16 Chapter 16 – District 8

In the heart of Earth, a grand metropolis known as Alpha City stood with its 9 Districts. Each district within Alpha City had its distinct personality, reflecting a unique blend of culture, innovation, and purpose.

From the dazzling commerce hub of Central District, where neon signs and pulsating advertisements illuminated the night sky, to the serene and green oasis, where lush gardens and vertical forests intertwined, each district had its own story.

And this place, District 8, was filled with entertainment and shopping malls. It was a perfect place for someone who would want to find something new.

Stretching as far as the eye could see, the cityscape was dominated by towering skyscrapers, reaching upward toward the heavens, each one a testament to human ingenuity.

As the city breathed with life, holograms floated and danced, casting light upon the bustling morning streets below. Their vibrant colors and mesmerizing shapes adorned the buildings, creating a virtual wonder.

The streets teemed with activity. Cars glided effortlessly through the air, their sleek designs and futuristic technologies brought by extraterrestrial spirits propelling them forward.

The skies above were filled with a mesmerizing ballet of vehicles, their lights casting streaks across the night canvas.

Amidst this urban tapestry, a single young man walked down the busy street. His hands were inside his black and red jacket's pocket. He looked around, and his beautiful face was filled with curiosity.

Underneath that jacket, he wore a black turtleneck filled with design. His height wasn't that tall. In fact, he was below the average of men walking down the street, around a head shorter than them.

If someone just glanced at him for a second, they would certainly be confused by his gender.

This young man, Rai, was smiling. He watched white humanoid robots tending to the city's cleanliness. The simple black piercing he had in his left ear moved slightly with his movement.

With precision and efficiency, the robots swept, polished, and maintained, ensuring the street gleamed with unparalleled cleanliness.

The hologram screen he passed by showed an advertisement for a Guardian School.

He stopped for a second as the figure they used as an advertisement was familiar to him. Flowing blonde hair tied in a ponytail and an innocent face. It was that Magical Girl he played with yesterday, Ahri.

"So that girl also shows up in an advertisement, huh?" Rai muttered as his lips rose into a smile. "Still… This city is wonderful. And who knows that Rena's clothes somehow fit me and managed to make me look masculine enough not to be mistaken as a girl."

Looking down at his clothes and baggy black pants with some red stripes hanging onto them, he wondered why Rena had these clothes inside her room in Extity's base. Talking about it, too, she seemed to have a lot of them, and there was no sign of her roommates.

"I won't pry, though. Everyone in the evil organization has their own secret."

Rai continued to walk aimlessly around District 8. He only had two goals: to avoid trouble and find a restaurant he could become a regular.

"Let's try this place."

Stopping in front of a large building covered in glass so that everyone could see what was inside, Rai looked at his System Watch.

Ossa had deposited some money inside, and Rai would use it to experience the best thing this place, the biggest mall in Alpha City could offer.

From a glance, the mall was bigger than even a football stadium back in his world. Rai was amazed by its sheer size and entered the large door at the end of the automatic stairs.

"Welcome to Alpha Mall."

The flying speaker robot welcomed all people entering the mall.

Passing through the door, Rai felt like his body passed something invisible. Nothing happened to him, but he still looked back for a second.

'What is that?'

No one seemed to feel what he had experienced earlier. No, it was more like they felt it but didn't think much about it.

'Probably just a security measure.' He mused in his mind and continued to walk inside.

When he looked forward, his face morphed into amazement. It wasn't just a mall but more like a futuristic garden, with a fountain in the middle and floating robots helping the visitors holding their shopping bags.

For someone who liked future technology, Rai loved what he saw.

Being in a good mood, he immediately looked around to find what he tried to visit—food courts. Fortunately, many holograms showed how to reach the food courts, and he just needed to follow them.

The visitors would need to hop on a flying disk to go up to the next floor. It could take more than 10 visitors at once, and Rai hurriedly hopped onto one as his destination seemed to be located on the 2nd floor.

"Excuse me."

With his small build, he managed to squeeze between spaces and went up safely. Manners made men, and that was why he would keep his manner when he went out as an ordinary civilian and not a member of an evil organization, Extity.

The flying disk somehow didn't produce any sound until it landed on the platform on the second floor.

Once again, it was thanks to the advanced technology brought by extraterrestrial spirits who shared their knowledge. While some were like Ossa, who had hidden goals, many were willing to help humanity advance.

The second floor was different from the first floor—many floors with interesting products lined up. But the largest area was the food court, located right across the platform where the flying disk landed.

Here, a fusion of technology and nature intertwined seamlessly to create an immersive dining experience like no other.

A lush garden with tables and benches placed here and there gave the food court a natural feeling. Artificial waterfalls cascaded down faux rock formations.

The food stalls themselves were marvels of modern design. Sleek, futuristic structures seamlessly integrated with the natural surroundings.

Nearby, a family of robotic monkeys swung from vine to vine, occasionally letting out playful electronic chatter. Those monkey robots brought the customer the menu, and the food was delivered by a tube-shaped robot holding a tray.

"A jungle-themed food court, huh? Interesting."

This was just one of many food courts located in Alpha Mall. But Rai had already decided to eat here today because it seemed to be interesting.

Walking into the food court area, he was immediately seated by the robotic monkey and was asked for his order.

After looking at the menu and deciding, he tapped his System Watch again, and the hologram popped up on top of the monkey's head. The screen had the number 410, and the words Grind behind it. Grind was a widespread currency used in this world.

"1 set of the most expensive meal, FRDRC-01, will be prepared shortly." The robotic monkey chirped and jumped to the vine, getting away from Rai's table.

Nothing about what kind of dish was prepared in this jungle food court came to Rai's mind. The name was also strange, such as OMLT-45 or MLK-69. So he just got the most expensive dish, as that usually was the most delicious one a restaurant could prepare.

Sitting close to the fountain and lush green garden, Rai quite liked the place's serene atmosphere. Many people glanced at him once in a while with curiosity. A beautiful thing and person still got much attention wherever it was.

But Rai ignored them and fell into his inner piece.

'This is a good place to relax after fighting.'

That was his current wish and goal, enjoying the meal he just ordered. He leaned his back against the bench, enjoying the soft breeze from the bladeless fan placed all over the area.

"It will be perfect if there is entertainment in this place."

Rai smiled, closed his eyes, and—

[Beep! Beep! Beep!]

[WARNING!]

[Glitches have been detected within Alpha Mall. Warped Space Phenomenon imminent!]

[Civilians are instructed to hide in the nearest shelter!]

[WARNING!]

—the light and holograms turned red, and the alarm blared loudly from the speakers at once.