Ryker stepped onto the underground stairwell, his footsteps echoing in the concrete passage below the garage. As he descended, the door above sealed shut, leaving only dim, flickering lights lining the narrow corridor.
The air grew colder. Stale. Heavy.
The deeper he went, the more the silence screamed in his ears.
Suddenly—faint lights blinked on. Pale fluorescent bulbs revealed a long corridor ahead, sterile and metallic. Behind the metal bars lining both walls, he saw shadows huddled—girls, frightened, chained, weak.
"Girls…" he whispered.
He took a few steps forward, raising his voice.
"I'm coming! Who are you? Can you hear me?"
The girls stirred, some looking up, hope flickering in their eyes—but many too weak to speak.
Ryker clenched his fists.
"I'll get you out. Just hold on."
The corridor split into four branching paths ahead, like a crossroad beneath the earth.
He stopped in his tracks.
"Tch... Four routes?" He gritted his teeth, scanning each tunnel.
"Where the hell do I start…"
He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.
The screen blinked red—low battery.
"Come on, just one signal…" he muttered, typing quickly.
He managed to send one short message to Shin:
"Underground. Found them. Send help. — Ryker"
The screen died immediately after.
"Damn."
He stuffed the dead phone back into his coat and stared at the four paths.
"No time to think. I'll take the first one."
Drawing a small blade from his belt, Ryker moved swiftly into Route One, unaware of the shadows that stirred in the other three paths…
At Saori's house, tension filled the room like thick smoke.
Sol stood pacing while Amelia sat on the floor, arms crossed, eyes closed in frustration. Jasmine leaned on the wall, scanning a map of the island, trying to find any missing clue.
"Where the hell is Ryker?" Amelia growled.
"He better not be messing around…" Sol muttered under his breath.
Suddenly—
BZZZT!
A vibration buzzed from Shin's coat pocket. He snapped his eyes open, pulled out his phone, and unlocked the screen. One message blinked on the display—from Ryker.
"Underground. Found them. Send help. — Ryker"
Shin's eyes widened.
"He found them…!"
"What?" Jasmine stood straight.
"He found the girls?"
Shin nodded, showing the screen.
"It's from Ryker. He's underground. I think… under the mansion. The message cut off right after that."
"Damn it!" Sol shouted. "We wasted time while he went alone?"
Amelia stood up. "Then what are we waiting for?"
"Everyone get ready," Jasmine said firmly. "We move to the mansion. Now!"
They all sprinted out of the house, the sun rising behind them—signaling the beginning of a rescue and possibly… a war.
Inside the grand mansion, dimly lit and silent, a voice crackled through the security radio system.
"Sir, I think someone just entered the underground. Black jacket. He chose the first route. Signal came from a phone."
Manager Taro, sitting near the security monitor, narrowed his eyes.
"...He's here," Taro muttered.
He slowly stood up, his heavy coat rustling as he turned toward Renji, who leaned against the wall, arms folded.
"They're coming," Taro said calmly. "If we catch them... you don't interfere."
Renji blinked. "But Taro—"
Taro raised a hand, silencing him.
"You're my only friend, Renji."
His voice softened, almost fatherly.
"Promise me... if something happens to me, you'll protect this island. Protect Elena. No matter what."
Renji clenched his fist, eyes locked with Taro's.
"Tch... I will."
Taro nodded once, satisfied. Without another word, he turned and made his way through the hallway, heading toward the backyard garage. Each step he took echoed like a countdown.
The war had begun underground.
And Manager Taro was ready to face the shadow that dared to challenge his past.
The silence in the underground corridor was almost maddening.
Ryker's boots tapped softly against the concrete floor as he moved deeper into the first route. Harsh fluorescent lights flickered above him like dying fireflies, casting jagged shadows along the cold metal walls. Dust floated in the air, disturbed only by his movement, and the smell—faint rust and something else—clung to the back of his throat.
He reached a metal door at the end of the path.
Old. Heavy. Slightly open.
He pressed it with one hand.
Creeeeeak.
The hinges groaned like a dying beast.
Inside was a room—empty. Not a soul in sight.
But the chains…
They were scattered across the floor, hanging from the walls, coiled like metal serpents. Some still had warmth, as if they had been recently touched.
Ryker's eyes narrowed. "Tch… chains. But no one's here."
He stepped inside, glancing around cautiously.
"Where are they?" he muttered, scanning every corner, every ceiling plate, every vent.
Then it happened.
Click.
A static burst echoed through the room. A speaker mounted high on the wall came to life, its red light blinking slowly.
And then came the voice.
"Hello, kid… Let's play a game."
Ryker froze.
The voice was calm. Cold. Amused. And unmistakable.
Manager Taro.
His fists clenched. "You bastard…"
"Correct," the voice replied with a hint of laughter. "All the girls you're searching for... they're in one room. Alive. For now. If you can find them in time, maybe you'll be their hero."
A pause.
"If not—well, we'll make history in a very different way."
Ryker didn't respond immediately. His breathing was steady. Measured.
Then, slowly, he raised one hand and ran it through his hair, dragging it back.
A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
And he laughed.
Low at first. Then louder.
He stared directly at the nearest camera above the speaker.
"A game, huh?" he said, eyes glinting.
"That's cute."
He tapped his temple.
"You forget who you're playing with."
His voice dropped to a whisper.
"I'm a hacker, old man."
He stepped forward, the shadows swallowing his figure.
"Let's begin."
The dim underground chamber trembled faintly, as if the very air sensed a coming storm.
Chains rattled. Moans echoed. Hope flickered.
Aisa sat upright against the cold wall, her hands bound tightly in thick, glowing chains. Around her, dozens of girls—frightened, exhausted, some unconscious—were strewn across the vast room like forgotten dolls. The metallic scent of blood and rust lingered in the air.
She gritted her teeth. "We need to move. We can't just sit here."
"Move?" Celica hissed, her voice laced with fear. "We've been trying to break these chains for hours."
Across from her, Yumi tugged desperately at the shackles. "Tch… damn it! They won't break… even with my full strength!"
Akira's voice was quiet but sharp. "There's something wrong with them. These aren't ordinary chains. It's like they're alive… draining us."
A sudden metallic creak echoed above them. The ceiling—covered in vents and speakers—came alive with whispers, sounds of footsteps, like ghosts walking above their prison.
Panic started to rise.
"No! I can't stay here!" one of the girls cried out, thrashing wildly.
"Get off me! I'm not dying in this place!" another shouted, her voice cracking with terror.
Aisa looked around. The tension was turning into madness.
"Everyone, calm down!" she shouted, but few listened.
The chains glowed brighter, reacting to their emotions—feeding off them.
And then—
Clang!
Yumi slammed her chains against the wall with a war cry, sparks flying.
Nothing. No dent. No crack. Just pain.
She gasped, her wrists now bleeding.
"…They're made to keep us weak," Akira muttered. "The more we fight, the tighter they grip."
Celica leaned back against the wall, despair in her eyes. "Where is Ryker? He promised…"
Aisa's voice trembled. "He'll come. He has to."
"Promises mean nothing here," said a girl from the shadows. Her face was pale, eyes hollow. "Heroes… promises… all lies."
And silence returned.
Only the sound of heavy breathing, quiet sobs, and the soft hum of chains remained.
But Aisa's eyes stayed fixed forward.
Waiting.