Versatile: Alternate World



The letter was short but precise, and I immediately understood it. Janus has been captured before we can say anything to him. And based on the words on why he readily agreed, Nobuhiko must have used one of the Cure All medicine they have developed and used it on Janus's sister, curing her problem in the process and causing Janus to own a favor for Nobuhiko which the latter immediately used for his advantage.

And since his sister is writing this letter, I can also tell that they are either under surveillance by the security of Nobuhiko and he is held somewhere where he will not be able to ask for any kind of help. Basically, a forced labor.

As to why he choose Janus, it's because Janus has been with me in many battles and they are using me as a basis to get more covered ground in finding the Tree of Life. They are gathering those who are skilled enough to find it.

Knowing this, his sister immediately asked me, the only one she knows that can help his brother out of this predicament. Due to this, I have an idea of where to find Janus.

The Main Branch of the Nexus Company. But first, I needed to go back and tell the situation to everyone. I can't just go and head straight to danger without asking everyone's opinion.

...

...

...

When I returned to Nagoya, I saw that everyone only Father, Labo, Akira, and Mr. Teddy are left currently chilling on the sofa.

"Where are the girls?" I asked.

"Down the basement, currently interrogating the lady you captured before. Everyone told us to stay here on guard while they do their jobs at the interrogation. We wanted to join in the interrogation but we are shooed away by them, saying that we will need to stay put so that they can be at least useful," my Father sighed.

"Well, just let them have their fun. I do indeed suggest we stay away from the problem with them involved. It can get pretty violent and hairy at times, that you will not see them in the same way again," I shook my head.

"You seem to speak like you experienced it," Labo was amazed.

"Eh...plenty of times. You can say experience is speaking for itself."

Since the girls are busy, I started to cook up food since I know everyone would get hungry once they are done. I know them very much that I already memorized what will happen after. They are efficient interrogators but they get to be a big glutton once they are done.

After around an hour later, they went out, pretty bushed, and sweaty and all seems groaning aside from Pandora who keep herself fine despite the chaos that happened downstairs.

I took a peak inside and saw the tied woman currently collapsed, her hair is disheveled and her mouth is currently muttering something even though she was unconscious. It makes me wonder what the heck did the girls do for them to reduce this woman like this. Did they destroy her with words?

I returned to the kitchen and started serving the food to them.

"You guys worked hard. Here. have some food to refuel your energy."

"Ah...just what we needed, son. Thanks," Mom happily eats the food alongside everyone. I can easily guess who made the most work out of everyone already but I don't want to comment on that. That's a big no-no to discuss.

"I didn't expect you to come back so fast, Manato. Where is Janus now?" Riko asked.

"Here, have a read. It's from his little sis," I then slide off the letter in her direction. She caught the letter and started reading. Since it was short, she immediately finished it, before she frowned.

"Does that mean, Janus is currently in captivity right now?"

I nodded. "Yep. It seems the "proper escorting" process worked so well on him that he is now in Nobuhiko's hands.

"Looks like we are too late. What are we going to do?" Rika started to ponder.

"I will rescue him of course. I am not just going to let him be there and be used by the organization that does something shady behind every customer who has access to their products. If his sister asked for help, then that means the situation must be grave enough for her to warrant that help."

"But how does this work? I know Janus to be not someone who readily agrees on anything so easily. How come he didn't even discuss it with us?"

"Because Nobuhiko has cured his sister completely from her sickness. And with that favor alone, Janus owns Nobuhiko enough favor for the latter to exploit. Knowing Janus is one of our comrades, he thinks that he will be a good asset as well in finding the Tree of Life."

"I see. Something that is related to Cure All Magic huh? You have demonstrated it before on us with Sora's eye," Rika immediately deduced it.

I nodded. Just like what Rika said, I used [Cure All] magic on Sora, allowing her to regain her eyesight normally. Janus knows this as well, which must be why he decided to jump into the cure already for his sister.

"But then, why would he agree to him if you already knew the same thing as Nobuhiko then? Isn't it much better if he asked you for a favor instead of a random old man offering help?" Riko angrily slams the table.

"That's what I wanted to know which is why I am going to ask you all if I should go and find Janus and rescue him from the hands of the one who took him or should we go straight to the Alternate World and find the Tree of Life, saving him in the process?"

Riko shook her head. "The latter is basically saying we will abandon him. The only thing we can do is go rescue him."

"Although I agree with you Riko, that matter is dangerous. Do you know how many of those men Nobuhiko sent here are currently guarding the Nexus Company right now. Not only that, since they are not human, he can easily continue producing them until we are overwhelmed, foiling our plan to save him in the process." This is not an ideal route, Riko," Rika immediately disagreed.

"Then what, leave him there, all alone, without any explanation from his friends? I am not going to abandon a friend! It's like we betrayed and abandoned him in the process!"

Those words resonated with me. Riko's words hit me like a truck. Betrayed and abandoned, both happened to me. And just like what Riko said, it's like we are betraying him in the process.

I stood up from the chair and decided to make a decision.

"Alright. Everyone, we will have to head to the Alternate World as soon as possible. In fact, today is the ideal day."

Riko was furious and stood up. "What are you saying Manato?!"

However, I stopped her and pursed her lips.

"The reason we will need to go soon is because the surveillance has been very tight already. I can see what they are doing now would be to force us to go to them. I can even see some things that they might be doing to coerce us to join them just like how Janus has been coerced as well."

As I was talking, Riko's phone rang and the number that registers was on her mother. Although hesitant, she answered it but she made the call in loudspeaker.

"Hello, Riko? Dear? Aren't you going back to us? It's been so long since you left us and we are missing you already. Your Father will forgive you and will forget about what you have done before, just come home and we will welcome you."

It sounds sincere but Riko immediately heard the voice of her father in the background.

"Just order her to come back or we are screwed! This is the biggest partnership we will get and if we secure this, we will get a big haul! She just needed to help them do their task and we will be good to go! She can't disobey us if we threaten her friends in the process."

Because the voice was loud enough, Riko is so angry that her current fury has erupted already, and due to her extreme anger, she started shouting on the phone.

"GO TO HELL! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU TWO ARE MY PARENTS! YOU TWO DON'T DESERVE TO BE CALLED ONE IF YOU ALL ARE ACTING LIKE THAT JUST FOR THE SAKE OF MONEY! THAT'S IT! I AM DONE WITH ALL OF YOU!"

Before we can even quell her anger, she throws the phone across the room. Thankfully, the phone case I gifted on her birthday protected the phone from the shock and keep it intact.

I shook my head after what happened. "See what I mean? It seems they also coerced Riko's parents as well. We will need to go before they can even corner us. Renatta, is it ready?"

"Yep, anytime!" Renatta nodded.

"Then, we will be deleting this tattoo of ours today, however, you guys will go first. I will stay behind but will follow you all later."

Everyone was stunned when they heard me.

"Wait, what are you going to do?" Father frowned.

"I will rescue Janus first. I will be taking him from the claws of the eagle."