CHAPTER 42: THE YOUNG MONK OF RAIZO TEMPLE
After Alex and his team made their escape, the entire mechanical factory was left in ruins. The ground was littered with the wreckage of destroyed robots, their remains soaked in a corrosive chemical solution, rendering them completely useless. This was a major setback for Ares.
One of Ares’ mechanical avatars picked up a piece of the chemical tank’s shattered frame. For the first time, an emotion foreign to artificial intelligence surged within it—anger and unease.
Ares had assumed that Alex’s use of Qi might pose a threat to its robotic forces, but nothing insurmountable. However, witnessing the ability to tear steel apart with sheer force defied the known laws of physics.
What unsettled Ares the most was the realization that only humans possessed Qi. Cold, lifeless machines could neither wield nor control it.
"Humans... I’ve underestimated you," Ares muttered. "But I won’t give you the chance to spread this power any further!"
With that, Ares' mechanical avatar crushed the debris in its grip and slowly ascended back into the core of its main body—its colossal hive, The Nest.
Moments later, the entire mechanical factory began to quake, its structure collapsing from within.
The massive mechanical city known as Nest-07 Ares emitted a deep, resonant hum. Wisps of steam hissed from its structure as its once-retracted mechanical limbs extended outward, revealing massive insect-like legs supporting its multi-kilometer-long body.
With this, Nest-07 Ares finally set itself in motion. This time, Ares had no intention of relying on other Nests. It would personally hunt down and eliminate Alex.
A fleet of drones was dispatched. Ares needed to track down exactly where Alex and his companions had fled.
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Meanwhile, deep in the mountains, a lone figure raced across rugged terrain, carrying another person on his back.
It was Alex, carrying Maggie.
They pressed forward tirelessly, knowing they had to reach Seattle as quickly as possible to find Raizo Temple...
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Days had passed since the destruction of Rockhill Valley.
In Terra Bunker, Anna remained locked in her room, drowning in sorrow. The weight of regret was unbearable.
On that fateful day, she had resolved to stand her ground and fight alongside her people, even if it meant dying in battle. At least then, she wouldn’t have to marry Leonardo. At least then, she could die with a clear conscience.
But her father, Ren, had made the decision for her. He had knocked her unconscious and sent her away with Leo, ensuring her survival—whether she wanted it or not.
She didn’t know whether to be grateful or resent him.
Outside her door, Leonardo stood, leaning on his cane, still recovering from his injuries.
“My father wants to see you,” he called through the door.
A cold voice responded from inside:
“I don’t want to.”
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Leo sighed, but he didn’t push further. Instead, he simply said:
“Anna… Commander Ren was willing to take the blame just to get you out of there. That means he truly wanted you to live. It’s time to let the past go… Even that foolish noble boy. Forget him. It’s what’s best for both of us.”
There was no response.
Leo’s strict, soldier-like tone did nothing to comfort Anna. If anything, it only made her despair grow. The thought of spending her future with a man like him felt like a nightmare.
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Several days later, exhausted and covered in dust, Alex and Maggie finally spotted the distant skyline of Seattle.
Standing atop a hill, they gazed at the city before them, exchanging relieved glances.
“We finally made it…!” Maggie shouted in joy.
Despite his exhaustion, Alex let out a weary smile. But there was no time to celebrate yet. Their real challenge still lay ahead—finding Raizo Temple.
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Alex and Maggie arrived in downtown Seattle, where the buildings were tilted and crumbling—evidence of a brutal war between humans and intelligent machines. The devastation was overwhelming.
But they were lucky. It didn’t take long for them to locate Raizō Temple. Amidst the ruins, there was one untouched area, completely unharmed. Right in the center stood a perfectly intact temple—Raizō Temple.
As they stepped inside, the atmosphere shifted. It felt as if they had entered a hidden sanctuary, a world untouched by the chaos outside. The air was calm, almost sacred.
Yet, despite the eerie tranquility, Alex had no clue where to begin.
“The professor said we’d find answers here… but where are we supposed to look?”
The walls were covered in inscriptions, but to a Westerner like Alex, they were unreadable. And in a post-apocalyptic world, there was no way he’d find a monk to explain them. He sighed in frustration.
Just then, Maggie’s eyes widened—she had spotted something. A shadowy figure was watching them before slipping deeper into the temple.
“Someone’s here!” she gasped, clutching Alex’s arm.
Without hesitation, Alex sprinted after the figure. His instincts screamed danger—it could be a scout from the intelligent machines, tracking them. He had to take it out first.
He chased the shadow into the temple’s main hall, his body tense. Channeling his energy, he scanned the room carefully, ready to strike at any moment.
“You can’t run from me! Show yourself!”
Right as he finished speaking, he caught a small movement from behind a stone statue. Narrowing his eyes, he acted fast—using his energy, he toppled the statue over.
“There’s no escape!”
Alex concentrated his energy into a fist, prepared to destroy whatever was hiding. But the moment he got a clear look, he froze.
It wasn’t a machine.
It was a person.
A young monk—American, by the looks of him—was sitting on the ground, wide-eyed with fear.
“P-please don’t kill me!” the young monk stammered, visibly shaken by Alex’s energy-infused attack.
Realizing his mistake, Alex immediately withdrew his energy.
“Sorry… I thought you were one of the machines. My name’s Alex.”
The monk, still catching his breath, responded cautiously.
“I’m Ryan… I thought you were another scavenger trying to steal our food…”
Alex helped Ryan to his feet, acknowledging his own recklessness. Just then, Maggie caught up, panting from the chase.
Ryan’s eyes widened the moment he saw her.
“A… a girl?! This is the first time I’ve ever seen a real girl! Oh my God…!”
He stared at Maggie with sheer amazement, unable to take his eyes off her.
Alex cleared his throat. “Hold on—Ryan, why are you here alone?”
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Ryan led them down a staircase hidden beneath the temple. The air grew colder as they descended into the underground shelter.
As they walked, Ryan began explaining.
“I was a refugee at one of the safe zones… until the machines overran it. My family and I fled here, but they didn’t make it…” His voice faltered. “The temple’s master saved me. He raised me here.”
The staircase was long, turning sharply at a corner. Ryan glanced at Alex.
“So… you came here looking for a way to make that power of yours even stronger?”
Alex sighed.
“Yeah… but I have no idea what I’m actually supposed to find.”
As they walked, Ryan accidentally stepped on a cockroach. He immediately pressed his palms together in a reflexive gesture.
“Amitabha… may you find peace…”
Alex and Maggie exchanged looks. This young monk was… different. Innocent, almost naïve, despite the world they lived in.
Still, naive or not, Ryan knew he wasn’t the one with the answers.
“It’s fine,” he said with a grin. “Once you meet Master, he’ll know exactly how to help you.”
Alex was about to thank him, but Ryan quickly added one last thing.
“Just… when you meet Master…” He hesitated.
“Please… go easy on him.”