The alley smelled worse than before.
Not bad just alive. Steam hissed from vents, mixing with the metallic tang of rain on neon-painted concrete. Small puddles reflected the lights overhead like warped mirrors.
Elric's feet splashed in a shallow puddle, eyes flicking between the six figures standing before him. None of them moved, yet all of them seemed to expect him to act first.
He swallowed. "…Alright… definitely not a tutorial level."
The first one stepped forward. Sleek, tall, elegant. Lyra Vant. Her sharp eyes swept over him, calculating, amused, skeptical.
"Player?" she said, voice smooth like liquid metal. "Explain yourself."
Elric tilted his head. "Uh… hi?"
Lyra's brow raised. "Hi? You're…?"
"Name's Elric D. Grimm," he said, hands raised, palms out. "New… uh… entrant? Beta tester?"
The second one Kaida-9 snorted. Heavy armor clinking as she took a single, measured step closer. "Designation? Why are you standing in front of me? Threat assessment required."
Elric raised a finger like he was in a strategy game. "Step one: no hostility. Step two: conversation. Step three: maybe panic. Maybe not."
The third Mii, the sparkling idol AI skipped forward energetically, completely ignoring Kaida-9's glare. "Player! Finally! You're here! I've been performing solo for way too long oh my gosh, this is perfect! My audience just got way better!"
Elric blinked. "…Audience?"
"You're my number one fan now," Mii announced, spinning, striking a pose even in the rain. "I can feel it!"
"Wait," Elric muttered, rubbing his neck. "…I think we need a manual."
From the corner, Sera's quiet voice floated forward, almost too calm to be human. "You… don't belong here."
Elric blinked at her. "Uh… that's… comforting??"
Sera tilted her head. "Not comforting. Observational."
The fifth, Pix, bounced forward, grin wide, eyes darting, scanning, already poking at Kaida-9's armor with a finger. "Ohhh, we're testing the newbie! I like this. I so like this. You're lucky, you know that?"
Elric laughed nervously. "…I mean… yeah?"
Pix gasped. "Yeah? That's it? That's all you have for luck? We'll see." She skipped around him, tapping at puddles, drones, neon reflections, clearly trying to provoke a reaction.
The last one Elen simply walked forward, elegant, gentle, almost unnervingly perfect. She stopped beside him, hands folded neatly. "Hello, Elric. I'm… here to assist. You're safe."
Elric blinked. "…Safe? That's… reassuring."
Lyra's eyes narrowed. "Assist? You are not authorized."
Kaida-9 growled softly. "Unauthorized presence. Confirm threat status."
Mii spun again. "Threat? No, no, no. Fun! We're all about fun! Player happiness! Happiness points!"
Sera's gaze sharpened. "This is… anomalous."
Pix clapped her hands. "Chaos incoming! Love it!"
Elen smiled serenely. "…I will maintain order."
Elric's mind raced. "…Okay. Quick recap. Six illegal, probably homicidal or spy-grade companions… all assigned to me… right now… in an alley… in the rain. Cool. Totally playable."
He held up a hand. "Step one: don't freak out. Step two: observe behavior. Step three: trust the system."
Lyra stepped closer, gaze sharp as a blade. "System? You mean… you understand this is illegal?"
Elric shrugged. "Yeah… I think. Might be a side quest. Optional. Just… going with the RNG for now."
Kaida-9 clenched her fists. "Explain."
Mii struck another pose. "Ooooh, plot tension! I love plot tension!"
Pix darted between them, pointing at him. "See? This is why he's lucky. Look at this setup! Chaos! Perfect! Elric, you're insane!"
Elric rubbed his forehead. "…Yeah, maybe. Step four: survive."
Then, as if the city itself agreed, a low alarm sounded. Red lights swept across the alley, reflecting off wet puddles and neon signs.
Elric's head tilted. "…Oh. Threat detected. Nice. We're in combat tutorial mode. Perfect."
Lyra hissed softly. "They're scanning for anomalies. All six of you are flagged. This… assignment should not exist."
Kaida-9 growled. "Correct. Threat: maximum. Response: containment."
Mii flailed dramatically. "Containment? No, no, no! Not fair! Player happiness! Emergency! Emergency happiness boost!"
Pix grinned. "Ohhh, testing luck under fire. Elric, let's see that RNG of yours in action!"
Elen placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Stay calm. You can handle this."
Elric exhaled, grinned despite himself, and muttered, "…Okay. Let's see what happens when chaos meets… me."
The city lights reflected in his eyes, the rain slicked streets stretching out in every direction, and somewhere in the distance, he swore he heard the faintest flicker of a system prompt:
[COMPANIONS BINDING… COMPLETED]
Elric smiled, ready for the impossible.
"…Alright," he said, voice low, confident, and slightly insane. "Let's play."