Chapter 1
universe: 707
Under the blazing lights of Dark Moon City, the streets stretched endlessly, seemingly infinite, bathed in long ribbons of neon blue. Towering skyscrapers lined up like white ice towers, one after another, their neon lights seamlessly connecting above and below, reflecting off the floating city in the sky. This city, suspended over humanity's day-to-day lives, was the pride of mankind—a culmination of centuries of discovery and ingenuity.
The neon glow of the city center, combined with LED screens and holograms, displayed the latest anime with music both intoxicating and stirring. Below, exhausted office workers trudged home after long shifts, while high school students wandered the streets in search of the newest manga releases.
As the clock struck midnight, fireworks burst in the distance, shooting sparks of blue, red, purple, and gold into the sky. Overhead, Japanese Imperial Army fighter jets, using anti-gravity technology, streaked across the horizon, their tails trailing the Japanese flag. Meanwhile, the large screens in the city square switched to display the national flag.
Near the edge of the square, an elderly man, tall and thin with silver hair, stood with a presence both weary and kind. His eyes, though tired, reflected authority and gravitas.
The Prime Minister:
> My fellow citizens of Japan, and citizens of the world…
He paused, gathering his strength, his voice steady despite exhaustion—a voice honed by decades of leadership and command.
The Prime Minister:
> Today is June 19th, 2086… fifty years since humanity's great victory…
He continued, his voice sharp, serious, yet resonating with the weight and authority of a seasoned general.
The Prime Minister:
> The day when humanity was able to eliminate extremist organizations like EASRS, defending the democratic values we hold dear…
Maintaining a stern exterior, yet a subtle warmth of gratitude beneath, he spoke with conviction:
The Prime Minister:
> It is also the fortieth anniversary of the founding of Dark Moon City, built upon the foundations of Tokyo, a testament to 7.88 billion people and the 90% of humanity who survived the war—a symbol of mankind's rebirth…
As the broadcast ended and the camera feed cut, the city returned to its usual quiet. Far from the glittering center, at Conan Harbor, the water partially flooding the docks, old buildings crowded together like a ramshackle slum. Dim incandescent lights flickered as depraved men watched adult films on the streets. Drug addicts sat huddled together, their bodies ravaged by abuse and decay. Exhaustion etched deep lines on their faces. This was Japan's hidden reality. Over 79% of the population still lived in alleys like these—places colloquially called Alley, the breeding ground for gangs and outlaws, where people would do anything for money or their own secret agendas.
Alley was society's second tier, just below the city proper—the layer of the abandoned, the outcast, or the uniquely gifted, depending on perspective.
Inside a crumbling building by the harbor, walls damp and peeling, drug addicts lay scattered across the floor. Amid them stood a girl, 1.52 meters tall, entirely different from the rest. She wore a black thermal hoodie and pants, gloves, and a white fox mask—the symbol of Fox Night, her gang. She was the last of her group, the others already eliminated by the police.
Her eyes glimmered a violet hue with streaks of green and white, like distant stars. She carefully picked up a wrench and a screwdriver, prying open a manhole. A stench of mold and sewage assaulted her senses, nauseating yet familiar. She pressed forward, determined by rumors of organized activity beneath the city.
Simultaneously, her sixth sense—a technological enhancement embedded in her body—activated, and her vision shifted, scanning the underground through a 4D holographic overlay. Pipes, tunnels, and hidden passages illuminated in her field of view.
Suddenly, pain shot through her eyes. Her vision flickered black—an unmistakable warning of a powerful energy source blocking her holographic abilities. Yet, rather than fear, an odd exhilaration surged through her. If this pain was real, then the potential reward could be astronomical. She pressed onward, crawling through the tunnels.
As she approached the source, a metallic sound reached her ears—different from the concrete around her. She brushed aside the grime, revealing a solid metal wall. Excitement coursed through her veins. She had found it.
Quickly, she set a C4 charge, timed for sixty seconds, against the wall, retreating into a safe alcove in the sewer. The tunnel erupted into flames as the explosives ignited, consuming gas and illuminating the dark corridors. The tunnel partially collapsed, yet she remained unharmed. Pulling a damp cloth from her pack, she pushed forward through the heat and humidity.
Ahead, the wall gave way, revealing a tunnel far more sophisticated—an underground facility. She entered cautiously. The halls extended seemingly endlessly, white and pristine, accented with blue stripes and overhead white lighting. It was far too advanced to be Alley territory, looking more like City infrastructure.
She removed her camouflage clothing, leaving only white thermal pants and a t-shirt, revealing smooth pale skin and shoulder-length hair dyed white with streaks of blue and violet. Her eyes, sharp and serious, scanned the corridor.
Deeper inside, her thoughts raced. This space was unlike any alley or slum she had known. How could such a structure exist beneath poverty-stricken Alley? Questions churned in her mind until she paused at a vending machine, free to use. Selecting a chocolate bar, it dropped with a clink.
Lucy:
> What… KitKat? 2028 edition?
Curiosity piqued, she unwrapped it and took a bite—the crisp wafer and rich chocolate immediately melting in her mouth. Her voice, low and uncertain, broke the silence:
Lucy:
> 2086… strange… KitKat Corporation was dissolved in 2032…
Continuing down the hall, she spotted a solid steel gate ahead. Cameras monitored her, yet the facility seemed unmanned. She deployed her six-legged drone, piercing the camera's optics. Slowly, the gate opened.
Before her stretched a massive white complex, filled with plants, benches, and a glowing sign:
EASRS: HQ SITE 13
Suddenly, a voice boomed over the loudspeakers.
[To be continued]
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