"Also, good work with finding that girl. How's her training going?" Raia asked.

"Her training is going pretty great. Even though it took two years to get her out of that facility without destroying it, it was worth it. She learned a lot in her last six years of training here. She's almost ready," Vega replied.

​​

"That's good. Keep your focus on her. By the way, have you managed to find anything from the research of those scientists? How did they manage to make her like that?" Raia inquired.

"That is still a mystery. I did get some records from them, but they are incomplete and missing some crucial points. Our people are still trying to understand," Vega answered.

"Tell them to work faster. If we can understand that, maybe we can make her stronger," Raia said, nodding. "You can leave now."

Vega stood up and departed.

After Vega left, Raia called for Yaliza and Kellian in his office, who came without any delay.

"I want you two to go to Kensington. Lucifer should be there. Find him and bring him back to us," Raia commanded the two men.

"That kid is found?" Yaliza asked, surprised. "That's good. We'll go there right away."

"Be careful. He isn't a kid anymore, and he's stronger too. Even though he won't attack you, still be careful," Raia reminded the men.

"We would be careful," Kellian affirmed. He and Yaliza left the office of Raia, prepared to depart from the base.

They advanced towards the helicopter, which was already waiting for them.

As the two of them reached the helicopter, they saw a person already standing there.

"Tristan, what are you doing here?" Kellian asked, noticing a young man standing at the entrance of the helicopter.

The man was holding a sword which was in its sheath.

The dark-haired man grinned as he answered, "Where are you two going? I also want to come with you!"

"Stop playing around. We're going on an important mission. We can't take you," Kellian said, shaking his head. "Step aside and let us leave now."

"That's what I'm asking. Where are you going that I can't come? Come on; I'm bored here. Let me come," Tristan insisted.

"No. We are going to bring Lucifer. Only two of us are supposed to go since he knows us well. You stay here. There's no reason to bring a crowd," Yaliza chimed in, refusing as well.

As Tristan heard the mission, he was even more excited. "To bring Lucifer? Awesome! I must come too! He is with that swordsman who killed all those APF members. I want to see him! Come on! I promise I won't do anything bad!"

" You can't come with us! That's final! We know how you are. When you see that swordsman, you'll start craving for a battle. We need to be friendly, and that's why you can't come," Kellian let out, rolling his eyes.

"I promise I won't fight! I'll be friendly. Please. I just want to see him. And I'm getting bored here. I swear I won't initiate a fight," Tristan insisted again as he stepped inside the helicopter on his own and sat down.

Kellian looked at Yaliza, smiling wryly. "What should we do?"

"Let's just take him. Convincing him not to go will be too time consuming," Yaliza replied, sighing.

Kellian glanced at Tristan, who was sitting inside the helicopter, hugging his sword.

"Fine. You can come as well," he ultimately said as he also entered inside the helicopter.

Yaliza also sat inside the helicopter, which started flying.

....

Lucifer and Ayn had joined the others at the dinner table.

"Please use a spoon as a spoon this time," Lucifer reminded Ayn as he sat on a chair.

"This place is really big. Where is it?" Ayn inquired as she also sat down. She wasn't in a hurry to escape as she had already planned for the night.

"It's Legion City. My home, of course," Lucifer let out, lying. Even though he knew that it didn't matter, even if she knew the truth, he still preferred lying.

Ayn suspiciously looked at Lucifer but didn't say anything. She started eating normally like she was at home.

Lucifer found it somewhat odd. She didn't give a sharp response. She also didn't seem worried.

"So, Ayn. Are you planning to escape later?" Lucifer casually asked as he also started eating. Veracity was here so he could expect the truth.

Ayn also realized that Veracity was on the same table. She knew her lie was going to be caught. So instead of lying, she kept her silence.

"It's bad manners to speak while eating," she reminded Lucifer, rolling her eyes.

" I'll take that as a yes," Lucifer replied, smirking.

"You know, you're actually pretty stupid to be a leader. By now, a person should just give up and accept reality," he commented casually.

Cassius also decided to chime in.

"Miss Ayn, I don't know you properly, and neither do you know me. But I think you should help us. This is the right thing to do. You can't support injustice, or a lot more people will die, which I don't want to happen."

"Who are you to teach me what to do?" Ayn asked sharply.

"I am not from this country. Just think of me as a visitor and a friend of Lucifer. As much as you may think otherwise, I care for the life of innocents. I don't want to have him kill innocent people," Cassius answered.

"Just tell us what we want to know, so there are as few casualties as possible," he further said. "So please cooperate with us."

Ayn didn't reply as she kept her silence. Even though she believed Cassius was wrong, she kept mum.

This conversation was moving towards an interrogation, and she didn't want that. She needed to somehow delay the conversation at least until tomorrow.

As Ayn didn't speak, Cassius also stopped. He had said what he wanted to. After this, it was Ayn's choice.

Soon, everyone finished dinner. Lucifer took Ayn back to his room while telling Veracity to get to his room as well.

...

"Have you seen the report?"

Just like the Variant Uprising, the APF had also received information of strangest black lightning falling in Kensington city.

Riali was standing in Varant's office to give him an update on the situation.

"What report?" Varant asked, curious. "I've been busy trying to get updates about Ayn."

"The appearance of black lightning. There have been reports of heavy rain in Kensington where people also saw black lightning fall in the city," Riali explained.

"Black lightning from the sky? I do remember seeing that before, but it should be impossible now," Varant let out, frowning. "Are you sure it was real black lightning and not just some rumor?"