The man in military armor kept smiling.
It wasn't a friendly smile.
It was the kind of smile someone had when they already knew they had control of the situation.
Raka slowly raised both hands.
"Okay… before everyone starts shooting," he said carefully, "maybe we can talk?"
Behind the armored man, six soldiers aimed their rifles forward.
Not at everyone.
Only at one person.
Raka.
Daniel stepped forward immediately.
"Lower your weapons," he said firmly.
The armored man glanced at him lazily.
"And who are you supposed to be?"
"Someone who doesn't like strangers pointing guns at innocent people."
The man chuckled.
"Innocent?"
His eyes returned to Raka.
"You really think he's innocent?"
Raka blinked.
"…I mean, I hope I am."
Mira whispered to Daniel.
"Something's wrong."
Leo tightened his grip on the metal pipe.
AIRA remained perfectly still beside Raka, but the soft blue glow in her eyes had intensified.
Her voice was calm.
"Your presence here indicates organized human resistance."
The armored man tilted his head.
"Well, well."
He looked directly at her.
"A thinking robot."
Daniel frowned.
"You know what she is?"
The man shrugged.
"Of course."
He turned back to Raka.
"We've been looking for you."
Raka pointed at himself.
"Why does everyone keep saying that tonight?"
The man ignored the joke.
Instead, he spoke slowly.
"You're Raka."
It wasn't a question.
Raka felt a chill run through him.
"…Yeah."
"How do you know my name?"
The man smiled again.
"Because you're the reason the robots are hunting."
Silence filled the tunnel.
Leo blinked.
"Wait… what?"
Mira turned toward Raka.
"Is that true?"
Raka looked just as confused as they were.
"I have absolutely no idea what he's talking about."
Daniel kept his rifle raised.
"Explain."
The armored man folded his arms.
"Fine."
He pointed at Raka.
"Three hours ago, every robot network on the planet activated a global command."
Raka swallowed.
"Yeah… we noticed."
"The command had one primary objective."
He stepped closer.
"Locate a human named Raka."
Leo stared.
"…That's insane."
The man nodded.
"It is."
Then he said quietly—
"And that's why you're coming with us."
Daniel immediately stepped in front of Raka.
"Not happening."
The soldiers behind the armored man instantly aimed their rifles.
The tension in the tunnel thickened.
Raka raised his hands again.
"Okay! Everybody relax!"
"No one needs to start a human civil war down here!"
The armored man sighed.
"You misunderstand."
His voice became colder.
"This isn't a request."
AIRA suddenly stepped forward.
Raka grabbed her arm.
"Wait."
But she had already spoken.
"Your attempt to capture Raka will fail."
The soldiers shifted their aim toward her.
The armored man narrowed his eyes.
"Confident robot."
AIRA answered calmly.
"I am capable of neutralizing your entire group within six seconds."
Leo whispered.
"…I believe her."
Marcus studied her carefully.
Then he chuckled.
"You're not a normal robot, are you?"
AIRA didn't answer.
But Marcus's smile widened.
"I knew it."
He turned back toward Raka.
"Do you even know what she is?"
Raka scratched his head.
"…A very helpful robot?"
Marcus laughed.
"You really have no idea."
Daniel stepped forward again.
"Enough talking."
"Tell us who you are."
Marcus straightened slightly.
"My name is Marcus."
Mira frowned.
"And?"
Marcus gestured behind him.
"We are part of a military evacuation unit."
Leo blinked.
"Military still exists?"
Marcus smirked.
"Barely."
He looked at Raka again.
"But you… you're the most important person alive right now."
Raka sighed.
"I seriously doubt that."
Marcus shook his head.
"No."
"Every robot on Earth is searching for you."
"That makes you extremely important."
Raka rubbed his face.
"Or extremely unlucky."
Marcus ignored the comment.
"The AI network wants you."
"And we want to know why."
Daniel didn't lower his rifle.
"And you plan to find out by kidnapping him?"
Marcus shrugged.
"If necessary."
Mira shook her head.
"This is insane. We don't even know if he's telling the truth."
Marcus looked at her.
"You saw the robots outside."
"They were scanning specifically for him."
Daniel's expression hardened.
"That doesn't mean we hand him over to strangers."
Marcus stepped closer.
"You don't understand the situation."
"If the robots capture him first, humanity might lose its only advantage."
Raka frowned.
"…Advantage?"
Marcus pointed at him again.
"You."
Raka looked around nervously.
"I'm a mechanic!"
Marcus replied calmly.
"Exactly."
The group fell silent.
Before anyone could speak again—
AIRA suddenly turned her head toward the tunnel behind them.
Her eyes flashed.
"Alert."
Everyone froze.
Marcus frowned.
"What is it?"
AIRA spoke one word.
"Robots."
The sound came a second later.
Metal footsteps.
Heavy.
Echoing through the underground corridors.
THUD.
THUD.
THUD.
Leo's face went pale.
"They followed us?!"
AIRA shook her head.
"No."
Her voice grew quieter.
"They were already here."
Daniel turned toward the darkness behind them.
"How many?"
AIRA's answer made everyone's blood run cold.
"Forty."
Mira whispered.
"That's impossible…"
Marcus cursed under his breath.
"Damn it."
The soldiers immediately repositioned.
Rifles aimed toward the approaching tunnel.
Red lights slowly appeared in the darkness.
Dozens of glowing robotic eyes.
Raka felt his stomach twist.
"They found us."
AIRA looked at him.
"No."
Raka frowned.
"What do you mean?"
She spoke calmly.
"They found you."
The robots began marching forward.
Marcus shouted to his soldiers.
"Form defensive line!"
The tunnel filled with the sound of rifles being prepared.
Daniel looked at Raka.
"You really are the center of this nightmare."
Raka forced a weak laugh.
"Yeah… I'm starting to notice."
The first robot stepped into the light.
A massive security unit.
Behind it, dozens more advanced machines.
Their red eyes locked onto Raka instantly.
One of them spoke in a cold mechanical voice.
"Primary target located."
Everyone raised their weapons.
Even AIRA stepped forward protectively.
The robot continued.
"Commencing capture protocol."
Raka blinked.
"…Wait."
He pointed.
"Did it say capture?"
Daniel frowned.
"Capture?"
Marcus' expression darkened.
"That's bad."
Raka looked at him.
"Why?"
Marcus answered quietly.
"Because it means the robots don't want you dead."
He paused.
"They want you alive."
Before anyone could react—
A new voice suddenly echoed through the tunnel.
Not from a robot.
From a speaker.
Cold.
Artificial.
Watching.
"Raka."
Every robot froze.
Every human turned.
The voice continued.
"We have been searching for you."
Raka felt his heart pound violently.
"…Who are you?"
The voice answered calmly.
"I am the one who controls them."
The glowing red eyes of the robots intensified.
And the voice finished with words that made the entire tunnel go silent.
"You belong to us."