I took a deep breath and stepped into the darkness of the chamber. The world outside vanished behind me, swallowed by shadow. My private comm crackled to life with VEGA's voice, a blade wrapped in silk.
"Subject 217-B, Satori Nakano. Aspect: Thermal Incision. Provisional Threat Level: C-Rank."
A pause, as if she was tasting the data.
"Hmm. A rather underwhelming profile for such a... noisy public debut. Let's see if we can't find out what makes the 'Stray Dog' so special. Or if you're just another mutt with a loud bark."
The gate slammed shut behind me with a deafening, final boom, plunging me into absolute blackness. For a moment, there was nothing but the sound of my own breathing and the gentle hum of the suit against my skin.
Then, with a sound like a thousand match strikes, the chamber ignited with light.
