Part 1: The Ghost Of Yesterday's Past

Keito Shinsei sat at the head of the table with his family. The soft sounds of forks and knives and the gentle talking made the room feel warm and welcoming.

Across from him, his son's eyes sparkled with mischief while his daughter's laughter, pure and untainted, filled the room.

He lifted his gaze to meet that of his wife.

"You know," Keito said, a tender smile gracing his lips, "I never thought we'd find such peace."

His wife returned the smile. "We made the right choices," she said, reaching across the table to squeeze his hand.

The laughter faded as Keito's eyes clouded over with memories of a time when right and wrong weren't so clear-cut. "I just wish I could've made things right with Kaze. I'm afraid what I did has left a dark mark on his life."

 "Keito, we've been over this. You did what you had to do—for us."

He nodded, letting his wife words wash over him.

The family meal resumed its cheerful tempo, but a flicker of unease lingered within Keito.

____

Suddenly, an explosion shattered the night. Plates clattered to the floor as Keito sprang into action.

"Under the table—now!" Keito yelled.

His family scrambled to obey as he moved stealthily toward the door. A thousand scenarios played out in his mind, each more menacing than the last.

Peering through the keyhole, Keito's breath hitched.

Kaze stood outside, a twisted grin distorting his once-familiar features.

"Out the back!!" Keito's screamed as he turned to usher his family to safety.

"Vortex," Kaze whispered, his voice a calm prelude to the storm about to unfold. The air instantly grew dense, charged with an ominous energy that seemed to claw at the very edges of reality.

Around them, the cabin shivered, nails screeched as they were wrenched from their holdings, and the walls began an eerie dance of destruction, bending in ways that defied nature.

From the midst of this chaos, Usagi's voice emerged, sharp and fraught with urgency. "Stop this! You're going to kill them!" His words cut through the air, a desperate plea against the unfolding disaster.

Kaze, undeterred, his eyes fixed on Keito, seemed to draw the cabin's disintegration closer with each passing second. Windows shattered, sending glass dancing like ice in a storm.

With a sudden clarity amidst the destruction, Keito acted. Grabbing his family, he led a desperate charge towards what remained of the door. They burst through the threshold, a brief silhouette against the backdrop of their disintegrating home.

The ground rushed up to meet them, their bodies hitting the forest floor with a thud that knocked the wind out of them. They lay there, a tangle of limbs beneath the canopy, the forest's damp earth clinging to them as a reminder of their narrow escape.

Alive against all odds, surrounded by the fragments of what had once been their refuge.

Kaze approached them slowly, triumph written across his face. "Long time no see, Dr."

Keito stared up at him, speechless and overwhelmed by the ghost of consequences past—a ghost he had indeed helped to create.

***

September 5 3000 in the Eclipse Agency (20 years ago).

"Another all-nighter," Keito Shinsei muttered, rubbing the bridge of his nose. The fluorescent lights above seemed harsher than usual. He glanced at the clock. "It's already 7 AM?! Damn it, I've been here since the previous evening." His gaze fell on the small figure on the exam table.

Rin Asakura, just five years old, lay motionless, her chest rising and falling with shallow breaths. The electrodes attached to her temples seemed disproportionately large against her tiny head.

.Keito leaned back in his chair, eyes flicking over to the array of monitors displaying her vitals. "Hang in there, Rin," Keito murmured to himself. "Just need a bit more data."

Rin's eyes were closed, her face contorted in pain. She couldn't respond, too weak to even move. Heavy breaths and the occasional whimper were her only sounds.

"You're holding up well," Keito said, not expecting a reply. He tapped a few keys, noting the fluctuations in her readings. "This could be the breakthrough we've been waiting for."

He injected another dose of the experimental S-23 drug. Rin's small body tensed, a muffled cry escaping her lips. Keito didn't flinch, his focus remaining on the data.

"Pain is temporary," he muttered. "Progress is forever."

He knew she couldn't hear him, couldn't understand his rationale. Her suffering was just another variable, a necessary sacrifice.

"Just a little longer," he continued, more to himself than to her. "We'll make history, Rin. You'll be remembered."

Her breathing grew more labored, but Keito's eyes were glued to the monitors. The numbers, the charts—they were everything.

"Hang in there," he whispered, barely audible. "We're so close."

The lab was silent, save for the hum of machinery and the harsh breaths of the young Rin Asakura. Keito glanced at the clock. 7:15 AM. Time to log the results.

The door to the lab opened quietly, and Dr. Yamada stepped in, looking around the room before his eyes settled on Keito. "Dr. Shinsei, what would you like me to help you with?"

Keito turned around, a rare smile playing on his lips. "Monitor Rin for me. She's extremely close to being the first person to be a D-rank anomaly turned into an S-rank. Isn't it great?"

Yamada forced a nervous smile. "I doubt it will work since you have tried on many kids and they have all suffered and died. I think we should stop, don't you think?"

Frustration flashed in Keito's eyes as he faced Yamada. "This is the price we scientists have to pay for progress."

Yamada turned away, avoiding Keito's piercing gaze.

Suddenly, Rin's body started to violently shake, and her skin crackled with electric energy. Her small frame arched off the table as bolts of lightning erupted from her, causing the lab to shake. Equipment sparked and shattered, electricity dancing across the room.

"Get down!" Yamada screamed, diving to the floor. Keito followed, covering his head as the lab was engulfed in chaos.

After what felt like an eternity, the violent shaking stopped. The air was thick with the smell of ozone. Slowly, Keito and Yamada got to their feet, surveying the damage. Rin lay still again, her breathing even, the storm within her calmed.

Keito stared at her, eyes wide with realization. "It worked," he whispered, almost in disbelief.

Yamada's voice was shaky. "I can't believe it."

Keito's face broke into a wide grin. He began to jump up and down, unable to contain his excitement. "It worked! It actually worked! She has been turned into an S-rank anomaly with the Anolity called Electrical Surge!" He pointed at the sleeping Rin, pride and triumph in his voice.

Yamada adjusted the equipment, his hands still trembling. "Increase nutrients in the IV drip," Keito ordered. "And run full diagnostics. I want tissue regeneration accelerated."

Dr. Yamada nodded, still in shock, but moved to comply.

Behind him, Rin lay still, her ordeal far from over.

Keito stood up, joints cracking. He may have succeeded in artificially boosting her to S-Rank, but it had come at a cost. The child was pale as a ghost, dark circles ringing her eyes. Her spiky dark hair that fans out dramatically from her head seemed faded, lusterless.

"Increase the S-23 Drug in the IV drip too," Keito ordered his assistant. 

Keito noticed Yamada frown, the tension in his shoulders.

"You disapprove?," said Keito flatly.

Yamada met his gaze. "She's just a child. We're pushing too hard-"

"Progress demands sacrifice, remember? Or would you rather she reverts to being a D-rank nobody, bullied and ostracized?"

Yamada fell silent. 

The lab door slid open and officer Hiroto strode in, flanked by soldiers. The entire staff snapped to attention.

"At ease," said Hiroto mildly. His calculating eyes scanned the room, settling on the girl. "So it's done? You've perfected the S-Rank enhancement?"

"Yes, sir." Keito allowed himself a thin smile. "Administering the S-23 serum in graduated doses proved most effective. However, it appears it only functions on this female. She must possess unique qualities to tolerate this solution.

"Excellent." Hiroto clasped Keito's shoulder. "You've made history, Doctor Keito. This will cement the Agency's dominance for decades to come."

Keito swelled with pride. "Thank you, sir. Just doing my duty."

Later, in the hall, the scientists celebrated. Sake flowed freely, faces flushed with success.

"To Keito Shinsei," one of the scientists said, "The finest mind in the Agency!"

As Hideo Yamada slipped out of the hall, the weight of his frustration was visible. He couldn't help but mutter to himself, "All those nights, all that work, and for what? To be in Keito's shadow?" The hall buzzed with excitement, a stark contrast to the bitterness swelling within him.

"I worked with him day in and day out for many months, and I got no recognition whatsoever. These fools, I hate them," he muttered under his breath.

He paused, looking back over his shoulder, hoping for some last-minute recognition, but found none.

"Figures," he scoffed quietly, shaking his head as he pushed through the doors. The cool air outside hit him, a brief respite from his heated emotions. "Next time, I'll make sure they can't overlook me."

With that determined whisper to himself, Hideo walked away, the sound of his footsteps mingling with the distant celebration he was no longer a part of.

As the cheers grew louder, Keito looked around at the gathering of scientists in the hall. With a humble yet proud tone, he addressed them, "I guess I've made it into the history books, huh?" 

The acknowledgment of his own role, amidst the roaring applause and shouts of "Congratulations, you deserve it!" resonated deeply, marking a moment of personal and professional triumph.

____

The next morning Keito found himself back in the lab early. Nursing a slight hangover, Keito reviewed the test results. To his surprise, the girl's vitals had stabilized overnight. Her regeneration was proceeding faster than anticipated.

Perhaps he could accelerate the next trial-

His musings were interrupted by the lab doors hissing open. Hiroto entered, soldiers dragging a child between them. Wild white hair fell over the boy's face, concealing his eyes. Cuffs bound his wrists.

"Keito, meet your new test subject," Hiroto said with a cold smile. "His name is Kaze Jūryoku. He's an S-rank we found. Apparently, he killed his parents in cold blood."

"An S-rank who killed his parents? Impressive," Keito said, raising an eyebrow.

"I assure you, he has...potential." Hiroto's eyes glinted. "I want you to unlock it. Make him the strongest asset the Agency has ever seen."

"Understood, sir." Keito was already mentally cataloging the serums and trials required. "I will begin preparations immediately."

"See that you do." With that, Hiroto pivoted on his heel and departed.

Over the next weeks, Keito devoted himself fully to Kaze. The boy's innate abilities were formidable, though difficult to control. Keito tried serum after serum, each one inching Kaze closer to the highest level of S-rank possible.

The boy resisted at first, stubborn and defiant. But the experiments broke him, bit by bit. Now he obeyed Keito's every command.

____

Suddenly, ringing pierced the silence, Keito couldn't help but feel a wave of annoyance. "Who could possibly be calling at this hour?" he thought, reaching into his pocket with a sense of irritation.

Pulling out his phone, his eyes caught the caller ID, and an immediate chill coursed through him. "This can't be good," he thought, a sense of foreboding enveloping him as he stared at the screen, the weight of the moment pressing down on him in the stillness of the lab.

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Keito raised his phone. "Dr. Keito Shinsei speaking," he said.

"Keito, we have much to discuss," the voice on the other end seethed with a controlled danger, gripping Keito's attention like a vice.

"What is it that you require?" Keito inquired with caution.

After a moment of silence, the voice resumed, "The new specimen, his name is Kaze, isn't it? Have you met him? He's quite extraordinary. I would like his DNA for 'Project K'."

Keito's pulse quickened at the command. "Yes, I understand."

A faint, ominous click pierced the silence, the sound of a lighter sparking. "And Keito," the voice added urgently. Keito felt the weight of the moment. "Yes?"

The voice, tinged with stress, continued, "I only have a few years left, Keito. This must work..."

A pause, heavy with unspoken gravity. "Never mind. Just, please, finish Project K." The words hung in the air, a mix of desperation and hope underscoring the critical nature of Keito's task.

"As the click echoed in his ear, Keito wrestled with what to say next. Before he could form a response, the mood on the other end of the line shifted dramatically. The voice, previously laden with stress and urgency, erupted into laughter.

'Oh? I must have stressed you out, Keito, my old friend. Relax a bit, will you? You could have said anything, but you chose silence. I see.'

Keito's eyes widened in realization. This man was not normal; he was an enigma, devoid of understandable emotions and seemingly lacking any genuine feelings.

"In the end, Keito, you and I will see each other very soon. No matter what happens, remember this—everything I do, I do for love." With those words, the call ended abruptly.

Keito stared at his phone, his grip tightening around it until his knuckles whitened. "You don't know what love is, Chairman Kurosawa Mizuki!" he whispered.

____

Keito's hands were shaking as he returned to his work, driven by the knowledge that the stakes were now terrifyingly high and any misstep could have dire consequences.

When not working on Kaze, Keito secretly continued 'Project K,' using Kaze's DNA as the foundation. This would be his magnum opus.

Keito stayed later each night, poring over the data. He waved off Yamada's concerned looks. Progress demanded long hours.

Dr. Hideo Yamada eyed the mysterious, heavily encrypted file on the computer screen with a mix of curiosity and annoyance. "This file you're working on so intently... what is it?" he said, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Keito Shinsei glanced at the file, then back at Yamada. Speaking in measured tones, he said,

 "Yamada, believe me, it's better if you don't know."

Yamada scoffed, leaning forward. "For the benefit of the Agency, I should be in the loop. Whatever it is, I have a right to know—"

Before Yamada could finish, Keito cut in, "You want to help the Agency? Then trust me and focus on your tasks. But...," he sighed, "maybe a quick look will satisfy your curiosity." With a few keystrokes, he pulled up a blueprint on the screen. 

"This is Project K. It uses Kaze's DNA. I'm trying to enhance it with his 'Gravity Rift' anolity to create an unstoppable force. But I'm still having trouble integrating his anolity into the project."

Hiroto Nagasaki, having overheard the conversation, joined them. His voice carried the weight of his rank. "Unstoppable, you say? I'm interested. Perhaps Dr. Yamada could be of assistance to you with Project K while you work on Kaze."

Keito fixed his glasses, looking unmoved by the suggestion. "General Nagasaki, I believe it's best if I handle Project K alone. It requires... a certain delicacy. But rest assured, it will be done for the sake of the Agency."

Yamada gave Keito a side-eyed look, almost choking on his irritation. "Oh, whatever you want, Mr. Genius," he muttered under his breath. The sarcasm was visible.

Keito simply nodded. "I'll manage it," he reassured Hiroto.

Hiroto's eyes narrowed as he straightened his uniform. "Very well," he acknowledged. "I have to report to Chairman Kurosawa on our progress. I expect results." Not waiting for a reply, he made for the exit.

Both men nodded as Hiroto departed, the tension between them lingering like static in the air.