Aiko steps forward, anxiety creeping into her voice. "What's happening?" She surveys her surroundings, her breath hitching as she stares down at a long drop. Startled, she stumbles forward. Johan reacts quickly, rushing in to catch her.As they regain their footing, Aiko, shaken by the abrupt change in setting, asks, "D-Did we teleport?"Katai stands at the edge of a rocky pillar, staring down at something with a disgusted expression. Aiko and Johan approach him from both sides, peering into the shadows below.Aiko squints. "What... is that...?"Johan leans closer, narrowing his eyes. "It kinda looks like a person..."Katai's tone turns grave. "And it's not supposed to be here." He turns to face them, his eyes heavy with concern. "I'm going to need your help to purge that thing before it lashes out and causes a problem.""Sure, but what exactly should we do?" Aiko folds her arms, sceptical."You and Johan keep it still while I gather data on it. Once I have enough information, I'll purge it.""Should be easy. Why do you need us if you can do that yourself?""...You'll find out in just a moment." Katai leaps forward, landing gracefully on the ground. He charges toward the creature, but it suddenly turns its head and delivers a devastating punch, sending Katai crashing into the mountainside."KAI!" Aiko and Johan shout in unison, panic etched on their faces. They both instinctively jump down from the cliff to face the creature.As Johan lands, he quickly sidesteps an incoming attack from the creature, narrowly avoiding its strike as it hurtles past him and collides with a rock pillar. "It's so fast! How?" His thoughts are interrupted by the creature lunging at him again, unleashing a barrage of punches. Johan ducks and weaves, dodging each blow with surprising agility.Seizing an opportunity, he counters with a powerful gut punch infused with mana. The blow lands solidly, but to his shock, the creature doesn't budge an inch. Confusion washes over him as he tries to retreat, only for the creature to grab him in a vice-like grip and repeatedly slam him onto the ground.Just when it looks like Johan is finished, the creature hoists him again for a final, bone-crushing slam. But before it can strike, Aiko unleashes a surge of mana, slicing off the creature's arm in a flash. It lets out a chilling wail of pain, staggering back as Aiko rushes forward to aid Johan."Thanks for that!" Johan gasps, stepping out of the creature's severed hand. "That thing's strength caught me off guard!""I did that by accident!" Aiko blurts out, still processing what just happened."You what?" Johan's eyes widen."I think... I think I get it now—the way commands work!" she says, her voice filled with realization."That's awesome!" Johan replies, a grin forming. "Took me a lot longer to figure it out. I'm glad it's clicking for you this fast."Suddenly, a faint rumbling interrupts them. The noise grows louder, drawing their attention. Both turn to see the creature expanding, its form swelling with dark energy."I'll teach you some tricks later," Johan says urgently, "we've got to keep that thing still until Katai gets back!"Meanwhile, Katai emerges from a crater in the wall, stretching his neck with a wince. "Ugh... Haven't moved that fast in ages," he mutters. Keiko's hologram flickers to life beside him, her voice excited. "Right?! You went flying!""AH—Keiko!" Katai jumps, startled by her sudden appearance."Sorry!" she giggles, then her tone turns more serious. "So, any plans? I've got some news.""Go on," Katai says, already dusting himself off and getting ready to move."That creature they're fighting—it's from the Void."Katai frowns. "The Void? How did something escape from there?""Beats me!" Keiko shrugs. "That place is supposed to be nearly impossible to leave, right?""Apparently not anymore." Katai starts walking briskly. "Seal whatever rift it came through. We can't let anything from that place slip into here.""On it!" Keiko's hologram flickers out, and Katai breaks into a sprint. Ahead, Johan and Aiko struggle to contain the creature. Aiko tries to sever its regenerating arm with a slice of mana, but it re-forms too quickly. She backs away as the creature advances, its movements eerily slow but deliberate. Johan lands behind it, blasting it repeatedly with mana. "HEY! OVER HERE!" he yells, but the beast remains fixated on Aiko.As it raises an arm charged with crackling energy, Aiko watches in disbelief. "When did it learn to do that...?" she wonders."Aiko, watch out!" Johan's shout snaps her from her thoughts, but too late—she's frozen in place, bracing for the hit. Just before the creature's blow connects, Katai rushes in, grabbing her and yanking her out of harm's way, his mana-boosted speed saving them both.Johan grins, seeing his friend return. "You're back! What happened?""I underestimated its strength," Katai says, placing Aiko safely beside him. His tone hardens. "That won't happen again. Can you two hold it down? I need five seconds."Aiko, still catching her breath, glares fiercely at the creature. "We'll give you ten," she declares.Johan laughs, stepping up beside her. "Easy-peasy."Katai smirks. "Alright, on three. One... Two... THREE!"On cue, Aiko and Johan rush to the creature's sides, their hands glowing with mana as they press it down, locking the beast in place. The creature lets out an enraged roar, thrashing violently against their grip.Johan grits his teeth. "Kai, this thing's putting up a serious fight!""Just hold on, I'm almost there!" Katai raises his hand, gathering a massive amount of mana. As he slowly lowers his arm, a dense, glowing energy field forms around the creature, engulfing it. The beast's roars turn into screeches of agony, then whimpers, as its form shrinks under the pressure. Finally, with a sudden burst of light, it disappears.Aiko and Johan collapse backwards, panting. Katai wipes his hands, looking relieved. "Keiko, prep the next Void cleansing. I don't want to deal with another one of those things."Keiko reappears, giving a playful salute. "Got it!" Then she vanishes again.Aiko, still catching her breath, looks up at Katai. "What... was that?"Katai exhales deeply. "When I destroy something, it doesn't just vanish—it gets sent to the Void.""The Void?""Each time the world breaks, I send it to the void and start over. Think of the void as a recycle bin that has all my old projects."Aiko's eyes widen in understanding. "So when you talked about 'cleansing' earlier...""Everything in the Void gets erased. Too much junk can cause issues, like this one."Johan, now stretching and shaking off the fight's tension, breaks the serious mood. "Serious stuff aside, that was fun!"Aiko crosses her arms, shooting him a dry look. "Fun? Fighting an eldritch monster?"Johan waves his hands frantically. "No, no! I mean fighting with you guys. Right, Kai?"Katai chuckles. "He's got a point. We haven't been together in years.""See? He gets it!" Johan beams, laughing."I would've preferred different circumstances," Aiko folds her arms and looks away, her voice softer. "But I guess this will do."Johan sighs, shaking his head. "You really don't know how to lighten up, do you?" He pauses, then brightens. "How about we have dinner and spend the night in Vakora?""A night in Vakora?" Aiko turns to Katai, intrigued. "Does that mess with anything?"Katai hesitates. "Well... not really, but it means Keiko will have to monitor us the whole time to make sure nothing goes wrong, and—"Before he can finish, Keiko's hologram pops up beside him, cheerful as ever. "No worries! Kai and I end up sleeping in the workshop a lot anyway. This is just another day for us!"Aiko stares blankly at the hologram, unsure how to react. "I'm not sure whether that's good or bad news...""It means we get to spend a night here!" Johan cheers, leaping into the air—only to hit his head on the ceiling. "OW!" he yelps, stumbling back and rubbing his head. "Since when did we teleport?""Just now," Katai answers calmly, hands in his pockets. "We're back inside Aiko's spawn point."Still groaning, Johan blinks in confusion while Katai heads toward the door. Meanwhile, Aiko is already rummaging through the kitchen cabinets. "Say, Kai," she calls out, holding up a few strange tools. "Have you ever tried cooking in Vakora?"Katai gives her a puzzled look. "Uh... no. I've always avoided having food in Vakora—""That changes today!" Aiko cuts him off, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "Help me out here! See if you can gather some ingredients from outside."Katai takes a step back, nodding slowly. "Alright... sure." He turns toward the door and calls out, "Johan! Let's head out and grab some ingredients for Aiko."Johan, still rubbing his sore head, grumbles. "Huh? Alri—""On second thought," Aiko says, stepping in front of Katai with an eyebrow twitching in annoyance. "I'll go with Johan. We have a lot to catch up on." Johan chuckles nervously and nods. "Uh, okay!"Katai watches them both leave, then sighs softly to himself.After wandering through the lively streets of the capital, exploring shops, and taking in the sights, Aiko and Johan finally stop to rest. They find a bench and sit down, letting the buzz of the city fade around them. Aiko leans back, stretching her legs, and smiles. "You know, I could get used to this.""Used to what?" Johan asks, leaning back beside her."Vakora," Aiko replies, standing up and stretching. "The longer I'm here, the more I like it. I bet I could even live here! Teaching here would probably be way less stressful."Johan grins. "I noticed a bunch of guys checking you out earlier.""For real?" Aiko raises an eyebrow."Yeah, even virtual guys think you're pretty."Aiko frowns playfully. "That... doesn't sound like a compliment.""Hey, who knows? Maybe the guys in this world are better than the ones back home."Aiko chuckles. "Another reason to stick around." They both laugh, but the conversation trails off into silence.After a beat, Aiko glances at Johan. His eyes are fixed on the horizon, distant and hollow. She frowns, her tone softening. "Johan, are you okay? You look... empty.""...It's Kai," Johan says, his voice low."Kai?" Aiko frowns. "He's always hiding something. I mean, look where we are!""No, it's more than that," Johan replies, shaking his head. "Something's off.""Like what? You've worked with him for years. You should know him better than anyone.""His intentions. He hasn't cleared the Void in over a year."Aiko pauses. "How often does he usually clear it?""Every week or so. But after the 'God incident,' he stopped.""Wait—what 'God incident'?"Johan sighs. "Katai created someone. A being he called a 'God' to manage Vakora in his place."Aiko raises an eyebrow. "Sounds practical. I'm guessing it didn't work out, and now that 'God' is in the Void?""Exactly. I left for a while, and when I came back, Kai told me the idea failed. Said it 'went wrong' and he 'dealt with it.' He wouldn't say more."Aiko narrows her eyes. "What's the catch?""Kai changed after that. Started putting strict rules in place for Vakora. He almost wiped my memories every time I tested something. It made me paranoid."Johan runs a hand through his hair, his voice trembling slightly. "I had to know what happened, so I watched old footage. His 'God'... it destroyed all of Vakora in just one day. The world was in ruins. And right before the footage cut off, I saw Kai step into Vakora, face-to-face with it."Aiko's eyes widen. "It destroyed an entire world? How big is Vakora?""Five times the size of Earth.""And he's just... keeping something like that around?""Seems like it. He goes into the Void now to manually erase things, but I think he's been avoiding a full cleansing to keep that 'God' hidden."Aiko crosses her arms, eyes narrowing further. "Are you saying he wants someone gone?"Johan shakes his head. "No. But he can send things from Vakora to Earth through gates. If he ever wanted to... he could unleash that 'God' on the real world."Aiko's breath catches. "For what? Who is he fighting?"Johan's voice lowers, more intense. "His father."Aiko gasps. "No... he wouldn't—he wouldn't do that. Not Katai."Johan clenches his fists. "Avoiding his dad is just a cover. I'm telling you, if it came down to it, he'd take him out without hesitation.""Hold on. You're accusing him of sitting on power that could destroy the world. Do you realize how insane that sounds?""You think that's crazy? Look around us! None of this is normal!""I know it's not!" Aiko snaps. "But Kai would never do something like that. He's probably just being cautious, making sure he doesn't trigger the God and put himself in danger."Johan's face hardens. "That's wishful thinking, Aiko. He's planning to use it as a weapon. You have to see that.""Then why haven't you confronted him about it?" she demands. "You think he's gonna silence you?""Yes!" Johan's voice rises. "I'm taking a risk just talking to you about this.""Kai's not going to kill you over some crazy suspicion!""It's not crazy!" Johan's eyes burn with frustration. "Come with me, and I'll explain everything.""And go where?" Aiko steps back, shaking her head. "I'm not following someone who thinks my best friend is a genocidal maniac!"Johan falls silent, calming himself. "Fine. I've done enough. If you ever change your mind, meet me at Yuuhi's Tokyo branch.""Yuuhi?" Aiko turns as Katai appears behind her, his eyes locked on Johan, surprise written across his face.Katai steps forward. "Johan... wait."Johan clicks his tongue in frustration. "There's no point hiding it now, Kai. You need to surrender your assets before things get worse.""Surrender?" Katai looks at him, disbelief in his voice. "What are you talking about?""I've been working with Yuuhi, feeding them information about Vakora. This is for your own good."Katai's eyes narrow. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"Johan's voice is cold. "...Yes. I've set in motion something that will benefit humanity in the long run.""Benefit humanity? By betraying me?""Vakora can't stay in your hands anymore, Kai. This is for the best."Katai steps toward him. "I'm the only one who should control Vakora!""Shut up!" Johan snaps, anger flaring. "You're sitting on the power to change everything, and you're doing nothing! Why won't you fix this broken world?"Katai's expression softens, almost pleading. "It's not that simple, Johan. Let's talk this through.""No." Johan's tone is final. "I've made my choice. And I know you've made yours too."A gate opens behind Johan, the air humming with energy. Katai steps closer, wanting to speak, but the words die in his throat. He looks down, regret flashing across his face as Johan turns away.~ Moments later, Tokyo, Marunouchi District ~Johan steps onto the rooftop, the wind tugging at his hair as he surveys the space. In the centre, a massive beacon towers over the scene, surrounded by researchers in lab coats bustling about their tasks. His eyes scan the area with a palpable urgency when he suddenly feels a hand on his shoulder.Turning, he's greeted by a man in a crisp white button-up shirt and striking gold pants, his grin casual and confident. "Yo!" the man says.Johan relaxes slightly, though his expression remains tense. "You really need better introductions," he mutters. "You're pushing fifty."The man chuckles. "Casual's my style. Keeps things light, even with work partners.""Right... So, how's the device coming along?""Prototype six is finished. We're running sanity checks, but I'm guessing you already know that." The man crosses his arms.Johan nods. "Good to refresh on details. Better safe than sorry." He makes a move to turn away, but the man's hand lands on his shoulder again, stopping him."Where are you rushing off to?" the man asks, his voice calm but probing.Johan brushes his hand off, narrowing his eyes. "I need to blow off some steam.""Something happen?""Nothing serious," Johan replies, his tone clipped. "Just clearing my head before the test on Friday.""Understandable," the man says, turning slightly. "But don't get too wrapped up in whatever you're doing. We can't afford for things to fall apart without you here."Johan's jaw tightens. "Are you telling me to watch my back, Kian?"Kian meets Johan's gaze, his voice lowering. "I'm telling you we can't slack off on this. Too much is riding on it."Johan steps closer, eyes locking with Kian's. "And I'm telling you to back off. I'll be there when it counts."They stare each other down for a tense moment before Kian finally relents, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. Have your fun."With that, Kian turns and walks away, blending into the sea of researchers as Johan watches him go, the wind still whipping around the rooftop.~ Katai's workshop ~Aiko sits at the edge of a chair, arms crossed, eyes focused on Katai as he silently adjusts settings on one of the terminals. The hum of the machines is the only sound between them, but the tension is palpable."You haven't said a word since we got back," Aiko finally speaks, her voice quiet but steady. "Johan's gone rogue, Kai. We need to talk about this."Katai's hands pause over the controls, but he doesn't turn around. "What do you want me to say?""How about starting with the truth?" Aiko stands up, frustration clear in her tone. "Johan said you're hiding something—something big about the Void. And I'm starting to think he might be right."Katai sighs and slowly turns to face her, his expression weary. "Aiko, the Void isn't what you think it is. It's not just some empty space where I throw away failed experiments. It's... more complicated."Aiko narrows her eyes. "Complicated how? Because right now, it sounds like you've been keeping a ticking time bomb on standby."Katai steps toward the centre of the workshop, avoiding her penetrating gaze. "I'm trying to fix it.""Fix it how?" Aiko presses, unwilling to let him deflect."I didn't want to worry Johan, so I kept the details to myself. But now I see I've only made things worse.""No kidding! Johan hates us! Has that sunk in yet?" Aiko's voice rises, the tension escalating."He's also working with Yuuhi," Katai counters, his tone urgent. "That puts us in a very precarious position.""Does it? Because something tells me you don't actually plan on fixing that God of yours." Aiko's scepticism is palpable."Trust me when I say I will fix it. And if I can't, I'll just erase it," Katai states, his voice steely."I don't understand. Why didn't you just erase it and start over?" Aiko challenges."It's not that simple." Katai's eyes reflect a deeper conflict, revealing more than he's willing to share."I'm no stranger to complex problems, and neither are you. You can trust me to help." She steps closer, determination etched on her face."It's not about trust..." Katai shakes his head. "Can we focus on the problem at hand please?""Johan's part of the problem now. So how do we deal with Yuuhi?" Aiko asks, her tone sharp and urgent.Katai shrugs slightly, his expression resigned. "I've got nothing."Aiko blinks, taken aback. "What? Seriously?""It's only a matter of time before Yuuhi takes Vakora from me," Katai admits, his voice heavy. "I told you I'd be able to help, but now... I need to focus on protecting myself more than anything else.""Damn it..." Aiko mutters, pacing as she tries to think of a solution. She suddenly stops, an idea forming. "Wait..."Katai looks up, curious. "What is it?"A sly smile spreads across Aiko's face. "Since you're already in hot water, I'll use you as bait.""Bait?" Katai repeats, raising an eyebrow.