Zack opened his eyes…
His whole body ached.
"Wake up already…"
Zack slowly sat up.
"I…"
"Don't worry. Helios has calmed down… All that's left is for you to learn how to control it."
His vision cleared—
Zack looked around. There was no sign of the canyon from earlier.
He was in a storage-like room, his hands and feet bound.
"Helios?! What nonsense are you talking about?! Where am I?!"
"We're in Dragonomica… And I'm only going to talk to you, Zack."
Ayato stepped forward and looked directly into Zack's eyes.
"If I were you, I'd watch what I say…
Because your life depends on this conversation."
Ayato's eyes—
Like the deepest trench of an endless ocean. Terrifying.
"Now listen carefully.
The Sacred Sphere has four core fragments.
But just collecting those four doesn't mean you'll have the full Sphere.
There are still an estimated 40 to 70 fragments scattered around…
And I… I intend to gather all of them and restore the Sphere.
You hold the Helios fragment.
But I need to find the remaining ten that matter most for fusion—and for that, I need you.
The fragment used to belong to the one you called your brother… the one you knew as Kevin.
After he died, you ran over to his body… and that's when the fragment injected itself into you.
You caused quite a mess, you know…"
Zack:
"W-wait a minute! Mess?"
"Hm… so you don't remember.
Did you know you were exposed to Macu energy? That you're not human?"
Zack:
"Yeah… Bifrat told me. Said I was fatally wounded."
"This so-called 'fatal wound'…
No one dies from a few broken bones, unless they're critical."
Zack:
"What are you implying…?"
Ayato:
"Don't you remember the chaos you caused after Kevin…?
Never mind, I don't have time for this.
Bottom line: I'm offering you a deal.
You either choose to live and help me gather the Sphere fragments…
Or I kill you right here and take Helios."
Zack:
"If you could, why haven't you already?"
Ayato:
"Don't stick your nose into things that don't concern you.
If you agree, I'll even throw in a little bonus."
"Like what?" Zack asked.
"When we get the Otto fragment, I'll let you fight Ghost.
You want revenge, right?"
Zack froze in place… That desire for revenge—
Just a few nights ago, when Bifrat told him the truth… it was exactly what he'd longed for.
Now it was being handed to him on a silver platter.
"…"
Ayato:
"You're wasting my time. Decide already."
"…Fine. I accept."
Ayato:
"Unbind him."
⸻
When Zack stepped out of the storage room, Ayato and the glasses-wearing man from earlier were talking.
Ayato got into a vehicle and drove away.
The man approached:
"Hey. Name's Liv. I'm supposed to take you home."
Zack:
"I can walk."
"Sure, but this way's safer.
You've got quite a few people hunting you, don't you?"
"He's not wrong…" Zack thought.
"Still strange, being guarded by the same ones who just threatened to kill me."
They hit the road.
An awkward silence filled the car—
But Zack couldn't hold back his curiosity:
"Ayato… how old is he?"
"Weird question… but you probably noticed it too.
He's pretty mature for his age. Just turned 19 a few days ago."
The silence resumed…
As they neared the house, Liv added:
"It's up to you whether you tell your friends anything.
But keep this event confidential…
According to some intel, Ghost is currently in the city.
And we're planning a raid soon. Just so you know."
Then he drove off.
Zack walked up to the door and knocked.
No answer.
No one was home.
He used his keys and entered.
"Guess they went out looking for me…
But how am I supposed to find them now? Best to just wait here."
He collapsed onto the bed, still sore—
But Helios had healing capabilities.
So that's how he'd survived all this time… subconsciously relying on Helios.
After all, surviving Admiral Anchor's final strike had already been a miracle…
⸻
File #017 – Science Council Report
"…We've discovered that Macu energy can mutate.
We're experimenting with different reactions… There are volunteers…"