"What kind of truth?" Min-ah asked, crossing her arms skeptically.
The Guardian gestured. "Follow us. We'll show you something you can't deny."
The two Guardians turned and began walking down the dark platform. Min-ah and I glanced at each other before cautiously following them. They led us through several underground corridors, deeper and deeper into the bowels of the abandoned station. The air grew colder and damper, and the only sound was the echo of our footsteps.
Finally, we reached a rusty metal door. The Warden opened it easily, revealing a surprisingly clean and well-equipped room inside. Several monitors were on, displaying blurry images of different parts of the city.
"This is our operations center," the Guardian explained. "From here, we monitor Troubles' activity and try to intervene when necessary."
We approached the monitors, watching the images with curiosity. In one, we saw a dark, twisted figure moving quickly through an alley. In another, a group of people were running in panic.
"We've been tracking a significant increase in Troubles activity in recent weeks," the Guardian said. "They're appearing in more crowded places and are more aggressive."
Then the Guardian pointed to another monitor. On the screen, a clearer image of a Trouble was visible. It was different from the ones we'd faced. Its shape was more humanoid, and it appeared to be wearing some kind of armor made of dark metal.
"This is a different kind of Trouble," the Guardian explained. "They're stronger, smarter, and seem to be... organized."
This was an alarming revelation. If the Troubles were really organizing, the threat was far greater than we had imagined.
"How do they know all this?" Min-ah asked.
"We've been studying the Troubles for years," the Guardian replied. "We've learned their patterns, their weaknesses... and their new strengths."
The Guardian walked over to a computer and typed something. On one of the monitors, a complex diagram appeared, full of symbols and interconnected lines. "This is a map of the dimensional energies that run through our city," she explained. "The red dots indicate the areas where the barriers between worlds are weakest and where Troubles are most likely to appear."
To my surprise, I saw that one of the brightest red dots was just below Central Park, where we had fought the second Trouble.
"So what can we do?" I asked, feeling increasingly overwhelmed by the magnitude of the situation.
"We can fight," the Guardian replied determinedly. "But we need to be united. We need to learn to use our powers effectively. And we need to know who we're really up against."
The Guardian approached us. "We will offer our help. We will teach you what we know. But in return, we need your commitment. We need you to be willing to fight with us."
Min-ah and I exchanged a look. It was an important decision. Trusting these strangers, joining their fight... meant venturing deeper into a dangerous and unknown world. But the alternative—continuing alone and unprepared against a growing threat—seemed even worse.
"What kind of commitment?" Min-ah asked cautiously.
The Guardian looked us straight in the eyes. "We need you to be willing to do whatever it takes to protect this world. Even if it means risking your own lives."
A tense silence filled the room. I knew this was a crossroads. The path back to my life no longer existed. I'd seen too much, experienced too much. Now I had to choose my path forward. And for the first time, I didn't feel completely alone in making that decision.
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