After freeing the girl from her chains, calming her, and explaining the situation, she collapsed in relief.
"But what was that monster I saw?" she asked, her voice trembling. There was more than just a monster; her innate instinct to flee surged upon seeing it.
"It's... my skill," Vahn replied, opting for simplicity. He couldn't reveal the full truth about his innate abilities, but from her reaction, it was clear that whatever she had witnessed was dangerous. 'I should be careful,' he thought, glancing at his left side, it still looked bad.
"A-Are you okay?" she asked, concern etched on her face as she noticed his discomfort.
"It's nothing. But may I ask, how did you end up here?" His situation was a punishment, but he couldn't assume the same for everyone else.
The atmosphere suddenly got moody,
"I-I was taking a walk with my boyfriend, and... when we reached an alley, he suddenly ditched me. Before I knew it, I was in some kind of cell," she recounted, her voice breaking with sobs.
'Then, she must have completed the alliance's training,' Vahn deduced, realizing she was likely over twenty. 'And her boyfriend was definitely working with them.'
She raised her head and asked while cleaning her tears, "How did you get here?"
"Misunderstanding," was all Vahn offered before moving to check the next compartment.
"W-Wait, I can help…" She reached out to stop him, and when she had his attention, she added, "I can change myself." With that, she transformed into a demon.
Vahn was taken aback by her ability, but that wasn't all. As she opened her mouth, he could see her ultimate skill forming, but she canceled it and reverted to her human form.
"This…" Shapeshifting was impressive enough, but copying skills were on another level. 'Wait, I can use her to get close to the machine and destroy it after saving everyone I can.' With a clearer plan forming, he nodded. "We're going to save everyone we can and try to escape."
She nodded, determination glimmering in her eyes, and prepared herself.
Vahn activated his previous technique to move to the next compartment, but it was empty.
"W-We were late," the girl murmured, lowering her head in disappointment. The meaning was that the person had been experimented on.
"Then we need to hurry," Vahn urged, prompting them to quicken their pace. With her agreement, they immediately moved to the next compartment.
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***
The city was breathtaking.
Towering buildings sparkled in the sunlight, reflecting vibrant colors onto the glass-like roads. Lush, exotic vegetation adorned every corner, while sleek cars glided gracefully through the air, and well-dressed civilians bustled about, attending to their daily affairs.
Anyone who beheld this city would agree it was the most beautiful they had ever seen. If you asked any of the citizens, they would proudly declare it the most important and protected city in the world.
This was the site the World Defense Alliance had chosen to establish after the long and grueling war. Built where the final demon fell, the city thrived on its core, aptly named First City.
It represented humanity's first victory over an external threat, a fitting tribute to their struggle. At the city's heart stood an imposing structure, the headquarters of the World Defense Alliance.
Soaring to a height of 1,000 meters and spanning 100 meters in width, it was the largest building the world had ever seen.
On one of the highest floors, a meeting was underway.
"The frequency of reports regarding the appearance of demons," was the topic dominating the discussion.
"I've been hearing about this. Is it true?" a man at the far end of the table spoke, his gaze fixed on the flashing screen.
The screen displayed various reports, and they were gathered to decide on a course of action.
"Hmph… here they come again with their ridiculous claims. The demons are gone," scoffed an arrogant middle-aged man without even glancing at the screen.
"But we can't deny their words. If they saw it, then they saw it," replied a thin man in glasses, his demeanor calm.
The atmosphere in the room grew tense, voices rising in disagreement.
Suddenly, a strong breeze swept through the room, silencing the chatter. The attendees instinctively turned their attention to the head of the table, where a man towards his old age in military attire, adorned with intricate designs and three stars on his uniform, sat.
He was a lieutenant-general of the alliance.
Despite his show of authority, he remained silent, his gaze fixed on a thin man at the end of the table.
The man, feeling the weight of that gaze, trembled slightly before standing up. He bowed his head and began to speak, "I-I have reason to believe that while the demons are gone, they may still be lurking."
"What do you mean?" the lieutenant-general frowned, intrigued but skeptical.
"I—" The man was about to elaborate when—
CRASHH… CRASHH!
A thunderous noise erupted, interrupting the meeting. All heads snapped toward the source of the sound, where a large hole had formed in the reinforced glass.
"WHATTT…?"
"This…?"
"Who…?"
The attendees reacted with shock, confusion spreading through the room. Even the lieutenant-general frowned; there had been no signs of a breach.
WIOOOOOOOOOO… WOOOOOOIIIIIIII!
The building's alarm blared, and the alliance's personnel rushed to the scene.
"I'm here."
They froze at the sound of the light voice that echoed through the air. All eyes turned to the broken glass, but the voice came from behind them.
Gulping nervously, they slowly turned to face the intruder. Without needing to be told, they recognized her strength. The core of the final demon powered the city and formed its protective barriers. The fact that she had bypassed all of that and shattered the reinforced glass, crafted from the strongest monsters' cores was a testament to her power.
As they turned, their eyes widened in shock.
Before them stood the family that had aided them during their crisis, teaching them how to harness their abilities and helping them advance their technology before mysteriously disappearing. The only known traits of this family were their purple hair and golden eyes.
And now, here was a woman in her mid-twenties, possessing the same striking purple hair and golden eyes, standing before them.