Ningen Marionette.

So cold. So tired.

It feels like I am submerged in cold water, just traveling down and deeper into a water trench. Why is it so silent? Why am I even underwater? Am I even underwater? I don't care anymore. It feels like I am tired of everything—so done, so angry, and so tired of everything. I want to move, but the water feels so dense and heavy. Am I in D2O? Who cares? It feels like I am sinking further and further by the minute.

Am I dying? Is this the end? Doesn't matter, my life was one of much shame and regret.

..

What was my life like? I don't remember...

"Wake up."

Whose voice is that? I slowly opened my eyes; it looked like I was under the water, but there was something else that I couldn't put into words...

"This isn't the end. Wake up."

My vision was dull and blurry, but I could make out what seemed to be a hand reaching out to me. The hand seemed to come closer and closer, approaching me. Then it cupped my cheeks.

"Who are you..?"

I asked in an exhausted tone. I couldn't quite make out the figure; it was blurry, and a shadowy silhouette was all I could make out.

"Wake up!"

****

I sprung awake, gasping as I clenched onto my clothes, my eyes wide and taking in heavy breaths. I quickly looked around, trying to look for whoever or whatever reached out to me. I was in a room of sorts; it looked luxurious and clean. The walls were painted white, and the lights looked quite futuristic.

I then looked in front of me, and there he was. There sat a man; he was humming to some tune as he strategically sliced the apple into pieces and slowly yet delicately peeled off the epicarp of the apple. He silently placed the apple slices down on a small black plate before stabbing small fruitpicks into the slices. He then took out a handkerchief and cleaned his hands before putting his black gloves on.

"It seems you are finally awake, young one."

I looked at the man; he didn't even bother looking at me. I gulped down the saliva that was in my mouth, then scanned the man's appearance. He had a lot of hair, some of it covering the sides of his head, ears, and even the back of his neck. He had no facial hair, was perfectly shaven, and had slight yet visible dark eyebags under his eyes. He smiled like a normal person, yet there was something negative and threatening about it. His eyes were a deep shade of purple, with very small pupils. He wore a white sweater underneath, and on it, he wore a black jacket, with dark blue jeans below.

"Staring at people is quite rude, boy."

I looked at him, our eyes meeting as we both stared at each other. For a moment I kept silent, but then slowly opened my lips.

"Who are you? I asked. It was easy to guess I was oblivious to what was happening or what was going to happen.

"My name is Yami, Yami Ushinawareta."

He replied; his tone was calm and composed, like a poker face, but for voice. It was hard to guess what his motives were. I gulped again before looking down at my hands. I was going to ask who he was to me or where I was, but then it clicked in me.

"Who.. Who am I?"

I asked; I didn't know. I didn't know who or what I was. I looked back at the man, and he smiled.

"I was getting to that, young man."

He slowly took an apple, brushing his fingers on it.

"I am going to adopt you. You are but a 17-year-old kid who has amnesia. And your name will be.."

He then swiftly grabs a knife and stabs it into the apple.

"Arsène. That will be your name."

I watch as he puts the stabbed apple beside the plate. Then slowly taking an apple slice and offering it to me.

"Rejoice; consider it your 'rebirth' in a way."

I silently take the apple, looking at it. Yami chuckles as he gets up from his chair.

"Worry not, it's not poisoned."

He turns on his heel and starts walking away towards the door, waving his hand.

"Be there in my office by 9 AM tomorrow; I will be free around that time."

He said as he opened the door and exited the door. The door mechanism closes the door slowly by itself.

"Arsène... That's my name? What did he mean by rebirth?"

I mumbled under my breath, looking at the slice of apple in my hands. I sighed before silently taking a bite of the apple slice.

***********************************

The sunlight was bright, the winds were gentle, and the city was busy. I looked down the glass wall of the skyscraper, looking down at the city below. At the horizon of the city were massive walls; they surrounded the city all around and at every corner. The city looked so advanced and developed, compared to the paintings and picture frames I saw in the room I woke up in.

HK-36 was the name of the city. Though it looked big for a 'city' in my opinion. It was massive and vast, going on and on for miles. The only means of transport seemed to be either the maglev trains or the maglev private vehicles. It seemed most people who wished to travel long distances fast opted for the trains, while others who either wished to go long distances slowly or go for smaller distances opted for private vehicles.

"Excuse me."

I looked back to see a maid standing, looking at me.

"Mr. Ushinawareta is free and ready to meet you."

She said as she pressed her palm against a scanner of sorts. There was a click, and then the 'wall' opened as the hydraulic press released. I took a deep breath before walking into the office.

The office is grand and cold, with walls made of glass that overlook the city below. Yami, who was standing by the window, gazing down at the smaller buildings and bustling world beneath, his figure silhouetted by the natural light. As the door clicks shut behind Helel, Yami turns, a faint chuckle escaping his lips. He had his usual tired eyes, but he also seemed energetic and enthusiastic at the same time.

"Today is my 103rd birthday," Yami begins, his voice smooth but tinged with an arrogance that makes Helel's skin crawl.

"My daughter is finally turning 15, and now I also have a son. Quite the year, don't you think?"

He smiles at Arsène, who trembles a bit at Yami's unsettling smile. Yami had a nice smile, with his white teeth showing. But something wasn't right. This man reeked of malice and something else Arsène couldn't quite think of. Evil perhaps?

Arsène remains silent, his expression unreadable as he cautiously approaches. His mind is still a battlefield of conflicting thoughts—can Yami be trusted? He can't tell if Yami is being genuine or manipulating him, but one thing is certain: Yami holds immense power. The fact Yami was an official at HK-36 according to a history book, not to mention Yami was someone who was far too old yet looking young, was something Arsène couldn't understand nor comprehend.

Yami seems to sense Arsène's hesitation, his smile deepening as he continues, his voice lowering slightly, almost as if he’s reading Arsène’s mind.

"‘Can I trust Yami or not?’—isn’t that what you're thinking?"

He asks, turning away from the window to face Arsène fully.

"Well, that’s your choice."

Arsène’s eyes narrow slightly, but he still says nothing. He’s listening, absorbing every word, trying to understand the man standing before him.

Yami gestures around the luxurious office and points down at the world below.

"I am the owner of UPBM—United Producers of Bipedal Machines. You see, I am one of the only hopes for these people."

His voice takes on a grander, almost messianic tone as he speaks.

"The only one who will make the machines—the Mech Aegises—that can defeat the demons. In a way,"

he smirks, "I am a God. Superior to all those pathetic people below."

Arsène’s gaze follows Yami’s, looking down at the tiny figures moving far beneath the skyscraper. Yami’s words feel cold, detached from the reality that most people live in. God? Arsène thinks to himself, feeling a shiver of discomfort. To think someone would consider themselves 'God' just because they are financially superior to most others doesn't make logical sense, yet Arsène sighs, realizing it's just Yami's ego being high.

Yami turns back to Arsène, his eyes gleaming with confidence, but behind that glint, Helel can sense something more—pride, greed, and ambition. There’s no doubt that Yami sees himself as more than just a man. He sees himself as a deity—a superior being of sorts compared to all the other people who live in HK-36.

"You’re skeptical,"

Yami notes as if enjoying Arsène's internal struggle.

"But that’s good. Question everything. Question the very meaning and reason behind life, the very equation behind everything. Question the very existence of reality and every living being. Trust and put yourself above anyone else."

Arsène clenches his fists slightly, uncertain of Yami's true intentions. Despite the wealth and power Yami eludes, there's a coldness in him, a disregard for the people he is supposed to be protecting. Everything about him seems too complicated and calculated.

Yami steps closer, his presence looming larger as he places a hand on Arsène’s shoulder.

"I brought you into this because I see potential in you,"

Yami says, his voice softer but no less imposing.

"You’ve been abandoned, discarded by everyone who should have cared for you. But now you’re here. With me."

Arsène swallows hard, still silent. Part of him wants to believe Yami—to accept the idea that this man could offer him a way out of his pain, a purpose. But another part of him screams to be careful, to not let down his guard.

Yami’s hand tightens slightly on Arsène’s shoulder, his smile never wavering.

"I’ll give you the power to become more than you ever imagined, Arsène. But you’ll have to decide whether you want it or not. The world is at war, and only those who seize control can survive."

Arsène meets Yami’s gaze, his own resolve hardening. Power, survival, and control—it’s all Yami talks about. But what does Yami truly want from him?

As Yami finally releases Arsène’s shoulder and turns back to the window, gazing down once again at the city below, Arsène stands there, still unsure. The view from the top might be breathtaking, but there’s something dark and hollow about it—like looking down from a throne built on the backs of others.

Arsène takes a slow breath, his mind racing as he considers his next move. He knows Yami is dangerous, but he also knows that Yami is offering him something he’s never had before—a chance to rise above the world's cruelty cost.

The silence between them grows, heavy with unspoken tension.

Arsène finally speaks, his voice quiet but firm.

“What exactly do you want from me, Yami?”

Yami smirks without turning around, his eyes still focused on the world beneath him.

"Everything."

Confused, Arsène looks at Yami, who doesn't bother turning around. Arsène's fists clench his fists a little, unsure what to say or what to make of Yami's blabbering.

"Everything?"

Arsène mumbles under his breath; what does Yami mean by that? As Arsène is stuck thinking about it, the maid from earlier enters the room, pushing a serving cart with a glass of wine, a glass goblet, and a can of cola. on it. The maid stops the cart in a corner of the room as she pours the wine into the goblet and grabs the can of cola.

She then gives the glass of wine to Yami, who nods his head as he takes it. Then the maid walks over to Arsène, giving him the can of cola. Arsène hesitates, unsure whether to accept the can of cola or not.

"Don't worry, it's not poisoned or drugged."

Yami chuckles as he says that. Arsène nervously laughs before taking the can of cola. The maid then stands at one corner of the room, staying still and as silent as a statue. Arsène shakes his head, simply dismissing the fact the maid was just well-trained.

Yami takes a slow sip of his wine, savoring the taste and quality of it. He slowly pulls away from his lips, letting out a sigh of relief and contentment. He then turns to Arsène with a calm yet calculated expression, his confidence gleaming in his eyes.

"Don't sweat it,"

Yami says, his tone light but with an undercurrent of something darker.

"You're just sweet 17. You still have 27 years before dying."

Arsène furrows his brows, confused by Yami's choice of the exact number. Something is unsettling; it's as if he knew something Arsène or the other's didn't. Arsène shrugged it off, thinking it was just Yami messing around with him. Arsène pops open the can of cola, then takes a sip of the cola. It tastes unexpectedly good, cool, and refreshing—a strange contrast to the tension hanging in the room.

Yami turns to look at him more directly now, his smirk unwavering.

"I will give you everything,"

he says, his voice dripping with certainty.

"And in return, I want you to use your full potential."

Arsène looks down into the cola in the can, thinking and contemplating the weight of Yami's words.

Yami watches Arsène closely, almost as if he is savoring the conflict in Arsène's eyes. Arsène doesn't flinch or tremble; he just looks into the can of cola.

"Everything.."

He mumbles to himself. This was no ordinary deal. If Arsène accepts this offer, he will gain many profits and benefits from this deal. As Yami was no ordinary man, it was quite easy to see how much Yami controls within HK-36. But what if Arsène fails? What if he doesn't meet or match the expectations of Yami? Arsène then looks up at Yami in the eyes.

"And what if I fail?"

Arsène asks, clearly wondering what Yami will do if Arsène doesn't meet his expectations.

"I don't invest in those who lose or fail, Arsène. As such, failure is no option for you."

Yami says, not a hint of compassion in his tone. Arsène looks at Yami quietly. This offer is like a coin; it has two faces. One could take Arsène to great heights and give him many luxuries, while the other could tear him down, pulling him down to the bottom of the abyss. Arsène stays silent; the subtle threat lingers in the air.

The smirk on Yami's lips widens as he points to Arsène.

"And don’t mind the spinal cord replacement. It’s nothing to worry about."

For a moment, Arsène freezes. Panic slowly settles in as Arsène drops the can of cola, its contents spilling all over the floor. Arsène's hands frantically reach behind him, touching his back. His fingers tremble as they trace along his spine—except, deep down, he can feel it: it’s not his spine.

"What the hell—!"

Arsène screams, his voice rising with fear and confusion.

Yami doesn’t flinch, his expression calm and calculated, as if he’s waiting for this exact reaction. He watches Hel with mild amusement, savoring the moment.

"Some bastard took the liberty of stealing your spine while you were unconscious,"

Yami says nonchalantly.

"So we used our prototype as a replacement. You should be thanking us, really. It can cause... some sudden changes, I suppose."

"Changes?"

Arsène hisses through his clenched teeth.

"You mean how my body looks more muscular?"

Yami nods, clearly not unfazed by Arsène's frenzied state.

"Exactly. You’ve probably noticed the physical enhancements, your hermaphroditic traits; however, having both gender reproductive organs is something that's been present since your birth."

Yami says with a shrug.

"That’s just the beginning. This prototype... it’s more than just a replacement. It’s an upgrade. Over time, you’ll experience new abilities, heightened senses, and strength beyond anything you could’ve achieved on your own. But,"

he adds, a dark glint in his eyes.

"There are side effects."

Arsène's eyes widen as his heart races.

"Side effects? What kind of side effects?"

Yami smiles again, but this time it’s colder, more sinister.

"You'll find out soon enough,"

he says smoothly.

"But trust me, this is a gift. Not many are worthy of this gift."

Arsène steps back, feeling trapped. His mind flashes back to the pain, the betrayal of losing his own spine, and now this twisted new reality where his very body has been altered against his will.

“A gift?”

Arsène whispers, the fury rising.

“Or a curse?”

Yami’s grin never falters.

"That’s entirely up to you."

Arsène marches towards Yami, anger simmering beneath the surface, but then calms down as something in him shifts. Arsène then takes a deep breath before glaring at Yami.

"What exactly is this 'prototype'?"

Yami leans back in his chair, a gleam of amusement in his eyes.

“It’s a new project we’ve been working on,”

he explains, his voice smooth and almost melodic.

“It serves as a neural link between a pilot and the machine, almost like it's your own body. You'll feel its punches, its kicks, even its pain."

He leans forward slightly, emphasizing the last words as if relishing the thought.

Arsène’s eyes widen, a mix of intrigue and dread flooding his mind.

“You mean I’ll experience everything the machine does? The damage, the fatigue?”

“Precisely."

Yami replies, his smile widening.

"It creates a deeper bond, enhances your fighting capabilities, and makes you a more effective pilot. But of course, it comes with a price."

Yami then chuckles as he leans back in his chair, resting his hands on the armrest.

“Ah, the joys of life and the consequences of choices! Let’s just say my past is... complicated. But what’s important is the future we’re building here. You, my son, are a pivotal part of that.”

Arsène frowns, skepticism bubbling back to the surface.

“I’m not your son. I don’t even know you.”

Yami leans back in his chair, the smile fading slightly but his eyes still gleaming with mischief.

“You will, in time."

He replies, his lips forming a wide smile.

"Just remember: power is a double-edged sword. Use it wisely, and you may find it brings you the family and purpose you’ve longed for."

Arsène looks at Yami, taking a step back as he stays cautious. He looks around the room. Nothing changed, yet something feels off. He then looks at the can of cola in his hand. For a moment, Arsène freezes. Did he always have the can of cola in his hand? He immediately shrugs it off, forgetting to drink it. He quickly gulps down the cola in a swift motion before sighing. He then looks at Yami once again, curiosity drawn on his face.

"You said you were the owner of UPBM. Were you the one that founded it?"

"No, No."

Yami replies, waving his hand dismissively.

“It was my father, Ashura, who did.”

A shadow crosses his face as he sighs, the weight of memories pressing down on him.

“However, his life was cut short when Asmodeus, a big demon, ate him alive.”

Arsène's face cringes as he imagines the graphic scene mentioned by Yami. The idea of being devoured is almost too much to bear. He can’t help but imagine what that must have been like—the sheer terror of it.

“Nonetheless."

Yami continues, shaking off the somber moment.

“It’s nothing important. Even who I am or my past is of no importance!”

His tone shifts back to a lighthearted cadence, as if he’s trying to erase any lingering darkness in the conversation.

Arsène then looks at the empty tin can in his hand.

"But a person's past is important to the person, right?

Arsène says as he clenches his teeth.

“Your past shapes who you are, doesn’t it? It’s not something you can just dismiss.”

Yami chuckles, the sound almost playful.

“You’re wise for your age, Arsène. But trust me, my past is a tangled web of power and pain that won’t serve you. Focus on the future, on what you can achieve with your abilities. That’s where your true strength lies.”

Arsène stares into Yami's eyes, searching for sincerity, and something in Yami’s gaze convinces him that this man, for all his eccentricities, might hold the key to a future Arsène desperately wants.

“Fine."

He finally says, swallowing his reservations.

“But if you’re going to be my ‘father,’ I need to know more. I can’t just blindly follow you.”

Yami’s smile returns, a hint of respect glimmering in his eyes.

“Very well, son. Ask away. But remember, the truth can be just as dangerous as the demons we face.”

A drop of sweat travels down the side of Arsène's face. He gulps as he opens his mouth to ask.

"Who were you? What did you do in the past? Who is Ashura? And what is the name of this world?

Yami chuckles softly, reminiscing.

“I was just a boy, your age, he replies, a flicker of nostalgia in his eyes.

“And I am the pilot of the first unit mech. Ashura is my father and the founder of UPBM. I have four siblings and one horrible mother. Ashura abandoned me when I was 14, so he wasn’t much of a father to me anyway.”

He pauses, collecting his thoughts, the shadows of his past evident in his voice.

“My older brother went on to have his own life. My second older sibling, my sister Yumiko, passed away. Cecilia. "He continues, a hint of bitterness creeping in,though he said he preferred for me to call him Caesar as he ‘transitioned,’ went on to become a loner and later died of cancer. And Yume, he…”

Yami falters, his smile slipping as he grapples with the memory. A heavy silence fills the room, the weight of his unspoken words hanging between them. He seems to wrestle with his emotions, his facade of confidence cracking just for a moment.

Arsène furrowed his brow, confused by the sudden hesitation in Yami.

"What happened to Yume?

Arsène asks, trying not to sound impatient and sensing the tension in the air.

Yami’s gaze drifts away, staring at nothing in particular.

“It’s not a story I’m ready to share,”

he finally says, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Some things are better left buried.”

Though it's not easy to spot, Arsène could sense the pain radiating from Yami.

"I understand,"

Arsène replied in a low tone. For the first time, Arsène felt like respecting the man sitting in front.

Yami takes a deep breath, visibly trying to regain his composure.

“But enough about the past. What matters now is that you are here, with me, and you have the potential to become something great,"

he states, redirecting the conversation back to Arsène.

“You can shape your own destiny, free from the chains of our family’s history.”

Yami stands up, walking over to the glass wall. He looked down as he spoke.

"And you question, what this world is or what its name is..."

Yami smirks.

"Icarus 263 is its name."

Yami explains.

"Icarus 263 is not just a planet. The scientists once thought our planet or realm was just a 5-faced prism or pentagonal pyramid shape. But no, your world, our realm is one of the 12 realms that is the true Icarus 263. It's, you know, like a dodecahedron of sorts! This happened when some unknown anomaly occurred, merging all the previous and oncoming timelines and universes of our realm into one, absolute, 'universe'. Same case with the other 11 realms. Each realm belonged to an individual Elder God that created everything."

Arsène stared at Yami, his eyes wide open. Arsène was confused and flabbergasted by what Yami was saying. Was this the blabbering of an egotistical, insane man? Or is it the truth?

"Welcome to HK-36, a city present in one of the twelve realms of 'The 12-Faced World'."

Yami then glances at the digital watch in his hand, smiling as he turns to look at Arsène.

"Oh, by the way. You are late for school. Yes, I enrolled you in one."

Arsène's eyes widen more.

"You enrolled me in school?!"

Helel looks surprised and looks at the wristwatch—10:25 a.m. already!

"Shit! I am late!"

He rises abruptly, urgency kicking in as he heads toward the door, but Yami’s voice halts him.

“Oh, by the way,”

Yami continues, a glimmer of nostalgia in his eyes.

“Would you believe me if I told you that Yume turned into a godlike being and sacrificed himself to kill a powerful demon?”

Arsène halts, slowly turning to look at Yami.

"Wha-"

Yami shakes his head dismissively, a chuckle escaping his lips.

“Ignore my blabbering! Go to school, my son.”

His tone is playful yet carries a weight of seriousness beneath it.

Arsène looks confused but then sighs.

"Is school really necessary or important for me?"

“Yes,"

Yami asserts, his eyes narrowing slightly, focusing intently on Helel.

“Education is a tool for power. Knowledge is key to understanding the world, and in our case, how to navigate the horrors it holds. You need to learn, adapt, and grow.”

Arsène sighs and nods slowly.

"Alright, I will be going then."

Yami nods back as Arsène walks over to the door and exits the room. He then lets out a sigh as he looks at the ceiling.

Arsène can’t shake the feeling that Yami knows more than he’s letting on. A part of him wants to question Yami further about Yume and the godlike transformation, but he pushes it aside for now. There’s a world waiting for him outside, and perhaps a new life ahead.

He then starts walking down the hallway, towards the elevator.

⋈

The elevator was mostly empty. Only Arsène was the one using it at the time. He put his finger to his chin for a moment, thinking why Yami had told him all this information the day right after he adopted Arsène. Was he trying to scare Arsène? Perhaps trying to gain some influence over him? Or is it just that he wanted to let him know a few things about himself?

Arsène sighed, looking at the elevator doors, wondering how much longer the elevator would keep descending. As if on cue, the elevator let out a ring as it halted. The doors to the elevator opened. Arsène was met with the same busy lobby as he had seen in the morning; he quickly adjusted his dress’s collar before stepping out. Almost right after Arsène stepped out of the elevator, a few people walked into the elevator, and the elevator doors shut before it started ascending again. He looked as the elevator ascended before shrugging his shoulders and making his way to the exit.

As he approached the exit and moved his hand over the scanner, he realized the door needed the ID card of an employee or some visitor to be let inside. He quickly started checking his pockets, seeing if he had the ID card. He let out a small grunt of annoyance as he realized he forgot to ask Yami for his ID card. Then a hand appeared over the scanner, swiping the card over it quickly.

"Here."

Arsène looked up to see a young lady, the same maid from Yami’s office. He looked down to see her handing him an ID card. Arsène nervously chuckled as he took the ID card in embarrassment, then rubbing his hand on the back of his neck.

Thanks for giving me the ID card, uhhhh."

"Mayu."

There was a moment of silence as both of them looked at each other.

Wha-"

"Mayu, that is my name. Young Master."

Arsène nodded nervously. Looking at his ID card for a moment. ‘Arsène Ushinawareta’ was printed on the card, along with some other details like age and role in the company. It didn’t have much information or anything written. Just his name, age, and the company logo with its name and ‘Visitor’ written on it.

"Thanks for giving me this ID card, Mayu."

"Of course, Young Master. Yours and Master Ushinawareta’s orders are absolute."

Arsène looks at Mayu for like 5 seconds before shaking his head. Nervously laughing as he asks,

"Why are you calling me ‘Young Master’, Mayu? ”

“Because you are the son of my master, Yami Ushinawareta. As such, your my young master."

Arsène nods again, this time nodding since he didn’t have anything to say.

"You can just call me Arsène or maybe like..."

Arsène looks at the ceiling for a second, thinking of a nickname of sorts. He snaps his fingers and looks at Mayu.

"You can call me ‘Arsy’! ”

“Understood, Master Arsy. "

Arsène chuckles before nodding.

"Sure, that works too! ”

He then turns on his heel, waving to Mayu.

" I will be on my way now, Mayu. Take care and see you! ”

Mayu slowly waves back before turning around and heading towards the elevator. Arsène steps out of the building, taking a deep breath of the fresh air outside, before letting out a sigh of contentment.

As he is about to continue walking, a maglev car slowly comes to a halt in front of him. He stops dead in his tracks as the driver steps out and opens the door.

"Master Arsène, I will be your persona chaperone driver. I will be aiding and dropping you off at your school from this day forth."

Arsène looks back and forth as other people stare at him. He sighs, this time not in contentment. He then looks at the middle-aged man in the suit and a hat on top. He smiles as he nods.

"Thank you. I am very much indebted to you."

Arsène then takes his seat in the backseat of the car. Then the driver also gets seated in the driver’s seat.

“Master Arsène, be sure to fasten your seat belt,"

He says as he puts his own seat belt on. Arsène quickly starts searching for his seat belt. But before he does, the seat belt’s hook travels past Arsène’s torso, and the hook attaches itself to the seat belt tongue. The driver then nods before looking to his front and starting the vehicle. The vehicle slowly pulls out of the company’s driveway, making its way onto the road ahead.

Arsène silently looks at his ID card, with his picture on it. He silently analyzes the picture of himself. Something clicks; this picture of himself wasn’t of any recent events. It’s a picture that seemed to be at least a few months old. The noticeable thing is the clothes Arsène never wore, the less amount of hair, and the much younger facial features. Arsène then turned the card around; his hunch may have been right. The date was January 1st, 2100. A few months before today, September 4th, 2101. The date seemed to be the date of the cards made and the registry of the user. The picture had Arsène having a dull, exhausted, and bored look, almost as if he didn’t care about much.

Arsène shakes his head, ignoring these random, insignificant things. He quickly puts the card in his pocket, then looks outside. The city was mostly busy: people walking outside, stores or buildings open, adults hanging out, and other stuff. But what caught Arsène’s attention the most is the massive structures that were facing the sun.

"Ummm,"

"Mr..Victor sir, my name is Victor."

"Right, Victor. What are those massive, tall structures facing the sun? ”

Victor takes his eyes off the road for a moment to look at the massive structures, then looking back at the road.

"Those, sir? Those are the solar panels that grant most of the city the energy it needs. Though they shut down whenever it rains or snows, causing the backup generators, windmills, and water-related power generators to be used during that period of time."

Arsène looks at Victor, curious.

"Why not use the normal power generators most of the time? ”

Victor nods as he continues driving.

"That is for the officials of HK-36 to say. But I heard rumors that the power generators are mostly used to power up the Mech Aegises."

"Mech Aegis? ”

Arsène says, confused and curious by whatever these ‘Mech Aegis’ are.

"The massive robots made by UPBM, sir. They were manufactured to fight and defeat the demons that attack HK-36 and land surrounding it."

Arsène nods. The idea of massive robots fighting, let alone made to battle some ‘demon’ creatures, was quite unrealistic to Arsène, yet he didn’t judge or shrug away the idea that it was possible with the technology present now.

A few minutes pass as Arsène looks out the window, watching the buildings pass by. Then the car enters a road in the middle of green fields. He watches as farmers take care of crops, while some crops are watered automatically by center-pivot irrigation machines, or just sprinklers.

"There it is, sir."

Arsène looks to his front as Victor tor speaks. In a distance stood a group of buildings. He looked in awe as they approached and entered through the gateway. The car then came to a halt as Victor turned to look back.

"We are here, Master Arsène,"

he said, before opening his door and stepping out. He quickly walked over the trunk of the car as he rummaged through some things. Arsène opens the door and steps out of the car, looking up at the massive buildings that loomed large over him. He could see some young people walking around both the entrance and in the building.

"Is this... the school Yami talked about? ”

“Yes, Master Arsène."

Victor replied as he closed the trunk of the car and handed Arsène a bag.

"This bag has all the necessary books and stationary items for your studies. Even though they make you study using a tablet and laptops."

"Uh huh,"

Arsène said as he took the bag and put it on. He then nodded to Victor.

"I will be going then.Very well, sir. Have a great day. Your in class 12-A."

Victor bows slightly before opening the car door and entering the car. Before he reverses the car and drives away,

Arsène sighs before turning on his heel and starts walking. As Arsène walks and looks around for his class, he realizes everyone is staring at him weirdly. He stops dead in his tracks and touches his face, wondering if there is anything on it. He quickly takes a detour to the restroom. He quickly places his bag outside and walks inside. He then looks in the mirror. Arsène lets out a scream as he falls onto the floor, trembling.

"What the hell..?"

He gulps down the saliva in his mouth before standing up again, looking in the mirror. His left eye was fine, but his right eye, however, looked weird. Weird as in... Its sclera, however, was full jet black. Except that, both his iris were still the same shade of purple, and the pupils looked normal too. He sighed. Perhaps this was another side effect of the ‘prototype’ spinal cord? He quickly pushed a part of the hair over the eye, covering it.

"I should have looked in the mirror this morning."

He sighed and stepped out of the restroom. He quickly grabbed his bag and started walking through the hallways. Despite having the other eye covered, Arsène could still see clearly what was ahead, which was weird. He shrugged it off as he crossed through different classes and ascended a few staircases. He stopped and let out a sigh as he scratched his head, confused. Then he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around to see a young woman, a bit shorter than him but seemed mature and older in terms of looks.

"Are you Arsène? ”

Arsène nodded as he turned around. The women sighed before grabbing his hand and dragging him through the hallway.

"It’s your first day here, and you're already late. Unbelievable."

Arsène just let the women drag him, believing she is a faculty member. They pass a few classrooms before the woman stops and looks at the sign above the classroom door. She nods before opening the door and pushing Arsène in. Arsène stumbles into the class; he turns around to see the women closing the door. He sighs before turning to see the class, everything staring at him. He then turns to his right to see the teacher, a middle-aged man looking at him. He properly positions his spectacles as he approaches Arsène.

"You must be the new student, Arsène. Right? ”

Arsène blinks for a few seconds before nodding and replying, "Yeah, that’s me.The teacher nods back as he turns back to the class.

“Class. This is Arsène, the new student, AKA your new classmate."

The teacher then looks back at Arsène before pointing to the seat in the back.

"Please take a seat; I need to resume my class.And oh yes, welcome to Atyria Grand Academy."

Arsène doesn’t talk and just starts walking to his seat, hanging his bag to the hanger connected to the desk before sitting down. He just looks down at his desk, trying to avoid any stares. The desk was nice and clean; its surface was smooth and nice. Maybe Arsène should date the desk.

A few classes pass along, Arsène silently avoiding stares being locked on him and just sitting in his desk the entire time. He sighs as he continues sketching in one of the notebooks Yami had packed for him in the bag. He just scribbled on the book pages, leaving unfinished sketches on each page. Wasting pages, he kept on sketching and drawing, finding no other thing to entertain him. His scribbling slows down as he hears steps approaching him. He slowly looks up to find a group of students looking down on him, some with anger and some with amusement.

"Oh, look, daddy’s boy is too busy drawing some bullshit."

One of the boys grabs the notebook, looking at the sketches.

"What is this bullshit? Some type of anime character? Or some more things for your dad to build and destroy? ”

The boy then throws the notebook away. Arsène didn’t look back, but he could sense and hear the notebook falling into the dumpster in the back of the class. He sighed then, looking up at the ‘bully.'

"Look, I don’t have anything to do with Yami or you guys. So just let me be."

The boy then grabs Arsène by the collar, pulling him from his desk and throwing him to the wall on the side. Arsène hits the wall, letting out a grunt of pain. The bully then kicks the area of the wall a few inches away from Arsène’s face. Arsène looks up, anger painted on the bully’s face.

"Do you have any idea how much damage your daddy’s ‘robots’ have caused to our factories outside of HK-36? ”

Arsène scoffs, before chuckling and looking at the bully.

"Does it look like I give a shit? ”

The bully’s face burns with anger before grabbing Arsène by the collar again.

"What did you say? You little fuck. Maybe I should damage you a bit too."

The bully raises his fist, ready to punch Arsène. Arsène sighs, closing his eyes and readying himself for the punch.

“That’s enough.”

Both the bully and Arsène turn their heads to see the current subject’s teacher standing at the doorway.

"Back to your seat, Zorome.”

‘Zorome’ grunts in irritation before pushing Arsène away, pointing at his chest. Threatening in a low voice,

"You, me, in the gym. Let’s see how you handle being beaten to a pulp,"

he said as he started to walk away to his seat.

Arsène hesitates but returns to his seat, looking at his wristwatch, anxious about the fight in the gym.

As the class ends, Arsène sighs and gets up from his seat, the other students slowly watching as Arsène exits the classroom. Arsène slowly walks, slightly faltering in his steps.

'What if I lose? What if he beats me to a pulp, as he said? What if he makes a fool of me? Will others see me as the loser I am? ’

These thoughts flowed through Arsène’s head, making him walk weird due to the anxious feeling. He was also afraid of getting beaten, of being made a fool, of getting bullied and insulted by other students. He just woke up from an amnesia yesterday, and he is already having to deal with all this due to him being Yami’s adopted son. Would it all have been fine if he was just a normal kid? Then again, what was normal about this school? Everyone wore their stylish and luxurious-looking uniform. He looked like a hip kid due to his normal attire of a white t-shirt with a jacket on with blue jeans below.

Arsène then looked to his right; he had already made it to the gym. He gulped as he entered the gym; he could already see the bully standing, with a crowd behind him cheering him. Arsène slowly walked over before halting a few meters in front of the bully, breathing heavily. The bully in response chuckled, looking at Arsène with newfound sadistic glee.

“What's wrong, Daddy’s boy? Scared? ”

Thoughts flew past in Arsène’s head; they were thoughts of fear and worry. He was scared, sure, but one thought crossed his head:'What if I kill him? ’

The look of sadistic glee on the bully’s face disappears, as he looks at Arsène with anger.

"What are you smiling for? Freak.”

“Smiling? ”

Arsène touches his lips, then realizes his lips were forming a wide smile. Why? Why was he smiling? What made him smile like this? Was it.. No, it can't be; he wasn’t some sadistic psychopath. right?

The bully grunted before marching towards Arsène, clenching his fists with rage and anger. He then lifted his fist before delivering a punch towards Arsène’s face. Arsène, almost on instinct, dodges it with ease.

The bully gasps, as does the crowd behind him. The bully then delivers another punch, which Arsène again dodges effortlessly.

"Y-you."

T bully’s hands then start punching with great speed, a speed where you can almost can’t see his hand. Arsène, however, effortlessly keeps dodging the punches, the smile still playing on his face. The crowd starts cheering, not for the bully, but for Arsène.

"PUNCH BACK! PUNCH BACK! PUNCH BACK! ”

The crowd cheers and begs. Arsène, almost on the instinct, slaps the bully in the face. The bully spins in the air before being launched yards back, hitting the wall with force. Arsène’s smile disappears as he looks at his hand, finding a spray of blood on the fists. Arsène looks at the bully, who pulls out a gun from his back pocket and points it at Arsène, all while blood trickles down his nose.

"YOU SICK FUCK, I WILL MAKE YOU PAY, JUST YOU WATCH! ”

He says as he pulls the trigger, bullets shooting out and towards Arsène. Arsène, however, dodges them with ease as he slowly walks towards Zorome. Zorome frantically pulls out more ammo for the pistol, then pointing at Arsène again. Arsène moves quickly, delivering a swift kick to Zorome’s hand, making the gun go spinning and hitting the floor. Arsène looks at Zorome, who screams in pain while holding onto his broken wrist. Arsène now raises his foot, ready to deliver the final blow.

“Wait!!”

Arsène halts as a girl stands between him and Zorome. He puts his foot down and clenches his head in his hands. It was aching horribly, and the pain was unbearable. The girl looks around the crowd before grabbing Arsène’s hand, dragging him out of the gym. As they exit the gym, some of the crowds approach and flock around Zorome, who was still crying in pain.

The girl continues dragging Arsène through the corridor. Arsène then slowly and gently pulls his hand away, looking at the girl.

"I was busy, can’t you see? ”

“Busy what? Brutally assaulting and beating up people? Yeah, I can see that.Arsène grunts in irritation as he puts his hand on the back of his neck, gently rubbing the spine.

"What’s the deal with you? I don’t even know you! ”

“Wow, rude."

the girl says as she points at the school ID that was hanging around his neck. Arsène looks at the ID card, his eyes slightly widening.

"Ai Ushinawareta, Daughter of Yami Ushinawareta... Wait, so your my sister? ”

The girl nods, looking at him with pride.

"And originally the heir of the company, before you came along at least."

She sighs before turning around. She then points to the exit and turns her head towards Arsène.

"That’s the door to the roof; dad is waiting for you there. Now go. We can catch up later."

she says as she turns around and walks away. Arsène looks as she walks and turns the corner. He then turns to the door to the roof, slowly walking towards it.

Arsène then opens the door to the roof; he covers his face with his hand as he feels strong wind flying towards him. He opens his eyes slightly as he sees an aircraft of sorts, with a familiar figure standing in front of the aircraft. He then walks towards the figure, opening his lips.

"What are you doing here? Yami? ”

Yami, who was smoking a cigarette, lets out a smoke. Before tossing it down and crushing it with his shoe.

"Ah, son, your here,"

he says as he gets onto the aircraft, then settling down in a seat.

"Hop on, we need your help.”

“Help? ”

Arsène asks at first but sighs, figuring that questioning Yami is not worth anything and he won’t get any answers out of Yami.

Arsène then gets onto the aircraft, settling down in a seat. Then the doors to the aircraft closed as it ascended into the sky. Arsène looked out of the window beside him, looking down at the fields, watching as small figures, probably farmers, worked away in the farms. He watched as they entered the urban area of HK-36, passing through and above the buildings below. Arsène then watched as they approached the walls of HK-36. For some reason, some part of Arsène seemed excited and intrigued by what is past the wall of HK-36.

The aircraft then rose some more into the sky so that it could go above and across the walls. As the aircraft crossed the wall, Arsène watched as there were torrents of guns and cameras all across the walls. Then he spotted something else. From the wall, to a mile away, were ranges of lands with huts, small shops, and people walking around. Arsène looked to Yami quickly.

"What are those small huts and those people doing there? "

Yami, who was looking at Arsène’s sketches in the notebook, looks up before smiling.

"Those, my son, are The Slums."

“The Slums?”

Arsène asked, confused. Yami nods as he looks down his own window.

"It’s where criminals are thrown into; it's a place for the wicked and outcast."

"Like a prison, except not a prison"

Arsène says as he looks down. He could make out small figures moving about and on. He nodded his head. The aircraft then slowly goes into a storm, head straight. Worried, Arsène turns to look at Yami. But Yami just smiles at Arsène before going back to looking at the sketches. Trying not to worry too much about it, Arsène sits tight in his seat. The aircraft would have turbulence every few seconds, but Arsène didn’t give it much mind about it, trying to stay calm and closing his eyes.

Then an alarm goes off, blaring throughout the carrier.

"Approaching the battlefield with Demon Purson and it’s soldiers. What is your order, sir? ”

Yami sighs as he closes the notebook, then looking to the speaker.

"Eject Arsène here into the battlefield."

"Understood sir."

Arsène, who was calm, now with eyes wide, open, tries to stand up and approach Yami. But then the seat belts fasten by themselves, and a metal pod covers Arsène.

"Yami! What the hell! ”

Arsène screams, trying to free himself out of the seat. Yami, in return, just smiles and waves his hand.

"Try not to die, son."

All of a sudden, the pod shakes. Arsène then feels a sudden change in motion. Suddenly the pod then goes into a free fall. The pod descends at great speeds as Arsène yells. Arsène could see the sky out of the window, then the pod started rolling and spinning in the air. Then, before it hits the floor below, the thrusters on the side of the pod activate, and then the pod’s parachutes launch.

A few seconds pass as the pod lands on the field, but Arsène could hear screams, gunshots, and more screaming. Arsène hesitates; he isn’t aware of what he has been thrown into. Is it a battle? And what is this ‘Demon Purson’? He takes a deep breath before opening the door, not even realizing the seat belts detached. He kicks open the door and walks out. He could see soldiers running around, shooting, blasting, and killing some other ‘creatures’ that were attacking the soldiers. Then Arsène hears a scream:DUCK! FIRE IN THE HOLE! ”

Arsène looks to his front as a grenade of sorts hits the ground.

“SHIT!”

He screams as he turns around and runs, before leaping forward and covering his ears. There’s a loud and massive explosion. For a moment, Arsène’s ears ring, but he immediately pulled up to stand as a soldier in a helmet looks at him.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?! ”

The solider asks, trying to get an answer out of Arsène. Arsène, in return, chitters his teeth, trying to say something but unable to. The solider then looks at Arsène again.

"The hell?! Your a kid, what are you doing here?!”

“I-I-I..."

Arsène mutters, unable to form a sentence.

The soldier immediately pulls Arsène down as a demonic creature leaps for them. The soldier takes out a pistol and shoots the demons head-on quickly. Then he looks around to find more demons approaching.

"Shit Shit! ”

The soldier quickly hands a communication device to Arsène.

"Take this and hide behind that massive rock!"

Arsène takes the device and finally speaks.

"BEHIND THE ROCK?"

"YES. THE ROCK, WE DON’T HAVE ANY OTHER COVER, SO GO! ”

The soldier pushes Arsène and then runs into the battlefield himself.

Arsène, not wasting any time, runs over to the massive boulder. He runs, passing through an army of super soldiers running towards the battlefield. He halts as a demon attacks a soldier, biting and smashing the helmet as blood pours out of the helmet. Arsène quickly leaps over the demon and the deceased soldier, then hides behind the massive boulder. Arsène covers his ears as screams, blasts, gunshots, and many other despairful sounds ring out through the battlefield. He didn’t want this, any of this. He just wanted a normal life—normal high school life, normal family. He just wished he was normal. But here he is, in the middle of a literal battlefield as death looms large over and around him. All because of his adoptive father.

A few minutes pass. The sounds of screams and gunshots finally subside. Arsène removes his hands around his ears, pulling the communication device close to his ear and clicking the blinking button.

"Hey! Kid! You can come out, the battle’s over."

It was the voice of the soldier who helped him earlier. At first, Arsène didn’t come out, but trusting the voice on the other side, he walked out. He quickly peeked from behind the boulder. He sees the soldier from earlier and a few others waving to Arsène. Arsène sighs, happy that it was all over. Just as he took a step forward, the bolder was smashed to pieces. Arsène then looked back to find a massive, demonic-looking bear. The bear-like demonic creature roared before slapping Arsène into another rock.

“KID!”

The soldier screams but quickly goes back to shooting the massive demonic creature. Arsène, now bleeding from the head and slowly losing his consciousness, chuckles to himself.

"So this is how I die... A day right after I wake up with amnesia..."

He mutters to himself. He slowly loses his consciousness, watching the bear slam and punch the soldiers away. His vision is slowly fading as a drop of tears travels down his cheek. Before, he goes absolutely still.

The soldier who helped earlier tries shooting the bear-like demon away, but only way for him to be slapped away and collapsing on the side of the field. The soldier opens his eyes to find the bear approaching, taking slow steps as it approached him. The demonic being then steps on the soldier’s leg, crushing it and causing the man to scream in pain. The bear then raises its paws, ready to slam into the man. In the final moments, all that was on the man’s mind was his family and how he couldn’t see them one last time. He then closes his eyes, welcoming and accepting his fate.

There is a moment of silence, and the bear then roars. The man, who was expecting to feel the heavy slam and die, slowly opens his eyes. His vision was blurry at first, but he could find a figure standing between him and the bear. The bear roars, trying to push its paws down. The man then recognizes the figure.

“Kid..?”

Arsène was standing in front of the man, silent as he held up both of the bears paws with a single hand. The hand was covered in black armor, which pulsed with purple energy. He then swiftly pushes the paws off as the bear stumbles back.

Taking this chance, Arsène forms the armor on the rest of his body as black crystal materializes around Arsène’s body. Then it finally materializes around his face, like a helmet, almost as it fully materializes around his head. The helmet had a sharp pointing nose with two horns traveling back and upwards. And the rest of the body looked similar to normal armor. Except it was fully black with purple energy pulsing through it.

'Arsène', still as silent as a rock, launches himself at the bear. The bear, in return, slams its fist down, which ‘Arsène’ dodges effortlessly. The bear then starts slamming its fists furiously at ‘Arsène’. Only for him to keep dodging it effortlessly.

Then he delivers a swift kick to the bear's face, sending it flying yards away as it screeched.

Arsène then lands on his feet, staying still for a few moments. Then he looks up.

"Huh…? I am not dead... ”

Arsène says as he looks at his hands and rest of the body.

“HUUUUUUUUUH?!”

He frantically looks over his front and back, confused.

"WHAT IS ALL THIS? ‘STUFF’?! ”

He then stops as the bear stands back up, preparing to run at Arsène. Arsène, though confused, stands still as he looks to the soldier that saved him.

"Retreat. I will handle this,"

he says as he looks at his clenched fist, the pulsing energy turning pure red and glowing, along with his eyes.

The man was confused, yet he was in no position to complain. He turned to the other soldiers.

"RETREAT! TAKE COVER! ”

The soldiers quickly turn on their heels, running to the nearest shelter or cover. Arsène lets out a sigh, smoke traveling out of the helmet's massive teeth.

“3..”

The bear roars as it starts running towards Arsène.

“2..”

Arsène stops the massive bear with a single hand.

“1..”

The bear looks at Arsène, who was glowing red with pulsing energy in the black armor.

“0.”

He then let out a roar as he swung his fist upwards, the ground around him setting ablaze and melting away. His fist connects with the bear; the bear’s skin on its face burns off, its skull visible. Purple flames burst out from Arsène's shoulders, forming a cape of flames.

The bear then is sent flying into the sky. With a massive sound, the demonic bear explodes into bits, its blood falling down like crimson rain. The soldiers then look at Arsène, clad in the black armor, standing in the crimson rain as he pulsed with purple energy. Arsène, on the same note, was in awe of his own power; his eyes blinked as rain fell downwards as red rain, and the beast’s organs and body parts came bellowing down.

Arsène fell onto his knees, the armor dematerializing and turning into crystal as it fell chippering down. He let out a cough as he was covered in blood.

“KID! Get out of there! ”

The soldier from earlier screams, but Arsène could barely hear it; as his vision slowly fades, he could make out a massive hand grabbing onto the skull of the demonic bear before his vision completely fades away and he collapses on the field.

The soldiers try to approach Arsène, but halt as they hear loud sounds of trumpets going off.

It was no ordinary trumpet; it was much more loud, heavy, and filled with some form of dread.

"How disappointing."

The colossal demon mutters to itself as it grabs the skull of the bear.

"And here I thought I could also go out in such a glory."

The massive demon, with a human body and a lion's head, spoke as it then dropped the

bear's skull. Putting the thumpet close to its mouth as a viper traveled up it's other hand, it played the trumpet loudly as small demons appeared, charging at the soldiers.

The colossal demon then looked down, extending its arms to grab Arsène, but suddenly it looked up to hear something breaking the sound barrier. The demon realizes something is approaching with great speed and tries to pull away. But then a massive spear comes shooting down, stabbing the demon as it roars and falls down.

The soldiers look up, then start cheering. Arsène, awakened by the cheers, opens his eyes, looking up at the sky. His eyes widen as a massive colossal robot descends from the sky, its leg thrusters slowly down the fall. Then it lands with a massive quick.

Purson then stands up, looking at the massive machine in front of him.

"Child of man, leave at once. Or face my wrath."

The speaker of the mech turns on as the pilot speaks.

"Sorry, ‘demon king’. That won’t be happening today. For I and Mech Aegis X-01 will put an end to your bullshit."

Arsène slowly gets up, clutching his shoulder as he looks up. The massive mech was slim and almost humanoid-like-shaped; however, it had futuristic armor and energy pulsing through it.

The mech quickly grabs its spear, aiming to pull it out of Purson; the demon king, however, swings the whip, which was a massive viper snake. The snake surrounds itself around the hand of the mech, then biting through its armor. The one swift pull, Purson then rips off the mech’s hand, its armor breaking to pieces as the hand was thrown away.

“Tch.. Slick bastard took my arm off."

The pilot said through the speaker, then charging towards the demon king like a bull.

The demon king endures the tackle, and they both fall back into a lake. The demon king tries defending himself, but the mech quickly grabs both his wrists. In a quick movement, the mech’s hands twist and break the hands of the demon king as if they were twigs. Then the mech tears the hands off the demon king. The demon king roars and screeches in pain, falling back in the lake as the water splashes massively. The machine then raises the arm with the broken hand.

“Take this, you S.O.B! ”

The pilot screamed, then the broken hand quickly regenerates along with the armor.

"He regenrated the arm of the Mech Aegis. ”

Arsène spoke in a low yet shocked tone. Then the mech lands a powerful punch into the demon king’s face, making the skull be crushed and the brain matter being splashed across the lake. The demon king’s corpse becomes still as the water turns into a color palette of light red.

The mech then got up, turning and walking towards Arsène. Arsène, still injured, slowly gets up as the Mech Aegis gets onto its knees and grabs Arsène into its hand. Arsène was scared, but knowing it was a human pilot inside, let the mech grab him.

The mech then got up and turned to the soldiers as it spoke,

"You guys go back to the base. I will be personally escorting this young man."

The machine spoke as its thrusters turned on, and it leaped into the clouds.

A few minutes pass before the mech lands in some sort of base. Arsène looked to the side, seeing other Mech Aegis being worked on. The Mech Aegis X-01 quickly stands in its holder place, then puts Arsène on the side of a walking area before shutting down. The purple energy and lights fade away as the mech goes still. The mechanics quickly rush over to the spine of the machine before opening it, and a young man walks out. The young man, with chocolate brown skin tone and long back hair, steps out, shaking his head and letting the wetness dry off. He quickly walks over to Arsène after jumping onto the walking platform. He then extends his hand. He had a slightly trimmed mustache and beard and brown, bright eyes with enthuastic body language.

"Your name is Arsène, right? Nice to meet you; I am the Pilot of Mech Aegis X-01."

Arsène, in awe, silently nods and shakes the young man’s hand. He shakes his head and stands properly.

"Thank you for saving me. uhh.."

"Kami. Call me Kami.”