From the other side of the phone, Kayo's voice sounded surprised, hesitating slightly before replying to the question, "Eh? What a coincidence, I just finished discussing this with Satomi, Kisara, and Seitenshi-sama."
El frowned, an uncomfortable feeling arising. "What was the content of the discussion? And does this have anything to do with the monolith almost collapsing?" he asked seriously, trying to piece together the big picture of an increasingly strange situation.
Kayo took a deep breath before answering, "Right, it's related. We were asked to form an Adjuvant with Satomi to deal with the War that will break out in about a week's time," she explained without hesitation, pointing out the gravity of the situation they were about to face.
El's eyes narrowed at that explanation. His mind analyzed all the possibilities.
A major war involving this class of Gastrea was never simple, especially if it involved the destruction of the monolith that was supposed to be the last refuge of humans.
There was a moment of silence between them before El responded, his voice colder yet firm. "In that case, I'll join you immediately. Tell me all the information you have about that Gastrea."
Ding!
A system hologram screen suddenly appeared before El while Kayo was still busy explaining her discussion with Rentaro, Kisara, and Satensi.
Kayo's voice from the phone sounded faint in the background, but El seemed more interested in observing the dull white patch visible on one side of the Monolith that stood firmly in the distance.
"Oh yeah," El said, cutting off Kayo's explanation in a cold tone without turning around. "Did you ask about the rewards we get if this war is over?"
Kayo was silent for a moment, a little surprised by El's unusual question. "I have," she replied calmly. "I already asked Satensi-sama."
"She said we'll get a lot of awards." She then hesitated for a moment before asking, "What is it?"
"It doesn't matter," El replied briefly, shaking her head slightly. His eyes remained glued to the holographic screen that was emitting a dim light in front of him. "I'm hanging up. Let's talk about it at home."
"Alright," Kayo replied as she hung up the call, though her voice clearly showed a little confusion.
El stayed where she was, putting her cell phone in his pocket, while staring thoughtfully at the holographic screen. The blue light from the screen reflected on his face, accentuating a cold and serious focused expression.
Something on the screen seemed important, something that made El lost in thought for a moment.
[Beyonder with serial number 120,000 triggers level A- side mission, -The Third Kanto War-]
___________
Title: Third Kanto War
Description: Join an Adjuvant, kill Aldebaran, repel all invading Gastra, win the Third Kanto War and prevent the city from being destroyed.
Reward: 25,000 points
Punishment: None
___________
With the advent of the Side Missions, something unexpected becomes apparent: completing these missions means simultaneously completing the fourth Main Mission and the first Main Mission.
Once all of his Main Missions were completed, El could return to the Reincarnation Room and undergo the Reward Evaluation.
What made El raise an eyebrow, however, was the difficulty of the mission. Similar to the Infinite Castle Invasion Mission, it was an extreme mission, requiring careful planning, long hours and sacrifice.
However, this time, there was no punishment given by the system if he failed.
El let out a long sigh, staring at the fading hologram screen. "It's going to be tough... if I don't go all-out using all the aces I have stored up," he muttered in a flat yet firm tone.
Having made one decision in his mind, El turned around, leaving the Monolith's location with steady steps, his mind beginning to map out a strategy to face the great challenge that awaited him.
***
Arriving at the doorstep of the house, El opened the door quietly and stepped inside. Before going any further, he took off his shoes, then his trench coat and hung it on the hanger by the door.
It was a simple, almost mechanical gesture, but it conveyed the tiredness that lay behind his cold face.
Soon, the sound of footsteps could be heard approaching. With her keen sense of smell, El already knew who it was.
A few seconds later, three little girls appeared in front of her: Aoi, Sawa, and Kayo, each greeting him with a warm smile.
Now, Aoi and Sawa's appearance was much more well-groomed than before. The shabby clothes and bruises that once covered their bodies were gone, replaced by clean skin and neat clothing.
Aoi wore a long pink dress with a white floral print, which reinforced her innocent aura.
Sawa, her sister, wore a plain white dress with a waist band decorated with small pockets. A cleaner eye patch framed her face, making her look elegant despite her simplicity.
Kayo, on the other hand, was still wearing her favorite style of clothing: a white sweater with a brown collar, paired with shorts. Her relaxed style still reflected her rather cold personality.
"Welcome," they said in unison, their voices filled with warmth.
El looked at them with a typical cold expression, but without any ill will. "Yeah, I'm home," he replied briefly, his tone flat but not entirely devoid of feeling.
He walked closer, a faint smile appearing on his face. Slowly, El raised his hands and placed them on their heads, one by one. His touch was gentle, though her movements seemed stiff, as if he wasn't used to this.
Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind. 'Is this what it's like to be a father? Coming home and being greeted by his daughters?' he thought with a frown.
That unfamiliar feeling pierced her slowly something warm, yet also frightening.
However, El didn't let his thoughts linger. He lowered his hand and continued steps into the house, leaving the girls with smiles still on their faces.
El walked towards the living room, with quiet steps. His behind, Sawa, Aoi, and Kayo followed with curious looks, not wanting to be left behind.
Upon arriving at the living room, El took his place on the soft brown linen sofa. It was quite luxurious and felt very comfortable, as if it was the only other place in the house that offered tranquility.
El sat down, his body sinking slightly into the cushions, and rested his arms on the backrest.
The three girls sat on another sofa opposite El, separated only by a simple, sizable wooden table between them. Although the atmosphere was calm, there was a faint tension in the air.
El's normally cold gaze now seemed deeper, as if carrying an invisible burden.
After taking a deep breath, El finally opened the conversation in a cold tone. "This war will take a lot of casualties. I've decided to book tickets for you to leave the city."
His words hung for a moment, before he continued. "I will also give you all my wealth to ensure you can live a decent life."
"I know people in other countries might not accept you, but it's better than you dying here." he said firmly and coldly, but without any ill will.
Then El looked at them seriously, his tone unchanged even though his words seemed to contain concern. "What do you think?" he asked, looking at them one by one.