[ Message from Izo Shelley. ]

‘Eh? He already has something to ask me?’

She read the message and the general gist. If she was truly Jane Fishbrook, she would be completely helpless but she was Milyaa Mendeleyev.

They were called the fourth behemoth. Not because of their strength, the three factions each held 25% of the power of the Nexus and the Mendeleyev family only 7%, but because they produce 40% of weapons in the Nexus. If one of the factions antagonized her family, they would simply support the two others.

Since it’s also in their interest to keep peace between the three, they manage the Nexusphere and most of the governments Nexusnet. She could easily fulfill Izo’s request.

Their current power was born of her Grandma Lyudmilla’s genius. Her success was also her biggest regret. Though it made them incredibly powerful it also made them the first target if the war comes.

“Call ‘Home Service’.”

The call connected to her subordinates in Zelmja their homeworld.

“Young Zarina, what do you ask of us?”

“Give me the transcript of candidate Izo Shelley’s private conversation then delete all records.”

“Yes, Zarina.”

[ For I know, he was a product of his surroundings… It doesn’t matter if its Philosophy, Religion, A.I. governance, or threat of extinction, I want a happier life for everyone… Filter the good and combine it all. ]

“Yes, Young Zarina?”

“I want his whatever conversations past or future to be masked. Also make it easy to delete at any moment. Inform me if anyone investigates him.”

Milyaa’s opinion of Izo Shelley rose as well as her expectations.

‘He won’t be a pawn and thinks about the greater picture and powers. Should I force him into leading roles?’

*

Since Jae was confirmed safe and they had little to talk about, Izo said goodbye to his fellow scout candidates.

[ Jane: You’ll be fine. In fact, whenever you feel like something troublesome can happen with whatever you want to say, just request a private conversation.

Izo: Really?

Jane: Trust.

As far as Izo knows, the Nexusphere was an important infrastructure and conversations here should be difficult to be tamper with.

‘Jane seems to hide a secret. She trusted me with it though and I will loath myself to betray.’

Other than finding her cute, he just likes her words and her as a person.

“Ground Control to Major Sun Hee. Commencing go back to camp protocol, come in Major Sun Hee.”

She was pretty normal for the past two days so he didn’t expect her to be mental.

‘Am I babysitting a deranged killer?’

Izo could imagine her a soft chuckle from a few meters behind him. It was a rainy night and the black cloak was being blown by the stormy wind. He would ask if there was anything it needed and it wouldn’t speak. He would walk but it would follow. He would run and it would chase.

His hope would rise when he sees a police station ahead. He would enter panting and report the chasing being. The policemen would search outside, finding nothing in the dark. They would file a report but urge him home. So, Izo will beg to sleep in a cell instead. At night, waking up from a revisiting of the event, he would wake up and hear the chuckle. It would evolve to a cackle. Then, a breath in his ear.

“It’s a God Particle.”

“Huh?”

“A miracle particle!”

At some point, Sun Hee had sobered up. She was euphoric and skipping about. Izo had never seen a grown woman bounce up and down like floating on clouds as if a child receiving carnival cotton candy.

“Are you sane now?”

“No? Yes. Insane, yes. I mean no.”

‘Uh oh. She’s still out of it.’

Izo let her exhaust her energy until she was in a talking state.

“Are you feeling less uh- manic now?”

“Yes. Yes.”

“Can you talk coherently about the reason for this, burst of energy?”

“Yes. Yes.”

Though still wary of the mental patient, Izo trusted Sun Hee for now.

“I request a private conversation with Lee Sun Hee.”

[ Private Conversation Accepted! ]

“So, what gives?”

“Spirituality, mana, whatever. They are names for an all-permeating matter than can mimic any other matter. Not only that it can behave in ways impossible for normal matter. It’s inert and undetectable for most life forms but for spiritually gifted, they could activate it and tell it how to behave.”

“If I wish for it have amazing mass in the size of a quark, it can. It will begin bending reality and it can be used as a scalpel for the quarks, hadrons, atoms, molecules. If I want it as a wave, it can. Exhibit wave-particle duality, it absolutely can.”

“Damn, you’re a physicist? Too young. Student physicist? Can you translate it too normal people talk for this peasant?”

She breathed in and out to slow her heart beat. Some semblance of calm returned to her.

“You know about alchemy? Turning lead to gold? This particle could do that. As a transmitter of information by being a light, it can. Imagine a dimension spanning super A.I. that can farm, fight, entertain and countless other tasks with millions of robots. Mana can make that possible. Enhanced muscle tissues made through addition of carbon nanotube or other unknown materials. It would allow a person to punch through a metal.”

“This is scary.”

“This is awesome.”

“Well, 60-40.”

“Which is the more dominant emotion for you.”

“Scary.”

“I lean more to awesome.”

Izo grabbed her shoulders for she was about to begin skipping again.

“Where did you learn this?”

“Basic Mana Manipulation.”

“You derived all of this from this book?”

“Yeah, it’s an improved physics book that explains most of the things we couldn’t back on Earth.”

Izo could finally understand the way she acted. To suddenly uncover the secrets of the world and her holy grail for her passion.

Looking at Sun Hee, she wore t shirt and jeans that were none too fashionable. It suited her, made her feel real. Her actions and excited reminded him of a puppy.

‘A golden retriever? No, she’s a bit pale. A husky? Husky’s are dramatic. Slightly wild like a wolf but also cute.’

“A Husky.”

“A what now? Have you gone crazy?”

“Uwah!”

She lifted Izo’s arms, moved it side to side. She even patted away imaginary dust from his clothes.

“You were staring at me a bit too hard.”

“Hmph.”

He grabbed her wrist to stop her patting.

“I called you a husky. Are you deaf?”

“A Husky?”

“Smelly and relies on its owner too much. Cheh. Forcing me to socialize and cover for you.”

“Why you!”

“Exit the Nexusphere!”

Her hands that were about to grab him were replaced by the view of the sky. Izo was back at camp and lying down.

‘Phew.’

His relief however was short-lived. Sun Hee also woke up and she was staring at him with a wolf like gaze.

‘Fighting, no. Using Sung Soo, no. Ask for forgiveness, no. Run?’

He bolted out of their hut only to stop since there were so many people around. There were too many scattered things and lots of people to bump.

For some reason, when he slowed to a jog she did too. When he walked, she did too. Grasping at straws, he could only resort to the worst tactic against this woman.

“Aiyaa. Look at this acting so rowdy in front of so many people. Let’s act like mature people here and forget about our grievances.”

“I agree. Why don’t we settle out differences there?”

Sun Hee’s finger pointed at the cliff where he was thrown.

‘I’m in danger.’

*

“Honey, I love you.”

“I know. I love you too.”

“I’ll wait for you on the other side.”

The old male centaur held her merfolk wives’ hand.

“Dad, Mom.”

A young eagle man burst through the door, holding a box.

“Don’t give up yet. I got the Mk 7 Life Booster.”

“I can’t believe you, you bastard.”

The centaur lifted the eagle man. He was obviously in pain but still held on to the box.

“I didn’t raise a criminal bastard. Who did you steal this from? Did you borrow money? Did you sell yourself?”

“N-no. Uhaah. D-dad, I got it- got it legally.”

“You dare lie to your father?”

“They h-had a promo. 60% off for two users of Mk 3 and above. The final 40% can be installment.”

Disbelieving still, the centaur however let him down.

“It’s real. Inject it to Mom.”

The father showed distrust but followed what the boy said. Soon, enough the dying mother’s vital signs improved. The partners hugged each other then looked at their child in question.

“My friends and I managed to scrounge up some money.”

The father hugged his son and cried for forgiveness.

“Don’t let your financial situation make you part with your loved ones. The Mk 7 Life Booster is a clinically tested and proven improvement from previous versions. Using it can extend one’s biological life by 200 years more so than using Mk 1 through 6 individually.”

Fast texts passed through the screen and the narrator read it in a similar fast speed,

“Side effects include diarhea, vomiting… asphyxiation. Warning, Life Booster and its brand of products will not allow one to exceed spiritual lifespan. Only increase in combination with increased spiritual rating can Life Booster and its brand of products increase lifespan more than the average. If symptoms persist consult your doctor.”

The previous scene disappeared, replaced by exciting music and an explosion.

“1 day away till the Welcoming Day trials! Here are the top ten candidates to watch… Here are their similarities to past explorers… enjoy the next week of your holidays Nexus!”