1:58 A.M.
Naples, Campania, Italy.
The skies above were flooded with debris. Chunks and pieces of buildings were suspended in the air, as if gravity was on vacation. But the light rain falling from the sky seemed unaffected.
A sprinting foot slammed onto the wet concrete of a narrow street that dead-ended. The thug braked, slipped, and crashed into a puddle. Behind him, unhurried footsteps followed.
A girl approached, who looked in her early twenties. Dark hair with pale edges stopping halfway over her back, bangs on the right side longer than the left. Fingerless gloves on her hands—right one black, left one white—right hand gripping the black hilt of a katana sheathed in a black scabbard with white-and-gold patterns.
The thug turned, desperately trying to crawl away.
"No, no, no! Ti prego, lasciami andare! (No, no, no! Please, let me go!)."
She stopped a few meters away, her voice a merciless whisper.
"Il cliente ti vuole morto. (The client wants you dead.)"
The thumb and middle finger of her left hand met.
"No! Aspetta! Lucia!"
A snap.
A violent thunder strike echoed throughout the city.
She stood at a bus stand that remained standing in the abandoned city devastated by a Rogue Null. The only sound at that moment was rain against the metal shed.
Her eyes drifted to a puddle of water that reflected the gloomy sky. And standing near it, her face was reflected too. Her left eye was dark brown—normal. Her right eye was off-white—a side effect of being an Infused Null.
"Feels like just yesterday I was sleeping hungry and using scraps for clothing."
She wore a full-sleeve black shirt—tucked into belt-strapped matching skinny jeans—and black sneakers with off-white trim. It was nothing fancy, but clean, simple, and to her liking.
The staring contest against her reflection soon ended as something other than the sound of rain reached her ears—rain against an umbrella and wet footsteps.
A man in black approached, bearing a white hexagonal crest with a black double helix. He stopped beside her, not making any eye contact.
"Job's done," she said.
He handed her an envelope.
"Well done, Signorina Cacciatrice di Taglie."
Her eyes narrowed.
"This feels heavier than usual."
"Open it," he said.
She complied.
Inside were fifty bills of a hundred euros—as she expected. What she didn't expect was a plane ticket and a passport.
"They need operatives at Nexus Pentagon."
She put the contents back into the envelope.
"You want me to travel across the world to an island complex near Malaysia."
"Find someone else."
"This will also be a test to evaluate whether you're capable of joining the high ranks. Entity-13 will be there to assist you."
"En's gonna be there, huh?" she muttered to herself.
"Still, I'm not that desperate to join."
"Did I mention they'll quadruple your pay rate if you accept?" he asked casually.
She froze for a moment, then let out a long sigh.
"Son of a bi-"
Sayuri led the way through the clean corridors of the Instructors' Quarters. Zen followed behind, carrying a bag containing his clothes and belongings.
"Was it that important to move at six in the morning?" Zen asked flatly.
"If you hadn't suddenly disappeared without informing me last night, we would've been done with this already," Sayuri replied without breaking stride.
They eventually stopped in front of a door. Sayuri began tweaking settings on the security scanner.
Zen watched her work.
"All this feels unnecessary."
"Anything regarding your well-being feels unnecessary to you."
He went silent for a second before speaking again. "Assigning her as my caretaker was something I could accept. But being roommates... feels unethical by my standards."
She held up the palm of her left hand without looking.
"You two will have your own rooms, unlike the standard dormitory structure. That allows her to stay close enough to help you while also maintaining both your privacies."
Zen handed her his student ID.
She got back to work on adding it to the system. "I know how hard it is for you to sleep. I wouldn't be able to either if my past came to haunt me every night. Since Shiori is willing to help with it, there's no reason not to accept."
The scanner accepted the card, and the door unlocked. Sayuri handed the card back and pushed the door open.
Stepping in, the first thing that drew attention was the large living room with a sofa set at the center. Two doors to bedrooms could be seen just past it, and two more to its left—one to the bathroom and one to the master bedroom. At the right corner was the entrance to the kitchen.
Shiori arrived, hearing the door open, already changed into uniform, hands clasped demurely. Her gaze landed on Sayuri—
"Welcome."
—then shifted to Zen, lingering on him.
Both took off their shoes. Sayuri entered first. Zen followed, walking past Shiori without making eye contact.
Sayuri gestured at the right and left doors in front, respectively.
"This one is Shiori's. And this one is yours."
Zen looked at the door to his left.
"And what's that one?"
"That's a room for two people. You won't be needing that, so it's locked," Sayuri replied. "The Instructors' Quarters apartments are designed for families. Four individual instructors can also share an apartment if they want to."
She unlocked the door with a key and stepped in to turn on the lights. Zen entered while Shiori remained at the doorway.
Zen carefully observed the room. The single bed to the left of the door, the desk beside the bed for studying, the small closet in the wall, and, straight in front of the door—a small balcony separated by sliding glass doors.
"So, everything to your liking? Speak your mind," Sayuri said.
"I've seen this structure before. Won't be a problem getting used to it," he replied.
Sayuri nodded.
"Good. If you need anything from me, my apartment's on the second floor, fifth door."
She turned to leave.
Shiori stepped aside from the doorway as Sayuri walked by. She followed her to the main door. "Would you mind staying a little longer to have some tea, Sensei?"
Sayuri put on her shoes and paused at the door.
"I wouldn't, but I have to get on with my day. Maybe next time."
Then her voice became lower and softer.
"Take care of that idiot for me. He's in your hands now."
Shiori gave a polite bow.
"I will do my best."
Sayuri lingered a second longer, then turned and walked out, waving her hand over her shoulder.
Shiori closed the door and shifted her attention to him.
Zen dropped his bag on a chair and opened the balcony door for fresh air.
Shiori appeared at the room doorway.
"Have you had breakfast yet?" she asked gently.
Zen hesitated for a moment.
"Not yet."
"Shall I prepare something for you?"
"...Sure."
She left for the kitchen.
He didn't move. He looked up at the just-now-rising sun, painting the surrounding sky orange. A long sigh escaped him.
Zen arrived at the kitchen, finding Shiori cooking at the stove. He observed the room, noting all the details like always—the larger-than-usual space, the clean white cabinets, the dining table at the center that looked a little more expensive than necessary. Even the tap in the kitchen had multiple functions.
He took a seat at the table.
"The academy is really generous, huh?"
"It excels even at the most trivial matters," Shiori said, flipping an omelet. "But it's also slowly losing that reputation, being unable to win the Nexus Academic Warriors Championship for the past two years."
Zen propped his chin on one hand. "Stelle has high expectations this year. Given the number of talented students this year, I can see why."
Shiori plated two pieces of toasted bread and a side of salad with the omelet, and presented it at the table.
Zen picked up a fork.
"You're not going to have any?"
"I've already had mine," she replied while moving to grab juice from the fridge.
Zen started with the omelet.
"You're up early because you were expecting me?"
"I always wake up early." She moved to sit down on the chair opposite him and began pouring the juice into a glass. "How is it?"
"Tastes good." Zen quietly chewed for a moment.
"...Why did you agree to stay?"
"Because I'm getting paid," she replied.
"That's a lie," he said without hesitation while taking another bite.
"That's not your real reason."
Shiori went still, but her expression never changed. After ten whole seconds of silence, she spoke again. "My parents once asked me how I felt about getting married to you as part of a political alliance between the Fūryū no Senshi (Wind Dragon Warriors) and Shinrin no Tami (People of the Forest)."
He didn't stop chewing.
"And?"
"I said yes without a second thought."
"Horrible joke."
"I wasn't joking."
Zen's chewing slowed to a stop. He gulped, and the next second he began coughing as if he were choking.
Shiori passed him the glass of juice.
He grabbed it and drank it all in one go. The breath that had been stuck in his throat finally escaped.
"What is wrong with you?"
Shiori blinked, tilting her head.
"Pardon?"
"Are you that eager to end up alone in the future?" he asked, actively trying to keep his cool. "You know very well I might end up in the grave faster than anyone else. Not to mention, healing me could be lethal to you as well."
He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms.
"You also know I'm incapable of returning love. You have no reason to stay here."
Shiori's gaze lowered to the table. The grip of her hands tightened over her lap.
"It is just like Krylova mentioned. Pushing people away when he needs them the most..."
Zen stared at her, waiting for a response. She sat in silence. After deciding that he had given her enough time to respond, he moved to get up.
"I do have a reason," she said before he could get up.
He froze.
She lifted her head again.
"I want to learn swordsmanship from you."
"That's an excuse."
"Even if it is, it is still a reason."
Zen's eyes narrowed.
"I don't teach."
Shiori's eyes did too.
"You're the one lying now."
"How so?"
"You taught Krylova's younger brother, Nikolai," she replied.
"He's now a prodigy at Solace Academy."
"That was two years ago. Plus, he's an exception."
"You're teaching Princess Lysandra and Princess Elysia," she added.
"You have helped Krylova before as well. You taught Finn Morrison everything you knew about hand-to-hand combat since you both were ten. You and Madoka Fuyukawa trained together to push each other's physical limits."
"You fought side by side with Sayuri Harukaze during your student era and many more I can list, including old 'friends'."
Zen's eyes widened.
"How do you..."
"How do I what?" she cut him off. "You thought I didn't know? Sure, I had to sign a few confidentiality agreements—but using everything in my power, I dug up as much as I could. I have more than I'll ever need."
"After learning about all the lives you've changed, everything you've been through, every piece of sorrow, pain, and failure you've been carrying for years..." She paused, voice cracking. "...you're just planning to die alone, and you think I'll let you?"
"Have you ever stopped and wondered about how other people feel, even though you've made peace with it? Do you think isolating yourself was the correct response to that?"
Zen palmed his face.
Shiori shook her head.
"It wasn't. You're wrong to think. We feel the need to help you, too. And I have the will to act on that feeling. I want to help you. I will help you. You can't stop me, not after I've already grasped the opportunity."
"I pushed myself to awaken my healing because you were dying right in front of me just after you had saved me. And now, I'm going to do everything in my power to keep you alive, even if it kills me."
"So, teach me how to wield my weapon better."
Zen exhaled through his mouth, long and loud.
"...Fine. You win."
"I'm going to hate this," he murmured.
The bow of a three-hundred-meter-long, seventy-meter-wide hull swiftly cut through the calm seawater. The Aircraft Carrier, WML Nexus, assigned to the Nexus Pentagon, traveled unbothered with its naval fleet.
The twin engines of a jet hummed on standby as the pilot waited for the signal. The shooter, wearing a bright yellow jacket, counted to three and signaled forward. The catapult fired, accelerating the jet to takeoff speed in seconds. The pilot pushed on the throttle, and the jet took off for a routine flight without a hitch.
Umbra watched it take off as he walked past several aircraft parked on the carrier flight deck. He came to a stop at the front of the flight deck and looked down at the foam, bubbles, and ripples forming on the water.
The next moment, a large shadow passed over him, and he looked up. He saw something he didn't expect—or maybe he did expect the obvious.
A sleek, black aircraft, slightly larger than a conventional fighter. Its fuselage retained the aggressive shape of one, but there were no engines at the rear. Instead, it had a propulsion system cleanly integrated into the back edge of the wings and the vertical stabilizers. Two horizontal lift fans were installed into the bottom of the wings for VTOL (Vertical Takeoff and Landing).
The jet slowed as it approached the flight deck. The circular sections of the wings, acting as lids over the horizontal fans, slid away, allowing the fans to draw air from above and force it downward for vertical landing.
The jet slowed to a hover over the flight deck, deployed its landing gear, and slowly descended. The wheels finally touched down, and the jet powered down within a minute, letting the fans spin to a stop as the propulsion system cooled down.
The flight deck crew approached while the rear ramp opened with a hydraulic hum.
Tessa walked down and stopped in front of the crew.
"Maintenance and refueling requested."
The crew snapped her a salute and got to work. Tessa didn't stand around and instantly turned her attention to the front of the flight deck.
Both spotted each other. Umbra stood there while Tessa walked and stomped to him until they were face to face.
He was taller, so she had to look up.
"Didn't expect me, did ya? And what are you doing here?" she asked, hands on her hips.
He stared at her, then tilted his head.
"...Aurora didn't tell you?"
"I wouldn't be asking otherwise. She told me to find you. I followed orders without thinking about what was going on until yesterday. I believe you have an explanation for this?"
"...Explanation for what?"
"Oh, you metalhead," she murmured, showing him a fist. "You went missing from your assigned post, snuck into a Cargo Aircraft, and flew all the way to Trincomalee. And after flying for hours, stopping to refuel multiple times—I find you sailing an Aircraft Carrier that you boarded without authorization. Thanks to you for being so predictable, Aurora knew exactly what you were up to."
"Did she send you to take me back?" he asked.
"Not really," Tessa replied.
"She sent me to accompany you."
Umbra paused, processing.
"I suppose I can tell you."
Three days ago,
WML Airbase, Lithuania, Vanguard Helicopter
Aurora went through combat reports on her tablet.
"You want to head back?"
Umbra nodded. "Correct."
"Why is that?"
Umbra hesitated, but eventually replied.
"I felt a sudden resonance not long ago—something like... myself. I've tracked the signal location to Nexus Pentagon. I do not know which island exactly, though."
Aurora put the tablet away and finally looked at him.
"You 'felt' a resonance to something like yourself..."
Her expression turned thoughtful. Her voice went quieter.
"That sounds like something definitely worth investigating."
"So, may I get permission to depart as soon as possible?" he asked.
Aurora regained her voice. "Unfortunately, I can't authorize you to leave. We were stationed here by high command. We have duties we must fulfill. If you wish to leave, you will have to send a formal request."
"That would take days to be approved," he argued.
"I wish to head back right away."
"I can't help in this case. You will have to follow procedure."
"Why not contact Sire for permission? He has the authority to override," he asked without hesitation.
"He's recovering from a fatal incident. You understand very well that we cannot bother him over such matters at the moment," she replied just as fast. "Following procedure is your only option."
Umbra stood there silently. His gaze shifted to the floor for a second before he turned and began walking away. "Understood."
Back at present
Tessa tilted her head. "So, you decided to disobey orders and run off to do your own thing. That is a direct violation of our code."
Umbra looked directly into her glowing eyes. "If you understand the implication behind my reason, you know it's as dangerous as our war against the Anti-Elemental factions, if not more."
Tessa walked past him and gazed down at the seawaters. "I do understand. And I also understand why Aurora told me to accompany you rather than arrest you. She knew you'd do this."
She turned around and walked back to him. "Once Ravynne's jet is ready, we'll leave for Nexus Pentagon. It'll be much faster than cruising on an Aircraft Carrier."
Umbra nodded.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome," she said.
"Oh, and also..."
She shifted her right foot back and threw a punch at his face with full force—metal on metal—staggering him one step back. "You may be taller and stronger, but as the older twin, I will punish you for all the mess you keep making."
Umbra didn't try to block or counter, and ate the punch.
Tessa walked past him towards the aircraft maintenance hangers.
"Let's go."