"What's wrong?..."
Elisa woke up, opening her eyes and realizing she was wrapped in the floating lab coat. Aurora looked at her, sighing.
"Sorry, I had a brief tantrum." (Huffing)
She reached out, forcing the lab coat to release Elisa and wrap itself around her shoulders again.
"Just follow me, this place must have something dark to hide."
Elisa, now available, followed her, looking around: various indecipherable writings, the hearts, which made her stomach churn... until a door?
"Now that I realize..." (Aurora murmured, placing her hand on her chin.)
The door had no lock, nor anything requiring digital or visual data. It was like a pure Renkata barrier. Where a strange sound, undefined as it was, emitted through the door.
"Apparently, this door was built to withstand very heavy blows."
Aurora grabbed something from her lab coat, placed it on the ground, and took a few steps back. Silently, Elisa did the same.
Then, a laser emerged from it, attempting to pierce the door... to no avail.
"This laser is thousands of degrees hot! How could it not melt this door?!" (She banged on the wall in frustration.)
"Don't you know anyone strong enough to try to break down the door?" (Elisa asked.)
"Oh, yes... I do!"
***
In a Forest Inferius, Slady and Faller were jumping between the trees. The stronger man held the weaker one on his back.
"Comfortable there?" (Faller asked in a friendly and playful tone.)
"Yes..." (He replied, indifferent to the situation.)
"Does the Association allow a high-ranking civilian to take a mission?" (He asked, raising his eyebrow)
"Well... no! But who cares? I know you're strong!"
"If that's what you say..."
Then, from underground, a sort of demonic praying mantis emerged from the ground, leaping into the air.
"Hold on!"
Faller's legs gave a small electric spark, and he jumped high into the air, drawing his sword.
"Get ready...!" (He felt his back lighten up. Looking back...)
"Where are you, Slady?!" (He shouted)
"Here!"
Slady stood at a greater height, looking more excited. He extended his mechanical hand, firing energy at the giant demonic praying mantis. It caused a huge explosion.
"That's it!"
Faller landed on the creature's paws, beginning to slash everything around him with his sword, electrifying the monster. It screamed and threw Faller away.
Landing gently on the Renkai Creature's head, Slady grabbed his pistol and began firing several rounds into its skull.
The creature let out another scream, trying to crush Slady with its paws. But they were cut off, and Faller scooped Slady up in his arms.
"..." (Slady grimaced at the sight of being held in his friend's arms.)
Faller grimaced back, returning to watch the monster fall on the demonic trees, killing them.
"How strange..."
"What?"
"You're holding me, obviously."
"Ouch, you fragile little girl!" (He scoffed, setting Slady down again.)
He just rolled his eyes. Suddenly, flying with her lab coat, Aurora landed next to the pair.
"Faller, I need you." (She replied in a professional tone.)
She was surprised by the other man's presence, but momentarily ignored it.
***
Walking through the wreckage, Aurora led the way, Faller and Slady remaining silent behind.
"Boss, I don't think there's any Renkai Creature for you to summon me..." (Faller commented)
"It's not that. It's something I consider worse."
Upon arriving at the temple, a look of recognition passed between Slady and Elisa. The girl tried to maintain a professional tone, but the man merely added to it.
"Oh, Mr. Faller!" (She greeted)
"Good morning, Miss Elisa." (He also maintained professionalism)
"Anyway..." (Aurora intervened)
"Look at this, Faller. This is a completely new method of using Renkai Energy. We could solve many problems with water shortages or achieve sustainable electricity." (Pointing to the hearts in tubes)
"Really..." (He murmured, shocked by the scene)
"There was also a Renkai Creature fusion in this temple. As if someone wanted to hide something here..." (Aurora pointed to the creature's corpse on the floor)
"And of course, through this door. I want you to try to break it. I trust your strength to do so." (She added)
Faller glanced at the door, raising an eyebrow. He walked up to the structure... Aurora discreetly glanced at Slady, as if trying to understand her presence. Elisa looked away, as if not wanting to betray any familiarity at the moment.
"Are you some kind of hunter? I don't know you."
"I..." (Slady paused briefly)
"I'm Faller's apprentice."
Aurora laughed lightly, crossing her arms over her chest.
"I didn't know Faller had enjoyed training others. Especially after considering Elisa and Shaphira his disciples. He told me their adoptive father had disappeared a year ago."
"..."
Slady looked at Faller, frowning. He returned her gaze with a mischievous smile, as if appreciating his friend's lying explanations. Elisa continued to try to be casual.
"Yes, Faller and Victoria enjoyed training others after me and my adoptive sister." (She commented, scratching her long, dark hair)
"Really? But it's kind of weird, you know... Faller and Victoria are good friends of mine, even though I'm their leader. They always tell me the news right away."
Faller just sighed, knowing the truth, still trying to break down Renkata's door with several electrical attacks, to no avail.
"You know what..." (Faller turned around)
"I'm sorry for lying to you, Miss Sinhaygter. But this knight is my friend and Elisa and Shaphira's adoptive father, Slady."
The girl looked distressed, as if she hadn't expected the revelation so soon. Slady just crossed her arms, calmly. Aurora looked at Faller disapprovingly.
"I'm upset with you. It was a huge mistake to try and lie to the smartest woman of all." (She gave Faller a death glare.)
"Sorry, I don't like lying!" (Faller crouched down in a childish pose)
Aurora rolled her eyes and walked over to Slady, the woman's presence beginning to weigh down the air. Elisa trembled slightly. Slady just looked Aurora in the eye.
'Shit... I killed a family man.' (Faller thought)
'Sorry, Slady, you were a good second dad.' (Elisa thought melancholy.)
A small robot flew up to Slady's face, a light emitting from head to toe, showing Aurora a screen.
"Interesting. Slady, a librarian over 30 years old... you're truly a mystery, aren't you? Everything about you is very sketchy. No family relation, but you were a close friend of Raizer Fainer. That's why he trusted you with his only daughter after your death..." (Finished)
Aurora extended her hand, placing it on Slady's shoulder, bowing her head slightly.
"It's impressive that someone so young already has two daughters, even adopted ones. But I'll keep an eye on you from now on."
Aurora gave a small, dark smile. As if, despite remaining friendly, he doesn't completely trust Slady.
"Ugh!"
"What is it, Faller?" (Aurora turned, realizing that despite the smoke coming from the door, it remained intact.)
"This is ridiculous! This door is indestructible! Who is the crazy person who uses Destroyer hearts in something that must be so insane as to create an indestructible door?!" (She asked in a frustrated tone)
"I don't know. But there must be some dark secret to fusing Renkai Creatures to create a bodyguard to protect a place like this..." (She sighed in frustration)
"Let's go, I want to take a hot bath and sleep." (She added)
Without saying goodbye, Aurora floated away in her lab coat and left the scene. Faller sighed, and Elisa just released the tension from her shoulders.
"How about we go home? Ferinish and Shaphira are waiting for us at home, Slady. And Victoria must be waiting for Faller at home too." (Elisa commented wearily)
"Oh, don't even bother me Speak. Victoria is exhausted after a day of training. Like a good boyfriend, I have to make her dinner." (He gave a light laugh)
"I'll stay here for now. I want to understand this place." (Slady commented)
Despite a brief hesitation, Elisa and Faller said goodbye, with the girl heading to the library and Faller to her apartment in Libretãnhya. Slady simply sat on a piece of rock, listening to a certain voice.
"Do you need any help, Slady?"
It was an AI voice echoing from inside the door, loud and clear.
"No. Just never open this door for anyone. Only for me."
"As you wish!"
Slady simply stood up, looked at the hearts, and sighed. Exiting the scene.