《Mythos Initiative: Nyx Protocol》
To darkness all things return
Prologue ¨C The Night the Light Died
The building roared as flames clawed toward the sky, a raging inferno that swallowed steel and concrete like paper.
She was fifteen.
Not old enough to drive.
But old enough to run into burning buildings.
They called her Shadow Girl ¡ª the youngest Awakened, the miracle child of the New Era. Her uniform was still too big for her, her eyes too soft, but when disaster struck, she showed up. She always showed up.
Even now, she was carrying bodies down ten flights of fire, her lungs choking, her limbs screaming ¡ª but she moved.
And then she found her.
A woman trapped under a collapsed beam, skin blistered, coughing blood. As Shadow Girl reached for her, the woman grabbed her wrist.
¡°Save my baby,¡± the woman rasped.
¡°She¡¯s upstairs¡ªroom 10C.¡±
Shadow Girl hesitated. ¡°But¡ª¡±
¡°Please. She¡¯s all I have. GO.¡±
So she did.
She sprinted through hell, kicked open the door, and cradled a crying infant wrapped in smoke-stained blankets. She shielded the baby with her own body, made it down stairwell after stairwell¡ª
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And then the building exploded.
The shockwave hurled her into the street.
She hit the ground hard, but never let go of the baby.
---
The crowd had once cheered for her. Now it screamed.
¡°You let her die!¡±
¡°You could¡¯ve gone back!¡±
¡°You''re a killer in a costume!¡±
A man rushed her ¡ª wild eyes, bloodshot, grief-stricken.
It was the woman¡¯s husband.
¡°She begged you!¡± he screamed. ¡°She trusted you!¡±
He shoved her to the ground.
¡°You should¡¯ve died instead!¡±
---
One week later.
She sat on the floor of her room, knees pulled to her chest, scrolling through endless hate.
"Shadow Girl''s just a murderer with powers."
"Too young? Then why play hero?"
"Hope she rots in the fire next time."
She cried. Not silent tears. Loud, messy, broken sobs that wouldn¡¯t stop coming.
She just wanted to help.
The next day, she wore the uniform one last time.
Another fire. Another call for help.
She showed up ¡ª but this time, they threw bottles. Cursed her name. Called her a curse. She opened her mouth to explain, to scream the truth¡ª
And that same man came at her again. This time with a knife.
¡°I lost my wife because of you,¡± he growled. ¡°You don¡¯t deserve to live.¡±
She dodged it. Barely. Her breath caught in her throat. The crowd screamed for her blood, not her help.
She¡¯d had enough.
"I saved your daughter!" she snapped, voice shaking. "I ran through fire! I gave everything I had! I''m not a god! I can''t save everyone!"
Silence. Only hate stared back.
Her eyes darkened.
"...Fine."
She looked at them ¡ª the crowd, the man, the world that turned on her.
¡°I hope you all find your heroes somewhere else.
Because from today on¡ I¡¯m no one¡¯s hero.
Your life, your death ¡ª it¡¯s none of my concern.¡±
---
She returned home, broken.
Then she stood. Walked to the closet. Pulled out her costume ¡ª burned, torn, bloodstained.
She held it for a long moment. Then summoned her power.
A flicker of black flame danced in her palm.
The fire ignited.
Her last gift to the world ¡ª gone.
---
From the shadows behind her, something stirred.
A creature ¡ª elegant, eerie, ancient.
A fox with nine tails, its body made of living darkness and stars that pulsed like dying suns.
Her System. Her silent watcher. Her hidden god.
> ¡°Are you certain?¡± it whispered, voice like falling ash.
¡°Once I sleep, I do not wake until summoned.¡±
She didn¡¯t hesitate.
¡°Yes. Sleep. I¡¯m done.¡±
The fox curled into itself. Its eyes faded. Its body scattered into smoke.
> Log-Off Complete.
Nyx Protocol: Terminated.
¡®To shadow, all things return.¡¯
She stood alone in the dark, smoke rising around her.
No cheers. No applause.
Just silence.
And a girl who was no longer a hero.
1. A Regular Life
"Rin , wake up. You¡¯re late again.¡±
Rin groaned into her pillow, arm shooting out to slap the alarm clock¡ or maybe her cousin¡¯s voice. Too late ¡ª her younger cousin was already banging on the door like a tiny executioner.
By the time she came downstairs, suitcase dragging behind her, she was met with her aunt¡¯s exasperated sigh and her baby cousin¡¯s narrowed eyes, clutching a cling-wrapped sandwich like it was treasure.
Rin leaned down, kissed her aunt on the cheek.
¡°Love you,¡± she whispered sweetly¡ª
¡ªand snatched the sandwich out of her cousin¡¯s grip in one swift move.
¡°HEY!¡±
¡°Breakfast tax,¡± she muttered, stuffing it into her hoodie pocket like a villain.
¡°You always steal my food,¡± her cousin grumbled.
¡°That¡¯s because you always pack food. You should learn to live dangerously.¡±
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Her aunt smiled tiredly, arms folded as Rin stepped out the door, suitcase wheels clacking.
¡°Make new friends this time, okay?¡±
Rin paused on the steps.
The wind ruffled her short black hair. She didn¡¯t turn back.
¡°¡No promises.¡±
---
Outside, a silver car was parked by the curb, engine already humming. Her older cousin, Kairi, sat behind the wheel, sunglasses pushed to the top of her head, chewing on a straw and scrolling through something on her phone.
¡°Five minutes late,¡± Kairi said. ¡°I should¡¯ve charged you a ride fee.¡±
¡°Pfft. Like you¡¯d let me walk.¡±
¡°True.¡±
Rin slid into the passenger seat, propped her feet on the dashboard.
As the car rolled through the city, the radio crackled to life¡ª
¡°¡and in breaking news, the western bridge is on the verge of collapse following structural tremors. The hero Janus has arrived on scene¡ª¡±
Rin¡¯s scoff was sharp.
¡°Turn that off.¡±
Kairi gave her a side-eye. ¡°Still bitter?¡±
¡°Just bored,¡± Rin muttered, eyes on the window. ¡°Tired of fake names and dramatic rescues.¡±
Kairi didn¡¯t say anything. Just switched the station to chill indie pop.
They drove in silence after that.
---
The campus gates loomed ahead ¡ª towering iron arches with ivy curling over the edges, students bustling with nervous energy, laughter, and the scent of too many overpriced perfumes.
Rin stepped out, stretching. Her suitcase thumped onto the sidewalk.
Kairi got out too and pulled her into a hug. Tight, warm. Familiar.
¡°Try not to punch anyone this semester,¡± she teased.
¡°No promises.¡±
Rin smirked, slinging her bag over her shoulder. As she walked off into the crowd, she turned her head slightly.
¡°¡Thanks, Kairi.¡±
¡°Anytime.¡±
As the car drove away, Rin didn¡¯t look back.
She stepped onto the campus like a ghost ¡ª silent, alone, and unseen by the world.
To everyone else, she was just another freshman.
But even now¡ even in her silence¡
The shadows moved when she passed.
---
2. Roomie
The campus was alive ¡ª not just with students, but with voices.
Not literal ones. Not yet.
Just whispers. Snippets of curiosity floating through the crowd like pollen.
¡°¡ªthey said it had nine heads¡ª¡±
¡°¡ªa fisherman swore he saw it. Regrew when cut¡ª¡±
¡°Dude, it¡¯s fake. Clickbait nonsense.¡±
¡°It¡¯s literally a hydra. Like, mythology hydra¡ª¡±
¡°Yeah, keep watching those conspiracy vlogs, man. You¡¯ll start saying Bigfoot is a demigod next.¡±
Rin passed the chattering group without a glance. Hoodie on, bag slung, head low. Eyes heavy with disinterest.
Hydras. Heroes. Headlines.
None of it mattered anymore.
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Not to her.
---
She found her dorm easily. Room 4B.
She knocked once out of habit, then twisted the knob and stepped inside.
The room was¡ lived-in.
At least one half of it.
Her new roommate¡¯s side looked like a comic store exploded.
Posters of famous heroes lined the walls¡ª
Janus, striking in gold and blue, arms outstretched like a god of gates.
Lady Fox, sleek and dangerous, with mirrored lenses.
Miss Arachne, elegant in webbed silks, fingers always poised like a spider¡¯s leg.
And in one corner¡
A photo.
Old. A bit faded.
A girl cloaked in black, mask shadowing her face.
Her stance was defensive. Her eyes unreadable.
Shadow Girl.
Rin¡¯s breath hitched for a second. Just for a second.
She looked away.
The girl sitting on the bed perked up the moment Rin entered. She was short, wide-eyed, and wearing an oversized hoodie with ¡°I BELIEVE¡± in bold glitter font.
¡°Oh, hi!! You must be Rin!¡± she said, springing to her feet like an excited puppy. ¡°I¡¯m Leina! Welcome to Room 4B! I claimed the left side but I left the good shelf for you¡ª unless you like the middle shelf more, then I¡¯ll swap¡ª"
Rin raised a hand in half-greeting. ¡°Right side¡¯s fine.¡±
¡°Coolcoolcool¡ª¡±
On the TV screen behind her, a hero stood against flashing cameras.
Janus, again. Speaking confidently after the bridge collapse.
¡°Lives matter more than time. Even one life. That¡¯s a hero¡¯s vow.¡±
Leina clutched her chest dramatically.
¡°He¡¯s soooo dreamy,¡± she sighed. ¡°And wise! And super strong. I mean, if anyone¡¯s gonna stop these new monster sightings, it¡¯s gonna be him. Don¡¯t you think?¡±
Rin didn¡¯t answer.
She went straight to her side of the room, dropped her bag, and began unpacking.
¡°...So, uh, who''s your favorite hero?¡± Leina asked, trying again. ¡°Miss Arachne? Oh! Lady Fox? Or maybe one of the oldies¡ªlike the OG Shadow Girl? I have a theory she didn''t die, y''know. Some people say she disappeared after the City Fire Incident, but others think she¡ª¡±
¡°I don¡¯t believe in heroes.¡±
The words were ice. Flat. Cold. Final.
Leina blinked. ¡°Oh¡¡±
Rin pulled on her headphones. Snapped open a book. Flipped the page before even reading.
Leina sank back onto her bed, quietly turning the volume back up on the interview.
On the wall behind her, Shadow Girl¡¯s photo stared back at Rin.
Unchanging. Unblinking.
Unforgiven.
---
3. Mythos Protocol
Somewhere in the Outskirts of Osaka, Japan¡ª
The sky cracked like glass.
A low rumble echoed across the barrier dome that shimmered faintly above the broken city streets. Inside, chaos reigned.
A multi-headed beast roared¡ªeight serpentine necks flailing, one already reforming where a head had just been blown off.
Acid hissed as it melted pavement.
¡°Newt!¡± a masked girl shouted, balancing on floating shards of crystal light, her violet cape flaring. ¡°I can¡¯t hold the isolation zone much longer!¡±
A boy in a green mask¡ªmud-splattered and bleeding¡ªgrunted as he swung a jagged metal pole at one snapping jaw.
¡°I¡¯m trying, Illumina!¡± he snapped. ¡°But this damn thing¡¯s playing whack-a-mole with its heads! What kind of lunatic builds a monster that regenerates like a boss-level cheat code?! , i mean thats an unfair superpower¡±
A voice crackled through his earpiece. Calm. Sharp.
¡°That¡¯s not a superpower, Newt. It¡¯s just basic hydra biology.¡±
The voice belonged to a girl in a lilac mask, watching the fight from a high-tech wheelchair stationed at a mobile command van nearby. Her gloved fingers moved across a digital control board.
Down below, a red-masked figure rolled sideways across the rubble just in time to dodge a blast of green acid.
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¡°Yeah, and don¡¯t forget the acid breath, genius,¡± panted the boy as he rose. ¡°I got a nice burn mark on my soul.¡±
¡°Where the hell is our backup?¡± Illumina barked.
More screeching. Two heads aimed for her at once. She whispered a few sharp syllables¡ª
¡°Loki Protocol ¡ª Rune: Illusion Rift.¡±
A shimmer of iridescent air bent reality, twisting space just long enough to send both snapping jaws into a false corridor.
¡°Draining... fast,¡± she hissed, sweat dripping down her brow.
¡°Backup en route,¡± came the robotic voice of Command. ¡°Yokai emergence reported at Stadium District. Remaining units engaged.¡±
Just then¡ª
¡°Need a hand?¡± came a cheerful voice.
From the air descended a boy with a golden, double-faced mask. On one side: a face smiling toward the future. On the other: grim, watching the past.
Janus.
And beside him, a young woman landed in a roll¡ªblades humming at her side.
¡°Sorry I¡¯m late,¡± she said, brushing ash off her shoulders. ¡°Had to drop off my cousin at college.¡±
¡°Sorry I¡¯m late,¡± Janus added. ¡°Pesky Nagas collapsing bridges again. Priorities.¡±
¡°More like giving interviews,¡± Illumina muttered through gritted teeth.
Janus spread his hands innocently. ¡°Saving lives, thank you very much. Unlike Miss Spidey here sneaking out on personal errands.¡±
The girl in the command chair rolled her eyes. ¡°Miss Arachne''s a consultant, Janus. You¡¯re active task force. And she¡¯s technically on leave.¡±
¡°See? Validation.¡± Janus winked under his mask.
Then he inhaled deeply, stepped forward, and muttered:
> ¡°Janus Protocol ¡ª Gate Invocation: Divide the Past and Present.¡±
Golden energy flared from his feet, forming an enormous spectral gate that split open the sky behind the hydra. Wind rushed into the void, drawing the beast back inch by inch.
¡°Newt! Now!¡± shouted the girl in lilac.
Newt slammed both hands to the ground.
> ¡°Taotie Protocol ¡ª Glutton Fang: Devourer¡¯s Lock.¡±
From beneath the rubble, chains forged in ancient green light shot upward, tangling the hydra¡¯s limbs.
Red costume boy ¡ªaka Vcorvex¡ªstepped forward with flame flaring around him.
> ¡°Prometheus Protocol ¡ª Fire of Insight: Burn False Flesh.¡±
White-blue fire consumed the creature¡¯s healing necks, halting regeneration.
The beast shrieked¡ªthen roared as the gate swallowed its form whole.
Boom.
Silence.
The zone cracked. Illumina collapsed to her knees, panting. The isolation field flickered once¡ then popped like a bubble.
The city was safe.
For now.
---
In the echo of battle, as debris settled, the lilac-masked girl¡¯s fingers tapped a key. ¡°Captain says he¡¯s on his way. You all did well.¡±
Janus brushed soot off his shoulder. ¡°Well enough to earn lunch?¡±
¡°...Not from the budget,¡± she replied. ¡°You burned through your meal quota last week. Especially you newt¡±
Vcorvex snorted. ¡°Damn. Back to vending machine rations.¡±
Newt groaned .
Illumina sighed, rising slowly. ¡°Let¡¯s just hope this isn¡¯t another omen.¡±
Because across the world, other creatures were rising.
---
4.Miss Arachne
Rin walked out of her final class for the day, slinging her bag over her shoulder. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the campus pathways as she pressed her phone to her ear.
¡°So, made any friends yet?¡± came Ari¡¯s voice, teasing and light.
Rin rolled her eyes. ¡°Nope.¡±
¡°Why not?¡±
¡°She¡¯s a superhero enthusiast.¡± Rin¡¯s voice was flat.
There was a pause on the line. Then Ari let out a short laugh. ¡°Oh, that explains it. Your roommate probably wants to debate who¡¯s better¡ªJanus or Lady Fox¡ªand you¡¯re too polite to tell her you don¡¯t care.¡±
¡°Exactly.¡± Rin smirked slightly.
The conversation turned to lighter things¡ªfamily updates, campus anecdotes¡ªbut as Ari started to joke about Rin¡¯s reluctance to join any clubs, her tone abruptly shifted.
¡°Hey, Rin, I¡¯ll call you back later, okay?¡±
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¡°What? Why? Ari¡ª¡±
¡°Gotta go. Love you!¡±
The line went dead.
Rin frowned, staring at her phone. Something about Ari¡¯s tone didn¡¯t sit right with her, but before she could dwell on it, a gust of wind carried the sound of chatter from a nearby group of students. Shaking off the unease, she turned and headed back to her dorm.
---
Inside the hostel room, Rin found her roommate glued to the laptop screen, the flickering light casting strange shadows across the walls.
¡°Breaking news!¡± the roommate exclaimed as Rin walked in. ¡°You have to see this!¡±
Rin sighed. ¡°I really don¡¯t¡ª¡±
¡°It¡¯s Lady Arachne! She¡¯s fighting a supervillain right now!¡±
That caught Rin¡¯s attention. She didn¡¯t sit down, but her steps slowed as her roommate gestured wildly to the screen.
The news broadcast showed a high-rise district engulfed in chaos. Smoke poured from shattered windows, and debris rained down as Lady Arachne swung gracefully through the battlefield. Her sleek, black-and-silver suit shimmered with web-like designs, and she moved with the precision of a dancer, dodging strikes from her opponent¡ªa hulking figure with crocodilian features and glowing red eyes.
¡°Ammit,¡± the news anchor said grimly, ¡°a known supervillain suspected of connections to several underground organizations, is wreaking havoc in the district. Lady Arachne has stepped in to neutralize the threat. Casualties are currently unknown.¡±
Rin¡¯s stomach dropped as the name of the location was announced.
Her heart pounded. She knew that place¡ªit was where Ari worked.
Her breath hitched. ¡°No...¡±
Her roommate looked up. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±
¡°I¡ nothing.¡± Rin quickly turned away, gripping the strap of her bag tightly. She muttered, ¡°I just¡ªhope Lady Arachne can stop that thing.¡±
Inside, she was spiraling. Ari works there. Ari¡¯s there. She said she had to go... was this why?
---
Back in her corner of the room, Rin closed her eyes tightly, hands shaking. She wasn¡¯t religious, but in that moment, she whispered a quiet prayer for her cousin¡¯s safety.
What Rin didn¡¯t know was that her cousin didn¡¯t need her prayers.
Ari wasn¡¯t running from danger.
She was the one swinging into battle, her face hidden behind Lady Arachne¡¯s mask.
5. Protocols Clash
The battlefield was chaos incarnate.
Cars lay overturned, sirens wailed, and the air reeked of scorched concrete and ozone. Civilians had been evacuated, but the ground still trembled with each step of the beast known as Ammit¡ªseven feet of muscled monstrosity with scales glistening like onyx, jackal ears twitching, and crocodilian jaws snapping hungrily. His shadow stretched long and menacing beneath the ruined skyline.
Facing him was Lady Arachne, crouched atop a crumbling lamp post, silver-black armor cracked at the shoulder, her left gauntlet sparking with damaged circuitry.
"You should¡¯ve run when you had the chance," Ammit snarled, voice layered with something ancient, something wrong. His eyes glowed crimson as his Protocol pulsed to life.
[Ammit Protocol ¡ª Judgment Engaged.]
Dark hieroglyphs rippled across his skin. The air behind him distorted, taking the shape of scales¡ªa manifestation of Ma¡¯at¡¯s judgment, of weighing hearts and crushing the unworthy.
Miss Arachne didn¡¯t flinch. ¡°I don¡¯t run from monsters.¡±
She twisted her wrists in precise motions, activating her own.
[Arachne Protocol ¡ª Weaver¡¯s Domain Activated.]
Threads of light erupted from her suit, coiling into intricate webs that shot out and anchored around debris. She flipped midair, launching web discs that sliced through collapsing rubble to protect trapped civilians behind her.
But Ammit lunged, breaking the illusion of his size with terrifying speed. His claws raked forward¡ªLady Arachne dodged, barely¡ªher left thigh caught in the arc. Blood spattered as she rolled across the ground.
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Pain laced her every movement, but she stood, teeth gritted.
¡°Silken Judgment: Threadlock!¡± she chanted. Threads launched from her fingers, glowing and sharp. They pierced into Ammit¡¯s limbs, locking him mid-step.
Ammit roared. ¡°You think silk can bind the jaws of death?!¡±
With a heave, he shattered the webs, and the force blasted her back through a concrete column. She coughed up blood, limbs trembling as her Protocol¡¯s energy flickered.
He stalked toward her slowly.
¡°I devour heroes, little spider. You¡¯ll be no different.¡±
Her body screamed in agony, but still she stood. ¡°Then chew carefully, bastard.¡±
Ammit raised a claw for the final blow¡ªwhen the sky above shattered with a boom like thunder.
Wind ripped through the street. The flames around the wreckage twisted into a spiral, then fell eerily silent.
And then¡ªhe stepped into the street.
Clad in black and gold, with ash-grey markings glowing along his arms, Raj walked barefoot, shirtless beneath his segmented armor, long dreadlocked hair tied loosely, a calmness in his stride that chilled even the chaos. His body exuded a violent stillness¡ªthe calm before the godstorm.
[Shiva Protocol: Tandava Initiated.]
His feet struck the earth in rhythm. Tap. Tap. Tap. The ground cracked. With each step, golden inscriptions flared along his limbs. Behind him, the phantom image of Nataraja, the dancing destroyer, flickered¡ªarms outstretched in eternal movement.
Ammit stumbled backward. ¡°Raj...¡±
Raj didn''t speak. He danced.
One fluid motion¡ªstep, spin, strike.
The first blow crushed the ground and created a shockwave that tore apart a semi-truck in the distance. Raj blurred from sight and reappeared behind Ammit, striking his back with an elbow wreathed in flame. A pulse of destruction erupted, launching Ammit through a building.
Miss Arachne, still half-conscious, looked up through bloodied lashes.
¡°You¡¯re late...¡± she whispered.
Raj glanced back at her. ¡°You stalled a Protocol tier above yours and lived. You¡¯re not allowed to die just yet.¡±
Ammit rose from the rubble, roaring. ¡°I bear the Judgement of Death, Shiva!¡±
Raj stepped forward, expression calm. ¡°Then I¡¯ll dance your death into the dirt.¡±
He raised his arms.
¡°Ashes to ashes¡ªdestruction in rhythm¡ªTANDAVA: Mah¨¡k¨¡la Step!¡±
A ring of ancient symbols exploded beneath his feet. With a roar, he launched into a war dance of divine chaos, each motion breaking the very air around him. He moved with impossible grace, each movement a hymn of destruction. Blows rained like thunder. Ammit¡¯s regeneration began to fail¡ªlimbs breaking faster than they could mend.
His final blow was a rising knee to Ammit¡¯s chest, laced with the full force of the Protocol''s wrath.
¡°Shatter. Fade. Return to the void¡ª!¡±
Ammit screamed as the golden seal of destruction carved through him¡ªhis Protocol core cracking¡ªhis form dissolving into smoke and shadow, dragged into containment.
Silence returned.
Dust settled. The fires snuffed out.
Raj stood over the ashes, breathing steady.
A moment passed.
Then he walked to Miss Arachne and offered a hand.
¡°Let¡¯s go home, soldier.¡±
She looked at him for a long second¡ªthen took it.
---
6. A Heroes Fate
The shattered streets no longer bled smoke.
In their place stood perfectly reconstructed roads, upright lampposts, and untouched glass windows¡ªall illusions, fragile veils woven by Illumina''s hands.
The young woman stood at the center of the battlefield, her violet cloak fluttering behind her, arms outstretched. Sigils of the Loki Protocol shimmered at her fingertips, tethered to the minds of the surviving eyewitnesses.
A slow exhale.
¡°Protocol Loki: Hlieskj¨¢lf Activation ¨C Veil of Consensus.¡±
Reality shimmered.
A blinking college student who had livestreamed part of the fight now blinked again, confused. ¡°Whoa...I could¡¯ve sworn Lady Arachne was fighting...but...wasn¡¯t it just a malfunctioning mech suit or something?¡±
¡°Yeah,¡± a friend agreed, squinting. ¡°Weird malfunction. Tech gone rogue. No biggie.¡±
Illumina twirled her fingers, locking the illusion into place, and lowered her hands. Her body trembled slightly from the effort¡ªmental strain more draining than any physical blow.
With a final wave, she stepped into the makeshift mobile base, cleverly disguised as a closed-down bookstore on the city outskirts.
Inside, tension thickened the air.
Miss Arachne lay unconscious on the reinforced cot, medical nanobots swirling in her bloodstream, but her vitals flickered erratically on the screen. Her mask had been removed, revealing a beautiful yet bruised face ¡ª Ari¡¯s face.
Illumina walked in, her tone heavy. ¡°Scene reconstruction complete. Eyewitnesses believe it was a tech malfunction, minimal press coverage. Clean sweep.¡±
She glanced toward the others. ¡°How is she?¡±
At the monitor stood a pale-skinned woman in sky-blue robes, eyes glowing faint gold¡ªProtocol Holder: Yemaya Protocol, named after the oceanic goddess of healing and nurture. Her voice was soft but grim.
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¡°She¡¯s stable... but the injuries run deep. Tissue trauma. Internal bleeding. Spiritual fractures from protocol overload. Her recovery is uncertain.¡±
Janus leaned against the far wall, fists clenched. The golden tattoos on his arms pulsed slightly, revealing his frustration.
¡°This shouldn¡¯t have happened.¡± His voice was low. ¡°If I had been there from the start, maybe¡ª¡±
¡°You couldn¡¯t have predicted this,¡± said Athena, arms folded tightly, her lilac eyes calm yet troubled. ¡°Ammit was an SS-tier Protocol. A monster like that can crush A+ Protocol users. Ari held her ground far longer than anyone should¡¯ve. It¡¯s not on you.¡±
¡°But I¡¯m still a deity protocol holder,¡± Janus snapped, glaring at the floor. ¡°Even a small fragment of Janus¡¯ divine power could¡¯ve lightened her load.¡±
Athena softened. ¡°And if you had been taken out too, who would¡¯ve closed the breach? Saved the bridge? Protected the civilians? We¡¯re all parts of the wheel. Guilt doesn¡¯t make it turn faster.¡±
A tense silence settled.
Then Illumina broke it.
¡°Her phone¡¯s been ringing. Repeatedly. From her cousin¡ªRin.¡±
All heads turned.
¡°I blocked the call temporarily,¡± Illumina continued. ¡°But it¡¯s her personal line. She¡¯s clearly worried.¡±
¡°Civilians can¡¯t know,¡± Newt muttered, fiddling with a dismantled drone on a desk nearby. ¡°It¡¯s protocol.¡±
¡°She¡¯s family,¡± Athena countered softly.
¡°Still protocol,¡± Vcorvex added.
Illumina shook her head. ¡°I just... I don¡¯t know what to do.¡±
Then the back door opened with a faint creak.
Raj stepped in.
Still cloaked in post-battle silence, shirtless, dreadlocks damp with sweat, he walked with the weight of centuries behind his eyes.
He glanced toward the still form of Lady Arachne¡ªhis soldier, his comrade¡ªand then to the team.
¡°She may be a hero to the world,¡± he said quietly, ¡°but she¡¯s still someone¡¯s family.¡±
He looked directly at Illumina. ¡°Tell her cousin. She deserves to be here. At least¡ for the worst-case scenario.¡±
The room fell into a stunned hush.
Then Illumina nodded, already pulling up Rin¡¯s number.
---
Illumina stepped away from the center of the room, fingers hovering over the holographic interface as Rin¡¯s contact flashed softly before her eyes. For a brief moment, her fingers trembled¡ªjust a second¡ªbut she caught herself.
She wasn¡¯t afraid of protocol battles, illusions, or death.
But she hated this part.
She pressed the call icon.
---
Somewhere in the campus hostel¡
Rin stared at her phone, heart racing.
Incoming Call: Ari (Personal Line)
Her hands were ice-cold. Ari never left her phone on silent, let alone ignored a dozen calls in a row. Something was wrong. She knew it.
She jabbed the answer button.
¡°Ari? Finally¡ªwhere have you been? I¡¯ve been¡ª¡±
But the voice that answered wasn¡¯t Ari¡¯s.
¡°This is... Illumina,¡± came the quiet voice. Clear. Soft. Too calm. ¡°Rin, is that right?¡±
Rin froze. ¡°Where¡¯s Ari?¡±
A pause.
Then¡ªgently, ¡°She¡¯s safe, but... injured. Very seriously injured. She was caught in a classified incident.¡±
Rin¡¯s legs gave out. She sank onto the edge of the bed.
¡°Ari¡¯s¡ªshe¡¯s not just hurt, is she?¡± Her voice cracked. ¡°What happened?¡±
Illumina hesitated. Then said softly, ¡°You deserve to know the truth. You¡¯re listed as her emergency contact. I''m sending a location. We¡¯ll explain everything when you arrive.¡±
Before Rin could reply, the call ended and a soft ping marked a GPS coordinate being received.
The world blurred.
Her cousin. The one person who never lied to her, who held her hand through every panic attack, every test, every family event... was fighting for her life.
Rin grabbed her coat, barely aware of slipping on shoes.
But before she reached the door¡ª
A strange shiver slid down her spine.
A flicker.
A flash of deep, ancient darkness in her peripheral vision.
Her fingers twitched.
No , she will be fine , nothing can happen to her , no nothing must happen to her or she didn''t know what she would do.
7. Deja Vu
The rain hadn''t started, but the air felt like it wanted to cry.
Rin darted through the alleyways, heart pounding against her ribs like a war drum. The GPS led her to a forgotten street corner cluttered with parked trucks and broken vending machines¡ªbut one truck stood out.
It didn¡¯t blink or glow or hum.
It simply existed.
A matte-gray, rust-rimmed delivery truck with no logos, no license plate, and no reason to be here. But Rin didn¡¯t hesitate. Her feet moved before her brain caught up.
As she reached for the door, it hissed open.
Illumina stood inside, her purple cloak now muted under the flickering strip lights.
¡°You came fast,¡± she said gently.
¡°Take me to her,¡± Rin demanded, her voice firm.
No hesitation. No questions. No fear.
Illumina nodded and led her in.
Inside, the truck defied logic.
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What should¡¯ve been a tight corridor opened into a dimly lit control center that hummed with bio-tech monitors, spellcode scripts, and healing chambers that shimmered with faint bioluminescence.
It was bigger.
Much bigger.
And Rin didn''t blink.
She only had eyes for the cot at the center of the room.
Ari lay there, mask removed, her face pale beneath heavy bruises and swelling. Her chest rose and fell with mechanical rhythm, guided by tubes and glowing circuitry.
¡°ARI!¡± Rin screamed, rushing forward.
She dropped to her knees beside the cot, trembling, eyes locked on the woman who had been her everything. ¡°What happened to you¡ªwhat¡ªwhy aren¡¯t you waking up¡ª¡±
Footsteps echoed behind her.
Janus and Athena stepped in, both visibly grim.
¡°Rin,¡± Athena began softly, ¡°you shouldn¡¯t¡ª¡±
¡°Why did you let this happen?¡± Rin spun around, voice sharp and shaking. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be heroes? Isn¡¯t that your job? To save people? To protect people?¡±
She turned to Janus and shoved him hard in the chest.
He didn¡¯t resist.
¡°This is my cousin! She¡¯s all I have! Why didn¡¯t you save her?!¡±
Janus lowered his gaze, golden tattoos flickering dimly on his skin. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±
¡°Sorry?¡± Rin laughed bitterly. ¡°She¡¯s in a coma. Sorry doesn¡¯t fix this!¡±
Her voice grew louder. Uncontrolled. Pain-ridden.
¡°You¡¯re all just like them¡ª¡±
Flash.
Children yelling.
A ring of scorched earth.
¡°Failed hero! You couldn¡¯t even rescue a woman from a fire !¡±
Flash.
A burning building. Hands reaching for her. She didn¡¯t reach back.
Flash.
You¡¯re a mistake. You should¡¯ve never gotten a superpower.
Reality flickered.
Rin¡¯s breath caught. Her knees buckled slightly.
¡°I¡ªI didn¡¯t mean that...¡± she whispered. Her voice cracked, small and broken. ¡°You couldn¡¯t save everyone... you¡¯re not gods...¡±
She clutched her chest.
¡°...I''m not a god either...¡±
Athena stepped forward, concern sharp in her tone. ¡°She¡¯s dissociating. She¡¯s spiraling.¡±
Rin¡¯s breath became shallow. Rapid. Her vision swam.
¡°I can''t¡ªbreathe¡ªI can¡¯t¡ª¡±
¡°Rin,¡± Athena said gently but firmly. ¡°Look at me. Focus.¡±
Janus moved to the wall and dimmed the lights. Illumina projected a faint calming field, subtle pulses of blue-white light designed to soothe neurological tension.
¡°Match my breathing,¡± Athena said, kneeling in front of her. ¡°In. Out. Don¡¯t fight the pain. Let it pass through.¡±
And Rin did.
Slowly.
In. Out.
One breath at a time.
The tremors in her hands faded. Her eyes cleared. The memories loosened their grip.
She was still here.
Still breathing.
Still alive.
And so was Ari.
Even if just barely.
---
8. A Heroes choice
The quiet buzz of machines became background noise, like ocean waves trying to sing lullabies to a heart that refused to sleep.
Rin sat beside Ari, her fingers tangled in the blanket pulled to her chin. The bruises on Ari¡¯s face looked smaller now, but that might¡¯ve been wishful thinking. The respirator hissed in perfect rhythm, artificial lungs doing what Ari¡¯s own body struggled to keep up with.
Every few minutes, Rin would reach out. But she¡¯d stop midway, afraid her touch would somehow break what was left.
A shadow fell across the cot.
Athena stood there, arms folded loosely, not as the impenetrable tactician of the team, but as someone who had seen too many comrades fall.
¡°You were right,¡± she said softly. ¡°We should have saved her. No matter what.¡±
Rin blinked slowly, still coming down from the storm. ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you?¡±
Athena hesitated. Then walked to the side of the cot¡ªopposite Rin¡ªand gently lifted the blanket, folding back one edge with the care of someone handling sacred relics.
There, half-hidden in the folds, was a mask.
Black. Intricately woven with metallic silk. A single silver fang curled beneath the right eye socket¡ªfractured. The surface was cracked down the middle like it had been crushed by the weight of an entire world.
Rin¡¯s breath hitched. The recognition struck her like lightning.
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No. No. No, no, no¡ª
Her head shook, even as her eyes widened.
¡°That¡¯s not¡ª¡±
¡°It is,¡± Athena said gently. ¡°Your cousin is Miss Arachne.¡±
The world slowed.
Rin looked at the mask, then at Ari¡¯s bruised face¡ªsuddenly it wasn¡¯t just her cousin lying there. It was the shadow that moved through city rooftops, the savior with midnight grace, the phantom who tied up villains in silk webbing and left without applause.
¡°I¡ªI didn¡¯t know,¡± Rin whispered.
¡°She kept it from you for a reason.¡±
Rin¡¯s hands trembled in her lap.
¡°She¡¡± Athena continued, stepping back to give her space, ¡°¡chose this life. She signed up for the risk. Every mission she took, every fight she stepped into, it was her decision. She knew the cost.¡±
¡°That doesn¡¯t make it okay,¡± Rin snapped, eyes red. ¡°You speak like she¡¯s already¡ªlike she¡¯s¡ª¡±
She bit the words.
¡°Is.¡± Rin said sharply. ¡°She is a hero. She¡¯s still here. Please don¡¯t talk like it¡¯s already over. Please don¡¯t¡ª¡± Her voice cracked. ¡°Just don¡¯t.¡±
Athena lowered her gaze. ¡°You¡¯re right. She is a hero.¡±
Silence stretched for a few moments, broken only by the hiss and click of Ari¡¯s vitals stabilizing for now.
¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Athena finally said. ¡°For everything. I know this is a lot. I can¡¯t begin to imagine how hard it is for you. But you needed to know. She didn¡¯t just fight because she had power. She fought because she cared. For this city. For everyone. Including you.¡±
Rin swallowed hard.
¡°She saved thousands tonight. If she hadn¡¯t slowed Ammit down¡ªeven just by minutes¡ªthe civilian loss would¡¯ve been catastrophic. She gave everything she had.¡±
Rin stared at the fractured mask.
And then, quietly, she asked, ¡°Can I¡ be alone with her for a while?¡±
Athena nodded. ¡°Of course.¡±
She gently pulled the blanket back over the mask, giving Rin that final piece of distance. She lingered only a moment longer before stepping out, closing the door behind her with a soft click.
The silence returned.
But this time, Rin welcomed it.
She leaned in, brushing stray hair from Ari¡¯s face. Her thumb grazed the edge of a healing bruise.
¡°You idiot¡¡± she whispered. ¡°You absolute idiot.¡±
Her voice shook.
¡°You were a superhero. And I didn¡¯t even know. All this time¡ you protected others, while I was worried about making friends in class.¡±
She gave a weak laugh that quickly dissolved into a tearful sniffle.
¡°I should¡¯ve seen it. You always came home late. Always had excuses. Always had that look in your eye¡ªlike you were carrying more than you let on.¡±
Her shoulders trembled.
¡°I hate this. I hate not knowing how to help you. I hate that you¡¯re in this bed instead of laughing at my dumb obsessions.¡±
She leaned forward, pressing her forehead to Ari¡¯s hand.
¡°Come back to me. Please¡¡±
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
¡°¡Because I¡¯m not done yelling at you yet.¡±
---
9. Rage
¡°I swear,¡± Rin whispered, brushing her fingers over Ari¡¯s bandaged hand, ¡°if I knew who did this to you¡¡±
Her voice trembled. ¡°If I knew¡¡±
A sudden heat burned behind her eyes. Her chest tightened, her fists clenched.
¡°¡I¡¯d make them pay.¡±
¡°You might get your chance,¡± came a voice from behind.
Rin turned sharply, startled.
Standing in the entrance, flanked by soft golden light from the hallway, was Raj¡ªimpeccable as ever in his sleek black and gold suit. His signature mask hung behind him like a symbol of authority and silence, yet his gaze now held none of that stoicism. Only quiet resolve.
Behind him stood Vcorvex, arms crossed but clearly uneasy, and Athena, her expression unreadable.
¡°Raj?¡± Rin stood slowly. ¡°What¡ what do you mean?¡±
¡°Captain,¡± Vcorvex interjected. ¡°This is against protocol. She¡¯s not cleared¡ª¡±
Raj held up a hand without looking. ¡°She deserves to know.¡±
He stepped inside, his voice low but unwavering.
¡°Ammit didn¡¯t act alone. This wasn¡¯t some rogue terrorist attack or a one-man vendetta. There¡¯s an organization behind him. Ancient. Powerful. Hidden from most of the world. We call them The Eidolon Order.¡±
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Rin blinked. The name felt cold. Distant. Like a warning etched into history.
¡°What do they want?¡±
¡°I can¡¯t give you specifics,¡± Raj said, ¡°but they orchestrated the attack on the city. And they wanted Ari out of the way.¡±
Rin¡¯s voice darkened. ¡°Where can I find them?¡±
Athena immediately stepped forward. ¡°Rin, don¡¯t. I advise against that. This goes far deeper than you can imagine¡ª¡±
Just then, the door burst open.
¡°Captain,¡± Newt panted, stepping in. ¡°Something¡¯s happening.¡±
He paused as he saw Rin. A moment of tension passed before Raj nodded once in permission. Without another word, Raj followed Newt out into the hallway. Vcorvex and Athena exchanged glances, then trailed behind, leaving Rin alone for only a second.
But that second was all she needed.
She slipped after them silently.
They entered the debriefing room, a space humming with energy. Screens flickered, holograms rotated midair, tactical maps bloomed across glass surfaces.
Raj stood at the head of the room like a storm waiting to break.
¡°Continue,¡± he said.
Newt swallowed. ¡°We have a confirmed sighting. Typhon. The current wielder of the Typhon Protocol. Spotted just five miles west of the city. Near Sector W.¡±
Vcorvex slammed a hand on the console. ¡°Damn it. That was their plan. Drain Raj¡¯s energy with Ammit. Keep him distracted and weak. It¡¯s a layered attack.¡±
A quiet voice came from the door.
¡°Is this Typhon¡ part of the Eidolon Order?¡±
Heads turned.
Rin stood there.
Stunned silence.
¡°How long has she¡ª¡± Newt muttered.
Raj didn¡¯t flinch. ¡°Yes.¡±
Rin¡¯s eyes sharpened. ¡°Then I¡¯m going after them.¡±
¡°Wait¡ª¡± Illumina stepped forward, reaching out. ¡°Rin¡ªwhere are you going?!¡±
She didn¡¯t answer. Just turned and bolted out the room.
Illumina shouted again, but the door had already slid shut behind her.
The rest of the team stood in stunned stillness.
Newt blinked. ¡°What the hell just happened?¡±
Athena turned toward Raj.
Her eyes narrowed.
¡°You left the door unlocked,¡± she said slowly. ¡°You knew she was there. You wanted her to hear.¡±
Raj didn¡¯t deny it.
¡°Why?¡± she asked again, more quietly this time.
He turned to the far wall, where Ari¡¯s vitals were being remotely monitored. A soft hum pulsed from her life support graph.
¡°She¡¯s special,¡± Raj said. ¡°She¡¯s in pain. And something stirred in my Resonance when I felt her enter that room.¡±
Athena¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°You¡¯re gambling on emotion. That¡¯s not like you.¡±
¡°I¡¯m gambling on instinct,¡± he corrected. ¡°Something ancient is waking in her. The world needs more than the old guard now. It needs sparks.¡±
Athena exhaled, frustration written all over her.
¡°Let¡¯s just hope you didn¡¯t send a grieving girl to her own funeral,¡± she murmured. ¡°Because war is coming, Captain. And this time¡¡±
She looked toward the door Rin had disappeared through.
¡°¡we might not survive it.¡±
---
10. From Darkness all things are born.
Perfect. Here''s the improved and enhanced Chapter 10, now with upgraded power chants, the Nyx Protocol''s full transformation with her original log-off phrase, and dramatic additions like Raj and Athena reacting from afar. Typhon also gets his own intimidating chant to raise the stakes.
---
Chapter 10: The Echo of Gods
The Bay Area was in ruins.
Ships burned, waves lashed against broken steel, and the skies swirled with violet lightning. At the heart of it all, towering above wreckage and fear, stood Typhon¡ªa monstrous storm of scales, wind, and venom.
Civilians screamed in the distance. The ground trembled as buildings cracked and fell.
And through it all, Rin stood frozen.
Her eyes were blank, her breath shallow. She could barely hear the chaos. Her mind was trapped in the image of her cousin¡ªbroken, bruised, barely alive.
She felt useless.
Until¡ª
"MIT, move in!" Athena¡¯s voice rang out.
---
Illumina raised her arms, the air around her shimmered like broken glass.
**¡°By the masks of lies, I fracture the truth. Let illusion veil the world¡ª
Loki Protocol: Hall of a Thousand Faces!¡±
Reality distorted. The battlefield twisted into an illusionary realm¡ªcrumbling towers frozen in time, sound swallowed into silence. No civilians could see the battle now.
Janus stood before a massive golden frame that manifested midair, its borders ancient and alive.
**¡°Where one path ends, another begins. Open the gate of passage¡ª
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Janus Protocol: Threshold Eternal!¡±
Golden doors bloomed all around the city, civilians guided through by echoing echoes of Janus himself. He was everywhere, a walking miracle of rescue.
Newt exhaled as his veins pulsed green, his bones shifting with a sickening pop. His jaw unhinged wider than humanly possible.
**¡°To hunger is to endure, to consume chaos is to control it¡ª
Taotie Protocol: Glutton of the Nine Hungers!¡±
He swallowed Typhon¡¯s plasma breath whole, skin glowing as he converted it into energy.
Vcorvex launched forward, his fists igniting with searing heat as data streamed into his visor.
**¡°From forbidden flame I rise, bearer of rebellion¡¯s first spark¡ª
Prometheus Protocol: First Fire: Titanbreaker!¡±
Each punch left behind a burning sigil on Typhon¡¯s scales, igniting him from within.
Athena dropped into the fray, eyes glowing like storm-silver.
**¡°With wisdom as blade, and foresight as shield¡ª
Athena Protocol: Dominion of Strategos!¡±
Lines of white light traced the air around her¡ªtactical patterns that rewrote the rhythm of the fight. Everyone moved in perfect sync, as though they were parts of her mind.
---
Still¡ª
Typhon laughed.
¡°Pathetic.¡± His voice was a hurricane. ¡°You bring your myths¡ but I am a god among monsters!¡±
He raised his hands, drawing energy into a spiraling vortex above him.
**¡°Born of the storm, crowned by chaos! Tremble before extinction¡ª
Typhon Protocol: Wrath of the Hundred Mouths!¡±
He roared, and serpents of lightning lashed outward, tearing through illusion and stone alike.
---
And still, Rin did not move.
She stood still¡ªhead low, fists clenched. The world muted behind the roar in her head. She wanted to scream. She wanted to break.
¡° Where''s the little spider you call Miss Arachne¡¡± Typhon spat the name with disdain. ¡° Oh I forgot She''s dead, a weaver who tangled herself in her own strings. What a pitiful little hero.¡±
That did it.
The rage came first. Then the heat behind her eyes.
Then¡ª
The whisper from deep, deep inside her soul.
¡°Say it.¡±
She blinked. Her mouth trembled.
{¡sleep.¡±
¡°To shadow¡ all things return¡}
So she spoke
"Awake"
The wind died. The battlefield paused.
¡°From darkness¡ all things are born¡¡±
The sky shattered. Blackness poured through the cracks like ink across glass.
¡°To shadow¡ all things shall return.¡±
A massive pulse of shadow exploded outward from her, sending debris flying and darkness flooding the entire bay.
¡°Nyx Protocol: Primordial Womb of Night!¡±
---
Transformation complete.
She floated above the ground now, shadows coiling around her like living wings. Her skin shimmered like obsidian, eyes shining with the entire starless void.
The true power of Nyx had awakened.
Dark mist slithered out, blanketing the area and nullifying Typhon¡¯s storm. His plasma attacks faded into whimpers. His lightning died on impact.
The others watched, awestruck.
Newt stumbled. ¡°...Rin?¡±
Illumina whispered, ¡°She¡ ....¡±
Rin stepped forward, calm, focused.
¡°You mock the one who saved this city?¡± Her voice was distorted¡ªechoing as if spoken by a thousand shadows. ¡°You scream of chaos, yet you don¡¯t even understand it.¡±
A black spear formed in her hand¡ªnot conjured, but born. She hurled it.
It tore through Typhon¡¯s chest. He shrieked.
---
Far away, in the MIT command center¡ª
Raj froze.
A slow, stunned smile spread across his face.
¡°She did it.¡±
---
Athena, could only whisper:
¡°Captain¡ your gamble paid off.¡±
---
Back at the battlefield¡ª
Rin hovered before Typhon, cloaked in divine night.
¡°I¡¯m done watching people I love suffer.¡±
Her aura grew darker. The void pulsed. The stars above trembled.
Typhon, once proud and unstoppable, was now gasping beneath her gaze.
¡°This is your only warning,¡± she said.
And with one last flick of her wrist, the shadows wrapped around Typhon and dragged him into the sea, where the Nyx shadows would hold him long enough for containment.
---
11. Finale
The battlefield was drowning in shadows.
Typhon, now limping, scales cracked and breath ragged, still stood¡ªa titan of chaos weakened but not yet fallen.
Across from him floated Rin, cloaked in the shroud of Nyx, her body trembling. Her breaths were shallow, shoulders rising with strain. The sheer force of reactivating her Protocol after three dormant years was tearing at her nerves.
¡°Dammit,¡± she whispered. ¡°Just¡ a little longer¡¡±
Typhon bared his fangs. ¡°You¡¯re faltering, goddess of night. Burnout already?¡±
A tendril of his corrupted wind slammed into her side. Rin was flung across the sky, crashing into the broken husk of a cargo ship. Steel groaned under the impact. Her cloak flickered. Blood traced her lip.
Still, she rose.
¡°No¡ I won¡¯t back down¡¡±
She pushed forward again, steps heavy. Her voice cracked as she repeated the ancient lines:
¡°From darkness all things are born¡¡±
¡°To shadow¡ all things shall return¡¡±
But the light in her was fading.
She dropped to one knee.
Just as Typhon raised his hand to end her¡ª
A voice tore through the chaos like divine thunder.
¡°That¡¯s enough.¡±
A golden trishula (trident) slammed into Typhon¡¯s shoulder, pinning him to the side of a ruined tower. He screamed, trying to tear it out, but it held like divine judgment.
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Raj landed.
Clad in sleek black and gold armor, his cape moving with the stillness of command, the air shimmered around him with divine rhythm. The resonance of his Protocol shook the bay.
He looked at Rin, voice calm yet commanding.
¡°I¡¯ll take it from here, kid.¡±
Rin tried to rise, trembling.
¡°No¡ªI can still fight¡ª¡±
Raj''s shadow lengthened and shimmered into golden threads. A soft flash of light, and divine rope curled gently around her arms and legs, restraining her midair with care and authority.
¡°You¡¯ve done enough.¡±
He turned toward the battlefield.
¡°Illumina!¡±
The illusionist was already rushing forward.
¡°Get her out of here.¡±
Rin weakly fought against the bindings.
¡°He insulted her¡ he insulted Ari¡!¡±
Her voice cracked into a sob.
Raj''s gaze softened for a moment. Then, firm again:
¡°You¡¯ve honored her already. Now rest.¡±
Rin¡¯s body slumped into Illumina¡¯s arms, finally giving in to the weight of exhaustion.
Her voice, barely audible:
¡°¡Sleep.¡±
The Nyx Protocol dissolved into black mist, vanishing into the wind.
Raj turned toward Typhon, who had just torn the spear from his shoulder.
The winds howled again. The sea bucked like a beast.
Typhon hissed, ¡°So the Captain himself shows his face. Finally.¡±
Raj didn¡¯t even flinch.
¡°You hurt my squad.¡±
¡°You almost killed my best strategist.¡±
¡°And you made a girl cry.¡±
Golden sparks flickered along his gauntlets.
¡°I¡¯m not in the mood for mercy.¡±
Typhon growled and lunged.
Raj stepped forward.
---
The sky lit up with a
storm of golden light.
Typhon roared out;
¡°You think a broken god can stop a storm?¡±
The winds howled again, spiraling upward into a miniature hurricane.
Typhon¡¯s claws extended, his voice rising in a dark, guttural chant:
---
¡°Breathe, O Storm!
Shatter the mountain and devour the flame!
Let the heavens remember your name: TYPHON!¡±
---
Energy cracked around him¡ªwild, violent. His breath ignited whirlwinds and lightning.
Raj cracked his neck and stretched a single hand into the air. The earth went quiet.
His voice echoed like the toll of an ancient bell:
---
¡°Destruction¡ is the first rhythm of rebirth.¡±
¡°I dance upon the ashes of chaos.¡±
¡°I am the Eternal Flame. The Cosmic Pulse.¡±
¡°Shiva Protocol: Domain of Nataraja.¡±
---
A glowing ring of fire bloomed beneath his feet, rotating like a divine mandala. His armor shifted¡ªmore fluid now, glowing with Sanskrit etchings. Four golden arms of energy manifested behind him, each wielding a different cosmic weapon.
He raised one leg in the air¡ªthe pose of the Dancing God, the Nataraja.
Typhon lunged.
But Raj moved like fire given form.
He spun midair, each movement a tempo. With each step, he struck a beat¡ªeach beat a divine blow.
Typhon''s claw met Raj¡¯s blazing chakra¡ªshattered.
Typhon sent a gale¡ªRaj caught it, spun, and turned it into a slicing arc of flame.
Each of Raj''s steps ignited the very air.
Every strike was both dance and destruction.
¡°Step One: Tandava.¡±
He launched upward, kicked Typhon into the ocean.
¡°Step Two: Ananda.¡±
He twisted in midair, slamming down with a glowing heel onto Typhon¡¯s chest, creating a crater of divine fire.
¡°Step Three¡ªDescent.¡±
A giant glowing hand of energy¡ªShiva¡¯s third¡ªslammed Typhon back into the earth.
The hurricane died instantly.
Typhon gasped, broken, charred.
Raj stood above him, arms lowered, fire dissipating slowly. His voice quiet, almost mournful.
¡°¡And thus the storm is silenced.¡±
12. Vengeance
A low hum filled the sterile room. White lights buzzed overhead, casting cold reflections across sleek titanium walls and softly glowing interfaces. Rin opened her eyes slowly, blinking against the artificial brightness.
Her body ached. She was strapped to a biotic recovery bed, a translucent fluid drip feeding nanocellular stabilizers into her bloodstream. Electrodes lined her wrists and temples, monitoring every pulse and neural oscillation. Her Protocol Core was unstable but mending¡ªat least, that¡¯s what the HUD readings implied.
She groaned and shifted slightly, grimacing. Her body felt like it had been through a temporal distortion field.
Across the room, two figures stood watching¡ªone tall, sharp-featured, and dressed in sleek black combat exo-weave. The other was older, dressed in formal uniform with medals gleaming on his chest. His salt-and-pepper hair was neatly tied back.
The older man stepped forward and offered a short, respectful bow.
¡°Good afternoon, Miss Rin. I am General Takehiko Inoue, Deputy Commander of the MIT Mythos Initiative¡ªTokyo Division. You are currently housed in one of our classified mobile med-units stationed just outside Yokohama.¡±
Rin narrowed her eyes, her throat dry.
¡°...MIT?¡±
¡°The Mythos Initiative Taskforce,¡± Inoue clarified. ¡°An intercontinental paramilitary agency tasked with overseeing, training, and regulating Protocol Holders. Our mandate includes neutralizing paracausal threats, such as the Eidolon Order or Class-A Daemon Entities like Typhon. You, Miss Rin, are a newly reactivated Nyx-class wielder¡ªan anomaly and an asset. We would like to extend you an official invitation to join us as an operative-in-training under Section 3: Emerging Protocol Candidates.¡±
Rin didn¡¯t respond for a long moment.
Then, dryly:¡°No.¡±
The General blinked.
¡°Excuse me?¡±
Rin slowly sat up, wincing as the support fields recalibrated around her.
¡°I¡¯m not joining any military or superhero club. I''m not training to be a superhero, or a weapon. I¡¯m done with all that.¡±
Captain Raj stepped forward, arms crossed. His voice was calm but firm.
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¡°General, I¡¯ll handle this.¡±
Inoue hesitated, then gave a sharp nod and left the chamber in silence.
Raj turned toward Rin.
¡°Why not?¡±
She stared at him, exhausted eyes burning under messy black bangs.
¡°Because it¡¯s not me. That girl died years ago. I¡¯m not a hero, Captain. I don¡¯t want to save anyone.¡±
Raj studied her face. He didn¡¯t speak immediately.
Then, quietly:¡°You say that¡ but you fought Typhon yesterday.¡±
Rin looked away.
¡°I didn¡¯t fight him to save the city.¡±Her voice was razor-sharp now.¡°He insulted my cousin. That¡¯s it. I wasn¡¯t thinking about casualties. I didn¡¯t care about the civilians. I just wanted him to bleed.¡±
Raj stepped closer, tone unwavering.
¡°Intentions don¡¯t always define impact, Rin. You saved over 20,000 lives. Not because you were trying to, but because you chose to fight back. And that choice matters.¡±
Rin¡¯s voice grew cold.
¡°That wasn¡¯t a choice. That was rage.¡±
A beat of silence. Then Raj asked:
¡°What do you want, Rin? Right now. Strip everything else away. What¡¯s left?¡±
Her eyes met his.
¡°I want to destroy the Eidolon Order. Every cell. Every handler. Every Protocol Holder who knew what they did to Ari and did nothing. I want them gone.¡±
Raj didn¡¯t flinch.
¡°Good.¡±
That caught her off guard.
¡°Good?¡±
He nodded once, serious now.
¡°Because that¡¯s what we do. The MIT was created to dismantle hidden threats. Eidolon is one of them. You want to bring them down? Join us. You don¡¯t need to do it for justice. Do it for vengeance, if that¡¯s what gets you up in the morning. I don¡¯t care about the reason¡ªonly the result.¡±
Rin stared at him for a long time.
Then, finally:¡°Alright. I¡¯ll join. Not for you. Not for the world. But because I want them to suffer.¡±
Raj didn¡¯t smile. He simply turned to go.
Outside the med-unit, Athena leaned against the bulkhead, arms folded. She watched Raj emerge.
Her tone was icy.
¡°You¡¯re recruiting an 18-year-old into a paramilitary black-ops initiative using revenge as motivation, Captain.¡±
Raj didn¡¯t blink.
¡°She doesn¡¯t believe in anything anymore. Not in justice. Not in people. Not in heroes. What she needs right now is something to live for. If that¡¯s revenge¡ so be it.¡±
Athena¡¯s brows furrowed.
¡°And when revenge burns out? What then?¡±
Raj looked over his shoulder toward the med-unit, voice low.
¡°Then maybe¡ªjust maybe¡ªshe¡¯ll find something else to believe in. But first, we let the fire start.¡±
Athena sighed.
¡°I hope you¡¯re right, Captain.¡±
Raj¡¯s expression turned grim.
¡°So do I.¡±
13. Protocol Classifications
The research lab was sterile and humming with quiet energy. A glass-paneled corridor led Rin into a multi-tiered chamber that looked more like an alien observatory than a laboratory. Fluorescent lights bathed the room in pale blue, and sleek diagnostic arms hovered, awaiting activation.
Rin walked stiffly beside Captain Raj, still dressed in medical attire. Monitors flared to life the moment she entered, tracking her biometrics, brainwaves, and most importantly¡ªher Protocol Core.
At the center of the lab stood a man dressed in white and gold robes, interwoven with sleek black armor plating. His eyes gleamed with data¡ªliterally. Digital glyphs flickered across his pupils as he assessed Rin''s readings. A shimmering falcon-shaped drone hovered beside him.
¡°Rin, meet Doctor Ayaka Mensah,¡± Raj introduced. ¡°Protocol Holder: Thoth. One of our best researchers in mythogenesis classification.¡±
Dr. Mensah inclined his head. His voice was calm, deliberate, laced with knowledge beyond centuries.
¡°You¡¯re the Nyx girl,¡± he murmured. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting to see what kind of anomaly you really are.¡±
Rin frowned.
¡°Is that how you greet all your patients?¡±
He chuckled softly.
¡°Only the interesting ones.¡±
He gestured toward a pod-like seat surrounded by scanning coils.
¡°Sit. We¡¯re going to run a Proto-Gene Resonance Scan. It¡¯ll measure the density, classification, and potential evolution pathway of your protocol. You might feel a little warm.¡±
Rin sat, and the machine thrummed to life. As her aura pulsed through the chamber, the air changed¡ªthicker, darker, like velvet pressing down on light. Shadows curled along the walls like smoke.
¡°Fascinating,¡± Mensah muttered, reading the live data. ¡°You¡¯re not just a Divinity. Not even a typical Titan.¡±
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He turned toward her and began his explanation, eyes gleaming with excitement.
---
¡°In our the world of ¡ªMythos¡ªProtocols are manifestations of mythological archetypes: gods, monsters, legends. They¡¯re not mere abilities; they¡¯re systems¡ªblueprints for power anchored in ancient belief.
There are two recognized main types:
1. Divinity Protocols ¡ª Derived from gods or god-like beings. Example: Nike, the Greek goddess of victory.
2. Monster Protocols ¡ª Derived from beasts, titans, or chaotic entities. Example: Phoenix or Queen of Serpents.
Protocols are ranked from E to SSS+, based on two things:
The type (Divine or Monster)
The raw attack potential of the entity.
But¡ªrank doesn''t equal strength. A higher rank only shows potential. Many E-Ranks have won against S-Ranks with training and skill.¡±**
He tapped a holographic panel and two names appeared:
> Janus (Divinity, A+ Rank)
Taotie (Monster, S¨C Rank)
¡°Janus is divine¡ªgatekeeper of transitions. But Taotie? A gluttonous beast of ancient Chinese lore. More chaotic. More explosive. Stronger by nature, though far less disciplined.¡±
Another set blinked into view:
> Nike (Divinity, S-Rank)
Phoenix (Monster, S+ Rank)
¡°Phoenix holds more power than Nike, not because she¡¯s holier¡ªbut because she burns more freely. That¡¯s the key difference: Divinity represents order, Monster represents chaos. Chaos has no ceiling.¡±
He turned to Rin.
¡°But you¡ªNyx¡ªis neither entirely divine, nor entirely monstrous.¡±
He expanded a third category on the screen:
---
> Category Three: Hybrid Protocols
Beings that exist at the edge of divinity and monstrosity¡ªworshiped as gods but born from chaos.
---
¡°Nyx was a Titan¡ªone of the Primordials. Born from Chaos itself. But she was worshiped in many cultures as the Goddess of the Night. That puts you in Category Three. A rare class. A paradox.¡±
Rin stared at the scans. Her aura twisted like ink in water¡ªneither holy nor cursed. Something in between.
¡°So what does that mean?¡± she asked, voice low.
¡°It means your Protocol is volatile, adaptive, and largely undefined. Most Divinities operate on structured domains¡ªsunlight, war, justice. Yours is night. Which contains everything and nothing. Dreams, shadows, death, memory. Your core isn¡¯t stable because night is never one thing.¡±
Raj leaned against the wall.
¡°And what¡¯s her rank?¡±
Mensah exhaled, adjusting his display.
¡°Initial scan shows S-Rank¡ but adaptive fluctuations are trending upward. This Protocol may have the potential to evolve to SSS+.¡±
Rin blinked.
¡°Protocols¡ can evolve?¡±
Mensah nodded slowly.
¡°Yes. But it¡¯s rare. Less than 0.04% ever do. Evolution requires intense emotional catalysts, existential crisis, or divine resonance. It¡¯s not just power¡ªit¡¯s transformation of self. When the host changes¡ so does the Protocol.¡±
He paused, studying her.
¡°The fact that yours is already shifting¡ means you¡¯re a living anomaly. And potentially, a walking extinction event.¡±
Rin narrowed her eyes.
¡°So what now?¡±
Raj straightened.
¡°Now? Training. Calibration. We¡¯ll start with control drills and resonance focusing. If your Protocol keeps evolving unchecked, you¡¯ll lose yourself to it.¡±
Mensah added with a wry smile,
¡°No pressure. But if you go berserk, we have two S+ Protocol Holders on standby to contain you. Maybe three.¡±
Rin smirked slightly.
¡°Let¡¯s hope they¡¯re faster than Typhon.¡±
The shadows behind her curled like wings.
---
14. Protocol Awakening
Somewhere across the MIT compound¡ªfar from the sterile hum of Rin¡¯s scan chamber¡ªa different kind of chaos unfolded.
The medbay reeked of scorched stone and antiseptic. Alarms still echoed faintly down the corridor, and two broken gargoyle corpses smoldered on the floor just outside the reinforced gates. Shattered talons, burnt wings, and fragments of corrupted runes littered the hall.
Inside the medbay, a boy lay writhing on a scorched medical bed, his chest rising and falling in rapid, shallow gasps. His skin was charred at the edges, but radiant gold light pulsed beneath the surface¡ªlike a furnace beneath flesh.
Doctors shouted over each other as techs tried stabilizing him. But the real battle wasn¡¯t physical.
It was spiritual.
Inside his soul, something had been awakened.
A storm of fire. A chariot racing through the stars. A scream torn from ancient legend.
The roar of a child-god who defied fate itself.
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¡°Protocol Activation Detected ¡ª Codename: NEZHA.¡±
The system AI announced it with a mix of awe and alarm.
One of the healers stumbled back as flaming rings formed around the boy¡¯s ankles, lifting his body off the table. His limbs spread out, suspended midair, as if pulled by invisible threads. Golden fire etched celestial script into the walls. His hair burned at the tips, rising upward as heat danced around him.
¡°He''s synchronizing with it mid-trauma?¡±
One of the nurses gasped.
¡°That¡¯s impossible! He should be dead!¡±
But Protocols didn¡¯t always play by the rules. Not when their Hosts were chosen.
The boy gasped sharply¡ªand everything went still.
A single blazing eye opened, glowing with radiant red fire. The rings vanished, and he dropped to the bed, panting.
He was alive.
Barely.
But something in him had changed forever.
---
[
---
Dr. Mensah arrived ten minutes later, flanked by a team of elite guards.
He glanced at the boy, then at the burn marks scorched into the ceiling.
¡°We just gained a Nezha. Hah,¡± he muttered, half-impressed.
¡°That¡¯s a rare one. Fire, rebellion, reincarnation. One of the few divine Protocols with self-resurrection woven into its code.¡±
Raj stepped in beside him, checking the footage.
¡°Gargoyle patrol breached containment. Boy got hit. Heart stopped for eleven seconds.¡±
Mensah raised an eyebrow.
¡°And then lit up like a sun. Sounds like Nezha to me.¡±
---
Back in his bed, Jin Xuan opened both eyes now¡ªburning gold and wild red. He blinked slowly, disoriented.
¡°¡What the hell just happened to me?¡±
A faint echo of drums thundered in his head.
A war chariot riding across the heavens.
A boy born three times.
Nezha had chosen.
...........
Name: Jin Xuan
Age: 17
Protocol: Nezha (Divinity-Type, A¨C Rank on activation, unstable)
Affiliation: Undetermined
Status: Newly awakened. Potentially unstable. Watchlist candidate.
15. Phoning home
Rin sat alone in the quiet dormitory quarters assigned to her by MIT. The sterile walls still smelled like fresh antiseptic, and the metal-paneled ceiling hummed with soft, regulated pulses of artificial air. On the nightstand beside her, a small holo-comm flickered to life.
She hesitated.
Her fingers hovered over the contact list for longer than she liked to admit.
¡°Aunt Mayu¡±.
She hadn¡¯t called her since¡ the fight. Since Ari had nearly died.
After what felt like an eternity, she tapped the call button.
Ring.
Ring.
Click.
¡°Rin?¡± Her aunt¡¯s voice came through¡ªsoft, breathless, surprised. ¡°Oh my god. Are you okay? Where have you been? Ari¡ª"
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Rin¡¯s throat tightened.
She cut in gently. ¡°She¡¯s fine. She¡ she got into a minor accident, but she¡¯s alright now.¡±
A pause.
¡°A-accident? What kind of accident?!¡±
Rin kept her voice steady, forcing calm into her tone. ¡°Just¡ a small fall. Got a little banged up. She needed some rest, but the doctors said she¡¯s going to be okay.¡±
She hated lying.
But how could she tell her that Ari had been targeted by a monster, nearly killed by an entity from a myth, and Rin herself had awakened the Nyx Protocol, nearly losing control?
Aunt Mayu¡¯s voice dropped to a whisper. ¡°You sure she¡¯s okay? No head trauma, no spine fractures¡ª?¡±
¡°She¡¯s safe,¡± Rin reassured. ¡°I made sure of it.¡±
There was a long silence on the other end. Finally, her aunt exhaled shakily. ¡°I was so worried¡ you just stopped calling after you arrived at school. Ari said you were upset.¡±
Rin¡¯s fingers curled slightly on the bedsheets. ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have stopped calling like that.¡±
Her aunt didn¡¯t press further. Just quietly said, ¡°You¡¯ve always done things your own way.¡±
Rin closed her eyes for a moment. ¡°Listen, there¡¯s something else.¡±
¡°What is it?¡±
¡°I got selected for a special program. From the university. It¡¯s kind of a¡ research-intensive initiative. Really elite. I¡¯ll be off-campus for a while. Six months, maybe longer.¡±
There was another pause.
¡°Is this what you really want?¡± her aunt asked softly. ¡°You¡¯ve always hated being stuck in one place.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know what I want,¡± Rin admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. ¡°But I need this. For me. For Ari.¡±
Her aunt sighed. ¡°Alright. Just promise me you¡¯ll call. Check in. Once in a while.¡±
¡°I will.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll let your brothers know you called. They¡¯ll be happy. Especially Niko , he keeps asking for you.¡±
That hit deeper than Rin expected. She swallowed.
¡°Tell them I miss them.¡±
¡°I will.¡±
The call ended.
For a long time, Rin just sat there¡ªstaring at the blank screen.
In another room, her protocol¡ªNyx¡ªsimmered beneath her skin, the night whispering promises of power and shadow.
But in this moment, Rin was just a girl who missed her cousin.
---
16. No, not Rin, Jin
---
The MIT Tokyo Branch aircraft was a beast of silent power¡ªsleek, matte black exterior cutting through the Pacific skies like a whisper of war. Inside, twenty-one protocol wielders from across Japan sat in luxury leather seats, arranged in two aisles.
Rin sat alone, pressed against the window.
Outside, the clouds looked soft¡ªlike you could fall through them forever.
Inside, it was noise.
Most of the other passengers were already exchanging names, showing off marks from their protocol awakenings, bragging about their ranks like trading cards.
She picked up fragments of conversation as they floated around her.
¡°¡ªA+ Rank, can¡¯t believe it! The vetting took three whole weeks.¡±
¡°Mine¡¯s B+, but I¡¯ve already unlocked stage two.¡±
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¡°Bro, that¡¯s sick. What¡¯s your protocol?¡±
¡°Basilisk. Poison class. You?¡±
And then came the voice that sliced through the rest like a sword.
¡°S-Rank. Beelzebub Protocol.¡±
Gasps. Actual gasps.
Rin didn¡¯t even flinch.
She didn¡¯t care.
Beelzebub Boy had a voice like cheap confidence and hair too styled for a military-grade aircraft. The group around him erupted into fawning awe.
She kept staring out the window, chin resting on her knuckles, uninterested.
Until¡ª
¡°H-hi. I¡¯m Jin Xuan¡ b-but you can call me J-Jin.¡±
Rin blinked.
A boy had slipped into the empty seat beside her. Seventeen. Wiry build. Soft brown hair cut unevenly, as though he¡¯d done it himself. Round glasses too big for his nose. His voice trembled with every syllable, hands clasped tight in his lap.
¡°¡Um. Rin.¡±
His eyes widened a little. ¡°N-no. Not Rin. Jin.¡±
¡°¡Yeah, Rin is my name,¡± she said with a faint smirk.
¡°O-oh. O-okay.¡±
Silence. Awkward, but kind of funny.
Then, out of nowhere: ¡°I-it was Dr. Mensah who s-said I should meet you. And b-be with you.¡±
That made her raise an eyebrow, amused. ¡°Be with me?¡±
He flushed red, waving his hands in a panicked swirl. ¡°N-not like¡ªuh¡ªnot like that! I-I mean like¡ p-pairing. N-not pairing¡ªuh, like, group assignment! T-training group! Oh gods.¡±
She stared at him, suppressing a laugh. ¡°You¡¯re spiraling.¡±
¡°I kn-know.¡±
Rin leaned back, inspecting him with vague curiosity. ¡°So... how¡¯d you even find me if you didn¡¯t know my name?¡±
He pointed at her very seriously. ¡°D-Dr. Mensah s-said to look for a girl with... d-dark hair. And a v-very, um¡ dark vibe.¡±
Rin blinked. ¡°Dark vibe?¡±
He nodded, adjusting his glasses awkwardly. ¡°Y-you know. Gut kind of vibe. G-gut said it was you.¡±
She tilted her head slightly, finally cracking a real smile¡ªsmall, but there.
¡°Gut kinda vibe, huh?¡±
He smiled sheepishly. ¡°Y-yeah.¡±
She looked out the window again, but this time, her expression was softer.
She didn¡¯t ask about his protocol. He didn¡¯t offer.
And that was fine.
17. Touchdown
The island was shaped like a scar¡ªthe kind the earth gets after too many secrets are buried too deep.
Rin stepped off the aircraft and onto the tarmac, where the sea breeze slapped harder than the engines ever did. Ahead, the silhouette of the MIT Main Dome rose like a steel cathedral, framed by pale sunlight and tight security.
Around her, the other recruits¡ªtwenty in total¡ªbuzzed with anticipation. Protocol users from all over Japan, and some even flown in from neighboring regions. The youngest looked barely seventeen. The oldest had war in his eyes.
Rin kept to herself. Just like in the plane.
The boy with the Beelzebub protocol was already holding court again.
¡°I ranked S-,¡± he said, grinning like the title was tattooed on his soul. ¡°Beelzebub. Lord of the Flies. I don¡¯t just control insects¡ªI command obedience.¡±
A few gasps. One girl clapped.
Rin stared at the sky. Her thoughts were louder than the chatter.
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¡°Alright, listen up,¡± came a firm voice.
A woman in a gray MIT coat stepped forward. She was short, stocky, and unimpressed. Her silver badge read: Instructor Hoshino.
¡°You¡¯ve all been selected based on one thing¡ªyour protocol resonance. Not power. Not potential. Resonance.¡± She let the word echo a second. ¡°This isn¡¯t a game. Most of you will wash out of combat roles by the end of month one. Get used to that idea now.¡±
A couple of students exchanged nervous glances. The Beelzebub boy scoffed quietly.
She continued. ¡°This is the main orientation class. All of you are newly awakened or just out of containment. You¡¯ll be evaluated over the next two weeks. Then you¡¯ll be sorted into specialization units: Support, Combat, Strategy, and Protocol Consultation.¡±
Someone raised a hand. ¡°What¡¯s Consultation?¡±
¡°Talk less. Listen more.¡±
The student dropped their hand.
¡°Your first assignment begins tonight. No protocol usage outside of designated hours. Anyone caught using theirs without instructor oversight will be de-synced and grounded. You won¡¯t get a second warning.¡±
The group fell silent.
Behind them, the main doors opened with a hiss of pressurized air. An escort team in black uniforms stepped forward.
¡°You¡¯ll be assigned dorms shortly. For now, follow your markers and keep your eyes sharp. Protocols don''t just evolve on power¡ªthey evolve on behavior. Every step you take here is watched.¡±
Rin¡¯s eyes narrowed at that line. Behavior? That wasn¡¯t something she liked anyone watching.
She walked forward with the others, silent as ever.
Jin drifted beside her, his movements awkward but determined. ¡°Uh¡ that woman¡¯s kind of scary.¡±
Rin shrugged. ¡°She¡¯s not wrong.¡±
He gave a soft laugh, more exhale than sound. ¡°Did you¡ hear what she said about protocols and behavior? I think¡ mine might not be like that.¡±
Rin didn¡¯t answer. But in her chest, the protocol pulsed¡ªjust once. Like a heart syncing with something far older than her.
---
18. Lets talk Myth
The auditorium was massive¡ªlarger than any lecture hall Rin had ever seen. Tiered seats curved around a central stage, where an enormous holographic screen pulsed with the MIT insignia.
Six hundred recruits filled the room, yet the air felt heavier than just bodies. It was the weight of presence.
The presence of monsters.
Or rather, the people who had become them.
Rin scanned the room without moving her head. Some recruits were already clustered in groups, speaking in hushed voices or boasting openly. The energy was electric¡ªlike throwing six hundred newly lit matches into a single room and waiting for one to start a fire.
Jin shifted beside her, clutching his issued datapad like a lifeline. ¡°T-There¡¯s so many¡¡±
She didn¡¯t respond. Instead, she listened.
¡°The Valkyrie Protocols are the strongest combat-tier. There¡¯s no debate.¡±
¡°Shut up. Odin-tier users exist.¡±
¡°You guys act like Norse myths are the only strong ones. My brother wields a Garuda Protocol from Hindu mythology¡ªhe could wipe half of you in a flight battle.¡±
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¡°Garuda? Please. A properly evolved Quetzalcoatl Protocol would turn you into ashes.¡±
¡°Behemoth and Leviathan Protocol users are in this intake. You wanna argue with that?¡±
Rin tuned them out. Myths. Gods. Creatures. The whole world had bled them into reality, and now they were standing shoulder to shoulder in this room.
Some wore uniforms with country flags stitched onto their sleeves¡ªJapan, America, India, Egypt, China, Brazil, Germany, Russia. Others had insignias she didn¡¯t recognize¡ªprivate factions, corporate-sponsored myth wielders, maybe even black-market mercenaries.
A deep chuckle cut through the noise.
Rin turned slightly. A tall man with dark skin and sharp golden eyes sat near the back, arms folded lazily. He wasn¡¯t boasting¡ªhe didn¡¯t need to. Others were watching him instead.
¡°That¡¯s a Baron Samedi Protocol wielder,¡± someone whispered nearby. ¡°Voodoo. Haitian origin. Death and the afterlife.¡±
¡°I heard the Egyptian recruits brought someone with the Set Protocol.¡±
¡°The Chaos God?¡±
¡°Yeah. The original desert storm.¡±
Further down, a woman with intricate tattoos traced along her arms stood with an aura of quiet menace. ¡°Lamashtu,¡± someone murmured. ¡°Ancient Mesopotamian. Demon Queen of Nightmares.¡±
Jin nudged Rin lightly. ¡°You hear that? A Lamashtu Protocol¡¡±
She did. And she wasn¡¯t impressed.
Then came the one who silenced the room.
A young man, tall, draped in a coat that looked woven from shadows, walked toward the front. He didn¡¯t say a word, but the moment his foot hit the stage, something invisible pressed down on everyone.
A weight. A presence.
Jin inhaled sharply. ¡°What¡ was that?¡±
Someone near them whispered, voice almost reverent. ¡°Hades Protocol.¡±
Greek. God of the Underworld.
Rin exhaled slowly.
This wasn¡¯t just a gathering of recruits. It was a battlefield waiting to happen.
At that moment, the main stage flickered, and the MIT insignia was replaced by a face.
Dr. Mensah.
¡°Welcome to the Mythos Institute of Transcendence,¡± his voice boomed across the room. ¡°You are here not because of luck, not because of privilege¡ªbut because something inhuman has chosen you.¡±
A pause. Then his gaze sharpened.
¡°The question is¡ will you survive it?¡±
The room fell deathly silent.
---
19. Ananda
The alley reeked of oil, ash, and something far worse¡ªthe stench of sin.
Ananda stood in the center, hands loosely at his sides, eyes half-lidded as he watched the last ember fade from the bodies on the ground. The flames had done their work. There was nothing left but scorched stone and whispers of heat curling into the cold night air.
Behind him, the others moved. Dark figures clad in the insignia of the Eidolon Order, their masks glinting under flickering neon lights. The leader¡ªa man with a voice like rusted metal¡ªclapped a hand on Anand¡¯s shoulder.
¡°Well done.¡±
Ananda didn¡¯t respond.
He felt the fire still simmering under his skin, restless, hungry. He could still see the way their sins had blackened the air, how the flames had licked them clean. For a moment, the satisfaction curled in his chest like a purring beast.
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Purification.
But then¡ª
A scream.
Not of the guilty.
The innocent.
His head snapped toward the street beyond the alley. Another squad had finished their sweep, but instead of targets, they had civilians kneeling before them. A woman, clutching a child. A young man, barely older than himself.
His fingers twitched.
He didn¡¯t move.
The flames inside him roared in protest, the air around him distorting from the sheer heat building in his veins.
The Eidolon enforcer standing above the woman raised his hand¡ª
Anand clenched his fist.
The fire died.
He let his breath out.
The enforcer¡¯s hand fell. A blade flashed. Silence followed.
A voice in his head whispered.
This is the mission. This is the Order¡¯s will.
He turned away.
The leader beside him nodded approvingly. ¡°You¡¯re ready.¡±
Anand said nothing.
Because deep inside, something coiled and burned with fury.
But this wasn¡¯t the time.
A new directive arrived on his comm. Assignment Update: Infiltrate MIT as a new recruit. Cover identity: Ananda, 24, newly awakened Agni Protocol wielder. Objective: Observe. Report. Await further orders.
Ananda finally spoke, his voice quiet.
¡°When do I leave?¡±
The leader smirked. ¡°Tonight.¡±
And like a candle snuffed out, Anand let himself become a shadow among shadows¡ªeven as his flames begged to burn.
---
20. I will find a way
Raj could still remember the way she stood before him, back straight, eyes bright, trembling ever so slightly as she raised her hand in oath.
"I swear on my life to uphold the mission of the MIT. To protect the world from the horrors that lurk beyond. To fight until my last breath¡ªso that others may live."
Her voice had been steady, unwavering, but when the ceremony was over, she turned to him and grinned like a child who had just won her first battle.
"Did I sound cool?" Ari had asked, bouncing on her heels.
Raj had laughed. "No. You sounded like you memorized it from a script."
"That¡¯s because I did, idiot." She punched his arm, a playful, familiar gesture. "But you¡¯re stuck with me now, Captain."
His chest had ached in that moment, something warm and terrifying pressing against his ribs. He had hugged her then, arms wrapping around her like a promise.
"You were always going to be here, Ari."
Ari twirled in front of the mirror, pursing her lips at the ridiculous black-and-gold bodysuit she had picked out. The fabric clung too tight, accentuating every curve in a way that made her look more like a performer than a fighter.
"This is so stupid," she groaned, stretching the suit at the sleeves. "Who designed this? Do they expect me to swing into battle and distract the enemy with my incredible fashion sense?"
Raj sat on the couch, arms crossed, watching the disaster unfold.
"Well," he mused, "you do have long legs."
Ari grabbed a throw pillow and launched it at his head. "I swear to god¡ª"
He dodged, barely, laughing too hard to counter.
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In the next hour, she tried four more costumes, each worse than the last. One had too many spider motifs ("I look like a Halloween decoration!"), one had an actual cape ("Do I look like I need a parachute?"), and one was so baggy it made her look like she was wearing a pajama set with webbing patterns.
Finally, she landed on something simple. Sleek , a faint silver shimmer of her protocol sigil pulsing at the collar.
She turned to Raj, arms spread.
"This is the one."
"Are you sure?"
She smirked. "It makes me feel dangerous."
"You''ve always been dangerous," he said softly.
Something flickered in her expression.
But she only looked away. "You¡¯re such a sap."
Ari sat across from him in the rec room, legs folded as she scribbled on a napkin of all things.
"A superhero name?" Raj raised a brow.
"Shut up," she muttered. "It¡¯s important. What if one day, I become so legendary that the world screams my name in terror or admiration?"
Raj smirked. "Or confusion."
Ari threw another pillow at him.
She tapped the pen against her lip, deep in thought. "Something badass. Something unique. Something that makes me sound like I can kill a man in three seconds."
Raj snorted. "So, your actual name?"
"Flatter me later. Name first."
He leaned back, feigning boredom, then said, "Miss Arachne."
Ari blinked.
Then she burst into unrestrained laughter.
"Wow, Raj. So creative. Just take my protocol and slap a ''Miss'' in front of it? Genius."
But months later¡ªwhen she stood in the field, mask on, webbing stretching between her fingertips¡ªshe would whisper the name like it was always meant to be hers.
Present day.
The room smelled of antiseptic and something colder.
Raj stood at the edge of the bed, staring down at the motionless form of Ari, wires snaking across her skin, monitors beeping with an empty kind of rhythm.
She didn¡¯t move.
Didn¡¯t even twitch.
She had survived battles that should have broken lesser warriors, fought creatures that had no place in this world, but here she lay¡ªtrapped in the fragile, failing shell of her own body.
Raj exhaled sharply.
"You still owe me a rematch," he muttered, voice thick. "That last spar? I let you win."
Silence.
He scoffed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I could never beat you. You told me that every damn day."
His fingers curled into a fist.
"I¡¯ll fix this, Ari." His voice dropped lower, steadier. "I will heal you. I will find a way."
The intercom crackled in his earpiece.
"Captain, we have a situation. Another attack¡ªcoordinates incoming."
Raj didn¡¯t move for a second.
Then he bent down, pressing his lips gently to her forehead, lingering for just a breath.
"I swear."
And then he turned and walked away¡ªleaving behind the woman who had once sworn an oath to stand by his side forever.
21. 92% compatibility
The child was a monster.
He did not cry when he was born. Instead, he laughed¡ªa sharp, ringing sound that sent shivers through the midwives'' spines. As he grew, so did the chaos that followed in his wake. Glass shattered when he walked past. Animals cowered. Fire flickered in his presence, almost drawn to him.
By the time he was six, his parents feared him.
They tried everything¡ªdiscipline, education, even isolation¡ªbut the boy was relentless. At eight, he cracked his father''s ribs in a fit of rage. At ten, he set his own bed on fire just because he wanted to see the flames dance.
Nothing could contain him.
Then, in desperation, his parents sought the wisdom of a wandering monk. The man was old, his robes faded, but his eyes gleamed with knowledge that had long been forgotten by the world. He looked at the boy once, then sighed, as if he had seen this before.
"This child... is not like others. He is a storm caged in flesh. If left unchecked, he will burn everything in his path."
His mother wept. His father clenched his fists. "What do we do? How do we save him?"
The monk reached into his robes and pulled out a thin, crimson thread¡ªa bracelet, simple yet unbreakable in its purpose. He tied it around the boy''s wrist.
"This will bind what must be bound. But a name carries weight. The name he bears feeds the storm within. Change it. Call him Xuan¡ªso that he may know steadiness, so that his soul may learn peace."
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And so, the boy who had been Jin ____, whose name was lost to the past, became Jin Xuan.
His family left their homeland. They moved to Japan, hoping that distance and a new name would change his fate. And for a time, it seemed to work.
Jin Xuan was a different child.
He was polite, composed. His eyes, once wild, now held only quiet calculation. He still held power within him, but it was no longer reckless. He no longer shattered windows with a scream. He no longer woke up in the middle of the night with his hands burning.
The bracelet remained on his wrist, its red string never fraying, never loosening.
But there were moments¡ªsmall, fleeting moments¡ªwhere he felt something stir. When his heart pounded too fast. When his breath came too sharp. When he wanted to tear it all apart.
And then he turned seventeen.
Present Day.
The world had stopped making sense.
Jin Xuan stood at the edge of an abandoned temple, his breath heavy, his pulse pounding against his ears. His hands burned. Not with fire¡ªbut with power. Something ancient had latched onto his soul, whispering, pulling, binding.
"I see... so you are my vessel."
The voice was inside him. Around him. It had always been with him.
Memories not his own flashed behind his eyes. A boy on a lotus. Rings that bound him. A spear that could tear gods apart.
The Nezha Protocol had awakened.
Jin Xuan gasped, his knees buckling as his body rejected and accepted the presence within him all at once. His red bracelet burned¡ªbut did not break.
Then came the pain. Like fire searing through his veins, like shackles digging into his skin. He felt it. The other presence¡ªthe one beneath the surface¡ªthe one that had always been there, waiting, waiting, waiting.
And then the world snapped back into focus.
A voice. Measured. Calculating. Cold.
"Fascinating. A 92% compatibility at first awakening... I''ve never seen such numbers before."
Jin Xuan lifted his head, his vision clearing to find himself no longer alone. A man in a pristine white coat stood before him, a faint smirk on his lips.
Dr. Mensah.
"Congratulations, Jin Xuan. You''re going to be very interesting to study."