"The Organization of combat integration…"
"They're never seen here—why would they come to a college?, not that it's the end of section when there official's come for recruits"
"Did someone trigger a dark magic alarm or something?"
Students muttered within them self.
Roni froze at the edge of the crowd, still panting from the pain. His pulse raced.
Don't tell me they're here for me…
The vehicle doors hissed open.
From the first stepped out Sergeant Shaw, his black tactical coat he wore carried silver insignias of command, and the faint glow from his mechanical eyepatch reflected off the afternoon light. His presence alone silenced the murmuring crowd.
Behind him was Doctor Aiko, holding a tablet-sized scanner pulsing with faint blue energy. Her expression was composed yet tense, as if she already knew what they had come to find.
Students started recording with their vis-lenses, whispering excitedly, but the moment she spoke, silence fell.
"Everyone stand clear," she commanded, her voice firm and calm. "We're conducting a system anomaly trace under Order 77-B. Remain where you are."
A faint pulse of blue energy radiated from the device on her wrist, scanning the area.
Roni felt it instantly. His system reacted—panicking.
[Warning: External Scan Detected]
[System Mask Protocol: Engaged]
He backed away slowly. No, no, no… they can't find me.
The pain in his body flared again, and he clenched his jaw to stop himself from groaning.
Doctor Aiko turned slightly toward sergeant shaw. "Reading a trace—dark energy, unstable frequency. It's close."
Roni's heartbeat thundered. He turned and slipped between two parked hoverbikes, moving toward the rear gates. He had to hide before the scan locked onto him.
Then he heard a familiar voice.
"Roni?"
He stopped. Mirael was running toward him, her hair fluttering, confusion written all over her face.
"What's going on? Are they after you?"
Roni shook his head, his voice trembling. "No—just stay away, Mirael. Please."
"Roni—"
Before she could finish, another pulse wave surged through the air, stronger than before. Roni's system flashed red.
[System Breach Attempt Detected]
[Initiating Emergency Countermeasure…]
A wave of dark energy exploded outward from him, invisible but powerful enough to disrupt the O.C.I. scanners. The devices on their wrists sparked.
"Trace signal lost!" one of the officers shouted.
Sergeant Shaw was furious"Recalibrate. The source is here—I can feel it."he said.
Roni stumbled backward, panic flooding through him. The world around him blurred as the system's voice echoed in his mind:
[Core Limit Reached. Entering Protective Stasis.]
"Roni!" Mirael screamed as he collapsed to his knees, clutching his head.
Black lines of energy crawled up his arms, his veins glowing faintly beneath the skin. The air around him distorted as if reality itself was bending, his system was clearly out of control now.
The O.C.I. units reacted instantly—
"Contain him! Now!" sergeant shaw barked.
The student's who was watching around gasps in fear,
"I said there's something up with that punk" mobu said his hand hanging in the shoulder of two of his crew, everyone had came out when they heard the commotion outside.
The O.C.I. units reacted instantly—
"Contain him! Now!" Sergeant Shaw barked.
The students watching around gasped in fear.
"I said there's something up with that punk!" Mobu groaned, his arms slung over the shoulders of two of his crew. Everyone had rushed out when they heard the commotion outside.
Four enforcers raised their gauntlets, forming a containment barrier—blue energy walls caging Roni in.
He looked around, fear creeping into his eyes as the soldiers began to close in on him. Then something in him snapped. His eyes flickered with a golden glow.
All of a sudden, the ground cracked, the air distorted, and before anyone could react, a violent pulse of energy burst outward, throwing everyone off balance.
When the dust settled—Roni was gone.
All that remained was a faint scorch mark and Mirael's fading voice screaming his name.
Doctor Aiko froze, staring at her scanner.
"Sergeant…" she stammered, "what the heck just happened? There's no sign of him anymore." She tapped the scanner again, her eyes widening in disbelief.
Shaw's gaze stayed fixed on the scorch mark for a moment before he finally replied, "He's gone… and that energy reading—it's unlike anything we've recorded."
He started moving forward, his boots crunching over broken concrete and scattered dust. Then he heard it again—a faint sob, the same voice that had screamed earlier.
Shaw turned sharply.
Behind the scattered, frightened students stood a girl, trembling slightly, her hands pressed against her mouth. Her eyes were red, not from weakness, but from the shock still burning in them. A few silent tears traced down her cheeks.
She had been standing right behind Roni before he vanished, though no one had noticed her until now.
Shaw's expression changed. His usual calm, commanding look faltered for a moment as he stepped closer, his eyes narrowing in disbelief.
"Mirael…" he muttered under his breath.
Mirael slowly raised her head. Her lips parted, voice low and shaky.
"Dad…" she whispered.
The crowd turned instantly — murmurs rippling among the students as realization hit.
Her eyes locked onto his, anger and pain swirling behind them. "Dad!!!" she cried out, her voice breaking just once. "Are you with them, he was my friend dad." She cried out.
The silence that followed was deafening.
Even Doctor Aiko stood frozen, eyes darting between them. "Sir…" she said cautiously, "you never mentioned your daughter was a student here."
Shaw didn't respond. His gaze stayed fixed on Mirael, the weight in his chest growing heavier with each passing second.
"Let's go, Mirael," he said quietly, stepping closer, his voice low but edged with command.
"I'm not going with you, Dad!" she snapped, her tone sharp and trembling all at once. The anger in her eyes clashed with the hurt she tried to hide.
Shaw's jaw tightened. Without another word, he gestured toward one of his enforcers — a tall, broad-shouldered man in black armor. The soldier stepped forward, expression unreadable, and lifted Mirael into his arms.
"Let me go!" she struggled, kicking and twisting, but the soldier's grip was firm.
The students standing around the courtyard could only watch. None dared to interfere — not with the sergeant of the O.C.I. present. Mirael friends who were among the crowd could still not interfere, just only watch in disdain.
"That man's the devil," Raine muttered, her fists clenched. "Look how he lets the guards drag his own daughter away…"
Mirael's voice echoed through the courtyard, filled with pain and defiance.
"I don't want to go with you!" she screamed as the van doors closed.
Shaw turned away, his expression unreadable, though deep down, the words pierced him. He had always been strict with her — back when she was a child… and even now.