• Tick, tock, tick, tock…
The sound of the clock echoed in Shin's room as he woke up. Today, he didn't know it yet, but he was about to face his first obstacle on the path to his dream.
Despite everything, he seemed worried; after all, he could die. Yet, he trusted in his preparations.
He got out of bed and prepared himself as usual, but this time, everything felt different, even the most mundane things, as he went through his morning routine.
— "Doing something knowing you could die right afterward, huh? Sounds like me. Let's do this!"
He said with a smile, stepping out of his house.
He took a deep breath, hoping it would clear his mind on a morning like this, as if he were about to take the test of his life.
However, a familiar voice pulled him from his thoughts: his most loyal ally was here, as every morning, ready to take him to the battlefield that was their life. Manu had finally arrived.
— "Did you manage to do what I asked?"— "More or less. But next time we have to do something this crazy, someone else can run across the whole city, not me."
The two friends walked in complete silence toward the police station, as if they were heading straight into the wolf's mouth.
Manu was strangely quiet and nervous; in contrast, Shin was calm and seemed ready to face whatever came their way with confidence.
— "How are you so calm? Do you even know what you asked me to prepare?"— "Me? Once we decide to do something, there's no turning back. Remember: once you make up your mind, you move forward without hesitation, no retreat."
Manu seemed a little unsure at first, but when he noticed a subtle detail, he tried to calm down. Despite his friend's claims of being strong and unshakable, even Shin was trembling slightly.
Finally, they arrived. They had only been interning at the police station for two days, yet it felt much longer for both young men, as if their perception of time had been altered.
— "You know, you can still back out… I can handle this on my own, after all."— "Don't make me laugh. Without my help, you won't come out of here alive."— "Don't say I didn't warn you."
Shin extended his fist to Manu. The latter smiled proudly as their fists met, a gesture of courage before facing the beast.
As they opened the police station doors, they knew there was no turning back. The station seemed larger than ever to them, tension rising, and they could almost hear their hearts beating.
Inside, a small welcoming committee awaited them: Tom, Céline, and Haru. Not everyone was present as Shin and Manu had expected, and unlike their plans, it wasn't just Tom and Céline with Haru. Something felt off, like Shin and Manu had forgotten something… or rather, had failed to plan for it.
Regardless, they were waiting for the two young men.
— "What are you all doing here? Don't tell me you're finally throwing me a welcome party—you didn't have to!"
Shin said, grinning brightly.
— "No, that's not why, Shin."
It was Céline speaking, in a solemn tone, her gaze icy.
— "I know! You're finally here to tell us we're getting paid? If only you knew how happy that would make me. Manu and I were just talking, and we think minimum wage would be perfect."— "No, it's not for that…"
Céline replied, starting to lose patience.
— "If it's just for meal tickets, I'm fine with that. Good food can't be refused."
Manu chimed in, trying to muster courage.
— "True, Manu. Anyway, if there's nothing, I'm going to do my job and eat at the cafeteria. Have a good day, everyone."
As usual, the young fool didn't hesitate for a second and headed toward the cafeteria.
— "You little brat! Stay here! Don't you know how to be quiet?!"— "But you should have said it sooner, ma'am! You're the boss here! Do you want to do this over tea, or keep this hazing atmosphere?"
— "Shin, I know you plan to go after Rubis even though I strictly forbade it."
Manu turned to Shin, fearful, wondering if he should execute their plan or wait, but Shin, calm as ever, continued to respond.
— "Me? Do that? I don't recall saying that. You remember, Manu?"
Acting like the most respectful and wise of employees, he deftly dodged the accusation.
— "You want to play that game? I know, and you won't leave this station—whether you like it or not—nor will your accomplice."
Shin and Manu exchanged a look. Their plan was about to begin.
Shin checked that Haru was alright and that she wasn't considered an enemy before giving the signal.
Shin's initial plan was to continue the internship normally while secretly going after Rubis alongside Haru and Manu, but if they got caught, Manu and Shin would take the fall as the main culprits and flee. This way, Haru would stay within the Special Forces, playing the role of a double agent.
Shin gave the signal, and Manu pulled small metal pieces resembling pebbles from his pockets and threw them into the air with all his strength. As if magnetized, they landed in precise positions in the hall, forming a strange pattern on the floor with indecipherable markings.
— "Level 1 Formation: Mini-World."
Manu announced it, and a sudden pressure filled the room. The ground shook, most windows cracked or shattered, and Manu's body ignited in blue flames. His nose bled as if his brain couldn't handle the load, yet with courage, he pressed on, continuing until he nearly collapsed. It was normal—he was giving everything he had to perform something no normal Level 0 Awakened could do. Even Jack, skilled as he was, couldn't pull this off.
Suddenly, Céline realized what was happening, but it was already too late: the little Buddha's trap closed around them. A giant dome of bluish energy enveloped the hall like a powerful barrier, and to Céline's surprise, she found herself trapped inside a bubble of energy, separated from the rest of the world.
— "Be careful, everyone! This formation specifically weakens Level 1 Awakened! It suppresses your powers for one minute! The bubble I'm in can only last thirty seconds against me. They cannot beat us!"
Everyone took the warning seriously and assumed combat stances. That's when they saw Shin's sadistic grin, now all too familiar. After all, they'd all seen how ruthless he could be. One question haunted them: what would he do next?
— "Later, everyone! Let's go!"
Shin was about to escape with Manu when Tom leapt across the room in an instant and appeared in front of the main police station door.