Location: Echohold-09 (Inside - Main Area)

  Time of Day: Morning

  Then, behind them TSSS! The massive steel door slid shut, leaving the guards behind. The light from outside vanished, sealing them in. A deep red glow replaced it as emergency lights flooded the interior. What stood before them was nothing like they expected.

  Rows of shattered consoles and workstations filled the chamber, their sleek frames bathed in red light. Large digital screens hung along the walls, cracked yet still active, each one flashing with the same warning in harsh red text: SECURITY FAILED! SECURITY FAILED! SECURITY FAILED!

  Slayer took a slow step forward."...So this is it, huh..."

  Hikari nodded, her voice low. "Yeah... this is the first time seeing it like this."

  Blood was everywhere. It smeared the floor and splashed across the walls, trailing in long streaks between overturned desks and shattered equipment. Bodies lay scattered throughout the chamber. Some wore the same black tactical suits as the guards outside - but these were different. Their visors were shattered, armor torn open, limbs no longer connected to their bodies.

  Others wore lab coats just like Hikari. Once white, now soaked in deep red. Their gloved hands were torn apart with fingers curled uselessly. A few bodies clawed at the floor, leaving behind bloody scratch marks, as if they had tried to crawl away. Others were cut clean in half, their exposed organs spilling out across the ground. Others were torn apart entirely, arms separated and legs thrown aside.

  Lumina looked away for a second, her voice low but firm. "...What a painful sight."

  Captain scanned the room, rifle raised. "There doesn't seem to be any signs of survivors in this area..."

  THUMP! From Hikari's coat pocket, the Black Star Artifact gave a faint pulse. Akari's voice followed, low and soft. "H-Hikari... were these people... your people?"

  Hikari's brows drew together, her voice low but firm. "Y-Yes... they were."

  There was a small pause.

  "Will you be okay...?" Akari asked gently.

  Hikari took a quiet breath. "It's okay. I'll be fine." She offered a small nod. "Thanks for worrying, Akari."

  Akari fell quiet.

  At the far end of the chamber, a short set of stairs led slightly upward into a narrow corridor beyond - the red glow stretching into the darkness, guiding them deeper inside.

  Slayer glanced toward the corridor. "Looks like there's a path that leads us straight ahead."

  Captain scanned the chamber. "There doesn't seem to be any other route to take besides that one."

  Hikari nodded once and stepped forward. "Yes. That corridor should lead us further in." She looked back at everyone, her tone firm. "Just stay alert. We don't know if whoever did this is still lurking around this area."

  Slayer crouched beside one of the fallen bodies clad in black armor, studying the suit closely. "Hey, Hikari... isn't this the same outfit the guards outside were wearing?"

  Captain glanced over, then seemed to remember something. "Oh, right." He looked back at Hikari. "So what did you figure out about those guards at the entrance, anyway? Were they Hollows or not?"

  Hikari shook her head. "No. They weren't." Her tone was calm, but firm. "I knew the moment they tried to interrogate Lumina. That's something Hollows aren't allowed to do to a civilian unless it's part of a special mission assigned by the Institution." She folded her arms slightly. "Just because Lumina looked like a potential threat doesn't give them the authority to question her. They should've prioritized her safety and escorted her to a secure area... especially during an Echo breakout like this."

  Captain gave a faint smirk. "Hmph... impressive. I've only been a Hollow agent for two years, so I can't remember all the rules off the top of my head."

  Hikari leaned in and gave him a light flick on the forehead, smiling faintly. "Well, you should. It's part of being a Hollow, you know."

  Captain rubbed his forehead. "Yeah, yeah... I know. Give me a break, will ya."

  Lumina crossed her arms, glancing back toward the entrance. "Well, I guess that whole act wasn't for nothing, then."

  Hikari nodded. "Of course not. It was a genius plan." She lifted a finger. "Oh, and another thing... those guards didn't even recognize my name. That alone made them even more suspicious." She huffed quietly. "Everyone here should know who I am. My status as a top Hollow agent in this facility should've been enough to convince them." Her head tilted slightly. "Kind of offensive, too."

  Captain let out a dry chuckle. "Well, it's a good thing they weren't real Hollow agents. Otherwise, I'd be offended too."

  Hikari sighed lightly. "Yeah, but I've been a top agent here longer than you have, so I'm more known around the institution."

  Captain shot her a look. "Okay, Hikari. No need to rub it in."

  Hikari paused, her expression shifting as a thought crossed her mind.

  Slayer tilted his head. "Something wrong, Hikari?"

  Hikari looked up, her expression thoughtful. "I was just thinking... when that guard accessed the security panel, I saw black tendrils come out of its hand." Her brows knit slightly. "That made my judgment about them being Echos even more believable. But I still can't figure out what kind of Echo could do that."

  Slayer gave a faint grin. "Oh, I'm most definitely positive we'll find out who's responsible soon enough."

  Hikari nodded once. "Yeah... maybe I'll remember along the way."

  Lumina's gaze drifted over the bodies once more. "I guess it was a good thing we didn't alert them. If we had, it probably would've drawn the attention of whatever possessed them in here."

  "Right," Hikari agreed. "Best to move cautiously sometimes." She looked ahead toward the stairs leading deeper into the facility. "Okay. Let's keep moving, then. Stay close, everyone. I'll guide us through... I know this Echohold like the pages in my notebook." Her tone hardened with resolve. "Our mission now is to find Dr. Naru and get him out of this place." Her thoughts followed after, quieter. ("Don't worry, Doctor. We're almost there. Just hold on a little bit longer.")

  THUMP! From within her coat pocket, the Black Star Artifact gave a faint pulse.

  Akari's voice followed, gentle but curious. "A-Are you trying to find someone in particular in this place, Hikari?"

  Hikari nodded slightly, her gaze dropping to her coat pocket. "Yes, that's correct, Akari. Why do you ask?"

  Akari's voice followed again, soft and hesitant. "W-Well... I think I can help you locate him, if you give me his full name and age."

  Slayer blinked. "Wait, you can locate someone just by knowing those two things?"

  "Y-Yes," Akari replied. "But my detection range isn't very big, so it's not like I can pinpoint someone who's really far away from us."

  Lumina rested a hand on her chin. "So how far does your detection reach, exactly?"

  Akari hesitated. "U-Uhm... maybe around half a mile or so?"

  Hikari thought for a moment, then nodded. "Not as much as I expected, but it still works for our current situation. Echohold-09 isn't larger than half a mile, so that should cover most of the area."

  Akari's voice softened. "S-Sorry, Hikari... I wish my detection range was larger, but I can only do so much in my current power state."

  Hikari shook her head gently. "Oh no, no. It's totally fine, Akari. You're already doing plenty by guiding us and helping us find him." A faint smile crossed her face. "It'll save us a lot of time instead of searching blindly. Thank you, Akari."

  "Of course," Akari replied, her tone brightening. After a small pause, she added, "O-Okay then... please tell me his name and age, Hikari. And please hold the Artifact in your hand."

  "Right." Hikari reached into her coat and took the Black Star Artifact into her palm. "...His full name is Aizawa Naru," she said softly. "And he's sixty-four years old."

  Akari's voice answered softly. "Thank you for the information, Hikari."

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  There was a brief pause.

  Then her tone steadied. "Now... initiating Black Resonance."

  The Black Star pulsed. THUMP! A wave of dark energy burst outward from the Artifact in Hikari's hand - a black, translucent scan that rippled through the chamber and washed over the team, before flowing onward into the corridor ahead. The scan continued, slipping through multiple rooms, down metal corridors, and across different levels of the facility. Everything within half a mile was swept by the shadowy resonance. Moments later, the energy faded away completely.

  Akari's voice came softly. "The scan has ended."

  Slayer leaned forward toward the Artifact in Hikari's hand. "Well? Were you able to find him or not?"

  "Hm-hm," Akari replied, the Artifact giving off a faint glow as she spoke. "I sensed him. Which means..." There was a brief pause. "...he's still alive."

  Hikari's eyes widened, relief rushing across her face. "T-That's great to hear!"

  Captain let out a faint smirk. "Hmph. I knew he'd make it through."

  Hikari held the Artifact out on her open palm, eyes still wide. "Do you know if he's still doing okay? Any signs of distress... or injuries?"

  Akari hesitated. "Mmm... d-dunno. My scan doesn't let me detect emotions or see if someone's injured. It only allows me to locate them." Her voice softened. "S-Sorry... Hikari."

  "I-It's okay," Hikari said quickly. "I'm sure he's doing just fine." She took a breath. "In that case... can you tell us where he is right now?"

  "Yes," Akari replied. "He's in the lower level of the facility, near a terminal." There was a small pause. "Although... I also sensed multiple figures during the scan. Whether they're hostile or not, I can't confirm that. My scan can't differentiate between them." Her voice softened. "So please be careful when moving in."

  Hikari nodded once. "I see... thanks for the heads-up, Akari. We'll be careful."

  "Please do," Akari answered quietly.

  The room fell silent. Dr. Naru was still alive, but they wouldn't be alone during their search.

  Lumina crossed her arms, her gaze firm. "That settles it, then. We make sure we're ready for battle if it ever comes to it."

  Hikari slipped the Artifact back into her coat pocket. "Right. This might be the most dangerous place we've been in so far, so don't let your guard down."

  Captain checked his rifle. CHK! CHK! "Let's get this done," he said. "I think we've waited long enough for some answers."

  Slayer rolled his shoulders, letting out a nervous chuckle. "Aww man... my armor's really shaking now." He clenched a fist. "But I've come too far to back down now."

  Hikari looked at each of them in turn. "We move toward Dr. Naru quickly, but cautiously. And if we find any remaining survivors, we make sure we save them too." Then she glanced down at the artifact. "Okay, Akari. Tell us where to go from here."

  Akari's voice answered softly. "Right... we move straight ahead from here. Toward the corridor."

  Guided by Akari's words, the team moved toward the small set of stairs at the far end of the chamber, leaving the dreadful scene behind - and perhaps stepping into another. Each step echoed as they climbed. At the top, the space opened into a long corridor.

  Red emergency lights lined the ceiling, bathing the metal walls in a constant glow. The corridor was sleek and industrial, with thick support frames along the sides, exposed conduits, and reinforced panels forming a narrow passage ahead. Streaks of blood smeared across the floor and walls as the team walked through.

  Slayer glanced around the corridor. "...Yeah. This place just keeps getting better and better, huh."

  Hikari kept her eyes forward. "It'll get better if you just close your eyes for a few seconds."

  Captain chimed in. "And that mouth."

  Slayer smirked, glancing at Captain. "Oh, you're lucky my blade only pierces those who love to talk." He paused, then tilted his helmet. "...Wait. Yeah, that's actually perfect for you."

  Lumina shook her head. "C'mon, guys. Focus. We need to make sure we all get there in one piece - not two."

  Hikari chuckled lightly at the scene. They advanced carefully until the corridor opened into an intersection. One path stretched straight ahead. Another branched off to the left. A third disappeared to the right. The team slowed to a stop.

  Lumina scanned the corridors. "Three ways in." She looked at Hikari. "So... where do we go from here, Hikari?"

  Hikari placed a hand on her chin. "It should be left from here, if I'm not mistaken." She glanced down at her coat pocket. "Is that correct, Akari?"

  THUMP! A faint pulse came from the Artifact, and Akari's voice followed. "Correct, Hikari. We should move left from here."

  Hikari nodded once. "Okay. Left it is."

  Slayer grinned. "Ha. With the both of you navigating us, we'll never get lost in this place."

  Captain gave a short nod. "Agreed. This place has so many rooms, I would've gotten lost already." He glanced around at the corridor. "Especially with everything bathed in red light."

  Hikari glanced back at him. "Guess you always did have someone escorting you through the place, huh, Captain?"

  Captain let out a small breath. "Yeah. Unfortunately, I never really got the chance to learn the whole layout."

  Hikari offered him a brief smile. "Well, you weren't here for too long, so don't be too hard on yourself." She turned and headed down the left corridor. "C'mon. Let's keep going."

  The rest of the group turned and headed down the left corridor. The passage was lined with heavy steel doors on both sides. Each door had a small access panel beside it - some dark, others faintly flickering red with the warning: VAULT BREACHED!

  As they moved past them, Slayer glanced around uneasily. "So... what's inside all these doors, anyway?"

  Hikari didn't slow. "Vault rooms. Each one is meant to contain and isolate Echos." Her tone hardened slightly. "So it's best we leave them alone and don't try to open anything... if they haven't already escaped that is."

  Slayer's visor tilted. "...Oh, great. How comforting." He glanced at the walls. "So we're basically walking through a hallway where an Echo could burst straight through at any moment."

  Captain shot him a look. "Relax. If something does that, you'll be the first to notice." A brief pause. "Because by then, you'd probably already be dead."

  Slayer punched his palm. "Ha. I'll make sure they know what happens when they mess with the great Slayer."

  "Uh-huh," Captain replied dryly. "Keep telling yourself that."

  They continued forward, the red lights washing over their bodies, until they reached a steel door ahead that was half open. The metal around the frame was bent and torn, deep claw marks carved into its surface as if something had forced its way through with raw strength. The door hung crooked, sparking faintly. FWISH! A cold draft spilled out from the darkness beyond. The team slowed to a stop.

  Slayer glanced at the door. "Don't tell me we have to walk through there. It's basically screaming at us."

  Hikari nodded slightly. "I know it looks haunting, but this is the correct path to take."

  Lumina crossed her arms. "Well... let's see what lies beyond that door, then." She looked at Hikari. "I'm ready whenever you are."

  Hikari stepped closer to the half-open door. "Right. Follow me."

  Captain moved in behind her. "Right behind ya."

  Slayer let out a quiet breath. "Oh boy... here we go."

  Hikari slipped through the broken steel door first, her boots quiet against the metal floor as she entered the room beyond. Inside, the space was wider than the corridor outside. Rows of desks and overturned chairs lay scattered across the floor. Digital terminals and computer screens were still on, their displays flashing red over and over. SECURITY FAILED! SECURITY FAILED! There were no emergency lights in here. Only the dim glow of the screens.

  Hikari took another step... then froze. Multiple pairs of cold blue lights glowed faintly in the darkness around the room, rising and falling in slow, uneven motions. And then she heard it. A wet, crunching sound. Like something was gnawing through some bone.

  Hikari muttered under her breath. "D-Don't tell me those are..."

  Captain stepped in behind her, lowering his voice. "...Why are there no emergency lights in here?"

  Lumina followed next, glancing back at the tight doorway. "Let's hope the next rooms don't have doors this narrow."

  Slayer slipped in last, wrinkling his nose beneath his helmet. "...Why does it smell so bad in here?"

  Hikari raised a hand sharply. "Shh." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "...Around us. We've got company."

  Everyone stilled.

  Slayer leaned closer to her, whispering, "Those blue lights everywhere... what exactly are they? Some kind of magical fireflies or something?"

  Hikari's eyes stayed locked on the darkness. "...If I'm not mistaken, we're already in Whisperfang territory."

  Captain's head snapped toward her. "...Wait a minute." His voice lowered. "Did you just say Whisperfang?"

  Hikari hesitated, then nodded. "Yes... the same ones that-" She didn't finish the thought because she didn't need to.

  Captain's grip tightened around his rifle. "...Those things..." His jaw clenched. "They're the ones who-" His red aura began to seep out around him faintly. "I'll kill... every single one of them," he grit his teeth. "I have to... for them."

  Lumina stepped in close and placed a firm hand on his shoulder, the red aura brushing against her sleeve. "Captain." Her voice was calm, but firm. "I know what they took from you. I really do." She held his gaze. "But if you lose yourself here, in a room full of creatures like that..." Her grip tightened slightly. "You won't get revenge." Her eyes stayed locked on his glowing red ones. "You'll just get yourself killed.... and the rest of us with you."

  Captain's jaw clenched. The red aura wavered... then slowly faded. He let out a rough breath. "...Tch. You're right." After a moment, he added more quietly, "...Sorry. I let the anger get the best of me there." He nodded once at her. "Thanks for that, Lumina."

  She gave a small nod and stepped back.

  Hikari thought quietly, looking at Captain. ("I understand why Captain feels so much anger toward the Echos that took his family. Part of me wishes I could help him get what he wants, but... Lumina is right. We can't let our emotions control us, especially in situations like this. If we do, we'll only make mistakes. We need to keep our minds clear and think carefully about our next move.")

  Hikari turned her focus forward again, whispering, "I know it's hard to see, but we should try to sneak across the room. Quietly." She glanced around the darkness. "There's probably a couple dozen of them in here, so it'd be safer if we don't have to fight them all at once."

  From her coat pocket, Akari's voice spoke up softly. "D-Do you need help seeing in the dark, Hikari? I can help with that, if you'd like me to."

  Slayer blinked, keeping his voice low. "...Wait, what? You're gonna give us some kind of night vision or something?"

  "Correct, Slayer," Akari replied.

  Slayer nodded slowly. "Oh man... now I'm really starting to like you more than Captain."

  Captain didn't respond.

  Slayer glanced at him. "Guess he's still in his feels."

  Hikari looked down at her coat pocket. "That'd be great, Akari. Please... show us what you've got."

  Akari replied gently. "Of course... now, activating Black Sight."

  The Black Star Artifact pulsed in Hikari's pocket. THUMP! A translucent dark light flowed outward, washing across the room like a shadowy wave. The air shimmered with black sparkles. And suddenly... The desks, walls, monitors, all of it lit up in a UV-like purple glow, now visible to the team.

  And finally... The Whisperfangs were revealed.

  Multiple grotesque shapes crouched around the room - quadrupeds slightly larger than wolves, their bodies covered in dark, matted fur and hunched low. Exposed skeletal spines tore through their backs, bone jutting out between patches of torn muscle and sinew.

  Each Whisperfang bore two exposed skulls, both stripped bare and lined with sharp teeth. Cold blue eyes glowed from hollow sockets, each head moving independently as they fed. Long, sinewy legs bent at unnatural angles, claws scraping softly against the metal floor. Whip-like tails trailed behind them, stripped down to serrated bone that caught the purple glow. With each movement they made, faint shadowy afterimages lingered in their wake.

  And beneath it all came a quiet, rhythmic sound. TIK... TOK... TIK... TOK... Multiple Whisperfangs were now fully revealed across the room, crouched low as they fed.

  The room fell silent.

  Slayer swallowed. "...Yeah, the night vision is cool and all, but... I definitely liked it better when I couldn't see them."

  Hikari's eyes stayed fixed on the creatures. "There they are. Yuila-class Echos." Her brows narrowed. "Codename: Whisperfang."