CH 82

"I don't understand! I thought you said you got this handled!"

A deep and furious voice rang out from the other side of the phone as Dr. Prime's eyes were already tearing up from the pressure. He didn't know what to say now, things are getting way out of hand.

Is there even something he could say that would help his situation?

"Sir! The energy signature is still increasing at an exponential growth! At this rate, it could blow up at any minute now! Please give us your command!" An extremely worried Pale looked towards the direction of his commanding officer. If someone asked him what to do, he'd only reply with a clean and concise sentence.

'We need to get the fuck out!'

"Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Give me an estimated explosion yield, and possible outcomes." Dr. Prime wasn't even in the room when the problems started to occur. Something that irked him to no end.

Although that didn't matter when his name was in the damn first page of their project. If something goes wrong, it's either his fault that it is happening or it's his fault for allowing it to happen in the first place.

"Given the amount of energy it has collected, an explosion the size of the entirety of Sector 3 is imminent. The resulting force of which will probably wipe out everything and everyone in its range while the resulting mana radiation could possibly cause more damage. As for other possible outcomes, there is no data to even start a hypothesis with!" A frantic Pale couldn't help but think about his family that's living in Sector 3. If they don't do anything about it in the next ten minutes, there is going to be nothing left for him to even bury.

"Damn it! Stay here! Keep a close eye on the energy readings, update me when a change occurs!" Dr. Prime left the survaillance room and went to his office. If he was told that there would be a day when he'd have to call the Associates to stop what is essentially a bomb from going off someday, he'd be laughing his ass off. But reality just hits you like a bus when you least expect it.

Inside his office are two safes. One is hidden behind his painting of the first 'Real Scientist' Erwin Jaeger. This one is used to store his more recent projects with their corresponding blueprints and what would probably amount to half of his lifetime savings. There's also the handgun he got from Raphael Linton way back when, something he kept for protection. Just cause, you never know when trouble comes your way.

But right now, what he wanted to access was the secret safe he kept behind the safe behind the painting. Access to this one needed another code to be placed on the access pad in the first safe.

[Four, Four, Four, Enter.]

"Beep. Beep. Beep."

An alarm that would have thrown most thieves off sounded out, but it is hurriedly stopped by pressing 'Enter' once again. While the first safe carried his 'basic' plans, this safe carried his actual 'hopes and dreams' type of plans.

Three of his most precious inventions and discoveries that had never seen the light of day, ones he wanted to keep until he finally creates his own company after he retires from this stressful place. But now, he had to use one of them as a bargaining chip to get the Associates to move for him. He'd probably have to give up another one as well if push comes to shove.

'So, other than the energy laser weapon, which one should I give up?'

A choice between his two most beloved projects were presented in front of Dr. Prime. It was either his newly developed Unabridged Shield Generator that has been primed and tested for a few months now or the working Linton Diamond to electricity generator that he had kept in storage for a good four years now. 

Both of these can make him a lot of money, but also a lot of enemies. However, if he doesn't fix his mistake now, he'd stand to lose everything. He had to make a choice while he's still got one. Picking up his phone, he took out one of the plans along with the plan for the energy laser weapon.

" Ring. Ring ."

'Come on! Pick up!'

"Hello? It's me, Prime. I request an audience with the Associates!" As soon as the line went through, Dr. Prime immediately spoke out loud. Haste and fear evident in his tone.

What greeted him was a calm and gentle voice, in contrast to his frantic one. If he had to guess, she's probably someone from the second level.

"Dr. Prime, it's been a while since we've last heard from you. Will you be availing one of our services today?"

...

Meanwhile, Zel and Emilia had removed themselves from class and decided to have a chat in the school's botanical garden. The only place they can go without being disrupted and where no one can overhear their discussion. Probably the only place in the school that can do both, as well as have a seat to boot.

Right now the two children were sitting on a bench side by side as Zel narrated their future together. He started with how they met, how his life had changed due to his awakened ability of foresight and how he pretty much had to go back in time to make sure the apocalyse doesn't happen.

But the shortening of the very long story only gave the girl more confusion than necessary. Especially since the topic of time travel isn't something the little girl can understand in one sitting.

There's also the whole, 'we are doomed' part that caught her off guard. In the little girl's mind, she was just happy that she stopped being sick a few weeks ago. Now she hears about this whole doomsday event that will basically wipe out all the places that she wanted to see without her ever seeing them. Even more tragic was that she'd probably lose her life during said apocalypse.

"So let me get this straight, you're saying that you came from the future, and this is all just... what?"

Looking at Zel's serious expression, Emilia couldn't help but feel that he was serious. No matter how ridiculous it sounds, it's not that hard to accept given that she was already experiencing a similarly outrageous situation. If she was being truthful though, his circumstances were much more far fetched than hers.

'I really don't want to go through this again.'

Reading his thoughts, Emilia was really able to believe him now. His look of exasperation at having to talk about this showed that it isn't his first time doing this. But there's still the many doubts and concerns she wants to ask him.

"If you want answers, then accept this."

"Huh?"

"Toph, give Emilia an invite to be a part of the council."

[Affirmative. Invitation sent.]

[Greetings Emilia Halsey, you are hereby invited to join the Council of the Pantheon. If you are willing to accept the terms and conditions below, please say 'I accept'. If not, please say 'I decline'.]

[The terms and conditions of this contract are hereb-]

"Give her a short version Toph, give everyone I invite the short version." Waving his hand in the air, Zel leaned back on the bench while looking at Emilia's clear, blue eyes. He wondered if they had a daughter, would the little darling look like her mother or her father?

[Understood. For the King's role in this contract, he shall provide the Council member with the following benefits and privileges:

-Access to the Follower Status Function

-Access to a Cerebral Kingdom Entrance Key

-Council Membership Store]

[As for the Council member's delegations, these are the responsibilities that are expected of the invited:

-Protection of the King

-Assistance in the development of the King's territory

-Recruitment of followers for the King]

[Do you accept or not?]

"You can choose not to join, but I can only do the shortcut if you do. I can't let anyone in the Memory Hall without recruiting someone first. I'm planning on recruiting someone tomorrow, but then you'd have to wait for that to finish." 

Zel looked at the hesitant Emilia whose eyes were scanning the words written in the air in front of her. It was hard to just accept that she really was seeing a floating sentence in front of her, what's up with the 'King' part as well. Is he delusional or something?

'Honestly, I just want the first one to remember me to be you.' But it was only when she heard his thoughts that she finally decided to accept. If she can't even trust his inner thoughts, how could she call herself his friend.

"I accept." As soon as she spoke those words, Zel's ring suddenly left his finger and hovered in the air. As the ring floated there, its body visibly bloated, expanding to a size much greater than what it used to be. When it reached a size similar to that of a normal door, it stopped expanding. The hole then burst out a light that connected with Zel's chest, right above where his heart is.

"Go in, I'll show you your future."

Before she could reply, Emilia watched as Zel leaped to the ring's center and disappeared. She was sure that he entered because she could see his hand being held out. Waiting for her hand to reach for it.

"I'll let you remember me, I want you to know that I found my way back home."

As soon as those words reached her heart, she couldn't help but suddenly want to go inside. She wasn't sure what would happen if she did, but her heart won't let her go if she didn't. Like she'd never be able to forgive herself if she left now.

"Fine!" Emilia, who held on to that inviting hand, felt her body jump to through the portal. Where she'd go, she didn't know. She just felt her body lighten when she finally decided to do it.

"Boom!" Just as the portal in the middle of the ring took in Emilia as well, a resounding explosion happened just below the school. Deep below the ground, a small black gemstone flickered with a strange black glow. Throwing out sharp, jet-black rays of 'light' that cut apart the mana crystals the shackled it.