The laboratory of the Guardian Captain of Squad 4, Slavy, was a sanctuary of arcane technology and distorted biology. Holographic screens projected endless streams of data at a near-vertiginous speed, while her subordinate scientists moved like synchronized mechanisms through consoles and control panels.
The air smelled of antiseptic, ozone, and a faint, persistent trace of blood. Subordinates hurried from station to station, cross-checking data sheets and adjusting configurations.
Slavy stood at the center of the storm, her fingers flying across several tactile keyboards. Her face—an impeccably serene composition of Lores DNA—held no emotion at all, only absolute focus. At her side was her vice-captain, Nemuri Kurotsuragi, reviewing each of the extra screens appearing before her captain at an impressive speed, analyzing each microscopic detail before moving to the next.
Meanwhile, Slavy continued typing, ignoring the pain in her body caused by the recent fight with her former captain. She had to be an example for the others—many of whom carried worse wounds. Her hollow eyes absorbed every bit of information before her, assisting Nemuri in the task.
Around the lab, the other Captains also bore the marks of their encounter with the ex-Lord.
Tsubaki Ryufang, her nose bandaged and her arm in a cast, paced with poorly contained fury.
"This is humiliating," she spat, punching a dead console with her good hand. "We're supposed to be the best defense after the Lord."
"Lord Devyus… strong," murmured Slavy, not lifting her gaze from her screens, her voice a monotone.
"Indeed," affirmed Motoko Aiyama, leaning against a wall, her blade intact though her pride as a swordswoman was wounded.
"He's the one who created this entire division to begin with," added Tomoe Phoenix, her chest fully bandaged. "And he's the one who taught us nearly everything we know about Reiken. It's no surprise that—"
"I know!" Tsubaki roared, frustration cracking her voice. "But I didn't think the gap was that overwhelming!"
The lab doors opened.
Eagle Lionheart entered, bruises on her face and neck, accompanied by a small hybrid figure—half woman, half rabbit. Haru Cottonteru, the vice-captain of Squad Eight, hopped lightly to keep her steps from looking too small, her tiny black eyes watching over Eagle.
"I say we stop looking," Haru suggested, her sensitive rabbit ears twitching fast. "Lord Devyus sama must be far away by now. Hunting him at this point is pointless."
Tsubaki shot her a glare so sharp the rabbit girl squeaked and hid behind her captain—who returned Tsubaki's stare with equal steel. The tension was broken only when Eagle's companion—an eagle—let out a sharp cry from her shoulder.
"Eagle agrees," Eagle Lionheart said, stroking the bird's feathers. "My animals refuse to track him. They won't hunt the Lord, out of the respect and kindness he gave them. Eagle will not force them."
"My telekinesis is no good either," Sabrina added, rubbing her temples, still feeling the ghost of Devyus' mental power. "And honestly… it doesn't matter. He's far beyond my range. And after what I saw inside his mind—" a shiver, of raw fear, crawled through her. She hugged her shoulders. "I'm not going back in there."
Silence swallowed the room.
The defeat wasn't just physical—
It was psychological.
"Even so, we must complete our mission. No matter what."
A gentle voice—sharp as a drawn blade—cut through the despair.
All eyes turned toward the newcomer.
Captain Ohanatsuri entered the laboratory. Her kimono was immaculate, but exhaustion darkened her eyes from long hours spent treating injuries.
"The village still believes the Guardian Captain of Squad One is merely unwell. We must apprehend him before the truth is revealed. We cannot allow panic—not after the scandal involving the Fifth Lord."
She didn't speak the rest.
No one needed her to.
"We are the last line of defense for our home. If the people learn there is such a gap between us and the ex-Lord, their faith will crumble."
The captains nodded, Ohanatsuri's resolve rekindling their own.
"Slavy," Tsubaki pressed, regaining her edge. "Have you checked energy signatures in other nations? Any spiritual residue matching his?"
"Affirmative," Slavy replied instantly. "I've scanned the multidimensional spectrum. All readings are stable or insignificant. Except—"
A world map appeared.
A single point blinked weakly in the Land of Thunder.
"Is that signal normal?" Tomoe asked.
"Yes," Slavy answered. "In fact, it's been decreasing. It's stable. No spikes."
Nemuri quickly added, "We've monitored it for roughly four months. The patterns haven't changed. It's natural interference."
"No trace of the demon nor his demon sisters," said Kaora, the third-in-command. "There was a time when the spiritual energy there was higher—but it dropped."
"Curious," Ohanatsuri murmured, "but inconclusive."
"Exactly," Tsubaki snapped. "It could be anything. Electrical grid. Geothermal systems. Noise."
"Hypothesis confirmed: 87.3% likelihood of civilian infrastructure," Slavy stated. "It does not match Lord Venomania's energy profile."
Ohanatsuri exhaled.
"Very well. Continue your search. I will resume treating Medaka—if the Lord had not held back, we would already be fewer in number."
She knew it.
They all did.
He pulled his strikes.
But she did not let the doubt linger.
"Slavy—pause the search. Let Nemuri handle the tracking. Focus on repairing BB. When BB is fully operational, she will assist in scanning."
Slavy obeyed immediately, disappearing into the repair chamber.
Nemuri took her place, fingers never stopping, eyes devoid of life as she hunted a ghost who refused to be found.
The captains dispersed, the laboratory falling into silence—broken only by the hum of machinery and Nemuri's relentless typing.
On a nearby table, the android 2B lay motionless, being restored piece by piece. A task that would take weeks for anyone else—but Slavy might do in days.
Or hours.
If she willed it.
On the main screen, the faint blinking dot in the Land of Thunder continued its weak pulse.
Insignificant.
Background noise.
Discarded.
Nemuri flagged it:
"Non-critical anomaly – ignore."
The clearest trail had been dismissed right before her eyes.
"If you've reached this far… thank you for walking through Devyus's silence."
"Your thoughts matter — even one word helps me keep building this world."
© 2025 D.S.V.
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