Taro's lungs burned as he sprinted down the narrow alley, his sneakers slapping against the wet pavement. The sound of the robot enforcers' heavy footsteps echoed behind him, growing louder with every second. His mind raced, trying to make sense of what was happening. This couldn't be real. It had to be a dream—a hallucination brought on by too many energy drinks and too little sleep.
But the cold, metallic air filling his lungs felt real. The neon lights flickering above him felt real. And the fear coursing through his veins? That was definitely real.
"Human detected. Cease movement and surrender," the robotic voice boomed from behind him.
"Yeah, right," Taro muttered under his breath, pushing himself to run faster. He glanced over his shoulder and saw the enforcers gaining ground. They were massive, their sleek silver bodies gleaming under the neon lights. Their glowing red eyes locked onto him, and he felt a chill run down his spine.
The alley twisted and turned, a maze of crumbling walls and overflowing trash bins. Taro had no idea where he was going, but he knew he couldn't stop. If they caught him, he was dead. Or worse—whatever the robots did to humans in this world.
A holographic screen suddenly appeared in front of him, startling him so much that he nearly tripped. It was the system, displaying a map of the area with a blinking dot representing his location. A red line traced a path through the alley, leading to a marked exit.
[Follow the path], the system's voice said in his mind, calm and mechanical.
[Escape is possible.]
"No kidding," Taro gasped, swerving to follow the path. The map updated in real time, guiding him through the labyrinth of alleys. He could hear the enforcers behind him, their heavy footsteps shaking the ground.
The path led him to a dead end.
"Are you kidding me?!" Taro shouted, skidding to a halt. The wall in front of him was at least ten feet high, covered in graffiti and rusted metal. He turned around, his heart sinking as the enforcers rounded the corner, their red eyes glowing brighter as they closed in.
"Human located. Prepare for termination."
Taro's mind raced. He had no weapons, no combat skills, and no way to climb the wall. He was trapped.
"Think, Taro, think!" he muttered, his eyes darting around the alley. There had to be something—anything—he could use. His gaze landed on a stack of crates near the wall. They looked unstable, but they were his only chance.
He sprinted toward the crates, the enforcers hot on his heels. He leaped onto the first crate, then the second, his heart pounding as the stack wobbled under his weight. The wall was still too high, but he had no choice. He jumped, reaching for the top of the wall.
His fingers barely grazed the edge, and for a terrifying moment, he thought he was going to fall. But then he felt a surge of energy—something foreign yet familiar—and his body seemed to lift itself over the wall. He landed hard on the other side, rolling to absorb the impact.
"What the…?" he muttered, staring at his hands. Had he just used some kind of power? The system hadn't mentioned anything about abilities.
Before he could dwell on it, the sound of the enforcers smashing through the crates snapped him back to reality. He scrambled to his feet and took off running, the map in his vision guiding him through another maze of alleys.
This part of the city was darker, the neon lights replaced by flickering streetlamps and the occasional glow of a holographic ad. The buildings were older here, their facades cracked and crumbling. Taro could hear the distant hum of the city, but the streets were eerily empty.
He slowed to a jog, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. The enforcers were no longer behind him, but he knew he wasn't safe. Not in this world.
"System," he said, his voice shaky. "What the hell is going on? Where am I?"
The holographic screen appeared again, displaying a message:
[You are in the City of Neon Shadows, the world you created. Your objective is to survive, level up, and rewrite the story.]
"Rewrite the story?" Taro repeated, his mind spinning. "How am I supposed to do that? I'm not a hero. I'm just… me."
The system didn't respond. Instead, the map updated, showing a new marker a few blocks away. The label read:
[Potential Ally.]
Taro frowned. An ally? In this world? He wasn't sure he could trust anyone, but he didn't have many options. He followed the map, sticking to the shadows as he moved through the empty streets.
The marker led him to a small, dimly lit bar tucked between two crumbling buildings. A flickering neon sign above the door read "The Rusted Bolt." Taro hesitated, his hand hovering over the door. He could hear muffled voices and the clink of glasses inside.
"Here goes nothing," he muttered, pushing the door open.
The bar was small and dingy, filled with a mix of humans and robots. The humans looked rough, their faces scarred and their clothes patched together. The robots were smaller and more varied than the enforcers, their designs clearly outdated. They all turned to look at him as he entered, their eyes narrowing with suspicion.
Taro swallowed hard and approached the bar, where a lone figure sat hunched over a drink. It was a robot, but unlike the others, its design was sleek and modern. Its body was a mix of silver and black, with glowing blue lines running along its limbs. It turned its head slightly, revealing a single glowing eye.
"You're not from around here," the robot said, its voice low and smooth. "What's a human like you doing in a place like this?"
'Yeah right, not all the robots in my creation are evil. Some are rebels although I don't have much knowledge of this guy. Did I create him. I only remember that guy, the main character since he was my main focus' Taro thought as he prepared to answer.
Taro hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. "I… I need help. I'm being hunted."
The robot's eye flickered, scanning him up and down. "Hunted, huh? By the enforcers?"
Taro nodded. "They almost caught me. I barely got away."
The robot chuckled, a sound that was surprisingly human. "You're either very lucky or very stupid. Either way, you've got guts. I like that."
Taro blinked, surprised by the robot's tone. "Who are you?"
The robot extended a hand, its fingers shifting into a more human-like shape. "Name's Echo. I'm what you might call a… free agent. And you?"
'Echo?'
"Taro," he said, shaking Echo's hand. "Taro Yamada."
Echo's eye flickered again, and for a moment, Taro thought he saw a hint of recognition. But then it was gone, replaced by a sly grin.
"Well, Taro Yamada," Echo said, leaning back in its seat. "You've got a long way to go if you want to survive in this city. Lucky for you, I'm in the mood for a little adventure. What do you say we team up?"
Taro stared at Echo, unsure whether to feel relieved or terrified. The robots in general, even including the rebels still couldn't be trusted since they were pretty much the same.
'I suppose I'll the risk'
"Alright," he said finally. "Let's do this."
Echo grinned, its eye glowing brighter. "Good choice. Now, let's get out of here before the enforcers show up."