Going Back to the Citadel

On the same Humvee as yesterday, you sit on the back seat with Goyang on your lap, still in the state of being overwhelmed as you throw your gaze out of the window.

Ruins are everywhere, deepening their bond with the bearer of chaos. Flash, lightning, fires fade, ashes rising, and sky ablaze.

"So Chronos, something happened on the citadel?" You ask.

"The Coalition expedition team from 6 months ago came back with only a few of them surviving. They report the movement of many Origis Demons and an almost infinite number of Calamities. More importantly, they made contact with an 'Angel'. Oh! And also the appearance of a blood manipulating vampire in the form of a child." Chronos smirks.

It was the six party team that you encountered back then. Something is wrong, the time gap is too small because you've met them and not depart that long. They couldn't have just immediately back to the citadel the very moment Chronos is still there, the travel time is too far, they also don't have any means of transportation except if someone is waiting for them outside of the forest with vehicle. considering that it usually took more than eight hours to go to the citadel from Kauhu Forest.

Lues who is sitting beside you reminds you of something that might be critical, breaking the suspicious train of thoughts. "Things are going to get spicy, I wonder what will happen if they say someone is robbing them out of their treasury."

"I'm screwed."

"You're screwed."

"Though, serious question. What is an 'Angel'?" You're by no means a fool who doesn't know the divine existence that appears in many religious beliefs, but you're wondering why they are so hostile and dangerous.

"My love, that is actually the question many seek to answer for many years. Don't make me teach you personally with that lips of yours~"

Chronos suddenly stomps the brake for no reason, before crudely goes full throttle with the gas. "It seems like I regret having you here, what was it you're called again now? Lewd-ass?"

Lues who notices something, is trying to play with fire. "We already share our bodily fluid, fufufu." As she shows a big grin of victory to the pink-devil.

You feel defiled.

And if you're being honest, you feel like you're the victim here, and also the perpetrator by chances.

Just like an ant seeing two lioness fight, what you're spectating right now is Chronos driving without looking and a smug devil as both of them stare like they're pointing knives at each other. You instinctively try to move away to the farthest corner of the backseat as you can before something happens. Luckily it ends up in a tie despite the ominous aura exuded by Chronos suffocating your lungs.

The journey is long and boring, although Lues lessens the boredom by inviting you for an uno card duel throughout the wait.

Chronos is a natural smiler, be it fake, insane or both but something about it after that quarrel with Lues sends shivers down your spine. It's like the smile widened and not in a good way.

You feel like you know what happens but after some consideration, you choose to become dense with mixed feeling.

Without thinking too much, you continue your card duel with Lues, placing a wild over the red six. As you look up to see her reaction, the same chill went down your spine a second time. A rather scrunched up face, one shown in disgust. You finally made an astounding revelation that you should've realised earlier.

You're sandwiched between two monsters, monsters even worse than the calamity monkey thing you fought.

Ignoring the choking killing intent, you can feel the driver is staring at your cuboid pet as both of your gazes meet.

"It has been a while since I saw a small Tekhanur."

"Tekhanur?" You ask.

"Shorty's pet? Now that you mention it, I didn't feel any 'void' from that little guy." Says Lues.

She retracts her vision into the road, "That is no beast, it's one of the rare kinds of artificial souls embedded themselves into physical objects. It might not be long until it will mature, heh."

"This little guy is also immortal, I saw him getting torn into pieces and now here he is."

Three hours later, the humvee reached the outside of the Amos Citadel. One kilometer left, an enormous wall can be perceived as tall enough to tower into the sky from where your current position is. Even from the clear, you find yourself marveling at it. Dark fortitude materials with glowing red giant circuit fortifications higher than most normal buildings could even dream of. Imposing, powerful and impenetrable. Although, as your vehicle approaches, you come to realize that there are people gathering near it. Many little dotted figures, staring at something. A commotion has happened, perhaps.

Finally reaching the crowded field before the great wall, numerous people in different cloaks from some kind of organization are being supervised by a single tall humanoid machine of war. Standing at four meters in height, numerous long-range weapons are present on its back, currently patrolling its gaze from its small head which is kinda contradicting the futuristic torso of a giant

Still inside the humvee, you tap the shoulder of Chronos from behind. "What is that big humanoid mech?"

"That is the same kind as your little cubey, a Tekhanur, possibly an old one."

"How come I never heard of them before?" Says Lues.

Amused, Chronos giggles. "That is probably because you never go outside."

"Seems fair."

'This ancient spirit is shocking me more and more.'

Now you're wondering if Goyang can become that cool one day. Staring at him, the block of white is staring you back with his googly eyes.

Matching the angle of the vehicle window with the guard post, a sleek uniformed female with forward-striking dragon horns can be seen talking with Chronos.

"Give me your ID."

"Here's mine." Says Chronos while showing the guard her identification card.

"How about the other two and one of the Tekhanures on the back seat?"

The guard is surprisingly perceptive, it seems like the people of law do give the right person for the right job.

"Ah, my daughter hasn't made her ID yet. The cubie over there is wild, and we didn't have any license for it"

"Alright then, the fee will be 50KC."

You can see Chronos is dying inside. She shows her Kepler Coin Card, KCC for short. As the guard pulls up a scanner, you can see the holographic laser enveloping the card with a straight vertical and horizontal web.

"I already took 50KC from your bank account." The female guard immediately shows a jeering smile, "You only have 35KC left."

"My KC…"

Chronos then drives into the Vagant Engineering Dept located in sector 04, the southern part of Amos Citadel. You're still wondering where the other Vagant Association's buildings are.

Surprisingly, Lues has taken a liking for Goyang, as she is petting him nonstop and still going.

"Oh yeah, I haven't registered my daughter for KCC yet." Says Chronos.

"We're broke, and I'm not your daughter."

"Don't worry, there is no fee."

And there it is, the gigantic bunker-like building.

Vagant Engineering Dept Facility.