"Aren’t we going to crash?" Kyle asked.
Oddly enough, there was no panic in his voice despite the fact that an aircraft the size of a soccer field was hurtling toward the forest at terrifying speed.
The massive ship kept descending without slowing, as though the pilot had already accepted taking everyone aboard to their deaths.
"Don’t worry. It’s just a cover for the base," Serena assured him.
The two stood near the cockpit, calmly watching the rapid descent.
Kyle was already prepared to activate <Overlord> if the ship crashed. With his enhanced endurance, he was confident he would survive the impact.
But that moment never came.
The forest ahead suddenly rippled like the surface of disturbed water before the illusion shattered, unveiling an entirely different world.
"Oh... man..." Kyle breathed.
He instinctively stepped forward, his eyes widening as pure awe flooded his face.
An entire city stretched across the island.
Towering skyscrapers rose alongside elegant domes, sprawling plazas, and countless futuristic structures that blended together into a breathtaking skyline.
Hovercraft zipped between the buildings while enormous airships drifted gracefully overhead, filling the sky with constant movement.
Even from this height, Kyle could make out crowds flowing through the streets below. Some wore military uniforms while others walked around in ordinary civilian clothes, making the hidden metropolis feel startlingly alive.
"This is the hub of Guhang’s Suppression Officers," Serena said, clearly pleased by his reaction. "The main headquarters. Every PSC officer sets foot here at least once in their lifetime."
Stepping up beside him, she smiled faintly.
"You would have come here too, just a little later."
"Hmm. Are there only Nightwalkers living in this city?"
Serena shook her head.
"No. CPV officers are trained here as well. And when officers sacrifice their lives in the line of duty, any family they leave behind with nowhere else to go is brought here."
Kyle turned to her.
"Isn’t that a huge risk? Bringing so many outsiders to a place like this?"
If word ever spread that an island existed where technology far surpassed the outside world, and where every resident possessed supernatural abilities, the entire world would descend into chaos. Those with no connection to the Aether World would stop at nothing to uncover its secrets.
"You don’t need to worry about that," Serena replied, her gaze fixed beyond the cockpit. "Our security is something we take great pride in. Everyone brought here agrees to one condition. If they ever choose to leave the island permanently, they must surrender a significant portion of their memories."
She folded her arms before continuing.
"But enough about that. Since you’re here, you can relax. This place is nothing like Montclair or the academy. The concentration of Genesis on this island is so overwhelming that not a single rift has formed here in over fifty years."
Kyle let out a quiet sigh.
"I hope it stays that way."
For once, he genuinely needed a break.
He enjoyed hunting, and the system constantly pushed him to grow stronger, to sharpen every skill until it became second nature. But after everything that had happened recently, he needed time to breathe.
Time to gather his thoughts and steady his mind.
The dream he had that morning lingered in the back of his head, refusing to fade no matter how much he tried to ignore it.
So yes, a little peace sounded perfect.
"Come on," Serena said as the aircraft settled onto the landing pad. "Let’s go."
With a low mechanical hiss, the hatch descended to the ground.
Waiting outside was a formation of over a dozen soldiers.
Even standing at ease with their weapons lowered, they radiated the kind of discipline and presence that made them instantly intimidating.
"Don’t mind them," Serena said casually. "They’re just conducting a drill."
She gestured ahead.
"Our ride’s waiting."
Kyle followed her gaze and spotted a sleek hovercraft about twice the size of a standard sedan. A transparent glass canopy covered the cabin, while a compact boarding ladder extended from its side.
The two climbed aboard.
As soon as Kyle settled into his seat, Serena glanced at him.
"You’ll want to buckle up for this."
His eyebrows rose in curiosity, but he reached for the harness without question, pulling the belt across his chest and locking it into place.
A moment later, the engine hummed to life.
The hovercraft rose smoothly off the ground, hovering a few feet above the landing pad before drifting forward.
A moment later, Kyle understood why she had warned him.
"Whoa..."
The sudden burst of acceleration slammed him into the cushioned seat as the hovercraft shot forward. Buildings, streets, and passing aircraft dissolved into streaks of color before the city itself vanished behind them.
The ride lasted barely a minute.
Yet by the time the craft came to a stop, the surroundings were completely unfamiliar.
They had covered an astonishing distance.
Stepping out, Kyle glanced back at the hovercraft before looking at Serena.
"Why isn’t technology like this available to ordinary people? You could completely change the world with it."
Humanity had advanced at an incredible pace over the past two decades.
But compared to the civilization hidden on this island, the outside world suddenly felt decades behind.
Serena let out a quiet breath.
"We can’t."
She rested a hand against the side of the craft.
"Both the hovercraft and the airship you came here on consume an enormous amount of energy. The only reason they work is because they’re powered by Genesis and Absence."
Kyle blinked.
"Seriously? How does that work?"
Serena motioned for him to walk with her.
"Scientists discovered centuries ago that Absence naturally releases energy whenever it comes into contact with Genesis. They eventually learned how to harness that reaction, creating a unique energy source powerful enough to sustain this entire settlement."
Kyle listened quietly, unable to hide his fascination.
The more he learned about this hidden city, the more it felt as though he had stepped into a future the rest of humanity had yet to reach.
"Hmm... but I thought most monsters that emerge from Rifts disappear after they’re killed."
Serena nodded.
"Most do, but not all. Remember the special-grade creature you fought? Monsters like that leave behind a significant amount of residue that we can harvest. And then there are the berserk Nightmares."
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"We actually raise those here."
Every answer only made Kyle realize how little he truly knew.
It was as though two different civilizations existed on the same planet.
One lived in the present.
The other had quietly stepped decades, perhaps centuries, into the future.
’Should I start a live stream and show them the place?’ The thought crossed his mind but he chose rather not to for the time being.
Letting out a quiet sigh, he followed Serena into a nearby building.
Inside, a row of tunnel-like terminals stretched across the hall, each resembling an oversized security checkpoint.
Serena pointed toward one of them.
"Use that one."
Kyle frowned.
"Why that one specifically?"
She gave him a playful wink.
"Trust me. You’re going to love the surprise waiting on the other side."
That only made him more suspicious.
Serena laughed awkwardly.
"Just trust me this once. And no cheating."
She narrowed her eyes at him.
"You’re not allowed to use your special senses to peek at my surprise, okay?"
"..."
Kyle froze.
Wait.
Did she just...
Mention God’s Eye?
His gaze slowly shifted away from her.
How did she know about it?
°°°°°°
A/N:- Thanks for reading.