I'm way too numb.
…
"Chills." Aaron's voice echoed, a shiver of genuine awe running down his spine as he replayed the scene in his mind.
"I am Iron Man." Kai declared, striking a clumsy yet earnest pose in the middle of Zeke's living room, trying to mimic the iconic scene they'd just watched.
"You guys are sleeping on Cap's 'Avengers Assemble.'" Jude countered, nodding sagely as if stating an undeniable fact.
"Can you fools shut the fuck up?" Zeke's voice, thick with sleep and irritation, reached them as he descended the stairs. His hair was a wild mess, eyes half-closed.
"Hehe." They smiled sheepishly, excitement momentarily dampened by his grumpy entrance.
"Tch. Can't let a man sleep in his own house."
"You've been sleeping for two days. It's high time you woke up." Jude, the voice of reason, moved to dap Zeke up.
"Tch." Zeke grunted but reciprocated the gesture, dapping up Jude and then the rest with familiar, practiced ease.
…
"There's a level of strength you reach where numbers no longer matter." Zeke's voice was a lazy drawl, laced with condescending amusement.
"So, how long will you keep struggling against me? Your efforts are meaningless." He taunted as he effortlessly weaved between the trio's coordinated attacks in the sparring ring, not even bothering to counter, hands tucked in his pockets.
"How can you be so uncreative? You steal lines from an anime!" Kai shot back, panting slightly from exertion.
"You're weak. You wouldn't understand." Zeke retorted, an infuriatingly calm smirk on his face.
"Okay, enough." Jae Min's authoritative voice cut through their verbal spar, his presence suddenly filling the edge of the training ground.
For the past six months, the trio had been under intense training, with Zeke joining their sparring sessions this last month.
Jae Min felt he'd made the biggest mistake allowing Zeke to spar with the trio—it had been a case study in unseriousness. Though, to his grudging admission, the effectiveness of their training hadn't declined but instead increased by at least twenty percent, their coordination sharpened by trying to pin down an impossible target.
"Finally. I'm hungry." Kai groaned, clutching his stomach dramatically.
"Me too." Aaron echoed, wiping sweat from his brow.
"Me three." Jude added, his stomach giving an audible rumble.
"Me—" Zeke was instantly shut down by a single, withering glare from Jae Min.
"Ahem. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." Jae Min continued, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"Aiya, pitiful Jack." Zeke shook his head in mock sorrow.
"Hmm hmm." The trio nodded in vigorous agreement.
"In any case, you've all been training for six months. It's time to gain field experience, or your training would be for nothing."
"Hmm hmm." The trio nodded again, expressions turning serious and eager.
"You're going to The Expanse. There's a dungeon there that opens every five years—an S-Ranked permanent dungeon. The White Fang Guild secured a spot for you." He turned his stern gaze to Zeke. "We secured a spot for you as well. I'm well aware that without them, you'd live like a degenerate. So you'll be acting as their guide. Thankfully, you're past A-Rank."
"An assistant will brief you on the inner workings. You leave in an hour."
"Ehh!?" A collective gasp of shock and excitement erupted from the trio.
Jae Min walked away, a satisfied smirk on his face, leaving them to process the whirlwind announcement.
"Ahhh! We're going to The Expanse!" The trio jumped around, whooping and celebrating, fatigue forgotten.
As for Zeke, if a mere intercontinental trip could excite him, then SAGE would need to step up its game. He watched their antics with detached amusement.
'Cue me in on the hype behind this.'
{As expected,} Zero replied, his digital tone dripping with familiar sarcasm.
…
According to Zero, The Expanse is one of the seven continents.
After the emergence of the Towers and the Awakening spiral, as humans adapted to their new worldview, they spiced up everything.
Each continent came under the rule of a single power—a dominant force within the continent previously.
Much changed after the cataclysm. Landscapes shifted, more so with the emergence of Danger Zones. Many continents and the countries within them were destroyed or absorbed, not even completing the seven continents again.
But because seven Towers existed in the world, the human population had to occupy those areas.
Soon came the fight for hegemony.
North America came under the umbrella of the USA, which proceeded to absorb South American countries, leading to the coalition Nova Ameriga—led by a council and protected by the SSS-Ranked guild, Aethelgard Sovereignty.
For Europe, Germany took the reins and formed a council to lead the continent, The Aesirian Compact. Its SSS-Ranked guild is The Aesir Covenant.
For Asia, China was the leading power, with a council leading the continent, The Imperial Heartland. Its SSS-Ranked guild is The Celestial Mandate.
For Africa, led by a council and merged by Nigeria, it is called The Sunstone Plateau. Its SSS-Ranked guild is Solaris Dominion.
As for South America, it was taken over by a powerhouse who founded a family/guild that led the continent—Verdia. House Silvanus is the ruling family which heads the SSS-Ranked guild, Verdant Heart Conclave.
The Australian continent was ruled by House Aurelius, which leads the SSS-Ranked guild, The Outbreak Aegis, and the continent is named The Expanse.
Frystfell, the new Antarctica, is led by House Frostweaver and its SSS-Ranked guild, Frozen Crown.
…
The Expanse is one of the three continents that practice monarchy—the others being Verdia and Frystfell.
They're said to be difficult to enter. Only on occasions such as this do they allow entrance to their continent.
"Wow." The trio cooed in unison, eyes wide as they took in the landscape upon walking through the portal to The Expanse. The air was dry and carried the scent of dust, eucalyptus, and a strange, metallic tang of raw mana. The sky was a vast, brilliant blue, and the red earth stretched toward jagged, sun-bleached mountains.
Who uses planes for long-distance travel?
"It's still the same oxygen we breathe on our continent. Don't behave like fools." Zeke mocked, voice flat and unimpressed as he adjusted the collar of his trench coat, completely unmoved by the foreign vista.
His comment earned a synchronized eye-roll from the trio.
What did they expect from Zeke?