The chamber was vast, silent, and cold. Rows of delegates sat behind desks marked with small flags, their faces half-obscured by dim lighting. They had come from all corners of the world, summoned here whether they liked it or not.
The room resembled a miniature stadium, a sealed environment designed to trap both sound and light.
Then, a single spotlight snapped on, illuminating the podium at the center.
A man in a white lab coat stepped forward. His measured footsteps echoed through the hall.
"Welcome to the AMER headquarters. I apologize for the sudden invitation, but we could not wait any longer to inform you," he said.
"If you called everyone here, does that mean this is something important?" one of the delegates asked.
"Important?" The man let out a quiet breath. "It goes far beyond that."
He raised a small device. A soft hum filled the air as laser projections formed his name above him.
"I represent the AMER Project's Science Division. And tonight… I'm here to reveal what we've achieved after decades of research."
The delegates shifted in their seats, their attention sharpening.
"As you all know, humanity's greatest flaw… is curiosity." His voice echoed cleanly across the chamber. "And that same curiosity has led us here- standing at the edge of destruction."
Murmurs spread across the room, but the scientist continued without pause.
"Seventeen years ago, an incident ruptured the boundary between dimensions. These so-called 'ghosts' are not folklore. They are physical phenomena… simply not in forms we can normally perceive."
He tapped a control.
A low mechanical groan reverberated through the chamber as a circular platform on the stage split open. From beneath it, a towering glass tube slowly rose into view- empty, at first glance.
"For nearly twenty years, we studied them. What we discovered is this: these beings were never meant to interact with our world. But something… an unknown particle… has changed them."
"You're the ones who changed them!"
A voice cut through the darkness.
Whispers followed, louder this time. Sharper, restless.
"This is ridiculous," another voice snapped. "Why should all of us share the blame?"
"Exactly! You're the ones creating the problem. Why should the entire world bear the consequences?" someone else added.
The scientist exhaled, almost bored.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I believe that discussion became outdated years ago." His lips curled into a faint smile. "So… shall we proceed with the demonstration?"
The glass tube locked into place with a sharp metallic click.
"I'm confident this will change all of your perceptions."
Eyebrows lifted. Curiosity began to outweigh hesitation.
"Allow me to continue," he said. "This unknown particle- we call it UF, Unidentified Fragment. It infects both spirits and humans alike. It grants them the ability to cross over… to harm… to mutate."
His gaze swept across the room.
"To become something that defies reason."
At each desk, concealed compartments slid open, revealing sleek, black-framed glasses.
"Please, see for yourselves. We've prepared special lenses that will allow you to perceive them."
His smile deepened, but unmistakably sinister.
The moment the glasses were worn, the screaming began.
One by one, the delegates recoiled in terror. Some tore the glasses off in panic. Others froze completely, unable to look away.
"Hwa- !!"
"What in the- what is that?!"
All eyes turned toward the glass tube at the center.
It was no longer empty. Something stood inside.
A grotesque mass of twisted limbs pressed against the glass. Strands of matted hair clung to a blood-smeared face, stretched into a grin far too wide to be human.
Half of its head was missing- yet its bulging eyes remained, trembling in their sockets as if they might spill out at any moment.
Before the hysteria could spiral any further, the heavy main doors swung open.
A woman in black tactical gear strode in, her hand resting casually on the compact submachine gun strapped at her side. She moved toward the podium with steady, unhurried steps.
Calm. Composed. Deadly.
The scientist's voice returned, as steady as ever.
"Using reflective technology derived from multiple artificial sensors, the visualization of the unseen has finally become possible."
He lifted a small chip, glowing faintly with a reddish aura, before handing it to the woman in military attire.
"This device allows us to convert mass into thermal energy- capable of harming astral entities. And rather than explaining further… Lisa will demonstrate."
Without hesitation, she stepped forward, stopping five meters from the glass tube.
From her pocket, she retrieved a pair of sleek black glasses- far more refined than the bulky goggles worn by the others.
The moment the tube opened, the creature lunged.
It rushed toward one of the delegates, releasing a roar that sounded like a grotesque fusion of shrieking birds and a raging beast.
Warning lights burst to life across the chamber.
'GROAARR!!'
Panic erupted.
People screamed. Chairs scraped violently against the floor. The room dissolved into chaos.
Lisa didn't move. With practiced precision, she inserted the red chip into a specialized slot on her modified weapon.
Then,
*Brrrrt—
Gunfire tore through the air.
A relentless barrage, each shot precise. Controlled.
The creature staggered mid-charge, its body riddled with impacts that flared into bursts of unnatural light.
Screams echoed as delegates scattered. Some frozen in place, others scrambling for the exits.
"What the hell is going on?!"
"Oh God… it's real…"
Through it all, the scientist's voice cut cleanly across the chaos.
"The rifle utilizes sub-atomic density converters, channeling thermal energy to neutralize entities such as this one."
The creature convulsed. Then slowed. Its movements grew sluggish… before finally collapsing. Faint, shimmering vapors began to leak from its ruined body.
"Combined with our extraction tools, we can now safely contain Unidentified Fragments within these entities."
Lisa approached without hesitation.
As she pressed a control on the side of her backpack, two compact, spray-like devices deployed outward. They emitted a low hum as they began pulling in the scattered luminous particles, drawing them in as if the air itself were being siphoned.
The delegates watched in stunned silence as the abomination gradually dissolved until nothing remained.
"Sir… are you certain this is the answer?" a representative from the United States asked, his voice tight.
"Yes." The scientist didn't even pause. "Without waiting for higher authorization, we have already proceeded in accordance with our promise."
He looked across the room, his expression unreadable.
"Starting next week, the eradication of UF within these unseen entities will be managed entirely by AMER."
"Wait- this is too sudden!"
"Unfortunately, your objections are no longer relevant." His smile returned, sharper this time. "Everything has already been arranged… long before this meeting began."
The room erupted again.
"AMER has no authority to enforce independent policy!"
"What do you mean Hunter teams will be deployed immediately?!"
"This is reckless! It's too dangerous… and too unclear!"
Voices clashed from every direction.
Some were still struggling to process what they had just witnessed. Others had already begun arguing with neighboring representatives, tensions spilling over into open confrontation.
But one thing was clear.
No one in that room was ready to accept a decision made this quickly… or this unilaterally.
"I understand your concerns…"
The debate was on the verge of erupting, until a single voice cut through the noise.
An elderly man entered the chamber, walking slowly with the support of a cane. Two armed guards flanked him on both sides.
The shift was immediate. Voices died down. Delegates straightened in their seats.
Silence followed him.
Even the scientist and Lisa lowered their heads slightly in respect, enough to make it clear that this man stood far above the rest.
He stopped at the center of the room. "Everything is under my control," he said calmly.
"But that's a military weapon!" someone shouted. "Do you intend to use it on humans as well?"
The sharp crack of his cane striking the floor echoed across the chamber.
He smiled, unbothered.
"Humans?" he repeated, almost amused. "That depends on how dangerous they are… and whether our current weapons are sufficient. However… yes."
His voice remained calm. Steady. Yet it drew every ounce of attention in the room.
"We will target espers as well."
A ripple of tension spread instantly.
"Mr. Chana," the representative from the United States spoke again, more cautiously this time. "We're not opposing the idea entirely… but don't you think this is far too rushed?"
Others joined in.
"We know the side effects of your company's weapons. What will happen to the Hunters using them?"
"We're willing to cooperate," another delegate replied, "but we need guarantees that these weapons are safe. And we must eliminate these anomalous entities without creating further chaos."
Silence.
For a brief moment, Chana said nothing.
He simply stood there, thinking.
Then,
"You speak of safety. Minimizing chaos… as if those things still exist."
No one answered.
"…Have all of you already forgotten the state of our world?"
He took a slow step forward, the sound of his cane echoing once more.
"The world you're trying to protect- "
A brief pause.
His voice dropped, firmer now.
"...has already been broken."
* * * *