117 A Long Night

An hour later...

The headquarters of the First Floor of the Association here in Kanada is in the 3rd district, a building that is owned by a small printing company. As a front to their hideout, the printing company actually does run for a newspaper called 'The Springfield Bulletin'. Five floors with a seven hundred square meter lot area, it was spacious enough for the Association's intentions here. There was more space down below if they needed it after all, but that's most used for confinement.

"You're telling me that the anomaly stopped on its own? It disappeared right before your eyes and vanished without a trace?" A sitting Elizabeth looked at the sweating Ben as her foot was tapping on the floor in undisguised frustration.

Her soft black eyes were unusually sharp while glaring constantly. She wore her usual business uniform that composed of a white blouse and black pants. Her simple fashion sense that only showcased her beauty, though she was already taken. In fact, her husband was already in this room.

Feeling conflicted at whether to take the Energy Weapon plans from Dr. Prime or not since technically, they weren't needed to solve his problem at all. It didn't sit right with her to take that credit, especially when she didn't know if it could come back to bite her in the future. It was the Association's credibility at stake here, not just hers.

"You've seen the footage yourself. It really did just vanish all of a sudden." Ben raised his hands in the air in surrender. If there was someone in the Association that he doesn't like meeting, it was Liz when she's in a bad mood. The taps on the floor were causing this man's heart to beat so fast that sweat was drenching his shirt wet.

"Sigh. Should I give it back? How do I even tell it to him in the first place?" Elizabeth stood up and walked to the large glass window on one side of her office. It wasn't showing the outside as one would expect. It was actually showing a laboratory for the Association's largest project yet. One that she was sent here to facilitate.

"Did he call you back? He asked for to take the problem off his hands and it was handled. Only problem I see is if he calls back and asks for it back." Ben heaved a sigh of relief when the woman's foot stopped doing its annoying pattern. He looked at her back and found himself trying to calm her down with what he thought was common sense.

"Hmm..." Feeling frustrated in her heart, Elizabeth knew better than to dwell on something she cannot control. Though it would have been a lot easier for her to accept the technology if it was earned, she knew it was not possible to let the Association give it back anyway. It was just her conscience eating her up.

"Fine. Fine. Instead of making a big deal out of this, I'll just help the old man out. Yeah, that sound like a good plan. He needs a job now, anyway. As long as we get him out of his tricky situation first." Elizabeth talked to herself in usual fashion while Ben looked at the trembling Billy by his side. It was always like this for the man who couldn't control himself when he sees his wife.

"I'll leave you two alone, then. I'll be eating in McRonald's, don't call me if there's no new mission." Ben stood up and took his leave. Leaving behind the two lovers alone with a smile on his face. He was happy for his good friend, having a purpose in life is the only satisfaction he wishes everyone can receive.

"Ehem. Did you know how much of a headache that abili- Thud." Elizabeth turned her head to face the window when Ben left, feeling embarrassed when she saw how lovestruck her husband was when he looked at her. She recalled how his ability caused an earthquake to occur due to how much of a hurry he was in. If he was more careful, it wouldn't have caused a tremor.

"I missed you. And Kylie too." Though he took her by surprise when he suddenly embraced her from behind with enough force to make her immobile. Billy had been gone for a few weeks due to having to finish five missions in quick succession. In just three more missions, he could finally relinquish his position and leave the Association without anyone complaining. At least without any complains that matter.

"..." Elizabeth looked down on the floor with a conflicted expression. The hands that held her from behind were strong and warm, making her feel safe and happy. But the life they have isn't one that is good for a young child. Her daughter deserves better parents. 

"Hey, I told you. I'll handle it, alright?" Twisting his wife's body so that she could face him, Billy felt a pain in his chest at seeing her wronged face. It gave him more motivation to finish his missions quickly, though that was also a reason for his wife's frustration.

"I know. It's just... They... They tested her..." Elizabeth couldn't handle the pressure anymore and placed her head over her husband's chest. Her words didn't have anything wrong about them at first glance, but then he thought about a possibility.

"Wait, what?" Holding Elizabeth tightly, Billy asked for a clarification. If those bastards did anything to his little girl, he doesn't know what kind of action he might take.

"Kylie, she's a Yellow-rank Healer!" Elizabeth wailed harder at the thought of her child's future. It was already a done deal that they would be able to leave, but why is it that the heavens wanted their daughter to stay? Could it be that her sins were already taking their revenge?

"... I'll handle it. Give me some time, I can still make this work. Do you still remember what I said? If you give me your love-" As frustrating as it was, Billy knew that it wasn't going to be impossible to still turn this around. He wasn't about to leave this place without his daughter, not when he has the power to do as he wants. It was about time to show the Association that they had no power over him, not anymore.

"You'll give me the world. I remember, Billy. I remember. Please, Billy. Take back our daughter. I don't want her to live in a place like this." Tears that she thought had dried up were raining down like a storm today. Though she would never say it out loud, her husband had never let him down. In her eyes, he is the best man in the world, the best husband, the best father. Only in his presence can she be vulnerable like this, only in his arms.

....

Inside the Huertazuela household, dinner had just finished and the children went back to their rooms soon after the meal. It was an excruciating for Zel to hide the pain he was experiencing as he was sweating the whole time he ate. Thankfully, they accepted his excuse of it being just sweat he can't stop having because of exercising. He even got supported by the family for it. But now he just wants to rest.

"Sigh. Just kill me!" Zel lied on his back as he felt up his forehead. Hot sweat immediately drenched his hand and so he wiped it away with the second towel today. The first one was already changed due to being so wet that it didn't help to dry him anymore. Frankly, the headache was annoying on its own, but combined with this, it was unbearable.

Though he felt that it was too much, he did realize something. This sweat was his body's way of removing any impurities, as he could already see a change in his body's appearance. The baby fat on his face had visibly lessened while his stomach was already flat. While it made him look better than he did before, he also didn't think much about it. He wanted strength from healthy muscles, not to lose fat and get thinner from it.

"Toph, how long until it's done?" Zel sat up from his bed and looked at the silhouette he left behind on the bed. He needed to have his comforter changed because he is not going to sleep in that later. If he has a later.

[Estimated time left to completion 02H:11M:55S]

"Should I go inside now or later? What do you think, Toph?"

[It is advised that the user goes inside as soon as possible. The pain will not get easier as time passes, and the user might catch attention when he inevitably cries out in anguish.]

"Uhuh, you think this little pain's going to make me squeal, do you?" Zel who was about to teach Toph a lesson in will power immediately calmed down when he realized what he was talking about. It seems that the childish body was still giving him a few instances of, well, childishness.

"Has Emilia entered the kingdom, yet?" Zel asked after a while. Dismissing his earlier display of immaturity. It was then that a screen appeared in front of him, displaying his Council's Status.

[Council Status: (2/5)]

[Emilia Halsey: Active

Race: Human   Age: 9 Years Old

Mana: 83/500   Contribution Points: 0

(Remove)   (Survey)   (Reward)]

[Jessica Valentine: Active

Race: Human   Age: 22 Years Old

Mana: 20/300  Contribution Points: 0

(Remove)   (Survey)   (Reward)]

"Whoa, whoa, wait. What does this mean?" Zel pointed at the Survey option presented down below. It was easy to understand the two others, but it was hard for him to get an understanding of the one in the middle.

[It is a live projection of the Council member. Would you like to use it?]

"Hmm... I'm guessing it's similar to a video call?" Zel thought about how video chats in the future were used for conferences. Perhaps Toph created this function so that it would act like that.

[No. The Fealty Band will automatically broadcast the Council member's location with visual aid. It will use the stored mana in the ring and will not inform the Council member of it being broadcasted to the user. It can only be used when the Council member is in a location that can access the Cerebral Kingdom. That means it is accessible solely in the dimension where the user is.]

"..." Zel was silent as he thought about the implications of this feature. He was basically able to invade his Council member's privacy, though he knew that this is a valuable feature for times of danger. Saving a life in exchange for their right to be watched without their consent, it was a good trade in Zel's mind. Though he was sure to keep this information to himself, all the more reason to block Emilia's mind reading. 

"Can we have what I want instead? Make a conference call option for me so that I can address them without having a phone. I think it would be convenient to have a communication device set up for us. Even just a simple messaging system would be fine." Zel looked at the screen in front of him and thought that it was lacking. It wasn't that he was blaming Toph for it being too bare bones, it was merely due to a lack of experience. The system will improve based on his desire, but everything has a cost.

[Setting up a communication system will require energy from the user's mana core to facilitate. Estimating Kingdom Points required...]

- Text Messaging System -100 Points

- Voice Messaging System - 200 Points

- Video Messaging System - 500 Points

[Each function is separated from each other. As each function can be displayed and accessed in multiple ways, it is essential to separate them in the early stage of creation.]

"Fine, do all of them. Inform me when it's finished. For now, prepare a portal for me. Open it in a minute." Zel walked over to his phone to contact Emilia. He had gotten her number earlier today, before they separated. He also got Jessica's number, but she still had something to do for him. She wasn't needed for later at all, even Emilia wasn't really required. But Zel just wanted to hear from her anyway or see her if possible.

"Ring. Ring. Hello?" As hurried response came from the other side as an anxious voice sounded out. Emilia was afraid to call first because she didn't know if she'd disturb Zel. Thankfully he called her first because the worry was eating at her patience.

"Hey, Emilia. I'm going to enter the Kingdom now. Just giving you a heads up." Zel was happy to hear Emilia's voice. He didn't know why but it felt like he was hearing it for the last time. But it might just be the pain making him wish he was comforted by someone.

"I'll be over later, Tiger. I can't leave with my parents still awake because they check up on me from time to time. I'll probably take another hour before I can go." Emilia was able to hear the shakiness from Zel's voice. But since he didn't tell her about it, she wanted to make him think that she didn't notice.

"Alright, see you later. Love you." Zel closed his eyes when hearing Emilia's voice. He was wondering why he even wants to do this tedious thing again. He could just let others carry the burden and just be strong for those he cares about. But then again, his heart just won't let him. Stupid morality just can't give him a break.

"Love you too. Click." Emilia smiled as Zel's habit seems to have not changed. He's always saying those words whenever they separate from each other. He says that it's so she knows, because he might not be able to show it in his actions. But honestly, he shows her more love than anyone could ever hope for. It was enough to make Emilia feel special, to want to stay by his side. But as they were kids for now, they can't even stay together at home.

They were all released earlier than normal from school since there it was dangerous to stay there without a thorough inspection. The earthquake they experienced wasn't simple at all, and it was better to take the kids back home than let them stay here. So, with a heavy heart and a worry for Zel's wellbeing, Zel and Emilia parted ways.

"Whoosh." As soon as Zel dropped the phone from a lack of strength, a portal appeared in front of him. The soil on the others side was hidden behind a layer of grass, making Zel wonder what kind of change the introduction of mana did to the place.

"It's time we get this integration over with." Zel walked over the portal without hesitation. Though there was a hint of fear in his heart, Zel moved forward to see this integration to the end. As soon as he passed through, the portal closed and left behind nothing but silence. 

He didn't know that it would be a long time before he comes back here. He didn't know that when he returns, things won't be the same. He didn't even know that when he comes back, he won't be alone. 

End of Volume 2

-Yeah, that was supposed to be the true Volume 2, but I felt bad writing this in such a hurry that the ideas I had were treated less than what they deserved. So I rewrote it with the goal of being better, but then time was so little that I felt the need to write more when I knew I needed to rest.

I need a break, and I'm taking it. If you plan on reading my work again in the future, I want to thank you from the very bottom of my heart. It's because of people like you that  I feel alive, and hopefully I get to entertain you with my imagination a little better next time we meet. At that time, I promise to stick to the end.-

-ChuYang