Riko put everything he had into that punch. It was his strongest one yet.
The boss swung down both its fists. They were huge and came down hard, making the air shake from how strong they were. Riko didn't have time to get out of the way completely. The air around him vibrated before the fists even reached him, making his hair fly back and his feet slide. He couldn't breathe for a second.
He had one shot.
Just one.
Riko squeezed his right hand as hard as he could, making his knuckles hurt. Every bit of his arm felt tight. His heart was pounding in his chest so hard it shook him, even more than the boss coming closer.
He could hear Luna yelling his name from somewhere behind him.
He could hear the messed-up sound of the street falling apart.
He could hear a quiet beep from the screen on his arm.
But everything started to fade away.
All that mattered was the punch.
Riko took a big breath, sharp enough to hurt, and slammed his foot down on the glitched-out ground. He threw his whole body forward. His fist went up in a clumsy way – not practiced, not perfect, and not pretty.
But it was everything he had.
It was every worry.
Every bit of panic.
Every bit of him that didn't want to die.
His fist hit the boss's attack.
The second they touched, everything flashed white.
A big blast shot out, pushing the air away. The shockwave slammed through the alley, breaking the remaining windows and kicking up dust like a volcano. Luna was thrown back, landing behind some broken pieces of the messed-up street. Cars leaned over. Walls cracked. Pipes shook.
Riko didn't feel any of it.
He only felt the hit.
Only felt the force pushing back.
Only felt the pressure that could turn his arm to dust.
For a horrible moment, he was scared the punch didn't work—that the boss would just crush him.
Then the screen on his arm flashed.
Not red.
Not yellow.
Not messed-up symbols.
Just a flash of white.
Power blew through him like a star exploding through his body. His arm was burning with heat, light, and power beyond anything he'd ever felt.
Riko screamed – he didn't even think about it – but the sound disappeared in the explosion of power between him and the boss.
The boss went flying backward.
Not stumbling.
Not stepping back.
Not leaning.
It was thrown like it was shot from a giant cannon.
The boss shot through the air, crashing through a cargo truck that was parked across the street. The truck broke apart. The boss kept going, smashing through a second truck, then a store, then a bunch of vending machines that sparked and fell apart.
It didn't stop until it crashed into the corner of a tall building a few blocks away.
The building shook and glitched where the boss hit. Big pieces fell off, turning into static before they hit the ground.
Then it was quiet.
Not really quiet—the city was still falling apart, the sky still flashing, the world still shaking—but that still moment after something crazy happens.
Riko's arms fell to his sides. His muscles were shaking. He was breathing hard. He could barely see straight, everything looked fuzzy like a messed-up video.
Luna's voice cut through the ringing in his ears. Riko! Riko—oh my god—Riko!
He blinked as she ran to him, stepping through pieces of the glitched-out street. She stopped and grabbed his shoulders.
Are you—are you okay?! She shook him a little, scared and amazed. Riko, that was— I can describe it! You punched it into a BUILDING!
Riko took a shaky breath. Yeah… I… noticed…
You're shaking! she yelled.
I'm… aware…
You look like you're going to pass out!
He did feel like that. His legs felt weak. His hands were shaking. The punch took everything he had.
Luna looked where the boss had crashed. Is it dead? Please tell me that punch killed it.
Riko tried to look up. Probably not…
WHY?!
It never dies when I need it to…
Before Luna could yell again, they heard a roar in the distance. A cloud of dust rose where the boss had crashed. They could see something big moving inside it.
Riko winced. See? Still alive…
This thing NEEDS TO DIE! Luna shouted.
He could barely hear her. He was looking up at the rooftop where the dark man was still standing.
He hadn't moved.
Not at all.
Not when the shockwave happened.
Not when the boss crashed.
Not when the boss went flying.
He was standing in the same spot and looking right at Riko.
Riko swallowed. He saw that…
Luna followed his look. Who is that guy? Is he a government robot? A ghost? Someone dressed up with crazy timing?
None of those… Riko said quietly.
The man tilted his head a little.
Not impressed.
Not scared.
Not surprised.
Just… looking at him.
Analyzing.
Judging.
His hands were relaxed at his sides, like Riko's big punch was just a small thing.
Luna whispered, Riko… he's staring straight at you.
I know.
Like he knew you could do that.
I KNOW.
The man opened his mouth a little.
His voice sounded clearly to them:
Still too weak.