A jeep pulled to a stop at the front of the north gate of Mirage city. There was a huge dent in the bonnet as if the car had been rammed right into a immovable cylindrical object. A surprisingly well dressed woman pivoted out from behind the driving wheel and landed softly on the ground. The crowd that had been queuing up to go through the gate all stopped their bickering and stared incredulously. The reason it was surprising was because, since the world began to collapse, hygiene had long since been thrown out of the window. It's not liked no one cleans themselves up these days. It's just, only those who are part of huge bases like Mirage city get the luxury to clean themselves up. The rich and high level mercenaries or adventurers are given special previlages such as a villa in the city center with well maintained plumbing, security, and higher level clearance to gain access to purchase some very rare resources, invitations to VVIP events, and many more.

The poor, or people who live in the outskirts of the city, have to collect tasks from the government office to earn some credits. People who choose to go down this route are referred to as mercenaries. Or, the common folk could join the adventurers guild and collect various tasks from there. These people are called adventurers. The poor, unlike the rich, has no access to running water and could only purchase water from shops using the credits they earn from task. Same goes for food and other necessities. They clean up by using a, shower-in-a-can. Which does as the name suggests.

Now, one can see why all this people would be stunned. Cause no one without status can drive around wearing such clean and high quality clothes. Only seen in the era before the apocalypse. A seemingly normal black vest that fitted in all the right place, black combat pants that emphasizes mobility. Both made from an unknown material never before seen by those present. An ankle length black cloak with a hoodie made from the same mysterious material. The material seemed to absorb the very light around it giving off a feeling of dread. Black boots glistening as the light of the sun seem to reflect off of it. Contrary to the rest of the clothing set, it didn't absorb the light but reflected it. The soles of the boots were made of a sort of metallic material that clinked as it stomped on the ground. The metallic material seem to extend all the way to the tip of the boots where it formed a talon with sharp claws. Together the clothing set gave off a contradicting but hard to forget feeling.

The peanut gallery stared intently at the owner of such nice clothes, but soon noticed it was Miho, a human-animal abomination and soon lost interest. Not all though, as some eyes were filled with malice, mockery, greed, disgust, pity and weirdly unconcealed lust.

Seeing their reactions as usual, Miho rolled her eyes and tossed the keys of the jeep to one of the guards just standing there.

"Take it back to the dealer, I still have two days in the warranty." She said as she cut through the line taking advantage of their stunned faces.

She stepped into the decontamination chamber and felt the usual suction force. The door leading into the city finally opened up to a stunning view from hell. Pitched tents here and there, dirt-filled road. The storied buildings were connected by cloth lines with a variety of low quality clothes completely blocking the view of the sky. A cacophony of voices and noise echoed all over. The smell of piss and shit permeated the air making the air filters installed in the wall surrounding the city and on the houses seem like they weren't even doing their jobs. But Miho knows that they do actually work since they are maintained regularly. Sometimes she wonders what this place would smell like if all the air filters stopped working. Definitely her enhanced sense of smell would definitely be a curse then.

"Excuse me madam, guns and weapons are to be submitted for registration before entering." A soldier in camouflage spoke snapping Miho from her day dream.

As Miho turned to look at the soldier, she watched as his expression turned from polite to disappointment in a flash immediately after recognizing her. Miho swears it was the fastest change of expression she had ever seen. Apparently, he was hoping as Miho was dressed in a high quality outfit and is clean she would be someone of status. He must have thought today was his big break to make a solid connection with someone of high status as they never leave the city. Not to mention through the north gate, the most busiest gate.

"Register here, half-breed." He disgustingly spat.

Miho having been used to it for the years she has experienced it went through the formalities and was quickly let through security.

Beyond security is no less irritating than watching the facial expressions of the guards, as you'll be squished to death by the over populated slum dwellers hustling and bustling around the market. You see, immediately you enter through the north gate, you'll find yourself in a market. The busiest market in all of Mirage city.

Frowning slightly, Miho hesitated whether she should start stepping on peoples heads to get through the crowd.

Perhaps reading her mind, Fae made a suggestion, [why don't you consider hiring a carriage?] 

"..."

[You forgot didn't you?]

"... O-of course not!" 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Miho finally made it to the middle ring. The middle ring is the residential areas of the mirage city's social mediocres. They are not rich enough or important enough to get a house in the innermost part of the city. But they sure as hell are richer and more valuable than those in the slums. This is where Miho's house is located. Though she calls it her house, but if she doesn't pay her rent on time, she'll be homeless. After all, now that finding a place like Mirage city that was still habitable to humans was a pipe dream as monsters made of mana material can materialize from out of thin air. The only reason Mirage city is safe is because, on the wall surrounding the city, are electromagnetic shield generators. Thanks to the electromagnetic shield generators constantly disrupting the accumulation of mana material within and surrounding the city, no monster can be formed out of thin air.

Miho had once tried to sneak a peak at one of the electromagnetic shield generators, but, they were so heavily guarded and off limits she couldn't even get within ten meters close to it. Not to mention see it. Although Fae did have a schematic for how it would look like, it still didn't sate her curiosity.

Miho's house is a self-contain apartment with one bedroom, a kitchen, a bathroom with running water a living room and an upstairs laundry room. Compared to other house in the middle ring, Miho's house could be considered the cream of the crop. And only fell short of the inner district due to its relatively small size and restricted land mass. Although she was discriminated by the people in the city but no one could deny that she was an indisputably skilled mercenary.

After scanning her fingerprints and retinas, Miho stepped into her new home and immediately felt nostalgic. This was the apartment she and Fae had been staying in for four years and it holds many funny and peaceful memories. She smiled subconsciously as the memories flashed by in her head.

Perhaps reading her mind, Fae began to get back to business to bring her back to reality.

[Per our agreement four years ago, now we do things my way in order to escape the planet before it collapses in on itself]

Miho froze as if she had been poured cold water.

Miho: "How much time do we have left?"

Fae: [Three years and two days.]

Miho could only sigh as she realized that it took her two days to get back to Mirage city. Thereby wasting two days worth of time in the already little time they had left.

Miho: "Fae be honest with me can we make it out in time?"

Fae: [Of course we can.]

Miho fell silent. The silence stretched out for a while between the two of them. Meanwhile, Miho's face was getting gloomier and gloomier as if she was struggling with a decision within herself.

Fae: [You want to save them, don't you?]

Miho's face finally looked determined as she nodded.

"Is it possible?"

[Even with the way they treat you?]

"Yes. So, is it possible?"

[...]

Miho: "I knew it was impossible to build a spacecraft in two years that could carry everyone out of the planet. B-but can we at least squeeze the children in with us?"

Although Miho knew how improbable what she was requesting sounds, but she just couldn't sit still and watch innocent children die like that.

Fae: [You know we barely have enough time to finish collecting all the necessary resources for building a small space craft not to mention one that could contain dozens of children, right?]

Miho: "What if we get the help of Mirage city's base leader? You told me all the tip brass of those big bases around the world know what's going to happen in two years, right? S-so they'll have to help if you can come up with a way right?"

Fae: [Miho, that will expose my identity and the fact that you are in possession of knowledge that you shouldn't know about. You already know that people aren't always a creature of peace, love and reason. Don't you?]

Miho sighed. She knew Fae was right. If in this post apocalyptic world the leaders of the big bases around the world like Mirage city get wind of the information that she has a way to get off this planet before it collapses in on itself, not to mention the children, even herself won't be able to leave. They'll most probably get her to spill all my secrets through torture and try to save themselves with the knowledge she spills.

Just as she was about to give in to Fae's persuasions, she heard his voice again giving her a life boat.

Fae: [Actually, it's not impossible to build a spaceship that could evacuate everyone from this planet in just three years, you know.]

Miho: A-are you serious?

Fae: [Actually, I could do more than that and also provide the nutrition for when we are all in space after that.]

Miho: But I'm just one human animal crossing I can't build something as complicated as that!

Fae: [don't worry your pretty little head about about it host. Although you can't, but that doesn't apply to me. As you can see, I am a system and don't have the limitations of a physical body.]

Miho: then how are you going to make a spaceship that big without a body?

Fae: [the same way your clothes were created. By using the systems synthesizer.]

Miho was dumbfounded. She didn't know Fae could do all these things all along. So she couldn't help but stutter out.

"S-since when?"

Fae: [Since when I saw the way the system did it two days ago.]

Miho couldn't help but feel aggrieved that Fae had played her from the start since he too was already planning to evacuate everyone from the start. Why didn't you tell me sooner? If you did I wouldn't have had to embarrass myself like this." She pouted as she sat down on the couch with a thump.

Fae: [listen Miho, although we are always together but I still want you to have a mind of your own. To be able to think by yourself in case I'm not there. What if one day you wake up and find I have already been sent back to were I came from? I have no plans of leaving voluntarily, but if, and only IF it does happen, I want to make sure you can be strong and survive without me. So there are sometimes when I will know the right thing for you to do but I will keep silent about it and let you think for yourself.]

Miho was so moved to tears by Fae's emotional outburst that she could do nothing nod and lament how she doesn't deserve Fae but won't give him up for someone else either.

"I-i'll try my best. Even if I'm just a human animal crossing. I'll do my best to meet up to your expectations." Miho couldn't help but reply greatfully.

[And that's where we'll start from…]

Before Miho could understand what Fae meant, a window popped up in her view.

Without thinking too much Miho mentally hit the, 'allow' option. Soon after another pop-up window appeared over the previous one. This one showed what Fae was doing with her experience points. In her status experience points were more like a currency meant for purchasing various items from the system shop such as skills, talents, weapons, cultivation techniques, magic books and other antics that have been long lost through the history of time. Some of these things are not even from this planet.

She watched as Fae went into the system shop and purchased three pills. One brown, one green and the other white. She focused on these two pills and their information came into her head.

>>Body tempering pill<<

A pill refined by the cultivators. It has the effects of reconstructing one's body, making it better, faster, stronger and healthier than ever before.

Quality: low

_________________________________

>>Purification pill<<

A pill refined by the cultivators. Has the effects of expelling toxins from the body. One of the most common pills found in the cultivation world.

Quality: low.

_________________________________

>>Soul tempering pill<<

A pill refined by the cultivators. Has the effects of reconstructing and purifying the soul. Making it more pure and open to the energies of the universe.

Quality: low.

_________________________________

Seeing the description of these three pills, Miho had an idea of what Fae wanted to do. So she only asked, "will it work?"

Fae: [There is a 95% chance of success. Don't worry host all will be fine]

Miho: "Then what about the other 5%?"

Fae: [That's negligible. The factors that make up the last 5% are all controlled and directly eliminated by me, so, host doesn't need to worry.]

Without thinking too much Miho retrieved the three pills from her inventory.

[I advise you, take those pills while in the bathroom] Fae chipped in.

"Why's that?"

[Let's just say it might get a little ...messy.]

Miho nodded, not questioning Fae's words in the slightest. Took off her clothes while she walked into the bathroom. 

The bathroom was filled with shattered mirrors, as if a fist had impacted them. Which it had. Ever since escaping the research facility with the help of Fae, Miho has always disdained seeing her own reflection in the mirror. Coupled with the nasty criticism of her fellow humans after her escape, built this mental image of herself being ugly. No thanks to all the stitches that connected her human and animal parts, which made her feel like a freak inwardly. In fact all the mirrors in the house had been shattered by her.

Standing in front of the sink, she took a deep breath before tossing the three pills into her mouth at the same time, followed by a glass of water. After a few seconds of waiting and seeing no effect, Miho wanted to ask if Fae had made a mistake somehow, but was interrupted by a stomach ache. Frowning slightly she decided to endure it as the stomach ache intensified. When she was reaching her limit in holding in her screams, her body began to feel hot, while her insides began to get piercing cold as if it would freeze over. Her legs wobbled as she felt light headed enduring all the stimulations at once. Unable to hold it in any longer, she finally screamed so loud that even her neighbors must have heard and called security.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!"

It was like that, everything went blank