"Wait—Big brother?!"
"Everywhere I look, you're obviously older than me!" Ren shouted.
"N-no, you're much older than me, Big Brother," the figure stammered.
"What—your voice is deep! Are you kidding me right now?"
"I-I'm not lying! I just turned thirteen!"
"Don't kid with me! Your size doesn't match and your voice sure doesn't either!"
"B-but it's true... just wait a second, okay? T-this isn't my true form," the figure said nervously.
Then, its massive body began to melt like liquid. The armor dripped away, and from inside the helmet stepped out a small boy—barely thirteen.
"Wait… it's true," Ren muttered, eyes widening.
"T-this is my true form," the kid said quietly. "M-Mr. Shi—boss said I shouldn't reveal myself. That I should hide behind his essence…"
"What?!" Ren blurted out.
He immediately lowered his guard and rushed to the boy's side.
"Were you kidnapped too? Are they torturing you? Damn it… they'll pay for this!" Ren said, holding the boy's shoulders, his voice filled with concern.
"W-wait… I need to do my jo—"
"Don't worry, kid. This big bro will help you get out of here," Ren said, patting his head.
But the boy's face went pale. He backed into a corner, trembling.
"N-no… no no no no, don't come out! Don't come out, please!" he muttered frantically.
"Hey, you alright?" Ren asked, frowning.
"Please… run…" the boy whispered.
"What?" Ren leaned closer, not catching it.
"I said—RUN!"
"What do you mea—?!"
Before Ren could finish, the boy suddenly collapsed.
"Hey!" Ren stepped forward but froze when the boy slowly stood up again, a deep, unnatural laugh echoing through the chamber.
"Ha… ha… ha…" the voice rumbled. It was far too deep for a child.
The boy's eyes turned pitch-black, glowing faintly red. His head snapped toward Ren, and the melted mass from before crawled back, wrapping around him, reforming the towering armored body.
"What the hell…" Ren whispered, stepping back. "Hey, kid, are you alright?"
"…Kid?" the voice growled. "Don't treat me like a child."
Ren blinked, stunned. "What the hell is happening…?" he muttered under his breath.
The giant reached for its metal club and swung it violently. Ren dodged, barely avoiding the crushing blow.
"Hey! I thought we were getting along earlier!" Ren yelled, diving aside.
"I don't want to know you, mongrel," the deep voice spat.
Ren's expression hardened. "Yeah… figures. The nice ones are always the scariest."
Ren backed away slowly, eyes darting between the giant's shadow and the trembling walls. The boy or whatever he was now, towered over him again, metal and liquid merging into a grotesque form.
"Alright… you've gone from adorable to terrifying in ten seconds flat," Ren muttered, wiping sweat off his forehead. "You sure puberty isn't the real monster here?"
The figure tilted its head, eyes burning red through the cracks in the armor. "Silence, mongrel."
Ren clicked his tongue. "Mongrel again? What's with you people and name-calling? I'd prefer 'Mr. Positive,' honestly."
The massive club came crashing down.
BOOM!
Ren dove aside just in time as the floor split where he stood. Metal shards grazed his cheek, drawing a thin line of blood.
He winced but grinned. "Okay—ouch—but I'm still alive. Great start."
The figure's heavy steps made the whole chamber tremble. Ren's gaze flickered to the ceiling, pipes, vents, and hanging cables, some sparking. His mind raced. I can't take him head-on. I don't have Yū's weird Death Trigger or Kaito's freak strength. I've got… what? Bad luck and sarcasm?
He ducked behind a large pipe cluster as the giant's weapon slammed down again, crushing the metal near his shoulder. Steam hissed from a broken valve, filling the room with fog.
"Come out, mongrel…" the voice rumbled, deep and echoing.
"Yeah, yeah, keep talking," Ren muttered, crouching low. He grabbed a loose pipe and struck the floor beside a leaking vent, redirecting hot steam toward the monster.
The hiss made the creature flinch slightly, stepping back. Ren smirked. "Oh? You don't like it hot? Great—because that's all I've got!"
He sprinted to another section, rolling behind a dangling cable. Sparks danced near his face. "Alright, Ren," he whispered to himself. "Electric wires, pipes, metal flooring… science class, don't fail me now."
He tore a loose wire from the wall, careful not to touch the exposed tip, and threw it toward a puddle forming beneath the giant's feet. Sparks jumped, and the monster jolted as electricity coursed briefly through its form.
Ren grinned. "Yes! I knew all those bad grades in physics would pay off someday!"
The laughter didn't last. The figure turned its head slowly, smoke rising from its armor but its movements were still strong, deliberate.
"Your tricks are amusing," it said. "But they won't save you."
Ren's heart pounded. His grin faded slightly, eyes narrowing. "You sound just like my math teacher before a pop quiz."
The club came down again, and Ren barely managed to roll away. His arm brushed against the case he'd dropped earlier. For a split second, he looked at it, then shook his head.
"No time for that. One thing at a time," he muttered.
He darted toward the side wall, kicking a loose pipe at the monster's leg. It clanged uselessly off. "Yeah, that did nothing, great job, Ren."
The creature advanced, crushing every step with a heavy thud. Ren's mind raced. The kid… he said something about 'boss essence.' Was he possessed? Controlled? Or no, focus. Focus now, think later.
He climbed onto a broken metal beam, swinging to the opposite platform as the club smashed the floor below. The impact sent vibrations through the chamber, almost knocking him off balance.
Ren steadied himself. "Okay. No plan, no weapon, and my opponent's built like a fridge. Perfect odds."
The creature looked up, its single glowing eye narrowing. "You're delaying the inevitable."
Ren crouched low, scanning the platform pipes, vents, and a broken fan. If I can collapse that overhead duct, maybe I can bury him for a bit.
He kicked the metal support and threw a loose piece of debris at the base of the structure. The impact made the duct creak dangerously.
"Alright, big guy—come get me!" he taunted.
The creature roared and leapt upward, club raised high. Ren jumped aside at the last second as the club smashed through the duct. The entire thing came crashing down, burying the monster in sparks, smoke, and twisted metal.
Ren landed hard, coughing through the dust. "Heh… didn't think that'd actually work," he muttered, brushing dirt from his jacket.
But before he could even take a full breath—
WHAM!
A massive hand smashed through the falling smoke and caught him across the chest. The impact sent him flying across the chamber like a ragdoll. He crashed into the steel floor near the corner, skidding to a stop beside the case.
"Gah—!" Ren coughed, blood splattering onto the cold metal. His vision blurred as pain shot through his skull. The old wound on his head reopened, warm blood running down the side of his face.
The giant's shadow loomed over him. "Your petty tricks end here, mongrel," the voice thundered.
Ren tried to move, but his body refused. His limbs trembled as he pressed a shaky hand against the ground, forcing himself halfway up. He glared up at the towering figure, eyes filled with both defiance and exhaustion.
"Hah… petty tricks… huh? At least they worked for a minute…" he rasped with a crooked grin, his voice weak but still carrying that hint of humor.
The creature lifted its club high, ready to crush him.
Then—
Click.
A faint sound echoed beside him. The case shifted.
Ren's eyes flicked toward it. "Huh?"
The massive figure hesitated, glancing down as well.
A low hum filled the chamber. The metal surface of the case trembled, lights pulsing weakly along its edges.
"What now…" Ren muttered, dragging himself backward.
Then a single hand, pale and human slowly reached out from a narrow opening in the case.
Ren froze. His blood ran cold.
The giant stopped moving too, its weapon half-raised.
For a moment, no one spoke. The only sound was the soft creak of metal and Ren's uneven breathing.
"…You've got to be kidding me," he whispered, eyes locked on the figure that shows up.
---End of Chapter 17---