Anomaly Designation: WA Scenario?
The tires screeched as the vehicle carrying Field Response Division 3 Team hurtled down the road. Under normal circumstances, they might have driven more cautiously, mindful of prying eyes—but not in a situation like this.
WA Scenario. Commonly known as the World Annihilation Scenario. The moment one was issued, the Anomaly Management Bureau's core systems shifted into full emergency mode. With minimal staff left to handle routine anomaly management, nearly everyone mobilized to avert the crisis.
That included Field Response Division 3 Team, who had just escaped the Deep Warehouse with severe injuries. No exceptions.
Hiss.
"Hoo... So, what exactly happened?"
Team Leader Lee Cheol-won grimaced through the pain, patching his wounds with the vehicle's emergency kit as he glanced sideways. Next to him, the relatively unscathed Agent Lee Kyung-seong was furiously tapping at the terminal mounted in the car.
"It started at the Multidimensional Astronomical Observatory. About fifteen minutes ago, the Observatory Director issued the WA Scenario under their authority."
"The Observatory...? Something from space?"
"Yes. The anomaly in the scenario is a celestial body called TON-618. It's 10.8 billion light-years from Earth."
"TON-618? What's that? Wait, 10.8 billion light-years?"
"It's classified as a quasar, but to be precise, the target in the scenario is the supermassive black hole at its core. A colossal thing that sucks in everything, like a swamp."
With that, Agent Lee Kyung-seong manipulated the terminal to display a photo. Layers of warped night skies stretched across it—like peering through an open door within a door, capturing the view beyond the final one. That must have been the Observatory's method of observation.
And there, beyond the twisted layers of starry darkness, at the heart of a radiant celestial body, something inexplicable protruded. Right in the center—a pitch-black hole, utterly alien. And from it, something was emerging.
"This... a finger?"
"Correct. No asteroids or debris obstructed the observation path."
"...Ha."
Team Leader Lee scanned the detailed info below the photo. The black hole's mass was 40.7 billion times that of the sun. If a single knuckle was protruding from something that massive, the main body must be...
A chill raced across his skin.
"...Agent Kyung-seong. So, this finger in the black hole triggered the WA Scenario?"
"Yes."
"...Okay, it's clearly an anomaly or entity. Fine. Looks like it could end the world—or the universe. But issuing a full scenario over this?"
Team Leader Lee eyed Agent Lee Kyung-seong skeptically.
"Doesn't that seem a bit premature?"
WA Scenarios demanded meticulous drafting due to their gravity. Even if an anomaly had world-ending potential, they weren't issued unless it was imminent—and only after exhausting every option: management, pioneering, even processing.
Simply observing something inside a black hole 10.8 billion light-years away? That strained credibility. Per the report, even at light speed, it would take 10.8 billion years to reach Earth.
"The entire observation team has lost consciousness."
"...".
"Just observing it affected people on Earth enough to knock them out. If it starts moving in earnest, who knows what happens. That's why the scenario was issued."
"...Haa. Alright, I get it up to there. So."
Team Leader Lee sighed heavily.
"What the hell can we do about this?"
"...".
It was the most pragmatic question. The Observatory, HQ divisions, other departments—they could scramble to counter it. But what could Field Response 3 Team do against something in a distant black hole?
"I get it's cataclysmic enough to borrow even a cat's paw, but we just crawled out of there ourselves."
Their escape from the Deep Warehouse was recent—and messy, with at least two team members critically wounded.
"Head there first. Then I'll talk to the division chief."
With a scenario issued, superiors' orders took absolute priority.
The nearest entrance to the Bureau was a perpetually "under maintenance" elevator in a subway station. Locals filed complaints daily, unaware it served as an emergency access point.
Punching a specific button sequence, the elevator plunged endlessly downward.
[Ding dong. First floor.]
[Ding dong. Anomalous pattern detected.]
After over a minute of freefall through darkness in the transparent elevator, the sprawling Anomaly Management Bureau Control Center came into view. The massive structure housed most of the Bureau's operations. Crowds streamed in due to the scenario.
[Ding dong~. Anomaly Management Bureau Control Center.]
Stepping out, the team joined the throng—familiar faces mixed with total strangers, including foreigners, given the Bureau's global recruitment.
A quantum elevator later, they reached the office. Team Leader Lee requested medical aid via intranet.
"Let's join the broadcast."
Whirr. Clunk.
With scenarios, massive attendance meant conferences ran via intranet. Agent Lee Kyung-seong booted the ancient computer with a groan and joined the video link.
Entry messages flooded in from other teams.
Dozens—no, hundreds of departments assembled in moments. But not everyone yet.
Anomaly Management Bureau WA Scenario Briefing Commences.
A weary male voice crackled through, exhausted beyond measure.
"This meeting will be chaired by me, the Multidimensional Astronomical Observatory Director. Voice chat restricted to director-level only. Straight to the point."
Rustle. Pages turning.
"Anomaly entity: TON-618, provisional name 'Beyond the Black Hole'. Distance and black hole details in the pre-shared report. Scenario core: We're concerned about the Earth manifestation of the anomaly that instantly knocked out the observation team. Provisionally termed 'Mental Collapse of Earth Humanity'. Even non-direct observers fainted."
Rustle.
The Bureau's WA Scenario meeting proceeded under the Observatory Director's lead.
Scribble. Scribble.
"Fainting even without direct observation suggests the entity could trigger global blackout just by existing in the sky. We've temporarily deployed satellites for a blocking field... Hm?"
The Director abruptly halted, then shouted in alarm.
"...Information on 'Beyond the Black Hole' is vanishing from my mind. This is the anomaly!"
"...What?"
Scribble. Scribble.
Team Leader Lee had no idea what the Director meant.
"Damn it, hold on. Archive it in the intranet internals! Information Support Team! Archive now...!"
Murmurs erupted from the Director's side. Field Response 3 Team exchanged baffled looks.
"What the hell is he on about...?"
Scribble. Scribble.
"Mass perception hazard—or mental collapse. Directors, we must address this...!"
"Hiss. Multidimensional Astronomical Observatory Director. Calm yourself."
A mechanical elderly voice boomed. The Research Lab Director's mic was active.
"What's going on here?"
The team was bewildered by the Director's outburst, and so were the other teams.
"Research Lab Director!"
"So."
A brief silence fell.
Scribble. Scribble.
"Why exactly did you assemble every department in the Bureau?"
"...Pardon?"
Field Response 3 Team's reaction mirrored the Research Director's. At some point, the meeting had been underway—but without stating the topic, it devolved into nonsense. Bizarre.
"That was...! ...What was it again."
The weary man's dazed voice echoed blankly.
"Hrm. Must be exhaustion from prolonged space observation. Request counseling from Internal Management."
As the Research Director spoke, departments began dropping out en masse.
"Ah... Understood. But our team was in some state... or something."
"Heh heh. We'll dispatch full counseling to the Observatory. Anyway, since we're gathered, shall we discuss intra-solar system anomalies?"
"Understood. Then, on that topic..."
Other directors logged off, leaving the Research Director. By then, Field Response 3 Team had exited too.
"What the fuck was that?"
"No idea. Forget it?"
"Yeah. Probably nothing important. More pressing: wrap up the Deep Warehouse report. Agent Kyung-seong, prep it for Pioneering HQ."
"Got it. Pioneering HQ?"
"Yeah. I meant to mention—we ran into the Shinbi Library's Librarian there."
"...That Librarian?"
"Yep. Handled it well enough to score a return visit. Library's under Pioneering now, so loop them in."
"Understood."
"Oh, and investigate the whole elementary school where the Deep Warehouse was. Contact the follow-up team."
"Got it."
"I'll go get treated with the others."
With that, the office filled only with Agent Lee Kyung-seong's typing.
Scribble. Scribble.
Anomaly Designation: Deep Warehouse#End