CHAPTER 85: A CASUAL MEETING

Theo quickly opened his system inventory and scrolled through the items he had gathered. With a flick of his fingers, several pieces of gear materialized in front of him, a Tactical Reinforced Jacket, Legguard Tactical Pants, Dustrunner Shoes, and a Meteor-Resist Vest.

"Here," he said, handing them to Aries. "Wear these."

She blinked, surprised by the sudden pile of gear in her arms. "These don’t look like normal clothes..."

"They’re not," Theo said firmly. "The jacket’s reinforced with layered composites. It can stop shrapnel and small arms fire. The vest? Meteor-resistant plating. It won’t save you from a full hit, but it’ll buy you time."

He gestured to the rest. "The pants have knee guards and movement boosters embedded in the seams. And those shoes are light but built to absorb shock and heat, perfect for quick movement through unstable terrain."

Aries stared at the gear, then looked back at him with a soft expression. "You really thought this through, didn’t you?"

"I’m not letting you run into danger without protection," he said quietly. "If you’re going to be stubborn about joining AMSO... then at least be smart."

She smiled faintly. "Thanks, Theo."

He nodded once, eyes still serious. "Just promise me you’ll never take these off when you’re out there."

Theo stared at the neatly folded combat gear he had just materialized on the bench beside him. Tactical jacket, armored vest, reinforced leg guards, and Dustrunner shoes, everything Aries would need if she insisted on joining AMSO. He rubbed the back of his neck, thinking of what else might help her.

"Hold on," he muttered, pulling up his system screen. "Let me check what else I can give you."

Aries leaned against the bench and grinned. "Ah, must be nice to have that system. You’re like a vending machine now too!"

He snorted. "Yeah, well... don’t get used to it."

As he scrolled through the list, his eyes landed on the antidote vials and a few emergency boost items. He selected one, attempting to materialize it-

[Ding! Item Locked - Transfer Denied]

Item classified as Host-exclusive. Only the system host may use this.

Note: Healing serums, antidotes, mutation aids, and core upgrades are not transferable.

Theo let out a small sigh and turned to Aries, who was curiously watching his expression shift.

"Looks like I can’t give you everything," he finally said. "My system only lets me materialize certain things. Combat gear, basic supplies, maybe a couple of utility tools... but anything like healing, buffs, or mutation-related stuff - it’s bound to me. I can’t hand those over, even if I want to."

Aries tilted her head, eyes narrowing slightly. "So no super-healing potions or cheat-code injections for me?"

"Nope." Theo gave her a small apologetic shrug. "I guess the system doesn’t want me spoiling people."

She gave a dramatic sigh, then laughed softly. "Guess I’ll just have to work harder and not die."

"Exactly." He passed the gear to her one by one. "These aren’t ordinary clothes either. The vest is meteor-resistant, and those shoes enhance traction and mobility. They’ll protect you better than what AMSO hands out to rookies."

Aries ran her hand over the fabric, nodding slowly. "Thanks, Theo... seriously."

He didn’t say anything for a moment, just looked at her.

"If I could give you more... I would," he said quietly.

She smiled. "I know."

Just as Theo settled back on the bench, watching the waves crash gently onto the shore, Aries’ phone suddenly rang. She answered it with a casual hum, walking a short distance away while Theo remained seated, his eyes following the horizon.

The sound of the sea was peaceful, far removed from the chaos and fear outside the sanctuary walls. But even in that moment of quiet, Theo couldn’t shake the unease growing in his chest.

He didn’t need to ask who was on the other end of the line.

The way Aries’ tone shifted - excited, curious, a little too upbeat - was enough. He already had a strong guess, and sure enough, the moment she ended the call and turned back to him, he saw it in her expression.

"Beatrice wants to see me and you," she said, trying to keep her tone light but her eyes already sparking with curiosity. "She said she has something important to discuss."

Theo gave a small nod, unsurprised.

Aries beamed and said, "I’ll go get ready."

He watched Aries disappear inside the house, her steps light with excitement. But Theo remained seated for a while longer, eyes fixed on the crashing waves. The peaceful rhythm clashed against the storm of thoughts swirling in his head. His jaw clenched, and he exhaled deeply.

This wasn’t just a casual meeting. He could feel it. After a few quiet minutes, he stood and made his way back to the house. Aries was already waiting by the door, dressed and ready, her hair tied back casually.

They got into the truck and drove toward the meeting spot in town, a familiar coffee shop they had visited just yesterday. It was one of the few places that still had some sense of normalcy: warm lights, the smell of roasted beans, and the soft murmur of conversation from the few patrons inside.

Theo parked the vehicle and glanced at Aries sitting beside him.

"Relax. It’s just Beatrice," he said, trying to sound casual. Then he shot her a sideways look. "Are you seriously feeling nervous? Wait, don’t tell me Beatrice weighs more than Lexa in your ranking? They’re both gorgeous... and Lexa seems like a nice person to-"

"Stop already, Aries," he cut her off with a groan, a faint pout on his lips. "This isn’t the time for that. Don’t start teasing me again or I’m staying in the car."

Aries laughed and raised her hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. I won’t say another word."

She gave him a warm, reassuring smile before stepping out of the vehicle.

He followed quietly, every muscle in his body tense despite the calm setting, especially when his eyes landed on a man seated beside Beatrice.

The man looked older, probably in his late forties or fifties, with sharp features and neatly combed dark hair peppered with gray. He wore a pair of sleek eyeglasses that gave him a composed, calculating presence.

Unlike the casual customers around them, the man sat upright, alert, and his eyes briefly flicked toward Theo the moment he stepped in.