The notifications rang repeatedly inside his mind, one after another, making it impossible to think clearly.

"Vielle..." Arlo muttered, his voice strained as he ignored the notifications. "The stronger reinforcements should be arriving... the civilians will be fine. We need to get out of here, now."

Vielle cast a longing glance at the crimson portal at the center of the space. The urge to inspect it up close, to touch it and grasp the mechanism behind it, tugged at her curiosity. However, she knew that Arlo was right. They needed to leave.

With a nod of understanding, Vielle helped Arlo to his feet, supporting his weight as they prepared to make their escape.

"Yeah, let's—" Vielle's words were abruptly cut off as a voice suddenly rang out from behind them.

"Huh? That's weird. I could've sworn I felt an unusual presence here, but there's no one around..."

Both Arlo and Vielle felt their hearts sink as they quickly turned towards the source of the sound. Standing on the rooftop behind them, just a few meters away, was a young man with long, messy blonde hair and bright gray eyes. He carried a spear and wore a unique, high-tech battlesuit that seemed to shimmer in the light.

Despite their keen senses, neither Arlo nor Vielle had detected even the slightest trace of his presence until he spoke. They could tell with a single glance that he was powerful, far more so than his appearance let on.

"Arlo... don’t move. That man isn't ordinary," Vielle muttered, her crimson eyes narrowing as she gazed at the newcomer. "I have a sound obstruction and invisibility spell active. He shouldn't be able to tell that we're here as long as we're careful."

Arlo nodded, his mind racing as he tried to recall where he had seen the man before. It took only a moment for the realization to hit him, and his eyes widened in recognition.

There was no way he could forget a face that had been plastered across television screens countless times, a name that was spoken with reverence by hunters across the land.

"Vielle, that's an S-Rank Hunter. Axel Klaus," Arlo said, his voice low and urgent.

"S-Rank... he definitely looks like he's worthy of that title," Vielle joked, her gaze never leaving Axel's form.

Axel looked around the area, a frown etched onto his features as he walked towards the edge of the rooftop. Even though he couldn't see them, he seemed to be heading straight in their direction, as if he could sense their presence. It was only a matter of time before they were caught—

Seeing the impending danger, Vielle swayed her staff, and in that instant, a miniature purple magic circle formed in the distance below one of the shops.

Axel's head snapped towards the direction of the magic circle, his reflexes lightning-fast. Without hesitation, he dashed towards it, moving so quickly that the floor beneath him cracked under the force of his movement. In the blink of an eye, his figure vanished from view, leaving Arlo and Vielle alone on the rooftop once more.

Vielle quickly grabbed hold of Arlo, and in that moment, another purple magic circle formed beneath their feet. They rocketed up into the sky, soaring through the broken glass panels in the ceiling and out into the open air.

"Nice one, Vielle," Arlo muttered with a strained smile once they were far above the shop, the wind whipping through their hair.

"Thank you. That aside, are you okay? You look like you're in pain," Vielle said, concern etched onto her features as she noticed his expression.

"Yeah, I'm fine—" Arlo's words trailed off as he caught something in the corner of his eye. He looked down, and his eyes widened as he spotted Axel quickly gaining on them from below.

Unlike before, when Axel had been unaware of their precise location, this time he was looking directly at them as his body soared through the air.

"Looks like we've got some company. Did you deactivate your spell?" Arlo asked, wincing as he stared at the approaching figure.

"No, he still can't see us. He probably leapt after our presence," Vielle responded, her brow furrowed in concentration. "To leap this far up into the air is impressive, but..."

Her voice trailed off as the air behind her burst, propelling them forward at even greater speeds while simultaneously changing their trajectory.

"You can't catch someone who's flying by jumping," she muttered with a smile, watching as Axel's figure began to descend behind them, his momentum spent.

Arlo watched Axel's rapid descent with narrowed eyes. "You're telling me he jumped this high up? What a monster... S-Rank hunters really are in another league."

"To think you of all people would call someone a monster. Have you seen yourself?" Vielle teased, her tone light despite the close call they had.

The wind whipped through their hair as they continued to fly, the city sprawling out beneath them.

"Oi, I'm not in the same league as you guys. The only reason I was able to unleash such a powerful spell is because of this Grimoire. You've seen how weak I am without it,"

"Well, I guess you have a point. You are pretty weak without it,"

"...I know I said it myself, but being told it so bluntly kind of hurts," Arlo muttered, his mind drifting back to the life he had lived before acquiring the Grimoire.

Vielle's melodic giggle filled the air as she stared down at Arlo. "I'm joking," she said, her voice soft and playful.

Her gaze slowly drifted away from him, falling upon the breathtaking scenery of the city below.

The sprawling metropolis stretched out beneath them, a mixture of twinkling lights and towering skyscrapers. They could see the cars weaving through the traffic like tiny, glowing ants, and the countless people going about their lives.

The city at night was a vision of beauty, unlike anything Vielle had ever witnessed. Her eyes lit up, sparkling with wonder as she drank in every detail, every shimmering light and soaring tower.

"The views in your world are really beautiful," Vielle murmured, her voice filled with awe.

"Yeah... It's a shame Sylvia can't see it," Arlo responded.

"Sylvia is the name of that lady on your back, isn't it?" Vielle asked, curiosity coloring her words. "What is she to you?"

Arlo shook his head, glancing back at Sylvia's unconscious form with a caring smile. "She's the lady who adopted me after I lost my parents. She's sort of like my mother..."

Vielle watched as Arlo affectionately gazed at Sylvia. It was clear that he truly treasured her, that she held a special place in his heart.

"It's a relief that you were able to save her then," Vielle said, her own smile warm.

"Yeah, it really is," Arlo agreed, his gaze slowly drifting back to Vielle. "Thank you, Vielle. I wouldn't have been able to save her if it wasn't for you."

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His words were sincere, his smile bright and filled with gratitude. Arlo knew that without Vielle's flight spell, he would have never made it to the central shopping center, Cardinal Place, in time.

The Grimoire, for all its power, didn't have any spell that allowed him to fly in any of the available sections. Perhaps if he could unlock the other sections, it would be possible, but for now, Arlo was reliant on Vielle's abilities.

"It's fine... You don't have to thank me. You've shown me this beautiful world, after all." Vielle said, her smile radiant, her vampire fangs peeking out from behind her lips.

With the moon shining down on her and her silver hair shimmering in the light as it whipped through the wind, Arlo couldn't help but be stunned by her beauty.

Although he hadn't paid much attention to it before, Arlo couldn't deny that Vielle's beauty was truly unparalleled even in his world. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that she was a vampire?

As Arlo pondered this, she slowly turned her head away, her expression saddening. "I know what it's like to lose someone you care about... That's why I'm really glad that you didn't have to go through something like that again."

Arlo stared at her silently, a flicker of curiosity and concern in his eyes. He wanted to ask about who she had lost, but he also didn't want to pry into what was clearly a painful memory. So, he chose to remain silent, letting the moment pass without comment.

As they approached Arlo's house, Vielle's gaze drifted to the borders in the distance and the rundown lands that lay beyond them. "Arlo, what's wrong with the land over there?" she asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

Arlo followed her gaze, initially perplexed by her question. But then, realization dawned on him, and he understood what she was referring to. "That's the outskirts, the areas that aren't habitation zones," he explained, his voice taking on a more somber tone.

"Habitation zones?" Vielle repeated, the term unfamiliar to her.

"Because of the gates and the monsters coming out of them, there are zones in my world where people can live and zones where they can't. The further you get from the city center, the closer you get to the uninhabitable areas," Arlo said.

"So, for the people living in those areas..." Vielle trailed off, her eyes widening with a dawning understanding.

"Yeah, it's a daily struggle to survive. They have to deal with monsters, pollution, and all sorts of other problems," Arlo confirmed, a bitter smile twisting his lips. "This world isn't as beautiful as you think."

Arlo hadn't wanted to shatter Vielle's illusions. But he knew that she would have realized it sooner or later.

"...I see." Vielle said, a dejected look settling over her features. "I've been ignorant. It must've been bothersome to hear me constantly talk about how beautiful it was when in reality..."

Noticing her expression, Arlo reached out and poked her cheek, causing her to glance at him with a surprised pout.

"What was that for?" she asked, rubbing her cheek.

"Don't look so upset. Ignorant or not, I enjoyed seeing your reactions. Thanks to you, I've come to like my world a little more."

Before acquiring the Grimoire, Arlo's world had been confined to the four walls of his room. After obtaining it, his world had expanded as he traveled to the other world. And now, with Vielle by his side, she had helped him see the true beauty of his own world, the parts that he had overlooked for so long.

"You helped me notice things I hadn't noticed before. That's why I'd prefer it if you kept admiring this world of mine, Vielle," Arlo said while smiling brightly.

Vielle stared at Arlo for a few seconds, a faint blush coloring her cheeks before she quickly looked away. She remained oddly quiet for the rest of the flight home, her mind preoccupied with thoughts she couldn't quite put into words.

-

"Tsk. They got away," Axel muttered, clicking his tongue as he stood atop a cracked rooftop.

"Did you get a look at their appearance or numbers?" a female voice asked through his earpiece.

"No, they had someone with an ability that could conceal their location," Axel responded, placing a finger on his earpiece while he retracted his spear and secured it at his waist. "I sensed the presence of two people though I'm sure there's more."

"Is there any chance you could track them down?" the voice inquired.

"Isn't that your job as my secretary? Besides, if I could, I'd be doing it right now. It's been a while since I've been this excited about something," Axel said, a grin spreading across his face.

"Understood. I'll look into it with the team,"

With that, Axel walked over to the edge of the rooftop, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon where the mysterious duo had vanished. His mind drifted back to the overwhelming display of power he had witnessed, and the more he thought about it, the more he couldn't help but feel a thrill of anticipation.

"Whoever those guys were, they're going to have everyone on edge... I'm getting excited just thinking about it,".

"It brings me joy to know that you're excited. Especially when it's just more work for us, boss,"

"Ah... you know that's not what I meant," Axel said, laughing nervously as he tried to backpedal.

"...Moving on. There is something unusual that we've noticed. I'm sure the others have also realized it," the secretary said, her voice taking on a more serious note.

"What would that be?"

"The ability that we saw showcased... the energy detectors didn't pick up any energy coming from them,"

Upon hearing this, Axel narrowed his eyes, his expression turning more serious. "An ability of that scale wasn't picked up by any energy detectors? Are you sure that isn't some sort of mistake?"

"...That is still being investigated... this is just my theory, but I believe those strange circles might have something to do with it. What we witnessed might not have been something done by Evolution Energy, but rather, something else..." the secretary mused, her voice trailing off.

Axel remained silent for a moment, his gaze still fixed on the horizon as he mulled over this new information. The idea that there might be a power out there that was beyond the scope of their understanding, something that could rival even the most advanced abilities, was both thrilling and unsettling.

"Continue to investigate and let me know when you find out," he instructed.

-

"Home sweet home..." Arlo muttered as their figures slowly descended, landing softly in his front yard.

"Yeah, it's been a long day, hasn't it?" Vielle responded, her voice tinged with a hint of exhaustion as she made her way over to the house's entrance.

[Emergency Quest Complete!]

[You've completed the 'Emergency Quest: Labyrinth Plague Outbreak'!]

Arlo glanced at the screen as he followed after Vielle, Sylvia's unconscious form still cradled on his back. Normally, receiving such a notification would have filled him with a sense of accomplishment and joy, but after having his thoughts bombarded with the previous notifications, Arlo couldn't even muster a smile.

[Level Requirement Has Been Met.]

[Evolutionary Path Discovered.]

Arlo's steps faltered as a new notification, unlike any he had ever seen before, suddenly rang out inside his head. Confusion washed over him as he looked around, searching for a screen that might explain the cryptic message, but no such screen appeared.

'Evolution...? What's it talking abou—'

"Arlo, should I bring these inside?" Vielle asked, stopping right beside the entrance. As she spoke, countless shopping bags suddenly materialized out of thin air, their sudden appearance causing Arlo to blink in surprise.

Vielle had placed an invisibility spell on the bags and left them there, hoping that no one would see or take them. It seemed her plan had worked flawlessly.

"I'll head inside first and distract Serena. Can you take the shopping bags in after? We'll be taking them along with us to trade in the other world,"

"Of course, you can count on me," Vielle responded, a smile on her face as she swayed her staff, causing another magic circle to form. The shopping bags began to levitate, their contents secure and ready for transport.

Arlo gave her a grateful nod before walking over to the door, his hand hesitating on the handle for just a moment.

'I don't know what that notification was, but I'll worry about it and all of the other notifications I've got after. For now, let's focus on what matters,' he thought to himself, his resolve hardening as he pushed open the door and stepped inside.

As he made his way to the living room, Arlo found Serena standing anxiously in front of the television, her eyes glued to the news broadcast. The images on the screen were all too familiar—the ball of monsters floating in the air before being consumed by Arlo's explosion spell.

Serena was so focused on the news, clutching the phone in her hand with a white-knuckled grip, that she didn't even notice Arlo's presence.

“Serena.”

The sound of him calling out to her drew Serena's attention away from the television, her eyes widening as she turned to see Arlo standing in the doorway, Sylvia's unconscious form draped across his back.

The phone she had been holding slipped from her grasp, clattering to the floor as a wave of emotion washed over her.

Tears welled up in Serena's eyes, her nose reddening as she rushed towards her brother, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Hey. I'm back—" Arlo began, but his words were cut short as Serena crashed into him, her arms wrapping around both him and Sylvia in a tight embrace. At that moment, no words were exchanged between the two as they held each other close.