The cloth covering slowly descended. Their eyes widened, witnessing a girl who once had a relationship as both friend and foe lying with severe wounds on the stretcher.
When the cloth fully lifted—
A heavy blow struck Krisna's chest, while Alisa immediately grew faint, losing consciousness… upon seeing Lana's body with her shattered arm.
Krisna caught Alisa with trembling hands. Time seemed to stop, his heartbeat growing heavier. His vision swayed.
Until Noa's footsteps snapped him out of it.
His eyes shifted, looking at Noa who bowed her head, hiding her expression behind her hair.
"I sincerely apologize, but more than five minutes have passed — please leave immediately." she bowed, a genuine apology.
Krisna nodded slightly, then stood while supporting the unconscious Alisa.
The paramedics covered Lana's body again and carried her into the vehicle, along with the other corpses.
His legs trembled, witnessing Lana. Regret washed over him — why he removed Lana's helmet at that time gnawed at him — the embers of vengeance began to burn in his heart.
In his mind, "I will find you, masked girl… You will pay for all of this, you will!!"
Krisna laid the unconscious Alisa on a chair not far from there — now it was time for Krisna to act, racing against time to retrieve his spear.
Krisna turned, then ran around the area: searching for a way into the building.
While running, he finally saw a building with an external staircase attached to the roof. Without thinking, Krisna climbed it.
The wind hit him as the sunlight reflected sharply, stabbing his eyes.
This building wasn't too far from the scene. Krisna took a stance, then ran and leapt from building to building.
After several jumps, he now stood at the edge of the building next to the crime scene.
Before jumping, Krisna wore his mask and slapped his cheeks.
He peeked downward: clear.
Krisna stepped back twice, then ran and jumped.
At last, he landed on the building where the incident had happened.
Looking around, observing his surroundings: trying to find a way inside. Until he found a window directly below him.
Like a city monkey, Krisna hung down. Trying to enter, his hands slick with sweat, the wind trying to knock him off.
He swung, then—
Crash!!
The glass shattered across the floor of the room.
A blue-haired girl turned toward the sound. Sensing something was wrong, she ran inside the building.
Now Krisna was in a room full of wooden crates containing ammunition and various grenades. Krisna, of course, took five grenades.
Krisna slowly opened the door, then saw his spear lying on the floor, a white line circling around it.
Krisna walked over, crouched to pick it up, swinging it to test its durability.
"Now, how do I get out?" Krisna muttered.
The quick steps of someone startled Krisna.
"Who are you!?"
shouted a girl: long dark blue hair, deep blue eyes with black pupils. Staring at him while aiming a black SIG MPX SMG with blue highlights on the handguard and stock.
"Raise your hands!!" she continued.
In Krisna's mind, "Oh no… Yuuka, the 100 kg girl."
Krisna slowly raised his right hand, while his left hand pulled the pin of the smoke grenade he took—
Suddenly smoke billowed, clouding Yuuka's sight. Yuuka blindly fired into the smoke.
Only to give Krisna a chance to charge at her and throw a punch.
But an energy projection shield stopped Krisna's fist —
The shield reflected the force of Krisna's punch. He staggered back several steps.
With his spear, Krisna stabbed Yuuka's shield. But the shield was incredibly strong.
Yuuka, watching this, didn't stay still. She began shooting.
Forcing Krisna to use his Skill.
———
Slippery: Active
———
Yuuka's bullets had no effect. Krisna, with his agility, dodged all the bullets.
When Yuuka ran out of ammo, Krisna grabbed his grenade and threw it at Yuuka.
Boom.
Yuuka was blasted back, while Krisna escaped through the window.
Yuuka stood with slightly trembling hands after the explosion.
From the stairs, several officers and robots led by Noa arrived.
"What happened?" Noa asked.
Yuuka pointed toward the window. "Chase him! Before he gets too far!"
Noa then pointed at the window. The robots immediately leapt out like unleashed hunting dogs.
"Is anyone injured?"
"Ah, no. I'm fine," Yuuka replied.
Gunfire rang out from below. The two of them headed to check it out.
---
On Krisna's side. He was leaping from building to building. His spear in hand.
Several robots blocked his way with electrified batons ready to knock him down.
Krisna lowered his center of gravity, ready to beat the robots—
Boom!!
Thick black smoke rose, climbing into the sky near the crime scene. A tremor like an earthquake followed.
"What was that?"
Krisna wanted to run toward Alisa whom he left behind. Worry began to rise.
But these robots knew no compromise; they charged all at once.
---
Alisa lay on the chair, staring at clouds drifting across the sky.
A black plastic sheet slowly descended. Then fell right onto her face.
Strength surged through her veins the moment the black plastic covered her entirely.
Alisa stood, her face now hidden behind a black plastic mask with small holes.
Her weakness vanished, replaced by courage and flaring rage.
She looked around, searching for Krisna. But the explosion caused by Krisna created panic among the crowd.
The officers instantly rushed into the building — leaving the unconscious, tied-up helmet gang members — Alisa's first goal was to free them.
Seeing the chance, Alisa sprinted through the scattering crowd.
A robot noticed Alisa crossing the boundary line. But just as it was about to strike… its head was already flying through the air and hit the ground hard.
Looking toward the building.
"I have to save Krisna."
But the officers who went up earlier had already returned; they saw Alisa standing beside the beheaded robot.
Their rifles pointed at Alisa—
Gunfire roared from the barrels — Alisa used the robot she defeated as a shield.
With the robot protecting her, she charged forward. Taking down one officer and stealing his rifle.
With her new weapon, she began shooting the officers. Quickly, all of them fell.
Alisa ran, approaching her still-unconscious, tied friends.
Then untied the ropes binding them, but they still hadn't regained full consciousness.
A hard slap from Alisa landed on each of their cheeks. Instantly they jolted, half-consciousness returning.
"A-Alisa, is that you!?"
Alisa nodded slightly. Her smile could be felt even through the plastic.
But the robot she used as a shield suddenly exploded.
Boom.
Just as Yuuka and Noa emerged… witnessing the chaotic scene...
---
To be continued...
---