Four years ago...
After Dugan teleported Kim to the safe zone, the world around him changed in an instant. Everything around him was empty. The desert stretched out before him like an endless canvas, the sand shifting erratically as if the earth itself was trying to erase its own tracks. The sky was heavy, covered with dusty clouds, and in the distance, there was nothing but the horizon. Kim stood in place, bewildered, his eyes filled with confusion.
He looked around, his footsteps leaving marks in the sand that were quickly swept away by the wind. There was no shadow, no shelter.
But it didn't take long before the familiar silhouette of Dugan appeared from the desert. He stood before Kim, as if he had just stepped out from another world, just like Kim had. His face was serious, his eyes full of determination, despite the harsh surroundings.
"Гьаб щиб бакӀ?" Kim finally asked, unable to hold back the questions. He was ready to learn anything that could explain what was happening. Why had Dugan brought him here? Why was he here, and what were they supposed to do next?
Dugan stood still, his gaze steady but distant as he looked at Kim. After a brief pause, he waved his hand dismissively, as if trying to push away something unimportant.
"Never mind," Dugan said, his voice neutral, but his eyes softened for just a moment. Then, he gave Kim a knowing smile, one that seemed to hold a deeper understanding. "I know what it's like to lose a brother. That's why I'm giving you the remaining kanteeegan as collateral. It's yours to use if you can free your brother."
Kim could barely speak. The emotions that had built up within him overwhelmed his thoughts, and all he could manage was a quiet "Баркала"
His voice faltered, not from weakness but from the flood of emotions he had kept inside for so long. Gratitude, relief, and even confusion all mixed together as he stood in front of Dugan. The future was uncertain, but at least for this moment, Kim had something to hold onto.
As Kim logged out of the game, a sense of overwhelming relief washed over him. He could hardly believe it—he was finally going to see his older brother again. The weight of the virtual world lifted, leaving him standing in the quiet of his room, the reality of the moment sinking in.
A smile spread across his face, one that was rare and genuine. For the first time in a long while, the tension in his chest eased, replaced by a warmth he hadn't allowed himself to feel in months. "Дида гьев нахъеги вихьизе вуго," he thought, as a wave of happiness surged through him.
His heart raced, his hands shaking just slightly from the rush of emotions. After all the battles, the uncertainty, and the endless time apart, he finally had hope. The reunion that seemed impossible was now within reach. Kim took a deep breath, feeling both relieved and grateful, knowing that everything was about to change.
Without hesitation, Kim quickly opened the app on his phone and then connected through his computer to the section dedicated to people's release. His fingers, trembling slightly from excitement, typed in his brother's name: "Kim Woo", and the amount required for his release. The screen lit up, and within seconds, a notification arrived with the exact details.
Message:
"Request accepted. Release possible. Address: Hwaeon-dong 27, Arisai. Time: 20:00."
He stared at the screen. The message was short and to the point, but its meaning was layered with significance. Kim had no doubt — this was the opportunity he had been waiting for. The time was almost here.
He glanced at the clock — one hour. In one hour, he would be with his brother again.
Now
Felix, Kayav, and Jayar continued training, fighting virtual enemies in the simulator. Their movements were synchronized, each of them having honed their skills to perfection. Suddenly, the door to the room opened, and a twelve-year-old boy appeared. His face was tense, but determination shone in his eyes. Kim slowly entered the room, scanning the scene.
"Something happened?" Jayar asked.
Kim glanced at him, silent. A faint trace of exhaustion marked his face, but he held himself together, as if preparing for something important.
As Kim stepped into the room, his older brother followed right behind him, towering over the others at nearly two meters tall. The system immediately processed their presence, analyzing their energy levels. A soft hum echoed as the data appeared in the air.
[SYSTEM ANALYSIS COMPLETE]
Name: Kim Kai
Fixed Base (FB): 230
[SYSTEM ANALYSIS COMPLETE]
Name: Kim Woo
Fixed Base (FB): 4001
Kim's Fixed Base (FB) was 230, a solid number, though still far from extraordinary. His brother, however, had an overwhelming 4001 FB, a level that would put even the most seasoned fighters to shame.
The room seemed to grow quieter, as Felix, Kayav, and Jayar took a moment to process the presence of this new figure. Despite the difference in their levels, there was an undeniable tension in the air. Kim's brother, with his towering stature and immense power, remained silent, his presence commanding the room without a single word.
Kim, standing confidently in front of them, said:
"Дида лъала К. Л. васазул ахирисев кив ватизе кколевали"
His voice was full of determination, as if each word carried a deeper significance. He understood that this statement could change the course of events, but there was a fire of certainty burning in his eyes.
One of the friends, still processing the shock of Kim's words, repeated them in disbelief:
"The last of the K. L. sons? Do you know where he is?"
His voice trembled slightly, as if the weight of what Kim had just said hadn't fully sunk in yet. The room fell silent for a moment, everyone trying to grasp the gravity of the revelation.
Kim nods.
Felix, Kayav, and Jayar were speeding down the road in their vehicle, following closely behind Kim and his towering older brother. The engine roared as they made their way to the outskirts, heading toward the furthest city from the heart of the . Felix, gripping the steering wheel, glanced back at the others and quickly reached for his phone.
He dialed the number to the Gor's headquarters and, after a few rings, the line clicked. "This is Felix," he spoke urgently. "We've been given an ultimatum. The three of us need to leave the . We're tasked with finding the younger K. L. We're heading to the outer city now." He paused, listening to the voice on the other end. "Understood. We'll follow through," he added before ending the call.
After arriving at his destination, Kim Woo got out of the car , Kim's brother suddenly raised his fist, and with a powerful motion, struck the air. A loud crack echoed as the trembled. The wall, The early one that didn 't exist , Because it teleported in the diametrically opposite direction from the point of contact of the . shattered, leaving a clear path for the vehicles to pass through. The atmosphere shifted as the car drove through the broken passage, the exterior world opening up before them.
Kim's brother didn't say a word, but his actions spoke volumes—this was just the beginning of what was to come. The trio of Felix, Kayav, and Jayar exchanged tense glances, knowing that their mission had just become far more dangerous.
They continued driving through the vast desert, feeling the heat grow with each mile. The car was silent, except for the sound of the engine. Jayar, without taking his eyes off the road, pulled out his phone and dialed a number. Zack Rose, one of the best of the 100, the Gor's elite soldiers, quickly answered.
Jayar looked back at the car with Kim and his brother, who were driving ahead without showing any signs of excitement. "We're on our way, Zack. We're still on our way to our destination. Get ready, we may need help to cover our rear if things get out of hand."
"Do you have any idea who you're dealing with?"
Zack yelled into the phone, his voice thick with rage.
"Why didn't you report this in a week?! Was I supposed to mail you a letter?"
His sarcasm was audible even through the phone, but the gist of it was clear: the situation was serious.
"Kim Woo works for Kiwooin,"
Zack said after a short pause, his voice growing more tense. "Which means this is more serious than we thought."
A few moments later, a signal appeared on the screens. Zack sent the information through the system.
Jayar immediately stopped at the numbers and data displayed on the screen.
About the Kiwooin:
• The Kiwooin are a network of elite soldiers, based on ancient martial practices and upgraded with the latest technology, including bioengineering and synthetic enhancements.
• The Kiwooin are closely allied with the Gor and have their own secret units, hidden from most.
• The FB of their units varies, but they all have not only unique combat skills, but are also able to control higher levels of the Nexus. This makes them dangerous opponents.
• The FB level of the Kiwooin:
• Kim Woo - 4001 FB.
• Chon Yongsu - 2303 FB.
• Kwang Shik - 2840 FB.
• Yu Bin - 2100 FB.
Zack added a comment to the data:
Zack:
"These guys aren't just soldiers. Their strength is beyond the norm. The Kimuin are very stealthy, have cloaking technology, and can change the structure of the world around them to achieve their goals. If they are connected to Kim Woo, it is much more dangerous than it seems at first glance. We don't know what they are planning, but I am sure this is just the beginning."
The three looked at each other silently, realizing how serious their mission had become.
As they drove through the desert, Jayar, Kayav, and Felix began to notice strange and disturbing signs. In the distance, barely visible in the desert's misty haze, were the silhouettes of other domes. These structures were huge and mysterious, like giant empty bubbles hanging in midair. They didn't look like the familiar domes that surrounded the Gor cities, and they certainly weren't part of the world they knew.
Felix couldn't take his eyes off one of the domes, dark and sparkling on the horizon. It was something else, an artificial sky that clearly wasn't meant to be here. An odd feeling came over them, as if they were crossing an invisible line and someone was watching them.
"What is this?" Jayar muttered, looking at Felix.
Kayav was also studying the domes intently, but he had no answer. He felt an inner uneasiness, as if the desert itself was beginning to change their reality. It wasn't just a strange sight, it was a threat that was gradually growing.
"I don't know... These aren't regular domes," Felix replied, feeling the tension in the air grow. "This is... something new. I haven't seen anything like this before."
"Maybe this is another phase of the Gor?" Kayav suggested. "But it all looks alien. These domes have some kind of different code. They don't look like they were created for protection."
Jayar glanced doubtfully at the map, but he couldn't find anything that could explain this phenomenon. Time passed, and the domes continued to appear, as if they were following them, growing in size with each kilometer. It wasn't just frightening, it felt like the beginning of the end of something much bigger.
They arrived at their destination.
It was already night. They arrived at a city called New Seoul. Kim Woo got out of the car, leaving his brother in the passenger seat. A guy with red hair and a red right eye was standing in front of the entrance to the building. Kim Woo tossed him the keys and said:
"Take my brother away from here."
He got in and started the car without any questions. Then he left. Kim Woo opened the door, inviting the boys to follow him.
There was a club inside, but it was completely empty. Clearly a working club, but without a single person except a blond man who vaguely resembles Dugan and a man with two hair colors - blonde and black hair.
The blonde scoffed, flipping the knife between his fingers before lazily tucking it away. He gave the men with dual-colored hair a light tap on the cheek—not hard, but enough to make the restrained Kiwooin flinch.
"Oh, come on," the blonde drawled, rolling his eyes. "I barely touched him."
But the brunette wasn't having it. His body remained tense, his fists trembling with anger. "He can't even defend himself, you bastard!" His voice was dangerously low, filled with unspoken threats.
Kim Woo took a step forward, his gaze cold and sharp. "Let him go." His words weren't loud, but they carried enough weight to make the blonde pause.
Felix, Kayav, and Jayar watched the scene unfold, each ready to act if necessary.
The blonde sighed dramatically, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. No need to get all worked up." He released his grip, and the dual-haired men slumped slightly, exhaling a shaky breath.
The tension in the room remained thick, but now, all eyes were on Kim Woo.
"These three men knew Dugan personally. I did as you wanted. I brought people here who knew Dugan by sight. Let Kiwooin go now."
"Good. How did you meet my brother?"
Before anyone could do anything, Dunakai used the Kilianthropism technique. And he began to get used to the memories.
Everything is getting blurry. Dark. Then the memories are gradually reproduced. And now his brother is standing in front of Dunakai.
"You really?"
Dugan disappeared into thin air. And Felix fell to his knees from the pain in his head. Jayar and Kayav don't know if anything can be done. They watch Dunakai's reaction in panic.
Immediately, the soldiers of the Gor break into the building.
"Everyone stand still! The Gor is working. Kiwooin, you're under arrest for stealing data from the dome."
Kayav and Jayar exchanged glances, not understanding why they were worried about Kiwooin and not Dunakai.
Zach Rose enters the room with the soldiers.
"Dunakai, you can't give away your location. What have you done?!"
Dunakai just clicked his tongue
...
"Kayav was furious. He doesn't understand why the Gor is protecting K. L.'s son. You explain it to me, Joe." Jayar told one of the soldiers of the "hundred".
• [Joe Banomassa 68 years old.
FB: 560. Nexus: present.
Rating in a hundred: 30
Service life in a Gor: 50]
"This situation is very difficult. We are now going to the headquarters of the Council of the hundred to discuss the implementation of the world ranking."
Entering the council room Joe starts cooking without sitting down at the table:
"The world ranking system is necessary for us for the Gor and the dome as a whole."
"Putting such a complex process into practice will be very difficult. Because this system may not be accepted as an innovation. This system can be used against us." Says the mustachioed man.
• [Makar Akarol is 43 years old.
FB: 560. Nexus: missing.
Rating in the hundred: 16
Service life in a Gor: 20]
"People like Kiwooin and others like him can take data from the Gor and leave unnoticed. I think this will simplify our task." Zack said.
• [Zach Rose is 59 years old
FB: 510 Nexus: missing
Rating in a hundred: 42
Service life in a Gor: 41]
[Voting results: 79: «for». 21: «against»]
Leaving the meeting, Jayar thought about it and asked Joe.
"Now every second person has access to any person's data?"
"Yeah"
"Legally..."
"Where are we going now, Bonamassa?"
"To Kiwooin"
The room was sterile—too clean, too white. In the center stood something that resembled a dentist's chair, but far less friendly. Next to it loomed a robot with a cute yet unsettling expression.