The academy grounds were eerily silent under the dim glow of artificial moonlight. The campus was still, save for the occasional patrol drone hovering through the designated security routes. Raizen's heart pounded steadily as he activated the stealth-weave suit. The material adjusted to his body, the hexagonal patterns subtly shifting as they absorbed and refracted ambient light, making him nearly invisible in the shadows.
The system chimed in his mind.
[Mission Countdown: 30 Minutes]
[Primary Objective: Infiltrate House Valen's storage facility undetected.]
Raizen crouched low on the rooftop of an adjacent building, his gaze locked on his target. House Valen's storage facility was a towering structure of reinforced metal, protected by automated sentries and elite guards. This was no simple break-in.
He tapped the small drone on his wrist. The tiny machine detached, hovering silently before activating its EMP charge. A quiet pulse spread through the air, causing two nearby surveillance cameras to flicker before going completely dark.
[Security Disruption: 60 Seconds]
Raizen moved. He dropped down from the rooftop, rolling smoothly onto the damp ground below. Sticking to the shadows, he sprinted toward the facility's side entrance, where the passcode-protected door awaited.
The stolen code worked instantly. A low beep confirmed his access, and the door slid open. He slipped inside, the air cool with the scent of metallic storage containers and energy barriers humming in the distance.
[Facility Entry Complete]
His fingers twitched. Now came the hard part.
Navigating the hallways required a mix of skill and intuition. Security drones hovered through designated paths, scanning for heat signatures. Raizen flattened against a wall as a drone drifted past, its red sensor flickering mere inches from his position before it floated away.
His system chimed.
[Updated Objective: Locate the target crate.]
Raizen scanned the labels, his eyes locking onto a reinforced black container marked with an unknown sigil. He tapped his wrist console, confirming the ID match.
This was it.
He pulled out a compact plasma cutter and began slicing through the locks, the quiet hum of the device the only sound in the stillness. As the final seal clicked open, he lifted the lid.
Inside, resting on a shock-resistant cushion, was a dark metallic orb with faint glowing inscriptions across its surface. The artifact.
The system reacted instantly.
[Warning: Unknown Energy Detected]
[Potential Hazard: High]
Raizen's fingers hovered over the device. What the hell was this thing?
Before he could analyze further, the soft click of a weapon safety disengaging echoed behind him.
"You really shouldn't be here."
Raizen turned slowly, coming face to face with a House Valen enforcer, his rifle aimed directly at Raizen's chest.
So much for a clean getaway.