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[POV - Nemesis]
[Sainan - Nearby Rooftop - Night]
Processing.
She lay on her back on the rooftop, looking at Sainan's sky with that expression any external observer would classify as contemplative.
Analysis.
Analysis of the day: complete.
Variables collected: multiple.
Conclusions: inconclusive.
Problem.
There was a problem. Several problems, actually. Problems she couldn't adequately catalog using standard analysis framework.
Reanalyze.
Reanalyzing.
Data 1.
When Yuuki Rito was in the same room as her, something in the chest region functioned incorrectly. Irregular rhythm. Anomalous frequency. Like a poorly calibrated mechanism that lost consistency under specific conditions.
Provisional diagnosis.
Provisional diagnosis: manufacturing defect?
But.
But the defect only occurred under specific conditions. Proximity to the target. It hadn't manifested in other situations. It hadn't manifested with Mea. It hadn't manifested with Yami. It hadn't manifested with any of the other people in the house.
Isolated.
Isolated variable: Yuuki Rito.
Hypothesis.
Hypothesis 1: He possesses some energetic property that interferes with internal functioning. Possible. There was evidence he was not a common being.
Hypothesis 2.
Hypothesis 2: Localized manufacturing defect that manifests in specific presence. Less likely. Functioning was perfect in all other situations.
Hypothesis 3.
Hypothesis 3: —
Pause.
Hypothesis 3 was not forming adequately.
Reanalyze.
Reanalyzing under different perspective.
Data 2.
When alone — like now — there was a different phenomenon. Abdominal region. Sensation that humans described as...
Archive search.
Searching internal archive of observed human behavior...
Result.
"Like a thousand butterflies spinning."
Processing.
Processing.
Butterflies.
Butterflies were insects. Lepidoptera. Approximate mass of 0.3 grams each. A thousand butterflies would represent 300 grams of distributed mass.
Anatomy.
Anatomically impossible for butterflies to exist in a human abdomen. Or in any being's abdomen.
Therefore.
Therefore, the expression was metaphorical.
But metaphor of what?
Of what exactly?
Reanalyze observed behaviors.
Reanalyzing observed behaviors in humans with similar symptomatology...
Data 3 - Haruna.
Subject 1: Haruna Sairenji. Purple hair. When looking at the target, she presented: increased facial temperature, accelerated heart rate, temporary loss of coherent verbal capacity, and tendency to avoid eye contact while simultaneously seeking eye contact.
Data 4 - Rossweisse.
Subject 2: Rossweisse. Silver hair. When the target approached unexpectedly, she presented: involuntary contraction of facial muscles toward a smile, increased temperature in ears and neck, and contradictory behavior of physical withdrawal combined with casual approach.
Data 5 - Multiple subjects.
Subjects 3 through N: similar pattern with individual variations.
Pattern.
The pattern was consistent.
Correlation.
Correlation between symptomatology of observed subjects and symptomatology she herself was experiencing: HIGH.
Logical conclusion.
The logical conclusion would be—
Abort.
Abort analysis.
Analysis aborted.
Because.
Because the logical conclusion made no sense. She was not human. She did not possess an emotional system. She was an entity created with a specific purpose. Mission, efficiency, result.
No.
There was no space in her design for a variable called—
No.
No.
Reanalyze.
Reanalyzing under a different perspective.
Perhaps.
Perhaps the problem was strategic in nature. Perhaps proximity to the target was necessary to collect sufficient data. Perhaps the functional anomalies were simply an adaptive response to a new environment.
Yes.
Yes. That made more sense.
Therefore.
Therefore, the solution was: more data. More observation. More time in proximity to the target to completely understand the anomaly.
Solid justification.
Solid justification.
Completely.
Completely logic-based.
There was.
There was absolutely no other reason to want to spend more time in the Yuuki house.
None.
None.
Definitely.
Definitely.
Reanalyze additional data.
Reanalyzing additional data not previously cataloged.
During breakfast.
During that morning's breakfast, the target had pushed the rice bowl Mikan had served toward her, saying casually "you look like you haven't eaten anything yesterday."
Internal response.
Internal response to that gesture: cardiac anomaly of intensity 7.3 on a hypothetical scale of 1 to 10.
Intensity.
Intensity significantly greater than the average of other recorded anomalies.
Relevant data.
Relevant data: the gesture had no strategic value whatsoever. It was not manipulation. It was not tactics. It was simply...
Attention.
Attention.
Someone.
Someone had paid attention to her. Not to her utility. Not to her mission. Not to her power.
To whether she had eaten.
Processing.
Processing.
Processing.
Processing.
Error.
ERROR: Processing loop detected. Redirect.
Redirect.
Redirecting.
Final conclusion.
Final conclusion of the day: more data needed. Return tomorrow. Continue observation. Collect additional information about the target and his anomalous behavior that caused interference in internal systems.
There was.
There was no other reason.
None.
None whatsoever.
The butterfly.
The butterflies in the abdomen were simply statistical noise.
Certainly.
Certainly.
Look at the sky.
She looked at Sainan's sky with that expression any external observer would classify as contemplative.
But.
But Nemesis, for the first time in her existence, was not analyzing.
She was.
She was simply... existing in the moment.
Without mission.
Without mission.
Without calculated purpose.
Without calculated purpose.
Just.
Just with the memory of a rice bowl pushed in her direction by hands that didn't need to do that.
Butterflies.
The butterflies spun stronger.
Unidentified error.
UNIDENTIFIED ERROR. REANALYZING.
Reanalyzing.
Reanalyzing.
Always reanalyzing.
Always reanalyzing.
[Space near Earth - Deviluke Ship - Same moment]
Alert.
BEEP-BEEP-BEEP.
The ship's monitoring system fired.
Gid.
Gid Lucione Deviluke looked up from the report he was reading, expression shifting from bored to alert in a fraction of a second.
— Report — he ordered.
Officer.
— Sire — the monitoring officer said, clearly uncomfortable — we've detected a concentration of anomalous energy near Earth. Specifically, Sainan.
Gid stood.
Gid stood slowly.
— Energy type?
Officer.
— Unknown, Sire. But the reading is... — the officer hesitated — significant. A power level we haven't registered in that area since...
Pause.
— Since? — Gid pressed.
Officer.
— Since you visited personally, Sire.
Silence.
Silence.
Think.
Gid processed rapidly. Sainan. Significant power. It wasn't Rito — he had learned to recognize his son-in-law's energy signature. It wasn't Lala, Momo, or Nana. It wasn't any of the supernatural factions he had already cataloged.
Something new.
Something new. Something not in the file.
Decision.
— I'm going personally — he said.
Officer.
— Sire, security protocols require—
Gid.
— I'm going. Personally — he repeated, and the tone was the one he used when the matter was closed.
Prepare.
In five minutes he was in a descent capsule, cutting through Earth's atmosphere toward Sainan.
Scan.
The onboard scanner confirmed: energy concentrated in a residential area. Considerable force. Contained, as if the being was deliberately minimizing their energy signature.
Interesting.
Interesting. That kind of control suggested advanced training.
Land.
The capsule landed silently in a secluded area outside the city, a few kilometers from the signal's origin point.
Walk.
Gid walked toward the signal, feeling the power grow as he approached. Yes. Definitely significant. Comparable to some of the strongest warriors he had ever faced.
But.
But there was something strange about the signature. As if it were simultaneously very ancient and very new. Like energy that had existed for eons but had recently manifested.
Find.
Rooftop.
He found her on a rooftop. Lying on her back, looking at the sky, completely oblivious to his presence.
Or not.
Or pretending to be.
Small.
She was small. A child by appearance. Long black hair spread across the rooftop, simple black dress, dark skin, and those eyes...
Eyes.
When she finally turned her head to look at him, the golden eyes with slit pupils evaluated him with the absolute calm of someone who was never surprised by anything.
Gid.
— Who are you? — he asked directly.
Nemesis.
— Someone who was thinking — she replied, voice neutral. — You interrupted.
Power reading.
The scanner on Gid's wrist vibrated discreetly. Power reading: extraordinary. For an entity with a child's appearance.
Stand.
She stood up from the rooftop with that impossible fluidity that immediately confirmed she was not human.
— You are the King of Deviluke — she said, not as a question. — Father of Princess Lala.
Confirm.
— And you are a threat in territory I protect — Gid replied, power beginning to emanate. — So I ask you again. Who are you?
Nemesis smile.
She smiled. That specific smile that people who had seen it before recognized as a sign that things were about to get interesting.
— My name is Nemesis — she said. — And I am not a threat.
Gid.
— Your power level says otherwise.
Nemesis.
— Power and intent are separate things — she replied with that direct logic she used. — You have enough power to destroy planets. Does that make you an automatic threat?
Pause.
Gid paused. It was a reasonable argument. Irritatingly reasonable.
But.
— You were near my son-in-law's residence — he said. — That requires explanation.
Nemesis.
— I was collecting data — she said simply.
Not enough.
— That's not sufficient — Gid replied, assuming a combat posture. — Until I have a satisfactory explanation, I'll treat you as a threat.
Power release.
Power exploded from the Conquering King's figure like a pressure wave that cracked the rooftop beneath his feet.
Nemesis.
Nemesis looked at the cracking rooftop with a mildly interested expression.
— Not here — she said. — You'll wake everyone up.
True.
Valid point.
Gid.
— Then let's go somewhere else — he said, and before she could respond, a force field enveloped them both, transporting them to a deserted area outside the city where Gid's capsule had landed.
Field.
Open field. No witnesses. No collateral.
Face off.
The two faced each other in the early morning darkness, Deviluke's silver capsule gleaming in the background.
Gid.
— Now — Gid said, full power beginning to emanate — let's find out what you really are.
Nemesis.
Nemesis looked at him for a long moment. Then sighed with that specific lightness of someone who found the situation unnecessary but accepted it as inevitable.
— Fine — she said. — But know that I have somewhere to be tomorrow morning.
Gid confused.
— Somewhere to be? — he repeated, confused by the casual response.
Nemesis.
— Breakfast — she said simply.
Silence.
Silence.
— Breakfast — Gid repeated.
Nemesis.
— Yes — she confirmed, power beginning to emanate from her too, that simultaneously ancient and new energy. — So let's finish this quickly.
Prepare.
And then, in Sainan's early morning, a galactic Conquering King and an entity of impossible power prepared for confrontation.