Prologue III

"Dimensional Chat Group..."

"What are you muttering about?"

"Nothing."

"Sure...so tell me."

"Hmm."

"Why have you been looking at your phone for the past 15 minutes straight then?"

"No comment."

"D-don't t-tell me...you-you!?"

Edison looked at Madison's quivering finger pointing at his face with a deadpan expression. Her shock and other emotions on her face were as clear as day.

"So?"

He couldn't bother anymore and just said what came into his mind. Without reacting to her even more exaggerated expression, he continued walking.

"Wow. You're lying, aren't you?"

Madison quickly reverted to her usual self, as she exhaled a good amount of air out of her lungs.

She wiped the invisible sweat off her forehead, looking at Edison's unbothered figure walking through the crowd, she unknowingly pouted.

'Hmph, don't want any woman stealing my innocent brother of mine! He's still too inexperienced!'

Nodding at her reasoning, she quickly followed him.

...

..

.

Everything around him turned black.

However, that didn't seem to bother the silhouette standing in the middle of the darkness surrounding him.

After a while, the figure revealed itself to be Edison, his eyes closed as he stood still, unmoving.

All of a sudden, another figure materialized before him, and without hesitation...

Edison rushed towards it and with precise movements, attacked all his opponent's vital points.

Though, that seemed futile as it fluidly blocked all of Edison's deadly strikes.

Seemingly mocking him, the opponent copied his exact moves, but something seemed off...

Edison actually struggled against his own fighting style as 'it' overwhelmed him. The figure before him was much faster, more powerful, and definitely more skilled as it used every part of its body as a weapon.

Still, with absolute calmness spreading throughout his body, Edison tried his best, without the usual restraint holding him back from going all out, he somehow succeeded in defending himself, before quickly backing off.

Regaining composure, he got into an orthodox stance.

Silence enveloped these two combatants, yet that didn't dissipate the increasingly tense atmosphere.

"After all these years, you finally decided to change a bit. Well, can't say for your personality though, it's just as bad."

A deep and guttural voice rang out from the figure, its tone exceedingly menacing as it showed obvious disdain and contempt.

"Do you think you can beat me, Edi?"

"No."

Edison replied, his voice still calm, as his eyes scanned its body.

'No openings, no weaknesses.'

Just like all the time he entered this place, this guy had absolutely no openings despite it just standing there like it couldn't care less.

"Then...why are you here?"

"I..."

And for the first time in a long while, a cold and merciless glint shone in his eyes. The air around him suddenly became much heavier, as if gravity partially surrendered to him.

"...just felt like I could do more today."

Edison's figure bolted towards his opponent like a cannonball, completely disregarding defensive measures and going onto full offense.

"I see."

With that same menacing voice, it immediately counterattacked.

...

..

.

Back in reality.

"So, how was it today?"

"It was nice."

"Hmm."

Currently, Madison could be seen munching on a piece of nicely cooked steak with another woman sitting across her.

The woman's appearance seemed to be in her 30s, as time did nothing to diminish her attractiveness. In fact, if both of them went out together, people would assume them to be sisters, with Madison being the younger one and the woman being the older one.

Though, of course, there are still distinct differences between them as the woman was more 'developed' in some places.

"What did you guys talk about?"

"The usual."

"Be more specific."

"Some stuff that wouldn't interest you...?"

"Madi, why are you being tough for no reason?"

"I don't know! Maybe because you suddenly disappeared a while ago to do some whatever fuckin' business and now you just appear like nothing ever happened? And for some odd reason, you refuse to tell us why!"

Madison had frustration, anger, and some sadness laced in her voice. She looked at her mom, who seemed surprised by her outburst, her facial expression forming a complicated look.

"I'm sorry."

Apologizing, she went back to munching on her steak, nevertheless, it didn't seem to taste as good anymore.

"No, it's fine. I understand. You...Madi-"

"You're back."

Both women looked at the figure near the kitchen counter take his plate of food, and without further ado, sat next to Madison.

Edison didn't say anything else regarding their little argument and just dug into the food, evidently lost in his own thoughts.

His mother was, of course, surprised by his lack of presence, but ignored it as relief overcame her.

"I thought you wouldn't come, Edi."

"I was hungry."

"That I can see."

A small smile bloomed on her face, watching her son devouring the food she cooked in front of him.

Looks like her cooking skills didn't decline over time, so of course, as a mother, she was proud of herself.

"Mom. Why'd you leave."

However, that question immediately wiped the smile off her face. She senses and hears it.

There was no mistaking it, her son...

Edison looked up and stared at his mother.

...was mad.

"Why'd you leave us."

"Edi, I-"

"You can't explain."

Hearing that, she was a bit at ease now, thinking he might've understood her, she tried to explain, but sadly...

"Mom. 76 times."

Edison took his plate of food and went upstairs.

"That's how many times you left us."

As that were his final words, he disappeared from their point of view.

Seeing that her brother left, she looked at her mother's pitiful figure, drops of tears were already forming in the corner of her beautiful darkened eyes.

Even though she felt the same as him, somewhere deep in the corner of her heart, she couldn't bring herself to hate her mother. Sure, she harbored those negatives thoughts in her mind, but it was always only temporary, as affection and gratefulness still overtook the negativity. She simply couldn't forget the amount of effort their mother did for them when they were younger, struggling through the greed of politicians, she did her best to provide while their father, unfortunately, passed away.

Left alone, she had to work much harder, but in the end, they made it.

But, there seemed to be a rift between her brother and mother ever since their father passed away, and as time passed it grew bigger and bigger, making their relationship complicated.

Tried as she did, she couldn't figure out why he was like this except on the numerous occasions when their mother left, but that shouldn't really...

Unless...

No.

Madison shook those thoughts away, and without hesitation, brought her mother into her embrace.

...

..

.

Although it may seem like Edison left them completely, in actuality, he was upstairs listening to the sobs of both of his relatives.

He silently touched his heart.

'That's what matters the most. Please, don't forget that.'

The voice of his deceased father echoed in his mind, trying to remind him of his colorful past.

He quickly shook his head and stood up.

'Patience has its limits.'

Thinking so, he entered his room and shut the door.

He placed the plate of food on the table, rummaged through his pockets, and brought his phone out.

'Hmmm.'

Edison curiously looked at the app that mysteriously appeared.

'Oh well.'

He clicked on it.

{Congratulations, you became a member of the Dimensional Chat Group! Here, you'll have the experience of chatting with different living beings across the Multiverse, traveling to different worlds to eliminate foreign anomalies, and most importantly forming friendships and maybe something more! For further explanation please ask your current group members, as you joined quite late! Well then, let's get right into it, shall we? PS: Don't worry about the language barrier! You'll understand each other no problem!]

--------

[Advocate of Vengeance is online!]

[99+ unread messages...]

[History's Strongest Loser is online!]

[Lover of Free Food is online!]

[Admin is online!]

[Lover of Free Food: Looks like our last member came online! Welcome! Welcome!]

[History's Strongest Loser: Hoho, indeed, welcome!]

[Admin: Hello! It seems like you're the last one who came online, would you mind introducing yourself? Hey, we should also re-introduce ourselves! Okay, okay, I'll start! Hello, my name is-]

[Advocate of Vengeance is offline!]

---------

Edison dropped his phone, and looked at the ceiling with empty eyes.

'What have I gotten myself into...'

...

..

.