"Anyway, Gundam, can you confirm that you can teleport everyone in the Core and its surroundings? How far can you teleport someone?" Glenn asked the robot, a plan forming in his mind.
//The Core's current capabilities allow for dimensional transport at a maximum distance of fifty kilometers. This capability will be reduced depending on the number of individuals to transport and suffer from a variable cooldown time.
"Hmm...Is that why you didn't teleport me inside the Core directly?"
//Incorrect. The Core's computer was unable to teleport you due to the protocols concerning individuals with the Descendant status. Immediate observation was necessary, which ended up in the booting of the Gundam project to better approach the situation.
"What about my colleagues? Why did you leave Lioras, Nora, and Isadora with me?" Glenn questioned curiously.
//The Core's computer evaluated that the extermination of the indigenous mutation nearby would be done more efficiently with the three aforementioned individuals assisting the Descendant.
"Hah! The robot says you couldn't have done it yourself!" Diamanes exclaimed mockingly.
//Incorrect.
The robot turned to Glenn's left, purple arm.
//The Descendant has been evaluated to possess sufficient abilities to destroy the mutated lifeform. The three individuals assisting him only made the process more efficient.
Glenn grinned as he glared at Diamanes, "Well, well, well. You heard Gundam. Apologize and acknowledge your mistake, Diamanes."
"Tsk."
The robot watched them bicker only to interrupt them.
//Descendant. What should I do with the other meat bags contained in this facility?
Glenn rubbed his chin, "Can you teleport them close to the Black Gate? Wait, no, they'll go crazy if I don't go with them."
"Why wouldn't you go?" Diamanes asked curiously, "It's not like anything is keeping you there, besides this idiot robot. It's not like you're going to fight again anyway..."
//Incorrect.
The robot corrected Diamanes once again with an emotionless voice. The entity gritted his teeth, increasingly more annoyed by the speaking tin-can.
//The Descendant's assistance is required to maintain the safety of the Core and get rid of the second mutated lifeform. Maintenance of the "Source Specimen" is also required.
Glenn rubbed his eyes and scoffed, "Maintenance? What kind of maintenance am I supposed to do on the Lightbringer? And what second mutated lifeform?"
The robot remained silent for a moment before responding. //The Descendant's worries are unnecessary. Gundam has calculated this would be in the best interest of the Core and the Descendant to take care of both of these issues alone, as soon as possible. I will proceed with the expulsion of the uninvited meat bags in three...two—"
"Wait!" Glenn stopped him, raising his hands as he scrambled his brains for a plan, "Hey, do you have any way to create a communication channel, between here and...let's say, my place back in King's Rise?"
Gundam processed the question, before raising its futuristically mechanical hand. A Blumar pillar rose from the floor with a black, sleek metal bracelet.
//This unit has taken the liberty to analyze the workings of the "Recorder" the individual known as Lioras possesses and created something similar. This will allow for flawless communication between the Core and any place in the world.
Glenn whistled as he took the bracelet, impressed. He almost wanted to try it on but shook his head, instead slipping it in his pocket, "Alright, alright, I have a plan, but you have to cooperate, Gundam."
//The Descendant's wish is my command.
"How corny." Diamanes couldn't help but mutter in contempt.
Glenn closed his eyes and tried to rub his headache away.
"Sigh..."
***
'Damn it...why did it have to go so badly?'
Vilroy Lancer, the Indigo Bureau representative, was holding his head in dismay. He exhaled heavily, striving to maintain his usual mask of professionalism. Once the Bureau Indigo had received information on a forgotten piece of history, the “Lightbringer”, it didn't waste a second in selling it to the highest bidding organization. The little intel they had about it was enough to assure them that they had hit the jackpot with that information. If it was indeed true, they could maybe find knowledge from the Epoch of the Gods.
The Seekers chose to build an expedition to investigate this relic of the old ages, led by a higher-up of the organization. Of course, said higher-up had to be connected with the Magi Brotherhood at an intimate level, making it impossible to just sweep this incident under the rug. When the first expedition disappeared, the Seekers were first held responsible, followed by the Indigo Bureau. All in all, only the Magi Brotherhood's task force wasn't forced to be here against their will.
The only difference between the Indigo Bureau and the Seekers was that the first had some sort of professional integrity. They might not have wanted to be part of the second expedition, but now that they were, they might as well do their best. The Seekers, in opposite, had sent the most expendable bastards they could find. Only Lioras was relatively capable, if his cowardice was ignored of course.
Thankfully, things seemed to be set to go well. Isadora and her teammates were well known to be incredibly capable, and they had even successfully recruited the newest rising star of King's Rise, Glenn the Devil's Hand. The young man had an impressive record even though their records of his existence only connect back to a year or so ago. His growth rate was explosive—which wouldn't be impossible if he had the support of a well-known noble family or connections to some sort of obscure evil orders.
But no, Glenn had no such connections, had a personal vendetta against the Thorn's Church, and hated anything remotely evil.
"Fuck..." Even with all these precautions, this damned expedition still went to shit. Vilroy leaned back against the cold Blumar, ignoring the disagreeable sensation caused by the natural disruption of the material.
"Let me out!" One of the Seekers was banging his fists against the walls of Blumar, "I can't stand tight spaces! Please!"
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Isadora groaned, "For the love of Onnea, shut the fuck up before I do it myself."
The Seeker looked at her before turning back to the wall and insisting even further. "I have a wife and kids! Please, free me from this—ugh!"
Isadora smirked as she watched the annoying man fall to the ground, incapacitated. Nora sighed in relief.
"Thank you. I was almost set on cutting this idiot in half," The katana-wielding warrior admitted. Vilroy looked at Lioras, who was too busy studying the Blumar imprisoning them to even be worried.
"How fascinating...I've never seen Blumar used like this...It's like it's been molded to be in the shape of a room. So interesting..." The scholar was scribbling madly in his notebook, probably to push away his fear of being imprisoned there forever. Vilroy turned to Isadora, who was approaching him. The one-eyed warrior rubbed her eyepatch and winced. The small light hanging at the ceiling trembled slightly, but nothing else happened.
"This doesn't smell good, Vilroy. Glenn hasn't been teleported with us. Nobody has the tools to carve a way out that much Blumar. Thankfully, we have enough food for us..." She glanced at the first expedition who were camping in one corner of the Blumar prison and mostly ignoring them, "...and them, but it won't last long. We need a plan, and we need it quickly—"
"I agree!" Someone exclaimed from the first expedition. Vilroy and Isadora restrained a sigh as someone came toward them. With a protruding stomach, chubby hands, an over-the-top suit, and dirty pale blond hair that reached to his shoulders, Donald, the fifth son of the Mortelli family was as annoying as ever. Lioras was annoying, but it was bearable. He was just a little too scared for his life.
Donald Mortelli, on the other hand, was another kind entirely.
"Vilroy, Lady Isadora, you should have done your work better!" He exclaimed with an accusatory finger. Isadora and Vilroy looked at him emptily.
"I made sure to let my dad know about this expedition, and yet, they only send you?! That's disappointing! If we ever go back, trust me that my father will know about how this went!" Donald fumed, spattering all over the two adults.
"O- Of course, Sir Mortelli. Please know that our Indigo Bureau is terribly sorry about the current course of events, and will do our best to compensate Count Mortelli," Vilroy bowed respectfully as he spoke through his clenched teeth. He just needed to bear with it for now. Perhaps an opportunity to silence the kid will present itself.
"Miss Isadora, I believe you also have some excuses to present," Donald said with a wicked smile, "But I shall be courteous and spare you and your colleagues the wrath of my father. You only need to warm my bed ton—"
Isadora didn't have time to curse the brat because Glenn suddenly teleported into the room, covered in blood and soot. He crashed into Donald, silencing him.
"Glenn!" Isadora exclaimed as she rushed to his side. The Devil's Hand grunted as he pushed himself back up and raised his sword.
"Shit, it's going to be there soon!" He shouted before turning back and clenching a small black bracelet. A gate suddenly appeared in the middle of the room, pulsing with energy.
"Get the hell out now! I'll hold it back for now!"
The Blumar prison suddenly shook as the roar of an ancient beast echoed around them. Donald was the first to throw himself into the gate, closely followed by Lioras and the Seekers.
"We can fight with you Glenn—" Isadora tried only for Glenn's body to flare up with Mana. The Blumar was disrupting it and should have made it impossible to cast a spell, but somehow, Glenn seemed to have enough Mana to literally brute-force the disruption.
"No, you can't," Glenn gritted his teeth as he wiped the blood off his face. He glanced at the bracelet and tossed it to Isadora with a grin, "But you can give that to my sister. Make sure she slips it on, alright?"
Isadora wanted to ask why, but another roar echoed in the prison, shaking them down.
"Everyone, with me!" Vilroy barked before jumping inside the gate, followed by his colleagues at the Indigo Bureau.
***
Isadora stared at the bracelet, failing to detect any connection between the gate and the item. Her colleagues looked at her worriedly.
"Let's get going, Isadora. We can't do anything anyway. We might as well save ourselves..."
Isadora clenched her teeth, "Fine, go!" She pushed her two teammates inside the Gate before casting one last glance at Glenn. The latter looked back and suddenly relaxed.
"Ah, you're the only one left? Good. Yeah, no worries, I got it in the bag."
Isadora blushed and she almost cursed at him, "You fucker! Are you serious?"
Glenn blinked, "What?"
"You...I thought I was going to abandon you to die! Argh, I hate it!" She shrieked, "You better have an excellent explanation!"
"I'll give you one," He waved dismissively, "Now, off you go. And make sure to get that bracelet to my sister!"
Isadora shook her head and jumped inside the gate. Glenn grinned widely as Gundam closed the dimensional passage. He reappeared next to the robot a second later, transported without him asking.
"Thank you for humoring me, Gundam." He smiled as he used a quick Mundare to get rid of the fake blood and soot covering him.
//This deceitful operation was unnecessary. The Descendant doesn't need a presence in the rest of the world to accomplish his tasks.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. Anyway, let's get to what's truly interesting. What's the most urgent order on hand? The...mutated thingy, or Doyle Malory?"
"I know you're accepting the robot's missions because it might allow you to break through, but I still hate it," sighed Diamanes aloud. The robot didn't seem to care an iota for the entity's presence.
//Dealing with the mutated lifeform is the priority. His mutation is disturbing the measuring instruments of the Core, and interrupting the Initialisation process.
"Initialisation process? What's that?" Glenn looked back at the robot.
//Error. Your status doesn't allow you to know this information. Please resume your activities.
"...I think I'm starting to hate that Sevirox guy," Glenn muttered.
"Oh, don't say that. I'm sure he was a totally sane scientist with just a little project of ending the world. Nothing that original, considering the state of the world," Diamanes jeered, earning a smirk from his host.
//Teleportation is in cooldown. Ready yourselves for transportation in 237 seconds.
"Wait, can't I get some more information about the enemy?" Glenn protested, but the robot didn't seem to care whatsoever.
"See? This fucker just acts like a friend, when in fact, it's just using you to some probably nefarious project. That Initialisation process? Trust me, it sounds way too ominous." Diamanes hissed. Glenn raised an eyebrow and looked at his left hand in consternation.
"Are you fucking jealous, Diamanes? Please tell me you are, so I can have a good laugh."
Diamanes snorted, "...Is that it? Did you finally lose your mind? Yeepie, we might get some actual bloodbath now!"
Glenn sighed again.
'Why am I even trying.'
//Teleportation in five, four, three...
"Shit, already?" Glenn tensed up. Gundam continued with his countdown emotionlessly.
//Two, one...Teleportation is in process.
Glenn's surroundings melted and twisted, changing to a damp, dark cave.
"Sun's Touch..." Glenn muttered as his right arm lit up with golden light. He knew he was going to become the main target for whatever was creeping in the dark, but whatever. If Gundam had judged it possible to take care of that "mutated lifeform" with just Glenn, then he was probably fine.
Chomp. Chomp.
Glenn stopped and slowly turned around. That was the sound of something eating.
Something with very large jaws.
Glenn's eyes stopped on the scaly wall mere meters away from him. Dark scales reflected the light like a mirage, seemingly trying to melt within the shadows. The whole cave seemed to be made of these scales. Glenn gulped and donned his Imoogi Suit, feeling the enchanted fabric tighten around his skin. They were deep enough beneath the ground for its attributes to take effect.
Glenn gulped as a triangle-shaped head the size of a building turned toward him. One giant, red reptilian eye looked down on him in contempt, its vertical pupil gleaming with an evil hue.
'...I think we found daddy dragonoid,' Diamanes whispered excitedly.
"No shit." Glenn hissed through his teeth as he summoned his Mana. The creature exhaled a foul breath that smelled of carrion and death, mixed with sulfur. The cave trembled as the beast moved, its scales rattling against the stone walls.
This was no fucking dragonoid.