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Kaizer opened his eyes, his ears ringing from the deafening gunshot.
His body felt sluggish, as though submerged in water, but a strong arm yanked him to his feet before he could process anything.
K8-7A's metallic face hovered close, its mouthpieces moving urgently, but Kaizer couldn't hear a word. The only thing he could read from its frantic gestures was a single word.
Run.
His head snapped toward the house they had just fled, and through the haze, he saw the masked man's cold, black eyes tracking him. The muzzle of the gun shifted in his direction.
Another figure moved.
Karl.
Kaizer's breath hitched as he realized what had happened. Karl had jumped in front of the barrel… again.
Before he could react, the door burst open, and Kaizer was pulled into the blaring chaos of City E.
The sky overhead was a sea of ominous crimson clouds, the air heavy with the stink of melted metal and decay.
"Karl— he was shot!" Kaizer gasped, his voice cracking as he stumbled after K8-7A. "We have to help him!"
The robot didn't slow. Its grip on Kaizer's arm tightened. "Don't worry about it! He'll be fine!"
"But—"
Kaizer tried to dig his heels into the ground, but K8-7A had no time for hesitation.
With an exasperated groan, the robot heaved Kaizer over its shoulder and continued running. "You're lucky I don't have a sense of smell," it muttered, its tone sharp but oddly protective.
From his elevated position, Kaizer caught a glimpse of the house as they darted through the scrap-laden alleys. His heart clenched. "The old man—"
"He's not human, okay?!" K8-7A snapped, cutting him off.
Kaizer's confusion deepened, but before he could demand answers, a deafening explosion shattered the tense silence.
The ground trembled as a shockwave ripped through the air, forcing him to shield his eyes. When he looked again, the house was gone— reduced to flaming rubble.
From the wreckage, a massive figure began to rise.
Scrap metal and debris twisted and fused together, forming a towering monstrosity. The junk-like robot emerged, its body an amalgamation of rusted parts and jagged edges.
The crimson sky cast an eerie glow over its hulking frame, making it look like a demon born from the wasteland.
The robot let out a mechanical roar, a sound that made the ground quake, before it swung a massive arm at something below.
Kaizer squinted, his heart hammering in his chest.
That's when he saw him.
The masked man.
The figure stood unfazed, his arm transforming into a monstrous gatling gun. The weapon's barrels spun at a blinding speed, glowing faintly as it prepared to fire.
The gun's size was grotesque, impossibly heavy, but the masked man held it with ease, like it was an extension of his body.
A barrage of bullets erupted, each round tearing through the air like a screaming banshee. The robot raised an arm to shield itself, but the bullets punched through, leaving jagged holes in its metallic frame.
Sparks and shredded metal rained down like a deadly storm.
The robot retaliated, its other arm swinging in a wide arc.
The movement was slow but devastating, a wrecking ball of scrap aimed to obliterate.
The masked man leapt back just in time, the colossal arm crashing into the ground where he had stood moments before. The impact sent a plume of dust and debris skyward, momentarily obscuring the battlefield.
Kaizer's breath hitched as he watched the two titans clash, raw power against relentless precision.
Then his eyes caught something.
The robot's head tilted slightly, its flickering blue eyes locking onto his with what looked like recognition.
"Is that… Karl?" Kaizer muttered, disbelief dripping from his voice.
The name felt foreign in the chaos, yet eerily familiar.
Before he could process it, the robot lunged forward with surprising speed, its metal fist aiming to crush the masked man.
Hearing the boy's deduction, K8-7A hesitated.
Its pace slowing for the first time.
The robot turned back briefly, its glowing optics dimming as if in contemplation. "Goodbye, K-Alpha," it murmured, its voice quiet but heavy with meaning.
Then, with renewed urgency, it bolted, ignoring Kaizer's faint, bewildered protests as they disappeared deeper into the labyrinth of City E's trash hills.
Kaizer's mind swirled with questions, but one thought stood out, chilling in its clarity.
Who are these people... How have I dragged myself into this mess?
~
Clack. Clack.
Each step echoed under the oppressive red skies, a rhythm that matched the hollow ache in Kaizer's chest.
Time crawled, each second dragging as if the world itself mourned.
Slumped against K8-7A's cold, metallic shoulder, Kaizer barely registered the dim alleys of City E passing by. Shadows danced on the cracked walls, their shapes twisting like ghosts of a life barely started.
Neither spoke. The silence between them was suffocating, a weight heavier than the still air of the city.
At an intersection, K8-7A halted briefly before turning left. The shift was subtle, but it was enough.
The narrow alleyways of the inner city fell away, giving way to an open expanse.
Kaizer's breath hitched.
The air felt lighter, though it still carried the metallic tang of the trash hills that loomed faintly in the distance. The road ahead stretched long and empty, faintly illuminated by the flickering light of a broken streetlamp.
K8-7A placed Kaizer gently onto the bench of an old bus stop with a crumbling roof.
The structure groaned under its own weight, its rusted frame a stark contrast to the eerie quiet surrounding them.
Finally, K8-7A broke the silence, its voice low and strained. "I'm sorry, boy. It's our fault that those people are chasing after you now... But I'll protect you. I promise."
Kaizer bit his lip, the bitterness in his chest rising.
No... This wasn't their fault.
"...It's okay," he muttered, his voice barely audible.
It was the only thing he could say.
The robot knelt before him, its balloon-like head tilting slightly as it opened the cabinet-like compartment in its chest.
Inside were a few neatly arranged items— clearly prepared in advance.
"Change your clothes," K8-7A instructed, pulling out a clean set. "You can't smell like... that. The bus driver won't even let us on."
Kaizer sighed but didn't argue.
The robot ushered him into the remains of a nearby building, where he quickly changed into the plain attire. When he returned to the bench, he sat quietly, staring at the faint outline of the trash hills in the distance.
"Can I ask... who you and Karl are?" Kaizer finally broke the silence.
K8-7A paused, its head shifting down as though weighed by a heavy burden. "I cannot tell you. Even if I did, you wouldn't understand. It would only confuse and pressure you."
Kaizer clenched his fists.
But I need to know... He shook his head, pushing the thought away. Now wasn't the time to press.
"Then... where are we going?" he asked instead.
K8-7A opened a compartment in its back and pulled out a folded map. It spread the worn paper on the bench beside Kaizer, pointing at a marked route. "The bus will take us to City C."
Kaizer's eyes widened. "City C? Already?! But that's for…" He trailed off, his words caught in his throat.
From its back, K8-7A retrieved a sleek black box and the headset Kaizer had used for the VR game.
"You thought right. City C's basic requirements include being a challenger in Champion of the Hill," K8-7A said, placing the items carefully in Kaizer's lap. Then, it opened its palm, revealing the silver card. The faint metallic gleam seemed to pulse under the dim light.
Kaizer stared at the card, his mind swirling with doubt and determination.
"I wish for you to survive and become a challenger, boy," K8-7A said softly. "...That is our only way to enter City C."
The robot gave him space to think, stepping aside to let him decide.
Kaizer grumbled internally.
He may as well look like a boy but robots can easily push responsibilities to things only humans can do.
Since robots can't play Champion of the Hill, he was the only resort to enter City C and escape the stench of City E.
Damn it. I'm getting closer to that blasted danger again...!
When the bus arrived, Kaizer clutched the items tightly as he climbed aboard, his heart pounding. He hesitated for only a moment before slipping on the headset.
K8-7A sat next to him, as Kaizer sighed then inserting the card.
Not like I have a choice.
Just like that, the world around him dissolved into light.
[ Welcome back, Player 'Kaizer'! ]
[ Thank you for playing Champion of the Hill! ]
The familiar glow of the text greeted Kaizer as he floated in the void. It wasn't comforting— this light wasn't salvation.
It was a reminder of how deeply entangled he was in this world.
[ ...Continuing on from where you left off! ]
[ Tutorial - Two: Continuation. Objective: Adapt to your environment. ]
Kaizer's eyes snapped open, his breath hitching.
Instinctively, he scanned his surroundings, expecting the roar of a dinosaur and the sight of an injured figure sprawled on the cave.
But it was different.
His yellow eyes winced, catching the blinding beam of a lamp suspended above him. The sterile brightness poured over him, contrasting sharply with the soft, almost luxurious mattress he was lying on.
"...Where am I?" he muttered, his voice cracking.
Sitting up, Kaizer took in his surroundings. The walls, made of dark, obsidian-like rock, shimmered faintly under the light. The room was spacious yet unsettling, with massive openings on three sides that resembled windows. Through them, he could see a sprawling cityscape below, its structures jagged and alien, pulsing faintly with veins of molten red.
He wasn't just in a room.
He was in a tower.
Overlooking a city that seemed alive.