`"Something feels off."
As they raced down the stairs, Riku sensed something strange.
"There's way too few mecha guards and drones."
Sasha's expression was just as grim. She'd noticed it too.
They'd only run into four or five mecha guards and drones across the last few floors. That number was way too low.
By her calculations, this building should be crawling with hundreds, if not thousands, of mecha guards and drones—not to mention reinforcements from outside.
"Damn it… don't tell me they're all waiting for us downstairs?"
Riku's mouth twitched. The thought hit him hard. The lower floors might already be packed with mecha guards and drones, ready to ambush them like a final boss encounter in a cyberpunk anime.
After sending wave after wave to get mowed down for experience points, it seemed like the mecha guards and drones had wised up, no longer coming in small, manageable squads.
"It's not that they got smarter. Someone's taken control of them."
Sasha's eyes flickered with a green glow, her brows furrowing tightly. Trouble was brewing.
"You okay?"
Riku's voice carried a hint of worry. Sasha's expression was making him nervous—hoping she hadn't fried her brain.
Physical attacks? He could tank those. But this kind of hacker nonsense? He was totally out of his depth.
"As expected, they reacted fast. Someone's taken over."
Sasha's eyes dimmed, her voice bitter.
Her hacking skills were solid, no question. She'd just tried slipping into the surveillance system but got hit with resistance. Lucky for her, she'd prepared for it and pulled out in time.
Going up against Biotech's hackers on their home turf was suicide. Her rig—a neural interface and cortical implants—was no match for their supercomputers and servers. It'd be like challenging a Gundam with a basic Zaku. She'd get her brain fried.
"This is bad."
Riku peered out the stairwell window. No guards were posted below, but that was because they were still way too high up. Jumping from here? You'd need maxed-out luck stats to survive that fall, like some chosen-one shounen protagonist.
It made sense. Biotech wasn't stupid. Any floor low enough to jump from was probably crawling with mecha guards and drones, just waiting to collect their corpses.
"They're probably sweeping up floor by floor, closing in on us."
Riku's face darkened. This strategy was a checkmate.
Biotech had the numbers advantage. If they stopped splitting up and started advancing as a single, overwhelming force, it was game over.
Even Riku, who could tank like a berserker from a battle anime, didn't stand a chance. Sure, he was hard to kill, but that didn't mean he couldn't be pinned down.
And against a hail of bullets? He'd be riddled with holes, unable to move, let alone fight.
"Sorry, Devil. I dragged you into this mess."
Sasha's voice was heavy with guilt. From the look on her face, she'd already accepted their fate.
Fighting this far was already more than she'd hoped for. She'd come in ready to die, but dragging Riku down with her weighed on her.
"Don't say that. It's not your fault. I came back on my own."
Riku shook his head, refusing to let her take the blame. Sasha had told him to leave, but he'd chosen to stay.
"Besides, it's not time for last words yet. Save that for when we're out of here, sipping ramune and chilling."
Riku flashed a toothy grin, his sharp fangs glinting ominously—a bit creepy, like a demon from a shounen anime.
But for some reason, despite his unchanged appearance, Sasha found him… oddly more likable.
Maybe that +1 to Charisma was kicking in. Add to that the +1 to Strength, +1 to Agility, and +2 to Constitution he'd gained—his stats were climbing like an overpowered isekai hero.
On their way down, they'd faced six mecha guards and four drones. Riku had taken out seven of them single-handedly.
If his aim wasn't so terrible, he wouldn't have left those three drones for Sasha. But when it came to shooting, he was about as accurate as a stormtrooper in a mecha anime.
"You've got a plan?"
Sasha's curiosity was piqued. To her, escape seemed impossible unless some anime-style miracle happened.
"Just do exactly what I say, and we'll get out of here. Guaranteed."
Riku's voice was brimming with confidence, though his real focus was on getting Sasha out alive.
If she escaped, it was as good as both of them making it. Dawn was still hours away, and he couldn't die anyway.
"Alright, I'm in."
Sasha gave a small smile and nodded obediently. Guilt made her follow his lead without question.
Besides, if they were doomed either way, why not let Riku try? She was ready to go out fighting, no matter how it ended.
"Okay, first, close your eyes."
Riku raised his hand, gently brushing it downward in front of Sasha's face.
"Closed."
Sasha complied, shutting her eyes and standing still, waiting for his next move.
Inhale… exhale…
Riku took a deep breath, then turned his gaze to his shadow.
His last resort was banking on his Kekkijutsu: Kage (Blood Demon Art: Shadow).
He'd considered other options—like using himself as a human cushion if they jumped or tossing Sasha to safety before they hit the ground.
But his high school physics knowledge screamed that those ideas were nonsense. The results wouldn't be pretty.
Maybe Superman from a manga could pull it off, but not him. Their bodies just weren't built for that.
So, if science wasn't going to cut it, it was time to lean into the occult!
Riku's eyes widened, glowing a vivid blood-red as he tapped into the power of Kekkijutsu: Kage.
The shadows around him quivered faintly. But in the end, only his own shadow responded.
Hiss… hiss…
His shadow trembled, emitting an eerie sound.
Riku opened his mouth. Crimson blood mist poured from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, pooling into the shadow at his feet.
HISSS!
The shadow reacted like it had just devoured some legendary elixir, surging with energy and rippling violently.
"Out!"
Riku's face twisted with effort, blood mist drifting from his body. He raised his clawed hand sharply.
HISS!
His shadow let out a piercing cry, then launched into the air, transforming into a jet-black shadow wolf.