The white-haired woman watched Vale with unmistakable amusement glinting in her pale blue eyes. Beside her, sprawled comfortably atop the covers of Vale's new bed, lay a small pale wyvern, its ember-colored eyes half-lidded in lazy contentment.
Yuki's lips curved faintly.
She was trying, poorly, to restrain the wicked smile threatening to overtake her face.
For several long seconds, she said nothing.
Vale shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, every instinct urging him to either speak or flee. Neither felt particularly wise. Finally, she broke the silence.
"You answered wrong," she said calmly.
Her tone was light, but the look in her eyes was anything but. "However," she added after a moment, "I suppose that's natural. So I'll answer your question, just this once."
She leaned forward slightly, fixing Vale with an unwavering stare.
"The man you encountered," she continued, "is Earth's strongest Visorian. His name is Hydra."
She paused deliberately, studying his reaction.
"Can you guess why he's called that?" she asked.
Vale swallowed.
He hesitated, thinking back to the sensation he had felt, the layers, the multiplicity, the impossibility of it. After a moment, he spoke, uncertain.
"Because… he can control multiple elements?"
Yuki's eyes widened in genuine surprise.
"Wow," she said. "You really can sense energy perfectly, can't you?"
Before Vale could respond, she continued.
"You're right. Hydra is connected to nearly all planes, not just one. That alone places him far beyond what normal Visorians are capable of."
She straightened slightly, her expression growing more serious.
"That onyx skin you saw?" she went on. "It isn't his real skin. It's a cocoon, something to restrain his power. If he didn't suppress himself, he'd have already killed countless people as a side effect of simply existing."
Vale felt a chill creep up his spine.
Then Yuki's gaze sharpened again.
"However," she said, "do you know where you are right now?"
Vale blinked, startled by the sudden shift.
He closed his eyes, searching through his memories. Had Evelyn mentioned it? Anything at all? No matter how hard he tried, he came up empty.
He opened his eyes and slowly shook his head.
Yuki clicked her tongue softly.
"I see. So she didn't tell you," she said. "Figures."
She exhaled slowly. "You probably won't be seeing Evelyn for a few days anyway. Callum just returned from his fourth trial."
Vale stiffened.
"So," she continued, "I'll tell you."
Her gaze grew piercing as she spoke.
"This place is known as Sector Zero. Most of the world doesn't even know it exists. Yet it's one of the most important locations on the planet."
She took a slow breath.
"It's a prison," she said plainly. "A massive one, built for a single prisoner. You don't need the details."
She began listing rules, her voice cold and precise.
"Don't enter the enclosure. Don't harm or provoke staff. And if a fracture, rift, or gate appears nearby, let the professionals handle it."
She rose from the bed, now standing slightly shorter than Vale, and stepped closer to him.
Her voice dropped.
"And if you ever come face to face with the prisoner," she said quietly, "your death is guaranteed."
She turned toward the door.
"Stop."
Vale's voice cracked the air before she could leave.
Yuki paused and glanced back, her expression darkening.
"What?" she asked.
Vale bit his tongue, steadying himself.
"Why won't I be able to see Evelyn for a few days?" he asked. "She's supposed to be my teacher. Is it because of that man?"
Yuki's grin returned, sharp and knowing.
"You're right," she said. "It is because of him. Or rather, Callum."
She tilted her head slightly.
"He just returned from his fourth trial," she added casually, "and he also happens to be Evelyn's fiancé."
Vale took an involuntary step back, shock flashing across his face.
His mouth opened to speak, but Yuki raised a hand.
"I'll be going now," she said briskly. "The books you ordered are in your desk drawers, and your clothes are in the closet."
She paused at the doorway.
"I recommend you read everything," she added, "and maybe change into something more casual."
Her smile softened, just slightly.
"Bye-bye."
The door closed behind her.
Vale stared at it for several long moments, his mind struggling to process everything he had just learned. Eventually, he turned and sat down heavily on the bed, sinking into the soft mattress.
He reached out and gently stroked Ember's pale head.
The small wyvern chirped happily in response.
After several minutes of silence, Vale finally spoke.
"…I guess I should take a look at those clothes," he muttered, turning his gaze toward the closet at the far end of the room.
Vale rose from the bed and took a moment to observe the room, slowly taking in the space that would be his own for the coming months.
It was a good room, neither large nor cramped. Functional, yet comfortable. Against one wall stood a broad wooden desk made of dark brown wood, its surface smooth and well-kept. Several drawers were built into it, clearly meant for books and notes. Sitting atop the desk was a strange device Vale hadn't seen before: metallic in structure, sharply outlined, with a large glass screen embedded in its center.
He lingered on it for a moment, curiosity flickering in his eyes, before turning his attention toward the closet.
The closet matched the desk, dark wood, sturdy craftsmanship. As he approached, Vale instinctively focused, extending his senses outward.
Energy.
He felt it immediately.
A faint smile touched his lips.
Earlier, with Yuki in the room, he hadn't been able to sense anything beyond her presence. Her energy had been so overwhelming that it drowned out everything else. But now, alone, the room revealed itself.
The air felt dense, quietly saturated with power, as though strange relics or reinforced structures were woven into its very foundation.
Vale placed a hand on the closet door and opened it, maintaining his focus.
The clothes inside carried that same density.
His smile faded into concentration.
He reached out and touched the fabric. The material felt far tougher than normal clothing, firm yet flexible, resilient beneath his fingers.
"Is the density linked to durability?" he wondered silently. "Or… power?"
His eyes narrowed slightly as he stroked the pitch-black garments resting neatly inside the closet. After a moment, he closed his eyes and let out a slow breath.
"Probably both," he murmured.
He selected a set of black cargo pants and a matching compression shirt. As he removed his armor, his gaze drifted to his body, then settled on his right arm.
The metallic limb gleamed faintly under the room's lighting.
Vale focused on it, trying to sense its energy.
Once again, he was met with something deeply unsettling.
The energy was there, but it felt restrained, wrapped tightly, as if bound by countless invisible chains. It refused to flow, refused to respond.
"…Is this how sealed relics feel?" he asked himself quietly.
He stared at the arm for several seconds before his gaze shifted to the wrist. It appeared thicker than before.
A faint smile returned.
He tapped it twice.
After a brief pause, liquid metal began to ooze from the wrist, flowing downward and reshaping itself. Slowly, deliberately, a small metallic spider formed, its limbs unfolding one by one until it stood complete on the floor.
Vale continued dressing as the construct finished assembling.
"He, Chrome," he said lightly. "You awake?"
The small robot didn't respond.
Only after Vale finished putting on his clothes did it show the faintest signs of movement.
Vale crouched down, picked it up carefully, and carried it to the desk, placing it gently on the surface.
Keeping one eye on Chrome, he opened the desk drawer.
Inside were ten thick books.
He pulled them out one by one, reading their titles. Each of them dealt with planes, the Visora organ, levels of connection, curses, and structural theory. The information was dense, academic and foundational.
Yet something was missing.
Vale rested a hand against his chin.
"…Interesting," he muttered.
None of the books covered how to actually use one's powers.
At that moment, a sharp metallic voice called out from the desk.
"Vale!"
He turned just in time to see Chrome standing atop the wood, balanced on its six slender legs.
Vale's expression brightened.
"Oh. Hi, Chrome," he said. "You finally woke up?"
Chrome ignored the greeting entirely.
"Why are we at Sector Zero?!" the robot demanded. "This place is extremely dangerous!"
Vale blinked and tilted his head.
"Why?" he asked calmly.
Yuki had explained the basics, but if Chrome was reacting like this, there was clearly more to it.
Chrome bristled.
"You seriously don't know?!" it snapped.
After a brief pause, it continued in a lowered, cautious tone.
"This place houses the two strongest beings on Earth."