The tunnel's cold, stale air wrapped around Arata like a suffocating shroud as the live feed flickered on the broken screen. His face stared back at him—hollow, fragmented by static. It was a mirror twisted to mock, showing not what was, but what could be shattered."Show me," he whispered, his voice rough and raw from days without proper rest. "Show me the truth."The voice came again, dripping venom and dark amusement, echoing off the cracked concrete walls: "Truth is a blade that cuts both ways, Detective. And now, it's in your hands, bloodied and jagged."Images flashed—snapshots from his past cases, distorted beyond recognition. Faces blurred into unrecognizable shapes, timelines bent and broken, every truth twisting deeper into a nightmare. Then one frame froze and zoomed in—Saki, her eyes wide and unblinking, standing over a body branded with the infamous black vein.Arata's chest tightened. Was she involved? Or was this another poisoned arrow hidden in the puppeteer's cruel game?Saki's scanner emitted a sharp, urgent beep, yanking Arata's gaze away from the screen. "They're localizing us—getting closer."Without hesitation, they bolted deeper into the shadowy maze of tunnels. The oppressive silence shredded by distant, heavy footsteps reverberated eerily behind them, relentless in pursuit.Arata's mind scrambled for patterns, schemes, anything to understand how the puppeteer's chessboard stretched beyond gruesome murders. Each trap was not just physical but psychological—a relentless campaign to dismantle everything he held as real, to sever his connections, and isolate him in a growing abyss of doubt.Their breaths came fast, lungs burning with the cold, damp air as they ducked into a narrow utility shaft. Twisted cables hung like serpents, and crumbling walls groaned with history and neglect as they pushed further ahead.The echo of footsteps grew louder, closer.Around the next rusted corner, a figure blurred from the darkness—the silhouette of a man cloaked in shadows yet possessing the unmistakable poise of menace and intelligence."Looking for me?" the figure taunted, voice smooth yet dripping with malice. "Or are you chasing your own reflection, Arata?"The words stung. The challenge was clear—this was more than a fight. It was a game of wills between two minds equally sharp but pitted against one another with everything at stake.A brutal fight exploded in the confined space—blows landed with jarring impact, metal clashing against flesh and bone echoing off the tunnel walls.Arata fought through the sharp pain burning in his ribs, his jacket tearing as blood mingled with sweat. He thought of every lesson learned on the force, every puzzle solved, every moment running toward darkness to bring light.With a guttural yell, Arata landed a decisive blow, forcing the shadowy figure to stagger back.The silhouette's grin was cold, cruel. "This isn't over. The dust will settle—on bones."The figure vanished into the labyrinthine shadows before Arata could press the attack.Breathless and battered, Arata and Saki slipped into a small maintenance room, bolting the heavy metal door behind them.Arata leaned back against the cold wall, heart pounding, eyes burning with something between fury and determination."The deeper the shadow grows, the sharper the light we must carry," he muttered, voice hoarse but steady.Saki nodded, eyes dark but resolute. "We're running out of time. And options."The weight of the puppeteer's sinister game pressed down on them both. The illusions, the tricks—they were part of a larger, more twisted plan.Arata pressed a hand to his temple, pushing back the creeping madness threatening his grip on reality. The fractured memories, the static whispers—the images—all seemed to close in, but surrender wasn't an option.He had to piece together the shards before everything shattered completely.Outside, the city held its breath beneath the weight of storm clouds. Neon signs dripped rain like bleeding wounds. Somewhere in that sprawling urban ruin, the mastermind pulled strings, sending ripples of chaos through veins of dust.And Arata knew the war was far from over.
