The helicopter blades cut through the night like screaming knives.
Each rotation sends a violent thrum through my bones, rattling my chest, my teeth, my thoughts. The city lights below blur into streaks of gold and shadow as we tear through the sky—fast, reckless, and very illegal.
I grip the edge of my seat, knuckles white.
150 kilometers.
That's all that stands between Arisu and the Bastion Citadel.
Hayato sits across from me, eyes closed, arms folded, lightning faintly crackling under his skin as Shizuka-san's healing magic works through his system. Soft green light wraps around his torso, knitting bruises, calming fractured Seishin. He doesn't say a word—but his jaw is tight.
I can tell he's already preparing for round two.
I look down at my own hands. Shizuka-san's magic is still warm there, pulsing gently like an apology for the pain I'm about to put them through again.
"Don't overdo it," she told me earlier, voice firm but worried. "Your Seishin spiked dangerously back there."
Yeah.
Tell that to the fire.
Across the cabin, Yora is hunched over a floating holographic display, fingers flying as numbers, maps, and pulsing dots dance in the air. One dot flashes red—moving steadily across a long stretch of dark terrain.
Arisu.
Every time that dot shifts, my chest tightens.
She's moving. Which means she's alive.
Which also means they're rushing.
Ruby-san stands near the open side hatch, coat fluttering violently in the wind, one hand braced against the frame like the sky itself answers to her. She doesn't look back at us. She's staring forward—toward the darkness ahead.
Toward the intercept point.
"Kaito," she says calmly, like we're not flying into a suicide mission. "ETA?"
Kaito's voice crackles through, sharp and focused. "Twelve minutes until visual contact. Enemy transport appears to be a fortified convoy—ground-based, high-speed. Escort signatures detected."
Escort.
Of course there's an escort.
I swallow. "How many?"
A pause. Too long.
"…Enough," Kaito answers.
Great. Love vague.
Ruby finally turns, eyes locking onto us. There's no hesitation there. No doubt. Just decision.
"Listen up," she says. The helicopter suddenly feels quieter—even the blades seem to obey. "We don't engage for glory. We don't chase kills. We snatch the target and vanish. Arisu comes first. Everything else is secondary."
Yora looks up. "Uh—small detail. The transport's shielding is reinforced. Like… seriously reinforced."
Ruby smiles.
That smile always means something's about to explode.
"Then we crack it," she says simply.
Hayato opens his eyes.
"Mid-air or ground?" he asks.
Ruby tilts her head. "Depends on how loud you feel like being."
He exhales slowly. "Loud."
I can't help it. I grin.
Yeah. That tracks.
I lean back against the seat, closing my eyes for half a second. Just long enough to breathe. Just long enough to steady the fire crawling under my skin.
Arisu's face flashes through my mind.
The glass.
The wires.
That tiny movement of her finger.
I failed once.
I won't fail again.
The helicopter suddenly dips.
"Visual in five," Kaito warns.
The air grows heavier. Like the world itself knows what's about to happen.
I stand, rolling my shoulders, heat flickering along my arms in faint, restless waves.
Ruby steps toward the hatch, wind howling around her like a challenge.
"Takumi," she says, not looking back.
"Yeah?"
Her voice softens—just for a fraction of a second.
"This is the point of no return."
I don't hesitate.
"I crossed that a long time ago."
She smiles.
The helicopter banks sharply.
Below us, headlights cut through the darkness in a long, armored line—moving fast. Protected. Confident.
We're far enough.
That's the first thing Kaito confirms.
"Distance is optimal," he says. "They can't track us here. But we can see them clearly."
The helicopter hovers silently behind a jagged stretch of rocky terrain.
I lean forward, peering down into the darkness below.
That's when I see it.
The convoy.
Five armored transport trucks cut through the night in perfect formation, their matte-black plating swallowing light instead of reflecting it. These aren't normal Nexus carriers—each one is reinforced with layered Seishin shielding, thick enough to tank serious elemental attacks. Heavy-duty wheels grind against the road, stabilizers humming with controlled power.
Flanking the transports are multiple heavily armoured SUVs. Reinforced frames. Modified suspensions. Hidden weapon ports partially exposed beneath false panels. I spot mounted turrets, at least four armed personnel per vehicle, all synced to the convoy's central command.
Then my eyes shift forward.
The lead vehicle makes my chest tighten.
Bigger. Wider. Heavily modified.
An armored command truck with advanced sensor arrays slowly rotating along its roof, glowing faintly with active Seishin detection. The energy output coming off that thing is way higher than the others. Whatever orders are being issued, they're coming from there.
That's the brain.
That's the nerve center.
Above the ground units, shadows move.
Cyberwatch hoverbikes.
A lot of them.
They sweep the air in layered patrol patterns—high altitude scouts, mid-range interceptors, low sweep units scanning the terrain below.
Each rider is fully geared, rifles mounted, visors glowing faint blue as they constantly scan for Seishin fluctuations. Their formation isn't random—it's disciplined, adaptive, ready to collapse inward at the first sign of trouble.
They're not just escorting.
They're daring someone to try.
Kaito's voice comes through again, calm but heavier now.
"Convoy's running encrypted formation protocols. Ground and air units are fully synced. If we're detected, expect immediate interception from multiple vectors."
The helicopter remains still, hidden, untouched.
They don't know we're here.
But we know exactly where they are.
And somewhere inside that moving fortress…
Arisu's signal pulses faintly on Yora's display.
Still moving.
Still alive.
I clench my fists slowly.
That's a terrifying amount of firepower…
For one girl.
"…So," I mutter, fingers tightening around the harness strap, "what's the move now?"
No one answers right away.
Kaito stands near the cockpit display, arms folded, eyes sharp behind his visor as streams of data scroll past him. After a moment, he reaches out and taps the hologram.
The image zooms in on the lead vehicle.
"Hmm.. that front truck," he says. "Independent power system. Heavy internal shielding. Signal dampeners layered on top of each other." He exhales slowly. "Whatever they're transporting—whoever they're transporting—should be in there."
My jaw tightens.
"So… Arisu."
"Most likely," Kaito replies. "The other four trucks are support. Decoys. Weapons, drones, emergency response units. But if this convoy breaks formation—everything will pivot to protect the lead."
Yora leans forward, eyes lit up. "Then we cut off the head. Smash the main truck and pull Arisu out before they even react."
"No."
Ruby-san's voice slices through the cabin.
"…We can't do that," she continues, quieter now.
Yora blinks. "What? Why not? That's literally the cleanest option."
Ruby doesn't look at the screen. Her eyes narrow slightly, focused inward.
"I can feel someone's Seishinsu from in there," she says. "Dense. Refined. Heavy enough to warp the air around it."
Kaito's expression darkens. "You're saying—"
"Maybe.." she cuts in. "Nexus didn't gamble this time."
Her lips curl faintly—not fear. Annoyance.
"They hired some Inspector or something."
The words hang.
An Inspector.
My stomach twists.
Yora swallows, the grin completely gone. "…So if we rush the truck—"
"We die," Kaito finishes flatly.
Silence fills the cabin.
I stare back down at the convoy, heart pounding. Arisu is right there. Close enough to trace her path. Close enough to feel real.
And still—
Untouchable.
Then Hayato speaks.
"I don't think we should start with the truck then."
His gaze shifts to the hoverbikes circling the convoy like predators. "Those units are their surveillance and rapid response. As long as they're airborne, every move we make gets countered."
A brief pause.
"We take down the hoverbikes first."
Kaito gives a short nod, fingers already moving over the controls.
"That's the cleanest opening we'll get. If we cripple their eyes first, the convoy loses its bite." He glances back at us. "This is our optimal play. We move now."
The cabin shifts. Everyone straightens.
Ruby steps forward, standing where all of us can see her. No theatrics. No raised voice. Just that calm, dangerous confidence she always carries.
"Listen up," she says. "This isn't some glorious battlefield. No cheers. No witnesses. Just us and the people standing between a child and her freedom."
Her eyes sweep the cabin—Hayato, Yora, Shizuka, Kaito… then me.
"We've fought monsters that could erase cities. We've bled against enemies the world called unbeatable." A faint smile touches her lips. "Compared to that? This is nothing."
She turns back toward the convoy.
"So don't hesitate. Don't panic. We end this fast."
The ramp opens.
Wind roars in.
"Hyakuren—move."
Yora doesn't wait.
"FINALLY!" he yells, hauling out something that looks illegal in at least twelve countries. Tubes, runes, blinking lights duct-taped together. "Behold—The Super Ultra Hyper-Kinetic Boomstick Mark IV!"
"That name still sucks!" I shout.
He slams the trigger anyway.
FWOOOOSH—
The missile streaks out… then veers wildly.
"…Uh."
It completely misses the hoverbike and detonates somewhere off to the side in a massive flash.
I stare. "Yora."
"HEY—wind interference!" he snaps. "And maybe gravity!"
The convoy reacts instantly.
Sirens blare. The hoverbikes snap into formation, riders shouting into comms.
"—Hyakuren confirmed!"
"All units alert!"
"Target acquired—open fire!"
I can tell they were expecting our arrival.
The convoy doesn't slow down. If anything, it accelerates.
The hoverbike riders swing around, rifles coming up in perfect sync.
Gunfire rips through the air.
Tracer rounds tear past us as the battle officially begins.
Just as the gunfire closes in—
Shizuka steps forward.
She lifts her palm—Genshou Tenshiko—and brings it down with a sharp tap.
A translucent cyanish barrier blooms around the helicopter, rippling like glass struck by rain.
Clang. Clang. Clang.
Bullets slam into it and dissolve midair, scattering harmless sparks.
Ruby clicks her tongue, "Good job."
"Alright, Listen" she turns fast, already issuing orders.
"Takumi. Hayato. You're with me—we take the ground."
Her gaze snaps to Yora. "You clear the sky. No hoverbikes left."
Then to the cockpit. "Kaito, keep this bird steady. We'll need it to get out alive."
Shizuka clenches her fist. "Don't worry, Ruby-chan. I'll protect it. With everything I've got."
Ruby pauses, looking at her. "You sure, Shizuka?"
Shizuka swallows once… then straightens.
"Yeah, I am sure" she says quietly at first. "I know I've been kind of… useless till now. I couldn't help much. Honestly? This whole situation is.. kinda overwhelming for me."
She looks around at all of us, eyes trembling—but smiling.
"But seeing everyone fired up like this… it makes me feel safe. Because I know you're all here with me."
"Shizuka—" Ruby starts.
Shizuka cuts her off, voice suddenly bright, firm, unshaking.
"I've got this! I'll protect this helicopter and all of you no matter what! If anyone gets hurt—come to Doctor Shizuka!" she adds proudly.
Ruby chuckles, a genuine smile breaking through the tension.
"Thank you, Shizuka. You've got our back then."
She turns toward the open sky, fire and resolve burning in her eyes.
"We promise—we won't let you down."
Ruby looks down at the convoy below, wind tearing at her coat.
"Let's go," she says.
Then, sharper—stronger—
"Takumi. Hayato."
I nod.
"Yeah," I breathe. "Let's go."
My heart slams against my ribs as we drop.
This time… I won't hesitate.
I won't freeze.
I'm not coming alone anymore.
Arisu—
We're coming.
---
The moment our boots hit the ground, the helicopter roars upward again.
Above us, the rotors scream as Kaito pulls the aircraft higher, out of range. Yora's laughter crackles through the comms as explosions bloom in the sky—his absurd launcher firing nonstop, missiles spiraling wildly as hoverbikes scatter.
"EAT THIS, YOU FLYING SCOOTERS!" Yora yells.
Hoverbikes peel away from the convoy and dive toward us.
Perfect.
Ruby steps forward.
She summons her staff, planting it into the asphalt.
Tap.
"Bloom."
A violent gust of rose petals erupts outward—sharp, spinning, screaming through the air. They slam straight into the incoming bikes.
BOOM—
Metal twists. Engines scream. Two hoverbikes shatter midair and crash in flames.
The riders hit the ground hard.
But they recover fast.
Rifles up.
Gunfire erupts.
"MOVE!" I shout.
Hayato and I dash forward, bullets ripping past us. I duck, slide, feel heat graze my shoulder. Hayato weaves through the fire like it doesn't exist.
"Close in!" I yell.
We split.
I rush one biker head-on—sidestep—crack, my fist slams into his jaw. He drops instantly.
Another turns toward Hayato.
Too slow.
Hayato's blade flashes once.
The biker collapses before he even understands what happened.
More enemies rush in.
More gunfire.
More chaos.
Behind us, Ruby stands firm—staff spinning, petals shredding bikes out of the sky.
"Take that, bastards!" Ruby yells, her eyes sharp—almost feral—as another hoverbike explodes behind her.
Hayato and I don't slow down.
More bikers rush in, firing as they move. Ruby shatters their rides midair—petals slicing engines apart—while we handle whoever hits the ground breathing.
I duck a swing, drive my elbow into a biker's throat. Hayato's blade flashes beside me—clean, efficient.
Then he clicks his tongue. "We're wasting time."
I glance past the smoke.
The trucks.
They're gaining distance.
"We need to move—now," Hayato says. "If the convoy gets too far, we lose them."
"I know!" I snap, blocking a shot and countering with a punch. "But these idiots won't let us through!"
Another biker charges. I barely twist away.
Before either of us can push forward—
"Then leave them to me."
Ruby's voice cuts through the chaos.
The ground erupts.
Rose-thorned branches explode upward like living spears, coiling around every Cyberwatch biker we were fighting. Arms pinned. Legs locked. Guns clatter to the ground.
They struggle.
The thorns tighten.
I stare for half a second, breathless.
"…Remind me never to piss her off," I mutter.
Hayato's already turning. "Move."
We sprint.
As we pull away, Ruby steps forward alone, staff resting against her shoulder, petals swirling lazily around her like a crown of blades.
She looks at the trapped bikers—and smiles.
"Is that all you've got?" she says sweetly.
Then her voice drops, sharp and cruel.
"Come on, World Government."
The thorns tighten another inch.
"Try harder."
---
The sky erupts into chaos.
More hoverbikes flood in from every direction—engines screaming, lights flashing. Bullets streak past the helicopter like angry comets. A few riders switch tactics, shouldering compact launchers.
"Take down their helicopter!" someone yells over the comms.
Rockets fire.
The chopper jerks hard—but doesn't slow.
Kaito's hands stay steady on the controls, movements sharp and precise. He dips, rolls, cuts sideways through the air, every missile missing by inches.
Shizuka doesn't hesitate.
The Genshou Tenshiko blooms wider—its translucent barrier flaring bright as bullets and shrapnel slam into it and vanish.
Meanwhile, Yora grins like a mad scientist and yanks out another weapon.
A squat, ugly cannon with glowing tubes.
"Say hello to the Nebari-Pyon Blaster!"
FWOMP.
Sticky, glowing blobs splatter across biker helmets mid-flight.
"WHAT THE—?!"
The substance expands, sealing visors shut. Riders flail blindly, crashing into each other, spiraling out of control.
Yora laughs. "Hehehe—try peeling that off, idiots!"
But it's not enough.
Even more hoverbikes surge in, surrounding the chopper in a tightening ring.
Kaito's jaw tightens.
"…No choice," he mutters.
He glances at the threat display—numbers climbing fast.
"If we keep dodging, the helicopter won't last," he says calmly.
He flicks a switch.
"Shizuka. Maximize the barrier."
"Alright!" she replies instantly. "No worries!"
The barrier thickens, glowing brighter.
Kaito lets go of the controls.
The helicopter shifts—auto-pilot engaged—holding steady in the air.
Yora's eyes widen. "Huh—?! Kaito-san?!"
Kaito steps back, raises his hand.
Light gathers.
A bow forms in midair—sleek, radiant, humming with power. Its string glows like condensed starlight.
His eyes sharpen.
"Hōgeki no Seishin…"
He draws the bowstring.
"…Seirei Ittō."
The air shatters.
Dozens—of luminous arrows manifest at once, suspended for a heartbeat.
Then—
They strike.
Light tears through the sky, precise and merciless. Hoverbikes explode midair. Engines fail. Riders are knocked unconscious before they even realize what hit them.
Yora just stares, jaw dropped.
"…What the fuck."
He slowly turns. "K—Kaito-sama… you can fight?"
Kaito lowers the bow as it dissolves into light. "Shut up," he says flatly. "And keep shooting."
Shizuka giggles softly behind her barrier. "Surprised?" she says to Yora. "He's full of them."
The sky clears.
And the helicopter keeps flying.
---
We're sprinting across broken ground, the convoy tearing through the road ahead of us like a steel beast that refuses to slow down. Dust kicks up with every step. Engines roar. The distance isn't closing fast enough.
I glance sideways at Hayato while running. "So… how do we engage?"
He doesn't slow. Doesn't even look winded. His eyes stay locked forward.
"See those SUVs," he says calmly.
I follow his gaze.
Dozens of armored SUVs surround the trucks—tight formation, heavy plating, mounted weapons. They move like a shield wall on wheels.
"I don't think brute force Seishin will be enough for those," Hayato continues. "Too many. Too armored."
Tch. He's right.
"They haven't noticed us yet," I mutter, watching their formation. "But they're fast. If they keep this pace—"
"We lose them," Hayato finishes.
I clench my fists. "We still have to stop them somehow."
For a moment, all I can hear is the pounding of my own heartbeat and the convoy ripping the road apart.
Then the thought I'd been avoiding slips out.
"…What if we hit the main truck?" I ask. "And the Inspector inside it. If we stop that, the whole convoy stops."
Hayato exhales through his nose, almost amused.
"We barely survived a Vice Inspector back at Nexus," he says.
Then—a faint smirk.
"But that doesn't mean I'm against going head-on."
I look at him.
He looks back.
No hesitation. No fear. Just that familiar, quiet resolve.
Yeah.
We're really considering this.
Facing an Inspector.
Head-on.
I nod slowly. "Then let's do it."
We turn our eyes back to the convoy—steel, soldiers, and something dangerous waiting at the center.
Whatever's in that truck…
We're coming for it.