"It's finished!!!"
Renji's voice tore through the forest like thunder. The others, scattered along the beach, froze mid-action. Emiko was the first to move, vanishing in a blur of sand and air. Static flickered through her hair as she dashed forward, leaving faint blue sparks in her wake.
"Finished?!" she shouted, skidding beside him, a grin tugging at her lips. "You mean it didn't explode this time?"
Renji, panting but proud, adjusted his glasses. "Not a spark out of place. This… is perfection."
The rest of the crew converged — Dante brushing off dirt, Freya landing softly with her metallic wings folding away, Chloe's palms faintly aflame, and Mio's calm gaze balancing the chaos around her. Mike approached last, quiet confidence in his stride.
"So," Mike asked, "what exactly did you finish?"
Renji grinned, extending an arm toward the clearing. "Behold—Project TATARUS!"
Before them stood a matte-black cube. Smooth, seamless, and utterly silent, it looked less like a structure and more like a monument to mystery. The group blinked.
Emiko frowned. "That's it? We rushed here for a box?"
Renji's grin widened. "You're standing on it."
The ground pulsed beneath their feet. Blue lines spread outward in intricate patterns, lighting up the earth like circuitry veins. The cube hummed softly as if the island itself awakened.
"Wait, what—" Chloe began.
Renji raised his hand. "TAT, initialize welcome protocol."
The cube split open with blinding precision. A soft, feminine voice flowed through the clearing—warm, melodic, and strangely alive.
«All systems green. Renji, I've missed your chaos.»
Emiko gasped. "It talks?! That's creepy— I love it!"
Renji smirked. "Everyone, meet TATARUS—Temporal-Activated Tactical Autonomous Response Operating System. Or TAT, if you're lazy."
«Welcome, registered personnel. Please confirm identity sequence.»
Renji nodded toward Mike. "Leader first."
Mike stepped forward, his shadow flickering faintly. "Mike. Codename: Silver Monarch."
«Identity confirmed. Commander registered.»
"Next," Renji continued. "Emiko, Chloe, Mio, Dante, Freya, and—"
He paused, glancing at the treeline. "—Echo."
The shadows stirred.
Echo emerged silently from the darkness, her crimson eyes glowing faintly beneath her hood. "Acknowledged. Registering under the command of my liege."
«Identity confirmed. Shadow unit registered.»
One by one, the others followed until the last voice faded. The cube shifted again; the ground trembled, and a vast platform began descending with them. Cool air whipped past as they sank beneath the island.
Emiko whooped. "Whoa! This is insane!"
Freya smiled softly. "Renji… all this in a day?"
He shrugged modestly. "Technogenesis and a genius touch."
When the platform stopped, light poured into view. Before them stretched an underground city of steel and circuitry — corridors branching in every direction, luminous walls alive with motion, and a central core pulsing like a heart.
Emiko whistled. "This is like a sci-fi dream!"
"TAT handles internal systems," Renji explained. "Power, surveillance, repair… all self-sustaining. Every circuit runs through her."
«Flattery will get you nowhere, Renji,» the AI teased.
Mio smiled faintly. "You gave her sarcasm?"
"Of course," Renji said. "Otherwise she'd be lonely."
Echo stood just behind Mike, her gaze sweeping the base. "Impressive. This fortress will endure."
Mike nodded. "You've outdone yourself."
Renji's grin returned. "You haven't seen the best part yet."
He led them down a long corridor until they reached a reinforced door marked with faint symbols.
"This," Renji said, "is your special request."
The door hissed open.
Inside, the chamber stretched wide and gleaming — silver walls lined with reactors, the air shimmering with unstable energy. In the center, a raised platform glowed with rippling light.
"The Temporal Training Chamber," Renji announced. "Built from reinforced neutron alloy. Strong enough to handle any of us."
Emiko peeked in. "So basically… a playground?"
Dante snorted. "sure kid, If you like dying."
Mike stepped forward, his expression hardening. "Time to test it."
He placed his palm on the console. The air shifted, reality bending subtly as his eyes glowed gold.
"Temporal ratio: one hour outside equals twelve inside."
The chamber pulsed. A wave of distortion rippled outward, then stillness.
Renji checked the readings. "Stabilized. You've done it."
Mike stepped back, satisfied. "That gives us a hundred and eight days of training for the next nine."
Chloe smirked, fire dancing in her hand. "Plenty of time to burn."
Emiko laughed. "I'm so frying Dante's hair first."
"Try it brat." Dante growled.
Freya chuckled softly. "This… is incredible."
Mio nodded, calm and certain. "He's thought of everything."
Echo lowered her head slightly. "He always does."
Mike turned to her. "Prepare the others. We start immediately."
"As you command, my liege," she said, vanishing into the shadows.
The group dispersed — Emiko giggling as sparks jumped between her fingers, Chloe and Dante bickering, Freya observing the glowing architecture with quiet awe. Renji lingered, looking up at the flickering lights with a small, proud smile.
The hum of the base deepened, rhythmic and alive. The circuits glowed brighter, responding almost emotionally to their presence.
«Welcome home,» said the AI softly.
«Welcome to TATARUS.»