Chapter 73 - The Calm Before the Storm

The team stumbled out of the wrecked facility, bruised but victorious. The night air was cold, carrying the faint scent of burning metal from the destroyed mech.

Tora wiped the sweat from his forehead. "That was way too close."

Ryuuji stretched, wincing. "Yeah, I think I pulled a muscle—"

Mira elbowed him. "That's because you spent half the fight flirting with death."

Ryuuji smirked. "And yet, death still refuses to take me."

Hotaru shook her head. "Enough. We need to move before backup arrives."

Sai, standing at the edge of the rooftop, scanned the city below. "I've already mapped out an escape route. But first, we need a place to regroup."

Tora held up the holographic drive. "We risked our necks for this. Let's find out if it was worth it."

Kuro, perched on Hotaru's shoulder, flicked his tail. "If we're analyzing stolen data, I prefer doing it somewhere with decent food."

Hotaru sighed. "Agreed. Let's find a safe house."

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A Few Hours Later – Underground Safe House

They had settled into a hidden bunker beneath an abandoned factory. Sai had secured the entrance, and Mira had patched up everyone's injuries.

Tora sat in front of multiple screens, typing furiously. The holographic drive was plugged in, decrypting files at a rapid pace.

"Alright, let's see what Shiro's been hiding," Tora muttered.

The screen flickered, revealing classified files, maps, and surveillance footage.

Hotaru leaned in. "What are we looking at?"

Tora clicked on a folder labeled Project Nemesis.

Sai's eyes darkened. "That name… I've heard it before."

The file opened. Blueprints of bio-enhanced soldiers appeared, along with detailed experiment logs.

Mira read aloud. "Phase Two is ready for deployment."

Ryuuji frowned. "Phase Two? What was Phase One?"

Kuro's ears twitched. "...Us."

Silence.

Tora scrolled down. The logs detailed enhanced assassins, brainwashed operatives, and… test subjects.

Hotaru's heart pounded as she saw a list of names.

Her name was there.

So was Sai's.

And Mira's.

And then—

She froze.

Renji's name was on the list too.

The room went deathly silent.

"…No," Sai whispered. "That can't be right."

Tora scrolled further. The latest log entry read:

"Subject #045—successful reprogramming. Assigned as an infiltrator. Awaiting final activation."

Renji was #045.

Mira's breath hitched. "You're telling me… Renji was a plant this whole time?"

Ryuuji clenched his fists. "That bastard. He played us."

Hotaru's mind raced. She had trusted Renji. Even fought beside him.

And now, he was the enemy.

Sai's jaw tightened. "This means one thing—he knows everything about us."

Tora stood. "And if Shiro activates him—"

Hotaru's grip tightened around her dagger.

"Then we stop him before he stops us."

To be continued…

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