The three of them stood in a loose circle while X-97 dragged a stick through the dirt, drawing a long island surrounded by many smaller ones.
"…Here," she said, tapping a small island she'd drawn. "This is our current location. We are on a small island belonging to the nation of Fūgen."
Nico blinked.
"…A nation?" he said, dumbly.
"Yes." X-97 added a few marks inland. "A sovereign state with a strong military and limited external trade. And most importantly…"
She paused, then looked up at him.
"One of the few remaining nations that actively resists Pantheon influence."
Nico stared at the dirt map.
Then his soul left his body, came back, and slapped him awake.
[No way. This actually worked?]
His mind immediately replayed every confident, bullshit word he'd spoken hours ago.
Pantheon can't be everywhere.
We can't hide forever.
Split up. Find where they aren't.
