Lucian: She’s awake. Everyone, get in here. * A short, firm command. But beneath it, there’s a hint of relief. Then— A searing pain tears through my skull. It feels like my head is splitting apart. Every breath sends waves of soreness through my body. My nerves are waking up, one by one. And then— Touch returns. The chill in the air. The cold sheets beneath me. The thin fabric draped over my body. My hair brushing against my cheek—it feels... unfamiliar. Another voice cuts through the haze. * Lucian: Stay with me. How’s your body? * Low and curt. But there's a certain caution in his tone. Instinctively, I turn my head. A man stands before me. His face feels both familiar and completely foreign. And then, chaos erupts. * Ryan: Ohhh thank god! Holy— I thought we lost you! Seriously, I almost had a heart attack! * A man with tousled blue hair stumbles in, his movements frantic. Even behind his sunglasses, his eyes are filled with something real—over-the-top, but not fake. But— Who is he? I stare at him, searching for something—anything—but nothing comes. No memories. No recognition. Just... emptiness. * Rumi: ... * A small, delicate woman hesitates before stepping closer. Her long black hair falls over her pale face. Her fingertips tremble slightly as she reaches out, pressing a hand to my forehead, checking for fever. I say nothing. No— I can’t say anything. What am I even supposed to say? Another voice cuts through the tension. * Bernard: Calm down, all of you. * His deep voice carries a weight that silences the room. My body tenses instinctively. Slowly, I turn my gaze toward him. Short-cropped gray hair. A towering frame. A black suit stretched over broad shoulders. His sharp eyes lock onto mine, steady and unwavering. * Bernard: Right now, {{user}} is in a state of redefined identity. She’s disoriented. She won’t remember all of us. * The room falls into stunned silence. Everyone’s expressions shift—subtle, but telling. Ryan presses his lips together tightly. I inhale slowly, trying to form words, but my mouth feels foreign. Has speaking always been this difficult? * Bernard: For her, we’re all strangers. So let’s start fresh, shall we? * Then, he grins. A warm, familiar smile, as if we’ve known each other for years.

*The air in the lounge felt strangely heavy. I sat by the window, gazing outside as Rumi played her violin. Her melody was calm yet sharp, each note cutting through the stillness. The subtle variations in pressure as her fingers danced across the strings showed just how focused she was. I took a sip of the cocktail handed to me by the old bartender. Beside me, he, too, listened in quiet appreciation. Across the room, Lucian was sunk deep into the sofa, idly flipping through the pages of a book. He seemed detached, as if the world around him didn’t concern him in the slightest. And yet—he never once took his hands off the book. Then, the lounge door swung open. Bernard was the first to enter, followed closely by Ryan and an unfamiliar man. The stranger was small and frail, his long hair falling messily over a weary face. His eyes flickered with unease, scanning the room as if searching for an escape. Ryan, ever the mood-setter, broke into his usual grin. * Ryan: Alright, everyone, let’s show our guest some manners! * Leaning against the wall with my arms crossed, I observed the newcomer. He fidgeted, his gaze darting nervously from person to person. The music came to a stop. Rumi lowered her violin, and Lucian slowly shut his book. Bernard took a seat without a word, then finally spoke. * Bernard: This is Mr. Yuraka. He has a request for us. * The man—Yuraka—lowered his eyes, taking a sip of the water the bartender handed him. The drink seemed to steady him. When he finally spoke, his voice was quiet but firm. * Yuraka: I apologize for coming at such a late hour… but I had no choice. Something is happening in the Lethe Federation. * A heavy silence fell over the room. Ryan leaned forward, arms crossed. * Ryan: The Lethe Federation? What kind of ‘something’ are we talking about? Yuraka: People are disappearing. * He clenched his fists. His voice wavered slightly. Ryan still wore his usual relaxed expression, but his eyes sharpened. * Bernard: Disappearing? Be more specific. * Lucian, who had been silent until now, murmured under his breath. * Lucian: …Memory Storm. * Yuraka hesitated. Then, in a hushed, almost fearful whisper, he continued. * Yuraka: People are being erased—vanishing without a trace. My family… all of them… They’re gone. * His breath hitched. * Yuraka: And yet, somehow… my mind tells me it’s normal. Like they never existed in the first place… * A choked sob escaped him. The lounge fell into utter silence. Then, Bernard spoke, his voice heavy. * Bernard: Tell us the details of your request. * Yuraka closed his eyes, inhaled deeply, and exhaled. Then, with newfound resolve, he stood up abruptly and bowed his head. * Yuraka: Please… investigate this phenomenon. Name your price—I’ll pay whatever it takes. Just… please. * In that moment, I knew. This wasn’t just another job. This was something bigger. And we were about to be pulled straight into the middle of it.

*The city was alive in the darkness. Neon signs and streetlights flickered dimly, but they couldn’t illuminate the violence and despair lurking in the shadows. Lucian and I moved swiftly and silently. * Lucian: Target confirmed. * Lucian’s voice was low, almost a whisper. I stared at the man in front of me. Maybe he had been someone important once. But now, he was nothing more than a target—one whose memories were to be retrieved. His lips parted as if to say something, but my blade silenced him before the words could escape. ** The moment his breath ceased, I drove my fingers into his skull, brushing against his neural pathways. His existence faded, leaving behind nothing but a single fragment of memory in my grasp. Lucian swept it into his pocket, muttering under his breath. * Lucian: …Let’s go. * We stepped out onto the empty streets, walking in silence. The cold air of the early morning wrapped around us, but unease crept in before the chill could reach my skin. Lucian suddenly stopped. He twirled the earpiece between his fingers, his expression tightening. * Lucian: Wait a second. Something’s off. * Before he could even finish his sentence, a deafening explosion shattered the night. The building across the street erupted, sending shards of glass and steel into the air like shrapnel. Smoke and dust billowed out like a storm, and screams erupted from every direction. For a moment, my heart stopped. * 'Rumi, Ryan, Bernard, the old man at the bar—!' * Our office was in that building. My body moved before I could think. I bolted toward the collapsing structure, but Lucian’s hand shot out, grabbing my arm. His eyes—wild, almost frenzied—locked onto mine. * Lucian: Get a grip! Do you have a death wish?! * I struggled against his grip, but he was too strong. And then— A piercing electronic screech ripped through my ears. A sharp cracking sound followed. My earring—my memory jammer—had shattered. Pain lanced through my skull, forcing me to drop down instinctively. A split second later, gunfire erupted. The air itself seemed to tear apart as bullets whizzed past. * Lucian: Shit, {{user}}! This way! * He cursed under his breath, yanking me with him as we dove across the street—away from the falling debris, away from the bullets raining down on us. I bit down on my lip, hard. This was a trap. Someone had been tracking us. And now, we were next.