EPISODE 15 - THE AI WATCH "RAY"

"Hello, Designated User. Do you authorize me to take action?"

A woman's voice suddenly came from what seemed like an ordinary digital watch. The unexpected sound startled Alex, but there was no time to dwell on it—mechanical spiders had already found him. Their sharp appendages tore through the cabinet doors, reaching in to grab him.

With no time to think, Alex shouted:

"I agree!!!"

The moment he spoke, the watch sent a surge of electric commands straight into his body like a lightning strike.

As a reflex, Alex thrust out his right hand to shield himself. Suddenly, a powerful current of air erupted from his palm, forming a solid barrier that blocked the mechanical tendrils in their tracks.

His eyes widened in shock. The air wall had completely halted the advancing machines. But it wasn’t over yet. The air began to spiral, swirling faster and faster like a raging storm. Just then, the woman’s voice returned:

"Brace yourself, Designated User."

More mechanical spiders swarmed in, but Alex held his ground. Just as he planted his feet, the vortex came to an abrupt halt—only to explode outward in a massive shockwave, obliterating everything in its path. The entire building collapsed under the sheer force, and the mechanical spiders were sent flying, reduced to shattered debris.

As the dust settled, not a single enemy remained.

Alex stared at his right hand, astonished. Wisps of smoky air still swirled around his fingers, tinged with flickering blue sparks. The sensation was both exhilarating and surreal.

Slowly, the energy faded away, and the watch spoke again:

"Satisfied, Designated User?"

Alex was too stunned to respond immediately. When he finally found his voice, he asked:

"You… what are you?"

"I am Ray—your AI instructor for harnessing the Nao Field," the voice replied.

Still skeptical, Alex pressed further.

"Why did you call me the Designated User?"

"Your biological structure holds exceptional potential for mastering the Nao Field. The moment you picked up the watch, I identified you," Ray explained.

That’s when it clicked.

"So that's why the watch started glowing last night… Wait… does this mean I can actually use this power to become a hero?!"

Ideas raced through Alex’s mind. If he could wield this power, he could save Anna Lorraine. A real heroic rescue.

But before he could get ahead of himself, Ray shut down his excitement.

"No. This power, in its current form, is only accessible three times. You’ll need to train from the ground up. That is my purpose—to teach you."

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Alex slumped in disappointment. Still, he wasn’t ready to abandon his heroics just yet. A sly grin crossed his face.

"So technically… I still have two more uses left, right? Which means… I can still save Anna!"

Just as he was waiting for Ray’s response, a familiar voice rang out from the distance.

"Alex!!"

It was Chad and the others. They had finally found him. Overjoyed, they ran toward him. Max, being the fastest, was the first to reach Alex—pulling him into a tight embrace.

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"Bro, where the hell have you been? Everyone’s been worried sick about you…"

Alex just chuckled and replied,

"I just thought you guys would head this way... turns out I was the only one. Haha…"

At that moment, Chad walked over, looking relieved. He asked,

"You okay? Did anything happen?"

Alex glanced at his smartwatch, recalling Dr. Jayan’s words. He shook his head and said,

"…Nah, nothing much. Just played a little hide-and-seek with some mechanical spiders."

He threw in a joke to lighten the mood, making everyone laugh, drawing them all closer together.

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THAT NIGHT

As night fell, Squad 6 found a hidden basement and started a small fire. They gathered around, eating vegetable soup made from their ration packs while introducing themselves.

Sitting by the fire were Joey and Gordon, both tough-looking guys from the slums at the far edge of Rockhill Valley. They joined the resistance mainly for the rations—extra food meant something to bring home. But because of that, the new recruits often mocked them.

Next were Brenda and Susan, who lived near the river and helped their families fish for a living. Their bigger body frames made them the target of endless teasing.

Then there were Dylan and John, two skinny, glasses-wearing tech nerds from the slums. Despite their skills in mechanical engineering, their families pushed them to join the resistance for financial aid. Unfortunately, their lack of athleticism made them easy targets for bullying.

Shirley, a cute and beautiful girl, was the opposite. She came from the noble district of Rockhill Valley, but her popularity with the boys led to constant trouble with jealous girls.

The smallest in the group was Nick, only thirteen. His story was the saddest—an orphan with nowhere to go, he had no choice but to join the resistance just to survive.

Then there was Max, originally Alex’s personal servant. Alex had given him his freedom, and Max chose to join the resistance. But being shy and overweight, he ended up as an equipment maintenance worker instead of a frontline fighter.

As Alex listened to everyone’s stories, he realized just how privileged he had been growing up in a wealthy and influential family.

Not wanting the mood to get too heavy, he started telling wild tales about the trouble he’d gotten into with the people who couldn’t stand him these past few days. His stories had everyone laughing.

"Everyone, let's raise a toast to our young master, Alex!" Joey hollered.

The whole group lifted their cups in his honor, and Alex, slightly embarrassed, raised his as well. But as he glanced around, he noticed that Chad wasn’t joining in. Instead, he stood by the basement’s small, exposed window, staring outside, lost in thought.

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LATE THAT NIGHT….

Everyone had fallen asleep, some even snoring.

One person, however, quietly sat up.

Alex.

He carefully checked his surroundings, making sure everyone was out cold, then silently slipped out of the basement.

Stepping into a secluded courtyard, he scanned the area to make sure it was safe. Then, standing firmly, he stretched out his left hand and spoke.

"Ray... come out."

A female voice echoed from his smartwatch as its screen lit up.

"Candidate, are you ready to begin?"

Alex cringed at being called "Candidate."

"Ugh, can you stop calling me that? It sounds weird!"

The smartwatch blinked in response.

"Then what should I call you?"

With a confident grin, Alex said,

"Just call me Alex."

The glowing screen paused for a moment before responding firmly,

"Understood. Let’s begin, Alex. Are you ready?"