Time: April 19, 2032. Evening.
Location: Kyoto Mountains. "Temple of Light" Main Headquarters.
This place wasn't just a building, but a natural fortress. Located at the mountain peak, built from white marble, surrounded by a thick "Sacred Barrier." This was where Japan's most powerful healers and "Paladins" (Holy Warriors) lived.
And most importantly—this place was Saintess Aira's home (or prison).
Today was the "Great Purification" ceremony. High-ranking officials, generals, and wealthy people from across the country had gathered in the square. They'd paid millions of credits just to receive a single blessing from the Saintess.
In the crowd, Kaito, dressed as a servant, whispered into the microphone in his ear:
"Captain, I'm inside. I 'put to sleep' the guards in the north tower. The path is clear."
"Laylo, where are you?"
On the other side of the mountain, at a distance, Laylo sat in a tree observing through binoculars. Beside her were the snipers of "Night Owls."
"I'm in position, big brother. If any Paladin approaches you, the spirits will notify me."
Kenji... he was already sitting atop the main hall's dome, cloaked in darkness.
He looked down at the ceremony grounds below.
His heart was beating faster than it had in 80 years. Even fighting the Cosmic Demon hadn't caused such excitement.
Light fell on the stage in the center of the square.
Golden gates opened, and a girl in white clothes emerged.
Her hair was black as night, her skin white as porcelain. In her eyes... oh, those eyes. Kenji would recognize those eyes even after a thousand years.
This was Aira.
But she had changed.
In the game, she was a playful girl who went by the alias "Light," wore a short skirt and leather armor, always smiled, and teased Kenji calling him "Slow Shadow."
But now... she floated 10 cm above the ground, with no emotion on her face, resembling a statue carved from ice.
"Light..." Kenji's lips whispered.
Aira raised her hand. Warm light radiated from her palm, enveloping the disabled officials standing in the front row.
The officials shouted "Miracle!" and threw away their canes. The crowd roared.
But Aira didn't smile. She was like a robot simply performing its function.
Kenji clenched his fist.
"They've turned her into a puppet."
He commanded Kaito:
"Operation started. Turn off the lights."
CLICK!
All the lights in the temple complex went out. Only moonlight and the dim light emanating from Aira herself remained.
Panic began.
"Attack! Terrorists! Protect the Saintess!" the High Priest shouted.
Paladins (warriors in golden armor) surrounded the stage.
But Kenji was already there.
He glided between the Paladins using "Shadow Step." He didn't kill anyone, just struck their necks and knocked them unconscious.
In an instant, he appeared on stage, in front of Aira.
The surroundings were silent. Paladins lay on the ground.
Kenji and Aira.
Aira wasn't afraid. She stared at Kenji coldly as if looking at a wall.
"Who are you?" she said. Her voice was resonant but alien. "Entry here is forbidden."
Kenji removed his mask.
He showed his face. That face that Aira had seen a thousand times in the game, eaten with, laughed with.
"Aira..." Kenji said, taking a step closer to her. "It's me. Shadow. Kenji."
"We had a promise. You said 'We'll meet in real life.' I came."
Aira furrowed her brow. She searched her memory.
"Shadow? Kenji?" She repeated these words.
A spark of hope ignited in Kenji's eyes. Does she remember?
Aira shook her head.
"I don't know such a person. You're an intruder. Please leave. Or I'll be forced to use force."
Kenji froze.
"Don't know." This word stabbed his heart like a dagger. It was heavier than 80 years of loneliness.
"You don't remember?" Kenji smiled bitterly. "The 'Cosmic Demon'? The ice cream we ate together? Your first 'Heal'?"
Aira raised her hand. Spears made of light appeared around her.
"I warn you for the last time. My duty is to cleanse this place from evil. You smell of Darkness."
Kenji looked at himself. Yes, his 80 years of accumulated "Essence" was dark and heavy. But Aira was pure "Light." They were now opposite poles.
"So we fight," Kenji said in a low voice. "Fine. If you need to strike me to remember me... strike."
Aira didn't hesitate.
[Skill: Holy Spear]
A spear of light flew toward Kenji's chest.
This was an S-rank attack. It would turn an ordinary person to ash.
Kenji didn't run. He didn't defend either.
He opened his chest.
BOOM!
The spear struck Kenji's chest. An explosion occurred. Kenji flew backward and crashed into a stone pillar.
Dust rose.
From afar, Laylo saw this through binoculars and screamed:
"BIG BROTHER!!!"
Aira lowered her hand. She thought she'd eliminated the enemy.
But when the dust cleared...
Kenji was getting up.
His shirt was torn, there was a burn mark on his chest (Though his defense was strong, he had deliberately let the strike through).
Kenji spat blood and... laughed.
"Not bad," he said, fixing his eyes on Aira. "Both your 'Heal' and your 'Kill' are strong. You were the same 80 years ago. You liked fighting more than healing me."
Aira was amazed.
"How? That was an S-rank attack! You... didn't die?"
Kenji walked slowly forward. The wound on his chest healed before her eyes (Auto-Regeneration).
He stopped one meter from Aira.
Aira became frightened. She tried to attack again, but Kenji grabbed her wrist.
Not hard, very gently.
"It's okay if you don't remember me," Kenji said, looking deep into her eyes. "But know one thing. You're not a Saintess. You're not the government's weapon."
"You're Light. My partner."
"And I'll take you out of this golden cage. Not today... but soon."
At that moment, Kenji took out something small from his pocket—an Ordinary Hair Clip (butterfly-shaped)—and attached it to Aira's hair.
This wasn't an ordinary clip. This was the first item Kenji had gifted her in the game. In real life, Kenji had materialized it from his "Inventory."
Aira froze.
The moment the clip touched her hair, sharp pain struck her head.
Memory... a blurry, very blurry frame passed before her eyes:
"Slow Shadow! Did you die again? I ran out of mana waiting for you!" — a laughing voice.
Aira grabbed her head and fell to her knees.
"Ah... what is this?"
At that moment, the temple's main doors exploded open.
Hundreds of Paladins and the High Priest rushed in.
"Catch him! Don't touch the Saintess!"
Kenji looked at Aira one last time.
"See you, my Queen."
He jumped backward and disappeared into the darkness.
Laylo and Kaito followed after him.
"We retreat! Mission accomplished!"
Inside the Temple. 1 Hour Later.
Aira sat in her room, looking at the window.
The High Priest entered before her.
"Lady Saintess, are you alright? What did that filthy terrorist do to you? We've issued a manhunt for him. His name is Shadow."
Aira didn't respond.
She stroked the butterfly-shaped clip in her hair with her hand.
The High Priest noticed this.
"What is that? It could be a cursed item! Remove it!"
"No," Aira said unexpectedly in a firm voice.
She looked at the Priest. The previous emptiness in her eyes was gone. There was... a question there.
"This is mine. I feel it."
Aira looked at her reflection in the window and whispered:
"Shadow... Soya..."
She didn't remember this name, but her heart... her heart was beating strangely when hearing this name.
"He called me 'Partner.' He could have killed me, but didn't. Why?"
Returning to Night Owls Base.
Kenji rode silently in the car.
Laylo rested her head on his shoulder.
"Big brother... don't be sad. Even if she doesn't remember you, she was still affected somehow. I saw it. She was about to cry."
Kenji looked at the moon through the window.
"I'm not sad, Laylo."
A predatory smile appeared on his face.
"I'm happy. Because I created a crack in her 'protective shell.' Now it's just a matter of time."
"So what's the next plan, Captain?" Kaito asked at the wheel.
Kenji took out the tablet given by "White Tiger" from his pocket.
"Now we strengthen ourselves. Aira is safe in the government's hands (for now). We need an army and resources."
"Tomorrow... we're going to the **'Black Market Auction.'** Something I'm looking for is being put up for sale there."
"What is it?"
"Guild License. (Official permit)."
"We'll bring 'Night Owls' out of the underground. We'll become an official guild. And its name... will be 'SOLO.'"