"Why..."

  Why did he do this to me?

  A gut-wrenching cry tore from my throat, raw and broken. My body trembled, my vision blurred with shock and agony.

  Blood poured from the open ends of my wrists, pooling at my feet.

  Anran turned, saw in hand, and laughed.

  "Your little robot did the job for me! That’s hilarious!"

  Her voice was mocking, amused, like this was all some sick joke.

  She looked at Zara, who was still pinned down, her teeth bared in rage.

  "Awww. Are you jealous of your little friend?"

  She dragged the whirring saw along her own wrist, just enough to make the blades scream.

  "How about we fix that, huh?"

  Desire latched onto my wrists.

  "GAUNTLET INITIALIZATION. BEGINNING SYNCHRONIZATION."

  The world blurred. My arms jerked forward as metal clamped around my ruined wrists. The stolen bracelets locked into place.

  Then—

  A shockwave.

  Metal burst from the bracelets, molding into the shape of hands. The plating shifted and clicked, the cold steel fusing itself to my nerves.

  Pain. A flash of white-hot static burned through my body.

  Then—

  I could feel them.

  The weight of my new hands. The hum of energy pulsing through them.

  Blood crept from the crevices of the mechanical joints. My body didn’t know whether to reject or accept them.

  Anran revved the saw.

  Zara snarled, thrashing, but the machines held her down.

  The saw hovered over her wrist.

  No.

  Before I could think, before I could process anything—

  I lunged.

  My fist slammed into Anran’s ribs with an earth-shaking force.

  Her body crashed into the far wall, metal groaning under the impact.

  Silence.

  I looked down at my hands, chest rising and falling with heavy, ragged breaths.

  They were glowing.

  Not just the metal.

  Something deeper. Something inside them.

  Inside me.

  I clenched my fists. The strength was intoxicating.

  I barely noticed myself moving until I was already charging her again.

  Anran barely dodged, but not fast enough.

  A thin line of blood ran down her cheek where my punch had grazed her.

  Her expression shifted—the amusement was gone.

  The room stood still.

  Even the Qi goons hesitated, watching their boss—their untouchable leader—bleed.

  Anran slowly lifted a hand to her cheek.

  She pulled it away, examining the blood on her fingertips.

  Then—she snapped.

  "How dare you, you… you…

  BITCH!"

  She lunged.

  I raised my arms instinctively.

  Her punch landed—but I didn’t feel a thing.

  The impact absorbed into my arms, my body barely moving from the force.

  Anran’s eyes widened.

  I grabbed her wrist and wrenched it backward.

  CRACK.

  She screamed.

  And I liked it.

  I squeezed tighter, watching her writhe in pain. A deep, sick satisfaction twisted in my chest.

  I wanted her to suffer.

  I wanted her to feel helpless.

  Just like I had.

  A blur of movement.

  I barely reacted in time.

  A colossal metal fist came crashing down toward me.

  I dodged, releasing Anran. The force of the blow shattered the concrete where I had stood.

  I snapped my gaze up.

  A towering machine loomed over me, its massive frame blocking out the dim warehouse lights.

  Anran clutched her half-broken wrist, panting.

  She looked at the machine, then at me.

  Then—she grinned.

  "Fuck… little brat almost broke my wrist."

  She flexed her fingers, shaking out the pain.

  Then she glanced toward the machine.

  "Marshall, override activation."

  The robot's eyes turned red.

  A hatch opened in its back.

  Anran climbed inside.

  Her voice crackled through the intercom, mocking.

  "You really treated me well there, kid. Alright, time to return the favor."

  The machine took a step forward, the warehouse trembling beneath its weight.

  I flexed my new fingers, the glow pulsing brighter.

  This fight wasn’t over.

  The colossal machine whirred to life, gears grinding as Anran took full control from within. The floor shuddered beneath its weight, the air vibrating with raw power. Its cold, red eyes locked onto me, scanning, calculating.

  "Are you having fun, darling?" Anran's voice crackled through the intercom, laced with amusement. "Let’s see how long you last against this beauty."

  With unnatural speed, the machine lunged.

  A fist the size of my torso came crashing down.

  I barely dodged, rolling just in time to avoid being crushed.

  My heart hammered. This thing wasn’t just strong—it was fast.

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  I clenched my fists, bracing for the next attack. My new hands… they were the only thing keeping me alive right now.

  Then—

  A whirring sound.

  My right palm split open.

  A blade shot out.

  It hummed, pulsing with heat. The metal burned a molten red, a weapon forged for destruction.

  "Desire! Uhm... help. Something's happening to my hand!" I stammered, barely keeping up with what was happening to my own body.

  Desire latched onto my neck, his voice even, reassuring.

  "You're okay, Mari. That’s a heat blade. Incredibly sharp, and with a heating option for extra damage."

  I exhaled. No time to think. No time to panic.

  The machine lunged again.

  I surged forward.

  Faster than before.

  My blade cut through the air, slashing and stabbing in a frenzied blur. Each strike carried a mix of rage and desperation, but the machine barely flinched.

  Every hit—metal on metal. Sparks flew. The clangs echoed.

  But nothing.

  It wasn’t working.

  Frustration boiled in my chest. I shifted my stance, aiming for the joints. The blade burned hotter, sharper, but the machine adapted, its movements shifting, more precise.

  Then—

  A burning wave of energy flew past me, barely missing my face.

  I stumbled, feeling the heat lick at my hair.

  Zara.

  She stood atop the machine, flames dancing off her body. The robots that had pinned her down were now nothing more than smoldering scrap.

  She met my eyes, her grin wild, victorious.

  "Finally got rid of those fuckers. Got your back, kid."

  She raised her fist.

  "ARDERE PRO SOL!"

  A blast of fire erupted around her, swallowing her whole. The warehouse flashed blue.

  When the smoke cleared—

  Her flames had changed.

  The vivid orange was gone, replaced by a deep, mesmerizing blue.

  Her entire body radiated raw heat, her presence electrifying.

  She smirked.

  "Let’s burn this place down. Lemme show you why they call me the Arsonist, kid."

  For the first time—the machine hesitated.

  The glow of her flames reflected in its red eyes.

  Then, the moment shattered.

  A chorus of metallic clicks.

  Guns.

  We turned—Qi goons.

  Dozens.

  They moved in from every corner, their weapons locked on us. Rocket launchers. Rifles. Heavy artillery.

  A set-up.

  Anran’s laughter filled the air.

  "Thanks for giving my men time to gear up!" she taunted. "You’re not just fighting me, little brat."

  The massive machine lifted its arms.

  The goons tightened their formation.

  "You’re fighting me and the entire central division of the Qi Family!"

  Zara didn’t react.

  Didn’t flinch.

  Then—

  She moved.

  Leapt.

  Vanished into the shadows.

  Gone.

  Anran snorted.

  "HAHAHA! The Arsonist is running away!"

  She mocked me, her voice dripping with amusement.

  "I almost feel bad for you, kid. Guess she didn’t want to die with you after all."

  Her smile widened.

  "Not that it matters. You still die in the end."

  Panic clawed up my throat.

  Zara—where did you go?

  Why did you leave me?

  I don’t want to be alone.

  Not again.

  Not again.

  Desire’s voice broke through my spiraling panic, steady and calm. "Don’t worry, Mari. Zara will handle this."

  He detached from my neck, shifting into a shield that locked into place in front of me.

  Anran cocked her head, unimpressed.

  "That’s your plan? A puny little shield? Well then, let’s not waste any more time, shall we?"

  The Qi goons raised their weapons. I braced for impact.

  Then—

  A blazing figure crashed through the warehouse ceiling.

  BOOM.

  The explosion ripped through the room. The shockwave sent Anran and her men flying, metal screeching as debris scattered in every direction.

  Smoke and fire curled in the air. And in the center of the destruction—

  Zara.

  She straightened, flames licking at her skin, deep blue embers pulsing around her. "You thought I would run away?" She scoffed, rolling her shoulders. "Over my dead body."

  Anran groaned, struggling to get the machine beneath her to stand. The Qi goons scrambled back into formation. "You’re persistent, I’ll give you that," she sneered. "But this changes nothing. We still have the upper ground here."

  Zara smirked. "Oh yeah? How ‘bout we do something to prove that, huh?"

  The air snapped tight with tension.

  The goons flanked us, some brandishing swords, others aiming launchers and rifles.

  Then—

  A rocket fired.

  Zara moved in a blur, leaping toward it midair. Fire swallowed the missile whole before it could even explode. She landed smoothly, flames spiraling from her fingertips.

  More bullets. More rockets.

  Desire’s shield braced in front of me, absorbing the blasts. I barely had time to process before—

  A Qi goon was on me.

  A sting. A sudden jolt of energy ripping through my veins.

  The burn of something sharp, something deep inside my neck.

  My muscles locked. My vision sharpened.

  Power surged through me.

  The goon swung his sword—I barely dodged. My fist moved on its own, slamming into his gut. He crumpled.

  My blade ignited.

  I slashed.

  One by one, they fell. My body moved faster than my mind. Precise. Brutal. Unrelenting. Each strike tore through them like paper. The rush was intoxicating.

  I could get used to this.

  A colossal shadow loomed over me.

  The machine.

  Zara darted past, flames trailing in her wake. She lunged at its legs, gripping the metal, blue fire bursting at the seams. The steel groaned, melting under the heat.

  It was working.

  The machine staggered, then—

  Its leg gave out.

  CRASH.

  The warehouse shook as the massive body collapsed.

  Anran's voice shrieked through the intercom.

  "FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! YOU BRATS! HOW DARE YOU DO THIS TO ME? HUMILIATE ME? THE GREAT QI ANRAN?"

  The downed machine hissed, steam pouring from its shattered limb.

  Then—

  A blinding green light pulsed from its core.

  Qi goons froze. Some immediately turned and ran.

  Anran's laughter crackled through the speakers.

  "HAHAHAHA! I’M THE ONE WHO WINS HERE! I’M TAKING BOTH OF YOU TO HELL WITH ME!"

  Desire’s voice came next—urgent.

  "MARI! ZARA! RUN! SELF-DESTRUCTION DETECTED!"

  My stomach dropped.

  Zara grabbed my arm. "MOVE!"

  We sprinted.

  Too late.

  The explosion swallowed us whole.

  BOOOOM.

  The blast sent us flying, heat and pressure crushing down on my chest. My ears rang. A high-pitched whine drowned everything else.

  I slammed into debris, pain ripping through me. My vision blurred.

  The chaos, the fire, the carnage—

  All of it faded into static.

  Zara lay in front of me. Smoke curled from her body, her face twisted in pain.

  I reached for her—

  But then, through the haze—

  A figure.

  A silhouette in the light.

  Warmth radiated from it. Something familiar. Something safe.

  A voice.

  "You won’t die today."

  I knew that voice.

  "Not today, my sweet angel."

  A gentle touch on my forehead. The world slowed.

  "Live. For one day, I shall show you the truth."

  My vision darkened.

  The last thing I saw was that figure, standing over me.

  A shadow of something long lost.

  Something that felt like—

  Daddy.