In the brutalist megacity of New Haven, Saizo (Subject 001) is a cybernetic prototype betrayed and left for dead by his creator, Director Joseph. Salvaged by the ancient AI ADAM—who is preparing a final war on humanity—Saizo is upgraded with a sentient neural partner, Echo, and resolves to reclaim his autonomy. Haunted by the memories of his past, a rogue leader, Ren, works within the shadows to seek revenge and show Saizo the monster he claims he is. Meanwhile, Saizo is relentlessly hunted by Anzu (Subject 003), a fellow prototype weaponized through fabricated grief. Following a catastrophic clash with Anzu, Saizo is rescued by Richter, a civilian tech-worker. The volume concludes as Saizo and Richter form a reluctant partnership to survive the city’s underbelly, while Anzu’s conditioning begins to fracture, signaling a dawning crisis of consciousness.

Updated4 months ago