God Ash: Remnants of the fallen.

The moment they stepped into the City, Cain was finally able to appreciate the bustling center of humanity for the first time in a while.

This place seemed normal.

Sure, the aspect of technology that once seemed to exist was completely gone. Most of the machines that had been used to build and maintain infrastructure were either destroyed, or they no longer worked like they used to.

Because of this, a race of technologically advanced beings lost it all overnight.

In place of that, they were given the ability to use mana and other strange forms of energy.

"Not bad at all." Cain muttered to himself.

While it wasn't anything too impressive, it was far better than the mess of ruins that now covered most of the world.

Not only the buildings, but the people seemed more lively and upbeat. The threat of death was still there, but at least now, they could choose when and how they would put their lives at risk.

There were stalls dedicated to selling all sorts of things all around him; Aether Beasts meat, fur, hide, bones, organs, as well as whatever special materials could be gotten from their bodies, ammunition, arrows, weapons, and armor.

There were shops offering services as well. Cain could see a store with the placard indicating it was a brewery in front of the door just down the main street. There was a blacksmith's workshop nearby as well.

All in all, this place was a proper City. It was different from what he was used to, but he figured that was what made humans special. Even when their world had come crumbling down, they had found a way to rebuild from its ashes.

Many people walked around weapons strapped to their waists and backs. Although most of these people didn't possess access to the system, they had all been granted all sorts of blessings by their patron Celestial.

These blessings, besides coming with a generous improvement of stats, made their lives far more convenient.

Most blessings were useless outside combat, but there did exist some that fell into the realm of Utility. For example, a blessing that allowed one to create equipment, or a blessing that made drawing maps easier and more efficient.

"Do you really plan on going to the temple later?" Someone suddenly asked.

Cain tilted his head slightly to glance at Lucia, who stared at him with concern. The rest of the squad also seemed concerned for him.

Cain chuckled to himself. He nodded,

"Yeah. I planned on going there anyway. There's something I have to confirm. I just hope nothing crazy happens."

Boulder shook his head, "You don't have to go through with it. Although the General doesn't have much of an influence in this place, he is still respected by the Hunters and most of the people. He is the one responsible for saving all their lives."

Cain sighed, "I get it. But you don't need to worry. I have a plan."

He did not, in fact, have a plan...

He had merely saod what came to.mond in the moment to deflect suspicion.

Still, this could be a good opportunity for him. If he wanted to find his people, he had to start from somewhere. He would rather not burden Boulder and the others with his business. He wouldn't alwant to be the reason they died.

'Still... How do I escape for this dilemma? With how troublesome that guy seemed, there's no way the headaches end here.'

Cain frowned, 'If I am forced to enter the temple, there is a chance my connection to Ashur might be found out. If that happens, then I might very well not leave this place alive. Even worse, Boulder and the rest will surely be done in.'

He shook his head, 'I'll think about all that later. For now...'

Now, he decided to take it off his mind and enjoy the sights.

The smell of roastingeat filled his nostrils. In that moment, he realized it had been a while since they had something to eat.

Cain turned to Boulder, "How about we get something to eat before discussing how to move forward?"

Boulder shrugged, "Alright."

***

The moment they stepped into the inn, all eyes turned towards them.

Cain's eyes scanned the area, 'They seem rougher than most...'

It was very easy to identify those who had become Hunters in Valestorm. They usually strapped their weapons in visible parts of their bodies, perhaps as a deterrent of some sorts.

They looked more crass than the regular people, and they were often seen leaving the City. The armor made of Duskkin leather was quite common here as well thanks to its insulating properties, butost of them also wore an added layer of armor as protection.

Boulder and Khan seemed unaffected, but Lucia glared back at one of the Hunter's who had a lecherous look on his face as he stared at her proportions.

Cain chuckled to himself before moving forward.

Although the inn was filled with a lot of people, it was also spacious. They were able to find three wide tables that could seat them all.

A waitress quickly ran over to take their orders. Cain was surprised at the menu selection. All times of stewed, grilled, and roasted meats were on the table. He even saw a selective for {Blister Rats}, which scared him deeply. As for drinks, there was alcohol, but it was very expensive, almost too expensive.

Besides, he didn't drink, so he wasn't worried. Even if they were a hundred times more expensive, he would still be able to buy a hundred of them without breaking a sweat. This was because all the payments were made in mana shards.

The entire economy of Valestorm, ran on mana shards. Mana shards were a very important, as they were vital in the creation and running mechanisms of Mana Tech.

Once the ordering was done, Cain let out a sigh and continued to observe his surroundings.

He could already feel several less than friendly gazes settled on his person like clockwork.

A few minutes later, the waitress was back with their order. Cain had ordered several platters of meats. While they were of lower quality than what he could get himself, they were cooked far better than he every could.

'Interesting... Cooking is far more that just starting a fire and roasting some meat, but this is something else.'

He was fascinated by it. He wasn't a bad cook, but he couldn't manage even a fraction of what the cook responsible for his meal was capable of.

Whit that thought in mind, he began to devour his meal ravenously. The others were equally as famished as he was, so they wasted no time as well.

Midway through the meal, Boulder began speaking,

"Besides coming to deliver the quota, I'm also thinking of buying a few new equipment and changing my armor."

Khan nodded, "I agree. It's also about time I paid a visit to the temple."

Lucia gulped down a mouthful of tender meat,

"Well, I guess I do need to get materials to makenmore ammo."

Boulder nodded, "Then why don't we go shopping once we are done with our mission?"

Lucia shrugged, "Seems fine to me, I guess..."

Boulder turned to Cain, "What do you think?"

Cain smiled, then shook his head, "I'll be a bit busy after having my meal. You guys go on without me."

Boulder narrowed his eyes, "Is that so... In that case, I understand."

Soon after that conversation, they were done with their meal.

Thankfully, they weren't disturbed by the other patrons. Cain was thankful he didn't have to cause another commotion so soon after getting into the City.

At the entrance of the inn, he bid the others farewell, before walking the other way on his own.

It was time to begin executing his plan...

The first thing he did was try reaching out to Hunter with his mind.

'No luck, huh...' He said to himself after a while. He was unable to reach Hunter. However, he expected as much.

'In that case, guess I'll have to find them myself.'

The City was huge, but not that huge. What made it seem so large, was the construction going on on the outskirts of the City. Soon, Valestorm would begin expanding its boundaries until it became as huge as a proper City. Now, it was more accurate to call it a large town.

Weaving through the crowd of people bustling around, he began plotting what to do next.

'I can go stealth and snoop around. It is risky, but if I'm careful, I won't get caught. But when I find them, what then? Do I just yank them out wherever they are being kept, or do I do something else.'

As he continued his walk, Cain felt something.

'I'm being watched.'

He didn't mind though. He had expected as much.

Whoever it was, was quite proficient in the art of stalking too. The only reason he was able to sense this person so well was his high perception stat and {Eye of Clairvoyance}. Without these two things, he would be completely unaware.

'Could it be someone from the inn? I certainly didn't feel anyone following us from the gate.'

Either way, it didn't matter. All he had to do, was lose his pursuant for a moment before activating {Dark Cloak}.

With that in mind, Cain increased his pace. Surprisingly, whoever it was on his tail picked up speed as well. He could not shake his stalker off.

'Annoying...'

He couldn't do something overly dramatic. Attracting too much attention was simply a recipe for disaster.

'Let's see what you are after then.'

Since he couldn't outrun the stalker, he decided to confront him instead.

Breaking away from the bustling crowd, he turned to the left and worked his way through an alley.

The entire alley reeked of urine and waste at all stages of decomposition. It assaulted his nostrils like tendrils of near visible wickedness. Thanks to his heightened perception, he was able to sense these things rather starkly, but he could also shut them out.

Walking into the dark, empty alley, Cain turned around and waited for his stalker to appear.

After waiting for a few seconds, he finally saw someone make their way into the alley as well.

Cain's face immediately contorted into a frown.

'Damn it!'

Standing right before him, was a figure dressed in a black, silk robe. The robe covered the individual from his shoulder to his ankles.

And on his face, was a deep red mask with two small horns jutting from the sides. A long, wickedly curved blade was strapped to the individual's back, adding a layer of danger to the mysterious individual.

Cain knew what this person was.

He smiled wryly,

"To think my stalker would be a Pilgrim. What unlucky star was I born under?"