The sky darkened faster than Karl had anticipated. Shadows lengthened across the broken streets, twisting the skeletal remains of Manhattan into a maze of jagged silhouettes. The wind carried the faint, acrid scent of ash and burnt steel, but otherwise, the city was eerily silent.
He paused on a collapsed overpass, scanning the horizon. No movement. No signs of life — human or otherwise. Just the remnants of the city, frozen in decay.
"Hm~ quiet… too quiet~" Agnes' voice echoed in his helmet.
Karl didn't respond immediately. He knew the pattern — the demons weren't gone. They were merely hibernating, resting before the nocturnal rampage that would devour everything in sight. The calm was just a fleeting reprieve.
He needed shelter.
Using his Rider Frame's nanites, he scanned the area for structurally sound options. Most buildings were half-collapsed, their steel and concrete twisted and brittle. Only a few concrete bunkers remained — relics of the old city's emergency systems.
Finally, he spotted one: a low-rise service bunker, mostly intact beneath a heap of rubble, its reinforced door scratched and dented but still operational.
"Found it~" Agnes said cheerfully. "Your little home for the night~ cozy~ safe~"
Karl's fingers brushed over the door's lock plate, nanites probing the mechanism and reinforcing weak points. With a hiss and click, the massive steel door creaked open, revealing a dim, musty interior. Dust floated like motes in the weak light filtering through cracks above.
He stepped inside, scanning for structural weaknesses, leftover supplies, or lurking threats. The air was stale, but breathable — perfect for a temporary refuge.
"Not much of a view~" Agnes teased, "but… hey~ at least it's safer than outside~"
Karl lowered himself onto a patch of smooth concrete, allowing the nanites along his back and shoulders to retract partially, easing the weight of the Rider Frame. He studied the interior — a few old storage crates, some collapsed furniture, and a ventilation shaft that might serve as an escape route if things went south.
"We'll be fine for a few hours~" Agnes said. "Demons don't wake up until nightfall… you're safe to breathe, stretch, and… think~"
Karl let out a slow breath. "Good. Need to keep my energy for the journey. Tokyo isn't going to wait for me."
"Mm~ I'll keep watch~" Agnes quipped, the playful edge back in her tone. "Try not to break anything in here, hmm? It's… cozy~"
He gave a faint smirk but didn't relax entirely. Even in this temporary haven, every second counted. The demons would awaken, and when they did, the streets outside would become a slaughterhouse.
For now, though, he could rest, plan his route, and gather his bearings.
"Alright~" Agnes said softly. "Tomorrow… Tokyo~"
Karl's eyes lingered on the faint horizon beyond the broken windows of the bunker. The road ahead was long, uncertain, and likely filled with death. But he had survived worse.
And he had a plan.
The bunker smelled of dust, rust, and old concrete, but it was safe — for now. Karl let the nanites along his Rider Frame retract fully, returning his body to a lighter, more natural form. The hum of the nanites settling filled the silence, and Agnes' cheerful voice cut through it.
"Aaah~ cozy, huh? Don't tell me you like this little hole more than New York~"
Karl smirked faintly, brushing ash off his shoulder plating. "It'll do. For a few hours, anyway."
He crouched near the wall, taking a moment to recalibrate the nanites in his Rider Frame. The Requiem Ignition had pushed them hard, leaving residual heat and minor strain in the systems. Every pulse of energy had to be checked and balanced — he couldn't risk a malfunction halfway through the journey.
Agnes chimed in from the helmet interface, her tone light but efficient:
"All nanite circuits stabilized at 99.8%, thermal dissipation ready. Drive Regulator integrity: optimal. Ready to assist if… things get nasty."
Karl's fingers hovered over the interface. "Good. If the demons wake early or something tries to ambush me… we'll go Hazard Mode."
"Mm~ that's your favorite line~" Agnes teased. "Just promise you'll try not to burn the bunker down this time~"
He chuckled softly, eyes scanning the bunker's dim corners. It wasn't much, but it was quiet. For the first time in hours, he could feel his chest expand without the tight grip of adrenaline, the air no longer scorching with the residue of Royal Azure flames.
Karl leaned back, letting the nanites smooth over the minor damage and fatigue left in his muscles and Rider Frame. The nanites hummed softly as they absorbed the residual energy, transforming it into stored power for the journey ahead. Agnes' presence was constant, a comforting hum of guidance and awareness.
"Sensors show demon activity still dormant~" she said. "They'll wake soon. You'll need to be ready, but… not yet. For now, just… rest."
He closed his eyes briefly. "Good. I'll need my strength if I'm traveling city to city. Tokyo isn't going to wait, and I can't afford to hit it exhausted."
Agnes' tone shifted to her playful catchphrase, familiar and grounding:
"Are you ready~? Start your engine~!!!"
Karl smirked, letting the humor and rhythm of her voice ease some of the tension in his shoulders. "Yeah… yeah I'm ready. But let's not start just yet. Night isn't over."
For the next hour, he worked meticulously, checking every nanite alignment, every minor mechanical strain, ensuring the Rider Frame could handle long-distance travel. Agnes kept him company, teasing lightly but keeping her tone calm, never crossing into flustered territory — she was his guide and co-pilot, not a distraction right now.
Outside, the city lay silent, the streets empty except for the faint shadows cast by broken skyscrapers. The demons were sleeping, hibernating in twisted corners, waiting for the night to unleash their rampage. Karl had hours to prepare, and he intended to use every second.
"Once we're ready…" Agnes said softly, almost contemplatively. "We'll make the journey. Step by step, city by city. Tokyo's waiting."
Karl nodded, checking the Drive Regulator one last time. If things went wrong, Hazard Mode would be there — a last resort. But for now, there was time. Time to prepare. Time to survive. Time to start the journey to Tokyo.