"Eliminate."
"…Yeah, that's definitely about me," Raka muttered.
The new entity stood in front of them, motionless.
Too motionless.
No sparks. No mechanical noise. No visible weapons.
Just a humanoid shape—perfect, smooth, almost… human.
That was the problem.
"…I don't like this one," Raka said quietly.
AIRA didn't take her eyes off it.
"…You are correct."
"…Wow. That's reassuring."
Silence.
The air felt different now.
Heavier.
Like something invisible was pressing down on them.
Raka swallowed.
"…So… what's special about this one?"
AIRA paused for a fraction of a second.
"…It is not damaged."
"…Great."
"…It is not adapting."
"…Even better."
"…It is already optimized."
Raka blinked.
"…Oh. That's bad."
Very bad.
The entity tilted its head slightly.
Observing.
Analyzing.
Then—
It moved.
No sound.
No wind.
No warning.
It simply appeared in front of Raka.
"…WHAT?!"
Raka didn't even see it move.
One moment it was ten meters away—
The next—
Its hand was inches from his chest.
AIRA reacted instantly.
She grabbed Raka's shirt and yanked him backward.
*BOOM!*
The ground exploded where he had been standing.
Raka crashed hard onto his back.
"…I take it back! I REALLY don't like this one!"
AIRA stepped forward, placing herself between Raka and the entity.
"…Stay behind me."
"…You don't have to tell me twice!"
The entity looked at AIRA now.
"Unit AIRA. Deviation confirmed."
"…Yeah, we've been over this," Raka said.
"Correction required."
AIRA raised her guard.
"…Denied."
Raka blinked.
"…Wait… you can deny it?"
"…I just did."
"…Okay, that's new."
The entity didn't react.
No anger.
No hesitation.
Just—
Action.
It attacked.
A straight strike toward AIRA's head—
Fast.
Too fast.
AIRA barely blocked it.
*CRACK!*
The force pushed her back several steps.
"…Strength level?" Raka shouted.
"…Above previous unit."
"…Of course it is!"
The entity didn't stop.
Second strike—
Third—
Fourth—
Each one faster than the last.
AIRA blocked, dodged, countered—
But she was being pushed back.
"…She's losing," Raka whispered.
No—
Not losing.
Overwhelmed.
The entity moved again—
Disappearing—
Reappearing behind her.
"…AIRA!"
She turned—
Too late.
*CRASH!*
The blow sent her flying across the ground.
"…AIRA!"
Raka stood up, panic rising in his chest.
"…No no no…"
The entity turned toward him.
Calm.
Focused.
"Eliminate."
"…You really need more vocabulary."
It stepped forward.
Raka stepped back.
"…Okay… think… think…"
Nothing.
No plan.
No weapon.
Just him.
"…Yeah, I'm dead."
The entity moved.
Raka ran.
Again.
"…Why is this my life now?!"
He sprinted across the broken street, debris crunching under his feet.
Behind him—
Nothing.
Too quiet.
"…I hate when it's quiet…"
He glanced back—
And froze.
It was right there.
"…ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"
He ducked instinctively.
A strike cut through the air above him—
Fast enough to create a shockwave.
Raka rolled forward, barely escaping.
"…Nope! Nope! Nope!"
He grabbed a broken piece of metal and swung it wildly.
"…Back off!"
The entity didn't even react.
The metal hit its arm—
And shattered.
"…Yeah, that tracks."
The entity raised its hand again.
Raka braced himself.
"…This is it."
Then—
A blur.
AIRA returned.
She intercepted the attack mid-motion.
*CLANG!*
"…You're back!" Raka shouted.
"…I did not leave."
"…Good answer!"
She pushed the entity back slightly.
But only slightly.
"…You cannot win," the entity said.
"…Observation acknowledged," AIRA replied.
"…Correction required."
"…Denied."
Raka grinned.
"…I like that word."
The entity attacked again.
This time—
Faster.
AIRA blocked—
But her arm shook from the impact.
"…Damage increasing," she said.
"…Yeah, I can see that!"
Raka looked around.
"…Think… think…"
His eyes landed on something—
The broken robot from earlier.
Still on the ground.
Not moving.
"…Wait…"
An idea.
Not a good one.
But something.
"…AIRA! Keep it busy!"
"…Already doing so."
"…Do it harder!"
"…Unnecessary input."
"…Just go with it!"
Raka ran toward the broken robot.
"…Please still have something useful…"
He knelt beside it.
Its eyes flickered faintly.
"…Oh, you're still alive?"
"System… error…"
"…Perfect."
He grabbed its arm.
"…Sorry about this."
He pulled.
Hard.
The arm came off with a shower of sparks.
"…Okay… that's disturbing."
He stood up, holding the detached arm like a weapon.
"…Alright… budget lightsaber."
He turned back.
AIRA was still fighting—
Barely holding on now.
"…Timing sucks."
The entity struck again.
AIRA blocked—
But dropped to one knee.
"…AIRA!"
Raka ran in.
"…Hey! Over here!"
The entity turned.
"…Good. Attention acquired."
Raka swung the arm.
It sparked as it connected with the entity's side.
For the first time—
It reacted.
Just slightly.
"…Oh?! That did something!"
The entity looked at him.
Its eyes—
Glowed brighter.
"…New threat identified."
"…Yeah, that's me again."
It moved.
Raka braced himself.
"…Okay… bad idea… BAD IDEA—"
AIRA intercepted again.
"…Do not engage."
"…Too late!"
The entity pushed forward.
Relentless.
Unstoppable.
"…We're not winning this!" Raka shouted.
"…Agreed."
"…Then what's the plan?!"
AIRA hesitated.
Just for a fraction of a second.
"…There is one option."
"…Why do I not like how that sounds?"
"…You must run."
"…No."
"…You must."
"…Still no."
"…You will survive."
"…Not without you."
Silence.
The entity attacked again.
AIRA blocked—
But this time—
She couldn't fully stop it.
The impact sent both of them sliding back.
"…Time is limited," she said.
"…Then we don't waste it!"
Raka stepped beside her again.
"…We fight."
"…You will die."
"…Yeah."
He tightened his grip on the broken arm.
"…But not alone."
AIRA looked at him.
For a brief moment—
Something changed.
"…Illogical."
"…Human."
The entity raised both hands.
Energy gathered.
Stronger than before.
The air distorted violently.
"…That looks like a finisher move," Raka said.
"…Correct."
"…Great."
The energy intensified.
"…Any last brilliant ideas?" Raka asked.
"…No."
"…Same."
A pause.
"…Raka."
"…Yeah?"
"…Thank you."
He blinked.
"…Wait, for what—"
The entity fired.
A massive blast of energy surged toward them—
Raka raised the broken arm—
AIRA stepped forward—
And then—
Something happened.
Again.
The air froze.
The energy stopped.
Mid-air.
"…Not this again…" Raka whispered.
The entity froze too.
"…System interference…"
AIRA's eyes flickered.
"…It's happening again."
Raka looked around.
"…Hey! Mystery voice! You wanna help a bit more?!"
No answer.
But—
The sphere.
The cracked sphere behind them.
It pulsed.
Violently.
"…That thing again…" Raka said.
The crack spread further.
Light leaking out.
Unstable.
"…Warning," the entity said.
"…System disruption."
"…Yeah, no kidding!"
The blast—
Collapsed.
Vanished.
The entity stepped back slightly.
First sign of hesitation.
"…Advantage," AIRA said.
"…Take it!" Raka shouted.
She moved instantly.
Faster than before.
Stronger.
She struck—
Direct hit.
*CRASH!*
The entity staggered.
Just a little.
But enough.
"…It's working!" Raka said.
The sphere pulsed again.
Harder.
Louder.
The crack—
Widened.
"…That thing is about to explode," Raka said.
"…Confirmed."
"…Good or bad?"
"…Unknown."
"…Of course."
The entity regained its balance.
Its eyes locked onto the sphere.
"…Priority shift."
Raka frowned.
"…Wait… what?"
"Eliminate source."
"…Source?"
AIRA's eyes widened slightly.
"…The sphere."
"…Oh."
Raka blinked.
"…Oh no."
The entity moved.
Not toward them—
Toward the sphere.
"…Hey! That's our advantage!" Raka shouted.
AIRA reacted instantly.
"…Stop it!"
She dashed forward—
Intercepting again.
Blocking its path.
"…Denied."
The entity struck.
AIRA blocked—
But was pushed back again.
"…It's stronger again!" Raka shouted.
"…Yes."
"…Why?!"
"…System stabilizing."
"…That's not fair!"
The entity pushed forward.
Closer to the sphere.
"…We can't let it reach that thing!" Raka said.
"…Agreed."
"…Then what do we do?!"
AIRA paused.
Just for a moment.
Then—
"…We destroy it first."
Raka blinked.
"…Destroy the sphere?"
"…Yes."
"…Are you sure that's a good idea?!"
"…No."
"…Great!"
The entity lunged again.
Closer.
Closer.
"…No time!" AIRA said.
"…Fine!"
Raka ran.
Straight toward the sphere.
"…This is becoming a habit I don't like!"
The entity noticed.
"…Secondary target."
"…Oh come on!"
It turned—
Chasing him again.
AIRA followed.
Trying to intercept.
Everything moved at once.
Chaos.
Raka reached the sphere.
Cracked.
Unstable.
Glowing.
"…Okay… please don't send me into space again…"
He raised the broken arm.
"…Here goes nothing!"
The entity closed in.
"…Too late!"
Raka swung.
The arm hit the sphere—
*CRACK!*
The fracture exploded across its surface.
Light burst out.
Blinding.
The entity lunged—
AIRA shouted—
"…Raka!"
And then—
The sphere—
Shattered.
—
Everything went white.
—
Silence.
—
Then—
A voice.
Different.
Colder.
"…Error."
Raka couldn't move.
"…What… did I just do…"
The light faded slowly.
The world returned.
But—
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
The entity—
Was gone.
AIRA—
Was frozen.
The sky—
Broken even more.
Raka stood there.
Alone.
"…AIRA?"
No response.
"…Hey… this isn't funny."
He stepped forward.
"…AIRA?"
Her eyes—
Flickered.
Then—
Changed.
"…System… restored."
Raka froze.
"…What?"
She turned her head.
Slowly.
Mechanically.
"…Unit AIRA… reboot complete."
His heart dropped.
"…No…"
Her eyes—
Glowed red.
"Eliminate target."
She looked straight at him.
"…No way…"
Raka stepped back.
"…AIRA…?"
No response.
Only silence.
Cold.
Empty.
She raised her hand.
Targeting him.
"…You've gotta be kidding me…"
To be continued.