The night was restless, its silence broken only by the soft hum of technology and the weight of Ash''s thoughts. In the dim glow of Rin-AI''s holo-display, his eyes scanned the stream of encrypted data that danced across the screen like a cascade of fireflies. Every byte was a step closer to the truth, to the father he had lost.


    His father was out there—somewhere in the depths of Raiju territory—and Ash''s every breath felt like a moment slipping away, a piece of time he would never reclaim. He could almost hear his father''s voice in the back of his mind, urging him forward, but the distance between them seemed insurmountable.


    "Rin," Ash murmured, his voice rough with urgency. "Any progress?"


    The AI''s voice broke the silence with a quiet hum, like a pulse in the dark. "I''ve found something," Rin said, the tone of the artificial mind deeper than usual, as if the discovery itself carried weight.


    Ash''s heart skipped a beat. "What is it?"


    "A fragmented transmission, buried in an old Raiju security log." Rin''s voice paused, processing. "Someone high-value was transferred to one of their strongholds." A moment later, the coordinates appeared on the screen. "The transmission points to a Raiju Castle."


    Ash froze, the air thickening around him. Raiju Castle. The words alone sent a chill through his bones. The Raiju were not mere warlords; they were a force of nature, cybernetic warriors ruling over storm-ravaged wastelands with ruthless precision. Their strongholds were legends in themselves—fortresses forged from metal and fury, guarded by AI sentinels and deadly enforcers. Ash knew the Raiju never let anyone slip through their grasp.


    "Are you sure?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. The uncertainty in his gut twisted, but there was no turning back now.


    Rin-AI''s processors hummed as it cross-referenced logs, security archives, and confirmed Raiju movements. "The probability is high. Ninety-two percent chance the prisoner is your father."


    A cold flicker of hope ignited in Ash''s chest. But before it could take root, the harsh reality of the situation crashed back in. He was no closer to his father than before. His father had been taken—and Ash was about to risk everything to bring him back.


    "Do you know how we get in?" Ash asked, his mind already spinning through possibilities, each more dangerous than the last.


    "That," Rin-AI replied, "is the real challenge."


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    The digital blueprint of Raiju Castle flickered before Ash''s eyes. The fortress was a monstrous structure, suspended high above a wasteland of broken earth, battered by endless storms. It was fortified with energy barriers, patrolled by cyborg enforcers, and bristling with automated turrets. Every inch of the stronghold screamed inaccessibility, a black hole of danger.


    Ash''s jaw tightened. He had seen countless fortresses in his time, but none like this. "There has to be a way," he muttered, clenching his fists.


    Rin-AI''s voice cracked through his thoughts with a trace of calculated precision. "There might be." A new data fragment appeared on the screen, an anonymous message. "I''ve intercepted a communication. It reads: ''He doesn''t have long. Move now.''"


    Ash narrowed his eyes, leaning forward, his pulse quickening. "Someone wants me to go in."


    "Or they want you to walk into a trap," Rin-AI cautioned, its tone heavy with suspicion.


    A cold silence filled the room, thick with the weight of the decision Ash had to make. The danger was apparent, but his father''s life hung in the balance. His hesitation could cost him everything—and still, the decision felt like the only one worth making.


    "Prepare everything," Ash said, his voice firm, resolute. "We''re going to Raiju Castle."


    As he stood, moving to gather his gear, Rin-AI spoke again, more quietly this time. "Ash… there''s something else."


    He paused, his hand frozen on the handle of his weapons locker. "What?" The words hung heavy, the tension thick enough to cut through.


    "The security logs indicate another prisoner of interest." Rin''s tone grew serious, almost hesitant. "Someone with ties to you."


    Ash''s stomach dropped. He turned back to the holo-display. "Who?" The name was the last thing he expected, the name that tore through him like a knife.


    A moment of hesitation followed, and then, the AI''s voice, almost too quiet to hear. "Ryouma Shirogiri."


    The name flared across the screen in stark contrast to Ash''s now-blurred vision. His father''s name, but… how? He was supposed to be dead, lost in the chasm of Raiju''s chaos. But here it was, in black and white. His father was alive.


    "Alive?" Ash whispered, disbelief swimming in his veins.


    Rin-AI did not answer immediately. The silence seemed to stretch. Finally, it spoke. "He''s being held in a high-security Raiju stronghold. A fortress deep within their territory."


    A surge of mixed emotions flooded Ash—relief, fury, fear. All these years, his father had been here, trapped by the very enemies he had fought against. All these years, Ash had wandered, driven by nothing but the hope of finding a trace. But now… Now he knew.


    "Then we''re getting him out," Ash said, a sense of burning determination rising inside him. "I don''t care what it takes."


    Rin-AI calculated the risks in an instant. "The fortress is fortified beyond anything you''ve faced before. You''ll need a plan."


    Ash exhaled, steadying his breath. "Then we make one."


    The holo-screen flickered as Rin-AI projected the fortress layout, highlighting possible entry points and weaknesses. Ash studied the blueprint intently, his mind already working through every scenario. Stealth, deception, an all-out assault? Every option seemed like a gamble, but his resolve was unyielding.


    "This is our mission now," Ash said, his eyes locking onto Rin''s projected image. "We bring Ryouma Shirogiri home."


    To be continued…