The team and I got back to our headquarters after handling some annoying affairs I needed to do.
...
"I thought it was a quest from the association commander?"
Lia asked as she stared at the bounty poster on top of my table before grabbing them. She inspect them before looking at me.
"It is. But with kisha's intervention, it naturally were removed entirely from the quest board."
Ria nodded and replied,
"She's really convenient to have huh?"
"If you ignored her weirdness, she really is."
Lia argued to what ria spoke. She put down the poster back on the table before she sat down on the sofa.
Aliya, who is dutifully standing behind me, asked what she has on mind.
"If I may commander, what reason for seona to eat that thing?"
"Hm?"
I gave her a side eye before explaining.
"You see, I met this one..."
I cough.
"Deranged scientist on my way home and asked her a few questions. Then, she gave me some few key points that I actually needed. One of her recommendations is for seona to eat a heart of a titled invade. Hence why I made her do that."
"..."
My three angels stared at me like I was joking. No really, that's what happened even inside the game in the past.
I met the mad scientist I'm talking about by a chance when I was strolling around the town in the game by accidentally starting a conversation with her.
Yet as the conversation continues, due to not having any skip button, I discovered she's not just any normal scientist npc.
She's the real deal.
So, I tested out some of her carfts and suggestions she recommended and they all worked without any exceptions. The materials she suggest, the parts that I may need is accurate to the point of being scary to be honest.
Now, I'll try what she suggested that was too late for seona and that is letting her consume the heart of a titled invader.
Since I can't go to the frontline for one, since I can die at any moment there if I tried, I figured there should be a titled invader resting on some caves around there.
"Commander..."
Turning my head at the person who spoke first, I titled my head to the side. Confuse why lia has that tone when she called me.
"Do you perhaps... Only attract 'weird' people?"
Hey!
I cough, looking around the room, heck even the headquarter of mine, you couldn't really blame her.
First is a discipline secretary who's always by my side unless she has something to do.
Check...
A person who acts as my little sister who could differentiate between what is true and false to the point of isolating herself.
Another check...
Another who hides her feelings to the point of rubbing people wrong and always being misunderstood of hating everything instead of struggling to convey what she truly feels.
Again... Check...
Then meeting a perverted person despite having the most authority inside the domain.
That's a check too...
And the newly added girl right in front of me who does nothing but obey me since she's too afraid to talk back nor didn't have an ounce of confidence on herself.
That's... Surprisingly check...
Yeah, she was right. I really do attract strange people aren't I? Not even mentioning the future angels I was going to recruit, my current angels are all not normal as of now.
"Well... To me, you all look normal I guess?"
Lia scoff, not believing what I said. But then when she look back, it made sense. Who in the world would recruit the three angel beside her but not her commander, me?
"I guess that's true..."
Accepting the truth, she crossed her arms below her modest chest as she pout. I smiled before eaising a poster.
"Since we're done with the first part, the second part is the most important."
Going back to business, all the playful atmosphere vanished as the four angels lean in and listen to my explanations.
"The second part will partake in this abandoned electric facility."
I muttered, showing them a massive picture of the said place. It looks abandon and seems like it was not touched for many years now.
I asked kisha about what happened here, she said some rouge angels destroyed it as an act of rebellion to us who fight for humanity, which doesn't make any sense.
If you destroy the humanity, you too will also be destroyed. After all, the invaders won't pick who lives and who dies. They only kill whatever is in front of them, hence why they too will be just another victim to them.
"I asked kisha if there is a huge sphere like that can contain energy and pointed at this place. She said there's a massive core called [Arc Reactor] inside that can store massive amount of energy."
All of them look at what I was holding and stared directly at the facility. Such thing were laying dangerously down there? What if the wrong person took it and use it as a weapon?
"I know what you're thinking. Why would they let it sit there and do nothing? That's because you can't get close to it."
"Huh?"
Everyone tilted their heads, confused.
"You see, the reason why you couldn't get close is due to massive amount of energy it absorbed when the facility were functioning. It created a massive force field around it that prevents rouge angels to pass through."
"Why is that big brother?"
Ria asked as he raise her right hand. I nodded at her before explaining it to them. This information, of course came from the game itself not from kisha. It's just an excuse I made since I already went there myself in order to awaken seona's second mode.
"The blood you were injected, those electric currents render them completely useless."
At that, after I finished explaing the reason why, I saw their eyes widden in shock.
And fear.
To angels, the blood they were injected with is there 'everything'. It's their strength, it's their reason why they were strong in the first place,
And the reason why they exists.
Yet such electric energy render it useless?
How?
"That doesn't make any sense commander!"
Lia reacted harshly after recovering from her shock. She was the first one to snap as the rest follows. She smack her hand on the table, mad. Its like they think I was giving them false information.
"If such energy exists, we would be already using them when we were atrocious knights!"
She's right. Such energy wil complete tip the battle to the rouge's side. Yet there's none, still using the 'angel vs angel' tactic.
"Lia is right big brother... Why would there be such energy and no one uses i—?"
"That's because you can't."
I cut ria off. Giving them an eeriely serious stare, which made them flinch. Seeing how serious I was made them silent.
"This electric current is not tameable as the usual electric current. You cannot force it, nor you can harvest it. There's nothing you could do, except watch helplessly as the blood your injected with will vanished."
I hear lia and seona swallowing their silave while ria look terrified. Aliya didn't give much reaction except being shock, totally aliya.
"You cannot compare it to the energies you all know and recognise. After all, this one is alive."
Their eyes widden for the second time as they swallow my words. Is this true?
"I do not have any explanation how and why is it alive, the only thing I know is that we need seona for this."
The game didn't give any description for whatever that energy is but it is well known as the [E.M.V].
I don't know who called them that or who named them, probably the game developers but why? I already reach the end of the game yet there's still no description as for what this E.M.V is...
Maybe they just forget it exists since that's the only time you will ever encounter it.
Shrugging my shoulder, it was pointless thinking about what it is. What's important is for us to use that energy in order to activate seona's second part of awakening her second mode.
"U-understood, commander. I'll do what I can..."
I stopped, the seriousness I unconscious spreading towards them slowly vanished. Replace by a warm smile.
"Thanks. I hope you overcome this with everything you got. And remember—"
Seona raise her lowed head to look at him, staring deep into those kind eyes.
"—I will always believe in you."
...
My eyes widden, not out of fear, not out of despair, but out of shock. The man standing in front of me, my commander, always believed in me.
The me who couldn't even talk eye to eye to other people.
The me who couldn't do anything but watch everyone get rewarded.
The me who I hated the most.
People ignored me because I couldn't talk to them normally... People hated me because I was such an uninteresting person... People avoid me so they didn't want to join the world I was living...
Yet he...
He believes in me...
My vision started to blur as tears pour out of the corner of my eyes. He saw this and panic, thinking he said something wrong that made me cry.
"What's wrong?... Are you—"
I didn't let him finished.
I rushed on his side before hugging him. The other angels flinched at this unexpected move from such 'shy' me, yet no one stopped nor seperate us.
They watched as tears started to pour down more as my cry intensify.
"Commander!..."
I wailed, calling out to his name like I was calling God.
"Commander!... I!..."
"Its okay."
Seeing I was fine, he accepted my hug and gave it back. I felt his hand gently caressing the top of my head.
This feeling... I wish it could be forever...
...
After calming the now messed seona sleeping peacefully on the couch, I scratched my head in confusion.
Did I said something wrong? Why did she start to cry? This never happened in the game, is this one of those moments where they showed much more deeper affection than they should be?
Probably... Because I didn't say anything big or emotional.
I shrug internally. I could just ask her later anyway.
"Back to the topic. For this trip, I will only need aliya and seona."
Ria and lia flinch before lia slammed her fist into the table.
"Why commander?! Is there any specific reason why you can't bring us?!"
From her anger, I could tell she's misunderstood what I just said. Take the last encounter as an example. Most of the damage were dealt by aliya while ria and lia supported at the background.
I wave my hand to calm her down before explaining as to why I have to leave them behind.
"Well, the bloods on you both reacts negatively on the energy we talk about."
Both of them look confuse.
"How do you know commander?"
Lia asked, questioninh my unexpected knowledge I just spewed out.
That's given, after all I should just be a rookie commander in their eyes not a veteran player.
"Kisha. She warned me about not bringing the 'twins' she said..."
Using kisha as an excuse and a leeway out of her question, ria nodded. But I could tell lia was not satisfied just by her expression alone.
"Can we really believe what that perverted woamn said? Are you sure you're not being played here commander?"
Due to the atrocious knights betraying them, she naturally couldn't trust anyone easily after that.
Kisha included. After all, she is their former number one enemy in their rouge days. They're naturally hostile against her nor any of her words.
"Yes. Kisha is the president of the double a. We can absolutely trust her even if she has questionable personality."
She looked at me for a few seconds before sighing. She pull back her palm and quietly put it back on her pockets.
I could tell she was annoyed by being left out but ria seems to be fine with my decision.
"Be safe out their big brother."
She goes for a hug while I pat her head right after. Her reactions and her decision usually benefits me and didn't give me any trouble unlike her wild twin sister.
But that doesn't mean I have favouritism between the two. I love them both equally and I will choose them both any time without hesitation.
Don't get me wrong.
A man who chooses between the two is a rational and sane man.
Unfortunately for you, I am neither.
...
"Hm..."
Hovering my hand above my eyes just to adjust to the bright light, the abandoned facility slowly took form as we got near it.
Cracks on bricks and concretes that seems to be thousand of years old were visible. Along its shattered glass windows plastered all over the facility.
It seems like no one touched it...
Having arrived using the same jeep I used to travel across the outskirt, aliya seems to also noticed the now clear facility.
Although abandon, you could tell some people tried to visit due to the cut grass around the facility.
Despite having one of the most dangerous energy inside it, people still tried to tame it. Testing their luck.
Too bad. That energy is not tamable by any mean necessary.
The fact that this is one of the stage needed to awaken seona's second mode is all the reason I need to.
...
At first I was skeptical. An unknown energy made against us angels? That is impossible.
Because why would a human made it? Do they want the humanity to go instinct against invaders?
They're only destroying themselves from inside.
That's what I thought after hearing what commander explained to us. Such energy shouldn't exist.
Yet it does. Hidden in plain sight. It was amusing while alarming at the same time.
I remember what commander said to us once we left. The only angel capable of resisting that energy is seona herself.
He didn't explain to me why and how, but I don't need too.
Once I saw the building full of cracks and shattered glass, I raise the corner of my mouth.
That's because I trusted my commander the most.
Once we arrived, commander stopped the vehicle and switfly left the car. Followed by me and seona behind.
"This... I never knew it would look like this..."
What is commander saying? Did he expected a better condition than what it looks like on the picture?
I shook my head from these foolish thoughts. That's impossible, commander would never be disappointed. Maybe he was just shock at the facility's current condition.
Mhm. That must be it.
Moving on, I saw commander turn around to look at us and nodded.
"Aliya, I want you to stick close to me while you seona, I want you to dive inside."
"?!"
Both of us widden our eyes.
"Commander, I wouldn't dare question your decision but may I ask why are you throwing seona inside? Didn't you specifically that once we reached at a certain distance, our blood will be useless. Hence unable to become an angel?"
He stopped and looked at me. I blushed, those beautiful red eyes sipping out of that beautiful mask made me realized how beautiful it was.
I shook my head from the sudden distraction as I await his explanation.
"Hm... I did say that. But seona here is an exception."
"Why? Am I ask."
I inquire. If seona could do it, does that means I can too? I am stronger and better than her at this stage after all.
"That's because of the nature her second mode provide. Unlike yours, Hers need a strong stimulate that allows the blood flow effortlessly inside her veins. That's how awakening works."
"I see..."
I muttered suddenly looking at the said person. She's currently busy looking around the abandoned city but I could tell. She's very excited right now yet scared.
I have no idea why she's feeling those emotions but one thing for sure, she is ready to accept what commander instruct her.
"May I ask what is my role for this expedition commander? Considering ria and lia to be more useful in practicality, it means my job is more on combat or fighting right commander?"
I saw him nod his head as he points at the building.
"While I monitor seona's condition inside, you have to guard us just in case someone interrupt us. After all, this process cannot be disturbed or we have to do it all over again."
I nodded. Now I know why he selected me. But a question suddenly appeared inside my head.
"Why only me commander? With ria and lia, the success is much more higher than having me alone."
He shook his head.
"Its not because I don't want to. Its because I was forced to."
"Huh?"
I tilted my head to the side as I stared my commander who is in front of me.
"What do you mean commander?"
All I saw is a small smile before patting my head. I froze, I didn't expect this intimate touch all of a sudden from commanderbut I won't complain anyway.
I'll gladly accept it thank you very much.
"Let's go seona."
I saw seona nodded before I watch them go inside. But before that, he looked back and gave me a thumbs up and smiled.
"Please protect us with all you've got. Aliya. I'll count on you from now on."
I didn't know if that last part is just for this mission or for as long as they live. What I knows is that I will absolutely do it.
"Yes commander!"
I saluted him before watching them disappear inside.
I have to do this! Or else, commander would be disappointed with me!
...
As aliya watch the duo head inside, she raise her hand where a watch were installed on her wrist.
It looked futuristic, with a touch of hologram, complicated steels, and a strange design.
She called it [Metanano]. A combination of meta and nano technology.
"Since I'm on guard duty, I'll full fill it with everything I got."
She muttered, as she gathered her enthusiasm on what her job is for this expedition of platoon 666.
Her finger hover on metanano as she scout her surroundings. Noting there's no threats on her sight, she didn't hesitate anymore.
"Since its still clear, I can't let my guard down."
Experience the dreadful she felt during their previous expedition, she created the metanano to counter any unexpected outcomes like ambushes or her enemies escaping.
"From my last fight... If lia and ria didn't hold that titled invader... I wouldn't be able to chase it nor cast my skill on time."
So, she build this strange watch on her wrist.
She tap the blue button located on the top right of the watch and then waited. She watch as the device she created slowly expanding. She made sure it functions like a nano tech, hence why it's moving like some kind of liquid substance.
Then, it formed into a small drone. The size is about a one basketball tall and the design is as strange as the watch, though it looked very futuristic.
Then, the watch created another. And then another, until five fully formed drones were created.
It was fast, but for aliya, it was not enough.
'it seems like I need to upgrade it's creating functions.'
It might not be for combat but out in the wilds like this, every second counts. Hence why she felt like needing to improve the said creation ability of the watch she built.
"Let's see here."
She took a closer step and examined the new five drones, floating seemingly in front of her.
She grabbed one, then connected it to the watch. She close her eyes and analyse the codes that were sent to her brain from the watch.
"Function stability, twenty percent. Scouting format, thirty percent. And then the system stability, fifty percent."
Opening her eyes, she smiled. With a satisfied expression she nodded her head.
"It seems like everything is fine. Then..."
Her finger hover just above the middle section of the drone where the three buttons are and tap the middle one.
The drone lit up as blue lights formed inside, indicating it is now online.
She nodded and did the same for the rest of the drones.
Then, she watch as the five drones took off in the sky and scattered all around her.
"With that, securing our surroundings is all covered."
Since she was alone, she couldn't cover every corner of the abandoned building. But with the help of the five drone she just sent, it will be able to send off any signals that may or may not be threats.
...
"Ugh!... How long are we going to wait?!"
A young girl, wearing a very revealing highschool uniform grumbled. This was not what she wanted when she said she would come.
She wanted to fight, to battle someone strong, someone admirable. Yet when the actual thing happened, all they do is wait and wait.
It's been like this for few hours, hence why she has a very annoyed expression plastered all over her face.
"Quit complaining and wait patiently. President ordered us specifically to find it didn't she?"
A laid back young boy, wearing a very oversized blue hoodie with a set of headphones on his neck, he patiently remind the young girl beside him.
When the boy mention the president, she flinches.
"Urghh... Don't remind me of that monster of a woman!..."
She made a terrified expression as her body shivers in fear. Just a slight mention of that name made her body flinches in ptsd.
"Well, I can't blame you. That's president Cora for you."
[Shaki Patnik] - [Commander of Platoon 1730]
The young girl beside him scoot away from him.
"What's with you? You agreeing with me felt gross..."
[Jina] - Member of Platoon 1730
She made a disgust face as she move away from him.
"Oh come on~ Don't be like that to your commander~"
"Eek!! G-get away!"
She's not even hiding it now, she scooted away from him as he get close.
...
I am a traitor.
That is who I am.
"What's your name, little on?"
I patted a small young girl after crouching, asking a normal and straightforward question.
"Jina."
The small girl answered, her voice devoid of any emotions as she stared at me. I could tell, she was not given a great start from this world.
I smiled, I showed a little bit of my warm and kind self as I introduced myself.
"Mine's shaki patnik, nice to meet you jani."
Then, I offered her something no one offered to her before.
"Do you want to be my angel? I'm a commander after all~"
I saw it.
Her eyes, those beautiful green and blue eyes. They were in shock, as if she just saw a ghost or something.
It was truly shocking for her since she was in the most unwanted section of the recruitment. Yet here I am, a strange young man recruiting a failed angel according to the double a.
Is that really all? True, the association deem her useless and put her on the defect section.
Yet no one saw the possibility.
I looked at the small child, she look unremarkable, boring even. But when I stared at those heterochromatic eyes of green and blue, I saw something.
The way she look at me, the way she look at her surroundings, It's like they amount to nothing.
I smiled outside while grinning crazily inside my mind.
This is it.
She's an exception!!
I put on a normal, kind face and extended my hand.
"So? What's your answer little one? Would you agree to place your trust, your entire being to me?"
It seems like she was shy, she was looking at the ground after I finished speaking.
But then she exceeded my expectations.
"Mister."
Her small little voice rang as she continue.
"Your eyes are lying. They're saying the exact opposite."
My eyes widden, I was in shock. How could such small child, probably just injected few days ago, know human emotions so well?
Ah~! You really are the best!!
The best I could have ask for!!
"Really? But I'm not—"
She interrupted me by exposing what I truly felt.
"But your grinning. Widely. Chaotic. And full of madness. That's what I'm seeing, mister."
My body stiffened.
What is this? I don't expect her to be quite knowledgeable on human emotions.
"Would you look at that~"
Since she saw through me, continue acting is useless.
"How could such child know human emotions well? To the point of reading them, seeing through them?"
"That's who I am."
I grin. Now that I'm expose, I flashed her a terrifying grin.
"I want you even more now~"
She nodded. It seems like she didn't resist nor step back in disgust about the man who wanted to recruit her.
Well, she knows.
"Then let's sign you up~"
...
Commanders have two paths. The first one is the most natural one, probably themost common one too.
That is, applying to the academy.
They learn many things, including survival kit preferably for their future. For example, campings, creating tools out of anything, and make use of those around you.
But there is one unconventional way of becoming a commander.
And that is the other part, late appointment.
These commanders either have experienced or just trying out to be a commander out of blue.
They were uncommon due to the reputation it gives because once you become one, they think you have no knowledge or no experience.
"That's why its bullshit right? Jina~"
Casually locking his right arm around her neck, jina sighed with an exhausted look.
"If you were heard by those commanders, I won't save you."
"Well, that's how life goes I guess?"
He shrugs, treating the threats as nonsense. To him, all of the commanders are the same, that includes the general too.
"All of them are trash anyway~"
Jina slowly turn to look at him dead in the eyes and asked a rather simple question.
"Why is that?"
She saw her commander, shaki, ponder for a moment. As if treating such simple question like its complicated despite is dismissal tone earlier.
"All of them are the same~ Whenever I look, they are all one carbon copy of the general I say."
Jina tilted her head. She was confuse on where her commander is coming from but shaki saw it. He giggle for a moment before continuing, conpletely enjoying her clueless expression.
"How do I put this..."
He raised his head to look up the sky.
"When I saw the general, he has this look of strong stubbornness with a little bit of prideful sprinkled on top."
"Are we sure you're not seeing things commander? I might want to recommend checking up with a therapist first because you continue being commander."
He stopped, stared dead at her eyes, before laughing. Slapping his knee as he laugh out loud.
"Good one! Good one my dear angel!"
She tilted her head again. There were no jokes nor what she said is a joke to laugh about. Yet her 'weird' commander is laughing his ass of like he found it the most laughable joke he ever heard.
"Hahaha... Ah... That was a good one jina! Anyway, what I'm implying is that they are people who would treat anything that moves as a weapon~ Objectifying does who do not deserve it~"
She stopped, as she swallowed her commander's words, her hands trembled. Depsite being emotionless in frontof him, despite acting like she couldn't care less, she was still worried her commander act the same.
"Ah?"
Sensing her trouble, he looked at her before sighing. He patted her head as he confesses honestly.
"Hey hey~ I'm different remember? Plus, who in the world would recruit someone like you right~? Why would you think I would recruit someone special if I am myself isn't one?"
He smiled as her eyes stared, widdening as time goes by. She can sense it. The emotion he was giving, were the same exact emotions he first gave her.
The exact emotion she grew up with.
The same emotion she was used too.
And the same emotion that gave her meanings.
__________
To be continued
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