Penny loved nothing more than smoking. Some might call her addicted, but she didn't care.
She loved sitting inside her car, just her and her cigarette, for hours on end.
Penny was the private detective assigned a month ago to investigate the strange terrorist attacks that had taken place.
Now that the war had returned, everything had become more complicated. The two simultaneous attacks—one during the armor league finals and the other at the peace convention—had happened at exactly the same time.
Everyone blamed Terra Zero, claiming it wanted Area Zero for itself.
Protests against Terra Zero filled the streets with signs that read: "Terra Zero Is Nothing but Terrorists" and "Terrorism Will Not Be Accepted in This Dimension."
Penny found it disturbing how easily human beings could villainize a culture they didn't understand.
Because of the protests, the streets had turned into chaos. She had planned to arrive at her first interrogation at 12:30 p.m., but with traffic like this, she wouldn't get there until around 2:20.
She glanced at the photos of the two people she was about to question. One was Camila, the only survivor of the terrorist attack at the armor arena.
The other was Galius, whom she had interrogated years earlier after the Jacob Day incident.
She began remembering that interrogation.
"So you really saw Lucifer?"
"If you're just another person who's going to call me crazy or laugh at me, you can leave."
"I believe you. Not because I'm religious—I'm not. I just happen to believe in the supernatural."
Galius couldn't believe she was the first person to accept his account without judgment.
"I grew up near a temple," she continued. "So believing in spirits, demons, and things like that has never been hard for me."
Galius had always believed fervently in God. He was raised in a home where religion came first. But after that event, his faith had been shaken.
(If God is good, why did He do this to me?)
That question haunted his sleepless nights.
Penny lit a cigarette.
"Do you mind if I smoke?"
"Not really."
His lungs were practically iron, and cigarette smoke didn't bother him.
His ability to feel the world had changed drastically. Delicious food or even the unpleasant smell of smoke felt cold and emotionless to him.
"You were the only survivor of the Arc Live attack, correct?"
"Yes. I changed a lot after that."
Back in the present, traffic finally began to ease as Penny drove forward.
She soon arrived at Legion military base, a recently established facility meant to train people from across Earth to fight for Zero Energy.
As she stepped out of her car, she bumped into a white-haired young man wearing orange aviator glasses. He looked barely twenty-two.
"Hey, watch where you're going!"
(Does the army really have no shame hiring kids this young?)
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."
He apologized with an embarrassed smile and flushed cheeks.
His name was Xin Yu, recently recruited. He was a bit goofy and distracted, but supposedly had earned top marks in armor piloting during preliminary tests—even though he barely passed everything else.
To enter the base, candidates had to reach a required score, and piloting was one of the most complex and difficult subjects, even for veterans.
"Mr. Xin, I suggest you return to your post."
The voice belonged to a tall, muscular man with brown eyes and short brown hair shaved at the sides. He was John, the major commanding Xin's platoon.
Xin dashed off like a cartoon character disappearing around a corner.
"And you, miss—who might you be? This is a restricted area."
Penny pulled out her badge.
"Earth Intelligence Agency. I'm here to speak with this girl."
She showed Camila's photo.
Major John immediately recognized it.
"Follow me."
He led her to a white interrogation room where Camila sat in a plastic chair.
The girl looked downcast. Penny already knew what had happened to her, so she tried to remain as calm as possible.
The major placed a chair for Penny and left the room.
"You're Camila Silva, right? I've reviewed your record. I understand your pain."
Penny's tone was softer than usual.
"I've lost people dear to me, too. Like you, I grew up without a father. My only friend died during the Great War.
I know what it's like to feel alone, without anyone to lean on. But even when life is cruel, I kept my head up. I tell myself the ones who are gone are watching me—and that they're proud of every step I take.
Your friends are watching you too, wherever they are. They want you to be strong."
She spoke gently, almost like a teacher calming a frightened child. Her eyes lacked the coldness Camila saw in officers and doctors at the base. They were tired—but sincere.
Camila swallowed back her tears. She hated the word fear.
She didn't want to be in that state—but her body wouldn't respond.
"I'm not afraid," she murmured.
Since the arena attack, she could barely sleep.
Whenever she closed her eyes, she relived it: the collapsing ceiling, the explosions, the screams.
The sensation of being buried alive inside her own armor.
"They were my only family," she whispered.
"I know this is hard. The grief you're feeling will ease with time. I truly believe that."
Camila stared at the cold floor.
(I don't want this… I want to fight… I want to avenge them.)
Suddenly, Xin kicked the door open, shouting:
"MAN, I REALLY NEED TO TAKE A DUMP!"
"Uh… excuse me… does anyone know where the bathroom is?" he added awkwardly when he realized he'd entered the wrong room.
Penny flushed with embarrassment.
(This guy's not right in the head.)
"Ah—sorry. Thought this was the restroom."
He still didn't know the base well.
A chubby young man quickly grabbed him by the ear.
"You're always messing up, Xin! When are you going to take things seriously?"
This was Tony, Xin's best friend, constantly scolding him for his blunders.
"I'm so sorry, ma'am. He's new here," Tony stammered.
He dragged Xin out.
Penny decided to end the interrogation, feeling the interruption had broken the flow of her thoughts.
She stood and carried her briefcase out of Legion.
Camila was still depressed—but Penny's words had given her a small sense of confidence.
She could now leave the base and perform her duties without much trouble. Still, she barely spoke to anyone. She remained deeply introverted.
That evening at dinner, Xin approached her.
"Sorry for ruining your interrogation earlier," he said awkwardly.
She knew he hadn't meant harm.
"It's okay. You didn't do anything wrong."
"What's your name? You new here too? I'm Xin—nice to meet you."
He extended his hand.
She shook it.
"Camila," she replied quietly.
"Nice to meet you! Want to sit at our table? It's just me and that chubby guy from earlier."
She decided it might be good to try socializing again.
"You brought a girl to the table, Xin?" Tony could hardly believe it—a girl like her sitting with two losers like them.
As Xin and Tony chatted about random topics—girls, nonsense, everything—Camila remained distant. She didn't quite feel like she belonged.
Eventually, it was time to head back to the dormitories.
That night, she couldn't sleep.
She kept thinking about Tom, Liam, and the recent terrorist attack.
Who had done it? Terra Zero—or was it just a malfunction in the arena?
Finding that answer alone would be nearly impossible.