Night had already swallowed the city.
Streetlights flickered like tired eyes, blinking without care, as if even light itself had grown bored of watching what humans did below. The air was heavy—humid and stale—carrying the smell of dust, fuel, and something burnt long ago but never fully gone.
They walked slowly.
Not because they wanted to, but because exhaustion had taken control of their bodies.
Mira dragged her feet, her voice breaking somewhere between sleep and consciousness."Let's go hom…e… I am….. sl…eep..y…"
Anny leaned against her, words slipping out in broken fragments."Ye…..s… let's ….. go ...home…"
Nanny shifted her shoulders painfully, trying to balance both of them. Her breath came heavier with every step."Yeah… I can't take them on my two shoulders anymore… they hurt..."
Leo watched them quietly, eyes alert despite the fatigue. After a moment, he nodded."Ok."
Lig stopped near the vehicle. He scanned the empty road once—slow, careful—like someone checking for things that weren't supposed to be there."Yes. Here's the key," he said, placing it in Leo's hand."NITITAS ÆON-X LER."
Leo frowned, turning the key over in his palm."Aren't you driving?"
Lig didn't answer immediately. His jaw tightened slightly before he spoke."No… I am going with Nemo. Different work."
The word different hung in the air longer than it should have.
"I'll go with you then," Leo said instantly."Nanny, take the key."
Nanny blinked, surprised."Whoo whooo—where are you guys going?"
Lig opened his mouth, then closed it."Bro, no need—"
"I said," Leo cut in. His voice wasn't loud. It didn't need to be.
Lig exhaled through his nose."…Ok."
Nanny narrowed her eyes."Hey. Don't ignore me."
Before Lig could respond, Nemo stepped forward."Nothing," she said calmly. "Just visiting a friend."
Nanny didn't look convinced, but she nodded anyway."Ok… come home fast."
"Ok," Leo replied.
Lig opened the car door."Get in fast," he said. "Or else we'll be late."
The engine started.
The car moved.
Silence followed.
Not the peaceful kind.The kind that presses against your ears until you start hearing your own thoughts—thoughts you don't want.
Street after street passed, lights streaking across the windshield like weak, broken memories. Music thumped faintly from somewhere far away, then faded as they moved deeper into emptiness.
Finally, Nemo spoke.
"Cap," she said quietly. "Is this really important?"
Lig's hands tightened around the steering wheel."Yes," he replied. "He needs to be saved."
The car slowed slightly.
"And… I will meet my very old friend," Lig continued. "A wrong choice… at the worst time of his life… is making me do this today."
His voice cracked—not loudly, not enough for someone careless to notice.
A single tear slipped from the corner of his left eye and vanished into the darkness.
Nemo saw it.
She didn't speak.
She understood enough.
Leo leaned forward slightly from the back seat."What?"
Nemo answered instead."It's a long story. A society that took three boys from different places… and made them different forever. A system that never looked inside—only at skin, status, and origin."
Leo frowned."But time passed. Everything changed."
Lig let out a dry, hollow laugh."Really?"
Nemo shook her head."Only two percent changed. And that two percent cost dreams… souls… families… futures."
The car suddenly stopped.
Leo looked up.
Lig had turned the steering wheel right—toward the red-light street. Neon signs glowed in artificial colors, selling desire, escape, and forgetting. Laughter echoed faintly. Music pulsed. Life pretended to be alive.
Then slowly… deliberately… Lig turned left.
Into a dark alley.
No signs.No lights.Just shadows stacked on shadows.
The sound vanished.
Leo swallowed."…Confused."
Lig nodded."Normal. I forgot a turn earlier."
The car rolled deeper into darkness, tires crunching softly over gravel and broken glass.
"We'll go to a place," Lig said. "I'll introduce you to others. Then you'll go back home alone. After that, I still have to go somewhere else."
He paused.
"Do you understand?"
Leo didn't hesitate."You know my answer."
Nemo turned toward him."That will be dangerous."
Leo's eyes stayed forward."Then I'll never let him go alone."
Lig laughed softly—no joy in it."Ha… good. Then tonight will be long. Heavy. Hard."
The alley narrowed as buildings leaned closer, like they were listening.
"Others come here for illegal things," Lig said."Others go to red-light streets for pleasure. For forgetting."
The car stopped.
"But us…"
He looked at both of them.
"We are here to save quadra-trillions of lives."
Nemo's throat tightened, but she stayed silent.
"We are here to complete a story," Lig continued. "One that was never spoken. One the world forgot."
His voice dropped lower.
"But the people in it lost more than hearts. More than lives."
Silence filled the car.
"…It is the truth of this world."
Nemo finally spoke."Boss… it's hard, but—"
"Yes," Lig interrupted. "Oath."
Leo turned sharply."What oath?"
"Soon," Lig said. "You will see."
Nemo looked at Leo."It's on you."
Leo snapped, frustration finally breaking through."What the hell are you guys talking about?"
Lig opened the door."We have arrived."
A boy appeared from the shadows without a word, took the car key, and drove the vehicle away.
The building ahead looked abandoned.
Cracked walls.Peeling paint.Lights flickering like dying nerves.
The moment Leo stepped inside, something felt wrong—like the air itself was watching.
Then movement.
A girl walked toward them.
Bunny ears.Short dress.Bare legs.
Leo leaned toward Lig and whispered urgently,"What is she wearing? Her legs—"
Lig smiled faintly."Leo… Leo… Leo…"
He reached out and tapped her thigh.
Reality broke.
Metal unfolded—not metal, nanotech.
Armor formed instantly, flowing like liquid thought. Weapons emerged as if alive. Cannons. Missiles. Energy cores glowing with cold intent.
Leo staggered back."What—what just happened?"
The girl tilted her head."Shocked?"
"Wh—what—"
"Let me explain," she said calmly."This is a dark alley. One of the worst places on Earth."
She stepped forward. Her boots hit the ground with a metallic sound."But many girls like me walk here… on missions."
She touched her suit."Others see dresses. Lingerie. Weakness."
Her eyes hardened.
"But it's illusion. Laser skin."
The armor shimmered as she activated something deeper."This is war."
Leo whispered,"What the—"
"No," she snapped. "Not that word."
He swallowed."I… I saw your photo in the papers. Missing."
She nodded."Yes. I had to disappear. Death, kidnapping, escape—pick one. People believe what they want."
Lig stepped in."Are all they here?"
"As always," she replied. "You're late."
They walked toward a reinforced gate and entered a massive room.
Before stepping inside, Lig stopped Leo.
"From here," he said quietly, "everyone knows me as Cap of AOB. Not Lig."
He turned to Leo."From now you are Lor."
Then to Nemo."And you are Agent N of AOB.You know it well"
Leo frowned."Why?"
Lig met his eyes."Because here… no one should, or will, share their original name."
They entered.
Leo froze.
Leaders sat around the table like monuments carved from responsibility.
Cap of AON.Chief of Intergalactic Police.King Atlas.Many more.
Everyone stood as Lig entered.
Then they sat.
"It's a surprise to see you, Cap of AON," Cap of AOB said.
"Yes," Cap of AON replied. "For one second, I thought we should forget our problems… but we must discuss VIVOL."
Atlas nodded."Their way of WW is destroying them… and many of our ships."
"Agreed," Cap of AOB said. "Treaty—proceed."
"Five hours ago," Cap of AON continued, "all countries of VIVOL launched nukes against each other."
"We started rescue missions," Cap of AOB said. "But I don't think there will be life."
Agent N stepped forward."Yes, Cap. We sent rescuers too. The images are horrible."
"Play," Cap of AOB ordered.
Lights shut off.
The hologram activated.
VIVOL.
Once a clear blue sky—sunrise pink, sunset orange.Now dense yellow poison.
Ash everywhere.
Burned buildings.Some half-standing.Some gone completely.
A soldier's report echoed.
"Only one million people alive. Sixty thousand animals and plants."
Agent N spoke again."Latest report."
Cap of AOB closed his eyes briefly."From thirty billion… one million remain."
Silence.
"Sometimes one wrong decision decides everyone's fate," he said.
Cap of AON nodded."Truth is truth—even if we deny it. AON requests permission to attack JILO."
"Why are they still harming newborn, primitive beings?" Cap of AOB asked.
"They are attacking us," Cap of AON replied. "Civilians are dying."
Agent N added,"Within one year—ninety thousand dead. One trillion iko destruction. Our treaty team was killed… and hanged."
Silence stretched.
"…Ok," Cap of AOB said.
"I order XORN."
A thin laser struck the hologram planet.
BOOOOOOM.
Nothing remained.
"Loss?" Cap of AOB asked.
"Fifty million," Agent N replied.
Cap of AOB nodded slowly."Sad… but good."
Then he turned."Now—introducing Lor, new speech member of AOB."
Applause filled the room.
"Congratulations," Cap of AON said.
"Thank you," Lor replied. "I see a great future with you all."
"The meeting ends," Atlas declared.
"Yes," both captains agreed.
Inside the car again.
"That was… unhuman," Leo said.
"I know," Lig replied.
"But to protect my people… sometimes we must choose that heart."
Nemo spoke softly,"Lig faced it. And it made that heart."
Leo looked at him."What?"
Lig started the engine."Long story, brother. I'll tell you later."
The car moved.
"For now," Lig said, "second destination."
[Narrator]
Bad things do not begin with evil.They begin with reasons.
They begin with protection, with fear, with words like necessary and inevitable.
One decision can start a world war.The same person, with the same power, can also make the world beautiful.
We believe our choices are independent.We believe we are free.
But independent thinking—real choice—and the courage to ask questionsis exactly what the system fears.
Let's continue.