Capítulo 7: The Learning Curve
The distant gunfire ricocheted through the maze of steel and concrete. Kaito's team crouched behind a stack of rusted barrels, their breaths shallow and quick. The tension between them was as thick as the suffocating air, heavy with the smell of oil and decay.
Haruto furiously tapped at his BIO, mumbling to himself. "Almost there. Just... keep them off me."
Mika glanced at Kaito, her voice barely above a whisper. "Can you shoot with your shoulder like that?"
Kaito grimaced, shifting his grip on the pistol. "If I have to."
Mika nodded, her hand tightening around her weapon. Her calm demeanor was starting to crack, but she held it together. "Alright. Remember, we're a team. No one runs off. We move as one."
The first real test came moments later. A shadow moved across a nearby rooftop, followed by the sharp crack of a rifle shot.
"Sniper!" Mika hissed, dragging Haruto down behind cover.
Kaito's heart slammed in his chest as the bullet pinged off a metal beam, inches from his head. He peeked out just enough to catch a glimpse of their attacker—a lanky figure perched atop a nearby tower, lining up another shot.
"They've got the high ground," Kaito muttered. "We can't stay here."
"What do we do?" Haruto stammered, his face pale.
Kaito looked at Mika, expecting her to have a plan, but she was scanning their surroundings, her expression tight. For a moment, no one moved.
Then Reika's words from earlier echoed in Kaito's mind: "Hesitation kills."
"Cover me," he said abruptly, his voice firm.
Mika's eyes widened. "Wait, what?"
But Kaito was already moving, sprinting to a pile of debris a few meters ahead. He felt the sniper's crosshairs on him, his pulse hammering in his ears. Another shot rang out, striking the ground just behind him.
From his new vantage point, Kaito spotted a path up the building. "I'm going after him," he called back.
"Are you insane?" Mika hissed, but he ignored her, adrenaline surging through him.
Haruto suddenly spoke up, his voice shaking but determined. "I've got it! The map's open." He tapped his BIO, and a grid overlay appeared on everyone's devices, showing moving red dots—enemy positions.
Kaito grinned despite himself. "Good job, Haruto."
Mika glanced at the map and sighed. "Alright. We'll cover you. But don't get yourself killed, Kaito."
The climb to the rooftop was nerve-wracking. Every creak of the fire escape felt like a shout announcing his position. But as he reached the top, Kaito's gamer instincts kicked in. He moved low and quiet, creeping around a corner until he spotted the sniper.
The man had his back turned, focused on aiming at Mika and Haruto's position.
Kaito hesitated, his gun trained on the enemy. The weight of what he was about to do settled in his chest. This isn't a game. This is real.
Then the sniper turned, their eyes locking for a split second.
Kaito didn't wait. He pulled the trigger.
The recoil jolted his injured shoulder, sending a fresh wave of pain through him. But the sniper dropped, his rifle clattering to the ground.
Kaito exhaled shakily, his hands trembling. He didn't have time to dwell on it—another red dot was moving toward him on the map.
"Two more closing in on you!" Haruto's voice crackled through the BIO.
"Got it," Kaito muttered, scooping up the sniper rifle and repositioning.
Down below, Mika and Haruto were holding their own. Haruto, though inexperienced, was learning fast, taking shots when Mika guided him.
"Steady your aim," Mika said, her voice calm despite the chaos. "Breathe, then fire."
Haruto nodded, wiping sweat from his forehead. His first few shots missed, but when a figure emerged from behind a shipping container, he managed to hit them in the leg.
Mika finished the job with a well-placed shot to the chest. She patted Haruto's shoulder. "Good work. Stay focused."
Above, Kaito adjusted the scope on his newly acquired rifle, scanning for movement. He spotted the muscular man—the team leader from earlier—advancing toward Mika and Haruto's position.
Kaito lined up his shot, his finger hovering over the trigger. Do it, he told himself. They're counting on you.
He fired. The bullet grazed the man's arm, causing him to drop his weapon.
The tide was turning. For the first time, Kaito, Mika, and Haruto started to feel like a team. They weren't perfect—mistakes were made, and every misstep came with a fresh surge of fear—but they were learning. Adapting.
Together, they survived the first wave.
The mechanical voice returned:
"4 Eliminated. 4 Remaining. Prepare for the final phase."
The arena shifted again, and Kaito looked at Mika and Haruto, his body shaking from exhaustion and pain.
"We made it," Haruto breathed, a faint smile on his face.
But Kaito wasn't smiling. He couldn't shake the look in the sniper's eyes before he pulled the trigger.
"Yeah," he said quietly. "For now."
Status de energia semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Pedra de
Poder