Aftermath

[November 17th, 21:00 JST]

Tokyo Prefecture – Harmonia Foundation Tame Facility, Tempesta Unit Quarters

Night settled over their room like a quiet whisper, dim lights casting long shadows across the rectangular room.

Beds lined both walls in neat rows; opposite them, a small living space sat under the glow of the wall lamp — a sofa, a low table and the cold reflection of the TV’s black screen. A short set of steps led toward the bathroom and compact kitchen in the back.

The walls felt as if they were waiting for someone to break the silence.

No one did.

The girls sat on their mattresses in their casual clothes, hair still damp from showers, each staring at nothing with the same distant, shaken stillness.

The roar from the virtual sim room still echoed in their ears.

And so did Takeshi’s words afterward.

“Sorry to keep you all waiting. I know you’re terrified… and you girls deserve to know what that roar was.”

“What we heard wasn’t a glitch. It wasn’t a simulation error.”

“It was real.”

“A Level 5.”

“…”

“We still don’t know its form. The system couldn’t generate a simulation of it, even though that damn stone had recorded its frequency—almost as if the meteorite itself refused to let it appear.”

“But the frequency… it matches the one of the final records left by that ancient civilization. And the bad news is… according to them… more than one Level 5 existed back then.”

“In conclusion… what we feared the most had come true.”

“Sooner or later… we will have to face a Level 5.”

Emi was the first to move. She walked slowly toward Reina’s bed and hugged her tightly.

“Do you think those recruits will stay after hearing that roar?” she whispered.

Reina let out a small, bitter laugh. “I won’t blame them if they leave.”

She gently rubbed Emi’s back, trying to calm her and, at the same time, steady herself with the warmth of that embrace.

Emiko’s phone rang, slicing through the heavy silence.

She answered quickly and stepped toward the kitchen. When she returned a minute later, her expression was stiff despite her attempt to act normal.

“M-My parents called. They asked why I didn’t text them today. I lied… that idol training and mission made me tired.”

She climbed back onto her bed and hugged her oversized teddy bear, arms tight around it.

Mika lay on her mattress, olive-green eyes fixed on the ceiling.

“Level 5, huh,” she muttered quietly, as if mocking the term itself.

Misaki sat cross-legged, listening to music through her earphones.

Reina glanced at her; beneath the usual poker face, uncertainty flickered in her gaze.

Momoko opened her mouth a few times, clearly wanting to tell a joke to lighten the mood, but the words died before she could say anything.

Then Nana exploded.

“Arghhh—! Sitting here sulking is boring. It won’t help us at all.”

She stripped off her clothes and changed into her sportswear swiftly.

“I’m going to the gym to punch a few bags.” She raised her voice on purpose, trying to spark life back into the room.

“I suggest you girls do something too, instead of sitting there like wooden planks.”

She slammed the door behind her.

The team exchanged glances, and small but breathy laughs slipped out.

The air loosened, just for a moment.

“Reina-san,” Misaki said, her voice carrying an unusual note of concern. “Could you follow Nana-chan and check on her? Even if she acts like that… she’s the one who takes it the hardest.”

Reina nodded. She gave Emi’s silver-gray hair one last gentle ruffle as she walked out of the room and headed toward the facility gym.

The wide gym room was lined with weight racks and treadmills along one wall, with a boxing ring sitting in the corner under the bright overhead lights. The air smelled faintly of rubber mats and sweat.

Nana was there, hammering the sandbag with sharp, furious punches.

Reina watched in silence. It had been a long time since she’d seen that expression on Nana’s face. The last time was when Nana pushed herself to awaken her Diva grade, desperate to reach the Cantus Level so she could join the fight against CODA.

Eventually, Nana slowed. Her breathing grew ragged.

Reina stepped forward, slipped on a pair of blue gloves, and took position beside her. She threw a single clean punch into the sandbag, sending it swinging hard.

Nana stared quietly.

Reina noticed her gaze and lowered her hands.

“Nana-chan… are you alright?” she asked softly.

Nana barked a forceful, loud laugh.

“Of course! I’m the bright Nana, after all…”

Her voice thinned under Reina’s steady stare. “… I can’t hide from you, huh?”

She suddenly stepped forward and hugged Reina, burying her face into her shoulder. Her breath trembled; tears warmed Reina’s collarbone.

Reina wrapped her arms around her, stroking Nana’s hair in slow, even motions.

“It’s okay. I’m here.” She whispered. “You can be yourself when it’s just us.”

Misaki’s earlier words echoed in Reina’s mind.

Despite being the loudest and brightest, Nana was the most fragile inside. She hid her fear behind her flame.

“I’m scared, Reina-san,” Nana whispered, voice breaking. “That roar… that Level 5… I’ve never felt something shake me that badly. It was like… there’s nothing I can do. And we’re supposed to face that one day?”

She tightened her grip, crying harder.

Reina held her close.

“Me too,” she answered. “I’ve never seen a Level 5 either. That was my first time hearing one.”

She exhaled slowly. “So… you’re not alone.”

“But… you’re not scared?” Nana asked, voice muffled. “You always look fearless. Like nothing ever fazes you.”

Reina went silent for a moment.

Scared?

Of course I was.

I’m only human.

“Yes, I’m scared,” she said finally, “but as your captain, I can’t show weakness… not in front of the others. That’s the face of an Aria Corps leader. Steady, unshaken.”

She pulled Nana slightly back, meeting her eyes.

“But the truth is… I’m more afraid of losing all of you. A Level 5 doesn’t scare me as much as the thought of any of you not coming home.”

Nana let out a shaky laugh, wiping her tears with her wrist.

“Even Reina-san has fears… and yours are bigger than ours. Looking after us all the time… thank you, captain.”

Reina gave a small smile.

“Why did you join the Aria Corps, Nana-chan? Tell me again. What is it that you want to protect?”

Nana paused, still holding onto her.

She lifted her head and looked straight into Reina’s eyes.

“You know Misaki-chan and I came from the same orphanage, right? I was found in a basket at the door one night. A letter with only my name.”

Her voice steadied a bit. “That place in Ibaraki… that’s my whole world. There were so many kids like me… abandoned, left behind. Misaki-chan was always with me. Even after we were scouted, we stayed together.”

Nana’s grip tightened around Reina’s arms.

“When I learned what CODA really was… I just knew. I had to protect that place. The kids, and the old lady who takes care of them, the same one who raised us.”

She sniffed. “Every month, we send back as much as we can. It’s our way of keeping our little world alive.”

She finally pulled away, wiping her face with both hands.

When she looked up again, her eyes were red, burning with resolve.

“Thank you for listening, Reina-san. I know what I have to do now.”

“I don’t care what CODA shows up—Level 5, Level 6, anything.”

“I’ll burn them until nothing’s left.”

“I’ll protect my little world, and no CODA will ever touch it.”

Nana’s words lingered in the air long after her voice faded.

Reina gave her a quiet smile and tapped her shoulder before slipping off her gloves.

Nana turned back to the sandbag immediately, fists flying with renewed force. The fire in her eyes had returned.

Reina stepped out of the gym, intending to return to the quarters and check on the others. But as she turned the corner of the corridor, she nearly collided with someone.

“Takeshi…”

He stopped mid-step. “Reina.”

His coat was still buttoned, a file tucked under one arm, but his first glance went straight to her legs. The faint crease between his brows showed how long the day had been.

Takeshi hesitated before speaking.

“I wanted to ask earlier… but not in front of the girls.”

“Reina… back in the simulation room, your legs responded… as if your resonance forced them to move. That shouldn’t have been possible.”

Reina looked down at her feet, then at him. She hesitated before reaching out to take his hand, letting his warmth steady her.

“I know. It just… happened.” She said softly. “Maybe my desire to protect them triggered something. But I don’t understand it either.”

Takeshi held her gaze, concern flickering behind his eyes. His fingers tightened around hers briefly.

“If anything feels wrong, tell me,” he murmured. “Don’t hide it. Not from me.”

Reina gave a small, tired smile. “I won’t. I promise.”

“What about the others?” he asked as they continued walking side by side. Their shoulders close enough to brush, careful enough to keep their hands apart now that they were in a public corridor.

“They accepted it quickly,” Reina answered lightly. “To them… I’m a Cantus Major-grade Diva. Miracles come with the territory.”

Takeshi exhaled, amused and worried. “Of course they’d say that.”

Then his tone shifted. “Alright. Back to official business.”

Reina’s expression sobered.

“The board has requested the Tempesta Unit for deployment tomorrow,” he said.

Reina stopped walking. “The board? They rarely give such direct orders… What’s so urgent?”

Takeshi lowered his voice. “The mission is in Ibaraki Prefecture.”

Reina’s heartbeat skipped. “… Ibaraki?”

“High CODA readings were detected there,” he explained. “All meteorites in that area were already retrieved, but satellite sensors picked up a strong frequency spike despite no Novium stone being present. The researchers think it may be a Level 4.”

Reina’s fingers curled slightly.

What a coincidence… No. Ibaraki is big. It doesn’t have to be that place. Stay calm.

“What do they want us to do?” she asked.

“For now, recon and standby. We don’t know what we’re dealing with yet. The JSDF will mobilize if a threat is confirmed. Tempesta Unit will take point since your team is the only one that ever faced a Level 4… even if it was only in a simulation.”

Reina exhaled, accepting the weight of the mission. “Understood. Tell them we’ll be ready.”

She took the brown envelope from his hand. The moment it touched her palm, it felt heavier than it should have.

Takeshi nodded and stepped back. “Get some rest, Reina.”

She watched him turn down the hall before she continued toward the quarters.

When she entered, the girls looked up immediately. Their eyes were clearer than before, tension replaced with a fragile resolve.

They recover fast… good. We’ll need that tomorrow.

Reina straightened before speaking.

“Misaki-chan, call Nana-chan back. We have a mission tomorrow.”