Chapter 2: Stray Flames and Familiar Eyes
"You can kill a man. But the echo of betrayal? That sht lives forever."- VoidNova
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Day 2 — 11:47 AM
Tokyo, Near Shinjuku 2nd Ward
The alley stank of rotten fruit, piss, and yesterday's ramen. But Ren didn't care. His focus locked on the movement behind the broken vending machine at the alley's far end.
Three teenagers. Leather jackets. One holding a rusty pipe like he knew how to swing it. The other two were circling a girl in a torn school uniform.
"Please... I don't have anything left," she whispered.
Ren's breath hitched.
That voice.
That tone.
That fire, buried under panic.
Ayaka.
His pulse surged. It wasn't the same Ayaka from the last timeline. That one had blood on her hands and love in her lies. This one? Still untouched by Ichiro's slow venom.
He stepped forward, casually dragging his crowbar across the concrete.
CLANG.
The sound echoed.
The punks turned. One laughed. "You lost, bro?"
Ren didn't speak. Didn't need to.
He dropped his bag, cracked his neck, and moved. The fight lasted fifteen seconds. Twenty if you counted the last guy crawling away, face bloodied, muttering curses with missing teeth.
Ayaka stood frozen, eyes wide. Her fists were clenched, not in fear — in readiness. She was prepping to fight back before he arrived.
That same fire.
Still there.
"You good?" Ren asked, tossing her a protein bar from his pack.
She stared at him like she recognized something she couldn't place. "...I don't know you, do I?"
Ren smirked. "Not yet."
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System Overlay Activated.
[Proximity Alert: High-Affinity Female Detected]
Name: Ayaka Kisaragi
Affinity: 72 → 81 (Potential Growth: High)
Emotional Status: Distrust, Curiosity, Trauma-Suppressed Fear
Beauty Rating: 92
Threat Level: None
Supernatant Awakening Status: Dormant
Alert: Subject is highly susceptible to emotional manipulation (past trauma markers active).
Tip: Establish trust before Ichiro does. Bond unlocks hidden potential path.
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Ren's eye twitched. The system always made things sound mechanical, like people were just pieces on a chessboard. And maybe they were.
But Ayaka? She was the queen that betrayed him in the last game.
This time, he wouldn't let anyone move her but him.
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Later — Rooftop above Shinjuku Station
Ayaka sat on a cracked AC unit, hands wrapped around a steaming thermos of instant miso soup Ren boiled from his field kit.
She spoke first.
"You're not like the others."
Ren raised a brow. "What others?"
"The ones who pretend to care. The ones who look at me like I'm fragile." She sipped her soup. "You just act like I'm… already strong."
He shrugged. "You survived that alley. That's stronger than most."
She looked at him sideways. "What's your name?"
"Ren."
"No last name?"
"Dropped it."
"Cool." She smiled, just a flicker. "You're kinda weird. But in a good way."
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Flashback Fragment: Old Timeline — Year 3 After Fall
"I never stopped loving you, Ren. Not even when he told me you were the villain."
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System Log Update: Bond Initiation - Ayaka Kisaragi
Status: Partial Trust Established
Bond Perk Unlocked: +5% Resource Scavenge Efficiency
Next Trigger: Shared Combat OR Emotional Vulnerability
Side Note: Ayaka is unaware she once killed you. Play nice.
Ren exhaled and leaned back against the edge of the rooftop, scanning the skyline.
Tokyo looked normal now.
But under the surface? Cracks were forming.
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Evening — Unknown Location
Elsewhere, in a polished upscale lounge lit by LED ambient strips and faux classical paintings, Ichiro Takamine was already moving.
"Sir," a suit-clad assistant said, "we've tracked movement. Someone bought out emergency supplies from a third-tier black market vendor in Shinjuku. Paid cash. Moved smart. Off-grid."
Ichiro poured tea. "Interesting."
He sipped, smiled, then glanced at the mirror.
His reflection smiled back. Soft. Kind. Completely disarming.
"Keep eyes on the girl," Ichiro said. "If anyone contacts her first, we want to know. She's… emotionally delicate."
The assistant hesitated. "You think she'll awaken?"
Ichiro's eyes gleamed faintly — just for a second.
"She will," he whispered. "But only under the right pressure."
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System Log: Reboot - Entry #002
Current Bonded (1): Ayaka Kisaragi
Tier: Unlocked (Level 1)
Perk: +5% Resource Scavenge Efficiency
Awakening Status: Dormant (Supernatant Potential Class: Psi-Warden)
Timeline Flags:
Ichiro Influence Radius: Expanding
Future Betrayal Trigger Detected [Delayed]
Supernatant Awakening Cluster: Projected Within 30 Days
"Stay ahead. Or die behind."
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Next Chapter Teaser:
Chapter 3 – T
he First Spark
Ren witnesses the first live supernatant emergence. It's ugly, chaotic, and irreversible. As he races to save civilians, a new threat reveals itself — and it's not human.