“Aftermath”

The streets were filled with crowds of civilians from the other world, trucks and vans from the head quarters coming forth, as out of one walked out Royce and Mari, looking around in confusion.

"What is the meaning of this..!?"

Mari shouted, glaring towards The Leader, and then Nico, as she ran over to him, examining his now torn off prosthetic.

"Sir, it's his first day and you've already gotten him into harms way!? He's barely an adult."

Nico sheathed his sword, letting Mari examine him, which she used a special sensor to do so. Royce crossed his arms and walked to the group, stealing Nico's new sword.

"Eh, where'd you get this.. and what'd you guys see in there, I wanna know."

Nico quickly yanked the aword back, sheathing it once again, before glancing to Mari.

"I'm fine, really. I made my first peosthetics with no arms, I'll be fine with making them with one."

Mari sighed in disappointment, before chasing The Leader to scold him. Nico then noticed Towlocus, teary eyed, on the urge to cry.

"My home.. is it truly gone..? Where will I live.."

She sobbed, Nico panicking a little, frantically coming to her side to comfort her, as Royce just chuckled like a prick.

"Ah.. I'm sure we'll find you a new place to stay.. You can even stay with me if you want."

She nodded, with a slight smile as she walked off to be alone for a bit. Mari dragged The Leader back over to the group, crossing her arms.

"Alright, get to explaining..! What'd you guys do..?"

Mari got all up in Nico's face, shouting at him as he backed away. She took notice to his ring as she grabbed his wrist, raising it to her.

"What's this..?"

She tries to pull the ring off, though it wouldn't budge. Nico didn't care much at first, but he after remembering what happened ahen he removed it from Malik, he quickly took his hand back.

"I don't know..! Some, magic ring..?"

Both Royce and Mari's eyes widened, before they both crowded The Leader, asking questions.

"Why the hell would you let the newbie get a ring, y'know how rare those are!?"

The three bickered before The Leader pushed them back, walking to Nico, well facing the two others.

"Enough..! I didn't have a chance to stop Nico, he just put it on when he had the chance.. It's luckily that he did though, without it he'd been dead right now, and he's the one who destroyed the other world with it."

Royce and Mari had shock written on their faces to this knowledge, how could one do such a feat without any training?

"You're joking… What ring even is it..?"

The Lizard guards appeared out of nowhere, startling everyone as they cleared their throats, talking simultaneously.

"The past Ruler wore the Ring of Pain! The more pain the wearer feels, the stronger they become..! Eyepatch must've been in quite the pain to deliver the attack he did."

They then marched off, Nico looking at them in confusion to their weirdness. He got back to focus on the subject, looking down at the ring himself.

"What's so special about the ring..? You guys gonna explain..?"

The Leader sighed, nodding as he lead the group to one of the vehicles, getting in the driver's seat, as the others got in as well.

"We'll explain once we get back to headquarters."

The Leader started the engine before driving off. They made their way back to headquarters, as well did many of the other vehicles, containing the civilians from the other world.

As they entered the building it was now filled with the civilians, all being lead around or introduced to their temporary rooms, as The Leader lead them into his office, though Royce didn't follow, instead curious to the creatures mixed in with the humanoids.

Nico was sat in one chair as The Leader and Mari sat across from them, a long silence forming as Nico looked around awkwardly.

"Uhm-"

Before Nico could get a word out, Mari slammed her fist on the desk, before returning to a formal composure.

"In this world there are many rings, these rings were made by, supposedly, God. They are extremely rare and barely anyone has them. With those rings you can control concepts, though obviously at your low level you can't..!"

She spoke almost mockingly, as if she believed she was more fit to wear a ring. The Leader extended his own hand out, showing to have a ring of his own, a yellow one.

"Throughout this headquarters' history there's been two ring wearers, the first being me, the other we don't talk about. I control sound, well your ring seems more complex."

Nico looked closely to the ring, before back to their faces as their glares felt so dramatic, even with The Leader's mask his glare was felt, as the tension got to Nico.

"Ah.. Alright..! I'd love to talk about rings but.. I gotta um.. rebuild my arm..!"

Nico laughed awkwardly before running out of the office. Royce was sitting there, arm wrestling some of the monstrous civilians, especially those of size, but even then Royce won, it seemed he was the strong suite of the group.

Royce took notice of Nico, rushing to him with a cocky grin, looking down upon him, as Royce was a very prideful and cocky person.

"Did you really beat the ruler? If it was you who killed him they were probably some scrawny dude or a girl."

Nico glared to him, not taking his shenanigans as he began walking off.

"Nah, he was big and full of himself, like you."

Royce frowned, following him as Nico seemed ticked off, refraining from looking at Royce.

"Yeah, sure. Whatever makes you sleep at might… Say, where's Lucy?"

Nico suddenly stopped, Royce looking around, as Nico slowly looked towards him.

"She's um, gone."

Nico said bluntly, wuickly walking away to the backroom as Royce stood there, his eyes widened as he itched the back of his head.

"Damn…"

Nico sat in the tech room, looking at his ring, and questioning how he was supposed to ever upgrade his left arm, being unable to take the ring off without causing destruction.

He sighed, and shrugged before getting to work. He took out the book he gained from the old man from the other world, reading through the many inventions within it.

He began getting tools and materials, creating a new prosthetic, a better one, one that could contain the liquid lightning, and perhaps a lot more.

As Nico worked, the Number 5 of the group listened in from the other side of the door, with an unknown readon on why. She was the only member to not reveal her name and face to Nico, and it seemed it was about time to.

After hours of work, Nico walked out of the room, with a new arm, ugraded to the finest tech, and the best metals. He looked to his new arm, testing it's movements before bumping into someone, glancing to them.

Number 5 glared back, feeling menacing as Nico took a step back, startled, as he chuckled nervously.

"Oh, it's you… You uh, need something..?"

A giggle was heard before Number 5 removed her helmet, her silver hair throwing freely into two long pigtails, as she looked up to him, smiling with her sharp teeth, and fierce orange eyes, doing a peace sign.

"You've been fooled all along..! It was me all the time, Lite..! Remember me..?"

Nico's eyes widened as he gasped, a new journey on to come.

Volume One Completed!