The skies and the earth roared as the ground beneath Charlotte started to tremble. The earth was as if a drum and Charlotte held the wand that almost magically transformed the land.

"This… is amazing," Sarah could not help but be in awe with what she was seeing right now. They were already quite a distance away from Charlotte, so they could clearly see what she was doing to the land.

​​

The people from the Pit also watched as Charlotte changed the terrain itself with just the stomp of her foot. From this distance, Charlotte was already as small as a pebble. A pebble that disrupted a peaceful pond, that is, as the earth around her rippled with her as the center.

The only ones that did not have their jaws open were Van and Angela. Van already knew what Charlotte was capable of. She experienced it firsthand when she wanted to spank him for no reason, after all.

"...Won't the Portal break if Miss Charlotte does that, Ms. Elton?" Van asked Angela.

This was the reason why she was currently changing the terrain, in order to expose the Portal of the Pit that was buried underneath all the rubble.

"What? No. Why are you stupid, Mr. Evans?" Angela slightly snarled at Van, looking at him weirdly, "Did the Academy not teach you anything? Did I not teach you anything? I swear, throw knowledge in front of these kids and they won't even know what to do with it. Kids these days are ungrateful little brats, right? Am I right?"

"...", Van could only shut his mouth as Angela began suddenly scolding him.

It has been a while since Van saw his advisor that he almost forgot how weird she was. This was the woman who kept creatures from the Portals underneath Unique Class-1, illegally.

"...Evans."

As Angela continued rambling and Charlotte kept the ground rumbling, Sarah approached Van. She hoped to talk to him about what he meant earlier that she was the one who sent him to the Pit. But alas, Van completely ignored her as he faced Angela Elton instead, asking her a question.

"You mentioned something about… my mother!?" He asked. Due to the noise that Charlotte was making, Van had to slightly shout… or maybe it was just because he was mad at Sarah.

"Oh, yes," Angela nodded a couple of times, "Should I tell you? I might as well, yes? We're already here anyway."

"..."

"We were with your mother before we were kaput from the skies," Angela let out a short sigh as she looked up, "That brat Hans had everything planned with your mother. We were going to rescue you, build a base around the Pit. Hans was saying something about you rallying up the population inside the Pit. How he knew that fact, I have no idea. Your mother truly is an interesting creature… maybe even more than you. Did you know that she is the first System Holder in the world? No? Of course not. You know nothing, Van. I am guessing you also don't know all your suffering is because of her? No? Maybe it's better for you not to know. Tch, but I already told you. Maybe this should be coming from your mother's mouth in the first pla..."

Seeing Angela began talking without pause, Van could only tilt his head from time to time, trying to make out anything from whatever Angela was saying.

"W… wait," Van quickly raised his hand as Angela began to once again talk to herself. She said a lot of things and it made it hard for Van to follow her, but with the things he has heard, she was saying some important things about him and his mother,

"What do you mean all my suffering is because of her?" Van asked.

"Oh my, oh my. Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut," Angela said as she covered her mouth, "I don't want to get in trouble with Master Evangeline, I am keeping my mouth shut now."

"...Why are you calling her master?"

"Did I say that? No? Maybe."

Van wanted to ask more questions, but Angela was already rambling to herself, completely ignoring any words that were coming out of Van's mouth.

"I can tell you, Evans."

Seeing this opportunity, Sarah once again approached Van. This time, her tone was adamant.

"..." But once again, Van only glanced towards Sarah before turning to look at Charlotte, who was still busy rearranging the terrain to try and find where the Portal might be hiding.

"Can you just please talk instead of being a miserable child?" Sarah's eyes started to twitch as she grabbed Van's shoulders.

Van glanced at her hand before slowly looking at her straight in the eyes, "I don't trust you, Sarah," he then said. "Andrea shouldn't have trusted you either."

"I didn't do anything!" Sarah almost wanted to pull her hair in frustration, "Whatever that manchild, Chris, told you, it isn't true! I even tried to stop them from throwing you into the Pit since it was obvious that all you did was in an act of self-defense!"

"..." Van only let out a scoff as he pushed away Sarah's hand as he once again stood beside Angela.

"E… Evans."

Sarah could only let out a long and deep sigh as Van once again completely ignored her presence. If only Andrea was here already, then she would probably scold Van. That Chris as well… Sarah swears she would beat the crap out of him as soon as they meet each other again. It was obvious that he was the one who instigated the plan of Van's imprisonment.

Her grandfather didn't even know about Van's existence before.

"She is telling the truth, you know," Angela could only shake her head as she noticed Van standing beside her, "...But I have a feeling you already know that."

"Maybe," Van breathed, "Let's… find the others first."

Everything was happening so fast and so unexpectedly. It was as if the people he was just with a couple of hours ago completely shifted. His friends might be in the Portal… and now maybe Andrea is out there somewhere as well.

Just what exactly is happening?

His mother, whose face he doesn't even remember anymore was now suddenly making an appearance in his life. And even trying to rescue him?

"What did you mean earlier when you said that she was the reason for all of my suffering?" Van once again repeated his question. This time, his tone was calm.

"...It is best if it comes from her," Angela said, "Forget what I said earl--"

"I want to know," Van insisted, "If what you say is true, then I have no plans on meeting her at all. So please, you might as well tell me now, Ms. Elton. Aren't you my advisor?"

"Was," Angela scoffed, "The Academy doesn't even exist anymore."

"...What?" Van blinked numerous times as he heard Angela's words, "What do you mean by that?"

"I destroyed it… without the students, of course."

"What? Why?" The revelation of his mother was still fresh in his mind, and now this?

"We are at war, Mr. Evans," Angela said as she squinted her eyes, "...A lot of things have changed since you were sent to the Pit. This country is not the same as before and will never be."

"A war?" Again? Van thought. It would seem that wherever he goes now, there was war. The Prisoners versus the Locals, the Pit People against the City Guards… and now that he was outside, another war welcomed him.

"Yes, Mr. Evans. A war," Angela repeated as she looked straight in Van's eyes, "And you are right at the center of it," she then said as she placed a finger on Van's chest.

Van could only return Angela's stares as he was becoming even more confused. He was already asking questions, but it did nothing but open up more questions. He was going to ask once more, but before he could do so, the thunder that's been persevering in the air for a while now grew even stronger-- causing Van's hair to flow to the side.

"Finally," Angela said as she rushed towards Charlotte's position. Van could only let out a short but deep sigh as he chased Angela. Sarah and the others as well began heading towards Charlotte's position.

"That took you long enough, muscle demon," Angela said as soon as she reached Charlotte's position, the White Portal, now reflecting in her eyes.

"The ground was taller than I thought it would be," Charlotte let out a slight scoff as she glanced back towards Angela, "...Unlike you."

"At least my body doesn't look like it belongs to a man."

"Yeah? You're happy with your child-like body?" Charlotte then smirked, "Isn't that why Edgar left you?"

"He didn't leave, you stole him from me!"

"..."

Van, who was behind Angela, could not help but halt his steps as he might have heard something he shouldn't have.

"Enough, enough," Charlotte waved her hand as she stepped towards the Portal, "Let's check if they're inside the Portal. Say, when was the last time we were inside a Portal togeth--"

"Tch," Angela didn't let Charlotte finish her words as she leaped into the Portal first. Charlotte only let out a slight chuckle as she stepped inside the Portal next, her smile disappearing before she entered as she wished to see her family… even if it was only their body.

Sarah then followed, hoping to see Andrea inside. Van was about to follow them inside, but before he could do so, someone called him from behind.

"Mr… Mr. President."

"Hm?"

Van looked back, only to see one of the survivors wearing a soldier's uniform saluting towards him. "Thank you for rescuing us."

There were other people behind the soldier, as well, who were saluting towards him.

"..." Van could only blink a couple of times before nodding his head.

"Do you have any orders for us?"

"...Guard this place. If you have any family or friends you have yet to see, then come inside." Van nonchalantly said before entering the Portal.

"Okay, sir," the guard did not take off his salute for a few seconds even after Van was gone.

Van could not help but close his eyes with the sudden brightness that showered his eyes as he entered the Pit once again.

"!!!"

He was about to open his eyes, but before he could do so, he felt his body slightly move as someone suddenly embraced him.

"Brother!"

"Wha…" Van could only slowly open his eyes as he felt his whole body being squeezed even tighter by the familiar arms that suddenly wrapped around him. He turned his head upwards, only to feel something warm drop on his face.

"...Andrea," Van whispered as he saw Andrea's crying face,

"...Your snot is falling on my face."