Kyo's lungs burned as he tried to steady himself, every muscle trembling from effort and adrenaline. No. 1's laughter echoed, cold and high and cruel, as he rolled one of the little bombs in his palm, tossing it in the air before catching it again.
"C'mon, kid," No. 1 drawled, "don't slow down on me now. I haven't even warmed up."
Kyo charged, lightning crackling across his skin. No. 1 flicked his wrist—one, two, three mini-bombs arced through the air, exploding in sharp bursts of fire and shrapnel. Kyo weaved and ducked, but each blast caught his side, his shoulder, his leg. The pain built, every close call leaving burning cuts and numb bruises, but he pushed forward, desperate.
No. 1 just kept laughing, backing away at a lazy stroll. "You're quick, but you're sloppy. You know those little hits? They add up. You should see yourself right now—like a rat in a trap."
Kyo gritted his teeth, thunder roaring inside his skull. He feinted left, then dashed right, closing the gap. He threw a punch, electricity flaring, but No. 1 dropped a bomb right between them. Kyo's eyes widened—too late. A flash of white light, heat, and ringing pain engulfed them both.
Kyo was thrown back, skidding across the ground. He gasped for breath, the world spinning as his ears rang. Through the haze, he saw No. 1 stumble to his feet first, swaying, blood running from a gash on his forehead.
No. 1 spat out blood, grinning. "If I wasn't experimented on to be resilient to heat, I'd probably feel like shit right now." He wiped his mouth, eyes cold. "But you? You look like hell."
He stalked over, looming above Kyo, who struggled just to raise his head. "Let's cut to the chase. Where are the blueprints, Kyo? The ones your dad hid. The only reason I killed him was because someone upstairs wanted him dead for what he was trying to create. So—where are they?"
Kyo coughed, tasting blood, too weak to move. No. 1 crouched lower, voice rising with irritation. "You hear me? I don't like leaving loose ends. Even if I didn't fail my assignment, I hate that you're still breathing. So tell me—where. Are. The. Blueprints?"
Kyo's lips curled into a shaky, defiant smile. "Why... would I ever tell you?"
No. 1's face twisted in anger. He pulled out his lighter, flicking it on with a snap. "Should I burn this cabin down, like how I burned your house? Hm?" He glanced at the window, where Varia and Volio watched in terror.
"Would you like to watch it happen again, Kyo?" No. 1 taunted, voice low and venomous. "Because all you have to do is piss me off one more time. Go ahead. Give me an excuse."
Kyo's fists clenched, electricity sparking weakly between his fingers as he glared up at No. 1, hatred and pain and fear all tangled in his eyes. He knew he was outmatched, but he wouldn't give the man the satisfaction of seeing him beg.