"But you're still awful. Don't get ahead of yourself."
"I... know that..."
"Still... it's a decent start in showing what you can really do. Although if I'm being honest, I was having a hard time on whether I should give that to you or to... well speak of the devil..."
Both Luka and Alice turned towards the man who was walking in their direction. The man looked haggard and slightly disheveled as he continued to trek the small hill to catch up with his companions.
"Uhh... you okay, Valon? You look... tired..." Luka asked in concern.
"Oh, I was just avoiding the medieval-style paparazzi as I went out of the city, nothing to worry about."
When Valon's response was met with confused looks, he offered a better explanation.
"What I meant was that I was trying to avoid people in the city who wanted to thank me for my 'good deeds' when clearly I wasn't... or whatever... I'm just not used to that much attention, especially after making numerous bad decisions back there. Anyways, I'm sorry that I just got here and all that, but on the current matter at hand, did I miss anything?"
That was a lie, Valon knew full well what he had missed. Ever since he went out of the city, realizing that the consequences of his direct interference started to take effect, he took it upon himself to limit his involvement, especially in a major event. But while considering so, he also wanted to make sure that both Luka and Alice followed through with everything that happened in the game.
He already knew what was going to happen the moment they leave Iliasburg and without waiting any further, he intentionally fell behind the group so that Luka can take care of the Worm Girl by himself. At least with him being at a distance away, his acquaintances won't interrogate him again on why he was still hiding from Monster Girls when he recently showed them that he could handle himself.
He wasn't sure if Alice was now fully wary of him for lying about his capabilities and other things that he knew. But whatever mindset they had for him now, he couldn't afford to make mistakes that might expose him or the reality of the world he was in.
But he was struggling to figure out exactly how he would continue his resolve of not interfering. Just as how he was carefully observing Luka from where he was hiding with the help of his helmet when the hero was fighting the Worm Girl, he was still concerned for the hero. It was getting clearer that the 'Luka' that exists in this world was not programmed by any lines of code or bound by any rules for executing actions; meaning that anything could happen to him at any given point in time.
"Besides my no-longer-sloppy fight against a worm girl, Alice gave me this uhh... horrifying but cool sword," Luka answered as he showed the man the eldritch-looking abomination of a blade.
"Wow... that... looks..."
"Horrifying? Yes, I'm aware. But check this out! Alice said that it has some sort of magic in it that can seal monsters. Like when I fought that Worm Girl earlier, after a couple of attacks, she turned into a normal earthworm where she became completely harmless!"
"Yeah, that's pretty neat!"
At least with Angel Halo, Luka doesn't have to worry about killing his opponents and he no longer has to hold back as he did in his previous encounters with Monster Girls. And on an even better note, it would mean that I really don't have to help him fight monsters anymore because he'd be going all out against them. I'd say that this is probably the best thing that happened in this journey so far.
"I know right!? Thanks to this... uhh... Alice? What's this weapon's name again? Angel... something?"
"Angel Halo. You heard everything I said on what the weapon does but you forgot the name?"
"Uhhh... yeah?"
Alice sighed, shaking her head in annoyance. "Whatever, let's just go. The sooner we finish our business in those mountains, the better."
Luka and Valon silently agreed, continuing their arduous journey towards the mountain range.
"By the way, what was it you were saying, Alice?" Luka spoke. "About you having a hard time deciding on something?"
"Deciding on who I should give Angel Halo to."
Valon felt unusually cold under his skin, fully analyzing what Alice implied.
"It wasn't that I was going to use the sword since I'm perfectly capable of handling myself but you two obviously don't. I brought this with me for a... reason," Alice made an abrupt stop in her statement before continuing, something that didn't go unnoticed by the technician. "Which isn't important right now. What is important is that since I'm not traveling by myself, I could at least give it to someone accompanying me on this journey. But since there's two of you and only one Angel Halo, I needed time to think to whom I should give it to."
Crap, of course... there are two of us. From her standpoint, it should be logical to give it to someone who needs it more, or in other words, someone who is weaker so as to not make a hindrance to the group by being a liability. But wait a minute... oh no...
"Oh... I... see..." Luka remarked in an unusually sad tone, eying the eldritch-looking blade in his hand. "Umm... why don't you just give it to Valon then? Since—"
"What? Me? No no no!" Valon quickly interrupted. "I'm not holding that thing!"
"Huh? Why? I mean sure it looks terrifying but it doesn't seem to be evil or anything, at least from my initial experience using it. And it can seal monsters, so this should be something you'd be able to use well!"
"B-but Alice gave it to you, right? So you should be the one wielding it..."
"Well... Alice? Did you intend to give it to me?"
"At first, yes, but now... I'm not quite so sure. It just so happened that at the time I wanted to give it away, Valon wasn't here and the Worm Girl was nearly approaching. It also felt that I should give it to you since you're more capable with a sword and I was further proven right after seeing your performance a while ago," Alice answered before turning her attention towards Valon. "But maybe you'd be more capable of fighting alongside the fake hero with it?"
The technician couldn't get a break from all of the problems in his thoughts as he was currently a direct witness to another adverse effect of his game-breaking interference. Here he was, standing still in horror as one of the most significant events in the game was at risk of being altered from the lamia's declaration. If he could still come up with a clever metaphor as a reference, his mind would be shouting at him that he was presently being offered if he wanted to REPLACE Luka or not from being the hero of this journey.
"What? No! I just... no... Luka should have it, not me!"
Valon stopped himself briefly when he realized he was practically shouting. He quickly composed himself, taking a deep breath before coming up with a response.
"Look, besides the fact that this is probably the most disgusting sword I've ever seen in my entire life, no offense to whoever made it, as Alice stated, you're more capable with a sword than me."
"But—"
"And thanks to that sword, you no longer have to hold back on your opponents. I know that you don't want to kill monsters and that since you're using an iron sword, you're not using your full potential in combat; leading to possible risks of losing against your opponents because you're scared that you might kill them if you go all out."
Luka tried to think of a counterargument, but he couldn't. He looked to his side with a slight frown and sighed.
"Well... if you say so... but... what about you?"
"Huh? What about me?"
"It's just that you can't defend yourself and I thought that this sword would be exactly what you need to fight back. You told us earlier back at the inn that the weapons you use are limited and that the reason why you didn't train with me was that you were saving them for when you really need them. Your metal... weapon thingy on your right arm also broke during your fight with Granberia so... I thought... that..."
"I can understand your concern, and I think it's genuinely nice that you care... but don't worry... I have multiple ways to acquire the things I need even if I have a limited supply right now. Besides, I'm more comfortable with using my own gadgets to fight back. And since I already know how they work, I'd be able to utilize them more than I ever could than with a weapon that I'm not overly familiar in using..."
"I guess that makes sense..."
Valon wasn't sure about it but for some reason, he couldn't help but feel that there was an unusual feeling of sadness lurking within the young hero. He couldn't figure out if he was supposed to feel sad at this point of the game or if there was something else bothering him, but it felt slightly terrifying and uncharacteristic of him; especially since they were still at an early point of the story.
"Cheer up, man. At least you finally have something that can motivate you to go all out, right?"
"Yeah, I guess..."
This is so weird! Am I missing something? What's worse is that he thinks he's hiding his sadness well but I can clearly see it from his facial expressions and the tone of his voice. Is this another side effect of my decision to fight Granberia? Or did I do something that made him feel sad? D-does... does he f-feel that? Is it because he got hurt from what I did to him with one of my explosives?
I mean it's a possibility... but no... it doesn't make any sense! He should be angry or salty at me. He should be avoiding me or heck, he should probably be terrified of me! But he's... sad! Like... genuine sadness. Like the same feeling of... guilt... wait a second, is it guilt?
"Hmm... I would have to agree with his points about your potential on using that sword. Honestly, I was more inclined to give it to you anyway..." Alice remarked, her gaze turning back to the technician. "But you seemed a bit on edge there when I said that you might be more capable with the sword. I have a feeling that you're not absurdly terrified of its appearance so perhaps... there's another reason?"
GODDAMMIT, I MADE THE SAME MISTAKE! I'm unintentionally showing too many emotions again!
"Or perhaps, you're still clinging to what you did yesterday."
When Alice took a glance at the man's head gesture and silence, she knew she figured him out.
"While it is meritorious that you acknowledge your mistakes and even feel bad about them, sulking about it for a long time won't do you any good. And if it was clear that your emotions got the best of you that day, you should be more determined to correct that oversight or at least make an effort to avoid it. If your emotions running wild is capable of doing that much damage around you, what do you think it would do if you let lose right now."
"Alright... I'm sorry. I tend to overcomplicate my thoughts a lot, and yes, I think you're all pretty aware of that now. I guess, I just tend to not be expressive, especially around people because of my problem so when I do feel strong emotions, I get... histrionic..."
"It's alright, we don't hold it against you, right, Alice?"
"No, I do not," Alice answered firmly. "I acknowledge your reticent behavior but you still technically hid parts of the truth from us. Whether it was by intention or by force, doesn't change that fact. Or perhaps, you were being semantic when you said that you were really not good at fighting?"
How do I even respond to that?
"But I don't expect you to give a response to that, and it's not like it matters. I'm sure you have your reasons to hide some information about yourself and I can respect that," Alice stated in her usual stoic tone before giving a light smirk. "Doesn't mean I won't try asking you, though. Especially with your... peculiar knowledge."
Valon ignored the feeling of discomfort inside him. He knew that the lamia's future interrogations were inevitable as long as he was traveling with her. He just wished he could find the strength to say no.
"I still think that everything that happened there was really cool!" Luka spoke, changing the subject of the conversation. "I mean, not even the soldiers were able to last that long against her! But umm... you probably still don't like the things that you did, which is understandable. I just want you to know that I was really impressed with the way you fought her."
When Luka didn't get a response from Valon, he spoke again.
"And uhh... I find your... devices pretty interesting..."
"Really, you do?" Alice eyed the fake hero with doubt.
"Alright, umm... okay... I don't actually understand any of the stuff you explained earlier. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"
"It's alright. My gear is pretty complicated and I myself have to carefully study how they work just so that I know I'm using them right."
"Still, I want to say sorry, and also because I don't know the meaning of some of the words you said."
"That's because you're still too much of an idiot to understand most of his technical vocabulary."
"And you can?"
Valon could only silently watch the venomous glares that Luka and Alice were both giving to each other. Surprisingly, it was Alice who first relented her piercing stare directed towards the young hero, sighing as she crossed her arms.
"Alright, I admit, there were some terminologies that I don't quite understand... yet."
"Some?" Luka raised his brow in doubt.
"But since you now brought it up," Alice ignored the hero's last remark as she poured all of her attention towards Valon. "You have a lot of explaining to do."
"I won't get out of this alive, will I?"
As long as she doesn't hypnotize me, I can kinda tolerate this.
"Alright, what do you want to know?"
"Everything. Your gadgets, every information about them. Give them all to me."
"Woah, Alice, slow down there. He already gave you some information already."
"It's not enough, I need more! I demand more! Every single piece of knowledge or information I can grasp is of utmost importance for this journey."
Eeeshh.. seems like she isn't just gluttonous towards food. She's really the embodiment of gluttony.
"You know, it would help if you would give me topics one by one."
"Fine, that thing on your left arm then, the Multipurpose Arm... Device..."
"The Multipurpose Armband Device? Just call it M.A.D."
"Right, that. Explain what it does, in a way that I can understand of course," Alice demanded. "What tasks does it perform and why are you wearing it all the time?"
"Oh yeah, it's another one of those things you were already wearing when we first met, kinda like your goggles," Luka added. "That one caught my attention the most because it was just strapped on your arm. It was weird the first time I saw it and I wanted to ask you about it earlier, but I didn't get the chance to."
I mean, the fact that I didn't even try to hide this thing says a lot about my stupidity. Or maybe it's because I knew that they were gonna find out anyway.
"From what I recall from your previous explanation, you said something about detecting signals... is that what it does? Also, what are these signals?"
"And you also said that you were using it to find your brother. Is that true?"
"Okay okay, hold your horses, one at a time... jeez!" Valon exclaimed, massaging his temples from the mental stress he was currently suffering from. "This is one of the reasons why I don't tell people about my stuff."
That's not entirely a lie but regardless of the situation I'm in, the less they know, the better.
"Okay... it's basically a device that does a lot of things, hence it has the name 'multipurpose' on it. It can scan stuff, detect certain signals within a limited range, and it's where I can activate my exoshield module."
"Scan stuff?"
"Exoshield Module? I recall you saying that a while ago before we left Iliasburg, what exactly is it?"
Well, this is gonna be a handful...
The technician began to carefully explain how his M.A.D. worked in a way his acquaintances could understand while at the same time, omitting some of the information he knew about the device. His explanation included giving examples and analogies that were comprehensible and he sometimes gave a few demonstrations, all of which fascinated the two individuals who were eying the device in awe, as if they were learning how a computer worked from a perspective of a first-grade student.
"That's so cool!" Luka whooped in astonishment. "I didn't know that things like that existed!"
"Indeed, I am mighty impressed myself," Alice gave a small smile. "You're basically carrying a device that can tell you a plethora of information about anything, help you find a certain group of machines that fits the criteria for it to be detected, and a feature that can cover your entire body with a forcefield that can protect you from almost all forms of harm or injury."
"Well... maybe not all forms of injury... but yeah that's the gist of it."
"I do have another question. What kind of machine does it detect? If it can't detect every machine ever created, then what would classify it to be sensed by that device of yours? Like how would it fit the criteria to be able to be detected by it?"
Valon contemplated before giving out a response. "It has to be made out of a certain metal alloy like titanium alloy, or aluminum alloy, or even carbon steel. There's a diagram in my M.A.D. that tells the specific alloy or what other elements or chemical composition a machine should have to be detectable but I don't want to bore you with a 15-hour lecture about metals."
Totally not how that works but this is classified information, sorry guys.
"I see..." Alice remarked. "But with that logic, if you told us earlier that it can help you find your brother, would it be reasonable to assume that your brother has something with him that can be detected by the M.A.D., like say, something that's made out of the materials that you previously mentioned?"
"You're spot on."
"If that's the case, however, how would you guarantee if he still has it with him?"
"My brother is also wearing an M.A.D. similar to mine and he has it with him at all times, even before he left. That's what I'm trying to track down with my device. The problem is if you can already guess it—"
"Is that it's not just detecting the M.A.D. but the other detectable machines as well," Alice followed. "Which also means that you really have to find the signals one by one—"
"To make sure that it's your brother's device that is being detected," Luka finished.
"Yeah, you're both absolutely correct."
"But you didn't quite answer my question, though. Even if he had his own M.A.D. strapped on his arm as you do, what would guarantee that he still even has it with him? What if he lost it or what if his device broke? I mean it's most likely made out of tough metallic materials but they're not indestructible. And if your brother's M.A.D. was destroyed, would it still be detectable?"
As long as the C.O.S.M.O. strap is still intact, it will remain detectable by the device, but...
Valon knew the possibility of the M.A.D.s getting separated from their respective owners. It was true and he can't deny that it could also happen to his brother. The technician can't help but feel the same sensation of a knot tightening over his chest from the disturbing thought. He didn't want to admit it but the more he traveled in this hostile world, the more he believed that his brother would most likely have already suffered the same fate as the first two M.A.D. owners that he found so far did.
No... I can't think like that! I know he's out there somewhere... alive... Ralph won't just disappear like that...
"I... I have already considered that possibility. It's what's been bothering me in the last few days. My M.A.D. has already detected two signals so far but they're all just leftover machines and currently, there are still no signs of my brother's whereabouts. And truthfully, anything bad can happen to him, especially since I don't know where he could've gone off to. But... I can't lose hope, not when I can do something. I know that he's still alive, I can't exactly describe it but call it sibling's intuition. And right now, it's telling me that he's still out there... somewhere..."
Both Luka and Alice stared at the man in sympathy. Their companion was still holding on to something that isn't one hundred percent verifiable and with a loved one's life on the line, it was only natural for someone to be extremely bothered by the possibilities and other negative thoughts in their minds.
"I know it's wishful thinking and I can't deny the possibility of something bad happening to him, I know that. I'm not completely an optimist either, but... if I focus on the negative side of things, I'll just get more depressed and it would undoubtedly affect me while I'm looking for him. So I have to set aside my bad thoughts, focus on my search, and believe that I can find him."
Valon momentarily stopped, taking a huge breath to calm himself, before continuing his statement. He looked at his companions and saw Luka smiling at him, almost as if he was inspired by his cheesy speech, and Alice silently nodding.
"Regarding the issue of it being broken, the M.A.D. can still be detected, even if it's broken to pieces. And even if he doesn't have it with him anymore, at least I'll know that wherever his M.A.D. currently is, he was once there. I just hope it doesn't get to that point though. I'm sure you already know how handy this device is so it's really improbable to assume that he'll take it off because of how useful it is. There are also tools inside the M.A.D. itself for self-repair. And all these features are the reasons why my brother and I always wear it."
"Given all of the features you showed us, I can see why," Alice remarked. "It is still surprising, though, that a device like that is possible. To manufacture something like that requires a lot of study and scientific knowledge, and to make sure that it does what you want it to do—close to unbelievable. You told us earlier that you built some of the devices that you have with you, did you also create that M.A.D.?"
"No, actually I didn't."
"Then where did you get it? How did you come across such device?"
Well... here goes...
"I found them around our house a long time ago. It was hidden in a secret compartment when we were cleaning that one time. My brother and I didn't know there was even a secret compartment in our house and we were more surprised to find these devices in it. We don't know why they were there nor why they were in our home specifically. My parents already passed away and my brother was just clueless as I am. We don't have any close relatives, at least from what I know, and our neighbors don't know anything about them either."
"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear about your parents..."
"Eh, it's cool. I do occasionally miss them but I got past that pain now. Anyways, back to what I was saying; with these devices in our hands, it would only make sense if we knew what they do, so we studied and tested them thoroughly. We were also pretty clueless back then about what the hell we were doing or what we were supposed to do with the M.A.D.s, but eventually, we messed around with it a lot to the point that we started to understand what the devices do. Reading various sources about technology and recent human discoveries helped us a lot so it even got to the point that we depended on them when performing certain things. They're what also got us interested in human technology in general, so there's that."
"And you just happened to find it in this secret compartment in your house?" Alice asked, raising a brow.
"Yes."
Please don't use the eye of hypnosis on me!
Alice aimed her signature doubtful stare towards the technician, scanning him for lies. It was more appropriate to believe, however, that she was more curious about the information than suspecting the man's response in terms of veracity, but it was also safe to say that it was both. Eventually, she went back to her usual stoic expression after giving a small nod, indicating that she acknowledged the man's reasoning.
"Speaking of house, I never got to ask you this but, where are you from, Valon?"
"Iliasport."
There was no hesitation in the man's voice, he was prepared for the exact moment he would receive the question. Valon pondered for a long time about some of the things he would tell his companions, more specifically, where he lived.
This is the best location in the game that wouldn't make me suspicious. I told them about my post-office visits in Iliasburg and since I'm not used to being around monsters, claiming to be in a place in the Sentora Continent would be a huge disaster. And it would make sense that I start my search in the safest place in the Ilias Continent if I came from somewhere that's also close. I technically could've said that I'm from Iliasburg but since Luka and Alice don't really do anything in Iliasport from the game, then Iliasport is the best response I could give.
And since Alma Elma is messing with the ships traveling between the Ilias Continent and the Sentora Continent, it would raise a lot of red flags if I was able to get to the Ilias Continent if I claim that I'm from somewhere in Sentora. And even if Grangold is the closest place I could think of that is particularly aware in the background of advanced technology, claiming to be there while the city is abusing the Ant Girls wouldn't be a good idea later on.
"You're from Iliasport?" Luka asked in mild surprise. "Huh, I honestly thought you're from somewhere farther, like Sentora."
"What gave you that thought?"
"I don't know... perhaps it's because you have these advanced-looking devices with you," Luka stated thoughtfully. "At least from what I heard, Ilias Continent doesn't exactly offer the luxury of intricate equipment or these machines you have."
"You're right about that, but just because I own these crazy gadgets, doesn't mean I'm rich. And it's not like my family was initially accustomed to the concepts and ideas of science and technology. My brother and I just sorta picked up on it when we discovered the M.A.D.s. If you want to ask whether the people in Iliasport are aware of these machines, I have no idea. We didn't think it'd be fine to just tell everyone what we discovered and it wasn't like they were interested in things like these when we did tell a few people about them."
Unbeknownst to the two men, the lamia was intensely scrutinizing something in her mind until it hit her in the head about something that she should've already known. Valon unconsciously emphasized an important detail for her. She was slightly surprised why she hadn't considered that thought and admittedly, she was ashamed that it took her this long to realize it.
Forming a wicked smile on her face, she interrupted Luka and Valon's conversation by bombarding the latter with questions about the other devices that the man owned. Luka tried to alleviate the situation while Valon tried his best to keep up with the questions while also making sure he was only explaining the things that he wanted them to know. Alice knew that the man was still trying to hide something, despite his detailed responses, but she now had a good idea why. The rest of the trip to the group's destination involved vigorous amounts of explanations from an exhausted man.
The group finally arrived at their destination. From where they were standing, they could see the impressive mountain range stretching across the horizon; numerous species of flora dominated the area, and a few birds and small critters loitering around. They were greeted with the serene silence of nature after the noisy aura they were surrounded by before arriving—the majority of them came from the now-extremely-tired man who had to explain his belongings for a long time continuously.
"Alright, we're here," Alice broke the silence. "Now... where do we even look? This huge mountain range will take forever to search."
"Maybe we could help Valon look for this signal first," Luka suggested. "Then maybe we might find these bandits along the way."
"Huh, that's honestly the smartest thing you have ever said in this journey, I'm impressed."
"What's that supposed to mean?!"
Valon ignored the usual arguments that his companions always got themselves in, composing himself as he tried to think of a plan to execute a course of action. The lamia brought up a good point about finding the bandits. It would've been no problem if the situation was exactly as it was from the game because the bandits presented themselves to Luka a few moments when he and Alice arrived in this place. But if the townspeople in Iliasburg claimed that they had not heard about the bandits for a few weeks from now, then it was likely that either they were in a more remote area of the mountains...
Or they're not here at all... NO! We won't know for sure if we don't try to look for them.
Valon was about to tell Luka and Alice about his plan when he suddenly remembered another important detail—the fights that Luka will get into. The technician was more determined than before to limit his interaction with the hero's battles. He wondered what would happen if seeing the bandits face to face would bring more adverse effects to the storyline.
Wait a minute... these are the bandits we're talking about... I think I know what to do.
Confident with the plan he constructed in a short time, Valon approached his acquaintances. "Why don't we split up then?"
"Huh?" Luka and Alice exclaimed in unison.
"Okay, hear me out. The townspeople never actually told me exactly where the bandits are in these mountains and I'm currently tracking down this signal on my M.A.D. If we go together to do both places without a guarantee of the bandits being in the exact same location as this signal, which is something we know the whereabouts of, we'd be wasting more valuable time than if we split up to cover more ground. You two go and search for possible places that could be the bandits' hideout like maybe a cave or something while I'll follow the signal. And hey, maybe I can find the bandits too while I'm at it."
I really hope I don't...
Both Luka and Alice pondered the man's bold suggestion. Luka was quick to discern the suggestion and thought that it was a smart plan. Alice also agreed that the man's proposal was well-thought-out but she suspected that there was possibly an underlying reason as to why Valon considered splitting up. It could just plainly be because he was genuinely being analytical about the situation considering his background but she couldn't help but think that there was something more to his reasoning.
Taking her latest revelation about him into consideration, she couldn't deny that the man was quick to think on his feet, and not just in dire situations. And for someone who once claimed that they were still getting used to being around monsters, to boldly suggest something that would get him in a situation where he might confront monsters by himself, brought a lot of questions. But she also remembered how the man was able to handle himself against someone like Granberia and figured that it was perhaps because he was still getting himself accustomed to the idea of traveling with a monster.
Or perhaps it was more because he was angry and that anger drove him to do something that he normally wouldn't be able to do without the influence of a powerful emotion. Still mixed with heavy confusion in her mind, she decided that she'll figure out things for herself later. The mountain range was a big place and it would take a considerable amount of time to look for every corner and crevice to find where the bandits were. And if it meant lessening their time finding them, she would take any suggestion she could get.
"Alright, your plan seems reasonable and logical," Alice spoke in approval. "But how long would we search in the mountains? Surely we won't thoroughly search this whole place? Also, where and how would we meet up?"
They gotta be here, right? But if they're really not, which is a scary possibility, what would we do? And what will happen if we don't find them?
"I'll go and look for the detected signal first. Once I do, I'll try to search for the bandits for an hour... at best. If I still don't find them, I'll meet you back here in this exact spot. Then... we can try to search one last time, just to make sure. But if they're really not here... then we have no choice but to leave."
"How annoying... having to search for an hour and then search again just to make sure if they're here or not?" Alice scoffed in irritation. "Even if they're really here, it'd probably take us a few days or so to find them. If that was the case then why don't we just leave them alone? If they wanted to hide where no one else can find them, it's probably for a good reason."
The fact that the Goblin Girl hasn't made her appearance yet means there's something very wrong going on. Ughh... why can't this just be easy?
"But they're disturbing the peace in Iliasburg, we can't just let them do whatever they want," Luka argued before realizing something. "You don't think they're hiding because they're being hunted by the townsfolk, are they?"
"Possibly, but we don't know for sure unless we figure it out ourselves," Alice responded before turning her attention to Valon. "Well, what are you waiting for? Don't you have a signal to follow?"
"Oh yeah, my bad," Valon remarked before leaving his companions. "Catch you two later!"
Luka was about to say something but a thought suddenly ran into his mind, stopping him from forming the words he wanted to say. Eventually, Luka turned to Alice before going straight to the mountain range. Alice was quick to perceive the unusual silence and behavior that the hero was showing and decided that since it was just the two of them again, she'd raise questions about her concerns.
Meanwhile, Valon ran in the opposite direction from his companions. He ran far away from their sight until he found a large bush to hide into. He hid in the bushes before taking off his backpack. He was about to execute his plan when he heard a familiar noise nearby. He immediately checked the interface in his M.A.D. and saw a notification. He felt surprised when he saw a blinking red dot at the edge of the radar screen.
No... way...
The technician didn't know if he should be happy for technically not lying to his companions about his M.A.D. being able to actually detect a signal in the mountains or if he should be mad for the pity that the universe was offering him because of all the stress he had been experiencing from all the things that happened to him in this journey. It seemed unlikely that it was coincidental, but if a nearby C.O.S.M.O. tech was being detected or a Delta Cosmoknight was nearby, it was his priority to check it out.
Valon stopped himself momentarily when he remembered what he was supposed to do before he spotted the signal. He was going to grab one of his recon orbs but he wouldn't be able to fully manipulate it if he was tracking down something. It was important for him to monitor every action that Luka did so that he would be prepared when something that wasn't in the storyline happened unexpectedly.
"Valon!"
A familiar cry snapped the man out of his thoughts. As much as he wanted to help Luka, his primary objective was to look for his brother. And if it meant checking every signal that his M.A.D. was detecting by temporarily leaving Luka on his own...
Sorry Luka... but this is something I need to do first...
With mixed feelings and doubts forming in his mind, he clenched his fists as he dashed towards the signal. He climbed on one side of a nearby mountain, heading towards another slope formation. He quickly traversed the uneven terrain while also paying close attention to his surroundings. He didn't want to encounter any of the four bandits or any monsters that might lurk around the slightly visible areas near him.
Eventually, he stopped in his tracks after looking back at his M.A.D. He looked around him and saw a steep rock formation. He verified through his M.A.D. once more and realized that the signal could be somewhere on top of the rock formation. Valon quickly tried to find a path or a trail that might lead him to the top when he saw more steep rock formations stretching out of his peripheral vision. The technician didn't have time to make a lengthy detour so he would just have to climb.
He tried to activate his grappling hook, only to remember that Granberia slashed the rope base of the module with her sword, rendering it completely useless. He sighed in annoyance as he proceeded to use small crevices on the tall rock formation that he could get his hands on. The division may not have taught him about directly confronting Aresians or effective fighting techniques against magical monster girls but what he did learn as well as all the other extractors in C.O.S.M.O was parkour.
He used his legs to orient himself in a good position, jumping vertically towards a nearby part of the rock with his hands quickly grabbing onto another narrow fissure of the rock formation. He quickly stuck one of his feet on a rough surface in a position nearly as high as his waist. Then aligning himself to the next part of the rock, he slightly held back from his current position and then used the gained momentum to swing to the far left side of the rock. In a quick motion, he grabbed onto another crevice, and finally using another ounce of his strength, he quickly jumped over the rock formation with one of his legs until his chest was greeted by a flat surface.
Valon stood up, dusting himself before proceeding towards what appeared to be a cave. He looked at his M.A.D. and noticed that he was close to the signal. He entered the opening of the cave, remaining vigilant of his surroundings. He swiftly activated a button on his neckband, activating the helmet that formed around his head. With the exoshield still in cooldown, he knew how risky it was to enter an unknown territory without a good source of protection. But the technician continued walking, with only his mind and his gadgets to rely on.
The technician turned on the night vision setting in his helmet as well as the motion sensors. The sensors were only picking up minor spikes in the interface, so Valon knew that there were only small critters that were being detected. Occasionally, he would have some thoughts running in his mind to counteract the deafening silence of the caliginous cavern; thoughts wandering from how Luka and Alice were currently doing to the lack of information about the bandits, as well as giving details about his gear was technically also an act of intervention in a major event in the story.
Valon went deeper into the cave, coming across numerous stalagmites and oddly-shaped rock formations. As far as he knew, he was just exploring another cave that the division would assign him into; either for extraction or delivery. It was just another day of cavern exploration in his world, except this time, he wasn't in his world. He was in the world of Monster Girl Quest, and in a cave that probably wasn't even shown in the game. There was a possibility that he was traversing in the hideout of the Four Bandits, but there was also a possibility that he wasn't.
And wasn't the cave like brightly lit in the game? Or maybe it was actually dark in a real-world setting that the artists probably just made the color schemes of the cave bright so the players could see.
Valon quickly stopped when his motion sensors were picking up a spiking signal. It was small, but it was more noticeable compared to the other small signals around him. He stayed still near a giant rock that he was conveniently behind at. The signal was relatively close, so the technician was surprised that it was only registered by the sensors not too long ago. Either there was a delay in the coding of the sensors or something just recently started to move. But Valon was more inclined to believe the latter.
Moving slowly behind his hiding position, he took a small peek to see the source of the signal. In a few seconds, he was in utter shock from what he saw. Right in front of him, from a few feet away, was a sentry turret gun. It had a round base with various machined parts covering the main shell, supporting the weight of the barrel. Analyzing the model from far away, Valon quickly discerned that it was an ambush artillery designed to activate when a moving target is approaching its vicinity.
A freaking Widow G3 Snare Turret?! Wha... HOW?! What is a C.O.S.M.O.-owned ambush artillery doing here in a cave, and in Monster Girl Quest no less? If it wasn't for this conveniently-placed rock, I'd probably have holes in my body right now. Although judging from the design, this is one of the oldest models of the G-Turret Series, so the locking mechanism isn't as fast as the new ones and its motion sensors aren't as optimal as the later versions... but still... what's a turret doing all the way down here?
Valon looked around for other possible threats besides the obviously-visible giant gun in front of him. He then noticed that there were torn blue clothes scattered on the ground, which he assumed were ripped pieces of fabric from a Cosmoknight uniform. He also saw a cylindrical-shaped metallic object behind the turret gun. Looking at the object, Valon could faintly recognize what it was but he needed to get a closer look for verification.
My M.A.D. is only picking up a signal in this specific area, so there are no other places besides this one that possibly has any of the organization's technology around. And from what I can see, the Delta Cosmoknight or knights that were here are nowhere to be found; either they left or they were devoured alive if the lack of their traces of existence would indicate how they died.
And there's one of C.O.S.M.O.'s turrets just right in front of me. It looks like it's in bad condition though and setting it up again would take a miracle to do. But since it most likely still has its energy core... alright, that's it, I'm dismantling that thing!
The technician took out one recon orb from his backpack and quickly slid it across the ground. The turret spotted the moving object and fired a laser projectile towards the orb, destroying it into pieces. Valon used this opportunity to quickly climb over the rock behind him, thrusting his legs in the air before throwing one of his foambombs near the direction of the turret parallel to where he would land.
The foam from the bomb expanded just quick enough for it to absorb the incoming laser projectiles that would've flown straight to the technician's body. Valon rolled towards the foam before throwing a kaboomerang towards the turret. Despite its poor condition, the turret was able to detect the incoming projectile and fired another laser projectile of its own, creating a moderately-sized explosion.
The turret quickly detected another moving target from above but before it was able to react, the target was already on top of its shell. Suddenly, the turret's online interface shut down completely, disabling the other weapon systems as well. Valon casually went down from the turret's shell after closing the weapon-user identifier in his M.A.D. He grabbed the cylindrical device beside the turret that he saw earlier, recognizing another broken M.A.D.
Delta User 032.
Another broken M.A.D. in his possession with still no useful information about the whereabouts of their users or the other members of the Delta Division. Valon frowned, placing the broken M.A.D. beside the turret before proceeding with the salvaging process.
The technician carefully dismantled the turret. He desperately needed the turret's parts, especially its energy core, so he wanted to make sure he could disable the turret without having the need to use his explosives directly. Breaking it further would result in potentially destroying the internal parts of the machine, rendering them unusable for welding and attachments.
Valon set aside the usable parts that he was able to obtain from the now-dismantled turret. He took out his backpack and contemplated on what to keep and what to discard. His backpack was already almost full of spare parts and he needed to choose wisely what to keep. He then used this opportunity to make an inventory check of his things.
Assessing everything that he had, he acknowledged that he didn't have a lot left to fully utilize. He would soon run out of the throwable weapons and he can no longer solely depend on his exoshield to protect him all the time—not without finding a way to minimize the cooldown system.
Valon contemplated for a while, deciding that he would use the time he currently had to make a few general repairs. He only needed to make sure he didn't unconsciously spend more time than he should as his companions might think something bad happened to him. Valon organized his gear and placed some of them back in his utility backpack.
But is this really a good idea? If I really wanted to minimize my interactions with every significant event in this world, wouldn't telling any sort of information about my gear technically counts as intervening directly? Even if I'm not telling them everything about my stuff, they're still gaining knowledge about what they do or how they work. And eventually, if they somehow see these sorts of machines and these M.A.D.s scattered around their world with their very own eyes, they'll ask more questions.
And if that happens progressively, they're bound to know a thing or two about C.O.S.M.O., what the organization does and why they sent their personnel here in this world, or I guess, what went wrong in the Warpgate that transported them here instead. But now that I think about it, where were they originally assigned to anyway?
Valon placed all the needed parts near him before setting up his fabricator in his backpack.
Aren't I just making this worse though? Even with my attempts to limit my interference in the story, I'm still technically doing it, simply by being here. And I have already placed myself in a dangerous situation to the point that I would need to tell them a few things about myself while making sure I don't say anything that might leak confidential information about the things I know because both Luka and Alice are already aware that I wasn't being fully honest.
Ughhh... I seriously can't stop worrying. And I'm only supposed to be looking for my brother, how the hell did I even come up with this brilliant idea to join Luka and Alice in their journey? Would I really be able to handle myself if I ventured alone? I mean, not that it was on my bucket list but I was able to hold my own against Granberia, or rather, I was able to at least put up a good fight... barely. But if I managed to avoid most of her attacks from the beginning, surely I'd be able to handle myself against monsters that are commonly found here in the Ilias Continent.
Okay, I'll stop right there. This is not the time to be complacent. Just because I managed to land a punch straight in her face doesn't mean that a less powerful monster won't be able to catch me off guard. I am still human and I currently lack the protection of the S.P.A.C.E. suit and other useful equipment back at Omicron. But maybe I can manage a little bit if I fix my rifle...
Valon heard the clicking sound coming from his fabricator, realizing that it was fully operational. Setting aside his thoughts and fully concentrating on his work, Valon grabbed his mechanical tools and used them to weld pieces of scrap metal that he had. He prioritized repairing his broken laser rifle and attached the internal electronics that he obtained from dismantling the turret. With the energy core that he acquired, it would now be possible for him to finally use his laser rifle.
The problem now, however, is that the auto-firing mechanism module broke during the warp... and the modifications I found earlier are for precise targeting... crap...
Valon groaned in annoyance, having no choice but to use what he had in the given situation. He started welding the pieces of scrap metal to support the various modifications around the firearm. He also made tweaks and adjustments to the circuits and electrical wires to mitigate the new functionalities that the modifications offered. It wouldn't be the same as the convenient automatic laser rifle he formerly had back when he was still in his world, but it would still provide more decent firepower than just relying on his throwable weapons.
What could've happened with the Delta Cosmoknights anyway? If there are pieces of torn uniforms, leftover equipment, and broken M.A.D.s all over the place, it's most likely that they're dead, at least that's what a normal person would think. And thinking about it now, even if they were at least 30 or maybe 100 of them that were sent on this mission, I could understand how they would all hold back in using the MA Series.
With the MA Series like the MA3 or the MA4 and a hundred individuals using them all at the same time, they'd be an unstoppable army. With all the benefits and power-ups they'd receive from just a single dosage, they'd be able to take down some of the most powerful monsters in this world. I don't know if the MA series would make someone magic-proof though so I guess that's another factor. But without the MA1 alleviating the side effects, it's a no-brainer that they wouldn't depend on using them a lot, or they might just completely avoid using them at all.
Valon momentarily stopped in making adjustments in the microcontrollers inside his laser rifle as he turned on his M.A.D. He pressed a window in his interface, patiently waiting for something to pop up on the screen. After a few minutes, his device showed a series of results that he wasn't fully expecting, but something that he welcomed openly.
"User has no traces of the Arevirus infection."
Valon was initially doubtful, especially after realizing that his emotions got the best of him again. It wasn't that he didn't trust the results shown in his device nor did it mean that he was fully trusting the machine. He was aware of a few gray areas in a series of cases regarding the performance scans for signs or symptoms of infection, he himself already undergo a thorough checkup before he was even assigned to Omicron. No, it was the strange feeling of paranoia caused by a small form of cultural shock and the added stress that came with the package deal.
From a sick viewpoint though, this would be the ideal place to live in. There aren't any traces of Aresoid in this world. No Aresians, no Arevirus, nor anything related to the 2032 incident. A world similar to Earth but healthier and without any sort of cosmic anomalies... but replace those problems with nymphomaniac monsters, perverted predators, and a genocidal goddess. Oh yes, and the concept of magic... don't forget about magic.
Valon continued fixing the remaining parts of the rifle and eventually, he finished the general repairs. There were still some parts that he needed for it to work the way he wanted to and he needed to wait for the energy core to fully charge before using it, but nonetheless, he now had a working firearm. He looked at the time in his M.A.D. and noticed that an hour and a few minutes had passed. He decided that he'd just repair some of the broken pieces of equipment he had for another time.
He placed the rifle back in its holder that was attached to his backpack before walking back towards the entrance of the cave. He was slightly satisfied with the work he had done in fixing his most reliable weapon. It felt that repairing one of his gadgets was an effective method to calm him down from all the stress he was feeling—almost as if it was a therapeutic activity. And it made him feel better that with a somewhat functioning rifle, he might just finally be able to venture into the world of MGQ on his own without needing the assistance of the main protagonists of the game.
But I need a better barrel than the one I got from the turret in order for me to decrease the interval of the cocking mechanism... I need to find a better one. Maybe if I can find another turret but in better conditio—
Valon suddenly stopped in his tracks when he saw a glimpse of a signal spiking in his helmet's interface. It went by fast and he didn't know exactly where it came from. In the next second, he was on full alert, trying to remember where he saw the signal in his interface while walking slowly in a crouching position. He didn't know if it was an immediate threat but the training protocols he had received for the last three years was that running away while a looming threat was nearby wasn't a good idea.
But in this case, he wished he had made a run for it. In an instant, he saw a shadowy blur tackle him from above. Valon wasn't quick enough to react but the momentum from the charging attack knocked the both of them over a good distance towards one of the stalagmites. Hitting the giant stalagmite made them separate from each other as both of them were hurled across on opposite sides.
Sliding across the rough surface, the technician managed to roll backwards before ending in a single-leg kneel position. Valon tried to quickly assess what was going on and what the attacker was but a loud roar in front of him caught his immediate attention. Ahead of him was his assailant, making loud grunts and noises in quick succession. It was humanoid in form; had pale white skin, cedar brown hair, beastly eyes with slit-shaped irises, and was wearing torn clothing. But the most eye-catching physical characteristics were its giant wings where its arms should be and its bird-like talons where its legs should be.
Is that... a harpy girl? But why does it look like that?
Valon could also see the creature's sharp fangs—fangs that were apparently getting dangerously close. Realizing that the creature was flying towards him, Valon quickly grabbed a flashbomb from his belt before jumping to his side and throwing it to his former spot, just before the enraged harpy got to him. He was slightly affected by the detonation but the helmet he was wearing mostly helped in limiting the straining effects of the flashbomb.
Without glancing back at the Monster Girl, Valon ran towards the entrance of the cave. He could see it from where he was but he still needed to cover the remaining distance and even if he got out, there was nothing that can stop the monster from following him outside. Valon grabbed one of his kaboomerangs but before he was able to throw it, he felt something heavy hitting him from behind, making him drop the boomerang.
Valon was knocked down to the ground once again but he swiftly positioned himself to face his assailant, punching it in the face before it was able to do anything to him. The creature was hurled back from the force of the punch before retaliating with a jump attack. The creature used its large wings to pin the man down. But instead of feeling the seductive aura that the usual monsters give off in the world of Monster Girl Quest, Valon could only feel the pure savagery of a beast who was out to kill.
Here he was, currently laying on the ground beneath the harpy girl; instinctively using his arms to defend himself from the creature's attempts to bite his face off. He didn't know why but the monster was continuously opening and closing its jaws, almost as if it was determined to eat his flesh. It was even more uncomfortable with how the monster kept roaring and making loud grunting noises while moving its wings and legs violently.
The monster wasn't talking, only making angry noises. There was no sexual intercourse or anything perverted, only pure violence and the intent to kill. There was no Monster Girl, only a Monster. Valon didn't know what was going on nor why the harpy girl was attacking him like that. His ability to process things could barely catch up with his survival instincts.
And even if his helmet made the experience slightly bearable, he still didn't want to risk his protective headgear getting destroyed by the creature. Valon was too busy defending himself and his ears could only hear the constant grunting noises that the creature kept making that he failed to realize that his M.A.D. was making an alarm sound—which only lasted a few seconds before shutting off.
The technician looked around him and found plenty of rocks within his reach. He waited for the monster to lean slightly back before jamming a long rocky stalactite in its mouth. He then punched its face, knocking the creature off of him, before delivering a sweeping kick. The monster fell to the ground but quickly stood back up with the help of its wings, lunging towards Valon. The man responded with a long sidestep, throwing a foambomb in the monster's flight direction.
The bomb exploded, releasing a quick expanding foam that wrapped the creature within seconds. The monster struggled intensely to try and break free from the solidified foam formation but the creature couldn't get out of the trap. Valon grabbed the explosive boomerang that he dropped earlier then he grabbed another one from his belt, throwing the both of them at the cavern ceiling.
Both of the boomerangs produced a ringing sound before detonating, destroying the rocky formations and the numerous stalactites where the creature was. Valon dashed out of the area of the explosion until he made his way to a tunnel opening. He made out just in time before a plethora of stalactites fell from the other side of the opening, completely collapsing from the explosion. The explosion was strong enough to affect a decently-sized area of the cave but the other parts of the cave remained unaffected.
Valon was finally able to let go of his breath he didn't realize he was holding as he sat near the cavern walls. The helmet's automatic filtering system helped him catch his breath without compromising his ability to see from any of the fogging that might occur. He tried to relax his body from the growing fatigue while trying to process the recent events that took place.
What the hell was that thing?! Why was it like that? Why was it trying to attack me? That was a monster girl, right? I mean it looked like a harpy girl except it looked like it was tormented in war or something. And it didn't look like it was trying to molest me either... what the hell is going on?!
Before Valon was able to process more, he heard faint noises coming from the rocks that were blocking the tunnel opening. Valon quickly stood up from the sudden commotion, alarmed by the numerous possibilities. A loud roar was heard before a sudden burst of impact shook the entire area of the cavern where the technician was. The man staggered from the strong force as he stabilized himself, horrified to see what had happened.
The rocks blocking the tunnel opening were nowhere to be found and were instead replaced by one of the scariest abominations the man had ever seen in his life. It was tall with giant wings that had numerous spiky tendrils protruding them. There were also sharp spines running across its entire body with its razor teeth extending out of its jaws. It had a tail with spherical blobs that emanated a faint green glow, eyes that were crimson red, and w-shaped horns over its forehead.
W-w-w-what... t-the...
Valon's adrenal instinct pushed him to flee as far away as possible but he felt a splash of burning liquid on the edge of his feet making him trip to the ground. He looked back at the creature and realized that it spitted something acidic from its mouth. Valon didn't have time to process how the creature practically puked acid on him for it was quickly heading towards him. He felt like something hit him at the speed of light and he was only able to catch a black blur before realizing that he was on the ground once more.
He felt the monster on top of him, fully witnessing the creature's gaping jaws of death that was above him. He tried to push the creature off of him like he did before but he found out that the monster seemed heavier and stronger for his arms to handle. His arms that he was using to defend himself were losing the pushing game. Valon used the creature's movement timing to score a heavy punch straight to its face but was shocked when it barely flinched from the impact.
The creature then responded with a loud roar and suddenly, he could feel its spasmodic movements slowly crush him to the ground. Its progressive movements and continuous flailing of its limbs were making it harder for him to push back with his arms. Valon then grabbed one of his flashbombs and then shoved it into the creature's face. The explosion did its work but the technician was shocked that the creature didn't move back when the bomb detonated.
It was, however, slightly caught off guard by the aftereffects of the flash, and the technician utilized this small window of time to roll away to his side. Valon grabbed one of his foambombs and jumped over the creature who was still under the effects of the flashbomb, throwing it at the creature's back and then using the expanding foam to vault further away.
Not being able to catch a break, he was surprised yet again when the creature instantly broke free from the solidified foam. No longer having much of a choice, Valon threw two kaboomerangs straight at the creature. The two miniature explosives detonated the moment they made contact with the creature; producing a moderately-sized cloud of smoke afterwards.
He wasn't sure if it would hurt or even kill the monster as it appeared that it was stronger and more durable than before—if there was even a chance that he was fighting the same monster. Valon didn't want to waste another second before making a mad dash towards the cave's entrance. He then threw two more kaboomerangs towards the cavern ceiling as he was running away. However, when he took a small glance behind him, he saw the smoke slowly fading away and the monster now flying towards him.
The two kaboomerangs that he threw at the ceiling finally exploded; numerous formations of stalactites and rocks suddenly fell to the ground. Valon looked back again, his eyes filled with utter horror when he saw the creature viciously destroying numerous giant rocks that were falling on top of it with its wings. Some even hit it directly but they weren't enough to stagger the creature in the slightest, and it didn't help that the creature wasn't slowing down and was constantly gaining up on him.
What the hell am I fighting up against?!
Valon quickly contemplated his options. His bombs were barely effective, his exoshield was still in cooldown, and his laser rifle was still charging and needed a few parts for better shooting. He is physically unable to outrun the monster because it was faster than him nor could he outmuscle it because it was stronger and more durable than he could ever hope to be. It apparently had other abilities like spitting acid and not to mention that it had razor-sharp teeth that could probably bite through metal. His only choice was to make it out of the entrance and hope that it wouldn't be able to chase him when he was outside.
Everything went to hell when he felt the creature knocking him down. Fortunately, he was able to quickly position himself so he was facing the monster and not facing the ground, but it did little to alleviate the bellowing tension in his mind. He was being pushed down once again as the monster repeated its attempts to bite him. Valon quickly defended himself with his arms but the moment he pushed the creature with his right arm, he felt its teeth pierce through his flesh.
Valon screamed in agony, feeling the sharp jaws locking in place inside his arm. It was painful and he quickly felt the burning-icy trickles of blood oozing out of his arm. The sensations of pain were slowly being replaced by the lingering fear that felt familiar to him. The only thing his eyes could see was the savage and relentless bloodthirsty creature that was determined to kill him. He was still pinned on the ground, forced to be face to face with the creature that would undoubtedly bring his demise.
His ability to think of a plan and the desire to struggle or fight back was being diminished by the sensations of pure terror that was somehow not new to him. His mind was overwhelmed by anxiety and hopelessness. He could feel his mind slowly shutting down and his chest tightening from the sudden pressure in his lungs. His arms were getting weaker and his body was becoming more fatigued from trying to push the monster back.
Then in the depths of his mind, he could see the familiar landscape of red and orange. He could faintly hear screams and noises reverberating through him. It was a dark welcome of something well-known to him, a bleak reminder. Shadowy figures loomed in the distance, dancing in the reflected lights. Then there was him, by the fire, near the darkest figure his frightful eyes could see. It was tall, it was big, it was powerful, and it wanted to kill.
Amidst the chaos that was happening in his mind, his ears heard a loud piercing wail in front of him. He snapped back from his senses and noticed that he was no longer being pushed to the ground. Standing up reflexively, he was confused about what was going on around him and where he was when he finally recognized the creature ahead of him. He was about to run away and seize the opportunity to escape when he noticed that the creature was convulsing vigorously.
It was shaking intensely, as if it was having a seizure attack, and was making distorted and incomprehensible noises. Then out of the blue, the creature burst itself; its entire body in pieces flying across the cave accompanied by the blood splatters that were all over the vicinity of the cave. Valon was too surprised to register the different events that took place and how fast they occurred.
A painful sting from his arm eventually caught his attention and for the first time since the monster suddenly burst itself in multiple directions, he decided to move from his position.
"I'm assuming that you didn't find these bandits?" Alice asked for confirmation.
Valon had finally met up with Luka and Alice from the base of the mountain range after some time. He was trying to stabilize himself as he didn't want his acquaintances to know the hellish experience he had been through, especially about his injured arm. Even if telling them wouldn't technically be about risking dangerous information about himself, he acknowledged that any new or unexpected information that he came across that wasn't conveyed clearly in the game, were things that he would omit telling straightforwardly.
Information was still information after all, and the fact alone that the occurrences that took place didn't happen from the game is already a good reason in itself to conceal it. If there would be a right time to disclose such information then he would do so without a second thought, but right now, he felt that it wasn't the appropriate time.
"No luck on my end," Valon answered. "I guess you weren't able to find them too, huh?"
"No, we didn't," Luka replied with a frown. "We searched every cave opening we could find, but nothing."
Valon's worst fears came true—the four bandits weren't in the Irina Mountains. Even if they were somehow in a well-hidden area around the mountains, he could no longer think of a good reason to motivate the group to search the place thoroughly. It would also make sense to consider what that man he talked to earlier in Iliasburg told him about the current status of the bandits. It was possible that they moved to another place due to different circumstances.
Worst-case scenarios included either being kidnapped or that they were already dead. As much as how bothersome to think of such possibilities, they would all be entirely possible; whether Valon's previous acts of interference had a direct effect or not. But overall, Valon was too tired to think of anything related to the consequences of his intervention and was more focused on making sure that his companions didn't find out about his injured arm and the vicious and violent harpy girl that he encountered earlier.
"We didn't even encounter a single monster."
Well, I did.
"Well... alright, I'm too tired to continue to look anyway. I got the stuff I was looking for though, but still no signs of my brother, just more scrap metal," Valon sighed in disappointment. "I apologize if it looked like you wasted your time."
"I wouldn't say a complete waste of time, for we found this," Alice responded by taking out a shiny red sphere. "But finding this in such a place, truly odd."
It's the red orb, the first of the six orbs required to awaken Garuda to reach Hellgondo. If they acquired it without encountering any of the bandits then it's either that they never had it in the first place or that something bad happened to them. Well, at least we have it now, though I can't say if it's implying that the four bandits could be possibly dead.
Valon could only grit his teeth in frustration from acknowledging the possibility. Not only were they still young but the four of them played a major role in the game's storyline, specifically the lamia girl, the vampire girl, and the dragon girl. They were the ones who helped in defending Iliasburg in the third part of the game but now that they weren't here, Valon was unsure of the possible future outcomes.
"I still don't know why we need that shiny red orb," Luka remarked. "It could belong to some rich person and we're probably just stealing it."
"I assure you that it doesn't."
"Then at least tell me what it's for!"
"I'll tell you soon enough, but not now," Alice gave a small smile, getting an annoyed reaction from the young hero. "Well, that clears up everything here. You found this signal that you were looking for and we acquired this orb, but we couldn't find the bandits."
"Does not finding the bandits bother you, Valon?" Luka asked in concern. "We can try to look for them now that we're back together."
"Nah, we have already spent a lot of time here. It's also likely that they moved somewhere else. And to answer your question, no, not really. I was just slightly disappointed that it wasn't my brother's device that was detected. But I won't give up, I won't stop until I find him."
"Hmm... you seem a bit disheveled. Did something happen?" Alice asked curiously.
"I had a little issue with trying to dismantle a moving machine, but otherwise, I'm fine. Don't worry it was just a really tedious process."
Alice gave her signature 'suspicious' gaze towards Valon, but the man didn't budge an inch from his position. Eventually, she dropped her analytic stare, giving a small sigh.
"Then now that we're done here, I suppose we'll head to Happiness Village next."
"Yes, according to the Sutherland Innkeeper, there might be some big event happening there."
"You're right, we should take a look. If there's something going on, they won't be able to make their honey. It would be a disaster if I couldn't have any more Ama-Ama Dangos."
"Alright, alright, we get it, Alice," Luka rolled his eyes before turning towards his other companion. "You ready, Valon?"
Valon momentarily stared at the horizon before turning his gaze to the hero, giving his response. "Yeah, let's go."
The technician kept his stable composure, trying to fight through the pain that was aggravating his arm. He already treated his wound with various antiseptics and bandages, but the sting from the monster's bite remained. Countless thoughts such as his unexpected encounter with the most vicious harpy he had ever seen, the odd transformation of the same harpy girl that made it look more terrifying, the absence of the four bandits, and his current predicaments overwhelmed his mind.
However, he was too tired to fully process all the recent events one by one. He was already exhausted from fighting the most violent monster he had seen so far and he was also trying to ease through the painful sting coming from his arm—which was also tiresome to do. He continued walking with his companions towards their next destination.
What Valon wasn't aware of, however, was that amidst the chaos of everything that was happening while Valon was struggling to push the savage harpy girl that was trying to bite him earlier, his M.A.D. started to produce a siren-like sound. A cerulean box appeared in the device's interface, displaying three words that kept blinking in short intervals.
"Warning: Aresoid Detected!"
