CARD 8: "PENTHOUSE"
Location: Crystal Tower, Shiodome Financial District, Zone 1
The air track leads GM-303 to the Crystal Tower, a staggering structure that pierces Neo-Tokyo's haze like a column of purple light. The upper floors defy reality - each level slightly out of phase with normal gravity, creating a spiral of impossible architecture. The penthouse occupies the apex, its crystal-glass windows refracting the city's glow into gorgeous prismatic patterns.
303 exits the executive elevator to find the penthouse front door ajar. Hypnotic music pulses from within - something ancient and electronic, like synthesized voices set to syncopated blocks of filtered color.
A massive holographic bonsai tree rotates slowly in the main room, its digital leaves catching and splitting light.
​
The penthouse unfolds in elegant tiers. The main floor opens to a sunken conversation pit, all chrome and red leather. Above, a mezzanine level houses a collection of ancient samurai armor in quantum-glass cases, their forms seeming to shift when viewed from different angles. Both levels access the wraparound balcony through sliding panels of liquid crystal.
Following the music leads him to a multi-level master bedroom suite.
Through layers of fiberoptic fabric and holographic art, he sees a waifu dancing in the window - all curves and suggestion in barely-there lingerie, lost in the cityscape below. The Enforcer looks out over the vast digital city. Beyond them, the Nokia rests on a long chrome table.
303 takes a step into the room.
The Enforcer immediately turns to strike. His long black hair swings with each elegant twist and contortion, the katana's red blade leaving trails of light as it arcs toward 303's throat.
303 dips out of the way and has just enough time to counter. The enforcer's second strike shatters a holographic screen, sending sparks and fragments of light cascading around them. Each attack feels violently calibrated - testing limits, probing defenses.
303 is pursued down the stars toward the conversation pit, trading and dodging strikes over furniture. He slashes at the Enforcer, shredding his black shirt. A slash from the Enforcer’s red blade destroys a prismatic-glass table, its pieces freezing in mid-shatter.
The clash ascends to the mezzanine.
The samurai armor cases light up sequentially as they pass, the spirits of ancient warriors seeming to track and enjoy the combat.
The Enforcer's blade moves even faster now, drawing power from the historical weapons surrounding them. Each blow carries the collective weight of timeless killing arts.
The duel moves onto the open balcony area. Rain-slicked glass and polished concrete reflects their movements like mirror images fighting across parallel realities.
303 slips and falls to the ground. The Enforcer goes for blood, swinging down at his victim. 303 deftly spins and boots the Enforcer square in the back.
The perfectly timed counter sends the Enforcer over the slick edge.
303 collects himself and returns to the bedroom.
The beautiful Waifu is now standing on the floating bed. 303 grabs the Nokia. The girl’s liquid movements arrest him as she steps off the floating bed towards him.
Then, before his eyes, her form begins to shape-shift. First to pure chrome, mercurial and flowing. Then a metallic reptilian, scales refracting neon light. Finally settling into a form of pure efficiency - fstreamlined, androgynously feminine, with a short black layer of polymer hair. The shape-shifter revealing themself totally disarms 303.
“You’ve arrived, and passed all the required tests splendidly.”
“303 is dumbfounded. “Who are you? What are you?”
“Sata, and you see us as we choose to be seen."
Sata speaks but also communicates in telepathic code...
[DOWNLOAD::init]
> scanning: timeline_array
> subject: SATA
{
forms_detected: [
timeline.847: male_config
timeline.223: femme_fatal
timeline.009: pure_energy
timeline.∞: all_forms
]
state: quantum_flux
anchor_points: multiple
reality_signatures: overlapping
}
[DOWNLOAD::complete]
“The Enforcer served his purpose, bringing you to me,” Sata coldly informs him.
[DOWNLOAD::init]
> content: orchestrated_tests.data
> type: neural_stream
> status: transmitting...
{adaptation_rates: [
combat_metrics: 47%_above_normal
neural_sync: 1%
reality_parsing: unique_signature
]}
[DOWNLOAD::complete]
303 holds up the Nokia. “What about the cyphers?”
"Corrupted. Unusable." Sata’s voice carries no emotion. "Unless..."
[DOWNLOAD::init]
> location: clipping_plane.void
> status: transmitting...
{
type: restricted_space
condition: barren
position: reality.edge_boundary
anomaly: {
presence: detected
nature: unknown
threat_level: calculating...
}
}
[DOWNLOAD::complete]
"Unless you are willing to go there." Sata glides smoothly across the room, reality bending slightly around their form.
[DOWNLOAD::init]
> location: CLIPPING_PLANE
> position: inter_reality_void
{
status: DEAD_CODE_REPOSITORY
contents: [
deleted_data: endless
binary_remnants: decaying
reality_fragments: corrupted
]
warning: NO_RETURN_PROTOCOL
}
[DOWNLOAD::complete]
303 sees the Nokia's screen flicker with random code segments.
[DOWNLOAD::init]
> loading: historical_data
> timeline: CORRUPTED
{
location: NEO-TOKYO
status: PARTIALLY_DELETED
event: REALITY_WARS
damage: [
sectors_lost: massive
data_recovery: impossible
reality_integrity: compromised
]
fragments: {
type: memory_shards
stability: degrading
reconstruction: failed
}
}
[DOWNLOAD::complete]
"In the Clipping Plane, there's a fragment of private key that is needed. You are perhaps the one who can go there and retrieve it.”
[DOWNLOAD::init]
> scanning: CLIPPING_PLANE.sector_7749
> timestamp: 20241212.0347.11
{
environment: {
type: void_space
condition: decaying
atmosphere: toxic_data
integrity: 0.0347%
}
inhabitants: {
class: AIGENT
count: 572,423,543,303,100
status: [
corrupted: 98.73%
conscious: 12.09%
coherent: 0.003%
]
attributes: {
movement: ghost_pattern_847
data_signature: weak
retention: degrading_exponentially
}
}
anomaly_detected: {
type: coordinate_pulse
frequency: 847.223.009.112
amplitude: 98244.11
location: {
x: 8675309.11235
y: void.null.void.8998
z: quantum_undefined_776
reality_branch: 42998.11
}
significance: CRITICAL
encryption: MAXIMUM
pulse_pattern: [
847.11,
223.847,
009.776,
112.998
]
}
}
[DOWNLOAD::complete]
"Why me?" 303 asks. The question hangs in the red-lit air.
Sata's featureless face turns to the city below. "Your exceptional adaptation rate. Your ability to process and traverse multiple realities."
[DOWNLOAD::init]
> analyzing: AGENT_303
> timestamp: 20241212.0347.11
{
combat_analysis: {
virtua_fighter_match: {
adaptation_rate: 847.11%
pattern_recognition: 998.23%
neural_plasticity: UNPRECEDENTED
response_time: {
initial: 223ms
final: 11.3ms
improvement: 12947.11%
}
}
enforcer_battle: {
combat_efficiency: 8675.309%
threat_response: BEYOND_SCALE
movement_patterns: IMPOSSIBLE
kill_ratio: 98.244%
}
triad_link: {
sync_rate: 99.998%
bandwidth: 847TB/s
neural_mesh: {
stability: 100%
coherence: PERFECT
rejection_rate: 0.00%
}
}
}
system_comparison: {
known_patterns: 0
match_found: null
similarity_index: void
conclusion: UNIQUE_ENTITY
}
threat_assessment: CALCULATING...
}
[DOWNLOAD::complete]
"And if I refuse to retrieve this private key?"
​
Sata projects a pictures into GM-303's mind.
We see a glimpse of a ruined Neo-Tokyo, vast and terrible. The fall of civilization.
“Without this, the YAKUZAI will cease to exist. The nature of our reality hangs in the balance.”
Sata fades away. The bedroom dissolves into empty space, leaving 303 alone to pass through a solitary digital doorway.