Inside the building of Lutania Corporation, the two people met.
The moment I saw them, I felt a sense of déjà vu.
I was sure I hadn't seen them that often, yet they felt familiar.
The silver-haired elf called Satoru greeted the uncle with a smile.
"Luke, even if you're busy, cutting off all communication is a bit much, isn't it? We can't be so heartless to our friends."
"I'm sorry, I've been really busy lately."
Although they called each other friends, the uncle didn't seem as enthusiastic as Satoru, who greeted him warmly.
The uncle asked Satoru.
"By the way, Satoru, didn't you dislike going to crowded places because of your OCD?"
"I still don't like it much. But as a researcher, if there's a topic that interests me, I have to go and investigate it. Last time, I came to sign a contract for the reconstruction of the research institute and had a conversation with Lutania's senior researcher. He was having trouble making a prosthetic arm for a person with pyrokinetic abilities, so I helped him out. As you know, I have a lot of interest and knowledge in that area."
Satoru adjusted his glasses with a gloved hand and answered.
I had thought the white gloves were a fashion statement, but it seemed they were for his OCD.
"Since I gave advice, I should check if it's working properly. I came to see the result, and it's nice to see a familiar face. What brings you here?"
"The student who needs the prosthetic arm is attending the academy, so I was asked to ensure the surgery goes smoothly."
"Is that so?"
Satoru smiled at the uncle's answer.
His eyes behind the glasses were looking at me.
"Isn't it strange? The student who needs the prosthetic arm looks a lot like someone I know, and coincidentally, they have pyrokinetic abilities. And coincidentally, the person who's fitting the prosthetic arm is you. It's hard to believe it's all just a coincidence."
"......"
The uncle's eyes wavered.
After staring at me for a while, Satoru spoke to the uncle.
"We have a lot to talk about. Can you spare me a moment?"
The uncle, who had been looking at me, slowly nodded.
"......After the surgery, then."
I tried to ignore the conversation between the two.
It was a conversation I didn't want to pay attention to.
*
After changing into surgical clothes and entering the operating room, Jesse was waiting with the prosthetic arm.
Seeing the prosthetic arm up close, I couldn't help but be amazed.
Just a glance showed it was incredibly sophisticated and luxurious.
I had expected something like the prosthetic arm the history teacher wore, but this seemed to be a level higher.
It felt like an Iron Man suit had suddenly appeared instead of a police robot arm.
The prosthetic arm, made entirely of black metal except for a white part in the center of the palm, gleamed with the characteristic luster of metal.
As I stared at its elegant appearance under the lights, Jesse smiled confidently and said,
"There's no need to worry about the appearance. Scarlett is a girl, after all."
Is this durability and practicality?
Even a man would be impressed by this, so I nodded enthusiastically, and Jesse smiled in satisfaction as he left the operating room.
Only the uncle and I, dressed in surgical gowns, were left in the operating room.
The uncle handed me a mask that covered my mouth and nose, like an oxygen mask.
"It's not a complicated surgery, so you'll wake up soon after a short nap."
I was a bit nervous as I had never experienced anesthesia or surgery before, but the uncle smiled slightly, trying to reassure me.
"Don't worry, I know better than anyone that you hate pain."
Although he was smiling, the uncle looked somewhat sad.
As I thought about his familiar face, I felt my mind grow hazy after inhaling something.
The uncle's face, which was now blurry.
"Sorry, I'll make sure you don't feel any pain......"
The uncle said this as he attached my severed left arm, looking sad.
I slowly sat up, feeling a bit dazed.
Without realizing it, I had been supporting myself with my left arm.
Noticing this, I slowly looked at my left arm.
The metallic left arm was now attached.
Although I couldn't feel any sensation, it was moving as I wanted it to.
I wiggled my fingers in amazement, and Jesse, who had entered the operating room, smiled at the sight.
"Is everything okay? Change your clothes first."
After changing my clothes and stepping outside, Jesse was fiddling with the prosthetic arm.
A click sounded, and a small gap opened on the back of the prosthetic hand. Jesse looked at me and said,
"Insert the black piece you showed me last time into this gap."
Following Jesse's instructions, I inserted the black piece I had brought.
After I inserted the piece, Jesse adjusted the prosthetic arm and closed the gap.
"I tightened the screws inside with telekinesis, so it won't come off even if you hit it. According to the design, the prosthetic arm should be able to emit flames, so I'll test it. Follow me."
Following Jesse, we entered a spacious hall marked as a training ground.
Apparently, it used to be a warehouse that his parents had converted for training.
He said they usually rent it to other heroes for money, but today they didn't have any clients, which made me feel quite uncomfortable.
Is this the world of the rich? My hands are shaking.
"Isn't it a bit crowded?"
Not long after we entered, the uncle, Satoru, and a few other men and women of varying heights came in and stood near the entrance, watching us.
I asked, and Jesse laughed, saying,
"They're off-duty today. They came to check if the prosthetic arm works properly. Should I ask them to leave if they're bothering you?"
"No, it's fine. It's just a bit."
Since they were people I should thank, I bowed to them, and they all smiled and waved.
With so many spectators, I felt a bit nervous.
Jesse said he needed to observe if there were any issues, so I rolled up my sleeve and thought about igniting the prosthetic arm.
Instantly, the prosthetic arm glowed.
Flames ran along a few lines from the back of my hand to my shoulder, emitting light.
The most noticeable part was the text that appeared.
If I hadn't seen it wrong, the glowing text on my arm was clearly "Scarlet."
How did they do this......
Turning around in surprise, I saw Jesse grinning, pleased with the surprise.
"Did you see it? Did you? To make the flames flow across the entire arm, we needed to engrave some grooves. But if done well, we could make it look like text. We all brainstormed and managed to make it work!"
Before I could respond to the unexpected gift, Jesse shouted excitedly,
"The best part is yet to come! Extend your palm towards the empty space and press the button on the inside of your wrist!"
Button?
Feeling for the inside of the prosthetic wrist, I found a button that wasn't easily visible.
It required quite a bit of force to press. When I pressed it, the flames that had been burning on the prosthetic arm suddenly went out.
But the flames were still being emitted?
Focusing, I realized the flames were being drawn into somewhere.
"Release it by pressing the button again!"
Hearing the word "release," I recalled what I had asked for.
I had requested that it be capable of long-range attacks......
Suppressing my excitement, I released the button and pressed it again.
The world before my eyes lit up.
The intense flames that erupted from my palm burned the wide space in front of me.
The crowd behind me cheered at the impressive sight.
"I made this instead of a magic cannon. How is it? Do you like it?"
Jesse asked, but he was already grinning.
Instead of answering, I hugged Jesse tightly in gratitude.
A phrase from a game my friend used to love came to mind.
Scarlett Evandene has learned a new move: Flame Emission!
Now I have a new skill besides the Flame Car!
*
Watching the flames being emitted from the prosthetic arm, Satoru said,
"It's a Flame Absorption Stone. It's a magic-infused gem that can absorb and release flames in the desired direction. I had been looking for it after the research institute burned down, and when I heard about the prosthetic arm, I thought it might be useful, so I sent a few to Lutania."
Seeing his friend Luke staring at him silently, Satoru smiled slightly and continued,
"Don't worry, it won't harm 10, who you secretly took away and cherish so much. I thought it had been destroyed in the fire, but I never imagined it was the work of my closest friend. I couldn't have imagined it."
"......How did you know?"
"It was purely coincidental. I met someone a while ago, but their hair color was different, and they spoke, so I thought it was just someone who looked similar. But while talking to the senior researcher, I heard about a unique pyrokinetic ability. A girl who emits flames when angry, and who can ignite flames from a detached black piece. That's when I figured it out. Seeing you today confirmed my suspicions."
Luke's eyes trembled as he asked.
Satoru smiled slightly and answered.
"Still, I never imagined that her ability would be proportional to her anger, not her pain. It makes sense, but I missed that point. If I had known, we could have made more progress. I think we could have succeeded if we tried again. But the family has decided to abandon the plan. They want to scrap the remaining prototypes."
"......Scrap them?"
Luke was visibly shaken.
Satoru chuckled and said,
"Yes, it's a shame, but after the research institute burned down, the family decided to halt the plan and scrap any remaining prototypes if found."
Luke bowed his head to Satoru with a serious expression.
Honestly, Satoru was a bit taken aback by this.
"......Satoru, can you delay it just a bit?"
"As you know, 10 is officially Astra's property. If the higher-ups give an order, I have to follow it."
"10. No, Scarlett is a person. Not just property."
He even gave her a name.
Satoru, who remembered the day Luke had said he would stay with him, adjusted his glasses and his eyes sparkled.
"A person, you say? Is that what she is?"
"She lost all her memories from the experiment. I heard she's living a normal life at the academy. Can't you see that?"
Satoru looked at 10, who was hugging a female student and smiling.
She certainly looked like an ordinary person, but to him, it was just a facade.
Just because she was pretending to be human didn't change her essence.
Feeling annoyed, Satoru scratched his neck.
Ignoring his inner thoughts, Luke continued earnestly.
"Moreover, she saved people. Over ten thousand lives. Satoru, remember our initial goal when we first planned this? It was to save people. She has achieved that. She might save even more in the future. Please, give her a bit more time. Can't you do that much?"
There was a time when he had said the same thing.
Luke's face looked incredibly earnest.
Satoru remembered the day he had said he would stay with him.
So, Satoru scratched his neck.
"Please, Satoru. As your friend, this is my last request."
Friend, such a good word.
Satoru had thought of him as a friend, and he had betrayed him.
Satoru had also deceived him, so friendship was clearly a relationship of mutual deception.
Of course, he couldn't just let it go that he had been deceived.
So, Satoru smiled and said,
"Since you're asking so much, I'll try to persuade the family."
Satoru looked at his friend who had deceived him.
Satoru looked at the disgusting thing wearing a red ring to hide its origin.
"Since you're asking, we are friends, after all."
Astra never forgets a debt.
Never.
Satoru scratched his neck.
*
The Flame Absorption Stone that Satoru had given to Lutania Corporation had one more spell on it.
A minor tracking spell.
In the early hours of that morning, Satoru loaded a large trunk into his car and left the building.
Author's Note
Scarlett Evandene has learned a new move: Flame Emission!
Thanks to learning a slightly better skill, Satoru, who was aiming to be a Pokémon Master, set off with a Poké Ball in hand!
By the way, Ash's Japanese name is Satoshi.
It's a strange coincidence that it's only one letter different from Satoru.