Tryx sighed deeply, he decided to follow his partner's plan.

"Alright, we'll leaving. You sure you don't to take a break for an hour or two? I mean..."

"No. We leave, NOW." Seele denied like a Zith Lord.

"But I'm the one who's driving, so its best that we..."

"NOW." she quickly raised her hand as if she's ready to 'Force Choke' him.

"OK, OK! JEEZ!"

Tryx only sighed as his plan to take a short break was denied. He thought she might need it as well since all the fight and running around exhausted them. Plus that fight back in the hallway made them used a little excessive force. But to think that she was quite hasty and doesn't like waiting makes it quite troublesome for him. The Hilux was parked 200 meters away, in the dark for fuck's sake! Since they'll be leaving, he might need to tell the villagers of their circumstances.

"Excuse me, sir..." Tryx approached the elder.

"I take a guess that your friend insisted on leaving immediately, yes?" The elder said.

The gamer nodded, a bitter smile formed on his face. "I'm sorry about her, I really want to stay here but she's isn't the type to wait around."

"Its fine young man, you've done quite enough for us already. You saved us and treated the girls, you are quite generous even for a mercenary."

"I'm simply doing my job, sir." and he did it out of kindness as well. He couldn't stand watching the girls crying and suffer the pain from their wounds. "Take care, be careful when you're moving out in the morning."

"You too young man, good luck." the other villager added.

He tipped his helmet, "I'll be taking my leave then."

And the gamer finally returns to Crimson Demon who had enough of waiting for his return. Based on the eyes under that hood, she definitely had enough of this hearts and mind bullshit that Tryx is doing right now.

"Sorry." Tryx smiled bitterly, "Kept you waiting?"

"Yeah, like eternity."

"Oh come on, I only went there for like 2 minutes."

Seele groaned deeply, "Are we done here?"

"Damn, quite an impatient one, is she?" he thought. "Alright, but you know its dark ahead, right? You can move by my side with me toting around the main source of light here." Tryx proudly flashes his tactical flashlight on AKM. 

"Oh my, that's quite convenient. Then, take this." She lifted the head of the bandit leader wrapped in the bandit's flag, there was a significant of blood leaking from below.

"What the fuck, no way!" Tryx was disgusted. "Its your trophy, not mine!"

"Trophy?!" Seele raised her brow, anger was visible on her face. "This is the proof of his death and the destruction of the bandit group! Of course you have to carry it!"

"Nu uh, I ain't carry it! No way. I am not touching some dead guy's head!" Tryx shook his head. Deep down his heart, he just feels nauseating just from holding that severed head. Even he could smell a strong blood smell permeating from it. And they will be walking 200 meters into the dark holding someone's head. It just like one of those horror game he played when he was still alive!

"What?! Didn't you said it was a team effort?!"

"Fuck all the shit I said earlier about team effort, I'm not touching that!"

"Really?! I got a kid with me here! I can't lug around two things at a time!" Seele gestured at Denise who was trembling by her side.

Only at that time, Tryx took notice of her. He was quite surprised that Denise was at her side, probably because they're closer to darker area of the fort. But that wasn't the point, the point is why would Seele wanted to take girl with them?

Tryx pointed at Denise, "Why are you taking her with us?" it made no sense.

"She's not from their village, she's Lord Alranne's daughter."

Tryx blinked, "Who?" he was has no idea who this whoever this lord is.

"Oh my god, you don't even know who Lord Alranne is?!" Seele just couldn't believe it.

"Well yeah! I'm just as you said! A NEWBIE! I JUST ARRIVED AT TOWN DAMN IT!" He's not lying either, well its not like there's a brochure in the town to tell him all about the nobles.

"OH WOW, THANKS FOR THAT INFO, NEWBIE!"

"OK, EDGELORD!"

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!"

And the two broke into an argument that could be heard by the villagers. They gave a look as some of them past by the three. Their arguments even took interest of the village elders that he spoke too earlier. For the elder, he couldn't help but reminisce of his own past when he bickered with his lovely wife.

"Youngsters these days..." The elder smiled. "Love blooms in first sight."

"Uh... I think you get the wrong idea..." An elder women rebuked.

---

03:40 a.m.

The Hilux cruises down the dark highway. The two headlight shines whatever Tryx could see into the distance. Right next to him, Denise is sleeping on Seele's lap. After what she went through, the little girl deserves a long sleep. This kinda makes them like a family on a trip of some sort not that Seele liked it either.

Back when they were arguing at the entrance, they were yelling at each other on who would carry the dead guy's head and who's going to walk with the girl. After 20 minutes of fighting, it was decided that Tryx will give Denise a piggy back ride and leads the way with his flashlight while Seele will hold onto the bandit's severed head.

Thanks to weight of carrying Denise added with the weight of the gun and the body armor, he felt a little bit hurt around his shoulder. It was his first time in a while to do some cardio while carrying heavy items. But now, they are on their way back to Bulgen Town under the blanket of stars. Nothing feels more relaxing than driving at night. That is if the severed head didn't start doing weird things turning this into a horror movie.

"Feeling tired?" Seele asked. Tryx could barely recognize any signs of exhaustion since she hide most of her face under that hood.

"A little. But I can still manage." Tryx replied truthfully, he was a little bit drowsy. "You?"

"I meditated and rest properly before the mission started, so I'm not tired just yet." She then set her eyes at the helmet resting on the dashboard. The PVS-7 is still attached and the green lights emitting from behind the goggles meaning it was left turned on. "Hey, newbie."

"What?" Tryx glanced at her.

"You don't mind if I take a look at your headgear?"

"Why?"

"Just... interested, that's it."

"Huh..." For Tryx, that was the first time someone ever asked to see one of his personal belongings. Not even Yuwen was keen on looking deeper into the weapon he owned, the only thing she took interest in was the Hilux. Though, it doesn't hurt at all to give her to look at it.

"Yeah, sure... Go ahead."

She fetched the helmet off the dashboard. She could feel the weight as soonest she lift it. It was her first time holding such a heavy helmet, not even the knight's helm was this heavy! Seele inspects the helmet, unlike typical metal pot the knights used this ones has some ropes to wrap around the head to keep it stable. The weird horn ornament in front of the head can be dropped down like a visor but there is a lot of weird carvings and metals on the item making it heavy at the front. Instead of covering the entire face, it only covers the eye. But what's even interesting to her is the glowing circular eye.

It was green in color and it glows on the both sides of the visor. Seele couldn't comprehend what exactly made it glow or why it glows. She was intrigued on how it would looked like to wear the visor but that would require her to remove the hood.

"Wanna try putting it on?" Tryx sugested.

Seele wasn't keen at all showing her looks onto someone she only knew for two days. Plus, she doesn't fully trust him yet despite all this fancy contraptions. Though, how his weapons performed and work is perking her curiosity. The only thing she needs to do right now is to keep an eye on him.

"No, thank you." Seele declined the offer and placed the helmet back to its original spot. "That horn, its glowing. Why?"

"Didn't I told you? Its a night vision goggle."

"A what?" Seele heard that term again. "Please give me a proper explanation."

"Oh... Sorry. Its uh..." Tryx tried to find the right term which is appropriate. "Its a... device that allows you to look under darkness of the night." that was the best explanation he could give.

Seele's eyes widened, "Huh? Are you taking me for a fool?" she thought it was a stupid joke.

"No, seriously! Why do you think I wear that for?"

"To show off?" Tryx hold his laughter as she continues. "Because you're a total idiot?"

"Okay, let me show you." The Hilux slowed down before stopping at the side of the road. He grabbed the helmet off from the dashboard and Seele quickly protested.

"No! I don't want to wear that thing!"

"You don't have to wear the helmet to use the goggle!" Tryx grunted as he dismounts the goggle from its bracket. Compared to most of the night vision models he have worked with, the old PVS-7 is hardest one to handle since it uses an old style bracket mounting. He just wished that he could unlocked the PVS-14 instead. After a long grunting, the goggle is free from the bracket. "Here, see it for yourself."

Seele was agitated at first but she took it off from his hand after feeling intrigued by it. The vehicle moved on once again.

She held the NVG like a binocular and her breath was instantly taken away.

It was all green. Like a piece of shit.

Everything around her turned shit. There are still area covered in shadow at the distance, the view is all blurry and she couldn't determine the range properly. Everything looked flat and the headlight from the Hilux nearly blinded her. Though everything is 'at the very least' visible to naked eye. 

She was barely impressed.

"Wow, everything looked utter shit in this device." She simply said that just to annoy the hell out of him but the result was different.

"Yeah, I know right?" Seele was surprised, it was the first time he agreed with her. "The one in your hand is actually the old version. I have yet to get a newer version."

"There are more of these?" Seele was surprised.

"Yeah, there are several improved versions." And then, there's the quad NOD, the GPNVG-18. Wearing that back in his old world was superb. He was eager to get his hands on that one and ditch the mono NVG soon enough. "But really, it costs a lot to get one of these."

"Is that so..." Seele was impressed at this point. "Then, why didn't you wear this if it helps you seeing under the dark right now?"

"I would, if it weren't for the limited range perception and blurry images. Its quite hard to drive when you don't have a wide field of vision. Plus, the entire weight shifted forward makes me hard to keep my head steady." Tryx sums up. Just wearing it for the first half of the journey really hurts his neck already. "Plus, wearing that still require small amount of light to look through the goggles."

"Why?"

"I don't know, that's just how it works." Tryx shrugged.

He would love to explain more but to bad even he himself doesn't understand how the NVG works either. As a military junkie, he watched all sorts of videos across Youtube. Hell, he even went to adapted some tactical techniques just to use the tactics in the VR game itself. But in the end, he's just the user and he didn't watch a lot of documentaries to understand these complex device and machines. Even he worried that this Sandy Chariot might broke down and he couldn't figure out how to fix it which eventually leads him to leave the Hilux in the middle of nowhere. He just hopes that doesn't happen.

As the silence filled between them again, the bumpy ride made some of the used 7.62 shell across the dashboard rolling and clattering. Most of them are in front of Seele. Her purple eyes are locked onto the spent casings compiled in front of her. After a long silence, she spoke again.

"Hey, newbie." Tryx glanced at her where she holds the casing in her hand. "Can I take this one too?"

"Yeah... Sure. Just don't touch the..."

"The weapon, I know..."

Seele opens up the sling bag at her side, she then grips a fistful of spent brass and into the bag. She repeated the same step until all of the brass in the cabin is clean of the casings. She didn't left a single shell.

Feeling curious, Tryx asked. "You don't mind if I ask something?"

"Go on."

"What're you gonna do with those casings? I mean, its not like they're useful to you."

"And these things are still useful to you?"

Considering that he doesn't need the casings to refill new bullets, the entire thing is useless to him. He can simply buy bullets from the in-game shop, so...

"Fair enough. But that still doesn't answer my question. What are you gonna do with those casings?"

"I have my own reasons."

"Can't you at least tell me what you're gonna do with it?"

"Nope."

"Well, okay..." the atmosphere fell into brief silence, he was hoping to get more info out of her but it seems she's really cautious. If she refuses to tell him, then he can simply ask another question. "Say, back then..." he's been meaning to ask this ever since they left the fort, "You said you can read emotions, is that your power?" she tilted her head briefly and remained silent. "Well, its okay if you don't wanna talk about it..."

"You wouldn't get it."

"Excuse me?"

"Emotions, they are quite a powerful thing, aren't they?"

She suddenly spoke softly, he was definitely surprised. Even when she asked questions earlier, she uses her usual cold tone. He wondered what's up with her sudden change.

"Y... Yeah, I guess..."

"But my power isn't reading emotions, but rather, souls."

Tryx was baffled, "E... Excuse me... What?" he shuddered as soonest she said 'souls'.

"Its complicated, you wouldn't understand it either."

Tryx was a little interested on how her power works but since she said that it would be complicated, he decided not to pursue such question.

"So, you decided not to ask that question."

Once again, the gamer was baffled. "How... How did you..."

"I can read souls, remember?"

"Okay, I'm impressed." He smirked. Tryx had never thought he'd partner up with an interesting veteran. Not to mention, her powers are quite feat. Though, if only she's friendly and cooperative. That is if she's willing to form up a party that is.

They remained silent throughout the rest of their journey. Both sides have more questions in their head wanting to ask more intriguing questions. But even so, fearing each other's insecurities, they decided to remain silent throughout the journey.

By the time they reached Bulgen, it was already dusk.

---

08:34 a.m.

"Is that the bandit's head?" The 29th Lancer Battalion Army Captain, Izlof Dane pointed at the bloody head wrapped in Dragon Fists' flag. 

"Yup." Tryx made a bitter smile as the members of the Lancer Battalion inspects the head on the table. "That's the head..." 

"I... see..." Izlof nodded, his fellow subordinates were having a hard time trying hold their breath against the stench of blood and rotten flesh in at the main gate. "I must say, that's quite fast of you! You left this town yesterday and here you are, in a single day. Most people would take three or four days to arrive." 

Tryx felt the need to brag, "Let's just say I have some of the best carriage in Bulgen." he said referring to his Sandy Chariot. 

"Oho, then you better let me ride on it some time." Izlof laughed. 

"Will do..." As the two were trading laughs, the door slammed opened. "Seele?!" 

The Crimson Demon looked really pissed as she stood by the door, next to her was Denise who looked really confused on what is actually happening right now. Izlof and his men literally spooked as soonest they saw her stepping into the room. 

"Took you long enough." Seele said monotonously as she approaches Tryx. "How's the appraisal?"

"Yeah, they've confirmed it." 

"Good." she then turned towards Denise, "You're safe now Denise. These men will send you to your family." 

Izlof who caught a glimpse of the child's face was surprised, "Wait, is she?!" 

"Yes, you're correct Captain Dane. She is indeed Lord Alranne's daughter." Seele said as she handed the permit to Izlof. 

Izlof took a while to read the permit, his face changed from worries to his normal military serious face. The captain swiftly ordered his men. 

"Hicks, Daniel, get the horses ready! We're heading to Lord Alranne's house, now! The rest of you guard the post!" 

"Yes sir!" all of them said in unison. The knights instantly leave the room and went to do their jobs. 

As expected of the Kingdom's Army. They swiftly execute their respective orders. Tryx was impressed of this 'Lord Alranne' guy, it seems he's some big shot in Bulgen. Well, of course he would, otherwise, his daughter wouldn't have been kidnapped. After the room is cleared of any knights, Izlof focuses back onto the mercenaries. 

"Thank you, we've been searching her but the orders from the top..." As Izlof tries to explain, Seele cuts his words. 

"Spare your speech, Captain. I want the permit stamped immediately." Seele's cold tone prompted the Captain to do as she told. 

Izlof quickly went back to his table and pulled out a some sort of rubber stamp except its made out of metal and a stamp pad. Once the captain stamped on the permit, he then looked at Tryx. 

"Mr. Tryx, your permit please." 

"Ah, yeah... Sure." Tryx hands it over to the knight and he does the same. 

He then returns the permit to each of them respectively. "I believe that should do it. Miss Seele, are you coming with us to meet Lord Alranne?" 

"Yes." 

"Well then, let us depart immediately." 

As the they are about to leave, Tryx was left wondering. "Uh, excuse me?" Seele and Izlof stopped. "How can I collect my rewards?"

"Head down the guild and present your permit at the counter. They will reward you after they processed." Izlof explained. "Well then, if you excuse us." 

"Also, Captain..."

Izlof stopped and turned around,"Yes?"  

"Would you mind having me sparing some time with Seele for a moment?" 

Izlof turned to Seele who simply gives a nod of approval, "Make it quick. We must hurry." 

"Thank you." 

"Come Miss Alranne." as Izlof tried to take her away, Densie refuse to let go of Seele. 

"Its okay." Seele patted the girl's head, "I'll come with you shortly." After that, Denise reluctantly leaves the room with Izlof. The veteran mercenary turned around and faces her partner, "So, what is it?" 

"You know, I wanna say thanks for saving me last night." 

"I'm simply doing my job."

"Yeah, figures... Wanna grab a drink after this whole..."

"Newbie." 

"What?" 

"Didn't I remind you?" She heads for the exit, "You will never be my partner. You stay out of my life and I will stay out of yours." 

"Okay..." His heart sank a little.

"Don't take it personal, newbie. I prefer to work alone." 

"I hope we can team up again in the future, at the very least." 

"It s better that you don't, newbie. Just don't." 

With that, the girl leaves the office leaving the gamer alone. 

Seeing that there is no more reasons to stay in the premise, he left out for the guild to collect is rewards. 

(LEVEL UP!)

LVL. 13 >>>> LVL.17
<1000 C-POINTS EARNED>
<NEW WEAPONS UNLOCKED>
<NEW GEARS UNLOCKED>
<NEW PERKS UNLOCKED>
<NEW KILL STREAK UNLOCKED>