Observation Room of Warden Branch – Arvale
The observation room of Warden Branch, Arvale Division, was usually quiet—filled only with the soft hum of server machines and the rhythmic beeping of monitors displaying stable data.
But today, the air was filled with noise: faint alarm bells echoed, the monitors flickered with red glitch lines, and the simulation feed distorted like a broken VHS tape.
"Damn it… what the hell is going on here?" one young agent muttered as he typed rapidly on his console, sweat dripping down his forehead.
"The simulation system isn't supposed to be hacked from inside. But this—this is different. There's an external interference creeping into the program."
Amid the chaos, Rainer stood motionless before the main screen. The flickering red glitch lights danced in his eyes as his jaw tightened, though his expression stayed cold.
Several other agents tried to access the manual override.
"Communication with subjects Zeydan and Mireya is completely severed!" shouted a female operator, her hands trembling over the keyboard.
"We can't pull them out! If this keeps up, their neural pathways might overload!" another added, panic in his voice.
The tension thickened.
Then, an older agent with thinning white hair and a heavy voice turned to Rainer.
"Rainer… did you ever suspect something like this might happen?"
Silence fell. Every gaze turned toward him, waiting for words that might calm the storm.
Rainer clenched his fists behind his back, his shoulders tense. Then, in a calm, low tone, he answered,
"...No."
He took a deep breath, eyes still fixed on the flickering screen.
"I didn't expect this… And somehow—"
He closed his eyes briefly before opening them again, darker this time.
"—my instincts aren't working at all right now."
The agents exchanged pale looks. For them, if Rainer—the man whose instincts were as sharp as a blade, who always sensed disaster before it struck—claimed his senses had failed him, then the situation was truly beyond control.
(Is this… just a system malfunction? Or has something from Santara actually reached our world?) Rainer thought, staring at the distorted silhouettes of Zeydan, Mireya… and that mysterious metallic figure on the screen.
---
Inside the Astrea Biome Simulation
The Astrea biome trembled faintly. Rain of green light fell from the virtual sky while mist blanketed the crystalline forest. Zeydan and Mireya stood side by side, their breaths heavy, sweat dripping beneath their armor.
Before them stood a woman with gray metallic skin. Her right eye glowed crimson; a katana gleamed in her hand. A cold, crushing aura radiated from her presence.
"I'm… sorry," she said softly—but the words cut like a blade.
Zeydan gritted his teeth. "You're apologizing while pointing a sword at us? That's rich."
Mireya hissed, raising her weapon. "Don't underestimate us."
Without warning, both of them charged.
Zeydan advanced with his shield, closing the gap, while Mireya spun around to slash from the blind spot.
Clang! Clang! Cling!
But the woman moved like a shadow. Her katana deflected Mireya's blade with a single precise motion, then pushed Zeydan back several meters with a powerful strike.
"Urgh—!" Zeydan stumbled, blood trickling from his lip.
Mireya attacked again, thrusting straight forward, but—swoosh!—the woman's katana was already at her neck before she could react.
"So easy…" the woman murmured coldly and kicked Mireya down hard.
Zeydan struggled to rise, his body trembling. When he looked up, the woman was already standing over him. Her red eye gleamed, piercing into his.
"I'm sorry… Ivan."
Thud. His heart stopped. "What… did you just say?"
The katana rose, ready to strike.
"Zeydan! No!!!" Mireya screamed, her voice breaking through the simulation.
But before the blade could fall—
The woman's body froze.
Someone was standing behind her.
A man in a black suit, dark-purple tie, and a black cap. His expression was calm, but his gaze sharp enough to slice through steel.
The metallic woman recoiled, katana raised defensively.
"You… aren't you the man from the Inferna biome?!"
The man looked at her with a blank expression.
"That's right… Azura."
Her eyes widened. "You… you know my name?!"
He stepped forward slowly, each step heavy enough to make the air tremble.
"Of course. And I also know your pain… but this isn't the way."
Azura's face twisted with fury. "Shut up!!!"
She lunged, slashing in rapid fury—but the man only shifted lightly, dodging each strike as if reading her moves before she made them.
"Calm down. This isn't your fault… But remember—don't be selfish."
"SHUT UP!!!" Azura roared, losing control as her crimson eye flared brighter.
In a flash, the man leapt into the air—without any visible support—
and with blinding speed, he grabbed Azura's body and slammed her into the ground.
BAMMM!
Cracks spiderwebbed across the crystal floor. Azura's metallic face fractured like broken porcelain.
Zeydan and Mireya froze in disbelief.
The man stepped back, still calm.
Azura slowly pushed herself up, trembling. "You… you don't understand… the pain I've endured…"
Her red eye dimmed slightly. She lowered her head, then turned away.
Without another word, Azura walked into the mist—her body dissolving into the simulation fog until she vanished completely.
Zeydan gasped, turning to the man. "Who… who are you?"
Mireya's voice quivered. "He's… not a normal agent, that's for sure."
They tried to step closer, but the man glanced at them briefly—then gave a faint smile.
And in an instant, his body vanished like smoke swept away by the wind.
"Eh?! He's gone?!" Zeydan shouted, wide-eyed.
Mireya huffed, still shaken. "That guy… could've been a ghost."
Zeydan clenched his fists, eyes lost in the mist.
(Why… did she call me Ivan?)
For a moment, the simulation chamber shook again. The screens glitched—then slowly stabilized. The distortion that once swallowed the entire environment faded, leaving behind only the plain white floor and clean virtual walls.
Zeydan and Mireya stood still, wary, as if danger could reappear at any second.
Mireya took a heavy breath and glanced at him.
"Looks like… it's over?" she said, uncertain.
Zeydan nodded slowly.
(Then why… does it still feel wrong?) he thought.
Suddenly, a light door opened. Several agents in black uniforms entered the chamber. One raised his hand—a signal of safety.
"Relax. You're clear to exit. Follow us," said one of them firmly.
Zeydan looked at the empty wall one last time before walking out with Mireya.
The other agents spread out, scanning the simulation's remnants with special instruments, as if searching for traces of a digital intruder.
They were escorted to the observation room, now restored to normal. The monitors glowed brightly, displaying stable data again. The air smelled faintly of antiseptic, mixed with the hum of machines.
There, Rainer was already waiting—leaning against a metal table, arms crossed.
"Glad to see you two alive," he said, stepping forward, his calm expression betraying a hidden weight behind his eyes.
Zeydan looked straight at him.
"Rainer… who is Azura? And that man?"
Silence fell. Rainer lowered his gaze, choosing his words carefully.
"…I don't know," he finally said, his tone low but heavy.
Mireya frowned, skeptical.
"Are you sure? Because the name Azura clearly means something to you, doesn't it?"
Rainer paused, then exhaled slowly.
"That name… is familiar." He turned his eyes toward a nearby monitor, as if seeking a memory.
"There was once an agent named Azura Maskrof. One of the Specialist Agents, ranked fifth. Incredibly powerful. But…"
He tightened his fists.
"…Azura went missing inside the Inferna Biome—along with the Astriniati Clan. No one ever found her body… nor Ivan's. They both just vanished."
Zeydan's eyes widened. Mireya bit her lip, her mind racing.
"Was she… gray-skinned, with a red right eye?" she asked.
Rainer's head snapped toward her, surprised. "No. Azura Maskrof was human—normal skin, dark eyes. Nothing like what you described."
The air grew tense again. Mireya lowered her gaze, trying to reconcile the woman she'd fought with the one Rainer described. Zeydan frowned, equally lost.
Before they could question further, Rainer suddenly clapped his hands lightly—breaking the tension.
"Enough of that. There's something more important."
Both of them looked up.
"Your test… is officially complete." Rainer gave a rare, faint smile.
"Tomorrow, both of you will be deployed—to the world of Santara."
Mireya's eyes widened. "Already?"
Rainer nodded.
"Yes. Santara doesn't wait. Starting tomorrow… you'll understand what it truly means to be part of this grand game."