LIGHTNOVELONLINE [19] Astral Tracker Mark-XVII
"Shit." Both of them cursed in their mind.
"Ah... yes, we're lost. We're new here and not familiar with the place." Haruto quickly replies, forcing a sheepish smile onto his face.
"Oh, I see. Do you have any idea where you are supposed to go? Or are you just touring around the campus?" The silver-haired girl asks innocently.
"We're just touring," Haruto replied with a shrug. "We're not sure where we should be going."
"I see. Since I'm free right now, how about I show you around?" The silver-haired girl offers generously. "It's no bother at all."
Haruto and Iori exchanged a glance, neither of them liking the idea. But they couldn't exactly refuse without raising suspicion, so they reluctantly accepted her offer.
"Alright, thanks," Haruto said.
The silver-haired girl smiled brightly and led the way, showing them around the campus. She was quite knowledgeable, pointing out various points of interest and explaining different things that caught their eye. But both of them couldn't help but notice how she walked with a noticeable limp, which seemed to slow her down. How did even a girl like her manage to get accepted at the academy?
"By the way, what's your name?" The silver-haired girl abruptly asked, turning to them with a curious expression on her face.
"Ah, it's Toma, and this is my sister, Yuka," Haruto quickly replied, panicking a little. It was a good thing they came up with fake names beforehand.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Eva." The silver-haired girl returned with a bright smile. "How do you like the academy so far? Any problems?"
"Not yet," Iori said, forcing a polite smile onto her face. "It seems like a nice place. Thank you for helping us out."
They continued walking through the campus, and both Iori and Haruto couldn't help but wonder if they'd ever find the weapon. They really wanted to just ask her about the weapon directly, but they knew that would raise way too many suspicions.
"Hey, Eva," Haruto suddenly asked, trying to sound as casual as possible. Be damn with subtlety. "I heard there is a new device that was still in the testing phase here. I heard it's a revolutionary one that could track the matter of Astral Power used in a certain area. Is that true?"
"Hm? Oh, you must be talking about the Astral Tracker Mark-XVII. That's indeed here; the academy received the prototype from one of its affiliated companies. It's currently being tested in one of the labs here." Eva explained nonchalantly.
"The what? Never mind. I'm actually quite interested in it. Is it possible to see it in action? Could you take us to the lab? Please?" Iori presses her, trying her best to sound genuine.
"Hmm? You're interested in astral engineering, Miss Yuka?" Eva asked, tilting her head slightly.
"Yes, my sister is very fascinated with the topic," Haruto replied with a smile, nodding his head approvingly.
"Sure, I could bring you there. Seems like you're following in your brother's path to become an Astral Agent, right?" Eva teased, giving her an amused smile.
"Haha, something like that," Iori replied, chuckling awkwardly.
Eva then leads them to one of the labs, and the trio enters a large room filled with various equipment and machinery. It was still very early, so most of the labs Haruto and Iori hadn't yet explored were closed, but Eva somehow had a keycard that allowed her access everywhere. Who is this girl really?
"Here we are," Eva announced, gesturing towards a strange-looking machine sitting in the middle of the room. "The Astral Tracker Mark-XVII, designed to detect and trace any residue of Astral Power."
Haruto and Iori approached the device, examining it closely. It was quite an impressive piece of engineering, and they could tell that the device had been built with care and precision.
"So, how does it work?" Iori asks. They still need to ensure this is the weapon they're looking for before doing anything rash. Even if it does, they still need to learn how to operate it first.
"Well, it's pretty simple, actually," Eva began, walking over to the control panel of the device and pressing a few buttons. "You just input the data or sample of the Astral Power you want to track, and the device will analyze the data and create a map based on its residual signature. You see, not long ago, scientists discovered that Astral energy is the backbone of everything in our world, including human vitality. It's inevitable for any astral user to leave behind a trace of Astral Power wherever they use their ability. However, since Astral energy is a quantum particle, proving its existence in the initial stages of research was a daunting task. However, thanks to the discovery of Quantum Mechanics, it became possible to observe Astral Energy."
"Interesting... so the device could pinpoint the exact location where Astral Power was used," Iori concludes, her curiosity piqued.
"Exactly," Eva confirmed, smiling brightly. "The more recent and stronger the usage of Astral Power, the clearer the sample that the device picks up. This makes tracking Astral Power extremely accurate, within a range, of course."
Iori and Haruto exchanged a glance, knowing this was the moment they'd been waiting for. But how should they go about it? Should they leave and return later since they already know where the weapon is, or should we say the tracker is? Or should they try to take it right now?
"Say, Eva. Since the Astral Tracker is a prototype, I assume it's still not for commercial use. But can we test it out anyway? I would love to see how it works." Haruto suggested, deciding to take the risk.
"I'm afraid not," Eva replied apologetically, shaking her head. "As I've mentioned earlier, the Astral Tracker is still being tested, and the academy staff strictly forbid anyone from using it without authorization."
Haruto frowned, disappointed. They couldn't let such an opportunity slip away. "Say, would students have another chance to see the Astral Tracker in the future?"
"Hm... maybe, but it's not certain. Actually, this place is highly restricted; only staff and some selected students are allowed entry, and the academy is very secretive about its technology. I'm already pushing my limit right now, bringing you guys here. This is an exception among exceptions since I don't want to disappoint new students who are interested in the academy's tech." Eva explained, her face a little grim.
"That's understandable," Haruto replied. "Well, thanks for showing us around, Eva. I appreciate your time. Maybe we'll see each other again around campus."
"Sure, no problem. It's always a pleasure to help. If you need any help, feel free to call me anytime."
The three of them went their separate ways, and Haruto and Iori waited patiently until Eva was out of sight before discussing their next move.
"What are we going to do now?" Iori asked, glancing at Haruto.
"Of course, we're gonna steal it. That's your plan, isn't it?" Haruto replied, rolling his eyes. "The sooner we can get our hands on the tracker, the better."
"Yeah, but the security is pretty tight. How are we going to do that?"
Haruto pondered for a moment, his mind racing. They had the perfect opportunity right in front of them, but it wouldn't be easy.
"Should we just kidnap the girl earlier, take her ID, and dispose of her? She's probably still in the building. It wouldn't be difficult." Iori suggested.
Hearing that, Haruto gives Iori a sharp glare, his lips curled into a frown. "We're not that low. There is a line we shouldn't cross. Don't even think about it."
Iori shrugged, unperturbed by Haruto's warning. "We're trying to work with Moonlight, an individual who bombed a mall full of civilians just to send a message. Shouldn't we also up our game if we're trying to win her favor?"
"That's right, we're trying to work with her. Not joining her," Haruto retorted, crossing his arms. "Killing innocent civilians is not part of our goal, and we're not here to wage war like her. We're here to liberate people from the oppression."
"Whatever. As long as we get the tracker, I don't really care," Iori replies, turning her attention elsewhere. "So, what's the plan?"
"We already know the location of the Astral Tracker. We can raid this place later and send a team to retrieve it." Haruto decides. "This would delay our search, but it's better than getting caught and jeopardizing our mission."
"Fine," Iori reluctantly agreed, giving in.
With a plan set, the two of them returned to their base, ready to prepare their forces.
***
It was morning. Eva woke up really early, as usual. She went through her daily routine of washing up, eating her breakfast, and taking her medication. She woke up this early because she wanted to avoid as much of the hustle and bustle as possible. The students are getting more used to her presence now, but that doesn't mean they're not staring at her anymore.
Eva went to the cafeteria alone, enjoying her tea and reading her speech notes. She was preparing herself for the entrance ceremony since it was only a few days away. She can't prepare any of her other plans since, in the last few days, the headmaster has kept her busy with different discussions and meetings.
The headmaster, for some reason, really trusted her. He basically gave her free rein to do whatever she wanted, and Eva couldn't help but find that suspicious. What is his end goal? Nonetheless, she also now has unlimited funding and access to the academy's resources, so she can't complain.
But that came with a responsibility. The headmaster also asked her to form a student council, which was her biggest headache. It wasn't because she was not confident; she was sure she could easily pick the best of the best among the upcoming batch, and she already had a few candidates in mind. The problem is this would take all of her free time.
But no matter, she can't decline since she could use this position to her advantage later.
While Eva was musing in her thoughts, she caught a glimpse of two familiar faces entering the cafeteria. She almost spit out her tea seeing Haruto and Iori, a wanted terrorist, casually walking around campus like nothing. What are they doing here? Aren't they supposed to be on the run?
Eva carefully observed them, trying not to draw too much attention to herself. They were behaving strangely, and she noticed the way they were acting and scanning the place. They're definitely up to something. But what is it?
She enchanted her hearing and listened carefully to their conversation, but there were too many voices mixed up in the cafeteria, and she couldn't make out anything.
Eva waited for them to finish their discussion and leave before following them. She remained a safe distance away and followed discreetly, making sure not to be noticed. When they were in a more private area, she could finally listen to their conversation more clearly, and what they were talking about stunned her.
"Are you sure that's where the weapon is?" Haruto asks.
Weapon? Did they come here to steal a weapon from the academy? Eva wondered, her mind racing.
"I'm not sure, but it's the only place we haven't checked. We should start with that lab," Iori replied.
"Alright, let's go. I already hate it being here."
Eva continued listening, learning that the two of them were searching for a weapon that could track Astral Power. So they're after the Astral Tracker Mark-XVII Eva saw the other day, and they even knew about its abilities. This 'weapon' is more of a gadget than a weapon, but since it also has some firepower capabilities, it still must be labeled as one for protocol.
Eva decided to follow them, curious as to what they would do. If they're truly after the Astral Tracker Mark-XVII, it won't be easy for them. But, after learning the reason they were after the gadget, Eva's interest quickly piques.
"This could be fun," Eva thought, her eyes glinting with a dangerous light.
After trailing Haruto and Iori for some time, both of them seem to get frustrated due to the lack of results. Eva overheard their conversation, and she learned they were still clueless about the Astral Tracker location. Both of them are now wondering if the weapon was even located there.
With a sigh, Eva decided to intervene. She approached the two terrorists and put on her best smile. "Excuse me? Are you both lost? Do you need any help?"
"Ah... yes, we're lost. We're new here and not familiar with the place." Haruto forced a sheepish smile onto his face, and Eva found their effort to act normal really cute.
Eva offered them assistance and guided them around the campus. Both of them were stiff the entire time, and Eva couldn't help but laugh silently. It was obvious they were up to something, and her presence made them nervous. Eva also wasted their time by showing them unnecessary places and dragging their tour for as long as she could.
As expected, the two of them eventually brought up the topic of the Astral Tracker Mark-XVII, attempting nonchalantly. Eva played along and told them about the device's whereabouts and how it works. But of course, she didn't forget to warn them of the strict security, hoping they do something stupid.
Both of them didn't take the bait, however. Instead, they pretended to be discouraged and left, disappointing Eva. She is prepared to pretend to be kidnapped or something, but they don't even try. Boring.
She wants to continue to trail them, but a sudden phone call from Reina interrupts her.
"Hello?" Eva answered.
"Hey, Eva! I've been looking for you everywhere, but I can't find you. Where are you right now? I have something really important to tell you!" Reina greeted her cheerfully.
"Oh, I'm near the fountain. I'm currently showing some new students who arrived recently around the campus. What's wrong?" Eva asked, wondering why her friend looked so excited.
"Can you meet me in the faculty lounge in five minutes?" Reina asked, ignoring her question.
"Uh, sure?"
"Great! See you!" Reina hung up.
Eva looks at her phone, confused. Her friend was acting strange, but oh well. She decided to go meet her, shrugging. Maybe it's something good. Who knows.