The hum of Granis City's underbelly filled the air—grinding subway cars, buzzing electric wires, and distant echoes of things that slithered in the dark. Kael stood on the metal platform above Metro Line B, peering down at the endless tunnel like it was the throat of a sleeping beast.
Beside him, Aria—code name WRAITH—adjusted her fingerless gloves. "You sure this SPARK is real? Hackers usually stay hidden for a reason."
"She's real," Kael said, his eyes scanning the flickering System interface. "System pinged her location. Just up ahead."
[Objective: Recruit Tier-1 Candidate – CODE NAME: SPARK]
[Threat Level: Unknown]
[Reward: 1,500 Credits + Access to Cyber Infiltration Protocol]
Rin's voice buzzed in through Kael's earpiece. "Kael, I've been digging through archived news. SPARK isn't just a rogue hacker. Two years ago, she took down a Ministry surveillance drone mid-flight—while it was cloaked. That kind of tech... it's not just raw skill. It's war-level hardware."
Kael's mouth tightened. "Then we better bring our A-game."
---
The tunnel stretched before them—broken lights, twisted steel beams, graffiti that pulsed in neon under the right angles. Aria took point, her movements ghostlike, while Kael watched the signal on his HUD shift as they moved deeper.
They passed makeshift shelters, scattered tech scraps, and strange static-filled audio bursts in the air.
Then—
[Signal Lock: 12 Meters]
[WARNING: Digital Countermeasures Detected]
A sudden buzz of electricity shot through the air. The walls shimmered like water, and in an instant, they were surrounded by holographic clones—dozens of them, flickering, all aiming digital rifles.
"What the hell—" Aria drew her knife instinctively.
Kael raised his hands. "She's watching us."
The clones froze. One by one, they shimmered and vanished—until only one figure remained, crouched on a crate behind a wall of stacked server cases.
A girl. Hoodie zipped up. Neon-blue streaks dyed into her jet-black hair. Her eyes glowed faintly behind rectangular goggles. Fingers danced over a portable console like she was playing a rhythm game.
"So," she said. "You're the System user making noise lately."
"SPARK," Kael nodded. "I'm recruiting."
She smirked, never looking up. "And I'm ignoring."
Kael crossed his arms. "We're building something. Something that fights back. I need people who don't just survive this city—but rewrite its rules."
She paused, eyeing him.
"I've rewritten the rules since I was twelve," SPARK replied. "What makes your game worth joining?"
Kael stepped forward.
"I don't want control," he said. "I want change. Burn the fake, expose the hidden. Wipe the slate clean."
She stared at him for a moment.
Then she laughed—a short, glitchy burst like corrupted data.
"Good answer, hoodie boy."
She closed her laptop with a snap.
"I'm in. But only if I get admin rights."
Aria raised a brow. "She's serious?"
Kael smiled. "She's perfect."
---
[SPARK RECRUITED – Team Buff Activated: +10% Electronic Evasion]
[Cyber Infiltration Protocol Unlocked – Access Granted]
[Group Members: 2/5]
Back at base, SPARK moved like she'd always lived there—setting up new terminals, installing firewalls, and mocking Rin's setup at every opportunity.
"This isn't a base," she said, dragging cables across the floor. "It's a toaster with WiFi."
Rin rolled his eyes. "Says the girl who uses anime stickers on encrypted drives."
Kael watched them argue and smiled faintly.
They were different. Flawed. Broken in places.
But they were his now.
His team.
---
[Next Recruitment Mission Unlocked – CODE NAME: PHANTOM]
[Classified Location: Eastern Graveyards – Sector 9]
[Danger Level: High]
Kael's face hardened.
"PHANTOM," he muttered. "I've heard whispers. Ex-military. Went dark two years ago. People say he's a myth."
SPARK grinned. "Even better. I love a challenge."
Aria cracked her knuckles. "Hope she punches harder than his nickname."
Kael turned to the dark city skyline beyond the broken window.
"Then let's bring the myth to light."