Capítulo 15: The Cage of Trust
The hum of machinery filled the air as the cages slowly returned to their suspended positions above the sprawling, desolate cityscape. Inside his cramped cage, Ace (Kaito) collapsed against the cold steel wall, his breath shallow and uneven. His BIO vibrated sharply, pulling his attention away from the growing ache in his shoulder.
"CONGRATULATIONS. YOU HAVE BEEN AWARDED CAGE UPGRADES AND SHOP ACCESS."
The message pulsed across the screen in bold letters. Ace blinked, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten.
Shadow (Mika) groaned from her side of the cage, wiping blood from a shallow cut on her arm. "What now?" she muttered, glancing at her own BIO.
Techie (Haruto) was the first to act, already scrolling through the new options on his device. "There's something called 'Combine Cages'... and a shop?"
Captain (Reika) leaned over, peering at the glowing interface on her own wrist. "Combine cages?" she repeated, her voice skeptical. "What does that mean?"
Techie tapped on the screen, reading aloud. "It says, 'Merge your cage with trusted allies to expand living space. Warning: merges are permanent.'"
Shadow stiffened. "Trusted allies? What's the catch?"
Ace frowned, his finger hovering over the option. "If we combine, we'd have more space to move, maybe even strategize better."
"But if we trust the wrong people," Shadow said, her tone sharp, "we're putting ourselves at risk. They could sabotage us—or worse."
Captain nodded grimly. "It's a test. They're forcing us to decide: do we stay isolated, or take the gamble and work together?"
Techie hesitated, his voice small. "But... we just survived that monster together. Doesn't that mean we can trust each other?"
Ace exchanged a glance with Shadow, who looked away, her expression unreadable. "It's not just about trust," Ace said quietly. "It's about survival."
Before they could debate further, another message appeared:
"SHOP UNLOCKED. CREDITS AVAILABLE: 500."
Techie's face lit up as he dove into the new menu. "Oh wow, look at this!" He started listing off the options:
- Starter Gear Pack:200 Credits
- Basic Healing Drugs: 100 Credits
- Speed Booster: 150 Credits
- Reaction Enhancer: 300 Credits
Shadow crossed her arms. "So that's their game. They want us to keep competing, keep earning credits to buy survival."
Captain's eyes narrowed as she scrolled through the shop. "It's not just survival. These boosters—they're trying to turn us into something more. Stronger, faster... less human."
Ace shook his head. "It's still our choice. We don't have to buy into it."
Shadow let out a bitter laugh. "Do we really have a choice? They're dangling everything we need just out of reach. Food, water, weapons... even the space to breathe."
The group fell silent, the weight of their situation settling heavily over them.
Finally, Captain broke the silence. "We'll merge our cages. It's the best way to stay united—and alive."
One by one, they selected the "Combine Cages" option on their BIOs.
The sound of grinding metal echoed around them as their cages shifted and moved closer together. The walls between them folded away, creating a larger, shared space.
Ace looked around the new cage, his determination hardening. "We've made our choice. Now we make it work."
Shadow nodded, her eyes scanning the city below. "And we figure out who's pulling the strings."
Far above them, the faint outline of the skyscraper loomed against the dark sky. Somewhere within its depths, the answers they sought were waiting
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