Roter decided to leave Sick with Tess as he was not in a condition to accompany them. He set off alone and collected bag after bag while being chased by the Krimzon Guard. The entire chase made him reflect, and he began to think about his past.
He remembered how he used to steal things to support his friends and family. Back then, he had to constantly escape pursuit to survive. The memories of those difficult times made him pause and contemplate his life so far.
Eventually, Roter returned to the bar where Sick was already waiting for him. It seemed like he had recovered.
Krew: Mmm, you're a real money collector, huh? Here's your weapon bonus. Now get lost! I need my beauty sleep.
Sick: Believe me, buddy. You can't sleep for that long.
Roter now wanted to finally get to the elevator to reach the palace, but suddenly he was interrupted by a call from Torn. The two made their way to Torn and listened to his request.
Torn: An old comrade of mine was sent to the pump station. So far, we haven't heard anything from her, and based on what you two encountered out there, I'm afraid she's in trouble.
Sick: Did you just say "her"?
Torn: Don't even think about it! This "friend" of mine has helped the Underground many times before. Go back to the pump station and investigate. Assist her if necessary. Now move your horny ass out of here!
Roter grabbed Sick, and the two made their way to the pump station. When they arrived, they found that there were significantly more and stronger Metal Heads there. However, they effortlessly took them out. They advanced all the way to the top, where they found a ship from the Krimzon Guard.
Sick: Hey. Why the hell are we even risking our lives for some old Krimzon hag?! She probably has more hair on her teeth than I have on my face!
Roter: Quiet! Don't you feel it?
Sick: What?
Suddenly, someone leaped down from above and attempted to grab Roter. He managed to dodge, but Sick was hit.
Red: Who the hell are you guys?
Sick: Mmm, I'm kind of into women in uniform! Can I surrender to you? I'll fight for you on the front lines of loooooove!
Red: Ugh, keep talking like that, and I might just throw up.
Roter: Calm down... Torn wants us to help you.
Red: I don't need help, but maybe you do... We're getting company.
An army of Metal Heads approached the three of them, and they defended themselves until the end. Just when they thought it was all over, a mysterious soldier appeared.
No. 4: Red. Red! There you are! I've been searching everywhere for you!
Red: Oh no...
Roter: Who's that? A Krimzon soldier?
Red: That's No. 4, one of the Baron's five elite soldiers. And my ex.
Roter: That's not good.
No. 4: Red, I know things weren't always perfect between us, but we belong together! Understand that! Wait a minute... who are these two?! It hasn't even been a year, and you already have someone new?! Which one of them is it?!
Red: Hold on a second! I would never get involved with either of them in a million years!
Sick: Hey!
No. 4: If you don't want to come back to me willingly, then I'll just have to take you by force!
Roter: I don't care about your relationship, but I never turn down a good fight!
Roter charged at No. 4: FLAME PUNCH! However, Roter missed, even though he was sure he would hit. No. 4 kicked Roter away and followed suit. They faced each other, and suddenly, No. 4 was in front of Roter within a second, knocking him aside. Sick shot at him, but he effortlessly evaded the bullets.
Roter: Who is this guy?! Why can't we hit him?!
No. 4: You will never be able to defeat me. No one is a match for time.
Sick: Time?
Red: No. 4 has the Eco power of time. He can stop it, accelerate it, and even rewind it...
Sick: Wait, what?!
Roter: Is that even possible?
Red: Unfortunately, yes.
No. 4: You're Roter, right?
Roter: Yes, why?
No. 4: I've heard a lot about you. Everyone is talking about you. They say you're just another waste and too weak for the Dark Warrior program.
Roter: Excuse me?!
Sick: Roter, leave him to me. You have to escape with her.
Roter: What?
Sick: Torn assigned us to protect her. And I want to be seen as a hero in her eyes.
Roter: This is completely insane!
Sick: I'm asking you, trust me.
Roter looked angry, took Red's hand, and they boarded their ship to fly away.
Red dropped Roter off in front of the Pump Station.
Red: Tell Torn that Baron Praxis is planning something big. *Shows a picture on a cellphone* I think it has to do with this symbol.
This is the seal of House Mar, the founder of Haven City. They send us on "suicide missions" to find artifacts from his reign. If curiosity gets the better of you, ask Onin, the old blind seeress at the Bazaar. She might know more about it. Here's my access security pass for you.
Roter examined the pass closely.
Roter: Your name is Tory, huh?
Red flew away, saying, "We're even."
Back to Sick.
No. 4: Why are you facing me alone? We both know you have no chance.
Sick: Oh yeah? TRIPLE SHOT!
No. 4 effortlessly evaded all the shots. Then he approached Sick and threw him to the ground. He pulled out his weapon and aimed it at him.
Sick opened his mouth, and a shot rang out from there too. However, No. 4 easily dodged that as well.
Sick was truly at a loss until another idea came to him.
Sick: AAAAAAAAAAAH! Double shot!
No. 4 evaded the first shot, but the second one hit him, and he fell to the ground.
No. 4: That can't be... How did you hit me?!
Sick: Ha! I knew it!
No. 4: A lucky shot... nothing more.
Sick fired two more shots. One hit its mark again.
No. 4 seemed to be very angry about it.
Sick: I've fought against soldiers my whole life. You're just predictable. I just have to predict where you'll dodge, and that's it.
No. 4: Not bad... But what will you do against my Past Strike?
Sick: Past Strike?
No. 4 simply struck in a random direction. Two seconds later, Sick was hit completely unprepared.
Sick was completely shocked and surprised.
Sick: What was that?!
No. 4: Hahaha, surprised, huh? I strike into the past, and it's executed here.
Sick: Oh, I see. Then I just have to predict where you'll strike.
No. 4: Then give it a try! NYAAAH!
Sick actually managed to evade all the strikes.
No. 4: N-Never!
Sick: So, you think no one is stronger than time... That may be true, but everyone is stronger than you.
No. 4 started laughing.
Sick: What's so funny?
No. 4: You don't seriously think that was all, do you? I was only fighting at 20% of my abilities. You were a good warm-up, kid.
Sick: What?
No. 4 snapped his fingers and struck in different directions 30 times per second.
Sick was subsequently hit 30 times directly. Sick fired another double shot.
No. 4 didn't evade and took the full hit but remained completely unharmed.
Sick: How is that possible...?
No. 4: Well, I tempomorphed from the future into the past and used myself as a shield. It works with holding too... Hahaha.
Something held Sick in place, and he couldn't move.
Meanwhile, No. 4 pulled out a larger weapon and loaded it. Then he fired it, creating a loud and mighty BOOOOOOOOOOOM!
Roter noticed this and glanced briefly towards the Pump Station.
Roter: Sick...
Roter turned away and went to Vin.
Roter: Vin, buddy, you have to help me.
Vin: I can't change your Eco bill.
Roter: Please activate the access elevator in one of the support towers of the palace for me.
Vin: What, the one from the old energy network in the B-Zone? It hasn't been working for ages.
Roter: Well, I understand. It's a bit too complicated for you. The energy stuff is no walk in the park.
Vin: Complicated? Hmpf... I could reroute the B-Zone's lines into the auxiliary network, bridge the Eco circuits, and connect the inductor tubes in series, then back through the isolator helix in the outer wall and over the resonance flow conduit to capacitor chain number five. If the circuit can handle the voltage in the GX75B, I could attach the phase spiral conduit to the primary lines, and voilà, you'll have your power!
Roter: Vin, you're a genius!
Vin: Uh, actually, Mar was the genius. He installed most of it a long time ago... the shield system, the Eco network. But don't tell the Baron that I saw you!
Roter leaves the room and enters the elevator that takes him up. The elevator leads to one of the palace's support beams. Roter has to walk along the entire beam until he finally reaches the palace.
Upon reaching the top, he overhears the Baron talking to the leader of the Metal Heads.
Praxis: I told you, by the end of the week, I'll have more Eco. We'll deliver it straight to your nest, as promised!
Leader: The deal is off if you don't fulfill your part, my dear Baron. My patience is running thin. Bring me the agreed amount of Eco, or your beloved city will pay the price!
Erol: He's playing with us! Let me attack the nest before it's too late! I can defeat him!
Praxis: Patience, Commander. No one has ever penetrated the Metal Head nest, as you know! I've witnessed what happens in such attempts. No! Strength is their weakness... We pretend to be helpless... until they eat from our hands, and then,
Continue with our plan! Tory will reinforce the patrols. The Tomb must be found!
Erol: But your daughter has been so... stubborn lately.
Praxis: Aaahh... I'll take care of that. Either way.
Roter: Red is the Baron's daughter?
Praxis: And find the child! If you searched for the brat with half the intensity you flirt with that mechanic, you would have nailed his royal butt by now!
Erol: As you wish. With enough persuasion, I can surely...
Suddenly, Torn tries to reach Roter, and his phone vibrates.
Erol: What was that?!
Roter pushes Torn away and moves away from the window. As he walks across the roof, the Baron arrives in a flying machine.
Praxis: We seem to have a rat in the walls! Haven't you had enough Dark Eco yet?! Allow me to put an end to your misery!
Roter: How kind of you to offer me the same favor. But before it comes to that, I'll relieve you of your misery!
Roter engages in a fierce battle against Praxis, who can fly and is more mobile and robust.
Roter fixes a determined gaze on the Baron and raises his hands. Flames surround him as his powers reach a new level.
Roter: You may have an impressive machine, Praxis, but I have the power of fire on my side! Come and show me what you've got!
The Baron's machine fires a salvo of projectiles at Roter, but he skillfully evades them, causing the projectiles to disintegrate in a whirlwind of flames. With a mighty leap, he propels himself into the air, raining down his own fireballs on the machine. The Baron's machine quickly responds, shooting fire tornadoes swirling toward Roter. However, he uses his fiery powers to control the tornadoes and hurl them back at the machine.
The battle between Roter and Praxis reaches its climax. Roter soars through the air, throwing fireballs and repeatedly hitting Praxis' machine. But the Baron doesn't give up and continues firing relentlessly at Roter.
Finally, Roter finds a weakness in the Baron's machine. He focuses all his fiery energy and shoots a massive flame beam at the machine. The heat and force of the attack overwhelm the machine's defense systems, causing it to catch fire.
The machine breaks apart into many pieces except for the cockpit, which remains unscathed, and the Baron floats toward Roter.
Praxis: The dark power I gave you can't protect you forever! I created you, and I can also destroy you! We'll meet again soon! Oh, and take your clown with you. He's just cluttering up our prison.
The Baron quickly throws Sick out of his machine.
Roter: Sick? Hey, wait! Come back! YOU COWARD! I WILL FIND YOU, PRAXIS!
Roter grabs Sick and drags him out of the palace. There is only one person who could help Sick now - the fortune teller at the bazaar. Roter heads there.
He enters the fortune teller's tent, and a bird flies toward him.
Pecker: Weeelcome, stranger. I am Pecker! Yeah, yeah, I know... my mother was very... vengeful. I'm Onin's spokesman. Onin welcomes you, blah blah, the usual boring greeting stuff. She says it's nice to see you again, Roter.
Roter: But I've never seen her before.
Pecker: Before... after... it's all the same. Onin says you seek answers... squawk... about Mar's Tomb.
Roter: Well, tell me, what do I need to know?
Pecker: She keeps talking about mystical energy channels,
evil curses, idiotic "oooo" stuff. Forget it, I'll summarize it quickly because you're interrupting my nap. Onin wants you to retrieve three artifacts from the Mountain Temple of the Precursors. Not two! Not four! THREE! Use the Warp Gate on the northwest side of the city and bring us the three objects!
Roter: As you can see, my comrade is unconscious. Can you help him?
Pecker: Onin says you should leave him here, and she will heal him while you retrieve the artifacts.
Roter: Alright then.
Roter leaves Sick with Onin and Pecker. Before he sets off, Sick grabs his arm and whispers, "4... seconds..." Then he falls unconscious again. Afterward, Roter sets off for the Mountain Temple.