"Wait a minute, I don't understand what you mean. Fighting beasts with bare fists?" The man, stunned by the soldier's words to his son, stared at him like he was insane. "Are you saying my son can fight against beasts without becoming a God Machine user or relying on a God Machine?"
"Exactly right." The soldier gave him a thumbs-up. "Don't look at me like that; I'm not crazy. I know it sounds impossible to you scavengers, but it's true. Here in the Glory Base City, we've developed technology that makes this possible."
"So that's why you're recruiting scavengers on such a large scale?" After his initial shock, the man calmed down and thought it over. If the base city truly possessed such technology, then their mass recruitment of scavengers seemed to make some sense.
"No, that's not the reason. We're recruiting scavengers on such a large scale because it's the Savior's command."
"The Savior?" The man instinctively took a step back, his suspicion growing. Though he was tough and ruthless, he was still wary of people who sounded insane. He glanced out of the helicopter at the ground below, calculating his chances of survival if he jumped off with his son.
Roar!
At that moment, an awe-inspiring, thunderous roar echoed through the air. The man turned his head and saw a massive creature glowing with a greenish-blue light streaking across the sky not far away, leaving a vivid light trail in its wake.
Though the creature was still far away, its immense size made its movements clear to the naked eye. The man watched as it turned its enormous head and glanced in their direction.
That one glance sent a chill down his spine. He stumbled back and collapsed onto the floor of the helicopter, his body trembling. His bravery in the face of beasts couldn't stop the primal fear he felt in the presence of a being that could end him with a flick of its claws.
"Praise the mighty green dragon… When your wings spread, the very sky is painted in emerald light…" A near-delirious voice broke the silence. The man turned toward the source of the voice and saw the soldier kneeling on the ground, muttering words of reverence. To the man, the soldier looked completely unhinged.
"What are you doing? If you want to bow, at least kneel properly. Don't just sit on the ground like that," the soldier scolded.
"Why should I bow to a creature that could kill me at any moment?" the man retorted.
"Oh, I forgot to explain. That wasn't a beast. It was an ancient dragon," the soldier said, as if that explained everything.
"What? A dragon? You expect me to believe that giant thing isn't a beast?" The man stared at the soldier like he'd lost his mind.
"That was one of the Savior's followers," the soldier explained patiently. "In our base city, the God Machine users have mostly stepped back from fighting. The ones truly protecting the city now are those dragons. Beasts are no match for them."
"Wait, are you saying that giant thing was one of your base city's protectors?"
"Exactly."
"And how many of these… dragons do you have?" The green dragon had long since disappeared from view, but the man's gaze lingered on the light trail it left behind. He needed to understand what made the Glory Base City so different from every other base city in the world.
"We have 109 of them."
"What?!"
"109. Is that a problem?"
"How does your base city even manage to feed that many giant creatures? Do they not need to eat like beasts do?"
"Exactly. Dragons don't need food. If they did, our city would've faced a famine long ago. There's no way we'd be taking in scavengers like you otherwise. In fact, they're the ones solving our food problem."
"They're solving your food problem? How?" The man's skepticism deepened. He pointed at the sprawling thorny forest below. "Are you saying they planted all this?"
"That's right. Only they could make plants grow in this barren world. Without sunlight, there's no way we could've grown anything like this on our own."
"To make plants grow without any tools or equipment… That's practically divine." The man rubbed his chin, his face showing a mix of disbelief and caution. His years of surviving in the wilderness had honed his instincts, and he knew there was always a hidden price for such miracles.
"Have you ever asked the dragons why they're planting all these plants?"
"Of course we have. They said our world was so damaged by the beasts that its ecosystem collapsed. There's no diversity left. They're helping us rebuild the ecological chain."
"That sounds like a good thing, but… something about it doesn't sit right with me." The man furrowed his brows deeply, his thoughts churning with unease.
"Hey, kid, you think too much," another scavenger scoffed, pointing at the man with a mocking grin. "You act like the whole world's out to get you. Life's hard enough as it is. Stop overthinking. Just be grateful we've got a chance to survive."
The man turned his head and gave the scavenger a brief glance before looking away, deciding not to waste his breath. In his mind, living in ignorance was no better than being dead. He preferred to face the truth, no matter how harsh.
Later
The helicopter flew over vast stretches of greenery before finally reaching the Glory Base City, which was undergoing massive expansion. The base loomed on the horizon, a testament to human resilience and determination.
"Welcome to the Glory Base City," the soldier announced with pride as the helicopter descended. "From now on, you're part of the city."
The man, his son, and the other scavengers stared in stunned silence. What left them speechless wasn't the size of the base or its architecture, but the creatures within it—creatures so fantastical they defied all logic.
"What… what are those things?" The man's voice trembled as he caught sight of a towering eighteen-meter-tall giant striding through the base. For someone who had faced down countless beasts without flinching, the sight of a humanoid giant shook him to his core.
"That's one of the Savior's followers," the soldier said nonchalantly. "You'll get used to them. They're the ones who've been keeping the beasts at bay."
The soldier motioned for them to step out of the helicopter. "Alright, time to get off. Someone will come to guide you. We've got more scavengers to pick up."
Two Weeks Later
"Papa, my body's turning green!" The boy's panicked voice called out from his small room. The man rushed in immediately, his heart pounding.
"What's wrong?"
"There's something weird growing on my stomach," the boy said, his voice trembling.
"Let me see."
The man lifted his son's shirt and froze. Small, green scales were sprouting from the boy's skin, shimmering faintly under the light.
"Does it hurt?"
"No."
"Do you feel anything else?"
"No, but… I think I'm getting stronger."
"Then it's fine," the man said, forcing a smile as he gently stroked his son's head. "This change is normal. Don't be scared. We're just… becoming monsters."
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