Ascenders Rift

Chapter 128: Odd Changes, The Clover Squad

It has been roughly three and a half months since Evan and the others had entered the domain of Tusalon. Having conquered this Level 9 Lesser Space, they had once more returned to the space of Earth World. Now, the scene on the outside was unfamiliar to the eyes of everyone, including Evan himself, despite his prior experience.

Now that everyone had left the region once termed as the 'Undead Mountains,' free from its previous dark miasma and undead army. The sight that greeted them was the members of the Royal Armies, or otherwise called Royal Knights Hawk Unit.

Soldiers dressed in red pilot suits that drove red designed angular machines of a humanoid design, these sights were much different from the RDF's Reaper Division mechs.

Yet, though these mechs were surprising, this wasn't what shocked Evan; his eyes were more fixed towards the emblem of their chests, the symbol of a man raising his arm towards the heavens.

'What's going on here? Shouldn't these be the mechs belonging to the Royal Armies Hawk Unit? Why is the symbol different?' Evan pondered as he along with Joe, Rick, Layla, and the others observed as the red mechs flew over their heads in squads, chasing after a few flying evolved animals that seemed to be at the Level 4 standard.

Other than those mechs and soldiers, there were sights of many different independent parties, or rather, Ascenders. They roamed the fields and ruined cities, battling any straggling monsters from Lesser Space eruptions, as well as evolved animals.

Judging by their style of ancient medieval types of equipment, with only a few carrying standard modernized gears such as rifles and other gadgets, one could see that earth had entered an entirely new era.

Though Evan was unaffected, Joe and everyone else didn't think so much would change in their time apart from the outside world.

"God damn, these guys look even more professional than a regular troop from the army! Evan, take a look at what those guys are sporting!" Joe said with wide eyes as he stared ahead of them.

Following his sight, Evan and everyone noticed that a retrofitted pickup van, fitted with high powered weapons and heavy-duty alloy at its forefront and sides, was bolting in their direction at high speeds, moving across the somewhat debris-filled highway without pause.

Due to its attachments, anything that came in its path was crushed to bits as it even left behind a dust trail, its engine loudly revving as smoke came from its exhausts, showing that this was one of those classic model gasoline vans.

On the back of this van were three individuals; one was a dyed green-haired man with a flower tattoo on his forehead, he had sly eyes, small lips, and bushy eyebrows. He wore light armor and had two magic red gauntlets on both his arms.

At his sides was a black-haired mature woman in a green mage suit with a wooden staff in her hands, and a slender looking man who played with a 9mm UZI submachine gun. Both of these individuals also had a and a flower tattoo on their foreheads. Their faces carried a somewhat smug look as if they were at the top of the world.

Evan's eyes narrowed as he saw this party, he thought, 'The Clover Squad, if I recall correctly they were in the top ten expert lists back then, they did make it to the Fourth World, but that's were there luck ran out, underestimating those Drakos.'

Evan, having wrapped up his thoughts, everyone watched as the van, which was speeding hit its breaks as it made a loud screeching noise before pausing a few feets from their location.

The man with dyed hair slanted his head to the side, as it seemed that he noticed that three fine beautiful women were standing at the hands of three standard-looking... or rather, two outstanding-looking men and one fat one. 

"Wow! What do we have here? Such beautiful women are traveling in the middle of these dangerous roads, and by the company of three incompetent fellows. Tsk-tsk! This isn't good, I for one, can't stand to see such a sight. Ladies, I can see that you're all headed towards Earling Star, would you lovely women like a lift?" The man said with a polite tone, ignoring Rick, Evan, and Joe.

Evan was unphased as he had matured from such countless provocation in the last life, while Rick's eyes shone with murder, unable to quell his rising rage due to the words of the man that went towards Emilia. 

Joe also didn't like others hitting on his sister. He was about to act with violence, but right at this time, Breya spoke, "Excuse me, pal, your offer might be tempting, but I'm sorry to say that we're fine on our own."

"Hmm," The man ushered as he didn't think he'd be rejected, he looked at his party members and noticed that the mature beauty, the slender man and even the driver was snickering in silence.

He frowned as he felt a wave of anger due to his pride being insulted, but, though angry, he still knew his place in the world. He didn't want to provoke anyone wantonly, especially as he glanced at their party again and noticed that none of them even had on 'special equipment' but were still safe and sound in this dangerous environment.

"Fine, I won't continue to bother you, but if you beauties would love to meet up, just give me a call, my name is Reil Bradson," As Reil said this, he made a wave of his hand causing three papers to fly towards Breya, Layla and Emilia before he turned around.

The van then once more sped off into the distance as it headed towards Earling Star.

"Bah! Who does that guy think he is, some kind of apocalypse celebrity? I think he's better off posing for the box office instead of trying to act like he's some young master from some third-rate fantasy," Joe said with an unsatisfied tone.

"Haha, maybe so, but he didn't even pay attention to you guys. It seems you're going to need to work on your presence some more," Breya said with a teasing tone while tossing away the paper. Her eyes show mock as she looked at Joe, Evan, and Rick.

Layla and Emilia snickered at this as they looked at the trio, Evan felt a lost at words and shook his head, not bothering to comment on it. Joe, on the other hand, rolled his eyes and grabbed his belly as he spoke, "As if, with my size, I'd stand out anywhere, far more than some playboy with a tattoo of a flower."

Rick, also didn't like being looked down upon, he snorted and spoke, "Psh! He's only a common man, what does he have over royalty? Come, let's go, we haven't had anything good to eat in a long time, I say we treat ourselves at the best restaurant before we head off to that so-called quest of Evan's."

"That's right, food! Nothing beats a good meal after busting your ass for so long, this time I won't be taking it easy. I've even gone an lost a few pounds," Joe said while rubbing his belly which grumbled.

Emilia's mouth grew slightly runny, but as if she noticed something, she quickly wiped it and returned to normal, it seems that she wasn't willing to show all sides of her persona to just anyone.

"Fine, fine, as the prince wishes," Breya said with a tone as if she was coaxing a child.

Rick acted as if he didn't hear her and started walking, everyone soon after followed behind him as he led the pack like a king leading his subjects.

When everyone started walking away, Layla couldn't help but look at the silent Evan who seemed preoccupied as she asked, "So, Evan, how are you planning on dealing with the Mother Breed? Is there any place out there that's even safe for us to venture?"

The others hearing this also glanced at Evan while walking, Evan looked at them before he shifted his eyes towards the distance, gazing at the sky as if he could see beyond the horizon as he spoke, "There is, but if there is one major trouble we'll have to face. It is finding how to get there..."

Layla tiled her head at those words and spoke, "We'll have trouble reaching it? Is it hidden underground or something?"

Evan laughed as he replied, "Ha, if only things were that simple..."

Joe and the others looked at Evan deeply, but Rick then asked with a puzzled look on his face, "How are you so sure about all this? I still can't wrap my head around how you know so much about this world, not to mention those other strange things."

Evan made a mysterious smile and replied, "Let's say, I've been born with the knowledge of a few unusual things. Don't ask why, I'll explain as much as I can in time, for now, as you've said before I'm quite hungry, so we should hurry back to the city."

Rick narrowed his eyes, giving Evan an in-depth look for a moment before not pressing the matter.

"Okay~!" Joe and the others then replied as following their words, their bodies blurred and vanished from the road, fading into the distance like blurry remnant shades.

As they vanished, the scene here remained one of ruin, as the dust from the surroundings blew across the road with strong winds of the morning.