"We're here," Rei said, his voice steady.
The boy looked up.
They stood before a crumbling metro tunnel tucked under Tokyo's fringe — vines overtaking shattered concrete, rusted barricades barring the way. It looked abandoned, like a place no one had stepped into for years.
But Rei approached the overgrown wall, typed a short sequence into a concealed panel, and a faint beep echoed through the ground.
Mechanical groaning.
The gates shuddered. Then they opened.
A hidden steel lift waited behind them, lit with dull orange lights.
As the platform descended deep into the earth, the boy peered into the hollow dark below. He still didn't know where he was… or who he was.
Only that he wasn't like the monsters. And he needed to prove it.
When the elevator doors opened, a chill swept through him.
Below the city was an entire underground compound, cold and alive with technology. Fluorescent lights lined clean steel hallways. Tactical officers and analysts moved across multiple levels — soldiers in training gear, operators staring into monitors, agents preparing weapons.
This was KIBOU Base.
Unlike the outside world, it had no warmth. Only purpose.
"Follow us," Rei said. "Don't speak unless spoken to."
The boy nodded.
They passed through checkpoint after checkpoint, down toward a side hall ending in a reinforced room.
Rei opened the door.
"Wait in here."
The boy stepped in. The room was sterile, with a faint hum of machines. Observation equipment lined the walls. A metal bed sat in the center.
Before the door shut, Rei paused.
"We'll be back soon."
Then he was gone.
And silence returned.
Memory Echo
The boy sat on the edge of the medical bed.
He stared at his hands again.
They were shaking slightly.
Not from fear… but from the weight of something familiar.
That blade… I knew how to use it.
That wasn't instinct — it was memory.
He clenched his fists.
I'm not like them.
I didn't lose myself.
I don't want to be like them.
He looked down at the floor, his pulse steadying.
I want to fight… for something.
Briefing Room
Meanwhile, Rei stood inside a circular chamber facing four seated KIBOU executives, with Kazuki beside him — arms folded, silent.
On-screen footage looped above them: the boy creating his blade, cutting down the Hollowborn without transforming, and remaining fully conscious.
One of the higher-ups — a grizzled man with a jagged scar across his cheek — tapped the table.
"This boy appeared out of nowhere. His energy is Hollowborn-adjacent. And you brought him here?"
"I assessed the risk," Rei replied. "He's different. He's not like the others."
"Different how?"
"For starters," Rei said, "he shows no physical mutations. No corruption. No loss of control. He fought clearly, reacted to threats — and after everything, he didn't collapse or rage."
Another woman leaned in. "And yet, he summoned a blade out of nothing. Hollowborn behavior."
Rei didn't flinch. "He's missing something every Hollowborn we've recorded has — the Mark. There's no pattern on his body. No brand, no pulse signal. You've all seen the archives. Every Hollowborn we've ever fought bears a mark — somewhere. He doesn't."
That caused a ripple of murmurs.
Another commander narrowed his eyes. "And you're sure this wasn't a hidden transformation?"
Rei shook his head. "I monitored his energy. It didn't spike uncontrollably. It was like… it responded to his will."
One of the higher-ups scoffed. "This sounds like optimism talking, not facts. Are you sure you're not projecting?"
Rei's jaw tightened, but his voice didn't waver. "I've lost comrades. I've seen what real Hollowborn do. That boy — he fought to protect. He didn't enjoy it. He didn't crave it. He chose it."
The tension in the room rose.
Until—
The door opened.
Heels clicked against the steel.
A familiar presence filled the room.
"…Senpai?" Rei blinked.
Maria Kanzaki walked in, coat hanging loosely over her shoulder, arms crossed, calm as always. Her high ponytail shifted slightly as she stopped beside Rei.
The room straightened unconsciously.
"The White General?" one of the older officers muttered. "What are you doing here?"
"I was monitoring sector 11 when the energy spike hit," Maria said smoothly. "Then I saw who filed the report. Rei."
Her gaze shifted toward the projection.
She stood there, watching.
Studying the boy.
"How long did the entire fight last?"
"Under forty seconds," Rei said.
"And this was after taking a direct blast?"
Rei nodded. "He was unconscious when we found him. But somehow… alive."
She studied the screen a moment longer.
"Do you believe he's Hollowborn?"
"I believe he's not."
"…Then I believe you."
That stunned the room.
"You're siding with him?" the scarred man said, almost incredulous.
"I'm siding with logic," Maria replied coolly. "It's been months since anyone has killed a high-level Hollowborn without backup. This boy did it instinctively. Controlled. Alone."
She turned to the room.
"This might be the chance we've been waiting for — the chance to counterattack. We've been on the defensive for too long. Always reacting. Never pushing back. If this boy is the edge we need, then we don't throw him away."
"Or he's a trap," one of the others muttered.
Another leaned forward. "If something goes wrong… are you prepared to take full responsibility, White General?"
Maria glanced at Rei with a smirk.
"Don't worry. I trust my kouhai."
Silence.
Then: "…Understood."
Maria Meets the Boy
The door slid open once again.
The boy looked up — eyes meeting a different presence this time.
She walked in alone.
He straightened, alert, but not afraid.
Maria stood there for a moment, just observing.
"You're stronger than you look," she finally said, lips curling into a faint smile.
He blinked. "You think so?"
"I've seen enough to know," she said casually. "But strength isn't everything."
Her expression shifted. Serious, but not cold.
"Tell me one thing, first."
She stepped closer.
"Are you on humanity's side?"
Her gaze was sharp — but not judging. Not threatening. Just… searching.
The boy paused.
He placed his hand over his chest again.
"I don't know who I am. But I remember this: I was scared. And then someone saved me. I think… I want to be like that. I don't want to hurt people. I want to protect them."
Maria was silent for a long moment.
Then she gave a small nod.
"…That's enough for me."
She stepped back slightly and smiled.
"Everyone needs a name. And until yours returns…"
She tilted her head, thoughtful.
"I'll give you one."
She looked him in the eyes.
"Yuuki. It means courage."
He breathed in softly.
"…Yuuki."
The name echoed in his chest.
"Thank you."
Maria turned to the door.
Rei stepped in.
"Rei," Maria said. "Put him on the rookie list. He's one of us now."
Rookie Wing
Later, Yuuki stood in a hallway filled with bunks and training lockers. He wore a simple rookie uniform and clutched a folder with his schedule: combat training, resistance drills, weapon diagnostics.
He was still absorbing everything when—
"Hey, rookie!"
He turned.
A girl waved from the hallway. Short pink-streaked hair, bright expression, and a confident grin.
"I'm Yui Amamiya. You?"
"…Yuuki," he said.
"Cool. Welcome to the endless boot camp," she said, walking over. "Come on, I'll show you which snack machines actually work."
He followed her steps — for the first time, feeling like he might actually belong somewhere.
Even if he didn't know who he was…
He knew this was where he wanted to be.