The blaring alarms still echoed through the sealed corridors, their sharp metallic cries bouncing off the walls as panic continued to spread throughout I-Island.
Melissa stood frozen, her eyes filled with worry as her thoughts spiraled toward her father.
Arata, however, moved first.
He placed a firm hand on her shoulder.
"Calm down," he said steadily. "Nothing will happen to your father."
Melissa looked at him, her breathing uneven.
"How can you be so sure…?"
Arata's eyes sharpened slightly as he looked toward the sealed glass wall.
"Think about it," he said calmly. "If the villains wanted destruction, they would've attacked the building directly with those monsters. But instead, they sent them outside to create chaos."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"That means their target is inside this building. And since your father is David Shield—the leading scientist of I-Island—they'll want him alive. Not dead."
Melissa's expression shifted as she processed his words.
Slowly, her panic lessened.
"…That makes sense," she whispered, though worry still lingered in her eyes.
Her hands clenched slightly.
"But… I can't just stand here while he's in danger."
Arata nodded. "I know."
He took a step forward, his gaze steady.
"I'll help you save him."
Melissa's eyes widened in surprise.
"Really?"
"But," Arata continued, "you'll have to help me first."
She blinked, confused.
"What do you mean?"
Arata's expression turned serious.
"The only way we can both rescue everyone and stop the villains… is by following my plan."
Melissa stared at him, shock evident in her eyes.
"You… have a plan for all this?"
Arata gave a small nod.
"Yes."
Then his tone lowered slightly.
"But whatever I do… whatever inventions I use… don't ask questions right now. Save them for later. After everything is over."
Melissa hesitated.
Her gaze shifted briefly toward the sealed shutters, her thoughts filled with worry for her father.
Then she looked back at Arata.
After a moment—She nodded.
"…Okay."
Arata didn't waste another second.
He pulled off his coat and tie, tossing them aside carelessly. His fingers moved quickly as he unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt, loosening his formal appearance.
Then—He grabbed the pearl bracelet on his wrist.
And crushed it.
All except one pearl.
A burst of bright blue light erupted as the pearls shattered, transforming mid-air into multiple compact devices and advanced gadgets that hovered briefly before settling around him.
Melissa's eyes widened in shock.
She instinctively took a step back.
'Those… came out of the bracelet…?'
Questions flooded her mind, but she bit her lip, forcing herself to stay silent.
'He told me not to ask…'
Her gaze remained fixed on him.
'…Who exactly are you, Arata…?'
Arata pulled on a black cloak, the fabric settling over his body, before equipping the invisibility mask. Then came the wristbands—one transforming into the telekinesis quirk glove, the other into the compress quirk glove.
He slid four rings onto his fingers, two on each hand, their designs intricate and unfamiliar.
One by one, he equipped additional devices beneath his clothing, preparing himself efficiently.
Then he turned toward Melissa.
"Do you know where the staircase is?" he asked.
"We need to get to the generator room. It's the safest route."
Melissa snapped out of her thoughts and nodded quickly.
"Yes—this way."
She led him down the corridor. Reaching the staircase door, she pushed it open.
As they stepped inside—Arata activated his telekinesis bracelet.
It expanded, forming the white glove with glowing green lines that pulsed faintly with energy.
Without warning—Both of them lifted into the air.
Melissa gasped.
"Wha—!"
They rose smoothly, defying gravity as Arata controlled their movement effortlessly.
They ascended floor by floor, skipping the stairs entirely.
Melissa stared at the glowing glove on his hand, her eyes filled with disbelief.
'An invention… that replicates telekinesis…?'
Her mind struggled to comprehend it.
Soon—They reached the 100th floor.
Arata slowed their ascent and gently pushed open the door, stepping into the hallway with Melissa beside him.
He lowered them onto the ground.
The moment they stepped forward—Security robots activated.
Mechanical whirs filled the air as multiple units charged toward them.
Arata didn't flinch.
He raised his hand.
The telekinesis glove glowed brighter.
The robots stopped mid-motion, frozen in place.
Then—He clenched his fist.
A crushing force compressed the heads of the robots instantly, metal twisting and collapsing under invisible pressure.
Melissa stared in stunned silence as the destroyed robots fell lifelessly to the ground.
Without stopping, Arata walked forward.
Melissa followed.
They soon entered a massive chamber.
The generator room.
Arata's eyes gleamed behind the mask. Excitement flickered within them.
He took out the final remaining pearl and crushed it.
Light burst forth once again, forming a large hexagonal chamber-like machine that landed heavily on the ground.
The Infinity Stone Chamber.
He dragged it toward the generator and immediately got to work, pulling out wires and connecting them with precise movements. At the same time, he activated the control system near the generator.
Melissa stepped closer, observing the device carefully.
'This… looks like some kind of energy control system… or maybe an energy weapon…?'
Her thoughts raced, but she remained silent.
Arata took a deep breath.
Then—He pressed the button.
The generator roared to life. Electricity surged violently, far beyond its normal output. The energy being produced was immense—far exceeding what it usually generated over years of operation.
All of it—Was being funneled into the chamber.
Melissa's eyes widened in shock.
"So much energy…!"
Arata didn't respond.
His gaze remained locked onto the chamber.
Unmoving.
Unblinking.
Time passed.
Seconds stretched.
Then minutes.
Five minutes later—The chamber exploded.
"Arata—!"
Melissa flinched as the shockwave burst outward.
But before it could reach them—A telekinetic barrier formed instantly around them, blocking the force completely.
Arata pushed his hand forward, dispersing the smoke and debris with a repulsive force.
Then he ran.
Straight toward the destroyed chamber.
Melissa followed behind him, slightly stumbling as she tried to keep up.
Arata reached the remains and began pushing aside the wreckage, his breathing slightly uneven.
'Did it… fail…?'
He swallowed.
Then—He saw it.
The container compartment.
He opened it—And instantly shut his eyes.
Blinding blue light erupted from within. Melissa did the same, shielding her eyes instinctively.
The energy intensified. The light grew brighter.
Stronger. Unstable.
Arata dropped the container and stepped back, pulling Melissa with him.
The energy pulsed violently, sending a wave outward—A massive surge of blue energy spread across the entire island.
People staggered. Nomus faltered.
Everything was momentarily disoriented.
Inside the room, the energy began to change. It started condensing. Swirling inward. Compressing into a single point.
Slowly—A blue stone began to form.
The light dimmed. The energy stabilized.
Arata and Melissa slowly opened their eyes.
And there it was.
Floating in the air.
A walnut-sized blue stone, radiating immense power.
Arata's breath quickened.
'…I did it.'
His eyes widened slightly.
'The Space Stone…'
'…I succeeded.'
Arata stepped forward slowly.
He removed the compress glove from his right hand, reverting it into a wristband and placing it in his pocket. Then he took off the two rings from his right hand and stored them as well.
From his pocket, he pulled out another device.
A brownish-gold wristband.
He activated it.
The device expanded, covering his hand and forearm, reshaping itself into a gauntlet— A design identical to Thanos' Infinity Gauntlet.
Arata approached the floating stone.
And reached out.
His fingers touched it.
The moment contact was made—Power surged.
The stone vibrated violently.
Arata felt it.
The raw energy.
The overwhelming force contained within.
Using his telekinesis-gloved left hand, he carefully guided the stone and placed it into one of the empty slots on the gauntlet.
The moment it settled—Energy exploded outward.
Blue light surged through the gauntlet, spreading into his arm and across his body.
His veins glowed brightly.
Power coursed through him uncontrollably.
Arata gritted his teeth.
'Control it…'
He took a deep breath.
Focus!
Slowly—The energy calmed.
The glow faded.
His breathing steadied.
Behind him, Melissa stared in complete disbelief.
"Arata… what did you just do…?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly. "What is that stone…?"
Arata turned toward her.
A confident grin spread across his face.
"It's the key," he said, "to stopping this situation."
Before she could respond—He looked toward the entrance.
More security robots were entering the room.
Arata raised his gauntlet.
And made a grabbing motion.
The stone pulsed.
Blue light spread instantly, covering the robots.
They froze.
Completely motionless.
Locked in space.
Arata smirked.
Behind him, Melissa stood in stunned silence, her expression completely dumbfounded.