Location: Echohold-09 (Outside Area)

  Time of Day: Morning

  Hikari and Captain stood stunned, the unfamiliar names hitting them like a blow.

  "Serava... so that's your name." Hikari muttered under her breath. "And... a member of Obsidian Veil?" She stepped forward once, eyes fixed on the woman. "Serava... what does that name mean? Obsidian Veil doesn't seem to ring a bell at all."

  Captain stepped forward, his grip tightening around his rifle. “That’s the first time we’re hearing that name. So you’d better start explaining.”

  Serava blinked once, her exposed purple eye softening with an almost playful innocence. "Oh? Did I really mention the Obsidian Veil?" A light, airy laugh slipped out. "Oops... I suppose I did, didn't I?" She lifted her shoulders in a gentle shrug. "Oh well. Guess it can't be helped now." Her fingers tapped lightly against her cloak, her tone apologetic in a way that didn't feel apologetic at all. "Sorry. It's a bad habit of mine to let things slip just like that. It'd be best if you just forget what I said."

  Captain aimed his rifle steadily at her. "Enough playing around! What is the Obsidian Veil, and what do you want with the Artifact?!"

  Serava’s exposed purple eye curved with quiet amusement. “Oh… how demanding you are.”

  Hikari stepped beside Captain, her drones humming softly around them. "Serava... the Artifact. Why are you after it? What does the Obsidian Veil want with it?"

  Serava gave a gentle hum. "Mm... unfortunately, I can't share with you what the Obsidian Veil actually is. Confidential information, you understand." She lifted a finger, tapping it lightly against her mask. "But the Artifact? Ah... that, I can tell you." A small smile formed. "And just to be clear. Its real name is the Black Star Artifact."

  "The... Black Star Artifact?" Hikari whispered.

  Captain nodded slightly. "Hmph. Fitting since it does have that Black Star engraved on it."

  Serava tilted her head. "Tell me, do guys you really know what it is?"

  Hikari's voice came low. "Well... not necessarily. I wouldn't say I know of its origin."

  Serava sighed softly, almost disappointed. "So you've been carrying and using something you don't even understand. How… remarkably naive.”

  "It's helped us seal Echos away," Captain shot back. "I'd say that's a good enough reason to keep it with us. If anything, it's helping this world become a safer place."

  "Helping?" Serava chuckled lightly. "If anything, you're helping it."

  Hikari's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean by that? Are you referring to the voice within the Artifact?"

  Serava nodded once. "Exactly. Have you not found it strange? That each time you contain an Echo, the voice inside becomes clearer and more... human."

  "I... noticed that, yes." Hikari's voice tightened. "But why warn us about it?"

  Serava lifted one hand, palm open in a gentle, guiding gesture. "I am simply trying to point you toward the truth. The truth of the Black Star Artifact... and the spirit that lives within it."

  Captain's voice dropped. "So there really is something living inside the Artifact."

  "Oh yes," Serava said softly. "And every Echo you seal brings it closer to regaining its power. Once its power is fully restored..." Her smile faded into something calm and solemn. "...the spirit within the Black Star Artifact will unleash its wrath upon this world."

  Hikari's voice dropped to a soft, shaken whisper. "That... that can't possibly be true."

  Serava's smile softened into something almost pitying. "Oh, but it is true. You're carrying a weapon of mass destruction in your hands. It's simply waiting... patiently... for its power to return. And it uses all of you to do it." Her gaze lingered on both Hikari and Captain. "It helps you, and in return... you guys help it."

  Hikari stepped forward, disbelief and fear colliding in her chest. "Tell me, Serava... how is it that you know so much about it? The Artifact was in Lumina and Slayer’s possession when they first discovered it. No one else ever knew about its existence. So how can you possibly know this much?"

  For the first time, Serava went silent. A long, heavy pause followed. Then she shook her head. "You don't get it, do you?" Her tone was still warm. "I know so much about the Black Star Artifact because I am a guardian of it. That is why the Obsidian Veil exists. To ensure the Artifact stays locked away... so it never falls into the wrong hands." She paused, then gave a small sigh. "Ah... another secret slipped out."

  "Hmph. Good job keeping the Artifact locked away," Captain muttered under his breath. Then he raised his voice. "So what? You've been tracking the Artifact this whole time?"

  Serava nodded. "For a long while now. Especially ever since the spirit's power was unleashed against us."

  Captain's voice hardened. "You mean the spirit inside was once free?"

  "Yes." Serava's answer was calm and steady. "It was a difficult battle, but we managed to seal the spirit back into the Artifact. But then it used a power none of us had ever seen before." Her eye hardened slightly, a memory showing behind it. "From within the Artifact, it whispered the name of the skill it was using... Black Star Upsurge."

  Hikari brows narrowed. "Black Star... Upsurge? What exactly did it do?"

  Serava breathed in softly. "At the time, we didn't know what it did. That was the first and only moment we'd ever seen that skill." She glanced aside slightly. "It just vanished in a black flash... and then it was gone from sight. But afterward, the Obsidian Veil conducted extensive research on it." Her eye lifted again, calm and certain. "And through that research, we learned its purpose. Black Star Upsurge allows it to travel to a different location. But whether it chooses that destination or not... we still don't know for sure." She looked at Hikari gently. "And with its power diminished, it became trapped inside the Artifact again. It couldn't release itself anymore. Its voice became nothing more than an echo... until its power fully returns one day."

  Hikari shook her head, disbelief written across her face. "This is... hard to believe. All of it. But at the same time, it sounds true." She looked up at her. "Serava, where did the Artifact actually come from? And... are there more like it?"

  Serava's response came without hesitation. "That information is confidential for safety reasons. But what you should know is simple: we do what we do to keep life going, and to keep it safe."

  Captain scoffed, jaw tightening. "Bullshit. I don't buy it." He stepped forward, rifle half-raised. "What are you, some kind of gods watching over us? You were trying to kill us a moment ago - you and that mutation thing you called Stagmandros."

  Serava blinked slowly, a faint sigh slipping out. "Kill you?" She tilted her head. "Like I said before... if I intended to harm any of you, none of you would still be standing." Her gaze drifted to Lumina and Slayer's unmoving bodies on the ground. "Well... that was until you all decided to attack me and refuse to hand over the Artifact." Her gaze softened, almost regretfully. "And that mutation? I lost control of it after feeding it some power and I couldn't stop it, but thanks to Hikari, it was dealt with." She lifted a finger, gesturing lightly toward Hikari. "But then I noticed you were trying to contain it. And if you succeeded... the Artifact's power would have grown even stronger. So of course, I had to stop you."

  Hikari shook her head, her voice rising firm and steady. "Sorry, but I don't trust a single word you're saying. If you're really trying to protect life, then why just watch us suffer? Why let us nearly die? And if your Emanation is so much stronger than ours, why didn't you help us stop the Echo? Or any Echo in general if you've been following us so closely." Her glare sharpened. "Most importantly, what were you doing giving it power in the first place?" Her brows drew tight. "None of this makes any sense. I'm not handing over anything."

  Serava's expression softened into that same pitying smile as before. "So you truly choose to stand against me." Her purple eye narrowed, voice dipping into a gentle condescension. "What a naive little girl." Her purple eye then glowed. "In that case... you leave me no choice."

  Captain steadied his rifle. "Careful, Hikari. Here she comes again." He and Hikari dropped into their stances, her drones hovering close beside her.

  Serava raised her hand, the six still diamond fragments above her palm drifting together. CLINK! CLINK! CLINK! They merged into a single crystalline diamond. A sharp crack of purple energy burst outward ZSHH!

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  Hikari flinched. "What?! She broke my Aura Tech Link."

  The combined diamond hovered above Serava's palm, spinning slowly in place. Then FWIP! She launched it forward. Hikari dove left and Captain rolled right as the diamond sliced through the air, passing through the space they occupied a second earlier. Then it curved sharply in midair, its spin increasing with a rising whine as it locked onto Captain and began to chase him. WHIRRR!

  Captain sprinted across the cracked ground. "Seriously?!"

  The diamond closed in, inches behind him. He threw himself into a roll THUD! The diamond stabbed into the ground where he had just been.

  Serava's voice drifted softly across the field. "Shatter."

  CRACK! The diamond burst apart into six fragments, each shooting outward in a different direction. One shard pierced into Captain's leg.

  "Gah!" Captain stumbled, blood streaking down his calf.

  The fragments snapped back toward Serava FWIP! FWIP! FWIP! until all six hovered neatly above her palm again.

  Hikari rushed to Captain's side, one of her drones whirring close. "Hold on, Captain!" A pink beam pulsed from the drone ZSHHH! It sealed the wound with a soft pink glow.

  Captain let out a breath. "Thanks... Hikari."

  She nodded quickly. "We need to find a way to stop her diamond."

  "Yeah, well... that's gonna be tough without Lumina and Slayer by our side." Captain steadied himself, jaw tight. "Maybe you should try to get to them first."

  "I'll try," Hikari muttered, eyes fixed on Serava. "But I'm afraid she's not just going to simply let me."

  Their gaze shifted toward her. Serava looked down at the six fragments hovering above her palm. With a small, delicate gesture, she guided them together. CLINK! The diamond merged... and then began to change. From clear, to a soft pink, then deeper, until it glowed a vivid, burning red.

  Serava admired the newly colored diamond, its red glow reflecting softly across the remaining half of her mask and the folds of her hood. "Ah yes... the color red," she murmured. "That will do beautifully."

  Hikari stared, surprised yet curious. "Why did it turn red...?"

  Captain's brows knit, confusion tightening his expression. "Hikari... something's wrong." He touched his chest lightly, almost startled by how calm he felt. "I... I can't feel it anymore."

  Hikari turned to him quickly. "What do you mean you can't feel it?"

  "The feeling of... anger," Captain said quietly. "Every time I looked at her, I felt anger, frustration, something. But now... I can't even get mad at her." He shook his head slowly, almost unnerved. "It's like it was completely stolen from me."

  Hikari's eyes widened. She looked straight at Serava. "What did you do to him, Serava?!"

  She lifted the red diamond delicately toward her eyes, admiring its glow. She hummed, amused and pleased. "Well, HeartFract Prism just simply took an emotion from him," she said warmly. "And that emotion happened to be... anger."

  Hikari muttered under her breath, "She can steal emotions...?"

  The red diamond spun slowly above Serava's palm as she continued. "Anger is important, you know. It's the spark that makes you rebel. The fire that pushes you forward when logic fails. The force that can drive someone to protect, to resist, to fight back even when exhausted." She tilted her head as if savoring the concept. Her exposed purple eye curved slightly, elegant and pleased. "But it can also cloud judgment and make you reckless or sloppy." Her smile softened into something almost affectionate. "I'll make sure to keep it safe with me."

  Hikari clenched her fists, eyes fixed on the glowing red diamond, her voice firm. "Serava... that ability of yours. Tell me, can you just choose which emotion to take?"

  Serava's purple eye curved with playful amusement. "Hm... wouldn't you like to know?" She gave a soft, taunting hum. "Wouldn't it be far more delightful to figure that out yourself? I hear you're a brilliant scientist, after all. I'm sure you could crack this one."

  Hikari's mind raced with thoughts. ("If she can really choose any emotion... then taking anger was smart on her part. But if it's random, then that would explain why her diamond breaks into six fragments. Six pieces... six emotions. Most likely the basic ones: Happiness, sadness, fear, anger, disgust, and surprise. I'm guessing each fragment can hold one. And depending on which fragment lands on someone holding that specific emotion... it takes it from them. But how many emotions can she hold at once? One? Three? All six? And is it a permanent effect? I can't confirm any of that for sure... but it'd be bad if all six fragments landed on us at once. If they can... then we'd be empty bodies with no emotions.") Her eyes narrowed. ("What a deadly weapon she carries... I'd better be careful and avoid any unnecessary risks.")

  Hikari looked at Captain, worry tightening her voice. "Hey... do you think you can keep fighting even without anger to drive you?"

  Captain exhaled slowly. "I can try." He stared at Serava, expression strangely blank. "But I can't feel any intention to hurt her... or even defend myself from her."

  Hikari lowered her gaze. "This is bad..."

  Serava's tone was warm and reassuring. "Don't worry, Hikari. I'll return his emotion..." She lifted her free hand toward Hikari, gentle and inviting. "...as long as you give me the Artifact that is."

  Captain immediately shook his head. "Don't give in, Hikari. I'll be fine without it."

  Hikari looked at him, then at Serava, teeth gritting as uncertainty tightened in her chest. She didn't know what to do.

  Serava gave a gentle smile, the red diamond spinning a little faster now. "Here... let me help you decide." Her exposed purple eye glowed as her aura flared, rising in a soft yet powerful surge. She lifted the diamond higher above her palm. "Heartfract Prism - Order #4." Her voice softened to a whisper, almost tender. "...Anger."

  CRRRRK!! The red diamond shattered - not into six fragments, but into a dozen blazing shards, each burning like a streak of fire. They shot upward FWOOOSH! before curving high in the sky and coming crashing down toward Hikari and Captain like falling meteors.

  Hikari's heart kicked into overdrive as the blazing shards rained toward them. She turned to Captain. "Captain! You still have your fear! Let's move!"

  Captain grunted, already running. "Don't have to tell me twice."

  They bolted across the cracked ground, dodging as the blazing shards slammed down around them. KRAK! BOOM! THUD! Rock fragments exploded upward with each impact, black smoke curling into the air. Hikari skidded to a stop, coughing - only to realize Serava was gone from her spot. Before she could even blink FWIP! Serava appeared behind Captain.

  "Captain! Behind you!" Hikari cried out.

  He turned sharply, but without anger driving him, his instincts lagged. Serava's hand snapped around his throat. He reached up to grab her wrist out of reflex, but there was no real force behind it, with no aggression or urgency.

  Serava lifted him effortlessly, her expression calm and almost sad. "Now... it's time to sleep." Her glowing purple eye met his. "Deadly Lullaby."

  Captain's pupils dilated instantly. His body went weightless, arms dropping to his sides. Then THUD! Serava tossed him aside like a lifeless doll.

  "Captain!" Hikari shouted, her voice cracking as he hit the ground. FWOOM! Her pink aura flared to life. "Serava!!" Her three drones shot forward instantly, each taking aim at Serava. PEW! PEW! PEW!

  Serava didn't even flinch as the shots closed in. A soft smile touched her lips. "Mirror Step..."

  A pane of shimmering glass materialized in front of her. Crack... Crack... CRACK! The drone blasts fractured the surface and Serava vanished the moment her reflection shattered, the broken mirror shards scattering across the ground.

  Hikari's eyes widened as she scanned the area. "Where to?!"

  A warm voice whispered at her back. "Behind you."

  Hikari's breath caught as she spun, but Serava's kick landed first. WHAM! Hikari was launched across the cracked ground, her aura dimming rapidly before fading out completely. Her drones flickered from midair, their pink glow vanishing before they disappeared entirely. She skidded and rolled, finally crashing down flat on her chest.

  Serava walked toward her, each step slow and gentle until she stood over Hikari. "It's over, Hikari. Don't fight back anymore."

  Hikari groaned and coughed, pushing herself up with trembling arms. Her bangs shadowed her eyes as she glared upward. "N... never."

  Serava let out a soft, disappointed sigh. "Then I suppose I'll just have to put you to sleep as well." She lifted a hand, palm toward Hikari. "But first... I need you to bring the Black Star Artifact back. Go on. Use Aura Vanish and return it to me."

  Hikari clenched her teeth. "S-Sorry. But... you're going to have to force me to do so."

  Serava's gaze softened again - regretful, yet unwavering. "If that's what you desire... then I'm sorry for what I'm about to do." She shifted her hand, palm upward.

  All around them, the scattered diamond fragments twitched... then shot back toward her FWIP! FWIP! FWIP! hovering above her palm, no longer red, now a pristine, clear crystal once more. CLINK! They merged into a single diamond. Serava's purple aura ignited around her, soft at first... then surging. FWOOOM! In an instant, a dark outer layer crawled through the aura, wrapping around the purple glow like a second skin.

  Hikari forced herself up onto her elbows, her eyes widening at the sight of Serava's transformed aura - purple, wrapped in a black outer layer.

  "T-That aura..." Her breath hitched. "It feels... similar to Stagmandros' aura. But hers feels more controlled and steady." Her voice tightened. "Serava... what is that black aura around you?!"

  Serava smiled gently, as if Hikari had asked a simple question. "Unsettling, isn't it?" she said. "You see, this type of Emanation is different from regular Emanation. And I can most certainly guarantee you... that this power is unattainable through ordinary means." Her purple eye narrowed. "You won't see just anyone wielding something like this."

  Hikari's hands tightened against the dry ground. "Just how much are you hiding from us...?"

  Serava tilted her head. "Hiding? I'm not hiding anything." She lifted the diamond in her hand, letting her purple-black aura flow into it. ZSHHH! The crystal's color warped, shifting from clear to a deep, dark purple.

  Serava extended her free arm toward Hikari, still collapsed on the ground. "Now..." Her voice softened into a chilling whisper. "Time to drain you empty." With the arm the diamond hovered above, she closed her hand into a tight fist, then opened it again. "Shatter."

  CRACK! The dark purple diamond burst into six jagged fragments. Serava flicked her hand lightly, commanding one forward FWIP! A shard shot down and struck Hikari square across the back.

  "Ah!" Hikari gasped, the pain sharp and sudden as the fragment pierced her. Then, she felt a pull. Something was being dragged out of her. It was her aura. Her pink energy bled from her body, channeling straight into the shard even though she wasn't activating it.

  "Wh... why do I feel my aura leaving my body...?" Hikari's voice trembled as she pressed a hand to her chest, her strength draining.

  Serava stepped closer, her voice calm and almost proud. "While I'm in this form, my HeartFract Prism no longer takes emotions..."

  The dark purple fragment pulsed, drawing Hikari's pink aura into itself - strand by strand - absorbing it straight from her body.

  "...instead, it takes Emanation."

  Hikari groaned, trembling as she fought to push herself up, but her strength was draining fast. The fragment on her back slowly shifted color - from dark purple... to a faint, glowing pink - as it absorbed more and more of her power, as if it were feeding on her aura. And Hikari felt herself fading.

  by Rowen_Kun

  With two bodies, they will rise above all others — twice as strong, twice as unstoppable.

  Justin was just an ordinary college student when the world ended. In an instant, civilization collapsed — and the planet was overrun by monsters, blood, and ruthless rules of evolution. Now, he finds himself trapped in a brutal sort of tutorial, where surviving means hunting, fighting, and learning faster than anyone else.

  But Justin carries something no one else does: he awakens in two different bodies, both sharing the same mind. Each one feels, sees, and experiences the world from its own perspective — and coordinating both is an almost insane challenge. One mistake, and he dies twice.

  To master this impossible condition, Justin will have to learn how to control two lives at the same time. If he fails, he’ll be torn apart by his own confusion. If he succeeds… he might be able to perceive and act beyond any human limit.

  And perhaps this new world was made for Justin — and for his strange condition.

  New chapters are released 5 times per week Monday - Friday