~ Ayano's Pov ~
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"Think about what you're about to do..." I told him.
Unfortunately for me, he still continued approaching me... Now, it can't be said I didn't warn him, right?
He lunged at me, going for my arm like he meant to restrain me. But I didn't give him the chance.
I moved to the left without thinking too much about it—just a small shift of my body, with a twist of the shoulder to redirect him completely... I didn't even touch him at first. But his balance had faltered, and when he tried to recover, his hand found my wrist.
My fingers closed around his forearm on reflex, and in that instant, I could feel it—the tension of bone under skin, tendons stretched taut beneath my grip like wire. I could end it all right there. I could snap him, just like a twig.
And for a second, I think almost did.
There was a split moment when I looked in his eyes—where I looked straight in his eyes, and saw something I didn't really want to admit to seeing... Not some enemy. Not even a threat to my life at this point. Just, another person following their orders. Maybe a little scared now too. No, I knew he was just doing what he was told.
My fingers loosened before they could tighten. I shoved him away, not hard—at least, not as hard as I could have. He stumbled back, boots sliding in the hallway, wide-eyed.
"Don't touch me again." I said, and my voice sounded strange, even to me... Not angry. Not loud either...
He froze up, not sure how to continue.
A beat passed. Two even.
"Look man... I don't want to hurt anyone here." I told him truthfully, trying my best to sound softer now. But, the more I thought about it, the more it almost like I was somehow apologizing for something I hadn't done, yet. I didn't want it to get that point either. "So stop pushing me into a corner."
I turned away before I could see his reaction—before I could see the fear, or the confusion, or worse, recognition. My heart was hammering in my chest, and not from the fight. From the fact that it felt too easy. Too natural. That whatever was in me—it wasn't asleep anymore.
'I should have thought about this more.'
And I didn't even know what scared me more here: the thought of what I potentially could do if I didn't care anymore... or the thought that someday, I might not even hesitate...
...
"Ayano, correct?"
I heard a woman's voice from nowhere.
"Good, it seems you can hear me. I am the mother of Chisaki... We need to speak, follow the guard."
I didn't even try to hide the laugh that forced its way out. It was short, bitter.
"Really? Now you want to talk? After all this?" I spun back toward the path, where the guard still stood, watching me in silence. "He tried to drag me off like I'm some criminal and now I'm supposed to just follow him because a disembodied voice tells me to?"
I shook my head. "Why should I do anything you say?"
There was a beat of silence. Then the voice returned, colder this time. Not angry. Just… certain.
"Because... I know you're not exactly, normal."
That stopped me in my tracks, completely.
She didn't even elaborate on it, and truthfully, she didn't have to... I could already piece together all the implication packed behind every syllable.
She knew... How did She even know? I don't think Chisaki would have told her anything, even though we aren't close, she doesn't strike me as the type of person to do that kind of thing... Which means. She must've seen everything herself...
'Damn it!'
I couldn't just come off weak either. "...Then maybe you already know how dangerous it is to piss me off." I didn't raise my voice much. Didn't yell either. But, the words did come out heavier than I expected them to.
...
There wasn't any answer from her this time. In fact, the air went completely still again... The guard didn't move off either. Just waited, silent as ever.
So, it was on me then, huh...
I stared at him for a long moment, the pounding in my chest slowly fading into something more controlled. Not calm. Just... cornered.
With a reluctant breath, I finally stepped toward him.
"Fine." I muttered, not for her—but for myself. It'd be problematic if they exposed that information to certain people that might put me in a troublesome situation...
The guard turned without a word, motioning silently for me to follow as if this was just another routine checkpoint. I kept a few paces behind him.
The air was still heavy from what had just happened between us.
As we passed through the next gate—steel and sealed tight behind us—I tried to make sense of what I'd just stepped into... The cameras, surveillance, and now this damned woman's voice in my ear like some kind of disembodied puppeteer. She still hadn't shown herself.
Eventually, we entered what looked like an old community hall—reinforced, windowless, more secure than it had any right to be... The kind of place you'd expect to be repurposed for something you're not supposed to know about. The guard stopped in front of a heavy metal door and tapped a keycard against some kind of reader.
Hiss~
When I looked around, I realized that it was a dimly lit room with a long table and a chair, almost as if it was intentionally placed on the far side, like some kind of test. The lights flickered once before stabilizing, and then I heard her voice again—clearer now, coming from a speaker embedded in the wall.
"You can sit, if you'd like." she said.
I didn't move, I still don't really trust a thing she says.
She sighed softly on the other end. "You're cautious. That's good... But you don't have to worry—we're not here to hurt you."
Really? "You're not doing a good job at showing it... What do you even want with me?"
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"First and foremost. I wanted to thank you for saving my daughter from what happened earlier. I also want to apologize for what you just went through..."
Her tone completely changed. It wasn't as commanding as it used to be, and as much I tried scrutinizing it. She had sounded genuine.
"Then, why am I even here then...? Why bring me to this place instead of just letting me go back?"
"Because..."
I heard more the same metallic doors hissing all around me... There wasn't just one or two guards this time... There was easily over two to three dozen of them, coming from all directions.
"I wanted to apologize for doing this in advance."
...I was an idiot to think this would be so simple. The system hadn't even gone off yet from completing the quest. Which means, this was the real quest all long...
Great, just great.
I looked around myself a bit... I don't think I've ever been cornered this badly before...
The moment I saw one of them reach for his sidearm, I moved off.
Fwish~
I instantly closed the distance between us in an instant, carefully slamming my palm into his chest and sending him flying backward into two others behind him, with even them shooting backwards too... Metal clattered in the distance, bodies had hit the ground, and before the rest could even process what happened.
Two on the left. One raised a baton, and before he could fully extend, I caught his wrist, twisted, and drove my elbow lightly into his gut. He dropped to the floor with a choked gasp. The other tried to flank me from the side—I sidestepped, and swept his legs clean out from under him.
The sound of shouting filled the room. Someone yelled "Non-lethal!" and I heard safeties click off...
Rubber bullets? Probably tranquilizers, too. It didn't matter.
Another guard lunged at me from behind—arms outstretched, aiming to pin me. I dipped low, grabbed him by the vest, and hurled him over my shoulder into the group trying to form a perimeter. They all collapsed like bowling pins.
Three more came in with shock rods, trying to corner me. I backed off just enough to draw them in, then ducked beneath the first swing. My foot lashed out—cracked the knee of the one on the right. He screamed.
I didn't stop and I drove forward, slamming into the center one with my full weight, ramming him into the wall hard enough to partially dent the surface.
The rods hit me—but they didn't stop me. They just pissed me off...
I grabbed the rod itself mid-swing, yanked it free, and jammed it into the neck of the last one standing...
"STOP!!!"
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All the guards immediately stopped their advances.
"Enough..." the voice said again. Firmer. it was coming closer too...
I turned around...
She was standing there now. Regal, poised, and far too calm for someone who'd just watched me take down a small army.
This was Chisaki's mother? I couldn't even mistake it. She greatly resembled her daughter, but she had bluish hue to her purple hair instead. Before I knew it, she came even closer, now Infront of all the guards who were all kneeling.
"I said we needed to talk." she continued. "And I meant it. This, wasn't a test of strength, Ayano."
I was more confused than upset... "Then what the heck was this all for?"
"..."
She turned to all the guards in the room, "You all may leave."
There was a moment of hesitation from all of them—barely perceptible, but I picked up on it—then they all obeyed. Dispersing without so much a word. Some had limped their way out, others dragged their stunned comrades. No one dared look back at me. And just like that, the room entire was quiet again.
This time, it was just me and her... Still, seeing her do all this. I'm guessing this was her way of saying I could trust her...
She waited until the last of them was gone before finally speaking.
I narrowed my eyes, not sure if I should be relieved or insulted here... "Was that supposed to make me feel any better? You threw me into a trap to what? Just to prove I wasn't some kind of monster?"
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She just shook her head, "Truthfully, It was for me to really confirm what you are... And, to if my theories about you were correct..."
What? What in the? "What do you mean? What theory?"
"It's about you being the possessor of very special kind of body..."
Before I could even respond to that question, I heard the system prompting in my ears.
PING!!!
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SPECIAL QUEST - 1: The secrets of the body... Find out more about the human body.
REWARD: ???????
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END