HUNT COMPLETE

JOB STATUS: COMPLETED

REWARDS WILL NOW BE AVAILABLE FOR PICK UP AT THE PYRAMID

As the blinding light subsided, the figure vanished into thin air, leaving glitchy particles where it stood. I couldn’t see what he looked like, but... his voice. It felt familiar to me. I tried my best to recall who that figure reminded me of, but nothing came to mind.

“Fuck... Kid... You’re... all right... Thank god...” With her last phrase, Zara’s body collapsed into mine. “Zara? Zara! ZARA! WAKE UP! PLEASE! Zara... no...” I shook her, desperately trying to get a response.

Her back was charred. Some places were showing deep injuries that started to reveal the bone underneath. I can’t lose anyone else. This is all my fault. Zara died because of me. As my thoughts started to race, despair crept in. Tears formed in my eyes, preparing to fall. Suddenly, my thoughts were interrupted by Zara’s snoring. Out of frustration, I dropped her body back to the ground, waking her up. “AH! FUCK, KID! I’M INJURED HERE. BE A LIL’ MORE GENTLE, WILL YA?”

Zara groggily rose, rubbing her eyes, seemingly unbothered by how much she worried me. “You know, kid, you really gotta learn how to let a girl catch some Zs, like give the badass a break.” Zara grumbled, her fire burst to life as she woke up. I couldn't help but let out a shaky laugh, a blend of relief and lingering anxiety.

“Sorry... I thought...” I stuttered, unable to find the right words to express the mix of emotions within me. A tear escaped as my laughter bubbled up. Zara noticed, gently patting me on the head. “Don’t worry kid. I’m okay. I ain’t no monster who would leave such a little brat like you alone.” Her words brought relief and comfort to me. I felt safe for once. Unable to contain it any longer, tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. “I’m... so... sorry... I really thought... that... that you died be... because... of... me...” I tried to speak, but my sobbing made it difficult.

Zara pulled me into a comforting embrace, her strong arms providing a sense of security that I had been yearning for. “Shh, it's okay, kid. Stop the waterworks now. It ain’t your fault,” she whispered reassuringly. “You're just a kid, and you really shouldn’t be going through somethin’ like this.”

I clung to her words, letting them wash over me like a soothing balm. In that moment, the weight of guilt and fear began to lift, replaced by the warmth of Zara's understanding. She gently wiped away my tears with the back of her hand and gave me a soft smile. “Now how about we get you that reward of yours. Job's complete, kid!”

As my sobs subsided, I took a deep breath and looked up at Zara with gratitude. “Okay. I would... like that. Thank you... for protecting... me.” I managed to say, my voice still shaky.

“Don’t even mention it, kid. But fuck man, this burn actually hurts like a motherfucker right now. Check it out, kid.” She turned around, revealing her charred back. Her once smooth, tan skin became a grotesque canvas of black and red burns, some exposing the bone underneath. The sight sent a chill down my spine, making my stomach churn.

I hesitated for a moment, struck by the severity of Zara's injuries. “Zara, this is... it's bad. Are you sure…you’re okay? Maybe the MedTechs can help.” Zara shrugged, attempting to downplay the severity. “Kid, I've had worse. Ima bounce back. We've got more important things to worry about. Them Qis might still be here.”

Zara’s back suddenly burst into flames, enveloping her wounds in deep, blue fire. “FUCKING HELL! I swear this will never get easier. Still hurts like a bitch.” she exclaimed, gritting her teeth against the pain. The ethereal flames danced across her injuries, an otherworldly display of both agony and healing.

As the flames subsided, her wounds stopped bleeding, the smell of burnt flesh still lingering in the air. Zara let out a heavy sigh, the tension in her shoulders easing. "This should help. Okay, let's get moving to the Pyramid. Your girl needs to be fixed up," she said, determination glinting in her eyes despite the lingering discomfort. Bright, orange fires burst from her legs with her signature fiery halo. She leapt into the air, soaring towards the Pyramid.

The cityscape stretched out below as Zara continued to soar towards the Pyramid. The vibrant pulse of life in the city captivated my senses. The streets were alive with the hustle and bustle of people, creating a symphony of movement and activity. Neon signs adorned the buildings, casting a mix of colors on the ground below. The glow from these signs painted its surroundings in an otherworldly light, it was like we were in another world. Well…perhaps that's exactly what happened to me. Nonetheless, it was a scene of serenity, with no traces of the chaos that ensued earlier.

Zara landed gracefully near the entrance, her fiery aura flickering as she touched down. The entrance to the pyramid was as intimidating as ever, with massive robots holding the doors open, their gaze fixed on us as we entered. We approached the familiar holographic terminal; the same one we used the first time to receive our gifts. The machine behind the desk posed the customary question.

Stolen story; please report.

"NAME AND HUNTER STATUS, PLEASE," demanded a robotic voice.

"Marilyn Ridgewood, Hunter," I responded.

"MARILYN RIDGEWOOD, HUNTER. JOB STATUS: COMPLETED. REWARDS: BIONIC EYE. PREPARE FOR OPERATION."

Operation? Beads of sweat ran down my body, and panic surged within me. The last operation I underwent resulted in my hands being severed. Now, my eye? A pair of MedTechs, dressed in nurse attire, approached us with two hospital chairs in tow. The chairs' metal arms secured both Zara and me, immobilizing us. The MedTechs pulled out a tray bearing scalpels, tongs, and anesthetic guns. The guns were swiftly injected into our necks, and a numbing sensation enveloped everything.

The MedTech began to work on Zara's back, her grunts intermingling with the whirs of medical equipment that filled the air. The procedure, though routine in this technologically advanced world, still carried an unsettling weight. As the MedTech turned her attention to me, a surge of apprehension gripped me.

The scalpel traced a careful line around my eye, the metallic tang of blood filling my senses. Panic clawed at the edges of my consciousness, but my body remained unresponsive, trapped in the unyielding grip of the medical chair. Tears welled up, the emotional pain echoing the physical.

With precision, the MedTech removed my eyeball using tongs, severing its stem. The world went dark in my right eye. The stark reality of losing an eye hit me like a tidal wave. Every instinct screamed at me to run, to escape this invasive procedure, but my limbs betrayed me. I stood there, silent and helpless, robbed of a part of myself.

The nurse presented a jar containing a machine-like eye, an eerie substitute for what once was an integral part of my humanity. A wire extended from the bionic eye, ready to be attached to the base of the severed stem. As the bionic eye connected to its new home, I couldn't escape the profound sense that I had crossed another threshold, leaving behind a piece of myself in the pursuit of strength.

With surgical precision, the MedTech delicately inserted the mechanical eyeball to replace my own, and from the structure of the hospital chair emerged a monitor. The MedTech's attention shifted to the monitor, her skilled fingers dancing over its controls. "Calibration complete. Finalizing operation," she announced. As my vision gradually returned, a new layer of perception accompanied it.

The amalgamation of real-world scenes and digital information created a disorienting yet intriguing sensory experience. The mechanical eye seamlessly integrated with my vision, providing not just sight but a complex array of details—data, diagnostics, and augmented reality elements. The world around me transformed into a canvas of information, each piece contributing to a mosaic of enhanced perception.

Both MedTechs finished their operations, and the metal arms released their grip on Zara and me. As the MedTechs walked away, we made our way back to the holographic terminal. "PROCEDURE COMPLETE. RETURN TO YOUR DUTIES. A NEW JOB WILL BE ASSIGNED SOON," the robotic voice announced. As we entered the main lobby, we headed towards the ammunition shop. Droge sat nonchalantly behind the counter, his eyes flicking up as he noticed our entrance. "Look who we have here. The reckless sons of a bitch who literally hunted down THE Qi Anran," he remarked, a mixture of amusement and admiration in his tone.

Zara shot him a wry smile. "Well, Droge, if your favorite hunters hadn’t shown up, you'd probably be scraping Qi Anran off the pavement with one of them spatulas. Told ya’ we would hunt that bitch." She leaned on the counter, her characteristic fiery halo flickering slightly as she spoke.

Droge let out a hearty laugh. "Fair enough, fair enough. You two are something else, I'll give you that. So, what can I do for you?”

Zara pointed at her metallic legs. "Need gas for these babies. Got any gasoline back there? Might get some weapons for the kid too." Droge nodded and gestured toward the room behind him. "Got some right here. And don't worry, it’s going to be on the house. Special discount for my favorite hunters."

A smirk played on Zara's lips as she approached the shelves stocked with canisters of gasoline. "Awwww, you're too generous, Droge. Remind me to buy you a drink after we're done with this."

Droge chuckled, his eyes scanning the assortment of weapons on the wall. "I'll hold you to that, Zara. Kid, pick something you're comfortable with. It's a dangerous world out there."

I surveyed the array of weapons, my eyes settling on a short dagger with a strip of cloth tied to the base of the handle. Droge plucked it from the display and handed it to me. "This one should serve you well. Might even be compatible with that eye of yours. Take care of it, and it'll take care of you."

"Thanks, Droge," I said, feeling the weight of the dagger in my hand. "I appreciate it."

"No problem. Just make sure you both come back in one piece. I can't afford to lose my star customer and her little kid." Droge said with a sly grin.

Zara, her arms laden with gas canisters, winked at Droge. "You won't get rid of us that easily. Thanks again, Droge."

As we left the shop, weapons in hand and Zara's fiery spirit undeterred, the city sprawled out before us like a cybernetic jungle waiting to be explored. The city, a paradox of calming ambience and lively chaos, embraced us with its electric heartbeat. A sleek car sped through the streets, screeching to a halt in front of us. Men with submachine guns emerged from the windows like shadows materializing in the night. The city's glow reflected in their menacing gaze as they opened fire. Instinctively, Zara grabbed me by the waist, pulling us both behind a nearby wall. A sharp, burning sensation seared through my arm. I’ve been shot.