A cold, mechanical voice echoed inside Raven’s brain. As Raven opened his eyelids, a dull throbbing filled his head. It was as if the inside of his skull was being hammered. He slowly turned his head to the right; he was lying on his back at the base of a steel-reinforced column, on a dusty floor. The smell of metal and old oil filled his throat.
When he lifted his head, his vision blurred momentarily. But one thing caught his attention: the pain in his ribs had almost completely disappeared. Only a fatigue remained.
“You’re asking for food again?” Raven grumbled, his voice hoarse. He flinched at the growl from his own stomach. He really was hungry.
“Energy level is at twenty-two percent. Caloric intake is not necessary.”
The metallic voice’s tone was robotic, but there was an urgency hidden beneath it. Raven sighed. He reached for his bag, and his hands were still trembling as he opened the worn-out zipper. He took a few sips of the gelatinous, tasteless but nutritious substance from its metallic packaging. He felt a warmth the moment it reached his stomach.
“Then what is it now?” he said, wiping his mouth.
“The number of active nanites does not appear sufficient to establish communication with the Western Union Special Operations Communication Network. Myralite is required for the production of new nanites. Your health status is now stable. Please procure Myralite.”
“Myralite? Seriously? Are we back to that nonsense again?”
Raven rolled his eyes. He was certain this damned system in his head was malfunctioning.
“Look, the issue isn’t your nanites, you idiot! The signal you’re trying to reach—it doesn’t exist. That place is gone. And I don’t know what this ‘Myralite’ crap even is. Just shut up already.”
For a moment, everything fell silent. Raven thought he would feel relieved, but suddenly his body was jolted with electricity. His muscles spasmed, and a scream escaped from his mouth. The pain was sudden and sharp, but not unbearable.
“ION is the property of the Western Union Special Operations Unit.”
When the voice was heard again, it no longer sounded just robotic. It was firm, commanding, and threatening.
“Host-02 has injected the ION system into his body without authorization. 'The Return Protocol' has been activated. Host-02 must establish contact with the nearest Western Union Special Operations Base. If Host-02 does not cooperate in delivering ION to the Western Union Special Operations Unit, ION will neutralize Host-02. Please cooperate.”
Raven’s pupils widened. ION had settled into his body, watching him like a conscious parasite, evaluating and punishing him.
“Alright, fine! Just say what you need!” he shouted with anger, though a slight fear was now growing within him.
“Please procure Myralite.”
“There’s no such thing! Damn it, I do not even know what you are talking about!”
Silence fell. But this silence did not bring peace. An invisible threat filled the air. And then… another shock. This one was not as strong as the first, but Raven dropped to his knees. He clenched his teeth, his fingers dug into the metal floor.
“Please cooperate.”
Raven sighed. He was a prisoner again. Every time he thought he was free, another chain wrapped around his wrists.
“Alright…” he said with a hollow voice, lowering his gaze to the ground.
“Okay then, what’s the move? What do I have to do?”
“Scanner systems are being checked. [MSS-14] Multi-Spectrum Scanning System is active. Operating at ten percent. Scanning for Myralite sources within a five-hundred-meter radius. None found.”
“See? I told you—you’re glitching again. There’s no ‘Myralite’.”
Electricity once again surged through his body. This time Raven slammed his fist on the ground. A brief scream, followed by a deep breath.
“Please step outside and change your location.”
At that moment, Raven also remembered that he had to leave. He needed money to escape Grimhaven. His wounds had healed. He gathered himself as quickly as he could and headed toward the outer door.
In front of the door, the cabinet Raven had knocked over the previous day to barricade the building still stood. Bearing the exhaustion of time, rust, and abandonment, the piece of furniture looked like a war relic. Its metal corners were dented and cracked. Raven bent his knees and, tightening his back, slid both hands under the cabinet. Using all his strength, and with the lingering pain still in his muscles, he slowly lifted it. The creaking of the metal and the scraping sound on the floor echoed in his ears.
As the cabinet slid aside, the dim light seeping through the door crack spilled into the dark interior. The metallic dust particles suspended in the air danced like trembling stars in the beam of light. It was as if the scene opened a passage to another world—and Raven was about to cross that threshold.
The streets of Grimhaven, as always, were shrouded in a greyish mist. The ground, washed by chemicals, was cracked asphalt; the walls were covered in peeling neon paint, rooftops vibrated with pipes, and multicolored flickering advertisement panels illuminated the skyline… Everything looked as unreal as a dream. But this city that looked like a dream was the mother of the worst nightmares.
Raven looked up. His eyes searched for the sky—but found none. Above him stretched only a massive metal dome. The city was built underground. Constructed in layers, this was the rusted remnant of an ancient civilization.
“See, underground, like I said.”, Raven said sarcastically.
“Navigation data matches visual data. System data is being rescanned. No match. Error. Error. Error.”
The voice of ION in his head was mechanical but jarring. The system seemed momentarily indecisive. Raven could not hold back his laughter, as if he had achieved some victory.
“Fix your errors later. Right now—just tell me. Where do I go next?”
There was a brief silence. People were passing by in the street; some were shopping at neon market stalls, others were bargaining with scrap dealers. Then ION spoke.
“Turn left and walk five hundred meters.”
Raven nodded, raised the collar of his coat, and stepped into the crowded street. He began walking, weaving through dirty-faced children and beggars. But after a few steps, a noise from a side alley to his right caught his attention.
Noise. A fight.
Narrowing his eyes, he changed direction. In the narrow, gloomy alley, two middle-aged men had someone pinned to the ground, punching and kicking him. A sly smile appeared on Raven’s face.
“Hey there, boys!” he said in a cheerful voice as he stepped into the shadows.
“Piss off, kid!!” shouted one of the men without even lifting his head.
Raven did not respond. He lunged forward in an instant. His body moved like lightning; his right knee smashed into the first man’s chest, then he spun and delivered a punch to the other. Both collapsed like sacks. Their victim had already fled.
He quickly dealt with one of them. He slapped the man to wake him. The man opened his eyes in fear and trembled. Raven pulled a small, square-shaped device from the man’s pocket. He waved it in front of his eyes.
“What’s your wallet code, old man?”
At first, the man resisted, but Raven’s slap to his cheekbone aged him twenty years. His eyes filled with tears.
“R… RedRoses2173…”
Raven smiled. He entered. Then he took out a second device from his pocket. He brought the two close together. A high-pitched chime from the device indicated that the money transfer had been approved.
The same scenario was repeated for the other man. Then Raven stripped the sweat-drenched men of their clothes and tossed his own dirty, torn garments on top of them. As he put on the new clothes, the voice of ION was heard.
“Host-02 has been confirmed as a thief. Host-02 has been confirmed to have actively displayed MACP Level 2 combat protocols during the encounter. System data regarding Host-02 has been updated.”
“I’m not a damn thief, alright?!” said Raven with a shrug, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his coat.
“They were street scum. I just taught them a lesson. And besides… what even is ‘MACP Level 2’ supposed to mean?”
“Host-02 forcibly took money from civilians. Host-02 is a thief. The Modern Army Combatives Program (MACP) is a military hand-to-hand combat training program. It was discontinued in the year 2035. Host-02 is seventeen years old. Host-02 could not have attended this program. Error. Does Host-02 have a military background?”
Raven kept walking, but something stirred inside him. He did not want to hear that question. He remained silent. And just as he expected… Zzzt!
Another electric shock. This time it was shorter, but the echo of it lingered in his body.
“Alright, damn it!” he shouted.
“Yeah, I worked with a merc unit. But I’ve never heard of MACP. I wasn’t part of any damn program. And if it’s from 150 years ago, how the hell would I even qualify?”
His heart began to race while waiting for a response.
“Myralite detected. Please turn right.”
Raven felt a sense of relief. At least he did not have to talk about his past. Following ION’s direction, he stopped in front of a dimly lit shop. On the rusty neon sign, it read:
If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
“Drail’s Tech Shop”
“Myralite source is inside. Please enter to visually confirm.”
Raven stepped inside. The shop resembled a chaotic technological graveyard. Hundreds of devices, robot parts, motherboards, and blinking sensors were displayed inside glass counters. Screens emitted a flickering blue light, and some of the devices occasionally beeped or vibrated.
“Myralite source detected. Trace amounts of Myralite are present on the outer surface coating of the military-grade BR7893 model battery located on the glass counter next to the pillar. Please purchase the battery.”
Raven opened his digital wallet. The numbers on the screen disheartened him. 599 credits. That was not enough to buy even two plates of hot food. At best, he could get 12 nutritional gels.
He approached the glass counter. Looked around. There was no one. He called out:
“Hey! I wanna buy this junk—anyone even alive back there?”
Silence. Then… the sound of a toilet flushing echoed. A metal door at the back opened slightly. A tall, thin, gaunt man stepped out. His hair was sparse, his right eye bionic. Cables dangled from the pocket of his jacket, and there were oil stains on his clothes. He walked toward Raven with a frown, opened the glass counter, and took out the battery.
As he walked to the counter, Raven followed him. A small device with dangling cables sat on the counter. The man scanned the battery under a bluish light. The price appeared on the screen:
800 Credits.
Raven’s face fell. He brought his hand to his head, pushing back his short hair. He sighed.
“How about five hundred creds?” he said, trying to smile.
Without even lifting his head, the man turned to the device with the dangling cables. He raised his hand and pointed to the door.
“Out.”
“Okay, okay! five twenty-five! That’s my final—just hear me out—”
The man’s demeanor did not change. His hand was still pointing at the door.
“Goddamn it!” Raven muttered to himself, pressing his lips together. Just then, ION’s high-pitched mechanical voice echoed in his head.
“Offer to work at the store and pay the remaining amount in installments.”
Raven rolled his eyes. The impulse within him screamed to grab the battery and bolt out of the shop.
“Five fifty. Final offer!” he said, spreading his arms. But before he could finish his sentence, a short yet sharp jolt of electricity surged through his body. His shoulder twitched, and he involuntarily jumped. His expression turned into a mix of shame and frustration.
This movement caught the attention of the man behind the counter. His right eye, glowing with a faint buzz from the bionic optic, focused on Raven.
“Host-02. Please tell the seller you will work at the store to pay off the remaining amount.”
Raven took a deep breath. There was no point in resisting anymore.
“Look!” he said, his voice almost pleading, “I need this thing. I can drop 550 right now, and I’ll cover the rest—250 more—working for you. Whatever the job is.”
The seller stared at Raven for a few seconds.
“What kind of work can a punk like you even do?” he said mockingly through clenched lips.
Raven hesitated for a moment. What kind of work could he do? He knew nothing about mechanics, had no affinity with technology. But survival… that was his area of expertise. Slowly, he leaned on the counter as if making a proposition.
“Someone gives you trouble,” he said with a lopsided grin, “I'll hit them so hard that they'll forget this shop even exists”
The seller let out a short laugh. One of his teeth was metal, and his bionic lens glinted menacingly at that moment.
“Kid, I roll with the Rustjaws. Nobody breathes wrong near this place.” He pointed toward the door with his hand.
“Now get the hell out.”
Rustjaw. The most notorious gang in Grimhaven. Raven had run out of options. The despair creeping into his veins slowly sank into his hands. He was already thinking about grabbing the battery and making a run for it.
But then ION activated again. This time, its voice was clearer and more insistent.
“Host-02. Please tell the seller that the device he is trying to repair is a Sarko brand music player and that the motherboard is not faulty, only the battery is dead.”
Raven was just about to grab the battery and head for the door when ION’s words stopped him. He clenched his teeth, then slowly leaned over the counter.
“The thing you are holding… is a Sarko brand music player.” he said, his voice lacking confidence.
“Board’s clean. Battery’s toast. Swap it and it’ll run.”
The seller narrowed his eyes. He had bought that device from a junk market months ago. He had not even figured out what it was exactly. But the miniature speaker parts inside supported the possibility of it being a music player. Now the young man before him no longer looked like someone who knew nothing.
“I already swapped the damn battery. Still dead. Problem’s deeper.”
Raven leaned a little closer to the counter, locking eyes with the man.
“Nah, I’m telling you. It’s the battery.”
The seller thought for a few seconds, then handed the old music player to Raven.
“Alright then. Fix it. If you do, I’ll put you on the payroll.”
As soon as the device was in his hands, ION began to speak again.
“On the shelf ahead, to the left, there is another Sarko model music player. Use its parts.”
Raven sprang into action. He headed toward the shelf and started rummaging through the old devices one by one. Hidden in the back, he found a rusty music player. As soon as he picked it up, ION began issuing new instructions. Raven grabbed a few more devices. He carried them to the workbench and, following ION’s guidance, disassembled them one by one, separating the circuits and inspecting the battery compartments. his hands were getting dirty, but he did not mind at all.
The moment he placed the final piece into position, a sharp clicking sound came from inside the device. Then, from the rusty speaker, a strange yet melodic sound rose. A song from long ago began to play—distorted, but still carrying a powerful tune. The shopkeeper stared at the music player in astonishment. His eyebrows shot up.
“Ten creds for everything you repair.’” he said at last, his voice filled with a mix of surprise and admiration.
Raven rubbed the back of his neck. That familiar, slightly smug smile returned to his face.
“How about a place to crash too, boss?” he asked, his voice childlike and sweet, yet carrying a deep weariness beneath it.
The shopkeeper remained silent for a few seconds, then nodded toward the door he had come through earlier.
“Backroom got a bed. You can stay if you do not make any noise. But you are getting up early!”
ION // SYSTEM FEEDBACK — [Session: 003 | Operator: Host-02]
Interface: ION_v4.6.1_β // Connection Stable [?]
[?] [MRS-09] Molecular Restoration System
- Operational Efficiency: 9.2%
- Primary Function:
→ Facilitates tissue regeneration via nano-scale biosynthetic repair protocols
→ Applies localized reconstruction on muscle, epidermal, and limited neural tissues
→ Simulates auto-fibrin production and coagulation to suppress superficial bleeding
→ Engages limited immunosuppression to minimize infection risk
- Critical Limitation:
→ In cases of major tissue disruption or internal organ trauma, system enters “Hemostatic Mode”
→ Prioritizes active hemorrhage control; regeneration rate significantly reduced
→ If operational load exceeds 60%, system may enter temporary shutdown
[?] [MSS-14] Multi-Spectrum Scanning System
- Operational Efficiency: 11.1%
- Primary Function:
→ Detects Myralite density fluctuations
→ Identifies biological threats and contaminants
→ Locates electronic traps and signal irregularities
- Critical Limitation:
→ Available Maximum range: 1 km
→ Operates at 4.3% efficiency in passive scan mode
[?] [BEC-07] Bio-Energy Converter
- Operational Efficiency: 7.0%
- Primary Function:
→ Converts organic metabolic energy into usable electrical current
- Critical Limitation:
→ High-frequency usage may cause neuromuscular complications, including muscle spasms and potential nerve damage
System Notice: Stated efficiency percentages apply only under conditions of full, synchronized nanite allocation to each individual module. Partial or multi-tasking deployments may result in fluctuating efficiency levels.
Raven // BODYCHECK
→ Gear:
? [NEW!] Not garbage anymore. (“Borrowed” from a couple of street punks—synthetic leather streetwear. Style? Questionable. Protection? Even more so. But hey, at least it’s not patched.)
→ Weapon:
? Left Hook of God? (Cool, huh?)
? Combat Knife [Model: M-12] (Worn grip. Still cuts like betrayal.)
→ Additions:
? Bad vibes (Persistent)
? Stolen e-Wallet – Balance : 258 (Lifted from some drunk corpo in a back-alley pit. Some progress, huh?)
? Old Canvas Bag (Stains, holes, and secrets. Could be junk. Could be something worse. You never check—on purpose.)
? Packaged Rations (Technically food. Realistically? Packaged vomit with a label.)
? VX-21 Commlink (Wraps behind the ear, hugs the skull like a leech. Last missed call: None.)
? Field Medkit [Mk.0, expired] (Half-stocked. Half-trustworthy.)