A massive black metallic hand burst through the floor, gripping him tightly and placing him into the cockpit of a foreign mech. This mech was unlike anything Haruto had seen before—it looked like a corrupted, twisted version of the mechs he was familiar with, its design jagged and ominous.
Haruto quickly grabbed the sword from his mech's back, slashing at the black mech without hesitation. His strikes were wild and desperate, not giving the enemy a chance to reveal its capabilities. The black mech, however, countered effortlessly, its sword-replaced hand deflecting the attack before following up with a devastating punch. The blow sent a shockwave through Haruto's cockpit, making him grit his teeth. As the enemy pressed its advantage, Haruto caught sight of its vicious design—spiked knuckles on one hand and a sharp blade in place of the other.
Haruto adjusted his tactics. Activating his boosters, he darted around the battlefield with quick bursts of speed, aiming to exploit openings and catch the black mech off guard. His strikes became more precise, each one testing the limits of his opponent's defenses.
The battle dragged on, both pilots pushing their machines to the brink. Haruto's mech, battered and nearly out of energy, signaled that it needed to recharge. Gritting his teeth, he devised a risky plan. Igniting his boosters, he charged forward with what appeared to be a reckless attack. But just as the black mech moved to counter, Haruto activated auto-fight mode and ejected himself at full speed. Clutching the emergency sword from his mech, he propelled himself toward the black cockpit. With a decisive thrust, he plunged the blade into the metallic structure—piercing not only the machine but its pilot as well.
"Heh… h-how did I not see that coming…" the boy inside the black mech muttered weakly, blood trickling from his lips. His voice faltered. "Kidding~."
At that moment, Haruto felt his consciousness waver. The battlefield around him faded, and he became acutely aware that he was no longer in control of his body. It was moving on its own, piloting his mech with precision as his division's mechs approached the scene of the battle. Panic rose in Haruto's chest as he realized something—or someone—had hijacked his body.
The world shifted into a dark abyss, an infinite expanse of nothingness. Haruto found himself face-to-face with the boy from the black mech. They stood in silence, the tension between them palpable. The boy, however, seemed distracted, focusing instead on controlling a puppet-like figure in the void. It was then that Haruto understood—the boy had hijacked his body.
Summoning all his willpower, Haruto surged through the abyss, swimming through the oppressive darkness. He reached for the boy, grabbing hold of him. But the moment his fingers made contact, the boy dissolved into nothingness, vanishing like smoke in the wind. Suddenly, Haruto was back in his own body.
When he opened his eyes, he saw the familiar faces of his division standing around him. Relief washed over him, but confusion lingered.
"How did you find me—"