The Azure-eyed assassin

The grenade spun through the air.

A muffled ticking.

Then, the explosion.

The tanks shattered.

A viscous liquid splattered on the floor, inert bodies collapsing.

Shrill alarms blared, transforming the laboratory into a hellish sound and light show.

Sprinklers activated, sending a cold rain onto the emerging blaze.

But Mayu heard nothing.

Her eyes were fixed on the clones that had fallen to the ground.

Some had their eyes open.

Blue irises.

Just like hers.

Ghostly whispers echoed in her mind.

"We are you."

"You are us."

She tensed.

A noise.

Hurrying footsteps.

Reinforcements were coming.

And this time… it was serious.

---

The Assault of Shadows

Akira reacted first.

He dove behind an overturned console and reloaded his pistol.

— Mayu, plan?

She inhaled, trying to ignore the chaos in her head.

Then she saw the number of enemies.

Ten.

No.

Twelve.

And they were not normal.

Soldiers in black armor.

A scarlet logo on their chest.

The Executors.

The dogs of the organization.

They didn't capture.

They eliminated.

One of them advanced, rifle aimed at them.

— Subject 07 detected. Extermination priority.

Mayu smiled.

— Just try it.

The next moment, she was already on them.

---

Deadly Dance

Her knife flew.

The blade found the joint between the breastplate and the helmet.

A muffled gasp.

One dead.

The others opened fire.

Mayu jumped back, executing a fluid roll under the rain of bullets.

The air vibrated around her.

A bullet grazed her, tearing the sleeve of her uniform.

But she didn't stop.

Her body moved on its own.

She pivoted, driving her foot into another enemy's throat.

A crack.

The soldier collapsed, clutching his windpipe.

Akira took down a shooter with two precise shots to the visor.

Ten left.

They adapted quickly.

They spread out, forming a circle.

Encirclement strategy.

Mayu gritted her teeth.

They were better trained than the others…

She grabbed a corpse and used it as a shield.

A deluge of bullets tore through the inert flesh.

She hurled the body at one of the soldiers and leapt.

Her knife sank into a jugular.

Warm blood splattered her face.

Nine.

Akira pulled out a smoke grenade and threw it.

A black cloud engulfed the room.

Absolute chaos.

Mayu melted into the shadows.

A breath.

A movement.

She emerged behind a soldier and plunged her weapon into his back.

Eight.

Akira swiftly slit another's throat, quick and silent.

Seven.

A burst whistled just inches from her head.

She felt the burn of a bullet graze her shoulder.

But she didn't stop.

---

Truth and Lies

A laugh echoed through the laboratory's speakers.

A cold, cruel laugh.

— Impressive, Subject 07. You've always been the most capable.

Mayu froze.

That tone.

She recognized it.

A blurry image surged in her memory.

A man in a white coat, standing before her.

Piercing eyes.

A satisfied smile.

She felt dizzy.

Her memories blurred.

— Who… are you? she breathed.

The man laughed again.

— I am your creator, of course.

A shock.

Mayu felt her heart skip a beat.

"Creator"...?

A screen lit up before her.

A man appeared.

Gray hair, steel gaze.

A name flashed beneath his image:

Dr. Hiroshi Kisaragi.

Mayu felt her throat tighten.

Akira murmured, astonished:

— It's him… the one responsible for Project Azur?

The man smiled.

— Not just that.

The screen zoomed in on a file.

Mayu furrowed her brow.

And there…

She saw her true name.

Or rather…

Her true number.

> Prototype AZUR - Subject 07

Genetic base: Hiroshi Kisaragi

The ground fell away beneath her.

Her own DNA…

Came from this man.

She was his clone.

Not a weapon.

Not a project.

Just a copy.

She trembled, staring at the screen in horror.

Her breath was short.

Akira, beside her, remained silent.

But she felt his tension.

As if he too couldn't believe it.

Then the scientist's voice resumed:

— Do you want to know the truth?

— Then survive this laboratory.

And the screen went dark.

The reinforced doors opened again.

More soldiers arrived.

Akira gritted his teeth.

— We're outnumbered.

Mayu slowly straightened.

Her hands no longer trembled.

Her gaze was icy.

Her body might not belong to her.

Her DNA might be a copy.

But she…

She was Mayu.

And those bastards were going to learn it the hard way.

She picked up a submachine gun from the ground and looked at Akira.

— We kill them all.

He smiled.

— Finally a good idea.

The bullets screamed.

And the massacre began.