"Oh well..."

Mars clenched his hand around the core and activated his energy drain skill before he then opened his had again and saw how the magic beast core crumbled into dust. Having drained the core he then tilted his hand to the side and let the dust fly off in the wind, with this core absorbed he was about 1/4th full on energy units.

"This will have to do for now I guess...."

Mars looked west, towards where he knew the portal was. As a living G.o.d of energy he was able to feel it by now, even though they were still a couple of months away from the portal, he was starting to get a little tense about it.

Iis it really the right thing to bring the girls..?'

"Mars... Mars?"

As Mars was lost in thought Elsa called out to him, when she didn't get a response she pouted slightly before she walked up behind him and hugged him from behind while putting her hands over his eyes.

"Guess who?~"

Mars woke up from his daze and gave a smile as he removed her hands from his eyes and asked.

"What are you doing Elsa?"

Elsa leaned her head on his shoulder before she asked.

"What were you thinking about?"

"Well... It's just that I am beginning to be able to feel the portal and then I was thinking about the safety of you girls."

"I see... You think it's best for us not to approach the portal?"

Mars gave a slight shrug before he answered.

"I think your safety is more important than the mission, although staying with me for another month should not be a problem."

"Okay... I'll tell the others. By the way I wanted to ask you if you wanted another serving?"

"Sure."

The night pa.s.sed uneventfully and so the next morning the group continued west, after about a week of traveling they reached the edge of the earthen tribes territory. The earthen tribe being the brains behind the portal had claimed (and swiftly conquered) all land around the portal and proclaimed it as their new home. Now Mars didn't have the best impression of the earthen tribe at the moment, not after what happened to Alex and Emma anyways so he didn't look forward to entering their territory. Even now he was thinking about how to make a nuke so he could wipe them all out, the girls picked up on Mars' bad mood and did their best to comfort him as they got closer and closer to the edge of their territory. Doing that time they began running into refugees that were moving in the opposite direction form the group, Mars noted how miserable they looked as he hardened his resolve about closing the portal for good, after all the longer the unstable portal was open the bigger the change for something to go horribly wrong.

'They have no idea what forces they are playing with...'

Soon the small roads also became filled with vehicles that where entering and exiting the earthen tribes territory Mars and the girls were forced not to walk on the road altogether. Instead they walked beside the road, this slowed down their walking speed significantly, but it was better than risking being run over by a vehicle. After traveling for another week the group reached the edge of the earthen tribes territory, the changes were not obvious at first but as the days pa.s.sed Mars noticed how they didn't meet any magic beasts or beasts in general. The sides of the road where also filled with semi industrial farms where giant framing vehicles that  worked the fields and then one day Mars' mood hit rock bottom when they reached where the new modern roads where being built.

'This is beyond f.u.c.ked up.... Since they have such vehicles and technology they could easily do this without slave workers.'

The roads were being built by slaves, it looked like they were all natives from Alfan that had been enslaved from the other cities like the thing the group experienced when they had entered the earthen tribe controlled city a few months back. Mars and the group moved further away from the road to pa.s.s by the construction but then they were stopped by one of the guards that overlooked the slaves.

"Stop right there."

He pointed his gun at Mars and the others which p.i.s.sed Mars off so he yell back.

"What's your problem!?"

The guard, not happy about being yelled at, also raised his voice.

"All natives are to be brought to a processing facility, so obediently surrender yourselves!"

Mars gave a sigh and activated [half-awaken] along with [Instant movement]. When he reappeared the 10 or so guards fell to the ground, Mars then ripped open a portal and turned to the girls.

"Sorry but it's time for you guys to go home."

The girls gave nods and walked through the portal, then he turned to Yel that still stood in place.

"You too Yel."

"...Okay master."

When Yel walked through the portal Mars was left alone with the slaves that had stopped working and turned to him, Mars gave a slight smile and asked.

"Do you guys want to be free?"

The slaves, unable to speak gave nods in response. Mars walked up to one of them and drained the energy from the slave collar before it unlocked with a click, the slave a young boy fell to his knees but Mars quickly pulled him up as he ripped open another portal.

"Quickly we don't have much time."

The boy gave a nod and walked through the portal, then Mars freed the rest of the 20 or so prisoners and sent them through the portal before he took flight and began flying west... Shortly after a vehicle stopped by the road construction sight and discovered the bodies...

After flying west for the best part of a day, Mars landed and decided to stop by a city he could see in the distance for a place to sleep. After a few minutes of walking Mars reached the city and lined up to enter the city, knowing this was earthen tribe territory Mars didn't show his merc tag but paid the fee like a normal person. Stepping into the city the first thing Mars noticed where the modern lighting he a.s.sumed came from the mana powered generators he could sense in the middle of the city.

'Electricity.... Sure been a long time...'

Looking up at the neon like lamps Mars gave a sigh and moved further into the city before he found an inn and stepped inside. The inside of the inn look more like a modern motel than a fantasy like inn but Mars didn't mind it too much as it hopefully meant that the beds would be comfy.

"Excuse me, got any free rooms?"

The innkeeper turned to Mars and gave a business smile

"Yes a few, do you have any preference?"

"No not as long as the beds are clean."

"I see, we should be able to handle that."

After Mars paid he was showed to his room which turned out to be exactly like Mars expected. A cheap motel lookalike with a single bed and a small desk and chair as the only furniture inside, Mars gave a nod and turned on the light in the room before he threw the key over on the desk. Setting down his backpack he walked over and closed the small window that stood open, then he laid down on the bed and closed his eyes for a few seconds before he sat up again.

'Worth the price but nothing more I guess...'

Mars took off his s.h.i.+rt and pants before he turned off the lights and laid down on the bed and closed his eyes as he took in the sounds around him for a few minutes before he turned over and began calming himself down before he fell asleep a few minutes later...

The middle of the night Mars' eyes snapped open, he had a sense of unease that chilled his bones, like he was being stared down by a cla.s.s 20 magic beast. He sat up in the bed and looked around, the room was empty except for a woman that sat in the chair at the small desk. she had long white hair and golden eyes that glowed in the dark as she stared at Mars, when Mars locked eyes with her he instantly activated [Half-awaken] before he asked.

"....What can I help you with?"

The woman stared at Mars for a few long moments before a voice appeared in Mars' head.

"Inquiry: Why are you approaching the portal?"

Mars gave a sigh and began putting on his clothes as the voice appeared in his head once more.

"Inquiry: Why are you approaching the portal?"

"Can I ask you something first?"

"Acceptance: Ask away."

".... What are you?"

"Statement: I am an angel of Beta, serial number #10012."

Mars froze up slightly before he b.u.t.toned the last b.u.t.ton on his s.h.i.+rt and stood up from the bed

"Well I might as well be honest here... I am going to close the portal."

The angel also stood up from the chair and a voice appeared in Mars' head again.

"Statement: Then I am going to destroy you."