The calm didn't last.
A thunderous roar split the sky. Before Ethan could react, something massive landed behind him with a heavy crash, shaking the ground.
A giant exo-suit—towering, mechanical, menacing—stood where moments ago there had only been laughter. The figure inside it was grotesque in contrast to the machine's power: bald, with long strands of silver hair hanging around a weathered, grief-stricken face.
"Ethan!!" the man bellowed, voice amplified by the exosuit's speaker. He raised a trembling, metallic finger at him. "You killed my son!"
Gasps erupted from the crowd. Screams followed. Trang's eyes widened—then without a word, she bolted for the changing room. Chaos unfolded. Families fled, children cried, and lifeguards yelled, trying to guide people to safety.
Ethan's instincts kicked in. He tapped a hidden switch on the collar of his shirt. A small red light blinked once—his armored suit had been summoned.
But something strange happened.
From the distance, streaking across the sky faster than anything he'd seen before, came a sword—Duy's katana. It wasn't just fast—it was blinding. It tore through the air with a sharp, sonic crack, even outpacing Ethan's own armored pod.
"What the hell…?" Ethan muttered, eyes tracking the glint of metal.
Before he could move, the attacker launched a robotic cable-hand from the exosuit—four thick, metallic fingers extended, clamping down on Ethan's body with terrifying speed and force. He had no time to dodge.
The hand yanked him upward, dragging him through the air until he was eye-level with the old man.
"How dare you kill my son!" the man roared again, shaking with rage. Ethan struggled, but the mechanical grip was crushing—unrelenting.
Suddenly—whoosh!
The katana shot down like lightning, its sheath rattling. With a flash of silver, the blade slid out on its own, slicing clean through the robot arm holding Ethan. Sparks flew. Metal screeched.
Ethan dropped but landed on his feet, his stance steady.
The sword hovered in the air before him, humming, almost alive. In his mind, a whisper—"Take me."
Ethan reached out. His fingers wrapped around the hilt.
Flames of light burst from the symbols along the sheath. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath. Something inside him stirred—old, familiar. The sword had a name, etched deep into his soul.
Yuki.
With one swift motion, he opened his eyes—calm, focused. One foot landed on the exosuit's massive thigh. With a push, he vaulted high into the air. Mid-flight, he drew Yuki from its sheath, the blade gleaming like a shooting star.
SLASH!
A diagonal strike from hip to shoulder carved through the robot's chest plate.
A twist—midair spin—SLASH! The other arm dropped, severed cleanly.
As Ethan descended, he rotated again, his blade slicing down through one of the exosuit's legs.
The machine groaned, faltered—then collapsed backward with a deafening CRASH, its operator trapped inside.
Dust settled.
Ethan landed lightly, standing before the fallen exosuit. The armored pod finally arrived, slamming into the ground behind him—too late.
He glanced at the katana in his hand. "You're faster than my suit," he said quietly, with a small smile.
Yuki's sheath symbols pulsed, as if in reply.
Turning, Ethan faced the man still stuck inside the remains of his machine. "You don't know what happened between the two of us," he said coldly.
"I know he wasn't a good man—but you killed him!" the man cried. "You blew his head off! You monster!"
"He killed my family!!" Ethan shouted, voice breaking with rage.
The man's expression twisted, torn by grief. "No… he's not a killer. I don't believe it."
Ethan's face hardened. "Nothing I say will change your mind. If you want to join your son, just tell me."
The man's eyes welled with tears. He sobbed. "Yes. I want to see him. Kill me, so I may see my son again…"
Ethan closed his eyes. Pain. Regret. Understanding.
With both hands, he gripped Yuki's hilt, blade poised at the man's heart. He raised it high, ready to deliver a clean, swift strike.
Then—
"Stop!!"
Trang's voice cut through the moment like thunder.
She burst out from the changing room, eyes wild, and grabbed Ethan's arms. Her hands wrapped around his and the sword, pulling it back with all her strength.
"Don't kill him! You can't kill!" she cried.
Ethan's face crumpled with emotion. Slowly, he loosened his grip. Trang took Yuki from him gently.
Ethan dropped to one knee, head bowed, silent.
For a long moment, there was only the sound of distant sirens.
Then Trang crouched beside him, wrapped her arms around his shoulder, and whispered, "Come on… get up… cops are coming."
She helped him to his feet. Together, they disappeared from the scene, the broken exo-suit smoldering behind them, and the sword Yuki still glowing faintly in her hands.