The night had fallen again.
Royoshi was back in his dorm, sleeping.
Dreaming again.
Darkness surrounded him.
Not the peaceful kind, but something deeper. Something endless.
The ground beneath his feet felt unstable, like a liquid pretending to be solid.
He ran.
He kept running.
Behind him, something moved.
He couldn't see it clearly. He could only feel the pressure.
Only the feeling that if he stopped moving—even for a second—he would be hunted down.
The sky above him was empty. The world around him felt broken. The trees burned to ashes, the buildings crumbled.
After running for a few minutes, he tripped on something.
It hurt a little, but most importantly, he felt endangered.
As he looked behind him, he saw anomalies.
The same type of anomalies that he had fought once, trying to protect Ishara.
Then a voice echoed through the darkness.
Soft.
Calm.
Almost welcoming.
"Join us."
Royoshi swallowed.
The voice continued.
"Join the side that will give you power."
"Respect."
"Loyalty."
"Forever."
They kept moving towards Royoshi. Slowly.
"Leave everything else behind.
Royoshi tightened his jaw.
"Leave everyone in the past."
The pressure grew stronger.
The darkness expanded more.
Then the voice whispered one final thing.
"You don't need them."
Royoshi stared at the anomalies for a few seconds.
Then the anomalies rushed towards him as if trying to capture him.
And then—
His eyes snapped open.
He sat up suddenly in his bed.
Breathing heavily.
His heart pounded faster.
The dorm room was quiet.
Royoshi wiped his face slowly.
"What was that...?" he murmured."Why am I having strange dreams?"
He swung his legs off the bed and stood up.
Something felt wrong.
Then he heard another voice.
This time it wasn't a dream.
In his mind.
"Come to the rooftop."
Royoshi froze.
The voice continued.
"Residential wing."
Royoshi's eyes narrowed.
"...Who are you?"
No answer came.
Royoshi exhaled slowly.
He already had a feeling who it was.
The dream.
The pressure.
The strange behaviour of his Shuryoku.
Everything was connected.
Royoshi rubbed the back of his neck unconsciously.
"If you want an answer, you'll get one."
He put on his jacket, hanging on the rack.
He stepped towards the door. The panel slid open quietly.
The corridor outside was dim, highlighted only by the Citadel's night-cycle lights.
Most of the recruits were asleep.
The Citadel felt quieter than usual.
Royoshi walked slowly through the hallway. His footsteps echoed faintly against the metallic floor.
The elevator opened automatically when he approached.
Moments later—
The rooftop of the residential wing.
Cold wind soared across the open platform.
The night sky stretched endlessly above the Citadel.
Royoshi stepped onto the rooftop.
He saw a figure standing near the edge.
Facing the horizon.
It was Maris.
She didn't turn around immediately.
"You came," she said calmly.
Royoshi stopped a few meters behind her.
"You asked for it."
Maris slowly turned to face him.
The moonlight revealed her expression.
Calm.
"Well?" she asked.
Royoshi crossed his arms.
"My answer is the same, and it will be the same always."
Maris waited.
Royoshi shook his head.
"I'll never leave anyone behind. So, no."
The wind passed between them.
Maris sighed quietly.
"I was hoping you would reconsider."
Royoshi looked at her directly.
"You put something on me."
She didn't deny it.
"You noticed it finally, huh?"
"Too late," Royoshi replied.
Maris tilted her head slightly.
"That's unfortunate," Her gaze sharpened. "Because I was told to bring you with me."
Royoshi shifted his stance.
"You can try, but you'll never succeed."
Maris moved instantly.
Her speed was almost unnatural.
Royoshi dodged her easily because of his physical capacity.
Then he reacted by circulating his Shuryoku—
Then his circuit snapped again. It collapsed instantly.
Royoshi staggered. "Not again—"
His body suddenly felt heavier. Weaker.
His Shuryoku refused to move.
Maris rushed back again, grabbing him by his collar.
"That's the anchor," she said calmly.
Royoshi struggled.
But his strength had dropped drastically.
"This is not fair..."
She pulled him closer.
"Nothing in this world is fair. You're coming with me."
Royoshi gritted his teeth.
His Shuryoku refused to respond. Every time he tried to circulate it, the energy collapsed immediately.
The pressure around his chest grew heavier.
Maris tightened her grip on his collar.
"Don't struggle, Royoshi," she said calmly. "It only makes the anchor suppress you harder."
Royoshi tried to push her away, but his strength felt drained.
"This... isn't over," he muttered.
Maris didn't answer.
She slowly began pulling him towards the edge of the rooftop.
"He wants to meet you personally."
"I'm not going anywhere."
Then—
A calm voice echoed behind them.
"That will not happen."
Maris stopped. Royoshi's eyes widened slightly.
A faint distortion appeared behind him.
Light shimmered in the air.
Rikishu materialized slowly.
His translucent form hovered quietly above the rooftop floor.
The wind passed through him without resistance.
Maris frowned.
"A projection..."
She released Royoshi and stepped forward.
"If you're trying to frighten me, it won't work."
She drew her blade and attacked instantly.
The strike passed through Rikishu.
Her blade cut through the hologram like it was nothing.
Maris stepped back slightly.
She kept trying.
"What...?!"
Royoshi leaned against the railing, catching his breath.
He looked at her and gave a weak smile.
"You might not be able to pierce him."
Maris glanced towards him.
"But he can pierce you."
Rikishu raised one hand.
A small pulse of Shuryoku formed in his palm
Maris glanced back at the translucent man.
The small pulse glowed softly for a moment—
Then launched forward.
The blast struck Maris directly.
She tried to dodge it, but it was too fast.
The impact threw her across the rooftop, crashing into the wall of the stairwell structure with a loud metallic sound.
The wall dented slightly.
Maris fell to the ground.
Her vision blurred as she struggled to look up.
Her breathing was uneven now.
"...Who...are you?"
Rikishu walked forward slowly.
His holographic form flickered faintly under the moonlight.
He stopped a few steps away from her.
"Someone who saved this world twenty years ago."
Maris stared at him. Her eyes widened slightly.
"Y-you are Rikishu—"
Her body went limp. Everything went dark.
She fainted.
Silence returned to the rooftop.
Royoshi leaned heavily against the railing.
"My Shuryoku..."
Rikishu turned toward him.
"Hold still, this might hurt a little."
He reached behind Royoshi's neck.
His fingers touched something microscopic.
The tiny anchor device glowed faintly as he pulled it free.
Royoshi felt an instant charge.
"OW!"
The pressure inside his body loosened. His Shuryoku flowed again—but weakly.
Rikishu looked at the device briefly.
Then crushed it between his fingers.
The tiny mechanism shattered instantly.
Royoshi exhaled in relief. "That... explains a lot."
Rikishu's form began flickering.
"Rest now, I'll see you later," he said calmly.
Then he disappeared.
Seconds later—
Citadel alarms erupted.
Red emergency lights activated along the rooftop walls.
Footsteps rushed up the stairwell.
Guards burst onto the rooftop.
Weapons ready.
"Two individuals!"
One guard pointed towards Maris.
"She's not registered in the system!"
Another rushed toward Royoshi.
"He is injured!"
More footsteps echoed from the stairwell.
Ishara appeared with the medical team.
Her eyes widened immediately when she saw him.
"Royoshi!"
She rushed forward.
Royoshi looked up at her weakly.
"You almost worried me to death," she said.
Royoshi managed a faint smile.
"...I'm fine,"
His legs trembled.
"I just... need some rest."
His body collapsed forward.
Ishara caught him before he hit the ground.
"MEDICAL TEAM!" one of the guards shouted.
Royoshi lost consciousness.
The guards restrained Maris' unconscious body.
"Secure the trespasser."
"Take her to the chamber."
The rescue team lifted Royoshi onto a stretcher.
The Citadel alarms continued echoing into the night.
And once again—
Royoshi Kairo was being taken back to the med-bay.