02:16

"When I was given the opportunity, I simply ran as fast as I could to get help. But I had so many questions during my way towards the underground. How didn't I know about the existence of a device that makes you completely invisible? What was it doing in the school if we were never meant to know about it? Or were we even suppose to know about it, since the schools never taught anything about them? But at the same time, I had nothing better to do than to just run and find someone to help me out."

But while he was running away, he could hear the soldiers slowly starting to take their leave. At the same time, the person leading them was shouting at one of the people who got caught, but it wasn't really clear to who exactly he was shouting at. So, N04H just assumed it was one of the teens, a C born.

[NEH3MI4H]-Do not try to resist! You know you have to pay for the sins you've committed, for everything that you've done!

"...Everything that we've done, huh?"

When he arrived in the Underground City, he started running blindly around the streets. He looked irresolute, not knowing what idea to apply or ignore, while also fighting the thought that he is running out of time quickly.

"My first thought of getting help was to go to the teachers, but by doing that, I will get myself and all the others involved in trouble for sneaking into the City of Above without anybody knowing, which would risk everyone's entrance chance in the military. Not only that, but who knows if they were any useful in this kind of situations anyway? My second choice were my friends, but they were just kids, just like me and just like all the others that got caught. I couldn't risk their lives too into the game. Then I thought of asking some people from the Central Military Base, thinking that maybe they could help me the best. But if I were to do that, I will ruin my entrance chances even more. Yet then, out of nowhere..."

[LUK3]-Ouch! Hey! That hurt, buddy!

"...I bumped into a weird man with a scar on his nose."

The man seemed young, probably in his early 20s. He was a tall C born with short, messy and black hair and a scar right on his nose going from left to right. His C colour is golden, finding it in both his eyes and his hair. But unlike N04H, he has highlights in his hair with his C colour. It isn't rare for them to have highlights, but it sure is less seen. His outfit is pretty regular, but what stands out is a scarf that matches the colours of his hair, black and gold.

Both N04H and the man had fallen down due to the sudden bump that N04H caused. But even though N04H was still shocked from the sudden falling, the man got up and came closer to help him by giving him a hand.

[LUK3]-Look where you are going from now own, alri--

--But when he looked at N04H's face, he got a bit confused and worried seeing a few tears coming out of his eyes.

[LUK3]-...H-Hey!! Are you alright? Did you hurt yourself? Why are you crying???

It seems like N04H, due to the situation and the sudden fall that caused a bit of pain, got so scared to the point of not being able to keep himself stable for too long as he wanted. But it didn't take long for someone else to arrive at the scene. A woman approached, talking in a mocking way to the strange man that wanted to help N04H get up. She too was a C born, with a bit of a dark hair arranged in a slightly messy hair bun, while in the bun stand in the form of an "X" two metal-looking sticks. Her clothes are pretty regular too and her age seems the same as the guy's age, but her C colour is a bit interesting. She doesn't have highlights like the guy, but her colour is not seen by the human eye and is only seen by the people from this world. While we see it as purple, they see a colour called Vewfhroorav.

[KYR4]-*sigh* ...LUK3, what did you do this time?

[LUK3]-I didn't do ANYTHING!! This kid bumped into me and started crying! Stop blaming me for everything that happens!!!

[KYR4]-Oh, dear M1NERV4... Hey, kid. What's wrong? What did this idiot do to you?

[LUK3]-HEY!!

"At this point, I didn't have much of a choice anyway. Every idea I had would've gotten me into big trouble. And maybe including some complete strangers into the whole situation wasn't the best thing to do either, but I needed help as soon as possible. So, in the end, I just told the weird man and the cold woman that was standing with him what was happening."

[N04H]-...M-My friends got captured by the M soldiers!

Both the woman and the weird man looked at N04H in a way that it almost seems as if they just witnessed someone dying, eyes wide open and expressing no emotion. Just pure shock. But before saying anything, the guy helped him get up first, then both him and the woman started looking at each other as if they were communicating only using their eyes. Still, N04H didn't really allow them much time, since he already started explaining the situation.

[N04H]-...One of the people from my group came up with the idea of celebrating our graduation in one of the bars from the City of Above, but their military forces found us and took them all! I-I managed to escape somehow, but I really need help to save them! P-Please! Can you help me out?

[LUK3]-Hold up, hold up! How did you even manage to escape in the first place? It's almost impossible to do it when you get caught by their soldiers!

[N04H]-W-With this thing.

He then took from one of his pockets the small sphere he found at the school and showed it to them. But the moment they saw it, you could guess that they knew what it is. Their expressions made it pretty clear. And while the weird man only looked at the sphere constantly to even get the slightest idea of what happened, the woman only looked for a single second at it before starting to stare deadly at the teen.

[KYR4]-...How did you get this?

[N04H]-I found it in one of the classes in my school. I-I'm from the Central School.

[LUK3]-But I thought only the military bases have access to these devices...

[KYR4]-Those bastards from the center are never careful in what they are doing... Now they leave secret devices in schools? For the gods' sake, we shall vote for banning visits from the military for advices to the students the next time we have a meeting with the Council...

[N04H]-What is this device anyway...?

But the woman didn't respond. What she did instead was to take the device from N04H completely and put it somewhere in her pockets in order to bring it back where it belongs.

[KYR4]-Tell me, how many of your friends were caught out there?

[N04H]-Around 34, I think.

[LUK3]-*sigh* That's a big number...

The woman then turned her glance towards the man, before they both started a conversation between each other, a bit on a lower tone, which N04H didn't manage to hear exactly everything discussed in it.

[KYR4]-Should we tell Master?

[LUK3]-What?? No!

[KYR4]-Then what!? You know we can't act without His permission and I can't take decisions like these without at least letting Him know!

[LUK3]-Then let's do it without Him knowing anything about this!

[KYR4]-Are you out of your mind!? We will get in trouble!

[LUK3]-We won't! Besides, that man needs to rest a bit anyway! Telling Him about this whole thing will only make Him get involved in it as well, and you know very well that we don't want that to happen!

[KYR4]-LUK3...

[LUK3]-We will just borrow some of the equipment, take the kids and come back as quickly as possible without Him noticing our absence!

[KYR4]-You know the consequences...

[LUK3]-Then what!? You want to leave this kid in this shitty situation alone??

The woman then looked at N04H for two seconds out of pity, but at the same time as if he wanted to kill him for causing the whole trouble.

[KYR4]-...Alright then. But if we get caught--

[LUK3]- --Yeah, yeah... You will put the blame on me and probably kill me after all of this is over. I've heard it many times. Now let's go!

[KYR4]-*sigh* God dammit. When you think you are done with the work for today, there comes another thing to do...

The weird man already started moving with or without the others, but the woman remained next to N04H to watch the stupidity of the guy be in action. After all, she seems to know some problems he might have forgotten about. So, she stops him just before he gets too far.

[KYR4]-And... where do you think you are going?

[LUK3]-Uhh, back to the base to get the equipment...?

[KYR4]-Aren't you forgetting something?

[LUK3]-Umm...

[KYR4]-You KNOW we cant get the kid inside the base, right?

[LUK3]-Oh, yeah! Well, that's a small problem... But I guess nowhere it is mentioned that we can't bring him with something that covers his eyes, no? That way, he won't know anything about the location or the road towards it AND we get the guy to join us!

[KYR4]-Why do we have to bring him in the first place, genius?

[LUK3]-Well, I mean, you still need some information about where his friends have been taken, right? What's so bad if we bring him for just a few minutes until we get everything we need? We just save some more time than leaving him here, get the equipment, get back to him and then get into the tunnels!

[KYR4]-*sigh* As much as I have to scold you for even thinking about this idea, I know you will do it your way no matter what I say...

The strange guy then comes back, thinks for a second about what to give N04H to put on his eyes and then simply takes off his scarf to cover them himself. And he actually pays close attention to how he covers N04H's eyes, since this seems to be very important to both of them. He has to be sure that N04H is completely blind during the road towards their location.

[LUK3]-Okay, that should do it! Now, don't remove it until I say so, kiddo! And DON'T lose it at ANY cost! Guess I will have a bit more work to do since I got to carry you around too, but oh well...

[KYR4]-I swear to the heavens, if someone sees what we are doing and reports us of kidnapping, I'm going to have a huge argument with Master about your staying in the base...

The Southeast Military Base

02:34

When they arrived at the location, the weird man put N04H down for a bit but told him to still not take the scarf off, thus remaining completely blind while the two were taking their equipment. But when they were about to leave, someone already spotted them taking the equipment without any given reason.

[C0NNER]-And... where do you guys think you are going with those at this hour? Without informing Master?

The person was another C born, but he seemed younger compared to these two. He didn't even seem in his 20s. His hair is a bit dark and long enough to get to his shoulders, but that's pretty much it. His C colour is blue, with just a few highlights scattered around in very small strands of hair. As for how he looks as a person... he just seems even colder and more distant than the woman.

[LUK3]-...Shit! Why is HE here this late?

[KYR4]-Yeah, you explain it from here, big guy!

[C0NNER]-Well?

[LUK3]-Oh, alright... So, KYR4 and I were minding our own business, like, you know... the usual! And then this kid happened to bump into me and said he got into a little situation... Sooo, I decided to help him! And that's why we kind of... need the equipment!

[C0NNER]-...Are you two out of your minds? You can't just take everyone that you meet on the streets and bring them here!

[LUK3]-JUST LISTEN! His friends got captured and we have to save them! I couldn't just let him wander around the city crying! You know this feeling better than any of us after all, C0NNER!

[C0NNER]-...

He seemed a bit annoyed by this response actually. Even so, he looked back at the kid for a few moments that was standing blind in their building. N04H had no idea what was happening since he couldn't see anything, but he could still hear.

[C0NNER]-...You need to at least inform Master that you guys are going out in the City of Above.

[LUK3]-No! You won't tell Him anything about this! You know very well what would happen after He gets to know about this whole thing! Besides, He will kick my ass for bringing the kid here!

The young guy stood a bit to think, but in the end, he did as the weird man wanted. He accepted to remain silent.

[C0NNER]-*sigh* Very well then... I won't tell Him anything.

[LUK3]-Haha, I win again! ...Thanks, man! I appreciate it!

[C0NNER]-Hold on there, LUK3! I didn't finish talking to you!

[LUK3]-Huh?

[C0NNER]-I... assume you guys will need a Defender for the rescue... won't you?

[LUK3]-Hehehh...

The Underground Tunnels

03:06

"Somehow, after they've accepted to help me out, another guy joined and we got to the tunnels again. But it made me curious as to who these people are, since their way of talking didn't seem as they were new to rescuing missions. Not to mention that they were owning military equipment which no one else has the permission to have. But I just guessed they are from the North Base with all the rescue talking being involved, just to not waste too much time on wondering."

[KYR4]-Green Head!

[N04H]-...M-Me?

[KYR4]-Yeah, of course I'm talking to you! Who else could I be talking to?

[N04H]-S-Sorry, Miss!

[LUK3]-Awww, he called you "Miss"! We have a little gentleman, don't we?

[KYR4]-LUK3, I swear to the heave... Oh, forget it! I'm not going to fight with you now. Tell me, kid. Do you remember anything about the people that got your friends?

[N04H]-I know that the bartender called their Officer "NEH3MI4H"... But I don't think I know anything more about them.

[KYR4]-Officer NEH3MI4H, you say... C0NNER, I will give you access to the north part of the city. Look at what the cameras recorded. Just give me a second to get into their system.

[C0NNER]-Yeah, yeah, as if I don't know how to do my job, Officer.

[KYR4]-I swear, you two are testing my limits today...

The woman then took the two sticks from her hair and connected them both which made a screen in the form of a hologram to appear. She then makes a few commands on the screen itself and in just a few moments, she is already done. What appeared to be just her hairstyle, now it seems as even that has a role in her job.

[KYR4]-And... done. Do you see anything?

Then, the guy raised his right hand and activated another hologram from the equipment he had on the hand itself. By using his left hand, he touches the hologram to connect himself with it and starts his own job. But his is a bit weird, since he doesn't press any button nor do anything on the hologram itself. Instead, his C colour starts glowing and looks as if his own vision is connected to what the cameras had registered in the city.

[C0NNER]-...There was a group of people walking in the north area 30 minutes ago. Around... 40 people. And there was... a girl with the C colour orange in the group. Any connections?

[N04H]-Yes! The girl was from my group! She was the first one who got caught!

[C0NNER]-They were heading to a large vehicle, got in and went... right to the third base of the north.

[LUK3]-Ehh, no problem. The third one has only one room which they use for execution. It will be easy!

[KYR4]-...You spoke too fast, LUK3. It is registered to be an inspection there by the General at 04:30. They will hurry with the execution just for this reason alone. Seems like nobody can sleep at this hour, huh?

[C0NNER]-We need to hurry then. We don't have enough time nor enough people for the mission.

[KYR4]-Affirmative.

After they find the location where they needed to go, they hurried and arrived in just a few minutes right under the entrance next to the base in cause.

[LUK3]-Here we are! The third base of the north bastards!

[KYR4]-You know what to do, LUK3. Just don't get yourself killed.

[LUK3]-Yes, darling! I won't get any scar this time only 'cause you told me!

[KYR4]-You little...

[C0NNER]- --*sigh* If you let them continue, we won't get anybody saved at this point... LUK3, just don't go out of my word. Understood?

[LUK3]-Understood! See you later, idiots~

The strange man left towards the entrance of the above, while N04H remained to try and find something he could be useful with.

[N04H]-What about me? How can I help?

[KYR4]-You stay here and sit down.

[N04H]-What!?

[KYR4]-You heard me, Green Head! Just... stay here and wait! You are not prepared for this mission at all! More than the information you have given us, you can't help us with anything!

Even so, N04H didn't listen. Instead, he got closer to the woman...

[KYR4]-Hey, what do you think you are doin--

--just enough to get back the vanishing device, make himself invisible and run towards the City of Above, trying to help in any way possible with the rescue.

[KYR4]-No! Come back here now! Green Head!

"And even if they told me that I cannot help them with the mission, I still wanted to take part in it. Sure, what I did was a bit... insane. But still, I wanted to help my group as well."

[KYR4]-Dammit, Green Head! What's up with these kids? I'm glad you weren't like that when you joined us, C0NNER.

[C0NNER]-Ha ha. Yeah, I get it. The Officer can make jokes. Very funny... Now forget about the kid and focus on the mission. Let's at least save the others and leave the little maniac alone if that's what he wants.

[KYR4]-He does act similar to Him, doesn't he?

[C0NNER]-Yeah... a bit.