Part 2
The second missile was closing in dangerously on the stadium, and the crowd felt a chill crawl down their spines, unsure if the barrier would protect them.
"Guests of Seisen! Do not panic!"
"Justice Barrier!"
Vice Principal Ayaka stretched out her arms and created a second magnetic barrier.
The missile struck it head-on, making the dome flash with a golden radiance that shook the stands.
Among the audience, Shizuki and Jake exchanged a look at the exact same moment… and dashed toward the exit.
"Hey, you two! Where are you going?" Hina shouted, but they had already vanished into the crowd.
Akari's parents stared in terror toward the testing field, trembling as they waited for the dust to clear. Aira clasped her hands tightly, praying in silence for her daughter's safety.
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Inside the mecha, Li Meiyun fought desperately against the controls.
"Li, can you hear me?!" Eleonor Duval's voice echoed through the intercom.
"Miss Duval, the controls aren't responding…! Something else is controlling it!" Meiyun yelled as alarms flooded the cockpit.
"I know. I'm trying to use my power… and I can't take control either," Duval replied, panting. "Try disconnecting your core, Li!"
"I can't! The link won't break. The system is… possessed!"
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From the dust of the explosion, Akari shot out like a cannonball, her uniform shredded, her face bloodied, yet her eyes more alive than ever.
She slammed her full strength into the Juggernaut's torso, and the armor cracked with a metallic roar.
The robot staggered back several meters.
Akari was smiling.
An excited, gleaming… almost deranged smile.
"TARGET LOCKED. FIRE.!"
Juggernaut's shoulders opened, unleashing a rain of small missiles.
Akari dodged as best she could, leaping, rolling, gasping for breath.
In the analysis chamber, Touma shouted:
"Ellie, give me something, anything!"
"Analyzing… accessing ultra-classified blueprints of the Juggernaut," she responded, her voice projected through his lenses.
"Found. Its core is located beneath the rear launcher. It's protected by an electromagnetic field."
Touma clenched his teeth.
"Of course… with firepower like that, no one would expect your weak point to be on your back…"
Akari continued pummeling the metal giant, breaking plates and leaving deep dents.
But something was wrong.
Very wrong.
"Akari? Can you hear me?" Touma repeated, activating the intercom.
No answer.
Akari couldn't hear.
Akari couldn't see.
Akari was lost in her power… completely consumed by adrenaline, excitement, and pure fighting instinct.
"Attention, Touma-sama. An increase in electrical energy has been detected."
"No! That means…"
A piston rotated the Juggernaut's arm backward as the entire mechanism began charging with magnetic waves.
"Akari, listen to me! You have to dodge that!" Touma yelled, but she still couldn't hear him.
"Paw Paw Fist!" Akari shouted, her fist glowing like a meteor.
"RAIL CANNON CHARGED."
"EXECUTING EXTERMINATION STRIKE."
"RAILGUN!"
The Juggernaut's electrified fist clashed against Akari's, but this time the impact was devastating.
The electric discharge hurled her at terrifying speed.
Her body cut through the air like a projectile and crashed into a massive boulder, splitting it in half.
Akari hit the ground, completely unconscious.
"Damn it! Akari!" Touma shouted, his heart pounding.
"What do I do? What do I do?" he repeated over and over, trembling. "If I go up there… that thing will kill me. But if I stay here doing nothing…"
At that moment, a robotic voice echoed from the metal colossus:
"WARNING! OVERHEATING DETECTED!"
"INITIATING COOLING MODE."
"ENTERING REST MODE."
Thick steam hissed from the Juggernaut's shoulder and torso, glowing red from electrical overload.
Just before blacking out, Akari managed to see Touma running toward her.
"Touma… I…"
Her voice faded into nothing.
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"Akari… why do you want to be strong?"
Her mother's gentle voice echoed from a deep corner of her memory.
A warm memory.
A forgotten memory.
Little Akari, barely five years old, raised her tiny fists with determination.
"I want to protect everyone! Just like my big brother!" she said with overflowing innocence.
Her mother let out a soft chuckle, full of tenderness.
"My sweet girl… you're just like a little teddy bear. Soft on the outside, but with a strong heart… just like your mother."
"But I'll be strong like you," Akari replied, striking a heroic pose.
Her mother leaned down, smiling.
"If that's your wish, I'm sure it'll come true someday. Wishes do come true, my child."
She ruffled Akari's reddish hair playfully.
"For example, I always wished for a sweet, gentle daughter."
"Moooom!" the little girl protested, cheeks bright red. "I'm already a strong girl!"
"I know, sweetheart…" her mother said, taking her small hands into hers.
"But remember this. Being strong also means learning to depend on others. To sacrifice yourself for the ones you love."
The scene faded slowly, like morning mist.
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Akari opened her eyes and found herself being carried by Touma, his face carved with deep worry.
"Touma…?" her voice was barely a whisper.
"Akari," he replied with a strained smile. "I'm trying to get us away from that thing while it's still in rest mode…" he said, breathing hard.
"You didn't have to risk yourself…" she murmured, tears forming in her eyes.
"I'm scared. I won't lie to you…" Touma admitted, his voice trembling. "But I could never leave you there. I couldn't stand watching you die."
The Juggernaut reactivated.
"TARGET ESCAPING."
"ENGAGING LETHAL BEAM."
"Shit, shit!" Touma yelled, clenching his teeth.
At that moment, a barrage of missiles slammed into the Juggernaut, pulling its attention away.
"Did you really think I'd miss out on the fun?" a voice boomed through a loudspeaker.
A mecha soared across the field at high speed.
"Jake Maverick reporting in, soldier!" he announced with his usual bravado.
Another lateral explosion struck the Juggernaut.
"You'll have time to brag later. For now, we need to buy time until the teachers get here," Shizuki said as she loaded her pistol.
Akari looked at them, her eyes shimmering with tears.
"Guys…"
"You didn't think we were gonna leave you alone, right?" Touma said with a warm smile.
While Jake and Shizuki distracted the mecha, Akari smiled, deeply moved.
"Thank you… really, thank you."
Touma gently set her down, and she managed to stand up slowly.
When she looked at her combat suit—completely destroyed—a shiver ran down her spine.
Touma quickly looked away, embarrassed by the exposed areas.
"I'm gonna beat the crap out of that thing," she said with newly restored determination.
Touma noticed that her lucky belt was still around her waist.
"How about using your armor?" he suggested calmly.
"Armor?" Akari asked, confused.
"You didn't think your belt was just a belt, did you?"
She looked down.
"Isn't it just a belt?"
"Touch the little bear and see for yourself," Touma said, confident.
Akari touched the center of the buckle.
Nanobots began spreading across her entire body, wrapping around her and forming a fully armed pink bear onesie.
"Welcome, user. Pink Kuma, the intelligent armor developed by Lancaster INC."
Akari's jaw dropped.
"This… is awesome!" Her eyes sparkled like stars. "It smells like a new car."
"Let's just say Shizuki made the tech, and I… only suggested the model," Touma said, scratching his cheek in embarrassment.
"It's perfect!"
Akari hopped forward and planted a kiss on his cheek.
Touma froze, completely red.
"I'm ready for round two!" she declared with determination.
Her red aura wrapped around her once more.
There she was, slowly advancing toward the gigantic enemy, ready to face it again.