The clock was inching towards 4 p.m. and the streets of Kyoto were a tableau of life and energy. Luke and Ruster navigated through the thrumming crowd, their casual demeanor a stark contrast to the weight of their conversation. Their exchanges were hushed, their expressions subtly tense, a silent testament to the situation at hand.
"We're being trailed?" Luke murmured, his gaze flitting anxiously over the swarm of faces around them. "Are these the same people you escaped from?"
"Seems so..." Ruster replied, his words trailing off as his mind sprinted through a multitude of scenarios. He puzzled over the speed at which they had been discovered. "Could they trace the stone's jump locations too?" He found himself questioning.
Having crossed over to the human world, Ruster had a simple blueprint in his mind. Find a way to safely jump back to his realm, rendezvous with his allies, and obliterate the stone, severing the link between the worlds. However, the sudden emergence of his pursuers threw a wrench in his plan. If captured, the consequences could be dire.
Luke, reading the grim determination on Ruster's face, pressed on, "So, what's our game plan?
Ruster’s gaze was fixated on the crowd, his eyes flickering with determination and resolve. Turning to Luke, he drew a deep breath, "Luke, this is where our paths diverge."
Luke looked taken aback, a flash of confusion crossing his face, "What do you mean?"
Ruster continued, his tone firm, "Our main goal right now is to lose them. We need to create enough confusion and distraction so they can't track either of us."
Understanding began to dawn on Luke's face. He swallowed, his mind quickly processing the severity of the situation. Ruster’s next words confirmed his fears.
"Once we've managed to elude them, we both need to find safety," Ruster added, his voice steady despite the gravity of the situation.
"And what about you?" Luke asked, concern etched on his face.
A moment of silence lingered between them before Ruster finally responded, "I'll use the stone to jump back to my world."
The air was thick with unspoken emotions. Luke was speechless, grappling with the abrupt turn of events. He knew he had no choice but to trust Ruster and follow his lead.
Ruster's senses were on high alert. He could feel two distinct energy signatures tailing them, but he was unable to pinpoint their exact locations amidst the bustling streets of Kyoto. It felt like trying to discern two individual drops of water in a roaring river.
With a subtle twitch of his fingers hidden in his pockets, Ruster silently signaled Ghost for assistance. The talking armor was adept at detecting and analyzing energy signatures, and Ruster trusted its precision implicitly.
Ghost's voice echoed within Ruster, each word resonating with a calm, calculated precision that was at odds with their tense situation. "Master," Ghost began, its tone steady, "one of the energy signatures is situated exactly 20 meters behind us."
Ruster's gaze flickered subtly over his shoulder, but he made no overt move to look behind. Years of combat experience had taught him the value of discretion, especially when being pursued.
Ghost continued, "The other energy signature is coming from a rooftop across the street, approximately 40 meters from our current location. They are observing us from a distance."
Ruster's eyes instinctively shifted to the buildings lining the opposite side of the street. He was careful to keep his movements nonchalant, his gaze passing over the cityscape as if he were a mere tourist admiring the view. His mind, however, was anything but at ease. The tactical advantages of the rooftop position were not lost on him, and it only added another layer of complexity to their predicament.
"I have located them as well," Ruster murmured, his tone laced with a hint of frustration. "But something about their energy signatures... it's familiar, yet I can't pinpoint who it belongs to."
Luke, walking alongside Ruster, noticed the subtle shift in his companion's demeanor. Ruster had become more rigid, his hands tucked tightly into his pockets. His gaze remained steadfastly forward, but the darting movements of his eyes betrayed his true focus. Luke could tell that Ruster was more than just aware of their pursuers; he was trying to identify them, a detail that seemed to be eluding him for the moment.
Luke's hand instinctively brushed against the edge of his pocket, his fingers curling around the comforting weight of his concealed weapon. He kept his steps relaxed, casual, mirroring Ruster's outward calmness. Despite the calm exterior, his mind was alert and ready, his heart pounding a steady rhythm of anticipation. He knew that the slightest misstep could lead to a confrontation they would rather avoid.
As Ruster's thoughts spiraled, the confusion and stress apparent on his face, he muttered, "We need to slip away unnoticed, create some kind of diversion."
Seeing his friend's growing panic, Luke gently interjected, "I have a plan."
"You do?" Ruster surprisingly replied.
He outlined a scheme that revolved around a minor flaw in the city's infrastructure. "One of the street water pumps in this area is a bit loose," he explained, "A firm kick should be enough to cause a commotion."
Ruster's brows knitted together in confusion, but Luke merely told him to keep moving. When they reached the water pump in question, Luke gave it a swift, practiced kick. The pump exploded, instantly flooding the street with a gushing waterfall. The sudden eruption caused a mild panic among the pedestrians, and without missing a beat, Luke turned to Ruster, "This is our chance."
Using the chaos as their cover, they darted into the crowd, weaving through the panicked pedestrians before slipping into a nearby alleyway, momentarily safe from their pursuers.
As Luke and Ruster paused to catch their breaths in the alleyway, Ruster managed to say, "Good plan, Luke!" However, his praise was quickly replaced by sarcasm as he noticed they had run into a dead end. "Great choice of escape route," he remarked dryly.
Luke simply shook his head and grinned. "I'm not done yet," he replied, moving over to a large garbage container. With a grunt of effort, he pushed it aside, revealing a concealed underground entrance.
Ruster raised an eyebrow, his smirk returning. "Not bad, kid," he admitted, impressed by Luke's foresight.
Without wasting any more time, they descended into the hidden passage, Luke pulling the container back into place to cover their tracks. They were plunged into semi-darkness, with only the faintest light filtering in from the entrance. The pursuit was far from over, but for the moment, they felt safe.
In the midst of the chaos, the man on the ground started to speak, his voice carrying an edge of desperation. "Squala, I've lost sight of them. What about you?" He glanced around frantically, hoping for a trace of their quarry.
"Hmm... I can't sense them nearby either..." Squala replied thoughtfully, one foot propped up on the rooftop's ledge as he surveyed the pandemonium below.
"What's our next move?" The ground-level operative queried, squinting up to meet his companion's gaze.
Squala seemed to hesitate, then made up his mind. "This will certainly put Ruster on alert," he admitted, "but we can't afford to let him slip away, not after we've gotten this close."
The man on the ground watched as Squala stepped back, eyes lifting to the sky. "Tempura, scan!" He commanded.
A spherical object, black and unassuming, soared high above the cityscape. The moment Squala shouted the command, it began to vibrate at a rapid pace. It resembled an artificial eye, a high-tech surveillance system. A moment later, it discharged a soft pulse of energy that radiated across the area, scanning for any sign of their targets.
Luke and Ruster navigated through the dimly lit tunnel, intent on making it to the other side. However, the moment the energy pulse from Tempura washed over Ruster, a chill ran down his spine. He halted abruptly, his voice echoing through the tunnel, "Damn it!"
"Master..." Ghost began, but Ruster cut him off.
"I know, Ghost!" He spat out, panic creeping into his tone. "That was Squala's armor ability, Tempura!" After swallowing hard, he added, "Which means Captain Loopy is here too!"
Luke watched Ruster's face contort through a series of realizations, but he didn't understand the implications.
Seeing Luke's bewildered expression, Ruster barked, "Luke, we need to run, we've been located!"
With that, Ruster grabbed Luke's arm and yanked him forward as they sprinted toward the other exit of the tunnel.
Squala's voice rang out the moment he pinpointed Ruster's location. "Caditz! On the other side of the block, now! That alley over there!"
Without a moment's hesitation, Squala launched himself from the rooftop, leaping from one building to another with incredible speed. Caditz mirrored his actions, making a mighty leap from the ground to the rooftop. His extraordinary jump drew shouts of surprise from the bystanders below, but he didn't pay them any mind. His focus was singular—follow his companion and locate Ruster.
In a secluded alley, Ruster burst through a concealed hole in the ground, swiftly turning back to assist Luke up the ladder.
As soon as Luke was out, Ruster urged him to run, but his words froze in his throat as a figure loomed at the alley's entrance, effectively blocking their only escape route.
"Well, well, we meet again, Ruster," Squala announced with an ominous tone, as Ruster instinctively adopted a defensive stance.
Moments later, Caditz descended from the sky, landing with a thud right behind Luke, who reflexively retreated and raised his hands in defense.
"That must be Caditz..." Ruster muttered under his breath, his gaze flicking between the two men as they had them cornered with no apparent escape.
As Squala's figure menacingly drew nearer, a sword materialized from thin air in his grasp. His cold, assertive command sliced through the tension thickening in the confined alleyway, "Ruster, hand over the stone, now!" The demand reverberated off the narrow alley's walls, its echoes amplifying the impending sense of danger. With their escape routes cut off and enemies closing in, the suspense was palpable, a silent countdown to an inevitable confrontation.
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