Intruders and Prototypes

[Location: Nova Academy – Outer Training Grounds | Early Morning]

The morning fog hadn't fully lifted from Nova Academy's training fields when the security alarm rang out—three rapid beeps.Yellow Alert.Not urgent enough for evacuation, but serious enough to freeze all outdoor activity in its tracks.

Inside the control room, an officer called out,

"Unknown signal detected from terminal port 7-K. Non-Academy protocol."

Tessan was already standing.

"Cross-check it with the latest technical logs. And call Nayra. Now."

[Location: Nova Academy – Courtyard Bench | Same Time]

Kael was busy trying to drag Ryn into morning practice.

"Come on, man. Even a genius needs warm-up time."

Ryn didn't look up from his terminal.His eyes were fixed on the mission report they'd received two days ago.

"That's the third time you've read that thing," Kael muttered.

"And there's still something that doesn't add up," Ryn replied quietly. His tone was flat, brows furrowed. "The Core energy tracker used by the evaluation team... it matches a model listed under Thalros's tech catalog from three months ago."

Kael blinked. "You're saying it's Thalros tech?"

Ryn shook his head.

"The model we saw during the mission? It's identical to an Eidolon prototype that was leaked last year. Someone's disguising one as the other. That's no coincidence."

Kael's face turned serious.

"Wait… are you saying the evaluation team is connected to—?"

"I'm saying someone wants it to look like they aren't."

[Location: Nova Academy – Storage Room Sector 3 | Minutes Later]

Deren crouched in front of Storage Drawer #3, rummaging for an old Core canister he had modified for a private project deep in the server wing.

The drawer slid open with a low groan.He froze.

His breath caught.

Inside the compartment, resting neatly among his tools, was a resonance-trigger prototype—an old Eidolon design.Complete with the obsolete Eidolon emblem, one that hadn't been used in over a year.

His eyes narrowed.

His heartbeat quickened—not in fear, but suspicion.

"This... isn't mine."

He said it softly, more like a warning to himself than a declaration.

Steps echoed down the hallway.

He shut the drawer in a flash and slipped out through the side corridor, just as two Thalros technicians entered—nervous, fidgeting.One of them held a handheld scanner.

They were searching for something.

[Cutaway – Location: Nova Academy Command Room | Parallel Time]

Nayra stood beside Tessan, both reviewing the trace log.

"The signal only lasted five seconds," she murmured. "Then vanished completely."

"Which means it wasn't just stolen tech," Tessan added. "It's been upgraded... and sabotaged to erase itself."

Their eyes locked onto the screen.

At the bottom, one name flashed under Unverified Unauthorized Access.A red path traced its escape: Storage → Corridor 7 → Underground Access Route.

Tessan's voice dropped to a mutter.

"Only one person could build something like that."

[Location: Nova Academy – Underground Server Room | Shortly After]

Deren dropped into the creaky chair in front of his ancient terminal.The hum of old fans filled the air.He tapped the console once, and it came alive with a dim glow.

"If that prototype wasn't mine... then someone else has started copying my work."His fingers hovered above the keyboard. Trembling. Hesitant.

Old memories rushed back—of buried projects, discarded blueprints, and unfinished weapons that should have stayed forgotten.

But now, one of them had surfaced.Not by accident.

"No. This wasn't a leak. It's bait."

He stared at the blank terminal for a long moment.Then his expression hardened.

"Someone's trying to lure me out."

His hands began to type.

Files flickered open—rows upon rows of dusty Eidolon archives.Prototypes. Failures. Experiments. Designs that should have been deleted.

And in the top-right corner of the screen… a message blinked into view:

"Welcome back, D."