"We still have a long way to go to reach the cave," Alice remarked. "But we should arrive at our destination tomorrow."
Around the campfire, the Monster Lord sat across the aspiring hero. She had been the one initiating conversations ever since the third member of the group left them but she was always met with the same results—either Luka was too distracted in his thoughts that he didn't hear anything from her or he'd straight out dismiss the conversation because he wasn't in the mood.
"Luka?"
There he was again, lost in his thoughts, gazing absentmindedly at the fire in front of him. Alice thought that he was becoming more like Valon because of how unresponsive he often was. It had been several hours since Valon left them and while Luka interacted with the people back at Iliasport, he spent most of the day sulking silently and questioning why Valon had left.
"Luka."
She understood how the young hero felt but if he was going to continue on this journey, it was foolish to let his melancholy constantly weigh on him. Alice could no longer stand looking at him like this. As much as she hated admitting that she absolutely loved seeing his crying face, for reasons she couldn't properly describe, it was unpleasant to constantly feel his sadness.
"Luka!"
"H-huh? Yeah, Alice? D-did you say something?"
"Good grief, at this point, I may as well talk to myself. How long are you going to be like that?"
Alice noticed that Luka was finally paying attention but instead of uttering a reply, he simply lowered his head with the same gloomy expression.
"Oh, would you snap out of it already? You're going to get yourself killed if you will continue to act like that once we reach the Treasure Cave," Alice lightly admonished. "You want to continue with this journey, right? Then pull yourself together!"
"You're right, I-I... I'm sorry, Alice... I guess I've just been... thinking a lot lately."
"You literally almost tripped over a rock two minutes ago."
Alice was about to exclaim how similar he was with Valon but she quickly stopped herself. It wasn't that his name left bad memories but she thought it was unwise to bring it up in the open. She once asked him a while ago if he would like to take a break from this adventure for a little while. She wasn't opposed to the idea of a respite as she also had some things to think deeply about but he refused.
To his credit, Alice was slightly relieved that the hero had no intentions of stopping his quest towards her castle. But if he wasn't being a stubborn idiot, she honestly thought that the boy could use a break to sort out his feelings. She glanced at the dejected hero before sighing in exhaustion, her expression gradually softening.
"Was it true?"
Alice was prepared to just call it a day and rest when his question caught her off guard. She was curious about what Luka was talking about so she opted to be silent and let him finish what he had to say.
"Valon said that he was an obstacle to us, that he was holding us down that's why he left. Was it true? Do you also believe what he said?"
Alice pondered Luka's question. This wasn't the first time Luka asked her why Valon left them or anything related to that incident. She would always answer that she didn't know and he would sulk or sometimes cry silently after that. She didn't want to upset Luka any more than he was with a half-baked response and even if she had theories about it, she didn't want to pretend that she knew everything.
For this particular question, though, she knew what Luka was pertaining to as she was also there, hiding in the shadows while listening to everything Valon told him before he left. At first, yes, that's what she thought and that even if he was helping Luka in his own cowardly way, he was a liability to the group due to his claims about his fear of monsters and combat inexperience.
"To be perfectly honest, I don't know. I know I've said that a lot already but the truth is, I don't really know."
After he fought Granberia and the events that took place later on, she wasn't completely sure about that idea anymore. It was clear that he lied about a few things about himself but there were some truths to his claims.
"But whether or not he was holding us down, I feel like that's not the main reason he left."
"What do you mean, Alice?"
Alice recalled her conversation with Luka back at the Irina Mountains when Valon left to check for the signal he found. She asked him what was wrong considering she was painfully aware of his downcast mood and his strange behavior at that time. With a little persuasion, she finally got him to talk.
Luka revealed how he felt upset for being too weak and that he felt frustrated with himself for always depending on her or on Valon to help him out of trouble. He explained his doubts about being a hero and if he really was someone people could count on.
He also admitted that he was a little jealous of Valon, that despite being scared of monsters, he was still able to help him against someone like Granberia and that was also when he revealed what upset him the most. He blamed himself and felt guilty for being too weak that Valon had to fight for him which led him to be severely injured.
Alice already suspected his sentiments after they brought Valon to the medical ward in the Sutherland Inn but she wanted him to tell her how he felt. Which was why she found the tension between the two to be ridiculous.
Luka was concerned for Valon and he didn't like it whenever he got hurt for his sake so he preferred that he just hid whenever he would fight a monster. Luka also wanted to prove that he was capable of handling battles by himself and didn't want to keep being dependent for external assitance.
Valon was also concerned for Luka but was too afraid to fight monsters alongside him. And if he would help the fake hero, he would do it in an indirect manner without physically being involved in combat.
At first, their outlooks were actually in agreement; Luka wouldn't be too worried about Valon if he just stayed hidden and Valon wouldn't have to deal with the monster girls. But then the whole thing gets thrown away when a part of them were in contrast to their original stances: Luka's genuine gratitude and appreciation for Valon's assistance because of his loneliness and Valon's willingness to interfere directly despite his hesitation whenever Luka was in a dire situation.
Alice could merely rub her temples in frustration from the absurdity caused by her two idiotic companions. What's even funnier was that their awkward confrontation before could've been avoided if Valon hadn't been so evasive with the topic and if Luka hadn't been so afraid to bring it up earlier.
And it seemed like they were in favor of the current arrangement where they both get what they wanted but truthfully, it was clear that neither of them liked said arrangement. However, Alice chose to remain silent and decided that it was best for the two to resolve the problems themselves.
She understood Luka's standpoint at the very least. But as for Valon's case, she didn't understand him at all. It was clear that the man cared for Luka or he wouldn't have saved him on more than one occasion. And if his battle against Granberia and the Queen Harpy taught her anything, it was that Valon was willing to fight against a powerful monster to protect Luka even if it meant getting nearly killed.
But that brings her to her point, why did he suddenly leave then? If he wanted to help Luka get stronger then he could've actually helped him train or help him directly in the battlefield since he's clearly capable in combat. He wasn't merely afraid of monsters but he appeared to be afraid of fighting them for some reason. Was it violence that he was afraid of?
"I didn't want to say anything because you looked so distraught and I didn't want to upset you any further," Alice stated, sighing heavily. "But one reason I can think of is that he's afraid of you."
"Me?" Luka asked incredulously. "Valon's afraid of me?"
"Not really afraid of you specifically, but from what I can tell, he's uncomfortable around Ilias's followers."
When Luka's surprised expression didn't change, Alice continued.
"I recall him telling us that he has told the people from Iliasport about his findings on the M.A.D.s he found in his home. He did it initially but then he stopped when he must have realized that the people would shun him for it. It would also explain why he was so clandestine about his 'gadgets.'"
"What's that got to do with Ilias though?"
"Didn't Ilias once forbid humans from using technology? I'm not an expert when it comes to matters like these but even until today, I've read some books and heard from certain areas around the world that technology, especially highly advanced ones is heavily frowned upon by the pilgrims."
"Oh... I have heard of that..."
"It would also explain why Valon didn't seem interested in joining you in your daily prayers and why his answer was extremely vague when you asked him why Ilias forbade human and monster relations. Perhaps he doesn't dislike Ilias herself but he must have been afraid of her devoted followers who most likely didn't approve his scientific endeavors."
This would also explain why Valon is hesitant to fight monsters. He obviously does not see them necessarily as enemies but rather he just shows that he's afraid of them so as to not upset Ilias. His fear could also be genuine but he doesn't seem to show prejudice against them and instead of helping Luka fight directly, he'd either just exhibit fear or help in other non-violent methods to appear neutral on both sides.
He probably also agrees that Ilias's viewpoints on monsters are wrong but he's just too afraid to voice his thoughts. And since he cares about Luka, he doesn't want to oppose his beliefs and is prepared to help him directly if he feels like Luka is being overwhelmed. But that makes him no different from Luka at all, it's just that Luka acknowledges the conflicts with his beliefs whereas Valon is just too scared to say anything.
"So Valon's afraid of me that I might get mad at him for disobeying Ilias's commandments?"
"If you think about it, his fear is justified. I've read records from decades ago that Ilias's worshippers, especially the more dogmatic ones, ruthlessly lynch humans who would deviate from her commandments no matter how small the act is. I'm not sure if that is still being practiced today but even if it's not, Valon was probably mistreated for his acts."
"But I don't mind his scientific works. I won't judge him for that! And I'm pretty sure that there are more and more humans who are embracing technological advancements."
"Still doesn't change the fact that he may not hold Ilias in such a high regard compared to you or any other humans here on this continent," Alice remarked with a smug smile. "Honestly, does that still surprise you? Valon's fear and insecurities are proof enough that Ilias's commandments are foolish and ruthless."
"I... I'm sure Ilias... has... a plan... err... I don't... well... I'm not going to hate him for that, even if he... doesn't worship Ilias like I do..." Luka trailed off, doubts forming in his thoughts. "So... does that mean he... hates me?"
"I highly doubt that. If he hated you, he wouldn't have saved you from Granberia or from the Queen Harpy. And he wouldn't have helped you all those times if he did," Alice stated in a reassuring tone. "No, I'd say that he cares about you just as much as you care about him."
For the first time after those unbearable hours of sorrow, the lamia could finally see a faint smile on the hero's face.
"And to be honest, I'm not entirely sure if Valon was really mistreated by the locals in Iliasport. He said it himself that he didn't dislike the place but then again, he did leave us when we were heading there so he could've lied about it again."
"Hmm... if that was the case, I wonder what the people did to him."
"I don't really know what it is they did or if they even did something or if Valon just didn't like that place for a completely different reason. And besides, that's just one of my assumptions. The one I lean on the most is that perhaps, Valon has some sort of past trauma that's been haunting him."
"Past trauma?"
"That is the most logical conclusion I can think of. While he claimed he had no experience in combat, that only turned out to be partially true as we both saw what he could do. I have reason to believe that he had gone on an adventure before, most likely with his brother. And whatever occurred in that journey of his, might have made an impact on his life that affected him severely."
"Hmm... that does make a lot of sense."
"With how much he hides information about himself and how he constantly makes half-baked claims, not to mention his growing anxiety for his brother, it's reasonable to assume that his brother suddenly going missing could be correlated with his previous adventures somehow."
"I guess. But wait, I remember him saying that his brother went on a trip and he would often receive letters from him about his travels. All of sudden, though, he stopped receiving letters."
"Oh yeah, he did mention something like that. Hmm... then maybe it's not a family matter but more of a personal matter of trauma," Alice sighed in frustration. "Honestly, I don't know anymore. With all the thinking I've done, I just get more confused about all of this."
Even if she did acknowledge the man's trauma as his source of fear and the validity it held, Valon's fear was just the tip of the iceberg. There were so many things about the mysterious man that confused the lamia to no end. He was the one who was interested in finding the bandits and if he had a trauma related to his previous adventures, why did he willingly suggest splitting up when they were in the Irina Mountains?
It was possible that he was still ambivalent about showing whatever the source of the signal was to them just as he was hesitant whenever he explained how his gadgets work. And if he wanted to further distance himself from the group with his decision to split up, it almost felt like he was forcing himself to do it which clashes with his concern for Luka's well-being.
Alice was also suspicious of Valon's knowledge about the history of harpies. He once mentioned that the harpies may ambush them, a tactic used by previous harpy monarchs in battle. She questioned how Valon, a human, knew such vital information about the harpies' history, information that is not widely known among monsters. But it was also possible that Valon was either just paranoid or speaking from personal experience.
And it wasn't that he kept his word to keep an eye out on Happiness Village anyhow as he fought the Queen Harpy alongside Luka eventually. Then there was that bite wound he got when she was eavesdropping on his conversation with the Queen Harpy. Apparently, Valon got it when he ventured alone to find that signal in the Irina Mountains, which would explain why he was always clutching his right arm.
Why did he hide his injury from them? What kind of monster did he see back then and why did it bite his arm? Other things she was curious about were his hesitation when she was choosing between him or Luka in wielding Angel Halo, his strange anger when they were in Enrika, and his odd and indescribable scent.
Yes, even his scent was confusing.
"Unfortunately, only Valon himself can tell us what's really going on with him. I can only make assumptions. And I'm sure we can both agree that it's extremely difficult to know what that man is really thinking about."
"I still have trouble understanding half of what he says whenever he's explaining how his stuff works. But I guess that's just how Valon is," Luka replied with a pained smile, which Alice quickly noticed.
And the lamia still didn't fully understand his sudden decision to leave. Even with his trauma, he wouldn't have left Luka if he really cared about him. Maybe his fear was just stronger but that didn't stop him from facing Granberia with no certainty of winning. He even had the courage to fight the Queen Harpy with an injured arm.
But after saving him thrice, he seemed to have snapped. He surely didn't think Luka was weak and he wanted Luka to handle things on his own. But what did he mean when he said that he shouldn't have even been a part of their journey?
All she could really discern was whatever that trauma was, it had a strong effect on Valon. But even if he had a justified reason, leaving Luka like that felt too selfish and tactless, especially when she recalled the fake hero's exact words after they brought peace to Happiness Village.
"Even after everything I said to him, he still helped me. I don't know why but it did feel nice... to have someone fighting alongside me..."
"Pick up your sword."
"Huh?"
"I said pick up your damn sword! We're going to train," Alice announced in an annoyed tone. "We can't let you just sulk tomorrow when you fight, idiot. If you keep getting distracted like that while fighting then you'll surely lose. Do you want that to happen?"
"N-no... of course not."
"Then get up and ready yourself. I'll teach you something that may help you concentrate better during a fight."
"Oh o-okay..."
As the disguised Monster Lord led the fake hero to an open area, her thoughts remained on Valon. There was another speculation about his behavior that she didn't give much thought but it weighed her down the most. It was clear that Valon was afraid of something. She could think of dozens of possibilities from a body or mental scar or a tragic event that happened in one of his adventures that triggered his trauma.
This could be related to his hesitation in fighting monsters as he always preferred hiding somewhere whenever Luka was about to engage in battle. But if fighting monsters wasn't what he was really afraid of, then what is?
And why did she have this subtle but scary feeling that Valon's fear was beyond a personal trauma? Why was she suddenly feeling this odd sense of dread when she considered what Valon was really afraid of?
The lamia shook her head to compose herself. She then faced the hero, having one last thought in her mind.
I wonder what he's doing now.
"Ahh... that felt good! Nothing like a good cold bath to start the day~"
Brigid moaned in bliss as she basked in the afterglow of the cool breeze on her wet skin. She straightened her hair, feeling the pleasant moisture that remained on her smooth strands.
She removed the towel that concealed her body as she approached her wardrobe. She was about to get dressed but when she realized she left something, she opened the door of her room and stepped outside to retrieve it.
"There's my hair tie—AHHHHH!"
"AHHHH!"
Brigid found herself screaming in unison with an unsuspecting stranger who was suddenly in her house. Her scream didn't last long, however, as she quickly recognized who the stranger was.
"You?!"
"W-w-wait! I-I c-can explain! I-I didn't realize y-y-you were—"
"What are you doing here?" Brigid asked as she placed both hands on her waist, more surprised than angry. "I'm aware how alluring my body is but I didn't expect you to come back so soon."
"W-well, I know I don't have any—umm... can you please... put some clothes on first?"
The woman simply raised a brow when she noticed the stranger covering his face despite the headpiece he was wearing.
"Oh please, you practically already saw my goods when you barged into my house for some goddamn reason, you pervert."
"H-h-huh? N-no... I didn't—"
"I don't mind, though. I'm not ashamed to show all my beauty, even to outsiders like you," Brigid boldly stated. "But do you sneak in places for a living or something? If you are, then you're not really doing a good job at it."
"Look, I-I-I'm sorry, I swear I really didn't know that you were... indecent—err... naked rather. I didn't mean to barge in like this but I... I have a reason why I came back again... if you will allow me to explain. But please... umm... could you put on some clothes first?"
Brigid just stared at the stranger who seemed to be in extreme discomfort. Honestly, she didn't care if anyone, even a stranger, saw her naked. However in this scenario, the person in front of her wasn't exactly a stranger and she was surprised to see him once more, especially after their first encounter. She thought that the man didn't have any more reason to come back to this village as he stated before so she was rightfully confused.
She also didn't take him for a person who wanted petty revenge with a brilliant plan to creep on her to get back at her after what she did to him. But what caught her attention was the sleeping form of a young dragon the stranger was carrying on his back. She had several questions and even if she had the power to force him to answer, she still retained some level of dignity.
"Ughhh... fine..." Brigid sighed, rolling her eyes unamused. "I'll go change. But if you leave that spot when I'm finished dressing, I'm going to find you and beat your face into a pulp."
The woman headed back into her room while the stranger just remained motionless from his spot. In the next few minutes, the door opened.
"Alright, I'm decent now."
The stranger tinkered with something in his headpiece before slowly placing his arms away from it. Just as the woman told him, she was finally dressed, or rather, she was more decent than before as her clothes were still revealing as he remembered them to be.
"Valon, right? Don't get me wrong, I can remember names pretty well but I just want to confirm."
"Y-yeah... t-that's right."
"Well? Aren't you going to explain yourself? You made it clear last time that you no longer had any business here and I told you that searching this place on your own is unadvisable. If you're wondering if you're brother is somehow here now after you left, my answer is no, he is not."
"Actually... I'm not here for that..." Valon stammered. "Look, I know I'm not in the position to be asking for any... favors and all that... and I'm probably asking for a lot... but ummm..."
"Just get to the point, what is it?"
Valon suddenly fell silent. Brigid noticed how hesitant he was as if he was contemplating the exact words he was going to say until finally he spoke.
"Would it be okay... if you take care of her?" Valon tentatively asked, pointing towards the young dragon girl he was carrying.
There was a few seconds of uncomfortable silence before the woman gave a response.
"What?"
This time, it was Brigid who was utterly confused about what was going on as she struggled to process what Valon asked her to do.
"Did you barge into my home just to ask me to babysit?"
"Err... it doesn't have to be you exactly, I-I just meant if I could leave her here with anyone who is capable of watching over her."
"Okay... but why exactly? And who even is that?" Brigid inquired. "At first I thought you brought a dead dragon in here but I can tell that she's still alive. Is she a relative of yours? Your daughter, perhaps?"
"What? No! She's not my daughter. I uhh... just found her when I was searching in the mountains..."
"So you resumed your search for your brother in Irina, huh? Now that you mention it, I have heard some weird rumors going on in that place lately. Know anything about them?"
"None that I know of."
Brigid instinctively knew that he wasn't being completely honest but whatever it was that he did manage to see, it probably wasn't pleasant.
"So you rescued a dragon from certain death. Then can't you just take care of her yourself?"
"No... I... can't..." Valon answered solemnly. "I can't take her with me while I'm searching for my brother. I will be going to other more dangerous places to look for him."
"Hmm... you know... what you're doing is punishable by Ilias, right?"
Valon felt shivers down his spine at the mention of the goddess's name.
"Though it wasn't specified in her first commandment, being in contact with monsters is almost as bad as having sexual intercourse with them. Establishing relationships, merciful treatments, etc. Now you brought her with you, saved her life, and you want someone like me to take care of her. A noble act but a disgraceful one in the eyes of the goddess."
"B-but I thought the people of Enrika don't like the goddess? I mean this is a village that is also inhabited by monsters, right?"
"You have only perceived what your eyes could see. Yes, monsters do live in here. Since you've already sneaked in here and observed us, I may as well tell you that because your mind now houses forbidden knowledge that you shouldn't have obtained."
Brigid's eyes narrowed dangerously, making Valon extremely uncomfortable.
"But you're wrong, some of us here do worship Ilias and regard her commandments highly," Brigid stated matter-of-factly. "I can excuse sneaking into prohibited places and creeping up on naked women, but defying the goddess's will? You must really like getting into trouble, huh?"
"I... that's not..." Valon trailed off, not having any idea how to respond.
"And if you couldn't afford to take care of the dragon, why couldn't you just leave her somewhere after you saved her? Why bring her at all? And why here of all places? I'm pretty sure she is welcome to stay northeast from here at Harpy Village."
"I... couldn't just leave her after... she became like this. This is the only place I know where I can bring her safely as there are monsters that live here. I don't know what the people from the other settlements would do to her if I left her with them. As for Harpy Village, the people of Happiness Village are still getting used to living alongside monsters, harpies specifically, so I don't know how they'd react if they see a dragon, even if she's still young."
"So you chose to leave her here in Enrika instead, hoping one of us will look after her?"
"I know I don't have the privilege to make a request, especially not after I violated your regulations by sneaking into your village and into your home. I know you also have important tasks to do as a supervisor of this village and you also don't know me very well so I understand if you'd refuse without question. But I have no options left, there are no other settlements I can go to in the Ilias Continent and I wouldn't be able to look after her properly once I reach Sentora. P-please... if not you, then anyone else who is willing."
"Even if there was someone willing, how sure are you that any of us here will actually take care of her? What if one of the locals here has bad intentions? We're not exactly known for being friendly, you know?"
"I... I guess... I was secretly hoping that you'd be willing to, but who am I to force you on such responsibility?" Valon sighed in distress. "I really don't want to bring her along with me because I'm incapable of tending to her needs, especially where I'm going. But if worse comes to worse, maybe I can... figure something out."
Silence overtook them once again as Valon gazed at the sleeping dragon he was carrying. Brigid noticed the man's melancholic expression, sensing the hidden feeling of longing and regret through his eyes. This man, in front of her, wore more masks than she initially thought and she couldn't help but feel more fascinated as she started to learn more about him.
"For someone you just recently rescued and who's also not your relative, you sure care about her deeply."
Valon could only respond with a sad sigh, no longer gazing at the sleeping dragon pup but his attention was directed towards nowhere in particular as if he was lost in thought.
"Shit... Ilias, fuck you for giving me these emotions," Brigid exclaimed, though it sounded like she was talking to herself. "Alright, fine! I'll... take care of her."
"W-wait, really?"
And I fucking hate that face you make when you're all so goddamn hopeful all of a sudden.
"Yes, now stop whining like a crybaby."
"I... I don't know what to say. But thank you, really, thank you so much! I-I wish I had something to pay you in return though, but—"
"Nah, don't bother. I don't need you to do anything for me. It's not like I've done sooo much for you despite all your misdeeds. I am such a nice person, aren't I?"
Valon gulped in shame, sensing the woman's sarcastic remark.
"W-well... I'll do anything you want... in return. Maybe I can do... labors, a-as long as it's within my capabili—"
"I highly doubt you can do anything I'd ask you to," Brigid deadpanned. "But whatever, I already agreed to fulfill your damn request, unless you have more?"
"O-oh... no, no, I'm not asking for any more favors..."
"Good, because I'm not some shitty obedient slave that you can just keep ordering around. You're fortunate that I'm somewhat in a good mood today."
Fuck... when did I become so soft?
"Are you just going to stare at me or don't you have places to go to? I don't mind the desire for worshipping me but I'm sure you have more important things to attend to."
"O-oh right... uhh... let me just... bring her to your sofa over there."
Brigid simply rolled her eyes as she watched Valon carry the dragon pup and place her gently on the couch.
"Don't worry, you'll be safe here..."
It came out as a whisper but Brigid heard the man's words perfectly.
"W-well, I'll be going now. Again, I'm really sorry for making you do this. I'm honestly not sure if you had any experience on... caregiving."
"What? Just because I can beat someone effortlessly, doesn't mean I'm incapable of tending to one's needs. Don't worry, she's in safe hands, you have my word. But you owe me for this! In fact, you owe me for all the things I helped you with, understand?"
"Y-yes, of course! I promise I'll pay you back in return... someday. I just don't have anything to pay you with right now, but I swear I-I'll make it up to you."
"Hmph, perhaps I can think of something," Brigid sighed. "Now go, get out my sight before I change my mind!"
"Right, y-yes ma'am."
Brigid watched as the man left her home. She held back a chuckle when she saw him moving cautiously behind the trees as if his life was on the line.
"Honestly... who the hell does that guy think he is?"
"His name was Valon, right?"
"Gahhhh!" Brigid screamed in surprise when she heard someone behind her. "Can any of you stop barging into my house and sneaking behind me like that?!"
"It's not my fault that your senses are lacking," the intruder replied. "Also, you have only been startled twice, calm down."
Brigid thought the dragon had finally woken up when she turned around, but she was met with a different but familiar person, making her calm down eventually. She eyed the new house intruder, recognizing her light blond hair and her signature verdant green attire.
"Tch. How long have you been here?"
"Long enough to listen to your entire conversation," Micaela responded.
"Figures..." Brigid sighed. "You eavesdropping now too?"
"You've done the same thing before, why can't I? Besides it's only normal that I should know what the residents are up to. And it seems that one of them, this village's assistant supervisor no less, is communicating with an outsider behind my back."
"Ughhh... are you going to make me trim all the grass in the entire village again?"
Micaela said nothing at first, staring deep into the horizon as if Brigid's words fell on deaf ears. Eventually, she spoke.
"I assume he was the one looking for the young man you showed me a photo of yesterday?"
"Uhhh... yes, that's him," Brigid replied, mildly surprised that Micaela purposely changed the topic.
"Hmm... he seemed to trust you, even after what you did to him."
"What I did to him? Wait, how did you..."
Brigid trailed off as she felt her body freeze from the village chief's implications. Micaela simply smiled as a response before her expression turned stoic.
"He even entrusted you with taking care of that dragon, I'm surprised... to say the least. But you didn't have to accept his request. He wasn't in any position to be asking you for any favors, knowing what you're capable of, and because of you're naturally carefree demeanor, but here you are. May I know why?"
This time, it was Brigid who couldn't think of a response as she looked away, not even glancing at her superior.
"You even lied to him about the residents worshipping Ilias."
"I was testing him..."
"I noticed."
"He knew too much about us and our village," Brigid replied, slowly composing herself. "I couldn't just let him leave like that without making sure that he wasn't a strict follower of Ilias. But it seems he isn't, and he really cared about that young dragon. I'm surprised that there are even people like that."
"At this point, it shouldn't surprise you. There are more and more people who deviate from her commandments."
"Explains why he was with a monster in disguise. Or perhaps, he didn't know that one of his acquaintances was a monster. Her aura was pretty intimidating so they probably didn't know she was concealing her true form," Brigid pondered in thought. "And that kid they were with. I couldn't see him very well from afar but I'm pretty sure he had Angel Halo in his back. Just who are those people and how did they get their hands on that sword?"
Brigid noticed that Micaela didn't immediately respond, her mind deep in thought. She wondered if she was also thinking about the strange adventurers that visited their village when the former seraph eventually spoke again.
"But he could still pose a threat to us. If anyone else knew of our secrets, there would be... complications. Not to mention that he had been to Irina. We have already heard several rumors about that place, specifically the northern region, about people going missing. Humans, monsters, and even angels, who went there, were reported to have never come back."
She changed back the topic again...
"Sooo... you want me to investigate that place?" Brigid suddenly asked in a hopeful manner.
"No, I have already sent someone else for that task."
"Of course you did..."
"You, on the other hand, I have a different assignment for you."
"Wait, really?"
"Since you feel so jaded with your fellow neighbors, I figured that I'd let you get some fresh air for once."
"Since when did I say..." Brigid paused before quickly realizing something. "Oh, you motherfuc—"
"Don't worry, I believe you will appreciate the task I will give you."
"Hey uhh... Allen, what's going on?"
Two individuals found themselves confused as they stared at the crowd at the center of the large hall. The crowd appeared to be dissipating as many had begun leaving the area.
"Maybe the lieutenant knows what's up. Hey, Lieutenant Hawkins, what's going on here?"
A woman in a navy blue military officer uniform, Matilda Hawkins, eyed the newcomers impassively. Her demeanor of dignified authority, however, wasn't as apparent as it usually was. She was having a small conversation with some of the nearby Cosmoknights before she dismissed them and diverted her attention to the two individuals.
"Hello Allen, Felicia. What are you two doing here?"
"Reporting for duty ma'am," Allen announced with a salute. "But before that, may I ask, what just happened? Why were almost all of our Cosmoknights here?"
"Ah, that, well, the higher divisions organized an urgent meeting alongside the inspection and a few announcements. And... unfortunately, it's that time of the year again."
"Wait... they're already going to conduct the yearly division inspection?" Allen asked in surprise. "But... isn't it a bit too early? Omicron was supposedly scheduled for October this year."
"Ughhh... apparently there were... changes in the plans," Matilda sighed in annoyance. "And as usual they don't state the full reasons why."
"Yikes... wait but that means..."
"It's as we feared," Matilda muttered, quickly looking around her. "But we can't talk about that here. If it's okay with you, we can continue discussing this in my offi—"
The lieutenant's words were interrupted by a ringtone coming from one of the M.A.D.s.
"Oh, sorry, I uhh... gotta take this," Felicia said sheepishly. "You guys go on ahead. I'll catch up."
The division's nurse hurriedly left the large hall, leaving the two behind.
"Hmm... Allen, I've known you for a long time now," Matilda remarked. "Long enough to know how stupid you often are."
"Well, that's not nice, lieutenant."
"And I respect your newfound relationship with Felicia, I really do, but I don't know. She's just as much a new recruit as Valon, a few months later anyway. She's a promising member of our medical team, I can see that. But can we trust her with our plan?"
"Of course we can. My girlfriend is the most honest and genuine person I know. If anything, Valon is the one that's more secretive, no offense to him."
"I suppose so. But her sister is from the Alpha Division. I'm not undervaluing her loyalty but history has shown that anyone with relationships from Alpha, especially family, are extremely influential to their fellows and peers."
"I'm sure Felicia wouldn't be influenced by their evil schemes. And besides, her sister was really nice last I checked."
Matilda simply raised a brow at him, knowing how uncertain he was from his own response.
"Okay... maybe I've only met her once... but she seems... cool," Allen awkwardly stated. "Look, even if her sister is kinda shady, Felicia is not that kind of person. I've known her for a while now and we both know that she's not the type of person to lie or to keep dangerous secrets from her friends. She's loyal, kind, has always followed orders, and even if her sister's from Alpha, I'm one hundred percent sure that she ain't a snitch."
"Hmmmm..."
"We can trust her, Lieutenant Hawkins. If you can trust me this much with our plan, I'm sure you can trust her too."
As Matilda pondered Allen's words, from somewhere far away from them, Felicia hastily walked through the halls. She quickly greeted the occasional passerby with a wave until she reached her room. She used her M.A.D. on the door and quickly closed it. She pressed a button on a nearby control panel before a series of black blinds covered the walls of the room.
She then went to her desk before answering the communication channel on her M.A.D. The moment she did so, a large semi-transparent holographic screen appeared above her M.A.D., and a woman in a black Cosmoknight uniform with a stern look manifested on the screen. The nurse sighed when she saw the woman's unfriendly look through the screen, hoping the situation was slightly different.
"You were supposed to report five days ago."
"I-I know... I just... got busy lately..."
"Excuses! All you're good at are excuses," the woman from the screen chastised. "The Space Marshal expects complete cooperation from us. Set aside your damn incompetence for once!"
Felicia couldn't muster a response as she simply acknowledged the Cosmoknight's hurtful remarks.
"I was waiting for you to take the initiative and not the other way around. When are you going to learn?! That was a simple order and you couldn't even follow," the Cosmoknight sighed, rubbing her temples in frustration. "Fortunately for you, someone had already done an earlier status report on the test subject."
"Don't call him that!"
This time, it was Felicia who was furious as she couldn't stop herself from slamming the desk. She quickly composed herself when she realized that she had raised her voice.
"He's not... a test subject."
"I have no intentions of arguing with you about this senseless matter again," the Cosmoknight uttered menacingly.
"I-I... I just... I don't understand why... why are we doing this? Why would the Space Marshal perform such a cruel experiment?"
"Don't you dare insult the Space Marshal! You have no authority to question her designs nor are you in the position to oppose!"
"But you can't just do this to him! He's a living person who has a life to live and sending him out in a completely different environment that is unfamiliar to him with no supplies or any form of assistance is downright cruel!"
"Omicron User 011 is the Space Marshal's personal test subject. He is required to fulfill the project designs whether willingly or not! He became an employee of C.O.S.M.O. the moment he signed that contract as an extractor, therefore, he is C.O.S.M.O.'s property now, as much as any of us are in here. The higher division officers have full rights to use him for whatever purpose the organization requires, do you understand?"
"B-but—"
"And your job was to monitor him and make sure that he finishes the makeshift Warpgate so that the experimental process may begin. That was your job, the job that was assigned to you seven months ago! Why did it take so long?! You were supposed to convince him to build the device but why did it take you this long to do it?!"
"I-I didn't want him to go through with it..."
I wanted him to stay. I wanted him to just forget about Delta...
"You had one simple job goddammit! I was so lenient with you even after you delayed the progression for so long. I left you to your own devices and I didn't make a lot of calls even if I was supposed to constantly report back from you to HQ, and this is how you will act?
"But why him? Why did they have to pick him, out of all people? He may be a skill extractor but he's still inexperienced. He has no experience in solo field missions and he's not even a properly-trained Cosmoknight! You could've at least sent him an aid or anything that can help him!"
"And risk the confidentiality of the project? Hell no! And why do you care so much about him? When you were assigned to Omicron and met the test subject, you didn't care one bit."
"He's... my frien..." Felicia stopped herself, tears started welling in her eyes. "D-don't you care at all? He... he was the one who saved you, Tiffany!"
"You are to address me as Colonel unless you want to get caught."
Felicia fell silent, struggling to speak as she fought the urge to cry.
"Look, the experiment must proceed. Of all the projects that were implemented, for some reason, this is the one project that Marshal Everleigh is so obsessed about. And we have to do whatever it takes to fulfill this project and support her. This is our way to help them, to help the organization, to help the people of this broken world!"
Tiffany sighed exasperatedly when Felicia remained silent. Her stern look slowly vanished and was replaced with a more mellow expression.
"The Space Marshal did so much for us. She was the one who helped us when no one else did, you know that right? Thanks to this project of hers, we have the chance to repay her for all the good she's done for us. And I'm sorry but... he's the one that the Space Marshal wanted to perform the experiment on. I don't exactly know why but... if it makes you feel any better, I've recently received a report from our recon team that he's still alive."
"R-really?" Felicia suddenly asked, mustering the strength to speak. "H-how is he?"
"I'm uncertain about the full details but I can assure you that he's healthy and alive. The reports never lie and I'm pretty sure that Marshal Everleigh definitely wants him alive too."
"I see..."
"Honestly, for you to act like this is beyond me, and I did so many favors for you. I had to constantly cover for you in between tasks and I make up excuses for whenever you delay the project's progression. Thank goodness the Space Marshal is an extremely lenient and considerate person. I also don't interfere in your personal life anymore like you've always wanted me to and even let you get into a relationship with someone, which I still don't approve of, especially since he is a potential threat to our confidentiality. But I know I can trust you with upholding confidential information at least."
"I know... and yes, I do appreciate everything that you're doing for me," Felicia said with a small smile. "It's nice to know that you still... care about me. It's just... really difficult for me to... accept all of this."
"Look, I know I've been harsh to you lately but most of the time, you can be so stubborn. You know, I only want what's best for you, sister. But this is our chance to redeem ourselves after everything we've been through and I won't allow you to screw this up for us."
Felicia could only nod as a response. Tiffany was still annoyed with her younger sister's behavior but she didn't have it in her anymore to reprimand her.
"Well, now that you are finished with 'this task,' you are to await new directives. I will notify you soon so stay alert, understood?"
"Alright, sis. I'll be waiting."
Felicia watched as her older sister's form disappeared alongside the screen. She let out an exhausted sigh, her eyes still red from fresh tears. She stared at the ceiling, feeling herself wander aimlessly into her mind as she started contemplating about her situation. She felt confused, afraid, and conflicted. Guilt and shame filled her mind as she wondered if she was still doing the right thing or not.
I tried to stop you, I really did, but I... I'm sorry, Valon. I just hope that wherever you are, you are safe, and that you won't have to see me like this.
"I really hope no one has to see me like this!"
Valon exclaimed to himself as he clung to the mast of a sailboat for dear life. He had recently entered a turbulent area of the seas, no doubt caused by a certain succubus, and now he had even more regrets in his life.
The technician had asked for a boat in Iliasport earlier so that he could reach the signal he was chasing after. The locals thought he was insane but fortunately, they agreed for him to take one of the sailboats for free, mostly because they thought he was a lost cause for being convinced that he could get past the deadly storm.
They also considered that perhaps he was related to the two adventurers that recently set sail with a magical bell, which made Valon feel a sense of relief as they hadn't traveled that far. He still had a chance to catch up with them.
He even came prepared with a makeshift outboard motor that can be installed on almost any kind of boat. The problem presented itself, however, when it was time to install the motor. He didn't finish making the motor because it would be too heavy for him to carry alongside the dragon pup at the same time.
He only started doing the finishing touches the moment he had set sail as he figured he didn't have much time to do more things and also because he didn't want the locals of Iliasport to see him install the machine. But that's where the problems arose. It took him approximately three hours to install the motor on a moving vessel and because it lacked a few vital components, Valon had trouble navigating the boat.
He spent the next two hours going in different directions, struggling to control the direction of the boat under the influence of the outboard motor. He also didn't have time to install other boat equipment and adjust the boat's structure to achieve efficient navigation. And by the time he finally reached the stormy part of the sea, things went even more disastrous.
He knew it was a death sentence to sail through the storm with lackluster boating equipment. He knew how to operate a boat but he didn't have much experience actually sailing on a boat all by himself. But he continued to sail because he was so close to the signal.
The storm was slowly destroying his boat but it was also helping the boat speed up. Valon was doing everything he could so that he and the boat could survive when he heard beeping noises from his M.A.D.
He noticed that he was extremely close to the signal as he could see a large ship in the distance ahead. But his attention diverted to the multiple signals coming from different directions and the small flying objects hovering around the ship.
"What the hell..."
Valon used the vision enhancer on his helmet to see what was going on. He looked back at his M.A.D. and saw the numerous red signals surrounding the blue signal that originated on the ship.
"Are those... jetpacks?"
He couldn't believe what he was seeing. There were figures wearing jet-powered thrusters surrounding the ship. He enhanced his vision from his helmet, noticing that they were indeed people that were wearing jetpacks and he could see a few of them were armed with objects resembling rifles.
Though he could see them from afar thanks to his helmet, he would need to get closer to get a better look. He could also see bright flashes of light but even if he could somewhat hear a commotion on the ship, there was no way for him to hear properly what was happening from that distance.
The technician allowed the boat to continuously trail behind the ship. He had so many questions but unfortunately, he didn't have time to process anything when he saw a few signals from his helmet's radar heading towards him.
Acting quickly, he aimed his right arm on the ship as a small device popped up and shot a line of rope in the air. The hook at the end of the rope eventually attached itself to the back of the ship and with a click of a button, Valon allowed himself to be carried by the rope.
He then activated his gauntlets and used his left arm to punch through the ship's cabin. The strong force that carried him was enough to break through the wood and he was fortunate that his exoshield protected him from the impact.
However, now he lost the element of surprise as he initially planned to sneak his way through. But given his circumstances, he figured that the stealthy approach was impossible.
"What was that?"
"Where is it?"
"Ma'am, it's in the ship's cabin."
"Track it down!"
Valon was extremely confused and he wanted to know what was going on, who these people were, and why they were here. But hearing those voices from outside the ship's cabin made him realize that whoever these people were, they were dangerous. He didn't have time to think as he witnessed the cabin door get flung off to the wall.
Acting instinctively, Valon rushed behind the shelves to hide. He remained vigilant as he watched a group of five people enter through the doorframe where the door once was. The moment he saw them, his eyes widened in immense shock.
"Huh, it made a large hole in the wall."
"Focus! We need to hurry up and catch them before they finish with the extraction outside!"
"I thought we already detained all the crewmates?"
"Apparently, this one came just outside the ship on a sailboat..."
"Is it a monster? Because if the sailboat was that far, they crashed here pretty fast."
"They were trailing behind the ship? The head officers never mentioned anyone else besides the people on the ship."
"Quiet! Search the entire cabin, they couldn't have gotten far."
T-those are...
There were five women dressed in gray military uniforms with a gold star and a silver galaxy emblem on the center of the coats, all of which Valon completely recognized. Each one was of a different rank of the Cosmoknight dispatchment units.
They're Cosmoknights!
He was extremely shocked that the Cosmoknights were here and he was actually ready to just reveal himself to them, he was looking for them after all. He surmised that their unwelcoming formation was reasonable as they were stranded in a different world, in Monster Girl Quest no less, so he understood the possibility of them being defensive.
But there was something off about them that Valon couldn't explain well. He couldn't see the uniform IDs very well to verify if they were really the Delta Cosmoknights and they seemed to be on some sort of a mission involving the ship's crewmates and whatever it was they were trying to extract.
Are these the people that the dead guy's M.A.D. files were talking about?
"Wait a minute... do you guys hear that?"
Valon's whirlwind of thoughts also went to a pause when he heard something near him. He was sure that he was in a good position where he wouldn't make any noise until he looked down on his M.A.D.
I FORGOT TO MUTE THE SIGNAL DETECTION... GODDAMNIT!
"It's coming from behind those shelves!"
"We suggest you surrender and come with us peacefully. We don't want to do any more damage to this ship."
Crap, crap, crap!
"We don't have time for this! Let's just get them and—"
They were interrupted by the sound of a spherical object rolling on the floor, making a stop in the middle of the group. They couldn't stare at it very long because it suddenly exploded, filling the entire room with a blinding white light that disoriented their senses. Valon used this opportunity to escape as he quickly but carefully rushed through them from the shelves.
He didn't know what he was doing or if using that flashbomb against them was a good idea. He also knew that there were more of them outside and he didn't know how they would react upon seeing him. But he had this itching feeling, urging him to find out what was going on. He ran outside the cabin and for the second time he boarded the ship, he couldn't hold back his shocked expression.
Alice?! Luka?!
There were so many things happening all at once and the technician had no idea where to begin processing. There were indeed more of the female Cosmoknights on the deck of the ship. One group was trying to fight and contain Alice with rifles that were emitting yellow beams that seemed to hold the lamia in place. The yellow beams were restraining both her arms and her waist while she struggled intensely from her captors' grasp.
The other group was doing a more heinous act. They were containing Luka but without the strange rifles. Instead, they were holding him in place physically but there was an extraction device of some sort below him. The young hero was naked and from his teary expression, it was obvious what the device was for and what it was extracting from him. The Cosmoknights around him all had lewd smiles and Valon could hear them teasing him.
"What are you doing?!"
Valon couldn't contain his raging confusion, still struggling to process the events that were happening in front of him. There he was, standing in front of the group of individuals that he was looking for when he came to this world. And now they were capturing and violating the main characters of the game.
His scream didn't go unnoticed as he saw everyone turn in his direction. His roller coaster of emotions went from shock, anger, shock again, then fear as he felt the pressure of everyone's sights on him.
"What is that?"
"He looks... human."
"Is he one of the crewmates? Didn't we detain them all though?"
The one on command, the lady with a black military uniform, took notice of his presence and immediately uttered a command.
"Whoever he is, we were ordered to apprehend all humans aboard this ship. Detain him!"
Valon still didn't fully know what was going on. He didn't understand why the Cosmoknights were here. Were they really the missing Delta Cosmoknights that went out of commission a year ago? What were they doing and how was capturing the protagonists of the game relevant to their goals?
"Luka—grrghhh!"
The technician found himself restrained by one of the Cosmoknights. She tightened her grip on him, using her arms to constrict him of his movements.
"Shh... shh... it's gonna be alright, good sir. This is all just a bad dream and you're gonna wake up soon, okay?" the female Cosmoknight reassured. "Hey, uhhh... can one of you tranquilize him already? I may be strong but I can't keep doing... wha—"
She failed to fully restrain him as she felt something solid preventing her from pushing her arms further. She then looked in shock as she got a glimpse of a transparent forcefield surrounding Valon before receiving an elbow to the face. The technician broke free from her grasp before throwing her towards another group of Cosmoknights, knocking them all down with her.
"Is that... an exoshield?" the commander of the unit asked in mild surprise.
Meanwhile, Valon activated his gauntlets and used the barrels near him, throwing them at the Cosmoknights. He surveyed his surroundings quickly with the help of his helmet, figuring out how to deal with the situation. He noticed that Luka was still being violated while Alice was fighting back against her captors.
She wasn't faring very well as he could see how exhausted she was. Valon was curious how the Cosmoknights were able to overpower the Monster Lord when he saw more Cosmoknights approaching him. A few of the Cosmoknights were flying with their jetpacks, aiming at him with their rifles.
Oh boy...
Bright lights started filling the ship as yellow beams bombarded the air. Valon's exoshield protected him from the glimmering rays as he ran through the commotion. He jumped, slid, and dodged incoming projectiles and charging Cosmoknights as much as could but he was still overwhelmed. He started punching and kicking his way through, shoving anyone off of him who got close.
"The target is fighting back!"
"Do everything you can to incapacitate him! But try not to injure him!"
All around him, Valon was surrounded by the formidable force of the Cosmoknights, it was only thanks to his exoshield that he was somehow able to fend off their attempts to restrain him. One of the Cosmoknights grabbed him from behind but Valon quickly slammed himself to the floor, making the Cosmoknight absorb the impact before he performed a power tumble to the side.
His performance allowed him to evade more of the Cosmoknights as well as the yellow beams. Relying on his helmet's motion sensors, Valon rolled to the side, completely evading a flying Cosmoknight. When he detected a nearby presence, he instinctively ducked before performing an uppercut, knocking down one of the nearby assailants.
He failed to register an object that suddenly clamped on his leg as he tripped on the floor. He saw a glowing yellow line coming from one of the Cosmoknights' rifles, tying itself around his leg. He quickly grabbed a sharp-edged boomerang from his belt before throwing it. The boomerang made its way to the woman's hands, making her drop the rifle. The yellow energy string that bound his leg eventually disappeared.
"Grr... he's persistent! Ma'am, permission to engage with physical force!"
"But our orders stated that we shouldn't bring physical injuries to the humans as much as possible," one of the Cosmoknights replied.
The Cosmoknight commander observed the technician carefully, eying the familiar armband device strapped to his left arm as well as the helmet he was wearing. Meanwhile, her lack of a quick response allowed the other Cosmoknights to comment on the situation as they struggled to incapacitate Valon.
"Where did he get that device?"
"That's the helmet that the extraction unit uses!"
"How does he have an exoshield?"
"Is he one of us?"
"No that's impossible..."
"How did he get access to one of our tech and how did he learn how to use them?"
"Is he from Delta?"
"Silence!" the commander yelled, rubbing her temples in frustration. "Very well, I will grant permission to use physical force. There is a high possibility that he's from Delta, but even if he isn't, we have strict orders in regard to apprehending humans in this world and the Delta Rogues. So try not to damage him too much, understood?"
"Yes ma'am!" the Cosmoknights saluted in unison.
"Good. The rest of you, focus on extracting the power outputs of those two," the commander directed her attention to the Cosmoknights that were restraining Luka and Alice then to the Cosmoknight beside her. "Susan, I need you to scan his M.A.D. for his OIP information if you can."
"Roger that ma'am."
Valon continued to evade his assailants while thinking of a plan. As much as he wanted to go to Luka, the only person who could help him right now was the Monster Lord as there was no way for him to fight the Cosmoknights by himself. A faint beeping noise from his backpack caught his attention. He pushed one of the side buttons on his backpack, revealing a sliding tray filled with boomerangs.
He didn't hesitate to grab two of them as he flung them towards the direction of Luka and Alice. The kaboomerangs exploded mid-air, hurling away the Cosmoknights around them. He then threw three more in different directions before he stored the remaining kaboomerangs in his belt.
"Alice!"
Valon approached the Monster Lord but she was already unconscious. He checked her vitals to verify her condition and fortunately, she was still alive despite the Cosmoknights' activity on her. He was going to try and wake Alice up when he heard a faint voice nearby, quickly realizing that it was coming from Luka.
"Hang on, Alice, I'll get back to you," Valon whispered as he gently placed her head down. "Luka!"
The technician couldn't get far as he was tackled from behind. He wasn't able to react quickly enough from his motion sensor's warnings as he was pinned to the ship's cabin exterior walls.
"We are now granted the permission to use force against you," one of the Cosmoknights announced as she continued to pin him. "I suggest you stand down."
But weren't they already using force before?
He vigorously shook his body to break free from her grasp but it was extremely difficult to move even with the exoshield. He surmised that she was using a jetpack to push him to the wall but that gave him an idea.
"Helmet deactivate!"
The headpiece collapsed back to the neckband, giving his head room to move. Then in a split second, he activated his helmet again with a voice command before quickly slamming his head backwards, knocking his assailant down. Without looking back, he rushed towards Luka. He was picking more signals from his motion sensors but he found himself overwhelmed by their speed.
He slid under one of the hovering attackers but he was met with another tackle to the side. Valon tried to get them off of him with the help of his gauntlets but he was met back with a more powerful force. The moment they started attacking him physically, he was instantly knocked to the floor. He rolled to avoid a punch from one of his attackers and then jumped backwards to evade another punch.
He used his momentum to slam his back towards one of them and then used her as an extra temporary shield from the incoming barrage of attacks. He didn't have time to feel bad, quickly ducking from a strong kick. The technician then performed a jab and then a sweeping kick to incapacitate one of the Cosmoknights but immediately he received a strong attack from behind.
The attack made him stagger before two more strikes hit him in his helmet and his chest. Fortunately, his exoshield was absorbing most of the damage, allowing him to continue to fight back. He swiftly caught someone else's fist before elbowing them in the face. Then he punched and kicked two more Cosmoknights out of his way.
He received another reading from his motion sensors and with a speedy reaction, he jumped as high as he could before throwing a foambomb on the wooden floors. The foam expanded and captured five Cosmoknights. Valon landed on the floor with an audible thud, but once again, his helmet received another beating. The strong punch made him groan in pain through his exoshield as he staggered on the floor.
Valon coughed in pain, staring at the Cosmoknight who was getting close. He gazed at the ship's floorboards before giving one of them a strong kick. One of the floorboards stood upright, striking the Cosmoknight directly. The technician stood up, feeling the fatigue in his body. He was running out of ideas and he had no idea how he would escape from his situation.
The Monster Lord was not in the shape to fight and he was getting exhausted from defending himself. Trying to appeal to the enemy was no longer a viable option considering the events that had transpired, and even if he surrendered to them, he doubted that they would help him in his cause. All he knew at that moment was that he needed to get to Luka and later on figure out how to escape.
The irony of his situation was that Valon knew he was fighting the same group of Cosmoknights. There weren't sending any more, he was fighting off the same number of people he saw the moment he got on this ship. The ones he used the kaboomerangs on quickly went back to their tasks, though some of them who were containing Alice earlier joined in to detain him. He acknowledged how tenacious they were as they kept standing up after he knocked them down, just as he anticipated them to be.
Hearing another beeping sound from his backpack, the fabricator inside it revealed another sliding tray containing a cylindrical object with the words 'fully charged' displayed on a nearby screen. He grabbed the cylinder and with a click of a button, the object expanded in two opposite directions, forming a bo staff. He spun the staff before using it to hit the Cosmoknights surrounding him.
He then used a flashbomb on the floor before using his staff to vault away from the explosion. He rolled to the floor, aiming his right arm towards a flying Cosmoknight. The barrel on his gauntlet launched a net, binding the Cosmoknight in place. Just then, he narrowly avoided the yellow energy strings that came from above. He was getting exhausted from running until finally one of the energy strings caught his foot.
He tripped on the floor but before he could stand up, more yellow energy strings clamped on his limbs and then on his back. The exoshield failed to protect him from the strings and he felt stuck on the floor, making him drop his staff. He tried everything he could to break free but his body refused to move. He couldn't reach any of his mini-bombs because his arms were pinned by the strings.
Valon tried to think of anything that could help him break free. He looked around him until his eyes landed on his M.A.D. The technician hesitated, pondering his current predicament. He wanted to be cautious and leave the ship intact because his sailboat was probably beyond repair at this point.
With the Poseidon Bell protecting the ship from the storm as well as the only mode of transport he knew that could get him to Sentora, he didn't want to cause severe damage to the ship. And even if the ship survived, Valon would lose his primary source of defense. But with the Cosmoknights closing in on him and his companions helpless from the attackers, he was left with no choice.
"Activate shield burst!"
"Activating shield burst module."
His exoshield produced a faint glow before a bright blue light filled a large area of the ship, followed by a powerful shockwave. The shockwave destroyed all the energy strings that attached to him and hurled away all the Cosmoknights near him. He felt the entire ship shake from the impactful force, almost as if it was starting to collapse. Through some miracle though, the ship was still intact.
Without wasting any time, Valon stood up and headed towards Luka. The poor boy was barely conscious and was still strapped to an essence extraction machine. He collapsed his staff back into a small cylinder and grabbed the hero's clothes on the floor before approaching the machine. He messed around with the device for a little bit before he removed the straps from Luka's limbs.
"V-Valon...?" Luka asked weakly.
"Yeah, Luka, it's me. I'm here buddy..."
He then pulled him out of the machine. He ignored the scent of sex as he reached for a clean cloth from his backpack before wiping his crotch and the rest of his body. Valon grabbed the hero's clothes and then dressed him up.
"Hey, buddy. Stay with me, alright?"
"I... I... I dont... they..." Luka's voice trailed off, reducing to a mute whisper.
Valon gently shook him as the boy struggled to fight for his consciousness. He hoped he could ask him what happened but eventually, Luka's exhaustion got the best of him. The technician sighed, lifting the hero's body on his shoulders. He picked up Angel Halo and placed it in his backpack. It obviously didn't fit but the bag's zipper kept it in place.
Before going to Alice next, he surveyed the ship's railings to see if the Cosmoknights had some sort of vehicle nearby that allowed them to reach this ship. He scanned with his helmet but he couldn't see anything from miles away. His M.A.D. also wasn't picking up any of C.O.S.M.O.'s equipment outside the ship so he assumed that the Cosmoknight purely relied on their jetpacks.
Valon felt a huge sense of dread wash over him. He was stuck in a ship filled with Cosmoknights who were about to regain their bearings any minute. He was in the middle of the ocean which was also inside a strong storm, with no outside assistance or any other water vehicles that he could escape to. Even with the jetpacks, he wouldn't be able to carry both Luka and Alice.
He tried to at least get to the unconscious Monster Lord but he was suddenly flung into the air.
"Luka!"
Valon witnessed the hero getting thrown in the opposite direction. He swiftly tried to get back but he was immediately assailed with a barrage of attacks in multiple directions.
The technician fought with everything he had; he threw his mini-bombs, he used his new bo staff, he used his gauntlets and binding rope shell blasters equipped on them whenever his staff didn't hit its targets, and he also used his laser rifle. However, he only used his rifle sparingly as it didn't have an efficient rapid-fire module yet. He even resorted to using the barrels and other objects he could get his hands on that were on the ship to his advantage.
But unfortunately, the force of the Cosmoknights proved too much for him. He dodged, parried, and blocked their attacks as best he could but with their overwhelming strength and speed and with his exoshield no longer operational due to the activation of the shield burst module, he easily succumbed to their attacks.
His helmet could still detect his enemies' movements but they were simply too fast for him to fight back. A punch here, a kick there, and with their relentless attacks in synced, Valon struggled to remain standing.
He could feel their ferocious assault; a sweeping kick on his legs, a cross punch on his chest, a roundhouse kick on his back, and a powerful uppercut on his head that left him extremely dazed despite his helmet's protection. Their strikes kept getting stronger as if they never got tired at all. The Cosmoknights then aimed their rifles at him and shot the yellow energy strings to restrain him once more.
But Valon refused to give up. Before they could restrain his arms with their energy rifles, he aimed his new grappling hook on one of their jetpacks before he used all of his remaining strength to slam it on the floor near him. The jetpack exploded once it made contact with the floorboards, hurling everyone nearby, including Valon.
The technician coughed in pain, deactivating his helmet so that he could stabilize himself. He slowly sat back up, struggling to catch his breath. He groaned in agony, feeling the pain in every part of his body.
He was too tired to react from the sudden grab on him, only seeing a speeding silhouette of a figure that was now clutching on his neck. He looked down to see one of the Cosmoknights holding him with an unpleased look on her face.
"You gave us a lot of trouble there young man," the Cosmoknight scoffed as she tightened her grip on his neck, making Valon whimper in pain. "But now, there's nowhere left to run."
Valon was too exhausted to break free from her grasp but even if he had the energy, he doubted he could break free from a Cosmoknight's hold. He noticed that the smoke from the recent explosion was fading away, revealing the other Cosmoknights that he fought, completely unscathed and still full of strength and energy.
He had no strength left to fight back nor did he have any other brilliant plans he could think of. He couldn't do anything but submit to the mercy of C.O.S.M.O.'s formidable fighting force. Besides, if they could handle both Luka and Alice without sustaining any major injuries, what chance did he have?
"He fought very well, I'm surprised," the other Cosmoknight stated impassively. "Not as tough as that lamia over there but for a human like him, he made a really good effort."
"If it makes you feel any better good sir, you lasted five minutes and twenty-seven seconds. He's got quite the endurance... wait, that came out wrong..."
"Yeah but he's not just some local from this world, he's one of the Delta Rogues, right?"
"I thought the Delta Divison only had Cosmoknights as members. Why does he have an exoshield module in his M.A.D.?"
"Yeah... and he also has other gadgets with him that are sorta linked with our tech."
"Try talking to him, perhaps? Nothing wrong with getting some answers from him."
"Without his helmet on, he's not that bad-looking though, if I'm being honest."
"You do have a nice face," the Cosmoknight who was holding him remarked in a seductive tone. "Too bad, we'll have to take you in with the rest of them."
"No."
The Cosmoknights and Valon all looked at the commander, who was silently observing everything. The technician had no idea if the explosions and shockwaves even affected her from where she was standing but he was reminded again why the Cosmoknight Officers from the higher divisions terrified him so much back home.
"I have just received instructions from the..." the commander trailed off but she instantly continued her statement, "..higher-ups that we go back and immediately report the power outputs we have obtained from these specimens. Susan, you finished archiving the information?"
"Yes ma'am. Information archived and ready to be reviewed."
"Excellent. Everyone, gather the extraction equipment and depart this instant!"
"H-huh? What? Aren't we taking the boy and the lamia along with those crewmates?"
"We were instructed to acquire a brief extraction of their power outputs for a quick analysis. Further testing would be conducted elsewhere and not here. Only the crewmates are to be detained by us."
"Then what about the Delta Rogue?"
"The higher-ups ordered us to leave him be."
"W-what?!"
"But ma'am, with all due respect, he's from the Delta Division and he already knows so much about us. I don't think we—"
"He wouldn't have known anything if all of you had just kept your mouths shut! We are ordered to LEAVE HIM BE, understand?"
"Y-yes... ma'am..."
"Good. I will not tolerate further resistance," the commander announced before activating her jetpack. "Now if you don't have any more inquiries, we are to depart as soon as possible."
The Cosmoknight finally let go of Valon as he collapsed to the ground. He gently placed his hands on his neck, still feeling the woman's iron grip. The technician had no idea what just happened and his mind didn't have the strength to process anything.
He silently watched the Cosmoknights retrieve all of their equipment from the ship and then store them in rectangular containers. The Cosmoknights disassembled the extraction machine they used on Luka and the Cosmoknight whose jetpack Valon destroyed simply grabbed a spare one from her own container.
All the other Cosmoknights had already flown away with their jetpacks until it was only the commander remaining. She prepared to leave but not before glancing at the technician one last time.
"It was a pleasure finally meeting you, Mr. Wakers."
And just like that, she flew to the sky, the current storm making her less visible in the clouds until she was completely out of sight. Valon just sat there, on his knees, struggling to process the events that occurred.
"Space Marshal, we have received a report that the recent power output extraction was a success."
"That's wonderful news!" the Space Marshal beamed, clapping her hands with glee. "Did they also place the trackers on our new subjects?"
"Yes ma'am. We can now observe their exact coordinates in that world."
"Excellent. This truly is a remarkable day! Hopefully, my personal test subject didn't cause them too much trouble..."
"They left him as you instructed. But the video feedback on those microchips would need more time to set up."
"That's alright. We aren't in a rush doing these things... oh? Someone's calling me?"
The Space Marshal placed her fingers on her right earpiece to answer the call. She was accompanied by five high-ranking Cosmoknight officers as they walked rigorously through a long hallway with large windows. They were all deathly silent, maintaining a dignified expression all while their superior walked and talked whimsically during the call. After a while of exchanging words, the conversation came to an end.
"Alrighty, I'll be right there," the Space Marshal ended the call. "Tiffany, darling. Would you be a dear and continue with the rest of the reports? Something just came up and I am currently needed at the primary gate."
"Y-yes ma'am!"
Tiffany headed to a nearby corridor and separated herself from the other officers. The Space Marshal followed by the remaining four officers, continued walking in the hallway until they reached a large metal gate. She gestured one of the officers to open the gate and with a quick M.A.D. scan, they entered through a giant walkway. They were greeted by a large room with a colossal Warpgate at the center.
The Cosmoknights that were already in the room performed various operations on the control panels near the Warpgate, generating massive amounts of energy. Finally, the energy was converted inside the numerous machines attached to the Warpgate as it began tearing a hole through space.
The Warpgate produced a bright glow until it eventually disappeared. From the Warpgate there were now a group of seven figures standing at the opening. Five of them had similar yellow-colored hair with floating halos on top while the two in front of them were different.
One had pale yellow hair tied in a blue bow, had sinister eyes, and wore a blue and white puffed-sleeve dress. Around her arms was a brown teddy bear and her overall demeanor carried a terrifyingly powerful aura. The other one had dark red hair and wore a long white lab coat. She carried the same kind of aura as the other five behind her.
"Ah, you've finally arrived! Welcome to the Alpha Division Headquarters, Promestein!" the Space Marshal greeted them with joy before turning to the Cosmoknight officers. "Why don't you invite our guests to the lounge."
"I'm fine, thank you. But my research team could use the leisure if that is alright with you, Ms. Everleigh," Promestein gestured to the five acquaintances behind her.
"Of course! Make yourself at home! And please call me Delilah, I am not too keen on such formalities."
The five individuals followed the Cosmoknight officers to the far side of the room that contained a small bar and a few tables and chairs.
"Not you, dearie," Delilah pointed to one of the Cosmoknights, gesturing her to stay.
The Cosmoknight hesitantly obeyed the Space Marshal's request. Delilah led Promestein and one of her acquaintances to an area with a few sofas and a coffee table in the middle before the four of them sat down.
"I must say, I am still rather astonished over the idea of crossing to a completely different world," Promestein initiated the conversation. "And your technology never fails to surprise me!"
"Why, thank you. That's quite nice of you to say, darling," Delilah smiled before gesturing to the woman with a teddy bear. "And you must be the infamous Black Alice! A pleasure to meet you~"
"Ufufufu... the pleasure is all mine," Black Alice giggled.
"Are you sure you two don't want anything? We have delightful croquettes! Or perhaps you'd like to start with a cup of tea?"
"I'm good, what about you?" Promestein asked her acquaintance.
"Ooohh... sounds yummy! But no thanks, I'm good for now too," Black Alice smiled.
"Very well, if you say so," Delilah politely replied before facing the Cosmoknight beside her. "Oh, where are my manners? I should introduce you to them. You can get rid of that getup now, darling. You are among friends!"
The Cosmoknight slightly widened her eyes, not uttering a response. The Space Marshal took notice of her hesitation and rolled her eyes in amusement.
"Come on, don't be shy. Like I said, you are among friends," Delilah reassured, her tone suddenly becoming slightly sinister. "Besides, they're really close to you, you know? I've already told them so you don't need to act so reserved, darling~"
The Cosmoknight simply nodded, clutching the hidden necklace on her chest. Her entire body suddenly shifted into a different form, revealing a completely different person.
She still wore the same black Cosmoknight uniform but gone was her plain black hair and was instead replaced with a very long dichromatic hair of sky blue and light fuchsia pink. Her eyes had a bright red color and two horns grew on her head. The most noticeable change was the three pairs of bat-like wings on her back.
"So it's really true..." Promestein said in a surprised tone.
"My, my, to think I'd meet one of them in the flesh~" Black Alice smiled creepily. "How'd you do it?"
"You can save your questions for later. We will first need to discuss the new proposition I have in mind and later on, discuss the project itself if you still have the time afterwards."
"Yes, of course. We will also notify our... superior about the updates on your records," Promestein replied.
"Splendid! I won't disappoint her. I've been planning this for a long time and I can't wait for the project to bear fruit. We've all been busy here at C.O.S.M.O. after all," Delilah said proudly as she turned to the Cosmoknight beside her. "Isn't that right, Minagi?"
"Yes..."
"Oh, would you show more enthusiasm, darling? I thought a reunion with your compatriots would brighten your day today."
"It's just... aren't you concerned that there are already several individuals who are aware of C.O.S.M.O.'s presence in that world?" Minagi asked tentatively.
"That's the idea, darling. The Delta Rogues have been in that world for more than a year anyway. It's about time we make our own debut, don't you think?" Delilah stated with a smirk. "Now then, ladies, shall we start the discussion?"
Woah, I made another chapter in less than a month? That's crazy! Welp, I'm going to take another long break from writing again.
