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Chapter 4 - Chapter 4 The Initiation

It was a cold night. Daigo followed the two figures through the dimly lit alley behind his apartment. They said nothing, walking in eerie silence, not even their footsteps could be heard.

The city around them was quiet—too quiet. As if something had pressed pause on the world.

They stopped before a seemingly abandoned warehouse. Rusted gates. brick walls. But as soon as they approached, the front door slid open. Inside, the darkness wasn't empty. It was waiting.

A dozen hooded figures turned toward him. No one spoke. The man with white hair gestured forward.

"This is a transfer point," he said. "Hold still."

Before Daigo could ask what that meant, the floor beneath him rumbled—and with a silent flash, the world changed.

The warehouse was gone.

Now he stood inside a vast underground chamber, It was built out of smooth steel, which was painted white and lit by white lights that hovered in midair. Some walls were marked with ancient runes.

Covenant's true base.

Daigo stumbled slightly, disoriented. "What was that?"

The man led Daigo down a long hallway. There were people in uniforms, most likely soldiers and scientists. All marked with Covenant.

"Is this where you train?" Daigo asked.

The man gave a small nod. "And where we keep records..."

At the end of the hall stood a tall gate, glowing with pulsing lines. The man placed his hand on it.

The door slid open.

Inside was a circular chamber with seven metallic chairs. Only three were occupied.

"These are Covenant's Inner Circle," the man said. "They'll decide if you're worth the risk."

Daigo felt Abyss stir. He stayed quiet, tense.

One of the elders, a pale man with silver eyes, leaned forward. "You faced a Devil… and lived. You didn't run. You let the Abyss respond."

"I didn't 'let' it," Daigo muttered. "It acted on its own."

The elder nodded slowly. "Then it chose you."

Another spoke—an older woman with metallic hands. "Do you understand what this means? You'll be hated. Feared. Even among us."

Daigo's jaw tightened. "I'm already feared. Might as well put it to use."

They stared at him in silence for a moment longer—then the man with white hair stepped forward again.

"Training begins tomorrow. You'll be paired with a squad. If you survive the month… you stay."

Daigo exhaled slowly. "And if I don't?"

"Then you fail the test... And we'll make sure whatever kills you doesn't walk away either."

As they turned to leave, the woman with the eyepatch remained. "Name's Kaede, I'll be your handler. Try not to die."

Back in his assigned quarters, Daigo sat on the bed, staring at the blank walls. The Covenant uniform layed folded beside him. Black. Marked with the crimson, crown-like sigil printed with the name Covenant.

He didn't put it on.

Instead, he looked at the strange mark. It pulsed again.

Then he heard the whisper,

"You've made your choice, Daigo. Now, let's see if you can bear the weight of it."

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