Two different mana properties surrounded Noa.
The first came from the gate, warming up his body.
It brought bright colors and made him feel like a kid again.
As for the second kind of mana particles, they suffocated Noa, not giving him a chance to breathe.
[ Warning ]
It was his first time seeing a warning from the system.
[ You have obtained the Abyssal Shard—the remnants of the Primordial Abyss ]
[ You have been marked ]
[ Less than three years remain before the Primordial descends on Velrox ]
[ You killed its child ]
[ You are its first target ]
[ Good luck ]
The ring pixelated, flowing towards Noa.
He had no means to stop it, as the deed was already done.
All he could do was embrace it, albeit with lowered brows and a pounding heart.
'Three years instead of five,' Noa concluded, shaking his head. 'And I am the first target.'
Somehow, even if he hated the idea, Noa grew numb to this kind of revelation.
The game he knew had long been altered, yet he had big chunks of the story he could abuse.
Velrox was a real world, meaning he had to adapt and overcome.
It was an exciting and frightening revelation, but his course of action wouldn't change—the power would remain his number one priority.
Finally, the teleportation came to an end.
Even the foreign mana disappeared, leaving Noa in familiar surroundings.
He was back in the bunker.
The darkness covered his eyes, and the mundane dampness reminded him of the days he had spent here.
Now he found himself in a chamber, with closed walls around him.
Soon, the noises arrived as well.
Unrecognizable echoes that didn't sound like voices humans could make.
They approached Noa, getting closer to his room.
He was the first one to act.
Nearing the wooden door, Noa broke the handle as he employed his enhanced strength.
The door surrendered before him, allowing Noa a quick pick out of the chamber.
'It's not Tifa?'
He saw no one, but the footsteps got closer.
They sounded heavy, brimming with vigor and a rhythmic sequence.
"Who is it?" he asked, considering the possibility that someone might have attacked the bunker.
But the voice that answered his question was all too acquainted, bringing his caution down.
"It's me. Sylas and Seren are here as well."
It was Aeris, his sister, and she and the twins were in a bunker.
Noa didn't hold back.
Joy ran through his veins as he sprinted toward them.
No matter how confident he was in their well-being, actually seeing them face-to-face wasn't quite the same.
He passed by the broken machinery, and the study room with no books inside, and saw her on stairs.
Aeris was in better condition than he feared.
His sister couldn't say the same thing, but she was glad that he was alive.
"How have you been?" she asked after refusing a hug from stinky Noa.
Her voice was full of motherly love.
Noa removed his mask.
A slight grin danced on his face, trying to dissipate every worry she might have.
"I am doing good," he said, barely.
Having a lot to ask, mention, or worry about made it difficult for him to speak.
However, his expression said it all.
As an older sister, Aeris read his emotions and led him to the sleeping twins.
"Tifa brought us here this morning," she explained on the way to the sleeping quarters. "She has been so kind to us. Where did you find such a reliable friend?"
'She thinks Tifa helped us with goodwill. Well, considering how they are treated, it's not surprising,' Noa thought.
It seems like his sister had no idea about the agreement he made or what kind of organization sheltered them.
Honestly, he preferred this way.
The walk lasted for a minute, and it ended when Noa saw Vivi observing from afar.
"I know you broke the rules," she called out to him. "Viktor is already punished. Your time is ticking too."
The petite woman spoke calmly/
She respected rules the same way as Punchy.
But she didn't comment any further, going back to her business, which involved treating flowers.
"What did you do? Are you really going to be punished for it?" Aeris asked, concerned.
"We will see," Noa said as nonchalantly as he could.
Then they continued their little walk and reached the closed but the most well-kept room inside the building.
A peaceful breeze made Noa's still agitated nerves appease.
The twins lay on two-story beds, looking adorable and chaotic at the same time.
Their sleeping posture was questionable, but a chair before them caught Noa's attention.
Punchy sat there like a watchdog, and instead of having his typical angry expression, he seemed friendly.
He was in a deep slumber, so much so that he couldn't notice two intruders in the room.
Only after Noa neared him and was about to smack his bald head did the man's eyes snap open.
Punchy scrutinized him for a while and snorted before saying,
"Are you hungry? Come with me. I am going to fetch something."
'Is he acting like this because Aeris is here?' Noa guessed, following the man after checking on the twins.
He wanted to check the web but found no time for the phone as Punchy's hidden glare made him shudder.
Noa knew he would be in chasmic shit when the man asks for a practice.
However, there was nothing he could do except help him set up the table.
He didn't even dare to ask where Viktor was, as the bulky man was nowhere to be seen.
'I pray for your sacrifice,' Noa thought, calling Vivi for a meal.
After sitting down and putting the roasted potatoes on his plate, he was interrupted before even taking a single bite.
"Put the fork down," Punchy said, glancing at the entrance.
Noa ignored him.
Then, out of nowhere, loud steps were heard.
It came from the direction the bald man was looking.
'Here she is. I am going to have an important talk with her.'
Standing up after swallowing his one and only bite, Noa greeted Tifa, anticipating the conversation that might dictate his future.