"Is this really another world?"
Archer said in amazement at how similar the planet was to his own.
A group of men watching from the side noticed Archer's strange behavior. They could tell he wasn't from around here.
"Hey, kid..." one of the men signaled to Archer as he stood up to approach him.
"...you don't look like you come from these parts. Are you lost?" the man asked Archer.
"Yeah, I'm not from around here. I come from another Earth," Archer responded.
The man's eyes widened as he grabbed Archer and pulled him into an alley.
"Dummy, why are you saying that aloud? Are you an idiot?" the man said, surprised by Archer's cluelessness.
"Oh, I didn't know," Archer said, pushing the man's hands off him.
"You're lucky no ODDS soldiers were around."
"ODDS? Is that like your Earth's version of V.I.P.E.R.?"
"V.I.P.E.R.? You must come from the Third Earth," the man said as he walked toward a trash can in the alley.
"You see, kid, everything in all Eight worlds is almost similar, but with just a few distinct differences. On the First Earth, no one can wield soul energy because the atmosphere doesn't allow it. On the Second Earth, everything moves just a bit faster."
"The Third—your Earth—and the Fifth—this Earth—each have their differences, but one thing is constant: 'soldiers' like the ODDS or V.I.P.E.R., with virtually the same function, exterminate the reincarnates," the man
explained while emptying the trash can.
"If all the Earths have their differences, what's unique about this one?" Archer asked.
"You'll find out soon enough," the man said as he finished emptying the trash can.
"Hey, kid, you wanna see something interesting?" the man asked.
"Something like what?" Archer replied.
"I haven't introduced myself yet. My name's Barry Wilson. I'm the leader of a revolution across all eight Earths against those government organizations," Barry explained.
"I almost didn't recognize you at first, but on second glance, you're one of Zero's boys."
"You know Mr. Zero?" Archer said, surprised, as he approached Barry.
"Know him? We used to be good pals back in the day. He's still one of my wings on your Earth, but I haven't heard from him in years," Barry said excitedly as he prepared to jump into the trash can.
"Hey, you wanna get your memories back, don't you?" Barry said in a mischievous tone as he jumped into the trash can.
"My memories? How'd yo—"
"Hey, wait, tell me more!" Archer said as he jumped into the trash can with Barry.
The trash can was actually a slide leading to a hidden lair beneath the ground. Archer landed on soft foam at the end of the slide.
"It's like a club down here. So many people, and what is this smell?"
"The smell, you ask? That's the smell of liberation," an old man behind him responded.
"Archer, meet Elias Sol, the wing of the revolution on this Earth," Barry introduced.
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Elias," Archer said, extending his hand for a handshake.
"Same. I heard a lot about you from Zero boy. You seem to have lost your memory. Last time you were here, you were a menace," Elias said, shaking his hand.
"Yeah, about that—could you tell me more about what happened and why my memory's gone?" Archer asked.
"We can't possibly narrate what happened. Why don't you find out yourself?" Barry said.
"Come with me. There's something I want to show you."
Archer followed Barry to a room deep in the lair.
"Can I ask, what exactly is this place?" Archer asked Barry.
"This place? This is where all the wings of the revolution come to meet, along with their right-hand men or whoever they want to bring along. We come here to strategize our next moves and find potential recruits," Barry answered.
"Strategize? I could barely hear myself out there. This seems more like a club than a place to strategize," Archer responded.
"Still as stiff as ever, Archer. Some things just don't change, no matter what happens," Barry replied as he opened a drawer in the room and sifted through some files.
"There's a letter you wrote when you were last here. You said I should give it to you whenever you came back asking for your memories," Barry said as he pulled out a thin piece of paper and handed it to Archer to read.
[If you're reading this, you're the naive, curious 5-year-old who wants to find out who you really are. You won't be happy once you find out, I assure you. If you still want to know who you really are, then go ahead and mess around if you want. I'm sure you're with Hina right now. You and she should go meet the old guy at Hierro's Peak. Tell him you want it back.]
As Archer read the letter, relief and anxiety washed over him. Relief that he might finally discover who he was, but anxiety that he might not like what he found.
"You know where Hina is? I haven't seen her here. And Hayate, too—did something happen to them?" Barry asked.
"Hina's fine; she's taking a nap right now. Hayate, though..." Archer trailed off.
"I understand. No wonder Hina didn't want to come. So, what are you going to do now?" Barry asked.
"I want to find out who I really am," Archer said.
A burning determination blazed in his eyes, with only one place in his sights: Hierro's Peak, the place where his fate would change forever.