The sound of lapping water mixed with the distant hum of the city, creating a surreal backdrop to the standoff unfolding before my eyes.

Midori stood defiant, her gaze locked with Hellhound's.

The air was thick with tension, the kind you could cut with a knife. The fog around us seemed to thicken, swirling in unnatural patterns as if responding to the tension in the air. The sounds of the city faded into a distant echo, the world narrowing down to just the three of us on this abandoned pier.

The next few moments felt like an eternity. No one spoke. No one moved. I felt a strange energy almost crackling in the air, like the calm before a storm.

Then, Hellhound began to laugh.

She palmed her head, and a maniacal cackle echoed through the night. She stopped abruptly, then shook her head in amusement.

Then, she slipped the cylinder she was carrying in her left hand into her coat pocket and pointed her gun at Midori once more.

I quickly came to my senses and discarded my empty rifle without thinking. As it clattered to the ground, Hellhound's masked face flicked away from Midori glance over me for a brief moment.

That was the opening Midori needed.

Midori lunged forward, her body moving in a frantic sprint that I had trouble following. She swept her arm across Hellhound's neck from behind, her blade slicing through the air with a sharp whistling sound.

Hellhound met her blade with her pistol, causing a clang echo off the foggy night. She retaliated quickly, sidestepping and delivering a vicious roundhouse kick to Midori's open gash. Midori yelped in pain, quickly regaining her footing, but the momentary distraction was enough for Hellhound.

She jumped back, raising her gun, and fired at point-blank range.

Midori twisted, flipping her body through the air and spinning gracefully like a dancer in motion. Her blade glinted in the firelight as she rushed towards to Hellhound with inhuman agility before shifting away and thrusting her knife forward in a wide arc. But Hellhound was ready this time, parrying the attack with her gun and following up with an elbow strike straight to Midori's face.

Midori shifted with the weight, dropping to one knee under the swing. She stepped in, reaping her foot inside as she fought for an underhook on Hellhound's arm, aiming to trap it and free her knife arm so she could go in for a kill.

But Hellhound was too quick, sensing the trap and barely dodging the attack.

She shifted back, maintaining distance and readying her gun for another shot.

Midori was able to dodge the gunfire and close the distance between them again, but a bullet from Hellhound's gun grazed her side, leaving a spurt of blood.

The girl staggered and cried out in pain, but still, she pressed her attack and closed the gap.

I wanted to help, but I hesitated — they were in the open and even further away now, and unlike Midori, I didn't have the ability to deflect bullets with a freaking knife.

I looked around frantically before setting my eyes on another rifle from the proxy drone that'd injured Midori. I moved instinctively, grabbing it and priming it as quickly as I could before aiming at Hellhound.

No. That wouldn't do either. The two of them were moving too quickly, and I'd likely end up shooting Midori. I had to find another way. I advanced forward, hunkering down next to a crate.

"Rai-chan, how close do I have to be?" I whispered, glancing down at my gun.

She responded in an instant. "You will unfortunately, have to be close enough to touch her. Distance isn't the only issue, however. The mana disruption device she has will interfere with the hijack, and these drones have been modified from the standard military model. Their circuitry is significantly more sensitive, to cut down on satellite latency times, with enormous sacrifices made to chassis durability and construction in order to compensate. However, they compensated by drastically improving the shielding to signaling systems. To successfully execute a Hijack without endangering your life, you will have to hold onto her for three seconds."

My heart skipped a beat. I knew what that meant, and it was a risk. But it had to be done. I needed an opening, and there was no way I was going to have one handed to me. I had to get close and take it.

Midori lunged forward, slashing and stabbing with the knife in a chaotic but controlled flurry. Midori's knife was met by Hellhound's steely forearm, the metal scraping and sparking against her skin as she wrapped it around and trapped the knife.

Midori's face contorted in pain as Hellhound jerked her arm out of the trap, wrenching the knife from Midori's grip. The teenager growled hatefully as Hellhound forced her to the ground, and I knew it was now or never. I quietly placed the rifle on the ground and lunged forward, arms outstretched.

Forty meters.

The wind rippled through my hair and clothes, but I stayed focused as I zoned in on my target.

Thirty meters.

My heart thudded in my chest as I sprinted towards Hellhound.

Twenty.

The cold air and salty mist rushed against my skin, my eyes glued on her.

Fifteen meters.

I could see Hellhound's mask, her gaze fixed on Midori, not noticing me closing in. Midori was struggling beneath her, trying to push her off.

I gritted my teeth, feeling the burn in my lungs and legs. This was it.

Just as I was about to reach them, Hellhound suddenly turned, sensing my presence. Her reflexes were sharp, almost inhuman. She swung around, aiming her gun at me.

"Shit!" I shouted, my voice echoing in the still air as I sprinted outside of her aim window.

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But before she could pull the trigger, Midori kipped up and pushed Hellhound off balance with a burst of strength. The shot went wide, and I felt the bullet whiz by with inches to spare.

Hellhound quickly regained her footing and leaped backward, taking aim at me again. I ducked low, pulling away as quickly as I could, my heart pounding wildly in my chest as I took cover behind some crates. I peered over as Midori scrambled to her feet, her eyes still fixed on Hellhound, who was now standing a few meters away.

“More… show me more!" Hellhound suddenly shouted. Her voice echoed through the fog in a crazed and excited fervor. "You aren't the spoiled little bitch I thought you were! You're strong after all!!"

Midori, panting heavily, wiped the blood from her lip and fixed her gaze on Hellhound. Despite her injuries, her eyes were ablaze with a fierce determination. Hellhound giggled with childlike glee, letting her robotic limbs hang loosely in front of her as she shifted her weight back and forth.

I knew I had to get closer, but I couldn't risk running out into the open. I had to wait for the right moment, a distraction, anything.

Hellhound charged at Midori, cackling from behind the mask as she drew her combat knife. She was like a demon, relentless and unforgiving. Midori met her to the side, gracefully parrying and delivering a flurry of counterattacks with incredible skill.

I edged closer, moving from crate to crate, trying to shorten the distance. Rai-chan's words echoed in my mind. 'Close enough to hold onto her for about three seconds.'

That was all I needed.

But it was a distance I couldn't close quickly enough — they were moving too fast. I was forced to stay put, watching helplessly as their blades clashed and rang out in the night.

Midori and Hellhound were locked in a fierce combat dance, neither giving an inch. It was a battle of wills as much as it was of skill. Midori's movements were fluid and precise, while Hellhound's were wild and powerful. They were like fire and water, clashing and swirling around each other in a deadly ballet.

Hellhound flipped her knife in the air, alternating hands in a skillful blur. She surged forward in a jabbing thrust, before bringing it around in a tight arc. Midori stepped to the side, narrowly dodging the attack and countering with a stab of her own. But Hellhound was ready for it this time, parrying the attack with her robotic arm before driving her shoulder into the other girl's midsection and pushing her back.

Time seemed to slow down as I watched them fight. Midori was holding her own, but I could see the strain in her movements, the fatigue and pain in her eyes. I had to do something before it was too late.

Then, in the blink of an eye Hellhound feinted a left-handed thrust.

Midori bit on it, her eyes immediately glazing with realization as Hellhound shifted her weight and quickly brought her right leg up, darting past Midori's guard and aiming a powerful knee to Midori's stomach. She twisted on her heels elbowing the knife from Midori's hand, and followed the momentum into a powerful spinning back kick that sent Midori crashing to the ground next to me.

I gasped as I watched her fall, and Midori lay there motionless for a brief second before slowly getting back on her feet. I gasped in horror as I watched Midori writhe in pain. I could feel the anxiety and despair in my chest rising higher and higher as Hellhound kept her distance, her body language with malicious glee.

"What a fucking monster..." Midori groaned, spitting out a glob of blood. "Who the hell is this psycho nutcase?!"

Hellhound laughed psychotically, her voice cutting through the fog like a knife. She spun her combat knife in her hand.

"Who am I? Oh, my dear sweet child. It matters not who I am, but who I was. How I missed this life! The exhilaration of battle, the heat of a looming kill! Ahh, it's like coming home after a long trip away!"

Her laughter was wild, unrestrained, as if the fight had unleashed something primal within her.

I watched, frozen in place, as Hellhound advanced on Midori. The bloodlust she was giving off was almost tangible and I suddenly lost all feeling in my legs.

Despite her injuries, Midori climbed back to her feet. She was breathing heavily, but there was a fire in her eyes that told me she wasn't going to back down.

Hellhound's blade gleamed in the dim light, a sinister arc of steel that seemed to hunger for the fight as much as its wielder. Midori's stance shifted, lower and more guarded, as Hellhound circled her like a predator sizing up its prey.

Suddenly, Hellhound lunged forward , her knife a streak of silver in the murky light. But even in her battered state, Midori was quick. She dodged, rolling to the side, her movements labored but still sharp. I could see the pain in her eyes, the struggle in each breath, yet she fought on, driven by something deep inside her.

Hellhound's attacks grew more frenzied, her laughter turning into a mad shriek. Every strike was meant to kill, to end the fight in a burst of blood and pain.

"Come on! You're still holding back! I want to see you fight!" Hellhound cried maniacally.

But Midori was equal to the task, deflecting each strike with deft skill and precision. She moved quickly and instinctively, as if her body had become an extension of her will. Midori looked like she was beyond exhaustion, but she kept going, each movement setting her up for the next.

It was unfair. Hellhound wasn't fighting with a flesh and blood body – her robotic limbs were faster, stronger, allowing her to strike with incredible precision and power. She wasn't subject to fatigue, and Midori needed a decisive blow to do anything significant to her. I knew no matter how hard Midori fought, she'd eventually succumb to exhaustion and blood loss. Midori had to push herself to her limits to barely keep up with the drone. And still, she kept going.

Just as the thought crossed my mind, fatigue set in as it inevitably did. Midori hissed in pain as Hellhound's blade grazed her arm, causing her to stumble. With Midori's guard down, Hellhound growled and lunged forward for the kill.

But, Midori she stepped back, removing her cardigan in one smooth motion and throwing it into Hellhound's face. The sudden interruption startled the robotic soldier, allowing Midori to close the distance between them and grab onto her arm.

The sharp blade sliced through the garment, but it was enough of a distraction for Midori to grab hold of Hellhound's arm, wrenching it behind her back. Midori dropped her knife, and wrapped both of her hands around the hilt of Hellhound's blade in a last ditch effort. I could feel Midori's desperation as all her physical and mental strength were put into the death grip. She would not give in.

And then, with one final scream of defiance, Midori tore the knife from Hellhound's grasp and threw it away, disarming her.

But it wasn't enough. Hellhound snarled and struck Midori in the stomach with an elbow strike. Then, she stepped in and wrapped one arm over Midori's elbow and the other around her waist, taking her down to the ground.

I felt my heart sink as Hellhound cackled in satisfaction, driving a knee into Midori's midsection before smashing her in the face with a wound up power elbow. I needed to take a leap of faith. I didn’t have any gas left in the tank for any fancy tricks other than the Hijack. If I didn’t, Midori would die here. I made my decision in a heartbeat.

I dashed out from behind the crate, sprinting to close the gap between Hellhound and me as quickly as I could.

I had no time to think, no time to plan. I had to act now or it would all be for nothing. I felt the wind rush past me, heard the pounding of my heart in my ears. Her back was turned to me, and for a moment, I thought I would make it.

But then, Hellhound's head immediately snapped in my direction.

Her reaction was inhumanly fast. She released Midori, spinning around and pointing her gun directly at me. My heart stopped. There was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. The distance was too great, and I knew I wouldn't make it in time.

"End of the line, kids," Hellhound sneered in a distorted whisper.

My eyes widened in terror behind the mask, my tongue rising to the roof of my mouth. Helpless, I watched as Hellhound slowly tightened her trigger finger. Adrenaline and fear raced through me, all of my thoughts going frantically into overdrive. Time seemed to slow down, and I felt my heart pounding in my chest as I waited for the inevitable.

Hellhound laughed cruelly as she began to squeeze the trigger, her robotic fingers closing around it like a vice.

Time stopped.

I was going to die.

I flinched reflexively as the gun fired and I felt my end loom in for one long, drawn out second.

But then, out of nowhere, a single glint flashed through the air.

Hellhound's flinched in surprise, locked in disbelief as a bright object spun through the air, sparks briefly flying as it ricocheted around the battlefield before it settled down between us in a screeching clang..

My eyes widened in surprise as I stared down at a sundered knife, then at Midori, coiled up like a spring on her side. My fear instantly replaced by admiration and respect for her courage and skill.

She'd done something absolutely absurd again, after fighting a grueling battle to try and save our lives.

"Just an ordinary girl, huh? I think it's time to revise that opinion," Hellhound muttered. "Still, I'm getting mighty sick of this."

Then, she whipped around, aiming her gun at Midori, who was prone on the ground once again. I felt the fear returning, gripping my heart like a vice as I reacted instantly. I was still too far. I wouldn't make it.

Hellhound seemed to sense my desperation and laughed cruelly.

"Say goodbye," she taunted, her robotic voice echoing in my ears.

I reached out desperately toward Hellhound as the distance between us closed down to five meters, then three in a fraction of a second.

Hellhound centered her aim once again, and my heart clenched in my chest as she began to put pressure on the trigger.

And then, her head exploded.