Harsh light flooded Ron's vision as the metallic hum of the interrogation chamber pierced the silence. His wrists and ankles were bound in thick chains, bolted to the floor. Across the steel table, three figures loomed—each wearing dark uniforms with crimson insignias of the organization. Behind them, a glass panel concealed unseen observers.
"State your name and affiliation," the man in the center commanded, his voice clipped and devoid of warmth.
Ron lifted his gaze, dark circles heavy beneath his eyes. His lips curled into a faint, bitter smile.
"…Ron."
The woman to the left narrowed her eyes. "Ron what?"
"Just Ron." His voice was hoarse, yet defiant. "Affiliation? None. I don't belong to anyone."
A fist slammed onto the table. The third interrogator, younger and more impatient, leaned forward. "Don't play games! Your Nent manifested at a level far beyond normal parameters. Who trained you? Where did you get it?!"
Ron's gaze drifted to the chains binding him. He flexed his fingers faintly, feeling the subtle pulse of his Nent still restrained within.
"…No one trained me." His tone softened, haunted. "The chains… they've always been there. I didn't choose them."
The leader exchanged glances with his team. "His Cage-type Nent reached near-collapse state during rampage. Yet no prior record of him… no registration, no monitoring…"
The woman tapped her tablet. "We're missing something."
Suddenly, the glass panel slid open with a hiss. A new figure entered—taller than the others, wearing a long black coat, insignia marked in gold. His presence silenced the room.
"Enough with standard protocol," the man spoke, his voice calm but layered with quiet authority. "Leave us."
The interrogators hesitated, then filed out silently. The door locked behind them.
Now alone, the man sat across from Ron. He studied him for a long moment.
"You're awake, but you're still inside the cage."
Ron's brows furrowed. "What the hell does that mean?"
The man folded his hands. "Your Nent. It's not simply a manifestation of fear. It's a prison built by your own mind… and you've locked yourself inside it."
Ron's fists clenched. "Don't psychoanalyze me. Just tell me what you want."
"What I want," the man said softly, "is to know why you targeted those cleaners. Why you went on a rampage. Why your Nent was trying to consume you."
Ron's head lowered. His voice was barely a whisper.
"…I wasn't trying to destroy them."
The man raised an eyebrow. "Explain."
Ron's breath hitched, a flicker of pain in his expression. "It wasn't about killing them. It wasn't rage. It was… desperation. The chains kept tightening. I thought… if I broke everything… maybe I could finally be free."
Silence hung between them.
The man leaned closer. "But you're still trapped."
Ron's eyes gleamed under the harsh light, an almost hollow laugh escaping him. "Yeah. Guess I failed again."
Suddenly, alarms blared outside the room. The walls trembled faintly. The man stood, his expression grim.
"…They've come."
Ron frowned. "Who?"
The man glanced back at him. "Others like you. Nightmare-born. And they're not here to rescue you."
From beyond the walls, muffled explosions echoed. Screams. Chaos.
The chains binding Ron pulsed faintly.
"…You need me out there," Ron said, his voice sharper now.
The man hesitated.
Ron's smile returned, weary but resolute. "You can't fight cages… without a key."
The man exhaled slowly, then tapped a command into his device. With a hiss and clank, the chains around Ron unlatched, slithering back into the floor.
Ron stood, stretching his sore limbs. He locked eyes with the man.
"Let's go."
Outside, the facility's corridors burned with chaos as shadows of other Nent wielders surged toward them.
The battle wasn't over.
It had only just begun.