While Timothy and Alpha managed to catch the train on time and intended to save Chiaki, they were still nowhere near finished. If they wanted to save Chiaki and return to their crew for the next voyage after two years passed, they would need to battle through one of the highest-ranked authorities.
They would face the foremost agents, consisting of five different members. While they would only need to battle three, they still weren't quite ready for when the other two would arrive.
First, they learned that the underwater railway connected two islands, not just Vendurn. After the foremost agent, Riley received a call from fleet admiral Warren. They learned that the train got redirected to a different island called "La Cadena de Narón" which the people from other islands call "The Naron Chain".
Its name isn't exactly what it sounds. It's known to be the island where the "Forbidden Chain" lies. While not many on the Vast Expanse know what it is in reality, many share rumors that include some unsettling information. The "Forbidden Chain" is a gateway to a different dimension where they disband the evil spirits. Those evil spirits are ripped apart and devoured from an unknown source, but they claim that not a single spirit has returned.
It was and still is the Yasuda family's biggest fear, and while Chiaki doesn't know much about it, she would soon found about its story.
Or perhaps not...
It depended on Timothy and Alpha's mission. They partnered up and decided to confront the foremost agents. If they succeed in the battle and rise to the top, Chiaki surely wouldn't need to know the truth.
The cabin in which Timothy and Alpha remained was getting flooded with oceanic water. It was, as told, Timothy's biggest weakness. On top of that, the storm began brewing in the sky, and the rain started to fall.
Timothy was an easy target for anyone in that scenario. Even if he managed to move on to the next cargo and avoid the oceanic water, the rain would still weaken his body, and while it wouldn't affect his powers drastically, it would still affect his actions.
"Have you decided to chicken out, or do you still intend to proceed, pirate? I would advise you to back off, but do keep in mind that this is your final warning before we'll be forced to take action."
Riley's warning wasn't much of a surprise. While they did seem like horrible people, they intended not to barge into unnecessary conflicts. They were simply following the orders that the fleet admiral gave them.
But, neither Timothy nor Alpha had any reason to back down from the nerve-wracking battle. They believed they only had one chance to rescue Chiaki, and that chance was right here on the underwater railway.
They couldn't possibly know if they would have another chance to do so as the train rushed over its railway at an unimaginable speed. "You're still warning me to back down? It looks like you're deaf enough not to understand a simple word I say. I'm gonna keep on fighting for as long as I have to. I'll bring Chiaki back to our side and prove to you that I never break promises!"
Timothy stepped forward and kicked in front of him, shooting a fire blast in Riley's direction. Riley didn't have much of a problem and raised his right arm. He enchanted it with the forbidden technique of armory and defended it with ease. "I suppose the warnings I give are nothing but details for you to mishear." Riley rotated around and stepped forward to the next cargo. "Where the hell are you going?!" Timothy shouted, seeing that Riley had no intention of fighting him.
"My job here is done. I'll let Parth and Naeve take it from here." He explained, opening the door to the next cargo through which Naeve stepped and swapped places with Riley.
Naeve stared at them with a smile. "Aw, look at these two cuties. They are so cute I just want to snuggle and whip them." She laughed but then grinned. "Too bad I don't have my whip anymore. I recall one of your friends ruining it, and this is the perfect time to repay the damage she caused."
Timothy and Alpha were confused. "What? I have no idea what the hell you're talking about, seriously. I only remember that you attacked my friends in Oxfell Arton while I was busy washing dishes like a helpless kid, and that chef kept me occupied without letting me go out and help." Explained Timothy, but Naeve laughed, putting her left hand on her hip.
Her voice was like a slithery snake, and her appearance seemed stunning. "Ah, yes. I remember penetrating that girl who needed treatment in the end. Those were some good times, but I still can't forgive that a bunch of kids like you managed to make me look bad." Her face changed to more intimidating in an instant.
"But this time, I'm an entirely different person. And while you might be a threat to society, you're nothing. Nothing but a hopeless child who doesn't have a single brain cell to infiltrate the world government's residence. I've seen some people being dumb, but I never imagined you to be *this* dumb."
Naeve outstretched her right arm and summoned a blade out of pure air. "After getting humiliated by your friends, I couldn't stand the outcome, so I decided to develop my ability. And with its power on my side, I'm unstoppable."
Timothy and Alpha looked at Naeve, who instantly summoned another blade from thin air. She swept her left arm forward and fired it like a bullet. "What the hell?!" it darted in Timothy's direction, ready to pierce his face, but before it hit, Alpha dragged out her sword and slashed it in front of Timothy. She used it to block the sharp blade and then redirected it at Naeve.
Naeve's face stayed the same as an unfazed mother and didn't even budge. Instead, the sword that Alpha reflected exploded into particles and disappeared. "Whoa. Alpha?" Timothy wondered, seeing her standing in front of him, squatting.
"Attacking an unarmed person with a sharp projectile? That's so predictable. How about you take on somebody who can defend themselves?" Alpha stood up and spun the blade between her fingers, pointing its point at Naeve.
Naeve closed her eyes and slipped her blonde hair behind her ear. "What a bother. Of course, there's another woman who teams up with him." She softly bonked the top of her head and smiled, "But who cares? A woman who has no fashion sense or attractive body is a worthless tin that's easily disposed of like trash."
Alpha immediately became embarrassed. "What the hell does that mean?! Just because I don't have big breasts that don't mean I'm any different than you!" Timothy looked back and forth between the two girls and scratched the side of his hair.
"Oh? Then tell me? How are you planning to gather boys around you if you have nothing to show? You should know that boys tend to look for women with bigger breasts. It's a simple truth, which you can't deny, no matter what others say. A flattie like you should start working on their body and fashion." Naeve slightly lifted her left arm beneath her breasts to make them bounce, only to spite Alpha.
Naeve could tell she was making Alpha irritated. "Aren't I right, pretty boy?" Timothy exchanged views with Naeve, feeling confused. But the moment he noticed Alpha turning around with a frustrated face.
He abruptly stopped plucking at his hair and instantly fell silent. He dismissed her question when she asked it, and Naeve sighed. "Ah, yes. You're too ignorant to understand. Another indication that you are a child who has no understanding of a woman's anatomy." That caught Timothy's interest. He promptly interrupted with another remark "What in the world does that mean? Why should I be interested in female anatomy? What's the difference between small and big?"
He spoke, "It doesn't matter if she's flat! She is a great friend and a skilled fighter! I don't care about her small breasts! " The next instant, Timothy was slammed into the train wall by Alpha as she rammed her sole into his face. "Stop using that word or I'll kill you!" She was angry and had a scarlet face, but Timothy instantly fell silent. "R-Right..."
Naeve groaned angrily, expressing how troubled she was by Timothy's attitude. "Your taste is really repulsive. Nevertheless, it won't matter since I'll soon kill both of you!"
To be continued...