Warfare Augmented Intelligent Frame Unit

Chapter 129 - Soy-Flavored Cookies

Chapter 129 - Soy-Flavored Cookies

It took us fifteen minutes to weave our way through the layered chaos of Xyraxis Metropolis. The path wasn't exactly scenic—our footsteps echoed through narrow, dimly lit alleys, past skeletal construction zones frozen in progress, and across the edge of an old battleground near what remained of the Sieg Heil Imperium Tavern. Once a colossal bar, it now stood as a hollowed ruin, its scorched frame jutting like broken bones into the night sky.

Each step through that urban graveyard carried its own kind of thrill. The alleys were abandoned, the construction zones eerily quiet, as if the whole city was holding its breath. No one dared approach the remnants of the tavern or the ghostly buildings around it. It was a forgotten corner of Xyraxis, and for tonight, it was ours alone.

Eventually, we stepped onto a rusted platform—part elevator, part death trap—that rattled and groaned as it carried us up the side of a derelict skyscraper. At the top, the doors creaked open to reveal the crown jewel of my plan: a rooftop garden, half-wild but beautiful. Moonlight spilled across the blossoms—some soft pink, others bioluminescent blue—as they swayed gently in the cool, fragrant breeze. The scent of night-blooming petals and the distant hum of the metropolis mingled in the air.

And there it was—the view. A breathtaking panorama of Xyraxis Metropolis stretched out below us. Skyscrapers glowed with neon veins of green, violet, and gold. Billboards flickered like slow, digital fireworks. Above us, a sea of stars blinked through the dark, unclouded sky, serene and endless.

"Wow," Myrrh whispered, her lips curling into a soft smile. "This looks just like the view from the hospital rooftops."

I puffed out my chest, grinning with pride. "Of course. You're not the only one who's got a secret spot in Xyraxis, you know."

She glanced at me, narrowing her eyes with a smirk. "I was actually getting nervous when you led me through those alleys and construction zones. For a second, I thought you were dragging me to some creepy love hotel to take advantage of me."

"Just how low do you think of me?" I asked, recoiling with a cringe.

Myrrh burst into a giggle, the sound light and teasing. "Just kidding!" she said, then winked playfully. "Not that I'd mind, though."

"What?"

Before I could fully process what she meant, she smoothly changed the subject. "Anyway, how'd you find this place?" she asked, hopping up to sit on the rusted railing like it was her personal throne.

"I noticed this building during our raid on the NTR HQ," I said, glancing at the distant cityscape. "Right after you flew off with the anti-matter bomb. From down below, this looked like the highest vantage point. I figured it might have the same view—maybe even better—than your hospital rooftop. So I gambled."

Myrrh smiled and looked out toward the far horizon where the dark sky kissed the faint silhouette of distant hills. "Good thing you won that gamble, huh?" she murmured. A gentle breeze swept through the rooftop, catching her greenish-blonde hair and lifting it in a slow-motion dance. She raised one hand and tucked a few loose strands behind her ear, and for a moment, the world stood still.

She looked perfect—bathed in moonlight, framed by stars and wind and silence.

God, she's beautiful.

The words were right there, clawing at my throat. I wanted to tell her—to confess right here, right now. But it was my first time. How was I supposed to start? Do I open with a joke? Change the subject again?

An awkward five-second silence settled between us like fog. Myrrh seemed completely immersed in the view, her face soft with wonder. The breeze tugged gently at her sleeves, and she closed her eyes for a moment, as if savoring the peace.