Having finished her cake, Lucrezia raised her left hand as if checking a watch she wasn’t wearing. “It’s late, can I go home now?”“I actually wanted you to stay overnight.” Nouel teased the girl again, clearly joking and not serious.“If that’s what you want, I don’t mind.” Lucrezia replied casually and effortlessly without any second thought. Nouel turned to her upon that response. “You wanted to hear me say that, didn’t you?”Nouel grinned mischievously in response, causing Lucrezia to stand up.“Stop your pointless jokes. I’m going home now.” Lucrezia intended to leave, but…“Wait, there’s one thing I want to ask you,” Nouel said, causing Lucrezia to stop in her tracks and look back at him.“Okay, I’m listening.” Lucrezia mumbled, showing no interest at all.After a few seconds of silence, Nouel, who stood in front of Lucrezia, put on a serious face and asked, “Do you know the whereabouts of Ferdinand Volkov?”The question was unexpectedly thrown, catching the girl off guard. Lucr
In the following days, Nouel continued the assigned mission, needing more evidence on the suspected rebels’ identities. General Carter Ross had granted permission for an extended reconnaissance mission, urging Nouel to gather clearer and stronger data for swift apprehension. Nouel, having completed his secondary tasks, promptly shifted focus to this crucial mission.Despite several days of surveillance on the five targets, there was no progress. These individuals resumed normal behavior, engaging in daily routines without any suspicious activities, complicating the mission and prolonging its duration.Currently stationed in the command room, Nouel, torn between finding Professor Volkov and prioritizing the mission, opted to concentrate on the latter, bolstered by newfound support.With undivided attention on the task at hand, Nouel aimed to conclude everything swiftly to prevent unforeseen events in the city. As usual, the holographic display showcased live videos from the wolf team m
Nouel embarked on his journey in his private car, equipped with complete armor and weaponry. The roads he traversed grew quieter and more remote. The destination was an area rarely frequented by the inhabitants of Lycaelus City—a part of the industrial zone, partially operational, partly under construction, and some left abandoned. Among the abandoned structures, some were half-finished, while others were completed.After a considerable journey, Nouel arrived at the specified coordinates. It was the location of a finished but non-operational building.Nouel adjusted his posture as his attention focused on the intended structure, a thirty-story building looming dark in the distance.Reading the data stored in his database about the building, Nouel stated, “Terrnick Industries. It’s a branch factory of that company, but it’s not in operation due to funding and licensing issues. I didn’t expect rebels to use places like this.”Nova appeared right beside Nouel, the AI assistant maintainin
In a museum, Team Sabertooth received a report about a group of special forces unconscious in a specific location. They were quickly deployed, and it didn’t take long for them to identify the unconscious cyborgs as members of the Wolf Team.“Report the status.” Veilus commanded, observing each cyborg unconscious in full armor and weaponry. From any angle, Veilus could assume they were in the middle of a mission.One of his subordinates saluted, then promptly reported, “Captain, no cyborgs or other humans, all confirmed casualties are Wolf Team members. We found no signs of a fight or gunfire around here, the cause of their loss of consciousness is still unknown. Judging from their tracks and positions, it’s likely they were rendered unconscious elsewhere, and someone intentionally brought them here. Report concluded.”The man clearly outlined the possibilities of what the entire Wolf Team had experienced.“I don’t understand, what happened to them? How can they all be here in the same
After obtaining permission and full authority to handle the search for Nouel, Lucrezia continued to work tirelessly. Although the condition of all Wolf Team members had been confirmed, it didn’t change Lucrezia’s mood. Currently, Nouel’s whereabouts remained unknown, with no signs or clues anywhere.As if intentionally avoiding tracking, Nouel shut down anything related to him, even hacking CCTV on the streets and everywhere else. The tracking of his armor and vehicle was inactive, turned off since leaving the base, preventing the search team from using that avenue. Indicator statistics were also inactive, keeping Nouel’s current condition unknown.Lucrezia kept trying to locate and contact Nouel, even scolding the Eagle team members working specifically in the command room for taking too long without making progress. Their efforts only reached dead ends.“What is that man doing? How can he disappear like that from monitoring?” Lucrezia wondered. She didn’t understand Nouel’s thought
As there were no detected signs of danger or hidden traps, Lucrezia approached the man directly, while her team members quickly dispersed to secure the area.“We’ve found the victim, we’ll proceed with the evacuation,” Lucrezia reported. After that, she knelt to align herself with Nouel’s height, lowering her weapon. She attempted to wake Nouel, who was currently unresponsive despite appearing conscious.“Nouelvaegnr, are you okay?” Lucrezia asked, gently shaking Nouel’s body. However, after doing this for several seconds, Nouel still didn’t react. “Hey, speak up, it’s me.”Lucrezia slapped Nouel’s cheek, immediately snapping him out of his dazed state. He looked directly at Lucrezia. Due to the slap, all of Lucrezia’s team members turned their attention towards them.“Ouch, that’s hurt.”“Are you alright?”“Hi, you look beautiful.” Nouel smiled, teasingly touching his cheek, wounded from the firm slap. “You really suit that armor, you look amazing.”Responding to this, Lucrezia rolle
Nouel and the entire team were confirmed to have no recollection of what happened. They were clueless about what had befallen them—whether it was the cyborgs or Nouel, the only human on the Wolf team. This became a mystery as it was the first time such a situation had occurred.No one knew or had information about everything that had transpired. There was no one to be questioned about all this. Nouel, the one expected to have answers, was suffering from a head injury that also caused him to lose his memory. Those behind all this had worked meticulously, leaving no clues.Nouel was actually advised to take complete rest after what happened, but he chose to exercise in the common room instead, seemingly eager to keep his body active. While he was doing push-ups on the floor, Lucrezia and Vera were already there, witnessing Nouel’s activities.“We were hoping for a stubborn fool lying in bed, but that seems to be wishful thinking.” Lucrezia remarked, placing her hands on her hips.Nouel
Several days had passed since Nouel’s capture by the rebels. That evening, Nouel attended a lavish banquet hosted by the nobility. It was a celebration of the successful mass production of implant chip technology, confirmed to be safe for every cyborg.The atmosphere that night was vibrant, filled with the hum of conversations echoing throughout the room. Well-dressed individuals, exuding an air of opulence, engaged in conversations or formed groups discussing formalities. Hanging chandeliers cast a glittering light upon the marbled floor.The enticing aroma of luxurious dishes filled the air, tempting the palate and captivating the senses. Attentive servers, dressed in uniforms, circulated among guests, offering trays of colorful drinks and delectable dishes. Melodic music filled the room.Nouel was elegantly dressed in a formal suit without a tie. As a precaution, he left his armor set in the car, still sporting his distinctive glasses that had become a familiar sight. Vera, accompa