-CITY CENTER-
-3:40 PM, MARCH 10, 2017-
The closer they got—
The quieter it became.
Not silence.
But stability.
Rikuu slowed.
"…It's here."
Ichika looked ahead.
A large structure.
Unassuming.
But powerful.
This time—
No chaos.
No flickering.
Just a steady presence.
Ichika spoke softly.
"…It's different."
Rikuu nodded.
"…More stable."
A pause.
"…Less aggressive."
They approached the structure.
Carefully.
-ENTRY POINT-
-3:48 PM-
The doors opened automatically.
No resistance.
-INTERIOR-
-3:49 PM-
Inside—
The environment was calm.
Lights steady.
Systems quiet.
Rikuu looked around.
"…This feels intentional."
Ichika nodded.
"…Like it's waiting."
A terminal stood in the center.
Active.
But not aggressive.
Rikuu approached it.
Slowly.
Carefully.
"…This is the core access point."
Ichika stood beside him.
"…Then we decide what happens next."
Rikuu placed his hand near the interface.
Paused.
"…We stop it."
Ichika nodded.
"…And make sure it doesn't hurt anyone again."
Rikuu began inputting commands.
Carefully.
Deliberately.
The system responded.
Not with resistance.
But with acknowledgment.
A final prompt appeared.
"CONFIRM SYSTEM DISENGAGEMENT?"
Rikuu looked at Ichika.
She met his gaze.
A small nod.
"…Yeah."
Rikuu pressed the confirmation.
The system paused.
Then—
Shut down.
