Zara’s determination sent a shiver down my spine.

  Excitement and nervous anticipation tangled inside me as we settled into a secluded corner of the Pyramid.

  She laid out the supplies we had just obtained, her movements swift and practiced. The Lumina-IX Compact sat atop a crate, its sleek metallic surface gleaming under the dim lighting. Its frame reflected the flickering fire still dancing along Zara’s legs.

  It felt like an omen.

  "Alright, kid. Lemme teach you how to handle this beauty."

  Zara’s grin was sharp, the usual mischief in her eyes replaced by something heavier.

  She lifted the pistol, turning it over in her hands before pressing it into my palm.

  The cold metal sent a shiver through my fingers.

  I swallowed hard. It was heavier than I expected.

  "First rule of handling a Lumina:" Zara’s voice took on a serious edge, her usual carefree tone gone.

  "Respect the damn thing. Treat it like your fucking life depends on it—'cause you never know. It just might."

  Her gaze locked onto mine.

  I nodded.

  I wouldn’t forget that.

  She ran me through the basics—checking the chamber, flicking the safety, reloading.

  Every movement was precise, practiced. A dance of familiarity between her and the weapon.

  Her fingers moved without hesitation.

  Like she had done this a thousand times before.

  Then, she handed me a box of 9mm Photon rounds.

  "Think you’re ready? Load it up, kid. Don’t be an idiot with it." She smirked, tilting her head. "Don’t want to blow your ass off. Trust me—it’s NOT a pretty sight."

  I fumbled with the rounds, trying to remember the steps.

  My hands were shaking.

  "May I provide some assistance, Mari?"

  Desire’s voice cut through my focus, smooth and metallic. "Loading a firearm can be a delicate procedure."

  I exhaled.

  Grateful.

  Silently, I handed him the pistol.

  His metallic fingers moved with surgical precision, clicking the rounds into the magazine with practiced ease.

  I blinked.

  That was… fast.

  Zara let out a low whistle.

  "As expected—Desimaro’s are hella useful. Didn’t even know they were good with guns."

  With the Lumina-IX Compact now loaded and ready, Zara slung a gasoline canister over her shoulder.

  "Alright. Let’s move."

  The Pyramid’s corridors were dimly lit, the only illumination coming from the flickering neon signs and the eerie glow from Zara’s still-burning legs.

  Shadows stretched long across the walls, twisting unnaturally as we passed.

  We made our way toward a secluded alley near the golden hotel, our steps careful, deliberate.

  The city felt… off.

  The usual hum of nightlife was subdued, replaced with low murmurs and movement in the distance.

  Footsteps.

  Hushed voices.

  Qi enforcers.

  They were still out there.

  They were still looking.

  The tension thickened with each step forward.

  My fingers tightened around the pistol.

  I wasn’t sure if it was for reassurance or because I knew—

  We were walking straight into the fire.

  "Kid, give me the compact real quick. Might come in useful."

  A lone Qi goon stumbled into the alley, unaware of our presence.

  Zara's fiery aura dimmed further, her body tensing as she gestured for us to stay concealed.

  The goon, dressed in a dark suit, had strayed too far from his group.

  That was a mistake.

  With silent precision, Zara moved.

  In one fluid motion, she was behind him, her fiery hand clamping over his mouth, muffling his startled gasp.

  The cold muzzle of the Lumina-IX Compact pressed against his skull.

  His body stiffened instantly, breath coming in short, panicked bursts.

  "Hey, hey, hey, man. Shush now." Zara’s voice was low, smooth—almost playful.

  But the way she pressed the gun harder against his temple?

  That wasn’t playful at all.

  "No sudden movements. Unless you want your brains decorating the wall."

  The Qi’s breath hitched.

  His wide, terrified eyes darted around, but there was no escape.

  He nodded frantically.

  Zara loosened her grip just enough for him to speak.

  "Now, what’s a Qi doing around here?"

  Her voice was a blade of sound, sharp and quiet.

  The goon stammered immediately.

  "I-I was just... just taking a break, ya know? Got nothin’ to do with you guys. Don’t even know who y’all are—wait a minute."

  A flash of recognition.

  His breath stuttered.

  His eyes went wide.

  "Aren’t you the ones who killed a Qi in the golden hotel?"

  Zara’s fiery grip tightened.

  The heat pulsed against his skin.

  She grinned—a slow, knowing smirk.

  "I would watch my next words if I were you."

  Flames flickered along her knuckles.

  "Now tell me—hideout, plans, activities, anything you got about the Qi. Spill it."

  Desire’s metallic voice hummed softly behind me.

  "Shall I assist in extracting information, Ms. Zara?"

  Zara didn’t even glance away from the shaking man in her grip.

  "No need, Desire-boy. I got this."

  She pulled him closer, her grip unrelenting.

  "Alright, better talk fast, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll live to see another break."

  The panic shattered his restraint.

  The words poured out.

  He spilled everything—a Qi hideout nearby, their operations, enforcers still searching the streets.

  Zara soaked in the information, then, finally, she shoved him back.

  He stumbled, panting, nodding rapidly.

  "Get the fuck out of here."

  Her voice was casual, but the weight in it was final.

  "If I ever catch you snooping around again, this bullet’s gonna be kissing your lil’ noggin."

  The goon whimpered and turned to run.

  He had no idea.

  He was already dead.

  As the goon turned to flee, Zara’s fingers brushed against the back of his neck, as if adjusting his shirt.

  In reality, she had just streaked a near-invisible layer of white phosphorus gel across his skin.

  It wasn’t burning yet.

  Not until Zara decided it was time.

  He ran.

  Five steps.

  Zara sighed.

  Then, with a lazy flick of her finger, she sent a tiny ember through the air.

  If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

  It drifted weightlessly, catching the faint breeze of his movement—

  Until it landed.

  FWUMP.

  The phosphorus ignited instantly.

  No explosion.

  No roar.

  Just pure, searing heat.

  The fire didn’t spread.

  It sank into him.

  A quiet, instant burn.

  His legs buckled.

  His body spasmed violently.

  His neck and upper spine collapsed inward, his nerves shutting down before he even had time to scream.

  By the time his body hit the ground, his throat was already nothing but a blackened scorch mark.

  No struggle.

  No sound.

  Just a dead man who never realized he had been killed.

  Zara threw her hands up, grinning like she just won a bet.

  “HA! Told ya, kid. Works like a fucking charm!”

  She turned to me, eyes practically glowing with excitement, like she was showing off a neat party trick.

  “Did you see that, Mari? Clean as hell. No mess, no screams—just sizzle, and poof! Like he never even existed. Man, I love this job.”

  She stepped over the smoldering corpse without a second glance, humming like she was in the best mood ever.

  Like she had just burned a piece of trash, not a person.

  I felt sick.

  A cold, creeping nausea coiled in my stomach.

  The way she said it. The way she laughed about it.

  Like it was fun.

  Like he was just a toy she had burned up for the hell of it.

  I didn’t even know who that man was.

  But Zara didn’t care.

  She didn’t care at all.

  With the Lumina-IX Compact in hand, Zara led the way through the winding alleys, avoiding the main streets to evade any Qi patrols.

  The glow from her still-fiery legs cast flickering shadows on the walls, creating an ominous atmosphere as we approached the Qi hideout.

  She’s not wrong.

  Those fires are stubborn.

  How long does it even take to go out?

  My thoughts were interrupted by my bracelet coming to life.

  TARGET: QI ANRAN

  WITHIN 5 MILES

  BOTH LOCATIONS WILL BE REVEALED IN 10 SECONDS

  HUNT HER DOWN

  As we neared the location disclosed by the goon, the sounds of hushed conversations and occasional footsteps grew louder.

  The counter on my bracelet reached 0.

  LOCATION REVEALED

  MAY THE HUNT BEGIN

  A map popped up on my bracelet.

  Zara signaled for us to stay close as we reached the entrance of a narrow alley leading to the hideout.

  She peered around the corner, assessing the situation.

  "Alright, kid, stay sharp. Anran’s right in there. We got no idea how many we're dealing with," Zara whispered, her voice edged with caution.

  "Desire, keep an eye on our backs."

  Zara led the way into the seemingly abandoned warehouse, its dimly lit interior casting long shadows over the scattered Qi goons standing armed and ready. The tension in the air thickened with each step forward.

  Then—a bright spotlight snapped on, blinding us.

  A woman stepped into view, her gray suit crisp, her presence commanding.

  Her smirk dripped with amusement.

  "Well, well, well. Who do we have here?"

  She took slow, deliberate steps toward us, her polished shoes clicking against the concrete.

  "My little hunter... and the arsonist."

  Her head tilted, mock appreciation in her tone.

  "Gotta say, I appreciate the way you treated my cute little subordinate back at the Golden Hotel."

  Zara snorted.

  "Cute? Bitch, I turned his face into charcoal."

  The woman’s grin widened.

  "Exactly. Which is why I brought friends."

  Qi goons surged forward, forming a tight circle around us.

  Two massive machines stomped closer, towering over Zara like mechanical beasts. Their crimson eyes flickered, scanning her before their arms extended with precision.

  Zara didn’t hesitate.

  Her flames shifted, dark blue fire ripping up her legs. She launched herself forward, slamming a punch into one of the machines, the blast ripping through the air like a bomb.

  Smoke filled the room.

  For a second, I thought she had destroyed it.

  Then—the machines walked right through it, completely unscathed.

  Their arms snapped forward, faster than I could register.

  Zara barely had time to react before they slammed her into the ground, pinning both arms.

  "Little guy gets one too."

  Before I could even move, the woman flicked her wrist.

  A metallic net shot through the air, wrapping around Desire mid-flight.

  His body twitched violently, glitching under the disruptive energy as he collapsed to the ground, motionless.

  The woman strolled forward, towering over us.

  "You thought you could just waltz into my territory and cause chaos?"

  She kneeled beside Zara, tilting her head.

  "Think again, little troublemakers."

  Zara thrashed against the machine’s grip, flames sputtering out as the robots tightened their hold.

  The Qi goons closed in.

  The warehouse felt smaller.

  Like the walls were closing in on us.

  "Now... what should we do with you?"

  The woman reached for something.

  A saw.

  Its blades gleamed under the spotlight.

  She ran a hand along it, like she was greeting an old friend.

  "Perhaps a little taste of our hospitality?"

  TARGET CONFIRMED

  QI ANRAN

  My heart stopped.

  Her.

  The woman standing over us.

  She wasn’t just some random Qi enforcer.

  She was my target.

  Before I could process it, a heavy metal hand wrapped around my throat.

  The machine lifted me off the ground like I weighed nothing, then slammed me back down.

  Pain exploded through my body.

  Anran laughed.

  "Guess someone was a little hasty. But hey, works for me. I do love a good project."

  She crouched beside me, the saw whirring to life.

  "Let's do some body modifications, shall we?"

  Pain ripped through my body as I crashed against the floor, metal fingers digging into my shoulder, pinning me down.

  Anran laughed.

  "Guess someone was a little hasty. But hey, works for me. I do love a good project."

  She crouched beside me, gripping my chin.

  Her nails dug into my skin.

  "Let’s make you prettier, shall we?"

  She raised the saw, its blades whirring.

  I thrashed, my breath coming in sharp, panicked gasps.

  She was going to cut into me.

  Zara managed to free an arm, her fingers curling into a fist.

  "Hang on, kid! I got this!"

  She hurled a fireball, aiming straight for the machine pinning me down.

  The blast slammed into it, sending shockwaves through the warehouse.

  It staggered, its systems glitching for a moment.

  A moment was all I needed.

  Anran’s smile vanished.

  She turned back to Zara, her grip on the saw tightening.

  "You little bitch. Okay then, you’re first."

  She stood, flipping the saw in her hand.

  "Sorry, little hunter. Our playdate will have to wait."

  Her eyes gleamed.

  "Seems like your arsonist friend wants to go first."

  Zara gritted her teeth.

  "Kid! Untie Desire-boy! He’s our only way out of this! MOVE!"

  I scrambled to my feet, sprinting towards Desire.

  I grabbed the net—

  AGH!

  A sudden jolt of electricity ripped through my body.

  Burning.

  Tearing.

  Every nerve ignited, the pain unlike anything I had ever felt.

  My hands convulsed, my skin sizzling.

  A metallic stink filled my nose.

  I tried to let go— but my body wouldn’t listen.

  The shock held me in place, frying me from the inside out.

  I’m going to die.

  No.

  I clenched my jaw, teeth grinding against the pain.

  Come on.

  With one last desperate pull—

  The net ripped free.

  Desire jerked, his eyes flaring back to life.

  "Thank you, Mari! You saved me!"

  His voice was still glitching, but functional.

  He scanned my burnt, trembling hands.

  "I see that your hands are very damaged. Would you like to proceed with the GAUNTLET PROCEDURE?"

  I looked down.

  My skin was blackened, split open, trembling.

  They hurt.

  They hurt so bad.

  Anran stood over Zara, saw raised.

  Zara thrashed.

  "FUCKING DO SOMETHING, KID!"

  Desire’s voice was calm, urgent.

  "Well, Mari? The GAUNTLET might prove to be useful right now."

  I couldn’t think.

  The pain.

  The saw.

  Zara.

  She was going to die.

  I clenched my jaw.

  I didn’t have a choice.

  "...Okay... I will... Please do the procedure."

  "CONFIRMATION RECEIVED. PROCEEDING WITH THE OPERATION."

  Desire floated toward a Qi goon, his tail extending into a razor-sharp blade.

  With one swift motion, he snatched a bracelet from the goon's wrist.

  The blade shifted, gleaming under the warehouse lights.

  And then—

  It came down.

  I looked down.

  And my hands were gone.

  Panic.

  Despair.

  Agony.

  Blood.

  "Why..."