Within another room where the Research Group had gathered, Kevin studied the teleportation circle beneath him.
Apparently, it was an artificial construct called a Gateway, designed to anchor and regulate entry into Fissures. Unlike natural distortions, which were volatile and unpredictable, this one had been calibrated by the technological department to ensure safe passage… or at least, as safe as it could be.
Intricate lines of light traced across the circular formation, intersecting in complex patterns that pulsed faintly with mana. Symbols Kevin didn't fully recognize were etched along the outer ring, each one glowing a color.
These are runes if I remember correctly. I heard Sera talking about them here and there. It seems the function of these runes is to displace the target into another position using 11-dimensional coordinates. How quaint.
"Don't stare too long. Some people say if you focus on it too much, you start seeing things."
"Sorry, but I'm not the superstitious type."
"Yeah. Me either. But some people still believe in such things for some reason. Come to think about it, I haven't gotten your name."
Kevin turned his head towards the source of the voice.
A tall young man was standing behind him. His orange hair was hard to miss. It fell in slightly messy layers, catching the ambient glow of the Gateway and giving off a faint ember-like glow. His body was lean and his green eyes were filled with friendly glamour. A slim smile tugged at his lips, as if he found the entire situation more amusing than tense.
He stepped forward, extending a hand.
"Name's Noah. Nice to meet you."
Kelvin glanced at the offered hand for a brief moment before taking it.
"Kelvin Pierce."
"That name... Oh, you're the new recruit that I heard so much about. The one who knocked out an instructor, right?"
Wait, the rumors spread that fast!?
Forcing a strained smile, he spoke honestly. "That was an accident, really. I meant no ill intent."
The young man blinked a few times, stunned.
And just like that...
"Pfft—HAHA!"
He burst out laughing.
"Oh man, you're serious? Relax, I'm not here to interrogate you or anything."
"…That obvious?"
"A little," the orange-haired youth admitted, wiping the corner of his eye. "You've got this whole 'I might be in trouble' look going on."
"I'd rather not stand out for the wrong reasons."
"Get what you mean. There was a certain fellow who thought making a scene was a good way to impress everyone. Guess people talk fast around here."
"I don't want that kind of attention."
"No one does. But honestly? It's not all bad. People are curious. Some of them might even respect you for it. Depends on how you handle yourself from here on out."
You don't say?
He seems like the lively type who doesn't mind getting involved with others. The complete opposite of those two. Kelvin glanced at the other members of the group and frowned, then turned back to Noah and asked:
"Those two… what's their story?"
"Curious, aren't you? There isn't much to explain, though. Ms. Ryūshi has already talked about one of them. Most people know her as just Jasmine, but her full name is Jasmine Lei. As you already know, she's the leader of this expedition group and a Lancer."
Noah paused, then added, "Truth be told, this mission was originally hers to handle. But considering the dangers of Fissures, it wouldn't be wise to send a Lancer alone. So the Guild decided to assemble a small team. Since you're here, I bet you were recommended by Miss Ryūshi for this mission. That's quite rare. She's very strict about these things."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I'm curious, what exactly is your specialty? Are you long-range or close-range? And I don't see any weapons on you. Is that intentional, or did you lose them on the way?"
So many questions… how was he supposed to answer when each one led to more questions? Kelvin felt the pressure building in his head. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to stay calm and answered them one by one.
"If I had to say, then I specialize in close- to mid-range combat."
"And weapons?"
"I don't have any. I'm not quite experienced in using them so I just use my hands."
"Hands only, huh? I see. You're really a bold individual."
Bold? What was that supposed to mean? Before Kelvin could respond, Noah continued.
"Anyway, back to the subject. I'm more curious about the identity of the masked woman. Is she perhaps an acquaintance of yours?"
"What? No… I have no idea who she is. I thought you knew."
"Same. Which has been bugging me ever since. I don't like strange things, and that includes intentionally unknown people. Like why wear a mask? What do you have to hide?" Noah spoke as though voicing all his frustrations at once. "But if she was recommended by Miss Ryūshi, then she must be trustworthy at least. Speaking of which, her name should be Mikoto Nirei, or so I believe."
Mikoto Nirei.
For some reason, that name sounded familiar.
Wait... Isn't she the same woman in red from yesterday? Kelvin suddenly recalled that memory.
Truly, there had been a strange masked woman who carried a gun larger than her own height strapped to her back. Just by observing her, the examiner had determined she was qualified without even needing a physical examination and had passed her on that basis alone.
Kelvin had always thought it was odd, but it seemed there was far more to her than met the eye.
A few minutes later, Jasmine drew everyone's attention.
"Hello everyone. You might already know from Miss Ryūshi's briefing, I'm Jasmine Lei and I'll be leading this expedition. Forgive me but I'm not particularly good with people nor leading others, so I'll be under your care as well."
A faint smile appeared on her lips before it quickly disappeared as it came.
"For our objective, we're entering the Fissure to investigate unusual mana fluctuations. The Guild wants us to collect data on its structure and any anomalies present. Though this is simply an analysis mission, don't think it will be a smooth sailing so expect resistance. You must always be on your guard. Questions will be addressed as we move, but understand this: we function as a unit. Therefore, keep an eye out for each other's backs and blind spots. Understood?"
"Understood," the three Slayers answered in union.
Jasmine gave a brief nod in acknowledgment, then turned her attention fully toward the Gateway, signaling the start of the mission.
With that, each of them vanished without leaving so much as a trace of their presence behind.