It was Sunday, 7:30 AM
The familiar, low hum of the Darkside Destroyer base's ventilation system was the first thing Tetsu registered as he blinked awake.
Sunlight, filtered by the thick, reinforced glass of his window, painted a muted square on the pristine wall. The dull ache from yesterday's Rootstrider battle was just that—dull, a phantom limb of strain that his body still recalled.
He stretched, a soft groan escaping him, and then pushed himself out of bed.
His morning routine was a silent ritual now. He padded into the sleek, minimalist bathroom, the cool tiles a familiar comfort beneath his bare feet. The pristine bathroom and luxurious toiletries, once a jarring contrast to his old life, were no longer a surprise, but still a deeply appreciated comfort.
He reached for the toothbrush, the bristles perfectly firm, and then splashed cool water on his face, the sensation a refreshing jolt.
Even the water here feels… soft, he mused, a small, involuntary smile touching his lips.
Down in the spacious, brightly lit cafeteria, the aroma of cooking food was a welcome assault on his senses.
He pulled out his phone, its interface a seamless extension of his thoughts, and ordered his free daily meal.
Today's selection: bacon and eggs with toast.
Simple, yet he knew from experience it would be perfectly cooked.
Moments later, a waiter, different from the one yesterday, yet still dressed in the Darkside Destroyer's uniform, approached his table with a tray.
The waiter, a young man with a polite, almost deferential smile, carefully placed a steaming plate of breakfast before Tetsu.
The murmur of other Destroyers is a low background hum.
He took a bite, the crisp bacon giving way to a fluffy egg, and a soft, surprised "Yummy" escaped him.
I'm still not used to this perfectly-cooked level of food, he thought, a flicker of memory surfacing: the often-bland, lukewarm cafeteria meals from his old high school, a stark contrast to the culinary delights provided here.
I'm glad that I can eat this every day.
He finished quickly, savoring each mouthful.
With breakfast done, he pulled out his device again and navigated to AAO Official 9.0.
No new missions for him, the screen displaying a comforting "All Clear." With time to spare, he settled deeper into his chair, curiosity nudging him. He scrolled through the app's sleek interface, his thumb moving almost unconsciously, until a section labeled 'Domestic Ranking' caught his eye.
Domestic Ranking?
His mind immediately flashed back to his own profile he'd seen yesterday. Did I get an extra rank after the Rootstrider mission? A spark of hope ignited within him.
Curious, he tapped on it.
A leaderboard filled the screen, displaying the names of Destroyers and their classification levels.
He quickly scrolled, his eyes scanning for his own name.
Ishizawa Tetsu, still at Classification Level 3 #52.
No change yet.
I guess... I'm still rank 54.
He thought, a faint pang of disappointment. He scrolled up, past dozens of names, until he reached the Level 4 block.
At #16 was a familiar name: Katsuragi Reiji.
So Reiji is the 16th strongest active Destroyer in this organization?
Tetsu thought, a grudging respect mixed with awe. He'd always known Reiji was strong, but to see it quantified, ranked among the elite, was something else entirely.
Then if I scroll further up, will I see the S-Class? he wondered, his curiosity piqued.
He scrolled continuously, his thumb blurring across the screen. He had passed Level 4, his eyes eagerly anticipating the legendary Level 5 block.
But instead of names, a disappointing message appeared:
"Your rank is too low to access this info."
Too low?
Tetsu felt a pang of disappointment, a familiar frustration bubbling up. The world of Level 5 Destroyers remained shrouded in mystery, an exclusive club he wasn't yet privy to.
Sighing, he exited the ranking board, the brief thrill of discovery replaced by a dull sense of anticlimax. He got up, pushing his chair back with a soft scrape, and walked out of the cafeteria.
As he rounded a corner, his shoulder accidentally collided with another Destroyer who was distracted by his phone.
Tetsu stumbled slightly, and the other Destroyer's phone clattered to the floor, landing with a sharp crack that echoed in the quiet corridor.
"Ah, sorry!" Tetsu quickly apologized, bending down instinctively to help retrieve the phone.
But the other Destroyer wasn't so forgiving.
He snapped upright, his hand shooting out to grab Tetsu's collar, yanking him upward. He had brown-yellow hair and a young, angry face with intense brown eyes that blazed with fury.
"Are you blind?!" he snarled, his voice tight with barely contained rage.
A low murmur rippled through the surrounding tables, drawing glances. Tetsu overheard several hushed whispers. "That's Sakamoto," someone whispered, a note of warning in their voice. "Level 3, #27 Destroyer. Sakamoto Izuki," another added, a chilling emphasis on the name. "That newbie is cooked. You don't mess with Sakamoto, even by accident."
Despite the tight grip on his collar, Tetsu remained calm, his gaze unwavering. "It wasn't entirely my fault," he replied, his voice even, not rising to the bait. "You were focused on your phone instead of walking. It's partially your fault too."
"You bastard." Izuki's eyes narrowed, his anger intensifying, a vein throbbing in his temple. "Now you're blaming me! You think you can just make excuses?" He pulled back his arm, muscles tensing, and launched a punch directly at Tetsu's cheek. The fist seemed destined to connect, Tetsu's head whipping to the side from the sheer force of the blow. But instead, Tetsu had actually blocked it, his arm flashing up just in time to meet the blow. Aw. That punch was heavy, Tetsu thought, a faint tremor running through his arm.
The destroyers around the room gasped, their murmuring intensifying, now tinged with surprise. "Who is that newbie?" someone muttered, shocked. "Blocking Sakamoto's punch? That's an achievement itself!"
Izuki retracted his hand, a flicker of surprise in his angry eyes, quickly replaced by a predatory glint. "Hm. Not bad. You're quite strong." Without waiting for a response, he immediately launched another swift punch, a blur of motion. Tetsu dodged it, stepping to the side, but Izuki spun, turning into the direction Tetsu dashed, and then leaped forward, delivering a powerful knee kick that slammed into Tetsu's face.
Damn it!
The crowd's murmuring intensified into worried chatter, a collective intake of breath. "He actually took that kick," Tetsu heard someone say, the words distant and muffled by the ringing in his ears. Briefly stunned by the blow, his head still ringing, he quickly composed himself, forcing his vision to clear. He tried to calm himself, focusing on the rhythmic thump of his own heart.
As Tetsu faced the escalating fury of Izuki, a familiar memory flickered to life in his mind—a moment from his past that felt eerily relevant to this confrontation.
The sun hung low in the sky, casting elongated shadows on the schoolyard where Tetsu had stood, surrounded by a mocking circle of classmates. Their laughter was sharp, each taunt like a dagger, aimed directly at his insecurities. The bullying had gone on for weeks, relentless and suffocating. One day, overcome with frustration, Tetsu had finally snapped. He pushed back against the ringleader, a surge of adrenaline fueling his defiance. The shock on their faces quickly turned to despair as he fought back, sending one bully sprawling to the ground. Their cries echoed in his ears as he stood there, breathing heavily, feeling a strange mix of triumph and guilt.
But then came the aftermath. He remembered the furious faces of those bullies' parents, demanding justice, and the scolding he received from his own mother later that day. "Tetsu," she had said, her tone calm yet firm, her eyes filled with a gentle disappointment, "why did you do that?"
"I…because they bullied me!" he retorted, his cheeks flushed with anger, the injustice still burning. She sighed, her eyes softening with understanding, but her resolve remained. "But there are things in this world that can't be solved by force. If you find yourself in that situation again, try to talk to them. Understand their side." Tetsu had looked down, feeling the weight of her words settle heavy on his shoulders, the humiliation of the day still fresh in his mind. "Okay," he whispered, an agreement wrapped in confusion, a vow implicitly made.
The memory swiftly faded, replaced by the immediate tension of the cafeteria, the angry glint in Izuki's eyes. Tetsu's heart raced as he recalled his mother's advice. He couldn't just engage in mindless brawling again, not after vowing to seek understanding. The fleeting anger he felt began to ebb away, replaced with a strange clarity. Taking a deep breath, he steadied himself against the onslaught of Izuki's aggression. This time, he would try to resolve the conflict with words. "Look," Tetsu began, his voice firm yet calm, projecting an authority he didn't quite feel. "Let's just let this matter slide. It was an accident, and I really didn't mean to bump into you." He hoped that even if the boy was angry, he could reach some kind of compromise. After all, he knew that not every conflict needed to end in violence.
But Izuki scoffed, furiously. "No!" he snarled, taking another step forward. "Don't think you can just run away!" His assault continued, a whirlwind of motion. He launched a series of different attacks: a side hook, a swift kick, and two consecutive punches. Tetsu dodged both the side hook and the kick with practiced ease. He caught Izuki's punches, absorbing the force, the familiar strain on his forearms. But then another kick came, aimed directly at his gut. He saw it, intended to dodge, the warning flashing in his mind. But he didn't. He took the kick directly to his abs, a guttural grunt escaping him.
What? I saw it, Tetsu thought, gritting his teeth against the searing pain blossoming in his core. But my body wouldn't react. What did he do? The fight intensified, Izuki charging forward, a furious look on his face, sensing Tetsu's momentary confusion. Tetsu gathered himself, the world around him fading into the background, leaving only the two of them locked in this moment of chaos and fury. Realizing that he had no choice, a faint electrical crackling began to emanate from his hand, a precursor to activating his Kinesis.
But before he could unleash the bolt, and before Izuki could launch another attack, Reiji's voice, booming from the cafeteria entrance, cut through the tense air, sharp and commanding. "Izuki! Stop!"
Izuki, who moments before had been consumed by rage, froze mid-stride. His face, a mask of fury just seconds ago, went pale, and he immediately stepped back from Tetsu, his eyes wide with a sudden, almost comical, fear.
Reiji approached them, his demeanor calm but radiating an undeniable authority that seemed to settle over the entire cafeteria. "Izuki," Reiji asked, his voice low, deceptively casual. "Do we have a problem here?"
Izuki stammered, his usual swagger completely gone, replaced by a nervous fidgeting. "N-nah. No problem at all." He quickly bent down, snatched up his phone, eyes darting away from Reiji's piercing gaze, and practically ran out of the cafeteria, his retreat almost comical in its haste. Before he left the cafeteria, his gaze glared back at Tetsu, a silent, frustrated "Tsk" clearly conveyed.
The whispers among the other Destroyers immediately ceased, replaced by a respectful silence.
Reiji turned to Tetsu, a knowing look in his eye, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "You know, you could have finished him if you wanted to. Why didn't you?"
"Huh?" Tetsu rubbed his still-aching abs, wincing slightly. "Have you been watching me this whole time before finally stepping in?"
Reiji's eyes flickered, a tell-tale sign, and he quickly responded, a touch too quickly. "N-no. I just walked in."
Tetsu immediately saw through the lie. Reiji had definitely been observing him, probably enjoying the show. "I just don't want to be involved in any trouble," Tetsu replied, simply, shrugging.
Reiji was silent for a moment, his gaze unwavering, assessing Tetsu with an unreadable expression. Then, a slow smile spread across his face, a genuine warmth in his eyes. "Cold-headed resolve, Tetsu." He clapped Tetsu on the shoulder, a light, almost affectionate touch that surprised Tetsu with its easy camaraderie. He then changed the topic abruptly, his usual cheerful demeanor returning. "Anyways, you want to go to the beach?"
"What?" Tetsu asked, utterly confused by the sudden non-sequitur.
The scene shifted abruptly, and moments later, Tetsu found himself standing on Tsubasa Beach beside Reiji. It was autumn, and the air was crisp, carrying the salty tang of the sea. The beach was deserted, a long stretch of golden sand meeting the gentle lapping waves of the ocean. The sky was a muted grey, reflecting the quiet solitude, a stark contrast to the earlier cafeteria chaos.
An image of a conversation he'd witnessed earlier flashed back, explaining his sudden, inexplicable presence here. Mizuki, in Room A-400, without Commander Arata this time, had been talking to Reiji, her expression a mix of exasperation and resignation. "Commander Matsuzaka told you about your mission, Katsuragi. To eliminate a detected Anomaly at Tsubasa Beach." She paused, her eyes narrowing as she looked at Tetsu. "But... he never said you could drag Ishizawa along."
Reiji had just given her his best silently-begging puppy-dog eyes, a trick Tetsu had learned was disturbingly effective. Mizuki sighed, a long-suffering sound, then walked over to Tetsu, placing her hands on his shoulders, her touch surprisingly gentle. "Tetsu," she had said, an apologetic tone in her voice, "Please, just endure him. He's always like this whenever Commander Matsuzaka isn't around."
Tetsu had tried to protest, a muffled sound escaping him. "I never agreed to—" Before Tetsu could finish, Reiji had clapped a hand over Tetsu's mouth, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "We will be going, Mizuki!" Reiji had declared, already dragging a muffled Tetsu out of the room, leaving Mizuki with a resigned shake of her head and a quiet, frustrated "Tsk."
Now, standing on the cool sand of Tsubasa Beach, Tetsu shot Reiji an annoyed look, turning his face away, still nursing a faint resentment for being shanghaied into this mission. Reiji chuckled, completely unperturbed, patting Tetsu's shoulder. "Hey, cheer up, Tetsu!" Reiji thought for a while, tapping his chin playfully. "That's right." He clapped his hands after an idea popped up, his eyes brightening. "I'll treat you to lunch if we complete this mission."
Since he couldn't very well turn back now, Tetsu sighed, a sound of resignation. He silently and reluctantly agreed. "So is the Anomaly here?" he asked, trying to sound more interested than annoyed, just to get this over with.
"Yep," Reiji confirmed, already opening his familiar tactical suitcase. This time, Tetsu wasn't deceived like he was at Shinjuku Gyoen. He fully expected no specialized combat gear would ever be found in Reiji's personal suitcase. And, as predicted, Reiji pulled out two identical swimming trunks and two diving masks with snorkels.
A short while later, they were both clad in their swimsuits and diving gear, the chilly autumn air surprisingly bracing against their skin. "The Anomaly's under the sea," Reiji explained, pointing to the calm, grey surface of the water. "We're diving in."
"Understood," Tetsu replied, pulling on his mask; the world immediately narrowing to the confines of his vision. They adjusted their oral snorkels, took a deep breath, and walked through the shallow, chilly water toward the deeper area. Then, with a synchronized splash, they dove beneath the surface.
The underwater world was a painting of muted blues and greens. Sunlight, diffused and ethereal, filtered down from above, creating shifting patterns on the sandy seabed. Small schools of fish darted past, their scales shimmering like scattered jewels. Seaweed swayed gently with the unseen currents, forming dense, dark forests that rippled with silent life.
As they descended deeper, the light faded, replaced by an ethereal gloom, the surface a distant, shimmering memory.
The pressure increased, a tangible weight on their bodies, but Tetsu and Reiji's specialized diving gear, surprisingly light and comfortable, somehow managed the immense depths that would have crushed a normal suit. This was clearly another piece of Darkside Destroyer tech, a marvel of engineering Tetsu hadn't yet been briefed on.
They descended, deeper and deeper, until the world above was a distant memory, the only sound the gentle gurgle of their own breathing through the snorkels.
Finally, through the deepening gloom, a colossal shadow emerged from the abyss – a giant sunken cargo ship. It looked surprisingly new, its metallic hull remarkably intact despite its watery grave, almost as if it had just recently slipped beneath the waves.
Reiji pointed to the ship, a stream of bubbles escaping his snorkel, attempting to communicate. "The Anomaly was detected within this proximity, probably inside the ship." But Tetsu only saw bubbles, a silent, meaningless stream. He couldn't understand what Reiji was trying to say. No point talking under here. You idiot, Tetsu thought, a silent roll of his eyes, nodding to indicate he understood, knowing he couldn't hear Reiji anyway.
They entered the ship through a gaping hole in its hull, the torn metal edges a silent testament to some unknown force. The interior was dark, silent, and eerie, the water thick with suspended particles. They swam past what looked like the cockpit, empty and undisturbed, the controls still in place, covered in a thin layer of silt.
Good, Tetsu thought, a sigh of relief escaping in a trail of bubbles.
Looks like the crew fled.
They navigated the submerged corridors, their flashlights cutting through the murky water, illuminating silent compartments. Eventually, they reached the storage sector.
Here, multiple cargo containers lay scattered across the floor. Some were pristine, their metallic surfaces still reflecting the faint beam of their flashlights, while others were badly damaged, their metal hulls grotesquely torn open, revealing their empty contents.
They focused on the damaged ones, not for the contents within, but for the signs of tearing.
The raw, jagged edges clearly indicated the work of some creature with powerful fangs, a terrifying, unseen predator.
Suddenly, the entire ship shook violently, a low, resonant groan echoing through the water. From the metallic floor beneath them, something began to dig its way upward, tearing through the reinforced plating with incredible ease.
Lobster-like jaws, sharp and powerful, ripped through the metal, followed by a writhing, elongated body.
Creatures emerged from the rupture, scuttling into the water. They had lobster heads, worm-like bodies, and four leg-like appendages on each side, ending in sharp, pointed, dagger-like tissues that scraped against the metal.
They were horrifyingly fast, immediately charging towards Tetsu and Reiji, a wave of primal aggression radiating from them.
Tetsu reacted instinctively, thrusting out his hand to fire a bolt of electricity, his Kinesis flaring to life.
But the moment the energy left his palm, it was immediately conducted by the surrounding water, spreading out in an uncontrolled, explosive burst. A searing jolt coursed through the water, a blinding flash in the gloom.
Reiji, who was nearby, cried out, a muffled sound of pain escaping through his snorkel, his body convulsing slightly from the shock.
Oh, shoot!
Tetsu winced, bubbles of apology escaping his lips as he saw Reiji momentarily flail.
He quickly realized his mistake, a surge of self-reproach.
Right. We're underwater. Electrical attacks won't work.
Meanwhile, the creatures were already upon them.