Gamma wandered around the city using his vanishing ability to gather information about the city of TYUIA.
The city looked like any other; people went about their business, doing their respective jobs, the aroma of tea and food mixed with the air and could be smelled from all directions.
Gamma walked through the narrow alleys, visiting many places to find information one by one, but... this city was very strange. The citizens acted normally even though there were no children playing in the streets.
"What's going on? Why haven't I seen a single child here?" Gamma thought to himself.
"In a normal city, wouldn't it be normal to see children playing? I haven't even heard a single child's voice."
"Something is wrong in this city. I'll go to the ruler's mansion first." Gamma said in his heart and slowly made his way toward the mansion.
"Hm... Quite a lot of guards. Makes sense. Let me try entering." Gamma slowly entered through an open window into a room.
"Luckily, the room door wasn't locked."
Gamma walked through the mansion corridor, a red carpet laid out on the floor.
"Hm... The corridor is quite long."
"Hm? What's that sound?" Gamma slowly approached the source of the voice.
"Sir, here are the previous sales records," said a man in a soft voice.
"Alright, thank you."
"Sales records?" Gamma smiled. "Sounds like interesting information."
Gamma peeked at the sales records from behind the body of an older man.
"Hm...? Why are there things like this in the sales records? Female, age 7? Male, age 8? What is this?" He wondered in his mind.
"The previous batch was of very good quality. They liked it," said the man who handed over the sales record earlier.
"Alright. This city no longer has children roaming around. Give the order to search in other cities," said the man suspected to be the city ruler.
"Understood, will do."
"Children roaming? Don't tell me that record is about child abduction?" Gamma thought.
"I need to leave here first and find out if there's a hidden room." Gamma left the room.
"So that's it. The reason there are no children is because of rampant kidnappings."
"Oh lucky! There's a suspicious room at the end over there!" Gamma hurried over. "But... there's no key? I'll just cut the hinge support with thread," Gamma said in his mind.
*Sreettt. Gamma cut the hinge support on the door.
*Kreettt the door opened with a loud creak, drawing the attention of people in the mansion.
"What was that sound? The door opened by itself?" said a guard approaching.
"Damn... I need to get in quickly," Gamma thought.
"Hey wait, this door hinge is cut. There's an intruder!" said the guard.
"Intruder! Find them!"
"Damn it... Cough cough It stinks in here," Gamma said in his mind in that room.
"I'm scared... Mama... I'm scared..." said a little girl in the room.
"Calm down. Who just came in? Why did the door open by itself?" said a boy trying to comfort her.
"Shut up! Don't make a fuss! You want to get hurt?!" a guard barked.
"Hm... So it's true there's kidnapping, and the culprit is the mansion ruler," Gamma thought.
"Sorry, just wait until nightfall. We'll rescue all of you," Gamma said in his heart.
Gamma slowly left the mansion and started reporting to Arya.
"That's what happened, brother."
"I see... No wonder I felt it was strange too that there were no children around. But... why are the citizens so calm, even though their children are being kidnapped one by one?" said Arya.
"Maybe they can't report it? I mean, even if they do, the process is too complicated, so they can only wait for their children to return."
"Makes sense. Thanks, Gamma. I'll contact Venus and Dina to gather tonight."
"You're welcome, brother. Can I spend some time buying food and drinks?"
"Oh, you haven't bought anything because you were gathering information? Go ahead! But... be careful when wandering around or you might get caught too, especially since you're pretty," Arya warned.
"Hehe! Yes, thank you, brother! I'm hanging up now, see you!"
"Yeah, see you." They ended the call.
Gamma canceled her vanishing ability to buy food.
"Excuse me, I'd like this one," said Gamma pointing to the menu.
"Alright. Please wait," said the server.
"Little one, are you wandering around here alone?" said a customer beside her.
"Is there a problem?"
"Be careful, there have been many kidnappings. Parents here don't let their children wander around. Where are your parents?" the customer warned.
"My parents are gone, I'm alone."
"I see... Better not stay too long then."
"Yes, thank you very much. May I ask something, sir, if there are kidnappings, why aren't there warning posters or anything?" Gamma asked.
"They were put up many times. But the next day they always disappeared. So we citizens got tired and scared, and stopped putting them up. We just give verbal warnings now," the man replied.
"I see, thank you very much, sir."
"Your order is ready. Please enjoy," said the server handing over the food.
"Thank you very much," Gamma began eating.
"Hummm the food is so delicious! And the drink goes perfectly with the meal!" Gamma said, satisfied.
"Thank you very much for the compliment," said the server.
"Yes, the food in this city really is delicious," said the earlier customer.
Gamma finished her meal and drink, then got up to leave.
"Thank you very much." Gamma stood up to go.
"You're welcome. Come again, but remember, bring someone with you!" said the server.
"Okay!"
Gamma slowly walked away but... she was being followed by several men.
"Hm... It's starting. I'll lure them somewhere quiet," Gamma thought.
"Alright, now it's secluded. Vanish!" Gamma vanished into a narrow alley.
"Where's that girl?!"
"She's valuable! Blonde hair and clean skin!"
"Find her!"
"Over here," said Gamma. *String binding! Gamma wrapped all their bodies with thread and sealed their mouths.
"I'll contact brother Arya to extract information from them," said Gamma.
*Beep beep!
"Gamma? What's up, Gamma?"
"Brother, I was followed and I've already restrained them. Can you come and extract information from them?"
"Ooohhh great job Gamma! You're amazing! Alright, I'll be there. Where are you?"
Gamma gave her location and Arya went to her.
"Are you okay, Gamma?" said Arya, worried.
"I'm fine, brother!"
*Teleport! Arya moved them all to the forest for interrogation.
"You bastards! How dare you try to kidnap my beloved little sister! Don't think you'll get away easily!" said Arya angrily at them.
"Calm down, brother! I'm okay!" Gamma reassured him.
"No way Gamma! I'll call Dina and Venus to teach them all a lesson."
Activates communicator
"Hey Dina, Venus. Gamma was followed by a group of men trying to kidnap her! Where are you, I'll pick you up," said Arya.
"What?! How dare they!" they shouted together. "I'm here" "I'm over here"
They both gave their locations and Arya picked them up and teleported to the forest.
"Oh... So it was you guys who tried to kidnap Gamma?" said Dina.
"You... dared to try and kidnap Reisa-chan?! Don't expect mercy," said Venus.
"Hiiihh!" they trembled in fear.
"Brother! I'm okay! I contacted you so we could interrogate them," Gamma tried to calm them.
"It's okay Gamma, leave the interrogation to these two. They're brutal when it comes to you," said Arya as he led Gamma away.
"Get ready!" said Dina and Venus together.
"Please don't!"
"Forgive me!"
"I'm innocent!" The men were so scared they peed their pants.
"Who are you?" asked Dina.
"W-we're just regular people!" they answered in fear.
"Where's your base?" asked Venus.
"We don't know anything! Let us go!" they panicked.
*Krek. Venus pulled out one of the men's fingernails.
"Answer, do you think you can refuse?!" asked Venus as she began to pull another nail.
"Alright!" they answered in unison.
Some time later...
"Hm... So these kidnappings are happening in many cities," said Arya.
"Yes, this organization is very large and organized. Some handle kidnappings, some do marketing, some destroy evidence, and many more," said Dina.
"Slave traders huh. In the Belmera Kingdom, the slave traders were already wiped out by you guys," said Venus.
"Yeah, alright. At midnight we'll start the operation. And Gamma, your job is to free the children in that mansion, okay?" said Arya.
"I'm not joining the fight, brother?" asked Gamma.
"No, let us three handle it. You've done a lot already."
"Yeah, Gamma doesn't need to fight," said Dina.
"Alright then."
"Hey, me too?" said Venus.
"Of course, you're part of us now, so you have to contribute," said Arya.
"Alright."
"Oh yeah, I thought of a symbol for our group. So we don't have to show up in public to get the attention of important people like the Belmera Kingdom," said Arya.
"A symbol? What kind?" asked the three.
"Here. I already tried making one before," said Arya while showing the symbol.
"This can be duplicated with my magic onto paper so we don't have to draw it every time."
"What does it mean?" asked Dina.
"There's writing on the back that says EXONE, brother!"
"Cool, but what does it mean?" said Venus.
"Alright, I'll explain each part of the symbol:
1.The gray background represents us walking the gray path — neither black nor white.
2.The word EXONE because that's what we're known as.
3.Two pistols represent me, since I often execute or fight using pistols.
4. Two daggers represent Dina, who fights with two daggers.
5. The thin circle is Gamma's thread that connects all of us — she can gather info and fight too.
6. On the tip of the pistol, there's Venus's drop of water, symbolizing Venus as part of us. And it's on the tip of the pistol because she first joined us through a magic contract I controlled.
7.The two pistols and two daggers form a plus sign, meaning we'll keep adding to the number of executed corrupt rulers.
8.Finally, the red EXONE letters and the red background mean our path is covered in blood," Arya explained.
"Hooo... That's really detailed and the drawing is cool too!" said Dina.
"Yeah, cool," said Gamma.
"Interesting, but why do I look like I'm being controlled by you?!" said Venus.
"Hahaha, right? I've thought about a lot of things," said Arya.
"But that also means I'm responsible for your actions, Venus. You're dangerous but also useful. That's why I made it look like I control you," said Arya.
"Yeah... It's fine I guess..." said Venus.
"Alright, we'll gather at midnight," said Arya.
"Okay!" they answered together.
They parted ways again, waiting for the night to carry out the execution...