In a Quiet Lounge
Beast and Henry sat across from each other, a low table separating them as steam rose from their meal.
"Loop's Second Branch... was it really wise to tell Ethan?" Henry asked, breaking the silence.
Beast gave a slow nod. "It was his own choice. Whatever comes of it—good or bad—he will face the consequences himself."
Henry nodded in quiet agreement.
Beast exhaled a heavy sigh, staring into his drink. "Everything started from that... before it moved to Ottawa, or outside."
"Does that mean Heronics is actually located in Ottawa, or nearby?" Henry asked, his brow furrowing.
"I don't know," Beast replied smoothly. "No one truly knows."
Henry frowned, listening closely.
"The strange thing about Heronics is that it simply appears before your eyes," Beast explained, leaning back. "Its true, original coordinates remain unknown. It came out of nowhere decades ago, right in front of a group of teenagers on the South American continent."
Beast took a bite of crispy chicken before continuing. "When The Great Threat was finally brought down, their surviving remnants scattered. Loop seized the stronghold as its primary foothold—which is now known as their Second Branch."
"So... that place originally belonged to the Greater Threat?" Henry asked.
"It did," Beast confirmed grimly. "My boys and I raided that facility ourselves and dismantled their vanguard. Others assisted, of course."
"Right. John Levi," Henry noted. "He was in your unit back then."
"I left him stationed there to keep watch for lingering hostiles," Beast said.
Henry sat back, picking up his glass of pineapple juice and taking a slow sip. "Still... what took place there wasn't meant for normal people to witness."
"No," Beast agreed quietly, shaking his head. "It was not."
"I used to think those stories were exaggerated rumors," Henry admitted. "Until I saw... with my own eyes."
Beast gave a solemn nod. "If Ethan is heading to the Second Branch... he's walking into something far tougher than he realizes."
North Ottawa—Highway Perimeter
Ethan maintained a discreet distance on Shisui's borrowed motorcycle, tracking the courier and the escort vehicles as they sped northward out of the city limits.
They're definitely making a run for one of Loop's hidden compounds, Ethan thought, throttling down as the convoy pulled off the main highway.
Ahead, an old, rusted. barely standing steel bridge spanned a wide, dark river. A heavy wooden barricade blocked the crossing, marked by a glaring sign:
UNDER CONSTRUCTION — NO ENTRY
The lead car slowed to a halt. A guard stepped out from the shadows, sliding the barrier aside just long enough for the convoy to pass through. The vehicles turned onto an unpaved dirt path, disappearing into a dense treeline on the opposite bank.
Ethan brought his bike to a quiet stop behind a cluster of trees well before the bridge.
If I cross on the bridge, their spotters will pick me up instantly.
Leaving the motorcycle concealed in the brush, Ethan moved stealthily along the riverbank, slipped into the freezing water, and swam quietly across to the far side.
Emerging dripping wet onto the muddy embankment, Ethan pushed through the thick brush. He found the convoy parked in a small clearing—engines off, doors unlocked, completely empty.
They abandoned the vehicles. Moving on foot from here.
Ethan picked up their faint tracks in the mud, trailing them deeper into the dense woods.
Gradually, the dense trees gave way to an eerie, abandoned settlement—a ruined village overrun by vines, decaying timber, and crumbling stone walls.
The VIP in the black suit walked through the central alleyway, holding the metallic briefcase firmly in one hand while casually puffing on a cigar.
Ethan crouched behind a half-collapsed wall at the edge of the village, scanning the perimeter.
Is this really the Second Branch...?
CRACK.
A soft footstep echoed behind him.
Ethan spun around, raising his guard—but the alley was empty.
THWIP.
A sharp, sudden sting pierced the side of his neck. Ethan reached up, his fingers brushing against the cold plastic casing of a tranquilizer dart lodged in his skin.
Instantly, the world began to tilt. His knees buckled under a sudden, overwhelming weight.
What... what kind of... is this...?
Ethan collapsed onto the dirt, his vision blurring violently as a high-pitched ringing echoed in his ears. As dark spots closed in over his eyes, he caught the faint silhouette of a woman strolling toward him, a sharp, crimson smile on her face.
"Another stray rat..." Eliza purred, stepping over his limp form.
The VIP turned around, stepping back into the clearing.
Eliza saw him and spoke, "Good evening, Number 0."
Number 0 gave a cold nod, his gaze falling onto Ethan's motionless body. "So someone actually managed to tail us."
"We picked up ripples in the water under the bridge," Eliza explained lightly. "When my scouts checked the bank, we found our eager little guest."
Number 0 scoffed, tossing his cigar onto the dirt. "Take him inside."
Two heavily armed guards stepped forward, hauling Ethan up by his shoulders and dragging him toward the subterranean entrance buried beneath the ruined village.
Near the Bridge
High above the riverbank, seated comfortably on a thick branch of a massive pine tree, Hayato peered through a pair of tactical binoculars.
"Damn... they caught him," Hayato muttered.
Shisui, crouching behind the same trunk, in front of his frowned. "Caught who?"
Receiving no immediate reply, Shisui nudged the branch hard. Hayato lost his grip, slipping off the bough—only to land lightly on his feet on the grass below, flashing Shisui a smug smirk.
"Who got caught, Hayato?" Shisui asked again, dropping down beside him.
"Honestly? I have no idea who he is," Hayato admitted cheerfully.
Shisui stared at him, exasperated. "Then why are we following him?!"
"Because, he's the one who took your bike, I mean I let him."
Shisui nodded, "Let's go."
"I think we should help the kid out," Hayato said, adjusting his collar.
Shisui considered it for a moment, looking toward the dark forest across the river, before giving a firm nod. "Fine. Let's move."
"Alright, follow me," Hayato said, taking a step toward the bridge.
Shisui paused, pointing at the guarded crossing. "Wait... how are we supposed to get across? We can't use the bridge."
Hayato stopped dead in his tracks, blinking at the bridge.
"That... is another very good point."