Chapter 187: Welcome to Toronto [ 1 ]

The dusty off-road vehicle continued along the highway, leaving the enormous roadside sign behind as it traveled toward Toronto.

One hundred and twenty kilometers.

That was all that remained between the four travelers and their destination after three exhausting days on the road.

The afternoon sunlight filtered through the trees lining both sides of the highway, occasionally illuminating the vehicle’s dirt-covered windows.

The road had become considerably smoother over the past several kilometers, a welcome change from the rough stretches they had encountered earlier in their journey.

Inside the vehicle, Frey was sprawled across the back seat with his head tilted against the window, looking thoroughly miserable.

"Bro, I’m telling you, if we don’t reach Toronto soon, I’m going to lose my mind," Frey complained, stretching his stiff legs as much as the limited space allowed. "Three days! We’ve been sitting in this damn car for three days! My ass has practically become part of the seat!"

Mikhail, who was driving, glanced at him through the rearview mirror and shook his head.

"You’ve been complaining about that since yesterday morning," Mikhail remarked with an exhausted sigh. "If you spent half as much energy sleeping as you do complaining, the journey would have been considerably more peaceful."

"Fatty, that’s easy for you to say!" Frey protested, sitting upright. "At least you’ve got the steering wheel to keep yourself entertained. What am I supposed to do back here? Count trees?"

"That would certainly be quieter," Mikhail replied without looking away from the road.

Jet chuckled from the front passenger seat.

"He’s got a point, Frey," Jet remarked with an amused smile. "You’ve complained about the seats, the weather, the food, the road, and even the trees. I’m starting to think you’d complain if someone handed you a million Union Dollars."

Frey immediately straightened.

"Now hold on, bro. Let’s not say things we don’t mean," Frey replied seriously, raising one finger. "If someone handed me a million Union Dollars, I’d personally thank them, hug them, and possibly even kiss them."

"That’s disgusting, Brother Frey!" Inez exclaimed from beside him, scrunching up her little face.

Frey turned toward her with an expression of exaggerated betrayal.

"Little princess, you wound me!" he declared, clutching his chest dramatically. "After everything we’ve been through together, this is how you treat your beloved Brother Frey?"

Inez burst into laughter, her naturally white hair bouncing as she shook her head.

Jet smiled at their exchange before turning his attention toward the road ahead.

Although Frey had complained almost continuously throughout their journey, Jet understood his frustration. Three days of traveling through highways, fortified checkpoints, and occasionally dangerous territories would exhaust anyone.

Fortunately, they had encountered no serious trouble along the way.

The roads connecting major cities within the Laurentian Region were regularly patrolled by security forces, and the most important transportation routes possessed defensive installations designed to prevent monsters from reaching civilian vehicles.

Nevertheless, traveling between distant cities remained considerably more complicated than it had been before the Great Collapse.

There were still enormous stretches of wilderness where human settlements were few and far between, and some territories remained dangerous enough that ordinary travelers avoided them altogether.

Jet had deliberately chosen to make the journey by road.

Aside from allowing them to transport their belongings, it gave Inez an opportunity to see more of the world beyond Zenith.

And judging by the way his little sister had spent much of the journey asking questions about everything they encountered, she had thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

"Big Brother, how much longer until we get there?" Inez suddenly asked, leaning forward between the front seats.

Jet glanced at the navigation display.

"About an hour and a half, maybe a little longer depending on traffic," he answered, smiling at her eager expression. "We’re getting close now."

"Really?!" Inez exclaimed, her white eyes widening with excitement.

"Really," Jet confirmed with a nod. "And once we arrive, we’ll get something delicious to eat before doing anything else."

"Can we have cake?" Inez asked hopefully.

Frey immediately leaned forward.

"Now that’s an excellent suggestion!" he declared enthusiastically. "Little princess, you’ve got wonderful taste. I know a place in Toronto that’s supposed to have some of the best desserts in the entire Laurentian Region."

Mikhail glanced at him through the mirror.

"You’ve never been to Toronto before, have you?" he asked suspiciously.

"Nope!" Frey answered cheerfully.

"Then how exactly do you know about this place?" Mikhail questioned.

Frey raised his communication device with a triumphant grin.

"Research, Uncle Mikhail! Research! I’ve spent the last three days investigating all the important establishments in Toronto."

Jet raised an eyebrow. "By important establishments, you mean restaurants, nightclubs, and entertainment centers?"

"Obviously!" Frey replied without the slightest embarrassment. "What else would I be researching?"

Mikhail sighed again, while Inez giggled beside him.

Their conversation continued as the vehicle traveled farther along the highway.

Gradually, the surrounding scenery began changing.

The dense stretches of woodland gave way to cultivated land, roadside commercial establishments, and increasingly frequent residential communities. Massive electrical transmission towers stood along the highway, while enormous communication structures rose above the surrounding countryside.

Eventually, the first signs of Toronto’s outer defensive infrastructure appeared.

Long stretches of reinforced barriers extended along the distant landscape, accompanied by surveillance towers and fortified security installations.

Several patrol vehicles traveled along designated service roads, while armed personnel monitored the highway from elevated checkpoints.

As they approached the metropolitan boundary, the number of vehicles increased considerably.

Cargo trucks, private automobiles, armored transportation vehicles, and luxurious passenger cars occupied the expanding highway.

Farther ahead, enormous overhead displays directed traffic toward different districts.

Then, as their vehicle climbed a broad elevated section of the highway, the city finally came into view.

And for several seconds, nobody spoke.

Toronto stretched across the horizon like an endless ocean of steel, glass, and concrete.

Thousands upon thousands of buildings filled the landscape, their heights ranging from ordinary residential complexes to towering skyscrapers that seemed to pierce the clouds.

Elevated highways twisted between enormous structures, while sleek transportation vehicles moved along designated aerial routes high above the streets.

Massive holographic advertisements floated between commercial towers, displaying luxury products, Awakener equipment, Guild recruitment campaigns, and countless other services.

Beyond the dense clusters of buildings, an immense lake glittered beneath the afternoon sunlight.

The metropolis was so enormous that its boundaries were impossible to distinguish from their position.

"HOLY SHIT!"