Chapter 20: Gears Beneath the Silence

The further Nagomi ventured into Skydown, the more it felt like time itself had stopped. The walls here were no longer just metal and stone—they were overgrown with vines that shimmered faintly under the dim light, pulsating like veins carrying magic instead of blood.

He walked slowly, the faint creak of his footsteps echoing like whispers through the desolate corridors.

"Why does every hallway feel like it's waiting for something to wake up..."

A rusted sign caught his eye:
“Sector 7-R: Experimental Research – Access Restricted.”

He tilted his head.
"Access restricted, huh? I’m guessing that’s where the fun begins.”

He pushed the half-broken door open.

Inside, the room was filled with floating shards of crystal suspended mid-air, as if frozen in time. Machines lined the walls, humming softly even after what looked like decades—no, centuries—of abandonment.

Nagomi stepped inside cautiously.

“I feel like I shouldn’t touch anything. Which probably means I’m going to touch everything.”

He reached out toward a terminal. Just before his fingers made contact, a voice echoed from above.

“Unauthorized presence detected.”

He froze.
"Uh-oh."

The crystals began to swirl, assembling mid-air into the form of a humanoid figure—its body fragmented, its eyes glowing with blue static.

“State your designation.”

Nagomi blinked.
“Uh… tourist?”

The construct didn't laugh. Figures.

It raised an arm, and a pulse of magical energy shot toward him.

"Guess diplomacy’s off the table!"

Nagomi dived to the side just in time. The energy pulse smashed into the wall behind him, scattering debris. He rolled behind a console and unsheathed his sword, his breath quick and shallow.

“ Stick to basics. Watch the movements. Time the counter.”

The construct blinked in and out of sight, teleporting around the room in erratic flashes. It wasn’t just fast—it was designed to disorient.

But Nagomi was getting better.

He slowed his breath, squinting to catch the shimmer right before each appearance. When the next flash came, he was already moving.

With a well-timed sidestep and upward slash, his blade cut through the crystal core hovering inside the chest of the construct.

The shards exploded in a burst of blue light, then rained down gently like falling snow.

Silence returned.

“I actually won... That... was awesome.”

He leaned against the console, catching his breath.

"I’m not strong enough yet… but fights like that? They’re the reason I came here."

Moments Later – Discovery

As the dust settled, the terminal behind him buzzed to life, now unlocked.

A message scrolled across the cracked screen:

Project: Skyveil – Status: Incomplete. Vault Access: Granted.

“Skyveil…?”

A section of the wall rumbled open, revealing a spiraling staircase that led further down—beyond even Skydown’s deepest known levels.

Nagomi stared at the descent, shadows licking the edges of the stairs.

"So there’s even more hidden down here…"

He smiled, that same childish glint in his eyes.

"Why does every step into danger feel more exciting than the last?"

He began his descent.

Not because someone asked him to.

Not because the world needed saving.

But because this was his story now—and he couldn’t wait to see what came next.