Soul Drive: Ignition

Chapter 26: Alpha Mode

"Fine," Nori reluctantly agreed, something about Hiro saying it made him feel an unfamiliar desire to live. He ordered his AI to divert all remaining power to his thrusters, despite the warning that it would require extensive repairs later on. And with that, Nori blasted off into the sky, leaving Hiro alone to face Daiki.

Turning back to confront his enemy, Hiro's breath caught in his throat as he saw what awaited him. Hiro's eyes widened in horror as Daiki's Mach armor began to emit a series of alarming beeps. The suit's voice, cold and mechanical, informed Daiki of a critical error: nanite infection due to bloodstream infusion. Panic flooded Daiki's face, visible even through the protective visor.

"Override! Release me!" he yelled desperately, but his pleas fell on deaf ears. The AI declared that alpha mode had been activated, and there was no turning back.

The once sleek, blue armor started to shift and twist with a sickening crunch, as if possessed by some malevolent force. Energy surged from the suit like tiny volts of electricity, crackling and snapping menacingly. The once smooth edges grew sharp and jagged, transforming the elegant design into something altogether more sinister. Daiki's breaths came in short, ragged gasps as he felt his life force being siphoned away, replaced by an insidious darkness that filled his mind with thoughts of death and destruction.

"Help... me," he choked out, his voice barely audible through the chaos.

-----

Meanwhile, safely ensconced in her office at the Mach department of Japan, Mao watched the horrifying transformation unfold on a live feed. Her fingers flew across the keyboard, requesting scans of the scene and copies of the footage. Sweat beaded on her brow, betraying her fear.

"What the hell is happening?" she muttered, her heart pounding in her chest.

Halfway around the world, Patrick Stark mirrored her actions, his own concern mounting. A fatal flaw in the Mach's design could have catastrophic consequences, but perhaps it could also provide them with a way to exploit their enemies in future battles. Time would tell.

As Hiro hovered helplessly in the air, watching Daiki's torment, a fierce determination burned within him. *I need to find a way to stop this,* he thought, steeling himself for what lay ahead. *For Daiki, and for the greater good.*

Hiro's AI spoke urgently, "We need to leave the area immediately." Before he could question why, an immense shock wave erupted from Daiki's Mach, slamming Hiro with the force of a freight train. He was sent hurtling through the air, crashing into a nearby office building. The impact reverberated through the structure, causing it to tremble and groan while glass shattered all around him.

"Damn it," Hiro grunted, struggling to regain control of his suit. He burst out of the debris, his focus locked onto Daiki and the monstrous transformation that had taken hold of him. "AI, scan Daiki and his Mach. I need to know what we're dealing with."

"Scanning now," the AI replied. "There is a critical system failure within Daiki's Mach. His vitals are spiking. The suit will continue to draw power and release destructive pulses until the area is reduced to rubble... And eventually, it will explode with the force of three atomic bombs."

Hiro clenched his fists, his determination unwavering. *I have to find a way to stop this before it's too late.*

As if in response to his thoughts, Daiki unleashed another guttural scream of agony. A second pulse burst forth from his suit, sending military vehicles careening through the air and reducing the Canadian Embassy to a pile of smoking rubble. Once again, Hiro found himself sent spiraling back into the building behind him, the wind knocked from his lungs.

"Warning: your shields are at 20%. Another blast will be fatal," the AI cautioned. "My calculations indicate that your best chance for survival is to flee the area immediately."

Hiro gritted his teeth, frustration boiling beneath the surface. "No! There has to be another solution. These Machs can adapt to any situation. Give me a weapon to end this before more innocent people get hurt."

"Understood," the AI replied, its tone now resolute. "I will find an alternative solution to neutralize Daiki's Mach without further endangering human lives."

"Good," Hiro said, steel in his voice. "Let's put an end to this nightmare."

"Preparing code for a fusion of the soul blades," the AI announced, its tone tinged with urgency. "The combined energy should be sufficient to destroy Daiki's Mach 6."

Hiro felt a chill run down his spine as he processed the implications. Destroying the Mach would save countless lives, but it would also mean killing Daiki in the process.

"Is there any way to disable the suit without harming him?" Hiro asked, desperation creeping into his voice.

"Negative," the AI replied. "Daiki's life is intrinsically linked to the suit at this point. Separating them is impossible without causing fatal harm."

As Hiro hesitated, uncertain of what to do, his commlink crackled to life. Daiki's voice came through, strained and pleading. "Hiro... help me. I'm not in control anymore. It's like my mind is being torn apart..."

Hearing Daiki's torment allowed Hiro to make his choice. He knew that allowing the chaos to continue would result in far more casualties.

"Forgive me, Daiki," Hiro whispered, his heart heavy with the weight of his decision. Activating the soul blades, he fused them together, forming the massive Soul Saber. Its shimmering energy pulsed with a power that made Hiro shudder.

"Warning: next pulse imminent," the AI alerted him.

Drawing upon every ounce of courage he possessed, Hiro lunged forward, Soul Saber in hand. Just as the next pulse was about to be released, he swung the weapon with all his might. The resulting impact shattered Mach 6, sending an explosion of light and debris into the air.

"Daiki..." Hiro murmured, his heart aching with guilt. He had saved countless lives, but at the cost of breaking his only rule.

"Evacuate the area immediately," the AI instructed. "Military forces are regrouping."

Without a moment's hesitation, Hiro took to the sky. The wind whipped past him as he soared faster and faster, trying to escape the horrific scene he'd left behind. He knew he could never take back what he had just done, and the feeling of guilt threatened to consume him.

*What kind of hero am I if I can't save anyone?* he thought bitterly, the cityscape blurring beneath him.