| WATTYS 2022 SHORTLIST + AMBYS 2023 SCI-FI WINNER | Digital, anthropomorphic beings live in our laptops, smartphones, and other devices, but humans aren't aware of their existence despite being their creators.
Shannon Wise, search engine in Browse...
The chilling sound of a hard punch echoed in the Console Room.
"I know I'm just the help functionality of Browser City," Ragna told Ajax with fury in her eyes, "but I'm not useless!"
Ajax was forced to take a couple of steps backwards due to the punch she had delivered to his jaw.
Algo stood right beside her, growling at Ajax with protruding teeth and its ears turned backwards in defiance.
"Yes, you are. You're clueless in a fight," Ajax replied while navy-blue-coloured blood oozed from the left side of his lips.
"Did I just punch too hard on this gorgeous face of yours, Ajax? Because you're not making much sense right now. Does your pride hurt because I startled you? I also took Ned's gun from you. This must hurt your ego."
She was aiming the gun at him with a furrowed brow. The defiance in her voice was something alien to her, and yet she felt it necessary to give him the impression she could fight like an equal despite her programming. I hope this act I'm putting up doesn't feel out of character to him. I need him to believe I can take him down if I want to.
He chuckled and smirked as a response.
His defiance only triggered an attack on Algo's behalf. The dog launched itself on the rookie and bit his right leg with unmatched fury.
Damn, I love this dog! Good Ajax thought.
No, I hate this dog! Viral Ajax mentally snapped back at him.
Despite Algo's boldness, Ajax kicked hard with his right elbow on the dog's head, leaving it unconscious on the floor.
"How dare you?! You're going to pay for this, Ajax!" Ragna yelled at him. She displayed worry as much as defiance, so he took it as a sign of weakness. "I can't let you escape with the User's credentials."
He took a couple of steps toward her with a deviant smirk. He could see through her charade. Putting a brave face won't be enough to stop me. His grin partially faded right before he kicked the gun from her hands with one bold move of his left leg.
Ragna shrieked. The gun fell with a loud clang.
"As I said, you're useless," Ajax whispered with malevolence as he came even closer to her.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Zita flew up the stairs to the eighth floor on her flying skateboard. It took her less than a nanosecond.
She pushed the button to open the door of Ajax's bedroom. The door swooshed open, revealing an angst-driven Shannon.
"Oh, thank the Developer it's you, Zita!" she exclaimed with a look of relief on her face. "Quick, break these handcuffs with Ned's batons!"
"Ajax's evil now," Zita explained as she grabbed one of the batons.
Shannon exposed her wrists to her and turned her head away from harm. "I know. He knocked Ned out and tied me up here."
Zita started kicking the handcuffs. She grunted. The cuffs weren't giving in. She tried harder to break them.
