Barbatos stepped out into the corridor, his stride steady and unhurried, clearly expecting Vale to follow. Vale lingered in the doorway for a moment, letting his gaze drift around the room one last time.
His eyes settled on Ember.
Vale whistled softly. The small wyvern stirred, lifting its head before fluttering into the air. It circled once, then landed neatly on Vale's shoulder, curling its tail around his collarbone. A gentle, tired smile crossed Vale's face as he reached down and carefully gathered the raven chicks into one arm, cradling them protectively.
His gaze flicked to his computer.
'Chrome…'
For a brief moment, he considered bringing the robot along. After a second's thought, he dismissed the idea. Whatever awaited him next felt… different. Not something Chrome needed to be involved in.
Vale exhaled deeply and stepped out of his room.
Barbatos stood a short distance away, hands clasped behind his back. He glanced down at Vale briefly.
"Shall we?" he asked.
Vale nodded, nerves tightening in his chest as he adjusted his grip on the birds. Barbatos turned and took the lead.
As they walked through the facility, Vale couldn't help but notice how few soldiers were present. Those they did pass snapped to attention immediately, offering crisp salutes as Barbatos moved by. None spoke Nor hesitated. It was clear this reaction was instinctive.
'Figures,' Vale thought. 'He is the most powerful person here, after all.'
As they continued, Vale found his attention drifting back to Barbatos himself. The way the light reflected off his onyx skin felt… wrong. Artificial, somehow.
'Wasn't his dark skin supposed to be a shell?' Vale wondered. 'I wonder what he looks like underneath.'
The thought lingered until curiosity finally overcame hesitation.
"Barbatos," Vale said carefully.
Barbatos glanced back at him. "Yeah?"
Vale swallowed and continued as they walked. "Your skin… it's a shell, right?"
Barbatos nodded once, without breaking stride.
Vale hesitated, then pressed on. "Then… what do you actually look like?"
For the first time, Barbatos seemed genuinely surprised. He slowed slightly, glancing down at Vale.
"That's what you want to know?" he asked.
Vale nodded.
Barbatos huffed softly. "Huh. That's simple, actually."
He spoke slowly, as though recalling something distant. "My skin is more of a golden-brown, almost olive in tone. My eyes are ember-colored. My hair's still black."
He paused.
"Honestly… I don't remember it all that well myself. It's been a long time since I've shown my true form."
Vale stared at him, quietly stunned.
It was easy for him to imagine it, perhaps too easy. His mind filled in the details effortlessly, his imagination sharper than most, for reasons he still didn't fully understand.
They walked in silence for a while after that.
Eventually, Barbatos spoke again.
"How did you end up inside Chimera's enclosure?" he asked.
Vale's heart sank slightly. He adjusted his grip on the ravens and answered nervously.
"Well… I was on my phone, and the door looked like one I'd seen before."
Barbatos sighed. "Yeah. That makes sense."
He glanced at Vale. "That door is designed to not allow entry to any human it can properly identify. Considering your ability, it makes sense it let you through."
Vale's eyes widened.
Suddenly, everything clicked.
The security hadn't been weak.
It simply hadn't been designed for him.
Most of the technology in the facility relied on identification systems, systems his strange ability bypassed entirely, whether he wanted it to or not. To them, he was invisible.
"Anyway," Barbatos continued, "you're lucky some low-ranking soldiers spotted you and rushed to find me. If they hadn't, you might still be lying there unconscious."
Vale stopped walking for half a step and gave an awkward bow.
"Y-Yes… thank you," he said.
Barbatos waved him off. "Don't thank me. Thank the soldier he's the one who actually saved you."
He shoved his hands into his pockets and kept walking.
Vale watched him with quiet surprise. He'd expected arrogance, expected the strongest man on the planet to act untouchable.
Instead, Barbatos was… casual. Even humble.
'That's a nice surprise,' Vale thought, a small smile forming as he followed.
After some time, Barbatos stopped in front of an ornate door. Gold inlays traced its surface, subtle yet unmistakably expensive.
"This is it, kid," Barbatos said, pushing the door open.
Vale peered inside, his eyes widening.
The room beyond was lavish, polished floors, elegant lighting, carefully arranged furnishings. Yet something about it felt sterile. Designed not for comfort, but for discussion, For negotiation.
Barbatos didn't linger. He walked straight past the room and toward an elevator at the far end.
Vale followed him inside as Barbatos pressed a sequence of buttons. The doors slid shut, and the elevator began to rise.
Silence filled the small space.
Vale clutched the birds, listening to the soft hum of the machinery. His heart beat steadily, loud in his ears.
Finally, a soft chime sounded, and the elevator doors opened.
Vale's eyes widened slightly as he stepped forward.
The room was enormous, far larger than he had expected. One entire side was lined with towering windows, behind which dozens of people worked in silence, their fingers flying across keyboards as streams of data scrolled across countless monitors. The other side of the room was set up almost like a reception hall, long tables arranged neatly, adorned with elegant trays of food and carefully prepared drinks that looked far too refined for a place of work.
Directly ahead, positioned at the center of the room and facing the elevator, stood a single desk.
Behind it sat an elderly man with gray hair and a neatly trimmed short beard. He was dressed sharply, posture straight despite his age, and was quietly reviewing a stack of printed documents spread across the desk. A single pen rested in his hand as his eyes scanned the pages with practiced precision.
He looked up.
The moment he noticed Barbatos, and then Vale standing beside him, his expression brightened instantly.
"Ah, Barbatos, my boy!" the man exclaimed as he rose from his leather chair.
Barbatos let out a small chuckle and stepped forward. "It's good to see you as well, Father."
Vale followed a few steps behind, nerves tightening again.
Up close, Barbatos' father was noticeably shorter than his son, only slightly taller than Vale himself. Yet despite the difference in height, the man carried himself with undeniable authority. He looked like a career general, someone who had spent decades issuing orders and bearing responsibility. To Vale, he looked like the very embodiment of leadership.
The two men met, and Barbatos' father pulled him into a brief, restrained embrace.
"These documents are killing me," the older man said with a weary smile. "You've got it easy, believe me."
Barbatos laughed softly as the man released him.
Only then did the man turn his attention to Vale.
His sharp, assessing gaze softened almost immediately, replaced by curiosity, and amusement.
"So," he said, "you're the boy who caused all of this?"
His tone was playful, though the weight behind the words was unmistakable.
"Do you have any idea how panicked we were?"
He stepped closer and extended a hand. "Rikin Steel. A pleasure to meet you, son."
Vale hesitated for a fraction of a second before extending his own hand.
"My name is Vale Rose of Skill," he said respectfully. He bowed slightly as he spoke. "It's an honor to meet you, sir."
Rikin's grin widened.
"If anything, I should be the one bowing," he replied. "Thanks to you, we may have gained another soldier."
Vale lifted his head, confusion clearly written across his face.
"Uh… i am sorry. I'm not sure I follow."
Rikin chuckled and began to explain.
"You heard correctly, Chimera was a hero once," he said. "Our assessment is that once she fully recovers, she'll want to save people again."
He paused, tapping the pen lightly against the desk as he thought.
"That's why restoring her sanity was always our goal in the first place."
Vale's expression shifted to alarm.
"You want to control her?" he asked.
Rikin froze for a moment, eyes widening as if genuinely offended.
"Chimera?" he repeated. "Good gods, no. Who could possibly control a monster like that?"
He gestured toward Barbatos.
"The only reason my son stands with us is because we gave him a choice. Yes, we helped him, but in the end, it was his decision. We intend to offer Chimera the same respect."
His smile returned, softer this time, though it faded slightly at the edges.
Vale exhaled slowly.
"I see," he said.
His gaze drifted upward, drawn once more to the vast room. he looked at the employs sitting behind their desks with growing curiosity.
"What are they doing?" Vale asked quietly.
Rikin followed his gaze.
"They're monitoring Chimera's current condition," he replied. "Thanks to your… stunt, her recovery has accelerated significantly."
Vale's curiosity deepened.
"I see. Is she still inside the mountain?" he asked carefully.
Rikin's expression grew somber.
"Yes," he said. "She hasn't left that mountain in over a year. We don't believe she will anytime soon."
Vale glanced toward the distant silhouette of the mountain visible through the far windows, his expression unreadable. After a moment, he turned back to Rikin, studying him more closely.
Despite his age, the man was clearly muscular beneath his black suit, its dark color a stark contrast to Barbatos' white attire. He radiated authority without effort.
Before Vale could speak again, Barbatos interrupted.
"Father," he said, "you forgot to mention the most important detail."
Rikin looked at him, mildly puzzled.
Barbatos turned his gaze to Vale.
"I think it's important our guest understands who he's speaking to," he said calmly. "You're standing before the current head of the G.V.O."
Vale's eyes widened instantly.