28th August, Year 714 A.G.
It was a Friday afternoon in Canyon Hub, the smallest of the 3 infamous Cities of the Freegrid Collective.
It took approximately an hour and 30 minutes to arrive here from Iron Reef, this was despite the crew taking one of the fastest military aircrafts of the Freegrid Collective from the capital city.
Considering that it was quite a distance from here to the nearest Waste community and the fact that he crossed a bigger distance in lesser ti in his Zerphyr-7, Leon calculated in his head and estimated that his Zerphyr-7 Reconnaissance UAV was at least 2.5 tis faster than the best military aircrafts of the Freegrid Collective.
This was a big statent.
This confird that he was truly a high-ranking Ascended now.
This realization alone filled him with a different kind of pride and confidence considering his decision to choose the Warmachine Class Specialization.
Afterall, experience already taught Leon that in this era, sotis it was not just combat ability that mattered. The ability to escape from a battle that you cannot win was just as much as important as combat power.
And with the Zerphyr-7, Leon was confident in outrunning most aircrafts in the world, except maybe those that were crafted directly by the chanists and engineers in the Synth Order.
With the Zerphyr-7, he was also confident in outrunning most Ascended in the world. This can be useful both in pursuit and escape.
The only Ascended that he could not theoretically escape from were probably C Rank NetRunners and a C Rank Reality Sculptor of the Quantum Shaper Class like General Murphy.
It’s been over a month since the events of Iron Reef happened in his perspective, but Leon still couldn’t get over the trauma of the Federation General arriving to the battlefield in record ti due to freely manipulating reality constants to exponentially increase his speed.
Even among other C Rank Classes and with his current knowledge, Leon was convinced that the abilities of a Reality Sculptor were still one of the most bizarre.
General Murphy’s personality fit the nature of his powers perfectly, the General was bizarre and unpredictable.
As for the city itself...
Well, Canyon Hub looked like smaller younger sibling of Iron Reef, but the city was advanced and unique in its own way.
Canyon Hub is a city of steel with spire-like skyscrapers rising into the sky.
The skyscrapers were stacked so tightly that they blotted out the sky, leaving only narrow slits of the neon storms far above.
Despite also being forced in a state of perpetual evening due to the neon storms in the sky blotting out the sun, the dimness is barely felt as the city is illuminated 24/7 by glowing neon lights from street lamps, the towering skyscrapers, and floating neon holo-projections.
Elevated walkways and rail lines crisscrossed above the city’s lower districts, forming layers upon layers of tal veins while turning the streets below into a shadowed underworld that never truly slept.
This was not like Leviathan Quay’s underground system, Canyon Hub simply had ground level districts and floating districts.
At ground level, the air felt heavy and tallic, saturated with ADE.
The city bustled with activity as Synths, Geneforms, and even A.I Constructs walked through the streets, gathering in markets and public places.
Apart from the pedestrians in the pedestrian lanes, bikes and different types of cars patrolled the wide asphalt road.
Police draped in black police uniforms controlled the traffic in junctions.
Up ahead, the distant sound of trains moving could be heard, mixing together to form a symphony of life in this massive city.
Far above and in the distance, a monolithic tower-like skyscraper pierced the clouds, its lights cold and distant like it was silently watching the city beneath it.
That monolithic tower was the main Intelligence Building of the Freegrid Collective in Cyber Hub, Cell Tower 06. And the mont the aircraft entered Canyon Hub’s airspace, they received an honorary welco.
The leader of the city, Colonel Alphonse, who was intimately known by netizens as "The General" already received news of Leon’s upcoming arrival in his city an hour ago and prepared adequately for him.
He sent his personal assistant, Gwen to directly serve as their escort.
Gwen ca with a convoy of soldiers and police officers draped in black. They cleared the way for the honorary visitors to the city, welcoming them in a honorary way and leading them into their cars.
All the while, Talia and the rest stared in a daze.
They knew Gwen, but they still were not used to the honorary manner in which they were being received this ti.
This once again told them the truth that the Leon they once knew was no more, this was a different Leon. He was not just a D Rank Ascended now, but he had direct connection to the ruler of the Freegrid Collective!
They all threw subtle glances at him occasionally as the convoy drove off.
Leon noticed all of it, but he acted like he didn’t. By now, he already accepted the fact that within Freegrid territory, this was the treatnt that he was going to be receiving always.
’It’s funny how situations change so fast...’ He repeated the sa thought that’d he’d thought so many tis before now.
’Just a month ago, I was still relatively naless, but now I know so many powerful people in the world’.
They didn’t go straight to Cell Tower 06 though where the Colonel and leader of the city was situated.
Having communicated his intentions to Gwen before they dropped in Canyon Hub, the convoy went straight to the back of the monolithic building first where the large military cetery was located.
This was Leon’s priority before eting the Colonel.
Within a few minutes, they arrived and as they stepped out of the military trucks, Leon imdiately spotted a familiar face standing at the entrance to the large military cetery.
Seeing him, Leon grinned. Daren and the others also showed varying reactions on seeing him.
It was Brad.
...
[Special Appreciation to Grim917, Yatekudastop, and jstyIz03 for the Golden Tickets, thanks for the support!]
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