Arknights: Mobile City

Specter couldn't quite remember how she'd made it from that dark, damp pit to this bright land.

Her memory came and went, flickering like broken glass—moments of clarity lost in a haze of fog. Her mind was like mush. She didn't know where this place was. What little remained in her head… wasn't much.

What she did know was that she needed to find her missing companions.

So Laurentina kept walking—steadily, stubbornly—searching every corner, every shadow, hoping she might catch a glimpse of someone she knew.

That single, almost childlike thought was what carried her step by step.

Without realizing it, she'd wandered into Kazdel, drifting in and out of lucidity until, at last, she stumbled onto the land beneath the City.

She'd planned to search the area for signs of Skadi. But she hadn't been here for even half an hour before the fog returned.

Her thoughts frayed.

She couldn't hold on.

In the end, after crawling just a few more paces, her last thread of consciousness snapped—and she collapsed, unconscious.

That left only Obsidian, hovering in the skies above the City, deep in thought.

Staring down at the unconscious Laurentina, he found himself pondering a single question:

Should I help her?

The answer came almost immediately.

Yes. Why not?

It wasn't about sentiment or affection for the original canon.

No, what Obsidian really coveted… was Aegirian tech.

This was an Aegir.

A nation of well-rounded, hyper-educated powerhouses. Physical strength aside, Aegirian education levels outpaced Terra's nations by miles. If he could get her to settle in the City...

That would be huge.

She could use the lab. She'd be another fighter. A walking encyclopedia of advanced knowledge.

This was a top-tier technical asset.

The more Obsidian thought about it, the more he felt he had to save her.

That laboratory of his still had plenty of potential—and the City was severely lacking in fundamental materials. He needed someone capable of producing usable tech for the current development stage.

Gacha pulls could only take him so far.

A solid tech team was essential for early growth.

As for how to treat Laurentina's condition… Obsidian reviewed what he knew.

She'd been injected with high-concentration liquid Originium. Her consciousness was unstable. Right?

Easy fix.

He glanced toward his stockpile, eyes locking onto a single vial of K Company Original Fluid.

A smile curled his lips.

With this? Not worried.

State regression therapy, anyone?

Obsidian swiftly diluted the ampoule to one-hundredth strength. Then, after some internal debate, he drew ten drops and had Pioneer rush over to retrieve Specter and bring her back to the cabin.

Everything proceeded without a hitch.

Twenty minutes later, Laurentina was lying on the bed in Obsidian's room.

…

When she next awoke, she found herself staring at an unfamiliar ceiling.

The light above stung her eyes. She shielded them with one hand and blinked… only to see a silver-haired boy nearby polishing test tubes.

For a moment, she froze.

And then—calm.

A soothing clarity spread through her body. Laurentina paused, pinched her thigh, and winced.

It hurt. Good.

A rare moment of lucidity. And yet… that crushing sensation in her mind, that pressure that constantly pushed her toward the edge of madness—was gone.

Gone?

She blinked, bewildered. Then, realization hit.

The liquid Originium in my body… it's gone?

She sat up, almost in disbelief, and spotted the boy sealing a test tube.

Inside was a golden, translucent substance—pure, undiluted liquid Originium—glowing softly under the lamp's glow.

The sight left her stunned.

Then the boy turned around and smiled at her.

"You're awake. How are you feeling?"

"…You saved me?" Laurentina's voice was hoarse.

"Yeah. I saw you collapse out there and figured I'd help. How does it feel—having no trace of Originium particles left in you?"

Obsidian finished storing the remaining fluid as he spoke. It was worth preserving. Could be useful later.

Maybe it even trades for Lunacy… who knows?

"Honestly…? Feels amazing. How did you do it?"

The looming madness had lifted. Laurentina grinned, her sharp teeth flashing as she looked at him.

"Trade secret. Let's just say I've got access to a special kind of technology. Something that can treat Oripathy."

Obsidian answered casually.

Laurentina didn't press further. As someone from beneath the sea, the arrogance ingrained in her made her dismiss any surface tech, even ones that worked.

"Hey, what's your name? And where exactly am I?"

"You're in what we call the City. As for me… you can call me the Overseer. I'm the one running this unclaimed territory for now."

Obsidian gave her a warm smile.

Laurentina chuckled.

"'Overseer'… quite the name."

Her tone was sharp.

"No offense taken," Obsidian replied smoothly. He knew that was just how she talked.

What really mattered now… was how to keep her here.

Fortunately, he'd already laid the groundwork.

"Well, whatever. I'll call you that. Overseer—have you seen a girl…"

She leaned on one arm, tapping her fingers thoughtfully, then began describing Skadi's appearance.

Obsidian listened and shook his head.

"No, haven't seen her. But if I do, I'll let you know."

"...Tch. Pity."

Laurentina clicked her tongue and sighed.

Then she looked at him again.

"So—what do you want in return? You saved my life. Cleared out the Originium. Sat here and explained everything to me. By any standard, I owe you."

"Name your price. If it's within my ability, I'll do it."

Obsidian kept smiling.

He knew she wasn't bluffing.

Aegir had the resources—and they had a habit of backing land-based allies like some kind of noble patronage project.

Apart from their arrogance, Aegirians were basically the best thing that could happen to a fledgling city-state.

Still…

"Let's talk about that later. Once you've had some time to rest, we'll go over the details."

He spoke with ease.

Laurentina clicked her tongue again but didn't argue.

Now I owe him. Great. The worst kind of debt.

She looked around the room with a vaguely annoyed expression.

And then her gaze locked onto something small on the desk.

A wood carving.

It depicted a figure in their final moments—etched in such visceral, harrowing detail that one couldn't help but feel it.

Laurentina stared at it, eyes locked.

Obsidian said nothing, but inwardly—

Hooked.

She's hooked.