(PH 2)
Neon Harbor:,
At night it looks beautiful.But that isn't beauty that is deception The city's old port.No longer a port Now it's a live market.Neon lights reflect on the water,
as if colors have shattered.
Blue,Pink,Violet Above drones,Below
people
No one here is completely legal
No one here is completely a criminal
One year.....
The city changed.Elior changed even more.His name is not spoken here anymore.He walks,Slowly,Hood pulled low.
His eyes no longer see they scan.People like data points.Emotions
like frequencies.
"Fear — fractured yellow
Anger — sharp red
Helplessness — deep blue"
He stops....
At the center of Neon Harbor.
"Here…" he thinks.
"This is the first signal."
BZZZZZT,,,
A stall.Cyber-implants for sale,Suddenly,the lights dim.People turn.A girl Young,Fear in her eyes.Her hand clutches her chest.She can't breathe.
"Hey !" someone shouts.
Elior's head pains for a moment.
He sees it,Around her black.Not death,
!!!!!Control!!!!
""System Rule #1 Awareness Attracts Response""
He doesn't intervene.Not yet,He only watches.The next moment Drones
descend above her.Lights flare back on.A voice,Not human.
"Unregistered neural spike detected."
People step back.The girl's eyes go wide.No sound comes from her mouth.
Elior understands.
Even observing is interference.
Suddenly!!!
A man from the crowd.Eyes empty,
He raises a knife,,People scream.
Elior doesn't wait anymore.
He chooses...
!!System Rule #2 Intervention Has a Cost
Time bends,Sounds fade,he grabs the man's fear.The black color weakens.
The man drops to his knees.The knife
hits the ground.People exhale in relief.
But Blood from Elior's nose.His vision
spins.
Every intervention burns the nerves.
A screen above the harbor.Visible to everyone.A single line.
INTERVENTION RECORDED
BALANCE REQUIRED
Elior trembles.
"No…"!!!!!
Behind him An explosion.Another stall,
Another person.The ground soaked in blood.Screams everywhere.
One save = one loss.
The harbor turns into hell.Drones turn red,Sirens,Police don't arrive.
Even they have no authority here.Elior
drops to his knees.
"This is a test…"
"Me…"
A voice behind him.
" No."
He turns.A girl,calm,neon lights don't touch her.Eyes deep.
"This isn't a test,"
she says.
"This is training."
Elior looks at her.
For the first time in a year his heart
stops just for a moment.
"Who are you?"
She smiles.
"Don't ask here."
Drones focus on them.She is gone.
No name.
System Rule!!! Observers Are Never Alone
The harbor slowly falls silent.Screens
go dark,But he knows.
The system is no longer hiding its rules.
He stands up.Looks at the water of the Harbor.
"You're teaching me…"
A decision forms in his eyes.
"But your rules…"....
"I will change them."
In the sky,a signal.
NEON HARBOR — NODE ACTIVE
OBSERVER RESPONSE: ACCEPTABLE