The adrenaline had worn off.
Ishizaki leaned against the alley wall, his breath coming in shallow gasps as the glow of his knife faded. His muscles ached, his vision swam, and every inch of his body screamed in protest. The surge of energy from Solus's enhancements had left him drained, like a hollow shell barely held together.
"You are reaching your limits," Solus said, its voice calm and clinical. "Prolonged use of third-tier enhancements is not sustainable."
"No kidding," Ishizaki muttered, his hand trembling as he sheathed his knife.
"You hesitated," Solus continued. "Your failure to capitalize on critical moments extended the engagement unnecessarily. Efficiency must improve."
Ishizaki let out a bitter laugh, the sound harsh and strained. "Yeah, sure. I'll keep that in mind while I'm fighting someone who moves like a damn ghost."
He pushed himself off the wall, stumbling slightly before regaining his balance. The alley was quiet now, save for the faint hum of the vehicles Saryn had left behind. The enforcers' bodies lay scattered across the ground, their weapons shattered and their armor scorched.
For a moment, Ishizaki felt the weight of it all pressing down on him—the fight, the pain, the cryptic warning Saryn had left behind.
"Just a pawn in a larger game," he murmured, his fists clenching. "What the hell does that even mean?"
"Analysis of the signal is ongoing," Solus replied. "Preliminary results indicate ties to the overlord's operations. Further data required."
Ishizaki exhaled sharply, his frustration bubbling to the surface. "You always have an answer, don't you?"
"I am designed to provide guidance," Solus said. "Emotion is irrelevant."
"Yeah, well, lucky you," Ishizaki muttered.
Reuniting with Drax and the Kids
The hidden refuge was a small, abandoned storage room deep within the labyrinthine alleys of the colony. When Ishizaki arrived, he found Drax sitting near the entrance, his sledgehammer resting across his lap.
"Took you long enough," Drax said, glancing up. "Thought you might've gotten yourself killed."
"Not yet," Ishizaki replied, his voice flat.
Drax frowned, his eyes narrowing as he took in Ishizaki's disheveled appearance. "You look like hell."
"I feel worse," Ishizaki admitted, brushing past him to check on the kids.
Hana was the first to spot him, her eyes lighting up with relief. "Ishizaki!" she cried, running to him and wrapping her arms around his waist.
He winced at the contact but forced a smile, placing a hand on her head. "I'm fine," he said, though his voice lacked conviction.
Ryo and Mei hung back, their expressions a mix of relief and unease. Ishizaki could see it in their eyes—the fear, the uncertainty. They were glad he was back, but they were also starting to see the cracks in his resolve.
"You really took on all those guys by yourself?" Ryo asked, his voice small.
"Yeah," Ishizaki said quietly. "They won't bother us anymore."
Mei's gaze lingered on him, her small hands clutching the edge of her blanket. "Are you okay?" she asked.
Ishizaki hesitated. He wanted to tell her he was fine, that everything would be okay, but the words felt hollow. "I will be," he said finally.
Drax leaned against the wall, his arms crossed. "You keep pushing yourself like this, kid, and you won't last. You think the overlord's gonna stop after one failed attack? He's just getting started."
"I know," Ishizaki said, his tone sharper than he intended. "But I don't have a choice. If I don't fight, they'll kill all of us."
Drax's gaze softened slightly, but he didn't press the issue. "Just don't forget what you're fighting for," he said.
Decoding the Signal
Later that night, as the kids slept and Drax stood watch, Ishizaki sat in the corner of the room, his back against the wall. The faint glow of the signal analysis played across his face, Solus's voice filling the silence.
"Partial decryption complete," Solus said. "Signal contains data fragments linked to the overlord's central network."
"Can you tell what it's about?" Ishizaki asked, his voice low.
"Not entirely," Solus replied. "However, initial findings suggest connections to external entities providing technological and logistical support."
Ishizaki frowned. "External entities? You mean someone's backing the overlord?"
"Correct," Solus said. "The scale of resources required for the recent assault exceeds the overlord's known capabilities. Additional analysis required."
Ishizaki clenched his fists, his mind racing. If the overlord wasn't acting alone, it meant the fight ahead would be even harder than he'd imagined.
"Then we need to hit them first," he said.
"Recommend caution," Solus replied. "Rushing into action without adequate preparation will decrease probability of success."
"I don't care," Ishizaki said, his voice cold. "I'm not waiting around for them to come after us again."
Cliffhanger – A New Urgency
Before Solus could respond, Drax appeared in the doorway, his expression grim. "We've got a problem," he said.
Ishizaki pushed himself to his feet, his exhaustion forgotten. "What is it?"
"Scouts," Drax said. "Spotted them a few blocks out. They're moving fast."
Solus's voice cut in, sharp and precise. "Hostiles detected. Estimated time to contact: ten minutes."
Ishizaki grabbed his knife, his jaw tightening. "Then we move now," he said.