Bullets immediately smacked towards Kazuki as he ducked into the room, hiding behind the energy-bannister of the platform.

"Contract-Breaker! He's here!" one Loyalist shouted to the rest as forces mobilised across.

Kazuki glanced out, peeking out of cover. The interconnecting paths, small to large platforms, were littered with corpses of Loyalists and security. The reactor room was a sheer drop into the void of space below.

A thin membrane-shield and railing protected those inside from a frozen abyss outside. He felt the coolness of the air permeate the room as he staggered outwards. A thousand or so pylons and pillars dotted out from the ceiling at various heights, with a spider web of platforms and walkways connecting them.

He took out a small vial from his exospine. It was his Overclock Drugs. He thought of using it for a moment… No. Too soon, he thought. Bolts bounced off the walls. He placed the vial back. It sealed up.

He'll need to rely on his normal stims. He had to use it at the perfect opportunity. Rushing out from cover, Kazuki's exospine ignited with steam and green energy - exploding him forward.

Lunging across the first path, he avoided gunfire from up above as he slammed into the first Loyalist. He bashed forward with his shield. They tried to fight back, only for him to place a bolt into them.

As Kazuki reached the other side of one of the connecting platforms, he threw the Loyalist into the void. He calmly displaced Loyalists heads with bolts. But every kill cost him more energy. Eventually, he'll have to overclock.

This was it, he thought, throwing another Loyalist over the railing as he WRIST-SHOTs another away. Using their bodies as cover, he reloaded.

His eyes skidded across the room. He had to find Svenn. All he had to do was kill him. He could leave the rest to the agents who'd come after him. But he had no idea where he was. He counted Loyalists. Then, he saw it—the main power pylon. It was a few levels above him. He'd have to take the emergency ladders to get there. It would leave him open to gunfire, but so be it.

One confident Loyalist jumped to his level as a dozen more suppressed him. He ducked out of the way, activating his shield just in time to deflect the Loyalists' bolts. The impact sent him into the ground, dropping his carbine and skidding off the platform. He scrambled backwards as the loyalist charged. Grabbing his pistol, he fired a bolt, splitting their head. He then staggered to the pillar. With little choice left, he grabbed onto the emergency ladder. And he started climbing.

Dozens of bolts flung towards him as he attempted to block each attack. But wherever he decided to block, a bullet skidded through his defences. Each bolt sent him deeper and deeper into an energy deficit. More injectors stimmed into him, diluting his bloodstream. Kazuki felt his blood leave his body.

He pushed on.

Any Loyalist killed was either head splattered or had their bodies thrown overboard, down into the gaping void below.

He paid them no mercy.

As he eventually reached the second floor, he was met with even more Loyalists. They came at him like flies. Rats. Survivors. Time slowed down as he looked at them. Something sparked within him: rage.

They stood in between him and Svenn. They would rather be terrorists than surrender. And as his golden eyes glowed - his wrathful gaze lunged forth.

"So pathetic," commented Kazuki, side-stepping a bolt in bullet time.

Damned if he died now, he won't let his mind or guilt or regrets drag him down, he must dedicate himself fully. It was a simple conclusion, he had to kill the guilt, the regrets: the boy - for now at least.

Energy deficit or not, he'll fight on. He pushed his limbs further. More steam exited out his mouth and exospine. He was going to die. But he didn't care. He killed every Loyalist put in his path, sending as many of them down into the depths below. Bolts ricochetted off his plates, shield and clothes as he clambered upwards.

Each level came with even stiffer resistance.

Rifles, snipers, shotguns and all assortments of arms were raised directly to his face. He entered into a bullet-fueled frenzy. Whether it be ten or a thousand muzzles mattered not to Kazuki. He took beating after beating, slowly scattering the Loyalists. His limbs bled. He pushed on, advancing without relenting through the Loyalists.

Those out of his reach were taken out with precise shots.

Time was of the essence. Kazuki must have known some of these people before the rebellion.

Didn't matter either way. They all called him the Contract-Breaker, the man who violently burnt the industry. If that is what they believe him to be, let them. He'll show them all what they want.

They caused this. They killed tens of thousands. And here they are, trying to bring the station down. He could see fear in their eyes, they deserved every second of pain. Any little remorse he had left for the Loyalists vanished as he grabbed hold of one. He used them as a shield as he snapped their neck, crushing their exospine with his hand. Then, he threw them, slamming them into another group in front of him. Breaking a part of the railing, he winded up his arm. With a throw, two Loyalists were impaled, dead on the spot.

"HE'S COMING UP!"

"SHIT! WE CAN'T HOLD HIM MUCH LONG—" Kazuki cut the Loyalist off.

He won't be needing his neck soon enough. Kazuki latched onto their bayonet rifle, disarming them with a kick.

Thrusting forward, Kazuki impaled them. They were alive for but a moment, as Kazuki opened fire - using the corpse as a mobile position.

He showed the Loyalists exactly what it meant to play with the Seven, if Felix was the fiery demon, he would be the messenger of death itself. Bloodthirst overcame him. Any that tried to fight back were cut down without a second thought. More and more bodies fell as he pushed upwards and forwards.

After all the twists and turns, he was reaching the final platform. He could see a group of Loyalists protecting one man. Svenn. His eyes twitched as he looked at Kazuki across the gap. Kazuki's lips cracked under the pressure. He formed a maniacal smirk. It was the first time he'd smiled in aeons. The Loyalists froze as their despised Contract-Breaker stared death into them.

He charged forward, throwing Loyalists aside. As he crossed, he activated his deflector. Svenn shouted at his men, "Stop him! Buy… me time!"

"Sir—" one of the Loyalists snapped at Svenn, but before they could continue, Kazuki fired his WRIST-SHOT forward, splattering them.

He was running out of clips, but he had more pressing matters.

His blade sent the remnants flying, as electrical bolts cooked them. Refreshing plates kept him in the fight, deflecting all bolts.

Drawing on the last one, Kazuki emptied a magazine into them.

The last man fell. All within the slaughterhouse were dead, except for Svenn and Kazuki, yet he felt his mechanically-powered organs crack. Power-saving modules activated as he crossed the bridge. Gears failing; heart dying; steel-lungs breathing their last. But he demanded more from his dying body.

Svenn twisted around, away from a bomb planted on the main pillar. Kazuki's eyes scanned across his opponent; hand cannon, pistol, knives, grenades. Svenn pulled out his corrosion-hand cannon, aiming it at Kazuki. The two exchanged blasts as acid melted the air away. Crashing forward, his shield deflected the spray, corrosion damaging his shield integrity.

"FINE. I'll have to kill you myself," Svenn shouted, sending another volley of acid towards Kazuki.

Kazuki ANCHORed behind the blast, grappling with Svenn. Kazuki knocked Svenn's cannon to the ground as he kicked it towards the railing, teetering on the edge. Kazuki went in for a quick jab, only for Svenn to kick the Contract-Breaker off him, staggering to his feet.

As Kazuki recovered, he fired a salvo into Svenn's vest-plate, before he pushed forward. Ejecting his dagger towards Svenn's neck, Kazuki predicted a counter, bracing. He must not let Svenn get his hand cannon. He must keep the pressure.

The blade dug into Svenn's shield as he braced it with both hands. Kazuki pushed it downwards, deeper, separating electrons energy with only a dagger.

Kazuki's energy was limited. He couldn't waste precious resources on perfect memorisation of Svenn's moves. He'd just have to tank them and predict with his natural senses.

The blade was lodged into his shield. He dragged the blade and shield down towards Svenn's abdomen - the area he shot out on the Skyliner, still covered in bandages and dressing - it will be weaker. But as the shield started to crack, Svenn drew, blasting his sidearm into the knife, parrying the attack.

"Agh! Contract-Breaker!" Svenn shouted in frustration, his voice boiling.

Kazuki pressed on the back foot, crashing away from the bolts as Svenn advanced. Violent scalding heat permeated Kazuki's mouth. Electrical sparks shot out from Svenn's exospine, injecting him with another boost.

Yet Kazuki did not falter. Not yet.

Using his vambraces, he ignited his shield. Closing in, he charged. Svenn latched onto his own knife, lobbing his pistol at Kazuki.

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It crashed away, flying into the void. Yet the force gave Svenn the brief nanosecond to gain the initiative.

Side-stepping Kazuki, he grappled onto his unshielded arm, plunging his dagger into Kazuki's side. The knife seeped through, and Kazuki grunted - hydraulically slamming his fist into Svenn's chest.

The knife still within him, Kazuki continued to barrage Svenn. Under the fusillade of attacks, Svenn was pushed back. One chance. He grabbed the knife from his side, tearing it out as he pressed both hands into a thrust - directly at Svenn's neck.

But as the knife skimmed by, a palisade ignited upwards, trapping Kazuki's knife. Svenn coughed up blood, glaring at Kazuki.

A moment passed. And Svenn twisted his wrist, activating his own WRIST-SHOT - his ace.

Bullets streamed into Kazuki's plates, throwing him backwards into the railing. Steam shot out of his mouth. He dived to the side of a pillar, ducking underneath a barrage of bullets.

Svenn's eyes violently twitched as Kazuki drew his backup pistol at an advancing Svenn. Svenn, however, twisted around from behind.

"Come here, Kazu… It's time for you to be put to rest." said Svenn.

Kazuki pivoted on the spot, activating his shield as the two exchanged volleys, rounds bouncing off shields and plates. Kazuki drew his railgun, only for Svenn to rip it off his hand, its steel frame sliding across the platform.

Rounds skimmed into unarmoured joints.

Kazuki ran out of bullets. He chucked his pistol at Svenn. Countering with his own throw, Svenn rushed forward.

The guns collided with a clash - thrown to the ground. Svenn turned his wrist Kazuki lunged to his final gambit - his most valuable weapon. A bright light teleported Svenn directly on top of Kazuki. Once again, Svenn's exospine crackled with energy.

Latching onto him, Svenn threw Kazuki into the railing, sending parts of it flying off into the void. The two drew their melees as a frantic duel ensued, each dancing across the platform.

Kazuki was gaining the upper hand. With a rhythm going, Kazuki's memory locked into place. Rotation after rotation, his brain cells created the perfect links. Each link formed caused his eyes to grow brighter in its shade of gold.

He was on the attack now, bleeding, but on the attack.

Every one of Svenn's attacks was parried, all his feints were met with bloodied slashes from his combat knife. He was starting to read every move, just… a little more. He just had to hold out a little longer, to reach that Goldilocks zone between his prediction and energy deficit.

They kept fighting, and more and more energy was expended. It was a race, a dance, a duel all in one. Both Kazuki and Svenn played to their different objectives, yet focused on a single shared goal.

To terminate their opponent.

Bolts harried Kazuki's plates, blood splattered from Svenn's wounds.

His limbs moved at inhuman speeds, countering any faltering attacks sent by Svenn. He shoved his body into overdrive, Svenn's exospine crackling with black energy sparks. The two became a blur within the heat.

Kazuki was winning. He landed more blows than Svenn did, the two getting bloodied in the brawl. There was no grand strategy to this. Just a straight up fight with daggers and hands.

Constant predictions allowed Kazuki to dictate the fight. His energy was being dispersed quickly. He'll just have to win. WIN. HE has to kill Svenn.

Now or Never.

The two locked blades. The time was now…

Svenn ignited a grenade, lobbing it across the platform. Unlocking his ANCHOR, Svenn created distance. Kazuki shoved his shield forward, blinking it up with energy.

A pulse of fragmentation and nanobots scattered across his shield, eating and shattering it. He was sent backwards into the railing.

The last shards of energy washed away, leaving painful monotony.

∗ ∗ ∗

Energy deficit critical. Kazuki crumpled up, holding onto his final gamble. Steam exploded outwards from his back. He became crooked in his posture. Svenn looked at him. But Kazuki tapped his railgun as Svenn drew a backup pistol from a hidden holster. And with a hundred kilograms of added steel, he drew. And he fired. And he skimmed Svenn's helm-mask - sending it charring off.

"DAMMIT!" shouted Svenn.

Knocked backwards, Svenn had crashed into the railing, nearly falling over as his exospine steeled through, steadying himself. The kinetic energy sent into him dissipated across the air/

Kazuki had given all he could. And it wasn't enough. Energy deficit at maximum capacity. He collapsed.

He couldn't move… His aug-glasses showed him every failing component of his body. He looked towards the pillar. The timer was ticking down, two minutes. Svenn won. But he must keep trying…

Kazuki tried to move his limbs, but he couldn't. Even with cybernetics: he was too weak. Only his fingers flickered with movement. Svenn staggered upwards, injured, slowly approaching.

"Kazu…" Svenn trailed off, maniacally. "It's time…" Shit… where did Svenn get that exospine? Such exertions match or exceed even his own…

Kazuki forced all his might into his hands as he started to move them, crawling towards Svenn's hand cannon across the platform. It was a losing race.

"Come on… let's not make this too dirty, boy."

Kazuki said nothing. Halfway there. Keep trying. Keep trying. These words pushed him forward. Blood fell onto his right eye. He must keep trying. He must.

Svenn slowly neared him. Mocking him as he went, "Fourth of the seven and you put up this fight… Freyja should've killed you."

He ignored him, the third was far too much for him or Svenn. Kazuki kept pushing himself forward.

He extended out his hand.

His fingers stretched out to the tip of the hand cannon.

Svenn grabbed onto his leg, pulling him back.

He took out a knife as he held it above Kazuki.

He let himself be consumed by emotions. He didn't know what concoction he felt. Despite his efforts, he couldn't push on. His golden eyes glistened at Svenn's deathly shaking eyes.

Svenn raised his knife to stab Kazuki, his hand shook - and his body tensed up… What? Kazuki tried to scramble away but failed. Redoubling his efforts, Svenn placed both hands on the knife, pressing down… Just then he felt a violent crash come through the membrane shield below. Roaring upwards, ten drones shot into view as a burst of gunfire sent Svenn backwards.

Svenn spun around, activating his shield. Bullets bounced off - explosions rocked him. The drones hovered around in the air, blasting bullets down. Kazuki had one final attempt.

He demanded more from his body, pushing his hands and limbs harder. Even as blood and energy vomited out from his exospine, he kept moving.

But instead of throwing his hands towards the gun, he threw his right hand to his spine.

There was a price for victory. A price he understood. Raising his finger, he flicked his overclock to half-on. It was rudimentary, nothing like the true power of his full-overclock BERSERK. But it gave him what was necessary to win, energy.

Emergency overclock drugs dug into his bloodstream. It stabbed at his mechanical heart. He felt his lungs move. Pain faded. His soul drained of emotions once more, he threw his back into action. And he had energy. His golden eyes burnt with a blue hue as he grabbed the hand cannon.

Kazuki rolled over to face Svenn, who was deflecting bolts from the drones and rockets. And as Kazuki aimed, Svenn glanced at him. A moment passed. He pressed down on the trigger.

Acid sprayed and slammed directly into Svenn. His heavy plates melted away. Kazuki could see the areas that he had taken out with his railgun before, crispy with burns.

Immediately, Kazuki's half-overclock ran out. He dropped the hand cannon onto the floor, collapsing. Pain stuck in. No adrenaline came to save him as the drones descended on him. They beeped and blooped as they injected needles into Kazuki, giving him the necessary stimulants to hold onto life.

Gunfire had stopped. He heard nothing but the solar winds and galactic waves outside the station. He felt a strange measure of peace.

But the grumbles of Svenn woke his mind up as he scrambled upwards. Looking down at Svenn, all he saw was a broken man. He was on his knees, clutching at his chest. Kazuki grabbed the hand cannon. He was at death's doorstep far too many times. He had to get better.

"Svenn. You talk too much."

The drones pointed guns at Svenn as some broke off to defuse the bomb. Its activation fuse went offline with a click. Kazuki was supported by one of the drones as they clipped a new uplink onto the back of his remaining ear.

It was a basic civilian model. Unlike his Contractor Model, it was a small, cyan earpiece, something he'd expect a salesman to have.

The injection point connected to his nerves, prodding from both inside and outside his earlobe. '—Kazuki!' Eliza shouted, her voice quivering. 'Arbiter...?'

'I'm… alive.' Kazuki said, 'All stations, bomb neutralised. Status report on the Loyalist Threat?'

'Good fucking job,' said Sato. 'They're mainly dealt with, just flushing out the last remnants of resistance.'

'Alright… drinks are on me,' grumbled Lilly, ignoring Eliza's misuse of codenames. She earned one name, 'Fine… and food as well.'

'No. Bill will be on me this time.' Kazuki staggered up against the pillar. Everyone started to chatter, knowing full well that Kazuki would splash out on the venue and food. He has the same loyalty to his men that his father had, after all.

Archius sighed in relief before he gave a new report to him. His voice was calm, but was filled with an anchor of seriousness, 'Arbiter, we need you at the main commercial hangar bay…'

'Buy me time.'

Eliza started, 'Ka—Arbiter, are you alright? You look like you took a beating.'

'I'll live.'

Svenn looked up at Kazuki. Just then, something jumped off his exospine. It was a spider-like device, steel in nature. Kazuki shot it. It burnt away to a crisp. He slowly looked at Svenn.

Svenn's eyes were the clear blue colour that Kazuki always knew. Kazuki raised the blaster at Svenn. Through the pain of molten acid, Svenn laid eyes on Kazuki with clear vision. Kazuki couldn't press the trigger; but for a very different reason. This was Svenn! Then... Svenn wasn't even fighting him? No?

He gasped for air as he looked at Kazuki. He held onto the acid-sprayed wound with one hand. Kazuki knew what this meant. Mind-snares… Someone mind-snared Svenn… Kazuki realised that someone set up the Loyalists and Svenn. And his only lead is dying.

"Kazu… My… you've… grown so much." Svenn gargled.

"Svenn. Who did this?"

"I…" Svenn trailed off as Kazuki saw the acid burns etch up his body, damaging his vocal cords.

'Eliza… do you have anything for Svenn?' asked Kazuki, looking towards one of the drones as it spun its sensor eye to Kazuki.

'Sorry… but… no. I injected everything into you.' said Eliza, 'Wait… might I ask why we're saving Svenn?'

'Yeah!' shouted Lilly, 'That fucker killed Gambit… I say we dump him into the trash compactor.'

'Hey, hey,' Sato calmed her peer down as she grumbled at her lack of open-mindedness, 'Having a prisoner would be a good bargaining chip.'

'Only if I can torture the fucker.' snapped Lilly.

'Arbiter… What do you see?' asked Archius through the chaos.

'Mind-Snares.' stated Kazuki. He leant down, picking up the fragments of the mind-snare. A purple shard was embedded inside it, the steel body dropping away. He felt sparks of energy run through his fingers, electricity. 'And contact EZRA. There's a Hazard Shard.'

"P…l…e—" Svenn gargled out half a word. But it was enough. The pain in Svenn's real eyes was visible.

Kazuki pressed down on the trigger. The acid spray finished Svenn off. His body fell onto the floor. Silence filled the reactor chamber. Someone was controlling him… The Loyalists would never have followed Svenn if they knew, but rarely anyone knew the man personally. Someone else is behind all this…