Kael: "...An alien?"
Veylor nodded.
"It explains everything."
"His unnatural strength."
"His ability to fly."
"His power to heal."
"No ordinary human possesses such abilities."
"So I believe he came from another world."
"And his descendants inherited part of his power."
"They became hybrids."
"Half-human."
"Half-alien."
Kael leaned back in his chair.
"So that's your theory behind Voltra."
"Exactly."
"The energy called Voltra isn't magic."
"It's something inherited through that bloodline."
Veylor changed the image again.
Five royal family emblems appeared on the screen.
"The descendants eventually founded the Five Kingdoms."
"For centuries..."
"...they ruled together."
"But one family desired more than peace."
A sixth symbol slowly appeared.
The crest of the Dreakors.
"The Dreakor family."
Kael narrowed his eyes.
"The same family everyone blames for the Great War."
Veylor nodded.
"They weren't satisfied ruling one kingdom."
"They wanted the entire world."
"Their greed dragged every kingdom into war."
"For generations..."
"...millions died."
Kael looked at Hikari's image on the monitor.
"And she's one of them."
"The last surviving Dreakor."
"The final descendant of that bloodline."
Kael remained silent.
Veylor continued.
"Thirteen years ago..."
"...the Great War finally ended."
"The Dreakor family was nearly wiped out."
"And for the first time in centuries..."
"...the kingdoms experienced peace."
He paused.
"Or at least..."
"...the illusion of peace."
Kael frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"The hatred never disappeared."
"The wars ended."
"The hatred didn't."
"The people simply found someone else to blame."
The image changed again.
This time...
Kaiju corpses filled the screen.
Kael looked toward the specimens floating inside the glass chambers.
"...Now answer the question that actually matters."
"What are these monsters?"
Veylor walked over to one of the tanks.
Inside floated the arm of a Kaiju.
"I've dissected hundreds of them."
"I've examined every organ."
"Every cell."
"And after years of research..."
"...I discovered something impossible."
Kael stood up.
"What?"
Veylor looked directly at him.
"Kaijus contain no flesh."
"No blood."
"No bones."
"They're made entirely of condensed Voltra."
Kael frowned.
"...What?"
"Every part of their bodies..."
"...is Voltra."
"They aren't animals."
"They aren't ancient creatures."
"They're living masses of Voltra energy."
Kael slowly looked at the glowing remains surrounding the laboratory.
"Then..."
"...where does that Voltra come from?"
Veylor smiled.
"The Hybrids."
Silence.
"Every time a Hybrid uses Voltra..."
"...whether during training..."
"...battle..."
"...or even something as simple as strengthening their body..."
"A tiny amount of that energy escapes into the world."
"It doesn't disappear."
"It gathers."
"It grows denser."
"It corrupts the surrounding environment."
"And eventually..."
"...it takes form."
Kael's expression slowly changed.
"No..."
Veylor nodded.
"Yes."
"The stronger the Hybrid..."
"...the greater the amount of Voltra released."
"And the greater the amount of Voltra..."
"...the stronger the Kaiju that is born."
Kael stared at the monitor showing today's battle.
Light.
Lothar.
Hikari.
"They spend their lives protecting humanity..."
"...yet they're creating the very monsters they're fighting."
"Exactly."
Veylor folded his hands behind his back.
"It's a cycle."
"The Hybrids defeat Kaijus."
"They use Voltra."
"That Voltra creates even more Kaijus."
"And the cycle continues."
Kael looked around the laboratory.
"...Does anyone else know this?"
Veylor laughed quietly.
"No."
"And if they did..."
"...they'd call me insane."
Kael remained silent for several seconds.
Finally, he spoke.
"So..."
"Why Hikari?"
"Why do you specifically need her?"
Veylor's smile disappeared.
He looked back at her image on the screen.
"Because she is the last Dreakor."
"The strongest bloodline ever recorded."
"If my theory is correct..."
"...her Voltra holds the key to everything."
"The end of the Kaijus..."
"...or their evolution."
Kael slowly stood up.
"I still don't know if I can trust you."
"You don't have to."
Veylor replied calmly.
"I only need you to capture her."
The monitor flickered once more.
Hikari's face filled the screen.
Veylor adjusted his glasses.
"Bring me Hikari..."
"...and I'll uncover the greatest secret this world has ever hidden."
The laboratory fell silent.
Only the humming of the machines echoed through the darkness.
The underground laboratory fell silent.
Rows of glass chambers filled with Kaiju remains stretched across the room, illuminated by the pale glow of computer screens.
Kael stood with his arms crossed, studying Veylor carefully.
"So..."
"That's your request?"
"You want me to capture Hikari."
Veylor calmly adjusted his glasses.
"And Lothar."
Kael frowned.
"I understand Hikari."
"She's the last Dreakor."
"But Lothar?"
"What makes him so special?"
A faint smile appeared on Veylor's face.
"You ask excellent questions."
"...Unfortunately."
"I'm not ready to answer that one."
Kael clicked his tongue.
"So you expect me to risk my life without knowing everything?"
"I expect you to trust my research."
Kael laughed.
"I don't trust anyone."
"Especially scientists."
Veylor didn't seem offended.
"I anticipated that."
He slowly walked toward another monitor.
"You also asked why I chose you."
Kael remained silent.
Veylor continued.
"I've heard stories."
"An ordinary human..."
"...who hunts Hybrid warriors."
"You possess no Voltra."
"No supernatural abilities."
"Yet..."
"...Hybrids continue disappearing wherever you appear."
"You've killed several already."
Kael's expression remained unreadable.
"I have."
"I don't care why."
Veylor replied.
"Revenge."
"Hatred."
"Justice."
"Whatever your reason..."
"...it's irrelevant to me."
"Our goals simply happen to align."
Kael looked directly into his eyes.
"You really don't care why I hunt them?"
"No."
"I only care about results."
The laboratory became quiet once again.
Finally...
Kael spoke.
"The Hybrids I've hunted until now..."
"...were ordinary."
"Weak."
"But Hikari..."
"...is different."
"She's a Dreakor."
"And they defeated a Level Twelve Kaiju."
"They're not easy prey."
"So tell me."
"Do you actually have a plan..."
"...or are you just hoping for a miracle?"
Veylor smiled.
"I never rely on miracles."