"Oh? The two infamous bastards of Babel meeting again after four years... mind if I sit in on this?"
Revy turned his head and laughed. Another familiar face.
"Honestly, I'd love to know what you'd do if I said 'yes, I mind.' Just kidding—take a seat. Who's gonna stop you anyway?"
"Umm... I've eaten already. Please, enjoy your meal…"
Melantha tactfully excused herself. She didn't know who the man named Logos was, but she did recognize the one that followed.
Ace.
A legendary elite Defender at Rhodes Island. They said he could take eighteen ship cannon blasts head-on without budging. A man among men. Despite his laid-back uncle-like demeanor, he was one of the organization's top monsters.
As for the nickname "Babel's twin bastards"… well, that just confirmed that the two men chatting—Revy and Logos—were trouble incarnate.
And the best course of action? Stay far away.
"Am I interrupting your little date?"
Logos gave Revy a pointed look, nodding toward Melantha's retreating back.
"Not really a date, but yeah, you did interrupt my lunch."
Revy cleaned his plate and pushed it aside.
"If you really felt bad, you could at least buy me a drink."
"If Logos drinks, Kal'tsit will literally kill him…"Ace chuckled, seemingly recalling a good memory.
"You should've seen him the last time he got wasted—"
"Shut it, Ace!"
For once, Logos dropped the smirk and blushed furiously, cutting Ace off mid-sentence.
Revy didn't press the issue. He figured he'd get the full story sooner or later.
"…Thanks for the intel, by the way."
Logos cleared his throat, recovering some composure.
"We've already handed it off to the analysis team. We're working on a proper countermeasure."
"My job was just getting it to you. What you do with it is your problem."
Revy looked away nonchalantly, as if it had nothing to do with him anymore.
(What a tsundere…)That was Logos' private thought, though he didn't say it out loud.
The intel Revy had quietly delivered after rejoining Rhodes Island had proven critical. Not long after, the Glagol Incident exploded in Ursus.
The Crisis Contract took responsibility, and the Ursus government sealed off information—but Rhodes Island still managed to piece together what really happened. All signs pointed to one man.
Even a fool could guess that Revy had been involved.
Logos had to thank him. Only someone who'd seen the document would know the true weight of the information. And only someone who'd experienced that battlefield firsthand would understand the cost Revy had paid.
"Alright… since the data came from you, I'll loop you in when the analysis is done. I've got other business for now, though."
"Sure." Revy waved lazily.
Scene Transition
Logos left quickly, leaving Ace standing awkwardly.
Especially after hearing Logos thank Revy—it left him even more unsettled.
"Revy, I…"
"Spit it out already."
Revy picked at his ear, sounding impatient.
"What, you wanna thank me too? All this gratitude, and not one drink to show for it? If you've got nothing meaningful to say, then cut the chatter."
"Alright, alright… I won't say anything."
Ace laughed wryly, finally easing up.
He hadn't forgotten what Revy did during the Chernobog operation.
While Amiya was the planner and leader of the mission, no one blamed her for what happened. Everyone who joined that strike force had been ready to die from the start.
But then Revy showed up—and not only broke their encirclement, but also nearly sacrificed himself to buy them a path of retreat.
It was thanks to Revy that so many Operators made it back alive.
He never told anyone exactly what happened to him afterward… but Ace could guess.
That must've been a hellscape.
"If it were you, Ace, I believe you'd have done the same in my place."
At Rhodes Island, being an elite Operator wasn't just about strength. It meant responsibility.
In danger, you went first.In retreat, you stayed last.You were a shield for the team—and a mentor for the next generation.
If Revy hadn't been there that day, then Ace would've been the one to stay behind.And he would've died at Chernobog.
"You saved a lot of lives that day… not just mine. There were others too…"
"No need to say more. Just tell me—how many died?"
"..."
Ace inhaled deeply, then slowly exhaled.
"This operation… 13 Operators severely injured or crippled.16 confirmed dead.Scout's team… was wiped out.Scout himself… is missing."