Trying to ignore the searing throbs pulsating in my right shoulder, I began to rummage through my satchel to find something that I could use to neutralize the new threat as quickly and cleanly as possible.

The extraction syringes were out of question. The process of drawing useful substances from the environment would take too long—especially since the only objects available in my immediate surroundings were building structures and quartz-like crystals, which needed to be broken down into smaller pieces and macerated before I could extract anything from them.

Passing over several bottles of tinctures, my fingers closed around a flacon of saraph essence, before quickly dropping it like a hot coal. Incineration would certainly be a speedy option, but activating a light source in close proximity to a Mirage Anomaly is just asking for trouble.

As I continue to fumble with my items, I noticed that the new recruit—whose name escapes me at the moment—was still standing nearby, gazing at me intently with those moon-like orbs.

"Miss, if you can't fight, get away right now." Turning away from that piercing stare, I waved my free hand towards no particular direction. As long as the girl was out of sight—and therefore out of my responsibility—it didn't really matter where she hid.

She didn't need to be told twice. And thank the Heavens the girl had some common sense despite her lack of powers; because the moment she was gone, a loud blast reverberated throughout the town square, sending explosive shockwaves that splintered the granite slabs covering the walkway into hundreds of pieces, and causing several buildings to crumble.

Another blur of movement caught my eye, and I somehow managed to throw myself to the side just in time to evade the human-shaped missile that bulldozed through a three-storeyed tavern that once stood proud behind me. That maneuver also created more shockwaves that rattled the structures behind it.

A sonic boom.

I dove behind a stone wall before that Anomalous creature could regain its bearing and launch another attack. Such a violent impact would have reduced a normal person into a bloody pulp, and the fact that it didn't only proved that the former Kinetics Expert was no longer a human being, but merely a vessel for a creature that doesn't belong in this world.

But something wasn't right…

Being a Kinetics Expert, Lennard possessed the ability to manipulate velocity, and going faster than the speed of sound would be as easy for him as blinking is for others. However, his size and mass shouldn't be enough to generate sound energy of this magnitude. Something else must have amplified the sound waves produced by his movements.

This could only mean one thing: the thing that had taken Lennard as its host wasn't a Mirage Anomaly. It's a Noise Anomaly.

Yet another big question mark on this already dubious mission. Anomalies shouldn't be able to change its type, just as it shouldn't have been able to spontaneously disappear without a trace.

Unfortunately, these mysteries would have to wait for its answers. I had to take care of this hazard before it could cause further chaos.

It shouldn't be too hard to finish this thing off, however. The Lennard-shaped Anomaly had made fatal a mistake when it tried to show off its newfound powers by bursting the soil covering. By doing so, it had quite literally dug its own grave.

As quickly as I could, I pulled out a nigredo tincture from my satchel and smashed it against a slab of broken granite. The ink-like substance contained in the bottle spilled onto the exposed soil and spread rapidly—the black tint latching onto the impurities contined inside the dirt like a ravenous beast gobbling down its prey.

Then, I whipped my palm onto the darkened earth, and the terrain ground immediately caved in, forming a cavity beneath my opponent. Once it was plunged into the twenty-feet deep crater, I drew back my hand to close the pit, Inhuming the Anomalous being within.

"The danger is gone, young lady. You may come out now." Dusting my old, brown—or was it green?—cloak, I called out to the empty town square, and received no response.

Ah, what a pity. That girl must be dead already. She had likely hid in one of the empty houses and got crushed underneath the rubble.

I picked up several fragments of the crystalline towers left behind by the missing Mirage Anomaly for later study, and was just about to leave the city when the girl bounded out from an alley, practically jumping up and down with eager curiousity.

"Hey, Sir Rubrene, what did you do just now? It's so amazing how you could disappeared an Anomaly just like that. Would I be able to do something like that when I get my abilities?" If this new Gatekeeper was a puppy, she'd be wagging her tail right now—which would have been quite adorable under normal circumstances, but only felt disturbing, considering everything else.

"You're really something else, Miss… sorry, I forgot what your name was." I pinched the bridge of my nose in a futile attempt to ward off the migraine that was beginning to form. "Aren't you bothered about what just happened?"

"Celestine Alcott. But people usually call me Celine." Her voice remained as chipper as always. "And it's fine. The instructors at boot camp had told us that something like this is to be expected," she added, while batting her hand dismissively.

Her placid reaction to Lennard's grim fate is the farthest thing from expected, however. Knowing that something bad might happen doesn't necessarily shield you from the pain when the anticipated misfortune does come to pass. It took me almost twelve years to fully accept the grislier aspects of being a Gatekeeper myself. What could the instructors at PD have drilled into these new recruits for them to be able to adapt to this unpleasant reality so quickly?

Not wanting to dwell on that line of inquiry, I latched onto the other thing that Celine had said.

"Alcott…" I repeated her surname several times, making sure I heard it right. When the girl offered no correction, I decided to ask, "Are you related to Frederich Alcott, by any chance?"

Frederich Alcott was an old comrade. I wouldn't consider myself to be particularly close to the man, but having worked with him more than a few times, I understood him to be a reliable teammate, a gentle supporter, and all-around an exemplary hero. Unfortunately, he passed away about three years ago. Reports said he took his own life after failing to stop an Anomaly from wreaking havoc at the town of Argentum.

And for the first time, I saw Celine's smile falter. Her shoulders slumped a little, and her usually dazzling eyes became downcast. "Yes, he's my father," came the soft reply.

Then, her effervescent grin resurfaced, dispelling any shade that might have clouded her features. It was almost like her earlier display of glumness was nothing but an illusion. "By the way, sir, you haven't answered any of my questions yet. You said you'd tell me about your powers after you're done dealing with the Anomaly."

…Did I really say that? The sharp ache hammering inside my skull was getting worse, and I know only one cure for this kind of headache.

Without another word, I strode towards the north-west border of the city and continued to the neighbouring district of Baracalle, where I presumed the inhabitants of Allegro had temporarily relocated. Celine scurried by my side, and thankfully, her uneven steps prevented her from prattling as she tried to keep up with me.

It was already quite dark when I finally reached Baracalle, and I duly informed the pair bored-looking sentries about the situation at Allegro. The excited guards immediately left their post to spread the word, overjoyed by this newfound excuse to celebrate.

The news traveled across the districts faster than I could move, and by the time I made my way to Baracalle's famed seafood bistro at the northern sector, most of the guests had heard about , and those from Allegro filed back to their own hometown—no doubt with plenty of encouragement from the locals who were more than happy to have their own space back to themselves. It didn't completely empty out the restaurant, but it did clear the space enough to allow me a seat, from which I ordered every dish the place had to offer, plus some coffee. Celine, for her part, ordered some tea with milk.

The drinks arrived soon enough, and after taking a sip from my cup, I leaned back againts my chair and finally addressed the girl slurping her drink in front of me, "Alright, now we can talk." Drinking caffeine before badtime would give me insomnia tonight, but I needed the extra shot to deal with this eccentric newbie's excess energy. "Tell me everything you know about Gatekeepers and Anomalies."