After listening to Aryan's comprehensive briefing, a long silence fell over the garden. Anand leaned back in his chair, his eyes fixed on a distant point, as if processing a century and a half of history in a single moment. He had a general understanding of the new world, but a few crucial details still nagged at him.
He turned his gaze back to Aryan, a calm curiosity replacing the blank look. "So," he began, his voice low and deliberate, "who are these two saints and those divine beasts?"
Aryan took a moment, as if to choose his words carefully. The information he was about to reveal was not common knowledge and was spoken of only in hushed tones.
"The two saints who stood against the monster wave," he began, "were James Hector, who used to be a priest from Europe, and John Serel, a simple farmer from California. They are most powerful of the arisen.
He leaned back, his eyes distant, as if reliving a historical moment. "The five divine beasts who appeared then were dragon, phoenix, qilin, kunpeng, and a sea turtle. At first, they were weak—depleted by the journey through the gates. That is why they formed contracts with humans. The dragon and the qilin formed contracts with the two saints, respectively, which gave them the power to save the world. The kunpeng, a majestic bird of immense size, formed a contract with the Sokolov family's founder, Victor Sokolov."
"But not all of them formed contracts. The sea turtle first hid in the oceans, recovering its staggering power. After it came out of hiding, it destroyed a large portion of Australia before making its way towards Antarctica. No one was able to stop it. As for the phoenix, it was only seen once, blazing across the sky above the Sahara Desert, and after that, its position became a complete mystery."
Aryan lowered his voice, the last piece of information shared with a conspiratorial tone. "There is a rumor, sir, that the valemont family has it in their possession. It's believed to be the true source of their immense and unchallengeable power. But, of course, there is no proof."
Anand sat across from Aryan, the grim truths of this new world washing over him, yet a peculiar smile played on his lips. He was enjoying the story, a fact that was both fascinating and unsettling. He listened intently, not with the horror one would expect, but with the keen appreciation of a man hearing a grand tale of strategy, power, and survival. It was a macabre, brutal story, and Anand was completely engrossed.
"Anything else" he asked playfully
Aryan was flabbergasted. He had just laid out a tale of a world nearly destroyed, of a brutal power struggle and absolute authority, and the man in front of him found it merely... interesting. He took a slow, deliberate breath, the sigh of a man who had more dark truths to reveal.
"It wasn't just monsters," Aryan continued, his voice heavy. "otherworldly races also crossed into our world. Some came seeking peace, others brought only war. No matter their intent, most humans couldn't see past their fear. They treated them all the same—enemies."
"Some of the current noble families trace their bloodlines back to those clans. The society granted them protection and resources in exchange for their strength".he explained. "Some of these races were not qualified for a high rank, but they still have the backing of the organization."
He paused, his tone hardening. "But not all humans accepted them. To many, these races were nothing more than monsters to be hunted—or worse, possessions to be used. Slavery… desecration… you can imagine the rest."
A flicker of revulsion crossed Aryan's face as he spoke the words. "Enslavement is banned in our southern region under the Black Dragon Society's law, so it's relatively safe for them here. Our families believe in utilizing their strength, not breaking them."
The sun had risen to its zenith by the time Aryan finished his explanation of the past. He had spoken of a world remade by fire and blood, of lost years and brutal new powers. The air in the gazebo was thick with the weight of his words.
Anand, meanwhile, calmly finished his breakfast, his focus unwavering as he wiped his mouth with a clean cloth. He seemed to have absorbed every shocking detail, yet his mind was on a different, more immediate matter.
"What date is today?" he asked, his voice casual, as if asking about the weather.
The question hung in the air, a stark contrast to the grim history Aryan had just recounted.
Aryan, caught off guard by the mundane query, simply answered.
"It's the 28th of March, 2207," Aryan said, a long sigh escaping his lips. "We are currently in the City of Eclipse, in the Sharon Spire. So, what are we going to do now?"
The sheer weight of the date, 27 March 2207, had finally settled in. Anand looked down at his hands, at the two strange rings on his fingers. He had no memory of the world that was, but he could feel a power coiled within him, a power that felt alien and untamed. Before he could even begin to comprehend the world Aryan had described, he knew he had to gain control of this force.
Without looking at Aryan, he spoke, his voice calm and steady, as if making the most natural request. "Get a house in the outskirts of the city. It would be good if it's near a jungle or a place where no one comes. Hire some maids and a chef specializing in post-gate Indian cuisine.people who can keep their mouth shut."
Aryan stared at him, flabbergasted. He had just delivered half a century of history, a tale of monsters, bloodshed, and a world remade, and the persons first command was a list of domestic chores.
"Anything else?" Aryan asked, a tight mixture of confusion and disbelief in his voice.
Anand finally looked at him, his expression an indifferent mask. "I need new clothes."
He rose from his seat, took a few steps toward the garden's exit before pausing. From over his shoulder, he spoke, almost lazily:
"Oh… there should be a testing facility nearby, right?"
Aryan blinked at the sudden change in tone. "Y–yes, there is. Just around the corner from here."
A slow grin curved across Anand's face, sharp and mischievous.
"Good. Let's pay it a visit first."
Without waiting for an answer, he resumed walking, the grin never leaving his lips.
Aryan scrambled after him, half-curious, half-nervous, as if he'd just been pulled into something he wasn't ready for.
Anand and Aryan stepped out of the hotel.
The city beyond was a vision of the future — towers of glass and alloy that gleamed under the pale-blue sky, their surfaces etched with glowing runes of reinforcement. Floating boards projected news, dungeon clearances, and guild rankings high above the streets. The air hummed with patrol drones, their sleek bodies marked with guild crests rather than government seals. On the wide roads below, armored transports and luxury rides cruised smoothly, engines humming with energy far different from what Anand remembered.
For a moment, Anand paused, simply admiring the sight. So this is what civilization became after the gates, he thought.