Two days had gone by since Kaito's wild outburst in the training hall, and the rebel base had been eerily quiet since then. He spent most of that time running diagnostics with Rin and Lio, trying to get a grip on the EXO-Ω suit and wrap his head around AICE, the AI that was now part of the suit—and a part of him. Rin stood in front of the holographic display in the rebel operations room, arms crossed.
"Veyron gave us the green light. The mission's straightforward—secure intel from a Prometheon supply station about five clicks east. Quick in and out." "Straightforward, huh?" Kaito replied, stretching his arms. The suit felt more responsive now, less resistance. "You mean until something blows up, we get ambushed, or I trip over my own feet again."
"Let's aim to keep that to a minimum baby," Lio chimed in, adjusting her gloves.
"We want stealth, not a comedy show."
They set out just after sundown. The journey through the desolate outskirts was smooth—until they reached the depot. At first glance, it seemed abandoned, its darkened halls filled with the sound of wind and the faint hum of lifeless machines. But AICE was already whispering warnings in Kaito's mind.
"Life signs detected. One. Approaching. Caution: elevated threat level."
Out of nowhere, a flash caught his eye. A metallic chain shot out from the shadows. Kaito barely managed to react as a curved blade sliced past his cheek, sending sparks flying. A figure emerged, twirling into view—dressed in a sleek cybernetic yukata adorned with glowing white threads. A traditional Japanese mask concealed her face, and a neon kusarigama sparkled in her hands.
"Hostile!" Rin shouted, drawing her rifle.
"Why are you here!" the woman yelled, her voice sharp yet controlled. "I thought this sector was compromised—don't make me kill you!"
Kaito dove to the left, narrowly avoiding another swing. "AICE, a little help here?!"
"Synchronizing reflex systems. Initiating adaptation protocol."
His movements became more fluid, sharper. He caught the chain mid-air, twisted it, and yanked. The assassin resisted, flipping in mid-air and landing gracefully, still poised for action. Rin and Lio circled her, but held their fire.
"Let me take care of this," Kaito said, getting into position. "She's after intel, just like we are."
The woman turned to him. "You're syncing with an EXO AI? That's risky..." She lunged again, quicker this time—aiming for his neck.
But AICE kicked in. "Override initiated." Kaito's body moved on its own, smooth like a dancer. He dodged, ducked, and lunged. In a flash, he was too quick—and collided with her. They both went down. She let out a shriek.
Kaito blinked—his hand was right on her chest.
"Oh no—"
"YOU PERVERT!!" she yelled, her face turning bright red. She kicked him hard enough that he slammed into a wall.
Lio burst out laughing. Rin let out an exasperated sigh. "You're impossible."
"IT WAS THE SUIT!!" As she chased Kaito around the depot, swinging her chain like a lunatic, Lio finally raised a hand. "Alright, alright—let's take a breather before someone loses a head."
The woman finally halted, panting. "You fools… don't even know who I am, do you?" She pulled off her mask, revealing sharp purple eyes and shoulder-length black hair tied with a ribbon of flickering light. "The name's Suzuka. I'm an operative of Tenmangu Industries—and if you really want to win this war, you're going to need me.
" Kaito brushed himself off. "Great. Next time, maybe try talking before the near-decapitation." Suzuka's scowl softened just a bit. "You activated an encrypted Prometheon sensor. I thought you were with them."
Rin stepped closer. "So what do you want?" Suzuka pulled a crystal data drive from her sleeve and tossed it to Lio. "Proof. Prometheon isn't the only player in this war. There are five corporate powers left. Prometheon is the strongest, but Ascension, House of Machina, Suàn Zhàng Inc., and my family's company, Tenmangu, are all in the game." She pointed at the drive. "Machina and Suàn Zhàng are already teaming up with Sakoji. We're next unless we start working together. Tenmangu's neutral—for now. But that could change."
"And you're here to recruit us?" Kaito asked.
"No," Suzuka said flatly. "I'm here because my mother, Luna, thinks Prometheon's pushing too far. She wants proof of their corruption, and you might just have it."
Kaito glanced at the others. "So… you're saying we're not just fighting Prometheon anymore."
Suzuka nodded. "You're fighting a war of control, of technology, of who decides the future. And if you want to stand a chance… you'll need more than just rebels."
Kaito looked up at the starlit sky through the broken roof. He could feel AICE stirring again in his head—quiet, precise.
"You are beginning to understand. This conflict is no longer about survival. It is about reshaping the world."
He exhaled. "Guess the job just got bigger."