SHINKAGE

NOVEL

Shinkage

CHAPTER ONE

Written By

Umar Khan

ShinkageChapter 1

-TO MY READERS-

Dear Reader,

First of all, thank you.

Out of thousands of stories in the world, you chose to open this one. That means more to me than you

can imagine. Every novel begins with a single reader turning the first page, and today, that reader is

you.

Before you begin reading SHINKAGE, I have a small request.

Please don't rush through this novel. Read it when your mind is calm and you have a little free time.

If your parents call you, answer them. If your family needs your help, help them first. If you have

homework, studies, or a promise to keep, finish those things before continuing this story.

Books will always wait for you.

The people who love you may not.

Life is made of moments. Spend those moments with your family, your friends, and the people who

care about you. After that, come back to this story with a relaxed mind. I believe every story becomes

more enjoyable when the reader is reading because they want to, not because they are trying to finish

it quickly.

This novel is not just about A&%$*%, G#&*, MYSTERIES, OR H*@#*^ O#^&@#&*. It is about

choices. Every choice creates another path, and every path has a price. Some people fight with their

fists. Others fight with lies, secrets, and silence. As you continue reading, you will discover that not

every battle leaves visible scars.

Some characters may make you smile.

Some may make you angry.

Some may make you question who is absolutely right and who is totally wrong.

And some may completely change the way you see the story.

I only ask one thing from you.

Don't judge anyone too quickly.

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Sometimes the hero hides his pain.

Sometimes the villain hides the truth.

Sometimes the quietest person in the room is carrying the heaviest burden.

Every character you meet has a reason for becoming who they are. Some reasons will be revealed

quickly. Others may remain hidden until much later. So be patient. Observe every detail. Even the

smallest conversation, the shortest scene, or the simplest object may become important when you

least expect it.

SHINKAGE is the first world I have created from my own imagination. Every city, every street,

every character, and every mystery exists because I wanted to tell a story that would stay with readers

long after they closed the book.

I know I still have much to learn as a writer. Like every beginner, I will make mistakes. Some chapters

may be stronger than others, and every new novel will teach me something I didn't know before. That

is part of the journey, and I hope you will be part of that journey with me.

If this story makes you curious...

If it surprises you...

If it makes you laugh, worry, or even feel sad for a character...

Then I will know that every hour spent writing these pages was worth it.

Finally, thank you once again for giving this novel a chance.

I hope that when you reach the final page, you won't simply remember the action or the mysteries. I

hope you'll remember the people who lived through them.

Welcome to Norevia.

Welcome to Virel.

Welcome to the world of SHINKAGE.

I sincerely hope you enjoy the journey.

With gratitude,

-Umar Khan

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-----------------------------------------------------------------

4:00 PM.

"Hello, Roside."

"I'm listening."

"Boss wants him alive."

“.....”

"When?"

"Five o'clock."

"...Understood."

The line went dead.

Outside...

Rain hammered against the warehouse roof.

The man slipped the phone into his coat.

"Let's go."

Three black SUVs vanished into the distance.

*****

Virel, Norevia.

Rain clouds drifted slowly across the evening sky as the final school bell echoed through the building.

Students poured into the corridors, their conversations blending into a wall of noise. Some hurried

toward the exit while others gathered in small groups, laughing without a care.

Among them walked a boy who barely looked up.

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His name was Hitoshi Roi.

His black hair fell over tired eyes marked by dark circles. A transparent school bag rested on his

shoulder. Inside were only a phone, a black Dell laptop, a worn wallet, and a few notebooks.

He moved quietly through the crowd as if he didn't belong there.

Around him, hundreds of students laughed as they rushed toward the school gate.

Hitoshi didn't. He simply walked toward the school gate, unaware that somewhere across the city,

they had already begun moving.

His footsteps echoed across the nearly empty courtyard.

Students called out to friends, making plans for the evening.

No one called his name.

Without slowing down, Hitoshi adjusted the transparent bag on his shoulder and stepped through the

school gate, disappearing into the crowded streets of Virel.

His classmates passed him one after another, laughing over jokes he couldn't hear. A football rolled

across the sidewalk before a boy quickly chased after it, apologizing with a smile. Hitoshi simply

nodded and kept walking.

Hitoshi looked at the road as cars and buses passed one after another. The sky was getting darker. It

looked like it would rain soon.

He checked the time on his phone.

4:23 PM.

A bus arrived, but it wasn't his. Several people got on, and the bus pulled away a few seconds later.

The bus stop became quiet again.

Hitoshi sat down on the wooden bench and placed his transparent bag beside him.

A few moments later, an old man slowly walked toward the bus stop.

He wore a brown coat and carried a small cloth bag in one hand.

Without saying a word, he sat beside Hitoshi.

For a while, neither of them spoke but he was always staring at Hitoshi, but He had no idea what is

about to happen.

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Hitoshi stood as his bus came to a stop. The doors opened with a soft hiss, and several passengers

stepped off before he climbed inside.

The bus wasn't crowded. A few students sat near the back while an office worker stared out of the

window.

Hitoshi took a seat beside the window and placed his transparent bag on his lap.

The engine started again and bus started to move.

Outside, the city slowly moved past him. Shops, traffic lights, and busy streets disappeared one after

another.

He rested his head against the glass.

It had been another ordinary day.

*****

The black convoy stopped at a red light.

Inside...

No one spoke.

One of the men checked his watch.

4:26 PM.

The driver kept his eyes on the road.

The traffic light turned green.

The vehicles moved forward with the rest of the traffic.

"Visual?"

A man sitting in the back looked out of the tinted window.

"Not yet."

Another glance at the watch.

4:27 PM.

"We're right on time."

*****

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The bus moved through the evening traffic without stopping for long. People got on. Others got off.

The sound of the engine mixed with quiet conversations inside the bus.

Hitoshi looked outside.

A group of children chased a football across a small park. A street vendor pushed his cart through the

crowd. Nothing seemed unusual.

He closed his eyes for a moment.

*****

The black SUV turned onto the same road.

The driver never spoke.

The man sitting beside him unfolded a small map.

"Next stop is Street 6."

Another man looked through the dark window.

"He's on schedule."

The driver nodded once.

No one said another word.

*****

The bus stopped again.

The electronic display above the bus driver changed.

NEXT STOP - FIDO OLD HOME

A soft beep echoed through the bus.

Hitoshi opened his eyes and looked at the display.

He stood up, adjusted his transparent bag, and walked toward the door.

The bus slowed to a stop.

With a short hiss, the doors opened.

Hitoshi stepped onto the sidewalk.

The bus pulled away a few seconds later, disappearing into the evening traffic.

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He looked around.

The neighbourhood was quiet.

Old houses stood side by side. Most of them looked as if they had been there for decades. A few

streetlights had already turned on even though the sun had not completely disappeared.

Hitoshi took a deep breath.

"I should hurry market will close at 5PM"

He started walking.

*****

The black SUV stopped at the corner of the next street.

"Visual confirmed."

The man in the passenger seat lowered his binoculars.

"He just got off."

"Distance?"

"Less than two hundred meters."

The driver checked the time.

4:42 PM.

"Don't move yet."

Silence filled the vehicle once again.

*****

Outside, Hitoshi continued walking toward his home, completely unaware that four pairs of eyes were

quietly watching every step he took.

Hitoshi turned into a narrow street lined with old houses. The sound of traffic slowly faded behind

him. A cold breeze moved through the empty road.

He stopped in front of a small grocery store and looked at the time.

4:44 PM.

"One bottle of water and one bag of chips," Hitoshi said.

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"That'll be 3 Nerio and 20 Vesa."

Hitoshi took a black bank card from his wallet and handed it over.

"Thank you."

He placed the card back into his wallet and walked outside.

He continued walking.

Hitoshi smiled for a brief second before looking ahead again.

Far behind him, the black SUVs rolled forward at a slow speed.

It never got too close.

It never fell too far behind.

The men inside waited patiently.

Five o'clock was getting closer.

A few minutes later, Hitoshi reached the end of the street.

He crossed the road after the traffic light turned green and entered a quiet neighbourhood. The noise

of the city was almost gone now.

Children played outside a nearby house while an old man watered his small garden.

Everything looked peaceful.

*****

The black SUV stopped before entering the neighbourhood.

The driver looked at the man beside him.

"Wait."

No one questioned the order.

The engine stayed on.

Inside the vehicle, the silence returned.

The clock on the dashboard slowly changed.

4:48 PM.

*****

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Hitoshi kept walking at the same pace.

He passed a small bakery where the smell of fresh bread filled the air. A little girl ran out of the shop,

holding her mother's hand.

Hitoshi looked at his phone.

4:50 PM.

He slipped the phone back into his pocket and continued walking.

*****

Behind him, the black convoy started moving again.

Slowly.

Quietly.

Keeping the same distance.

Inside the vehicle, the driver spoke for the first time in several minutes.

"Be ready."

No one answered.

They already knew what had to happen.

*****

The streets grew quieter as Hitoshi walked deeper into the neighbourhood. Most of the houses looked

old, their paint faded by years of rain and sunlight. A bicycle leaned against a wall while a stray dog

slept beneath a small tree.

The evening breeze became colder.

Hitoshi pulled his jacket a little closer and continued walking.

He had walked this road hundreds of times.

Every turn felt familiar.

Every house looked exactly where it should be.

He glanced at his phone once more.

4:53 PM.

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"Almost there."

Without stopping, he slipped the phone back into his pocket.

*****

A few streets behind him, the black SUV slowed almost to a crawl.

The driver never took his eyes off the road.

"The target is entering Street Six," the man in the passenger seat said.

Another man quietly reached into a black duffel bag resting beside him.

He checked its contents, closed the zipper, and placed it back on the floor.

No one asked what was inside.

They already knew.

The driver looked at the clock.

4:54 PM.

"On my signal."

Silence returned to the vehicle as the SUV continued forward, almost invisible among the evening

traffic.

*****

Hitoshi turned into the last street.

Only a few houses remained between him and home.

The neighbourhood was unusually quiet. The children he had seen a few streets earlier were gone.

Even the wind seemed weaker here.

He kept walking.

His shoes echoed softly against the pavement.

A streetlight flickered above him before glowing steadily again.

He checked the time without thinking.

4:58 PM.

"Two minutes."

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He slipped the phone back into his pocket.

The sound of an engine rose behind him.

At first, he paid no attention.

Cars passed through this road all the time.

Then another engine answered it.

Hitoshi slowed.

Before he could turn around, a black SUV shot out from the next corner and stopped sideways in

front of him.

Its tires screeched against the road.

His path was blocked.

"What—?"

A second black SUV stopped beside him.

The rear doors flew open.

Two men stepped out.

Black tactical clothing.

Black gloves.

Black masks.

Not a single patch or logo.

Everything about them looked planned.

For one brief second, Hitoshi froze.

Then instinct took over.

He turned to run.

He never made it two steps.

One of the men caught his arm with a powerful grip and pulled him backward.

The second man pressed a folded cloth firmly over Hitoshi's nose and mouth.

Hitoshi struggled.

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His school bag slipped from his shoulder and hit the ground.

He tried to pull the cloth away, but his strength faded almost immediately.

His vision blurred.

The streetlights stretched into pale lines.

The voices around him became distant.

"...Target secured."

"Now move."

The first man lifted Hitoshi onto his shoulder as though he weighed almost nothing.

The transparent bag was thrown into the back of the SUV beside him.

The doors slammed shut.

Both vehicles pulled away within seconds.

The street became silent once again.

Only Hitoshi's dropped water bottle remained, slowly rolling across the pavement before coming to

a stop near the curb.

Less than thirty seconds later...

The third black SUV entered the street.

It stopped exactly where the others had.

A single man stepped out.

He looked around once.

No panic.

No rush.

Only routine.

He picked up the fallen water bottle.

Making sure nothing had been left behind.

One last look around.

A voice came through the walkie talkie clipped to his vest.

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"Status?"

"Area secure."

"Witnesses?"

"Negative."

There was a brief pause.

Then another voice answered.

“Excellent”

*****

Inside the moving vehicle, silence filled the cabin.

The only sound was the steady hum of the engine.

One of the masked men checked Hitoshi's pulse.

"Stable."

The driver kept his eyes on the highway.

"ETA?"

"Twenty-two minutes."

No one spoke after that.

Outside, the city lights slowly disappeared behind them as the convoy headed toward the end of the

city Virel.

The convoy left the last houses of Virel behind.

Streetlights became fewer.

Then they disappeared completely.

The city was gone.

Only dark mountains remained on both sides of the road.

The highway stretched forward without another vehicle in sight. Dense forest covered the hills like a

black blanket. Even the wind seemed different here.

Inside the SUV, no one spoke.

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Hitoshi lay unconscious across the back seat.

The driver glanced at the clock.

5:21 PM.

"We're almost there."

The convoy slowed.

Ahead stood the entrance to a long mountain tunnel. Its concrete walls were stained with age, and

only a few weak lights hung from the ceiling. The three SUVs entered one after another.

The tunnel seemed endless.

Minute after minute, they continued deeper underground.

The sound of the engines echoed through the narrow passage.

Then...

The lead vehicle slowed.

On the left side of the tunnel stood a massive steel gate built into the mountain itself. It looked less

like a door and more like the entrance to a military bunker.

Two armed men were already waiting outside.

They didn't move.

The driver flashed his headlights twice.

The passenger raised two fingers through the window.

The guards immediately recognized the signal.

One of them pressed a metal control panel.

With a deep mechanical rumble, the giant gate slowly opened.

Behind it stood four more guards.

Unlike the two outside, these men carried heavier weapons—MP5s, Ump’s, and belt-fed machine

guns. Their black uniforms had no names, no flags, and no symbols.

The convoy rolled through the gate.

As the last SUV entered, one of the guards looked toward the tunnel.

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"Any witnesses?"

The senior guard shook his head.

"Not our responsibility."

He looked toward the third SUV.

"They handled the cleanup."

The massive gate closed behind them with another deafening metallic boom.

For the first time since Hitoshi's kidnapping...

There was no way back.

The convoy continued moving.

The heavy steel gate closed behind the last SUV with a deep metallic boom.

For a few seconds, the sound echoed through the tunnel before everything became quiet again.

Rows of white lights stretched far into the distance.

Concrete walls surrounded the vehicles from both sides.

Large metal pipes ran across the ceiling.

Security cameras slowly turned as the SUVs passed beneath them.

Every few meters, another guard stood watching.

No one spoke.

The engines were the only sound.

After several minutes, the convoy reached another checkpoint.

Two more-armed guards stepped forward.

One checked the number plate.

The other looked through the front window.

The driver raised two fingers.

The guard nodded.

The thick steel barrier lifted.

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The SUVs continued deeper underground.

Inside the second SUV, Hitoshi remained unconscious.

His head rested against the seat as the vehicle shook over the uneven road.

A faint groan escaped his lips.

One of the masked men looked at him.

"He's waking up."

"Not yet," another replied.

"How much longer?"

"Five minutes."

The first man looked through the window.

"We're almost there."

No one said another word.

Far ahead, a pair of massive steel doors slowly began to open.

Bright white lights spilled across the road.

Behind the doors stood a huge underground hall.

Black vehicles were parked in neat rows.

Armed guards patrolled the area.

Above them, metal walkways crossed from one side of the chamber to the other.

The second SUV rolled inside.

Its engine finally came to a stop.

For the first time since leaving the city...

The journey was over.

The real nightmare was about to begin.

Cold water crashed over Hitoshi's face.

He coughed violently as he opened his eyes.

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The bright light above him blurred his vision. His head throbbed with pain. For a few seconds, he

couldn't remember where he was.

Then everything came back.

The black SUVs.

The cloth over his face.

The tunnel.

The darkness.

He tried to move, but thick metal chains held both of his wrists to the chair.

A single table stood between him and three masked men.

No one spoke.

One of them placed a thin black file onto the table.

Another slowly untied the rope around Hitoshi's ankles.

"Comfortable?" a guard asked.

Hitoshi remained silent.

The guard smiled beneath his mask.

"I'll ask only once."

He opened the file.

Inside were photographs.

Hitoshi.

His school.

The bus stop.

The grocery store.

Even the black bank card he had used only minutes before.

His heart skipped a beat.

"You've been watching me..."

The guard ignored the question.

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"Who is KOPE?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

The guard quietly closed the file.

Without warning—

A fist struck Hitoshi across the face.

The chair scraped across the floor.

Blood slowly ran from the corner of his mouth.

The room became silent again.

The same question came.

"What is KOPE’s identity?"

"I... don't know."

Another punch.

This time stronger.

Hitoshi tasted blood.

The beatings.

The insults.

The days he thought school was the worst place in the world.

He almost laughed.

Minutes passed.

The questions never changed.

The answers never changed.

One guard became impatient.

"He knows."

"He has to."

"He wouldn't have been chosen otherwise."

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Another guard slammed both hands onto the table.

"Talk!"

Hitoshi lowered his head.

"I don't know..."

The guard stepped forward again, raising his fist.

Before it could land—

A calm voice came from outside the steel door.

"Enough."

Every person inside the room froze.

The raised fist slowly lowered.

No one dared to move.

One guard quietly stood at attention.

Another straightened his uniform.

The room, once filled with anger, fell into complete silence.

Outside...

Slow, measured footsteps echoed through the corridor.

Closer.

Then—

Click.

The heavy steel door began to unlock.

The steel door opened slowly.

No one looked toward it.

They simply stood where they were, their backs straight and their heads lowered.

A pair of polished black shoes stepped into the room.

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The footsteps were slow.

Calm.

Each one echoed against the concrete floor.

No one dared to speak.

The man walked past the guards without looking at them.

He wore a long black coat over a perfectly pressed suit. Black leather gloves covered his hands. In

his left hand rested a small porcelain teacup, and thin steam still rose from it.

He stopped beside the table.

Without saying a word, he placed the cup down.

Then...

He slowly looked at his watch.

The room remained silent.

Not even the guards breathed loudly.

Hitoshi raised his head.

He could only see the man's shoes and the edge of his coat.

The stranger picked up the black file lying on the table.

He opened it.

One page.

Then another.

He read every photograph.

Every report.

Every note.

Without rushing.

When he reached the last page, he quietly closed the file.

Click.

The sound seemed louder than it should have been.

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He picked up his tea and took one small sip.

Only then did he speak.

"Who questioned him?"

One guard immediately stepped forward.

"I did, sir."

"Results?"

"He denies everything."

The man nodded once.

Nothing more.

He checked his watch again.

Five seconds passed.

Ten.

Then he looked toward Hitoshi for the first time.

His eyes were calm.

Too calm.

There was no anger in them.

No hatred.

No excitement.

Only patience.

Hitoshi felt a chill run through his body.

The man placed the teacup back onto the table.

He walked around Hitoshi once, saying nothing.

Every step echoed through the room.

When he stopped behind the chair, one guard nervously spoke.

"Sir... should we continue?"

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No answer came.

The silence stretched across the room.

Finally...

The man spoke without turning around.

"Untie his right hand."

The guard hesitated.

"Sir..."

The man's voice remained calm.

"I don't repeat my questions."

The guard immediately unlocked one of the chains.

The metal cuff fell open with a sharp click.

Hitoshi rubbed his wrist, but he didn't move.

Something told him not to.

The stranger returned to the table.

He lifted his teacup again.

Another quiet sip.

He checked his watch.

Then looked toward the guards.

For the first time...

His voice became slightly louder.

"Everyone except Roside..."

"...leave."

Every guard immediately obeyed.

Within seconds, the room was empty.

Only three people remained.

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Hitoshi.

Roside.

And the man with the teacup.

Roside lowered his head respectfully.

"Sir..."

The man interrupted him without looking away from Hitoshi.

"There will be time for reports later."

Another sip of tea.

The stranger finally pulled out the chair opposite Hitoshi and sat down.

He placed both gloved hands on the table.

For several long seconds...

He simply looked at Hitoshi.

Then, for the first time in the entire evening...

A faint smile appeared on his face.

Roside remained standing beside the table, his eyes lowered.

The stranger continued studying Hitoshi as though he were reading a page rather than looking at a

person.

Silence settled over the room once again.

It was uncomfortable.

Not because of what the man was doing—

But because he wasn't doing anything at all.

Finally, he placed the teacup back onto its saucer.

"I'll ask only one question."

His voice was calm.

"So, choose your answer carefully."

Hitoshi swallowed the blood in his mouth.

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The man leaned back slightly in his chair.

"Who is KOPE?"

"I... don't know."

The answer came without hesitation.

The stranger watched him for several seconds.

Then he nodded once.

"As expected".

Roside frowned.

"Sir?"

"He believes what he's saying."

Roside looked surprised.

"Then our information was wrong?"

"No."

The stranger lifted the file again and turned a single page.

"Our information has never been wrong."

He closed the file once more.

"The boy simply doesn't know... yet."

Hitoshi stared at him.

"What do you mean?"

For the first time, the stranger ignored the question.

Instead, he checked his watch.

Exactly five seconds.

He always seemed to count them.

Only then did he speak again.

"Roside."

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"Yes, sir."

"Tell me."

Roside straightened immediately.

"The surveillance team followed protocol. The cleanup team confirmed there were no witnesses.

Every trace from the street has been removed."

"And the object?"

"The water bottle was recovered."

"The cameras?"

"Wiped."

"The bus route?"

"Handled."

The stranger nodded.

"Good."

He reached for his tea once more and took another slow sip.

Hitoshi couldn't understand any of it.

Who were these people?

Why had they kidnapped him?

Why did every conversation seem to revolve around someone named KOPE?

His thoughts were interrupted.

The stranger stood.

Every movement was slow.

Controlled.

Deliberate.

He buttoned his coat and walked toward the steel door.

Roside immediately stepped aside.

Before leaving, the man stopped without turning around.

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"Keep him alive."

"Yes, sir."

"Do not break him."

Roside blinked.

"...Sir?"

"If he truly knows nothing, pain will give us nothing."

He glanced once over his shoulder.

For the first time, Hitoshi saw the man's full face.

Sharp features.

Cold eyes.

No expression.

The kind of face that revealed absolutely nothing.

A faint smile returned.

"It seems," he said quietly, "our game begins earlier than I expected."

The heavy door opened.

Before stepping into the corridor, Roside lowered his head.

"Understood... Boss Kurozen."

The steel door closed behind him with a deep metallic thud.

The room felt colder than before.

Hitoshi had finally learned one name.

He had no idea that remembering it would change the rest of his life.

"Take him to Holding Room Seven."

Two guards stepped forward.

The chains were unlocked one by one.

Hitoshi's legs almost gave way as they pulled him to his feet.

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His wrists burned from the metal cuffs.

Without resisting, he allowed them to lead him toward the corridor.

The underground corridors stretched endlessly beneath the mountain.

Rows of white lights reflected from the polished concrete floor.

Armed guards stood every few meters, motionless like statues.

As Roside passed, every one of them lowered their heads.

No one spoke.

Not until Roside disappeared around the corner.

*****

"You saw it?"

"The tea?"

The other nodded.

"He finished it."

A third guard looked over his shoulder before joining the conversation.

"Then we're safe."

The youngest frowned.

"I don't understand."

The older guard gave him a disappointed look.

"How long have you been stationed here?"

"Three months."

"No wonder."

He lowered his voice even further.

"Boss Kurozen never leaves tea unfinished."

The young guard blinked.

"So?"

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"So, if the cup is empty..."

"...it means he still believes he controls the situation."

The third guard added quietly,

"And after he checks his watch..."

"...count to five."

The younger guard looked confused.

"Why?"

Neither of them answered immediately.

Almost as if remembering something unpleasant.

Finally...

The oldest guard lowered his voice.

"After five seconds"

"He decides Boss Kurozen decides whether you deserve another breath or not".

The young guard swallowed.

"You've seen it happen?"

The man nodded once.

"Every single time."

A long silence followed.

Then another guard walked past them carrying fresh ammunition.

He overheard the last sentence and muttered without slowing down,

"Five years..."

"I've never seen him count to six."

No one even smiled.

The corridor fell silent again.

Far away, beyond the reinforced walls of the underground complex...

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A dull vibration rolled through the mountain.

One guard frowned.

"...Did you feel that?"

Another looked toward the ceiling.

Probably another supply truck."

The oldest guard slowly lifted his eyes.

"No..."

His expression changed for the first time.

"...that wasn't a truck."

For a heartbeat...

Everything became still.

Then—

KABOOOOOOOOOM!

The entire mountain shook. Concrete dust burst from the ceiling. Lights flickered violently. Alarm

sirens screamed through the underground base as the first explosion echoed from the direction of the

tunnel.

Dust rained from the ceiling.

The lights flickered wildly before emergency red lights flooded the corridor.

The alarm echoed through the underground facility.

Not a single guard hesitated.

Weapons were raised.

Boots thundered across the concrete floor.

"Positions!"

"Seal every checkpoint!"

"Move!"

The quiet discipline of the base vanished in an instant.

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Only Roside remained calm but when.

He looked toward the tunnel entrance.

"...It can't be."

Another explosion shook the mountain.

This one was stronger.

Concrete cracked.

One of the overhead lights shattered against the floor.

A frightened young guard looked toward the older man beside him.

"What do we do?"

The veteran didn't answer.

He simply tightened his grip around his rifle.

Everyone knew the emergency protocol.

No one had ever expected to use it.

*****

Elsewhere...

Kurozen continued walking through the corridor.

His pace never changed.

The explosion had not made him run.

It hadn't even made him stop.

He calmly lifted his teacup.

The last sip was still warm.

He finished it.

The empty cup rested in his gloved hand.

Then...

He looked at his watch.

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6:07 PM.

Five seconds passed.

One...

Two...

Three...

Four...

Five.

He lowered his wrist.

"Roside."

The voice came through the communication device instantly.

"Yes, Boss."

"Transfer the prisoner."

"To Holding Room?"

"No."

A brief pause.

Then Kurozen answered,

"Prison Base."

Roside's expression changed.

"...Understood."

The communication ended.

Kurozen handed the empty teacup to a nearby servant without saying another word.

Then he continued walking.

*****

Back inside the main corridor...

Roside looked toward the guards.

ShinkageChapter 1

"You heard him."

"Move the prisoner."

"Immediately."

Two guards grabbed Hitoshi by both arms.

Still weak from the interrogation, he could barely keep his balance.

"What's happening?"

No one answered.

His question disappeared beneath another explosion.

The walls trembled.

A cloud of dust drifted through the corridor.

Emergency shutters began sliding down over several hallways.

Metal slammed against metal.

The entire base had entered lockdown.

*****

Far above them...

The mountainside erupted.

A deafening blast tore through the entrance tunnel.

Massive rocks crashed down the slopes.

Trees snapped like twigs.

Smoke billowed into the evening sky.

Birds scattered in every direction.

Miles away...

People inside Virel looked toward the mountains.

Windows rattled.

Car alarms began screaming.

ShinkageChapter 1

Even from the city...

The explosion could be heard.

Within minutes, emergency phone lines flooded with calls.

No one knew what had happened.

But everyone whispered the same name.

"...KOPE.

News channels immediately began broadcasting live.

"Kope has done something again" One broadcaster said.

No evidence.

No confirmation.

Only fear.

Because whenever something impossible happened in Norevia...

People always believed the same thing.

KOPE had returned.

*****

Kurozen stopped.

The distant explosions continued to echo through the mountain.

One.

Then another.

Five.

He slowly turned toward the reinforced wall.

"...Five."

His eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly.

"No ordinary organization has enough explosives to breach five security sectors."

ShinkageChapter 1

Silence.

Roside waited.

Kurozen checked his watch.

Then spoke quietly,

"Every charge was perfectly timed."

"Every blast struck a different section."

"No wasted movement."

"They're creating a path."

Roside frowned.

"You believe it's him?"

Kurozen remained silent for several seconds.

Then...

"Roside"

"Yes, Boss."

"...I may need every capable man here."

"So, you need to stay".

"Because"

"There is only one person in Norevia capable of planning an assault like this."

Even Roside's expression hardened.

"But..."

"...would KOPE come personally?"

The question hung in the air.

Kurozen gave a faint smile.

"I don't think so."

"If KOPE himself had entered this mountain..."

ShinkageChapter 1

He paused.

"...half of this facility would already be burning."

Another explosion echoed through the tunnels.

Concrete dust drifted from the ceiling.

For the first time...

Kurozen's smile disappeared.

"Still..."

"...if I am wrong..."

He buttoned his coat.

"...then tonight will decide which one of us deserves to stand at the top."

Without another word, he began walking toward the source of the explosions.

"Then I am going to cam’s" Roside said.

Behind them...

The alarms continued to scream.

*****

The prison transport sped through the underground tunnels.

Its armored tires echoed against the concrete floor as armed escorts surrounded it from every side.

Inside...

Hitoshi sat between two guards.

His wrists were chained once again.

Every bump in the road sent pain through his bruised body.

Another explosion shook the tunnel.

The vehicle lurched violently.

Dust drifted from the ceiling.

One of the guards grabbed the handle above his head.

ShinkageChapter 1

"What the hell was that?"

Another guard immediately answered.

"Sector Two..."

"No..."

A voice crackled through the radio.

"Sector Four has been breached!"

The driver's hands tightened around the steering wheel.

The driver tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

"Keep moving!"

"We don't stop unless Boss Kurozen gives the order."

The engine roared as the armoured convoy raced through the tunnel.

No one spoke.

The only sounds were the engines...

...and the distant explosions shaking the mountain.

When the convoy left tunnel several meters behind.

Then—

CRACK!

A loud gunshot echoed through the tunnel.

A split second later—

BANG!

Something slammed into the side of the armoured SUV.

The entire vehicle shook.

A bright shower of sparks flew across the metal door where the bullet had struck.

The bullet couldn't get through the thick armour.

It bounced away and changed in several shredded pieces.

ShinkageChapter 1

"What the—"

"Sniper!"

One of the guards immediately turned toward the window and raised his rifle.

Another guard looked through the small armoured glass.

"I can't see him!"

The driver didn't even slow down.

"Keep driving!"

The convoy sped forward even faster.

Hitoshi's eyes widened.

His heart started beating so fast that he could hear it.

Someone fired at us...

Are they trying to kill me?

If not me then....

Who are these people?

Another explosion shook the tunnel.

Dust fell from the ceiling.

The guards looked in every direction, expecting another shot.

But none came.

Far above the tunnel...

Hidden among the rocks on the mountainside...

A man lay flat on the ground.

A long sniper rifle rested against his shoulder.

His eye stayed fixed on the convoy through the scope.

"I have a clear shot," he whispered.

"The convoy is still moving."

ShinkageChapter 1

His finger slowly tightened around the trigger.

Before he could fire again—

His radio suddenly crackled.

"Stop."

The sniper froze.

He quickly picked up the radio.

"Sir?"

The cold voice answered immediately.

"Do not fire at that vehicle."

The sniper looked confused.

"But I thought Our Target was inside."

There was a short silence.

Then the voice spoke again.

"Exactly."

"If Target is inside..."

"...then your bullet changes nothing."

The sniper stayed silent.

The voice continued.

"Our mission is not to destroy the convoy."

"It is not to kill the prisoner."

"It is not to kill Kurozen

"Don't waste ammunition."

"Don't reveal your position."

"Wait for the next order."

The sniper slowly lowered his rifle.

ShinkageChapter 1

"...Understood."

The radio went silent.

He watched the convoy disappear into the darkness.

Then he quietly packed up his rifle...

...and vanished into the forest without leaving a single trace.

Another explosion thundered through the mountain.

Even the armoured vehicle shook.

Hitoshi slowly raised his head.

The guards... were afraid.

Not nervous.

Afraid.

One of them looked toward the driver and asked.

"Do you think..."

"...it's KOPE?"

No one answered immediately.

Finally, the driver spoke in a low voice.

"If it really is KOPE..."

"...then pray he isn't here in person."

Silence filled the vehicle.

Another guard swallowed hard.

"I've heard stories..."

"They say entire organizations disappeared overnight."

"They say no one ever sees KOPE."

"They only see what's left behind."

The oldest guard cut him off.

ShinkageChapter 1

"Enough."

"Don't even say that name unless you have to."

The radio crackled again.

"Attention all units."

"Protect Boss Kurozen."

"Transfer the prisoner to Prison Base immediately."

"Repeat..."

"Protect Boss Kurozen."

Hitoshi's heart pounded.

Kurozen...

Even someone as powerful as him needed protection?

His thoughts raced.

*Who... is KOPE?*

*A criminal?*

*A terrorist?*

*A ghost?*

Everyone he had met since his kidnapping feared only one name.

Even the men who served Kurozen without question had gone pale the moment that name was spoken.

Hitoshi looked through the narrow-armoured window.

Far behind them...

Orange flames rose into the night sky.

The mountain itself seemed to be burning.

He clenched his fists.

*If someone like Kurozen can't ignore KOPE...*

*...then just how dangerous is he?*

ShinkageChapter 1

The convoy accelerated deeper into the mountain.

No one noticed that, for the first time since his capture...

Hitoshi wasn't thinking about escaping anymore.

He was thinking about the name that had made an entire underground empire tremble.

The convoy left the mountains behind.

Nearly an hour passed.

The convoy continued across empty highways without stopping.

By the time the lights of Velmor appeared on the horizon, more than an hour had passed since they

had left the tunnel base.

The highway stretched endlessly through forests, abandoned factories, empty valleys and forgotten

towns.

Somewhere behind them...

The battle between Kurozen and the mysterious attacker continued.

Somewhere ahead...

Prison Base waited.

The convoy left the mountain roads behind.

For the first thirty minutes, no one spoke.

The silence inside the SUV was heavier than before. Hitoshi sat between two armed guards, his wrists

restrained with steel cuffs.

Every bump in the road sent pain through his body. He leaned against the cold window, watching the

darkness outside swallow everything.

Only endless forests.

Empty highways.

Occasionally, the lights of a distant farmhouse appeared before disappearing again.

He had no idea where they were taking him.

*****

Back at the underground headquarters...

ShinkageChapter 1

The battle had already begun.

Another explosion shook the entire mountain.

Dust rained from the ceiling as alarms echoed through every corridor.

"Seal Sector Three!"

"Move the ammunition!"

"Medical team to the eastern tunnel!"

Roside stood in the command room, staring at dozens of security monitors.

Every screen showed smoke.

Fire.

Running guards.

One monitor suddenly went black.

Another exploded into static.

Roside clenched his jaw.

"...He's getting closer."

No one needed to ask who.

Everyone already knew.

*****

Inside the convoy...

One of the guards looked out of the windshield.

"We've left the Virel Metropolitan Zone."

The driver nodded.

"Entering Velmor province."

*****

Far behind them...

Another deafening blast erupted beneath the mountains.

ShinkageChapter 1

The shockwave rolled across the valleys.

Windows rattled in villages nearly twenty kilometres away.

Moments later...

Police sirens filled the streets.

News helicopters began flying toward the smoke rising beyond the horizon.

*****

The convoy passed through the toll gate.

The steel barrier lifted.

"Clear."

The driver pressed the accelerator.

A large metal sign stood beside the road.

WELCOME TO VELMOR

CITY OF ORDER

The highway widened into six clean lanes.

Compared to Virel, the city felt... different.

Everything looked organized.

Traffic moved in perfect lines.

Hitoshi silently watched everything through the tinted window.

One of the guards finally spoke.

"Fifteen minutes."

The driver nodded.

"Sector Nine is already expecting us."

Neither of them looked at Hitoshi.

To them...

He was nothing more than cargo.

ShinkageChapter 1

*****

Hundreds of kilometres away...

Emergency sirens echoed across Virel.

Police surrounded the destroyed mountain highway.

Firefighters struggled to contain the flames while helicopters circled overhead.

Television reporters stood behind security barriers as cameras rolled live.

"No official statement has been released regarding the explosions near Ashen Ridge," one reporter

said into the microphone.

"Authorities have sealed the entire area, and military units have taken control of the investigation."

Behind her...

Thick smoke continued rising into the evening sky.

Rumours had already begun spreading across Norevia.

Some blamed terrorists.

Others whispered a name they barely dared to say.

KOPE.

*****

Back inside the convoy...

Hitoshi shifted slightly in his seat.

His wrists still ached from the metal cuffs.

He closed his eyes.

The words he had heard earlier replayed inside his mind.

'If KOPE came in person...'

His heartbeat grew heavier.

Who was this KOPE?

Someone powerful enough to make Kurozen leave an interrogation without hesitation.

Someone whose name alone changed the expressions of armed men.

ShinkageChapter 1

For the first time since his kidnapping...

Hitoshi realized he wasn't trapped between ordinary criminals.

He had fallen into a war he couldn't even understand.

The convoy continued across empty highways without stopping.

As the last lights of civilization disappeared behind them, the road narrowed into a single lane

surrounded by dense forest. Towering pine trees blocked the moonlight, leaving only the SUV

headlights cutting through the darkness.

Every few hundred meters, rusted warning signs appeared beside the road.

Hidden floodlights and surveillance cameras were mounted high among the trees. Motion sensors

blinked faintly beneath the undergrowth. The convoy never slowed.

Ten minutes later, the forest opened...

...The massive walls of Prison Base appeared.

High concrete walls stretched as far as Hitoshi could see.

Searchlights swept slowly across the entrance.

The massive steel gates rumbled open.

The convoy rolled inside.

It didn't look like a prison.

It looked like a city inside walls.

The armoured SUV came to a stop.

The outer gate slammed shut behind them.

A second gate slowly began to open.

Hitoshi stared through the narrow window.

Beyond it...

Hundreds of prisoners stood in complete silence beneath the floodlights.

No shouting.

No fighting.

ShinkageChapter 1

No movement.

Only silence.

As if every person there had already accepted they would never leave.

The guard beside him smiled beneath his mask.

"Welcome to Prison Base."

"The only place in Norevia..."

"...where people pray for death."

The rear door closed.

*****

Cold night air rushed inside.

A pair of boots stepped into view.

"Prisoner Hitoshi Roi."

"Step out."

Hitoshi slowly lifted his head.

He took one deep breath.

Then stepped out of from the line of guards.

The convoy rolled forward.

The steel gates closed behind them with a thunderous metallic crash.

Unlike the tunnel base beneath Ashen Ridge, this place was different.

There were no towering watchtowers.

No rows of machine-gun nests.

No loud alarms.

Everything here was unnaturally quiet.

Almost...

too quiet.

ShinkageChapter 1

Concrete buildings stood in perfect rows.

Floodlights illuminated every corner.

Armed guards watched silently from elevated platforms.

Nothing seemed out of place.

Yet every soldier wore the same expression.

Tension.

The driver slowed.

"Report."

A radio crackled.

"Prison Base secure."

*****

Miles away...

Inside a hidden observation van parked deep within the forest...

A laptop screen displayed dozens of live camera feeds.

Every corridor.

Every entrance.

Every checkpoint.

A gloved hand calmly zoomed in on one particular person.

Hitoshi Roi.

The operator watched him in complete silence.

Then, without emotion...

pressed a single key.

Across the screen...

one encrypted message appeared.

TARGET CONFIRMED.

ShinkageChapter 1

The encrypted message was transmitted.

To an unknown receiver.

No name.

No voice.

No reply.

Only one word appeared on the monitor.

RECEIVED.

And whoever had just received that message...

already knew Hitoshi had arrived in Velmor.

*****

"Take him to Interrogation Room B".

Reader's Map

VIREL CITY

│

│ 20 Minutes

▼

ASHEN RIDGE

(Tunnel Base)

│

│ 1 Hour

▼

VELMOR PROVINCE

ShinkageChapter 1

(Toll Checkpoint)

│

│ 15 Minutes

▼

PRISON BASE - SECTOR 9

(Located outside Velmor City)

*****

The command room had become the heart of the underground facility.

Rows of monitors covered the front wall.

Most still displayed live footage from different sectors.

Others showed only static.

Roside stood silently with both hands behind his back.

His eyes moved from one screen to another.

Sector 1.

Operational.

Sector 2.

Signal weak.

Sector 3.

Offline.

Sector 4...

Black.

One of the operators swallowed nervously.

"Sir..."

Roside didn't look away.

ShinkageChapter 1

"Report."

"We've completely lost visual from Sector Four."

"Last transmission?"

The operator typed rapidly.

"...Twenty-seven seconds before the cameras went offline."

Roside remained expressionless.

"Cause?"

"We... don't know."

Silence filled the room.

Another technician suddenly spoke.

"Motion sensors aren't responding either."

A third operator quickly added,

"Heat sensors have also stopped transmitting."

Roside finally turned toward them.

"So..."

"They're blind."

Nobody answered.

Because everyone already knew.

The entire security network protecting one section of the base had disappeared.

Not damaged.

Gone.

A soldier rushed into the command room.

"Commander Roside!"

Roside looked at him.

"Speak."

ShinkageChapter 1

"Bravo Squad reached Sector Three."

"And?"

"They found..."

The soldier hesitated.

Roside's voice remained calm.

"...Continue."

"They found the barricades destroyed."

"No enemy."

"No bodies."

"No survivors."

The room fell silent.

Another operator whispered,

"They vanished..."

Roside ignored him.

"Send Delta Squad."

The messenger blinked.

"Sir..."

"They're already stationed near Sector Five."

"I know."

Roside's gaze never changed.

"Move them."

The soldier saluted immediately.

"Yes, Commander."

He disappeared through the steel doors.

The moment they closed—

ShinkageChapter 1

Another explosion echoed through the mountain.

Dust drifted from the ceiling.

Several monitors flickered.

One suddenly went black.

Operator Three immediately leaned forward.

"We just lost Camera Seventeen."

Another beep.

"Camera Eighteen offline."

Another.

"Nineteen..."

"...Twenty..."

Roside slowly walked toward the wall-sized digital map.

Every sector of the base glowed green.

One after another...

Green lights began changing.

Green.

Yellow.

Red.

Then...

Black.

The operators watched in complete silence.

One young technician quietly whispered,

"It's like..."

"...they're choosing the cameras."

Roside heard him.

ShinkageChapter 1

"They are."

Everyone looked toward him.

"They're avoiding unnecessary movement."

"They know exactly which systems matter."

The youngest guard frowned.

"You mean..."

"They've studied the base?"

Roside folded his arms.

"No."

"They've studied us."

Those words made the room colder than any explosion had.

A loud radio transmission suddenly filled the speakers.

"Control!"

"This is Delta Squad!"

"We've reached Security Corridor Twelve!"

Heavy breathing.

Gunfire somewhere in the background.

Then—

"...Negative contact!"

Roside immediately picked up the microphone.

"Status."

The soldier answered,

"The corridor is empty."

"We found abandoned rifles."

"Several helmets."

ShinkageChapter 1

"No blood."

"No bodies."

Roside's eyes narrowed.

"Any footprints?"

"...None."

The transmission crackled.

Then another frightened voice interrupted.

"Commander!"

"We just heard footsteps!"

Roside remained perfectly still.

"Direction?"

Silence.

The soldier breathed heavily.

"...We..."

"...can't tell."

"They're..."

Another pause.

"...everywhere."

Static exploded across the speakers.

The transmission ended.

Nobody inside the command room moved.

One operator quietly removed his headset.

His hands were shaking.

Roside looked once toward the giant digital map.

Then at his watch.

ShinkageChapter 1

One...

Two...

Three...

Four...

Five.

He lowered his wrist.

"Lock every remaining blast door."

The operators immediately obeyed.

Steel barriers began descending throughout the underground complex.

Deep mechanical rumbles echoed through the mountain.

Roside watched the map without blinking.

Then, almost to himself, he murmured,

"...Let's see which path you've chosen."

The emergency shutters crashed into place one after another.

BOOM!

Thick steel doors sealed entire corridors, isolating sections of the underground complex.

A computerized voice echoed through the facility.

"Emergency Lockdown Protocol activated."

"All personnel report to assigned combat positions."

"Unauthorized movement will be treated as hostile."

The announcement repeated again.

And again.

Yet instead of calming the soldiers...

ShinkageChapter 1

It made them even more nervous.

Deep inside Security Sector Two...

Seven soldiers stood behind steel barricades.

Every rifle pointed toward the dark corridor ahead.

Nobody blinked.

Nobody spoke.

Only the faint hum of the emergency lights echoed through the hallway.

A young soldier tightened his grip around his MP5.

"...You hear that?"

The man beside him listened carefully.

"...No."

"I swear..."

"...I heard footsteps."

The squad leader immediately raised his hand.

Silence.

All seven soldiers froze.

Nothing.

Only the distant sound of the ventilation system.

The leader slowly lowered his rifle.

"False alarm."

A few relieved breaths escaped the group.

Then...

Tap.

Every head snapped toward the left corridor.

Silence.

ShinkageChapter 1

Another second passed.

Tap...

The sound came again.

As if someone wearing heavy boots had taken exactly one step...

...and stopped.

The squad leader shouted,

"Who's there?"

No reply.

One soldier switched on the powerful flashlight attached beneath his rifle.

The bright beam stretched almost eighty meters down the corridor.

Empty.

Nothing but concrete walls.

No movement.

No shadow.

No person.

The flashlight swept left.

Then right.

Still nothing.

"...Nobody's there."

The leader wasn't convinced.

"K-1."

"Confirm it."

One soldier hesitated.

"...Sir?"

"I gave an order."

ShinkageChapter 1

The young soldier swallowed hard before stepping away from the barricade.

Every pair of eyes followed him.

One step.

Another.

His boots echoed through the corridor.

The flashlight continued searching every corner.

Twenty meters.

Thirty.

Forty.

Nothing.

He reached the place where the sound had come from.

"...Clear."

The squad leader exhaled slowly.

"Told you."

Several soldiers relaxed slightly.

The young soldier turned back toward his squad.

Then...

His radio suddenly crackled.

Static.

Then a whisper.

"...behind..."

He frowned.

"...Control?"

Only static answered.

ShinkageChapter 1

"...hdiBusEsjHjdkIdkNkolD..."

The whisper came again.

So faint it almost sounded imagined.

The soldier slowly turned around.

The corridor behind him remained completely empty.

His breathing became heavier.

The corridor was still empty.

No movement.

No footsteps.

Nothing.

K-1 slowly lowered his rifle for a second and looked back toward the barricade.

The other soldiers were watching him.

The squad leader raised his radio.

"K-1."

"Report."

K-1 didn't answer immediately.

He kept staring into the darkness behind him.

Then he spoke.

"...There is nobody here."

The squad leader frowned.

"Then return."

K-1 turned toward the barricade.

He took one step.

Then another.

His boots echoed softly against the concrete floor.

ShinkageChapter 1

The soldiers behind the barricade slowly relaxed.

One of them lowered his rifle.

Another quietly removed one hand from his weapon.

"False alarm," someone muttered.

K-1 continued walking.

He was almost halfway back when his radio crackled again.

Static.

Then—

"...behind..."

K-1 stopped.

The voice was clearer this time.

His eyes widened.

He slowly raised the radio closer to his ear.

"...Control?"

No answer.

Only static.

Then the strange sound returned.

"...hdiBusEsjHjdkIdkNkolD..."

The words were broken.

Distorted.

Almost impossible to understand.

K-1 turned around again.

The corridor remained empty.

His flashlight moved across the walls.

Left.

ShinkageChapter 1

Right.

The ceiling.

The floor.

Nothing.

"Who is using this frequency?" he asked.

No reply came.

Behind the barricade, one soldier looked toward the squad leader.

"Sir... should we bring him back?"

The leader kept his rifle pointed forward.

"He is already returning."

K-1 took another step.

Then—

CLICK.

Every light in Sector Two turned off.

The corridor disappeared.

The emergency lights.

The ceiling lights.

The small red security lamps.

Everything.

Darkness swallowed the entire sector.

For one second...

Nobody moved.

Then voices erupted.

"Lights!"

"What happened?!"

ShinkageChapter 1

"Stay in position!"

"Don't fire!"

The squad leader immediately raised his voice.

"Team Seven! Hold your positions!"

Several soldiers switched on the flashlights attached beneath their rifles.

White beams cut through the darkness.

The walls appeared.

The barricades appeared.

The corridor appeared.

But the lights remained dead.

"K-1!" the squad leader shouted.

No answer.

"K-1, respond!"

Static.

The squad leader tightened his grip around his rifle.

"Night vision!"

One by one, the soldiers lowered their night-vision goggles.

The darkness changed into pale green.

The corridor became visible again.

K-1 stood several meters away.

He had not moved.

His rifle remained raised.

He was still facing the empty corridor.

The squad leader frowned.

"K-1!"

ShinkageChapter 1

K-1 slowly turned toward them.

"I'm here."

*****

Before anyone could say another word—

The command room screens went black.

Every monitor.

Every camera feed.

Every security map.

Gone.

The operators stared at the empty screens.

"Camera failure!"

"No," another technician said.

"All cameras are offline!"

Roside stepped closer to the monitors.

"How long?"

The operator checked the system.

"...I don't know."

Then—

CLICK.

The lights returned.

The monitors came back to life.

Every screen displayed its normal camera feed.

The command room became quiet.

The operators looked at each other.

"Are the systems working?"

"Yes."

ShinkageChapter 1

"Camera Seventeen?"

"Online."

"Sector Two?"

The operator looked toward the screen.

"Online."

Roside walked closer.

The camera showed Team Seven standing behind the barricade.

The corridor was visible.

The soldiers were still in position.

Everything looked exactly the same.

No damaged equipment.

No missing weapons.

No enemy.

Nothing.

One technician slowly looked around the room.

"...Nothing changed."

Roside didn't answer.

On the Sector Two monitor...

K-1 had returned to the barricade.

*****

The seven soldiers stood together.

Exactly as they had before the lights went out.

The squad leader looked from one soldier to another.

"Everyone report."

"K-2."

ShinkageChapter 1

"Here."

"K-3."

"Here."

"K-4."

"Here."

"K-5."

"Here."

"K-6."

"Here."

"K-7."

"Here."

The squad leader nodded.

Then he looked toward K-1.

"K-1."

"...Here."

Seven voices.

Seven soldiers.

Nothing was missing.

The squad leader slowly lowered his radio.

"Good."

Nobody spoke.

The lights were back.

The cameras were working.

The corridor was empty.

Nothing had changed.

ShinkageChapter 1

At least...

That was what Team Seven believed.

The squad leader kept his eyes on the corridor.

"Maintain formation."

No one moved.

The soldiers remained behind the steel barricades, their rifles aimed toward the darkness ahead.

The lights had returned.

The security cameras were working again.

Even the radio signals had become normal.

Everything looked exactly as it had before.

Yet nobody felt safe.

K-2 slowly removed his night-vision goggles.

"Sir..."

The squad leader didn't look at him.

"What?"

"How long were the lights off?"

The leader checked the timer on his wrist device.

"...Four seconds."

K-2 stared toward the corridor.

"Only four?"

"Yes."

"It felt longer."

Nobody answered.

K-4 tightened his grip around his rifle.

"Maybe the emergency system delayed the timer."

ShinkageChapter 1

"Maybe," the leader replied.

But his voice carried no confidence.

The soldiers remained silent.

Far above them, the security camera continued recording.

Its small red light blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Nothing unusual appeared on the screen.

Seven soldiers.

One barricade.

One empty corridor.

The command room operator leaned closer to the monitor.

"Sector Two is stable."

Roside stood behind him.

"Replay the blackout."

The operator pressed several keys.

The recording moved backward.

The soldiers returned to their previous positions.

K-1 stood alone inside the corridor.

The rest of Team Seven remained behind the barricade.

Then—

The screen turned black.

Four seconds passed.

The image returned.

The seven soldiers were standing together.

ShinkageChapter 1

Nothing changed.

The operator looked toward Roside.

"See?"

Roside remained silent.

"Play it again."

The recording repeated.

Black screen.

Four seconds.

Normal image.

Nothing unusual.

Roside watched without blinking.

"Again."

The operator replayed it for a third time.

Still nothing.

No movement.

No shadow.

No person entering the corridor.

The camera showed exactly what it had shown before.

The operator slowly removed his hands from the keyboard.

"Commander..."

"What?"

"There is no sign of an intruder."

Roside continued watching the screen.

"I didn't ask about an intruder."

The operator became quiet.

ShinkageChapter 1

Roside pointed toward Team Seven.

"How many soldiers?"

"Seven."

"Are you certain?"

The operator counted them.

"One..."

"Two..."

"Three..."

"Four..."

"Five..."

"Six..."

"Seven."

He looked back at Roside.

"Seven, Commander."

Roside said nothing.

He turned away from the monitor.

"Keep watching them."

"Yes, sir."

Back inside Sector Two...

K-1 quietly checked the magazine inside his MP5.

Full.

He pushed it back into place.

Then he looked toward the squad leader.

"Sir."

"What is it?"

ShinkageChapter 1

"The voice."

The squad leader turned toward him.

"What voice?"

"The radio."

K-1 held up his communication device.

"Someone spoke to me."

Several soldiers looked at each other.

K-3 frowned.

"What did it say?"

K-1 hesitated.

"...Behind."

The corridor became silent.

K-5 slowly turned his head toward the darkness.

"Behind you?"

"I don't know."

"You said you checked the corridor."

"I did."

"And?"

"There was nobody there."

K-6 looked toward the squad leader.

"Maybe someone hacked the radio."

The leader nodded.

"Possible."

"But why?"

No one had an answer.

ShinkageChapter 1

The squad leader pressed the radio button.

"Control. This is Team Seven."

Static answered.

Then—

"Control receiving."

The leader looked toward K-1.

"Did you hear that?"

K-1 nodded.

The leader continued.

"Check our communication frequency."

"Stand by."

Several seconds passed.

The control room operator checked the system.

"Frequency is secure."

"No unauthorized signal was detected."

The squad leader's expression hardened.

"Then explain the voice."

Silence came through the radio.

Finally...

"We can't."

The transmission ended.

K-2 lowered his rifle.

"Sir..."

"What now?"

"I think we should leave this sector."

ShinkageChapter 1

The squad leader immediately shook his head.

"Negative."

"But we don't know what's here."

"Exactly."

He pointed toward the corridor.

"Which is why nobody moves."

The soldiers returned to their positions.

One covered the left corridor.

Another covered the right.

Two watched the main passage.

The remaining soldiers stood close together.

No gaps.

No blind spots.

No one could enter without being seen.

Or at least...

That was what they believed.

The squad leader looked at every masked soldier.

One after another.

The masks hid their faces.

Only their eyes remained visible.

He recognized most of them by their voices.

Their movements.

The way they held their weapons.

But something felt different.

He couldn't explain why.

ShinkageChapter 1

*****

Roside stood silently in front of the Sector Two monitor.

Seven soldiers.

One barricade.

One empty corridor.

Nothing appeared unusual.

The lights had returned.

The cameras were working.

Every soldier had answered during the count.

Seven voices.

Seven bodies.

Seven weapons.

Everything was exactly as it should have been.

Yet Roside couldn't explain why...

...something felt wrong.

He watched the screen again.

K-1 stood near the centre of the formation.

His rifle was raised.

His head moved slowly as he watched the corridor.

Nothing about him appeared unusual.

Roside folded his arms.

"Replay the blackout."

The operator pressed several keys.

The footage moved backward.

K-1 stood alone inside the corridor.

ShinkageChapter 1

The other six soldiers remained behind the barricade.

Then—

The screen turned black.

Four seconds passed.

The image returned.

K-1 had rejoined the formation.

Seven soldiers stood behind the barricade.

Nothing changed.

Roside watched the recording without blinking.

"Again."

The operator replayed it.

Black screen.

Four seconds.

Normal image.

Still nothing.

No missing soldier.

No movement.

The operator slowly turned toward Roside.

"Commander..."

"What?"

"The camera shows the same seven soldiers before and after the blackout."

"I can see that."

"The system detected no unauthorized entry."

Roside remained silent.

His eyes stayed fixed on K-1.

ShinkageChapter 1

Then...

His expression changed.

Not fear.

Recognition.

"Operator."

"Yes, Commander?"

"Open the emergency armour system."

The operator frowned.

"The emergency system?"

"Now."

The operator immediately turned toward another computer.

His fingers moved rapidly across the keyboard.

Several new windows appeared on the screen.

Names.

Equipment numbers.

Weapon status.

Body temperature.

Heart rate.

Roside stepped closer.

Every soldier stationed inside the Tunnel Base wore an emergency monitoring device beneath their

armour.

If a soldier was injured...

If his heart stopped...

If he became unconscious...

The command room would receive the information immediately.

The system existed for one reason.

ShinkageChapter 1

No soldier could disappear without the base knowing.

"Team Seven," Roside ordered.

The operator opened their records.

Seven names appeared.

Seven identification numbers.

Seven emergency signals.

Roside looked at the screen.

"K-2."

Heart rate: 103.

"K-3."

Heart rate: 96.

"K-4."

Heart rate: 111.

"K-5."

Heart rate: 98.

"K-6."

Heart rate: 107.

"K-7."

Heart rate: 101.

Roside nodded.

Their heart rates were high.

But that was expected.

The soldiers were armed.

The base was under attack.

Fear and adrenaline had increased their heartbeats.

ShinkageChapter 1

Then Roside looked at the final signal.

K-1.

Heart rate: 0.

Roside stopped moving.

The command room became silent.

He stared at the number.

Then looked toward the Sector Two camera.

K-1 was standing there.

His rifle remained raised.

His head slowly turned toward the dark corridor.

Roside looked back at the screen.

Heart rate: 0.

"Operator."

"Sir?"

"Check K-1 again."

The operator leaned closer.

"I am checking."

"That is not an answer."

The operator typed several commands.

The system refreshed.

K-1.

Heart rate: 0.

Roside's eyes narrowed.

"Open the emergency medical signal."

The operator opened another window.

ShinkageChapter 1

A warning appeared.

EMERGENCY STATUS: CARDIAC ACTIVITY NOT DETECTED.

The operator froze.

Roside slowly turned toward him.

"What the hell is this?"

The entire command room became silent.

The operator swallowed.

"Commander..."

"That is impossible."

Roside pointed toward the Sector Two monitor.

"K-1 is standing right there."

Nobody spoke.

Roside stepped closer to the operator.

"If this is a malfunction..."

His voice became colder.

"...fix it as soon as possible."

The operator immediately began checking the system.

"Yes, sir."

He opened the sensor history.

The graph appeared.

K-1's heart rate had been normal.

92.

93.

94.

Then—

ShinkageChapter 1

The lights went out.

The graph suddenly dropped.

97.

98.

99.

100.

The operator stared at the screen.

Roside watched the graph.

"That happened during the blackout."

"Yes, Commander."

"How long has it been at zero?"

The operator checked the time.

"...Four minutes and seventeen seconds."

Roside looked back at the camera.

K-1 was still standing with Team Seven.

He moved normally.

He held his rifle.

He had answered the count.

The camera showed no sign that anything was wrong.

Roside's voice became quieter.

"Run a complete diagnostic."

The operator checked the connection.

"The signal is active."

"Check the armour."

"Connected."

ShinkageChapter 1

"Check the identification number."

"Correct."

"Check the medical sensor."

The operator stopped.

Several seconds passed.

Roside looked toward him.

"Report."

The operator slowly removed his hands from the keyboard.

His face had become pale.

"Sir..."

"What?"

"The system is not malfunctioning."

Roside stared at him.

"Then explain the reading."

The operator looked toward the Sector Two monitor.

K-1 remained standing behind the barricade.

Then he looked back at the emergency system.

"Commander..."

His voice shook.

"...the reading is real."

Nobody inside the command room spoke.

Roside slowly looked toward the camera again.

K-1 raised his rifle.

He turned his head.

He moved exactly like every other soldier.

ShinkageChapter 1

But the emergency system showed no heartbeat.

No pulse.

No life.

Roside's eyes narrowed.

"K-1 is standing right there."

He pointed at the monitor.

"If his heart is not beating..."

His voice became almost a whisper.

"...then how the heck is he standing in front of us?"

For the first time since the attack began...

Roside had stopped looking for an enemy.

He was looking at something that should not have been alive.

Roside did not move.

The command room remained completely silent.

On the monitor...

K-1 stood behind the steel barricade.

His rifle was raised.

His head moved slowly from left to right as he watched the empty corridor.

He looked normal.

Too normal.

The emergency system showed no heartbeat.

No pulse.

No medical activity.

Nothing.

Roside kept his eyes on the screen.

ShinkageChapter 1

Then he picked up the communication device.

"Team Seven."

The squad leader immediately answered.

"Commander."

Roside's voice remained calm.

"Listen carefully."

"Yes, sir."

"Order every member of your team to check the emergency medical attachment beneath their armour."

The squad leader frowned.

For several seconds...

He said nothing.

Then—

"...Commander?"

"You heard the order."

"Sir, with respect..."

The captain looked toward the soldiers around him.

They were still standing behind the barricade.

The corridor remained empty.

The lights were working.

No enemy had appeared.

"Why would we check our medical attachments during an active emergency?"

Roside didn't answer immediately.

His eyes remained fixed on K-1.

"Because I ordered it."

The captain tightened his grip around his rifle.

ShinkageChapter 1

"Commander, this is a strange command."

"Do you believe the system is malfunctioning?"

"No."

"Then what is this about?"

Roside slowly leaned closer to the microphone.

"Captain."

"Yes, sir."

"Do not ask another question."

The captain became silent.

Roside continued.

"Every soldier checks the medical attachment."

"One by one."

"Confirm the connection."

"Confirm the identification number."

"And do not allow anyone to leave the formation."

The captain looked toward his team.

He clearly didn't understand the order.

But disobeying Roside was not an option.

"Understood."

The communication ended.

Inside Sector Two...

The captain lowered his radio.

Every soldier looked toward him.

K-2 frowned.

ShinkageChapter 1

"What did Commander Roside say?"

The captain remained silent for a moment.

Then he raised his voice.

"Everyone check your emergency medical attachment."

Several soldiers exchanged confused looks.

K-4 looked toward the dark corridor.

"Now?"

"Yes."

"But why?"

The captain turned toward him.

"Do you want me to explain the command?"

"No, sir."

"Then check it."

The soldiers began moving.

One by one...

They opened the small reinforced sections beneath their armour.

Each medical attachment was connected to a thin monitoring wire.

A green light blinked beside every identification number.

K-2 looked down.

"Connected."

K-3 checked his device.

"Connected."

"K-4."

"Connected."

"K-5."

ShinkageChapter 1

"Connected."

"K-6."

"Connected."

"K-7."

"Connected."

The captain watched every soldier carefully.

Then he looked toward K-1.

"Your turn."

K-1 remained still.

His rifle was still aimed toward the corridor.

The captain frowned.

"K-1."

No answer.

"Check your medical attachment."

K-1 slowly turned toward him.

For the first time...

Something about his expression felt strange.

The mask covered most of his face.

Only his eyes were visible.

They looked calm.

Too calm.

"Why?" K-1 asked.

The captain stared at him.

"Because Commander Roside ordered it."

"That isn't an answer."

ShinkageChapter 1

The soldiers became quiet.

K-2 looked toward K-3.

Nobody understood why K-1 was questioning a direct order.

The captain lowered his rifle slightly.

"It doesn't matter why."

"Show us the attachment."

K-1 looked down at his armour.

Then he laughed.

The sound was quiet.

Almost amused.

Several soldiers raised their rifles.

The captain's expression hardened.

"What is funny?"

K-1 slowly looked back at him.

"I think some of you are very intelligent people."

Nobody moved.

The captain stepped forward.

"Remove the armour section."

K-1 remained silent.

"That is an order."

For several seconds...

Nothing happened.

Then K-1 slowly placed one hand near the front of his armour.

The soldiers watched carefully.

He unlocked the reinforced section.

ShinkageChapter 1

Click.

The small metal cover opened.

Everyone looked down.

There was no medical attachment.

No identification device.

No monitoring wire.

Nothing.

The captain stared at the empty section.

"What?"

K-2 stepped closer.

"You don't have one?"

K-1 looked at him.

"I didn't install it before coming here."

The captain's eyes narrowed.

"Every soldier receives one before entering the facility."

"I'm new."

"We know you're new."

"Then why are you surprised?"

K-3 lowered his rifle slightly.

"Maybe he didn't know."

K-4 nodded.

"Everyone was talking about a new recruit."

K-5 looked toward K-1.

"You joined last week, didn't you?"

K-1 nodded.

ShinkageChapter 1

"Yes."

K-6 spoke.

"The medical attachment is permanent."

"I didn't know that."

K-7 looked toward the captain.

"Maybe nobody explained it to him."

The captain remained silent.

His eyes stayed fixed on K-1.

Something still felt wrong.

The emergency device wasn't optional.

Every soldier received it before their armour.

No exceptions.

No delays.

No forgotten installations.

Yet K-1 looked completely relaxed.

He raised both hands slightly.

"See?"

His eyes moved across the team.

"I am innocent."

Nobody answered.

Then K-1 smiled beneath his mask.

"Some of you are very intelligent people."

The captain's eyes widened.

Something was wrong.

The sentence...

ShinkageChapter 1

The way he said it...

It didn't sound defensive.

It sounded like an insult.

"Drop your weapon," the captain ordered.

K-1 didn't move.

"Now."

The captain raised his rifle.

Every soldier followed.

Seven weapons pointed toward K-1.

For one second...

Nobody moved.

Then K-1 reached inside his armour.

The captain shouted—

"STOP!"

K-1 pulled out a grenade.

Every soldier froze.

The small metal object rested calmly in his hand.

Its safety pin had already been removed.

K-2's face became pale.

"GRENADE!"

The captain immediately shouted.

"TAKE COVER!"

K-1 threw the grenade toward the centre of the barricade.

Then he turned and ran toward the dark corridor.

The captain reacted instantly.

ShinkageChapter 1

His rifle fired.

CRACK!

The first bullet struck K-1 near the upper leg.

He stumbled.

But he kept moving.

CRACK!

A second bullet hit near his hip.

K-1 crashed against the concrete wall.

His rifle slipped from his hands.

He tried to stand.

His injured leg refused to move.

The grenade rolled beneath the barricade.

"DOWN!"

Every soldier threw himself behind the reinforced steel cover.

The captain dropped to the floor.

K-2 covered his head.

K-3 pressed himself against the wall.

For one second...

Nothing happened.

Then—

BOOM!

The explosion shook Sector Two.

The steel barricade absorbed most of the blast.

A violent wave of pressure rushed through the corridor.

Dust exploded from the concrete walls.

ShinkageChapter 1

The emergency lights flickered.

Fragments struck the barricade.

Metal screamed.

Then everything became quiet.

Smoke filled the corridor.

The soldiers slowly raised their heads.

Nobody spoke.

K-4 looked around.

"Everyone report!"

"K-2!"

"Here!"

"K-3!"

"Here!"

"K-4!"

"Here!"

"K-5!"

"Here!"

"K-6!"

"Here!"

"K-7!"

"Here!"

The captain pushed himself to his feet.

"Nobody move."

The smoke slowly cleared.

The barricade was damaged.

ShinkageChapter 1

But still standing.

No one had been killed.

K-2 looked toward the corridor.

K-1 was gone.

"Where did he go?"

The captain raised his rifle.

"Find him."

K-3 pointed toward the darkness.

"He can't walk."

"Then he crawled."

K-5 stared at the damaged floor.

A thin trail of blood moved toward the left corridor.

The captain followed it with his eyes.

"Two soldiers stay here."

"The rest follow me."

Before anyone moved...

K-7 suddenly ran toward the dark corridor.

"K-7!" the captain shouted.

"Where are you going?"

The soldier didn't answer.

He moved past the damaged barricade.

His flashlight swept across the walls.

The blood trail disappeared near a large ventilation section.

Then K-7 stopped.

His entire body froze.

ShinkageChapter 1

The others watched him.

"What is it?" K-2 asked.

K-7 slowly lowered his flashlight.

The beam moved toward the floor.

Everyone followed it.

A human hand was visible beneath a dark sheet.

The captain raised his rifle.

"Check it."

K-7 swallowed.

He stepped closer.

Then pulled the sheet away.

Nobody spoke.

A body lay on the concrete floor.

The person wore only basic clothing.

His military uniform was gone.

His armour was gone.

His mask was gone.

His weapon was gone.

Even his boots had been removed.

A thin monitoring wire emerged from beneath his clothing.

The emergency medical attachment was still connected.

K-7 stared at the face.

His breathing became heavier.

The captain moved closer.

Then stopped.

ShinkageChapter 1

The face was familiar.

It was K-1.

The real K-1.

His eyes were closed.

His body remained completely still.

K-7 quickly raised his radio.

"Command!"

Static.

Then Roside answered.

"Report."

K-7's voice shook.

"Commander..."

"What happened?"

"We found a body."

Roside's expression didn't change.

"Identification."

The soldier looked down again.

He checked the identification number attached to the emergency device.

"K-1."

The command room became silent.

The operator slowly looked toward Roside.

Roside had already expected the answer.

But hearing it confirmed everything.

The person standing with Team Seven...

Was not K-1.

ShinkageChapter 1

"Is the body wearing military equipment?" Roside asked.

"No, Commander."

"Armour?"

"No."

"Medical attachment?"

"Still connected."

Roside looked toward the Sector Two camera.

The false K-1 was no longer visible.

Only smoke remained.

"His uniform was stolen," K-7 continued.

"His armour too."

Roside nodded once.

"Understood."

The captain's voice entered the communication.

"Commander."

"Yes."

"The person pretending to be K-1 threw a grenade."

"I know."

"He was injured."

"Find him."

The captain looked toward the blood trail.

"We are trying."

Roside's eyes narrowed.

"Do not underestimate him."

"Commander, he can't stand."

ShinkageChapter 1

Roside looked toward the real K-1's body.

Then toward the damaged corridor.

"He entered this facility wearing another soldier's identity."

"He bypassed security."

"He remained inside Team Seven."

"He fooled every camera."

"He knew how the medical system worked."

Roside paused.

"If you believe an injury will stop him..."

"...you have learned nothing."

The communication ended.

The false K-1 crawled through the dark corridor.

His breathing was heavy.

Blood moved slowly across the concrete beneath him.

One hand pulled his body forward.

The other held a small pistol.

Every movement caused pain.

Yet his eyes remained calm.

Behind him...

The soldiers searched.

"Check the left corridor!"

"Nothing here!"

"Follow the blood!"

The false K-1 reached a corner.

He pressed his back against the wall.

ShinkageChapter 1

His injured leg stretched across the floor.

He listened.

Boots moved closer.

One soldier turned the corner.

His flashlight swept across the wall.

The false K-1 remained hidden behind a large metal support.

The soldier took another step.

Then another.

He raised his radio.

"Captain."

"Report."

"I found the blood trail."

"Continue."

The soldier moved closer.

The flashlight passed over the false K-1's hand.

He stopped.

"What—"

CRACK!

The pistol fired.

The bullet struck the soldier.

He fell backward.

His radio hit the floor.+++=

The false K-1 pushed himself forward.

He grabbed the fallen soldier's rifle.

Then dragged himself deeper into the corridor.

ShinkageChapter 1

The captain heard the gunshot.

"CONTACT!"

Every soldier ran.

The captain reached the corner first.

The injured soldier lay on the floor.

His weapon was missing.

"Medic!"

K-2 dropped beside him.

The captain looked down the corridor.

The false K-1 was gone.

Then—

CRACK!

Another bullet struck the wall beside the captain.

Concrete fragments flew across the corridor.

"DOWN!"

The soldiers moved behind cover.

The false K-1 fired again.

CRACK!

K-4 returned fire.

Bullets struck the metal walls.

Sparks appeared.

The captain leaned around the corner.

The false K-1 was lying near the end of the corridor.

His injured leg could no longer support him.

But he still held the stolen rifle.

ShinkageChapter 1

The captain shouted.

"Drop the weapon!"

No answer.

"You're surrounded!"

The false K-1 laughed.

His voice echoed through the corridor.

"That is what you think."

He fired again.

CRACK!

The bullet struck the captain's shoulder armour.

The captain fell against the wall.

K-2 raised his rifle.

"Captain!"

"I'm fine!"

The false K-1 tried to drag himself away.

The captain looked toward the injured soldier.

The medic was checking him.

Then the captain saw the blood.

The soldier wasn't moving.

"Is he alive?" the captain asked.

The medic remained silent.

"Answer me!"

The medic slowly looked up.

"No."

The captain's expression changed.

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The false K-1 had killed one of his soldiers.

The corridor became silent.

The captain stood.

His shoulder hurt.

But he ignored it.

He raised his rifle.

"Move aside."

K-2 looked at him.

"Captain—"

"Move."

The soldiers stepped away.

The captain walked into the corridor.

The false K-1 raised his weapon.

The captain fired first.

CRACK!

The bullet struck the false K-1's arm.

The rifle fell from his hand.

He reached for the pistol.

CRACK!

Another bullet struck the floor beside him.

He stopped.

The captain continued walking.

"Don't move."

The false K-1 looked up.

His mask was damaged.

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Blood covered one side of his armour.

Yet he smiled.

"You are angry."

"You killed my soldier."

"He was standing in the wrong place."

The captain raised his rifle.

"Who are you?"

No answer.

"Who sent you?"

The false K-1 looked toward the ceiling.

"Interesting."

The captain stepped closer.

"Answer me."

The false K-1 turned back.

"You people ask the same questions."

The captain's finger tightened around the trigger.

"Last warning."

The false K-1 looked toward the corridor behind the captain.

Then smiled again.

"You're too late."

The captain's eyes narrowed.

"Too late for what?"

The false K-1 didn't answer.

Instead...

He pressed a small button hidden beneath his glove.

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A quiet beep echoed.

The captain immediately understood.

"GET BACK!"

He fired.

CRACK!

The bullet struck the false K-1.

His body fell against the wall.

The small device slipped from his hand.

Nothing exploded.

No alarm sounded.

Only silence remained.

The captain kept his rifle raised.

"Check him."

Nobody moved.

K-2 looked toward the captain.

"Is he dead?"

The captain didn't answer.

His eyes remained fixed on the body.

"Check him."

Two soldiers slowly approached.

They removed the pistol.

Then the remaining weapon.

K-3 checked the body.

"No movement."

"Heartbeat?"

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K-3 looked toward the empty armour section.

"No medical device found from him."

The captain lowered his rifle.

The false K-1 was dead.

Yet nobody felt safe.

The captain looked toward the small device.

It had not exploded.

K-2 picked it up.

"A transmitter."

The captain stared at it.

"To whom?"

Nobody knew.

Inside the command room...

The operator received a warning.

A red symbol appeared on the digital map.

"Commander!"

Roside turned.

"What?"

"Unauthorized access detected."

The command room became silent.

Roside walked toward the map.

"Location."

The operator checked the signal.

His fingers stopped.

"...Sector Two."

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Roside stared at the screen.

The false K-1 had been discovered.

The fight was over.

Yet the system showed an unauthorized entry.

"Which room?" Roside asked.

The operator looked again.

His face became pale.

"Commander..."

"Which room?"

The operator slowly pointed toward the map.

A small section behind Sector Two had turned red.

The room had no official name.

No public identification.

No security record available to ordinary soldiers.

Only one person was permitted to enter.

Roside.

Boss Kurozen.

The operator whispered.

"Room Zero."

Roside stopped moving.

For the first time...

The command room saw fear in his expression.

Not panic.

Not weakness.

"Confirm it," Roside said.

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The operator checked again.

"Unauthorized access."

"Time?"

"Three minutes ago."

Roside looked toward the Sector Two cameras.

The false K-1 had kept Team Seven distracted.

The grenade.

The gunfire.

The stolen identity.

Everything had forced the base to focus on one corridor.

Meanwhile...

Someone else had entered Room Zero.

Roside picked up his communication device.

"Kurozen."

No answer.

"Boss Kurozen."

Static.

Then Kurozen's calm voice appeared.

"Roside."

"Boss..."

Roside paused.

The command room waited.

Kurozen's voice remained quiet.

"Report."

"An unauthorized person entered Room Zero."

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Silence.

The operators looked toward Roside.

Nobody knew how Kurozen would react.

The room belonged to him.

No guard entered without permission.

No soldier knew what was inside.

Even Roside had only entered when Kurozen ordered it.

The silence continued.

Then Kurozen spoke.

"How?"

"We don't know."

"Who?"

"Unknown."

"Where is the person now?"

The operator checked the system.

"Still inside."

Roside repeated the answer.

"They are still inside."

Kurozen remained silent.

Roside waited.

Then—

"Stop them."

Roside frowned.

"Immediately."

"Yes, Boss"

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“If Room Zero has already been entered, my returning will change nothing. The person behind the

explosions is still moving, so keep him alive until I arrive. And as you know, the room contains many

secret files. Don’t rush him. If he entered to destroy them, he may burn everything before we can stop

him.”

"Understood."

The communication ended.

Roside looked toward the operators.

"Lock every route connected to Sector Two."

"Commander, the person is already inside."

"I know."

"Then how do we stop them?"

Roside pointed toward the map.

"There is only one exit."

The operator looked closer.

A narrow corridor connected Room Zero to Sector Two.

The same corridor where Team Seven had fought the false K-1.

Roside raised his radio.

"Captain."

The captain answered.

"Commander."

"Listen carefully."

"The person pretending to be K-1 was a distraction."

The captain looked toward the dead body.

"What?"

"An unauthorized person entered a restricted room."

"From Sector Two?"

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"Yes."

The captain looked toward the corridor.

His expression changed.

"Where?"

"Room Zero."

Nobody in Team Seven recognized the name.

The captain raised his rifle.

"What is Room Zero?"

Roside ignored the question.

"Seal the corridor."

"Nobody enters."

"Nobody leaves."

"And the intruder is to be captured alive."

"Understood."

The captain looked toward his soldiers.

"Move!"

Team Seven ran toward the restricted corridor.

Behind them...

The dead false K-1 remained against the wall.

His mission had failed.

Or perhaps...

It had succeeded.

*****

Kurozen continued walking through the underground facility.

The alarms still echoed.

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Smoke moved through the damaged corridors.

Several soldiers ran past him.

None stopped.

None spoke.

Kurozen's pace remained unchanged.

He had already reached the route leading toward the explosions.

The walls were damaged.

Several lights had fallen.

Large cracks covered the concrete.

Roside's warning remained in his mind.

Room Zero had been entered.

Yet Kurozen did not return.

He continued walking.

A soldier approached him.

"Boss."

Kurozen stopped.

The soldier lowered his head.

"Security reports that the explosions have stopped."

Kurozen looked toward the destroyed corridor.

"That is not good."

The soldier frowned.

"Boss?"

"If the explosions stopped..."

Kurozen continued walking.

"...then the person who created them no longer needs them."

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The soldier watched him disappear.

Far ahead...

The underground route became darker.

Only emergency lights remained.

Kurozen stepped over broken concrete.

A damaged security door hung from one hinge.

The air smelled of smoke and metal.

He reached the final security sector.

The route ended.

Ahead stood a massive, reinforced wall.

The wall had been destroyed.

A large opening led into a dark chamber.

No alarms sounded.

No soldiers remained.

No weapons fired.

Everything was silent.

Kurozen stopped.

He looked inside.

A person stood near the centre of the chamber.

Only a dark outline was visible.

The stranger faced away from him.

One hand rested inside a long black coat.

The other held something small.

Kurozen's eyes narrowed.

"So".

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The stranger didn't turn.

"You reached the end."

Kurozen remained still.

"You caused the explosions."

"No."

The stranger answered calmly.

"The explosions created the road."

"Why?"

The stranger slowly turned.

The darkness covered most of the face.

Only the eyes were visible.

They remained fixed on Kurozen.

"To bring you here."

Kurozen looked around the chamber.

No guards.

No cameras.

No visible exits.

Only the stranger.

"You destroyed five security sectors..."

"...to speak with me?"

The stranger smiled.

"Would you have come otherwise?"

Kurozen remained silent.

The stranger continued.

"You are difficult to reach."

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"That is why I chose the direct route."

Kurozen checked his watch.

The stranger noticed.

"Five seconds?"

Kurozen didn't answer.

The stranger looked toward the damaged ceiling.

"You still do that."

The words made Kurozen stop.

Very few people knew about the five seconds.

Even fewer understood why.

"Who are you?" Kurozen asked.

The stranger smiled.

"You already know."

"No."

"You do."

Kurozen stared at him.

His expression remained calm.

But his eyes changed.

"The prisoner," he said.

The stranger nodded.

"Hitoshi Roi."

Kurozen took one step forward.

"Where did you get that?"

"You asked the wrong question."

"Then answer the right one."

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The stranger lowered the device.

"Why did you take him?"

Kurozen remained silent.

The stranger continued.

"Your people believed he was connected to KOPE."

"They were following information."

"Information from who?"

No answer.

The stranger looked toward the destroyed wall.

"You built an empire beneath a mountain."

"You control cities."

"You have soldiers."

"You have prisons."

"Yet you kidnapped a fourteen-year-old boy because someone told you he knew a name."

Kurozen's eyes narrowed.

"You know more than you should."

"I know enough."

"Who sent you?"

The stranger smiled.

"You still believe everyone works for someone."

Kurozen slowly raised one hand.

Several hidden weapons activated inside the chamber.

The stranger looked toward the walls.

"Interesting."

"You entered my facility."

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"You destroyed my security."

"You entered Room Zero."

The stranger's smile disappeared.

"That wasn't me."

Kurozen stopped.

For the first time...

His expression changed.

Only slightly.

But the stranger noticed.

"The person in Room Zero is not with you?"

"No."

"Then your facility has another problem."

Kurozen looked toward his communication device.

"Roside."

"Yes, Boss."

"Status."

"Team Seven has sealed the corridor."

"Any movement?"

"None."

"Keep them there."

"Understood."

The communication ended.

The stranger watched him.

"Someone entered Room Zero."

Kurozen didn't answer.

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"And you don't know who."

Still no answer.

The stranger stepped backward.

Kurozen immediately spoke.

"Don't move."

The stranger stopped.

"Why?"

"Because you haven't answered my question."

"Which one?"

"Who are you?"

The stranger looked toward the darkness behind Kurozen.

Then back at him.

"Tonight..."

"...you will remember me."

Kurozen's eyes narrowed.

The screen of device changed.

A new message appeared.

PREPARE FOR THE WORST.

Kurozen stared at the words.

Then his communication device activated.

Roside's voice came through.

"Boss."

Kurozen raised the device.

"Report."

"Room Zero."

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Roside paused.

"The person is still inside."

Kurozen looked toward the empty chamber.

"Stop him as soon as possible."

"Yes, Boss."

"And Roside..."

"Yes?"

Kurozen looked toward the darkness.

"There is someone in front of me."

Roside became silent.

Kurozen continued.

"They were waiting for me."

"Who?"

"I don't know."

"Are they still there?"

Kurozen looked around.

"Yes"

The silence returned.

Then Kurozen spoke.

"Prepare for the worst."

The communication ended.

Kurozen stood inside the destroyed security chamber.

The alarms continued far behind him.

Smoke moved through the broken walls.

The stranger was staring at him.

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Hitoshi had been transferred to Prison Base.

And somewhere inside the underground facility...

Another person was moving through a room nobody was allowed to enter.

For the first time that night...

Kurozen was facing more than one enemy.

And he had no idea which one was more dangerous.

THE END OF CHAPTER ONE

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A Note from the Author

SHINKAGE began as a single idea.

But as the story grew, so did its secrets, its people, and the questions hidden behind

them.

This is only the beginning.

Some characters are not who they claim to be.

Some enemies have not revealed themselves.

And some truths were buried long before Hitoshi entered the story.

Thank you for reading Chapter 1.

What happened tonight was not the beginning of the conflict.

It was only the moment the shadows began to move.

— Umar Khan

Writer of “SHINKAGE”

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CHAPTER 2

THE PRISON BASE

Hitoshi had been transferred.

Kurozen had lost control of the night.

Room Zero had been entered.

The attack was over...

but the conflict had only begun.

Inside Prison Base, Hitoshi would discover that being transferred was not the same as

being protected.

Someone had requested his arrival.

Someone was waiting for him.

And somewhere beyond the walls...

a person who knew more about Hitoshi than anyone else had begun making their next

move.

But before Hitoshi could uncover the truth...

he would have to survive the place where the truth had been buried.

THE GAME HAD BEGUN.

Coming in Chapter 2...

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