Second Genesis

Grey didn’t even know where to go.

He didn’t want to go back to the city, but going back into the hub sounded like its own nightmare.

The city had nothing for him but memories that pissed him off. Globb died there, Memm died there, Edmun died there. There was nothing but bullshit around every corner and every single brick on the road was another fucking piss take.

As for the hub, he hadn’t even been there long and yet there was nothing but nonsense there too. They didn’t even know him yet every one of them wanted to target him. He didn’t even bother to explain, what was the point? Did he look like someone who groveled for the sympathy and acceptance of other people?

’They’re all fucking adults yet they act like children. Fucking hacks.’

BANG.

Grey’s fist shattered a chunk out of a tree.

His gaze shifted toward it. It almost looked like something had taken a bite out of it, its body swaying more in the wind now than ever before. However, Grey was looking less at the body of the tree and more at his own strength.

He couldn’t have ever fathomed doing something like that back on Earth. But during his battle with Terran, they had leveled an entire mansion estate to the ground. Compared to then, he was even stronger.

All that power and it felt meaningless.

Grey rested his hand on the tree and closed his eyes. The splinters that threatened to split his palm couldn’t even make it through his skin. They bent away as though meeting a flexible metal.

He really didn’t think he needed the validation of people. But normally, back on Earth, if someone pissed him off, he would just move on and find new friends.

He had never had problems making friends before, and he would be friendly with anyone that would be friendly to him. He had never experienced the feeling of sheer isolation he felt everywhere he went in this place.

It felt like there was a new enemy around every corner, and even people he hoped that he could trust seemed just moments away from gaining enough benefits to turn away from him.

Amunet stabbed him in the back. Silva just helped him out because his master wanted something out of him. Maybe even Edmun only took him in as a disciple hoping that he’d become strong enough one day to get revenge for him.

Who was he going to trust? Brad? Stella? Mauve?

Didn’t they just need him so they wouldn’t have their lives dictated by whoever was elected their leader?

They hadn’t just up and decided to treat him better just because. Even if Megan was Mauve’s friend—an impossible coincidence to be sure—if Grey wasn’t as strong as he was, would they even go out of their way to apologize to him? Or would they be too busy trying to survive to care?

’Dammit. You’re such a pussy.’ Grey ground his teeth. ’I don’t need fucking friends.’

Grey’s nails scraped along the wood as he pulled his hand back. He looked at his status screen, his eyes landing on the pending quests.

’I’ll go do those.’

With the Prometheus Spark Flame Quest cleared, he had two pending quests left. One was the Mechanical Jaw Spirit Quest and the other was Edmun’s quest.

The latter quest was probably the more difficult. Both of them were Legendary Quests, but the heir quest had a Vector Class distinction tagged to it.

Until now, none of his Quests had had a Class distinction. Yet, Legendary Quests had always lived up to their difficulty.

His first Legendary Quest had literally cursed him and took him becoming a Last Paladin to clear.

’Mechanical Jaw it is...’

He had a map that pathed out his way to get there, and after the three city maps he had bought, the terrain around it was all fleshed out as well. He knew exactly how to get there.

He didn’t need these people.

Grey frowned and he turned back when he heard a rustle. Maybe he was too annoyed to pay attention to his Resonant Sense, but Mauve had stepped through a clearing. She seemed a bit hesitant.

Not long after she appeared, Brad did as well.

They both weren’t sure whether to approach or not, and honestly speaking, Grey didn’t even want them here right now.

Mauve hesitated one more time but after a moment, she quickly stepped forward and handed Grey what looked like a bound diary. It had a worn leathery exterior that had seen better days. Its hide almost looked like a couch that was about ten years too old.

"Things didn’t work out, but I still want you to have this..." She hesitated again but then shook her head. It was impossible for Grey to not think it was another power play. No matter how much she said it wasn’t, that wasn’t just something you could say and hope it would get through. It took a long time and consistent action. "... It should have all the information you need in it. I managed to take it from Baron Giyoto’s study."

Grey’s gaze flickered. He seemed to be struggling with something.

After a long while, he closed his eyes and exhaled a breath. Reaching forward, he took the diary.

"Thank you."

Grey pulled out the Mon Amie disk and handed it over. He couldn’t store it anywhere, so he had just had it in one of the pockets of his cargo pants.

Maybe it was idiotic to give up something like this. But he really didn’t want to have anything to do with it anymore. Plus, he suddenly felt bad.

She didn’t have to do this. At the very least, she could have asked for some credits in exchange.

"Be careful when you’re selling this. I’m sure it’ll come with its own problems. But you’re smart enough to figure it out."

Grey stored the diary away in his inventory, turned, and left.

Mauve wanted to go after him, but in the end, her shoulders sank. She could tell that Grey didn’t want to be around anyone right now.

Brad’s gaze flickered with a complicated look. It seemed that he had misunderstood Grey again. He had thought that he only helped for Mauve’s body, but he had left without even trying.

Mauve looked down at the disk in her hand, wondering what it was after Grey vanished.

But when she inspected it, her eyes widened into saucers and her heart stopped beating entirely.

It was right then that the skies seemed to go dark.

BOOM.