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Terra Calendar 1096, February 5
9:48 a.m. — Weather: Overcast
Ursus — Inside Chernobog
Fire. Ruins. In a single moment, every trace of what used to be prosperity had been reduced to ash.
Thick, terrifying smoke billowed up across the city and spread like a sickness. Streets that had once been loud and crowded were now completely empty.
Bodies lay openly discarded along the main roads. The entire city echoed with endless screams—raw, grieving wails mixed with hysterical shouting.
"Amiya? Amiya!"
"Huh? S-sorry, Instructor Dobermann…"
Dobermann looked at the young Cautus girl, who had immediately lowered her head to apologize. She didn't scold her—she simply swept her gaze across the danger-laced surroundings, her expression grim and heavy.
"This isn't the time to space out. Anything you're feeling, you keep it for after the mission."
"Pull yourself together, Amiya. The Doctor is still waiting for us."
Amiya nodded, drew a deep breath, and forced the grief in her chest back down.
"I'm alright. Let's go, Instructor Dobermann."
Reunion… why did they choose this moment to invade Chernobog?
Was it because of the Doctor? No—Reunion shouldn't even know the Doctor exists. It had to be coincidence… right?
Leading Rhodes Island's squad forward with careful steps, Amiya couldn't shake the unease. Something about this rescue felt far too complicated to be "simple."
But when she looked ahead—at Nearl and Operator Ace, the pillars shielding the team—her anxiety eased, if only a little.
If they moved cautiously… nothing major should happen.
…Right?
BOOOOM—
A deafening explosion erupted without warning. The sound tore through the sky so violently that even the chaos-devoured Chernobog fell into a momentary silence.
Rhodes Island's team froze. No one dared make a careless move. They immediately slipped into a nearby alleyway and took cover.
Dobermann raised a hand, cutting off the operators' hushed chatter. Her calm face alone was enough to force the atmosphere into instant discipline.
"Hold position. Nearl—scout the area."
"Understood."
The radiant knight moved out to check the surroundings. Amiya, meanwhile, cautiously peeked out and looked toward the source of the blast.
"Was that… the Chernobog entry point? Is there something there that Reunion wants badly enough to detonate like that?"
"That kind of explosion…" Ace frowned. "Could be the Ursus military beginning an assault."
One of the few men in the squad—and a Rhodes Island veteran—Ace had seen enough to know what true calamity looked like. For a split second, the blast had even made him think a Catastrophe had finally broken overhead.
No Catastrophe came.
And that worried him more.
Maybe he was right—maybe an Ursus army group stationed nearby had begun moving to reinforce Chernobog.
"We have to get the Doctor out immediately," Ace said, voice low but urgent. "Amiya, the situation here is getting worse by the minute."
Nearl returned as well. With her mobility, she could confirm threats in moments.
"No immediate risks nearby. We can continue."
Amiya swallowed her questions, forcing them down for later. She raised a hand and led the operators forward again.
"Alright—advance. Everyone, stay alert and prioritize your own safety."
…
"Whew—good thing I ran fast, or I'd've been spotted!"
Chen Mo had driven straight through Chernobog's gate—then, in the process, accidentally rammed Crownslayer, who'd been leading a squad nearby, and sent her flying a long distance.
After that forced "hello," he ditched the car immediately and dove into hiding—anywhere, whatever worked.
The commotion he'd caused was massive. By now, half the city was probably looking in this direction.
It wasn't that he couldn't fight. The problem was: if he made a show of openly clashing with Reunion, the one who came wouldn't be Talulah—
It'd be Patriot.
Chen Mo peeked out twice: Crownslayer was clutching her lower back and unleashing a storm of curses while her team searched the surrounding area.
Chen Mo immediately pulled his head back in.
His horns were huge. If he kept staring, he'd be discovered sooner or later.
"First, get deeper into the city and see if I can find a way to get close to Talulah."
"…But before that—food. If I don't eat, I won't even have the energy to fight."
He'd basically been starving on the road for what felt like half a month.
Back in Lungmen, he'd left in a rush. He'd assumed the trip would be short—Chernobog was close enough to the border that he wouldn't lose much time.
Reality disagreed.
The moment he left Lungmen, all he saw was silent wilderness stretching endlessly. If Emperor hadn't thoughtfully prepared a map—and if Exusiai hadn't secretly left sweets and drinks in the car—Chen Mo would still be out in the outskirts playing wilderness survival.
And everyone knew the rule: before a boss fight, you stock up.
He wasn't about to solo that old bastard on an empty stomach.
He tore a dirty scrap of cloth from the ground and wrapped it over the lower half of his face. With [Ash] strapped at his waist, he headed deeper in.
He hadn't forgotten how much trouble his face could cause. If any rumor like "Why are there two Talulahs?" spread, he'd be forced to go full one-man rampage in Chernobog.
And the key detail was—
He couldn't win.
Still, with his face partially covered, he didn't need to panic too much. Just his oversized dragon horns and tail were already enough to ensure nobody would ever connect him to Talulah.
Up ahead, near a street-side shop, a cluster of Sarkaz Infected had gathered around something. Chen Mo thought for a moment, then walked straight over.
He stopped behind the Reunion crowd, checked that the cloth covering his face was tight enough not to slip, then tapped the Infected in front of him on the shoulder.
"What's going on? Let me take a look."
"Some idiot asking for death, that's what—wait. Who the hell are you?"
Turning around, the Sarkaz Infected saw a common-looking Vouivre man with half his face covered. She paused, then asked warily:
"You new?"
As soon as the question left her mouth, even she gave a self-mocking snort. Anyone daring to stroll this close without fear was almost certainly an Infected "comrade."
She couldn't see any Originium crystals on him, but he was a man—she wasn't about to "inspect" his body to confirm—so her stance softened. She stepped aside and, surprisingly, spoke with a hint of friendliness.
"It's nothing big. Just caught a Chernobog civilian stealing food."
"Here—take this Reunion mask. That rag won't stop our 'comrades' who've got their eyes on your body."
Chen Mo nodded, accepted the unexpected gift, and put the mask on. Then he stepped forward to see what the fuss was about.
On the ground lay a gray-furred Ursus girl, covered in injuries. She clutched the food she'd scavenged against her chest, eyes shut tight.
Around her, several Sarkaz were kicking her over and over.
…Why does she look kind of familiar?
Chen Mo didn't rush to "save" her. He watched for a while—then, noticing her breathing was still strong and steady, he said:
"Pretty merciful."
He wasn't talking about the girl.
He meant the Sarkaz mercenaries beating her.
They were holding knives, yet they were only using their feet—and even then, controlling their strength. Compared to the horrors he'd seen on the road, these people were practically the "nice" type.
Chen Mo flicked his tail once and turned to the Infected beside him.
"Perfect. I've got a grudge with her. How about you hand her over to me?"
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