1.7: Ripples.

Boy: "We're almost there. I need you to help me catch that little red fishie!"

MC: "Sure thing, but I can't promise I'll succeed. Is that okay with you?"

Girl: "Lucas! You can't cheat in a contest!"

Boy: "Oh no, she spotted us! Take this net and don't say anything about me hiring you!"

MC: "Sigh... He ran away already..."

??: "Unfortunate. This species of fish can only survive for a week on land."

MC: (...A tourist?)

??: "The fish is gonna slip away, you know."

??: "Ta-da"

??: "The owner probably just wanted to throw in some fish to fit the theme."

??: "But this one, bright as a flame, is a real Flammula from Lemurian legends."

MC: "Flammula? I'm not very familiar with those myths or folklore..."

MC: "Oh."

MC: "Hat Island is closed off because there have been reports of Wanderers. You should stay away from that place for now."

??: "That explain why I couldn't get a boat ticket. It's good that you were here to let me know. Otherwise, I really wouldn't wasted my time."

MC: "Wait."

MC: "Here's the fish you caught. I hope it'll survive longer with you."

??: "..."

MC: "If you like the sea, you should go to Whitesand Bay. It's the most beautiful beach in all of..."

MC: (But he didn't even let me finish...)

MC: "Darn it!"

——————————

Hat Island: A small island located near Linkon's coast. The mountains resemble a hat, hence its name. It was once a popular tourist site. Now, it is abandoned, for Wanderers have taken over.

Whitesand Bay: Whitesand Bay is along the coast of Linkon City, where under sunlight, its sand shines a faint, silvery-white hue. The area is romantic and serene. It's a popular resort area and art center.

Lemuria: An ancient, marine civilization recorded in legends. Its unique, advance technologies are difficult to use. Also, Lemurians had achieved great mastery over many art-related fields such as music, painting, literature, architecture, and carving.

In 2034, the ruins of an underwater city were discovered to the southeast of Linkon City, proving the existence of Lemuria.

1.8: Doctor.

MC: Hey, Yvonne, it's me. Just coming out of the elevator. Dr. Zayne hasn't gone home, has he?

Yvonne: Don't worry, all checkups are in the system, which sends out notifications. Dr. Zayne can't forget them.

MC: ...Yeah. Besides, even when he's not working, he's still in his office.

I met Zayne after Grandma took me in. I was eight years old then.

Our families had been friends for years, so we'd occasionally get together for meals.

We didn't meet again until half a year ago, during a follow-up checkup on the Protocore fragments in my heart.

I would've never guessed that after not seeing him for more than a decade, he'd reappear as my primary care physician.

Yvonne: You're known Dr. Zayne for a while, right? I'll transfer your call over so you two can get started.

MC:"No, don't—

Electronic Voice (F): Akso Hospital, for a brighter future.

Zayne: Good job. You were ten seconds away from being a no-show.

MC: I fought everyone to book the last appointment of the day. Waaait!

Zayne: Don't worry, we have five seconds left.

MC: Do you really need to be prectise?!

Zayne: "Three... Two..."

Arriving at the office door, I push it open.

Zayne: Congratulations, you weren't late. Is this impeccable timing a new Evol ability of yours?

MC: I can't believe you're just sitting there and counting down. What are you, a ticking time bomb or something?

**********

MC: "Yvonne said you returned to Linkon at five o'clock this morning and were back to work by seven."

Zayne: "She tells you everything."

MC: "You said it was a vacation, but you were actually in the Arctic to work on a secrec project, right?"

Zayne: "Patients shouldn't be so nosy."

Zayne: "Report."

MC: "..."

Zayne: "Any changes recently?"

MC: "No."

Zayne: "No?"

MC: "...I've had one exam after another, so I pulled a few all-nighters."

Zayne: "Ignoring medical advice like it's nothing, I suppose you're just here to go through the motions."

Zayne: "Sit over here, please."

Mc: "Huh?"

Zayne: "Listening."

MC: "Right..."

MC: "This isn't the first day I had Protocore fragments in my heart. Even Dr. Dean said I was perfectly fine."

MC: "And it's been fourteen years. If anything bad—"

Zayne: "Shh."

MC: "..."

Zayne: "Don't talk. But you should still breathe."

MC: (Zayne looks so serious... Did he notice something was off?)

MC: (Nah, he just normally looks aloof. He probably has the same expression on his face regardless of whom he's treating.)

Zayne: "A fast resting heart rate. What riled you up this time?"

MC: "...Y-you're just imagining things..."

MC: "Fine, I was really nervous, okay? But I'm always like this whenever I see a doctor..."

Zayne: "Truly, your allergy is unique."

MC: "So?"

Zayne: "Heart arrhythmia, premature ventricular contractions, heart murmurs..."

MC: "Really?"

Zayne: "Despite being aware of the risks, you still became a hunter."

MC: "...Make fun of me all you want, but you know why I did it."

Zayne: "..."

Zayne: "I wasn't mocking you. Linkon has been the safest it's ever been under the watchful eye of our skilled hunter, MC."

MC: "Not necessarily. One day, our skilled Dr. Zayne will find himself in a bit of a predicament. The hunter who saves you might just be me."

Zayne: "If you wish to hold something over me, then I suggest you be careful while out on the field."

Zayne: "I'd prefer not to see you be airlifted to the hospital via helicopter."

——————————

Yvonne: A nurse working at cardiac surgery department, Akso Hospial. Having just graduated from nursing school, she is young and lively. Responsible and always gets the job done, she has earned her patients' respect.

Akso Hospital: Linkon's municipal hospital, located downtown. A facility focused on medicine, research, and education. Its divisions such as the Division of Cardiac Surgery and Division of General Surgery are widely respected. At the forefront of healthcare, it is a world-renowned medical institute.

The Arctic: An area blanketed with ice and snow most of the year. It is a very popular tourist destination due to its stunning aurora and silvery, frost-covered ground.

Simultaneously serving as the Earth's magnetic pole, it is frequented by Wanderers. Numerous research institutions and relevant military forces are stationed here.

1.9: Rainfall Curtain

MC: "Finally, this busy day can come to an end..."

I plop onto my bed and pull out my Hunter's Watch. In my inbox is a team recruitment notice that's signed by Jenna.

MC: "I actually became a hunter..."

MC: "UNICORNS and its Alpha Team... I wonder what the veteran hunters are like."

Outside my window, under the night, the trees sway, their branches rustling to the beat of the wind. Thunder rumbles in the distance.

MC: "Is it about to rain? The weather forecast didn't mention anything about a storm..."

Suddenly, the phone rings.

MC: Caleb?

Caleb: I knew you'd still be awake. What're you up to?

MC: Just got home. I'm beat.

Caleb: Your first day of hunting, Well?

MC: It wasn't bad at all. I didn't bring disgrace to my family.

Caleb: Well, that's good. What matters is that you're alive.

MC: What about you? Why are you calling me now? Aren't you on a military flight operation?

Caleb: I should be cruisin' along. But things wrapped up quite nicely and ended early.

MC: Did you guys encounter any Wanderers in the Deepspace Tunnel? Was it dangerous?

Caleb: Are you actually worried about me?

MC: If something happens to you, we won't be able to see Grandma together at the end of the month!

Caleb: Come on. I know how important it is to you. Even if I was in a wheelchair, you'd push me there.

MC: Ugh, say something good for once! Don't jinx yourself!

Caleb: All right. It's been peaceful.

Caleb: The field within the tunnel is as stable as it can be. Very few Wanderers. Don't worry.

MC: Really? Every time you tell me not to worry...

Caleb: Everything else is top secret. My lips are sealed.

MC: Yeah, yeah. Everything is a secret with you people in the Deepspace Aviation Administration.

Caleb: Yeeep. Mysterious, and, spoooky.

MC: I'm sooo scared. Scary enough for the pip-squeak to put cilantro in your food.

Caleb: Okay, I'll stop.

Caleb: It's late. You should go to bed now. Sweet dreams.

MC: (Ever since Grandma took Caleb and me in, she hasn't stopped worrying about us...)

I pick up my phone, set an alarm, then walk over to the window.

MC: (She must be really happy that I joined UNICORNS.)

As I draw the curtains, in the darkness, something strange catches my attention. I look up and...

Outside my window, separated by only glass, a giant eye turns to meet my gaze.

MC: (...What is that?!)

In the blink of an eye, darkness swallows everything outside.

I couldn't understand what I just saw. Raindrops fall, their trails of water seemingly cutting everything.

The overwhelming darkness of the night envelops the nearby buildings. A storm rages on, swallowing all the light in Linkon.

——————————

Caleb: My childhood friend. Grandma took us in when we were young. Now he works as a fighter pilot for the Deepspace Aviation Administration. Ever since he went to Aerospace Academy in Skyhaven, we don't often see each other. But we always visit Grandma during the holidays. While he loves teasing me, he's actually a reliable person whom I trust.