Chapter 6

First Plan

Chaos spread through the organization.

Explosions ripped through power sources and auxiliary vehicles as Gunner’s sabotage severed all communication with the main center. Sirens wailed. Agents ran in every direction, struggling to contain the disaster, while fires burned where machines once stood.

Away from the panic, the remaining professors gathered in a sealed chamber, their voices low—but tense.

Prof. 2:
“I still don’t understand why Prof. 4 did this.”

Prof. 1:
“We don’t know for certain.”
He crossed his arms.
“Perhaps he wanted to be the main supervisor of the samples. He openly opposed the chairman’s decision to appoint Prof. 3… but I never imagined he would overreact like this.”

Prof. 3:
“So what now?”
He hesitated, then added dryly,
“Does this mean Prof. 4 takes my place? Honestly… I wouldn’t mind.”

Prof. 1:
“No.”
His tone hardened.
“In this situation, Prof. 4 is a traitor. And you are still in charge.”
He turned directly to Prof. 3.
“You’re the one who will go after him.”

Prof. 3 frowned.

Prof. 3:
“How? He destroyed the gate, the vehicles—almost everything.”

Prof. 2:
“We still have one spare unit.”
He pulled up a schematic.
“A prototype. Stored separately. Completely intact.”
“With auxiliary power, we can open the gate long enough to send you.”

Prof. 3:
“That will drain the headquarters’ energy entirely.”

Prof. 1:
“It doesn’t matter.”
“The main center has already received the coupler outage signal. A distress response is inevitable.”

Prof. 2:
“We don’t have much time.”
He looked at Prof. 3.
“You must go now—before the gate collapses completely.”

Moments later, Prof. 3 stood inside the capsule, the hum of unstable energy vibrating around him. The others’ voices faded into distant echoes as the portal ignited.

Just before the transfer, he hesitated.

Prof. 3:
“What about the villagers?”
“They’ll attack me if they see a stranger.”

Prof. 2:
“Don’t worry.”
“We’ll implant your presence into their memories—as if you’ve always belonged there.”

The light swallowed him whole.

Prof. 3 emerged inside a quiet settlement.

A pristine white house stood before him, untouched by chaos. At the edge of the property, he noticed a faint circular mark etched into the dust.

Curious, he wiped it clean and placed his finger over it.

The house responded instantly.

Walls shifted.
Lights flared to life.
A hidden loft unfolded above.

The door opened.

Prof. 3:
“…Not bad.”

Meanwhile, back in the village—

Our friends sat around a long wooden table, overwhelmed by warmth and noise. Plates overflowed with food, and villagers passed by constantly—thanking them, praising them, bowing their heads in gratitude.

Laughter echoed.

Sun-Z and Black Storm laughed openly as Shadow Light delivered yet another joke.

Sun-Z:
“How do you remember all of these when you claim you don’t remember anything?”

Black Storm:
“Yeah—how?”

Shadow Light shrugged.

Shadow Light:
“I don’t know.”
“I remember how to read, write… everything I studied or watched.”
He paused.
“But my personal life? It’s gone.”
“It’s like my personality was erased—leaving only knowledge behind.”

Sun-Z blinked.

Sun-Z:
“…That’s actually a really accurate description.”

Black Storm nodded slowly.

Black Storm:
“That might explain me too.”
“My body remembered how to fight… even when my mind didn’t.”

Shadow Light glanced at him.

Shadow Light:
“You were impressive.”
Then added quietly,
“I’m a little jealous.”

Black Storm hesitated.

Black Storm:
“There’s something else bothering me.”
He looked around.
“Where’s Star X?”

Sun-Z:
“She said she’d sit by the lake… trying to unlock her power.”

Shadow Light groaned.

Shadow Light:
“She’s still doing that?”

Black Storm:
“Let’s go check on her.”

They stood and slipped away from the celebration—unaware that nearby, a man moved cautiously through the crowd.

Prof.3 adjusted his clothes, muttering to himself.

“I hope this outfit doesn’t stand out…”
“What is this? A celebration?”

He rolled up his sleeve instinctively—and froze.

No watch.

Prof.3:
“…Good thing I brought my watch.”
He sighed.
“…Ugh.”

At the edge of the lake, beneath a sky heavy with stars, Star X sat alone.

The water reflected the heavens like a mirror of distant galaxies.

Between her hands, a glowing sphere slowly formed—unstable, pulsing, alive.

She stared at it in awe.

Star X (whispering):
“It’s different from theirs…”

She tried to compress it.

To control it.

Instead—

BOOM!

The sphere detonated.

Star X flew backward, crashing into the grass as sparks scattered into the night.

Star X:
“Yeeeeee!”
She groaned.
“That scared the crap out of me!”

She sat up slowly, staring at the stars.

“It’s not like theirs at all…”
“What is this thing even made of?”

"and how am I supposed to use it"

Footsteps approached.

Her friends stood above her.

Black Storm:
“Star X… what are you doing?”

She jumped up excitedly.

The others glanced around, stunned by the lake’s quiet beauty.

Sun-Z:
“Wow… this place is incredible.”

Shadow Light:
“So much better than the noise back there.”

Star X:
“Guys—look!”

She brought her hands together.

The air shimmered.

A tiny glowing orb appeared.

It grew.

And grew.

Until it reached the size of a tennis ball.

They stepped back instinctively.

Shadow Light:
“…What is that?”

Star X grinned.

Star X:
“It’s a bomb!”

They screamed and jumped farther away.

Shadow Light:
“Are you insane?!”

Star X:
“Relax! It’s not that powerful.”
“I tested it earlier.”

She pointed behind her.

A small crater marked the ground.

She placed the orb beside it.

BOOM!

Another hole formed.

She beamed proudly.

Star X:
“See? It’s small!”

Everyone:
“She’s crazy!”

Later, they sat beneath the open sky.

The laughter faded.

The mood shifted.

Black Storm:
“Why is it just the four of us?”
“No one else here has powers.”

Shadow Light:
“How do you know that for sure?”

Black Storm:
“If they did, they’d use them.”
“But all they had were simple weapons.”

Star X frowned.

Star X:
“Then why did they call us mutants?”

Sun-Z:
“Maybe it just means we’re strangers.”

Black Storm hesitated.

Black Storm:
“There’s something else.”
“For a moment… it felt like something planted Mr. White’s name in my mind.”

"We all remembered it at the same time… without knowing who he even is."

Silence fell.

Shadow Light:
“He’s the only one with a normal name.”

"And  he might be the key to all of this"

Sun-Z nodded.

Sun-Z:
“Then our priority is clear.”

Black Storm looked at them all.

Black Storm:
“Tomorrow, we explore.”
“We split into teams.”
“First—we find out where we are.”
“And who Mr. White really is.”

Shadow Light smiled faintly.

Shadow Light:
“Sounds perfect.”

Star X’s eyes sparkled.

Star X:
“Our first plan as a team.”

Sun-Z nodded firmly.

Sun-Z:
“Let’s give it everything we’ve got.”