Chapter 30 - "High Risk"
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**Flashback – Ren's room.**
Dim lights cast long shadows across the bed.
Saki lay beside him—naked under the thin blanket, hair messy, cheeks still flushed. Her breathing was slow now, soft.
Ren sat on the edge of the bed—shirtless, back to her, staring at the door.
Saki's voice came quiet.
"I'm sorry. This was not allowed by rules. I should have told you… we did something wrong."
Ren didn't turn.
"I don't think it matters anymore."
He exhaled.
"Even if you had told me the rules… I would've done the same."
He looked down at his hands.
"I don't care what anyone else thinks about me. I'll do anything to keep us safe."
Saki pulled the blanket tighter.
"But you don't know about me."
Ren laughed—low, dry.
"Haha… that's what we call introvert observation skills."
He finally turned his head—just enough.
"I lived my whole life like this. Watching people. Their reactions. Predicting moods. So I don't get beaten. Don't get bullied."
He met her eyes.
"I've seen you since you became my personal assistant. You think I didn't notice? Don't worry."
He smiled—small, real.
"I promise… I'll survive whatever punishment they throw."
Saki stared at him.
No words.
Just the quiet hum of the city outside.
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**Present – Southern Prefecture battlefield.**
Ren's cockpit screen flickered red—warning lights strobing.
Breathing came fast—high, ragged.
Miku gripped the controls—knuckles white.
"Ren… we're not going to die here."
Ren's voice was steady—cold.
He reached forward.
Closed the automatic defense system.
*"High Risk. Recommend not to deactivate."*
The mech voice warned—calm, mechanical.
Ren ignored it.
The shields dropped.
The mech stood.
Ren took the energy sword in both hands.
And charged.
The monster—rock-skinned, massive—roared.
Ren slashed—once, twice, three times.
Blades bit deep—sparks flew, purple mana sprayed.
The monster punched—Ren dodged, spun, cut again.
Again.
Again.
The cockpit shook with every impact.
Red lights flashed faster.
System strain warnings screamed.
Ren didn't stop.
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Kaito's mech felt the earthquake rumble.
The ground trembled—deep, violent.
Kaito leaned forward.
"Mio—go that way!"
Mio turned the mech.
"Okay!"
They ran—fast now.
They see some Monsters died or killed, brutally.
They didn't stop.
Rounded a ruined building.
Saw it.
Ren's mech was fighting the massive mana monster—rock hide, purple cracks, eyes burning.
Ren's left arm—gone. Torn clean off at the shoulder. Wires sparked, hydraulic fluid sprayed.
Damage—brutal.
The monster had literally grabbed and ripped it away.
Kaito's mech sprinted forward.
Kicked—full force.
The monster staggered—stumbled back.
Kaito opened comms.
"Ren! Are you okay?!"
Ren's voice came back—panting.
"Yeah. We're fine."
Inside Ren's cockpit—Miku and Ren were bleeding—cuts on foreheads, arms, from shaking impacts.
Ren wiped blood from his eye.
"This fucking thing is strong. Hard body. We don't even know where the core is."
Kaito stared at the monster.
"Don't worry. We'll kill this shit."
The monster stood.
Ren's mech straightened—energy sword reignited in the remaining hand.
Kaito's mech stepped up beside it.
Both faced the beast.
Screens glowed red.
Breathing heavy.
The monster roared—low, earth-shaking.
It charged.
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*End*