Seeing the Infected children around him, Felix couldn't help but think of the young Sarkaz back in the Frontier District. They too were Infected, yet they lived healthy, structured lives under the guidance of their teachers—growing up without prejudice, learning to see the world through unclouded eyes.
On that point, he shared the same belief as Theresa: education was the key to a better future. For that reason, Felix respected every teacher deeply.
The education of the Sarkaz, however, couldn't rely solely on outsiders. He still remembered a short message from Hoederer, saying that when the war was over, he wanted to return home and open a school in the Frontier District—to teach and guide the next generation. Felix had agreed wholeheartedly, even joking that perhaps they could start by educating those rough mercenaries who seemed to have skipped their moral lessons at birth.
He held a quiet respect for Alina as well. Though she was Infected, she carried an aura of calm and gentleness—a kind of maternal warmth that made children instinctively trust her.
The Reunion camp was vast, housing tens of thousands of Infected spread across several sectors. Felix's group had arrived at the Central Command, where the main military forces were stationed. It was the most heavily fortified part of the camp; other sections were home to ordinary civilians.
Within this central area, Felix observed the presence of Patriot's Shieldguards, the Yeti squad, and several battalions personally trained by Talulah.
After walking several hundred meters through the snowy terrain, they arrived at a large central tent. When the flap was lifted, the scene inside revealed a towering, armored man seated silently by the fire. His horned helmet cast long shadows across his face as he stared wordlessly into the flames.
"Patriot," Talulah said respectfully, sensing his gaze shift toward them. "This man is a friend of FrostNova. You should recognize him."
Not long ago, she had persuaded both Patriot and FrostNova to bring their forces into Reunion, uniting under a common cause. Even now, whenever she made important decisions, Talulah made sure to seek the old general's counsel.
"…You are… the Pioneer."
Patriot's voice was rough and fragmented, his tone heavy with fatigue.
Felix immediately noticed the difference. His voice was weaker than it had been years ago—more strained, more brittle. From what Yelena had told him, it wasn't difficult to guess: Patriot's Oripathy had worsened further.
"I'll leave you two to talk," Talulah said after a moment, turning to Alina. "I have other matters to attend to."
"Mm."
She gave Felix a long, unreadable look, then took Alina's hand and stepped out of the tent.
"Your flame… burns fiercely," Patriot said, his deep voice carrying a rasp of age. "It feels… like Talulah's."
"Thank you for the compliment, Patriot."
Felix smiled faintly and gestured for his companions to relax. Since entering the tent, Degenbrecher had been unusually tense—her warrior's instincts reacting to the immense pressure emanating from the man before them. She didn't need to fight him to understand that this was a mountain she could never hope to climb.
During a past mission in Kazdel, Degenbrecher had faced powerful Sarkaz before, but none of them radiated such oppressive strength. Even Skadi, quietly resting her hand on the hilt of her sword, felt an involuntary shiver run down her spine. The aura surrounding this man was heavier, darker… more absolute than even that of her old captain.
Felix sat down cross-legged, mirroring Patriot's posture, and spoke with calm courtesy.
"It's been a long time, General Patriot. I heard you've joined Reunion—though I admit, it's a little disappointing. Once, I had hoped to see you among the ranks of Tomorrow's Development."
He sighed softly. "But what's done is done. I'm sure you have your reasons."
"My visit this time," he continued gently, "is simply to check on some old friends—to see whether they've been doing well. I also brought a few new medicines developed in Columbia specifically for Infected treatment. They've passed clinical trials, so you can rest assured."
"…Pioneer," Patriot rumbled, his tone slow and deliberate. "Your… true intent?"
"Nothing more than to visit friends," Felix answered. "Originally, I wanted to invite Yelena to join me, but… now, I think she's already found her own place here in Reunion."
Patriot was silent for a while before nodding. "…The medicine. I'll accept it."
Felix smiled faintly, the firelight flickering in his golden eyes.
Patriot quietly accepted the medicine. Normally, he would have refused such an act of "charity." But this time was different—the man before him was Yelena's friend. If these medicines could ease her suffering, that mattered far more than whether the gesture was one of pride or pity.
"Reunion Movement… I do not hold… high hopes," Patriot said slowly, his voice rough and fragmented. "Even if… the infected are… united now… the problems… remain many."
"The Reunion Movement was founded only recently," Felix replied gently. "It's natural for there to be… growing pains."
He found himself speaking in Talulah's defense. Among the infected, there were all kinds of people—some disciplined, others volatile. It was impossible to expect unity from the start. Managing such a vast and unstable force would challenge even the most capable leader.
Talulah's approach differed greatly from his own. Felix relied on ideals and mutual benefit to hold people together. Talulah, on the other hand, used hatred.
Hatred… It could burn fast and fade quickly—or it could take root deep within, festering until it consumed everything. Using hatred as a foundation for unity was dangerous, perhaps even sick. Yet, it was undeniably effective—the fastest way to gather the scattered and the broken.
Loughshinny quietly poured tea for the two men. The cups were warmed by the campfire's heat. Felix took a few sips, while Patriot drank through his mask—he had never once removed it.
Barely half an hour passed before hurried footsteps sounded outside the tent.
"Felix! Felix!"
He stood up. The tent flap was lifted, and there she was—Yelena, dressed in the white uniform of the Yeti Squadron. Her eyes met his, and in that instant, her face brightened with joy.
"I'm so glad to see you again!" she said, rushing forward and wrapping him in a warm embrace.
Felix returned the gesture with a calm smile. "Me too, Yelena. Knowing you're safe… means more to me than anything."
Degenbrecher, standing nearby, barely held back a whistle. She was tempted to make a teasing remark, but with Yelena's father sitting right there, she wisely stayed silent. As expected of the lady-killer Felix, she thought to herself with amusement. Everywhere he goes, there's always a story.
Felix noticed Yelena felt lighter than before. He stepped back slightly, still holding her hand, and gently rolled up her sleeve to examine the crystalline growths on her flawless arm.
At first, Yelena didn't mind—until she caught her father's quiet, looming gaze. Her cheeks flushed, and she quickly pulled her hand back. "Um… maybe we can continue the check later… back in my room?"
She quickly shifted topics. "Father, we've scouted the movements of the nearby enforcers. No new activity since their last probing attack."
Patriot was silent for a while, his deep eyes fixed on the fire. He seemed lost in thought—or perhaps simply weary.
"The enforcers… are of… no concern," he finally murmured. "Talulah… has new plans."
"I understand. I'll report to her right away," Yelena replied, bowing respectfully. Then she turned to Felix, who nodded.
"Then we'll take our leave. Thank you for your time, Patriot."
Patriot's eyes followed them as they departed, lingering on their backs for several minutes before he finally lowered his gaze again, staring at the map spread before him.
---
Yelena's quarters were close to her father's, shared with members of the Yeti Squadron. Though modest, she had her own small cabin—and now, with guests arriving unexpectedly, she quickly tidied the place, making it presentable enough for everyone to rest.
Once they were alone, Felix summoned a drone to perform a full-body scan on Yelena, while he personally examined the Oripathy crystals along her skin.
Thanks to the new medicine, her condition seemed to have improved slightly—the infection had slowed. But in exchange, her control over Originium Arts had weakened. It made sense. An infected's power came from the Originium within their blood; once the infection was suppressed, so too was the source of their strength.
"Felix…" Yelena finally spoke after a moment of silence, sensing the quiet weight in his demeanor.
"You've been fighting non-stop, haven't you?"
Felix's fingers brushed lightly over the Originium crystals on her arm as he replied softly,
Yelena smiled softly. Hearing the faint concern and sigh in Felix's voice filled her heart with warmth.
"I must fight," she said gently.
"…I see," Felix replied after a pause. "I respect your decision."
The drone finished its analysis, displaying the diagnostic results.
Yelena's cellular Originium fusion rate had reached 13%. The crystalline particles on her skin were now clearly visible, and due to both her Oripathy and the energy coursing through her, her body mass had increased slightly.
Once the examination ended, Yelena accepted the medicine Felix offered and swallowed it without hesitation. She gave him a grateful smile, then turned toward the women accompanying him and began introducing herself.
She also took the opportunity to talk about her unit—the Yeti Squadron—and the broader organization she served under: the Reunion Movement, a group fighting for the rights and survival of the infected.
Degenbrecher listened intently, her gaze sharpening with curiosity. Something in Yelena's explanation struck her—this organization, fighting for the infected, seemed somewhat similar to Felix's own Tomorrow's Development.
But there was a clear difference.
Felix sought equality—true coexistence.
The Reunion Movement, however, wanted something beyond that.
In a society already steeped in injustice, striving for greater power might seem reasonable, even necessary. Yet Degenbrecher couldn't help but wonder: how could the infected—the weakest among the weak—hope to wrest power from those who already ruled the world?
The same thing happened in Chernobog years later. when the city burned, it was always the common people who suffered. The true culprits—the nobles and profiteers—had long fled to safety.
Loughshinny, ever perceptive, noticed the same unease. Having followed Felix for some time, she could already sense the flaws in Reunion's methods. For now, everything looked hopeful, almost radiant—but with the infected growing in number, unity was fragile. Each infected had their own past, their own pain, and their own desires. Under such tension, lasting harmony was nearly impossible.
Platinum, meanwhile, was lost in thought—or rather, in daydreams. Reunion's life sounds exhausting, she mused lazily. If I ever join anyone, I'd rather work under Felix's Tomorrow's Development—at least there I'd get a vacation.
Skadi blinked her crimson eyes, her expression calm. Having traveled the world, she understood what it meant to be infected. Yet, for her, it hardly mattered. Beneath the waves, infection or not, it changed nothing—she would still fight the Seaborns all the same. The Abyssal Hunters were beyond such concerns.
Degenbrecher and Loughshinny, seasoned veterans both, maintained composed expressions despite the thoughts swirling behind their eyes. But Platinum's open face betrayed her wandering mind, earning a helpless shake of the head from Yelena.
"Don't worry," Yelena said, smiling faintly. "If Talulah ever acts out of line—if the Reunion Movement changes course—I'll take action."
"Do you mean… taking the lead yourself?" Felix asked. "Or leaving the movement entirely?"
"...Neither," she said after a moment of thought, resting her chin in her hand. "I haven't truly considered either option yet. I can command the Yeti Squadron easily enough, but managing all of Reunion… that would take time. As for leaving…"
She looked thoughtful, her tone soft but firm. "I've met many people here—some kind, some infuriating. I can't dismiss all their efforts just because the movement's direction may be flawed. They each have their reasons, their hopes."
Felix smiled faintly. "Do you still remember what I once told you?"
"What was it?"
"That one day, you'll say to me, 'Please, let me join Tomorrow's Development.'"
Yelena chuckled, her smile warm and genuine. "Perhaps that day will come. But until then, I have reports to deliver. The Reunion Movement might be stirring again—something big could happen soon."
Felix watched her leave with a calm yet pensive expression. The joy in her steps contrasted with the heaviness in his thoughts.
He had overheard whispers among the infected—talk of a newly discovered mine in the territory of a nearby noble family. It seemed Reunion was preparing to intervene.
Many among them were once miners—lives broken and discarded, or infected civilians driven into the mines to die. That was how Reunion grew—by gathering the forsaken and the desperate.
But that, Felix knew, carried a fatal flaw.
The infected here were not like the players back in Tomorrow's Development. Players, though "infected" in this world, treated it as a game. They bore no real fear of death, no crushing weight of reality. Their lives, even in hardship, remained orderly and controlled.
The people of Terra, however, were different.
They lived every day in a race against death itself.
And when cornered, when the world left them no way out...
their despair could ignite into madness.