Eight long years had passed since the events of that day.
...
Deep within the boundaries of Voltage City, in a dark, narrow alley tucked away at the corner of the district, two hooded men stood facing each other. One of them held a small bag tightly in his grip.
"Hey... do you still have the stuff?" one of them asked.
"Of course I do!" the other replied, holding out the bag to show his customer.
"It's 100 RNomira," said the dealer, initiating the trade.
"Make it 90," the buyer countered, pulling out his money.
"100 RNomira is my final offer!"
"Fine, deal!"
...
The seller handed over the bag while the buyer passed the cash. But as the exchange happened, both men suddenly grabbed each other's hands, locking their grips tightly.
"You've got your goods. Don't you dare speak a word about this to anyone," the dealer warned sharply.
"Yeah, yeah, I know," the buyer replied, taking the mysterious package.
"Hey... I'm not playing around," the courier threatened. "I will kill you if you get caught. Our business is strictly for personal use. If you try to resell what you just bought, you're digging your own grave!"
The deal was done, and the package was secured.
...
"Now!"
WOOSH!
Out of nowhere, another stranger landed from the top of the building, blocking the courier from behind.
"What the...? Did you set me up?!" the courier snapped.
"...Yeah, I did," the buyer replied coolly.
Realizing it was a trap, the buyer unsheathed a sword he had been hiding behind his back.
"Tch, damn it! Squad One, I need backup here!" the courier shouted, quickly calling his allies who were monitoring the area.
Within seconds, four heavy guards dropped down, surrounding both ends of the narrow alley.
"What's going on here? A rebellion?"
"We don't let scammers walk away alive!" one of the four guards growled.
"Hand back the goods!" another demanded.
The buyer tightened his grip on his sword, preparing for a fight. He stood tall, his hood still casting a shadow over his face, while his glowing blue eyes scanned his surroundings with high alertness.
"Two against one?... Still sounds pretty easy to handle," the buyer scoffed.
"...Sounds to me like you're underestimating us!"
WOOSH!
The two guards ahead lunged forward at blinding speed, swinging their heavy blades simultaneously. Their slash was so sharp it sliced right through the metal air ducts lining the alley walls.
The buyer leaped into the air, spinning effortlessly to dodge the lethal strikes with agile, practiced movements.
...
At the other end of the alley, the buyer's partner was facing off against the remaining two guards.
He tossed his disguising cloak aside with a smirk. "That cloak was getting a bit tight anyway." He gave them an intimidating, eager grin.
As the guards rushed in to slash him down, the partner showcased his incredible skill, moving with fluid grace and flexibility. Without even drawing a weapon, he dodged their strikes and countered with devastating bare-knuckle punches, instantly taking control of the fight.
...
Seeing an opening, the courier decided to make a run for it. He transformed into his vehicle mode and slammed on the gas, abandoning his guards to handle the mess.
...
"Trion, disable the courier immediately!" the buyer ordered through his comms.
"On it!"
...
Alpha Trion.
Eight years had passed since he was just a kid. Now, he had stepped into young adulthood.
Sitting at a distance, monitoring the scene through his scope, he received the command and promptly engaged his battle mask.
Target locked: the fleeing courier.
Using specialized boots designed to boost his jump range, he leaped effortlessly from rooftop to rooftop, closing the distance on his target.
...
"Well, well..." Alpha Trion tapped the device near his ear.
"Looks like I've got him cornered, Max," Alpha Trion reported.
The fleeing courier had hit a dead end, his path blocked by heavy construction equipment. Taking the opportunity, Alpha Trion dived from the rooftop, landing heavily right in front of him.
"Looks like today isn't your lucky day," Alpha Trion said.
"Tch!" the courier spat.
Panicking, the courier pulled out a small knife from his pocket.
"Heh, just give up. You can't beat me with a little toy like that," Alpha Trion said, resting his hands on his hips.
He then reached for a device at his waist. It looked like a simple rectangular module, but it quickly shifted and transformed, extending into a massive, deadly blade attached to his arm—the greatest weapon in his arsenal.
"This blade is extremely sharp and supercharged with heat! A small guy like you will get sliced in half before you even know it, hahaha!" Alpha Trion chuckled confidentally.
Cold sweat rolled down the courier's forehead. His legs trembled as he took an unstable fighting stance.
'Crap! If I get caught here, my career is over!' the courier panicked internally.
...
"So, do you want to move first, or should I?" Alpha Trion teased. "Just so you know, the only option I'm giving you is defeat!" He grinned enthusiastically.
...
Tap... tap... tap...
Heavy footsteps echoed from behind the courier.
A mysterious figure emerged from the pitch-black shadows at the back of the alley.
"Huh?" Alpha Trion flinched. He tried to stay calm, even though his mind raced—'Is this turning into a 2-on-1?' Despite the unfair odds, he kept his composure.
...
"Boss!" the courier gasped in relief.
The stranger emerging from the dark was none other than the courier's commander.
"Thank goodness! I didn't expect you to come yourself, Boss!" the courier stammered.
...
'Ugh... wait, isn't that...?!'
"...Scourge!" Alpha Trion muttered under his breath.
Alpha Trion instantly dropped into a serious combat stance. But before he could even register what was happening, his giant arm-blade shattered into a million pieces right before his eyes.
"What the... hell?"
'I didn't even see him move... and my weapon is completely pulverized?!'
Cold sweat trickled down Alpha Trion's face.
"Hahaha! What's the matter, scared now?!" the courier mocked.
"Yawn..." Scourge stretched lazily. "Man, this is so boring. Why do I always have to clean up your messes? You guys are completely useless."
Scourge acted totally unbothered, chuckling to himself. He even pulled a silly face in front of his subordinate and Alpha Trion.
"I'm sorry for the trouble, Boss!" the courier bowed, drenched in sweat.
"Whatever, just get out of here. I don't need you anymore," Scourge dismissed him casually.
"Yes, Boss!" The courier didn't hesitate for a second. He turned on his heels and sprinted away, leaving his boss to deal with Alpha Trion.
...
"I think you wandered into the wrong neighborhood... kid."
Scourge took a few slow, deliberate steps toward Alpha Trion, placing his hands behind his back in a mockingly elegant posture.
This opponent was far too dangerous for Alpha Trion to fight alone. He hurriedly pressed his ear, turning on his long-range comms to call for backup.
"Max... Kraken... I'm in deep trouble here. I'm facing their boss directly!" Alpha Trion reported urgently.
****
To be continued...