Helix Fortress — Sector 40 (Reactor Level)
The hallway was a labyrinth of black obsidian and purple light. The air hummed with the vibration of the Causal Anchor above them.
Renji stopped at a blast door marked REACTOR ACCESS. He turned to Aeva.
"This is your stop."
Aeva adjusted the strap of her demolition pack. She looked at Renji, then at Kazuki. She didn't salute. She didn't shake hands. She stepped forward and hugged Renji—hard.
"Don't die before I blow this place up," she whispered.
Renji patted her back awkwardly. "No promises. Just make sure you set the timer for after we kick Kaelen's teeth in."
Aeva pulled away. She looked at Kazuki. "Watch his back, Speedster. He's older than he looks."
She hacked the keypad, the door slid open, and she vanished into the steam-filled reactor complex.
The door slammed shut.
Renji stared at the metal for a second, his expression unreadable. Then he turned to Kazuki.
"Alright. Just the boys now."
He racked the bolt of his rifle.
"Let's find the elevator."
The Central Spire — The Gravity Lift
They found the central shaft. It was a massive, cylindrical hollow tube stretching up fifty floors toward the Throne Room.
There were no cables. Just a single, circular platform floating on a beam of anti-gravity light.
"It's a kill box," Renji muttered, looking up. "The second we step on that platform, every turret in the shaft is going to light us up."
"Do we have a choice?" Kazuki asked.
"Nope."
Renji stepped onto the platform and smashed the [ASCEND] button.
The platform lurched upward.
Floor 10... Floor 11...
For ten seconds, it was silent.
Then, the walls of the shaft opened.
Dozens of balconies slid out from the wall. On every balcony stood a Helix Elite Guard—heavily armored soldiers carrying rapid-fire energy cannons.
"Contact!" Renji roared.
The shaft erupted in laser fire. Blue and purple bolts rained down on the rising platform like a thunderstorm.
[VELOCITY CORE: ENGAGED.]
Kazuki moved.
He spun the Fulcrum Staff so fast it became a solid shield.
PING-PING-PING.
Energy bolts deflected off the spinning black metal.
"Get behind me!" Kazuki yelled, shielding Renji.
"I can't shoot through you!" Renji shouted back.
Renji stepped out from behind the shield.
He didn't use the rifle. He dropped it.
He pulled two handguns from his holsters.
And for the first time in a long time... Renji ran.
He didn't just run; he blurred.
The "Subject Zero" speed—the unstable, burning power—ignited.
Renji vanished from the platform. He ran up the wall of the elevator shaft.
He was a grey streak of violence.
BANG-BANG.
Two guards on a balcony dropped.
Renji jumped across the shaft—fifty feet of open air—fired mid-air, and landed on the opposite balcony.
BANG-BANG.
Two more guards down.
"Renji, stop!" Kazuki screamed, watching from the center platform. "You're burning out!"
He could see it even from here. Every time Renji moved at super-speed, black electricity crackled around his body. He was literally tearing his own muscles apart to move that fast.
"Keep climbing!" Renji's voice crackled over the comms, breathless. "I'll clear the path!"
Renji was a whirlwind. He bounced from wall to wall, clearing floor after floor ahead of the rising platform. He was faster than the turrets. Faster than the guards.
He was clearing the way for Kazuki.
Floor 40... Floor 45...
The platform reached the top.
Renji landed back on the platform next to Kazuki.
He didn't land gracefully. He crashed.
Renji hit the floor and rolled, skidding to a halt. Smoke was rising from his skin.
"Renji!" Kazuki dropped his staff and slid to his knees beside him.
Renji rolled over. He coughed, a wet, hacking sound.
He wiped his mouth. His glove came away red.
Blood. Not just blood—black, tar-like blood mixed with the red.
"I'm... fine," Renji wheezed, trying to stand up. His legs were shaking violently. "Just... cardio."
"You're not fine!" Kazuki yelled, grabbing Renji's arm to support him. "Your veins are black! You used the Speed Force!"
"Had to," Renji gritted out, forcing himself upright. "Too many guns. You couldn't block them all."
The elevator doors in front of them chimed softly.
DING.
Floor 50: The Throne Room.
The massive golden doors slowly began to creak open.
Renji took a deep, shuddering breath. He holstered his empty pistols and picked up his rifle, though his hands were trembling.
"Listen to me," Renji said, his voice low and serious. "Whatever happens in that room... you focus on the Anchor. You destroy the machine. Do not worry about me. Do not worry about Kaelen. The mission comes first."
"I'm not letting you die," Kazuki said stubbornly.
Renji looked at Kazuki. He smiled, and this time, there was no mockery in it. Just pride.
"You're a good kid, Kazuki. Better than I was."
Renji kicked the doors open.
"Now let's go kill a King."
The Throne Room
The room was vast. The ceiling was open to the swirling purple vortex of the sky.
In the center of the room stood the Causal Anchor—a towering obelisk of obsidian and light, pulsing with a heartbeat that shook the floor.
And standing in front of it, waiting for them, was Kaelen Rhyne.
He held no weapon. He didn't need one.
He watched them enter, his eyes bored.
"You look terrible, Subject Zero," Kaelen said, his voice smooth as silk. "Did the stairs wind you?"
Renji raised his rifle. "Just warming up, Kaelen."
Kaelen smiled. He looked at Kazuki.
"And the thief. You brought my property back to me."
Kaelen raised a hand.
The air in the room grew heavy. Gravity multiplied by ten.
Kazuki fell to one knee, the floor cracking under him. The suit whined, struggling to keep him upright.
"Kneel," Kaelen commanded.
[To Be Continued…]