[Evening]
[White Fox Hall]
The building was a mansion on the outskirts of the city, near the mountain ranges. The neighborhoods in this area were known for their abundant green spaces and luxurious estates owned by the obscenely wealthy.
White Fox Hall was a lavish villa available for rent, typically used for hosting parties.
Zeus arrived at the main gate, and the guards opened it after the security device completed a scan of him.
After dismounting his bike, it was absorbed into what looked like a small wormhole, transforming into a sleek black bracelet on his wrist.
He walked toward the grand entrance as loud music echoed from the villa, reaching all the way to the mountain base.
Upon entering, Zeus found the hall crowded with people. As he looked around, trying to spot his friends, the music suddenly stopped.
He noticed his friend Sam standing next to the DJ booth, connecting a mic to the system.
"Sorry for the sudden interruption, but I must thank you all for coming... And I must point out the guest of honor, for whom this party was held. Welcome, my friend Zeus Raktas. Congratulations on your recovery and your return to the team. I also want to mention that Zeus played the key role in saving those children... And with that, I won't keep you any longer. Give a round of applause for this brave hero!"
All the moving lights suddenly focused on Zeus, making him clearly stand out.
He slightly bowed his head in a respectful gesture every time he turned to acknowledge someone, expressing his gratitude and humility.
The music resumed, and Sam came down to escort Zeus toward a group of their friends, gathered behind the open glass wall leading to the outside — where a long pool and a spacious garden awaited.
As they passed by the refreshment tables, Sam grabbed a few sweets and handed them to Zeus.
"So, how do you like the vibe?"
"It's nice."
"Just nice?"
"Okay, fine — everything's perfect. Did you organize all this?"
"Of course. Who else could throw a party better than me?"
Zeus looked at the six people in front of him. He already recognized a few — George, Alia, and Sorai.
As for the others, there were three more: a notably tall girl with a brown ponytail, whom Sam pointed to as he began introducing the rest of the group.
"This is Hanabi..."
As Sam introduced the team members, Zeus opened a small screen from his ring and started typing.
"What are you doing?"
"Trust me, I need to write all this down… My head's having trouble remembering things lately."
"!!"
Despite the moment of hesitation, Sam continued with the introductions, while Zeus kept creating a profile for each new person — compiling a list of those he didn't remember.
---
[BEATRIX]:
(Relation): My teammate
(Appearance): Silver mid-length hair, leaning towards long / Pale skin
(Personality): Quiet / Intelligent / Silent or maybe impulsive
(Powers): Third-rank genetic fighter / Mecha pilot
[SAM]:
(Relation): My close friend (or so he claims) / Team member
(Appearance): Well-built, short in height
(Personality): Cheerful / Womanizer / Loyal
(Powers): Third-rank genetic fighter
[ALIA]:
(Relation): Team member
(Appearance): Long black hair / Average height
(Personality): Competitive / Elegant
(Powers): Second-rank genetic fighter / Mecha pilot
[SORAI]:
(Relation): Team member
(Appearance): Black hair tied back / Slightly tall and thin
(Personality): Skilled fighter / Quiet / Emotionless
(Powers): Third-rank genetic fighter / Mecha pilot
[GEORGE]:
(Relation): Team member
(Appearance): Bald / Muscular / Average height
(Personality): Slightly smart / Brave / Loyal
(Powers): Second-rank genetic fighter
[HANABI]:
(Relation): Team member
(Appearance): Noticeably tall girl with brown ponytail
(Personality): Smart / Loves shopping / Stylish
(Powers): Second-rank genetic fighter
[JOHN]:
(Relation): Team member / George's twin
(Appearance): Very short hair / Muscular / Average height
(Personality): Kind / Loves raising monsters (according to Sam)
(Powers): Vehicle repair mechanic / Weapons & systems engineer / Remote mecha operator
[KATIE]:
(Relation): Team member
(Appearance): Short green hair / Medium height
(Personality): Kind / Loyal friend / Rational (according to Sam)
(Powers): Mecha engineer / Remote mecha operator
---
"Are you done?"
"Yeah, sorry about that."
The green-haired girl, Katie, approached and gently held Zeus's hand in both of hers. Feeling a bit awkward, Zeus watched her, and she spoke, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.
"Don't worry. We'll always be by your side, and we'll help you recover your memories."
John, who looked nearly identical to George except for the hair, added:
"She's right. You should know — everyone here is family before we're teammates."
Then Hanabi asked the question Zeus had already grown tired of:
"Hey, look at me... You really don't remember me?"
"No... Nothing at all from about two years and a month back."
Hanabi blew a bubble with her gum and then placed her hand under her chin, locking eyes with Zeus.
Feeling uneasy, he asked:
"Is there something I should remember?"
Hanabi looked at Alia, and both girls exchanged mischievous smiles.
Zeus's instincts tingled — something was off. And then Alia dropped the bomb:
"All those sacrifices Hanabi made for you... such a waste. You even proposed to her two months ago! You really forgot that!?"
"!! What? Wait... Are you pregnant with my child?"
Hanabi winked and gave Zeus a seductive smile.
"Maybe."
"Then forget it. If there's no baby, you'll have to try again with me."
(Everyone): !!
As Zeus tried to read the others' expressions to gauge if they were serious, he suddenly heard uncontrollable laughter from the rest of the team. That's when he realized the two girls had pranked him.
(Hanabi): "Guys! You ruined it!"
...
After the laughter settled down, Sam signaled a servant to bring a fresh round of drinks.
Meanwhile, Zeus had something else on his mind, and he asked directly:
"Is there anyone from the team I haven't met yet?"
(Sam): "I think you've met everyone."
"Where's Beatrix?"
Everyone fell silent, and Sorai — usually the quiet one — spoke up.
"That girl's never attended any of the team's social gatherings… Seems like she doesn't like building new relationships."
Alia chimed in:
"Forget about her. So Zeus, have you recovered all your combat skills?"
"Yeah, pretty much. I don't think I lost them, even if I lost my memories."
"What about piloting your mecha — can you still do that?"
"!! Wait… I have a mecha?"
Alia didn't answer. Instead, she looked over at Katie and John.
Katie spoke first:
"You had one, but we found it completely wrecked."
Then John added:
"Yeah, buddy, you could say it turned into scrap. But don't worry — we bought new parts from the team budget, and Katie and I built you a new one. It's probably way weaker than the old one, but it'll get the job done for our usual missions."
"Well, you can't lose what you never had. Honestly, I don't even remember piloting a mecha in real life — just in VR games."