(Robotic dimension)
The toy shop looked ordinary from the outside—bright signboards, colorful figures hanging behind the glass windows, and a soft mechanical hum blending with the city noise. But beneath that harmless appearance, something far more dangerous waited.
Inside the shop, the owner stood near the counter, his face calm but his eyes sharp. In front of him stood a thin man, slightly bent in posture, quiet, obedient—Walt.
The owner spoke in a low, controlled voice.
"Open the door and go inside. Clean whatever you see there. Don't touch anything unnecessary. Don't do any other activities. Just clean and come out."
Walt nodded respectfully.
"Yes, sir."
He turned toward the door the owner pointed at.
It was a brown wooden door, old but well-maintained, with a gold-layered handle that reflected the dim shop lights. Walt placed his hand on the handle and slowly opened it.
The moment he stepped inside, darkness swallowed him.
He paused.
For a second, he couldn't see anything. The air felt different—heavier, colder. He took a cautious step forward.
Suddenly—
Click.
The lights turned on automatically.
Walt blinked, his eyes adjusting. The place before him was nothing like a stock room.
The walls were filled with frames—certificates, awards, robotic blueprints, photographs of machines, metallic components mounted like trophies. Some designs looked outdated, some frighteningly advanced. Robotic arms, artificial cores, dismantled mechanical parts—everything screamed intelligence and danger.
Walt swallowed and walked forward slowly.
He reached a junction and turned left.
What he saw next made him stop.
A room—empty, yet terrifying.
The floor was scattered with broken glass pieces, spread everywhere like shattered ice. A strange liquid was splashed across the ground and walls, reflecting light in an unnatural way. The room felt wrong, as if it wasn't meant for human presence.
Before entering, Walt noticed a warning written clearly on the wall:
CAUTION: DO NOT ENTER THIS ROOM OR TOUCH ANYTHING WITHOUT WEARING A SUIT.
His eyes moved slightly to the side.
A small frame-box was fixed near the entrance. Inside it were protective suits, sealed and neatly arranged.
Walt exhaled in relief.
He opened the box, took one suit, and carefully wore it. Only after fully securing it did he step inside the room.
Even with the suit, he felt uneasy.
Broken glass crunched under his feet. The liquid shimmered faintly, almost alive. His heart raced.
He tapped his earpiece.
"Sir… this is Walt. I'm inside. There are multiple pathways here. One room has broken glass everywhere and some kind of liquid—looks like a chemical spill."
Surgain's calm voice responded immediately.
"Collect samples. Anything unusual—take it. Don't overthink. Just be careful."
"Yes, sir."
Walt began cleaning, carefully collecting broken glass and wiping surfaces where possible. As he worked, something caught his attention.
Near the corner of the room lay a small round object.
He picked it up carefully.
It looked like a button-shaped device, smooth, metallic, with a green-colored glass core embedded inside. It didn't look like trash. It didn't look ordinary.
Walt didn't analyze it further.
He simply kept it with him.
After finishing the cleaning, he stepped out of the room and moved toward another door.
Before he could open it—
The outer door suddenly opened loudly.
The toy shop owner rushed in, panic flickering across his face.
"Hey! Hey!"
Walt turned instantly.
The owner stared at him, scanning his body.
"Did you clean that room?" the owner asked sharply.
"Yes," Walt replied.
The owner exhaled heavily.
"I just came to confirm something. Did you wear the suit?"
"Yes, sir."
The owner's face tightened.
"Good. Because before you… another volunteer entered that room without wearing it."
He paused.
"He isn't alive anymore."
Walt froze.
Cold fear rushed through his veins.
The owner straightened himself and forced a neutral tone.
"That's enough for today. You can come out now."
Walt nodded quickly.
They both exited the hidden area.
Back in the shop, the owner said, "You can come tomorrow."
Walt hesitated.
"When will I get my salary?"
The owner replied casually, "Weekly payments, remember? I'll pay you on the weekend."
Through the earpiece, Surgain's voice cut in sharply.
"You went there to observe, not to work. You're not earning from both sides. Remember why you're there."
Walt smiled faintly at the owner.
"Yes, sir."
He stepped back—still smiling—standing at the shop entrance, calm on the outside, while inside his mind raced with everything he had just seen.
(Modern dimension)
Erika sat quietly on the sofa, her posture relaxed but her eyes sharp with curiosity. The dimension traveler was firmly wrapped around her wrist, fitting her hand as if it had been designed only for her. The surface of the watch glowed faintly, responding to her presence.
Jimmy sat beside her, leaning forward, completely focused.
"The watch only turns on when its owner wears it," he said seriously. "Others can't access its full system unless the owner allows it."
Erika nodded, watching the floating interface projected just above the watch surface.
Jimmy tapped the air gently.
"Let's start with navigation."
A holographic map appeared.
"See this?" Jimmy continued. "Navigation can show your current location. Not just that—it can trace a person too. Even a small clue is enough. A pattern, a signal, a trace… anything."
Erika's eyebrows lifted slightly.
"So it's not just location tracking."
"No," Jimmy replied. "It's far beyond that."
He swiped to the next section.
"Energy sources. You already saw them this morning—solar energy, electric current, and battery mode. After finishing this setup, I'll try recharging it using direct current."
He paused and laughed nervously.
"If that works… this thing is officially weird. Very weird."
Erika smiled faintly but stayed silent, absorbing every word.
Jimmy continued explaining.
"The watch functions like a smartwatch—changing themes, adjusting settings—but it's not just a smartwatch. It's… something else. Much more."
He hesitated before adding,
"You can also control it using voice commands. Similar to Alexa or smart assistants—but this responds faster. Smarter."
Erika's eyes widened.
"So I can talk to it?"
"Yes," Jimmy said confidently. "It listens only to you."
She looked down at the watch again, excitement building.
Before handing it back, Erika stopped.
"Wait."
She scrolled through the interface herself.
Suddenly, she paused.
"There's an option called Dimensions."
Jimmy froze.
"That's… important."
Erika tapped it lightly.
A list appeared.
"This one," she said, pointing. "This is where I came from, right?"
Jimmy nodded slowly.
"Yes. That's your original dimension."
"And this one?" she asked, pointing at another.
"This is the dimension we're currently living in."
Her finger hovered over another unfamiliar column.
"What about this one?"
Jimmy frowned.
"I… don't know."
Erika glanced at him.
"Should I click it?"
Jimmy immediately grabbed her wrist.
"No!"
He took a deep breath.
"If you click that, you'll travel to that dimension instantly."
Erika stiffened.
"Then why can't you be near me?"
Jimmy explained carefully.
"The watch has a safety rule. If you activate dimension travel, anyone within around 20 meters gets pulled along with you."
Erika blinked.
"So if someone is near me—"
"They'll travel with you," Jimmy finished. "That's why I need time. I might be able to reduce that range—maybe two meters, maybe only you."
He looked at her seriously.
"When you came here… was anyone near you?"
Erika thought for a moment.
"No. I was alone. Night time. No one else in the house."
Jimmy nodded.
"That explains it."
The room fell silent for a second.
Elsewhere in the modern city—
Inside a small food store, shelves tightly packed, lights buzzing softly.
A hand moved quietly across the counter.
A packet vanished.
The person looked normal—modern clothes, casual walk—but something felt off.
He didn't belong.
And he smiled as he walked away.