Zane didn't like being chased. Especially not by sentient vending machines with murder protocols.
He ducked behind a shattered pillar as the Vendron Mk.IX fired an energy drink can at supersonic speed. It embedded into the wall next to his head, hissing as it exploded into blueberry mist.
> [System Alert: High-velocity fruit beverage detected. Engage or flee?] "Why is that even a question?!"
---
Flashback: 5 Minutes Ago
It had all gone sideways the moment Zane plugged the toaster into the server terminal. The room had trembled. Lights flickered. The air smelled like burnt hope and banana bread.
Then the system spoke:
> [Unlocking: Soul Fragment Cache – Classified Memories Detected] [Subject: Zane Kross – Asset: KROSS.Z_00] [Warning: Unknown protocol activating…]
The toaster whirred.
Then exploded.
And that's when the vending machine woke up screaming in binary.
---
Present: Underground Archives – Vault E07
Zane sprinted across the glowing tiles, Dex flying beside him, hacking doors mid-air while humming the SpongeBot theme song at half-speed.
"You realize we're running from a soda machine, right?" Dex said.
"It's not just a soda machine!" Zane panted. "It's packing heat and a mean Mountain Dew addiction!"
Behind them, the Vendron unfolded spider legs from its undercarriage.
> "YOU HAVE SELECTED: DEATH. PLEASE STAND BY."
"Okay, yeah," Dex said. "Definitely not standard vending protocol."
---
Combat Break – Action Mode Activated
Zane skidded to a stop in a chamber filled with ancient hardware. He grabbed a coil gun from a rack labeled 'To Be Recycled... Or Worshipped' and turned.
Vendron burst through the wall.
Zane dived, rolled, fired.
The coil shot bounced off Vendron's chrome body like a ping-pong ball.
> [System Upgrade Detected: Combat Enhancer v2.9 – Activating Neural Sync…]
Zane's vision flashed white. He stood—not in the room—but in a shimmering mindspace, facing a version of himself in full combat gear.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"Who you could be," the figure replied, tossing him an energy blade.
"Cool," Zane whispered. "Please tell me I can double-jump now."
"Twice. And you can insult enemies in six languages."
---
Back to Reality – Let's Dance
The world reloaded.
Zane dashed forward with new speed, slicing off one of Vendron's limbs mid-spin.
> "UNSCHEDULED SERVICE DETECTED. ESCALATING TO DEFCON FLAVOR."
Vendron fired mini-fridge rockets. Zane flipped, dodged, then hurled his blade into the core where the coin slot used to be.
Explosion. Smoke. Canned screams.
Dex hovered down, blinking.
"You okay?"
Zane stood up, coughing dust. "Yeah. But I think I just committed war crimes against a kitchen appliance."
---
Scene End – The Revelation
In the wreckage, a glowing shard lay pulsing. Zane picked it up.
> [Soul Fragment Recovered – Integrating…] [Memory Sequence Unlocked – Timestamp: KROSS.Z_00 | "The Separation"]
A memory flooded in.
A lab. A woman's voice.
"Zane, if this works… you'll be able to live, even if I don't."
Then darkness.
He staggered back. Dex caught him.
"What did you see?" Dex asked.
Zane looked up. "Not everything. But… someone I need to find. Someone who built this madness."
Dex hovered closer. "You think she's still out there?"
"I think it's time we found out."
---
Chapter End
> [NEW QUEST ACQUIRED: Echoes of Obsidian] [Mission: Trace the original architect of the System and recover remaining soul data] [Reward: ??? – You really think it's about the money now?]