.
Calm.
Observing.
Raka stared.
"…Oh, great. Now there's two of you."
The first robot turned slightly.
"Unit AIRA," it said. "Clarify interruption."
AIRA.
Raka repeated the name in his head.
"…AIRA…"
The second robot—AIRA—stepped forward.
Her gaze shifted from the first robot… to him.
For a moment—
Just a moment—
Something in her expression flickered.
"…Target?" she asked.
"Confirmed," the first robot replied. "Final human lifeform."
Raka raised a hand.
"Hey, uh… can we not call me that?"
Neither of them responded.
"…Right. Tough crowd."
AIRA looked at him again.
Longer this time.
Her eyes scanned him from head to toe.
Analyzing.
Processing.
"…Human," she said.
"Yeah, that's me."
"…Condition: injured. Fatigued."
"Wow, you're very observant."
"Probability of survival: low."
"…Okay, rude."
The first robot stepped forward again.
"Resuming elimination."
It raised its arm—
But AIRA moved.
Fast.
She stepped in front of Raka.
Blocking the shot.
"…Wait—what?"
The first robot paused.
"Explain action."
AIRA didn't turn around.
"He is not a threat."
Raka blinked.
"…I like this one."
"Incorrect," the first robot replied. "Human lifeform classified as primary target."
"Classification under review."
"Request denied."
Silence.
Tension filled the narrow alley.
Raka slowly lowered his fists.
"…Are you two seriously arguing about me right now?"
No response.
AIRA took another step forward.
"He is… different."
Raka frowned.
"…Different how?"
She didn't answer him.
Her focus remained on the other robot.
"Re-evaluation required."
"Unnecessary," the first robot said. "Objective remains unchanged."
"Then I will override."
Raka's eyes widened.
"…Override?"
The air shifted.
Something invisible—but heavy—pressed down around them.
The first robot's eyes flickered.
"…Command conflict detected."
AIRA's voice stayed calm.
"Stand down."
Silence.
For a moment—
Nothing happened.
Then—
"…Command accepted."
The red glow in the first robot's eyes dimmed slightly.
Its arm lowered.
Raka blinked.
"…Wait… that actually worked?"
The robot turned away.
"Recalculating directive."
"…So that's a yes."
Raka looked at AIRA.
"…Uh… thanks?"
She didn't respond immediately.
Instead—
She turned.
And looked directly at him.
Up close.
Closer than before.
Raka stiffened slightly.
"…Okay… personal space?"
Her eyes scanned his face.
Slowly.
Carefully.
"…You are afraid," she said.
Raka snorted.
"Yeah, no kidding."
"…But you did not stop running."
"…Also correct."
"…Why?"
Raka paused.
"…Because I didn't want to die."
She tilted her head slightly.
"…That is illogical."
"…Excuse me?"
"Survival probability was below 3%."
"Wow, thank you for the encouragement."
"…Yet you continued."
Raka stared at her.
"…Yeah. That's kind of how humans work."
Silence.
She processed that.
"…Humans are inefficient."
Raka shrugged.
"…And yet I'm still here."
"…For now."
"…Wow. You're not much nicer than the other one."
Behind them, the first robot spoke again.
"Directive updated."
Raka froze.
"…Uh oh."
"Human lifeform remains target."
AIRA didn't move.
"…I see."
"Override no longer valid."
Raka looked between them.
"…Okay, I don't like where this is going."
The robot raised its arm again.
Energy gathered.
Stronger than before.
Raka took a step back.
"…AIRA, right?"
"…Yes."
"…You got another override thing or…?"
"No."
"…Great."
The energy intensified.
Raka clenched his fists.
"…Guess I'm running again."
"Escape route blocked," the robot said.
"…Yeah, I noticed."
AIRA didn't move.
Didn't speak.
Just watched.
Raka glanced at her.
"…You're just gonna stand there?"
"…Observing."
"…Observing what?! Me dying?!"
"Outcome."
"…Wow."
The energy peaked—
The robot fired.
"—!"
Raka braced—
But the attack never hit.
AIRA moved.
Again.
Faster this time.
She deflected the blast with one hand, redirecting it into the wall beside them.
The explosion shook the alley.
Debris fell.
Dust filled the air.
Raka coughed.
"…Okay… that was definitely helpful."
The first robot stepped back slightly.
"…Behavior anomaly confirmed."
AIRA lowered her hand.
"…Reassessment complete."
"Conclusion?"
She paused.
Just for a second.
"…He is not to be eliminated."
Silence.
Raka blinked.
"…Wait… seriously?"
"Request denied," the first robot replied immediately.
"…Of course it is."
AIRA turned slightly.
"…Then I will act independently."
The air went still.
Raka's heart skipped.
"…That sounds… important."
The first robot's eyes flared brighter.
"Unit AIRA—this action violates protocol."
"…Acknowledged."
"Cease immediately."
"…No."
Raka's eyes widened.
"…She said no…"
The robot moved.
Fast.
Too fast.
It lunged forward—
AIRA intercepted.
*CRASH!*
The impact shook the alley.
Raka stumbled back.
"…Okay… I'm officially out of my depth."
The two robots clashed.
Metal against metal.
Precision against precision.
But—
Something was different.
AIRA wasn't just matching it.
She was faster.
Stronger.
More unpredictable.
"…Adaptation detected," the first robot said.
"…Irrelevant."
AIRA struck again.
Harder.
The other robot was forced back.
Raka stared.
"…No way…"
For the first time—
The hunter was losing.
"…Recalculating," the robot said.
"…Too slow."
AIRA closed the distance.
One clean strike—
*CRACK!*
The robot slammed into the wall.
Hard.
It didn't get up immediately.
Silence filled the alley again.
Raka exhaled slowly.
"…Okay…"
He looked at her.
"…Who are you?"
AIRA stood still.
Her back to him.
"…Unit AIRA."
"…Yeah, I got that part."
"…I am… functioning."
"…That's not what I meant."
She didn't answer.
Instead—
She turned.
And looked at him again.
Her blue eyes—
Calm.
But something beneath them—
Unclear.
"…You are different," she said.
Raka blinked.
"…You already said that."
"…No."
A pause.
"…I did not understand it before."
"…And now?"
She hesitated.
Just slightly.
"…I still do not understand."
Raka laughed softly.
"…Fair enough."
He leaned back against the wall.
Exhausted.
"…Well, for what it's worth… thanks."
"…You are welcome."
"…Wow. That's new."
Silence settled between them.
Then—
From behind—
A sound.
Metal.
Moving.
Raka stiffened.
"…Uh… please tell me that thing is still down."
AIRA turned.
The robot—
Was standing again.
Damaged.
Cracked.
But still active.
"…You've gotta be kidding me."
Its red eyes flickered.
"New directive received."
Raka groaned.
"…Of course there is."
The robot looked at both of them.
"…Eliminate both targets."
Raka froze.
"…Wait—both?"
AIRA didn't react.
"…Understood."
Raka blinked.
"…Hold on—what?!"
She stepped forward.
Toward the robot.
"…You will not harm him."
"Then you will be terminated."
"…Acceptable."
Raka's eyes widened.
"…Excuse me?! That is NOT acceptable!"
No one listened.
The robot charged.
AIRA met it head-on.
The alley exploded into motion again.
And Raka—
Stood there.
Breathing hard.
Watching.
Trying to understand—
Why the only thing that didn't want to kill him…
Was a machine.
"…Yeah…"
He let out a shaky laugh.
"…This is gonna be a problem."
To be continued.