Digitize: Rebirth of the Silver Death God

The day continued as the norm, but the sky over Rambruck only grew darker with each passing second. Occasionally, a flicker of thunder would light up the skies from nearing distances as the chilly draft wafted across the city.

Currently, within an ordinary pub, a familiar duo was seated around a counter. On closer inspection, one would see a middle-aged man with a messy beard, droopy eyes, and a hook-shaped nose, he wore a thick leather jacket and jeans.

At his side, was a fine-looking young lady who wore formal wear, her hair neatly falling to her sides, adding a bit of flavor to her stern-looking face with deep-set eyes.

Suddenly, this man smoked a lit cigar as he stared a video clip on a tablet screen with a smirk on his face; the fair lady looked at it with a flicker in her eyes before she spoke.

"Inspector Osbon, what do you think will happen if the world was to learn of this detail?"

"What else, lass? It will be... a disaster."

Osbon said as he looked at the screen with a more solemn look, the images flickering on and off his sclera.

Sara sighed and said nothing more, her attention once more focused on the video feed, which showed scenes of a battle like fiction, a series of multiple colored lights that smashed apart everything in an attempt to kill a man that had endless clones. Yes, this was the very clash between Screwgelman and Doppleman.

Osbon chuckled with a hint of nervousness and excitement in his worn look eyes, he thought to himself.

'We were lucky to have recorded this from a decent distance, who knows what would have happened if we were noticed? So long as I have this, it will explain a lot of things. All those past disappearances, the so-called acts of terrorism in certain sectors, and even those strange rumors from so long ago that faded from existence. Hmph! I will let everyone know of this, regardless of the dangers!'

When Osbon finished his thoughts, his eyes had a sharp glimmer; he clenched his fists that held the cigar, crushing it into bits before tossing it away.

Sara looked at this and sighed to herself while thinking.

'So, this is what the Inspector was after, but even if he does spread it, it will only lead to an age of disorder.'

Following her thoughts, Sara's eyes shifted towards the pub's windows, wandering towards the cloudy skies that seemed as if they were about to rain at any second.

'The dark clouds still loom over, but the storm lurks beyond its cover.'

As if her words affected the world, a bright flash flickered across the sky as a thunderous bang followed. Not long after, a few drizzles began to drop from the sky as the thundershower had finally descended on Rambruck.

***

The pelting waterdrops from the cloudy heavens doused the earth, forcing those beneath it to shield themselves with umbrella's or seek out shelter.

The vehicles that drove across the streets had their lights dim, lighting up both the soaked ground and the water showers as they moved by the various pedestrians.

At this time, a bus had stopped at a nearby bus stop before letting off a few individuals; following this, it drove off rapidly, splashing up a few pools of water from the street's puddles with its wheels as the nearby pedestrians screamed in surprise and anger.

"Hey! What the hell, man?"

"That son of a…"

"This is my new dress, god damn I hate commuting during such weather!"

Unlike the voices of anger and the raging individuals that pointed and shook their fists at the departed bus, two individuals seemed perfectly calm and unaffected. Heck, if one looked at them, they would notice that they didn't even have soaked clothes as if the splash of water was unable to affect them.

'That darn driver, he's lucky I'm in a better mood.'

Nero thought as he took away his eyes from the bus and walked towards the direction of a tall building; he currently had his umbrella unfurled in full.

Ryo didn't seem to mind as he calmly followed behind Nero; he held an umbrella in one arm as his other actively played with his smartphone, it seemed as if nothing else in the world was more important than his games.

Nero glanced at him and shook his head; he didn't bother to disturb him but paid attention to the building ahead. It was a skyscraper with many storeys, and a giant emblem of two blades crossing each other on its surface, underneath it was the large written text - the Blood Steel Security Bureau.

Nero looked at the blood-red business card with the same symbols on it but the name Blood Steel Society; he shook his head with an expression of bewilderment as he inwardly thought to himself.

'Isn't this a bit too open? To think I believed it was some hidden base underground or someplace behind a special set of magical brick walls.'

"You think this is one of those books you've already read?" Adult Nero said with a light laugh as he knew Nero's thoughts; Nero shook his head to clear his mind, he then ignored his older self and continued into the building.

Ryo's eyes shifted up from his phone, a sharp glint flickered within them as he stared at the symbol with unknown thoughts while calmly following behind Nero.

As Nero walked closer, he found it odd that no one left or entered the building, but before he could question it, the moment he entered through the spinning entrance, the world before him changed as his body vanished.

Suddenly, Nero had found himself in a vast field with sparse white clouds in the open sky. Ahead of him was a series of structures that seemed more like fantasy. A large stadium was in the distance, and people who wore distinct kinds of wear from business suits, regular clothes, and even fantasy-style garments chatted and laughed they moved about the area.

'Wh-what the hell is this? Is this the fabled cosplay festival from mother's generation?' Nero thought as never in his life did he believe he would encounter such a peculiar scene.

Ryo seemed to have noticed the look on Nero's face; he chuckled before he spoke, "So you're only surprised by this? Tch, so inexperienced."

Nero knitted his brow and glanced at Ryo as he snapped back.

"Shut it."

Not even bother to see Ryo's reaction, he walked ahead towards the crowd as Ryo shook his head and followed behind him. A few individuals couldn't help but notice them; they cast them curious glances as they spoke amongst themselves.

"Oh, it looks like we've got some new recruits, hehe, this should be fun," A bulky guy with sharp eyes, a square-shaped face, muscular arms with the tattoos of a panther said with a smirk. He had a camo-styled band over his forehead and wore camo-pants with a black marina.

"Jack, don't tell me you're going to do it again?"

A slender woman in a seductive suit said she held a long wooden staff in one arm as she used a knife to carve its surface. Looking at her closely, one would notice that she had curly brown hair in a perm style.

"Haha, you know me best, Bera."

Jack replied with a laugh as he fixedly stared at Nero and Ryo; Bera said nothing as she curiously inspected the two with a strange light in her eyes, her lips curved into a smile as if she had the same thoughts as Jack.

Soon, Nero and Ryo had arrived around what seemed like a reception desk in the open field. They didn't pay attention to any of the noises in the surroundings nor the interested individuals who observed them.

At this time, a pretty woman that sat behind the counter looked at them in surprise as she thought.

'Oh, newcomers. Hehe, things should get lively around here...'

Following her thoughts, she vaguely gave a few old-timers a look before fixing onto Jack and Bera. As if she was only casually distracted, she promptly stared at Nero and made a warm smile as she spoke in a greeting tone.

"Good morning, and welcome to our Blood Steel Society! I see that you two are new here, shall I take that you've come to register as a member?"

Nero gave the woman a good look before he glanced at Ryo; Ryo showed no trace of emotion as he fixed his attention on his phone.

'Tsk, always so caught up with his phone. I suppose that since he followed me here, he'd likely be joining as well. Talk about next-level stalking...'

Following his thoughts, Nero clicked his teeth before he focused his attention on the woman and replied.

"Yes, I was recently given this card by someone called Yullia, and now that I have made up my mind, I am here to join along with this fellow here."

The receptionist had a look of shock on her face when she heard Nero's words and saw the card, not only her even the few individuals who noticed Nero and Ryo were caught by surprise.

"They were recruited by that fabled Dark Witch! You've got to be kidding me!"

"No shit, if it's like this, then they aren't your average brats."

A few onlookers said, Jack and Bera even had surprised looks on their faces, but soon, their faces turned similar, showing a strange and sinister smile.

Nero felt that the air was strange; he stared at the receptionist before looking at the people around him. He soon noticed Jack and Bera, who stared at him with fire in their eyes as he frowned. Suddenly, he had a dark feeling, as if things weren't going to be so smooth, a strange atmosphere soon lingered about the field.