The sound of the heart monitor beats in a quiet rhythm. The window is partially closed with sheer metal curtains that reflect the soft morning light. The room is clean, tidy, and has an air of anticipatory calm.
Ryuichi is sitting on his bed, having regained some of his natural color. He is wearing a gray medical jacket with multiple pockets, and around him are medical papers and small mana-checking devices. His glasses are on the table next to him, connected to a copper-colored charging cable.
Ryuichi (internal voice):
"It's finally charged... but will Aura come back?"
He grabs the goggles, places them over his eyes, and presses the side activation button.
A faint virtual screen appears in front of him, but no response from the AI.
Ryuichi (sighs):
"Still no answer... where are you, Aura?"
At that moment, the door opens, and a young woman in a gray uniform with a nametag enters: "Erica - Information Analysis Unit." She grabs a tablet and takes a quick glance at Ryuichi.
Erica:
"Ryuichi, you have a technical review in 20 minutes at the Mental Inspection Department. Unit Commander Sigma has requested that everything be ready."
Ryuichi (quietly):
"Sigma... of course, no one is ahead of schedule."
Erica (smiling slightly):
"He is. By the way, he said he wanted to talk to you privately after the examination."
She closes the door and leaves, leaving the room in silence. Ryuichi slowly gets up, goes to the sink and washes his face, looks at himself in the mirror... and then stares.
Ryuichi (internal voice):
"Everything has changed... but I feel like this morning carries something heavier than yesterday."
- Mental Inquisition Hall - 09:27 a.m.
A large room with insulated glass walls, lined with screens displaying mental data - mana, brain activity, spiritual pulse, neurological response. In the center, a metal bench for the interrogators is surrounded by a faintly blue safety field.
Ryuichi sits on the bench, hooked up to tiny sensors, under the supervision of a young doctor named Dr. Hitomi.
Dr. Hitomi. Hitomi:
"Well, this examination is a routine procedure. No pain, no direct intervention... just checking your mental stability after the stress of battle and forced mana use."
Ryuichi (in a hushed voice):
"I see..."
He blinks slowly and then turns his gaze to the ceiling, his eyes wandering, showing signs of mental preoccupation.
Ryuichi (internally):
"Aura... what happened to you? You don't just disappear... even if it's discharged, you always come back... Did someone tamper with the data? Were you... were you hacked?"
His pulse quickens slightly, and the machines beep slightly. Dr. Hitomi notices.
Dr. Hitomi. Hitomi:
"Your anxiety level has suddenly risen... is something bothering you?"
Ryuichi (hesitantly):
"No... just fatigue."
Dr. Hitomi. Hitomi (understanding):
"Okay, we'll continue."
The machines begin to show a three-dimensional map of brain activity. Unstable curves around the emotion control centers, and the mana center appears dull gray-a sign of fragility.
Dr. Hitomi (raises an eyebrow):
"The mana center... almost collapsed, and yet you were able to fight?"
He looks at him with admiration mixed with concern:
"You are a prodigy... or a risk-taker walking on the edge of death."
Ryuichi remains silent, whispering internally:
Ryuichi (internally):
"I just... I don't want to lose the people left around me."
---
- Side Conference Room - 09:54 AM
A small room, softly lit, with a rectangular table and some files and secure phones. Sigma sits there waiting. Ryuichi enters wearing a gray medical jacket, his glasses still in his pocket.
Sigma (direct look):
"Sit down, we have things we need to discuss."
Ryuichi sits down, his gaze wary, but not afraid.
Ryuichi:
"First of all... what about Suzuni?"
Sigma (with stern calm):
"Don't worry. The situation is being monitored. What you told me will be dealt with under the Cyber Protection Act. We'll stop any possible leaks... but there's an investigation that needs to be done."
Ryuichi falls silent, nodding his head slightly.
Sigma:
"I know you were trying to protect her... but remember, protecting your loved one doesn't mean breaking the law. We create balance, not chaos."
Ryuichi (responds in a bolder tone):
"I understand... but sometimes the law comes too late. And I... I can't afford to be late."
Sigma ponders his words, then slides a file in front of him.
Sigma:
"Allow me to believe you... but we are at a different stage now. I won't talk too much about the past. But from now on, we are watching you. And there are those who will accompany you indirectly."
Ryuichi (surprised):
"Surveillance? Does that mean I'm a suspect?"
Sigma (sharp look):
"It means... you've become important."
Ryuichi stares at Sigma after hearing the word "surveillance." But before he can say anything, the door to the room opens with a quiet electronic click. A young woman enters, wearing a dark jacket with the intelligence department logo, her silver hair tied in a ponytail, her violet eyes shining with analytical intensity.
Ryuichi notices her features, and his eyes widen slightly...
Ryuichi (to himself):
"That girl... She's the same person who woke me up this morning and told me to go to the mental examination room. So she's been watching me from the beginning..."
Sigma (in a steady voice):
"Meet Agent Erica Fallstein... As of this moment, she will be in charge of monitoring you and accompanying you on future missions and investigations."
Ryuichi looks at her with a wary gaze, trying to discern her emotions, but her face is as frozen as ice.
Ryuichi (in a semi-sarcastic tone):
"Official bodyguard? Or just a shadow sent behind me?"
Erica (coldly stern tone):
"My presence is public and I'm not the type to hide. I'm here to assess you... and monitor your stability."
She looks at him confidently and then adds:
Erica:
"That doesn't mean you got your freedom... you got an opportunity."
Ryuichi takes a deep breath, looks away for a second, then responds with a faint smile:
Ryuichi:
"A chance under the microscope, then... cool."
Sigma rises from his seat, places his hand on Ryuichi's shoulder for a moment, then says in a decisive tone:
Sigma:
"Prove you deserve it. Our next destination... Facility 09."
He heads for the door, and before he leaves, he turns and says:
Sigma:
"Prepare yourself. It's going to be a real test."
Sigma leaves. Erica remains standing, looking at a small digital watch on her wrist, then addresses Ryuichi in a steady tone:
Erica:
"You have 20 minutes to get ready. Don't be late... I hate waiting."
-Ryuichi's room.
The room is quiet, with dim lighting casting soft shadows on Ryuichi's features as he sits on the edge of the bed, patting his arm where the effects of the mental examination are still visible. Erica is standing by the wall, her arms crossed, looking at him with an analytical gaze that hasn't broken since they met.
Erica (coldly):
"You don't look comfortable... Is it the test, or is it me?"
Ryuichi slowly raises his head, stares at her for a moment and then looks away, not wanting to prove her hunch right. But before he can answer, his glasses suddenly flicker with a faint blue light. The system badge comes to life...
Aura (soft voice inside his head):
"Ryuichi... can you hear me?"
Ryuichi's pupils suddenly dilate, and he feels a chill run down his spine, as if something precious had been lost and returned out of nowhere. He puts his hand on the glasses, his heart beating fast, and a small smile pulls across his face, unconsciously.
Erica (with sudden sharpness):
"You're smiling... what's wrong?"
Confused for a moment, Ryuichi stammers, nervously covering his glasses:
Ryuichi:
"Uh... Nothing... I just remembered an old joke."
Erica raises an eyebrow, but doesn't comment. She turns slightly and opens the tablet in her hands, while Aura continues in her intimate voice:
Aura:
"Sorry... I had some glitches. I should have come back earlier. Are you okay?"
Ryuichi (inwardly):
"I'm fine now. I missed your voice, Aura."
A subtle moment of silence passes, then he takes a deep breath and stands up. He faces Erica, who is watching him out of the corner of her eye.
Ryuichi (in a more serious voice):
"When are we leaving?"
Erica:
"In a few minutes. Prepare yourself, you'll get a temporary field uniform, and join the team at the inner cargo gate."
Ryuichi (curious):
"Will I meet Sigma there?"
Erica:
"Yes. With members of the Shadow Special Unit. Don't ask too many questions... just concentrate."
Ryuichi bows slightly as he puts on his coat, adjusts the glasses over his eyes again, and then directs his gaze to the glass window.
Ryuichi (inwardly):
"Facility 09... I don't know what awaits me there, but I have to be ready... for Aura, for those I love.
The sound of careful footsteps echoes in the sterile corridor of the hospital, and everything around Ryuichi seems too quiet... like the silence before the storm. Two security personnel walk on either side of him, with Erica leading the way with a confident stride.
The outer doors open and he is greeted by a cool, majestic morning breeze, the sun barely breaking through the gray fog that envelops the perimeter of the intelligence facility. In front of him, a black armored car with the logo "Shadow Division - Advanced Intelligence Unit" is parked in front of him.
He gets into the back seat, Erica sits next to him, and two other agents are in the front. The engine fires up, and the car starts moving down a road surrounded by security fences and sensitive wires.
Inside the car, Ryuichi rolls down his window and whispers:
Ryuichi:
"Aura... are you with me?"
The tip of the glasses glows a faint blue color. Her voice comes quickly, quiet but warm:
Aura:
"All the time... monitoring the signals, following the frequencies. Don't worry, I'm not getting weaker."
Ryuichi (in a low voice):
"Can you hack into the 09 facility?"
Aura:
"For now? No. I don't have the authorization or the encrypted frequencies. Everything there is designed to isolate any artificial intelligence. But..."
Ryuichi:
"But?"
Aura (with an electronic wink):
"I have a plan. Just get me close to the systems there, and I'll take care of the rest."
The car moves quickly through the rocky mountains, and on both sides of the road they pass security installations, helicopters circling overhead, and watchtowers watching them. Ryuichi looks out the window as Aura speaks in a hushed voice:
Aura:
"Ryuichi... there's something else... they've tampered with the facility!"
Ryuichi's heart suddenly contracts, and he closes his eyes for a moment.
Ryuichi (in a whisper):
"What?"
But before Aura can finish, the car shakes slightly, and a huge, black building appears on the horizon, topped by a slowly rotating halo of electronic interference, like a cloud that doesn't belong in the world.
Driver (in a formal voice over the intercom):
"We are approaching the facility. Prepare to disembark in three minutes."
Ryuichi breathes slowly, squeezes the seat arm hard, then whispers:
Ryuichi (inwardly):
"I'm here..."
The black car gradually slows down, its wheels making a faint scuffing sound on the hard metal floor. In front of them, a huge gate looms, slowly opened by hydraulic systems, the cold ground and slowly exits the car, Erica silently following him, her eyes watching everyone around him. Standing in front of him is an official from the intelligence unit - a tall man in a dark gray uniform, wearing an electronic identification tag on his chest, speaking in a formal tone:
Official:
"Please follow me. There is no need for any delay."
He gestures toward a long internal corridor that goes through a security gate with scanners. Ryuichi steps forward at a steady pace, his footsteps echoing faintly on the metal floor, while the eyes of the ceiling-mounted cameras follow him.
Erica walks right behind him, not saying a word, but her presence is imposing. At that moment, Ryuichi talks to himself, his gaze passing over the walls, over the doors, over the subtle inscriptions that only those who have visited this place would notice.
Ryuichi (inwardly):
"No need for such formalities... I remember this place well... The walls, the doors, even the air here has its own flavor... This is not a new place for me..."
They arrive at a double gate, which opens automatically as they approach. Once inside, the corridor reveals a fortified inner hall, with suspended glass walkways and vertical elevators leading to the depths of the facility.
The official (with a robotic accent):
"You will first be directed to the evaluation unit, and then a meeting will be arranged with the senior officer in charge of the Interactive Technology Department."
Ryuichi merely nods. He whispers to Aura without moving his lips much:
Ryuichi (in his mind):
"Are you receiving signals from inside?"
Aura (whispering into the lens):
"Yes... but it's all confused here, as I expected. But I'm learning. Just keep me close."
When they enter the main hall, a group of interrogators and officers are waiting for them. Projection screens, power scanners, huge servers running in the background.
Ryuichi (questioningly, looking at Erica and the officials):
"But... why were you brought to this particular facility? Isn't the Nakamura investigation over?"
There is silence for a moment. Suddenly, the heavy side doors open with a rumbling sound. A tall man emerges with a confident stride, his shadow advancing before him... it's Sigma. He enters wearing his long black coat, his face partially covered by the shadow of the lighting, his voice firm and deep:
Sigma (in an iconic accent):
"Because what was observed here... was not from Mana Nakamura."
Everyone stops moving, eyes fixed on Sigma, who steps forward steadily and drops an electronic file on the table.
Sigma (continuing in a low but terrifying tone):
"We detected a mana wave oscillation inside this facility 48 hours ago... an unstable, complex signal... but it doesn't belong to Nakamura."
Ryuichi looks at him in amazement, while Sigma lowers his eyes slightly and adds:
Sigma:
"It belongs to someone else... someone we don't yet know who... but we only know one thing... he was here, and witnessed the battle."
The blood freezes in Ryuichi's veins, while the room is filled with an air of anticipation and tension.
The group moves through the dark corridors of the facility, dim lights glinting on the cold metal walls, their footsteps echoing softly. The mana detectors in Erica's hand flicker every so often, watching for the slightest change in the field.
Ryuichi walks beside Erica, staring at the multiple technical terminals displaying various video recordings and data. Aura appears on the glasses, her voice quiet but noticeable.
Aura (in a soft electronic voice):
"Ryuichi, it's hard to determine the nature of that person just from the mana signals. But he seems to possess unconventional energy, perhaps advanced beyond our technology."
Ryuichi (in a whisper):
"Do you think it's one of my old enemies? Or someone from this world that I don't know?"
Aura:
"Both possibilities. However, there is something strange. The energy spectrum I detected is not static, it's constantly changing as if it's hiding its presence or manipulating the energy in a sophisticated way."
Ryuichi pauses in front of a large screen displaying a camera recording from the night of the battle. He focuses on the movement of the shadows.
Ryuichi (thinking):
"It's like he's traveling between dimensions or hiding his presence... and that's not easy."
At this moment, Erica enters unexpectedly, her steps quiet but firm.
Erica (in a calm but firm voice):
"Who are you talking to, Ryuichi?"
Surprised, Ryuichi turns to her quickly, then responds with a slight smile, trying to hide his nervousness.
Ryuichi:
"No one, just thinking about who that person is."
Erica (nods):
"Okay, but make sure you stay focused on reality here. This place is full of secrets, and any mistake could be costly."
Ryuichi refocuses on the screen, as the team proceeds to sift through all the recorded digital evidence:
CCTV footage: Shadows appear blurred in some shots, moving at an abnormal speed.
Energy detector logs: Shows sharp and sudden changes in mana levels, unrelated to the movements of Nakamura or any of the known individuals.
Motion sensor data: Reveals the presence of an unknown object moving through the corridors behind the metal walls.
Ryuichi presses Aura again.
Ryuichi:
"Could he be hiding in the dimensional portals themselves?"
Aura:
"A strong possibility, that would explain the strange fluctuation in his energy. I need more data to confirm it."
Erica watches closely, noticing the glint of concern in Ryuichi's eyes, but she doesn't intervene, realizing that things are more complicated than they appear.
The dim lights look at the screens displaying interlocking data from all corners of the facility. Suddenly, a signal on one of the screens flashes unexpectedly.
Hydro (in a strained voice):
"Sigma, I think we've found something... Mana signals are fluctuating here, in one of the remote corridors. They don't seem to follow any of our known patterns."
Sigma approached in earnest, following along with his team closely.
At that moment, Ryuichi felt something urging him to approach the discovery.
Ryuichi (in a tone of increasing curiosity):
"What is it? What did you find?"
Ryuichi approached with Aura, who began to meticulously examine the data.
Silence and interest grew in the room, and then Aura said in a quiet but clearly surprised tone:
Aura:
"This pattern... it's like mine... unbelievably so."
Ryuichi's face showed signs of surprise and concern.
Time stood still for a moment, and there was a sense of mystery, as if something unexpected was about to unfold.
Ryuichi (in a whisper):
"How... How could this happen...?"