[As they drove through the city, it becomes immediately apparent that this is a place unlike any other.
Towering skyscrapers made of shimmering glass and steel stretch up into the sky, reaching heights that would have been thought impossible just a few decades earlier.
The buildings themselves are works of art, with sweeping curves and sharp angles that seem to defy the laws of physics.
Everywhere they look through the windows of the truck, there are signs of advanced technology and cutting-edge innovation.
Automated vehicles zip through the streets, guided by artificial intelligence and seamlessly synchronized with the city's network of sensors and communication devices.
High-speed trains and magnetic levitation transportation systems crisscross the city, whisking passengers from one end to the other in mere minutes.
The city is a hub of industry and commerce, with a dizzying array of businesses and enterprises catering to every imaginable need.
Advanced robotics and artificial intelligence are woven into every aspect of life, from manufacturing and logistics to healthcare and entertainment.
Augmented reality and virtual reality technologies have become so advanced that they are almost indistinguishable from reality itself, creating a truly immersive experience.]
"Kathyln, did you ever undergo VR training?"
"Yes, several times. A simulated battle against some gods."
[Despite the advanced technology and gleaming skyscrapers, the city is a place of diversity and connection.
The streets are alive even in the night with the sounds of different languages and cultures, creating a vibrant and dynamic atmosphere that is both exhilarating and welcoming.]
"This is the world outside of white walls…"
I saw…
Demons. Demons everywhere. Not a single human, dwarf, elf or yaksha. Demons from different continents were here.
Here for education, maybe for healthcare or maybe just lived here.
I could see a group of people who looked my age walking out of a building that said 'Arcade'.
They had white backpacks and were laughing.
"They are oblivious of what is happening…"
This was the reality. Most demons had taken it as something usual- the pain and suffering of the other races. They themselves were enjoying and pursuing their dreams.
Why did we have to suffer in secret?
[At the heart of the city stands a towering monument, a soaring structure of light and glass that symbolizes the indomitable spirit of this city and its relentless quest for progress and innovation.
This is a city that is at once deeply connected to its past and fiercely committed to shaping its future, a place where the impossible becomes possible and the extraordinary becomes commonplace.
The first stronghold of the demons, the Central Dominion.]
After seeing this environment, doubts arose in my heart.
Why were the demons of the Central Dominion training Users?
Now that the war had subsided and Verdana Tempus was in complete control of the demons, what more did they want?
Why did the Seven Star demon Asmodeus approve the Users Secret Force Operation Program?
Why didn't the other Seven Star demons Artorius, Gaius, Carrius and Longinus stop Asmodeus?
There were mixed bloods, demons and people of other continents here. Kids studying at normal schools and academies to get their dream jobs.
Men working in industries and women managing money, cooking in restaurants and hanging out with friends. The entire city gave off a very novel like feeling.
Reading all those novels at the mountains proved to pay off.
It was exactly as I had imagined when I was reading books that described the people of the past, how the people lived before the invasions and wars.
In a fantasy novel called 'Earth: The Legends of the Past', it was said that the fictional cities of 'New York', 'Tokyo', 'Seoul', 'New Delhi' and 'Hong Kong' once existed in the real world.
The author, Jane A Doe, had written in the afterword that these cities were inspired by the people and the settlements of the past.
If that was true then what changed?
There were many questions in my mind but now wasn't the time for them.
I can only hope that one day, I will know where the truth of this world lies.
I left my thoughts and focused at the matter at hand, Nevera and I got out the suspicious looking truck, Kathyln followed us.
In front of us was the Institution, the headquarters of all the Classrooms, where all the demon bigshots made decisions. There were many troublesome figures in the vicinity.
I could see a tall black building about 100 metres away.
"Jeronimo Mercenaries…"
"Chameleon Troupe Division…"
It was one of the mercenary groups whose name had made its way even into the secluded Classrooms. It was either the Elite Assassination Unit or Jeronimo Mercenaries for me.
That's why I was using guns in the first place.
Taking my eyes off that building and onto another one, we arrived.
We entered the ridiculously large building and stopped at the front desk.
"Praise Lord Morax." I bowed my head and entered with the others.
"My name is Nevera Daylight, I am a User of the Five Leaf Clover Battalion from the South-Eastern Hallways, this is Commander Nightblade and this is the Commander of the Silver Banshees Battalion- Kathyln Igriss."
The receptionist was a fat, bald man with thick eyebrows wearing an olive-green coat and white shirt.
"Yes, I have verified you, you were also given a permit by one of the Professors…hmmm… I see, fine. I assume you are here for training?"
"Yes, we are. But we would like to explore the dominion starting tomorrow and start training the day after." I entered the conversation with a commanding tone.
"That can be arranged."
He said he would allow it.
We took our dominion permits' and headed for the door, but he told us to stop.
"Captain, I feel a need to ask you a question, this might be completely uncalled for but why is there a female captain with you?", he cocked an eyebrow and slowly rose from his chair.
"Of the Silver Banshees at that, a battalion stationed in the North-Eastern Hallways, the commander of a battalion that should be quite close to this place."
(A bit too slow though old man.)
"Ahh, we were given joint training orders by our Professors." I replied half-heartedly without even turning back, knowing that there was no way out now.
"Oh, is that so? But none of your Professors checked in to ask for permission, and what's even more concerning is that the blips of your Classrooms are not visible on the Institution's radar."
As we felt time getting slower, I turned to face him and in the blink of an eye my hands were at his throat.
The alarm blared. I was a second too late.
"We have to go, now!" Nevera shouted.
"Nevera start the truck, Kathlyn destroy the equipment here, quick!"
I was focused on choking this fat man to death, being a half-demon, he was surprisingly hard to kill. I increased my FV output and pressed harder, his head burst open and his blood sprayed all over.
"My blazer got stained.", she complained after destroying the equipment.
"I'm sorry, I'll buy you a better one in Zealandia" I said while wiping off the blood on my face and tugging Kathyln back to the truck.
"What the hell happened there?", Arthur said with an amused look on his face.
"Long story we gotta go!" I said while getting in the truck. "Where to?" Nevera stepped on the throttle. The engine roared and the wheels spun, struggling to gain traction at the sudden increase in mana.
"To Port Carrius" I raised the dominion pass.
Using these permits, we could access any facility of the Central Dominion, all we had to do now was get a ship and sail away to Kraken's Coast before word of what happened at here got out.
Knowing that this was the Central Dominion, I expected the high-ups to catch the wind of this quickly.