Kaito suddenly found himself standing in complete darkness.
There was no ground he could clearly see, no walls, no ceiling. Everything around him was covered in thick dark fog that blended into the black void. The air felt heavy and strangely silent.
Kaito looked around, confused.
"Where am I?" he said.
His voice echoed faintly into the darkness, but there was no response.
He turned slowly, trying to find anything—any shape, any direction—but there was nothing except endless darkness and drifting fog.
Then suddenly—
Two sharp red glowing eyes appeared in the distance.
They were large. Much larger than normal human eyes.
The glow cut through the fog and fixed directly on Kaito.
Kaito froze.
The eyes slowly moved closer, staring at him without blinking. A deep voice emerged from the darkness, calm but unsettling.
"Find me…"
The red eyes glowed brighter.
"Find… me… find me .....Kaito."
The voice was low, but deep, it echoed through the entire darkness.
Kaito felt a sudden chill run through his body.
"Who are you?!" he shouted.
But the eyes only stared.
The fog around them thickened.
This time the voice was loud" Findd meeeeeh .... "
Kaito suddenly screamed—
And his eyes snapped open.
He immediately sat up, breathing heavily.
The darkness was gone.
He was inside a room.
Soft light from the ceiling illuminated the space, revealing metal walls and equipment placed neatly around the room.
For a moment Kaito looked around, trying to steady himself.
On the other side of the room, Nagato was sitting on another bed.
Nagato looked at him.
"What happened?" he asked.
Kaito rubbed his forehead and blinked a few times.
"Damn… my head hurts," he said.
He exhaled slowly.
"Might be a bad dream."
Kaito and Nagato sat quietly in the room, both lost in their own thoughts. The silence was broken by a soft knock on the door.
Knock… knock.
The door slowly opened and a girl peeked inside.
"Breakfast is ready," she said calmly.
Kaito looked toward the door and nodded. Nagato glanced at her, noticing she seemed relaxed, as if everything here was completely normal.
"That's Emika," Kaito said quietly to Nagato. "She's the water user I told you about."
Nagato didn't reply. He only gave Emika a brief glance.
Emika waited near the doorway. "You two should come before the food gets cold."
Kaito stood up from the bed and stretched his shoulders. "Let's go."
Nagato got up as well, still feeling slightly uneasy but curious about everything around him.
They stepped out of the room and followed Emika through the hallway. The corridor was wide, with metallic walls and soft white lights running along the ceiling. Several sealed doors passed by as they walked deeper into the facility.
After a short walk, Emika stopped in front of a larger door and pushed it open.
Inside was the dining area. A long table stood in the center of the room, already filled with plates of breakfast. The smell of warm food spread through the air.
Rika was standing near the table, quietly arranging the last few plates. She had short hair and a calm expression, carefully placing the dishes in their spots.
At the head of the table sat Dr. Raizen, casually scrolling through something on his phone. When he noticed them entering, he lowered the phone and looked up with a small smile.
"You finally woke up," he said calmly.
Kaito gave a small nod as he walked inside. Nagato followed behind him, observing the unfamiliar room.
A moment later the door opened again. Hatsume walked in silently. Without saying a word, he pulled out a chair and sat down as if he had been there the entire time.
Then suddenly voices could be heard from the hallway.
"Give it back!"
"I didn't take it!"
The door slid open and two young men stormed inside while still arguing loudly.
"You finished the whole box!" one of them complained.
"That is a lie," the other replied immediately. "I only had one spoon… maybe two."
Nagato blinked slowly, watching the scene unfold.
Rika glanced toward the door and sighed quietly.
"Here they go again."
No one else at the table seemed surprised. It was clear this kind of chaos happened here regularly.
"Shion, you ate my ice cream last night," Tenshiro said, pointing accusingly.
Shion crossed his arms with a serious expression.
"I was conducting an experiment."
Tenshiro stared at him. "What experiment?"
"To see if ice cream still tastes good at three in the morning."
A short pause followed.
"And?" Tenshiro asked.
Shion shrugged calmly. "It does."
Tenshiro's face twisted in disbelief.
"What kind of nonsense explanation is that? At least try to make a believable lie!"
"Shut up," Shion replied. "That was my ice cream."
Suddenly Tenshiro stepped forward and pressed his forehead directly against Shion's forehead.
"I bought that ice cream!"
Shion pushed back just as hard.
"You bought it with the money you stole from my wallet!"
"You left that money unattended!" Tenshiro argued.
"That does not make it yours!" Shion snapped.
The two of them stood there glaring at each other like two angry goats about to start a headbutting contest.
Hatsume sitting there poured himself a cup of tea.
"Why these two fights everyday.
Nagato stared at the scene, completely confused.
Dr. Raizen watched them quietly, as if observing a nature documentary.
Meanwhile the argument continued.
"You ate the whole box!"
"I told you it was a scientific test!"
"You are not a scientist!"
"I am a dessert researcher!"
At that moment Emika slowly crossed her arms.
A very dangerous expression appeared on her face.
The room suddenly became quiet.
She stepped forward slightly.
"You two should stop now…" she said slowly.
Her smile did not look friendly.
"…or else."
Behind her, the water inside the kettle on the table suddenly began swirling on its own.
Both Shion and Tenshiro instantly froze.
Their angry faces immediately changed into stiff, awkward smiles.
They quickly separated and sat down at the table like two perfectly behaved students.
"Good morning everyone," Tenshiro said nervously.
"Yes… very peaceful morning," Shion added.
Kaito took a sip of tea.
Nagato looked around the table. Some people were clearly trying not to laugh.
It was obvious this scene happened here almost every day.
Dr. Raizen cleared his throat slightly and looked toward both Kaito and Nagato.
"Since everyone is here, introductions would be appropriate."
He gestured toward the girl arranging the plates.
"That's Rika. She manages our computer systems and handles the hacking operations."
Rika gave a small nod.
Raizen then pointed toward Emika.
"Emika patrols and manages the southern sector."
Emika gave a small wave.
He then gestured toward the young man still glaring suspiciously at Shion.
"Tenshiro handles the northern sector."
Tenshiro gave a small nod toward Kaito and Nagato.
"Shion is responsible for the eastern sector."
Shion leaned back in his chair.
"And also the victim of false ice cream accusations."
"You literally confessed five minutes ago," Tenshiro muttered.
Raizen ignored them and gestured toward the quiet man sitting calmly at the table.
"Hatsume manages the western sector."
Hatsume simply gave a short nod.
Raizen then looked back at both Kaito and Nagato.
"That's everyone."
Nagato slowly looked around the table, studying each person carefully.
This underground facility, the strange abilities, the Phantom Unit… everything still felt unreal.
And yet everyone here sat around the same table, eating breakfast and arguing about ice cream as if it were just another ordinary morning.
While everyone slowly began eating, the earlier chaos at the table faded into a calm morning rhythm. Plates shifted across the table and the quiet sound of utensils tapping against dishes filled the room.
Nagato took a bite first. His eyebrows lifted slightly in surprise as he chewed.
Kaito paused for a moment after tasting the food, then nodded with clear approval.
"This tastes really good," Nagato said.
Kaito agreed immediately. "Yeah… everything is cooked perfectly. Even the seasoning is balanced."
Dr. Raizen, who had been calmly eating, glanced toward them. His eyes then moved toward Emika sitting nearby, and a small proud smile appeared on his face.
"Our Emika is a great cook," he said. "We're lucky to have her."
Emika's confident posture instantly collapsed into embarrassment. She waved her hands lightly as if trying to push the compliment away.
"No, no… I'm not that good," she said quickly. She gestured toward Rika sitting beside her. "Rika helped me too. She seasoned most of the food."
Rika slowly looked up from her plate, clearly not expecting the attention.
She shook her head calmly.
"No, that's not true," she said. "I only did what Emika told me to do."
She took another quiet bite of food.
"I just followed instructions."
Shion watched the exchange with amusement, leaning slightly back in his chair.
"So basically," he said casually, "both of you are saying the other person deserves the credit."
Tenshiro nodded while eating.
"That sounds fair," he added. "Which means we should thank both of you."
Emika smiled awkwardly and continued eating.
Then she suddenly stood up from her chair and wiped her hands lightly with a napkin.
"I have class today," she said casually. "I'm heading out."
She picked up her bag from the nearby chair and began walking toward the door.
Kaito blinked in surprise.
"Wait… you go to university too?" he asked.
Emika stopped.
Slowly, she turned her head and looked back at him.
Her eyes narrowed slightly, and a faint intimidating aura appeared on her face.
"Is there a problem?" she asked in a calm but terrifying tone.
Kaito instantly froze.
His back straightened and he forced an awkward smile.
"No, no! I didn't mean it like that!" he said quickly. "I was just surprised!"
Emika stared at him for another second.
Then her expression returned to normal.
Without another word, she turned and walked out of the room.
The door closed quietly behind her.
Kaito slowly exhaled
He then leaned slightly toward Nagato. "So… does this mean we're both expelled from university now?" Kaito asked.
Nagato was still eating calmly. He took another bite before answering.
"Last night I checked the university's official page," he said. "They posted about you beating the pharmacy guy. Later they added that they expelled you… and me too, just to make sure you couldn't get away."
Kaito's expression softened. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "It's my fault you got dragged into this mess."
Nagato swallowed his food and continued. "That part doesn't bother me. What's worse is the posts spreading everywhere online. People are accusing you of all kinds of things. Some are spreading false rumors about both of us."
Nagato glanced at Kaito. "You remember that guy who used to bully you? Even he posted in the group saying you harassed him."
He paused briefly before adding, "And some anonymous accounts posted that you secretly took pictures in the girls' washroom."
Kaito froze. For a moment he just stared at the table, processing it. Then he let out a quiet breath.
"That's how society works," he said slowly. "The moment someone is accused of something, people stop caring about the truth. They don't even try to find out whether it actually happened or not."
He looked up slightly. "Instead, they start digging… searching for every mistake in that person's past—anything that makes them look worse."
His voice remained calm but heavy. "And if they find nothing… that doesn't stop them."
A faint bitter smile appeared on his face. "They'll simply create their own stories. Rumors spread faster than truth, and soon everyone believes the lie."
Nagato looked slightly surprised hearing Kaito explain it so clearly.
"I understand what you mean," Nagato said. "But there might be a way to clear our names."
He sighed. "…Actually, no. I guess there isn't."
Kaito frowned. "What do you mean 'no'?"
Nagato suddenly slammed his hand on the table and raised his voice. "You stupid idiot! Don't you remember how you dragged me out of jail?!"
The room fell silent. "Now we're even more messed up than before!"
Kaito looked awkward. "Well… that was… uh…" He scratched his head nervously.
At that moment Dr. Raizen spoke from across the table. "I should apologize first," he said calmly.
Both Kaito and Nagato looked at him.
"This situation happened because of our mistake. If the serum exchange had never happened, none of this might have occurred. As my responsibility, I will fix your problems."
Raizen folded his hands on the table. "I have connections within the government. The police issue will be handled."
He then gestured toward Rika. "And Rika here will take care of the online situation."
Rika looked up and nodded calmly. "I'll remove the posts and clean up the digital trail."
Raizen continued, "As for the university issue, I will handle that as well."
Kaito and Nagato exchanged glances.
"You should return to university as soon as possible," Raizen said.
Nagato immediately took out his phone and opened the university website. He scrolled through it carefully.
Then his eyes widened. "Tomorrow is the last day to enroll in new courses."
Raizen nodded. "Let me ask you something first. Did either of you attend the last semester exam?"
Kaito answered quickly. "No. The police were already looking for me. When they showed up in the hallway, Nagato helped me escape… so he missed the exam too."
Raizen nodded calmly. "I see."
Then he spoke with confidence. "You two should enroll in a new course tomorrow. As for the exam you missed, I will make sure you receive the results you deserve."
Nagato frowned in confusion. "But how?"
Rika smiled slightly. "Leave that part to us. You two just go to the university tomorrow. I think you'll be surprised by what you find."
She extended her hand. "Give me your university IDs."
Without speaking, both of them handed their IDs to her. Rika quickly took pictures of them and returned the cards.
Raizen watched Kaito and Nagato for a moment as the conversation settled. His fingers tapped lightly on the table as if considering something. Then he spoke. "You two will be attending university tomorrow," he said calmly. "Which means you'll be outside this facility again."
Kaito nodded slightly.
Raizen continued, his tone becoming more serious. "You should have something for security purposes. If the Phantom Unit shows up… you need a way to contact us immediately."
Nagato frowned slightly. "Security?"
Raizen turned his head. "Rika."
Rika immediately understood and moved her tablet closer.
"Install the app on Kaito's phone."
Rika looked up at Kaito. "Your phone."
Kaito pulled his phone from his pocket and handed it to her. "What exactly is this?"
"A safeguard," Raizen replied calmly.
Rika's fingers moved quickly across the screen. For a moment lines of code flashed before a simple interface appeared. After a few seconds she returned the phone.
Kaito looked down at it. The app was extremely simple. A dark screen with only one button in the center.
"That's it?" Kaito asked.
Rika nodded. "You only need to open the app and press that button. Once activated, your location will immediately be transmitted to us."
She pointed at the screen again. "It will also allow us to access your microphone and camera."
Nagato raised an eyebrow. "So you'll basically be able to see and hear everything?"
"Only when the signal is activated," Rika replied calmly. "We are not interested in spying on your daily life."
Raizen leaned slightly forward. "If the Phantom Unit ever finds you… or if something feels wrong, press that button."
Kaito looked at the screen again. "And then?"
"We'll reach you," Raizen said.
Kaito slipped the phone back into his pocket.
Across the table, Hatsume sat leaning back in his chair, scrolling through his phone. After a moment he spoke without looking up. "Isn't it a risk to let them move around freely like this?"
The room grew slightly quieter.
Hatsume continued calmly. "I mean… if something happens, we're the ones who will face the consequences."
Rika briefly glanced toward him but said nothing.
Raizen remained calm. "We are already facing the consequences."
Hatsume finally lifted his eyes from his phone.
Raizen continued. "We failed to stop them until now. Compared to that… whatever happens next won't change much."
Hatsume studied him for a moment, then simply nodded once. "Understood."
He returned to scrolling through his phone.
Raizen stood up slowly. "You two can leave and prepare for tomorrow. no need to worry about living here . You can go back to your house . "
With excitement kaito replied "really we can leave "
Raizen noded with a smile " yes "
Kaito pushed his chair back and stood. Nagato followed him.
Kaito paused briefly at the door and glanced back. "…Thanks everyone hope we met again someday," he said.
Raizen gave a small nod.
Kaito and Nagato then left the room. The door closed quietly behind them.
For a moment the room remained silent.
Hatsume glanced briefly toward the door before returning his attention to his phone. "I don't understand if that boy never joins us how we are going to defeat edward" he said calmly.
Raizen looked toward the closed door and said claimly. "they deserves to have a normal life so let them have it . We will surely find a way ".
Nagato was lying on his bed, scrolling through his phone. Suddenly a notification popped up. He frowned slightly. "What's that?" he mumbled as he tapped it. As the page opened, his eyes widened in shock.
At the same time, Kaito was standing on the balcony, calmly looking at the sky and enjoying the quiet view. A cool breeze moved through the open space.
Suddenly his phone began ringing.
Kaito glanced down and pulled it out of his pocket. The caller name appeared on the screen.
Nagato.
"Why is he calling me now?" Kaito muttered.
He accepted the call.
From the other side, Nagato's voice came immediately, filled with shock.
"Did you see the results of our last semester?"
Kaito frowned slightly. "No, I haven't."
"Check the website right now," Nagato said quickly.
"Just hold on," Kaito replied.
He opened the university website and navigated to the last semester results page.
The screen loaded.
For a moment he simply stared.
Then his eyes widened.
Business Mathematics — 4.00
Marketing — 4.00
English — 4.00
Kaito blinked in disbelief.
"How did he changed the results…?"