The people on the truck were all quiet as Van remained in Charlotte's arms. They had been on the road for a few hours now and never once did she let go of him. But seeing as there was this vibration happening with his body, then maybe it was for the best. If the vibration was enough to chafe even Charlotte's skin, then the truck would have definitely been destroyed.

"What happened inside, White Imvubu?" The Standby unit leader once again asked Charlotte as he joined them at the back of the truck, "Please, I need to know so I could enter it into the logs."

​​

"Please don't disturb the White Imvubu any longer."

The Standby unit leader could not help but held a complicated expression on his face. He was required to know what happened inside of the Portal as he would put it in a report for the Explorer Association. But if the White Imvubu and even the Princess of the country itself didn't want him to know, what else could he do?

Finally, after asking repeatedly for hours, the Standby unit leader gave up and returned to his seat once more with a long and deep sigh. But as soon as he got in the front, he quickly grabbed his seat.

The driver quickly stepped on the breaks as a red-furred animal with the head of a human blocked their path.

"Ready to attack!" Adia, as well as Kamia and Angela quickly jumped off the truck, not even waiting for the truck to fully stop as they rushed to attack the monster. Ever since Charlotte and the others got out of the Portal, the monsters that remained peaceful have once again started attacking them, and so they have been killing every monster that they pass by.

It was a good thing that the colossal Stymphalian had not shown itself to them… at least not yet. With how large it was, it was probably about time for it to fly over them. Maybe since the monsters were once again hostile, it was busy feasting on the other monsters on the ground.

With Angela beside them, of course, it did not even take long until the manticore that blocked their path met its end. The Standby unit quickly retrieved anything they could from the melting manticore before the group once again headed on their way.

After the encounter, nothing unusual happened. Just the occasional monsters that were curious as to what the noise was, unfortunately approaching the truck before being instantly dispatched by Kamia.

Perhaps the only thing unusual that happened was that Van finally woke up from his mysterious slumber.

"Fuck, finally," Charlotte quickly dropped Van as she started stretching. The red spots all over her arms and torso also instantly started to heal, with Adia giving a jacket to Charlotte to cover herself up.

Van carefully grasped his head as he woke up with a bad headache.

"What's happening?" He quickly said as he scanned the people looking at him.

"Shouldn't we be the one asking that!?" Adia helped Van up, "What happened inside the Portal?"

"A beautiful god tried to kill us, but Angela was able to talk to her… and then I killed her," Van lazily said as he sat on the bench, "And then it turns out I am a god myself."

"I am serious, Va-an, what happened inside!?" Adia once again raised her voice, demanding for an answer.

"Good to see you're back to your usual self, boy," Charlotte could not help but let out a smirk as she heard Van's words, "Let Van rest, Adia."

"O… of course," Adia could only bite her lip as she took one final glance towards Van before once again returning to her seat with her shoulders down. Although the main reason she was here was to see if her parents were alive and if there was a chance to reclaim the Darkzone, she still wanted to be in on whatever the White Imvubu and Van were mixed in.

After all, the White Imvubu was her idol. And even if their relationship was fake and only for the masses to see, she still wanted to know more about Van. Because she was sure of it, she doesn't know how it developed and why, but as soon as she saw Van being carried by Charlotte, she felt heavy sadness dawn upon her.

She likes Van, she could even dare say that she might have fallen in love with him. Van had this certain appeal, like his every move just made her… attracted to him. Maybe it was because Van was different from the rest of the men in her country, or maybe because he was the White Imvubu's protege. But it didn't matter, Van had become important to her.

"Are you okay?"

Angela, who had been quiet the whole time they were on the road, finally opened her mouth as she sat beside Van, checking up if he's alright.

"I honestly don't know, Angela," Van quickly said as he gently grabbed Angela's hand.

"...Why are you calling me with just my first name?"

"Am I?" Van let go of Angela's hand upon hearing her words, "I am, aren't I? That's weird."

"You're weird," Angela bantered, "But I suppose it's not your fault… it was ours."

Angela's voice suddenly became weaker as her head turned downwards, "Charlotte is right, it is wrong what is happening to you. I know how much you're longing for a normal life… But I am afraid that's no longer possible."

"It's alright, Ange… Ms. Angela," Van said, "We're already here. I'm used to adjusting anyway," Van slightly chuckled as he looked at the passing scenery outside.

"If it's really that hard, you can just call me by my first--"

"Kree!"

Before Angela could finish her words, an almost deafening whistle entered their ears. The truck, as well as the trees that littered their path, all swayed to a beat-- the beat of a wing flapping.

"It's the giant Stymph!" The Standby unit leader screamed as he quickly got off the truck. The others as well, got off the truck, with the camera crew running to hide with their cameras professionally pointed at the approaching colossal bird.

"Good," Charlotte said as her feet landed on the ground, "Carrying a small man in my arms almost made my body stiff, at least I can exercise my old bones now."

Charlotte cracked her neck and knuckles as looked at the giant stymphalian. Seeing as its beak was cleanly pointed at them, it was already hostile just like the rest of the monsters.

"You guys just relax, I got this," Charlotte removed the jacket that Adia gave her, exposing the somewhat wrinkled but still smooth skin from the open patches of her suit caused by the vibrating Van.

Charlotte was about to jump, but before she could do so, Van got in front of her.

"Wait!" Van shouted.

"What!?"

"It's… saying something," Van closed his eyes as he tried to focus his ears, "...There's someone on its back."

"...What?"

As soon as Charlotte said that, a figure jumped from the top of the bird's head. Seeing who it was, Charlotte's excited expression quickly turned grave.

"...You?"

"Explain this to me, Evans…

...Why am I alive? And why could I go through the Seraph's gate?"

It was Artemis, still naked, with both her arms now intact.