The sky no longer looked like a sky. There was only an expanse of dense gray and dimensional rifts still leaving sparks of cosmic fire.
Thick smog mixed with the dust of ruins blanketed the land, which was now completely destroyed and shapeless. The air there was no longer normal; remnants of the absolute energy clash between Unknown and Polypus were scattered everywhere, creating gravitational pressure so heavy that anyone who breathed felt like their lungs were being pierced by thousands of needles.
In the midst of that gripping and deadly silence... tap... tap... tap...
Slowly, bluish-white searchlights pierced the thick smog. A group of Elite Hunter evacuation teams walked in unison, pushing through the rubble of destruction.They wore high-level anti-radiation and anti-mana protective suits, with advanced medical equipment gripped tightly in their trembling hands.
"Spread out! Look for any signs of life! Watch out for energy anomalies!" shouted the squad captain, his voice sounding hoarse behind his protective helmet.
After a long time combing through the sea of debris and explosion craters, hope was nearly extinguished. Until finally, the spotlight of one of the officers hit a silhouette at the bottom of the deepest crater.
"CAPTAIN! THERE'S A VICTIM HERE!"
The medical team rushed down. Their breath caught as they saw the sight before their eyes. It was Steve. However, his form was almost unrecognizable.
The young man who had just withstood the power of the King of Kings lay helpless like a broken doll.
His clothes were completely burned to ashes. His body was almost drowning in a puddle of his own blood, which was now starting to blacken and clot, mixed with the dust of destruction.
"My god... how could this kid survive in such a destroyed condition?!" shouted one of the surgeons in panic. He immediately dropped to his knees beside Steve, not caring that his white uniform was now covered in thick blood.
With hands moving as fast as lightning yet trembling violently, the doctor tore the remaining fabric on Steve's chest. His eyes widened in horror. The young man's heart was no longer beating, and the surrounding blood vessels had burst due to the overly brutal energy output.
"Internal bleeding in the heart area! Quickly, give me the high-level Mana-Defibrillator! Apply pressure to the bleeding! Hold on, kid! Don't die here!" the doctor shouted desperately, his hands pressing on Steve's ruined chest, trying desperately to pull Steve's soul back so he could survive the brink of death.
...
His dark vision slowly began to turn white as Steve's eyes opened. He was at the AH evacuation center; Steve lay on a bed with an IV drip inserted into his energy brain center.
He turned his head to see the other victims who were also being treated parents and children playing, smiling, and remaining happy despite their current condition.
Seeing them, Steve also smiled
Not long after, a nurse approached him carrying an information sheet. "Hello, Steve! You are being treated at the Hunter Association's evacuation base in the Nusantara area."
"Huh? What happened to Laponia and the AH headquarters?" Steve said in shock. "Ouch! My head."
"Oh my, please don't move too much. That area was destroyed by yesterday's attack, so you all are temporarily placed here," the nurse replied very warmly. "Alright, Steve, I'll be going now. If you need anything, just say the word!"
"A-alright!" Steve slowly got up from the bed. His stomach felt very hungry, so he immediately stepped out slowly to look for available food supplies.
Steve walked through the exit door. Gaki and a mysterious woman with black hair and sharp, red hexagonal eyes staring piercingly at Steve from behind her were already waiting for him.
Gaki looked sad; she hugged Steve tightly. "Bro Steve, thank goodness you're okay."
"Gaki... Gaki? What about our guild?! And who is that scary, cold woman behind you?" Steve said, startled.
"Our guild is safe because it's at the edge of Laponia. Oh right, let me introduce Shizuku. She is my mentor and my friend!" Gaki replied cheerfully.
Steve raised his hand, greeting Shizuku softly, "Oh, hello, Shizuku."
Shizuku's cold glare suddenly vanished, her mouth slightly open. "Oh, right, hehe! (It seems this guy is safe!)"
Gaki wiped her tears. She stepped back and took a lunch bag filled with food. "Here, Steve, Sis Ria entrusted this food for you! Make sure to eat it!"
The three of them walked together toward the outer environment of Nusantara. The sound of birds chirping emerged, fresh breath began entering their lungs, and the blinding light slowly faded. In front of them, a cluster of golden ripe rice fields filled their view.
Steve sat in a wooden hut, opening the lunchbox containing highly nutritious and delicious food. In a matter of seconds, the food disappeared in an instant, swallowed by a starving Steve.
Gaki, who had been sitting next to Steve, couldn't hold back her laughter. The girl handed him a cold bamboo water bottle.
"Slow down, Steve! You'll choke! Good thing Sis Ria brought a massive portion, otherwise, you might have chewed up this hut too! Hehe."
Steve grabbed the bottle, gulped down the water until it was empty, and then let out a long sigh with a very satisfied look on his face.
On the other hand, Shizuku let out a soft sigh. She folded her arms across her chest, then sat on the edge of the wooden hut's platform.
A gentle breeze blew again, dancing through her pitch-black hair.
The atmosphere in this Nusantara evacuation area truly felt like a hidden paradise. As far as the eye could see, there was only a sea of golden rice fields rustling softly like waves in a calm ocean.
To the east, the silhouette of a majestic mountain range was lined up, covered in a thin mist that slowly evaporated under the warmth of the morning sun. The distinct scent of wet earth from the morning dew and the fragrance of wild grass truly pampered the lungs.
"Gaki never stops talking about the 'New Kid' in the Guild who is said to be incredibly strong..." Shizuku's voice broke the silence. Her tone was flat, calm, but no longer carried the murderous aura from the hallway earlier. Her eyes looked at Steve. "...I hope you can be a good friend to Gaki."
Steve just grinned widely while rubbing the back of his neck, which was still bandaged. "Don't worry about it!"
In his heart, Steve was grateful that Unknown wasn't being talkative. The man seemed to be fast asleep or unconscious inside his body due to the exhaustion of forcing their energy limits while fighting Polypus.
"By the way," Steve's expression turned serious, looking back and forth at Gaki and Shizuku. "You said our Guild is safe because it's at the border... So, where are Kregk and the rest of The Great Hunter members now? Were there any casualties on our side?"
The red-eyed woman gazed toward the distant mountains with a look that was hard to read.
"Most of our Guild members survived, including Mr. Kregk, who is currently holding an emergency meeting at the Nusantara Main Hall with the leaders of other organizations."
Shizuku turned to Steve, giving him a warm smile. "Fortunately, that mysterious creature suddenly disappeared, so we are all safe!"