[Yoku sat before the fire, sharpening his sabers, metal scraping against metal in a slow, dull rhythm. The blue light from his weapon's core flickered faintly against the fractured stratum of the city. Around him, the world warped—twisting angles, broken streets that bent into themselves, fragments of buildings floating like and dimensions warping and entering something that shouldnt be in there.
Far away, pillars of smoke rose endlessly, the remains of burning towers crackling against a void sky. Futuristic androids worked in silence, mechanical arms fitting supplies and respirators into crates, their motions cold, exact. Steel walls enclosed the sector, immense minerals and materials were delivering, pulsing faintly as drones buzzed between the gaps—building, repairing, and expanding.
From the distance, the hum of energy pipelines and the hiss of pneumatic tubes echoed through the ruins.
A girl stood nearby—white and yellow hair tangled over her shoulders, a black eyepatch covering her left eye. A drive headset rested over one ear, and the faintest streaks of white shimmered through her hair like frost. Beside her hovered a cube, pulsating with dark purple light, reacting to her every movement.
Yuko: "Have you found anything yet?"
Yuruki sighed, scratching her head in frustration. Her expression was tired, eyes hollowed by sleeplessness. "I just don't understand this thing... I can see the concepts, but the more I try to learn, the less I know." Her voice was flat, almost mechanical.
Yuko looked down at his arm—mechanical, burnt, trembling faintly. His right eye was nearly blind; he had to tilt his head just to see clearly. The memory of faces—Adam, Mino, Kineki—flashed through his mind.He sighed. Adam... where are you now?"I'm so conflicted," he muttered. "I want to save those people down in the lower stratum, but... you know..."
Yuruki's gaze sharpened. "You don't know what you're about to do," she said coldly, stepping back from the firelight. "But I do." She turned toward the darkness, a small cat brushing against her leg. Her tone softened slightly. "I don't care what happens to this place. Let it burn for all I care... except for you three."The cat meowed softly.She smiled faintly. "You two, then. Make a choice—come with me, or don't."
Yuko clutched his head, guilt surging in his chest. I want to die... why are you so selfish, Adam? You left Mino and Kineki in that place... why was I so weak?His voice broke under his breath. "I'm weak..."
Yuruki's eyes narrowed. "Why do you care about him so much? You barely knew him."Yuko hesitated. "It's not that I don't care... I just—don't understand. You barely knew him, yet..."
He paused, remembering a girl from the lower stratum.
Yuruki: "I won't stop. Not ever. Even if death takes me."
Yuko smiled faintly. "I guess... we really do care about him."
He turned his right arm toward the light. His interface flickered to life, holographic screens flashing as he reprogrammed his droids—one-third redirected to evacuate civilians, the rest to continue the city's reconstruction.I'm sorry, Yuruki, he thought. But I have to save someone.
His voice was low, almost a whisper. "I just want to say something... anything. Even if it hurts. Even if it means nothing."
He stared at the dim sky, eyes half-closed.The first to fall in love... falls harder.
[Unknown Entity Detected — Left Wall Sector]
Both Yuko and Yuruki froze, their faces drained of color. They had seen this before—too many times. The fatigue settled deep in their bones as they turned toward the source, ready to face another cycle of what felt like eternity.
Yuko: "Im gonna drink chocolate after this..."
]
The man in the brown coat sat in the dimly lit town hall, cane resting against the table. He smiled, his tone casual but sharp."So... you want an inter-exchange system with Dowell? I mean, come on, we're just a small town. What more could we even offer?"
Across from him sat a girl cloaked in black, her face half-hidden beneath her hood. Her hair was long, straight and wide. She sighed, voice trembling."Ugh... just talk to me for once."
The man's grin widened. "Forgive me, Oriele, Blood of Thalliene. But this town is happy the way it is." He was smiling... "We don't need alliances, nor your prosperity. But you—" his eyes narrowed to slits "—you need help."
He stood slowly, his smile never fading. "May your light, and your darkness, not devour your kingdom. That is all."
Oriele was escorted out, surrounded by golems and silent guards.
A blond boy with glasses leaned against the wall nearby, smirking. "That's what you get for being neutral. So..?"
The man with the cane thought for a moment, tapping his fingers on the table."Just make sure they never meet each other. And that unknown person, dont do anything rush.we might experience something we're not ready to face."
[Adam's POV]
We were walking across the grassy hills. The wind was dry, the clouds thin and slow.
Adam: "So... where are we going?"
Piercebox: "Preparing something. We should hurry." He handed me a small vial, already drinking his own. I followed without thinking, the taste sharp and metallic.
The next second, he shot upward—thousands of meters in a blink. I followed through the air, floating beside him.
He reached into his backpack and pulled out... a goldfish. The size of an elephant. Its scales shimmered in the sun.
"This is my pet," he said proudly. "I call it Fastfish!"
Adam blinked. The name's... surprisingly fitting, he thought dryly.
Piercebox climbed onto its back, tossing it a chunk of glowing feed. The fish roared—roared—and shot forward like a missile, a streak of fire and miasma trailing behind.
"We've got to be quicker!" Piercebox yelled through the wind. "You only live once—but it's fine if you live right!"
Adam could only sigh.
Piercebox turned his head slightly. "We're going to my house—to work on a small project." The smirk behind the mask was unmistakable.
When they arrived, Adam realized "small project" was a lie.The "house" was a tower—a fortress. Giant ships docked nearby, overflowing with gold, gems, and minerals. Tigers, lions, and strange beasts prowled through the courtyards.
Inside, there were thousands of tomes, scrolls, and glowing potions. Piercebox handed one to a giant wolf, patting its head. "Don't worry—it's mostly safe."
Further in, a vast map of the continent was sprawled across the wall. Tunnels, cities, and teleportation circles were all marked and connected. Hundreds of golems stood in silence around them.
In the center—rings, artifacts, blades, and relics floated midair, humming with restrained power.
Piercebox grabbed a rope and descended deeper underground, Adam following behind.
"My ultimate plan!" he shouted.
Below, two figures were working frantically—a blond boy with glasses, and a red-haired girl in a tilted hat—sorting through rows of mechanical nuclear bombs made entirely out of dream fever.
Adam blinked. "What in the—?"
He muttered under his breath. "Mai really did have that fever dream about Nagasa..." He coughed, facepalming.
Colorful canisters of chemical powder lined the floor.
Adam: "What are those, Rehan?"
[Rehan]: "Toxins. Just bad for... everything living."
What!?
Adam sighed.
Those two people looked far too familiar.
Piercebox raised his arms dramatically. "Welcome to The End of This Scape!"
Adam just stared at him blankly.