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At Grandeur City Zemstan Headquarters, Meeting room, Junichi leaned forward, glancing at the futuristic monitor in front of him. The failed mission reports flickered on the screen, each one reminding them of yet another setback.
Leeway sighed heavily beside me. "Hmm," he muttered, the frustration clear in his voice.
Junichi’s voice cut through the silence, tinged with defeat. "Looks like we didn’t pull through."
Serena let out a dramatic sigh, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "Aww! Why did it have to be like this?!" She huffed. "I’m not liking any of this, not even a teensy winsy bit!"
"Whining about it won’t help," Leeway said, his voice calm but firm. "And why are you even here?"
"I was really excited to see if you guys were able to pull through!" Serena retorted, her eyes wide with a mixture of hope and frustration.
"Guess it didn’t happen," Leeway replied, his tone unchanged. "Anyways, you’re not helping here, Serena."
I could see the shift in Serena’s mood as she pouted. "Hmph!" she muttered, crossing her arms. "Fine."
And with that, she stormed off, her grumpy face still lingering in my mind.
Rylee facepalmed. I couldn’t blame her. Serena had that effect on people sometimes.
Leeway turned his attention back to the mission at hand. "So, what’s the plan now? We were able to pinpoint Kyrie’s location, but why didn’t we teleport on the way there?"
I stayed quiet for a moment, watching the screens. Something felt off, but I couldn't put my finger on it yet. This mission had been far from ordinary, and it was far from over.
Junichi’s voice broke the silence, his tone practical but edged with frustration. "Either we estimated incorrectly, or someone else used the same technique as us to teleport there and managed to get through before us."
Leeway’s eyebrows shot up. "Wait, does that mean it can only be used once?"
"Exactly," Junichi said, nodding. "It’s a one-time use only teleportation method, meaning it can only be used once by a single group. If the right side of that group fails to use it on time, then the group on the left takes the advantage."
Leeway frowned, looking confused. "Okay, that’s kinda confusing, but I didn’t know such a device existed."
Junichi didn’t hesitate. "This is what happens when we lack the power to harness energy beyond our own planet. Transportation or teleportation devices always require massive amounts of firepower to make them work."
I could see the frustration building in Leeway’s face, and Rylee’s facepalm only made it worse. The whole situation was starting to feel more tangled by the minute.
Leeway turned to the professor. "Professor? Got any suggestions?"
Rylee, who had been quiet up until now, shook his head. "I can’t detect Kyrie’s static, or reach him even," he admitted. "If the employment of artificials was unsuccessful, then we have no choice but to travel through real space-time."
I clenched my fists. Real space-time travel wasn’t something we could just jump into. It was a dangerous path, and the stakes were higher than ever.
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Meanwhile at Shintenseiku City Residential Area 3, I was already lost in the noise when Ziekary's eyes fluttered open. Her reaction was the same as anyone's who had to wake up to chaos.
"Huh?" Ziekary groaned, rubbing her eyes as the sounds of our game continued to reverberate through the old building.
From down below, she muttered to herself, clearly annoyed. "What’s all that commotion? They’re so loud that even I can hear it from down here."
I could almost hear her tone shift to that familiar mix of exasperation and curiosity.
A few moments later, I could hear the soft creak of her bed as she pushed herself up, and I glanced up just in time to see her peeking over the edge of her apartment.
The sound of footsteps followed, slow but determined.
"Why do I feel like this is about to escalate?" I muttered to Kiyon, who was losing to Akio in the game, as usual.
Ziekary’s expression was already forming annoyed, I was sure.
She stood at the bottom of the stairs, glaring at us as she climbed. "Hmph," she scoffed, clearly not thrilled by the noise we were making.
I could practically feel the tension in the air as she reached our door. A beat of silence, then a sharp knock.
"Hey! Whoever you guys are, would you keep your voices down?!" she called, her frustration cutting through the air. "You’re not the only ones who lives here, you know?!"
There was a moment of silence, but then the noises from inside the room grew louder, if anything.
Ziekary’s patience snapped. "Okay, that’s it! I’m breaking in!" she declared, and with that, the door swung open.
"Hey! I told you guys to—"
Her words faltered as she stepped into the room, eyes widening in surprise at the sight of Kiyon, Akio, and me, completely absorbed in the game.
"Uh... huh?!" she stammered, her annoyed glare turning into something more confused.
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"Ziekary?" I blinked in surprise, noticing her standing in the doorway. "Oh, hey, you’re awake!"
She stood there, still processing what she had just walked into, but I couldn’t help but smile at her confusion.
The screen faded out for a moment, and just like that, a new chapter began, the title page appearing before us, marking the start of something bigger.
Ziekary wasn’t having any of it. "Seriously? When did you guys settled in here?" Her voice was a mix of disbelief and irritation. "And on the rooftop too? Oh my god, does that mean—?"
I shrugged, already prepared for her to process this in her usual way. "Yep, we settled in permanently with a 500 crowns per month," I replied casually, crossing my arms. "I asked the landlady if I could take the rooftop apartment, and she just said yes."
I couldn’t help but grin at the simplicity of it all.
Ziekary’s expression softened into something I hadn’t quite expected a smile, though it was laced with confusion. "Okay?! I’m confused!" she exclaimed. "When did you guys settled in here, seriously?"
I chuckled, scratching the back of my head. "What, it was about three days ago," I said, trying to think back. "I’m actually wondering, though, why you haven’t shown up at our doorstep yet."
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Ziekary paused, her brows furrowing in confusion. "Wait, the last time I remember, I was at downtown with you guys. How did I end up at my apartment?"
I shrugged nonchalantly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "I carried you all the way."
Her face instantly flushed, and I could see her cheeks turn red even in the dim light of the rooftop. "Wha—" she stammered, trying to process what I had just said.
I raised an eyebrow. "Are you okay? Seems like you’re blushing."
Her eyes darted away for a moment, and I could practically hear the gears turning in her head. I watched as she processed something in her mind, her face becoming even more flushed.
(So that’s why he was looking around during that time when he walked me home…)
she must’ve been thinking to herself.
The image of me looking around the building replayed in my mind like a sudden flashback, and I couldn’t help but laugh at the memory. I had been trying to make sure no one else saw me carrying her. It wasn’t the most dignified of moments, but it was necessary.
"Ziekary?" I called, snapping her back to the present.
"Yes? Oh, sorry, I was thinking of something else, that’s all," she said quickly, brushing off the awkwardness.
"Come on," I urged, "let’s get inside. I’ll introduce you to the guys."
We stepped into the apartment, where Kiyon was scrolling through his phone while Akio sat nearby, reading a book. They both looked up when we entered.
"Hey guys, I’d like to introduce you to my new friend," I announced with a grin.
Ziekary gave a shy wave. "Hi."
"Wow, you guys look so awesome," she said, her eyes wide in awe.
Kiyon grinned, putting his phone down. "Hey, what’s up?"
Akio, ever the more formal one, stood and extended a hand. "It’s a pleasure to meet you. Although your world lacks the technology to transport us home, it is a highly fascinating place to unwind and conduct research."
Ziekary’s eyes widened. "Whoa."
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Ziekary turned to Kiyon, eyeing him suspiciously. "Hey, are you that guy who was lying down on the street?"
Kiyon looked up from his phone, raising an eyebrow. "You’re talking about me? Yeah, why?"
"Why were you lying on the floor?" she asked, clearly puzzled.
I couldn’t help but jump in, grinning. "Cause we were fighting. I was trying to teach his ass a lesson."
Kiyon shot me a glare. "Oh, shut up! You actually used 20% of your strength to put me down, you asshole."
I raised my hands in mock innocence. "Just admit that you lost, dip lip."
Kiyon’s eyes widened, and his voice went through the roof. "The hell did you just call me?!"
It was on. We started going at it, playfully wrestling and throwing fake punches, making the whole thing look completely ridiculous. Ziekary stood there, watching us with an expression of disbelief.
"Wait," she said, breaking up the chaos. "Does that mean you’re all from the same world?"
Akio looked up from his book with a smile. "That is correct. We’re all from the same world."
Ziekary blinked in surprise. "But how come I didn’t hear about you two?"
I couldn’t resist, leaning back casually. "Oh, so you’re talking about your science lessons or history lessons whatever you call it."
Akio, however, seemed completely intrigued. "So, Ziekary, in your world, you study the history of Zemstan?"
She hesitated for a second before nodding. "Well, apparently, yes. We all do."
Akio’s face lit up like a lightbulb had just gone off in his head. "Now this all makes absolute sense to me!" He said with a big smile. "At first, I was kind of lost with the questions you were trying to ask Master and Kiyon, but now I totally get it! Conducting research #1 established!"
I rolled my eyes, letting out a long sigh. "Sigh Here he goes again with his nerd brain."
Kiyon leaned back and scoffed, looking unimpressed. "Dull. Totally dull to me."
Akio, always the one to explain things, stepped in with a thoughtful expression. "Ziekary, to explain that me and Kiyon aren’t a big part of Zemstan history."
He paused, making sure she was listening. "And that’s why you’ll never hear about us if it’s about Zemstan history."
I smirked, knowing what was coming next. "But Kiyon right there is one of the most well-known ranked Hybrids of Zemstan. Though, it’s yet another unrelated topic. I guess so."
Ziekary’s face lit up with realization. "Oh, I get it now."
She nodded, as if it all suddenly clicked. "We actually don’t study the top well-known Hybrids, but I do know about the term."
Kiyon groaned. "Bummer, it’s not important were just a bunch of dudes who has background in fighting, specifically martial arts”
Ziekary looked at him, a bit puzzled. "Hybrids are actually the ones who possess scientific abilities, depending on what species you inherited. And one of the most common species out there is alien."
Kiyon made a face and waved his hand dismissively. "Just call us the extraterrestrial dudes, that way you wouldn’t be causing us headaches, will ya?"
Ziekary raised an eyebrow but kept going with her train of thought. "Based on my research, there are also 'exists' who don’t possess scientific abilities like Hybrids do. This type of class uses weapons that were invented by Zemstan technology."
I crossed my arms, curious now. "Weapons, huh?"
She nodded, clearly excited. "I think I remember those aren’t just ordinary weapons. Each weapon was created for a specific generation, and it has a very futuristic design."
I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Sounds pretty interesting. I’ve always wondered how the tech here compared to the stuff we’re used to."
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Kiyon threw his hands up in frustration. "Damn, she knows too much about us. But just call us Soldiers, Exist, Soldiers, all the same. But like I said before, we’re more of a martial artists rather than a soldier."
I couldn’t help myself. "She’s smarter than you. You don’t even know the age of auntie and uncle when they were still alive."
Kiyon shot me a glare, his voice dripping with annoyance. "How about you shut your mouth before I close it for good!"
I smirked, meeting his challenge. "I’d like to see you try."
A sudden scuffle broke out between Kiyon and me, both of us wrestling around in a ridiculously childish way. We were pretty much like that every time we were together.
Akio, of course, had to be the one to break the tension. "I’m impressed by what you’ve learned so far! I’m quite happy that you’ve studied our world in such detail."
Ziekary looked thoughtful. "Yes, it really is a very interesting subject, I can say."
She paused, then seemed to snap out of her thoughts. "But not to ruin the day... what are you going to do now?"
Kiyon leaned back casually. "Heh, to wait for the rescue, of course. We don’t have the proper equipment to go home anyway!"
Akio sighed, clearly not sharing the same enthusiasm. "That would be very boring, to be honest."
I stood up, arms crossed and looking at her with a serious expression. "Well, since you asked, your mundane life wouldn’t be the same anymore."
Ziekary blinked, clearly confused. "Wait, what? What do you mean by that?"
Kiyon grinned widely, his smile a little mischievous. "You and your world got involved with the three of us. You know what that means."
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Kiyon chuckled darkly. "Trouble."
Ziekary looked horrified, her face a mix of disbelief and panic. "Oh my god, I thought it would be a very enjoyable moment since I have friends now… But it’s the opposite."
I couldn’t help but tease her a little. "I thought you studied all of it."
Ziekary groaned. "No, not yet! there’s a lot to tackle, you know!"
I leaned back a bit, trying to get a better read on the situation. "I’ll exclude my brother and Akio, but I’m actually the one they want."
I paused, letting that sink in. "So as long as I’m here, there will always be trouble."
I could see the panic growing in Ziekary's eyes. She was acting scared now, which wasn’t surprising. I couldn’t blame her.
"Look, I mean you saw what happened back there, right?" I said, shaking my head. "That’s just a taste of what comes with the territory."
Kiyon, of course, had to make a joke out of it. "Haha! This girl thinks hanging out with us would be paradise. I can’t believe it."
I shot him a look. "Then again, this is all your fault. If you didn’t trigger that button, we wouldn’t be here right now, getting her involved in all of this crap."
Kiyon threw his hands up defensively. "Why blame me? If you didn’t enter our territory, this wouldn’t happen!"
He paused, thinking for a moment. "Come to think of it, our life in Zion is way better. Man, we should go back."
Ziekary, still processing everything, asked hesitantly, "Should I be worried?"
Akio, ever the philosopher, gave a thoughtful response. "Well, our world, Grandeur, often gets involved with fights and a lot of trouble."
Akio shrugged, his face serious. "And most of the time, W.E.S loses members, so yeah, you should be worried."
Ziekary's expression faltered for a second before she asked, "If you’re not a hybrid, are you an exist by any chance?"
Akio shook his head. "Oh no, I’m a researcher. I used to work for Zemstan, but I quit last year."
I couldn't help myself. "Don’t lie."
Kiyon grinned. "We all know you didn’t pass the screening."
Akio looked like someone had just taken the last bit of his hope. His shoulders sagged, and his face dropped into a defeated expression.
Ziekary looked concerned. "Oh..."
Akio quickly dismissed it. "Never mind about that. It’s not really important, really."
He glanced over at Kiyon and me, both of us doing our usual silly act just messing around.
I raised a hand, trying to keep it serious. "At any rate, don’t let your guard down."
Ziekary blinked at me, her confusion growing. "What? What do you mean?"
I offered a reassuring smile. "Don’t worry. I won’t let anything happen to you. I’ll take full responsibility. I promise."
Ziekary turned a shade of red that almost matched her hair, blushing deeply. "Umm, that’s!"
Her words stumbled as she tried to gather her thoughts. "That’s two promises already, you better keep it!"
She quickly stood up and left the room, still blushing fiercely.
I called after her, a bit confused. "Huh? Hey, wait, Ziekary?"
Kiyon smirked and nudged me, clearly enjoying the moment. "Heh, she’s blushing! she’s having a crush on you! Hahaha!"
Kiyon laughed harder, clearly making the situation even more awkward. "Looks like Serena’s gonna have a problem!"
I could hear Akio’s voice in the background, clearly frustrated.
"Will you shut it already?"
I couldn’t help but smile at that. Akio and Kiyon always seemed to get under each other’s skin, and sometimes I found it pretty amusing.
"Hmm…" I muttered, shifting my attention back to Ziekary. She was standing at the edge of the rooftop, staring out over the city, a faraway look in her eyes. Something seemed off about her posture, like she was lost in thought.
"They told me not to worry, but why am I feeling uneasy?" she said to herself, almost as if she was trying to convince herself.
I approached her quietly, not wanting to startle her. As I got closer, I saw her sit down by the edge of the clock tower, her hands fidgeting nervously.
I stopped just behind her. "Why feel uneasy?" I asked, trying to keep my voice light.
She jumped, turning around quickly, her eyes wide with surprise. "Kyrie!"
I grinned, walking up to her and taking a seat beside her on the bench. "I told you not to worry."
She sighed heavily, her shoulders slumping. "Sorry. I guess I got traumatized from the previous events."
I studied her for a moment. Something was weighing on her. I could see it in her eyes. "I see. How’ are you feeling?"
She seemed taken aback by my question. "Wait, what do you mean by that?"
I wasn’t sure if she even realized how much she was holding back. "You said your heart gets weak every time you encounter violence," I said softly.
Her face faltered, and I noticed a shift in her expression. "Yeah," she admitted, her voice small. "It happens to me a lot. And it started when I was a kid too."
The air between us grew heavier, and I couldn't help but wonder about the scars that lingered beneath her calm exterior. I could sense there was more to her story than what she was letting on. "Do you remember your time during the hospital?" I asked, my voice gentle.
She looked at me, her eyes wide with realization. "Yes! I do remember. You came to my rescue. You injected me with a serum…" Her voice faltered, almost as if she was piecing the memories together. "But I don’t know what’s in it. I think it was a dark liquid. What was it?"
I nodded, recalling the moment I had administered the injection to her, knowing it would make a difference. "That was my blood," I explained, my voice calm and steady. "I injected it inside you so you would recuperate... permanently."
Her brow furrowed in confusion, but I could see the curiosity in her eyes. "Wait, does that mean—?"
"Yes," I interrupted, my tone firm yet reassuring. "You're healed. And I’m confident that you won’t ever feel something similar again."
She gasped, her hands rising to her mouth in disbelief. "Oh my god! You’re a godsend! How could this be?"
I chuckled softly. "I guess you could say I’m both the trouble and a savior."
Ziekary blinked, clearly trying to wrap her mind around everything I had just told her. She then shook her head, still in awe. "But… how are you doing that?"
I paused, considering how to explain something so complex. "Honestly? I’m not really sure about the science behind it. Athenaria knew for sure, but… she’s no longer here with us."
Her eyes lit up at the mention of the name. "Athenaria? Oh, I remember you mentioning her a while ago... your auntie?"
I nodded slowly, my gaze turning inward for a brief moment, memories flashing of her. "Precisely. She was my aunt."
Ziekary’s eyes widened as she processed everything I had told her. "This is incredible. You could help a lot of people in this world if you stay long enough."
I sighed, shaking my head. "I’m not sure about that. I can only be selective. I can’t always save everyone with it."
She furrowed her brow. "What do you mean?"
I hesitated before explaining. "Each time I share even a small portion of my blood, I become weaker. And as far as I know, my body contains 50% Dark Matter and 50% ordinary matter."
Her expression shifted to confusion. "I thought Dark Matter doesn’t exist?"
I gave a small chuckle . “Guess you're looking at a talking Dark Matter right now, huh?” I said, gesturing to myself with a smirk. "Heh, then again, I’m sure only a few knows about it."
Ziekary seemed in shock, her eyes wide as she processed the information. "I studied a lot about you in books, but I never would have thought seeing you in person would be even crazier," she murmured, her voice trailing off. "This is insane."
I felt a pang of uncertainty deep inside, but I pushed it down, focusing on the moment. "I’m not sure how I came to be alive like this," I said quietly.
"But you staying safe is what matters right now. I’m really sorry about all this."
I noticed her cheeks redden, and I couldn't help but feel a small sense of relief. At least she wasn't panicking anymore. I decided to change the subject to lighten the mood.
"Well, anyway," I said, pulling out my phone, "I’m here to give you my number."
Her face flushed even more, her hands slightly trembling as she reached for the phone. "U-uh, okay."
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I looked at Ziekary, my hand outstretched.32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8o93qMD2Mm
"Hand me your phone," I said.
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"Umm, okay."
I took the phone and glanced at her, making sure she understood what I was about to say.
"The moment you sense trouble, you need to dial my number. If the person you're talking to seems off, don’t hesitate and notify me immediately."
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"You remember what happened to you before? It can happen again. Don’t let your guard down, stay vigilant."
"Okay, got it," she replied.
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"Don’t just say you got it, do it. Don’t hesitate," I told her. "You strike me as someone who hesitates a bit too much."
I stood up from the edges of clock tower, my movements casual but my eyes never leaving hers. As I started to walk away, I could feel her gaze on me.
Then I heard her call after me.
"Kyrie?"
I stopped, glancing over my shoulder, wondering what she wanted.
I watched as Ziekary bowed in front of me, her gesture showing respect.
"You needed a friend, right?" I said, glancing over my shoulder. "I know deep down it hurts to feel lonely in most situations. You can always come to me when you're feeling that way."
Ziekary stood up straight, confusion crossing her face. "Huh?"
I smirked slightly, continuing to walk away. "Fair warning though," I added. "I’m not always nice."
As I left, I could hear Ziekary’s voice softly behind me.
"Finally a friend... I’m no longer lonely."
I could feel a small tug at my chest, something warm stirring, but I kept moving forward.
From the corner of my eye, I noticed Ziekary looking at her phone. Her lock screen displayed a picture of me.
I had no idea what she'd do next, but for the first time, I thought maybe just maybe this world wasn't so bad.
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