Mutagen

A giant black-colored snake-like creature soared through the sky while waving its long body. Such a sight would frighten most people in the current state of Earth. But, of course, not the Mountain Base.

Mark continued to fly back to the base, ignoring the giant snake. It was the same for the people down below. After all, the creature was familiar to everyone by now.

It was the variant magical creature descending from the mythological Bakunawa by consuming a drop of its blood. The Sky Serpent Baku.

Of course, the master of Baku, the Tamer Summoner, Berrak, could be seen sitting atop the Sky Serpent\'s head.

When Mark\'s group returned home the other day, Berrak was not present at the base. Since he was the only one capable of traversing long distances with the help of his summons, Berrak was given the task of being a messenger between the Mountain Base and the two remaining inhabited locations nearby. The Infanta Military Settlement and the East Mountain Fortress.

In fact, the gang of the [Black Duwende], Teremillio, was also absent from the base and was currently at the fortress. It was similar to why Alana, Karlene, and Karla were still at the Infanta Military Settlement.

Since Mark was not really in a hurry, Baku arrived at the Mountain Base before him. The giant serpent landed just outside the southern gate, which served as the base\'s main gate.

The development of structures and facilities within the base, alongside the giant tree at its center, made landing a large creature from the sky not plausible within the walls. Thus now, the wide clearing outside the southern gates became the landing spot for large flying creatures such as Baku and Chaflar.

The only exception was the [Mini Cube]. It had its own landing and parking area within the inner walls. There, it also served as a residential structure for Ilia and Chimetrice.

As Mark landed, Berrak, who had just alighted and unsummoned Baku, looked at him with surprise.

"Boss?" Berrak called out with a surprised but respectful tone. "When did you come back?"

The tone that Berrak had towards Mark was not only because he acknowledged the latter\'s strength. It was actually with a hint of fear. It was not something surprising. Berrak went under Mark\'s wing after witnessing how merciless he could be to those that gravely offended him. Furthermore, Berrak was here because Mark saw value in his abilities. If not, Berrak should have been dead long ago after trying to protect the idiots that tried to harm Mark and his family.

Berrak might be a decade older than Mark. Nonetheless, age did not have anything to do with strength. Berrak was a person who knew his place. Besides, it was actually not bad being under Mark and working with his group. He was just making sure not to get on his bad side.

"We\'ve been back since the other day," Mark replied and asked. "You should have returned yesterday. Why the delay?"

When Berrak was tasked to send messages, he would return before dusk or before sunset the next day at the latest. However, Berrak left the day before Mark\'s group returned, which meant that Berrak was gone for almost three days.

"Infanta got attacked by a pretty large horde when I arrived," Berrak explained. "I helped them fight the horde since there are quite a few mutated ones. Your sword you left to guard the girls also helped out, so although the soldiers got some injuries, they got no casualties. A large part of their walls got destroyed, though. They ended up asking me to help gather and transport wood to fix the walls using my summons."

"Ignis got found out?"

Mark asked, focusing on a detail Berrak said.

"Yeah, your fire sword got caught about five days after Boss left... I think?" Berrak nodded. "The purple girl managed to snuff it out of hiding from what I heard."

Mark sighed. Out of all people, Ignis was caught by Karla. A literal child. Just what is that demonic flamberge doing when he specifically told it to only help in secret?

"You can go inside already," Mark said to Berrak, who was supposed to be entering the base earlier. "I\'ll go ahead since I have things to do."

As Mark said that, he opened his wings and flew over the walls. People watched him with a little tinge of envy. After all, only three [Mutators] in the base could fly on their own. While being able to fly would not really make anyone stronger, it was a versatile ability that would help in different situations.

Berrak watched Mark fly away without trying to stop him. He sort of understood that Mark did not ask for the details right now because he would need to report it later anyway.

After Mark left, Berrak entered the gates. Walking, of course. And unlike Mark, the well-experienced Berrak responded warmly to the greetings he received upon his return.

Mark, on the other hand, flew straight to where the canteen was located. The first thing he wanted to do after his morning excursion around the Agos River was to hand the extra fish he caught to Trisha for today\'s rationed dinner.

The sight of a few extra large fishes sure made the eyes of the cooks light up. It was because the hunting group had never brought fish back before. However, no one really blamed them. With the current state of the Agos River, it was basically suicide to try and fish there unless you have the strength and abilities like Mark or Chimetrice.

Mark returned home just in time for lunch. It was just the regular lunch where everyone gathered to eat together. But after this...

Iola and Mark exchanged glances. From here on until sunset, it was Iola\'s turn to do something quite unusual.

It was then Iola stood up. Under the guise of wanting to properly digest the food they had just eaten, she took Abbygale out of the house, with Miracle joining in innocently.

And here, Mark and the others would start their preparations.

***

Abbygale was utterly confused. Among the three of them sisters, Iola was the most mature. Yet, here the eldest was, dragging her sisters out to play.

Nonetheless, Abbygale did not think too much of it and joined her two sisters\' play.

Time passed quickly for the three girls, who were soon joined by Laelaps and a few children as they played. It turned into quite a competition when Miracle called her golem, Cavall, and the children played frisbee with their two four-legged friends. The competition even increased when Annica joined in with her own dog.

Many people watched the game as entertainment like this was kind of hard to come by during the apocalypse. Those that did not have much work to do decided to come and watch, deciding to do the rest of their work after the game finished.

Abbygale did not realize that she had started having fun. She began running and laughing like the little girl she was supposed to be.

Iola watched Abbygale with a smile. She was only supposed to distract her little sister for the rest of the day, but this was much better. It was nice to see Abbygale smiling. Because of her [Mutator Trait], Abbygale always wore a dead calm face, which did not suit her age. It was extremely rare to see Abbygale smile and laugh like this.

Time really passed by fast. It was already late afternoon by the time Abbygale noticed.

At this time, Iola suddenly paused as if she was deep in thought. However, it was actually their Aunt Jaeya currently contacting her through [Telepathy]. It was supposed to be the time for her to bring her sisters back home. However, she decided to let Abbygale play a little bit more.

Soon, playtime ended as the day began to end. As planned, Iola brought her sisters home. It was not only the girls who headed home. The other children and spectators also went back. It had already spread throughout the day that Mark brought fish for dinner, and they were all looking forward to it.

The three girls went home together with Laelaps and Cavall. But to Abbygales increasing causes for confusion for today, Iola sneakily held Miracle and the two pets back, allowing Abbygale to open the door. Other children might not notice, but Abbygale did. However, she did not think too much of it and opened the door.

Confusing her even more, Abbygale entered the Cliff House, which had its lights off for some reason.

"SURPRISE!"

The lights suddenly turned on, and a shout from multiple people entered Abbygale\'s ears. Like the cat she was, the sudden loud sound caused her to become startled, making her transform. In her cat form, she immediately found her adoptive father, who was silently watching the situation behind everyone. Turning into a white blur due to her speed, she rushed behind her father and hid behind him.

"This is why I told you all to not shout."

Abbygale heard the exasperated voice of her father, likely scolding those that shouted upon her entry.

It was only then that Abbygale noticed the surroundings.

Everyone closest to their family was present. Odelina and her family members, Emika and her brother and mother, Jaeya and Theodore, Amihan, Elise, and even Annica, who played with them just a little while ago, along with a few more people, were present for some reason.

Then, Abbygale saw the table filled with food and at the center seemed to be a cake with candles on it. On the cake... it was her name.

Abbygale was stunned. Even her calm trait as a [Mutator] was unable to calm her confused mind.

It was when a gentle whisper entered Abbygale\'s ear as her father lowered his body to match her height.

"Happy Birthday."

Abbygale finally understood what was happening. It was her birthday which she already forgot. Understanding the situation made her begin to calm down.

But before Abbygale could return to her usual demeanor, her father put something in her hands.

Abbygale looked at what she was now holding. Given that he wished her happy birthday, it was supposed to be a present. He gave her a lot all this time, whether it be equipment or even weapons she could use.

But this time, it was not any of those things one could use during the apocalypse.

Yet... Abbygale could not take off her eyes on the present she now had in her hands.

It was a cloth doll. Nothing special. It was even something kind of poor-looking, unlike those expensive dolls she saw in malls way back before the outbreak. Given that her snarky grandmother was a financially rich woman, it was no surprise she had seen many kinds of expensive dolls.

Even so... It made Abbygale\'s hands shake as the familiarity with the doll overwhelmed her.

The doll was not just any cloth doll. It looked the same as something she thought she had lost forever.

...A ragged-looking doll that she chose from an old toy store over those expensive ones on the shelves at the mall.

...A doll she had way back before the outbreak.

...A doll that was her most prized possession that she never thought she would see once again.

...A doll she lost when everything went downhill.

...A doll she liked the most as it looked like her mom.

...Her mom who sacrificed herself for her to survive.

Abbygale\'s eyes felt wet as she silently put the doll into her embrace.

And silence ensued as everyone gently smiled, watching the calmest girl they knew silently tear up, rubbing her face unto the doll her father gave her.