At the edge of a huge crater that was supposed to be what’s left of Ravine was Akino sitting idly at the ground – observing the place through her eyes and the satellites she positioned directly above the wiped-out city.

Akino: The radiation’s already gone… the only thing left was the survivors…

She sighs and stands, then she walked towards a large camp site that could be seen a kilometer away from the crater. There, Lyka was attending to the injured refugees, helping the other mages heal the wounded. On the other hand, Alexa was helping the adventurers and soldiers, cooking food for the starving stomachs.

Akino made it at the camp, and she was greeted by Camilla and Kal outside the tents.

Kal: So… how’s the – what we’re you doing again?

Akino: I’m… scouting, yeah, I’m scouting.

Camilla: Is it safe to send a team for recovery tasks?

Akino: Send in only experts, since we didn’t know how the explosion came to be it’s probable it may occur again… let’s just hope it won’t happen randomly on the city center again…

Kal: I’ll send in the Gold ranked adventurers and scour the crater for survivors as fast as possible.

Camilla: Please… if you see someone on the crater, or your team felt something odd on yourselves, don’t hesitate to come back… we can’t lose anymore souls in this tragedy…

Kal: We will. Thank you, grand priestess.

Kal left the two alone. As soon as he left, Camilla went near to Akino and whispers to her.

Camilla: Is it really… a nuclear explosion?

Akino: Yeah… but the explosion only left weak radioactive elements. The radiation decayed for the past 12 hours so it’s safe, but I’m not so sure how the explosion occurred so it was not that kind of safe….

Camilla: Like the one in the vault…?

Akino: No… a portal opened, and… a cyborg? I don’t know… it just appeared, killed the head priest and his lackey, called us obsoletes then left… the portal destabilized and boom, the explosion occurred…

Camilla: That’s too much to take in…

Camilla sat down on a nearby chair, bemused and unsure of what future steps they should take.

Camilla: The safety… in the city was still question because the portal might open again, right?

Akino: Yeah… I’m sorry, you and your people got dragged in this…

Camilla: No… I think it’s better than we know nothing… but still, that something might explode in a middle of a city without a warning, and on top of that an explosion like an atomic bomb… that’s nuts…

Akino: How about take over the land you guys trying to take over?

Camilla: With the destroyed facility-stuff underneath? That’s – under reconsideration…

Akino: I see. I should see Lyka and Alexa, I think they are waiting for me.

Camilla: Oh, right… see ‘ya later, then

Akino: Yeah, later.

Akino walks away from Camilla as both waves their hands. She was then greeted by Lyka who’s doing some stretches after healing dozens of injured survivors and refugees.

Lyka: Aki!

Akino: Hey, how is it going?

Lyka: We just finished healing them… your Potassium iodide really helped, plus stimulating them with mana to make their body absorb this iodide much better… Ah ~ it’s already over and thank goodness no one died from my treatment…

Akino: Well, you did a good job handling this ‘zero-entropic energy’ for the first time…

Lyka: It’s just like mana! But kind of weird… alien, in your terms… mana was made by our gods, a life force… but this zero-entropy energy was…

Akino: Something related to death?

Lyka: No… mana governs both life and death, in fact, the life force of gods dictates the cycle of our lives – whether we live long or die… but this energy is neither of those…

Akino: From the files – we’re connected to a special dimension that releases this energy, along the matter we use to regenerate our body and create materials… fricking weird…

Lyka: So… I’m not using the mana or anything around me when using this form of energy to cast magic???

Akino: I guess, that’s what written in the files we saw.

Lyka: But with no proper explanation… it’s just – there…

Akino: Yeah…

Lyka: Oh – have you seen Alexa?

Akino: She told me she’s cooking food for these people. Let’s check her out.

Lyka: Okay!

They walked together towards the ‘mess’ tent of the camp, seeing Alexa arguing with a citizen of Ravine

Alexa: HUH?! The hell are you gonna do?! Make them spit the food?!

Ravine Citizen: YES! If it was cooked by a demi-beast, it’s tainted!

Alexa: THAT’S WHERE YOU ARE WRONG, FUCKHEAD! I’M NOT A DEMI-BEAST!

Ravine: W – what?

Akino and Lyka tried to pull down Alexa as they notice she starts getting muscular. Camilla heard the commotion and cuts in.

Camilla: Citizen, I know it may sound disrespectful… but for the love of all holy, demi-beasts are not our enemy…

Ravine Citizen: Great Priestess? I – I don’t understand…

Camilla: The elder priests made that up, to take advantage to them – but demi-beasts are people too, they feel and laugh like us… but I will understand if you don’t understand that in fully in your heart… all I want is consideration with them…

Ravine Citizen: Forgive me, oh Great Priestess! Forgive me!

Camilla: Thank you, but I think I’m not the one that needs forgiving.

Camilla at looks at Alexa who’s already calmed down.

Alexa: Yeah, yeah, I accept it.

Ravine Citizen: But I haven’t said anything ye –

Alexa: I said – it’s okay! Got it?

Ravine Citizen: O – okay…

The citizen left the tent.

Camilla: I am truly sorry about that…

Alexa: Well, you better think how you’ll indoctrinate all of them that demi-beasts are not baddies.

Camilla: Yeah…

Akino: You want gadgets designed to brainwash people?

Lyka: Aki?! That’s bad!

Alexa: Oh, oh! How about putting a parasite inside a brain!

Lyka: That’s – wait, a parasite in the brain? Still, that’s also bad!

Camilla: AHAHAHAHHAHA! Thanks for the concern. I think I’ll handle it myself.

Akino: So… is there anything we can do to help?

Alexa: Please let me stay in the kitchen, please let me stay in the kitchen, please let me stay in the kitchen –

Lyka: Everyone’s healed up, but we can still help.

Camilla: Oh, what you’ve done is already too much.

Akino: Speaking of healed… how about the other dude?

Camilla: The assassin who’s also an outworlder? Well... he didn’t make it…

Lyka: He’s still breathing when we brought him here, what happened?

Camilla: Missing the lower part of the body was the first reason, and blood loss was second.

Lyka: Really? I thought you’re a good healer…

Camilla: Well, something’s off to him, I should be able to regrow his parts, any parts of his body… but it didn’t… it’s like his mana doesn’t want to form his lower body parts.

Akino: The laser from that machine… must have been the reason why you can’t heal him back to normal.

Camilla: The one who called both of you… obsolete?

Akino and Lyka went silent.

Camilla: Sorry, I didn’t mean it!

Lyka: No, it’s fine!

Akino: I’m still thinking what the machine meant to us that we’re outdated…

Lyka and Camilla stares at Akino who’s deep in thinking.

Camilla: SOOO… what’s next for you guys?

Lyka: I don’t know yet… even we’re done here we still want to help these people. What do you think, Aki?

Akino was still spaced out. Lyka closes in and pinches Akino’s cheeks.

Akino: Ow! Ow! Ow!

Lyka: You look so cute when getting pinched, hehe.

Akino: S – stop it!

Camilla: Aaaaaaallllllrrrrriiight… I guess I’ll leave you two for a while.

Camilla left with an awkward expression. Akino finally stops Lyka from snugging her and they went to their tent to prepare their stuff before they leave the place.

Lyka: Hey… are you alright? This is the first time you’re not blushing when I snuggle you.

Akino: I’m still thinking about what that machine told us…

Lyka: Us being obsoletes? What does that even mean?

Akino: No… just, don’t mind it…

Lyka: I’m curious. Come on, tell me.

Akino: It’s not worth mentioning, really.

Lyka: Really?

Akino: Yeah.

Lyka: Come on, please? Please?

Akino: Alright, alright…

Akino sighs, then her face expresses agitation.

Akino: That machine told us were obsoletes, like outdated or something… implying that they’ve been creating HQCs -

Lyka: Wait, wait, wait… you mean they’ve been creating people like us? Beings of immortal bodies with abilities far beyond imaginable?!

Akino: Okay, first – that’s a bit of exaggeration, and second – ‘updated’ versions of us… but for what purpose? What’s their goal? Why that machine went here, killed that priest and his outworlder assassin and just left? AGH! So many things keep on adding up but doesn’t make any sense!

Lyka: Hey, remember what I told you last time? I’ll stay. We’ll stay together whatever happens…

Akino: I know… it’s just… if that machine was correct, then humans of our world still exist – but what’s really going on our world…? Where the hell they’ve been for who-knows-how-long years?

Lyka holds Akino firmly on her shoulders, somehow making Akino calm down.

Lyka: Listen, let’s just prepare for whatever’s bothering you, okay? Besides, we’ve got… time? Yes, we’ve got time for ourselves – to prepare and make ourselves stronger!

Akino: Prepare? Sure… making ourselves stronger? I don’t think so…

Lyka: Why not?

Akino: We’ve already broken our body limits by becoming Quantum Cores, and the only thing that holds us down was having to worry what havoc we can make…

Lyka: And imagination? Aki, you’ve been SUPER negative for this day.

Akino: Oh, yeah, imagination is the limit…

Lyka pouts her lips as she still sees Akino kind of feeling down. She held Akino’s face and looked at her, face to face and smiled menacingly. Then she grabbed Akino’s hands and placed it on her breasts, making Akino jolt away from her.

Lyka: You like BIG breasts, right~? Come on, you can fondle it… like the ‘stress balls’ in your world… wait, is that right? Yes, stress balls – come on, don’t be shy~

Akino: They are not being fondled! They were being squeezed!

Lyka: Oh… still my point stands!

Akino: Alright, alright, I’ll brighten up the mood! Jeez… you don’t have to resort to such measures… I’m not a pervert, you know…

Lyka: But I knew you’d like it to do it to me ~

Akino: NOT TOTALLY a pervert, and I’ll only admit that if you say you’re also one!

Lyka: Wha – how dare you!

Akino: Oh really?! How dare me? Says the one who offers her breasts to be fondled!

Lyka blushes full red, so is Akino. Lyka immediately looked around and found a bucket of water lying on the ground. She grabbed it and threw the water inside to Akino.

Lyka: HAH! That’s what you get –

Akino splits her arms, making two pairs of arms in the process – having hands with tentacle like fingers.

Lyka: Umm, Aki, what’s that?

Akino: I knew you’ve been reading some doujins Alexa saved in our heads, and you knew what these things will do if it touches you!

Lyka screamed and rans away from Akino who’s chasing her. The two have been chasing for minutes until Alexa interrupts them.

Alexa: You two were being heard throughout the whole encampment… even you two purposively spoke in English so that these people won’t understand, I still heard what you’ve been talking about!

Akino: Sorry, kid…

Lyka: We’ll never do it again…

Alexa: Yeah, you can do it all you want, but please always look for a bed… I don’t want my parents to become exhibitionists… sheesh…

Akino & Lyka: ALEXA!

Alexa: Fuckin’ lewd-heads…

Lyka: Lewd-heads?

Akino: Language, kid!

Alexa: AAAAAHH!!! Just – ARG! We’re supposed to pack stuff, let’s go.

Alexa walked away while the other two followed her back to their tent, still teasing to each other. They helped each other on packing supplies, readying themselves to leave the place.

Lyka: Should we stay for tonight? The sun is already setting.

Akino: You sure? it’s fine by me. How about you, Alex?

Alexa: So, you two could –

Akino & Lyka: NO!

Alexa: Haven’t finished my sentence yet.

Lyka: We’re not going to – do that ‘thing’!

Akino: Y – yeah! Wait, really?

Alexa: Yeah, yeah, sure… but I think it will be more interesting if we explore the crater. You know, to know more stuff, specially there’s no one left there? Besides rubble?

Akino and Lyka looked at each other.

Akino: I think – that’s a good idea.

Lyka: But what we’ll we find out there?

Alexa: That’s what we’re looking for, ma.

Akino: Well, I was planning to go there on my own to check something. Want to come?

Lyka: We’ll be right behind you.

The three left their tent. They looked first if there’s anyone to disturb, and luckily no one saw them go to the crater to investigate.

As they arrive at the city turned into a crater, Akino and Lyka recalls the moments they were in epicenter of the blast created by the unstable portal. The remembered protecting the outworlder assassin, drenching the two with his guts.

Lyka: What are we looking for?

Alexa: There’s nothing left here… I think we should head back.

Akino: It was your idea to come here and look for stuff.

Alexa: Yeah, yeah… any details? You said there’s a cyborg or robot or whatever it is that killed the priest, then leaves.

Lyka: The priest must have known something.

Akino: Or he has something that triggered that robot to kill him… an Institution device or paraphernalia.

Lyka and Alexa started looking for things underneath the rubble while Akino scans the place where the portal opened.

Lyka: Any luck, Alexa?

Alexa: No, ma. If there’s something Institution related, I could smell it miles away.

Akino: Do you smell it?

Alexa: No.

Lyka: I think if there was any, it would’ve been blasted to pieces since – you know, after that explosion?

Akino stands up and sighs.

Akino: I’ll just scan the whole place for radiation abnormalities, you two can – do whatever you want?

Alexa: Oh, oh! Ma, let’s look for some gold stuff!

Lyka: Gold?

Alexa: Maybe underneath this rubble, let’s just try and check it out!

Lyka: Alright, alright, I’ll come with you.

Akino: Take care!

The two went away from Akino and started searching on the ground, which Lyka started scratching the ground like a dog and Alexa was trying to stop herself from laughing. Akino smiles looking at the two, then she proceeds to go to the center of the crater. She morphed her arms, protruding antenna like instruments and she sat down on the ground.

Akino: Nothing… it’s nothing… yup, this place is just as empty as my wallet when I’m with Alexa.

She looked around her and found nothing except a huge boulder on her far left.

Akino: What the fuck? I don’t remember this rock laying in here…

Akino stands and walks casually to the rock, while her arms contract metal plates from its skin. As she closes in, the rock slowly dissipates like a closing hologram, revealing a shocked and frightened woman. The woman wears a white robe with her matching white hair. The woman composes herself elegantly, as elegant as her dress and robe but Akino took that as a threat. Akino morphs her arm into shotgun and points it at the woman in white.

Akino: Do something funny and I’ll blast your head off!

The woman lost her elegant poise and reverted to her previous terrified expression. Akino noticed a book that the woman carries on her arm while the woman focused her sights on Akino’s morphed arm.

Akino: Are you lost? The camp was up there, and no one’s allowed to go inside this place.

Woman in white: No one? W-what about you?

Akino: Well, no one’s allowed except for us. What’s that book?

Woman in white: What’s with that arm?

Akino: Something dangerous.

Woman in white: Oh… s-so it’s the same then…

Akino: With you?

Woman in white: W-with this book…

Akino: Oi, you’re not making any sense!

Woman in white: Can I ask what happened here?

Akino: An explosion. A strong one, strong enough to turn this city into a crater.

Woman in white: E-explosion… that destroyed a city…

The woman opens her book, nervously skimming through pages until she stops. During that time, Akino scanned her book, making her alarmed. The title of the book was written on English alphabet: The World Encyclopedia.

Akino: W-where did you get that?

Woman in white: I-I found it! A nu-kle-yar explosion?

Akino: Answer my damn question!

The woman closes her book and keeps it away from Akino. Akino, with her arm shotgun still pointing at the woman, approaches her slowly.

Akino: I am asking where the hell did you get that?! Are an outworlder too? Or an Institution personnel?! Answer me!

The woman drops on her feet due to fear, covering her head with the book she holds.

Woman in white: NO! No, please, don’t take her book, don’t take her book, don’t take her book –

The woman kept on repeating her words. Akino morphed her arm back to normal and carefully tried to comfort the woman instead.

Akino: Oi, sorry I burst out. Sorry… the hell did I just did…? Alright, take it easy, alright?

Akino then heard Lyka and Alexa looking for her. She turns her back and found the two running to her.

Lyka: Aki! Are you alright? We heard you raising your voice, so we rushed in. What happened?

Alexa: Are you talking to someone? Or doing another voice-generated text file as a log?

Akino: For God’s sake, please don’t bring that up! Ahem – I was talking to someone, she’s right here –

Akino turns around and no one’s there, only the three of them.

Alexa: You’re talking to a recorder or something?

Lyka: Our minds can’t be affected by this radiation thing, right?

Akino: I swear, someone was here…

Alexa: Yeah, yeah, you just deactivated the camcorder you’ve been talking to. Can we go back now?

Lyka: We found a small chest with some gems in it. Unfortunately, the gems were not and cannot be infused with magic.

Alexa: Fortunately, we can sell it!

Akino: Alright, let’s go back…

The three left the area. Akino looks back again, wanting to see the woman once more, but the only thing she saw was a white moth on the ground that immediately flew away.