Andrea could not take her eyes off of Chloe– who is supposedly Van’s mother. Whenever Chloe was going home from her work in the bakery, Chloe was always the last one greeting her, blocking her path, and asking her how her day was.
At first, Andrea found it pleasing that someone always wanted to know how her day was. It also didn’t help that Chloe was a good-looking individual.
Wait, no. That doesn’t matter, Andrea quickly shook her head to retrace her thoughts.
Chloe always asked how her day was, but whenever Andrea was the one asking, Chloe would just suddenly turn her back and return to her boutique, selling all sorts of pendants in the shape of a feather.
This bald man, Hans, is telling her that this woman is Van’s mother? But she has such prominent silver hair, not to mention they have a different name. No, that could have easily been a fake name.
Still, Andrea found it hard to believe. If she really is Van’s mother, then Andrea should have recognized her even just by a little bit, but not even a strand of hair came to her mind.
“I told you, I erased most of your memories when I visited the Relic Graveyard. Not only you, but everyone in the Relic Graveyard has forgotten what she looked like.”
“!!!”
Andrea slightly backed away as she heard Hans’ words. Did… he just read her mind?
“Yes, that’s my Unique System. I can hear it, I can also see it displayed floating in front of you like… another window of sorts.”
“That’s…” Andrea once again shook her head, trying to not think of anything.
“…That doesn’t work,” Hans could only let out a sigh.
“Who is she?”
“Hm?”
Sarah, who has been quiet the whole time and was just focusing her effort on holding back Andrea just in case she goes ballistic again, stepped forward.
“Oh, she is–“
“No, it doesn’t matter!”
However, before Headmaster Hans could answer her, Andrea suddenly lifted up her sleeves and started stomping towards where Chloe was. “If she’s been here the whole time then why!?”
Andrea’s voice filled the entire darkness, even drowning the sound of thunders created by the guns, “You!” She pointed at Chloe, “Why did you leave your son alone!? You didn’t even bother talking to him! We passed you by so many times in the market but you didn’t even look at him!”
Even with Sarah holding her back again, Andrea was still able to advance towards Chloe.
“Say something!”
“…Who are you?”
“…Eh?”
***
Back in the Pit, Van was still staring at the Portal.
“You know, you’re starting to look like an obsessed child,” Nisha could not help but sigh. She had already gone away and done some other things, talking to the other women, and yet when she came back to the center, Van was still there staring at the Portal.
“I guess you really miss home that much, huh?” She then let out a slight giggle as she covered her mouth, “You’re 16 years old, right? You’re still pretty much a kid…
…But I guess the rumors are true, you really are planning to escape. Well, if you do, then take this red-haired buffoon with you.”
“Eh, me?” Gil, who was starting to doze off, blinked his eyes a couple of times as he woke up from having his name called, “…What about me?”
“…”
“Wait, are you really trying to escape, Van!? Are you sure about that? They will kill you as soon as you–“
“We get it, Gil. You’ve been saying that every day,” Nisha interrupted Gil with a loud sigh, “…But with his speed, it might just be possible.”
“Don’t give him any more ideas, Nisha!” Gil stood up, his voice rising in volume, “And Van, why are you so desperate in wanting to escape? Could it be… wait…
…Are you waiting for another Prisoner to get thrown here!? Is that why you’ve been watching the Portal this whole time? That’s reckless, Van!”
“…”
“I know you’re thinking that the Dome will be open, but there will be more guards as well!” Gil continued to convince Van not to attempt escape. Realizing that his voice is starting to reach the far corners of the Encampment, he whispered.
“You can’t, Van. There’s always a high-level Holder whenever they open the Dome just to prevent cases exactly like what you’re trying to do from happening.”
“That’s why I am taking you with me.” Van then quickly said.
“…What?”
“I will use you as a shield, if they recognize you, they might hesitate in killing us.”
“T… that–“
“Pft.”
Before Gil could voice his dismay, Nisha’s sudden chuckle reached his ear.
“This is not a laughing matter, guys!” Gil waved his hand, “They are going to kill you! Besides, it has been weeks since and no new Prisoner has graced us with their presence…
… I don’t think anyone is going to come soo–“
Before Gil could even finish his words, the Portal suddenly flickered.
“!!!”
And soon, a hand emerged.
“Get ready, mister Gil! I am just going to get Miss Latanya!”
“Wait, what!? Are you serious!?” Before Gil could even turn his head towards Van, he had already disappeared from his spot. Van weaved through the houses of the Encampment without pause, even destroying the door of Boss’ house.
Van only stopped when he saw Boss, who was currently in the middle of ecstasy. However, as soon as Latanya saw Van and the expression on his face, she instantly knew what it meant and quickly jumped from the bed, pushing away her triage.
Van did not even let her feet land on the floor as he caught her mid-air. He wasted no time as she carried Latanya outside. If Van didn’t have prior experience with Mr. Jacobs, he would have definitely had a hard time running while carrying her– It also didn’t help that her bosom was right in Van’s face.
And so, once again, he weaved through the houses, quickly returning back to the center of the Encampment. He didn’t even turn off his Skills as he made his way to Gil and recklessly grabbed him by the foot.
It didn’t matter if he got injured anyway, he thought. Latanya was with them.
And so, carrying Boss in his right arm, and dragging Gil on his right, Van quickly rushed to the Portal.
He was only a few meters away from the Portal, however, as soon as his eyes strayed towards the new Prisoner that was just thrown in the Pit… He stopped.
“!!!”
“You?”
“Are we outside!?” Boss shout, as well as Gil groaning and retching on the ground, resounded in the air, “This is… Why did you stop!? The Portal is right there, let’s go, boy!” Boss once again screamed.
Van, however, only looked at the newly arrived Prisoner near them. This was a face that Van could never forget, how could he? He was one of the people that were there when all of this started. He could only slightly snarl as he looked at his long and disheveled golden hair.
“…Gerald?”
“…You?”
The two stared straight at each other’s eyes; Confusion, animosity, as well as a little bit of familiarity, reflected on their faces.
“Van, what are you doing!? Let’s go!”
Latanya’s voice, however, quickly woke Van up from his stupor as he turned his head away from Gerald.
“Hold tight,” he said.
“W… wait! Are we really going to escape!? Why are you bringing me with you!?”
“Yes, hold ti–“
*BOOM*
“!!!”
Before Van could even finish his words, a thunderous roar echoed through the air, drowning any noise that attempted to stand against it. Even the ground beneath their feet started to tremble, as if afraid of what was about to come.
“W… what the… what was that!?”
“Another earthquake!? That’s the second time this month!”
“It’s the end, I tell you! It’s the end!”
“It’s the devil midget, I tell you! He’s a curse in our home!”
“N… no, look!”
“Is that… Is that coming from the Wall!?”
One by one, the Prisoners all started gathering as they stared at the cloud of dust building from afar.
“T…The Wall?” Even Latanya, who was eager to escape the place, could not help but stutter as she slightly lifted herself from Van’s grasp to see where the Prisoners were pointing at.
“It doesn’t matter,” Van muttered, “We’re leaving this place anyway!”
“No!”
Van was about to run, but before he could do so, Latanya freed herself from his arm and quickly rushed towards the cloud of dust.
“Where are you going!?” Van shouted. Latanya, however, didn’t even hear him as she continued to run away. “Gah!” Van could not help but scream in frustration. If only he didn’t stop to look at Gerald, then they might have already been outside this place. But alas, it would seem that this place still wanted him.
He can’t go without Latanya, there was a high risk of him dying, especially now that he knew that a high-level Holder would be guarding this so-called Dome. And so, he could only click his tongue as he followed behind Latanya.
“W… Wait!” Gerald quickly stood up from the ground, stretching his arm as he tried to chase Van.
Nisha, who watched the whole thing unfold, had her eyes wide open in shock at first. But after a few seconds, she shook her head and followed Van as well, carrying the panicking Gil on her shoulder.
Even though Boss wasn’t an Enhancer-type, it would seem that her level was high enough for them to reach the Wall in no time.
“What’s going on, Reed!?”
“I… I don’t know. But… that…”
It would seem that Reed was already waiting for Boss to arrive. However, he couldn’t form his words but instead just pointed towards the Wall.
“!!!”
“H… how!?”
Boss could not help but once again stutter as she saw the part of the Wall that Reed was pointing to.
Van, Nisha, and Gil were just behind Boss, and they too, had their eyes wide open with the view that was laid right in front of their eyes– a scenery of welcomed destruction.
The Wall, that once stood unbreakable and immortal; The Wall that held the Prisoners back from ever exploring the vast land in which they are trapped in… now revealed the extension of their world.
Its debris scattered across the clearing, even reaching as far as the forest in which all of the Prisoners were now standing. Their breaths were heavy, but still, the excitement within them could not be hidden as they stared at the huge gap that split the colossal wall.
They all stood in silence, but all of them had one thought in mind–
This world…
…was now open for them.
