Aria stepped into the hall, now fully dressed in a simple light blue top and black pants. Her hair was still slightly damp, a few strands clinging to her neck. She looked composed, but the faint pink on her cheeks hadn't completely faded.
Kairos was already sitting on the sofa, heart hammering. Every step she took closer made his mind race faster.
She's definitely going to kill me. I saw her in just a towel. I saw too much. She's the leader of Elysium Veil. She can probably make me disappear with one illusion.
He swallowed hard as she approached.
When she was only a few feet away, he stood up quickly, hands raised in surrender.
"Aria, please forgive me," he said, voice nervous but sincere. "I didn't see much… I swear. Just for a second… your beautiful body… I didn't mean to look. Reck tricked me! Please don't be angry."
Aria stopped right in front of him. She stared at him for a long second, violet eyes narrowing.
Then she sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of her nose.
"What nonsense are you talking about?" she said, clearly annoyed but trying not to smile. "Forget what you saw. And let's start the work you came here for. Now sit down."
Kairos let out a huge sigh of relief. His shoulders dropped.
"Thank God," he muttered under his breath.
They both sat down on the long sofa facing each other. Kairos picked up the coffee mug Reck had left for him earlier. Aria took a small plate of snacks — crisp aether-fried chips and some sweet pastries.
For a few moments there was only the sound of sipping and crunching.
Aria broke the silence first.
"So… how many days do you think the hunt will take?"
Kairos took a slow sip of coffee, trying to look confident.
"I don't know exactly," he said honestly.
Aria raised an eyebrow.
"You don't know? Not even a rough idea? How far is the location anyway?"
Kairos froze internally.
Shit. I don't even know the exact distance. If I say I don't know, she'll get annoyed. She already thinks I'm unprepared.
He stayed quiet for half a second, mind racing.
The interface suddenly lit up in his vision, calm and helpful.
[Location Data Unlocked.]
[Target coordinates: 1,800 kilometers southeast of Nexus Prime, deep in the Arabian Sea rift zone.]
[Estimated travel time by high-speed submersible: 38 hours one way. Total round trip + exploration: 5 to 7 days depending on ocean conditions.]
Kairos's face lit up with relief. He looked straight at the interface and whispered under his breath with a small grin:
"You really perform well in front of girls."
The interface pulsed once, almost proudly.
Aria tilted her head. "What did you say?"
"Nothing," Kairos said quickly, smiling. "Just… thinking out loud. The location is about 1,800 kilometers southeast, deep in the Arabian Sea rift. Travel time by good submersible is around 38 hours one way. So total hunt — including exploration and return — should take 5 to 7 days."
Aria nodded, looking impressed.
"That's more precise than I expected. Good."
They spent the next hour going over every detail.
Weapons first.
Kairos showed her the short-sword he had bought earlier — light, flexible, with a faint kinetic echo.
"It's good for close range," he said. "But I also have a stun pistol and the new chest armor with minor time-dilation weave."
Aria examined the armor carefully.
"This is solid. I'll bring my own illusion barriers and a pair of shadow daggers. They can phase through most crystal scales."
They discussed equipment next.
Kairos listed everything in his Space Bag:
• Reinforced dry-suits for deep pressure
• Dual oxygen rebreathers with 12-hour capacity
• Anti-temporal wards (small crystals that reduce dilation effects)
• Emergency beacons
• High-energy ration bars
• A compact medical kit with anti-venom for mutated sea beasts
• Harpoon gun with explosive tips
Aria added her own list:
• Portable illusion generator for hiding the submersible
• Crystal resonance scanner to locate the exact shard
• A small force-field projector for emergency protection
• Extra water purification tablets
They talked about possible dangers — leviathans, temporal riptides, and the rare hybrid monsters that sometimes surfaced. Aria explained how Elysium Veil had records of similar hunts, and Kairos shared what the system had told him about the Chrono Echo's 17% resonance.
The conversation flowed easily. They were no longer just flirting — they were working together like real partners.
After almost two hours, they finally wrapped up.
Kairos stood up, stretching.
"I should head back. We'll meet at the docks in one week, same time as planned."
He walked toward the door.
Then he stopped.
A thought hit him.
He turned back, reached into his Space Bag, and pulled out the bouquet of fresh blue roses he had bought earlier that day — still perfect, petals vibrant indigo.
He held them out to Aria with a soft, flirty smile.
"These are for you," he said quietly. "I thought the sky needed some competition."
Aria took the bouquet, her fingers brushing his. For a moment she just looked at the roses, then at him. A small, genuine smile appeared on her lips.
"You really are impossible," she whispered.
Kairos grinned.
"See you soon."
He turned and walked out of the apartment, heart lighter than when he had arrived.
To be continued...