Chương 3: The Droid Pursuers Unleashed!

"Goddammit! That little shit is fast!"

Colgate's face was a study in barely contained rage, the sort that might make one giggle nervously if it weren't so terrifying. His veins popped off his forehead like worms desperately seeking freedom from their fleshy prison.

"Hmm?" Diana glanced at her partner, feeling a shudder of terror course through her as she imagined what he might do to Hao if he caught him. Despite her cold nature towards Hao, a part of her still cared for the lad, but not to the extent that she would give up on her mission.

"You broke my trust in you, Vee." From a distance, peering through the dark cold air, Diana observed Hao's impressive agility and acrobatics.

Like a lithe cat, he gracefully leapt from building to building, eventually landing on an old, abandoned rooftop. The residence below might have been home to some of the poorer inhabitants of the area, but Hao Vee showed no concern for that as he continued his desperate escape.

"Think you can escape us? I have something for your ass." Determined not to let Hao get away, Diana unslung a mysterious strap from her shoulder. It appeared to be a simple belt, but upon closer inspection, it was clear that it was anything but ordinary. "Releaser, you're up!" Her voice boomed as she interacted with the sophisticated mechanism that would change the game entirely.

"Diana, you're going to release the bots?" Colgate asked, his voice a mix of surprise and anticipation.

Without a word, Diana activated the Releaser, and several metallic orbs shot out. In mid-air, they transformed into three sleek humanoid droids, their bodies shifting and contorting with an almost hypnotic fluidity. These were the 'Pursuers,' designed for high-speed chases and relentless tracking.

"Go get that thief!" Diana commanded, and the Pursuers sprang into action. Their movements were a blur, faster than any human could hope to match. They darted through the air, racing after Hao with a single-minded determination that was chillingly awe-inspiring.

Whoosh!

"Huh! Something's coming and it is moving freaking fast." Hao's Vibe Sense detected something slicing through the air at an alarming speed. The Pursuers were moving so quickly that he couldn't accurately calculate their positions. Their proximity made his heart rate speed up; thus, he had to move even faster.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The Pursuers closed in on Hao, their Laser-Sharp Crescents – the deadly blades extending from their metallic elbows – ready to strike. These weapons were known for their precision and the gruesome wounds they inflicted. Hao knew that if he were hit, the damage would be catastrophic.

SLASH!

With mere inches to spare, Hao narrowly dodged a Laser-Sharp Crescent, slicing through the air where his head had been just a moment before. The horrifying suspense was palpable as a single strand of Hao's hair drifted to the ground, severed by the razor-sharp edge of the Pursuer's weapon.

"That was close!" Hao's face displayed shock as he recalibrated himself. No sooner had he dodged the initial attack than another Laser-Sharp Crescent came hurtling toward him. With an adroit backflip, he narrowly avoided the weapon, momentarily soaring above the Pursuers. As he hung in mid-air, Hao's thoughts increased their processing speed. He began to reflect on the specs of the Pursuers. His mind drifted to their internal network, which his Vibe Sense was scanning.

"Man, these Pursuers are no joke. I've seen a lot of complex mechanics in my time as a Blade Engineer, but this is something else. Their miniaturized fusion core is giving them an insane amount of energy, and their lightweight alloy frames are perfect for agility," Hao muttered to himself, trying to find a weakness.

He continued, "These internal gyroscopic stabilizers are impressive too. It allows them to maintain balance and make those crazy turns. And their AI systems... they're so advanced. They can adapt to my movements and work together like a well-oiled machine."

As Hao assessed the Pursuers, he realized the extent of their communication capabilities. "Their encrypted neural network is almost impenetrable. They're sharing information and coordinating their efforts without any chance of being intercepted. This is not going to be easy."

He noticed their various weapons and tools, which only increased his concern. "They've got micro-rockets for quick bursts of speed, grappling hooks for traversing the city, and retractable talons for close-quarters combat. And let's not forget those Laser-Sharp Crescents. They're incredibly dangerous."

Despite his expertise as a Blade Engineer, Hao couldn't deny his admiration for the Pursuers' technological prowess. He was left to rely on his wit and resourcefulness to outsmart these relentless, advanced machines.

"I have to stay focused and think fast. There's no room for error here. Still, I won't be captured tonight," Steeling his resolve, Hao grasped the hilt of his sword and unleashed his Vibe Edge technique:

Whoosh!

His hand moved with such blinding speed that the Pursuers' heightened sensors failed to detect his strike. One of the Pursuers was sliced diagonally, falling to the ground as Hao's feet touched the roof gracefully.

"What the heck!?"

Closing in quickly, Diana saw one of her droids go down, her face twisted in anger. "You've forced me to do this Vee!" While shouting, she interacted with a knob on her arm device, switching the remaining Pursuers into Destruction Mode. Their bodies underwent a rapid transformation, becoming more menacing and deadly.

"Hmm, what the hell, they're changing shape?" Hao immediately noticed the change and knew he couldn't linger. However, as he tried to make his escape, something snatched the X-Class sword that he had poised at his rear, pulling him back.

"Let go!" he roared, slashing at the droid's arm. The robotic limb was severed, but it still held onto the X-Class sword as it fell into a sludge-filled drain below. The repulsive sight and the loss of his weapon infuriated Hao. He attempted to jump down from the roof to retrieve the sword, but the remaining droids delayed him with their targeted hostility.

"Damn you!" he cursed aloud while tightening his grip on his sword. "You rust buckets are going to regret pissing me off like this."

Clang! Clang!

A fierce battle ensued between Hao and the two remaining Pursuers. He fought valiantly using only basic sword techniques like simple slashes and Quick Draw, but it was clear that he was at a disadvantage because his mind was still trained in the direction where Judgment Day fell.

"Huh, I think that sucker might have dropped it!" Diana informed Colgate, her eyes sharp as a hawk.

"It's true." Listening to their communication, the pilot of the aircraft corroborated her story, his high vantage point giving him a clear view of the situation.

The race had intensified. Now it was unclear who would retrieve the X-Class weapon. Would the flowing sludge in the drain carry it away, lost to the darkened underbellies of the Wranglers district? Who knew? The uncertainty hung in the air, as thick and heavy as the tension of the ongoing battle between Hao and the remaining Pursuers.