*Labucha Mountain Range*
*3rd POV*
In a shady corner of the mountain range, sheltered beneath the sparse canopy of a barren forest... close to the caves yet not far from the main trial... we see a man.
The man appears short in stature, yet broad enough, covered in a thick brownish leather jacket that blends unnervingly well with the surroundings.
His eyes are hidden behind what appears to be a visor, its faint gleam betraying technology far beyond the wilderness. Crouched beside a rock, he seems to be tinkering something within.
Each of his movements produces sounds akin to heavy machinery videos heard through a phone with a poor speaker.
Bathed in harsh, fragmented light filtering through the canopy, he flexes his body as if to relax his tensed joints against the rock.
"Want to see who even finds..."
"Playing with me… such a bunch of fools."
"Heh… hehe… hahahahaha…"
As if announcing his presence to the world, he bellows with visible thrill coursing through his movements.
Suddenly, the man straightens himself and retreats swiftly, blending into the background just as he intended... vanishing as though he had never been there.
---
*Thatcher House*
*Khan POV*
Like a wound-up toy set into motion, Butler Khan moves through his daily duties.
His work is a precise display of grace befitting his station.
Nevertheless, his face tells a different story.
An expression marred with worry... one that could pierce even the fourth wall of text.
His thoughts circle endlessly around a young boy now freed from his golden cage.
'I hope the boy finds his goal there.
Perhaps it will help him recover himself… and learn to live.'
"Master… could you not have made things clearer for the boy before you were gone?"
"For heaven's sake, grant the boy the courage to see it himself…"
'My boy… this butler is bound by vows he cannot break…'
Lamenting his inability to help the boy.
'If only it wasn't there…'
His eyes, filled with concern, suddenly shifted... his thoughts touching something dangerous.
Dangerous enough to make the butler freeze...
"Hope you awaken… soon… my boy…"
With hope on his lips and prayers in his heart, Butler Khan resumes his duties as the servant of House Thatcher.
---
*Labur District Police Department*
*Head Investigator's Office*
An office large enough to hold a small crowd, yet modest enough to avoid excess.
Its furnishings are necessities rather than comforts... sofas, a coffee table, shelves, desks, and chairs arranged with functional intent.
Seated across from the main desk are a man and a woman, their sharp gazes and disciplined posture betraying their authority.
Opposite them sits the man to whom the office belongs.
"So… according to the Central Crime Council the man responsible for the disappearance of..."
His voice, weighted by responsibility, moves slowly as the Head Investigator recounts the briefing.
"Let me get this straight…"
Pressing both hands onto the desk, he leans forward, his voice laced with apprehension.
"A piece of unreleased and potentially disastrous technology is roaming around somewhere in Labur as we speak?"
"Yes, Head Investigator."
The woman in the suit responds calmly.
"My partner and I are acting under orders from High Command."
Voice tinged with nothing but command, she continued.
"We are to be given full support in apprehending the smuggler, code-named 'Whisker.'"
She pauses briefly, allowing her words to sink in, then continues.
"As outlined in the report, he is resourceful enough to infiltrate the Central Research Centre and steal a prototype still in testing... without alerting a single Security Bureau operative stationed there."
Her gaze sharpens as it meets his, unwavering.
"So we need someone who knows Labur inside out to help us catch him..."
Her voice sharpened at the end.
"At all costs."
She glances toward her partner, conveying something unspoken.
The man beside her, silent until now, softens his gaze as though understanding the investigator's unease.
"Mr. Norman, we understand you've been ordered into a situation your department wasn't originally part of…"
"But this is a matter that could result in massive casualties if left unmaimed."
"So… we sincerely hope for your assistance, Sir.... We lack the resourcefulness of your department locally."
As he speaks, he slides a document across the desk, sealed with the emblem of the Alliance.
"Sigh… this isn't finished."
He demanded with authority of someone who needs what he demanded.
"I need more information—no, all the information....
Glancing at the report he has been given, he said.
"Not this redacted mess."
Frowns appear on both Bureau officers' faces.
Unfazed by this, he locked eyes with both and continued.
"If I don't understand who I'm playing cat and mouse with, I won't be of any help to you."
After a brief pause, he adds through gritted teeth.
"Officers…"
Thus begins what appears to be a formal discussion... but beneath the surface, a sharp negotiation unfolds.
Every sentence carries subtle jabs, power plays, and unspoken threats.
---
*Inside the Weapon Space*
*Zain POV*
"Blood…"
'So… much blood…'
"How can there be so many visual effects packed inside a weapon!!"
Only a true enthusiast of anime and novels could say such a thing.
'Unless…'
"So… I really am an inserted extra!!"
As if the world itself sought to confirm his misunderstanding... or revelation... the blood creeps closer, inching toward him as though eager to consume him whole.
Amidst the gut-churning sight, the extra stands still, gazing at his sinking reflection.
'So cool…'
His eyes sparkle with unfound mesmerism.
Taking a deep breath to rein in his haywire emotions, he begins to think.
"So…"
'In situations like this…'
"Shouldn't I feed it blood to bond myself?"
He voices the thought aloud, reassuring himself of his logic.
'Alright…'
"Let's get started…"
He braces himself to do something no sane person would even consider... let alone attempt.