For the first time in his life, Hikaru felt truly cold.
Not because of the underground temperature, or the alarms that still echoed faintly in the distance.
Not even because Ria looked like she was two seconds away from fighting the entire G.A.R.I command staff for him.
No—
It was because of the mark.
That violet, pulsing sigil burned under his skin like a brand carved into his soul.
Every throb felt like a heartbeat that didn't belong to him.
Ria pulled him into an empty debrief room and sealed the door.
Her eyes were sharp, calculating.
"Show me the mark again."
Hikaru hesitated… then rolled up his sleeve.
The sigil glowed faintly—
like an eye slowly opening.
Ria exhaled shakily.
"That man… the one in the violet smoke… he was speaking the truth."
"How do you know?" Hikaru whispered.
"Because the mark isn't just corruption," she said.
"It's a binding seal. And only a high-rank Armament User can create one."
Hikaru felt his stomach drop.
"So… you're saying my dad—"
"Yes."
Her voice softened just barely.
"The only person who could mark you like this… is someone tied to your Armament's origin."
Hikaru sat down hard on the edge of the metal table.
"I don't understand… Why would he mark me? What does he want from me?"
"He didn't mark you to control you," she said.
"He marked you to protect you."
Hikaru blinked.
"…What?"
Before Ria could answer, the door slammed open.
Commander Fushida stormed inside—
tall, broad-shouldered, ash-gray hair tied back, jaw tense enough to cut stone.
His eyes locked onto Hikaru.
"You," he growled.
"Report. Now."
Hikaru sat up straight instinctively.
The commander stepped closer, glaring.
"You have a violet target-mark on your arm. Do you have any idea what that means?"
Hikaru swallowed.
"Um—an allergic reaction?"
Ria pinched the bridge of her nose.
Commander Fushida slammed his hand on the table.
"It means the Reborn hierarchy has identified you as a PRIORITY HUNT TARGET."
Hikaru's heart plummeted.
"I—WHAT?! Why ME?! I'm broke and emotionally unstable! I'm not even worth hunting!"
Ria shot him a look.
"Hikaru, breathe."
Commander Fushida's voice dropped into a grim tone.
"The First Rebirth Incident… when your father vanished… the original Reborn king, called the Violet Depths, marked a group of chosen subjects."
He pointed at Hikaru's arm.
"That mark matches the king's symbol."
Hikaru's world tilted.
"The… king? Of the Reborn?"
"Correct. And if your father carried the same sigil—"
Ria tensed.
"—then Hikaru's father wasn't just part of G.A.R.I," she whispered.
"He was directly connected to the Reborn king."
Hikaru felt his pulse skitter.
"My dad… was working with the monsters?"
"No," the commander said sharply.
"If he were cooperating, we would have killed him on sight."
"So then… what—"
"He was infiltrating them."
Silence smothered the room.
Ria's eyes widened.
"Hikaru's father… was a double agent?"
"Yes," Fushida replied.
"And we believed he died for it."
Hikaru shook his head, barely breathing.
"So that guy earlier—the one in the violet smoke—he wasn't lying when he said 'you're not ready to meet him yet.'"
Ria grabbed his shoulder.
"Hikaru… your father might still be alive."
The commander didn't deny it.
Instead, he placed a data chip on the table.
"This is your father's last recorded mission log. Classified for fifteen years."
Hikaru stared.
"Why… why are you giving this to me?"
The commander's stern expression softened—
just barely, like a crack in granite.
"Because the Reborn king is looking for you, Saeba.
And we need to find out why."
Hikaru reached for the chip.
But before his fingers touched it—
The lights went out.
A voice whispered through the room, distorted but familiar:
"You're too late."
Ria shot up, katana drawn.
Commander Fushida readied his arm-cannon.
Hikaru froze.
Because in the pitch-black darkness behind them…
Someone exhaled.
Slow.
Steady.
Human.
A figure materialized—
bathed in faint violet glow.
The same man with the corrupted tattoos stepped forward.
He wasn't smiling this time.
His eyes were sad.
"Hikaru… don't open that file."
Commander Fushida aimed at him.
"You again! Identify yourself!"
The man ignored him.
He stepped closer to Hikaru and whispered:
"If you open that file… you will learn the truth."
His voice trembled.
"And the truth will destroy you."