Chapter 4: Neon City

Their ship stood in front of the line leading towards the main entrance of the space colony ark. The monitor in the pilot’s room lit up with the guard's face. The guard's face looked like a monitor with pixelated blue eyes.

“What brings you to Space Colony ark”

“Yea, so we are the adventurers sent to Sector 18 milky way galaxy to report to the Neo Guild.”

“Id and mission details”
“Alright, sending them in your way”

The captain said as he typed down the mission details.

“Alright, you are good to go”

The ship slowly entered the space colony. Ken looked out of his window. The interior of the ship was filled with different coloured buildings. Each were towering so high that they could hardly see the top. Small transportation vehicles were moving around. People were walking down the streets. Each building had a different billboard, displaying unique items and such. But there was a main billboard through the gate where Ken and their ship were passing. The billboard displayed a woman with red and pink hair. She looked like a dark elf.

“Good morning Neon City! Ready to start a new day in the big apple? Well, be sure to check out the newly opened residential districts courtesy of our newly elected mayor. And those who are new here don't miss out on the delicious cuisines scattered across many parts of the city. And finally, to the new adventurers, be sure to visit the Neo Guild to take on universal level contracts. We try our best to provide a place for people of all walks of life to come together and live in peace. So, are you ready for the next chapter of your life?! I sure am!”
“Woah, this place…” Ken looked at it with awe.

“You wanna explore?” Kyo asked.

“Can I?”
“Sure, but after I finish my report. Or do you wanna go by yourself?”
“I wouldn't suggest that if I were you,” said the captain of the ship.

“Despite how glamorous Neon city is. It's dangerous to walk alone.” he further added.
“You hear that?” said Kyo.

“It's ok. I wanna explore it with Kyo.”
“Thats Mr Kyo to you.”

“Alright, Mr... Kyo,” Ken grumbled.

The ship descended to the dock and opened its hatch. Ken rushed outside with enthusiasm.

“Wait kid! Damn. Who was the one afraid a few seconds ago?”

Kyo walked behind him. Ken looked around his surroundings. Everyone and everything was much taller than him. Each looking vastly different from the other. Some looked like humanoid animals while others looked like humans, but of a unique color or limbs. Ken being distracted by their appearance butt head first within a guy and immediately fell down on the ground. He looked up to see a humanoid red bull that was twice the size of Kyo. The man bent down and said,

“Watch where you’re going shrimpy!”

Ken jolted back, being afraid. Kyo pulled Ken back and said,

“Sorry about that. Kids these days, you know. Say you're sorry Ken”

“Uh..I’m..im sorry sir”.
“Be a more responsible father. Put a leash on that thing or something,” saying that he walked by.

Ken looked back at Kyo as the bull passed by.

“Hey, he said you’re my fath-”
“Don't go there, kid. I’m not. Now stay close or the next time you get into trouble, I ain't saving ya.”

“Yes, Mr.”

Ken tightened up once again. They both headed towards a large compound. The inside of the place looked like a dome made of high quality marbles. With a big chandelier at the top, lighting the entire room. The shining room mesmerized Ken. Inside, there were tables with robot servers running around and people dressed up in various battle outfits, talking and drinking. Suddenly, Ken gripped Kyo’s leg tightly. Kyo noticed it and asked,

“What’s wrong?”

“This smell…I don't like it”

“Smell…what smell is this kid talking about…Oh”

He looked around to see booze bottles lying around. Some were drunk, some were fighting.

“Must be the smell of the alcohol”, Kyo said to himself.
“If you behave, we will go in and out in a second? Got it?”
Ken nodded his head in reply. Kyo made his way to the receptionist. The receptionist was a woman with red eyes. Her skin was blue and eyes that looked like it lacked sleep and were about to close shut at any minute.

“Name:”
“Tengen Kawasaki”
“But didn’t you say your name was Ky-”

Kyo put his hand in Ken’s mouth before he spoke”
“Sorry about the kid. Proceed”
The receptionist was too tired to care.

“Tengen Kawasaki…Are you here to report your mission?”
“Yes.”

" Please fill up the paperwork sent to the computer in your left corner.”
Kyo started working on it. Ken looked around. The place already bore him. Suddenly, his eyes met with a beautiful woman. The woman had violet hair and a pink witch dress. She winked back at Ken, who immediately looked down in embarrassment.

“Done” Kyo said. The receptionist looked at the paper and then looked back at Kyo and said,

“This was a C rank mission, wasn't it? And you are the only survivor?”

Kyo looked a bit perplexed, thinking about what she would ask.
“Yes”. He replied.

“Well, a tragedy, I suppose. I will send the details back to the server. If you are called for any questioning later on, we'll notify you. For now, here is the check. Since the rest of your crew has died, their money is to be sent to the charity of your choice. What would you choose?”
Kyo looked back at Ken and looked back at the receptionist and said,

“Foster Care”

“Alright. That would do. Thank you for working with the Neon guild. We hope to do more contracts with you soon. Next,” she said in a monotone voice.

“Alright let's go”

“Umm, that lady has been looking at me for a bit now.”
“Which lady?”

Ken pointed in the direction. Kyo looked and sighed immediately. He grabbed Ken’s arm and went close to the bench.

“What are you doing here?” he asked in a grumpy voice.

“Looking for you. I knew you were a man of many things, but child abduction didn’t seem one of them.”

“I didn't abduct this kid. Circumstances just made me bring him. Kid, this is Eliza. She is this guilds nurse, or supposed to be”

“Hey! What does that mean? You know I'm only taking a break right now.”
“Yeah, a break…” he retorted.

“And what is your name, kiddo?” she said, bending down towards his face level.
‘My name is Kawasaki Ken!”

“Ohhh.” Eliza gasped slightly while touching her lips.

“Hey! Why did you add the Kawasaki for?”
“But you said to me your name was Kawasaki too.”
“That doesn't mean you get to add that part to your name, too!”
“Ken huh…”
She glanced back at Kyo, who looked away and already understood the origin of the name. She patted Ken’s head and said,

“Nice to meet you, Ken. I'm Eliza.”
Her smile made Ken blush immensely. Her giant breasts also added to the fact.

“Look at you being all embarrassed. Aren't you adorable?”

He immediately scooted back behind Kyo’s legs, glancing back and forth at Eliza. She looked back at Kyo and said,

“What is up with Ken’s face?”
“I was actually going to come to you about that. We need to talk.”

Back on Planet Earth…

Some people could be seen standing next to the dead bodies of Leon and the rest. They wore white cloaks and a small viking helmet on their heads.

“So this is what remains huh,” one man in the robes said. He bent down and pulled out another meto meter.

“Got any readings yet, Raj?”
“None so far, Captain Conroy. It seems the Kaiju just disappeared into thin air,” said Raj.
“It can never disappear into thin air. Someone must have got to it before we. But the question is who?”
“Not many can survive an encounter with these beasts. Only those who have mastery over the ancient transcripts can tame them. As far as I know, we are the only ones.”

“Don't be so foolish Raj. The universe is a vast place. Not everything is under the Galactic government's radar. There will always be many people out there who want to tame these powers.”
“But to perform the blood ritual-”
“Not everyone needs it. After all, there are some people gifted with the power that could rival these beasts themselves.”

Raj looked back behind Conroy towards the boy with green hair who was sitting idly in the rubble. His cloak floating in the wind majestically. His eyes closed as he was meditating. Conroy looked back and realized what he inadvertently meant.

“Tell everyone to check for more clues. If you still don't find anything more. Then we will go from there,” said Conroy.
“Yes, Captain!”
Saying that, Conroy slowly walked towards the boy.

“You okay there?”
The boy slowly opened his eyes. His eyes had a hazel color. He looked back at Conroy and said,

“Yes, I was just training.”
“Training? Now?”
“Yes. I am replaying my last sparring sessions with you in my mind. Trying to find out where I went wrong.”
“Jeez, you’re still thinking about that fight 2 days ago. You gotta loosen up a little kid.”

“I, Axel, son of Alvor, cannot just sit by and rest. You, of all people, should know why.”
“Yea yea responsibility, meeting daddy’s expectations blah blah…”
“You watch your tongue! How dare you speak to me like that?”
“Yea sure. Tell you what, after this lets get some burgers from chickdonalds”

“Really” Axel’s grim face turned to that of an excited kid. Well, he was just a 12-year-old trying to look tough. Conroy looked at him with a cheeky smile.

“I mean…sure master”
As they were chatting, Raj came by and reported,

“Sir, we scouted the place. There seems to be a trace of a ship landing.”

They immediately headed over to the spot.

“This markings…An SUB-22 Alpha. Aren't these ships mainly owned by the Neo guild? Try to check the database if they had sent any sort of scouting mission here or not. That will be our lead.”
“Alright sir.”

“The rest of you get back on your ship. We are heading to the Space Colony Ark!”

“Yes, Captain!” all the soldiers shouted.

“Captain, what about the bodies?”
“You have taken their data, right?”

“Yes, Captain.”

" Well, no point in bringing mercenary bodies. Axel….”

“Hmph”
Axel reached his hand out. His eyes lit up light green.

“Flame Meto: Verdurous Ignition!”

An enormous blast of green flame poured right out of his hand. Burning everything in front. Leaving not a single trace. Raj looked at the scene, awed by the firepower. On the other hand, Conroy looked at it with a prideful smile.

“Alright. Let's head out!"