The construct’s eyes burned with a hellish red light as it came to life, and the very air seemed to hum with its presence.

The construct stood towering over them, its enormous arms each ending in weapons—one a massive, serrated blade and the other a cannon that pulsed with glowing, magical energy.

The mage stepped back, his lips curling into a smirk as he admired his creation. "Let’s see how you fare against this," he said, his voice dripping with satisfaction.

Zin and Zeke exchanged a quick glance, their bodies tensing in unison. This wasn’t just a simple fight anymore—it was a war of attrition, and the odds had just shifted drastically.

Zeke took a deep breath, his knuckles cracking as he prepared for the onslaught. "We’ve fought worse," he muttered, his voice steady despite the enormity of the task ahead.

Zin nodded, though his eyes remained fixed on the construct. It moved with surprising speed for something so large, its steps shaking the ground as it advanced. The first swing of its massive blade came at Zin with terrifying force, the sound of the metal slicing through the air like thunder. Zin dodged, barely escaping the strike as the blade cleaved through the stone floor.

The construct roared, a mechanical bellow that rattled Zin’s bones. "Zeke!" Zin shouted, his mind racing as he calculated their next move.

"We need to disable it—there’s no way we can beat this thing head-on!" Zeke grunted in response, his body moving with practiced precision as he dodged another attack from the construct’s cannon, a blast of energy exploding against the far wall.

"I’ll take the legs!" Zeke growled, his fists already glowing with energy as he charged forward. His brass knuckles connected with the construct’s leg, but the metal was thick, and the impact barely dented the armor.

Zin’s eyes darted across the construct’s body, searching for any sign of weakness. His Seisen energy pulsed within him, his instincts screaming that there had to be a vulnerable point—somewhere. And then he saw it. The runes etched into the construct’s chest were glowing, pulsing in time with the machine’s movements.

"Zeke! The chest!" Zin yelled, pointing to the center of the construct’s body. "That’s where it’s drawing power from!" Zeke’s eyes flickered to the runes, his expression hardening with determination. "Then we tear it open!"

Without hesitation, Zeke charged toward the construct again, his fists aimed at the glowing runes on its chest. Zin followed, his Seisen energy flaring as he launched himself at the construct’s legs, hoping to destabilize it.

The construct swung its blade in a wide arc, forcing Zin to duck and roll to avoid being cleaved in half. He could feel the heat of the cannon as it charged another shot, the energy building to a deadly crescendo. They were running out of time. If they didn’t take this thing down soon, it would overwhelm them.

With a roar of effort, Zeke leaped into the air, his brass knuckles glowing as he brought them down on the construct’s chest with all his strength. The impact sent a shockwave through the air, and Zin watched in awe as cracks began to form in the metal plating around the runes.

The construct staggered, its movements faltering for the first time since the battle began. Zin seized the opportunity, his Seisen energy surging as he focused all his strength on a single, powerful strike to the construct’s leg. The blue energy flared, and with a deafening crack, the leg buckled.

The construct let out a metallic screech as it collapsed to one knee, its cannon firing wildly into the ceiling. Debris rained down around them, and Zin had to shield his face from the falling rubble.

"We’ve got it on the ropes!" Zeke shouted, his voice filled with triumph.

But Zin wasn’t so sure. The mage, who had been watching the fight with a smug expression, suddenly stepped forward, his hands moving in a rapid series of gestures. The runes on the construct’s chest flared brightly, and Zin felt a pulse of dread wash over him.

The construct’s movements became more frantic, more erratic, as if it were being driven by something beyond its own programming.

"He’s pushing it too far!" Zin shouted, his voice barely audible over the sound of the machine’s grinding gears. The mage’s eyes gleamed with madness as he continued to chant, his voice growing louder with every word. And then Zin realized with horror what was happening. The construct wasn’t just malfunctioning—it was preparing to self-destruct.

The glow in the construct’s chest intensified, the runes burning brighter and hotter until they were almost blinding. "Zeke! It’s going to explode!" Zin yelled, his heart racing as he scrambled to think of a way to stop it.

But there was no time. The countdown had already begun. Zeke’s face hardened with grim determination, and in that moment, Zin knew what he was planning to do. "No!" Zin shouted, rushing toward Zeke, but his mentor held up a hand, stopping him in his tracks.

"Get out of here, Zin," Zeke said, his voice calm but resolute. "I’ll take care of this."

Zin’s heart clenched in his chest as he shook his head, his fists trembling with frustration. "There has to be another way!" he pleaded, his voice cracking with desperation. But Zeke’s expression didn’t waver.

"There’s no time," Zeke said quietly, his eyes softening as he looked at Zin.

"You need to survive. The guild needs you." Zin could feel the weight of those words, the finality in Zeke’s tone. This was the end.

With one final, powerful leap, Zeke grabbed the construct by its chest, his massive arms wrapping around the glowing runes. Zin watched, helpless, as Zeke propelled himself into the air, carrying the deadly machine with him. The countdown continued, the glow in the construct’s chest growing brighter and brighter.

Zin’s heart pounded in his ears as he watched his mentor—his friend—disappear into the night sky. "Find my student, Zin," Zeke’s voice echoed in his mind. "Bring him to justice."

And then, with a deafening explosion that lit up the sky like a second sun, the construct detonated. Zin’s breath caught in his throat as he fell to his knees, the force of the explosion sending shockwaves through the city. The light faded slowly, leaving behind nothing but silence.

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Zin stared up at the empty sky, his body trembling with a mix of grief, exhaustion, and disbelief. Zeke was gone.

The night sky was ablaze with the dying embers of the explosion. Red and orange flickers of light lit up the heavens as the remains of the colossal robot disintegrated into ash.

Zin stood alone beneath the fiery spectacle, his heart pounding in his chest. For a moment, everything seemed to slow, the sound of the explosion fading into a dull roar as reality sank in. Zeke was gone.

Zin’s breath came in shallow gasps, his body trembling from the exertion of battle. His fists were still clenched tightly, his knuckles white with tension, but it wasn’t the adrenaline coursing through him now—it was something deeper, something more raw.

He had known Zeke for so long, trained under his watchful eye, fought alongside him in countless battles. And now, in the blink of an eye, Zeke was gone. Just like that, ripped away by the cruelty of war.

The silence that followed the explosion was deafening, pressing down on Zin like a weight he could not shake.

The sky, now dark once again, seemed vast and empty, a stark contrast to the battle that had just taken place. Zin’s heart ached, a hollow feeling settling deep in his chest.

Zeke had been more than a mentor—he had been a brother in arms, a protector, a guiding force in Zin’s life. And now that light was extinguished.

For a moment, Zin felt paralyzed, his mind struggling to comprehend the enormity of what had just happened.

Zeke, who had always seemed invincible, who had fought with a strength and resolve that Zin had admired for so long, had made the ultimate sacrifice.

Zin replayed Zeke’s final moments over and over in his mind—the way he had leaped into the sky, carrying the deadly machine with him, knowing full well that there would be no coming back. Zeke had accepted his fate with a calm determination that Zin could only hope to one day possess.

Zin’s knees buckled, and he collapsed onto the cold ground, his hands digging into the dirt as a wave of emotion crashed over him.

He had been through loss before—his brother, his master, countless friends and comrades—but somehow, this felt different.

Zeke had entrusted him with something sacred in those final moments, a mission that now weighed heavy on Zin’s shoulders. The grief was overwhelming, but mingled with it was a sense of responsibility, of duty. Zeke’s final words echoed in his mind: “Find my student. Bring him to justice.”

Tears blurred Zin’s vision, but he quickly wiped them away, not out of pride, but because he knew he couldn’t afford to break down now. He had to be strong—strong like Zeke had been.

He couldn’t let this loss consume him. Zeke wouldn’t have wanted that. Slowly, Zin rose to his feet, his legs shaky, but his resolve strengthening with every passing second.

He stared up at the sky, where the last remnants of the explosion were fading into the distance, and whispered a quiet farewell. “I won’t let you down.”

The weight of the mission Zeke had passed to him settled heavily on Zin’s shoulders. He couldn’t allow himself the luxury of mourning for long, no matter how much his heart ached. There was work to be done, and Zin had made a silent promise to Zeke in those final moments—he would find Kai, the student who had turned on Zeke, and he would make sure that justice was served.

Zin clenched his fists, the blue lines of Seisen energy flickering faintly along his skin as he gathered his strength.

But as he stood there, staring out at the ruins of Omaproz, Zin realized just how monumental this task would be. Kai had been missing for years, and even though Zeke had believed in his ability to find him, the reality was daunting.

Kai had become a ghost, disappearing without a trace after the tragic events that had shattered the Aegis Guild’s ranks. Zin had heard rumors over the years—whispers of a rogue warrior moving through the shadows, leaving destruction in his wake. But nothing had ever been confirmed.

Zin’s hands trembled as he considered the enormity of the mission. How could he possibly track down someone who didn’t want to be found? And even if he did find Kai, how could he face him? Kai wasn’t just any rogue warrior—he was a prodigy, a student Zeke had once believed in. And Zin couldn’t forget the story Zeke had told him about that fateful day—the day Kai had killed two of his fellow students in a fit of rage, the day Zeke had been forced to let him go. Zin had seen the pain in Zeke’s eyes when he spoke of that day, the regret that had haunted him ever since.

And now, that regret was Zin’s to carry.

The thought of facing Kai—of possibly fighting him—sent a chill down Zin’s spine. He had fought countless enemies, battled some of the most powerful mages and warriors in the land, but this was different. This was personal. Kai wasn’t just an enemy—he was a reflection of everything that had gone wrong, a living embodiment of the failures that haunted Zeke. And now, Zin had to find him, had to bring him to justice. But what would that justice look like? Was he meant to kill Kai? To capture him? Could he even bring himself to do it?

Zin took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of thoughts swirling in his mind. He couldn’t afford to lose focus now. He had to stay grounded, had to remember why Zeke had entrusted him with this mission. Zeke had seen something in him—something that Zin wasn’t sure he saw in himself. But he had to trust that Zeke’s faith wasn’t misplaced. He had to believe that he could do this, even if the path ahead seemed impossible.

Zin’s gaze shifted to the distant horizon, where the glow of Milix flickered faintly in the distance. The city was far away, but Zin could feel the pull of it, like a beacon calling him forward. The others were still out there—Venom, Aran, the rest of the team—and Zin had no idea if they were safe. The thought of losing more comrades, more friends, made his chest tighten with fear. But he couldn’t let that fear control him. He had to move forward. He had to keep fighting, not just for Zeke, but for all of them.

As he began walking through the ruins of Omaproz, his mind replayed Zeke’s final words over and over again. “Find my student. Bring him to justice.”

The weight of those words bore down on him like a heavy cloak, but Zin straightened his back and kept walking. He wasn’t sure where this path would take him, or what kind of man he would be at the end of it. But he knew one thing for certain—he couldn’t fail Zeke. He couldn’t let his mentor’s sacrifice be in vain.

The wind picked up, swirling dust and debris around him as he made his way through the desolate streets. Zin’s footsteps echoed in the silence, each step taking him further from the battlefield and closer to his next challenge. But with each step, the burden of the mission became heavier, the responsibility more daunting. Zin knew this wasn’t just a mission of vengeance—it was a test of his own strength, his own convictions. Could he truly carry the weight of Zeke’s legacy? Could he face the man who had caused so much pain and destruction?

The image of Zeke, soaring into the sky with the robot in his grasp, burned in Zin’s mind. The sheer bravery, the selflessness of that act, left Zin awed.

He had always known Zeke was a hero, but witnessing that final sacrifice had shown him the true depths of Zeke’s courage. And now Zin had to live up to that legacy. He had to carry Zeke’s memory with him, every step of the way, as he hunted down Kai.

But the truth was, Zin wasn’t sure if he could. Doubt gnawed at the edges of his mind, whispering that he wasn’t strong enough, that he wasn’t ready for this kind of responsibility. Zeke had always been the one with the unwavering strength, the one who had guided them all through the darkest of times. Without him, the path ahead seemed unclear, uncertain.

Zin clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms as he fought to push the doubt away. He had to do this. He had to.

Zin stopped at the edge of the ruins, looking back one last time at the city of Omaproz. The memories of the battle, of Zeke’s sacrifice, played through his mind in vivid detail. But he couldn’t linger here. There was no time to dwell on the past.

The road ahead was long, and there were still many battles to fight. Zin set his gaze forward, toward Milix, where the next chapter of his journey awaited. He whispered one final promise to the wind, to the memory of Zeke: “I’ll find him. I’ll finish this.”

With that, Zin took his first step toward the future, carrying the weight of his mentor’s sacrifice and the burden of justice with him. His heart was heavy with grief, but his resolve was stronger than ever. He would find Kai. He would honor Zeke’s memory. And no matter what, he would not fail.