A sharp whistle cut through the subterranean silence.
The long, aerodynamic train shot into a sealed tunnel—walls gleaming with condensation, reinforced pipes running overhead like coiled metal veins. Outside the windows, rippling blue light flickered faintly across the glass panels.
Yeah, this wasn't your everyday subway.
It was a high-speed underwater tunnel, diving straight beneath the Pacific like it didn't give a damn about the laws of nature. A single drop of failure in the wrong pipe, and everyone on board would be crushed like soda cans in a hydraulic press.
And yet—
Ryouma Winslow was asleep.
Head tilted slightly back, lips parted just enough to make him look like a guy one second from snoring. His arms were crossed, one foot lazily bouncing against the cabin floor.
Tap.
A finger touched his shoulder—light, but persistent.
"Sir," a calm, slightly amused voice said. "We're almost there. You seemed to be enjoying your nap quite well."
His eyes blinked open. Slowly. As if even his eyelids hadn't fully accepted being awake yet.
"…Huh?"
The young woman who had tapped him had already turned away, walking calmly down the aisle in her uniform. Probably one of the train staff.
He blinked again, rubbed at his eye, then turned to the window.
Wait.
Were those fish?
Beyond the thick glass, faint shapes moved through the dark blue water. Lights from the tunnel shimmered against their scales as they darted between metal support structures.
"Are we… underwater?" he muttered.
He leaned closer, one hand pressed to the window.
Yeah, no doubt. That was the ocean out there.
It hit him all at once—memories bubbling up like a sudden intake of breath after a long dive.
"…Right. Gaia City."
He leaned back into his seat, hands in his pockets now.
"I used to live here," he muttered. "A long time ago. Left when I was five. Went to live with my Grandpa in the countryside."
He paused.
"Came back once, five years ago. Just a visit."
Another pause.
"This time… maybe I'm back for good."
Outside, the underwater tunnel gave way to open light. The train emerged from beneath the ocean like a sleek metal serpent surfacing for air.
And there it was.
Gaia City.
An artificial island. Man-made and massive—stretching as far as the eye could see.
"Gaia City is an artificial island in the Pacific Ocean, relatively close to Japan's eastern coast," he said under his breath, as if reading from some half-remembered brochure. "Comparable in area to Tokyo or Kyoto."
Which meant: skyscrapers, layered districts, transport lines, research zones, school blocks, and a whole bunch of places you probably weren't supposed to ask about.
"Can't remember much… but I at least remember that."
The train curved into an elevated rail above the surface, revealing the city in full scale. Buildings shimmered with reflective smart-glass. Drones zipped along air lanes. Neon lights blinked even during daytime.
A city that looked like it was living ten years ahead of the rest of the world.
"You might not believe it," Ryouma continued, half to himself, "but Gaia City's full of freaks with physics-law-breaking powers called Gaia Abilities."
He tapped the window with his knuckle.
"And yeah, they're literally called Gaias. So when you hear anything about Gaia City… it's all Gaia-this, Gaia-that. Kinda weird."
He sighed.
"I wonder why it's all called Gaia. But I'm not gonna hurt my brain over it."
The train began to decelerate, smoothly pulling into a station suspended above the glowing city. The platform lit up as the magnetic brakes hissed.
A female voice echoed over the intercom.
"Now arriving at Central District 7 Station. All passengers disembarking, please do so now. All boarding passengers, please prepare to enter. The train will depart shortly."
Ryouma stood up, stretching his arms over his head with a soft grunt. His back popped. Shoulders rolled.
He grabbed his duffel bag from the overhead rack and slung it over one shoulder.
Then, with a single step forward—
He re-entered Gaia City.
Crowds bustled across the platform. AI surveillance drones hovered overhead like mechanical pigeons. Somewhere in the distance, a vertical monorail zipped upward at impossible speed.
And just a few meters away—
Some guy coasted past on what looked like a floating hoverboard, eating ice cream and texting at the same time.
Ryouma stopped mid-step, watching him float by.
He blinked.
"…Yep. A city full of freaks."
Then a small smirk tugged at his lips.
"Who knows. Maybe I'm a freak myself."
Ryouma climbed the final steps out of the subway terminal, the glow of overhead lights dimming behind him. His shoes echoed against the metal stairs as he emerged into a wide-open plaza—glass domes overhead, neon signs blinking on polished steel walls, digital ads floating in midair like translucent banners.
He stopped.
Turned.
Then stared back down the stairs he just climbed.
"…Wait," he muttered, brow furrowed. "So I was still underground?"
He took a few steps back, peered down into the stairwell again, then looked up at the ceiling—which was now a transparent dome showing a simulation of blue sky overhead, complete with drifting clouds.
"You seriously kidding me right now?"
A soft whistle escaped his lips.
The plaza had felt like outside. It looked like outside. Birds were chirping. Wind simulators breezed through the air. Trees—even if they were artificial—lined the walking paths like it was some high-end park.
"Wow," he whispered, shaking his head. "This city's so high-tech, even the underground looks better than most countries' above ground."
He turned and continued walking, finally leaving Central District 7.
He pulled a slim map from a side pocket in his backpack, unfolded it halfway, and muttered:
"Okay… District 7, Block E… Dullahan?"
His footsteps quickened as the towering glass buildings gradually gave way to more modest structures. The bright skies dimmed slightly as the digital light filters adjusted. Soon, the sound of crowds faded behind him, replaced by the low hum of distant machines, faint chatter, and the buzz of static-filled streetlights.
The scenery changed.
Gone were the spotless walkways and holographic displays. In their place: graffiti-tagged alleys, flickering lights, and residential blocks with weathered paint.
The streets felt… quieter. Not peaceful quiet. Empty quiet. Like something dangerous just walked away—and might come back any second.
He looked up at a street sign on a crooked pole.
Dullahan District 7- Block
"Yep," Ryouma muttered. "Figures. The one place I gotta stay… turns out to be the most notorious corner of District 7."
He folded the map and stuffed it into his back pocket, eyes sweeping the street.
Dullahan.
A part of Gaia City even normal Gaias avoided unless they had a death wish. A breeding ground for rogue types, unsanctioned ability users, and black-market tech dealers.
"Couldn't they at least have let me stay in Central?" he groaned. "I'd even take Beta-Class dorms over this."
A few more blocks later, he finally found it: a five-story apartment building with a rusted security gate and a crooked digital sign flickering the name:
MIRAI HOSTEL
[4F – R.412]
He walked up to the front and pressed the elevator button.
Nothing.
He pressed it again. Then harder.
Still nothing.
Ryouma stared at the panel.
"…So you're telling me that something in Gaia City isn't working? And it's not just anything—it's technology?"
He exhaled, dragging a hand down his face.
Just then, a voice called out.
"Oh, yeah. It's not broken or anything," said a guy walking past with a tote bag slung over his shoulder. "Last night, some Gaia went rogue and electrocuted half the block. Ever since then, electronics in this zone've been kinda messed up."
Ryouma turned to him. The guy looked maybe a year older. Casual hoodie. Slouchy walk. Calm tone.
"Oh… I see. Thanks," Ryouma replied. "I'm Ryouma Winslow. Just moved in today."
The guy extended a hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Kai."
They shook.
Kai nodded toward the building. "I live on the third floor. I know this place has… a reputation. But I hope you enjoy your stay. It has its good sides too, promise. Just don't go wandering around at night and you'll be fine."
He smiled.
Not wide.
Not creepy.
Just a little too… off-putting.
Then he gave a lazy wave and strolled down the block.
Ryouma stood there for a moment, watching him disappear around the corner.
"…Yeah. Rumored," Ryouma muttered. "Good Sides. Right."
He turned toward the building again, sighing.
"Sorry, dude. Not buying it. This place is so dangerous, even people outside District 7 know about it. No way I'm letting my guard down."
He adjusted his bag, stepped through the broken security gate, and started climbing the stairs the old-school way.
"…Fourth floor. Guess we're doing this the analog way."
Step by step, he started climbing.
---
Click.
The door to Room 412 creaked open as Ryouma stepped inside, duffel bag slung off his shoulder.
"…Alright. Room 412. Here we are."
He scanned the space.
A small but clean living room greeted him—simple, modern. A dark gray couch sat across from a low table and a mounted holo-screen. A fridge hummed gently in the corner, half-tucked beside a counter. Minimalist furniture, clean tile flooring, no smell of mildew or burnt circuits.
"Well," he said, impressed, "this is… actually not bad."
He dropped his bag by the couch and wandered toward the kitchen space. A compact set-up—ceramic counter, induction burners, polished black sink.
"Okay. Nice kitchen too. That's a first."
Next came the bathroom. He slid the door open.
"Huh. Decent water pressure?" he muttered, testing the faucet. "Clean mirror. Heated tiles. I've definitely stayed in worse."
He smirked, then made his way to the bedroom.
A single bed waited near the wall, already made. He flopped down, letting the mattress sink beneath him. A short roll left him half-wrapped in the soft sheets.
"…Whoa. Comfy."
He stared at the ceiling for a moment.
"The only thing I really like about this place is…"
He trailed off as he stood again and crossed to the other side of the room—past the bathroom entrance—where a sliding window overlooked the back of the building.
It opened with a small click.
A breeze drifted in, cool and steady. Outside, the sun dipped lower, casting warm orange light across distant rooftops. Not far off, his eyes caught movement.
A girl.
Sitting alone on a quiet bench across the block.
She wore a long white robe. A hood shadowed her face. The fabric rippled in the wind.
"…Wait. Is that… a nun?"
His brow furrowed.
"Wait, I thought Gaia City was all tech and science. What's a robe-wearing religious girl doing here? Are there even any Temples in the city?"
He stared for a moment longer, then shrugged.
"…Yeah. Not my business."
He closed the window, kicked off his shoes, and flopped back onto the bed.
"…Gonna nap for a bit."
---
The next thing he saw was sunlight.
He blinked, groggy, and glanced at the glowing time display beside the bed.
"Five…? I seriously slept that long?"
Stretching with a groan, he sat up and yawned. After a moment, he changed into a set of gym clothes—plain shirt, dark track pants, light shoes—and headed back out, locking the door behind him.
The air was cooler now, the sky a deep blue as evening approached.
Jogging through Dullahan had a strange feel to it. The neighborhood looked fine on the surface—quiet streets, occasional storefronts, a few vending machines still flickering.
"If this place weren't crawling with rogue Gaias, it'd actually be… kinda peaceful."
As he passed the corner with the broken lamp post—the same direction his window had faced—he slowed slightly.
She was there again.
That same girl.
Same robes.
Sitting this time. Legs folded neatly. Hands on her lap. Hood still up.
Ryouma's eyes narrowed.
"Yeah… No way I'm getting involved with anyone wearing that," he muttered under his breath.
He picked up the pace, jogged past her, and kept going.
But on the way back—same route, same turn—the spot was empty.
No girl.
No trace.
Just the rustle of wind.
---
[The Next Morning]
Back in his room, Ryouma took a shower and stood in front of the mirror, buttoning up his new school uniform.
His first day.
Transfer student status. New people. New school.
He tightened his wristband and looked at himself one last time.
"Alright," he said. "No time to mess around," he told himself. "Gotta make a good first impression."
He glanced at the window once more.
Still, the image of the robed girl lingered in his mind.
Whoever she was…
This city definitely wasn't gonna be kind. He thought.
CHAPTER END.