As I stepped off the train, the station lights were half-extinguished.
Beneath the remaining lamps stood five shadows. Matching overcoats, identical collars, synchronized footsteps.
They were what remained of the Observers.
"Halt."
The man in the lead spoke. His voice carried a mixture of exhaustion and obsession.
"Hand over the Core Shard. You have no right to wield it."
Asahi stepped forward.
"It’s far too late to talk about rights. Who do you think tore this town apart to get this far?"
The man’s expression remained unchanged.
"We did not break it. We refined it. Sacrifices are required to stabilize the wavering laws of this world."
Kuon raised the Catalog. A pale blue light illuminated the seams of the strangers' coats, revealing hidden sigils.
"An old squad. You should have received the order to disband."
"The order was received. It was simply not followed."
At the man’s signal, the other four fanned out in a crescent. Encirclement.
Koyoi pulled the drawstring bag close to her chest and counted the pulses of the Droplet. Fast. A warning of danger.
"Is there room for negotiation?" Koyoi asked.
The man shook his head.
"The time for negotiation has passed. We will recover the records."
Asahi drew her sword. The ring of steel split the cold air.
"Then you’re not taking another step."
The woman on the far left moved first. She swung a short blade low, aiming for Asahi’s legs. Asahi stepped back half a pace and parried the wrist with her pommel.
Simultaneously, the man on the right rushed Kuon. Kuon snapped the Catalog shut and hurled a bundle of pages into his opponent’s field of vision. In the split second as the papers scattered, he dropped his stance and drove an elbow into the man’s jaw.
A shadow loomed before Koyoi as well. He carried no sword, but held a set of restraints.
"Orders not to hurt me, I take it?"
Koyoi stepped back and opened her bag. The chill of the Droplet spread, creating a thin film of water on the cobblestones at the man's feet. His lead foot slipped, and he crashed to his knees.
"Now, Asahi!"
Asahi’s strike was shallow. She tore only the fabric of their coats, leaving the flesh untouched. However, she precisely shattered the communication stones hidden inside their collars.
The men’s coordination crumbled.
Kuon issued a sharp command.
"Cut off their retreat. Don't let this drag on."
The three of them pressed toward the center simultaneously. The Observers retreated several steps, backing out toward the station exit.
Only the lead man remained, his gaze fixed on Koyoi.
"The thing you protect will eventually become unmanageable."
Koyoi met his eyes directly.
"Even so, it’s better than being 'stabilized' without a name or a memory."
The man said nothing more and vanished into the fog. Only the sound of his footsteps lingered for a while.
Asahi sheathed her sword.
"Should we pursue?"
Kuon shook his head.
"Priority is the Core Shard. The remnants will appear again."
Koyoi gathered the scattered pages and handed them back to Kuon. The paper was damp. Whether from sweat or the fog, she couldn't tell.
One by one, the station lights flickered back to life. The battle wasn't over. But for now, this night still belonged to them.
After the skirmish, Koyoi picked up an overcoat that had been left lying in a corner of the station. On the inner seam, there was a small embroidery.
'Seventh Squad.'
Kuon looked at it and cast his eyes down.
"There were those I trained with in the same squad, long ago. Likely survivors."
Asahi took the coat and folded the parts that weren't stained with blood.
"You're surprisingly careful with an enemy’s things."
Kuon answered curtly.
"Precisely because they are enemies, we must preserve their records. If we don't, we lose sight of the reasons why the next enemy fights."
Koyoi placed the folded coat atop a stone pillar. Whether it would be recovered or swept away by the wind, she didn't know. Still, she refused to act as if they had never existed.
At this stage, what the three protected was not a hasty advance, but the addition of deliberate procedure. From the first move, Kuon clearly defined the "Confirmed Zones" and "Unconfirmed Zones."
Once the information was shared, Koyoi transcribed the classifications into her ledger. Asahi kept her sword sheathed until the organization was complete, prioritizing the securing of retreat paths and sightlines. By stabilizing their alignment first, the rate of conflict arising from misinterpretation dropped significantly.
In critical moments, confirming the initial step stabilizes the entire system more effectively than merely adding more tasks.