The transport pod slowed to a halt as the team approached the Class-6 anomaly site, their previous retreat from the chaotic scene fresh in their minds. Despite the tense atmosphere, Kaito couldn't help but notice the subtle glances his teammates gave him. He fidgeted under their scrutiny, the weight of the earlier mishap still hanging heavy on his shoulders.
The comms crackled to life. "We've recalibrated your equipment to better handle anomaly interference," Aria's voice came through. "Stay alert—there's no telling how the anomaly will react this time."
Celeste glanced back at the group. "This isn't a mission for mistakes. Follow protocol, stay together, and no unnecessary risks."
Her eyes lingered on Kaito for a moment longer than necessary, making him shrink back in his seat. "Understood," he mumbled.
The pod's door hissed open, revealing the anomaly's ominous glow. The swirling storm above the site looked even more menacing now, its edges jagged and unpredictable, like a glitch in reality itself.
---
The team stepped onto the unstable ground, the air buzzing with faint static. This time, their equipment worked flawlessly—at least for now. Victor carried a modified scanner, its screen flashing with intricate readings of the anomaly's energy. Celeste directed them with crisp efficiency, while Yuki moved with a casual confidence that belied the tension in her posture. Kaito, bringing up the rear, tried to ignore the feeling of the anomaly's pull.
As they approached the anomaly's edge, Celeste raised a hand, signaling for them to stop. "Victor, begin the scan. Everyone else, hold position."
Victor crouched, setting the scanner on the ground. Its antennae extended, emitting a low hum as it began to process the anomaly's energy. The glow around the fissures intensified, pulsing in sync with the storm above.
"Energy levels are higher than before," Victor reported, his voice calm but firm. "It's unstable, but there's a pattern in the fluctuations—almost like it's alive."
Kaito's chest tightened at the observation. The sensation he'd felt earlier returned, a faint vibration running through his body, matching the anomaly's pulse.
---
The System interface suddenly flashed before his eyes:
[SYSTEM WARNING: ANOMALY INTERACTION DETECTED. USER KAITO SORA. POTENTIAL SYNCHRONIZATION RISK.]
"Kaito, what's wrong?" Yuki asked, noticing his sudden stillness.
He shook his head, the warning fading as quickly as it had appeared. "It's nothing. Just… the static. It's stronger here."
Celeste narrowed her eyes but said nothing, her focus returning to the mission.
As Victor continued the scan, a low rumble echoed through the site. The anomaly shifted, its swirling energy coalescing into a vaguely humanoid shape. The team froze as the shape turned toward them, its features indistinct but undeniably sentient.
Aria's voice came through the comms, strained. "The anomaly—it's reacting to the scanner. I'm detecting a massive energy buildup."
Before anyone could respond, the humanoid figure raised an arm-like appendage. The air distorted around it, and a shockwave rippled outward, targeting the team.
"Incoming!" Yuki shouted, tackling Kaito to the ground as the wave passed over them.
---
The scanner sparked violently, its readings turning to gibberish. Victor dove to shut it down, but the anomaly sent another pulse, this one stronger. The air thickened, and Kaito felt an overwhelming pull—not physical, but something deeper, tugging at his very being.
The System popped up again:
[SYSTEM ALERT: ANOMALY ATTEMPTING SYNCHRONIZATION. GLITCHED USER STATUS MAY RESULT IN UNPREDICTABLE OUTCOMES.]
"Kaito, get up!" Yuki hauled him to his feet again, her tone laced with urgency.
Celeste's voice cut through the chaos. "Fallback! We're not equipped for this."
As the team began their retreat, the anomaly shifted once more. This time, its form stabilized slightly, its energy condensing into a clearer shape. It raised both arms, and the storm above them crackled with lightning.
Victor stopped in his tracks, his gaze fixed on the anomaly. "It's trying to communicate," he said, his voice barely audible.
"What?!" Celeste barked.
Victor pointed at the swirling energy patterns forming above the anomaly. They weren't random—symbols and shapes were emerging, flashing in a rhythmic sequence.
"It's a message," he said. "But I can't decipher it."
The System chimed again:
[SYSTEM UPDATE: MESSAGE DECODED. TRANSLATION IN PROGRESS.]
The message appeared in Kaito's vision, fragments piecing together like a puzzle:
**"The Rift expands. Protect the Core. Beware the Invaders."**
Kaito blinked, his heart pounding. "It's warning us," he said aloud.
The anomaly's energy surged again, cutting off further communication. The ground beneath them trembled, fissures widening as unstable energy poured out.
---
The team scrambled to retreat as the fissures began emitting bolts of lightning, each one narrowly missing their path. Kaito's glitch powers sparked to life in response, fragments of code swirling around his hands.
"Kaito, do something!" Yuki shouted, her voice barely audible over the chaos.
"I don't even know what's happening!" he yelled back.
Instinct took over as he raised his hands, the swirling code forming a barrier that absorbed a stray bolt of lightning. The effort left him drained, but it gave the team the opening they needed to reach the transport pod.
Celeste shoved him inside before slamming the door shut. "What was that?" she demanded, her eyes blazing with fury.
"I—I don't know," Kaito stammered. "It just… happened."
"Save it for later," Victor said, his calm demeanor cutting through the tension. "We need to regroup and analyze the data."
The pod lurched forward, speeding away from the anomaly. As the storm receded into the distance, Kaito stared out the window, his mind racing with questions.
What was the Rift? And why did the anomaly seem to recognize him?
---
Back at the base, the team gathered in the debriefing room, their expressions a mix of exhaustion and unease. Aria's voice came through the speakers, her tone grim.
"The anomaly isn't just reacting to our presence—it's evolving. And if Kaito's translation is correct, this is only the beginning."
Celeste's gaze lingered on Kaito, her expression unreadable. "You said it was warning us. Protecting the Core from what?"
Kaito hesitated, the memory of the message flashing in his mind. "It mentioned something about Invaders. But I don't know what that means."
Silence fell over the room, the weight of the revelation sinking in.
Finally, Celeste spoke, her tone steely. "We're not stopping until we find out."