The night air was thick with salt, the waves lapping against the sides of the small boat as Kaizen sat across from his enigmatic new companion. The man, who had yet to reveal his name, stared out at the vast expanse of the ocean with an unreadable expression. The tension between them was palpable, but Kaizen knew better than to let his guard down. Trust was a fragile thing, and this stranger had yet to earn his.
"So, are you going to tell me your name, or do I keep calling you 'the guy who stalks people in the middle of the ocean'?" Kaizen finally asked, breaking the silence.
The man smirked, golden eyes glinting under the moonlight. "You can call me Orion," he said. "For now, at least."
"For now?" Kaizen raised an eyebrow.
Orion leaned back, resting an arm against the edge of the boat. "Names have power. You, of all people, should understand that."
Kaizen clicked his tongue in annoyance. He was beginning to regret this alliance, however temporary it might be. "Alright, Orion. You said the World Government is after me. Why? What do they think I am?"
Orion's smirk faded, replaced by a look of consideration. "It's not just what they think. It's what they know. You're an anomaly—something that shouldn't exist in this time, yet here you are. You've felt it, haven't you? The disconnect, the memories that don't fit? The power that doesn't belong?"
Kaizen stiffened. He had suspected his abilities were beyond the norm, but hearing someone confirm it with such certainty sent a chill down his spine. "And you know this how?"
Orion exhaled slowly. "Because I've seen it before."
Kaizen narrowed his eyes. "Explain."
Orion hesitated for a moment before continuing. "Long ago, there were others like you. People who defied the natural flow of this world, whose very existence threatened the fragile balance the World Government has fought to maintain. They called them 'Echoes.' Remnants of a past that was never meant to persist."
"Echoes?" Kaizen repeated, mulling over the term. "And what happened to them?"
"They were erased," Orion said simply. "Every single one."
A heavy silence settled between them. Kaizen clenched his fists, the weight of Orion's words pressing down on him. If what he said was true, then he was living on borrowed time. The World Government would stop at nothing to ensure his destruction, just as they had done with the others before him.
"Then why haven't they come for me yet?" Kaizen asked, his voice low.
"They don't fully understand what you are yet," Orion replied. "Right now, you're just a whisper in the dark. A rumor. But that won't last forever. The moment you step too far into the light, they will come. And when they do, there will be no running, no hiding. Only war."
Kaizen exhaled sharply. He had always known he was different, but he had never considered the full implications. Now, with the truth laid bare before him, he had a choice to make. Continue running, or stand and fight.
"What about you?" he asked, studying Orion carefully. "Why are you helping me? What do you gain from this?"
Orion chuckled, though there was little humor in it. "Because I have my own reasons for wanting to see the World Government fall. And you? You might just be the key to making that happen."
Kaizen wasn't sure if he liked the sound of that, but he knew he couldn't afford to be picky about his allies. If Orion truly had the knowledge and resources he claimed, then this partnership might be his best shot at surviving.
He looked out at the horizon, the stars reflected in the dark waters like scattered fragments of a broken past. His past. His future. Everything was uncertain, but one thing was clear—his journey was far from over.
"Fine," he said at last, meeting Orion's gaze. "I'll hear you out. But if you try anything, know that I won't hesitate to end you."
Orion grinned. "I wouldn't expect anything less."
The storm was coming, and Kaizen was ready to meet it head-on.