39:40

In the end, N04H got what he wanted, didn't he? He managed to go out in a mission and test his own powers of being an Investigator, while the others didn't even want to hear it. He got lucky that the ruler accepted, but at the same time, there are good news and bad news...

The good news are that he doesn't leave the City of Above empty-handed, as he managed to save a C born from being a slave and he might be able to take him to the North Base so that they can help him out. The bad news are... he might also just become a slave if the soldiers catches them all. Though he trusts that he can survive on his own now, he still can't fight more enemies at once, even if he was experienced. After all, this is their territory, fighting an enemy in their own land is like calling the gods to execute you personally.

So, the boys now run as fast as possible, avoiding the soldiers and the bullets that come after them, even if some manage to hit them. Of course, their immunity is not affected, but the impact will sure affect their body as always. And it does! Their running slowly becomes harder, their bodies are getting exhausted and they can't keep this up for too long. This is the advantage that the soldiers are trying to get after all.

And when they do get it, one of the soldiers manages to catch M1LO and the kid in his arms, while N04H stops and watches them, a bit angry, as he screams out of fear.

[N04H]-M1LO!

...Not long before he also is caught by another soldier, while the others are heading towards their direction. Even so, that scream of his seems to have attracted the attention of someone nearby, who was simply staring at a cape with a weird symbol on it now, above the city, and just got a bit curious on what's happening.

N04H though, even captured, doesn't give up so easily. He moves chaotically in the arms of the soldier, who was getting ready to knock him on the ground and make him unconscious. But he acted quickly, simply kicking the soldier on the head with his head when he moved it violently towards his back, then when the soldier got dizzy from the hit, managed to escape from his arms and give him a merciless kick with his foot on the head to knock him instead.

But even if he succeeded with that move, when he tries to run back and save the others, two more soldiers get him by the arms, making him unable to do anything to protect himself anymore. So, an Officer comes closer, demands for the two "R borns" to be side by side and then orders another thing.

[MOfficer]-...See if they have any disguise.

With that order, a soldier that was standing next to him starts coming closer to M1LO and N04H, searching them for any possible device that might help them appear as R borns around their chests, but to the Officer's surprise, he doesn't find anything. Last time N04H went in this city and some of his friends were caught, this is how the M soldiers found out they are C borns. The explanation behind why they didn't find anything now is actually pretty simple.

The disguises used by non-military are helped to work with a different device that is put on the person's chest, in which you can put the small disguise device in. It is something similar to what the ruler gave to the outsider. These are known by the M military since it is so commonly used in this city, but the C military has a small trick to fool them. The communication devices they use on their arms also have small places for these disguises, hiding them completely and making the C borns able to activate and disable them at any time, working in the same way as the vanishing devices too. They are also hidden from the clothes and the design they have when activated, so the M soldiers still don't know about them yet.

[MSoldier5]-...Clear!

[MOfficer]-So they are R borns... Tell me, why would you revolt against us and help this creature out? Do you really believe that he will be grateful for your kindness and offer you a part of the blessings from the gods? He is a monster and he will forever be. His "gods" are nothing more than sinners, just as all of these "people". And you... You are naive to believe that a sinner is able to redeem himself from his sins.

N04H got a bit mad, but the kid only got more upset on the situation, starting to cry again.

[MSoldier6]-What should we do with them, Officer?

[MOfficer]-The C born should be taken back to the base. We still have some work to do regarding his code and see where he will be given.

[MSoldier7]-...And these kids?

[MOfficer]-Them? They have no use. We will simply give them to the soldiers near the Great Walls and see if they can put them outside the city. Maybe this way we can get some information regarding the demons. If they die, they die. It's not like we can let criminals wander freely.

[MSoldier8]-Understood!

And so, the Officer made a few moves and started leaving towards other groups of soldiers, while they take the kids and force them to walk on a specific direction so that they can obey to the orders. But before anybody can do anything, something happens.

A sound like a thunder appears, coming from a building nearby, which makes the soldiers stop from anything they were doing and even get the Officer perplexed enough to look around. Then, the sound seems as it moved its position when it appears again, coming from a different building, confusing and even scaring a bit everyone present there. After all, rain or thunder doesn't exist in their world.

[MOfficer]-...What the hell is that?

[MSoldier6]-Officer, any orders?

But before they can do anything, after the sound appears again and again, they notice that near them is now a strange mist, forming a line that travels near every soldier present in that area. So when they look to see where the line ends... they see a weird figure with strange clothes that holds a dark sword, with its end glowing red and an X carved on it, looking towards their direction with its face almost impossible to see.

Yet for some reason, nobody can say anything, as the soldiers seem to feel weak... before even starting to fall one by one on the ground, bleeding out violently. Even the Officer gets scared when he notices that, so he looks back at the figure, trying to reach for it and capture it... then falls on the ground as well, bleeding out and dying in agony. Before he closes his eyes though, he manages to look at the figure's face, noticing the voothrav eyes, before saying his final words.

[MOfficer]-...D-Damn... you... S-Seven...

But now, the boys and the kid are free from the soldiers since this figure took them all while avoiding what it considered innocent, even getting a bit scared at first too, before the man finally speaks.

[General]-Are you guys alright?

[N04H]-H-How did y-you...

[General]-What happened here? Why did these people want to kill you all? Did you steal something or...?

Yet the boys don't say anything. They both look so shocked at the man that stands with the blade in front of them, but the kid seems more comfortable seeing another C born like him.

[General]-...What? Why are you guys looking at me like that?

[M1LO]-...H-How did you kill them all without the gas?

[General]-Doesn't matter that now! Shouldn't you care that you are safe?

[M1LO]-Y-Yeah, but--

[0YV51]- --Thank you!

...And even if the boys are terrified, the kid only cares about the fact that this person is a C born that just saved them. It sure takes the outsider by surprise, but it is a welcomed one, as it gives such a gentle smile to the little kid.

[General]-...Your welcome. You guys are from down there, right? Shouldn't you get back?

Then, M1LO and N04H look at each other again, realising that they have to go back.

[M1LO]-*sigh* He is right, N04H. We still have to go back with the kid alive.

[N04H]-Master is not gonna believe this...

[General]-May I come with you? You might need protection to get in the city now from what it seems.

The Underground City

40:23

Minutes later of wandering to find one of the entrances to the Underground City, speak to the soldiers that guard the tunnels about the situation with the kid, while the stranger also lies that it had some quest up there too and it might have to come back, finally managing to arrive in the city, with the boys still being perplexed.

[N04H]-...So you are a soldier, Mister?

[General]-Hm? Oh, yeah, something like that. Why?

[M1LO]-And from which base?

[General]-...From no base? I'm not from the city! I'm new here!

[M1LO]-...?

[N04H]-Wait, you are the intruder that caused us problems a few days ago!?

[General]-O-Oh, so you know that information... H-Heheh...

[M1LO]-..."Intruder"?

[N04H]-Yeah! This guy broke into our base one day and kidnapped one of us before disappearing without a single trace!

[General]-Hey! I didn't abduct anybody! Your colleague was free to go back to his home whenever he pleased! And he did, remember!? He is at that "base" of yours now from what I know!

[M1LO]-So he is our enemy...?

[N04H]-I... *sigh* I don't know... Master said that he is no threat for now. Though the way he killed these soldiers sure scared me for life...

[General]-Hmph! Why are you so afraid anyway?? Just 'cause I'm a C born and you guys are R borns? Of course I'm more powerful since I have that blessing from the gods, but that shouldn't mean I'm a monster too!

[N04H]-...But we are no R borns, Mister. We are C borns too.

[General]-Huh?

Then, the boys look at the outsider, disabling the disguises completely without even moving a muscle, as the devices on their hands are connected to a C borns mind as said, before finally appearing in their actual identities. Even the kid was a bit surprised, but sure was more joyful now.

[General]-...So that's how that "device" works, huh?

[M1LO]-*sigh* What now though, N04H? What are we suppose to do with the kid?

[N04H]-Maybe you can take him to the North Base and speak to the people there? They will know what to do from now on, so that shouldn't be a problem.

[M1LO]-But how should I explain what happened? Who in the world would believe that two boys managed to save a C born on their own?

[N04H]-It's worth a try, no? And maybe this way you can also join that base and leave the central one. It's your chance to make a change in your life now, M1LO. Wasn't that your wish?

[M1LO]-Y-Yeah, N04H, but I told you! What if it turns out to be worse?

[N04H]-You've saved a soul, M1LO! Does that seem worse to you?? The North Base is doing this all the time after all, no matter the changes! I bet on that! Just believe me!

M1LO seems a bit mistrustful in his own fate though, as he looks a bit at the C born kid that stands next to him. But he was also listening, so when he looked at him in the eyes...

[0YV51]-...Trust!

...he told him such a word that simply made him take a final decision.

[M1LO]-*sigh* Alright... I will give it a try.

[N04H]-That's more like it! Now go to the North Base and come back with good news!

[M1LO]-See you tomorrow then...?

[N04H]-See you!

So, M1LO took the kid by a hand and went towards the North Base, not before giving his friend a goodbye and leaving him alone with the outsider, who also was a bit perplexed.

[General]-...What was that all about?

[N04H]-Doesn't matter... Now, I have a lot of questions to ask you! Where you coming from? And how did you know about our base? Or how did you even get in??

[General]-H-Hey, slow down there, buddy! I don't think it's the right time to ask me such questions now! Don't you have to go back to your people too?

[N04H]-Hm? And what are you going to do?

[General]-I guess I will go back up there. I mean, I have nothing better to do here... I just came with you so I knew you guys didn't get caught again.

[N04H]-Why so?

[General]-Because my people have a code: "Every person that is like me shall be called my family. Every person that thinks like me shall be called my sibling. Every person that looks like me shall be free from the curse of our gods."

[N04H]-I don't... really understand.

[General]-It's a way of saying that the Creators should be united no matter our homes. No need to take it on different ways. I just saw that C born kid with you and since you were in trouble, I came to help you.

[N04H]-So that's why He said you are no enemy...

[General]-Hm?

[N04H]-Never mind... I guess we will part our ways here then. I have to go back to my base. Hope we can meet again and you can answer my questions next time, Mister!

[General]-Heheh... It's a promise, buddy!

[N04H]-See you then!

So, N04H leaves towards his base too, while the outsider simply raises its hand as a goodbye, not waving it at all, and watching the kid leave. But before it does the same, it seems a bit upset too.

[General]-...Hope I can get my answers too.

The City of Above

49:58

But the day doesn't end here. We are going back to the City of Above for a bit, to watch the area in which all the dead soldiers are laying on the ground, and also some other are here to investigate what happened in this area. This time, it seems like Officer DU5TIN is also present.

[DU5TIN]-Did you guys find anything new?

[MSoldier9]-*sigh* Not yet, Officer... Whoever this was, it sure knew what he was doing...

[MSoldier10]-...We can't detect any kind of Ynash'saveghtah Gas in the air, Officer. We simply don't understand what could cause such a massacre without the presence of it!

[DU5TIN]-*sigh* Keep searching. We need to find out about it soon. If it truly is a demon that got inside the city, then we might be in trouble...

[ZAF4R]-It shouldn't be possible, Officer. Nobody reported any kind of demon inside the city, and this whole area is pretty close to the center.

[DU5TIN]-Even so, Mr. ZAF4R. This enemy seems pretty dangerous. We have t--

[MSoldier11]- --Officer! We've found something!

[DU5TIN]-...Hm?

Around two or three soldiers were calling for the Officer at one of the dead bodies that lay on the ground. That body though, it looks to belong to the fallen Officer himself, who seems as its wounds were the worst from those people. So, DU5TIN goes near them alongside Sergeant ZAF4R.

[DU5TIN]-What is it?

[MSoldier12]-It's the Officer of this group's body. We've analysed his wounds and managed to find a weird symbol carved on his stomach.

[DU5TIN]-Symbol?

[MSoldier11]-Affirmative. We managed to decipher an X carved on the body, but the other sign is almost impossible for us to identify. We also managed to draw it on a note for you to analyse it if you wish.

The third soldier gives the Officer the note that they've told him about, only for him to be more perplexed. Looking at the body, we can see the same symbol: it is an X in front of the weird seal that the boy said it represents its people. Even so, nobody knows anything about it.

[MSoldier12]-...We also managed to detect some Ynash'saveghtah Gas, but the situation is a bit strange.

[ZAF4R]-"Strange"? As in what, exactly...?

[MSoldier12]-As in... only the wounds seem to have a bit of that gas, but the area has not even a drop of it. Whatever that guy used, it isn't something from the normal devices at all. Do you think that the C borns have found a way of creating harmful weapons?

The Officer doesn't respond though, as he only stares at that weird symbol on the note, maybe trying to even make an idea of what's happening here. Then, he speaks again.

[DU5TIN]-...I don't know, but I will inform the General about this whole problem as soon as possible. We need to find out what's happening soon, or else... we might be the next victims.

[MSoldier11]-Do you believe that this is the creation of Seven Two, Officer?

Yet from the distance, it seems that the outsider is also listening to their conversation, watching the soldiers from the shadows without anybody knowing.

[DU5TIN]-No. We have no reports of him coming back yet. This is a whole new enemy to our city, and I will make sure to find out what's happening...

Sure, he lied a bit in these words, but there is a part of truth. He lied that there are no reports of Seven Two since he knows very well that CHE5TER is still alive since He visits him quite often, but he also knows the signature of "Seven Two" as well. And this... is not His. This is a complete new warrior fighting in the war, one that even He doesn't know much about.

"...This time, we have to battle a way more powerful enemy than Seven Two."