—
The city held its breath.
Kazuki's scanner blinked wildly. "Their energy signatures are off the charts. They're using hybrid tech—part human, part divine."
Ayame's grip tightened around her blade. "Future Syndicate… does that mean they won?"
"No," Hoshiro said, stepping in front of the boy, who clung to his sleeve. "It means we made them desperate enough to rewrite history."
The lead figure stepped forward. His armor shimmered like obsidian wrapped in starlight. From beneath his hood, a warped voice spoke:
"Hoshiro Tanaka. The variable that disrupted fate. You weren't supposed to survive."
"Well," Kazuki muttered, "he's pretty stubborn."
The figure raised a hand. "Return the anomaly to us. The child you saved is the key to restoring balance—our balance."
Ayame moved beside Hoshiro. "He's not yours. And neither is the future."
Energy flared. The Syndicate advanced—silent, coordinated, lethal.
But Hoshiro's aura reignited, pulsing stronger than before. The child had transferred something—memories, power, possibility. He now saw every path… and every mistake yet to come.
"No more running," Hoshiro said. "Let's rewrite our fate."
He charged.
—
Blades clashed. Tech howled. And the war for tomorrow began in the ruins of today.
—