Soul Drive: Ignition

Chapter 24: Duel

"Inside, my suit was at a disadvantage," she explained, the wind whipping her hair wildly around her face. "But now that we're outside, it's over for you. Surrender or die."

Daiki struggled to his feet, refusing to be defeated so easily. But as he prepared to engage her in combat once more, he realized that Atsuko's suit was considerably faster than his own. He couldn't keep up with her rapid close combat attacks, each blow landing with bone-crunching force.

*Is this really it? Am I going to lose here?* Daiki's thoughts raced as he desperately tried to find a way to turn the tide of the battle. The crowd watched in awe and terror, their eyes glued to the two armored figures locked in combat.

Gritting his teeth, Daiki staggered back from yet another punishing blow. *I can't keep this up,* he thought, desperation clawing at him. He had to put some distance between them if he stood any chance of winning.

"Enough!" he roared, slamming a fist against his chest. His suit hummed, and the soul pistol emerged from its hidden compartment.

The large gun was designed to convert his life force into devastating blasts—one of his last-ditch weapons. The more energy he poured into it, the stronger the attack. But using it recklessly could cost him dearly.

"Let's see how you handle this," Daiki growled, aiming the weapon at Atsuko.

"Daiki, don't!" a voice in hid head cried out. He hesitated for a split second before firing a powerful shot towards her.

Atsuko was forced back by the sheer force of the blast, while glass windows of nearby buildings shattered under the immense pressure. Civilians screamed and ran for cover as shards rained down upon them like sinister confetti.

As the smoke cleared, Daiki scanned the area for any sign of his opponent, hoping that he'd finally dealt a significant blow. But she was nowhere to be seen. Just when he started to think he had won, Atsuko rocketed back into view, her armor gleaming with determination.

"Impossible!" Daiki gasped, his heart sinking. Had he wasted so much energy on an attack that failed to land?

Anger flared within him as he realized that she still held the advantage. Every moment he wasted merely brought him closer to defeat. As she charged towards him once more, he braced himself, timing his dodge perfectly as she swooped past.

"Missed me," he taunted, though fear gnawed at him. *This isn't enough. I need to do something more. But what?*

Daiki's heart pounded in his chest as he struggled for breath, each gasp a reminder of the energy he had sacrificed to his soul pistol. He couldn't rely on evasion any longer; Atsuko was relentless, and he needed a way to land a decisive hit. Gritting his teeth, he addressed the AI within his suit.

"Is it possible for my soul pistol to fire a buck shot?" he asked, desperation creeping into his voice.

"Affirmative," the AI responded. "However, the spread would place civilians at risk."

"Damn the risks!" Daiki growled, determination overtaking him. He took aim at Atsuko, who was closing in fast, and pulled the trigger.

As the blast tore through the air, Atsuko twisted her body mid-flight, narrowly avoiding the deadly projectiles. But not everyone was as fortunate. Several fleeing civilians were caught in the blast, their screams piercing the chaos. Atsuko's eyes widened in horror as she immediately redirected her flight, rushing to aid the injured.

"You monster!" she shouted, cradling a wounded man in her arms. "How could you?"

"Winning is all that matters," Daiki replied coldly, taking advantage of her distraction to fire another shot. This time, the projectile found its mark. Atsuko cried out in pain, her AI informing her that her shields were now offline.

"Taking cheap shots while I'm saving lives?" Atsuko spat, anger darkening her features. "You're no better than those who treat human life as expendable!"

Daiki felt a flicker of doubt but quickly silenced it. He had come too far to let her words sway him.

"Enough talk," Atsuko whispered, her voice barely audible but laden with resolve. "Soul clone."

The air around her shimmered, and Daiki's breath caught in his throat as he watched multiple copies of Atsuko appear, each clad in the formidable Mach 12 armor. They encircled him, their eyes locked on him.

"Your end is near, Daiki," Atsuko announced, her voice echoing through the chorus of identical faces. "When I destroy you, I'll be hailed as a hero."

Sweat trickled down Daiki's brow, his pulse racing at the sight of the ever-increasing number of clones. He knew nothing about this ability and feared that victory was slipping through his fingers.

*How am I supposed to fight this?* he thought, panic seeping through the cracks in his resolve. *There has to be a way... there must be!*

-----

Osamu stepped out of the Canadian Embassy, Kimiko at his side, only to be met by the sight of Daiki surrounded by a multitude of Atsuko's clones. Fear gripped his heart as he realized that his partner was in grave danger. He knew he had to act fast.

"Kimiko," he said urgently, "go to the parking lot. My car's there; we can escape. But first, I need to help Daiki."

"Be careful, Osamu," Kimiko replied, her voice laced with concern. She nodded and hurried towards the parking lot, believing Osamu would join her after aiding Daiki.

As soon as Kimiko vanished from sight, Osamu slipped back into the Embassy, his footsteps echoing through the now-deserted halls. *This is on me,* he thought, guilt gnawing at him. *I have to fix this.* He headed straight for the interrogation rooms, praying that Daiki could hold on long enough for him to retrieve Hiro.

Upon entering Hiro's cell, Osamu found him bruised and bloodied, his wrists shackled to the table. The sight made Osamu wince – he couldn't stand seeing someone so broken. Swiftly, he unlocked the cuffs and offered a heartfelt apology.

"Forgive me, Hiro. For tricking you, and for Daiki's behavior. We need your help."

"Help?" Hiro spat, skepticism etched across his battered face. "Why should I believe anything you say?"

"Because I've already ensured Kimiko's safety." Osamu pulled out his phone, showing Hiro the security footage of Kimiko escaping. "After all this, I'll delete the footage. No one will ever know."

Hiro's eyes flickered with doubt, but curiosity won out. As Osamu produced Hiro's Mach – an old cell phone – Hiro hesitated before taking it. He stared at the device in his hand, torn between the desire to flee and the responsibility to protect innocent lives.

"Choose wisely, Hiro," Osamu urged softly. "Either leave us to die with new Mach alone or stay and prevent further chaos."

Hiro's expression remained inscrutable as he weighed his options.