"No, Akira! No!" Megumi screamed desperately as she defended herself against the explosive little crabs, hurling rocks with all her strength. Finally, when she could no longer withstand the attacks, she hid inside a solidified earthen structure.
A deafening roar echoed through the area, as if something massive had slammed into the ground. Megumi slowly emerged from her improvised shelter, dreading the worst.
"Oh no… Akira…" she murmured in anguish, looking toward where the boy had been, expecting to see the inevitable.
But what she saw left her speechless. Akira was still in the same spot, his arms over his head, bracing for the fatal blow… but it never came. Confused, she stared at the robotic crustacean, whose large claw had been cleanly torn off. In its place, a black mass resembling the shape of a claw emerged from the robot's shadow, holding it aloft like a trophy.
"What was that?" Megumi asked, rushing over to Akira. She destroyed the small crabs still clinging to the boy's legs and helped him to his feet. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, I think so…" Akira replied, visibly surprised to still be alive. "I thought I was going to die…" he added softly, recalling how he'd nearly lost control and almost wet himself in fear. Fortunately, he managed to hold it together and avoid an embarrassing moment.
"It was a miracle," Megumi said aloud, still processing what had just happened.
"I thought I was going to die…" Akira repeated, nervously touching his face as he gave a shaky smile.
Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out:
"Well, well… You two still have a lot of training to do, kids."
They both turned in surprise and saw a boy with purplish-blue hair enveloped in a fine black mass that seemed to flow around him like a living mantle.
"Ah, it's you, Jake!" Akira exclaimed, recognizing him immediately.
"That's right, buddy," Jake responded with a confident smile as he stepped toward them from the shadows.
Megumi looked at him curiously. "Do you know him?" she asked Akira.
"Yes, he's a friend… And he's from Unit E," the boy explained.
"Ah! I see," Megumi said, nodding in understanding.
Jake, however, didn't miss the chance to joke:
"Well, I see everyone likes to ask questions, but no one seems to want to say thank you."
Akira and Megumi exchanged glances before speaking simultaneously:
"Thank you so much, Jake!"
"Well, you're welcome," he replied with an arrogant smile, though he clearly enjoyed the recognition.
"That thing was practically indestructible, and you managed to destroy one of its claws with your ability," Akira commented, impressed.
"Well, you know… I'm excellent," Jake boasted without hesitation, shamelessly praising himself.
Megumi rolled her eyes but quickly returned to the main topic.
"Well, if you're very good, then you should know that the crab has a switch inside its shell in the form of a button—it inserted it there when we tried to destroy the device. We need to destroy it, and only then will the robots threatening the world stop."
"Well, leave it to me," Jake said confidently. He leaned close to Akira's ear and teasingly whispered, "Good thing I showed up on time… You almost wet your pants, kid. Like that one time, remember?"
Akira turned red with embarrassment.
"If you don't have to remind me!" he shot back irritably, though he couldn't help but smile.
Jake stepped away, chuckling softly, but his expression quickly shifted to one of intense focus. With an elegant motion, he summoned his shadow ability and manipulated the darkness beneath the giant crustacean. The shadows came alive, gripping the crab's remaining claws as if they were extensions of his own hands. With a precise tug, he cleanly ripped off the second claw, leaving the robot disarmed and vulnerable.
Without missing a beat, Jake used both shadow claws as improvised tools. He drove them into the top of the robot's shell, forcing their way through the reinforced metal like a can opener. Sparks flew as the claws cut through the armor, gradually exposing the central power source that kept the mechanical monster active. The metallic clang echoed through the area, blending with the sounds of the robot's futile attempts to resist.
Finally, Jake managed to expose the key device. With a triumphant smile, he murmured:
"Time to break through…"
With one final movement, the crustacean shut down completely and collapsed heavily onto the ground.
"It's over," Jake announced with satisfaction, crossing his arms as he surveyed the lifeless body of the robot. "Well, guys, now it's your turn to be the heroes," he added with a grin.
Megumi raised a platform of earth and took Akira by the hand, who was still talking to Jake.
"Alright, let's go," she said, gently pulling him along.
The boy could only nod, still somewhat embarrassed. Meanwhile, Jake watched them walk away and called out:
"Wow, what a rascal!" But his voice faded into the distance.
Jake smiled to himself and muttered:
"You're one lucky kid…"
They reached the upper part of the giant crab. Using two arms of earth, Megumi pried it open as if it were a fragile shell.
"Wow, looks like it's more fragile on the inside," Megumi commented, observing the exposed mechanism. But Akira was silent, lost in thought.
"Hey, Akira! Use your laser gun to shoot that thing. I've found it," she instructed, pointing at the central device.
Moved only by inertia, Akira aimed and fired—but missed completely. Megumi frowned at him.
"What's wrong with you?" she asked, stepping closer to check on him. When she touched him, she noticed something odd. "Do you have a fever?" she said, seeing how flushed he was.
"No, nothing like that… It's just that…" Akira stammered, but before he could finish, Jake suddenly appeared, emerging from the boy's shadow.
Reacting quickly, Akira assured her, "It's nothing, I'm fine," and aimed his laser gun again. This time, he successfully destroyed the device with a precise shot.
A cracked screen inside the crustacean lit up, displaying a deactivation counter that slowly advanced in percentage.
"Chip deactivation in progress…" a robotic voice announced from the screen.
Once it reached 100%, the screen went dark with a final message: "Thank you."
Akira, now calmer after being touched by Megumi (a detail that did not go unnoticed by either him or anyone else), decided to break the silence.
"So, how did you end up here?" he asked, trying to regain his composure.
"Oh, I came with a group of people looking for the scientist Maos," Jake replied casually.
"Were you spying on us?" Akira interjected, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, you know… It's confidential," Jake replied with a mischievous smile.
"Yes, sure, with you everything is always confidential," Akira retorted, crossing his arms.
"Let's move on," Megumi interrupted, cutting off the conversation before it could veer too far off track.
"As I was saying," Jake continued, "we destroyed the scientist's creations and captured Maos. Tron was there too. Look, there he is, coming out of the shadows." He pointed to the robot, which remained deactivated.
"Oh, poor Tron! You're all beat up," Akira remarked with concern.
"He's just in inactive mode. Nothing serious, or at least that's what Jake said," Megumi responded, inspecting the robot.
"You can fix him," Jake suggested, pointing to the remains of the giant crab. "My boss usually handles maintenance, but I think I can help you reactivate him with these parts and maybe even make a few upgrades."
"Well, that's good news," Akira replied, visibly relieved.
"So, as I was saying," Jake concluded with a self-satisfied smile, "after that, there were some tunnel-like hallways, and I arrived just in time to help you guys. The rest is history."
Megumi, however, had another question on her mind.
"And the people you came with?"
Jake paused, as if suddenly remembering something important.
"Oh, right! I forgot about them. I think they should be arriving soon," he said, turning his head toward the four exits of the area.
At that moment, four figures emerged: a girl from one corridor, a young man, and two others from another direction. It was Michele, Choy, Professor Kile, and Philip.
"There you are," Michele said, still clearly irritated with Jake for some unspoken reason.
"Aren't they the ones who were upstairs?" Philip asked Professor Kile.
"Yes, it's them," the professor confirmed with a nod.
"Oh! It's them," Akira said, recognizing them. "I think they were with the journalist."
"If you mean Melisa, yes," Choy confirmed.
"We decided to go down to help with something. We found Dr. Maos and have him locked up in a sort of cell we discovered along the way," Professor Kile explained.
"Wow, I think the blow you gave him with your shadow ability knocked him out cold," Philip commented with a chuckle.
"I think I might've overdone it," Jake admitted, scratching the back of his neck guiltily.
"Well, he deserved it—and much more," Melisa interjected coldly.
"I think that's her way of saying thank you," Choy murmured softly, though loud enough for everyone to hear.
"Don't put words in my mouth, Choy!" Melisa snapped, shooting him a glare.
"Sorry," Choy apologized quickly, though inwardly he was pleased. He knew Melisa wasn't as upset with him anymore because, at the very least, she was talking to him now. And for him, that was a small victory.
"And where's the switch for the rogue robots?" Professor Kile asked curiously, also planning to inquire about the giant robotic crab. "What's a kid doing in such a dangerous place like this?"
"We already took care of that," Akira replied without looking up, focused on repairing Tron. His hands moved tiny pieces with precision, demonstrating that he knew exactly what he was doing.
The professor observed the young boy with admiration.
"Wow, young man, you really know what you're doing with that robot. It looks sophisticated and difficult to repair."
Akira paused his work for a moment and looked at the professor with a mix of pride and irritation.
"Of course, sir. I'm not just a kid. I'm an agent too, and I know how these parts work," he replied, resuming his task with quick and efficient movements.
Finally, he closed Tron's chest panel and pressed a small hidden switch where its ear used to be. With a mechanical hum, the robot sprang to life. It glanced around before focusing on Akira.
"Hello, boy. What are you doing here? This is a dangerous place," Tron said in a concerned tone. "And why aren't you wearing your armor? You never go anywhere without it."
Michele, overhearing this, interjected:
"So you were the one in that little armor… I thought it was a real robot."
"As overprotective as always," Akira remarked with an ironic smile. "I know you look after the younger ones like a babysitter—it's in your protocol. But don't worry about it. When we get back to base, I'll build a better suit of armor."
Professor Kile, impressed by the boy's skills, approached with an apologetic expression.
"Fascinating, child. I didn't think you could repair Tron. I apologize for underestimating you."
"Well, it doesn't matter," Akira responded with a slightly haughty tone, though he couldn't help but smile at the recognition.
Meanwhile, Choy reflected silently: Are they agents from such a young age? The professor was thinking the same thing but decided to voice the question aloud.
"At what age do you become agents? And how did you obtain those powers?"
Tron, now fully operational again, answered without hesitation:
"For the first question, there are kids who started as young as five years old, though they didn't go out into the field—they only trained."
"Tron! Why are you divulging confidential information?" Akira interrupted, frowning.
"I don't know. Maybe my artificial intelligence has been affected since those gorilla robots hit me," Tron replied, mechanically shrugging. "When we get back to base, have the boss run a diagnostic on me," Akira instructed seriously.
"But remember, my primary function is to assist and provide information," the robot added, as if that justified its behavior.
"Yes, but that information is only for agents," Jake corrected calmly, giving Tron a meaningful look.
"Aww! Now I'll never know how they got their powers. I wanted them too!" Choy exclaimed, crossing his arms in frustration.
Megumi, with her usual bluntness, responded directly:
"It's quite simple: through an alien-origin stone. But you can't gain those powers because, at your age, you'll end up deformed."
Akira and Jake turned to Megumi by surprise.
"And they also got blown up by those bomb robots, girl," Jake pointed out, trying to steer the conversation in a different direction.
"What? That's not confidential information. Besides, I told him the truth—he wouldn't be able to become someone with abilities because he's over 17. And besides, I spared him the painful process," Megumi added, shrugging as if it were obvious. After a brief pause, she continued, "Although some were born with them, passed down by a family member who already had them. It's rare, but it happens. I suppose it depends on genetics or some kind of special connection with the alien stones."
Her tone was casual, but her words left everyone thoughtful. Choy, in particular, seemed to process the information with a mix of awe and resignation, while Michele raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued.
"So there are people who just… are born with powers? Without needing the stone?" Philip asked, breaking the silence with genuine curiosity.
Megumi nodded, though her expression grew slightly more serious.
"Yes, but it's extremely rare. Most cases end badly; their bodies can't always handle that level of energy from birth. Those who survive tend to be incredibly strong… or incredibly unstable. That's why the agency monitors anyone with family histories related to special abilities."
Jake, who had been silent until now, interjected with a reflective tone:
"I guess that explains some things… Like why certain agents have more advanced abilities than others, even if they are exposed to the same stone."
Megumi glanced at him sideways and smiled faintly.
"Exactly. Not everything is fair in this world, you know? Some have natural advantages, but that doesn't mean others can't catch up with effort and training."
"Well, that's what Ramona used to tell us, because Boss Adia didn't spend much time at the base."
Choy lowered his head, visibly disappointed, muttering to himself:
"I suppose I'll never have that chance…"
Choy hung his head, clearly disheartened.
"I understand…" he murmured softly, letting out a sad sigh.
"By the way, what are your names?" Professor Kile asked, breaking the silence with his kind yet curious tone. "I'm Kile, and they are Michele…" he said, gesturing to the young pilot, "That girl is an amazing aviator. This is her friend Choy, who never stops talking, and this is my intern, Philip."
Akira, still somewhat irritated with Tron, responded briefly:
"They are Akira, as I already said, and she is Megumi—a ground mage."
"Thanks for introducing us, Tron," Akira said sarcastically, shooting the robot a glare.
"Well, if you're done divulging information, it's time to go," Jake interrupted urgently, crossing his arms as he observed the group.
"We need to head back up," Choy remarked, dragging his words lazily. "I don't feel like going back the way we came…"
Megumi, however, had another idea.
"Not necessarily. I can create an earthen platform and take us back to the way I came. I'm a geomancer," she explained proudly, raising a hand as she began forming a structure beneath their feet.
"Are you really a geomancer? That's awesome! And making that platform is pretty cool too!" Choy exclaimed, impressed by the young woman's skill.
At that moment, the earpiece buzzed on the other side with an urgent tone:
"Hello, Shadow Agent!"
Jake brought the communicator to his ear, frowning slightly as he responded:
"Who is this?"
"It's Nubia, the general's secretary. Something's wrong with the general—he's not responding. Please go and support him," she said hurriedly. Jake asked, "And what about Ms. Hela?"
"She's in a meeting with the rest of the group," Nubia replied without hesitation.
Nubia sighed in relief, though her voice still carried traces of concern:
"The general gave me this communicator for emergencies, and I think this qualifies as one. I don't know why I can specifically contact you, but that's good. Are you near the general?"
Jake paused briefly before responding, his tone calm but serious:
"Well, we're in the same place, but below. We just deactivated the psychotic robots created by Zeus. Can you check if everything is okay out there?"
At the other end of the line, Nubia paused audibly, as if processing the information. Finally, her voice returned, slightly calmer but still tense:
"Yes, thank you. The robots here have started to deactivate."
Jake slowly lowered the communicator, his gaze lost in the distance as he murmured to himself:
"I see… So they were using those chips too…" A faint smile appeared on his face as he pieced things together in his mind. "That's good. If they'd shut down here, they should also have stopped worldwide."
Megumi interjected curiously, tilting her head slightly as she looked at Jake:
"Hey, how can you communicate with someone outside? Didn't the Wolf's Howl destroy your communicator?"
Jake adjusted his earpiece, as if considering how to explain it.
"I imagine it's because I was immersed in the shadows," he replied, his tone calm but reflective.
Megumi nodded slowly, processing the information.
"I see," she said, then added with a small smile, "So… do I want to contact someone from the agency too? Can we do it from here?"
Jake shook his head, crossing his arms as his expression grew more serious.
"I have already tried, but no one is answering," he responded, a hint of frustration seeping into his voice.
"Man, going up with that platform would take too long, and I think they need us urgently up there—that's what I'm sensing," Jake remarked.
"And what do you suggest, genius?" Michele asked sarcastically, crossing her arms.
Jake grinned confidently.
"Well, you're all close to me, so… let's go." Suddenly, the shadows beneath everyone's feet began to move, slowly enveloping them until they were completely submerged.
"What is this?!" everyone shouted, instinctively closing their eyes as they felt the darkness surround them.
"We'll get there quickly. I'll connect to your friend Melisa's shadow," Jake explained, not giving Choy or Michele time to finish protesting.
In the blink of an eye, the group reappeared behind Melisa. Jake was the first to open his eyes, but what he saw left him frozen.
"Oh no… It's worse than I imagined…" he whispered, his face pale as he took in the chilling scene before him.
The others opened their eyes moments later, and almost simultaneously, their faces reflected absolute horror at what was unfolding.