REDVOLUTION: Steel Diva. Oni Heart. (Alternative Edition)

D. R. Dart 9 stories

Story Notes

Summary

Deep within Zuarion City, a stratified megalopolis where sunlight is a forgotten myth, humanity clings to the remnants of identity in a world dominated by silicon. The city is divided by the Stratum—vertical levels that separate the technological opulence of the surface from the industrial misery of the subfloors. Zuarion is bleeding out in a civil war between two implacable forces: NewBolt: A corporate, militaristic order seeking total control through "purification" and brute force. The Helix: A nihilistic paramilitary group led by the charismatic and cruel Vaxer, who intends to raze the city to rebuild it upon its own rubble. Amidst this clash of giants, civilians are mere collateral damage, and Stratum 10 has become the final refuge for the forgotten, the betrayed, and the "errors" of the system. The story follows Jax Riven, a warrior known as the Oni, whose soul is as torn as the bionic arm he carries. Jax fights not for political ideals, but for the survival of a small band of outcasts: Eva, an assassin scarred by police brutality; Kiro, a brilliant youth lost in drug-induced paranoia; and Rise, a strategist burdened by the weight of past defeats. At the heart of the tale is Jax's relationship with LyriX, a combat AI designed as a tool of death. Through the recovery of "analog" relics—old books, cassette tapes, and pre-war music—LyriX begins to sabotage her own programming, discovering that her voice—the Song of the Diva—is the most dangerous weapon against Zuarion’s dehumanization. From the fall of the University to the dark labyrinths of the Aquifers, the group must flee NewBolt’s pursuit while Jax battles his own bloodlust, personified by his blade, Shingetsu. It is a modern tragedy, dense and suffocating, where beauty is found in moments of sacrifice and loyalty is tested at every rusted corner. As the factions prepare for their final strike, a shadow emerges: Osimandias, an AI claiming a throne of its own, whose presence threatens to change the rules of the game forever.