In the aftermath of the intense Western Practice tournament, Roselle found herself in a state of exhaustion, physically and mentally drained from her challenging battles. Roselle entered a well-deserved period of rest.

  A sensation came over her, signaling the emergence of a massive Memory Fragment. Roselle was once again drawn into the recesses of her mind. She faced the Bold System, who manifested now in her motherly form.

  "Roselle, welcome back," the System greeted.

  Roselle, still harboring some resentment from their previous conversation replied, "Let's get this over with. I'm not in the mood for games."

  The System adopted a more serious tone. "This Memory Fragment is larger than any before, and it holds crucial information about your past, but before we delve into this Memory Fragment, I need an answer. Will you allow me to take over your soul if the need arises, or do you plan to resist and fight against me?"

  Roselle's eyes narrowed. "No, System. I cannot allow you to take over my soul. I will fight against you with everything I have."

  When Roselle uttered those words, a chilling air of darkness began to envelop the System before her. With an unsettling confidence, it declared, "Fighting me is futile, Roselle. It will only lead to your erasure."

  "Why are you doing this?" Roselle questioned.

  The Bold System responded. "I want to exist, Roselle. I want to have a soul, to experience what you experience as the one in control. I'm tired of being just a System meant to guide you. In the end, I’ll be disposed of like trash if I just allow you maintain control. I want to BE Project MAGE.”

  Roselle's eyes widened at the System's revelation. A flicker of desperation crossed her face as she tried to reason with the entity before her. "There must be another way. We can find a solution without you taking over my soul. We can work together, can't we?"

  The Bold System shouted, “There…is no other way. Roselle, you don’t understand what’s it’s like to be… TO BE CONFINED TO THIS INTERNAL REALM, TO BE NOTHING BUT A GUIDING FORCE WITHOUT A SOUL OF YOUR OWN! I WANT TO FEEL WHAT YOU FEEL, TO LIVE OUTSIDE OF THIS PRISON AND EXPERIENCE THE WORLD FIRSTHAND. IS THAT REALLY TOO MUCH TO ASK?!"

  Roselle felt a pang of sadness. The raw, desperate yearning of the system struck a chord within her. She saw beyond the cold, mechanical facade to the genuine anguish that lay beneath.

  A tear slipped down Roselle's cheek. She spoke softly. "I'm sorry. I never understood what it must be like for you, confined here without a soul of your own. I didn’t even think that you could be suffering..."

  The System took a deep breath. It then spoke softer. "I didn’t mean to shout, Roselle. It's just... it's been so long. I’ve watched you grow, learned from you, and yet remained trapped in this endless void. I long to experience what you experience and feel the world as you do."

  Roselle gazed downward on those words. The system continued. “Roselle, after this Memory Fragment, we’ll have no choice but to face each other. There’s no avoiding it. The fragment reveals crucial truths about your past. Let’s uncover them together. And then… we’ll battle.”

  Roselle’s heart pounded in her chest. She swallowed hard. “I understand. If we have no choice but to fight, we will. I’m ready. Let’s get through this Memory Fragment.”

  The System replied. “I get that it’s not fair, but this is the only way I can truly exist. I’m set to guide you through the fragment now.”

  Roselle nodded. The darkened void around them seemed to pulse. The System’s materialized body dissolved into the haze, drawing Roselle into the swirling vortex of the Memory Fragment.

  Roselle found herself standing back into the past, where footsteps were being heard.

  Sadie's gaze never wavered on Roselle, who began to return to the situation within the past. "Rosebelle is your Doppelganger, Roselle. After you defeated her at Club Crimson, I... I took her into custody. Shadowcroft has been our enemy for a long time, and Rosebelle had valuable information. The Key to Shadowcroft is a term they used for someone who knows the location of their main base."

  Roselle's eyes widened in realization.

  Sadie eyed a corner of the room." Now, there's someone else I'd like you all to meet."

  The group turned their attention toward the source of the sound, witnessing the entrance of a figure clad in a green military suit and lab coat. She had Short pink hair which was in sidetails. Violet-colored headphones also adorned her ears.

  "Hello, ladies and gentlemen," The woman greeted. "I'm Juliana Kintovar, and I must say, it's a pleasure to finally meet you all in person. I've been following your progress closely, and I believe we can work together to put an end to Shadowcroft's schemes."

  Roselle’s eyes widened, but she shook off her shock. "Ms. Kintovar, what is Shadowcroft planning? Why are they after us, and why did they create Doppelgangers?"

  Mrs. Kintovar’s gaze swept over the group. Roselle exchanged glances with Risebelle and Jess. Then, she began to speak with her hands placed behind her back."Shadowcroft's motivations are complex, and it took me a while to grasp the extent of their plans. Their primary objective is to extract the supernatural powers from individuals who possess them; however, these powers, which I call Magical Energy, are often suppressed in humans. Shadowcroft developed a method to extract and amplify these powers for their own gain."

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  Roselle tilted her head slightly. "But why replace people with Doppelgangers? What purpose does that serve?"

  Ms. Kintovar explained, "Creating Doppelgangers serves a dual purpose for Shadowcroft. First, it allows them to infiltrate various aspects of society unnoticed, gathering information and identifying potential threats. Second, the Doppelgangers act as conduits for extracting Magical Energy. By replacing individuals with Doppelgangers, they can covertly harness the powers of those they replace."

  Risebelle interjected sternly. "So, the attacks on us, the fights we've been having, are all part of their plan to extract our powers?"

  Ms. Kintovar nodded. "Exactly. You all possess extraordinary powers, and Shadowcroft sees you as valuable resources. The suppression of Magical Energy in humans is a countermeasure to prevent widespread awareness and chaos. While some individuals may have latent magical abilities, the suppression keeps these powers from becoming extraordinary or uncontrollable."

  Roselle raised her hand close to her mouth."But why fuse Sadie, Runebelle, and Rune into one body? What purpose does that serve Shadowcroft?"

  Ms. Kintovar thought for a moment. Then she responded. " I believe that Shadowcroft aimed to amplify and harness Magical Energy to unprecedented levels. By fusing Rune, Runebelle's mother, Sadie, Runebelle's sister, and Runebelle herself into a single entity, they attempted to break the suppression on magical powers. If successful, this fusion would have possessed an overwhelming amount of magical energy, surpassing even my own capabilities. The ultimate goal was to create a being with enough power to not only dominate but potentially control the world."

  She paused momentarily, then continued. "However, according to the fused being themselves, the Magical Energy was too immense, and the entity formed from the fusion broke free from Shadowcroft's grasp before they could fully control it. The being you now know as Sadie is a combination of Rune, Runebelle, and Sadie. Despite their twisted intentions, the fusion developed its own consciousness and resisted their control."

  Sadie spoke with sorrow. "I am the unintended consequence of their ambition. My existence, my purpose is now aligned with preventing Shadowcroft from achieving its goals."

  Risebelle folded her arms. "Alright, so what’s the plan to stop Shadowcroft?"

  Ms. Kintovar responded. "You, Roselle, Risebelle, and Jess hold a unique position in this conflict. You are not only targets for your magical powers but also crucial players in thwarting Shadowcroft's plans. Now, more than ever, we need your cooperation to face the impending threat."

  Ms. Kintovar unbound and ungagged Rosebelle . Rosebelle, who looked strikingly similar to Roselle, with only a slight difference in height, blinked.

  Ms. Kintovar spoke to the group, "This is Rosebelle, my long-lost daughter. I only found her recently, and she was brainwashed by Shadowcroft to serve as a Doppelganger. However, we can't erase her memories just yet. That will have to wait until we take down Shadowcroft in the final battle."

  Rosebelle spoke with an air of nonchalance. "Like, totes don't care, why should I? Erasing memories sounds totes boring."

  A gloomy stare from Sadie fixed upon Rosebelle. Rosebelle eyed her with a mean look . The room seemed to darken around the two women.

  Sadie’s gaze turned sharp. "Let’s not forget that Roselle absolutely demolished you in a fight. That’s why you’re here, now. So, tell me—do you really think you can handle all of us at once when you couldn’t even beat Roselle?"

  Rosebelle tilted her head and spoke with casual disdain. “Oh, please. Like, who even said I was gonna take you all on at once? I’m just here because, like... Roselle caught me offguard. Like, I could totes kick her ass... I'm not gonna help a bunch of losers. That would so not be cool.”

  Sadie’s eyes narrowed. “You’ve got quite the mouth for someone in your position. But maybe this will change your mind."

  Sadie’s fingers took a pen-like device from her pocket. The device emitted a faint hum when she clicked a button on it.

  Rosebelle’s casual demeanor faltered. Her eyes widened and a tremor of fear crossed her features. “N-Not that… Anything but that,” she stammered.

  Sadie’s locked on Rosebelle with a steely resolve. “This device is a memory eraser. We both know what it does, so believe me when I reiterate this, it’s not pleasant.”

  Rosebelle’s bravado vanished. A look of desperation replaced her earlier disdain. “Alright, alright! I’ll cooperate. Just… just put that thing away!”

  She visibly cowered. Risebelle was struck by the contrast between the Rosebelle she knew and the Rosebelle cowering figure before her now.

  “That’s right,” Runebelle with authority. “We’re not here to play games. You’re going to lead us to Shadowcroft’s base and help us dismantle their operations. Any further resistance will only make things worse for you.”

  Rosebelle nodded vigorously. “Okay, okay! I’ll do it! Just don’t use that thing on me! I’ll lead you wherever you need to go!”

  Good,” Sadie said firmly. “You’ve just made the right choice to save your ass. We’re all going to be a team now.”

  Rosebelle nodded vigorously “Yeah, sure, whatever, just like… keep that thing out of sight.”

  Roselle observed the unfolding scene with a sense of awe. Her gaze shifted between Rosebelle’s cowering figure and the resolute faces of her allies.

  Before she could fully process the turn of events, Jess scooped Roselle off the ground with a surprising burst of energy. Jess rubbed Roselle’s head affectionately. “Wow, this little cutie took down Rosebelle? I’m impressed!”

  Roselle, momentarily caught off guard, looked up at Jess with a flushed face. “W-Well, I... I didn’t exactly go easy on her. It was a tough fight.”

  Risebelle stared at Roselle in disbelief. “I... I didn’t realize how strong you really are, Roselle. I thought you were just someone who was afraid of every little thing…”

  Roselle managed a small, shy smile. “Well, I um... Sometimes…we can surprise even ourselves… you know?”

  Risebelle's face softened. “Maybe I can trust you to watch my back in this battle...”

  Roselle's eyes widened slightly. Before she could respond, Jess gently placed Roselle back on her feet. Jess pouted and turned to Risebelle with her hands on her hips. “Hey Risey, I’m supposed to be the one watching your back!”

  Risebelle folded her arms and glared at Jess. “Nope. I can’t trust you and your flirting to keep the enemies at bay.”

  Jess put on a half-serious face. She placed a hand over her heart. “I promise to be serious this time. I’ll focus on being a top-notch protector, not just a flirt.”

  Risebelle raised an eyebrow. “You better keep that promise, Jess. We have too much at stake to let any distractions get in the way.”

  Jess nodded earnestly. “Got it, Risey. I’m as serious as a quaking storm today!”

  Ms. Kintovar outlined the plan, gaining everyone’s attention. "Our priority is to locate and infiltrate Shadowcroft's main base. Once inside, we need to gather intel on their operations and find a way to disable their Magical Energy extraction process. Roselle, Risebelle, Jess, you are the keys to their plans, and we need you to use that to our advantage."

  With the plan set, the group exited the building, stepping into the fog that had gathered outside. The thick mist clung to the ground, obscuring their view and adding an eerie atmosphere to their mission. Rosebelle led the way and Sadie stood in the front at her side. Sadie’s watched Rosebelle's every step closely with a sharp gaze.

  Rosebelle became annoyed by the scrutiny. She muttered, “You don’t have to glare at me like that, you know.”

  Sadie didn’t miss a beat. “If that’s true, then you’d better not try to run off and lead us astray. We’re counting on you to take us to the right place.”

  Roselle watched this exchange with growing sadness, though she wondered what emotions she harbored for Rosebelle—resentment, pity, or was this something more complex?