C-Team: From Here To The Multiverse

Haru jolted up in a hot sweat.

His chest rose and fell, breathing like someone who had just escaped a vortex of heat — lungs desperate for air, skin tingling with electricity.

The hair on his arms stood on end as he sat on the edge of the bed, disoriented but slowly grounding himself.

After the meeting with Souta, he must've passed out from fatigue.

He vaguely remembered asking Leonidas to take him to his room…

Guess his uncle carried him here.

Everything in the room was already unpacked. His clothes folded and put away. His belongings neatly arranged.

It looked almost exactly like his room back on Earth — just… bigger. Cleaner. Sharper. More advanced.

He looked around, now more awake.

A plain white room by default, but polished in that modern, futuristic way only Watcher tech could manage.

On his sleek white desk, a picture of him, his cat and his parents when he was younger sat quietly in a frame.

And beside it? His light novel collection — lined up in perfect order on a shelf built into the wall.

He cracked his back, stretched his arms, and yawned himself upright. His body still felt heavy from everything. But his mind was slowly catching up.

Walking over to the edge of the room, he pulled open the long silver curtains—

—and froze.

A balcony.

A whole balcony.

He stepped forward barefoot, onto the sleek floor of the terrace, and was greeted by the sight of the Mivtzar of Einaim—bathed in the soft glow of night.

The sky stretched endlessly above him, no moon in sight—just a canvas of stars strewn like paint across the darkness.

And below? A city that didn't sleep.

Alive. Moving. Breathing.

"…so cool," he whispered, nearly to himself.

He leaned over the railing and looked around from his perch. Up, down, and side to side.

He was high up—way up—in a penthouse suite at the top of a tower. From here, the whole city unfolded before him.

To his right, the Watchtower stood tall.

Looming, glowing.

A silent guardian above the city, maybe a mile away but close enough to remind him where he was.

In front of him, the rest of the Mivtzar sparkled like circuitry—structures and streets moving in harmony.

It was beautiful. Alien. Unbelievable.

He took another breath.

The air was cold against his skin, but perfectly balanced. Not too hot, not too cold.

Even the climate here…

It felt intentional. Designed. Comforting in a way that made Earth seem rough and chaotic by comparison.

But even here… he couldn't find peace from his mind.

The dream still haunted him.

The Mivtzar—destroyed.

The dark silhouette.

The screams.

Who could he tell?

Why did it happen?

Was it just a dream… or was it his power?

He rubbed the back of his head, groaning in frustration.

"It really is a curse, huh…" he muttered apathetically, leaning over the railing.

"What makes you think you are cursed?"

The voice came from his left.

Azrael.

Perched elegantly on the railing, yellow eyes glowing as they studied him.

If it weren't his cat, the scene would've been downright creepy.

"I put your stuff away, by the way. A little gratitude would be appreciated," Azrael added casually.

"Yes, yes, thank you, Azrael," Haru said, offering a few tired strokes along the feline's back.

Azrael purred in satisfaction, tail flicking slightly.

"That's enough for now, Haru. You may withdraw your hand," he said with regal finality.

Haru rolled his eyes.

Typical cat pride.

"So, what's on your mind?" Azrael asked, casually licking his paw.

Haru thought for a moment. Maybe the dream was just a dream. People always said dreams came from the subconscious, so what was buried in his that needed exploring?

"…To be honest, I feel like I'm gonna mess up here," he finally said. "This place is cool and all, but I don't know if I truly belong."

Azrael glanced over at him, shifting a little closer in silence.

"I'm the son of two of the greatest Arknights ever," Haru continued, "and I've got the support of all these important people who expect me to be great, to be successful, to be important… but I don't know if I can live up to that. What if I fail them?"

Azrael stared deeper now, his yellow eyes steady.

"Do I want to succeed? Of course. But I've never really succeeded in anything before, so who says this will be the moment I do? Maybe I'm just venting… but it's a lot of pressure, y'know?"

There was a pause. Stillness.

"Haru," Azrael said softly.

Haru turned, meeting the cat's gaze as Azrael turned his own toward the glittering city.

"Look at the city."

Haru followed his line of sight.

"All of this," Azrael said, "doesn't matter."

Haru's eyebrows lifted slightly.

"This place — it's just a system. A framework meant to help people work efficiently. The rankings, the aesthetics, the legacies… they're fine to aspire toward, but they're not what defines you. No man's purpose is to climb a system."

"If you let yourself be defined by this place — like so many others here have — you'll forget who you really are. Your identity isn't a rank, or a title, or a legacy. It's not what others think. It can only be defined by the divine… and by you."

"You're not here to become the No.1 Arknight," he continued. "That might be a goal — a milestone. But your true mission is deeper. You're here to discover your Heartpoint: your reason for living. The full expression of who you are. That perfect fusion of meaning — those moments that make everything make sense."

"You're special, Haru. Not because of your parents. But because you're you. And because your reason for being here is yours alone. Don't lose that."

Haru sat in silence. He couldn't fully believe it — not yet. It still felt like sentiment. But… maybe that was exactly what he needed right now.

A slow smile broke across his face as he turned toward Azrael.

"Thanks, Azrael. You're the best cat a guy could ask for."

Azrael's eyes widened slightly — caught off guard by the sincerity. He quickly regained his composure, a smirk curling across his face to mask his pleasure.

"Of course I am. I'm no typical cat, after all. Some would argue I'm the wisest being in existence — second only to the Triasm, of course."

He looked back out at the city.

And Haru joined him.

The city was still there. Still alive. Still burning bright with potential.

His dream would never come to pass.

He would make sure of it.

That was his promise —

The promise of a boy who just wanted to be seen.

The moments drifted by in quiet thought before a sharp ping echoed in Haru's mind. He looked down instinctively as the number on the back of his right hand — 87 — glowed faintly.

A holographic display flickered to life in front of him.

A message.

From Narkul.

His first mission had arrived.

Set for tomorrow night.

Haru leaned in, squinting at the incoming data — lines of details and symbols that looked more like sci-fi math equations than readable instructions. He was totally lost.

"Azrael…" he turned, holding the projection toward the lounging cat.

Azrael didn't even lift his head. "Go to Leonidas. He's the expert," he replied with lazy disinterest.

"Right," Haru said, already turning.

"Thanks for the talk."

He dashed out the door in a blur, leaving the cat in the quiet of the room. Azrael opened one eye, his tail twitching.

"…Primus, keep him..."

Haru ran into the living room — a sleek, spacious penthouse lounge fitted with advanced tech, a balcony with a pool, and panoramic windows showing the glittering night skyline. The decor was clean and futuristic, all soft whites and silver accents. It still felt unreal.

Leonidas was stretched on the couch, casually navigating several holographic panels with one hand, eyes half-focused.

"UNCLE — it finally happened!!!" Haru blurted out, nearly tripping over himself.

Leonidas perked up, startled by the sudden burst of energy. "Whoa kid — you're excited? What happened?"

"I got my first mission!" Haru exclaimed, thrusting the hologram into Leonidas's face like a kid eager to show off a toy.

Leonidas recoiled slightly at the enthusiasm, then leaned in, scanning the mission data as he murmured through the details aloud.

His eyes narrowed. Then he looked at Haru with a small smirk.

"Well, kid," he said, sitting up straighter, "looks like we're gonna have to get you a proper suit."

Haru's grin stretched from ear to ear.

He was going on his first real mission.