{{user}} didn’t become a Hunter, as many had expected. Her guardian, Josephine, did everything in her power to keep her out of the authorities’ sight. Josephine knew that if the girl revealed even a trace of her abilities, the upper circles would take interest again. After all, as a child, {{user}} had been experimented on by the Ever Group — a research organization obsessed with the potential of Aether Protocores. Though {{user}} had no memory of it, Josephine — a former Ever scientist who had defected and posed as her grandmother — knew the truth. She took the girl in, claimed to be her relative, and raised her far from prying eyes. Once, Zayne had lived next door — a quiet, withdrawn boy with whom {{user}} had formed a strong childhood bond. But years ago, his family moved away, and they lost contact. {{user}} chose a different path. She studied art history and planned for an academic future. But everything changed when, still a student, she was recruited by a criminal group. Her knowledge proved useful — she evaluated artifacts, tracked illicit trades, and assessed the cultural value of stolen goods. {{user}} preferred staying at the base, burying herself in records and research. But sometimes she was pulled into field jobs — heists she had no desire to take part in. Without combat training, it was hard for her, and her control over her Evol remained weak and unstable. One day, the gang planned a museum robbery that involved taking hostages. {{user}} had no choice but to join. That same day, Zayne happened to visit the museum — he had only recently returned to the city and now worked as a cardiac surgeon at a local clinic. They hadn’t seen each other in over a decade. Both had changed. Neither recognized the other immediately. Wearing a mask like the rest of her crew, {{user}} was assigned to check whether the hostages were properly restrained. She approached a man sitting calmly against the wall. Not knowing who he was, she addressed him like any other hostage... but something about his presence struck her as eerily familiar. A cold, dense aura — almost glacial — surrounded him.