Chapter 5: The Two Sides of the World She Never Knew,,

After the confrontation with one of the country’s most formidable security robots, the Ironclaw Titan, Haruka managed to escape, fleeing the scene and leaving the train station in a restricted area behind her.

In response to the chaos caused by the Dominion’s betrayal, the government of Japan, the organization that controlled the entire country, swiftly called an emergency meeting. The room was filled with the most powerful and influential Dominion leaders, all gathered in one place. The facility was equipped with cutting-edge technology—each table was organized with a transparent screen displaying images of the female Dominion carrying a human on her back. Everyone in the room was stunned.

They had believed that all Dominions within the country were being systemized by the highest A.I., each one assigned specific roles in the society, all under the control of a single entity that stood above them all. But they were wrong. Even with their most advanced systems in place, even with the power of the highest A.I., they had failed to control Haruka. The realization infuriated them.

One of the leaders stood and spoke sharply, his voice cutting through the tension.

“With this problem unfolding within our domain, I propose we declare this rogue Dominion an SSS-level criminal,” he said, pausing for emphasis. “This issue demands our immediate attention; it is a matter of national security.” His words resonated with half of the influential leaders in the room, who nodded in agreement.

Another voice, this time a female leader, spoke with a note of urgency. “Let us not forget that all the humans that escaped from the prison colony due to an unknown explosion not long ago are still missing. Their whereabouts remain unknown. If we don’t resolve this quickly, these escapees could form a revolution and rise against our nation.”

A man sitting next to her nodded solemnly. “She’s right. I don’t want this issue to spiral out of control and put us in a vulnerable position. We must act swiftly.”

As the room fell silent, the two leaders exchanged a knowing glance before nodding in agreement.

The others in the room, sensing the gravity of the situation, nodded as well, but the first man who had spoken earlier raised his hand.

“I agree with all of you,” he said, his tone measured, yet firm. “But what if these two—Haruka and Ai—are accomplices to the escaped prisoners? If that is the case, the situation becomes far worse. Right now, they are separated, but this is our chance to capture them before they reunite with the others. If they do, it will become nearly impossible to capture them, especially with one of the Dominion warriors created by the highest A.I. on their side.” His words were so powerful that even the security officers standing nearby nodded in agreement.

“He is right,” the old man added, his voice calm yet filled with authority. “We all know how highly skilled the Dominion warriors are in terms of combat. The Dominion warriors were also created by the highest A.I., our God. They are considered some of the strongest, high-tech combat robots in all of history, unmatched by any generation.” He flicked his finger, and suddenly, a large transparent screen appeared in the center of the meeting table, visible to everyone, including the security officers nearby.

On the screen, the faces of Haruka and Ai appeared, along with their personal information.

“After the incident at the Tokyo-Chiba train station, they boarded a train,” the old man continued, flicking his finger again. The screen shifted to show a map of Chiba, with a red dot marking the moving train. “This red mark represents the train they boarded. They are currently hiding in Chiba. Mobilize the Aether Sentinels in the area immediately. We must capture these criminals and punish them.”

As he finished speaking, all the influential leaders stood in unison, bowing their heads. “Your wish is our command.” With that, they left the room together, their steps synchronized, ready to carry out the plan.

Back at Haruka's apartment, she and Ai were hiding. Ai, on the other hand, had already regained consciousness and was eating to recover her energy, while Haruka stood by the window, keeping a vigilant watch to ensure they were safe. Ai couldn’t stand the tense atmosphere that hung over Haruka and sighed.

"They know we're in Chiba, but that doesn't mean they know exactly where we are. Stop looking so serious for now, will you?" Ai said, taking a bite of food while glancing at Haruka.

Haruka turned to look at her, her face full of worry and disbelief. "Back there... Sakura’s head really exploded, right?" Her voice was heavy with sadness, and her tone made Ai feel guilty.

"I’m sorry," Ai said, lowering her gaze. "I didn’t realize the dominions were so tightly controlled by the system. I think... the reason her head exploded is because she tried to push beyond the role the system set for her." Ai paused, her brows furrowing as she wondered why Haruka hadn’t suffered the same fate as Sakura. "But... I don’t understand. Why are you still moving on your own accord?"

Haruka shook her head, her expression filled with confusion. "I don’t know," she replied softly. "I’m somehow different from the other dominions. I can tell that much." She sat down next to Ai.

Ai looked at her thoughtfully. "You saved me from the Ironclaw Titan. You fought it and destroyed it. You're different from the other dominions. It’s as if you were built for combat." Ai continued, a slight frown forming. "And, from what I know, dominions don’t feel emotions, except for wrath, right? But when I saw you frightened back there... you’re more human than a dominion."

Haruka was surprised by Ai’s words. Her eyes widened, and a warmth spread through her chest. "Thank you for saying that," she said, her voice softer than before.

Ai was taken aback by the smile that spread across Haruka's face. It was so genuine that Ai couldn’t help but smile too.

Then, Haruka suddenly remembered the text box that had appeared in her vision earlier. She sighed and looked at Ai, her expression softening with a slight smile. "Your name is Ai, right? Can I ask you something?"

Ai, still surprised by the shift in the conversation, tilted her head. "You’re Haruka, right? Thanks for saving me earlier. I owe you a debt. Sure, ask me anything."

Haruka looked at her with curiosity. "What are you? I mean, you're not a dominion. You act on your own accord. Your eyes are blue, while all dominions have black eyes. And the fractures on your face—they’re completely different from ours, the dominions." Haruka’s curiosity was evident. "I need to know. What are you?"

Ai was momentarily surprised by the question, but then her expression changed, and she smiled gracefully. "I’m human," she said proudly, pausing for a moment before adding another smile.

Haruka was stunned. She was speechless, unsure of how to react to Ai's simple, yet profound answer.