Rain tapped steadily against metal.
Not heavy now just enough to make everything shine.
The terminal behind them was dead.
Completely.
No glow.
No hum.
No glitch.
Just a black, lifeless slab like nothing had ever happened.
Elric stared at it, hands in his pockets.
"…Huh," he muttered. "Quest completed, I guess."
Pix crouched in front of it, tapping the surface repeatedly.
"C'mon, c'mon, do something cool again," she said. "Explode, glitch, spawn something illegal anything!"
Nothing.
She pouted.
"Wow. Lame."
Lyra wasn't looking at the terminal.
She was looking at the street.
Sharp.
Still.
Listening.
"…We need to leave," she said quietly.
Elric glanced at her. "…That serious?"
"Yes."
No sarcasm.
No edge.
Just… certainty.
Kaida-9 stepped forward slightly, stance shifting.
"Confirming. Hostile presence approaching. Multiple units. Organized."
Mii blinked. "…Wait. Organized-organized? Like… boss fight organized?"
Sera's voice came softer than usual.
"…No."
A pause.
"…Worse."
The street lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then...
Stabilized.
Too perfectly.
Every light aligned.
Every flicker gone.
Every shadow… consistent.
Elric tilted his head.
"…Okay," he said slowly. "…that's creepy."
Footsteps echoed.
Not rushed.
Not chaotic.
Measured.
Precise.
From the far end of the street, figures emerged.
Not drones.
Not gang members.
Uniformed.
Clean.
Black coats lined with faint glowing circuitry.
Masks covering their faces smooth, featureless, reflecting neon like mirrors.
They didn't run.
They walked.
Like they already owned the outcome.
Lyra's jaw tightened.
"…Corporate retrieval."
Pix froze mid-step.
"…Oh."
Mii whispered, "…That doesn't sound fun."
Kaida-9's fists clenched.
"High-threat units. Combat capable. Not standard enforcement."
Sera's gaze locked onto them.
"…They're not here for us."
A beat.
Then...
"They're here for him."
Everyone looked at Elric.
"…Me?" Elric said.
The figures stopped.
In perfect unison.
Then one stepped forward.
Slightly taller.
Presence heavier.
It raised a hand.
And the air… shifted.
A voice came through.
Not from the mask.
Not from a speaker.
Directly into their heads.
"Elric D. Grimm."
Elric blinked.
"…Okay, that's new."
The voice continued.
"You have been identified."
Pix whispered, "…Nope. Don't like that."
Lyra stepped slightly in front of Elric.
Subtle.
Protective.
"…On what grounds?" she asked sharply.
The figure tilted its head.
"System anomaly. Unauthorized binding. Reality deviation."
Sera's fingers tightened slightly.
"…They see it too."
Kaida-9 stepped forward.
Blocking.
"Access denied. He is under our protection."
Mii grabbed Elric's sleeve.
"…Player, I don't like this event."
Elen stayed quiet.
Watching.
Elric scratched his cheek.
"…Alright," he said casually. "Quick question this a boss fight, or a dialogue event?"
No one answered.
The figure spoke again.
"You will come with us."
A pause.
"Voluntarily."
Pix snorted. "Oh yeah, that always ends well."
Lyra didn't move.
"…No."
The air tightened.
The figure lowered its hand slightly.
"Then we will proceed with retrieval."
Everything exploded into motion.
Kaida-9 moved first charging forward with overwhelming force.
The figure didn't dodge.
Didn't block.
It simply… stepped.
And Kaida's punch missed by inches.
"…What?" she growled.
Lyra fired precise, lethal.
The shots curved.
Not deflected.
Not blocked.
Just… missed.
Mii jumped in, spinning, blasting light
The enemies moved like reflections.
Always just slightly out of reach.
Pix yelled, "OKAY THAT'S CHEATING!"
Sera whispered, "…They're adjusting probability."
Elric blinked.
"…Wait. That's my thing."
One of the figures appeared in front of him.
Too fast.
Too smooth.
Elric stepped back
Slipped
Of course.
His foot hit a loose panel
The panel snapped upward
Smacked the figure in the face
A tiny, stupid, completely ridiculous impact
but enough.
Just enough.
The figure staggered.
For the first time.
Pix screamed, "HE HIT ONE! HE HIT ONE!"
Kaida-9 turned instantly. "Target destabilized!"
Lyra fired again this time, it connected.
The figure flickered.
Glitched.
Then stabilized.
But slower.
The leader tilted its head.
"…Adjustment required."
Sera's voice dropped.
"…They're learning."
Elen finally spoke.
Soft.
But firm.
"…Then we leave."
Elric grinned suddenly.
"…Oh, I get it now."
Everyone looked at him.
"…Step one," he said, backing up slowly, "they control probability."
He slipped again.
Dodged a strike by complete accident.
"…Step two…"
A falling neon sign above them snapped loose
Crashing down between the groups.
"…I do too."
Chaos erupted.
Pix screamed with joy, "YES! ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE!"
Mii grabbed Elric's arm. "Player, run!"
Lyra didn't argue this time. "Fall back!"
Kaida-9 covered them, smashing through obstacles.
Sera moved close to Elric, watching every step.
"…You're interfering with them."
Elen stayed at his side.
"…No," she said softly.
"…He's overriding them."
They ran.
Through neon streets.
Through rain and light and chaos.
Behind them, the figures followed.
Not fast.
Not slow.
Inevitable.
Elric laughed under his breath.
"…Okay," he said.
"…Now this is a real game."