Far from Reishin, beyond the lands most people dared to even speak about, stood the hidden grounds of Squadra Diciotto.
Their presence was quiet, but their influence wasn't.
Black uniforms moved through the halls tight, form-fitting tunics with red accents, paired with sleek combat pants designed for speed and silence. The outfits blended stealth and precision, something between assassins and scientists. They didn't look like soldiers. They looked like hunters.
Inside the central facility, the air felt colder.
Papers covered nearly every surface, diagrams layered over each other like a mind that refused to rest. Strange tools hummed faintly on metal tables, glass containers filled with unstable glowing substances, notes scratched in hurried writing scattered across the room.
At the center
Reiju stood.
His face hidden behind a mask, his posture rigid as he stared at a complex diagram drawn across a large sheet. His hand trembled slightly before-
He slammed it down.
"Useless."
The paper crumpled instantly.
Without warning, he grabbed nearby tools and threw them across the room, metal clattering loudly against the walls. The frustration in his movements wasn't small it was controlled chaos, like someone constantly on the edge of breakthrough or collapse.
"…Why won't it stabilize…"
His voice was low, irritated.
A figure stood quietly near the door.
"…Sir."
Reiju didn't turn. "…What."
"The letter is ready."
Reiju paused.
Then slowly straightened.
"…Send it."
The member nodded and stepped back, disappearing from the room.
Reiju exhaled slowly, adjusting his gloves as his eyes shifted back to the scattered notes.
"…Reikosha Academy…"
His tone carried something darker now.
"…Let's see if you still protect your students the same way."
Outside the facility, the atmosphere was completely different.
A group of men sat casually on the ground, the tension inside nowhere to be found here. The sun shone lightly over them, and laughter echoed as they passed food around like it was just another normal day.
Raizen sat among them.
A soft smile rested on his face as he handed a small piece of bread to a child standing nearby.
"…Here. Eat slowly."
The child nodded happily, running off.
A large man beside him Turbo watched with a grin.
"You're really kind, huh?"
Raizen chuckled softly, shaking his head. "…It's nothing."
Turbo smirked. "You say that every time."
Raizen leaned back slightly, looking up at the sky. "…It's not like I'm a good person."
The group laughed.
"…Sure you're not," one of them said.
Raizen smiled faintly but didn't respond.
For a brief moment, his eyes shifted toward the main facility the scientist residential building where Reiju stayed.
Something about his gaze changed.
But just as quickly
He looked away.
Back inside, the air had grown heavier.
Ronin stood before Reiju now, his spear resting firmly in his grip, his posture straight and disciplined.
Reiju circled him slowly.
"…If no one volunteers…"
His voice echoed slightly in the room.
"…Then we take."
Ronin didn't react.
Reiju stopped in front of him.
"…Shougo."
The name lingered.
"…He'll come," Reiju continued. "And if he doesn't…"
His hand lifted slowly
Reaching toward Ronin's face.
"…We'll make him."
His gloved fingers brushed lightly against Ronin's cheek, almost gentle.
"…Humans are beautiful, you know."
Ronin stayed silent.
Reiju smiled beneath the mask.
"…Their limits… their fear… their breaking point…"
His tone darkened slightly.
"…That's where the real energy is."
He stepped back, spreading his arms slightly.
"…And yet they hate experiments."
A quiet laugh escaped him.
"…How can they reject something so… beautiful?"
Ronin finally spoke.
"…Because it destroys them."
Reiju tilted his head slightly.
"…Exactly."
Silence filled the room.
"…And that's what makes it perfect."
Elsewhere in the facility, deeper within the lower levels, Turbo moved through a storage room filled with old equipment and sealed containers. His heavy steps echoed slightly as he searched through shelves, moving objects aside with little care.
"…Where did they put it…"
He muttered under his breath, opening one container after another.
Metal.
Glass.
Scraps.
Nothing useful.
Until-
He stopped.
"…Huh."
At the back of the room, partially hidden behind stacked crates, was a sealed case. Unlike the others, it had markings etched into its surface symbols that looked older, more refined.
Turbo crouched slightly, brushing dust off it.
"…This looks important."
He cracked it open.
Inside...
A faint glow.
Not bright.
Not unstable.
Just… steady.
"…What is this…"
He reached in carefully, pulling out a small core-like object. It pulsed faintly, almost like it was alive, but not in a chaotic way like the others.
"…This isn't from the chamber…"
Turbo's expression shifted slightly.
"…This is… clean."
For the first time, something in that place didn't feel broken.
He stared at it for a moment longer.
Then smirked.
"…Heh… Reiju's gonna love this."
Above, in the main halls, the sound of footsteps echoed again as members moved into position, preparing for what was coming next.
The letter had been sent.
The decision had been made.
And somewhere far away
Reikosha Academy was about to be pulled into something far worse than a simple battle.
Because this time...
They weren't fighting to win.
They were being chosen.
For something they might not survive.