Deep in the Nexus, Yuki found dozens of cryo pods. All empty.
Log Entry 443: "Subject-06 failed mental sync. Subject-11 vanished during temporal regression. Only Zeta remains."
As he explored, static whispers returned. They weren't hostile this time. Instead, they formed a message.
A ghostly figure appeared—translucent, adolescent, with glowing eyes.
"Yuki? They said you'd never wake up."
Yuki stepped back. "Who... are you?"
"Beta. Your brother. They made us together. You just forgot."
Before Yuki could ask more, the image shattered. Alarms screamed.
Unauthorized Access. Heroic Signature Detected. Purge Protocol Engaged.
From the darkness, a mechanical knight surged forward, carrying a blade forged of light. And behind it, another prototype—failed, but still functional—muttered fractured words as it dragged its body forward. A fight on two fronts.
Yuki activated Glitch Pulse, knocking back the phantom prototype and charging toward the knight.