A rusted archway loomed above them, half-collapsed and draped in torn banners. A warning sign swung on a single hinge, letters faded and flaked away by time. The City of the Dead yawned beyond it — a ragged mouth of broken towers and silent streets.
"Look at that warning sign," Raj said, voice high with forced bravado. "This must be dangerous. I think we were wrong, bro."
Alice didn't even look up from his scanner. "Are you scared? Didn't you say you wanted to become the strongest swordsman, but you can't even cross this?"
Raj straightened, eyes narrowing. He reached to his right, drew his blade from the sheath, and with a single, practiced slash he cut through the gate and the weathered warning board in one clean arc.
"Look, Alice. This is how strong I am," he announced, chest puffed out.
Alice clicked his tongue. "We'll see about that in a real battle. For now—let's get inside."
They passed through the torn sign and stepped into the dead city.
Ruins yawned on every side. Collapsed rooflines made jagged silhouettes against the dull sky. Houses stood with doors hanging open like empty mouths; window frames stared like hollow eyes. Not a soul moved. Not a sound, save for the distant sigh of wind sweeping through streets deserted long ago.
"So what now?" Aryan asked, boots crunching on broken tile. The question was practical, steady — the same tone he used when the world refused to offer answers.
"We find the Council of Nations laboratory office," Alice said. "Once we find it, we can use that chip I found to extract answers."
Raj glanced around, eager. "So we need to look alone for that lab in this dead city?"
Alice nodded. "Yes. It's the only way to be thorough."
Sora's steps slowed. She looked at them all, then said, "I think we should team up. Looking for the lab alone in this dead city would be dangerous."
Raj scoffed. "See? Even she's scared."
"I am not scared," Sora shot back. "Look at yourself."
Alice lifted a hand, palms open. "Okay. So — me and Raj in one team, you and Aryan in another. If you find anything, mark the place. We can trace it and reconvene. Agreed? Let's go."
They split as instructed: Raj and Alice walked together, voices low as they moved through the shadowed avenue.
Raj jabbed a thumb toward Sora's direction, whispering, "Why does she hide so much about herself? Don't you think it's dangerous to let her go with Aryan?"
Alice adjusted his glasses and kept walking. "I know she hides most things from us. She's using us for whatever this 'duty' is she talks about. But we have to wait. She can help us find answers about Aryan's family. We can't do this alone."
Raj smirked and nudged Alice. "You are really smart, Alice."
Alice's lips twitched. He rubbed the bridge of his nose with his index finger at Raj's praise. "Finally you admitted it. Now shut up and search for that lab building."
They continued into the dead city, each step stirring memory-dust from a place that had long stopped remembering itself.