Zeke and Fredric returned home, leaving their dirty shoes on the doormat. A thick ooze covered the floor, dripping from the two of them—a mix of dust, blood, water, and oil, much of which had attached to them during the explosion. "Shower," Fredric muttered, stumbling on his feet. "You go ahead. I'll clean up here first," Zeke said, putting both his and Fredric's clothes into a trash bag, sealing it, and placing it in the closet. The bathroom door slammed shut as Fredric went inside, turning on the faucet and letting the hot water wash over him, beginning to rinse away the grime and exhaustion from the day's events. Zeke went into the living room, switching on the TV before continuing to clean. He diligently scrubbed the floor, wiping away bits of blood and cyborg fluid that had splattered across the tiles. The mixture of dark red and iridescent blue left streaks that took considerable effort to remove, but Zeke worked patiently, his hands moving in steady, circular motions. All the while, he hummed a childish tune. Suddenly, the commercials playing on TV were interrupted by an emergency broadcast from Babel News, cutting abruptly into the commercial break. The host, Elin Shwartz, a news reporter wearing a navy-blue suit jacket and white blouse, appeared on screen. Her brown hair, slicked back with several blonde highlights, framed her firm yet welcoming expression as she sat at a desk representing her outlet. "Good evening to those tuning in, this is Babel News," she began. "We have an exclusive report from the Golden Baron Casino." A separate image appeared, showing the view of the ruined building with smoke rising high into the sky. "Based on our reports, tonight at 11 PM, a group of heavily armed intruders broke into the casino, attacking guards and customers alike. A gunfight ensued, during which the primary tower of the casino erupted into an explosion. Bits of fiery debris have been found halfway across the city. The building has sustained heavy damage, though experts say there is no immediate danger to its further integrity. Inside, however, the situation is far less fortunate. Many guards and visitors were found injured, and 67 employees have been officially pronounced dead as of now." Zeke's eyes widened, his face contorted, and his hands pressed his cleaning rag tightly and spastically against the floor. His breathing grew shallow, and his chest felt tight, his fingers trembling as they gripped the rag. A cold sweat broke out on his forehead, the pressure in his chest rising with each word from the broadcast, threatening to swallow him whole. Fredric walked out of the bathroom, intrigued by the news report. "Experts say the attack was likely the result of gang-affiliated terrorism," Elin continued. "Based on current assumptions, a certain criminal organization targeted the casino with the goal of taking the life of the casino's owner, Maki Lin—a well-known businesswoman, spokesperson, and inspiration to many aspiring entrepreneurs. Fortunately, by all accounts, Miss Lin seems to be alive. She has been admitted to a private hospital due to her injuries and is currently refusing correspondence. This is all we know for now about the incident. Be sure to stay tuned for further updates," she concluded, as the broadcast transitioned to another story. "Next on the news—a special grade investigator buys an orphanage. What could their motive be?" Fredric stepped forward and pressed the power button firmly, his jaw clenched as he shut off the TV with a swift, almost dismissive motion. "What a load of bullshit," he said, brushing back his wet hair. "They called us terrorists," Zeke muttered. "Yeah, well, those guys are always full of shit, hiring their so-called experts who have no actual clue about the dynamics of this city," Fredric replied, shaking his head. "Yeah, but we..." Zeke lowered his gaze. "We what?" Fredric asked, his expression turning annoyed. "Remember your little commando mission down in the Undercity? You ran around with a damn shirt over your face, shooting people in the kneecaps like a psycho. This? This is nothing. That explosion? Wasn't us! Hordes of armed forces throwing themselves at us under the command of a rogue A.I.? Not us!" Fredric paused. "All we did was help a guy with a debt he didn't actually owe and rescue some girls captured by my psychotic ex. Now, if you're done cleaning, go and get washed up. You really need a shower."

Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Zeke made his way to the bathroom, feeling the weight of the day pressing on him. He stared at his reflection in the mirror for a moment, his eyes dark and hollow. His hands were trembling slightly as he gripped the edges of the sink, trying to steady himself. The cool porcelain against his palms helped ground him, even if just a little. After splashing water on his face, he stripped off his clothes and stepped into the freezing shower, feeling his skin shrink around his body like saran wrap. His muscles twitched as he slammed his arms against the wall, breathing in a slow, deep, and controlled manner. "What am I doing?" he thought. "Is it really the right thing?" After putting on a new set of clothes, Zeke stepped out of the bathroom. The room before him seemed to twist and turn in an unnatural manner as his exhaustion began to catch up to him. Fredric stood in the kitchen, cooking, stirring something in a frying pan. The a wonderful aroma filled the apartment, a blend of sizzling spices, savory herbs, and the comforting warmth of cooked vegetables mingling together, creating an inviting and mouthwatering scent making Zeke's stomach growl in response. "So, you can cook, huh?" Zeke asked, stepping into the kitchen and pouring himself a cup of tea before sitting down on a stool near the cabinet. "Not sure if I can, but I enjoy it," Fredric replied stoically. "Well, it sure smells like it," Zeke said, sipping his tea. "This isn't really cooking," Fredric smiled. "I'm just throwing a bunch of canned food together, hoping it doesn't taste disgusting. I'm guessing you aren't much of a chef?" he asked. "I've been surviving on instant noodles and whatever they serve at the cafeteria," Zeke sulked. "You suck," Fredric laughed. "I know," Zeke laughed along. "Hey, I wonder if we can get some fresh ingredients somewhere. Then I could really cook up something good," Fredric remarked. "I've heard there's a gardening club at the academy. I bet they could lend us some produce," Zeke suggested. "Oh, I'll try asking them," Fredric paused, shifting his gaze. "Hey, sorry for being so rough lately. I shouldn't have said what I said. I understand what you're feeling. I felt the same way at some point. That was a long time ago, and eventually, I had to accept the violent reality of this place," Fredric explained. "What happened?" Zeke wondered. "Well, this was back when Maki and I were still together. About twelve years ago, I started the organization known as the Black Crow. We began as a group of bounty hunters that didn't work for credits. Instead, we—a team of six at the time—watched over the streets and cleaned them up. As time passed, we grew in fame, garnering many more members. I lacked the charisma to stay in my place as the leader, but even then, I didn't mind as long as we stuck to our values. But things changed. The new leader was different; he ran the organization like a business. And then, after gathering so many people and so much money, it still wasn't enough for him. He started a rebellion, bringing death to everyone who fought with him. "I warned them against raiding the knights, but they went ahead anyway. Later, when I tried to establish a haven for civilians to hide during the revolution, one of my own team members stabbed me in the back and left me to die," Fredric paused. "When the revolution failed, those affiliated with it quickly discarded the group and denied any association. The so-called leader was sentenced to exile—a fate far worse than death. As for me, I went down to the Undercity and won the Cradle of Fools." "I'm sorry to hear that," Zeke said, lowering his gaze. "It's all in the past now," Fredric said, grabbing a spoon, dipping it into the pan, and carefully blowing on the hot liquid before taking a small sip to taste what he was cooking. "When we first met," Zeke hesitated, "you told me you sought the Azure King. What did you mean by that?" "That," Fredric smirked, "you'll find out eventually."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.