Prologue:

"Kentaro… Kentaro… Kentaro… Kentaro~"

The name floated down the corridor like a song, each syllable drawn out with playful sweetness that twisted into something sinister. The echo carried along the walls, bled into the silence, and crawled into Kentaro's ears like a parasite.

The footsteps followed next. Light. Carefree. Mocking.

She appeared, the girl with the green bomber jacket and white skirt, humming to herself as though she were walking through a dream. Her white top clung to her figure as she twirled down the hall, fingers brushing against lockers and windows as if she owned everything in sight.

To someone else, she'd look harmless, just another schoolgirl chasing after a crush.

But Kentaro wasn't "someone else."

He waited at the top, on the forbidden School rooftop, staring out at the city skyline. His chest tightened. His hands were clammy against the rusted railing. He knew she was coming. He had felt it before her voice even reached him.

The rooftop door creaked open, sunlight spilling in like a spotlight.

Kentaro turned.

And froze.

It wasn't just one girl.

It was four.

All identical.

Perfect copies, walking in step as if tied together by invisible strings. Their smiles glimmered in the light, but their eyes… Their eyes were wrong. Empty. Watching. Devouring.

Each wore a small mark of difference, subtle but sharp:

The first with a green headband.

The second with a dangling necklace.

The third with a golden sword-shaped earring.

The last with a thin bracelet and a hairpin.

Kentaro's throat tightened. His fear shifted into something colder, sharper. He clenched his fists and forced his voice to come out steady, though irritation coated his tone.

"…Which one am I talking to?"

The girls stopped in unison.

And then, laughter.

Not the laughter of four different people, but the same pitch, the same rhythm, layered together like one sound copied and multiplied. It clawed at Kentaro's ears, made the rooftop feel smaller, the air heavier.

They leaned forward, smiling wider, before, at the exact same time, they all raised a finger and pointed straight at him.

"We challenge you to another game."

The words shook the air.

Kentaro's stomach dropped. His hands trembled, though he curled them into fists to hide it. His heart was hammering so hard he swore they could hear it.

His voice cracked as he shouted back, panic spilling out.

"Not another one! This is too far!"

The giggling stopped.

Their faces didn't falter; in fact, their smiles seemed to stretch, wider, sharper, feeding on his reaction.

"In the coming play… You will face us with another handicap."

Kentaro's breathing turned shallow. He took a step back, boots scraping against the rooftop floor. His mind was screaming at him to run, but his legs felt like they were locked in place.

Still, he forced himself to ask the question. The obvious one. The one he dreaded the answer to.

"…And if I say no to this?"

The rooftop stilled.

The wind stirred. Leaves scraped across the concrete, brushing past their legs as their hair fluttered gently in the sunlight. For a split second, the world felt like it held its breath.

Then their smiles shifted, dropping just slightly. Enough to reveal the truth beneath the playfulness. Enough to make Kentaro's blood run cold.

Their voices came together, unified and sharp as a knife.

"We'll kill everyone in this school."

The rooftop seemed to tilt. The air thickened until Kentaro felt as if he were drowning. His wide eyes darted between the four identical figures, but their gazes never wavered. Their smiles, their threat, their presence, it was suffocating.

His fists shook at his sides, knuckles white. His lips parted, but no sound came. The wind howled across the rooftop, carrying their words deep into his skull until all he could hear was their promise of death.

And in that moment, Kentaro realised.

This was no game.

This was war.

******

After their time in Tokyo, Kentaro and the team finally touched down in Oshawa, his hometown. The familiar atmosphere hit him the moment he stepped off the Vaelion and into Halcyon's underground tunnel. It wasn't long before the group emerged into the main base, a space far larger and more advanced than the outpost in Tokyo.

The moment Yumi laid eyes on her workstation, she bolted ahead.

"OH, MY PRECIOUS!" She cried, throwing her arms around her monitor as if reuniting with a long-lost lover. She pressed her cheek against the screen, rocking it side to side. "I'VE MISSED YOU SO MUCH!"

The rest of the group stared. Even Aria, who still wasn't used to Yumi's eccentric personality, could only blink in silent awe.

Shogo, meanwhile, collapsed onto the base floor, spreading his arms wide as if it were a holy relic.

"OHHHH, SWEET EARTH! IT FEELS LIKE FOREVER SINCE I'VE BEEN BEATEN INTO YOU!" He shouted, pressing his cheek against the cold tiles.

Kentaro grimaced. "Disgusting."

The girls all shared the same deadpan expression. Even Aria had gotten used to Shogo's antics by now.

While the chaos unfolded, Kentaro's eyes drifted toward Tenka and Haruka. The two stood near the commander's chair, deep in conversation. A pair of Halcyon soldiers handed over data pads, reporting everything that had happened during their absence. Tenka furrowed her brows, one hand tucked under her chin as she listened intently before dismissing them with a sharp nod.

Curiosity tugged at Kentaro. He strolled over.

"Hey, Tenka. What was that about? Don't tell me another Alberline already?"

Tenka shook her head, but it was Haruka who answered, her glasses catching the overhead light.

"No. But there were… Signals. Strange ones. We're not certain if it was Alberline energy or something else, possibly Null. It registered briefly on the radar after we got back from Tokyo."

Kentaro frowned, worry gnawing at him. "Great… Just what I wanted, more surprises."

But his train of thought was cut off when he felt a gentle tug at his sleeve. He glanced down.

Aria.

Her long crimson hair styled in twin buns framed her face, her green eyes bright with curiosity. Though small in stature, her presence drew him in effortlessly.

"Hey, Kentaro… Is this really the home base? It's massive," she whispered, her voice carrying both awe and shyness.

Kentaro softened. He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"If this amazes you, just wait till we show you the fun parts," he said, his tone warm, full of enthusiasm.

Aria's eyes sparkled. Before she could say more, Yura and Serica flanked her, each with their own smile.

"We can't wait to show you where we're living," Serica beamed. "It'll be me, you, Yura, and Kentaro, it's gonna be fun fun!"

Yura nodded, though her voice was calmer. "Indeed. But before that, we'll need to go shopping for you. Clothes, essentials…" She trailed off mid-sentence, her eyes flicking toward Kentaro, and her cheeks faintly colouring as she remembered their last shopping trip.

Kentaro cleared his throat, scratching at the back of his head.

"Y-Yeah. Shopping. Always… Fun." His cough was painfully dry.

Aria blinked between them, her expression puzzled. "What do they mean, Serica?"

Serica giggled innocently. "They mean, like… Underwear shopping and stuff."

Aria's face flushed crimson. She turned shyly toward Kentaro, fiddling with her fingers.

"O-Oh. I see… Well, if it's with you, Kentaro, I don't mind…"

Kentaro froze, sweat beading at his temple. He quickly tried to wave the tension away.

"Ahaha! Don't worry, Aria. Yura and Serica can go with you. Heck, even Tenka could help!"

Tenka's gaze sharpened instantly.

"And what's that supposed to mean, jerk?" Her tone dripped with irritation.

Kentaro backed up, hands raised defensively.

"N-Nothing! I just meant you have good taste, that's all!"

But Aria wasn't done. Her voice came out soft, pleading.

"…But can't you come with me? I'd want a guy's opinion on what to wear. And… It could be my way of saying thanks."

Her words hit like a dart straight to Kentaro's chest. His blush deepened. He stumbled backwards, only to feel Tenka's presence looming. She stepped forward, her shadow swallowing him whole, her forehead twitching with visible annoyance.

Kentaro waved his hands frantically, sweat dripping down his temple.

"B-But, you know! Because Tenka's a girl, so obviously she'd know about girly stuff like that… Even if she doesn't look it half the time!"

The air went dead.

Tenka froze. Her eye twitched. The corner of her mouth curved into a dangerous smile.

Kentaro realised instantly. Oh no… Oh no no no… I didn't mean it like that!

But there was no saving him now.

"You. Are. Dead." Tenka's voice dripped with lethal calm as her fist cracked the air, winding up for the kill.

Tenka's fist coiled back, glowing with barely restrained fury. Kentaro saw the punch coming in slow motion, his mind screaming: God help me!

But salvation struck, literally.

Shogo.

Like a knight of questionable morals, he dove in front of Kentaro with open arms. The punch connected.

BOOM!

The impact sent Shogo flying into the wall, cracking it on contact. Kentaro dove to the side to avoid the collateral damage.

"THANK YOU, COMMANDER!" Shogo wheezed from the floor, twisted in pain but grinning through it.

Tenka exhaled, shaking out her fist. She pointed at Kentaro sharply.

"Tch. Lucky. Now get out and go home. That's an order."

"YES, MA'AM!" Kentaro shouted, grabbing his suitcase and bolting for the door.

"Wait, Kentaro!" Serica called, chasing after him. Yura followed, then Aria, still blushing furiously from the underwear topic.

Kentaro skidded to the exit, flinging the door open. He glanced back desperately.

"I'M SORRY, TENKA! YOU HAVE GOOD TASTE IN LINGERIE!"

The room went dead silent.

Tenka's cheeks ignited. She instinctively wrapped her arms across her chest, her tough demeanour crumbling as she muttered in a rare, flustered tone: "Geez… Wrong way to compliment me, but… Thanks."

And with that, Kentaro, Yura, Serica, and Aria disappeared through the door, back to his apartment, back to the calm before the storm.

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