"Uno! Ha!"
Thea threw 2 +4 cards on top of the stack of Uno cards in the middle of the table. Akira quickly placed his own +4 card, carrying it over to Melon who also placed his own +4. Leroe who was next, also placed his own +4, carrying it over to Min-Su who placed another +4.
Thea looked at the stack of +4 cards with an irritated expression before suddenly saying,
"Well.. I already placed the last card... so I win..."
"Don't try to play by the book now! You said we would use house rules!"
"And the house rules say the person to play the last card wins!"
The three boys all looked at Leroe. Since he had lived here, then he would know the house rules. But of course, he would show an unfair bias towards his big sister.
"Well, sis owns the house so she wins."
Akira just snickered as he was one card away from winning. It was almost time until the mystery attendee would turn up, but there was no sign of him appearing just yet. To help past the time till then, Thea thought it would be a good idea to play what was supposed to be a friendly game... but it ended up turning out to be the complete opposite.
"This game is stupid! Don't you have anything else?"
"Hm.... would you mind playing board games?? Although one of you will have to play with makeshift pieces."
Games like these were incredibly outdated, but even after so many years, some had remained quite popular. However, Akira was not enjoying this. Nowadays you could play immersive VRMMORPG's with just a mobile phone and earbuds, some of which Akira did play in his free time with Lebanon.
Going from world breaking graphics and immersion, to this outdated style games was oddly uncomforting, and yet, he felt that it was something that he should've experienced a long time ago. He couldn't quite explain it, but it did feel nice.
"Shouldn't we invite them to play too? They look quite bored over there."
Akira then pointed towards group of 7 children that had been watching him ever since he came. As time passed, they slowly but surely began to come down the stairs, with greater interest in the strange guests.
"Sure! You Kids should come join us too! If there aren't enough pieces, I'll just make more."
She then clasped her hands together before separating them quickly. As she did, a light green orb of Aether began to expand slowly, and inside were several glowing lights. As these lights dimmed, tiny objects that looked like people were left behind, before quickly falling onto the table.
"Your a borrower??? Melon, I thought the Unison council killed them all??"
"No I didn't? I said they killed the stronger ones."
Thea was a little insulted, but then she quickly regained her composure.
"My Ideal is creation. I can create objects out of Aether, but my capacity and is low, so I can only create small objects like these every day."
There were few Borrower's on the outside who could create permanent objects with Aether. Thea was one such borrower. If she was on the outside, then she would be able to learn and train to increase her Aether capacity which would allow her to make bigger stronger constructs, but life in Gehenna provided no such opportunity.
In this city growing strong was basically impossible, unless you were born with monstrous talent. But even then, it would be trampled on before it could even bloom.
Leroe then said,
"My big bro was the one who brought me all these games from the outside. Whenever I ask for something, he always gets it for me no matter what."
One of the other children then said,
"You?? He gets it for all of us!"
A different child also said,
"I thought it was very clear that I'm his favourite."
Before he knew it, all the children were arguing amongst each other about who was the most favoured by their Big Brother. It was really funny to watch, but simultaneously very sad and confusing. Thea then shouted, instantly shutting them all up,
"Your Big brother loves each and every single one you equally! He doesn't pick any favourites, because he cares about all of you! No child in this city gets to have someone like your brother, so a relationship with him is not something you guys should be fighting about! Understood?"
All the children just silently nodded, but truthfully, they were all still holding a sort of passive aggression towards each other. It was rather exhausting for Thea.
Akira then asked,
"All these kids.. they really look up to him very much?"
"Yes they do, and annoyingly so. I look after them, but despite that they prefer my brother over me."
The slight annoyance on her face then turned into subtle, light smile.
"But once you get to know him properly, it's just really hard to hate him. That's just the kind of guy he is. He doesn't care much about strangers, but if its the people he loves and cherishes, then he'll fight with all that he has. Well.. most of the time.."
Thea unintentionally spoke too much about this mystery man. But from what Akira could infer, he was a really decent guy. It might've even been possible to convince him to join their side if he was working for Unison.
Suddenly, the door began to knock. Akira quickly looked back at Thea, who just nodded at him.
"I think you should go answer it. He won't come in unless someone opens the door for him."
'He's here.'
Anyway, whether he was a potential ally or not, it really didn't matter. If one thing was obvious, it was that this encounter could shape the way Operation: Helldiver would move from this point onwards, for good or for worse.
Akira slowly rose from this seat, full of confidence as Min-Su tried to follow him. However Thea just signalled him to sit down. It was probably for the best.
It didn't take long to for him to reach the corridor, he had already travelled down it once by himself so he knew where everything was by now. But this time, something was different. Something was wrong. And horribly so.
The confidence he once had, quickly disappeared and was replaced by a distinct fear.
It was subtle at first, but once Akira noticed it, it started to uncontrollably grow.
The front door stood just a couple metres away from him now. All he needed to do was walk down and open it while maintaining a smile on his face, but now this was no longer possible.
Ever since training with Xander, Akira had developed an instinct in order to compensate for his in-ability to sense Aether. Whether it was from his own natural ability that had been awakened from the harsh training he underwent, or if it was due to Syn permanently altering his body, he did not know. Eventually, that instinct had become one of the two talents that Akira had acquired during the 1 week period.
[Talent: Instinct]
[Talent Rank: C]
[Talent Description: You have awakened the instinct to measure power greater or lesser than your own. It is both a blessing, and a curse.]
At first he didn't understand the curse part, but now he was feeling it in all its glory. While this talent could help him keep away from enemies stronger than him, at the same time a strong opponent could overwhelm his senses, paralysing him. Either way, all that mattered was that he had it, and right now those instincts were screaming at him,
'The person behind that door is strong!? Way too strong!?? Way stronger than Xander even! What the hell! Who is he!?'
Even if Akira tried to run away now, he'd properly catch up very quickly. He might've even been aware that Akira was on the other side of this door even, so he had no choice but answer.
'Why did she want me to talk to this monster??'
He took one step forwards, and instantly, the suffocating feeling doubled. Although no one else would be able to feel it, it was as if the density of the air suddenly grew, crushing Akira lungs. And yet, he had to press forwards.
As he continued towards the door, he was slowly losing the ability to breathe. Sweat trickled heavily down his face as his heart started to beat uncontrollable. Half way through he even started to clench his left hand so hard, that his finger nails were starting to dig into the palm of his hand, letting drops of blood trickle down and stain the carpet.
'Shit, I might piss myself.'
Now the door was within an arms reached. It was unlocked already, so all Akira had to do was just turn the knob and open it. Yet, just that thought was enough to make him his stomach churn.
Extending his blood stain free right hand, he grabbed onto the wooden door Knob, and pulled. Slowly but surely it was opening, and once he did, his fear instantly disappeared.
Since Akira was taking so damn long, the stranger had his back turned and was admiring the setting sun in the distance. Half of it had already disappeared behind the tall steel walls that trapped Gehenna, and yet it still remained just as beautiful.
But that wasn't the issue. Akira felt as if he knew who this man was. He couldn't even see his face, and yet the resemblance was already there.
'No.. If that's him, then what was he doing here? Someone like him wouldn't be here, he wouldn't allow a city a like this to exist! So it can't be him- right??'
The man slowly turned around, allowing Akira to see him in his full form. Indeed, it was who he dreaded to think of, and the fear which once gripped onto him tightly was now replaced by confusion, and slowly, rage.
The man was just a little taller than he was, standing at around 5 ft 10. He had tanned skin, and bright yellow hair with a muscular yet lean build. He wore a tight black tank top paired with black jeans, which had a chain hanging from its left pocket.
It was the Returner Ranked 2nd, God's berserker, Ryujin Benimaru.
The self proclaimed, strongest Borrower was standing right in front of him.