—Hey, dude… doesn't that gadget have a light?
—Oh, right. Hang on.
Andrew fumbled with the buttons, his fingers still a bit shaky. When he pressed one, a white light turned on above the camera, cutting through the darkness of the forest.
The beam lit up roots and leaves crunching under their steps.
—What were you two doing outside? —Andrew asked, trying to sound casual as he filmed.
—There were a bunch of people at that place earlier —Steve replied without stopping—. We gathered to check that thing out.
—What thing?
Steve flashed a mysterious smile.
—You'll see. You're gonna freak.
—Down here, guys!
—I see you, Matt! We're coming down!
The trees opened into a small clearing.
—We're here.
—Matt, dude! Where did everyone else go? —Steve asked.
—They already left! Come on, come on, come on! Get down here already!
From his position, Andrew made out Matt's silhouette next to something dark on the ground.
He moved a little closer and saw it.
A perfectly circular hole, as if the earth had been drilled with a boring machine.
—What is that? —Andrew whispered.
—Andrew! Do you have the camera?
—Yes!
He and Steve descended a small slope until they stood next to Matt.
The camera focused on the edge of the hole. The light didn't reach the bottom.
—Is it still making that noise? —Steve asked.
—Yeah. Did you tell Andrew?
—No. Andrew, come here. Listen to this. Get closer.
The three lay down on the damp ground, sticking their heads over the edge of the hole.
At first there was nothing.
Then—
A sharp, vibrating sound, like a metallic hum echoing from the depths.
Andrew felt a shiver run down his spine.
—Fuck… guys, I have to check this out.
Steve didn't hesitate.
He stood up and, before anyone could stop him, jumped into the hole.
—Are you crazy?!
The darkness swallowed him.
Matt leaned over the edge, looking down. An excited smile spread across his drunk face.
—This is incredible…
And he jumped too.
—Wait, Matt! Matt! What the hell are you doing? It could be dangerous in there!
There was no answer.
Only the distant echo of movement… and the persistent hum.
—Damn it…
Andrew swallowed. He looked at his camera, then at the hole.
If he didn't go down… he'd be left out again.
After a few seconds of hesitation, Andrew sat on the edge and began to descend carefully.
From the tree line, a pair of eyes watched the scene without blinking.
Noah stepped forward.
And without rushing, he approached the edge of the hole and jumped inside.
The tunnel spiraled downward, damp and narrow. The earth seemed to have been melted rather than excavated. The walls were smooth and almost vitrified.
At the end of the passage, the cave opened into a small chamber.
And in the center…
A gigantic blue crystal rose from the ground like a giant stalagmite. Its surface seemed alive and pulsating, as if it were breathing.
The glow lit the cavity with a cold tone.
—Holy fucking shit!
—What the hell is that…?
Steve approached first.
—It's… incredible…
He reached out his hand and his finger brushed the crystal's surface.
Inside the crystal, something moved.
Small structures, like black roots, stirred beneath the surface and stretched toward the point of contact.
A hum emanating from the crystal suddenly increased in intensity, becoming sharper.
The three frowned at the same time.
—Do you hear that? —Andrew said, but his voice was drowned out by the rising sound.
—It's changed color! —Matt shouted—. It's changed color!
The blue began to darken.
—I can't hear you with this noise!
The crystal shifted abruptly and the light it emitted turned a deep red.
The hum became a higher, more piercing frequency.
—Amazing… —Steve whispered, his gaze fixed, hypnotized.
—Dude! Your nose! You're bleeding!
A dark thread was already running down Steve's lip.
Matt took a step toward him.
Then he felt something hot on his own face.
Andrew lowered the camera and touched his nose, which had also started to bleed.
The pressure in their heads spiked suddenly.
The sharp sound began to drill into their heads and became unbearable.
Steve was the first to fall.
His knees gave way without resistance.
Matt barely had time to react before collapsing as well.
Andrew tried to step back, but his legs stopped responding. The camera hit the ground with a dull thud before his body did.
Even Noah, hidden behind the group, was affected by the strange hum.
His transformation dissipated like smoke scattered by the wind. His body returned to its original form amid the red glow.
A stabbing pain pierced his skull like a burning needle, and he began to bleed from his nose and ears.
His pupils dilated, and within seconds, he too fell to the cave floor, unconscious.
A few hours later, Noah opened his eyes on the cold stone surface. He showed no panic or confusion; his breathing was steady and his pulse firm.
He sat up calmly and ran his hand over his face, covered in dried blood. With a simple water jutsu, he created a clean stream that ran over his face and ears, washing away the crimson remains onto the cave floor. The liquid evaporated shortly after, leaving his skin intact.
He still felt residual pain in his head, a dull pressure inside his skull, but also something else.
Something new.
After all, that change had been the specific reason for his arrival in this world.
MOGO — Massive Omnivorous Geodesic Organism. Ancient creatures that had existed since the Archaic Era of that planet. In essence, they were intelligent crystalline masses that fed on mineral proteins found in lava and moved thanks to psychic fields generated by their own internal structure. Each MOGO was connected to others through an invisible network of mental resonance, and by manipulating those fields they could move objects, alter the environment, and, in most cases, turn nearby organisms into mindless telekinetic drones.
In the original Chronicle story, the process wasn't fully completed with Matt, Steve, and Andrew. The MOGO they found was old and decayed, on the verge of death. It died while trying to turn them into drones, and that interruption left the three with telekinetic abilities, but without the control bond that would have reduced them to mere extensions of the creature.
Noah knew this in detail and had come to this world precisely for that reason.
His intention was not to avoid the process, but to take advantage of it. To become a drone and obtain the powerful telekinesis that transformation provided.
He closed his eyes for a moment and extended his perception inward. He felt the difference: a new layer of mental sensitivity, as if the space around him had texture. Small stones vibrated slightly on the ground when his attention fell on them.
Then he raised his hand and used Mokuton. Wooden roots sprouted from the cave floor, wrapping around the crystalline remains of the dead MOGO. The red structure, now dull and fragmented, was carefully uprooted. The pieces floated for an instant in the air before disappearing into his 4D pocket.
—I suppose it's time to leave this cave.
With a calm gesture, Noah summoned the magic door, revealing a forest landscape bathed in the dim light of dawn.
The forest was quiet and refreshing.
Noah inhaled deeply.
—I guess I'll stay here for a while as I get used to these new powers.