Izuya didn't check the device immediately.
---
He went back to class.
Sat in his usual seat.
Looked out the window.
---
Normal routine.
---
But something was off.
---
Not outside.
Inside.
---
The device rested in his pocket.
---
He could feel its presence.
Not physically.
Mentally.
---
Like an unfinished thought.
---
Ophelia turned around during class.
"You're distracted."
---
"No."
---
"You are."
---
"I'm not."
---
She squinted at him.
"…Did something happen?"
---
Izuya paused.
---
"…No."
---
She leaned closer.
"That means yes."
---
Sakura didn't speak.
But her eyes were on him.
---
Careful.
Observing.
---
Izuya looked away.
---
"…It's nothing important."
---
---
After school—
---
He didn't go home immediately.
---
Instead, he stopped near an empty park a few streets away.
---
Same bench.
Same quiet.
---
No people nearby.
---
Good.
---
Izuya sat down.
Took the device out.
---
Small.
Matte black.
No buttons.
No visible interface.
---
"…Minimal," he muttered.
---
He turned it once.
Twice.
---
Then—
it activated.
---
A faint blue light appeared.
---
A screen unfolded across its surface.
---
Simple.
Clean.
---
No branding.
No system labels.
---
Just one line:
---
ACCESS GRANTED
---
Below it—
a list appeared.
---
Not files.
Not apps.
---
Systems.
---
Economic Models
Behavioral Prediction Networks
Governmental Influence Structures
Military Simulation Systems
---
Izuya stared at the screen.
---
"…This isn't school-level."
---
Not even close.
---
He tapped one.
---
Behavioral Prediction Networks
---
The screen shifted.
---
Graphs appeared.
Moving.
Updating in real time.
---
Population clusters.
Response patterns.
Emotional trends.
---
Cities.
Regions.
---
Entire sections of Buleria.
---
Izuya's eyes narrowed slightly.
---
"…Live data."
---
He scrolled.
---
Predictions.
Simulations.
Projected outcomes.
---
What people would do.
Before they did it.
---
A small pause.
---
"…So this is what you're doing."
---
The Azure Bird appeared in his mind.
---
But this time—
it didn't look calm.
---
---
Izuya switched to another system.
---
Economic Models
---
Budgets.
Allocations.
Flow of money.
---
Not just public data.
---
Hidden layers.
---
Unseen connections.
---
Manipulations.
---
Izuya leaned back slightly.
---
"…You're already inside everything."
---
---
A message appeared on the screen.
---
No sound.
Just text.
---
You opened it.
---
Izuya didn't react.
---
Good.
---
He typed once.
---
What is this?
---
A pause.
---
Then—
---
Control.
---
Izuya stared at the word.
---
"…Wrong answer," he muttered.
---
He typed again.
---
Purpose?
---
This time—
Arthur's response came slower.
---
Peace.
---
Silence.
---
Izuya looked at the screen.
---
Then at the empty park around him.
---
"…Through this?"
---
The reply came instantly.
---
Yes.
---
---
Izuya exhaled slowly.
---
"…Too big."
---
He stood up.
---
Looked at the sky.
---
"…Too noisy."
---
---
The device remained active in his hand.
---
Another message appeared.
---
You see the scale now.
---
Izuya didn't respond.
---
You understand the problem.
---
Still no response.
---
So what will you do?
---
A long pause.
---
Wind moved lightly through the trees.
---
The park stayed quiet.
---
For now.
---
Izuya looked at the device.
---
Then—
he typed.
---
Nothing.
---
A pause.
---
Then another message appeared.
---
Expected.
---
No emotion.
No judgment.
---
Just confirmation.
---
---
Izuya turned the device off.
---
The screen disappeared.
---
Silence returned.
---
---
But something remained.
---
Not the system.
Not the data.
---
The idea.
---
That someone—
Arthur—
was already moving the world.
---
While he stood still.
---
---
"…Troublesome," Izuya muttered again.
---
But this time—
---
it didn't sound like avoidance.
---
It sounded like thought.
---
---
From a distance—
unseen—
---
a black car stood parked across the street.
---
Inside—
a man watched quietly.
---
Not a student.
Not part of the school.
---
Something else.
---
He spoke softly into a phone.
---
"He accessed it."
---
A pause.
---
"Yes."
---
His eyes remained on Izuya.
---
"…He's not reacting."
---
Another pause.
---
"…Understood."
---
The call ended.
---
The car didn't move.
---
---
In the park—
---
Izuya slipped the device back into his pocket.
---
And started walking home.
---
Unaware—
---
that the noise Arthur created…
---
was no longer limited to school.
---
It had already begun spreading
into the real world.