The village square of Kyoten was calm that morning. The crisp air carried the scent of dew, and the first rays of sunlight stretched over the market stalls as merchants prepared for the day ahead.
Aiko sat on the edge of a stone step beside Kenji, arms crossed, eyes scanning the village.
"He's late." She muttered.
Kenji adjusted his glasses. "It's Pulsebun. What did you expect?"
"Punctuality?"
Kenji let out a quiet chuckle. "That's asking for too much."
Before Aiko could reply, the sound of metallic clanking echoed through the square.
"I'M HERE!"
Pulsebun appeared out of nowhere, dragging along a backpack nearly the size of himself.
Aiko blinked. "Are you… moving out?"
"Hah! This is just the bare minimum for a proper expedition."
Puffing out his chest, Pulsebun patted his overstuffed bag with pride. The contents were a chaotic mix of improvised tools, wires, glass flasks, and even something that resembled a miniature lightning rod.
Kenji raised an eyebrow. "You're not going to be able to carry that for long."
Pulsebun scoffed. "You underestimate my endurance!" He gave a little hop, adjusting the straps. "Now, let's go before the sun gets too high."
Aiko exchanged a look with Kenji before sighing. "I have a bad feeling about this."
The path leading out of Kyoten was rarely traveled—winding through towering trees, where thick roots snaked across the forest floor. The chirping of birds mixed with the rustling of leaves, creating a peaceful, steady rhythm.
Aiko walked beside Pulsebun, who paused every few minutes to readjust his bag. Kenji trailed behind them, eyes scanning the surroundings with quiet curiosity.
"Have you ever been this far into the forest?" Aiko asked.
Kenji shook his head. "No. Most people don't bother coming here. Everyone says there's nothing worth seeing."
"That's how the best mysteries begin." Pulsebun commented, shifting his bag again.
Aiko smirked. "And you only came because you heard 'ancient world' and thought you could steal some useful junk, right?"
Pulsebun snapped his fingers, sending a small spark of electricity into the air.
"You know me too well."
Kenji ignored them, pulling out a scroll from his bag.
"According to this, there are supposed to be 'structures of stone and metal' somewhere in this area. But the descriptions are vague—nobody ever seemed to know exactly what they were."
Aiko frowned. "Stone and metal? That's not normal, is it?"
Kenji shook his head. "Not at all. Most villages and cities were built with wood and bricks. But here's what's even stranger—there are ancient records that mention a world completely different from ours."
Aiko tilted her head. "Different how?"
Kenji adjusted his glasses, smirking. "Ever heard of the 'Remnants of the Old World'?"
Aiko and Pulsebun exchanged glances.
"Not really." Aiko admitted.
"Then let me tell you a story."
Kenji turned back toward the path, continuing as he walked.
"There are ancient records, far older than anything we use today, that talk about a civilization unlike anything we've ever known. They didn't rely on swords or torches to light their cities. They had something called 'machines.'"
Aiko narrowed her eyes. "Machines?"
Pulsebun perked up. "Like mechanical-type V-Monsters?"
Kenji nodded. "In a way. They built things that could move on their own. Not living creatures like the monsters we know, but artificial constructs—devices designed to perform tasks without human effort. And, according to some records, they could communicate across vast distances without ever writing letters."
Pulsebun stopped mid-step, his eyes shining.
"…That sounds like a dream! I knew the old world had unique technology, but this… this is even bigger!"
Kenji nodded. "Exactly. But no one knows what happened to them. One day, they just… vanished."
Aiko crossed her arms. "And now we live as if they never existed."
Kenji gestured vaguely. "Exactly. But that's what's strange—even though we don't understand how the old world functioned, we still find remnants of it. Ruins, artifacts, strange symbols carved into stone… but never anything that explains what really happened."
Aiko shivered. "Almost like… someone erased them."
Kenji's expression darkened slightly. "…Like someone erased them."
Pulsebun nudged Aiko's side.
"Hey, isn't it weird that they used so much electricity?"
Aiko hesitated. "Yeah… it is."
Pulsebun's ears twitched. "Even stranger that electrical V-Monsters like me exist, yet no one else seems to understand how to actually use electricity."
Aiko and Kenji locked eyes.
"Which means…" Aiko started.
Kenji finished her thought. "Which means people once knew how to control electricity."
The realization settled over them.
In their world, fire, water, and wind were well understood, harnessed in everyday life. Electricity, however, was barely comprehended.
Kenji adjusted his glasses again, his excitement returning. "That's why this expedition is going to be more interesting than we thought. It's almost like…"
His gaze lifted toward the treetops.
"…They were living in the future."
Silence followed as they continued forward, the weight of those words lingering in the air.
As they ventured deeper, the forest grew denser. The trees here were ancient, their trunks massive and twisted with age. The ground was thick with fallen leaves, the scent of damp earth filling the air.
They walked for almost an hour before Kenji suddenly halted.
"Wait."
Aiko turned to him. "What is it?"
Kenji pointed ahead.
Beyond the trees, something unnatural jutted out from the forest floor.
The gray stone formations weren't like ordinary rocks. They were too precise, too straight, as if placed deliberately.
Pulsebun adjusted his backpack and took a step forward.
"I think… we just found what we were looking for."
Aiko swallowed hard.
Before them, a massive structure loomed in the shadows, its surface covered in vines and moss.
Whatever it was…
It didn't belong to this time.