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FORTITUDE LEVEL, 9.8 ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ "Ichikawa, I won't be giving up after all. I've gotta get moving if I want to stand by her side!" ☠︎⚔︎☠︎
Her father's words echoed in her mind: "Whenever you feel, see, or even hear any danger, run for your life." This situation, however, was nothing like the hospital incident with Reno and Kafka.
As Akira stood there, facing the menacing Honju, she knew that running wasn't an option. Not now. Not with Kikoru heavily injured and unable to move. Her father's advice was meant to protect her, but he had also taught her to protect those she cared about.
Taking a deep breath, Akira steadied herself. "Kikoru, I need you to hang on," she said, her voice firm despite the fear gnawing at her mind. "We're getting out of this together."
Kikoru glanced down at her combat suit, which had miraculously prevented the piercing blow from reaching her heart. The suit seemed to be regenerating, covering the wound. Despite the dire situation, her spirit remained unbroken.
"Don't worry about me, Hoshizora," Kikoru replied, her voice strained as she coughed up blood, but a flicker of determination still burned in her half-lidded eyes.
"What the hell are you?" Kikoru asked, her voice filled with a mixture of anger and disbelief.
The Kaiju observed them with a cold, calculating gaze. "How are you two still moving?" it mused aloud. "I made sure to use pinpoint accuracy with those shots."
'Did it just talk?!'
'What the fuck is going on here?' Their thoughts echoed in unison, disbelief mingling with nervousness. The Kaiju noticed Akira's suit covering her shoulder wound and Kikoru's chest area. Its head tilted slightly, a sign of curiosity.
"What is up with the skin of you humans?"
Suddenly, the undead Honju began to whine out of desperation and agony to the Humanoid Kaiju.
"There, there. Good boy. I'll leave the rest to you," the humanoid Kaiju said, patting the Honju like a pet before turning its menacing gaze back toward them.
Kikoru struggled to stand, her injuries making it difficult to hold up her gun. The shock of encountering a speaking Kaiju still reverberated through her. 'An intelligent Kaiju? What's happening?!'
Akira, her heart pounding, begged her to take it easy while keeping her eyes locked on the humanoid Kaiju.
"Please, Kikoru, don't push yourself!" Akira urged, her voice taut with worry. Her breathing became uneven as she held her left cheek, which had been cut.
