SHARPER || Chishiya Alice in Boarderland

-26- The Alleys

Aguni's gaze lingers on me, sharp and assessing, as gunfire continues to echo around us. "You're not going to let me handle this, are you?" he asks, his voice low and resigned.

I scoff, the fury boiling in my chest blazing in my eyes. "It's personal now."

He shakes his head, his expression caught somewhere between exasperation and reluctant understanding. "Of course it is," he mutters. Then, without warning, he snatches the machete from my grip and tosses it aside.

"Hey!" I shout, stepping forward as if to retrieve it, but he blocks my path.

"Stop with this nonsense," he snaps, his voice sharper now, cutting through the chaos. "You're not charging into a gun fight like some reckless kid with a death wish." He pulls a handgun from the holster at his side and shoves it into my hands. "Take a fucking gun and be smart about it."

For a moment, I'm stunned. The weight of the weapon feels familiar in my grip, but still heavier than I expected. I glance down at it, then back at him, my frustration warring with the understanding that he's right.

"Fine," I mutter, gripping the gun tighter.

"Good." Aguni gives a curt nod before turning and sprinting off, his movements efficient and deliberate.

I glance back toward the battlefield, my father's figure still towering above the chaos as he fires mercilessly into the panicked crowd. For now, he's preoccupied with other players, giving me a sliver of time to move.

I take off after Aguni, weaving through the wreckage and bodies as adrenaline propels me forward. My pulse pounds in my ears, muffling the distant screams and gunfire. Ahead of me, Aguni ducks into a partially collapsed tunnel that offers some cover from the open battlefield.

The tunnel is dimly lit, with flickering emergency lights casting long, eerie shadows on the cracked concrete walls. The air is thick and damp, carrying the metallic tang of blood and the acrid stench of smoke. My boots splash through shallow puddles as I catch up to him.

Aguni leans against the wall, catching his breath, his sharp eyes scanning the entrance for any sign of pursuit. He turns to me as I approach, his voice gruff but steady. "You still with me?"

"Yeah," I say, holding up the gun he gave me. "But don't think this means I'm backing down."

He lets out a dry laugh, shaking his head. "Didn't think you would."

We both fall silent for a moment, the weight of the situation pressing down on us. The muffled sounds of gunfire and screams filter in from outside, a constant reminder of the danger we're in.

"What's the plan?" I ask, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me.

Aguni glances at me, his expression unreadable. "First, we get into position. Then we find a way to stop him."

"And by stop him, you mean—"

"I mean we take him out," he says firmly, his voice leaving no room for argument.

My grip tightens on the gun. The idea of killing him—my father—feels like both a necessity and a burden I can't yet comprehend.

Aguni must sense my hesitation because his voice softens, just slightly. "You don't have to do it, you know."

I meet his gaze, my jaw tightening. "I'm not running from this, Aguni."

"I'm not asking you to run," he says quietly. "But this fight isn't just yours anymore. We're all in this."

I nod, my resolve hardening. "Then let's end this."

He gives a curt nod in return, and we move deeper into the tunnel, the sound of war echoing behind us like a distant storm.