The woman with the crystal eye walked ahead of Nexar without looking back. Two armored guards stayed close behind him.
The rain was still falling hard when they left the testing area and entered a long metal corridor.
Nexar kept his hood low.
His steps were steady, but his mind was working.
They didn't kill me outside. That means they want something from me.
The corridor slowly descended underground. The sound of rain faded behind them as the air became colder and drier.
After several minutes, they stopped in front of a heavy metal door.
The woman placed her hand against a black panel.
A soft beep followed.
The door slid open.
Inside was a large round room with smooth dark-grey walls. A single metal chair stood in the center, surrounded by thin blue lights built into the ceiling.
The woman finally turned toward him.
"Sit."
Nexar looked at the chair.
Then at her.
He sat down.
He expected the restraints to close around his arms.
They didn't.
That surprised him.
The woman walked toward a console beside the wall.
"My name is Commander Rhea."
Nexar said nothing.
"The pillar outside recorded something that shouldn't be possible. Your body shows no Gene signature, but for three-tenths of a second, the machine recorded negative mass."
Nexar's eyes narrowed slightly.
Rhea noticed.
"We don't know how you did it."
She stepped closer.
"And we intend to find out."
Nexar remained silent.
Inside his mind, he slowly opened the Third Eye Manual.
It was only forty percent unlocked.
Most of the pages remained hidden, but one appeared clearly.
[Target: Commander Rhea]
[Threat Level: High]
[Advice: Do Not Reveal the Void]
Nexar read the words once.
Then the page disappeared.
He kept his face expressionless.
Rhea studied him.
"You aren't afraid."
"I'm just waiting," Nexar replied quietly.
Rhea gave a small nod.
"Then we can begin."
Ten Minutes Earlier
In a higher room far above the testing grounds, Commander Rhea stood before a large screen.
Three older officers were seated behind a dark glass table.
The image of Nexar's kinetic pillar test was frozen on the screen.
2,801 KG.
Rhea spoke first.
"The Unclassified candidate disrupted the kinetic pillar's normal function."
She touched the screen.
The recording replayed the moment Nexar's hand touched the alloy.
"For three-tenths of a second, the machine recorded negative mass."
One of the officers leaned forward.
"Negative mass?"
"Yes."
Another officer looked through the data.
"Gene signature?"
"None."
"Qi?"
"None that our instruments can identify."
The room became quiet.
Rhea's crystal eye glowed faintly.
"Our scanners cannot map him properly. I recommend immediate arrest and full containment."
The silver-haired officer sitting at the center shook his head.
"No."
Rhea looked at him.
"If we arrest him now, other factions will notice. The Assembly will ask questions. Then every major guild will want to know why we detained an Unclassified candidate."
"He could be dangerous."
"He could also be useful."
The silver-haired officer looked again at Nexar's frozen image.
"Put him back with the Unclassified group."
Rhea frowned.
"Sir?"
"Watch him."
The officer's voice became colder.
"Every move. Every test. Every reaction."
He paused.
"If he becomes a real threat, we will act."
Rhea's crystal eye brightened for a moment.
She clearly didn't like the order.
But she nodded.
"As you command."
Present
The memory faded.
Rhea stood in front of Nexar again.
"We'll start the deep scan now."
A low hum filled the room.
Blue light moved slowly across Nexar's body.
He felt a faint pressure against his skin.
Not painful.
Just invasive.
Like invisible hands searching through everything beneath it.
Nexar stayed completely still.
Inside his mind, the Third Eye Manual opened by itself.
A warning appeared.
[External Scan Detected]
[Manual Protection: Active]
[Deeper Discovery Risk: Medium]
Nexar's fingers tightened slightly against the chair.
If they push too far...
His eyes remained calm.
Something might wake up.