CLUNK.
The moment Raithasu pulled the lever down, a deep mechanical sound echoed through the entire laboratory.
Then—
WHOOOOOOOM.
Something activated.
The sound travelled through the frozen corridors, vibrating against the metallic walls. The temperature-control system suddenly began shutting down, one section after another.
Raithasu slowly turned around.
His eyes narrowed.
For several seconds, nothing happened.
Then—
KSSSSSSHHHH!
Five enormous chambers positioned along the far wall began releasing pressure.
The doors looked nothing like ordinary laboratory equipment.
They resembled coffins.
Tall, metallic coffins with thick glass fronts, each surrounded by pipes and cables disappearing into the ceiling.
A red light flickered above them.
BEEP.
BEEP.
BEEP.
Raithasu stared.
A strange red smoke began leaking from the first chamber.
At first, there was only darkness behind the glass.
Then a silhouette appeared.
Raithasu remained completely still.
The figure took one step forward.
THUD.
Another.
THUD.
As it moved out of the smoke, its body slowly became visible.
It had the face of a human.
The proportions of a human.
Even the muscles beneath its armor looked almost human.
But there was something wrong.
Something unnatural.
Its hair was a deep crimson red, falling messily around its face. Its armor was dark metallic red, covering its chest, shoulders, and legs.
Only its hands revealed the truth.
They were completely mechanical.
Black metal fingers moved slowly as the figure flexed them.
KRRRKK...
Raithasu's eyes narrowed.
The machine looked human.
But it wasn't.
A voice echoed from the chamber's internal system.
"ECLIPSE UNIT V-01."
The figure opened its golden eyes.
"Auren."
Auren stepped forward.
He was different from the other four.
The system had designed him to be the strongest physically, while his artificial core granted him the ability to manipulate vectors, allowing him to alter the direction and movement of objects.
Anything thrown at him could become his weapon.
Anything moving toward him could be redirected.
Auren looked around the laboratory without saying a word.
Then—
KSSSSHHH!
The second coffin opened.
A figure stepped through the smoke.
This one was completely different.
Its body was unnaturally thin, almost like it had been designed for speed rather than strength. Its arms were longer than a normal human's, and its fingers ended in sharp metallic tips.
Its armor was matte black, with thin violet lines running across its body like glowing veins.
Its face was almost human...
But its eyes were completely black.
No white.
No visible iris.
Only two tiny violet pupils.
"ECLIPSE UNIT V-02."
The machine tilted its head.
"Nyx."
Nyx didn't move.
She simply stared into the darkness beyond the laboratory.
KSSSSHHH!
The third coffin opened.
This time, the laboratory shook.
BOOM!
A massive figure stepped out.
Draev.
He was enormous.
His body had been built like a living fortress, with a broad chest, thick arms, and heavy mechanical joints. Unlike Auren's elegant armor, Draev's body was covered in dark bronze plating, with massive shoulder guards and a thick armored spine protruding from his back.
His head was almost completely surrounded by armor, leaving only his face exposed.
Two orange lights burned where his eyes should have been.
KLANG.
His foot struck the floor.
A crack appeared beneath it.
Draev looked down.
Then he smiled.
KSSSSSSHHH!
The fourth coffin opened.
A much quieter figure emerged.
Sera.
She looked almost completely human.
Unlike the others, there was nothing monstrous about her body.
Long silver-blue hair.
Pale skin.
A calm, beautiful face.
A white-and-silver combat dress covered her body, with thin crystalline armor protecting her shoulders and waist.
Only her eyes betrayed her nature.
Her left eye was completely blue.
Her right eye was a glowing artificial lens.
Sera slowly raised her head.
The artificial eye rotated.
TIK.
A faint blue light passed across the room.
Information began appearing inside her vision.
Heart rate.
Temperature.
Energy output.
Biological structure.
Everything.
Then came the final chamber.
Nothing happened.
For several seconds, the laboratory was silent.
Raithasu stared at it.
Then—
KSSSSSSSSHHHH!
The fifth coffin opened.
A tall figure emerged from the darkness.
Kairon.
His body was unlike anything the others possessed.
He was tall and unnaturally slender, but every part of his body appeared perfectly balanced. His skin was pale, almost lifeless, while strange black markings covered his neck and arms.
His armor consisted of white metallic plates, but they didn't look manufactured.
They looked as though they had grown directly from his body.
His hair was completely white.
His eyes remained closed.
For a moment, he simply stood there.
Silent.
Motionless.
Then his eyes opened.
SHIIING.
Golden light flashed across them.
The five stood together.
Five artificial beings.
Five weapons.
One project.
PROJECT ECLIPSE.
Raithasu stared at them.
He didn't speak.
Before he could—
Draev suddenly laughed.
"How many years has it been?"
His voice was deep enough to shake the room.
He rolled his shoulders.
KRRRKK.
"So... we're finally out."
He looked around.
"What are we supposed to do?"
Raithasu remained hidden slightly to the side, watching them carefully.
Auren stepped forward.
His golden eyes scanned the laboratory.
"Whatever Vesper commands."
Nyx looked around.
"Where is Vesper?"
She turned toward the entrance.
Then behind her.
Nothing.
No Vesper.
Her expression barely changed.
"He's not here."
Sera suddenly stopped.
Her artificial eye locked onto something.
BEEP.
Data flooded across her vision.
Her gaze slowly shifted toward Raithasu.
His age.
His biological structure.
His energy output.
His temperature.
His abnormal internal energy.
Everything appeared before her.
Sera's calm expression finally disappeared.
Her eyes widened.
"...Impossible."
Kairon turned toward her.
"What?"
Sera didn't answer immediately.
She continued scanning Raithasu.
Then she pointed toward him.
"There."
The others turned.
Raithasu was standing only a few meters away.
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then Nyx asked:
"What do we do?"
Auren looked toward Raithasu.
His expression remained emotionless.
"He's not with Vesper."
He paused.
His eyes narrowed.
"According to the information stored inside our systems, anyone who enters this laboratory without Vesper's permission is considered a threat."
Draev cracked his neck.
KRRRKK.
Auren finished:
"Kill him."
Sera immediately looked at Auren.
"Wait."
Everyone looked at her.
Sera's voice became quieter.
"He released us."
Silence.
Nyx glanced toward the five coffins.
"So?"
Sera looked at Raithasu.
"We have been inside those chambers for years."
Her expression softened for the first time.
"He could have left us there."
Auren's eyes remained fixed on Raithasu.
"Vesper created us."
Sera replied:
"And he freed us."
Auren said nothing.
Raithasu finally stepped forward.
His expression was completely calm.
"You want to kill me?"
Draev grinned.
"That's the idea."
Raithasu looked at the five.
Then he sighed.
"You five really think you can?"
Draev's smile disappeared.
BOOM!
He launched himself forward.
His massive fist came straight toward Raithasu's face.
"We'll find out."
But Raithasu didn't move.
At the last possible second—
GRAB!
His hand closed around Draev's wrist.
Draev's eyes widened.
Raithasu twisted.
WHOOOOOSH!
Draev's enormous body was lifted from the ground.
"What—?!"
CRAAAAASH!
Raithasu swung him sideways and slammed him into a massive laboratory table.
The metal table exploded beneath Draev's weight.
BOOOOOOM!
Fragments of metal flew across the room.
Dust and smoke filled the air.
Silence.
Raithasu stood in the middle of the laboratory.
He looked at the other four.
His eyes narrowed.
"You should think carefully before trying that again."
From beneath the wreckage came a low laugh.
"Heh..."
Draev slowly pushed himself up.
His armored face was cracked.
But he was smiling.
"Interesting."
His orange eyes burned brighter.
"Very interesting."
Auren watched Raithasu carefully.
For the first time since awakening...
the Eclipse Five had encountered something their stored data couldn't explain.