(Surai): Should we take the man with us and return to our city? ... Zeus, you can stay hidden in my house temporarily until we find another lead to follow in our investigation.
(Beatrix): We've received a summons from the Colonel... We have to choose: either we withdraw from the army to stay here and continue our search, or we return... And don't forget the army is hunting the Green Lotus organization... Perhaps we can reach our goal through them.
(Zeus): You're right... we'll go back... We'll also take this man with us.
(The madman, screaming and terrified): They've come!!!... They've come!!!... They'll kill me! They've found me!!
The three were shocked by the madman's sudden movement as he threw himself off the roof and leaped toward the window, smashing the glass and running swiftly through the grass in the field toward the forest.
Zeus chased after him quickly, and just as Surai was about to follow, he suddenly stopped when he sensed someone approaching the house from the entrance.
He activated his suit, and Beatrix did the same.
Each of them drew their swords and waited in alert.
It seemed the person behind the door sensed their presence, as he stood silently at the door for a few seconds before knocking and speaking in a man's voice:
— I'm Officer Alphonse. Will you open the door, or should I break it down?
No one responded, so the man kicked the door, sending it flying off and crashing into the wall.
The man was wearing his official uniform, and Surai noticed a combat suit bracelet hanging from the man's wrist. Analytical data indicated he was a level-four gene warrior.
(Alphonse): You have weapons that belong to the Union... Show your IDs or I'll have to deal with you harshly.
(Surai, speaking secretly to Zeus via communicator): Zeus, there's an officer here. Don't come back—just hide in the forest for now.
(Zeus): I'm already hidden... There's another officer here with me. He caught the madman and is bringing him back to you... He's also a level-four gene warrior.
Indeed, in the next moment, the other man appeared, and when Surai saw that his enemies were clearly stronger, he decided to cooperate for now and showed them his officer ID.
(Strange Man): What are two members of a special task force doing here?
(Surai): We were visiting our teacher... Where are you taking him?
— Don't you think it's wrong to leave a madman alone? We'll take him to a retirement care home.
"There's definitely something wrong! Why would they send level-four fighters just for this? And why did they beat the madman so brutally?! I can clearly see the bruise on his neck!! He showed no mercy when knocking him out," Surai thought internally, saying nothing aloud.
He reverted his suit to ring form, as did Beatrix, and he spoke with a smile.
— Finally, brother... We were really upset that our teacher was left alone here, and we were thinking of taking him with us to care for him... This will ease a lot of burdens... We're truly grateful to you.
(Alphonse): Don't mention it... Then we'll take our leave... Pack your teacher's belongings; a truck will come to transport them tomorrow.
(Surai): We'll pack them today, and I promise everything will be ready by tomorrow.
The man nodded and left... As soon as he left, Surai took his things and headed for their car outside, deciding they would leave immediately without delay.
He drove with Beatrix and met up with Zeus halfway.
(Zeus): What happened?
— You heard our conversation already... I deployed a surveillance bug to track them... It can send live feed but with low resolution, and we must stay within 1 km range or we'll lose connection.
The footage from the bug was displayed on a transparent screen in the car, and Surai was driving slowly, about 800 meters behind the officers' car.
Suddenly, the officers' car stopped, and the body of the madman was thrown beside the road... His body was decapitated.
The three were shocked by the scene and remembered the old man's words: "They've come!!!... They've come!!!... They'll kill me! They've found me!!"
Zeus angrily opened the door to get out, but Surai grabbed him quickly.
(Surai): They're level-four fighters... We can't face them now... Also, your father and grandfather are on a whole different level—I don't think these two are the real minds behind all of this... I've got their pictures. It won't take long before I gather enough information about them.
(Beatrix): We have several leads to pursue... The Green Lotus and these two officers... So we must move carefully and precisely... Our enemy is unknown, and all we know is that they are more powerful and influential than we thought.
Zeus didn't really want to attack them... He wanted to consider doing it just to see the outcome when he got a vision of his death... Nothing happened, and Zeus didn't know whether that was because Surai would stop him or because he wouldn't dare attack them... Victory or even surviving wasn't an option.
No, in fact, that's the most likely possibility... The madman said they were looking for him... They have members inside the Union and the Green Lotus... Or perhaps the enemy is the Green Lotus itself, with agents and spies inside the Union.
Zeus didn't understand—everything was unclear... If there was one thing obvious, it was his weakness and that of his friends... They weren't capable of much with their current strength.
The group headed back to their city, and on their journey, they were going to pass through the Desert Mountain Village.
…
(A week later)
(Desert Mountain Village)
In the tavern, Zeus, Beatrix, and Surai gathered with Marwan and the village warriors who came to see the trio.
There was a small celebration that evening, and Zeus saw Marwan's younger brothers for the first time.
They were two energetic, lively young men.
(The older brother asked): Uncle, how did you kill that demon?
— Which demon?
The younger boy pointed to the spear hanging on Marwan's back.
— The man who fought with that spear.
Zeus was surprised to see the spear with Marwan and whispered to Surai beside him.
— Why does he have the spear... I took it as a keepsake for myself.
Surai sighed sadly and pulled Zeus outside the tavern to speak privately.
(Surai): Do you remember when Marwan was searching for his brothers and friends?
— Yeah... Wait! When he escaped, wasn't it only with his brothers!?
— Exactly... They killed all his friends... and kept only his brothers as a backup pressure point... Since then, a fire has been burning in Marwan's heart... Don't be fooled by his calm appearance and smile... The man made it his life's mission to hunt down that gang and kill them all... That's why I gave him the spear—the spear of the man who killed his friends.
Zeus went silent for a while, then asked:
— Don't you think this path of revenge will hurt his brothers... They're still too young to live alone in this world... Their older brother is all they have.
— That's why you see Marwan in the village... The man knows how to balance between reality and his emotions... Unlike someone else.
— Are you talking about me!?
Surai gave him a look that clearly said "Who else could I possibly mean?" and Zeus avoided his gaze.
(Beatrix): And here I was wondering why I couldn't find you two inside... What are you doing out here?
(Surai): Nothing... I'm heading back inside.
And he did, leaving Zeus and Beatrix alone.
(Zeus): You look beautiful today, as always.
Beatrix gave him a look that said "Why so suddenly?" and at the same time, she tried to hide a faint blush that didn't escape Zeus's eyes—eyes already searching for that reaction.
Beatrix always wore long, modest, and elegant clothing like royalty, something truly unique about her compared to the other girls of this era... She often wore a long hooded cloak even during battles, even when her combat suit was active, which showed no inappropriate details or curves.
A noblewoman who fully embodied her role.
(Beatrix): You don't look bad either.
Then she left right after saying those words without waiting for a reply from Zeus.
When Zeus laughed loudly, Beatrix felt very embarrassed and hurried her steps away.
"Maybe I should stay here after all... There's no point in going back to the city... I'll be exposed eventually if I stay there... The Union's capabilities are not to be underestimated," Zeus thought, and when he realized something else, deep sadness appeared on his face.
"I'll miss you two, you bastards."