Welcome to the Innocent World

*BOOM*

The sound of the explosive impact echoed through the night as a massive cloud of dust and rubble filled the air.

Pieces of the ceiling scattered around the chamber, and Zeta landed lightly on her feet amidst the chaos, a wide grin plastered on her face. She crossed her arms over her chest, standing proudly over her victory, eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

Alpha and I exchanged glances, our expressions a mix of surprise and awe.

"Did she just…?" Alpha's voice trailed off as we both looked up, watching the dust settle.@@novelbin@@

Then, a faint scream pierced the silence, followed by the limp body of Fluga plummeting from the sky. Blood was smeared across his face and chest, his body landing with a heavy, echoing thud* on the cracked floor.

"Arghh- huff* huff*"

He lay there, gasping, his hands trembling, his eyes filled with a defeated rage.

Zeta laughed, her voice filling the room, raw and triumphant.

"Bwahahaha!" She planted her hands on her hips, giving him a smirk. "Had enough, flame boy?"

Alpha and I dropped down beside her, and I started clapping, a slow, deliberate clap that echoed through the silent chamber. "Well done, Zeta. Truly impressive."

Fluga's bloody gaze flickered toward us, defiance still burning in his eyes. He coughed, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

"I… I-impossible… I can't lose… to such a lowly creature!" He spat out the words, glaring at Zeta.

Zeta leaned in and stuck her tongue out at him with a teasing, "Bleh. Keep crying, loser."

Fluga gritted his teeth, the humiliation clear in his eyes. "Just… you… wait…" He gathered enough strength to mutter, "I'll kill you all…"

I stepped forward, clapping a bit more briskly, and raised my hands in the air in mock surrender. "I already told you—my girls would be more than enough for the likes of you."

"Shut uuuuuppp!" Fluga roared, his rage making his remaining strength flare briefly.

Alpha moved swiftly, pressing the heel of her boot against his arm and driving it into the ground. Her heel dug into his hand, making him flinch in pain.

She coldly, a dangerous glint in her eyes. "It's you who should shut up and start answering us."

Fluga let out a strangled cry, but Alpha pressed harder, quieting him. He took a few labored breaths, forcing himself to calm down as her heel kept him pinned.

She finally eased up, and he let out a shaky breath, sneering. His spirit was broken, but a glimmer of pride still lingered.

I crouched down to his level, studying his blood-smeared face. "Now then, tell me, Fluga. What exactly is this 'Alliance' that you're so proud of?"

Fluga gave me a hollow laugh, glaring up at me defiantly. "The Alliance… It's a group from Latros—a neighboring country that'll soon crush you."

I gave him a bored look, feigning disinterest as I continued. "And how many of you are there?"

"Enough," he spat, eyes narrowing. "Enough to wipe you and your pathetic organization off the face of the earth."

Alpha's lips curled up in a smirk. "Dream on," she muttered dismissively.

Zeta crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. "Right. Like we'd let that happen."

I leaned in closer, eyes sharpening. "And what exactly is the Alliance's goal?"

Fluga chuckled, though his voice was strained with pain.

"To annihilate you… and gain control over this country." His bloodied lips twisted into a smile. "Every single one of you will fall."

"Ah," I said, nodding as if the revelation was mildly interesting at best. "So, this explains all of your recent…involvement' in trade work." I shot Alpha a glance, and she tilted her head in agreement.

Alpha looked down at him with cold detachment. "You're delusional if you think you'll get that far."

Zeta scoffed, shaking her head. "Pathetic."

My expression darkened, and I leaned even closer to Fluga, dropping the nonchalant attitude.

"One more question, then." I paused, watching his expression carefully.

"What is the Alliance's connection to the Dark Alien Force?"

At that, Fluga's face paled, and a flicker of fear finally broke through his stubborn pride. His jaw clenched, his gaze darting between me and Alpha.

For a moment, his mouth opened, but no words came out. He clenched his fists.

"I… I would rather die than answer that question."

Alpha wasted no time. She slammed her heel against the wall beside his head, inches away from his face, the impact reverberating with a sharp Thud*.

He flinched, fading momentarily under her icy gaze.

"Answer," she demanded, her voice low and dangerous.

Fluga's breathing became ragged, and he struggled to keep his composure. Finally, he took a shallow breath and parted his lips, seemingly ready to speak. But before he could say a word, the tattoo on his arm flared to life, glowing with an intense, blinding light.

I sensed the sudden danger and immediately grabbed both Alpha and Zeta, pulling them back with me and shielding them as best as I could with my cloak.

"Watch out!" I warned as the light intensified.

BOOM!

The blast echoed throughout the chamber, and when I turned to look, Fluga was gone. All that remained was a dark, bloodstained mark on the wall where he had sat moments ago, and a red symbol lingering like a grim reminder.

"Oh no…" Alpha whispered, her face showing a mix of shock and disbelief.

"What… just happened?" Zeta muttered, staring at the mark with wide eyes.

I shook my head, "They must have rigged him with some kind of failsafe—probably triggered by any mention of the Dark Alien Force." I frowned. "Looks like he was…nuked,"

Alpha clenched her fists, a shadow passing over her face. "This goes deeper than we thought."

Before we could discuss further, the light from a nearby corridor shifted. The faint glimmer of flashlights was visible as patrolling knights approached, their voices echoing faintly down the hall.

"Let's leave," I whispered. The three of us slipped silently into the shadows, disappearing from the scene.

We made our way back through the city in silence. I gave Alpha and Zeta a nod. "Head home for now. We'll decide on our next steps against the Alliance soon."

Alpha nodded, her eyes still clouded with thought. "As you say, Master Zero." She took Zeta's arm, leading her into the night.

I continued alone, navigating the winding streets until I reached my building. My eyes briefly flicked toward Althea's door, but I hesitated.

Given everything that had happened in the morning, she probably needed some time to process. Best not to disturb her now.

Quietly, I slipped the key into my own door and stepped inside. Just as I closed it behind me, a loud, excited voice broke the stillness.

"Masterrrrrrrrr!"