In the sterile medbay, Ubel sat in his usual relaxed posture, casually munching on a bowl of protein-rich noodles. His dark hair framed his youthful face, the golden glow of his eyes flickering with mischievous curiosity. He was enjoying his meal beside a sleeping girl’s bed.

"Still out like a light," he muttered with a faint grin. His eyes were locked on Mizuha's still form, the cold white lights reflecting off her pale face, split black-and-white hair splayed out on the bed.

Around them, drones and droids moved methodically, their sensors quietly whirring as they monitored her vital signs, adjusting doses, and keeping watch for any sudden shifts. It had been over a day since she fainted. And to ensure her awakening wouldn't lead to another rampage that would cost another expensive set of drones and droids, he decided to administer several extra doses of neurotoxins as a precaution. Not because he was afraid of her, but because chaos was always better when it was controlled. He loves chaos but the chaos that would give him unnecessary expenses from buying new droids, fixing his ship, and replacing damaged parts whose process would later impede his enjoyment is something he does not want.

He glanced at Mizuha’s sleeping form and let out a chuckle. The droids needed his nanotech to make durable injections just to penetrate her skin, yet now, as he pinched her arm absentmindedly, it felt soft—strangely delicate. But he remembered all too well how this same skin had absorbed ballistic rounds like they were water droplets. Even Ubel’s own body, augmented with nanotech, couldn’t replicate that feat.

His fingers traced over the small pinprick mark.

"No nanomites," he mused aloud. "But no implants either. No cybernetics... what are you made of, Empress?" His curiosity grew. Ubel created his character in a hybrid of peak human biology, evolution, and technology—a product construct that was designed to be the ultimate Neuromancer build in the game. He admits that if someone cuts him apart, they wouldn’t be able to discern that his blood, muscles, and skeletal system were just cellular strands of nanomites—something that could only be detected under advanced bio-scanning equipment.

Meanwhile, Mizuha appeared perfectly human; at first glance and even in deep scans. His droids’ scan results using the Medbay equipment had revealed nothing unusual, no implants or enhancements—just a normal human body.

He was curious—deeply curious. There was something off about her biology. If this was still a virtual space—the Pitch Black Void game where they are playing behind a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, this would not be a matter to be confused about. But Ubel now knew and accepted that this was a real universe, he didn’t know the reasons or even the logic behind but he could confirm that he was living in a real space.

And in this new world where he was reincarnated or spirited too, without any assistance from humanity's usual crutches—cybernetics or genetic modifications, the cold void alone would destroy an unaltered human body. The Blacklist crew, and his own body, were all proof of the lengths humans had to go to survive the void. Despite that, she exhibited strength, agility, and durability that defied all logic for an unmodified human. Her DNA didn’t show anything unusual, and it left Ubel in the dark.

"This’ll be fun to figure out." He grinned, leaning forward and resting his chin on his hand as he stared at her face.

He stared at her, deep in thought. As he pondered, the thought of consulting with a scientist crossed his mind. One of his contacts had been eager to purchase her ‘dead’ body, which was an amusing proposition considering how much life still pulsed through her. Perhaps it was time to make good on that connection and learn more about her biology.

Although he was surprised at her high resistance, her ability to withstand such potent substances intrigued him more. He leaned back, pondering the recent events, the series of choices that had led to this moment. He recalled Dante's story and it had never sat well with him.

"Overdose on drugs, huh?" Ubel muttered to himself, tapping his chopsticks thoughtfully against the edge of his plate. He frowned as he remembered the details. His brow furrowed as he swirled the noodles in his bowl. It just didn’t add up.

From what he knew of her—and he only knew her through the game Pitch Black Void—she didn’t seem like the type who would willingly touch drugs. But then again, that was the person he only had seen in the game. She may be a different person when she’s not behind a monitor, just like him.

Dante claimed she was found unconscious—or rather dead from an overdose, but something didn’t add up. He recalled asking her about it, and her confusion when she replied that she remembered nothing before waking up.

Was she lying?

Was Empress trying to hide that she was a junkie?

So, was Dante wrong?

Or was Dante mistaken?

"Strange..." he muttered, his voice low, playful. He leaned closer, pinching her skin experimentally. Soft to the touch, yet capable of absorbing ballistic rounds without leaving a scratch. The contrast was comical to him. He chuckled.

“Maybe it’s the PTSD,” he mused aloud, tapping his fingers on the table rhythmically. “Maybe she’s forgotten, repressed it.”

"You're quite a puzzle, aren’t you?" Ubel whispered, his voice teasing as if expecting an answer from her unconscious form. Either way, the story had holes, and Ubel was eager to probe them further. His gaze softened as he looked down at her. He was almost certain now: this was the same person he’d known in Pitch Black Void, the Empress also known as True Sight by the esports community. She had been a force in the game, dominating every battlefield with her cold, precise playstyle. And now, here she was, alive in this universe, just like him.

The thought should’ve excited him—another player reincarnated into this strange, chaotic new reality. His mind wandered further into speculation.

If she was here, in this world, did that mean other players or people from Earth had been pulled into this universe too?

The idea should’ve excited him—an unpredictable player of unknown variables.

But instead, it made him uneasy.

Ubel felt... unsettled.

Why?

Something about her presence disturbed him in a way he couldn’t quite explain.

“Interesting…” he whispered, almost to himself. He started laughing softly to himself, thinking how such a strange feeling also excites him.

His gaze drifted back to Mizuha, her black-and-white split hair splayed out on the pillow. His mind wandered back to his past life where he would watch her streams in the game Pitch Black Void. She had always been a lone wolf, someone who despised working with others. She ruled her own space and position in the game with cold precision, never asking for help, never showing weakness.

If that side of her had carried over into this world, she would undoubtedly demand her freedom the moment she woke up. He smirked, amused by the scenario already playing out in his head. She’d wake up, threaten to tear the ship apart if he didn’t let her go, and he’d respond with his usual playful banter. A lone wolf, after all, would never tolerate being caged.

And containing her in some cell or container would be such a waste. Still, he couldn’t just let her go. He needed her under control to know more about her situation. While he had managed to subdue her once, he doubted she would fall for the same trick twice. She would adapt, just as she had adapted so quickly right after she woke up in her tank.

Just as his thoughts were trailing off, the slightest movement from the bed caught his attention. Then, with a soft rustle of sheets, Mizuha stirred. Her fingers twitched, and slowly, her green eyes opened. Ubel watched intently, his golden eyes glinting with excitement as Mizuha’s gaze focused, her face as cold and emotionless as ever. Her expression was unreadable as her cold, green eyes met his. There was no fear, no confusion—just that same icy calm and calculating silence she always projected. Her fingers twitched, her chest rising a little deeper with each breath. He felt a sudden thrill—this was the moment. The neurotoxins would still slow her down, but he was eager to see how much resistance she’d put up now.

---

Mizuha slowly awoke. Her eyelids felt heavy as she blinked against the sterile, dimly lit room. Her green eyes opened slowly, and for a moment, they were unfocused, glassy, and devoid of emotion. Then her cold green irises stared straight at the ceiling. She blinked slowly. The moment they adjusted to the dim light of the room, however, the gears started turning in her mind—calculating, processing her situation. For a brief second, she seemed calm, and collected—then her gaze snapped to the strange sight around her.

The first thing she registered was the hum of the droids and drones bustling around her, their metallic limbs moving with clinical precision, tending to her in a way that felt unnervingly... humane. She wasn’t being threatened, but being cared for. One approached her, offering a tray of food, the aroma wafting up and triggering a gnawing growl in her stomach. Her thoughts were sluggish, her mind wrapped in fog as her senses struggled to catch up. The only thing grounding her was a sharp pang of hunger. She accepted it almost instinctively. As she lifted a spoonful to her lips, something caught her eye that cut through the fog like a blade.

A boy sat beside her bed, his black hair falling messily over golden eyes that gleamed with mischievous amusement. Her green eyes immediately locked onto Ubel’s grinning face.

“Look who’s finally awake.” A young boy’s voice rang beside her, obviously in a teasing tone.

Ubel.

The moment she recognized him, her body froze, her breath catching in her throat. Her hand trembled as the spoon slipped from her grasp, clattering onto the tray.

She was awake now—wide awake.

“Morning,” Ubel teased, his voice dripping with mock cheerfulness. “You’ve been out for a while.”

Panic surged, her heart pounding as it hit her like a wave, and the chaos in her mind set off like alarms. Her mind spiraled into the dark places she unconsciously struggled to bury. Memories rushed back—fragments of violence, of thinking she’d killed him. The cold, numbing sensation of her OCD kicked in, the intrusive thoughts barreling through her head in rapid succession, replaying the events over and over. He was supposed to be dead. She had killed him—or at least she thought she had.

He was supposed to be dead.

“No…” she whispered, recoiling from the sight of him. Mizuha’s heart raced, her rational mind struggling to anchor her in the moment. “You—You can’t be real…”

Is she having delusions? She panicked in her thoughts.

Ubel didn’t react at first, his golden eyes gleaming with amusement, a soft chuckle escaping his lips.

“Relax. I’m very much alive. Not some ghost come back to haunt you. Eat up before you pass out again.” He waved a hand lazily. “And take it easy, you’ll make a mess if you keep dropping things.”

Mizuha’s breath hitched, the rational part of her mind struggling to fight against the visceral terror gripping her body. She glared at him, a mixture of disbelief and confusion swirling in her green eyes.

“I… I killed you…” Her voice wavered, on the verge of breaking. “I remember—”

Ubel tilted his head, his smile widening as if her confusion delighted him.

"Eh, tech these days. You’d be surprised what it can do. Kept my life ticking." He waved it off then folded his arms casually as if the conversation was nothing more than idle chatter. “Anyway, not dead, as you can see.”

Mizuha clenched her fists, her gaze darting between Ubel and the room around her, her mind racing. She didn’t trust him. Her green eyes narrowed, and she shifted in the bed, still unsure if this was some elaborate trick or hallucination.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

“…”

“What?” Ubel didn’t hear her whisper.

"Prove it," she demanded, her voice strained.

Ubel leaned back as if deeply inconvenienced.

"Seriously? What do I have to do, hold a mirror up to myself? I mean, the hole in my chest is gone, so that should tell you something." He unbuttoned his clothes and showed his bare white chest that bore no injury from what she did.

She kept staring at him, trying to find a crack, some sign that he wasn’t real, that this was just some nightmare.

Seeing that she still wouldn’t budge, he yielded and sighed. With a roll of his eyes, Ubel picked up a small knife from the tray of food and nicked his finger, letting a drop of blood fall onto the table, then she watched it heal quickly in a split second.

“Real enough for you?” he asked, arching a brow. “Or do you want me to start reciting details from our little encounter? Although I admit that I still feel bits of pain from what you did...”

She stared at the blood, her mind still struggling to comprehend the reality before her. Mizuha stared, her mind wrestling with what she saw and the possibility that she’d been lied to. Her thoughts spiraled, her OCD latching onto details she couldn’t let go of. How could he be alive? She’d seen the blood and felt the impact of her attack. It made no sense.

Ubel watched her, amused, clearly enjoying the internal struggle playing out on her face.

"Look, you can either sit there questioning reality or you can eat. You're starving. And no, it's not poisoned." His eyes flicked back to his food as he began to eat. “Speaking of which, we decided not to throw you back in the tank.”

Suspicion flared in Mizuha’s gaze. She stiffened, her green eyes narrowing at him.

“Why?”

Ubel glanced at her, a spark of amusement lighting up his expression.

“You’re not considered a danger to my crew or the ship anymore. But you’ll still need to prove yourself before we let you wander around without an escort.” He paused to chew a piece of food, then casually added, “Safety precautions, you know? I’ve got a ship to run, and I can’t have you rampaging like last time.”

Mizuha’s lips tightened into a thin line. She didn’t react outwardly, but Ubel could tell that her mind was racing. She was still disoriented, her body heavy from the effects of the drugs, but her instinctual urge for control was there, simmering just under the surface. Instead, she tried to sit up, only to find her limbs wouldn’t obey her. A faint tremor of frustration crossed her features.

“You still drugged me,” she said, her voice flat and devoid of emotion, but there was a tension in the air—an underlying sense of control slipping.

“The neurotoxins will wear off soon,” Ubel said, not missing a beat. “You’ve got a hell of a resistance, by the way. Took a lot to keep you down.”

She said nothing, her eyes now focused on Ubel with a piercing intensity.

“Why didn’t you kill me?” she asked, her tone flat, devoid of any emotion. It wasn’t curiosity driving her question—it was calculation. She was already analyzing the situation, trying to figure out her next move.

“Kill you?” Ubel chuckled.

Mizuha’s gaze didn’t waver, but there was a flicker of something behind her eyes—an unspoken tension.

“You shouldn’t have kept me alive. You’ll regret it.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” Ubel said with a grin. "True dangers don't announce what they are going to do."

Her eyes scanned the room, quickly assessing her surroundings. Then back to Ubel, her expression remaining stone cold. But he could see it—the tiny flicker in her pupils, the slight tension in her jaw. She was calculating her options. Ubel set his plate down with exaggerated care. Then she stared at him again, her face expressionless.

“Where am I?” Mizuha’s voice was low and measured, though there was a slight rasp to it, likely from the neurotoxins.

“Blitzkrieg’s med bay. You took a bit of a nap after… well…" Ubel replied, leaning back in his chair, still toying with his chopsticks. “You had quite the episode. Figured I’d let you sleep it off. You can thank me later.”

"How long?"

"Twenty-seven hours," he answered casually. "Give or take."

“I want proof that I’m on a ship.”

Without missing a beat, Ubel swiped his hand over a console, and a holographic image sprang to life in front of them. The Blitzkrieg floated in space, its massive thrusters glowing faintly in the darkness. Mizuha’s expression remained neutral, but Ubel, ever observant, caught the subtle flicker of shock in her eyes.

“Any more questions?” Ubel was starting to get annoyed. He thought that this was probably the tip of what he would be experiencing in interacting with a confirmed person with OCD.

Wait, she does have OCD, right? He started to think of the possibility that he assumed wrong about her.

“You can’t keep me here,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Yeah… Yeah,” he said, breaking the silence, “I assume you’ll want off at the next docking station?”

Mizuha crossed her arms, her body language guarded.

“Yes. Release me.”

“I could let you off at the next station, sure. But we’re under contract which meant paying reparations to the client who’s expecting you if we did what you ask.” Ubel shrugged, his golden eyes watching her every move. “By the way, our client had already paid a hefty sum for you, and let’s just say they’re very interested in your… biology.”

Her eyes narrowed, anger bubbling up. Her glare could have cut through steel. The word ‘client’ made her blood run cold. It made her remember the man in her past.

“I’m not going to be anyone’s guinea pig.” She hissed through clenched teeth. "I will not be anyone’s experiment or toy."

“Didn’t say you would be,” he replied calmly, still focused on his food. “But you and I both know that you’re… different.”

“Y-you healed from a fatal wound, are you sure you’re not the one they want?” she snapped.

“I don’t know if you are that ignorant or never taken into consideration the world around you, but medicines, stims, and implants nowadays could give anyone quick regeneration.” Ubel quickly took down her argument. “What was interesting is your durability, your soft skin and tissue repelled fucking high-velocity bullets—it's not normal, even for us people who have cybernetics.”

Mizuha’s glare hardened. She finally remembered the concepts of this world. Pitch Black Void was sci-fi with a dystopian cyberpunk twist. Cybernetics and Implants were natural in the game.

"So, what? You’re just going to hand me over?"

Ubel shrugged again and gave her a lazy smile, then opened up a bottle of wine that was handed to him by one of the droids.

“Not exactly. Look, we don’t know what they want from you. Could be just a sample of your skin or a drop of blood. Maybe a lock of that pretty black-and-white hair of yours.” He chuckled, clearly enjoying the tension rising between them. “And to be honest, I don’t care what happens to you after I make the delivery. If they try anything, feel free to fight your way out. But if you escape now? I’ll have to put you back in the tank and trust me, I don’t want to do that anymore than you do. Besides, I don’t have the credits to pay back the client for skipping out on the job.”

Mizuha’s knuckles turned white as her hands clenched the sheets, her mind racing for options. She couldn’t go back into captivity. She needed freedom—at any cost.

“How much?” she spat, desperate to understand her worth in this twisted game. “How much did they pay you?”

Ubel gave a nonchalant shrug, feigning ignorance.

"The initial payment has a lot of zeros. The final pay? No clue. But I was guaranteed it to be much more than the amount I am thinking so I can only think of it in astronomical numbers. And it’s enough to make sure I don’t throw you out the nearest airlock for destroying my droids and surveillance equipment."

Frustration burned inside her, but before she could respond, her stomach growled again louder this time. Ubel’s laughter filled the room.

“I suggest you eat. Don’t worry, if I wanted to knock you out and put you in a tank, I would’ve done it while you were sleeping.”

She eyed the food suspiciously, the wariness in her expression growing. Then she remembered that her character had a skill in detecting the content of hazardous environments. Being cautious, Mizuha’s eyes glowed briefly as she activated her scan, her green eyes glowing as she scanned the food for any traces of chemicals. The results flashed in her mind—clean, just nutrients, protein, and sugar.

The skill was quite an experience for her as she felt like it was a natural part of her body. She hesitated for a moment before hunger overtook her. The rich, savory stew filled her senses, and she devoured the entire bowl in seconds. Then, without thinking, she silently demanded more. The drones silently obeyed, bringing her bowl after bowl until she’d consumed enough for several meals.

Ubel’s eyebrow raised in mild surprise as she polished off the last serving.

“I see your appetite’s still intact,” Ubel remarked, his tone dripping with amusement.

Mizuha wiped her mouth, her hunger finally sated, and glared at him. Her thoughts raced as she considered her options. She needed to get out. But there was no way she could offer what she didn’t have. Then, an idea struck her.

"I’m not staying here," she said firmly, her voice returning to its cold, sharp edge.

“Huh?”

“What if… what if I offer you something in return?” she asked slowly. “I’ll take on contracts. I’ll pay you back with the bounties. Just let me go once the job’s done.”

She remembered that she was a bounty hunter. And if this boy gives her a few days or weeks to get back to her routine and get used to her new body, she could start a few expensive hunts.

Ubel’s smile faded slightly, his eyes narrowing as he tilted his head thoughtfully.

“You? A bounty hunter?” He paused, his tone turning sharp. "You’re not exactly in the best shape for hunting, judging by your little breakdown after you thought your attempt to kill me. What makes you think you’re ready to take another life?"

Her stomach twisted, his words hitting harder than she expected. She hadn’t considered the emotional weight of what had happened. Her memories flashed back to the moment of panic, the violence, the overwhelming guilt. She didn’t want to admit it, but he was right.

This was not the game anymore, she finally realized that. This was probably an alternate universe or something that she would only see in fiction.

Now it's her reality.

And even more, could she really take another life?

She didn’t know.

“I…” she started, but the words caught in her throat. Her hands clenched into fists, hating the weakness that crept into her voice.

“Exactly,” Ubel said, leaning forward. “You’re not ready yet. I don’t know why or what happened to the famous bounty hunter, Empress that made her like this, but I will not take any risk of bankruptcy.”

Silence stretched between them for a long moment. Ubel studied her for a long moment, then gave her a suggestion.

“You can compromise with the client. I am not handing you in chains anyway as long as you wouldn’t attempt to escape. As I have said, the client probably just wants a sample of your body—nails, skin, hair. If they ask for more… well, like what I told you, you’re free to kill them. I won’t stop you—after I get my payment, of course.”

Mizuha’s gaze hardened. She quickly remembered that she was previously considered to be a smuggled goods.

“How long until we reach the client?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Three months. Plenty of time for you to settle in.” Ubel answered casually as if it was nothing. “So until then... You’ll have to behave in my ship.”

His words were tinged with a devilish tone, almost daring her to try something stupid. Mizuha hesitated, suspicion creeping into her mind. She stared at him, her mind racing as she weighed the offer. Three months, he said. She could endure three months. She just needed to play along for now.

Then she felt something strange.

“How did you know about me?”

“Huh? Are you ignorant of your fame? Almost every outlaw in the cluster knew about you. The last time I heard about you was when you capped Ri-Quezo and his tribe of raiders. Man, that was a story to tell from those prisoners you saved.” Ubel answered. “That is why I am curious about what happened to the previous cold Empress.”

Mizuha didn’t have to think deeper to remember that contract. It was her last independent contract she completed right after winning the Esports tournament and before she logged out from the game to buy some food.

But Mizuha’s suspicion hadn’t left. There was something about this boy—his casual nature, the way he toyed with her.

Something didn’t sit right.

Then, it hit her.

“Are you…”

Ubel tilted his head.

“What?”

She paused for a moment then continued her question.

“…a player?”

Strangely, this question gave her complicated feelings.

Caution… and hope.

However, Ubel’s eyes flickered with genuine confusion.

“Huh? A player?” he asked with a frown.

Her caution flared again, but she could tell from his reaction that he wasn’t a player.

She bit her lip, realizing she’d asked the wrong question.

“Never mind,” she muttered, cutting off the conversation.

But Ubel, ever the tease, leaned closer. Mizuha waved him off, demanding him to drop it off. Whatever he was, it didn’t matter right now. Standing from her bed, she squared her shoulders.

"Fine," she said, at last, her voice low. “I’ll agree to your terms. But I have conditions—none of your crew, droids, or you will give me orders, try anything funny, or harm me. And I want a private room. No surveillance.”

Ubel’s grin widened again, his eyes twinkling with something unsettling.

“Already got a private room set up for you. No surveillance, just like you’ll want. But remember,” he said, watching her closely, “Behave yourself here.”

For the first time, a hint of annoyance flashed across Mizuha’s face, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared.

“I don’t work with others.” Her eyes narrowed. “You don’t know anything about me.”

“I know enough,” Ubel said, his golden eyes gleaming with mischief. “And I’m sure I’ll figure out the rest soon. After all, we’ve got time. Lots of it. And you bounty hunters would always find yourselves in interesting encounters.”

Her green eyes flicked to him, sharp and cold. Mizuha didn’t respond, her gaze sweeping the room, taking in the droids, the monitoring systems, and the restraints that had been lightly applied to her wrists. Her body tensed slightly, but it wasn’t fear—it was control, forced control. Ubel could see it. The rigidity in her posture, the slight tremor in her fingers. She was holding herself together, barely.

Silence hung between them, the air thick with tension as they stared each other down. Mizuha was calculating, trying to assess her options, while Ubel simply enjoyed the moment, reveling in the unpredictability of it all.

“Welcome aboard, Empress.” He offered a hand which she ignored as she started to slowly stand and leave her bed.

Mizuha stood, her legs still shaky, but her resolve solid.

As she turned her back, heading for the door, she failed to notice the dark, sadistic grin that spread across Ubel’s face, his golden eyes glinting in the dim light.