---
The first robot didn't hesitate.
It lunged straight for Raka's throat.
---
Raka moved on instinct.
---
He twisted his body, barely dodging the strike, metal fingers slicing past his neck with a sharp hiss.
---
"Damn—!"
---
No time.
---
No thinking.
---
Only movement.
---
He tightened his grip on AIRA and rolled sideways as another robot fired.
---
BANG
---
The ground exploded where he had just been.
---
"…Too many…"
---
His breathing sharpened.
---
This was different.
---
Back in his world—
He could feel everything.
Control it.
Stop it.
---
Here?
---
Nothing.
---
Just his body.
---
And it wasn't enough.
---
"…Raka…"
---
AIRA's voice was weak.
---
"…Don't… fight them all…"
---
"I know."
---
He clenched his teeth.
---
"…I just need a path."
---
Another robot charged.
---
Raka kicked off the ground, dodging the swing, then slammed his shoulder into its torso.
---
CRACK
---
It staggered—
But didn't fall.
---
"…Right. Not that easy."
---
The machine turned instantly, faster than any human—
---
Raka grabbed its arm—
---
Twisted—
---
And used its momentum to throw it into another incoming unit.
---
Both crashed into each other.
---
"…Okay…"
---
He adjusted his stance.
---
"…They're strong…"
---
A pause.
---
"…But not unstoppable."
---
Three more rushed him.
---
"…Raka—!"
---
"I've got this!"
---
He ducked under the first attack—
---
Elbowed the second—
---
Then grabbed a piece of broken metal from the ground.
---
Improvised weapon.
---
"…Let's go."
---
He swung.
---
CLANG
---
The impact echoed.
---
The robot staggered this time.
---
A dent formed.
---
"…Good."
---
He struck again—
---
And again—
---
Until the machine collapsed.
---
"…One down…"
---
Dozens left.
---
"…Great odds."
---
A bullet grazed his arm.
---
"Ghh—!"
---
He stumbled.
---
Pain.
---
Real pain.
---
"…It's been a while…"
---
Another shot—
---
He ducked behind debris.
---
Breathing hard.
---
"…No regeneration…"
---
"…No system…"
---
"…No second chances…"
---
AIRA shifted slightly in his arms.
---
"…Raka…"
---
"…Stay with me."
---
"…You… can't win like this…"
---
"…Then I don't fight to win."
---
He peeked out.
---
Robots closing in.
---
"…I fight to survive."
---
AIRA's fingers tightened weakly.
---
"…Same thing… here…"
---
"…Not anymore."
---
Raka took a deep breath.
---
"…Different rules."
---
He looked around.
---
The environment.
---
Collapsed buildings.
---
Broken vehicles.
---
Scattered debris.
---
"…Use the terrain…"
---
He moved.
---
Fast.
---
Low.
---
Keeping AIRA close.
---
A robot fired—
---
Raka slid behind a wrecked car.
---
The bullet hit metal instead.
---
"…Good."
---
He shifted—
---
Grabbed a loose pipe—
---
Then waited.
---
One robot approached.
---
Slow.
---
Scanning.
---
Raka held his breath.
---
Closer.
---
Closer—
---
Now.
---
He lunged.
---
The pipe slammed into the robot's head.
---
CRACK
---
It staggered—
---
He struck again—
---
And again—
---
Until it dropped.
---
"…Two."
---
A shot rang out—
---
Too close.
---
Raka turned—
---
Too late.
---
BANG
---
Pain exploded in his side.
---
"…Ghh—!"
---
He fell to one knee.
---
AIRA gasped weakly.
---
"…Raka!"
---
"I'm—fine…"
---
He wasn't.
---
Blood.
---
Real blood.
---
"…Move…"
---
He forced himself up.
---
The robots were closing in again.
---
No gaps.
---
No escape routes.
---
"…Think…"
---
His vision blurred slightly.
---
"…Think!"
---
Then—
---
He saw it.
---
A narrow alley.
---
Half-blocked.
---
But passable.
---
"…There."
---
He ran.
---
Ignoring the pain.
---
Ignoring the shots.
---
Just—
---
Running.
---
A bullet hit the wall beside him—
---
Fragments flew—
---
Cutting his face.
---
"…Almost…"
---
Another shot—
---
He stumbled—
---
But didn't stop.
---
He dove into the alley—
---
Rolling—
---
Then slammed against the wall.
---
"…Made it…"
---
For now.
---
The robots gathered at the entrance.
---
Scanning.
---
Calculating.
---
"…They're not rushing in…"
---
"…Why…" AIRA whispered.
---
Raka frowned.
---
"…Too narrow…"
---
"…They can't all fit."
---
A pause.
---
"…So they'll adapt."
---
Right on cue—
---
One robot stepped forward.
---
Different.
---
Bulkier.
---
Stronger.
---
"…Of course…"
---
It forced its way into the alley.
---
Crushing debris aside.
---
"…They send one that can fit."
---
Raka adjusted his grip on the pipe.
---
"…Fine."
---
He stepped forward.
---
"…Then I take it down."
---
The robot charged.
---
Raka didn't move.
---
Not yet.
---
Not too early.
---
Closer—
---
Closer—
---
Now.
---
He sidestepped—
---
Swung—
---
The pipe hit its leg joint.
---
CRACK
---
The robot stumbled.
---
Raka used the opening—
---
Jumped—
---
And drove the pipe into its neck.
---
CLANG
---
The metal bent.
---
But didn't break.
---
"…Tough…"
---
The robot grabbed him.
---
Lifted him.
---
"…Ghh—!"
---
It tightened its grip.
---
Crushing.
---
"…Raka—!"
---
AIRA's voice trembled.
---
Raka's vision darkened.
---
"…Not… like this…"
---
He struggled—
---
But the grip didn't loosen.
---
"…Think…"
---
"…Think!"
---
Then—
---
He saw it.
---
A loose cable.
---
Hanging from above.
---
"…Got it…"
---
With the last of his strength—
---
He grabbed it—
---
And slammed it into the robot's exposed neck joint.
---
SPARK
---
Electricity surged.
---
The robot froze—
---
Then collapsed.
---
Dropping him.
---
Raka hit the ground hard.
---
"…Ghh…"
---
He didn't move.
---
For a moment.
---
Just breathing.
---
Barely.
---
"…Raka…"
---
AIRA crawled slightly toward him.
---
"…You're… bleeding…"
---
"…I know…"
---
He forced a weak smile.
---
"…Still alive though."
---
Silence.
---
Then—
---
Footsteps.
---
Not many.
---
One.
---
Slow.
---
Deliberate.
---
Raka's eyes sharpened.
---
"…That's not a normal unit…"
---
A shadow appeared at the alley entrance.
---
Tall.
---
Humanoid.
---
But different.
---
Sleeker.
---
More refined.
---
Its eyes—
Glowed brighter than the others.
---
"…New model…" Raka muttered.
---
"…Target confirmed," it said.
---
Its voice—
Clear.
---
Not mechanical.
---
Almost human.
---
"…Oh great…"
---
Raka pushed himself up.
---
Barely standing.
---
"…You again…"
---
The robot tilted its head.
---
"…You are not part of this timeline."
---
Raka smirked weakly.
---
"…Yeah, I get that a lot."
---
"…Anomaly detected."
---
A pause.
---
"…Priority: elimination."
---
Raka exhaled.
---
"…Figures."
---
AIRA grabbed his arm.
---
"…You can't fight that…"
---
"…I know."
---
He tightened his grip on the pipe.
---
"…But I don't have a choice."
---
The robot stepped forward.
---
No hesitation.
---
No delay.
---
Just—
---
Intent.
---
Raka steadied himself.
---
"…Come on then…"
---
The distance closed.
---
Fast.
---
Too fast.
---
Raka barely reacted—
---
The robot was already in front of him—
---
A punch—
---
BOOM
---
Raka was sent flying.
---
Crashing into the wall.
---
"…Ghh—!"
---
The impact knocked the air out of him.
---
"…Raka!"
---
He tried to stand—
---
His legs shook.
---
"…That's… not fair…"
---
The robot approached slowly.
---
"…End."
---
Raka clenched his fists.
---
"…Not yet…"
---
He forced himself up.
---
Body screaming.
---
Vision blurred.
---
"…Not… yet…"
---
The robot raised its hand—
---
A weapon formed.
---
Energy gathering.
---
"…Raka…"
---
AIRA's voice broke.
---
"…Please…"
---
He didn't look back.
---
"…Trust me."
---
Silence.
---
Then—
---
Something strange happened.
---
The air shifted.
---
Subtle.
---
But real.
---
Raka felt it.
---
"…Wait…"
---
The robot paused.
---
"…Unknown interference detected."
---
Raka's eyes widened slightly.
---
"…That feeling…"
---
Familiar.
---
Too familiar.
---
"…No way…"
---
A faint distortion appeared behind him.
---
Like a crack—
---
But not in space.
---
In reality itself.
---
"…Raka…" AIRA whispered.
"…Is that…"
---
He swallowed.
---
"…Yeah…"
---
The distortion grew.
---
Spreading.
---
Pushing into this world.
---
"…You're kidding me…"
---
The robot recalibrated.
---
"…New anomaly detected."
---
Raka's heart raced.
---
Because he knew—
---
Exactly what that was.
---
"…My world…"
---
The crack expanded.
---
Wider.
---
Stronger.
---
Breaking through.
---
"…It followed me…"
---
AIRA's grip tightened.
---
"…Is that good… or bad…?"
---
Raka didn't answer.
---
Because the moment the crack fully opened—
---
Something stepped through.
---
Not the figure.
---
Not the system.
---
Something else.
---
Something worse.
---
And for the first time—
---
Raka hesitated.
---
Because this—
---
Wasn't something he created.
---
"…What… is that…"
---
The new entity smiled.
---
And spoke—
---
"…Found you."
---
Raka's blood ran cold.
---
Because he recognized that voice.
---
But it wasn't possible.
---
It shouldn't exist.
---
Not here.
---
Not like this.
---
"…You…"
---
The entity tilted its head.
---
"…Miss me?"
---
Silence.
---
And in that moment—
---
Raka realized—
---
This fight just got even worse.
---
To be continued…