Cold mist still clung to the shattered containment glass when Jiro's eyes fluttered open.
The world came back to him in fragments—dripping tubes, a siren-like hum beneath the walls, and Old Gin's rough voice cutting through the haze.
"Swallow this, kid."
A small black pill pressed against his lips. Jiro obeyed, the bitter taste sparking a surge through his veins. His triple cores pulsed once, twice—then settled into rhythm. Strength returned with the sting of pain.
Gin slipped a metallic wrist-watch onto Jiro's arm. Its cracked screen flickered, projecting a faint map that pulsed with blue lines.
"This'll guide you," Gin said. "If I'm not there, follow the signal. It'll lead you out of Sector Null. Explanations later."
"Gin—what's happening—"
"No time."
He turned toward the corridor door. The instant it slid open, a deafening klaxon screamed through the White Lab.
ALERT: ESSENTIA BREACH DETECTED.
Red lights flooded the hallways. Drones dropped from ceiling ports, weapons charging. Gin cursed under his breath and grabbed Jiro's shoulder.
"Run. Keep low."
They sprinted through blinding corridors, boots splashing against the sterile floor. Plasma bolts hissed past. Gin's hand flicked—three guards collapsed, their Essentia threads severed mid-pulse.
But then the temperature changed. The air thickened, humming with power.
A man stepped from the smoke-filled doorway ahead, his coat bearing the Authority's serpent-and-atom crest.
His aura resonated like a storm contained in glass—Alignment Stage, Level 3: Flow Convergence.
"Old Gin," the General said calmly. "Still playing hero?"
Gin's own essence thrummed in reply, the faint musical hum of Level 2 – Tri Harmony surrounding him. The floor beneath his boots vibrated with that rhythm.
"Get him out of here," Gin whispered without looking back.
Jiro froze. "But—"
"Now!"
The General's hand rose, gathering blue-white arcs into a rotating sphere. The very air bent. Gin met the surge head-on; his movements became a blur—smooth, rhythmic, every strike flowing like music through combat. For a moment the difference in power seemed small.
Then the shockwave hit. Walls buckled. Lights shattered. Gin's hum wavered under the General's endless river-like flow.
Still, he smiled through blood. "Guess I'm still a beat short."
He shoved Jiro toward the open maintenance hatch—the tunnel he'd used to enter.
"Go, Tensai!"
Jiro stumbled through as the gate sealed behind him. Through the narrowing gap, he saw Gin pivot, blade drawn, essence spiraling around him in a luminous dance. The General advanced, calm and unstoppable.
"Gin!" Jiro slammed his fist against the barrier, but the tunnel door locked, sealing him away. The echo of battle rolled down the corridor like distant thunder.
He ran until the hum faded.
When he finally looked back, all he could see through the small viewport was white light—and the faint outline of two figures colliding, one fighting to buy a single moment more.
*****