"How are things going?", Kazuya asked Kaito, while walking towards the hologram showing the battlefield in front of them
"We are holding on for now, but we can't go on like this.", Kaito's face looked pale because of not sleeping 3 days straight due to the stress of the war going on, "The troops are dying, we need him here. If anyone out there, HE is the only one who can fight against them."
The commander stared at the soldier with an intimidating gaze in his eyes and said, "You know well enough what will happen if we release him. HE will kill us first before killing them. If he is ever to find out the things that we have been doing in the past few decades, he wouldn't hesitate twice to kill us.", he sounded scared just by talking about him, even though he was never scared even when fighting hordes of demons,
it felt as if the person they were talking about was even worse than the demons they were fighting now.
"I know that…", Kaito was shuddering now, "But when we faced them for the first time a few years ago… You only tell. Do you really think that even all of our armies combined would be able to defeat even just one of them?"
"I wasn't the second in command for nothing, Kaito.", He tried to sound confident, as if trying to hide his fear, "If required, I will take part in the battle myself. They haven't made a move yet either, the foot soldiers can be taken care of by the army.", he said as he made his way to the door
"But!", Kaito slammed his hand down on the table with the hologram dismissing it, "At least ask the dragons for help? Didn't they help us last war?"
Kazuya looked back at him and said, "The only reason they helped us in the past was because of HIM. They won't help us now, after all… ", He clenched his fists, "Remember Kaito, I didn't make you the commander just so you could complain about it. Follow the orders and you will be rewarded. Just hold them back until the research is complete.",
The door opened automatically and Kazuya left the room. Leaving Kaito to his thoughts, thinking to himself as to why he decided to betray HIM and join Kazuya. He felt at that time that the demons were suppressed and would no longer pose a threat. Little did he know, that the preparation for the 3rd great war had already begun by the time they decided to seal HIM.
***
"I will fix everything.", Leo said to his customer as he handed over his latest Yamazhua Bike to him
"You won't mess it up right?", the customer asked playing
"Don't worry sir, I will make it even better than before.", Leo smiled back
"Alright, I will be back by 7. Make her good by then.", the customer said while leaving through the front door of the garage
"Of course sir.", Leo said while trying to get a better look at that new Yamazhua RX700
Leo took a good look at the bike before laying back down on the ground, he was tired of his mind and wondering when would he ever get a chance to buy or even ride a bike like this or if would ever even get to live a good life rather then just living paycheck to paycheck. True enough he could take the bikes that came to the shop for repair and drive them around, nobody would know anything. Except his boss would kill him if he ever got to know about it.
He was already barely getting around in life. Getting fired from the only job that he has would kill him. He wouldn't ever dare to take the risk.
"What are you resting for boy?", his boss shouted at him He stood up in a second, and that shout scared the bikes out of him(Haha, dad joke. Get it?). "Can't I even lay down for a second?", he complained while trying to find the right equipment to start fixing the Yamazhua.
"Not today boy, We have a lot of bikes and cars to fix today.", He grabbed his bike keys from the drawer along with some money, "I am going out for a while, make sure you finish all the important vehicles by the end of the day.", He turned back at him, "Dont forget, I will be watched you.", he laughed and drove away on his bike
Leo still tired went ahead and rested himself upon that one torn-up bean bag that was kept in the corner of the room.
His boss was the only one who helped him when he lost everything in the first attack 3 years ago. He gave him a job, a place to live, and food to eat. He was grateful to him beyond anything, but nowadays he had begun feeling jaded. Not getting hungry, always tired, just living for the sake of it.
He had worked at this garage for the past 3 years since the attack on Hartgal. It was his home before demons destroyed it. He never really had any family and lived at an orphanage, nor was the orphanage good. Hartgal wasn't exactly a happy city, food problems, pollution everything fired back at the citizens. With not even enough food for 1 person, the orphanage was shut down just a day before the attack. He never really liked that place but at least he had a roof over his head.
He still remembered that day as clearly as a glass hologram, his city was the first one that was attacked by the demons, and the attack was directed by a Titan himself. The power of the Titan was more than anything that he had ever seen. While humans like him needed to get implants or use assistant wands to use magic, just one word from the titan moved the whole world around him.
His voice was echoing in the whole city, while demons were ripping open people.
"What have you done to yourself? Mortals? You have shed aside our gift to you and adopted these machineries instead. We gave you a chance, and you wasted it. Judgment has been made and Punishment will be given.", the titan said while he floated in the air over the city
Just the thought of that day made Leo shiver.
He picked up tools and got to work.
An hour or half passed when Matt, his boss' robot assistant came up to him and said, "Drink something, Or else you will dehydrate." and poured him a glass of water. It was just a small robot that could float in the air. He didn't hate robots but didn't like them either. One of the reasons is that the robots could very well take his job away. After all, 70% of people who had labor jobs or worked at cafes and such were kicked out due to these robots and now lived in slums near the main city of Neo Athens. The new andriods were just as good as humans if not better than them.
He finished his work after a few hours, gave the bikes back to the owners who came to get them, and closed the shop.
"I hate this job.", Leo thought to himself, he wondered would his life become better if he got an implant.
He put the keys into his old bike which was gifted to him by his boss, he tried starting it but the engine just wouldn't ignite.
"This thing is older than me.", he said loudly as he kept kicking the paddle hoping that the bike would start. He lost hope and just sat beside the bike.
"I would have been able to use fire magic to ignite the engine if I had an implant.", he clenched his fists, "If only I had enough money to get one,", he let go and stared at the beautiful starry night sky.
He got up and tried starting the bike one more time, and it miraculously worked. He drove the bike to a small pub where he used to go
He went into the pub, the only reason why he went to this pub was because the bartender there was human. After all, you can't really talk a lot when the one in front of you is a robot.
"Now, the director Kazuya Horikato will give his speech.", the news anchor on HoloTV said while the camera cut to Director Kazuya,
"Aren't the elections around the corner again?", Leo said chugging down a glass of beer
"Yup, these people gonna start appearing more once again.", the bartender replied while preparing a drink for another customer
"Isn't Director Kazuya a good guy? I mean didn't he save us in 2nd great war and also rescue people when Hartgal was attacked?", Leo heard a girl's voice from beside himHe looked beside and found a beautiful blond girl, with a fair skin tone, wearing a pink crop top and a jeans
"They always show the rich ones in the limelight.", said the bartender passing over her drink to her
"He did save my life back then though.", Leo said
"But he is also the reason why these robots rule the area nowadays.", replied the bartender
"That's true.", Leo said keeping his glass down
"What do you mean he saved you?", the girl asked
"Oh, I was there in Hartgal 3 years ago.", Leo stood up and taped his card on the counter, a message saying "Payment received" popped up, and he walked away
"What do you mean you were there?", she stood up and followed him, "Also why do you still use a physical card? just use your hand."
Leo looked back and said, "I don't have enough money to get implants, now go away.", he started walking again.
"HEY! Tell me more.", the girl screamed and rushed towards him, but bumped into a guy, "Oops! Sorry!", and started running towards Leo
The man grabbed her hand and said, "Where do you think you are going girl?", He pulled her closer, He dropped the drink on his shirt on purpose and said, "Hey, See? I dropped my drink on my shirt because of you. Why don't you lick it clean?", He brought his face closer to her
"Leave me alone, Let me go!!!", the girl screamed and struggled trying to get his hand off her
"Ohh, not till you lick my shirt clean.", the man lifted his other hand up in a motion to slap her
Leo stopped his hand and said, "Let her go, don't you think this is enough."
The man let go of the girl and slapped Leo's hand away, the girl now came and stood behind Leo. "And who are you? Her boyfriend?", the man asked in an angry voice
"Yea, HE IS!!", the girl shouted from behind him
"Wait what?", Leo was confused as to what to do right now, "I should have never gotten involved.", he thought to himself
"So will you pay for this shirt? Do you know how expensive this shirt is?", the guy said popping his chest out as if trying to show that he was strong and his friends standing behind him did the same and started ganging up around them
"Please take the fights outside, Sirs.", yelled the bartender from behind
The girl suddenly punched the guy in his face, grabbed Leo's hand, and ran out the door with him. "What are you doing??", Leo screamed while running with her
"Catch them!!", the guy screamed from behind holding his nose, it seemed as if he was bleeding, and all his friends rushed out and ran towards them
"Come with me.", the girl yelled as she took him to an alley behind the Pub, the alley was pretty small with not much space, "Let's wait here for a bit.", the girl said and looked outside to see if the people were still there
Leo was now looking at her, they were both standing pretty close. His shoulder and hands were touching her smooth, silky, white skin. And now that he looked at her she did look really good. Even better than any girl he had ever seen before.
"There they are!", one of the men chasing them yelled
"Guess we are busted.", the girl said and started running away from them, she was still holding Leo's hands tightly.
They were now on the outskirts of the slum area of Neo Athens, She led Leo up to the roof of one of the small buildings and they blocked the stairs. She looked down for a bit and saw that those people were still searching for her down there.
Leo now tired from all that running, Collapsed on the ground. "Already tired?", the girl asked
"How are you not?", said Leo gasping for air
"Well, I am too.", she also sat down on her knees
Leo now sat up too and looked up at the night sky, which was looking even more beautiful now that they were not in the city.
"Doesn't the moon look even better out here?", the girl said now coming closer to Leo, her shoulders now touching his
"It sure does.", he stared at the moon and smiled
The girl grabbed his face and right under the glowing moonlight, kissed him.