Lui opened his eyes to a cold city wrapped in cables.
Kaji Caesar had vanished—leaving Lui alone with himself and his missions.
He saw the radio banks stretching along the road in front of him. These banks stored communication data for every frequency. Some passed beneath houses and were considered as valuable as gold. The ones exposed on the surface, on the streets or in marketplaces, were frequently robbed.
To prevent theft, radio engineers often patrolled the city.
Lui turned his head from side to side, scanning his surroundings.There, directly across from him, stood a massive building.
It was coated in red concrete, and on its sign, written in Japanese characters, were the words: "Lightning Council."
As Lui read the sign, he remembered—these were his greatest enemies.
The moment he imagined the interface again, a panel appeared before his eyes.
He had to choose one of the missions.
He decided to start by learning the history of the Lightning Council.
For that, he needed a prisoner. Wait a minute...That meant he had to capture someone.
He had already realized that things wouldn't progress as quickly or easily as he had hoped.To capture someone meant first knowing who was friend and who was foe.
Why had Kaji Caesar left him?
After scanning every part of the panel—its top, bottom, left and right—he saw a search button.
"Hm, so I can make a call," he thought, and imagined pressing the button.
Just then, a phone began to ring.
[Call in progress!]
Lui held his breath, waiting for the static-filled sound to come from the other end.
"Hello!"The voice was familiar. Just from moments ago...
"Hello," said Lui. "Who are you?"
"I'm Kaji Caesar. I've been assigned to help you with your missions. Is there something bothering you?"
Lui found the question ridiculous.
There wasn't just one thing bothering him—there were many.
"I-I need to find a prisoner to learn the history of the Lightning Council. That's one of my tasks. But... wait..."He saw the mission timer counting down on the screen. Only 2 hours remained.
"How am I supposed to do that?"
Kaji Caesar replied calmly,"I left you in front of the Council building. Go inside and learn something."
"But," Lui said, "How am I supposed to enter? As who?"
When he looked down at himself, he saw he was still dressed in his usual princely clothes.His sense of helplessness only grew stronger.
"The Council building has two main doors," said Kaji."Each door leads to a different realm. There is no passage between the two doors. If you enter through one, you must exit through the same one."
"What are the doors even for?" Lui wondered.
"Don't panic," said Kaji Caesar."The system will inform you once you're inside. Any other questions?"
"No," said Lui.In truth, he had plenty.The call ended there.
Lui approached the building made of red bricks.There was a card scanner beside the entrance."But I don't even have a card," he thought—Just as the panel popped up again in front of his eyes.
[Member 28, your card is now printing.]
[Printed.]
Already?
[Has high neuro-frequency adaptation from early trauma]
Is ıt trauma?
[Would you like to receive the card?]
"Yes," Lui replied.The moment he spoke, a card appeared in his hand.
It had silver-engraved edges, and the number 28 was printed in bold at the center.
When Lui held the card up to the scanner, the heavy gates swung open.
A musty smell wafted out from within.
He stepped inside.Seven signage panels appeared before him.
He was curious about Door 1, and imagined tapping it.
[Door 1:Lightning Council – War Committee.Their motto: "The best defense is a good offense."If you enter here, be prepared for war.This division contains the highest-ranking members.Would you like to enter?]
Lui grew curious about the other doors as well.He moved on to Door 2.
[Door 2:Lightning Council – Defense Committee.Their motto: "The best offense is a good defense."If you enter here, your attacks will be met with heavy resistance.This division is made up of mid- and lower-ranking members.Would you like to enter?]
Lui evaluated the options carefully.
"I wonder if I can see more details?" he thought.
[You have not yet earned points for advanced access.If you do not choose a door, you will be expelled from the building.Reminder: You must stay inside to complete your mission.]
"What happens if I fail my mission?"
[If a representative fails to complete their missions on time, misfortunes will befall their people:Poverty, Viruses, Plagues, etc. Understood?]
As the prince of the Radio Kingdom,as the beloved son of the stepfather who cherished him deeply—Lui understood that failing would be nothing short of betraying his nation.
"Alright then," he muttered, licking his lips.
At first, he didn't want to walk into a door where he'd be attacked.He preferred to be the one initiating.
Capturing a hostage would also be easier from the lower levels.
Well… he didn't exactly know how "low" they were,But he certainly couldn't handle the elite ones right away.
Suddenly, a question popped into his mind:
"What level am I?"
[Your level cannot be determined until you begin your missions.Please choose a door!]
He chose Door 2.
The moment he made his choice, a sound was heard.
Creeeak!
The door swung wide open and an alarm began to sound, signaling him to step inside.
[If you do not pass through within five seconds, the mission will be considered a failure.]
Lui hurried inside just as the door shut behind him.
He was alone now, hearing nothing but the sound of his own breath.
In front of him, a new panel opened.
There were three new doors labeled A, B, and C.
"What are the characteristics of these doors?" Lui asked thoughtfully.
[A: Contains humans with Level 1 frequency usage.][B: Contains semi-humans with Level 2 frequency usage.][C: Contains quarter-humans with Level 3 frequency usage.]
Semi-human? Quarter-human?
[Semi-human: Displays approximately half human characteristics.][Quarter-human: Displays quarter or minimal human traits.]
Frequency usage?
[Humans with high frequency usage possess resonance ability.By stacking similar frequency-based abilities, they can reach higher frequencies and instantly incapacitate the enemy.They can move large objects.They can alter the thoughts of the opponent.Mental strength is high.]
[Semi- and quarter-humans have lower frequency usage.Lower resonance ability.Limited mental manipulation and control.Mental strength is low to moderate.]
Of course—either B or C.But then again, there could be monster-like beings who barely resembled humans in there.That's what made Lui hesitate.
He decided to choose C.
In front of him, three staircases appeared.The one on the far right had a red button labeled "Door C."
He climbed the steps slowly.At the top, the door creaked open.
Creeeak!
Lui stepped inside.
Suddenly, he found himself in a desert made of blinding artificial white light.There were a few scattered tents.A handful of tanks had been stationed, but the whole area was eerily silent.At least for now, not a single sound could be heard.
As cables tangled around his feet, he began to move slowly, trying to familiarize himself with his surroundings.
He looked toward the tents.
[Asleep]
He turned his head.
[Asleep]
He rotated 360 degrees.
[1 active enemy]
So—someone was awake in the tent to his right.
Through the translucent fabric, he thought he saw the shadow of a head moving around.
He looked further.
[5 active enemies]
He remembered—this was the Defense Door.To take a prisoner, he'd need to go on the offensive.
He looked at his hands.No powers.
He didn't even have a weapon.
"I'm empty-handed… what am I supposed to do?"
He scanned the area with sharp eyes.
Ahead, a metal structure stood out.
[Storage]
[3 active enemies]
So, three guards were in the storage unit.
What was he going to do—take them down with his fists?
Watching his surroundings carefully, he began to walk across the copper-colored sand toward the storage unit.
He checked the panel.No new notifications… yet.
He estimated the distance.The depot was about 1,000 meters away.
His feet were aching.
He stood in front of the depot.Slowly, he pressed his ear against the layered walls surrounding the building.He could hear voices from inside—but they were too muffled to understand.
He pulled his hand and ear away from the wall.Placing one hand on his hip, he looked upward.
1 hour and 40 minutes remained.
He had to take a prisoner.
Once again, he remembered that he was completely unarmed.
He needed to sneak in and trick a guard.
He began circling the building to look for an entry point.
Nothing came to mind.
His thoughts felt blocked—as if every option was jammed.
Just then, he scanned the area once more.
He read a sign on one of the distant tents:
[Empty]
An empty tent?
Maybe there were munitions inside.
I shouldn't have come here!
Just as he stopped in front of the door, he heard footsteps approaching.
Someone's coming!
He held his breath and ducked into a corner.
Moments later, two uniformed officers stepped outside.
Phew!So they're not monsters after all!I thought they'd be freakish creatures with a quarter of a body or something—but they're just... normal people!
They wore thunderbolt insignias on their backs and collars.
They were well-equipped.
The officers began to speak among themselves.
"How many troops did we send to the Radio Kingdom front?"
"A unit of 30," said one of the three.
The one walking more sluggishly muttered,"We need more units.""The commander says we're running low on combat power. We should stop supporting allied fronts and focus on the land we can take for ourselves."
While they talked, Lui peeked at the door behind them.
On tiptoe and holding his breath, he slipped inside before the door could close.
Inside, he saw countless radio lines.
Hundreds of boxes were linked together by cables.Radios were suspended from the ceiling.
The place was empty.
Cautiously, he continued walking, scanning the room.
Across from him stood a sliding metal cabinet.
[3 electric weapons]
Nice!
He looked at the cabinet.
The panel appeared:
[Hint: To open the cabinet, you need a Lightning Council access card!]
Hmm...
Under all that pressure, Lui began to think.
Where am I supposed to get that?
Just as he was deep in thought, a noise came from the door.
Lui immediately sprinted behind one of the boxes and tucked himself into the narrow space between the box and the wall—barely visible.
The guards had returned.
[3 active enemies]
Please don't let me sneeze or cough!
A sharp pain twisted in his stomach.
The soldiers walked in.
He could see their boots.
As their steps grew closer to him, Lui could barely breathe.He thought he might faint.
One of the soldiers, by sheer luck, walked over toward the cabinet.
"This night's shift is mine! You two go rest. I'll call you if anything happens."
The others agreed.
Lui sighed in relief.
The soldier pulled a card from his pocket and scanned it on the cabinet reader.
There it is—the card!
Lui didn't know what to do.
What now?
He carefully scanned the surroundings. His eyes began instinctively searching for something like the Radio Kingdom's famous weapon—the electric baton.
What if I hit him over the head just as he opens the cabinet and grab the card?
The other soldiers had already gone up the stairs.
Then, he saw it—The soldier pulled a weapon from the cabinet and placed the access card on the table.
This is it! The moment!
Crawling across the floor, Lui crept toward the radio stand.
The soldier's phone rang.
With full focus, Lui reached out and swiftly grabbed the card from the table.
He retreated silently back into the corner.
He stared at the card in his hand.
This will do.
The guard, now holding the weapon, walked out the door.
Oh!
I got the card!
Once the sentry was out of sight, Lui slowly rose to his feet without making a sound.He walked over to the cabinet.Scanned the card.
The cabinet opened instantly.
He took a deep breath.Finally, he felt a sense of relief.
[2 electric weapons]
The third had already been taken by the soldier.
Lui grabbed the remaining two weapons.They weren't particularly heavy.
He looked around slowly, then instead of returning the access card, he slipped it into his pocket.This might come in handy at other munition depots, too.
The panel popped up again.1 hour and 20 minutes remained.
He had to move quickly.
Maybe he could use the same card to exit the tower as well.But—what if he ran into the guard on the way out?
He scanned the room with his eyes, looking for any windows.If he found one, maybe—just maybe—he could try jumping out.
But no such windows appeared.
There was no other way out.
He'd have to use the door—And shoot the soldier from behind if necessary.If no trouble arose, he'd just keep walking quietly.
Ugh, these loud doors! Lui already suspected he'd be noticed.
He walked toward the door.With trembling hands, he pulled out the card and scanned it.
The door let out a soft mechanical whir as it slid open.The white light that poured in once again stung his eyes.
The guard was still talking on the phone.His voice was loud—He seemed to be trying to explain himself to the person on the other end.
Thankfully, his profile was turned sideways.Lui slipped out without drawing attention.
The officer was gesturing with his hand, waving and then dropping it,As if someone was right in front of him.
He didn't even hear the door.
Or maybe he had heard it—But assumed someone from inside had gone out.Not important enough to notice.
Lui considered the act of obtaining the weapons a mission in and of itself. Which it was.
But this so-called system hadn't rewarded him.
Why not? Why?
Of course—it was because the mission wasn't over yet.
He pulled up the interface and looked at the electric weapons.
1 hour and 25 minutes remained.
He still had to capture a prisoner.
He looked toward the tents.
[1 active enemy]
He turned to another.
[3 active enemies]
He sighed internally.
[2 passive enemies]No. Too risky.
[1 passive enemy]Perfect.
The tent was one and a half kilometers away.
He moved quickly, slicing through the streams of artificial desert light.
He ducked behind rocks and boulders as he made his way to the tent.
Thirty minutes passed.
His exhaustion made the blood in his veins feel thick and sluggish.
[55 minutes remaining.If the mission fails, 1/3 of your population will be infected with the Flower Virus.As you know, there is still no vaccine.Mission Status: 0/3]
Lui's stomach turned.
He still had two more missions to complete.
He could feel hope slipping from his grasp.
Fatigue was slowing his every step.
He arrived at the tent.The enemy was still marked passive.
He stared at the tent.1 enemy.
But… where would he take the prisoner once he had him?
Everything had become a tangled web.
Lui gathered himself one last time.He wanted to blast open the tent with his electric weapon.
His hand slid beneath the barrel, and his finger caressed the trigger.
His hand was shaking.
He closed and opened his eyes.
Everything focused.
He pulled the trigger!
Cukk!PATT!!
"Ah!!"
He cried out and dropped the weapon.
A massive burst of power erupted.
Lui felt electricity surging through his body, combining into an overwhelming force.
[Resonance Warrior unlocked.][Resonance capability: High][Resonance Killer unlocked.]
The power continued to grow.Electric signals danced above the tents.The radio lines began to buzz—
Tssss…
The moment Lui imagined one of the tents opening—
Caffffff!The tent flap before him tore open.
Is this real?
The person who had been sleeping inside was caught completely off guard.
Heads popped out from the nearby tents.
"We're under attack!" they shouted.
With sweat running down his forehead, Lui dove into the tent.He pressed the electric weapon to the quarter-human's chest.Its eyes were like a frog's—And Lui noticed how much weaker in build it was compared to a normal human.
"Stay quiet!" Lui commanded.
He imagined the tent lifting off the ground—And the moment he envisioned an electric weapon flying into his hand,The tent rose into the air and a dazed weapon flopped inside like a stunned bird.
Perfect!
[Frequency Interaction unlocked.][You can now manipulate the position of objects.] Amazing!