When Tepei entered the office again he took his PIPS and made a call, "Another Protector appeared here." He said in the phone, "Shall we use him?"
"..."
"Okay, I understand. I will keep him under surveillance." Tepei disconnected from the call and called a guard in, "Keep him under a tight watch." He gave the order. The guard saluted and left the office.
"Hum..." Tepei thoughtfully scratched his chin, "Looks like the higher-ups are still acting cautiously."
"It's no wonder." Itsuki entered the office, "You can never underestimate a Protector, principally a human one."
"Heh" He snorted, "The Terrene Protectorate is gone. Protectors are just like stray dogs now."
Itsuki sighed and shook her head, [You can always underestimate someone, but a Protector you should always adopt a careful approach] She thought to herself, [The time for chaos is here, great changes will happen in this universe.]
...
John and Lenny left the Shopping Complex and walked toward the Ark Ruins.
"I don't like that man, he gives me some bad vibes" Lenny commented with a rare serious expression.
"So you felt it too..." John felt as well, the fake smile and those eyes that were looking down on both of them, "You really have some keen senses."
"I'm a sharpshooter, I need to have keen senses." Lenny said, "All my ten plus years working as a bounty hunter allowed to see all kinds of people. I can tell for certain that guy, Tepei, is the type that hides daggers in his smiles."
"..."
"Well... However. You go meet that person that called you here, I'm going to take a look around." Lenny went his way, leaving John behind.
John walked through the Ark Ruins. Everything around the Ark Ruins was made of the same gray material that the Ancient Gateway was made of. At some places, there were some neon drawings showcasing the six races carrying the sphere, a singular person overseeing those six races and this same person fighting an entity that was covered in tentacles.
John stopped and looked at that last drawing. His memories of the attack on Earth resurfaced. He unconsciously tightened his fists.
"Hello, dear!" John heard a voice behind him.
He turned around and saw a somewhat old woman with a short gray hair sitting in a Hoverchair. The woman was wearing glasses and a classic Old Earth Era beige explorer clothes.
"Oh my. So you are a Protector." The moment he turned around, the old woman was able to see the Terrene Protectorate insignia in his blue uniform, "I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Esther Bright, the retired Grand Protector."
"Wha-wha-what?" John quivered when he heard the woman's name. He took a closer look and hehe confirmed that indeed she was Esther, he had seen a portrait of her in the Protectorate's Hall, "Ma'am!" He hastily saluted.
The woman chuckled at the sight of the trembling John, "No need to act this cordial, I left the Terrene Protectorate years ago. I am no longer the Grand Protector."
"But..." John hesitated.
"It's okay, now I'm just Esther Bright a researcher."
"Alright... But may I make a sensitive question?"
"Oh? Go ahead, I will try to answer if possible."
"Why did you left?" That was the question that a lot of Protectors had in mind. Their previous Grand Protector suddenly renounced and mysteriously disappeared. A lot of people started to spread conspiracy theories around.
"Well... It's quite simple." She gently smiled, "When I was still the Grand Protector I started to research about a certain subject, but my spare time was too like so I decided to leave and spend more time researching."
"This is all...?" John was shocked, [She left because she wanted to spend more time in her hobby, like... Seriously?]
"Oh dear, you might not know, but I discovered things long forgotten that weigh heavy on the present." Esther explained, "Long ago there was a force known as the Cultivator, it maintained balance in the universe. Under its influence, harmony reigned. So it was for eons. But this tranquility proved finite. A being arose, one of hate and destruction. It was the Ruin. The Ruin could not abide life in any form, and reaped destruction upon the universe. It fought to blot out all life and would have succeeded, but for the sacrifice of the Cultivator. This Cultivator rose against the Ruin and succeeded in sealing it away. But in doing so, the Cultivator exhausted its power completely. Before its last energies dissipated, the Cultivator gifted six chosen races with precious artifacts. Those six artifacts, when united, form a key that opens the gate to the Ruin." She stared at John with a very serious face, "The defenses are crumbling. We must unite the artifacts, reach the Ruin, and truly destroy it."
"..." John was trying to organize his chaotic thoughts.
She gently smiled, "That's a lot to take in, dear, and a huge request to make of you... But I would like your help. The artifacts are scattered across the stars, I can't find them alone. We must find them and eradicate the Ruin before other planets go the way of Earth."
"... Alright, I will do it" John said resolutely, [This is the job of the Terrene Protectorate. To protect the weak and uphold justice. I must protect this universe and punish the Ruin. Of course, I must do it because a retired Grand Protector is also requesting my help. What an honor!] John was overjoyed. He had a purpose, and now he had a way to revive the Terrene Protectorate if he works together with Esther Bright, but...
"My spaceship is almost completely broken..." John ashamedly said.
"Oh, dear. That's not a problem at all." Esther reassured John, "I have a friend here in Ark Outpost who can fix your ship. He goes by the name of Penguin Pete, he stays by his Shipyard Shop at the back of the Shopping Complex. Go see him and say that was I who sent you, he will treat you a little better this way."
John saluted once more and left to find the so-called Penguin Pete.