Jin-hee sat in the dim confines of his hideout, a narrow alley tucked between crumbling apartment blocks. Rain dripped from rusted pipes above, forming small puddles on the cracked concrete floor. His hands were steady, methodically scraping and sharpening the ancient sword he had found at the Iron Edge. Sparks flew with each careful strike against the stone, and for the first time in days, he felt… focus. Purpose.
Then it came—a sound that froze him instantly.
A blood-curdling scream tore through the alleyways.
"NOOOOOO!"
Jin-hee's heart leapt into his throat. The voice—desperate, terrified—was unmistakable. A girl. Min-ah.
He froze for a heartbeat, listening as it continued:
"Stop! Stop! Let. Me. Go! You filthy, disgusting piece of—"
A metallic, cold voice cut her off.
"I will exterminate you."
Jin-hee's stomach dropped. The distinctive hum of servomotors, the scent of ozone and metal—he didn't need to see it to know the size of the threat. A patrol bot, massive and lethal, was dragging Min-ah through the alley. She kicked and screamed, her fingers gripping the robot's arm, but it was like she was fighting gravity itself.
Jin-hee's mind raced. He could wait. He could try to track them later. But he knew the truth: if he hesitated, she wouldn't survive. Every second she struggled, the bot's grip tightened. Every second he paused, he lost the chance to act.
There was one clear answer.
He tightened his hands on the hilt of the sword. The weight of it grounded him, the metal cool against his palms, the edge dull but formidable in human hands. He could die. He might die. But Min-ah was counting on him—no, she didn't know it, but she was. And he wasn't about to let her become another casualty in this machine-run world.
He sprinted from his alley, water sloshing in his bottle, sword raised. Rain-slick concrete threatened to betray his footing, but he didn't care. The sound of her screams guided him through the maze of ruins and shadows.
The bot turned, sensors glowing red as it noticed Jin-hee charging. Its arm extended, claws sharp, reinforced steel gleaming even under the flickering neon lights. A warning hum emanated from its core.
Jin-hee dodged a swipe, rolling to the side and slashing upward. Sparks flew where his sword barely nicked the outer plating. The bot stumbled slightly, more surprised than hurt. Jin-hee felt his pulse spike. This was his first fight against a fully active robot—but he didn't hesitate.
Min-ah thrashed, shoving with everything she had. The bot's grip tightened, lifting her off the ground. Her eyes met his for a split second, wide with terror, and he shouted:
"Hold on!"
He lunged again, aiming for a joint at the robot's elbow. The sword bit slightly, scraping metal. It wouldn't pierce armor, but it could slow it, destabilize it. Sparks rained around him as he struck again and again, slashing at vulnerable points, rolling with each swing, narrowly dodging crushing blows.
The alley echoed with shouts, clanging metal, and the sizzling of electricity from the robot's exposed circuits. Rain soaked his clothes and plastered his hair to his forehead, but he felt alive in a way he hadn't in days. Alive because he had purpose. Alive because he would not allow the machines to win without a fight.
Min-ah screamed again, and Jin-hee knew there was no more time. He aimed a desperate strike at the robot's knee joint, trying to topple it. Sparks flew as the bot staggered, releasing Min-ah for just a split second. She hit the ground, rolling, and scrambled to her feet.
Jin-hee pressed forward, sword ready, eyes locked on the bot. This was just the beginning. He could feel it—the city had changed, the robots had power, but humans… humans still had fire. And he would make sure they remembered that.