Taesin stopped on the villa terrace, the city lights flickering below. Why go back to Solaria after betraying it? His chest felt tight. There were consequences upon consequences, a knot of unease that would not settle. Every heartbeat seemed loud, echoing in his chest as if the world was holding its breath.
"Bring my clothes," he told Ayano and Akino, his voice even, but his fingers flexing unconsciously.
He wore black pants, a black shirt, and a long open jacket. Countless nano-particles slid from his neck and covered the lower half of his face in a fanged mask. They clicked into place with a soft hum. Taesin caught his reflection: the mask was sharp, intimidating, untouchable — yet his eyes behind it were restless, calculating, alive with tension and anticipation.
"Load the chopper on Mag-51," he told Amagi.
She nodded, her expression serene, precise. "Already done."
Taesin allowed a small smirk. Trust was silent here - absolute, unspoken - but heavy.
"Let's roll," he said, stepping outside.
Ayun moved with exactness, almost mechanistic in her motions, although a slight tilt of her head betrayed some curiosity. Eun-Ji followed, fluid and graceful, posture without fault. Amagi moved with faultless efficiency. Akino and Ayano mirrored the same exactness, and Luna's gaze fell at the edge of the terrace, perfectly composed, yet just perceptibly attentive.
Above them, a jet-black, twin-engine blade craft with angular wings and glowing thrusters hovered, built for speed and vertical takeoff. Its predator frame married fighter-jet agility with dropship ability. The thrusters hummed softly, alive in the air, echoing anticipation.
Small thrusters unfolded beneath their boots. Panels opened with a hiss; magnetic pads gripped them as they rose. Wind tugged at Taesin's jacket, chilling him. His chest tightened. The back doors of the Mag-S1 slid open, revealing the glowing interior. Luna watched quietly, but emotion was almost imperceptible. Taesin felt the silent weight of leaving someone behind, a subtle pang of responsibility.
Inside, Mag-51 roared. Taesin felt the vibration through his bones, pulse quickening. "Burst shot mode," he ordered. The craft surged, pressing them into the seats. Air vibrated against his skin; every heartbeat felt magnified.
Taesin turned on retro-reflective panels and stealth mode near the border. Light bent around them. The world couldn't see them, but his awareness, tension, and caution went up.
The timing had failed at the location of the deal. His jaw clenched. Adrenaline was burning in his stomach. They were improvising-failure was not an option.
"Here's the plan," he said. "Ambush after the deal. Retrieve neuronium."
Arin cocked her head, an infinitesimal smile there beneath the crimson-fanged mask. "Why not break in directly? They're stronger than us." It was precision and calculation that guided her, with only a faint trace of human-like amusement.
Taesin scanned the team. "Small moves, precise strikes. No attention.
Each robot nodded. Their movements were perfect, fluid, unerring — only subtle cues hinted at curiosity or focus. The human weight of risk rested entirely on Taesin.
Neon reflected off of wet asphalt on the streets of Noxora, the smell of exhaust and food mingling. Taesin's chest tightened as every sense seemed to heighten: the hum of engines, the cacophony of voices, the wail of sirens in the distance. Life continued down below, none the wiser to danger; death lurked at every corner.
Mag-51 lowered altitude. Taesin mounted the sleek, futuristic combat bike, in gold and cobalt, four glowing energy wheels-two at front, two at back-humming like turbines. Its blade-like frame and armored plating suggested hidden weapons. The vibrations traveled through his body, every nerve alive.
Next came Amagi, a low-slung, electric-blue racer, curved sharp, with neon-green windows and wheels rimmed in white; bold decals streaked across its body. The car purred perfectly under her control, ready to transform if need be. Her expression was serene, precise, almost machine-like; only faintly did she acknowledge what was unfolding.
Together, Chopper and Mattel roared down the streets, their vibrations and hums synchronizing with Taesin's racing heartbeat. The machines were alive, but the girls moved flawlessly, robotically, with only minimal traces of human-like reactions.
The luxury hotel loomed ahead. Mag-51 disengaged stealth; panels folded with mechanical precision. The rear gate opened. Arin leapt onto the roof. Dust rose, but her movements were exact, every landing precise. Heartbeat and adrenaline were absent in her — only Taesin's awareness carried the human tension.
Guards fired. Arin remained perfectly composed, mini holes rotating from her arms to spin into firing position. Each shot was precise. Only the tiniest hint of smug satisfaction crossed her mask.
A guard attempted to alert others with his walkie-talkie. Arin created signal interference in an instant. No hesitation, no fear, just robotic efficiency.
She drew the mini holes back in, walking toward the last guard. She says, her face filled with anger
"How dare you take what my master spend years building" She tore his head off in one swift, controlled motion, but the faintest human-like awareness of consequences flickered across her posture.
As she scanned the building, she felt the energy of the neuronium. Picking up a dead guard's I.D., nano-pixels wrapped her body, shifting her appearance with seamless ease; each move remained perfect, controlled, and near-inhumanly precise. The corridor was waiting; the neuronium was waiting. And below it all, Taesin felt every heartbeat, every tension, every risk, while the humanoid robots were performing their jobs perfectly, only the subtle traces of emotion showing-smirks, tilts of the head, microexpressions.