Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Shivering.

Silence.

Shivering.

For the past twenty minutes, this phenomenon had been repeating itself. The area would alternate between complete silence, broken only by the occasional groans of lost etherials in this godforsaken place, and sudden, muffled thuds followed by tremors. What the hell was going on?

"Raider-Scout 3, report the situation," came a sudden voice from the radio hanging on the raider's chest.

"Raider-Scout 3 reporting. Over the past twenty minutes, a strange noise and accompanying vibrations have appeared at the observation point," the raider reported, having first removed the radio from his chest.

"What the hell do you mean, noise and vibrations? Cause identified?"

"Not yet, but..."

"What do you mean, 'not yet,' damn it? What am I paying you for?! To sit quietly on the roof? Get down there right now and check out what the hell is going on!"

"But sir, what if it's..."

"Orders from your superior are not up for discussion. Now get your ass to the point of 'interest.' Understood?"

"Yeah, I got it."

"Good. Report back in 10 minutes about what the hell is causing all that racket. If necessary, kill it. Actually, no—kill it no matter what. We don’t need any extra eyes around here. Over and out." The communication cut off, and the radio fell silent again. Hanging it back on his chest, the scout headed for the roof exit.

"Asshole. Why the hell should I, a regular drifter on reconnaissance duty, have to go poke around in some shithole and check out this..."

Shivering.

"...bullshit."

Quietly making his way down the stairs, the raider exited the building and headed toward the source of the noise. Carefully navigating the long-deserted streets, the fighter stumbled upon piles of garbage and the remains of bones belonging to those who hadn’t managed to escape this place years ago. Slowly stepping over the remains and debris, the scout continued his journey toward the target. After five minutes of moving through the filthy alleys, the nameless raider suddenly realized that the noise had stopped.

"Strange. Maybe it was just etherials fighting over prey? No, they wouldn’t have taken this long... Alright, orders are orders. They’re not paying me for nothing. Let’s check it out and get back quickly. Time’s running out anyway."

As he continued moving, the raider noticed a strange smell. The smell of... iron. Looking around, he realized that he had been walking through an alley for the past minute, its walls smeared with blood and chunks of flesh. As if someone had wiped them clean against the wall.

"What the... Wait, this wasn’t here before! This just appeared! And where are the bodies? Couldn’t those creatures have eaten everything? There should’ve been something left!"

"Alright, Chris, you’ve been through worse. Maybe it really was just etherials, and they’ve already left. After all, there’s nothing else for them to do here," the raider reassured himself and continued moving, occasionally glancing at the walls now painted crimson.

Further down, the alley ended, opening into a wasteland littered with mutilated bodies, shattering any hope of a peaceful mission.

"Damn it, what happened here? Some new kind of monster?"

Suddenly, a grinding noise came from behind.

The raider spun around and aimed his weapon in the direction of the sound. But all he could see through the scope was darkness, soaked in the blood of the now cold bodies.

"Come out nicely, you freak! If you come out on your own, I’ll make your death painless!" Chris shouted, staring intently into the corner.

But there was no sound, no movement.

The radio on his chest crackled to life:

"Raider-Scout 3, report the situation. What’s going on with the noise? Did you find the source of the vibrations?"

The mercenary reached for his chest to respond, but...

That’s exactly what it was waiting for.

At that moment, a dark figure leaped out of the shadows, easily over 1.9 meters tall. It was clad in black clothing that shimmered in places like metal, with a pitch-black cloak billowing behind it. The scout didn’t even have time to grab the radio before his world turned upside down.

Since when was the sky below?

The last thing the mercenary saw was the sky swapping places with the ground, and the ground with the sky. From beneath the hood hiding the stranger’s face, only two blue flames were visible, guiding him on his final journey.

"Sorry, Rico, I failed," was Chris’s last thought as the blade severed his head in an instant.

"Come in, Scout 3. Do you read me? Why aren’t you answering, huh? Have you lost your damn mind? If you don’t answer right now, I’ll... You know what? We’ve already been delayed too long. Don’t worry, we’ll put your share to good use, just like your little friend. So stay there in the cavern, and I hope you die quickly. HA HA HA." The communication cut off. This time, for good.

---

"Well, it seems there won’t be any more guests," said the stranger, wiping the remnants of blood from his sword as he glanced at the radio.

"Another cavern raider. I wonder what brought him here? And who’s this girl he mentioned?"

Finishing cleaning his sword, he grabbed the now cold body by the leg and tossed it onto the pile of others.

After a brief glance at the bodies, the swordsman headed toward his backpack, sitting in the corner of the wasteland. Quickly opening it, he pulled out an unknown device.

"You’ve done well. Time for you to rest," the blue-eyed man muttered softly, turning off the device. He needed to move; the ether creatures would soon arrive, drawn by the scent. Stashing the device in his backpack and slinging it over his shoulder, the mysterious swordsman headed for the exit of what was now truly a "dead land." Exiting the alley, he saw a large hangar, its height equivalent to a five-story building. Quickly crossing the road, he approached the hangar entrance. Carefully ducking under the broken doorway, the mysterious "raven" slipped inside.

The interior was eerily empty, as if no battles or signs of abandonment had ever touched it. Pulling a tablet from his backpack, the man entered a code that turned on the lights in the hangar, revealing that it wasn’t entirely empty. In the center of the space stood a robot—no, a humanoid mech, standing ten meters tall. It was painted in a dark green military color, covered in scratches and dents. On its shoulder was a massive cannon capable of leveling a building behind another building. Its left arm had a reinforced section on the back, as if something was meant to spring out from there. After pressing a few more buttons on the tablet, the mech began to hum, as if its reactor was powering up. Stashing the tablet in his backpack, the man climbed onto the mech’s roof and entered through a hatch that had obligingly opened earlier. Syncing with the ACS*, a voice echoed through the cockpit.

"Welcome home, Nudol."

"Yeah, I know. System and combat module check," Nudol said, simultaneously checking the energy signatures approaching the rendezvous point.

"All systems fully operational. Core stability at 98%. Matter converter malfunction detected. Large concentration of etherials detected 300 meters from your position," the HUD displayed.

"Perfect. Let’s wrap this up for today," the mech pilot said as the machine burst through the hangar roof.

Rapidly ascending to an altitude of five hundred meters, the mech began flying toward the cluster of etherials. There, at what was now a feast, Nudol saw numerous Tirfings* and Alpacs*. Among them were also Hati* and Thanatos*, but the main attraction of the banquet was him—the Butcher*. A four-meter-tall monstrosity, stomping its massive feet on the lifeless bodies as a sign of its dominance, its strength. It was showing the others who was in charge.

"Well, if you want to prove your strength, let’s see how you handle the Pheasant*," the pilot said, his final words before the area was bathed in a violet light.

Where the etherials had been just a second ago, there was now only a crater, a reminder of the carnage that had taken place. After observing the area for a moment longer, the mech stowed its weapon and activated stealth mode. Climbing back to an altitude of half a kilometer, the mech began flying away from the cavern.

"That’s enough for today. Belle might be worried if I’m gone too long. I hope she hasn’t woken up yet..." Nudol muttered, glancing at the clock, which read 7:42.

---

Silence. Only the faint hum of jet engines disturbed the dead stillness. The mech, massive and angular like a shadow from the past, glided slowly over the ruins. Its hull, covered in scratches and shrapnel marks, reflected the dim light of the cavern. On its chest, a barely visible number—004—flickered faintly, a symbol of a long-forgotten project that had once laid the foundation for modern robotics, yet still surpassed it in many ways.

Below stretched the city—or what was left of it. Skyscrapers that had once proudly reached for the sky now lay broken like matchsticks. The streets were littered with rubble and debris. Advertisements, once bright and loud, now hung from buildings like tattered skin. Somewhere below, among the ruins, shadows moved—perhaps cavern explorers, or maybe just more etherials. The radar was off, to avoid detection by foreign IFF systems.

Numbers and symbols flickered across Nudol’s HUD, but he paid them no mind. His gaze was fixed on the horizon, where the ruins gradually gave way to a desert, and beyond that, a city. That’s where he was headed. Home.

Chapter Text

9:38

Outside the window, perpetually covered by blinds, the hustle and bustle of another ordinary day could be heard. From the "Turbo" workshop, as always, the sounds of drills and other tools echoed. No surprise there—Enzo's shop always had something to keep busy with. Across the street, a quiet melody from another masterpiece could be heard, one of many in the music store "Bard's Needle," owned by the intellectual construct Elfi. Her music finally roused the room's owner from her pleasant dreams.

-"Ugh, next time I'll go to bed earlier. No more games before sleep, for real this time," said Belle, stretching in bed, trying to shake off the drowsiness. Getting up, the girl changed her clothes and headed to the bathroom to start her day. After finishing, she went downstairs to greet her brother, but to her surprise, he was nowhere to be found. Glancing at the front door, Belle saw Sial awkwardly waving at her. The blue-haired girl quickly opened the door and let the promoter in. "Good morn-, afternoon! Good afternoon, Sial, he-he. Wasn’t Wise supposed to let you in by now?"

-"No, was he?" Sial asked, shaking her head. To be honest, the silver-haired guy never struck her as someone who would forget his responsibilities. But lately, he seemed a bit distracted. Constantly zoning out, his gaze fixed on some unknown point, his mouth moving in silent mutterings only he understood.

Belle shook her head: "You know he’s an early bird and has been opening the shop for ages. Let’s go check on him. Maybe he just overslept?" she asked with a smile. The promoter with two braids thought for a second before nodding in agreement. Why not? Closing the door behind them, they headed to the second floor, to Wise's room. Ignoring Bamboo 18, they knocked on the door. Getting no response, Belle knocked again, this time a bit louder. Again, met with silence, the sister had enough: "Alright, brother, have it your way! We’re coming in!" She opened the door and entered the room with the promoter.

Inside, they found an empty room. The bed was neatly made, the desk was spotless, and in the corner, Eos was quietly charging. After a quick glance around the room, Belle approached Bangboo 1, hoping to find out where her brother was. Quickly disconnecting it from the power, Bangboo woke up and stared at its owner: "En-na-ne? (What happened, Belle?)" Kneeling down, the proxy asked: "Eos, do you know where Wise went? He was supposed to open the shop today, but he’s nowhere to be found." Hesitating for a moment, Eos replied that since last night, it hadn’t left the charging station, so it didn’t know where her brother was. Processing the information, she immediately pulled out her phone and dialed Wise’s number. By the fourth ring, the sister sat down on the couch, nervously tapping her foot. After a minute, the call went to voicemail, and Belle nervously put the phone down on the couch. Curling up, she started trembling, but Sial sat down beside her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. -"Hey, Belle. What’s wrong?" The proxy shook her head. -"Maybe you want to talk about it, let it out? Talking can help, you know," the friend said softly. -"I want to help you, so please, let me do that?"

Belle slowly turned, and Sial saw tears in her eyes -"Alright, alright. When we were kids living in the capital, Wise disappeared one day when he was sixteen. I was thirteen, and I thought maybe he was just out having fun with friends and forgot to tell me, but a day passed. I waited. I waited for three days, and on the fourth, disaster struck. Old Eridu was swallowed by a cavern, and I never saw him again.

I was left alone. My parents died in that catastrophe, along with all my other relatives. So much time was spent waiting for information from search and rescue teams, but it was all in vain. But two years ago, I met him. They were all declared missing at first, then dead a year later. But two years ago, I met him. Yes, he had changed a lot, covered in scars and acting differently, more closed off and distant, but it was him. My brother. My family. That day, he promised me he would never leave me alone again and would always protect me. I believed him, but he can’t carry everything on his own. I don’t want to lose him again, Sial. I really don’t. He’s the last piece of my family I have left." The tears started again, and the promoter hugged the girl, hoping to comfort her.

At that moment, the roar of an engine was heard from the parking lot behind the shop. Quickly looking out the window, Sial saw a strange-looking car. -"Hey, Belle. Look, someone’s here. Maybe it’s Wise?"

-"No, our van is still in the parking lot. It’s probably Nicole," the girl said sadly. -"But doesn’t she have a white car?" the promoter logically asked. Intrigued, Belle, now somewhat calmed down, walked over to Sial and looked out at the parking lot. There stood a black Subaru WRX third generation. -"Yeah, that’s not Nicole’s car, and I don’t recognize whose it is... wait, how did it even get in? The gate is locked!" concluded the proxy. But all the questions were answered as the car’s owner stepped out.

"Wise!" Belle shouted out the window. He looked up at her questioningly, not understanding the enthusiastic "greeting." -"Where have you been? Why didn’t you open the shop... and what’s with the car?!" Wise, slightly taken aback by the flood of information, was momentarily disoriented but quickly took control of the situation. -"Belle, let me explain everything in the shop. I don’t really want outsiders hearing our conversation. And no, I’m not talking about you, Sial. By the way, good afternoon," he said softly, waving at the lilac-haired girl. -"Alright, we’ll talk in the back room." Finishing the conversation, Wise locked the car and headed into Random Play. Entering, he immediately went to the main entrance, flipped the sign from "CLOSED" to "OPEN," and headed for the stairs. Finally, going up to the second floor, Wise asked Bamboo 18 to cover for him for a while and keep an eye on customers if they showed up. Reaching the second floor, the one who bore the name Noodle entered his room. As soon as he stepped inside, his sister flew into his chest, just like two years ago. Sial smiled softly at the touching scene. The brother held her for a few minutes before she carefully pulled away.

-"Sial, sorry for my morning oversight. The shop’s open, and I think Eighteen might need some help." Realizing what was said, Sial said goodbye to her friend and headed downstairs. Finally, closing the door behind her, Belle started speaking: -"Where were you, Wise? I worry about you. You used to at least leave a note or a text, but today, nothing. You can’t do that." Silence fell between them. The augment understood that it was all his fault, and the reason it happened was due to his secret mission. Breaking the silence, Wise walked over to Belle and gently hugged her: "I’m sorry, it’s my fault. I know I promised not to leave you alone, but I failed. Will you forgive me?" Slowly stepping back from her brother, the girl wiped her eyes with her sleeve and said: "Alright, I forgive you. I can’t stay mad at you for long anyway. But, as an apology, you’ll take Eos to the cavern tonight, especially now that we have two cars. Speaking of the car, where did it come from? Did you steal it?" Belle asked, already forgetting the sadness and tears that had recently adorned her fair skin.

-"No, the car was given to me as payment for a contract to collect special materials from etherials. The contractor didn’t have the money at the time, so to avoid losing face, he decided to settle the debt this way," Wise said, putting the keys on the shelf. -"A car instead of money? But isn’t that too much? What material did you have to get?" Scratching the back of his head, trying to recall the order, he replied: "Well...

Earlier, at an unidentified warehouse

8:30

Arriving at the hangar where the goods were to be handed over, Noodle began inspecting the area for traps and bugs. Finding none, he set up his own, just in case. After all, better safe than sorry. The contract was strange—clear the area of all etherials, including the Butcher. Yeah, that kind of job usually required a team of experienced hunters, and even then, not on the first try. But Wise had an ace up his sleeve, or rather in his bunker, but that’s not important now. What’s important is that he should be well compensated for such a job—the higher the risk, the greater the reward. At least, that’s what he hoped for. After three minutes of waiting, the hangar doors opened, and three cars drove in. Two black jeeps and a modified Subaru of the same color. Guards armed with pistols, still holstered, stepped out of the jeeps, while the contractor and his assistant emerged from the lead Subaru.

"Hey, Noodle! So, did you get the job done? Ha-ha, just kidding. Of course you did, otherwise you wouldn’t be here, but you understand, I need proof that you completed the task, and regular etherial chunks won’t cut it. If you could provide me with the 'Bloodthirsty Fist,' things would move along faster!" the forty-something man in a white jacket said cheerfully. What a tasteless outfit. -"Of course, I have proof of the completed job and even the items you requested, but before you get them, I need my guarantees." -"Guarantees? Are you confused? I’m your contractor, so let’s do this the easy way, or my guys will search you. Though I can’t guarantee you won’t get hurt in the process, they’re pretty toug-"

Before he could finish the sentence, the dark figure of the mercenary materialized in front of him, already drawing his revolver and pointing it at the now not-so-cheerful man’s forehead.

-"You think you can threaten me? Don’t forget who you’re dealing with, you bastard, so one more word like that, and you’ll find yourself with some undeclared ventilation holes in you and your ridiculous guards. And you’d better tell them to lower their weapons, or else... you’ll lose your head."

Five seconds later, the contractor was staring into the mercenary’s eyes, but the glassy gaze of the tinted helmet visor gave nothing away. Realizing that Noodle wasn’t joking and that at best, his family would be identifying him by pieces, he ordered the weapons to be lowered.

-"Alright, Noodle, you win. My bad for trying to screw you over, happy?" Two seconds later, Wise released the arrogant jerk, holstering his modified RSh-12. -"Alright, fine. I’m in a good mood today."

-"That’s great, ha-ha, ahem. Yes, let’s talk about your reward." With a snap of his fingers, the dandy called over his assistant with a briefcase. -"Here’s exactly one million denni in bills. Just as we agreed." Glancing at the open briefcase, the hunter paused for a moment, his gaze shifting to the contractor’s car. -"Indeed, there’s one million here, but you’ve offended me, and it’s only fair that I demand compensation. After all, you understand, it’s a matter of honor, and besides, you wanted to get a very valuable item for free."

-"Heh, of course I understand, yeah! Who understands better than me? So, how much do you want now? Maybe a million one hundred? We can even go up to a million two hundr-"-"Your car." "-huh?"

...I had to get him the "Bloodthirsty Fist" and "Ghost Chase," said the cavern hunter. -"What?! But those only drop from the Butcher! You weren’t alone, were you?" Belle pleaded. Hesitating slightly, Wise gave a not-so-happy answer: "Of course I wasn’t alone, I had help. Someone had to guide me to its nest, right?" he said with a smile, but seeing his sister’s despair at his foolish words, he quickly added that he only took the parts from the monsters while they were stunned. -"After all, it’s not for nothing that I spent so much time repairing and modifying my KS-23? It’s capable of a lot now, and stun grenades are just a small part of my arsenal," Wise said proudly, finally smiling for the first time during the conversation.

Realizing it was useless to argue with her brother, Belle calmed down. But another question arose. -"But are they really worth that much? Yeah, they’re not rare, but they’re sold for much less than that car." Thinking for a moment, Wise said that the contractor didn’t have the money at the time, so he offered the car as payment, arguing that if he didn’t pay, he’d lose his reputation, and in Internote, reputation is worth more than any car.

Looking suspiciously at her brother, Phaeton eventually accepted this version. -"Alright, brother, but please, tell me about missions like this in the future. I can help you, you don’t have to do everything alone." Finishing the conversation, Belle headed downstairs. Stopping at the door, the girl said: "Oh, and today, I—well, now we—have a mission. You’ll need to take Eos to the cavern tonight, so don’t forget. And if you really regret leaving your little sister all alone, then buy her some tasty noodles from Chop, not spicy!" said the proxy, finally heading downstairs to Sial.

So, the cavern... Turning his head toward the window, his gaze fell on the trunk of the new car, where his cavern hunter gear lay. Inspecting it with his augmented eyes, Wise came to one conclusion:

-"I need to restock on ammo."

Chapter Text

Time: Unknown

Location: Underground Biolaboratory of the Arquebus Corporation

Deep beneath the earth, in a bunker built during the "Old War," lay a laboratory known only to its staff and the highest echelons of the corporation overseeing its operations. The walls were lined with cold metal, and the light from white lamps cast shadows over equipment still stained with blood. The air was thick with the smell of sterilizers and ozone, mixed with the acrid scent of chemicals. Here, experiments were conducted that could alter the fate of humanity as a species and bring the corporation unprecedented success in the implant market.

In the center of the room stood an operating table surrounded by monitors displaying flickering graphs and numbers. On the table lay a teenager, still ordinary, his body covered with a network of electrodes, his skin pale and almost translucent under the bright lights. His chest rose faintly, his breathing shallow but steady. Around the table, scientists in protective suits bustled about, their faces hidden behind filtered masks. Only one of them stood in a pristine white lab coat and a medical mask. They spoke in a language only they understood, full of technical terms and abbreviations.

"Well, gentlemen, today we perform the final operation to implant augmentations into a human body, aimed at increasing his survivability in the caverns. Hormonal therapies to enhance his biology have been successfully completed. His bone structure has been replaced with an experimental alloy capable of dissipating etheric energy, and his muscle density has increased by a quarter of the planned amount, already exceeding all standardized norms. The subject's mass has also increased. Additionally, his joints and nervous system have been reinforced with synthetic compounds to withstand the stress of the modifications. Subject 004 is conscious and ready for the operation," said one of the scientists, glancing at the screen. "004 must remain conscious and without anesthesia for the augmentations to successfully integrate with his nervous system. All devices must fully synchronize with his nervous system. As we've already determined, there's a risk of cardiac arrest due to the strain, but we cannot restart his heart with a defibrillator due to the risk of damaging the augmentations at this early stage of adaptation. If we destroy them, then..." He didn't finish, but everyone understood the consequences of failure.

On a table next to the operating table lay the augmentations—metal devices coated with biocompatible material. They were designed to integrate with the human body, enhancing physical abilities and protecting against etheric contamination. Each implant was unique, and there were significantly more of them than in previous subjects, as he was young and could withstand more extensive modifications. The successful genetic modifications only reinforced this theory. The scientists referred to these specialized implants as the "Next Step," and the subjects who received them as "Cores," though no one had reached this stage before. The strain on the body was too great.

"Begin the implantation," came the voice of the lead researcher, a man in a lab coat with a cold gaze. "Activate the life support system and engage the neural interface."

One of the scientists pressed a button on the control panel, and the operating table began to vibrate. A robotic manipulator appeared above the subject's body, surgically precise, and began inserting the augmentations. Metallic tendrils penetrated beneath the skin, connecting with nerve endings and blood vessels, causing excruciating pain. 004 didn't move, but his face contorted in agony.

"Neural interface active," reported another scientist. "Implants are beginning synchronization with the nervous system."

Warnings flashed on the monitors, but the lead researcher remained calm. He knew this was part of the process; it wasn't the first such operation. The subject's body had to—no, it **must**—accept the augmentations, or the project would be scrapped, and there was no time to find another test subject. Well, almost no time. Arquebus was already pushing deadlines.

"Nervous system tension is elevated. Heart rate is 210 and steadily rising," someone from the team reported. "If it continues to increase, there's a high risk of cardiac arrest."

"Continue," ordered the lead researcher. "We cannot stop now. We don't have that luxury."

Minutes dragged on like hours. The team of scientists monitored every indicator, their hands trembling with tension as 004 convulsed in pain on the table. Suddenly, the monitors flashed green.

"Synchronization complete!" exclaimed one of the scientists. "Implants are active. Adaptation process initiated."

The future full-fledged augment took a deep breath, though his body remained tense, and sweat dripped from his forehead. His once-white sclera was now completely red from burst blood vessels. He looked at the scientists, his expression filled with nothing but pain and fear.

"The experiment was successful, right? Can I go back to my family now? My sister must be really worried about me, so can you let me go?" said the silver-haired boy, averting his gaze from the scientists.

"The experiment was successful," said the lead researcher, though there was no joy in his voice. He knew this was only the beginning of something greater. "However, we need to continue our research and further testing. This was just the first stage. You've passed it, congratulations, but you're one of only four subjects to survive the implantation surgery, and you're so young. No, you're not allowed to leave. And as for your sister, I suggest you endure all the trials, or else we'll take her in your place as a genetically compatible model. So I recommend you survive all the operations, or your dear sister will bear this burden. Keep that in mind. No one is like you except her."

Hearing this, 004 first fell into despair at the thought of enduring an unknown number of operations, but the last words turned his fear into rage. He lunged at the lead researcher, hoping to strangle him, but a guard standing behind the scientist intercepted him.

As 004's hand barely grazed the collar of the researcher's lab coat, a heavy blow struck his face, sending him sprawling onto the cold floor. "Now, now, no need to get so angry. After all, as long as you're alive, your sister will be safe. Probably," the researcher said coldly, a slight smile visible beneath his mask. "But don't forget your place. This time, I'll overlook your mistake. You've just undergone a major operation, and your body needs rest. Your punishment will be postponed, but remember—your sister's life and yours are in my hands. So be obedient." Turning away from 004, the researcher waved a hand at the guard.

Grabbing the subject by the arms, the guard lifted him and led him out of the operating room. As he turned his head one last time, 004 saw the lead researcher's mouth beneath the mask, covered in severe burns. "Remember, you belong to me now. You belong to the corporation. You are no longer the master of your life, Wise."

---

Time: 16:38

Location: Sixth Street, Random Play Store

"...jerk, I mean, thank you for returning the 'Port Summit' tape on time. To celebrate, our store is offering you a subscription that will allow you to rent tapes at a twenty percent discount—"

"No, thanks. Maybe later. I don't come here often, ah-ah, so it wouldn't be worth it. And I don't have much money," the clerk said gloomily, awkwardly smiling at Wise as he moved toward the exit.

"Well, we'll be happy to offer you a subscription *clap* ...later," the hero muttered through gritted teeth, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "Another customer who doesn't want a subscription."

"But he said he's leaving, right? Isn't it logical not to get a temporary subscription for something you can't use?" Sial asked thoughtfully, standing by the shelves of tapes she had just sorted.

"If that were the case, he wouldn't come here every week and rent tapes. So his motive is unknown to me, and that's why he irritates me," said the co-owner of the store, angrily putting the tape back on the storage shelf.

"...you were muttering again. And that empty look. What happened to you there?" Sial whispered. Looking at her second boss, she sighed sadly, knowing that even if she asked him directly, he would dodge the question or snap, as he had done before.

---

"Don't you understand that this will make things better for everyone?!" the promoter nearly shouted in Wise's face after he zoned out again. "We're really worried! Your sister is worried, and you keep pushing this problem aside. But that's not how things get resolved, and you know that perfectly well!"

"What does it matter? These are my problems, and I'll deal with them. Don't meddle in things you don't understand," Wiise said with a squint, already heading out of the room, wanting to end this idiotic conversation.

"What does it matter?! Are you serious?! Well, maybe because we're friends, and Belle is practically your only remaining family, just like you—"

Suddenly, the temperature in the room dropped. A shiver ran through the purple-haired promoter's body. Trying to understand what was happening, she looked around but froze when she saw his gaze. Ice-cold, mechanical eyes stared at her from under his brow. His lips, thin and pale, trembled slightly, not to speak, but as if from inner tension. His gaze was sharp as a blade and just as cold.

**Battle Mode Activated**

His eyes flashed with a cold blue light, as if hidden systems had activated. The skin on his temples twitched slightly, revealing thin lines of metal implants. His muscles tensed, moving with unnatural precision. He took a deep breath, and a quiet mechanical hum emanated from within him.

Step by step, the terrifying figure of the augment approached the trembling promoter. But her fear was too great, and she couldn't even move. As if accepting her fate, she closed her eyes, awaiting punishment.

Everything swam before her eyes. But behind the veil of rage, he saw him. The bastard with the burned face who had done this to him and threatened his sister. Step by step, he approached him, but the threat scanner didn't detect any danger. The tension in the air didn't belong to him. There was only... fear? What was going on?

**Battle Mode Deactivated**

As the adrenaline and other auxiliary hormones produced during combat mode subsided, the truth became clear. There was no bastard from the past in the room. Only a frightened girl, his close friend. Frightened because of his actions and because of him.

The blue light in his eyes faded, giving way to something more human. He froze, staring at the familiar face before him. His heart, though enhanced by implants, ached with pain. "I didn't..." he whispered, and the mechanical hum inside him quieted. His muscles relaxed, and his gaze softened. "I'm sorry," his voice trembled, "I didn't mean to..." He lowered his hands, feeling the weight of his actions pressing down on him more than any battle.

---

To this day, I still don't know what happened then. Yes, we had a bit of an argument during that conversation, but such a personality shift was a first. Since then, Wise has been more closed off, keeping his distance, and he even raised my salary.

But we never really talked after that incident. And whenever I tried to start a conversation, he would just leave. Once, he even climbed out the window—luckily, it was only the second floor.

Suddenly, Belle emerged from the back room, humming a popular K-pop song from yet another group destined to fade due to overwork and lack of development.

"Wise! Guess what?" Belle asked cheerfully after completing another order on the Internot.

"You finally started liking spicy noodles?" Wise guessed without turning around.

"No! And about that, I asked for non-spicy! You owe me another bowl of, and I quote, 'NON-SPICY NOODLES'! Otherwise, there won't be a single documentary tape in the next order for the video store," Belle said smugly, tilting her nose up for added drama.

"Alright, alright. You'll get your non-spicy noodles. And as proof, I invite you, my dear sister, to evening noodles at General Chop's," Wise said with a theatrical bow. "Sial, Eighteenth, can you watch the store? We won't be long, maybe twenty minutes. Want me to bring you anything?"

Eighteenth and Sial shook their heads in unison, indicating they didn't need anything. Chuckling at this, the store owners headed to the noodle shop. As soon as they stepped outside, Belle tugged on Wise's sleeve, stopping him. Turning to her, he gave her a questioning look, not understanding her action.

"Tell me honestly, we're not just going for noodles, are we?" Belle asked, still holding onto Wise's sleeve. "Is this about tonight's mission?"

Lowering his gaze slightly, Wise looked thoughtfully into his sister's perceptive eyes. Realizing his hidden plan had been uncovered in less than a second, he sighed heavily and placed his other hand on her head, gently stroking it like a cat. "Who made you so smart? Maybe you should've become a detective for the Security Bureau instead of running around as a proxy helping illegals in the caverns?"

Scrunching her face in displeasure, Belle let go of Wise's sleeve but didn't mind the hand on her head, enjoying the head pats. "No way, bro. Do you know how much paperwork I'd have to deal with as a detective? I'd drown in reports and forms! So I'm fine with how things are."

Removing his hand from her head, the pair headed to General Chop's "Soup Waterfall" for the promised non-spicy noodles. After ordering three bowls—two with meat and greens for Belle and one with smoked meat for Wise—the augment decided to ask about the evening mission he'd been roped into as punishment. "Not that I mind, I'll get to test the car, but such a sudden mission, and in the evening in a cavern, seems at least suspicious."

"So, Belle, who's this client Pastor hooked you up with? And I'd like to know where I'm supposed to take Eos," said the co-owner of the video store, wiping his mouth after the noodles.

Realizing she couldn't avoid the topic, the blue-haired girl, still chewing, said, "You'll need to take Eos to the Northwest Cavern. The client is, um, the Armed Forces of New Eridu. Specifically, a sergeant from the Obsidian Division, Soldier 11."

Freezing at the words, Wise slowly turned his gaze to his sister, who was already trying to hide behind her empty noodle bowl. Understanding the situation, Wise turned away and buried his face in his hands. "Do you realize how risky this is, especially for you? I'm just an independent cavern explorer with a license. But you, as the best proxy in all of New Eridu, could not only lose Eos but your freedom. And your video games."

"Hey, don't hit where it hurts. And don't worry so much, this will be the third operation to catch a mole in the Armed Forces, and this time, special forces will be involved!" Belle said with a raised fist, showing her confidence in her safety. "And to them, I'm known as the proxy under the alias 'Scarlet Eyes,' so they don't know that Belle is me. So no, I won't back out of the operation. They're paying well, and with the loss of our main Internot account and rising electricity bills, we need the money. I don't want to leave all the expenses to you, especially when I can help."

Realizing he couldn't dissuade her, he had only one way to help her. Taking a deep breath, Wise lowered his hands and stared intently into Belle's eyes. Finding something there, perhaps only understandable to him, he made a decision. "Alright, I won't oppose your mission. BUT. You're not going alone, so Agent 'Ave'—that's me—will accompany you. And no, this isn't up for discussion. Deal?" he asked, extending a fist to his sister as a sign of agreement.

Looking at the fist, Belle couldn't help but recall how, two years ago, she had met her brother in a similar way. He was covered in the blood of etherials, standing in the back room where the H.D.D. was kept. But he had extended his fist just like now, swearing he would never disappear again. That he would never leave her. She had believed him then, and she believed him now. A look of complete confidence formed on Belle's face, and she bumped her fist against her brother's, sealing their partnership.

"Good. Alright, you finish eating, and I'll go prepare Eos. Don't get bored," Wise said, leaving a tip before heading back to the video store. Greeting Sial and Eighteenth, he went upstairs to get Eos. Grabbing it under his arm and the car keys, he asked Eighteenth to close the store and wished Sial a good evening, saying he was going to Bangbu to pick up some new tapes.

Finally, getting into his new Subaru and securing Eos, the pair headed toward the designated cavern. "Be ready, Eos. This trip will be different from the ones we took in the Random Play van."

Meanwhile, back at the store, Belle decided to connect with Eos to check on their progress. However, she hadn't accounted for Wise's aggressive driving, and upon connecting, she involuntarily screamed as the force pressed her into the seat. Slowing down slightly, Ave glanced at the Bangbu. "Belle? Is that you?" In response, there were only awkward giggles, but it told him all he needed to know. At least Belle was enjoying it. Laughing, he accelerated and drove toward the cavern at a higher speed.

A few minutes later, after racing through the streets, our heroes reached the agreed-upon cavern. Carefully unstrapping the Bangbu, Wise let it out of the car and then stepped out himself, heading to the trunk.

"I'm ready, Wise. Let's go, my bodyguard!" Belle said cheerfully, pacing impatiently near her brother, who was rummaging through the trunk.

From the trunk, he pulled out a black case with chrome trim. He grabbed his beloved KS-23 and a recent addition, the PPK-20 in 9mm. Closing the trunk, he carefully placed his weapons and ammo on the roof and opened the case containing his gear. Inside was a bulletproof vest with Kevlar padding and steel plates. Old-school, but effective. It was complemented by pouches for extra ammo and magazines for the PPK. There were also under-barrel charges for the shotgun. Over all this, he wore a simple-looking gray coat that had been modified for use in the caverns. Completing the ensemble was a simple-looking box, but when a few symbols were pressed and it was brought to his right hand, it unfolded and wrapped around his arm from wrist to forearm, now serving as both armor and a grappling hook. Having hung his tomahawk on his hip, Weise finally closed the trunk and walked towards the cavern.

"So, Crimson Eyes, ready for the operation to catch the mole within the New-Eridu Military Forces and get a hefty sum of denni for it?" Ave asked with enthusiasm, his face already obscured by a gas mask and tinted ballistic goggles.

"Absolutely, but remember, you're support and you're not going in openly. I didn't tell Soldier 11 about you, so it's best if you remain unseen," Belle replied, blinking her bangboo visors.

"You can count on that, everything will be done to the best of my ability. Now we should go, I don't think the sergeant will be happy if you're late. At the entrance to the zone, we'll split up. I'll be watching you from the rooftops and using the communicator," Weise hissed through his gas mask, reloading his shotgun.

"Roger that! Now forward, to meet the evil!" Belle chirped excitedly before entering the black wall, leaving her brother behind.

Ether Dispersion Activation

"Right behind you, sis."

Chapter Text

Wise watched as Bangboo disappeared into the black wall of the cavern. His silhouette dissolved into the thick fog that always surrounded these anomalous zones.

He froze for a moment, feeling the cold wind of the cavern's energy brush against his face, seeping through the cracks of his gas mask. His fingers tightened around the grip of his shotgun, and his eyes, hidden behind tinted lenses, scanned the spot where his sister had vanished just a second ago.

— Forward.

Stepping into the cavern, Ave was enveloped by ethereal energy, completely obscuring his vision. After a second in the darkness, he found himself surrounded by an abandoned depot, where freight trains and other infrastructure had been rotting for years.

Quickly raising his shotgun, he surveyed the area he had been thrown into. There was nothing but the smell of rust and streams of ethereal energy in the air, yet he remained on guard until his ocular implants had scanned the entire area.

The caverns were unpredictable, and even with his augmentations, he couldn't afford to relax.
Finally, detecting no threats, he lowered his shotgun and reached for his communicator.

— Ave calling Crimson Eyes, come in. How do you read me? Where are you? — the cavern researcher spoke, pressing a button on the communicator.

Five seconds later, the communicator hissed, and a response came through: — Wise, I'm 270 meters from you, head east. There are a lot of preserved houses here, you'll see me right away. You can't miss me. And stop talking so formally, man. After this, I feel like signing a bunch of papers in an office, sipping water from a cooler.

Smirking, Wise moved forward, heading toward the meeting point. Raising his hand, he launched a hook that pulled him onto the roof of the depot. Carefully rolling over, he continued running toward his target, which was already marked on his HUD.

The task was simple: stay in the shadows of the rooftops and alleys, observe, and intervene only if necessary. He knew Belle was capable of getting out of any situation unscathed, but here they were dealing not with some dumb bandits, but an organized militarized structure, so he couldn't help but worry for his sister.

The cavern was, as always, deceptively bright, as if inviting exploration, but his enhanced hearing already picked up the growling of a pack of etherials two blocks away. Once solid concrete walls were now shattered into pieces, covered in strange, patterned ether crystals that seemed to move if stared at for too long. The air was thick, saturated with the smell of metal and ether. Wise moved silently, his steps light and quick despite the weight of his armor and weapon. He knew that every second or unnecessary noise could cost even the most experienced cavern researcher their life.

Using the hook again, the augment pulled him onto one of the buildings Belle had marked. — Crimson Eyes, I'm in position. You can start moving. No hostile fauna threats detected ahead.

Receiving the information, Bangboo, who was standing in the middle of the road between the ruined but still standing houses, looked up at the roof and, seeing a human silhouette there, waved at him. Pleased with herself, Belle moved toward the location designated by the sergeant.

— Be careful. Even if there are no etherials nearby, we're still in a high ether density zone. Rifts could open here.

— Don't worry, I'll handle it. Besides, Feya has already calculated the shortest route to the meeting point, — Belle replied confidently, stepping around the broken road. — You know I'm not one of those rookie proxies. You're talking to the coolest proxy in all of New-Eridu — Phaeton!

Such arrogance. But she was right. Belle had always been strong and smart, even when they were kids. But that didn't mean he would stop worrying about her. It was his duty as a brother.

— Then I am entirely at your disposal, oh great proxy.

He continued moving, staying in the shadows, his eyes scanning every shadow, every corner. The caverns were full of dangers, and even the slightest mistake could lead to disaster.

After a few minutes of running across the rooftops, he detected a heat signature. A person, or rather, a woman. About 160 cm tall, clad in a black-and-yellow military apron that protected her body from chest to thighs. Her eyes were hidden behind orange ballistic glasses, and a black collar hung around her neck. Golden knuckle dusters were strapped to her fists, and a backpack with a flame-wielding sword hung on her back.

Approaching the edge of the building, Wise placed his shotgun on the roof and pressed himself against it, trying to avoid any glare from the metal catching Soldier 11's eye. Watching the girl below, Ave saw Bangboo moving toward her position, slowly navigating the wreckage and debris.

As soon as the "rabbit" approached the soldier, the augment connected to his auditory implant to fully hear their conversation and react in time if things didn't go according to plan.

*****

Seeing Bangboo approach, Soldier 11 turned to face him, scanning the area for any other entities. When he finally reached her, she spoke.

— You're not late, — the sergeant said with a slight smile, examining Bangboo. — Well, we can't waste time. Here's the flash drive with encrypted coordinates. One of the rebels gave it to me, said Phaeton needs to hack it, and only then can we meet. Please, decrypt the message, Crimson Eyes.

Carefully bending down, the sergeant handed the flash drive to Bangbu's paws. Still wary from her brother's recent warnings, she hesitated, but refusing now would be even more suspicious, so she obediently inserted the drive into the port on her Bangboo Eos's head and decrypted the coordinates of the meeting point with the traitor. Feya provided invaluable assistance in this. Once the decryption was complete, she removed the flash drive and handed it back to the fire swordsman.

— The meeting point with the traitor isn't far, it's near the station, to the north. From here, following the safe route, it's about a ten-minute walk. Will your elite squad be ready to "spring the trap" when we reach the designated location?

— That's classified information. As a civilian, you don't need to know, and it's dangerous. However... — Soldier 11 paused, thinking, then decided to share some details of the plan. — We need to be absolutely sure the mole will be there. A second opportunity might not come soon.
Understanding the weight of responsibility, Bangboo began to feel a bit nervous, but quickly regained her confidence, showing her readiness for the task. — Alright, then let's get to it! Let's show them how the OBOL squad and the Crimson Eyes proxy work!

Charged with determination, Belle headed toward the station marked in the coordinates. Moving alongside the sergeant and a hidden agent who had been discreetly following them, they reached a dead-end passage. It turned out that due to the ether density, the first route was riddled with unstable rifts, so the only way to reach the destination on time was through this "wall."

— Well, we're here. All we need to do is pass through the wall, and we'll be at the right place, — the proxy concluded, standing by the brick wall of the alley.

Quickly glancing at the proxy, the soldier nodded, showing her trust. — Alright, but stay alert, — she said, stepping straight into the wall, which was actually a rift.

Emerging from the rift, the pair found themselves in the middle of an open subway station near collapsed railway bridges. Trains that had derailed years ago now lay in a heap like scrap metal. A group of rebels was also present, slowly surrounding the newly arrived "traitor-sergeant" and Phaeton. One of the fighters stepped forward and handed them a headset with an earpiece, where the Mole was already waiting.

— Mr. Mole, Phaeton has brought me to the meeting point, but your leader isn't here. And... there are soldiers everywhere. Is this another test? I thought we proved our position last time, — the sergeant said, folding her arms and glancing around at the surrounding squad.

Deafening silence hung in the air, broken only by the shuffling of the traitor-soldiers nearby, waiting for the next order. But the silence didn't last long, as strange sounds began to come through the earpiece—sounds that resembled... laughter?

— Ha-ha-ha, damn, Muah-ha-ha! Can you feel the malice in my laughter, Sergeant? Because it's definitely there, you dumb grunt! Ha! It's practically pouring out of me! Did you think my admiration for Phaeton would help you hide from my sight? Nooo, this impostor, no matter how much of an expert he is, can't compare to the great proxy of all New-Eridu! — the voice from the radio said maniacally.

— Calm down, Mr. Mole. I don't understand what you're talking about, — the OBOL squad member replied, continuing to play her role as the traitor, assuming this was another loyalty test and trying to de-escalate the situation.

— Don't take me for an IDIOT! I knew from the very beginning that you had no intention of switching sides! What did you think? That I'm some kind of imbecile who'd believe that one of OBOL's most loyal soldiers would suddenly decide to betray her comrades? But never mind, that's in the past. Tell me this instead—do you know the name Crimson Eyes?

— No, I don't recall that name, — Belle finally decided to intervene in the argument.

— I wasn't expecting an answer from you, but it's no surprise that YOU don't know, — the voice grew muffled, as if the speaker had stepped away from the microphone for another monologue.

— Long ago, we infiltrated the network of that worthless middleman, Shepherd. The squabbles between informants don't interest me, but thanks to him, we uncovered some very interesting details about the order, especially the client. Now this is a third matter, and all you need to know is this: YOU'RE SCREWED!

The rebels began to slowly close in, gradually surrounding Soldier 11. She stood motionless, like a statue. Only her muffled breathing could be heard, stirring the white strands of hair by her cheek and rustling in the headset.

— "We don't go to war unprepared." I don't expect you dirt-crawling rats to understand military valor and honor. You're not the only ones in this cavern who plan ahead. Our advanced elite squads are already on their way, and know this—you're no match for these forces, you filthy traitors, — switching the channel on her own device, Soldier 11 tried to contact the squad lying in ambush... — Trigger, transmitting current location... what? The signal isn't going through? — or not.

— Oh, how I love seeing that look of complete confusion on your face. It really turns me on! Don't bother, dear, your comrades won't hear you. Thanks to the listening devices you so kindly placed, which I successfully reprogrammed, I'm the only one with communication in this entire cavern! Ha-ha! So all your vaunted brothers-in-arms are running around like headless chickens, and such creatures don't live long! — the Mole shouted through the headset, laughing hysterically, while the stunned sergeant tried to process the mess she and her squad were in.

Meanwhile, Belle tried to contact her brother, but there was no connection—not even Fairy could help! They needed to do something urgently, or else the sergeant would be killed, along with Eos and Wise! As she tried to come up with a plan, she didn't notice that the sergeant had already regained her composure, but there was no trace of the calmness from before. Now, her face showed only controlled rage, directed at one person.

— You're only fooling yourselves, you pathetic deserters! — removing the headset, she carefully turned to Bangboo and whispered, — Leave them to me. I'll try to buy time, and you help my lost comrades! I entrust their safety to you, Crimson Eyes.

Grabbing Bangboo with her left hand while drawing her sword with her right, she parried the first volley of gunfire from the traitors' rifles. At that moment, the proxy threw out smoke grenades with electro-smoke, allowing the sergeant to escape with the "valuable cargo." Thinning the ranks of the rebels, they broke through the encirclement, trying to create distance. When the gap between them and the skirmish reached a hundred meters, the white-haired soldier threw Bangbu aside, shouting that while she would hold off the attackers, the proxy needed to restore communication.

— Calculating an emergency evacuation route.

Following the route laid out by Fairy, Belle quickly distanced herself from the fighting. After running for about four minutes, the AI scanner lost the enemy signal. They must have lost them—or maybe they even fell into a rift.

— Given the dire situation the client is in, I suggest following his advice. Notify the Armed Forces as soon as possible, — Fairy's voice hissed through the speakers.

— Yes, their support would be invaluable in our situation... — glancing around, she noticed a communication station typically used by the Armed Forces, but... — but what about Wise? He's also out there somewhere, and with a special forces squad and rebel traitors around, he could get caught in the crossfire! I can't let that happen! Fairy, how do I...

— Master, I'm afraid you're of no help to Agent Ave at the moment. Even if we found him, we'd be more of a burden than support. Based on data from the general cavern researchers' database, Ave is an excellent fighter who focuses on speed and precision strikes. He'll manage without our help, but we still need to hurry. There are too many unaccounted variables in this situation, making it impossible to calculate the exact outcome of the conflict.

Thinking over Fairy's words, Belle wanted to resist her plan, but the rational side of her mind took over. Her brother was a strong fighter with an even stronger will to live. If anyone could survive this mess, it was her unstoppable little brother.

— Alright, then we need to head to that tower immediately. Assistant, plot the route.

— With pleasure, Master.

*****

Immediately after Belle and Soldier 11 entered the rift in the brick wall...

Damn. I'll have to find another route. Well, not everything always goes according to plan. I need to find a detour, and fast. Trying to connect to Bangbu's audio feed results in an error. Or rather, nothing happens at all.

— Sister, I'm looking for an alternate route to you. I can't go through the rift, unfortunately—it's closed. Can you hear me? — On the other end of the communicator, there was only silence. — Fairy, what's going on? Why is there no response?

Again, silence on the entire radio channel. Something is definitely wrong. If the inability to contact Bangboo could somehow be explained by ether disturbances, the lack of communication on an AI-encrypted channel is harder to justify. I need to hurry.

The light of the cavern illuminated his path across the rooftops of buildings and ruined houses. His legs, humming with internal mechanisms, propelled him from the tops of structures, while the grappling hook attached to his forearm felt like an extension of his arm. One second—and the steel tip lodged itself into the top of a rock, anchoring firmly. Two seconds—and his body, propelled by the mechanism, shot forward, leaving behind clouds of dust and remnants of once-intact structures. His ocular implant scanned the surroundings, marking dangerous cracks and plotting the most optimal route. His half-mechanical heart beat steadily, pumping volumes of blood that would kill an ordinary human from burst vessels. His face showed no trace of fatigue—only cold calculation and moderate tension.

Thermal signatures, seventy meters, alley below to the left.

Abruptly halting mid-jump, Wise decides to investigate who's lurking near the territory of the Armed Forces' special operation. Instead of grappling to another building, he slides down the concrete wall of the alley, silently approaching the unknown group.

*****

— Move your ass, private. We need to find that damn Bangboo that escaped from Group K! We can't let it get out of the cavern and call for reinforcements, — the commander said loudly, a cigarette clenched between his teeth, already significantly shortened.

— Commander, but wouldn't it be more logical to send us to assist with eliminating Soldier 11? This proxy isn't even Phaeton. As it turns out, they're not even connected to the Armed Forces. They're just a proxy who got lucky and escaped. The threat from them should be minimal, — the soldier said arrogantly, scanning the alley for the fugitive.

Stubbing out his cigarette, the squad commander delivers a sharp smack to the back of the negligent soldier's head. — You're an idiot, private. A damn idiot! That's why you're still stuck at this rank. Even if this proxy isn't the one that traitor idiot is obsessed with, they managed to complete all his tasks, and that's no small feat.

Taking a deep breath, he pulls out another cigarette, lights it, and takes a drag. Finally calming down, he turns his gaze to the cocky rebel soldier.

— If they, he or she, doesn't matter, managed to pull all that off, then we're dealing with a real professional. I don't care if they're Phaeton or not—they're a serious threat, and we need to find them. Do you know what happens to those who underestimate their enemies? — the smoker asks, squinting at his subordinates. — They die/DIE.

Suddenly, a voice comes from behind him, but he doesn't get a chance to look at the source. The cold sensation of gunmetal pressed against the back of his head definitely suppresses any desire to move abruptly.

— No stupid moves, rebel. Otherwise, I'll have to scrape your head off the alley floor, and trust me, that's a pain in the ass to clean up. I know from experience, — the voice of the unknown figure says, pressing the barrel harder against his skull.

— Who the hell are you? — the commander asks cautiously, spitting out his cigarette. — Did we interrupt some cavern raider group fighting over some black market junk?

— I'll share my affiliation later, but for now, you should tell your boys to cool it. I only have two body bags, and I'd like to keep them for myself, — the unknown figure says coldly, increasing the pressure on the commander's head with the weapon, while his men aim their guns at the stranger.

This is a messed-up situation. The alley is narrow, the walls of the buildings closing in like stone jaws. Seven greenhorns, practically kids, me, and this asshole. Tactically, we have the advantage—there are more of us, and our firepower surpasses his. Even if he kills me, they'll shoot him down instantly. But I don't want to die. Damn it, what do I do? I didn't sign up for this crap when I deserted the army!

The augment, gripping his shotgun tightly, mutters, — Five seconds to decide, fool.
Unable to handle the audacity, the commander's nerves snap, and he begins screaming uncontrollably in rage at the disrespect shown to him. HIM! The commander of Squad G! — Destroy this bastard at any cost!

After knocking out the screamer with the butt of his gun, the nearest rebel charges at him. A knife flashes in his hand, but before he can strike, the augment unleashes a burst of armor-piercing rounds from his SMG, instantly turning the soldier's helmet and face into a mess of metal and shattered bone. The second opens fire with a pistol, but the bullets are intercepted by a tomahawk already in Ave's hand. The third throws a grenade, but it's destroyed mid-air by a precise shotgun blast before it can detonate. When the second runs out of ammo, Wise lunges at them.

His half-mechanical body hums with the force generated during the rush. The second barely has time to reload before a armored fist smashes into his face, shattering the visor and revealing a broken nose beneath. The third tries to attack Wise from behind, but a shotgun blast to the knee from a spinning shot discourages that idea. The knee explodes, taking the lower leg with it, and the soldier screams in pain, collapsing onto the dusty concrete, slowly turning from industrial gray to a bloody red.

Grabbing the second soldier by his left wrist, he breaks it, knocking the weapon out of the deserter's hand. The soldier grabs a knife from his holster with his uninjured hand, attempting to strike the unknown bastard whose previously clean coat is now splattered with blood. Swinging the blade, his attack is blocked by the handle of the tomahawk. As he tries to push the blade closer to his opponent, he doesn't notice the shotgun barrel already aimed at his stomach.

*Ka-blam*

The now-dead soldier is flung into the alley wall, slowly bleeding out from the hole left by the KS-23 shot. Turning toward the now-legless soldier, who is crawling away leaving a trail of blood behind him, he aims his shotgun again.

*Ka-blam*

The head of the nearly escaped poor soul explodes like a watermelon, scattering fragments across the alley walls. Glancing at his handiwork, he addresses the remaining soldiers, slightly turning his head. Behind the tinted glasses, only glimpses of blue eyes are visible, staring into the souls of the remaining rebels. — Well, scum. Do you feel like cooperating now? Or are you going to run crying to mommy?

The fifth and sixth soldiers charge at him head-on, but the augment, using the grappling hook, latches onto the alley wall and pulls himself up, avoiding the strikes. From above, he fires a burst from his SMG, dropping both onto the concrete. Permanently.

The commander, regaining consciousness after the blow, bolts for the exit, but the augment is faster. The hook pierces his shoulder, a yank—and the commander is pulled toward Ave. — I didn't say you could leave, — echoes through the now-empty alley. Grabbing him by the neck with his left hand, he lifts him off the ground, staring directly into his terrified eyes, darting across the blood-soaked walls.

— Now it's just you and me. Oh, wait a second, I almost forgot, — raising his right hand toward the "empty" alley, he fires the hook. A moment later, the hook's tip pierces the chest of the seventh rebel, who had been hiding in camouflage.

The alley was engulfed in the stench of blood and gunpowder. The concrete beneath his feet was stained red in places, with pieces of equipment from the now-dead rebels scattered around. And all of this was the work of one man, who now held the commander's throat, lifting him off the ground. His grip was tight but not enough to kill—just enough to make him feel helpless in the face of his strength.

— You're not human... you're just a monster! — the commander wheezed, trying to break free from the grip, but his strength wasn't enough.

— A monster? — the attacker's voice was cold and emotionless. — You sent them to their deaths. At the start of our "meeting," I offered a peaceful solution, but you thought you had the strength to overpower me. You were wrong. You're the only one to blame for everything that happened in this alley.

The commander tried to punch the augment in the chest, but his fist merely tapped weakly against the steel plate of the bulletproof vest. — Screw you, freak. No matter what it costs me, I'll kill you!

Snorting, Wise throws the soldier deeper into the alley. Flying a good seven meters, the soldier crashes into the body of the rebel killed earlier by the hook. Covered in blood, his gear soaked in the entrails of his fallen comrade, he spits out blood and removes the helmet from the dead soldier's head, staring at his frozen, horrified face. It's full of pain and fear.

— How do you like lying among your mistakes? By the look in your eyes, not much. You've already pissed me off, so let's get to the point: where is the squad attacking Soldier 11? — the augment asked, slowly approaching the stunned commander, who was still staring at the lifeless soldier.

— Like hell I'll tell you anything! Just kill me, you won't get any information from me! — the rebel shouted, pounding his chest.

— Well then, I'll have to— — the rebel's radio crackled with the voice of one of the squad leaders pursuing Soldier 11. — Squad F en route! Transmit the target's location!

Silence fell in the alley. The cavern researcher's gaze shifted from the now-active radio to the commander's face, who also looked up from the radio to meet the piercing blue eyes. Now it was just a question of who would grab the radio first.

As soon as the radio beeped again, they moved. The commander quickly reached for his chest to grab the radio and change the frequency, but the axe was faster. Thrown by the researcher, the tomahawk slammed into the traitor's chest, severing his fingers and forcing him to drop the radio. As he screamed in agony, Wise quickly snatched the radio.

— Tsk-tsk, now you can't even shake hands. Remember this. You're no match for me. And now, goodbye. After all, I'm not a monster, and I won't kill you... personally, — the half-human said emotionlessly, yanking the axe from the commander's chest.

From behind the augment came low growling sounds. The etherials, drawn by the noise of the battle, were approaching. Their silhouettes were hidden by the faint haze that had formed after the fight. Their black spheres glowed with a cold, all-consuming black light. They moved quietly, almost silently, their claws scraping against the asphalt.

Maintaining eye contact, they seemed to understand on an instinctive level—DANGER. Waiting another second, Wise takes a step to the side, as if giving them permission to pass. Seeing this, the commander began to panic, begging the researcher to save him and forget all the insults he had hurled, but it was too late. The augment fired the hook upward and flew out of the alley toward the sergeant's location. Quickly and silently, the augment moved through the long-dead city. But somewhere back in the alley, a wounded soldier lay, being torn to pieces by ethereal creatures. The sounds of chewing and bleating monsters filled the once-empty alleyway. But now his path led elsewhere.

— I hope you're still alive, Sergeant, because if not, all my work will have been for nothing.

*****

Armed Forces Communication Tower

Belle, clutching her signature smoke grenade, cautiously advanced through the cavern. The air was thick with an atmosphere of despair and desolation. Whether it was due to the people who had died here or the situation she now found herself in, she couldn't tell. Up ahead, on the crest of a rocky ledge, her target flickered—a military communication tower, its antennas barely visible through the fog.

— Ethereal activity detected, Master. I recommend taking cover temporarily.

Heeding Fairy's advice, the proxy quickly veered off her intended path and hid among the rubble of a building destroyed by time and battle. After a minute of waiting, a group of fauns* emerged from the ravine, slowly trudging in an unknown direction. Covering her mouth with her hands, Belle began to pray they wouldn't notice her.

The pack of fauns slowly moved past Bangbu's hiding spot. Just when it seemed she had gone unnoticed, one of them growled, its claws scraping the ground just a couple of meters from her hiding place. She froze, feeling her body tremble with fear as she pressed herself deeper into the chair.

Then—a gunshot. Loud, sharp, somewhere in the distance. The ethereals froze, their dark spheres—replacing their heads and glowing ominously in the shadows—snapping toward the sound. Another shot, then another. A roar full of fury erupted from their throats, and they bolted away, leaving the frightened proxy alone.

— Well, that's a horror movie for you. Remind me never to watch thrillers with ugly monsters as antagonists again, — Belle said, cautiously emerging from her hiding spot and continuing toward the communication tower.

— Your wish has been noted. Shall I delete all similar films from the Internot?

— No-no-no, that's too much. Just keep them away from me for now, okay?

— As you wish, — Fairy fell silent, leaving Belle to herself, only showing her the safest route to the target.

Finally, she reached the tower. Its metal frame was rusted, and the nearby table was strewn with maps and food wrappers. It seemed someone had been here recently. That meant the communication device should definitely be working. The proxy smiled. Now all that was left was to contact the special squad, and the job would be done.

Using the computer, Belle activated the communication station. She entered the coordinates of the meeting with the mole and sent them to the squad's frequency. But the message failed to send.

— What? Why isn't the message going through?! Fairy, what's happening? — the proxy asked desperately.

— Hypothesis: Signal transmission is impossible due to powerful interference stations. Suggestion: Ignore existing Armed Forces communication protocols and deploy a network on a different frequency. I can retrieve Armed Forces communication data from two previous orders and establish a temporary connection, — Fairy's voice chirped from the speakers.

— Then what are you waiting for? Set it up! — Belle said impatiently.

Complying, a loading bar appeared on the monitor as the basic military communication network was deployed. Quickly adjusting the settings and frequency, the tower finally sent the signal to the soldiers.

A voice immediately came through the communicator.

— I see you. Don't worry, I serve alongside Soldier 11. Thanks to you, our communication has been restored. I'm aware of your collaboration with her, but right now, we need to adjust the attack plan. In the meantime, you need to find the sergeant and assist her.

Nodding in agreement, Bangboo was already heading back the way she came but stopped abruptly.

— The return route is impossible. It's swarming with rebels. I can't go back the same way.
Silence fell over the communication channel. Only faint rustling could be heard from Trigger's end. The calm was shattered by a sudden loud explosion. A rebel soldier who had been quietly sneaking up on Belle suddenly dropped dead.

— Sniper Trigger in position. I'll ensure your route is completely safe. I suggest you hurry; I don't know how long the sergeant can hold out against the enemy forces, — the sniper said seriously on the other end of the line. After the silence returned, Bangboo resolutely headed toward the place she had just fled from. But now her goal was different. To save Soldier 11.

*****

— Squad F engaging the target. Squad G is unresponsive, Squad L is en route! — came the voice from the radio of the rebel soldier pursuing the sergeant.

Running onto another ruined station, a soldier with a knife leaped at her, striking. Raising her sword, Soldier 11 blocked the incoming attack and redirected the blow, pushing the traitor aside. As soon as the sergeant blocked the first attack, the leg of a second soldier slammed into the blade of the yellow-clad fighter, sending him flying toward the train cars.

Withstanding the blow, she counterattacked, meeting the enemy's strikes with her own. Deflecting several quick knife slashes, she broke through the rebel's defense and sent him flying with a powerful kick, cracking his ribs in the process.

The first rebel tried to engage in a battle of strength, pressing his knife against the claymore* of his opponent, trying to overpower her. But he lost this battle spectacularly, receiving a punch to the face with a knuckle duster. While this rebel was disoriented, she attacked the third traitor, who had already raised his army knife for a strike. Reacting in time, Soldier 11 parried the incoming threat and kicked the soldier in the groin, temporarily incapacitating him. As he tried to "recover," she delivered a finishing blow to the rebel's head with the blunt side of her sword.

The first soldier, finally snapping out of his dazed state, only saw the approaching metal of the weapon glinting blue against the bright light of the cavern. A strike, and another rat fell unconscious.

— The enemy seriously outmatches us in strength! We need reinforc— — before he could finish, Soldier 11 charged at him with a blade in hand.

— Don't you dare, you pathetic traitor! — the sergeant shouted at the top of her lungs, continuing to attack him with her pseudo-claymore.

Drawing an identical sword, the rebel tried to block the attack, but due to the difference in skill and his own fear, the sword whistled out of his hands. With a loud clang, it fell onto the concrete platform of the station.

— That's it, army bitch! I'm out of here! — the rat nervously shouted and bolted away from the now-pursuing lady with white hair.

Before he could run even twenty meters, reinforcements emerged from behind the trains, armed with assault rifles and laser sights already aimed at the frozen sergeant's head. A fraction of a second later, the soldiers opened fire on the exposed enemy. Barely managing to raise her sword, the armored fighter blocked the incoming shots and gradually retreated from the firing squad, trying to reach the ballistic shield lying behind her. Quickly retreating, she lunged toward the shield, lifted it, and charged back at the enemy group.

When the distance between them was less than three meters, she threw the shield at them and leaped into the air, aiming to deliver a spinning strike with her now-flaming sword, ignited by the special canisters on her back. However, the soldier who had called for reinforcements suddenly rushed forward with another ballistic shield, blocking the fiery overhead strike. The sword only slightly cut into the shield, but it wasn't enough to break it. As she tried to free the blade, another shield-wielding soldier slammed into her at full speed, sending her flying to the center of the station platform and knocking the sword from her hand.

Regaining her composure after the blow, Soldier 11 tried to reach for her sword, still embedded in the concrete, but the rebel group, now firing at her, forced her to retreat to a nearby container. She was cornered. This was it.

— Ha-ha-ha. You're strong, sure, you took down so many of my men, but it's useless! You're from the Armed Forces, so you understand that the strength of one person is nothing when faced with a group of former, but still professional, soldiers! — came the voice from the headset in the armor's pouch.

Her thoughts flowed with cold clarity, like water once did along the edge of her sword. She sat with her back against the container, pinned down by enemy fire. Their shadows were already beginning to appear on the ground, signaling their approach. Soldier 11 knew her chances of survival were almost nonexistent. Her breathing was steady, but a storm raged in her mind.

— This is the end, — flashed through her consciousness. She clenched her fists, as if feeling the weight of her sword. It was like an extension of her arm, a part of herself. But now, with only her knuckle dusters and backpack left, she knew this was the end. The enemy was too strong, too numerous. She knew she could fight to the last, but it would only delay the inevitable.

— I've failed her, — she thought, and a shadow of regret flickered in her usually cold eyes.

Trigger. The one who taught her everything she knew. The one who believed in her when others doubted. But now she felt she had failed her. She couldn't complete the mission; she was the reason the communication was lost. She wouldn't survive. She couldn't prove that Trigger's faith in her was justified. The thought burned hotter than all the bruises and scrapes she had earned that day.

Suddenly, from behind a tarp on the left, a Bangboo proxy jumped out, waving its paw to get the attention of the cornered sergeant. Once it had her attention, it gestured as if it were firing a... rifle? Trigger! She was nearby and had come to her aid!

Feeling an unprecedented surge of emotion, Soldier 11 clenched her confidence in her fist and stood up. Her squad was nearby, elite fighters, and a loyal proxy who had successfully completed the task she had set. Now it was her turn to act, and she wouldn't fail!

— Surrender, army rat, and maybe we'll spare your life! We're more merciful than the Armed Forces, you know. Of course, you'll have to work for it, but... — the Mole began his monologue again, but before he could finish, the sergeant stepped out from behind the container.

— Heh-heh, you're strong, but it won't help you, — Soldier 11 said smugly, adjusting her gloves.
— Pff, and you came out of hiding for this? Wait, you didn't actually believe our nonsense about sparing you, did you? Well, army folks are dumber than I thought. Alright, open fire on her! — the voice from one of the rebels' radios snapped impatiently.

*Ka-boom*

A shot rang out from somewhere in the distance. Suddenly, the shield-wielding soldier was flung backward by the energy of the shot and fell unconscious.

While the rebels were in disarray, Soldier 11 lunged toward her sword, still stuck in the concrete. Pulling it free, she delivered a sweeping circular strike, fueled by fire. Two soldiers, still reeling from the first shot, were sent to dreamland by the sergeant's powerful flaming sword strike.

— You used to be in the Armed Forces, so you understand... Tricks are useless when you're up against a squad of professional soldiers! — the dangerous lady with the sword declared proudly, shaking off the still-burning flames.

As the remaining squad backed away from the elite special forces unit that had surrounded them, there was nowhere to run. But how had they managed to plan this counter-ambush?!
— Aah! But who fixed your network?! I made sure no one could establish communication in this cavern except me! — the Mole shouted furiously through the sergeant's headset.

At that moment, the previously mentioned tarp flapped, and a cheerful Bangboo hopped out, its eyes sparkling with mischief at the job it had done. Approaching Soldier 11, it saluted her playfully, as if greeting her.

— The fake Phaeton?! How?!

— Ah, you wouldn't understand... because you're a pathetic traitor! — the white-haired lady said, her voice shifting to anger as she pointed her gleaming sword at the remaining resistance fighters.

— Damn, I never thought there'd be anyone in the world who could rival the incredible master-proxy Phaeton! What am I supposed to believe now? — the Mole said with a hint of malice, analyzing the situation.

— Wow, thanks for the compliment, Mr. Traitor! — Belle said cheerfully, jumping slightly and chuckling at the situation. But her brother was still nowhere to be seen... where are you, Wise?

— My brothers, your time has come! In the name of true justice! Attack the scoundrels! You must preserve what strength remains! — the traitor shouted into the microphone one last time before cutting the transmission.

Tension hung over the station. Four rebel fighters against an unknown number of ambushing army soldiers and an incredibly angry sergeant with a flaming sword, known for her cruelty toward deserters and traitors. Fight, and you'll die immediately; surrender, and you'll face interrogation with this lunatic.

Suddenly, a voice came through the radio—one that had rarely been heard before, its tone cold and its manner of speech chilling, making even a sigh or pause in its speech cause discomfort.

— I'm afraid there are no main forces left, Mr. Mole. — This information froze the remaining four fighters in place. What do you mean, no main forces? We had several squads, some made up entirely of experienced army veterans! And who the hell is even on the line?!

The Bangboo standing next to the sergeant recognized the speaker's voice. Or rather, the sister recognized it, as even through the interference, she could tell it was her brother. But how had he gotten the enemy's radio? Could it be...?!

— Who are you? And how do you know there are no main forces left? — the Mole asked suspiciously, as he truly couldn't contact the other squads.

— I'm just an interested party. A party interested in your elimination. — the voice from the radio said grimly. — And I advise you, the remaining rebels, to surrender to the Armed Forces, for I will not be merciful.

Finally, the connection cut off, disconnecting both the Mole and the mysterious stranger who had threatened the rebels with retribution.

Exchanging glances, they decided to surrender, dropping their weapons, kneeling, and placing their hands behind their heads. They were quickly surrounded by the arriving army soldiers and restrained for further interrogation.

— Tell me the location of Mr. Mole... and I'll make sure you're treated well, — the sergeant said as she approached, having already sheathed her sword in her backpack. — If you refuse to cooperate voluntarily, we'll use force to extract the information.

After exchanging glances, one of the rebels stood up and began speaking to the soldier. — Soldier 11, I've heard about you. You won't spare rebels like us. But my men didn't know the full picture. I was the one always in contact with Mr. Mole. Do whatever you want with me, but please, send my men to a tribunal. Let them face a fair trial.

Staring into where the rebel's eyes should be, she held his gaze for a long time. Stepping closer, she grabbed him by the collar and pulled him toward her.

— Seems we've misunderstood each other again, — she said, releasing his collar and stepping back. — I'm a soldier, not a demon from hell. Everyone will face the tribunal, including you.

Stunned by the response, the rebel was momentarily speechless. — And you... won't torture me?
— Tell me where the Mole is hiding, and the court will show you and your men leniency.

*****

Soldier 11 walked ahead, her steps light and silent despite the massive sword on her back. Her eyes, hidden behind orange ballistic glasses, scanned the surroundings intently. The cavern was quiet, but she, as an experienced soldier, knew that silence could be deceiving. Every alley, every building could hide danger. She moved with cold confidence, her apron fluttering in the wind, her breathing steady, like a machine.

In front of her walked the Bangboo proxy. Its energetic gait sharply contrasted with the gloomy atmosphere of the city. It kept glancing around, its robotic eyes gleaming with curiosity and excitement. However, when they were about a hundred meters from the designated coordinates, the proxy froze.

— Crimson Eyes? What is it? A rift ahead? Ethereals? — the sergeant asked warily, gripping the hilt of her sword, ready for anything. Looking around, she glanced at the Fake Phaeton, who had turned to face her.

— Well, heh-heh, you see... before entering the cavern, I enlisted the help of a friend, and he'll be here soon. There — the Bangboo said, clasping its paws together and awkwardly swaying on its tiny legs.

— What? What kind of help? Why am I only hearing about this now? — the sergeant asked nervously, still scanning the area.

— The kind that shows up at the right moment, Soldier 11 — a nearly two-meter-tall figure suddenly appeared next to the Bangboo, clad in a gray coat stained with someone's blood.

Startled by the sudden appearance, the sergeant instinctively drew her already ignited sword and swung at the unexpected foe — Proxy! Get back!

But her strike hit empty air. Before she could process what had happened, the augment appeared behind her. His hand gripped her wrist with such force that she nearly dropped her sword. Soldier 11 tried to break free, but her movements were too slow compared to his.

Knocking the sword from her hand, he pinned her to the ground, drawing his own weapon. But before he could strike, Belle intervened, pushing Wise away.

— Ave, stand down! She didn't mean it, you just appeared out of nowhere, and she panicked! Right, Sergeant? — the proxy asked, gently nudging the fallen soldier.

Glancing between the proxy and the giant standing over her with an axe in hand, she slowly nodded.

— See? Now be a gentleman and help the lady up! And apologize to her — Belle said indignantly, crossing her tiny Bangboo arms.

Sighing heavily, Ave hung the axe back on his belt. Bending down, he extended his hand to the fallen Soldier 11, offering help. Warily looking at his hand, she accepted it and got back on her feet. Turning his back to her, he picked up the sword he had knocked from her hand.

— I'm sorry our first meeting started with a clash. As a peace offering, I return your sword and offer to service it at my expense — the cavern researcher said softly, handing the sword to the stunned sergeant.

Carefully taking the offered hilt, she inspected the blade. Seeing it was undamaged, she sheathed it on her back — Thank you for the offer, but I'm responsible for this sword, and I can't let a stranger tamper with army property. So I must decline.

Snorting, the agent turned to the Bangboo, who had been watching their interaction, ready to intervene if needed — I'm glad you two could find common ground. Now, let's move forward. We still need to find the Mole.

Turning around, Belle marched toward the designated coordinates, leaving the bewildered pair behind — I wouldn't recommend going there — Ave said, swapping the shells in his shotgun from buckshot to incendiary rounds.

— And why's that? — the sister asked, squinting her Bangboo eyes into a green line, hands on her hips.

Without answering, Wise simply pointed upward, where a massive Armed Forces mech hovered above their position. Spotting them, it dove toward the ground, aiming to crush the group.

— Proxy, move! — Soldier 11 shouted, trying to push the Bangboo out of harm's way, but a taut wire yanked her away from the impact zone.

— What are you doing!? — the white-haired soldier shouted in confusion, watching as the previously unknown agent rushed toward the proxy.

— My job — and that was the last thing Soldier 11 saw before the massive mech slammed into the ground, sending dust and debris flying everywhere. Activating its cooling system, the figure of a Brawler Typhoon*, modified for the needs of the regular army, emerged from the hail of debris and dust. Known for its powerful attacks, heavy strikes, and devastating collisions... in combat, the Brawler Typhoon uses simple but terrifyingly effective tactical maneuvers to maximize the destructive energy of its core, which is so powerful that it constantly overheats the mech. At least, that's what she was told in the training courses on countering such a machine. But alone...

— Next time, aim better, you overgrown freak.

*Whistle*

Suddenly, the Typhoon lurched forward from an explosion in its rear hemisphere. There, in the remnants of the smoke, stood Ave, reloading his underbarrel launcher. Behind him, atop the ruins of a building, stood Crimson Eyes, taunting the Mole with a mocking dance.

— You bastards, how did you survive?! I was supposed to crush you like bugs! — the voice from the mech's speakers roared as it turned toward our heroes, ignoring the soldier — And who the hell are you? Another follower of regulations and military honor?!

Instead of answering, another grenade flew at it, obscuring its vision with smoke and shrapnel.

Aiming his right hand at it, he fired the hook and latched onto the mech's arm — Soldier 11, hit its cooling circuits on the back with everything you've got! We need to overheat its reactor!

Hearing her "partner," the sergeant didn't hesitate. She drew her flaming sword and rushed toward the Typhoon's rear. Dodging its attempts to prevent her from reaching its back, she took up a firing position. Striking the mech's back, she disabled part of its cooling system. But it wasn't enough yet.

— You damn bugs, I'll crush you! — the robot growled, then suddenly lifted into the air, trying to shake off the unknown agent clinging to its hull. But the agent held on with an iron grip, refusing to let go, while blasting a hole in the armored pilot capsule with his shotgun.

Realizing he couldn't shake off the uninvited guest this way, the pilot abruptly cut the engines. The mech plummeted under gravity. Reactivating the engines, it gained speed and slammed into the ground, finally dislodging the bug-like follower.

After being thrown off the mech by the powerful impact, Wise was sent flying through the window of a nearby store. Shattering the glass and knocking over a few shelves, he came to a stop in one of the abandoned aisles. Feeling the bruises forming, he got back on his feet.

— Oh, you're gonna pay for that, you son of a bitch, — the augment growled, reloading his underbarrel launcher. As he made his way back to the battlefield, his systems scanned his injuries.

*Minor damage to external tissue detected. Impact on combat effectiveness: 0.2%. Equipment loss: one SMG magazine destroyed.*

You're definitely gonna pay for that.

Looking for an opportunity for a surprise attack, he noticed a parked car nearby. Probably left over from the chaos. Hmm, an idea...

While the augment was setting up his little surprise, Soldier 11 was fighting the Mole alone, still trying to overload the mech's reactor. But she couldn't do it by herself, as the Typhoon kept lifting into the air every time she tried to land a flaming strike. Damn it, where's Ave? Was that hit really that strong?

Her question was answered when a car came speeding out of the building window where the agent had been thrown earlier. Flying out of the building, the car slammed straight into the mech, forcing it to its knees. While the Mole was trying to recover, Ave smashed through the windshield and climbed back onto the slightly slumped robot. Quickly reloading his SMG with armor-piercing rounds, he emptied the entire magazine into the plate shielding the reactor, leaving a deep hole in the mech's cooling system.

Without hesitation, he planted explosives there and leaped off the now-rising giant. Jumping down, he nearly lost his life as the car came flying toward him, but Soldier 11 arrived just in time and pulled him out of the vehicle's trajectory.

— I'll admit, you military types are well-trained, but your whole plan just went down the drain! I'm still standing, and my reactor's still generating enough energy to kill you both! What are you brave little soldiers gonna do now? — the Mole taunted, spreading his massive arms as if daring the soldiers.

— I suggest you cover your eyes. It's gonna be bright, — the augment said, holding the detonator in his hand.

— An elite soldier never turns away from their—

*B-o-o-o-m*

Shielding her eyes from the bright flash of the explosion, Soldier 11 finished her sentence — opponent. But this time, I'll allow myself such a mistake.

Looking at the Typhoon, now fallen from the powerful explosion, Ave fired another shot from his underbarrel launcher at the mech. The massive blast finally knocked out the cooling system, and the mech shut down. The hum of the reactor faded, and the external lights went dark. The Typhoon would never rise again.

Amid the momentary silence that followed, Wise finally exhaled. The sergeant, seeing the enemy defeated, retreated to her comrades with the remaining prisoners.

But the idyll was interrupted by a dissatisfied, though noticeably weakened, shout — How is this possible? Me, the great—

— Oh, shut up already. You've been yelling more than anyone else today. Wise, where's Soldier 11? — Belle asked, carefully climbing down from the ruined building.

Looking around, he replied, — She left with the prisoners who weren't evacuated after meeting you on the way here.

— Who the hell are you anyway? Because of you two, my entire plan went down the drain! — the Mole, trapped in the wrecked mech, cried, almost sobbing. Slowly approaching him, Belle decided to take pity on him and explain.

— Well, first of all, you underestimated the soldier. Second, I really am Phaeton. And third, I had powerful backup in the form of a cavern researcher agent—Ave! — Belle shouted, pointing her penguin-like paws at her brother standing nearby.

— So much drama, my God, — Wise said, shaking his head as he slowly climbed onto the body of the defeated mech.

— The cavern is collapsing fast! We've done everything we needed to do. It's time to go, Wise.

Fiddling with the outer armor plate, the augment just waved his hand. — Go on without me. I want to pocket a few parts from this robot. I'll catch up with you at the exit, so go ahead and don't wait. That's an order.

— Oh, just don't take too long, or I'll leave without you... somehow, — Belle pouted and walked off along the route Feya had already plotted.

Left alone, the augment activated the full power of his augmentations and tore off the plate protecting the pilot. Inside lay the Mole, bleeding and battered—a tanned guy, about 170 cm tall. Seeing Ave and his soul-chilling eyes in front of him, he was genuinely frightened.

— What do you want? To finish me off? Don't flatter yourself, I'm going to bleed out soon anyway, thanks to you and that damn soldier, — the traitor spat, coughing up fluid filling his lungs.

The augment just silently stared into the slightly frightened eyes of the traitor, thinking about what to do with him. Finally, he seemed to make up his mind and spoke. — You know, it seems wasteful for such a serious figure of the resistance to be left here to die alone. Don't you think that's kind of stupid? I do, and that's why—slowly pulling out a stick with three needles from his side pouch, he brought it to the pilot's head—I'd like to learn more about you, Marcus.

Realizing that he wasn't dealing with just any cavern researcher, Marcus tried to fight back with what little strength he had left, but as soon as he touched Ave's body, his arms were broken.

— A-a-a-a! You bastard, just kill me, why torture me?! I wouldn't tell you anything even if I wanted to! — Marcus screamed hysterically, trying to cope with the growing pain.

— Oh, don't worry about your limitations. After all—with a dull thud, a wire emerged from the previously revealed stick, which Ave attached to his head—I have ways to bypass such limitations. So sleep tight, rat, because all your plans will be mine alone.

Chapter Text

The city of New Eridu, as always, was shrouded in thick fog. Neon signs flickered, reflecting in the puddles left by the recent rain. The roads were deserted, with only the occasional flash of headlights from cars speeding toward the Ring Road. At this hour, most residents preferred to stay home, but not our brother and sister. They were returning from another successfully completed mission.

— So, Wise, still think we shouldn't have taken this job? — Belle asked, still connected to Eos. Her voice was loud, breaking the quiet atmosphere of the ride, but she didn't seem to care.

Wise, on the other hand, remained silent, his hands tightly gripping the steering wheel, his eyes darting between the road and the mirrors, as if expecting an ambush or some kind of trap. His response was as reserved as he was:

— If you ignore the fact that we almost walked right into that rebel trap, then yeah, not bad.— Yeah, but it all went more than smoothly! — Belle laughed, as if it were some kind of adventure rather than a real danger. — We handled it, right? You, as always, were on top of your game, and I... well, I was just brilliant!

Wise just shook his head, but a faint smile flickered at the corner of his mouth. He was used to her endless energy, even if it sometimes wore him out. But it was this very trait of hers that kept him grounded. Ever since he returned, she had been the one to spark the flame, while Wise made sure that spark didn't turn into a wildfire.

They drove through the narrow streets, passing recently rebuilt buildings and half-ruined structures. Their shop was on Sixth Street, a place that was home to all sorts of characters, often very different from one another. But for them, it was home. A place where they could rest, catch their breath, and, of course, where they were always welcomed by other bunnies and friends. Though mostly Belle's friends.

— Hey, Wise, remember our first contract together? — Belle suddenly froze, turning to him. Her eyes on the display went still, as if she had just remembered something important. — That was my first group escort mission from a cavern with some rookie raiders, but at the last moment, everything went sideways! And then you showed up!

— I remember, — Wise replied, smiling slightly. — You almost lost that sweet old lady because of your haste and the inexperience of those bratty contractors. I had to carry them on my back.

— Well, that was a long time ago! — Belle waved her "arms," as if shooing away the unpleasant memories. — I know how to handle myself in situations like that now. And it's partly thanks to you, by the way.

— Don't exaggerate, — Wise shrugged, turning the wheel at another corner. — You would've figured it out on your own. You just needed time.

Winding through the streets of New Eridu, they finally reached Sixth Street. There it was—the parking lot attached to a small but cozy building that Belle had first repaired herself, and then they both renovated the rest together. The sign above the entrance read: "Random Play." Proxi had always insisted on keeping the name as a nod to the past, to the video store that had existed in old Eridu, though Wise didn't see much point in it.

— Well, home sweet home! — Belle said, looking at the black video rental building. — Alright, I'm logging off. See you at the H.D.D. Don't forget Eos!

The display in Belle's eyes went dark for a second, replaced by a slightly darker green hue. Now Eos was fully in control of her body and cheerfully greeted the silver-haired cavern explorer. Gently patting him between the ears, he unbuckled his seatbelt.

Sighing heavily for what felt like the tenth time, Wise turned off the engine of the recently acquired car and stepped out into the cool night air of the sleeping city. Taking a deep breath, he finally relaxed. He was home. No need to be fully armed anymore. For now...

Unlocking the passenger door, he easily picked up the yawning bunny who had been sitting in the front seat. He needed to get him on the charger soon, but first, he had to check on his sister, who was already waiting for him. Locking the car, he finally headed to the back entrance of the video store.

Entering the shop, Wise closed the door behind him. He habitually scanned the room, making sure everything was in order. The shop was their sanctuary, their fortress, and he always made sure it was safe.

As soon as he touched the door handle, memories of his "conversation" with the Mole flooded back. A lot of details had come to light, details that unfortunately tied back to his past. And he had thought he'd destroyed everything connected to "them."

Two hours ago

The Cavern: the site of the battle with the Typhoon.

— Only I have it.

As soon as the words left the augment's mouth, the needles pierced the Mole's brain, breaking through his skull and scalp. Once the needles penetrated his brain, the Mole stopped convulsing.

In Ave's eyes, which were already glowing blue, fragments of the traitor's life flashed by. Pieces of his childhood, adolescence, student life.

— Too far back, need to speed this up. I don't have all day.

Pressing a combination of buttons on the rod, the playback of the rat's life sped up. His student years and military life flew by, and finally, the recruitment into betrayal.

— Mr. Marcus, I represent an order that definitely needs people like you. Loyal and willing to go far... even to betrayal, — the voice of a stranger sounded, now pointing a gun at our recently defeated Mole. Holstering the pistol, he extended a hand to the fallen soldier, offering help.

— Are you going to lie there all day? Come on, I don't bite, — the unknown man grumbled, still holding out his hand. After a moment's thought, Marcus took the offered hand and stood on his trembling legs. Looking over the figure before him, he noticed that it was clad in a simple black robe, hiding weapons and some kind of unfamiliar equipment. However, what the traitor didn't know, Wise knew all too well, for who else but he was familiar with this gear.

— Scientific armor kit from Arquebus... Things are getting interesting. After my work at the research complex, there shouldn't have been a trace of such corporate technology left, and the remnants should have been destroyed by the Zero Cavern that formed. But apparently, something did remain, and now it's trying to bite me in the ass. I'll have to visit that lab... and probably not just it, — Wise said emotionlessly, continuing to sift through Mr. Mole's memories, trying to uncover the goals of this mysterious "Order."

As it turned out, this bunch of degenerates wants to turn the entire remaining world into one damn cavern. And on top of that, transform humanity into etherials so they can survive in this new "wonderful world." How reminiscent of the plans of another corporation, though at least they didn't aim to turn the whole world into a single cavern. Well, it's been a while since I've dismantled a cult, though this time I'll have to tread carefully, given their government ties. I'd rather not become a persona non grata and end up with a bullet in my head. Though let them try—I'll take them down with me.

Finally, reaching events from two months ago, he found some interesting information. It turned out the Mole needed to acquire weapons capable of fighting large robots, which, among other things, were equipped with powerful artificial intelligence. Ha, just like...

— Like early ACs...

After checking all the remaining information in the traitor's head, Ave removed the device from the Mole's skull. With a squelching sound, the needles exited his head, leaving behind three holes from which brain fluid slowly oozed. Pulling out his PPK, he delivered a final shot to the Mole's head to cover his tracks and prevent any further examination of the rat's brain. The Typhoon's cabin was now drenched in brain matter and skull fragments, making the already ruined interior even worse.

Slowly examining the body, he let out a long sigh, looking up at the fake bright sky of the cavern, as if addressing its creator.

— Haven't I suffered enough?! Why can't you just leave me alone after everything that's happened?! I've already been through hell, but no! You had to bring up the worst scumbags from my life, and now it turns out they're somehow connected to the creators of this damn cult that dreams of turning the whole world into one big cavern! And for what?! To merge with those damn etherials and become one with them?! FUCK!

After shouting out the last part, he collapsed from the Typhoon onto the wet ground. The moisture and dirt slowly soaked into his slightly bloodied coat, but he didn't care. Right now, he had other things on his mind. The blue glow of his eye implants looked upward. His vision gradually filled with information about approaching etherials and his remaining ammunition. What's the point? Kill these, and more will come. Destroy one corporation, and another will rise. Or if not, some miracle will survive the apocalypse. Maybe I should just stop? Live quietly off the profits from the video store, get a job at the White Star Institute, and study the caverns? Isn't that what I was doing before the Zero Cavern appeared?

Finally pulling himself together, he got up from the ground and headed for the exit. His internal systems had already calculated the escape route, but his mind remained empty. What now?

After a few steps, Wise froze. He looked at his dirt-covered hands. They were protected by tactical gloves, but the recent fall had left them coated in mud. Just like the augment himself.

— I'll have to postpone my plans. I won't be able to clean this up today, — the augment said, blankly examining his weapon. But his gaze remained empty. Memories of his life slowly flowed through his mind. His work at Helios. His mentor and teacher, Carol Arne. Being recruited into a secret non-governmental project. Torture, training, operations. The subsequent bloody escape. And then wandering. Aimless and endlessly meaningless. Working for cartels, the military, the government, raiders. Anything that could fill the void and give some semblance of purpose. But one job replaced another. One goal gave way to the next, but peace and fulfillment never came. He was just a shell of his former self.

But then he met her. The person he thought had been dead for years was alive. His sweet, little sister was alive. The last fragment of his past, his family.

And then he had a purpose. Solid and unshakable. A purpose worth dying for. To protect her and help her investigate the disaster that had struck Eridu.

The aimless gaze turned to steel. The body that once swayed in the wind now stood firm. His muscles were like iron, and the strength behind them could tear through metal and monsters the likes of which the world had only seen beyond the Dark Wall*. He would achieve his goal no matter what. And when his task was complete... well, then we'll see.

But time waits for no one.
-----------------------

The recent events flashed through his mind, almost causing him to bend the door handle completely, but thankfully, his regained self-control helped him avoid that tricky situation. Unlocking the door, he was met with a dimly lit room, one wall of which was completely covered in monitors. And in front of them, sitting—or rather, sprawled—in a chair was Belle, lazily draped over the worn-out backrest like a cat.

— Took you long enough, dirtbag. How did the great cavern explorer manage to slip? And not just slip, but take a full-on mud bath! Soldier 11 even smiled when she met us near the cavern. By the way, what were you two whispering about? — Belle stretched lazily, her voice tinged with mockery, but her eyes betrayed her curiosity.

Shaking his head in frustration, he carefully placed his dirty coat on the armrest of the couch and plopped down onto it himself, letting out another long sigh from the accumulated fatigue and the situation as a whole. Staring at the ceiling, he finally answered her question.

— We, as you put it, "whispered" about the operation and my license as a researcher from the White Star Institute. You know how it is with army people, especially from the special unit of the Obsidian Division. And she smiled because she was grateful for the help in catching the traitor. So you can stop trying to speculate and gossip about it.

Ignoring his sister's dissatisfied grumbling, Wise lazily turned his head toward the TV, which was replaying the morning news. The monotonous drone of the anchor about the recent skirmishes between Belobog and Vision was just background noise to the augment's thoughts. Plans for the future and places he needed to inspect in the Zero Cavern slowly formed in his mind. That scientific suit had been developed and used exclusively by Arquebus employees, and all the surviving warehouses and facilities of that corporation had already been visited... with a bang. So there must be some unaccounted stockpiles left somewhere, and he needed to find them urgently. That's probably where the lead on this "Organization" would be too. He'd have to visit a certain place, but for now...

— Fairy, I have a question for you: How much energy do you consume on average? — Wise asked, getting up from the couch and looking at the wall of monitors, where the AI's emblem had already appeared.

— Master's assistant, on average, my consumption is around 4 kW/h, but during route calculations in the caverns and other tasks requiring significant computational power, my energy consumption can reach up to 7 kW/h. May I ask the reason for this question? — the digital assistant's voice sounded with mild interest.

Exchanging a glance with Belle, whose face also showed curiosity, Wise pulled up the latest electricity bill as the reason for his question.

— Last month, we used as much energy as the entire Sixth Street combined. Such a sudden and significant increase in energy consumption could attract the attention of the CISRT. And not just them, given how poorly protected electricity consumption data is. Some brat could easily hack it and start checking addresses, — Wise said, putting the bill back and once again staring at the ceiling, as if seeing not the painted surface but a masterpiece only visible to him.

— Master's assistant, your concerns are logical. A sudden spike in consumption could draw unwanted attention from government organizations to your identity. An alternative power source for me could be the ether columns, but for that, the H.D.D. would need to be moved closer to them, — the AI concluded, scanning the map and the locations of these columns on the computer.

— And become a threat to all of New Eridu? No thanks. The last thing we need is someone from the T.O.P.s setting their sights on us. We've already got enough problems after losing our main account. And moving the H.D.D. could be dangerous. It's built using the teacher's technology, — Belle said sadly, slowly getting up from the chair. — So what do we do now?

Heavily rising from the couch, Wise paced the room, thinking about how to solve this problem. Distributing the energy consumption across the entire street would be too obvious, and the other residents, especially the bangboo from "141," would immediately notice something was off with the bills. Hacking into someone else's network was pointless too, as the first audit would reveal who was responsible, leading straight to court and the CISRT. Solar panels have low efficiency, and current energy generation devices are either not powerful enough or too large for our needs. We could, of course, just take spare batteries from my mech and charge them from its power source, but... but what?

— I think I have an idea. Though I'm not sure it'll work yet, — Wise finally stopped pacing and turned to his sister and the AI. — But it's not going to be quick, and I'll need to make a trip to the Bypass. I found a special battery and a powerful military-grade power source a while back. So we could move the battery here, and when it runs out, just bring a replacement while it recharges.

The room fell into stunned silence. Belle, who had been looking at her brother with hope a second ago, was now staring at him with a puzzled expression.

— This method could be considered acceptable, but until the battery is brought here, it will be difficult for me to analyze its capacity and determine if it's suitable for my efficient operation. Until then, I will try to reduce my power consumption to lower costs. And you, master, I recommend going to sleep. It's already 01:42, and you've been on your feet for 960 minutes. This lifestyle could be detrimental...

— Alright, alright. I get it, no need to lecture me about the benefits of proper sleep and the consequences of disrupting sleep cycles. Wise has already nagged me enough about taking care of my health, even though he's happy to break those rules himself! — Belle grumbled, pointing a finger at her brother, who squinted back at her. Nevertheless, she headed to her room. Pausing at the door for a moment, she looked back at her brother, who was now rummaging through the desk. Shaking her head softly, Belle decided to call out to him.

— Wise, go to sleep. You've got to open the shop tomor... today. And if you don't go to sleep, neither will I! That's the deal, and it's not up for discussion!

Stopping his search for the necessary documents, the augment turned to his sister, who stood proudly with her head held high and her arms crossed, staring at him. Realizing she wouldn't accept any excuses, he simply closed the drawer and walked over to the waiting doorway.

— Alright, alright. I'll deal with it tomorrow, — he said, glancing back at the monitors, which had gone dark a minute ago. — Goodnight, Fairy.

Carefully closing the door behind him, a quiet, almost human voice came from the room: — Goodnight, Wise.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Text

"Proxy! Step aside!"

But her punch hits nothing. Before she could realize what had happened, Augment appeared behind her. His hand gripped her wrist with such force that she almost dropped her sword. Soldier 11 tried to pull away, but her movements were too slow compared to him. Knocking the sword out of her hands, he knocks the soldier to the ground while pulling out his own weapon. But before it makes an attack, the proxy intervenes, pushing the unknown. But how could bangboo stand up to a man like him?

As soon as he feels the jolt from proxy, he grabs him by the ears and tears him to pieces. Diagrams and artificial muscles of a small robot fly in all directions. From the dilapidated speaker comes a cry of terror that now seems to be forever stuck in Soldier 11's head.

Crushing the remaining pieces of bangboo with his foot, the visor finally goes blank, finally revealing that her guide is now dead and she's stuck here with this.. a creature.

Gradually turning to her, the mercenary smears the remains of the proxy on the asphalt with his oil-soaked and blood-soaked boots, as if to show his dominance to the sergeant lying on the ground. As soon as the sergeant regains consciousness, he immediately pounces on the killer with his brass knuckles, but her strongest blow to his face only rips off his gas mask. Beneath it, snow-white skin is revealed, now covered in blood. But just a second later, like a maniac, he licks it off with his awfully long tongue and swallows it.

"No one's going to save you this time. Not the Trigger, not Soldier 0, not anyone else. It's just you and me.. so what are you going to do? - throwing his head to one side, asks the creature, whose red narrowed pupils were visible even from under tinted glasses-"There is nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. And all your comrades are dead. Again. So for the last time - what are you going to do?"

Swallowing in fear, the sergeant backs away from him until she stumbles over something on the ground. Leaning on the object, she realizes that it is already a rather cold corpse of the Trigger. Her mask was torn off, and her once beautiful violet-pearly eyes had been destroyed by the influence of the aether and were now nothing more than disfigured pieces of aether crystals. Looking around, she notices the other OBOL members already dead. They were all dead.

When she looks up at the monster, she can't see it anymore. She looks around in fear, trying to find him, but he's nowhere to be found. In this cavern, there was only one loser who failed to complete the task, because of which everyone died, except for the culprit herself, who was crying right now into the once warm neck of her friend.

And so it would have continued until He showed up here again. Like a condor, he wandered around the once-efficient branch of the Armed Forces. But now it's nothing more than a bunch of lifeless bodies and their broken commander, who can't come to terms with the loss. Finally stopping behind her, he picks up the sword that was knocked out earlier and creeps up behind her like a viper ready to attack its helpless prey at any moment.

"Pathetic sight, well, you've made your choice." - аfter saying this, Soldier 11 feels something enter her back and push her back into the ground. A scream tries to escape from her throat, but the growing pain doesn't allow her to do anything more than a couple of wheezes. Coughing blood from her mouth, she barely managed to regain consciousness. Trying to figure out what's going on, she gets down on her knees and looks down. There, at the level of her belly, glistens her own sword sticking out of her chest, which was now covered in her own blood. Spitting out the liquid that has accumulated in her lungs, she turns to the culprit of this celebration.

A nearly two-meter-tall freak stands there, grinning in the shadows. There isn't a drop of regret or fear in his eyes. There is only an animal pleasure in the action he has performed. At first, the quiet laughter turns into a real cackle, which literally drowns out the sergeant, causing him even more pain. Finally, the monster falls silent. And with it goes that snow-white smile that hasn't left his face all this time. Striding confidently toward her, he pulls out a gun and points it directly at her head. Realizing that this is her end, she closes her eyes and waits for him to finish her off. However, a second or two passes, but nothing happens. Cautiously opening her eyes, she sees her proxy standing next to the mercenary, but no longer as a bangboo. The girl looks shabby. Her head is constantly dripping blood, and her face is littered with cuts and bruises.

"You shouldn't have given up so soon, soldier. After all, you've found a lot of good people outside of your service. It's a pity that because of your weakness, they will all die."

*Bang*

They were all dead. Everyone except me. The last shot put a bold end to this story. He took his finger off the trigger and it was all over.

"Sweet dreams, Soldier 11."

*Bang*

----------------------------

Time: 5:27

Location: Obsidian Division Barracks

"NOOO!"

The sergeant is panting as she jumps out of bed, her body covered in cold sweat. My hands are shaking, my fingers digging into the sheets as if trying to grasp reality. Eyes flick around the room in the dim light of the morning sun. The barracks. She's in the barracks. Was it all a dream? But the pain, the fear, Proxy's voice-it all seemed so real. She puts her hand to her stomach as if checking for a wound. No. No blood, no holes. Just my heart pounding in my chest and the memories that don't seem to go away any time soon.

Realizing that she won't be able to sleep again, she heads to the bathroom to try to wash away some of the horror that came to her in her nightmares. Standing under the shower head, she finally removes her sweat-soaked tank top and underwear. Finally relaxing, she turns on the hot water to finally get rid of the memories of her dream. Slowly washing her curves, she sinks into the warm water, which seems to wash away not only the sweat, but also the remnants of anxiety that enveloped her after the nightmare. The water flows over her skin, taking the tension with it, and she closes her eyes, trying to focus on the soothing sensation. But as soon as she closes her eyes, her fallen comrades reappear before her eyes. And somewhere out there, in the shadows of the buildings, He's hiding, her hands moving over her shoulders, her chest, her stomach, as if she's trying to make sure that this is all real, that she's here, safe, and not in the frightening world she saw in her dream.

A sudden knock on the door snaps the sergeant out of the swirl of memories and brings him back to the real world.

"Sergeant?" Are you there? It's a Trigger. You've been in there for half an hour and you haven't come out. Are you all right?" Her friend's worried voice came from behind the bathroom door.

The sergeant started at the sound of Trigger's voice. She quickly ran a hand over her face, blotting away the tears that had unwittingly welled up in her eyes. The water continued to flow, but now its warmth seemed less soothing, more like a reminder that reality was still there, and it had its own complexities.

"Yes, I'm here," she finally said, trying to keep her voice steady. - It's all right. Simply... I thought about it.

The trigger guard outside the door was silent for a couple of seconds, as if weighing whether to believe her words.

"Okay," she finally said. "But if anything happens, I'm here." Don't stay too long, we still need to discuss the plan for today. And... Sarge, you know you can count on me, right?

The sergeant closed her eyes, feeling her chest tighten with gratitude. The trigger was always there, even in the most difficult moments. She was not just a friend, but a real support, a person who was not afraid to tell the truth and was always ready to support.

"Wait! Don't go," Soldier 11 said in a slightly panicked voice, " I'll be right out, just wait."

Wrapping a towel around her, she stepped out of the shower and began to dress. The mirror in front of her reflected her face, tired but determined. She ran a hand through her damp hair, pulling it back into a ponytail, and took a deep breath.

Quietly unlocking the door, the Trigger appeared before her. She was standing there with her arms crossed, but her smile was so reassuring. Cautiously approaching her, she gently hugs her, making sure that it was all a dream. Everyone is alive and well.

Sniper, on the other hand, was a little taken aback by her usually stoic friend's sudden action, but she didn't think twice about hugging her back. After holding this position for a few seconds, the sergeant awkwardly pulls away from the Trigger.

"I'm sorry," Soldier 11 whispered softly, looking away from the face of her comrade - in-arms, whose mask had already changed color from blue to yellow. I was a little panicked.

Looking at her embarrassed friend with a smile, Trigger only gently laughed at the sergeant's behavior. However, the last sentence made her facial expressions harden. Similar cases may have occurred before, but they were extremely rare and mostly related to the past of Soldier 11.

"Hmm, that's weird. Usually bad dreams were the cause of failures, but yesterday's operation was successful. Is this something to do with the Mole? Did he say something about our powers again?"

- what? No, it's not related to the Mole.. almost-sighing, the sergeant returned to her memories of yesterday's operation. Especially the variable that Scarlet Eyes summoned.

"Yesterday, when we split up, Proxy and I went to the traitor's coordinates. But along the way, we crossed paths with ... a White Star explorer. As it turned out, he was there as a safety net, in case of an unexpected situation.

Continuing her explanation, she headed back to the barracks with the Trigger in tow.

"He appeared in an instant. I didn't even feel it until it made itself known. I ... couldn't resist attacking it.

After that, an awkward silence fell between them. The steel-strong Soldier 11 couldn't contain herself and attacked the institute's researcher.

"You didn't kill him, did you?" Please tell me that he survived?

The colors on the mask changed to blue, showing the shift and uncertainty of her friend. However, her next words startled her just as much.

"Did I hurt him?" No, he completely smeared me as a private. I couldn't even touch it. His speed, accuracy, and strength were all beyond the norm. If the proxy I hired hadn't stopped him, I probably wouldn't be here.

By this time, they had already reached the barracks. While Soldier 11 cleaned herself up, Trigger had time to think about what she was hearing.

Hired by an" independent researcher", cavern hires another researcher, but this time from the White Star Institute. Somehow, during the entire operation, neither the enemy nor our squad found out about him. And he was able to get close to the Soldier 11 level military completely silently. And not only that, but he also easily defeated her. At least according to her.

"Wait, but you destroyed the Mole, didn't you? So you guys still got along? Sniper asked, looking at the sergeant who had already changed into her uniform. After the question is asked, the sergeant, putting on his glasses, answers the previously asked question.

"Yes, after clearing the "misunderstanding" between us, we were attacked by a traitor, but we dealt with it quite quickly. And I was even able to lead away the defected soldiers who had surrendered. And yet.. Why does such a capable fighter serve in a scientific institute? Wasn't it better to join the HIA? There, you can get a higher salary, and your future career can be more successful."

No one knew the answer to this question, except, of course, Agent Ave himself, but it was unlikely that he would just tell them. On the other hand, why not try. Maybe talking to him would help allay her inexplicable fear of him. We can only hope.

Quickly texting Inter-Knot Proxy about her request to meet her bodyguard, she waited. However, after a couple of minutes, she realized that she was probably still asleep, so there was no point in waiting for an answer right now.

"Trigger, we should head to headquarters. Magus is probably already waiting for us. And *pink*, I think I'm going to be busy tonight."

Without thinking twice, the soldiers headed to their partner, but Soldier 11's thoughts were only preoccupied with the upcoming meeting with the agent. An agent who'd made her feel more afraid than she'd felt in a long time.

-------------------------

Time: 13: 41

Location: Random Play Counter

Once again failing to sell his subscription, Wise sighs in frustration. This is the twelfth customer, and they all refuse to buy it. What an absurdity.

"Eighteen, tell me: am I cursed or not?"

Looking at the guy, bangboo cheerfully tweeted that he was really cursed, because when he worked with Belle, customers were happy to buy him. But he doesn't need to be upset about it.

A mask of annoyance crept over the face of what turned out to be the damned tape salesman, which accidentally startled the customer who had just entered, and he hurriedly retreated from the store.

"No, wait! I... oh, shit. What a coincidence.." glancing at his watch, his eyes fall on the closed door to the utility room. Belle has already fulfilled the contract for a long time, but she is nowhere to be found. Switching his eye to the store's cameras, he quickly finds his sister talking to someone on the phone while in the parking lot.

"Can you take my place for a while? I need to discuss something with Belle."

"En-nu-na ne-ek ne(Of course Wise, don't worry, go)"

After showing bangboo a good look, he quickly heads outside, and as soon as he leaves the door, he hears the echoes of his sister's conversation with some much more familiar and very eccentric person.

"...are you saying that the HAND will continue to investigate the case of the monster in the square?"

"No doubt about it. I and the employees of the Belobog combine heard firsthand" - Belle said, twirling her bangs on her finger, continuing her conversation with Nicole," NEPS will take the remains of the monster with him, but the evidence machine will still deliver them to the HAND headquarters."

" Yes, the HAND can handle this kind of work better than the NEPS. And you said "I"? Don't you and Wise do proxy work together?"

"No, Nicole, it's time to remember. He covers for me when I can't stand it anymore. He'd rather go out and guide the raiders through the caverns himself than use H.D.D."

"By yourself? And not with a carrot? Why didn't you say anything earlier? Such an asset in Cunning Hares could put us ahead.."

" I'd rather be warned in advance when I'm being hired."

"AAH!"

"AAH!"

A sudden voice from behind them startled them. So much so that Nicole even dropped the call. Belle stompes her foot on the asphalt, looking at her brother with displeasure, but quickly regrets it after the pain that came in response to the blow.

"Ouch! Wise! I told you not to scare me like that! And anyway, I was on the phone talking."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but since you're talking about me, why don't you identify yourself?"

Wanting to say something back, Belle quickly gives up on the logic of her brother's actions. With a sad sigh, she waves her hand as if to indicate that everything is fine.

"Well, since you're here, I suggest we head to NEPS station."

"The NEPS site? And why do we need to go there?" - raising an eyebrow, Wise asks, looking at her sister - "Did you really want to surrender to them?"

"Hey! Actually, our driver's license is about to expire. Fairy has already left a request on their official website for new ones.

The voice of the previously mentioned AI suddenly comes from Belle's phone."

"The proxy master is right. Your license is about to expire, so I took the liberty of applying for a replacement driver's license for both of you. Unfortunately, you can only pick up your documents in person. You don't have to thank me, the proxy assistant."

He could only shake his head in frustration at the words he heard. Seeing her brother's displeased expression, Belle looked at him blankly. What's wrong? I, on the contrary, did everything in advance, as he likes, where is the puncture?

"Thank you for your concern, dear sister and, of course, a Fairy, but my rights will expire only in two years" - said Wise, changing his face from benevolent to gloomy and sad - "Now I have to explain why I suddenly needed new rights during the old ones."

Realizing her mistake, Belle only giggled uncomfortably, until her awkward laughter was interrupted by the Fairy's accusation that she was being misinformed about the validity period of the assistant proxy's rights. Not wanting to listen to another argument, Wise simply takes the keys to his car and gets in.

Interrupting the argument with the increased engine speed, he opens the passenger door to his sister, offering to finally go for these unfortunate rights.

Without thinking twice, she throws herself into a chair and quickly buckles herself in under the scrutiny of her brother. As soon as she finished buckling on her seat belt, the car sped off through the Fairy's graciously opened gate. Once on the road, the car smoothly picks up the permissible speed and slowly flows in the flow of other cars.

" You shouldn't have driven like that! My hair is all messed up," - Belle mumbled in displeasure, straightening her hair - "And it's only lunch time, we'll make it."

Time: 17: 28

Location: Lumina Square Lane

"Okay, I take it back."

Because of the long drive and clogged parking lots, they had to stomp to the right place as much as two kilometers!

"Oh, I'm so tired. Why are there so few parking spaces near one of the most popular places in New Eridu?! It would be better to take the subway.." - The blue-haired proxy, whose legs were not prepared for such loads, says sadly. Unlike the almost two-meter-tall guy walking next to him, who walked with a measured gait next to him.

" That's to be expected. And I told you I should have pulled into that parking lot before it was occupied. But alas, when we returned, there were no seats left," - Wise replied with mock sadness, but after a second, his facade cracked and a soft smile appeared from under it.

"You're so mean, little brother," - his sister said with a pout, looking him in the face with her puppy dog eyes.

Unable to withstand such a heartwarming look from a loved one, Wise bowed his head in defeat in front of his sister - "Okay, you can order something to eat. We have enough money left over from previous orders. And to top it all off, I'm going back alone, so you can wait for me in your favorite Richard's Tearoom until I get there."

As soon as the words left his mouth, a megawatt smile appeared on his sister's face, which immediately lit up the alley.

"Really!? Thank you Wise!" - quickly take out your phone to search for a cafe to finally have a delicious meal - "Go ahead, we will not hesitate before such a desirable meal!"

Chuckling slightly, Augment followed her, taking in the scenery as he did so. There were only abandoned boxes and trash bags whose owners hadn't seen fit to dump them in the dumpster.

Warning: The jamming station has been detected.

Somewhere beyond the alley, you could hear the roar of an engine and the screams of pedestrians jumping and dodging on the sidewalk out of the way of a speeding car.

"Belle, hold still for a second"

"Wait, Wise, I don't have a net going. Is the phone broken?" - ignoring her brother's words, she continued moving out of the alley and toward bumper.

Battle Mode Activation: 100%

Overclocking metabolism: 100%

Warning: a sharp increase in metabolism can lead to shock, coma

"Belle!"

As she turns to look at her screaming brother, she only catches a glimpse of the headlights of a car that will hit her in just a second.

But the horrific aftermath is interrupted by a push from augment, who pushes her into the arms of an approaching police officer . The car stops abruptly after encountering Wise, who stops the car with his bare hands. Only a short strip of concrete, pinned down by his feet, indicates augment's efforts to stop this reckless driver.

As soon as he steps back from the "death chariot", the steam from his suddenly accelerated metabolism comes out of Wise's mouth. Augment slowly straightened up, unclenching his fingers that had left dents in the metal. His eyes, usually calm, now glowed with a cold fire.

"Wise! You... are you okay?" - Belle shouted in a shaky voice, struggling out of the dumbfounded guard's grasp. Her puppy-dog look was now filled with horror and relief at the same time.

"I'm... fine, " - he hissed, feeling the sudden strain of the implants burn his muscles. Steam was still coming out of his mouth, and his heart was beating as if it wanted to escape the reinforced rib cage.

The second cop, a sentient construct, was pulling the unconscious driver out of the wrecked car.

"Miss, I don't recommend getting up so abruptly. You may be injured!" - an officer with a ponytail and red streaks in her hair said in a worried voice.

"What? Ah ... it's all right" - Wise has already arrived in time to help her put herself in order, while she looked into the eyes of the officer, whose face she definitely saw somewhere.

"Okay, but we recommend that you get checked out," - Officer Zhu Yuan says hesitantly, looking at the injured woman - "However, you, citizen, should definitely undergo a medical examination of the injuries. Such actions could seriously harm others"

"What do you suggest I do? Watch my sister get crushed by a car?" - augment asks irritably, towering over the slightly retreating employee. But quickly regaining her composure, she straightens up proudly, and looking into the eyes, answers the big guy:

"The New Eridu Public Security personnel are specially trained people and agents like my partner Qinqi. As you can see, not a single person on this street was injured, so you can rest easy. You were just a little faster" - Zhu Yuan said as she whispered the last part.

His sister abruptly stands between them, wanting to defuse the already tense situation - "So, Wise, that's enough. We actually came here not to argue with the law enforcement officers, but to get our rights. Please excuse him, hehe."

"Yes, of course," - Zhu Yuan replied with a slight smile, softening her tone. - "Just be more careful next time."

Meanwhile, the driver finally got out of the wrecked car - a young man with bleary eyes and unnaturally pale skin. As soon as he leaves the car, he immediately falls on his face until he is picked up by a nearby Qinqi.

"Officer Zhu, I'll finish my business here. Help our lovely citizens with paperwork."

Without waiting for a response, Construct began checking the fallen driver for injuries, while calling bangboo for help.

"Yes Qinqi! Citizens, please follow me" - Zhu Yuan said, and walked towards the police station while the siblings looked at each other in disbelief. But quickly recovering, they followed the officer.

A few hours of paperwork later

After finally leaving the station and saying their goodbyes to the security personnel, the couple headed to Richard's tearoom to relax a little after such a busy day. However, Wise didn't think that his sweet sister had prepared another one for him without even telling him!

"What do you mean Soldier 11 is there? And talk to me? You do know that she could just go to Scott's post and set up a meeting with my immediate supervisor, right?"

Belle tried to stop her brother's grumbling, saying that it was his own fault, because it was possible to act as young people say.. pompous.

"Come on, Wise, this is just a conversation, especially in a tea shop. You'll just sort out your work issues and that's it. You'll see. And you yourself promised to satisfy all my whims for today," - Proxy said with a wide smile as the couple walked towards the cafe.

Clucking, he continued walking, running through the sergeant's possible questions and how to answer them, raising a minimum of questions and suspicions. He didn't want the army to be interested in him. Then he wouldn't have any time at all!

When he finally gets to the tearoom, he notices a white-haired girl drinking bubble tea warily. When she sees them, she abruptly throws her half-finished tea in the trash can and turns to them. Her posture is tense, but she hasn't drawn her weapon. This is progress - Wise notes, recalling their first meeting.

"Hello again, Sergeant, nice to meet you in a more relaxed setting" - Agent Ave says, extending his hand in greeting.

Realizing who it is, she swallows nervously, but still shakes the proffered hand - Hello.

The awkward silence between a blankly blinking Wise and a blushing Soldier 11 is interrupted by the laughter of the proxy who watched their interaction.

Поняв, что на неё обратили внимание, она могла лишь неловко улыбнуться, попутно отпивая из только заказанного стакана чая.

But while our heroes were having a conversation, somewhere out there, in the Hollow Zero, a robot was wandering around, collecting all sorts of junk at first glance. But everything has a purpose.

Collected materials for restoring the Step Forward project: 87.4%

Decoding the coordinates of the "survivor": 75.2%

Slowly submerging all the collected junk in containers, the robot rises to its full size. Detecting the ever-approaching vibration from a group of ethereals with its sensors, it only slowly turns its body in their direction. He lost once. Some energy link tokens still adorn the body of the" defeated " robot, but now it will be ready.

Only the roar of working boosters and explosions from the AC cannon filled the once peaceful atmosphere of the urban wasteland. And when it's done, it will move on. After all, this is his program.

But is it only the program that now determines his actions?