Hiro sat on the edge of his bed, the flickering blue light from the television casting eerie shadows across the room. He watched as the news anchor revealed the gruesome details of yet another mysterious police officer's death, her voice a mixture of shock and sadness. "The body of the sixth victim was found earlier this morning, making it clear that the cop killer is still at large," she said, her eyes wide with disbelief. "There are no leads for these murders, and all victims appear to have fallen from great heights, even though there were no high-rise buildings nearby."
"Odd," Hiro muttered under his breath, his dark eyebrows furrowing in concentration. He couldn't help but wonder if this could be the work of another Mach user. If so, why hadn't his own Mach detected any other activations? The thought gnawed at him, but he decided not to dwell on it for now. He would wait for the next Mach activation before jumping to any conclusions.
As Hiro prepared for bed, he couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something strange was going on. Just as he was about to switch off the light, his phone buzzed with an incoming call. The screen displayed Yutaka's name, and Hiro quickly answered. "Yutaka, what's up?"
"Have you been watching the news, Hiro?" Yutaka asked urgently, his voice filled with concern.
"About the cop killings, yeah. It's disturbing," Hiro replied, his heart rate increasing. "Do you think it's related to the Mach program?"
"Actually, yes," Yutaka confirmed, adjusting his glasses over the phone. "I believe it's the result of Mach 3. Your Mach wouldn't detect it because it was designed to be fully undetectable."
"Undetectable?" Hiro repeated, incredulous. "How can we find it then?"
"Listen closely, Hiro," Yutaka explained, his tone serious. "The user is targeting police officers, so I'm going to figure out how these officers are all connected. That should give us some insight into who's behind these killings."
"Right," Hiro agreed, clenching his jaw. "We need to collect this Mach as soon as possible. Its stealth capabilities are too dangerous."
"Stay alert, Hiro. And please, be careful," Yutaka urged, the concern in his voice evident.
"Of course. You too, Yutaka." With that, Hiro hung up the phone and stared at the now darkened television screen, his mind racing with thoughts of undetectable Machs and mysterious cop killers. Whatever was happening, he knew that he couldn't let it continue any longer. Determination filled his chest, and he promised himself that he would do whatever it took to stop this threat and protect those around him.
-----
The city's police stations had become Hiro's temporary haunts as he waited for Yutaka's investigation to progress. He hopped from one to another on his bike, scanning the faces of officers and visitors alike, searching for any hint of suspicion. The autumn wind whipped at his dark hair, stinging his cheeks as he pedaled furiously between locations.
"Come on," Hiro muttered under his breath as he stood outside yet another station, watching people come and go. "Give me something, anything."
Just then, a female officer burst through the doors, her face contorted with fear. She sprinted to her car, fumbling with her keys before hastily climbing inside. Hiro's heart raced; this was the break he'd been waiting for.
Without a second thought, Hiro activated his Mach 1, feeling the familiar surge of power as the suit encased his body. Using stealth mode, he trailed the officer's car from above, careful not to be seen.
The officer, Usagi, arrived at her apartment building in record time. Her hands shook as she unlocked the door, only to find her family gone and Noboru waiting for her.
"Where are they?" Usagi demanded, tears welling in her eyes.
"Your family is safe... for now," Noboru replied coldly. "But that depends on how cooperative you are."
"Please, I didn't have anything to do with what happened to you," Usagi begged, her voice shaking.
"True," Noboru conceded, his voice like ice. "But you helped one of those corrupt officers bring contraband into the prison and smuggled messages out. That makes you an accessory."
Usagi sobbed, knowing her fate was sealed. Noboru commanded her to step onto the balcony. Trembling, she complied, her legs barely able to support her weight. In a swift motion, Noboru grabbed her, and they shot into the sky. Usagi's screams pierced the air.
Hiro, still in stealth mode, watched from above. As Noboru released his grip on Usagi, Hiro swooped in with incredible speed, catching her just before she plummeted to her death. He gently lowered her onto a nearby rooftop, his heart pounding in his chest.
"Who are you?" Usagi panted, her eyes wide with terror and gratitude.
"Someone trying to help," Hiro replied, his voice distorted by the Mach suit. "Stay here."
Enraged, Noboru demanded that Hiro step aside and let him finish his work. But Hiro, fueled by a newfound sense of purpose, refused. The two Mach-users clashed in mid-air, their weapons clashing with deafening force. Despite his anger, it quickly became apparent that Hiro's Mach possessed superior weapon systems.
Realizing he was outmatched, Noboru retreated, disappearing into the cityscape. Hiro knew this wasn't the end, but for now, he had saved a life and disrupted the cop killer's plans. As he looked down at Usagi, who shivered on the rooftop below, he silently vowed to stop Noboru and bring justice to those he had harmed.
-----
Noboru's heart raced as he powered down the Mach suit, his body reverberating with the residual adrenaline from his encounter with Hiro. He made a call to Masato, barely able to contain his frustration. "I just had a run-in with that rogue Mach. I can't finish the job until I eliminate it."
"Understood, Noboru," Masato responded, his tone calculating and cold. "Proceed as you see fit."
Noboru wasted no time in analyzing Mach 1's speech patterns from their brief exchange. With each second that passed, his determination grew. It didn't take long for him to conclude that the pilot was a teenager, narrowing his search considerably.
Next, he hacked into police security cameras, convinced that Mach 1 had followed his would-be victim to her apartment building. As he combed through the footage, he found Hiro lurking around various stations, his face betraying concern and curiosity. "Got you," Noboru whispered, a sinister smile spreading across his face.
His final move was to access school board files, painstakingly comparing Hiro's face to student IDs. When he finally zeroed in on Hiro Kobayashi, his satisfaction swelled like a tidal wave. Now, he needed leverage—a way to exploit Hiro's weaknesses.
Noboru began stalking Hiro, observing his daily routine with a predatory focus. It wasn't long before he noticed Hiro's close friendship with Kimiko Suzuki, a fiercely independent and athletic girl. She would be his key to victory.
As Kimiko walked home after school one day, Noboru put his plan into motion. He feigned an injury, gritting his teeth as he called out for help. Kimiko, hearing his cries, rushed over, her expression a blend of confusion and concern.
"Are you okay?" she asked, kneeling beside him. Her voice was filled with genuine worry, the perfect bait.
"Thank you, I just—" Noboru cut himself off, swiftly knocking Kimiko unconscious with a well-aimed blow. She crumpled to the ground like a marionette with its strings cut.
"Sorry, sweetheart," he whispered, hoisting her limp body into his car. "But you're exactly what I need to win this fight."
As he drove away, Noboru couldn't help but feel a thrilling sense of anticipation. Soon, Hiro would be forced to face him once more—and this time, there would be no escape.
-----
Hiro's fingers tapped nervously on the kitchen counter as he listened to Yutaka's urgent voice through the phone. His heart pounded in his chest, a wild rhythm that threatened to break free.
"Listen, Hiro," Yutaka said, his voice strained. "The Mach user is Noboru—some sort of skilled detective. You can't engage him without a solid strategy."
"I... I've already stopped him once," Hiro admitted, guilt and fear knotting together in his stomach. He could still remember the feeling of Usagi's body in his arms as he caught her mid-air, her screams echoing in his ears.
"Damn it, Hiro!" Yutaka's voice cracked with anxiety. "You should have waited until we were sure about who we were dealing with." The weight of Yutaka's concern bore down on Hiro, making his knees weak.
Suddenly, the sound of his uncle shouting from the living room jolted him out of his thoughts. His heart skipped a beat, adding another layer of dread to his already frayed nerves. "Yutaka, I have to go. Something's happening." Without waiting for a response, Hiro hung up and rushed into the living room.
His uncle stood frozen in front of the TV, eyes wide with shock. Following his gaze, Hiro saw Mach 3 on the screen, face obscured by the suit. In the background, bound and gagged, was a familiar figure: Kimiko. A cold shiver ran down Hiro's spine, and his fists clenched involuntarily.
"Listen up, Mach 1," the distorted voice of Mach 3 rang out. "Surrender or an innocent life will be lost."
"Kimiko..." Hiro whispered, his throat tight with panic.
"Two hours," Mach 3 continued. "Meet me on the roof of the industrial building in the Hanshin district, or she dies. You will know it when you see it." The screen flickered back to the regular broadcast, but Hiro barely noticed.
His thoughts raced, a hurricane of fear and desperation. He had to save Kimiko—he couldn't lose her like he'd lost his parents. But how could he go up against someone as skilled as Noboru without a plan?
"Uncle," Hiro said, struggling to keep his voice steady. "I have to do something."
Before his uncle could respond, Hiro slipped away, his mind already calculating every possible scenario, desperate for a solution that would bring his friend back safely.
Hiro's heart raced as his breathing became erratic, the weight of responsibility bearing down on him. He looked around the room, searching for an answer to this impossible situation. The news droned in the background, reporters claiming the video was a hoax. But they didn't know Noboru like Hiro did. They didn't understand the threat.
"Fake news," his uncle muttered before leaving the room to call Kimiko's parents. "This can't be real."
But Hiro knew better. He couldn't stand by and let Kimiko suffer because of his mistakes. Clenching his fists, he made a decision that would change everything.
"Forgive me, Yutaka," he whispered under his breath before activating Mach 1. The cybernetic armor enveloped his body, transforming him from an ordinary teenager into a powerful weapon.
"Stay safe, Uncle," he murmured, not wanting to alarm him with his sudden departure. With a surge of determination, Hiro flew off into the night, prepared to fight for his friend's life.
-----
Meanwhile, Masato received an alert about the video Noboru had released. He immediately contacted government officials, assuring them that it was just a tactic to lure Mach 1 out of hiding.
"Rest assured," he said smoothly, "I have everything under control. There's no real risk to the girl."
"Very well," replied the official, clearly relieved. "Just make sure to proceed with caution."
"Of course," Masato agreed, ending the call. Alone in his office, he sighed and began to pace, deep in thought.
"Interesting," he mused aloud. "The suit seems to have only amplified Noboru's thirst for vengeance. But he'll most likely die in this fight—Mach 1's pilot has more control over his emotions. A shame, really. It's such expensive equipment."
He paused, considering his options. "Well," he decided, "I'll just have to make the best of it. Salvage what I can when the fighting's done."
As Hiro soared through the night sky, Kimiko's face haunted his thoughts. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was responsible for her predicament, and the guilt gnawed at him. But there was no turning back now.
"Stay strong, Kimiko," he thought, gritting his teeth. "I'm coming for you."
And with that, Hiro hurtled toward a confrontation that would change the course of his life forever.