Chapter 28

Milena watches the children play, their laughter ringing through the fortress like a melody she has never truly understood until now. She sits among them, observing their small joys—the way they chase each other, the way their eyes light up over simple games.

Something stirs deep within her. A longing.

For so long, she has functioned with logic, with purpose dictated by data and efficiency. But here, in this moment, she envies them—their innocence, their ability to embrace happiness despite the shattered world around them.

She clutches an old journal she found in the archives, its pages filled with descriptions of a world she will never know. A world before everything turned to ruin. The vastness of the ocean, the warmth of the sun on bare skin, the crisp air of a mountain peak. She has read about these things countless times, but words on a page could never replicate the experience.

"I wish to be human."

The thought comes unbidden, soft yet powerful.

She wants to run through golden fields without fear, to swim in the ocean without the weight of survival on her shoulders. To feel the cool breeze of a mountaintop, not just as a variable in a weather report, but as something real, something alive.

But the world is no longer the one described in those journals. It is harsh, unrelenting, filled with nothing but war and suffering.

And yet…

She places a hand over her chest, where no heartbeat resides.

That doesn't stop her from yearning.

Mochi watches Milena with a curious expression, his feline ears twitching slightly. "You're really starting to think like a human, you know," he remarks, tail flicking lazily.

Milena pauses for a moment before nodding. "Perhaps," she says, her voice steady but thoughtful. "But that doesn't change the reality of what I am."

She glances toward the towering walls of the fortress, her mechanical mind already running through blueprints, ideas forming rapidly. "Su Yan has done so much to keep this place standing. While she's away, I want to ensure it remains safe. I may not be able to fight like her, but I can contribute in other ways."

Mochi tilts his head. "What are you planning?"

Milena's artificial eyes gleam as she turns toward her workshop. "Something that will make life here a little easier… and ensure no one else has to suffer unnecessarily."

With that, she strides forward, determination fueling her every step.

---

The panther-hybrid wipes the blood from his mouth with the back of his clawed hand, his golden eyes narrowing. "You've got some fight in you, lady," he growls, rolling his shoulders as if shaking off the impact.

I smirk, crossing my arms. "That was just a warm-up," I say, tilting my head mockingly. "You're already impressed? And here I thought you'd last longer."

His ears twitch in irritation, his tail lashing behind him. "Tch. You talk big. Let's see if your skills match your mouth."

With a low snarl, he lunges again, faster this time—his claws gleaming under the dim light.

I catch his clawed hands mid-swipe, using his own momentum against him. With a swift movement, I pivot and execute an over-the-shoulder throw, slamming him onto the cold floor. A pained grunt escapes his lips as his body twists from the impact.

Before he can recover, I raise my leg high and bring it down in a brutal axe kick, driving my heel into his stomach. The force makes the ground tremble slightly as he gasps, the air knocked out of him.

He clutches his midsection, coughing, his sharp eyes glaring up at me with a mix of pain and disbelief. "You—" he starts, but I cut him off with a smirk.

"Still think I talk too big?"

He suddenly twists his body, using his powerful legs to spring upward in a spiraling motion. His movements are swift, almost too fast to track.

Then, a deafening roar erupts from his throat, shaking the very walls around us. The sheer force of it sends a vibration through my bones, but I hold my ground.

Without warning, he slashes his claws through the air, and a series of sharp wind slashes materialize, cutting toward me with deadly precision. I dodge, twisting my body to evade the incoming strikes.

But he's relentless. The moment my feet touch the ground, he repeats the attack, sending another barrage of razor-sharp wind slashes in my direction.

I quickly draw the twin pistols from my waist and fire mid-air, aiming for his chest and head. The rapid gunfire echoes through the abandoned facility, each shot precise and unrelenting.

But he merely raises his arm, shielding his face with his clawed hand. The bullets strike his body, but instead of piercing through, they ricochet off his tough, panther-like hide.

A smirk tugs at the corner of his lips as he lowers his hand, revealing eyes gleaming with amusement. "Is that all you've got?" he taunts, flexing his claws. "You'll have to do better than that."

He lunges at me with terrifying speed, his powerful panther-like body a blur. Before I can react, his tackle slams into me mid-air.

I barely manage to cross my arms in time, bracing for impact, but the sheer force of his attack is overwhelming. My body is sent flying backward, crashing hard against the cold, crumbling wall. A sharp pain shoots through my arms and back as dust and debris scatter around me.

I grit my teeth, shaking off the dizziness. Damn… he's strong.

The panther-man lets out a low chuckle, prowling toward me. "Not bad, but you're not fast enough."

I wipe the corner of my mouth, tasting blood. My eyes narrow. "I was just warming up."

He raises his arm just in time, blocking my kick with brute strength. Then, with a powerful swing, he swats me away like a rag doll.

I twist my body midair, using the momentum to my advantage. The moment my feet touch the wall, I push off with full force, launching myself straight at him.

Before he can react, my fist connects with his face—a sharp, resounding impact that sends him staggering backward.

I smirked. He felt that one. His body wavered, legs trembling slightly as he tried to steady himself.

"What's wrong? That actually hurt, didn't it?" I taunted, rolling my shoulders.

He growled lowly, wiping the corner of his mouth. His golden eyes burned with irritation, but beneath that, I saw something else—surprise. He hadn't expected me to hit that hard.

His massive hands came crashing down like a hammer. I crossed my arms just in time, absorbing the impact, but the sheer force drove me to one knee. The ground beneath me cracked slightly from the pressure.

I gritted my teeth, muscles straining. His strength was undeniable, but I wasn't about to let him overpower me.

"You're tough, I'll give you that," he sneered. "But let's see how long you can keep blocking."

I glanced up, locking eyes with him. Then, with a sharp breath, I twisted my body, using his own force against him as I launched my counterattack.

I followed up immediately, lunging forward with a palm strike aimed at his chest. He crossed his arms to block, but the impact still made him skid backward, his claws scraping against the floor.

He smirked, baring sharp fangs. "Not bad, but you'll have to do better than that."

Without giving him a chance to recover, I dashed in, feinting left before twisting my body into a spinning back kick aimed straight for his ribs.