In her office, lined with numerous medals, photographs of the president’s endeavors, and tokens and the carpet decorated with the colors of the US flag, Ada sat comfortably around her desk with her legs folded.
Previously scanning a file in hand,Ada looked up. “Good job on making it here.”
“Yeah, it’s been a while since I saw you!” Sitting in a chair in front of her desk, the developer replied. “It’s good to see you again.”
“Well, I’m afraid the feeling isn’t mutual,” Ada replied as she closed the file with a clap and set it aside. “I’d have preferred if I never had to see you again.”
“Aww, but you were the one who contacted me first. I was under the impression we had a good relationship,” The developer teased. “I helped my dear little game character get her vengeance on Nathan. I even allowed Serena Collins to become a character since you asked.”
“Shut it! Don’t you call me your damn game character!” Ada’s voice rose exponentially as she retorted. “And who gives a damn about that useless bitch? She’s already dead.”
“Lol, we just started talking and you’re already this angry,” The developer continued to poke. “Alright, I’ll stop. So, what did you need?”
Still visibly annoyed by his presence and behaviour, Ada gazed at him with furrowed eyes.
Oh how much I’d give to see this bastard kneeling at my feet! Ada thought. But there’s something about him that tells me my manipulations won’t work…I already knew this.
“Sigh, I’ll just make this quick. Tell me the locations of the rest of your dogs,” Ada replied. “That’s why I called you here.”
“Oh? You’re not beating around the bush and just going for the direct method, huh?” The developer said with widened eyes. “You aren’t going to use some poor fool to act as bait for them this time?”
“Tsk, my reputation as this country’s goddess has been built up, but I need to cement that by getting rid of those long standing threats,” Ada replied while rolling her eyes. “This world and its people are my playground and pets, and I don’t want anything getting in the way of that.”
“Wow, you’re so honest with me! That’s my game character–”
“JUST SHUT UP AND TELL ME ALREADY!”
“If I tell you, you’re going to kill them…I don’t see how that would benefit me,” The developer remarked.
“Tch, just think of it as me helping them grow by putting them under great stress and trials,” Ada replied. “If they survive, they’ll just become stronger, so they can spread more chaos…just as you want.”
“Haha, you used that excuse before!”
“Tsk, but that is what you want!” Ada yelled. “You just want to see chaos, right!?”
“Heh, you all have your own goals and things you’re concerned about, but no one ever stopped to think why I’m doing the things I’m doing,” The developer replied as he leaned back in the chair. “You guys label me as just a sadistic agent of chaos, but that doesn’t fully fit my personality. None of you can begin to understand the reasons for this game.”
“...As I said, I’m not your game character. I don’t give a damn about your game.”
“Hehe, fine. I’ll tell you their locations, but only under one condition,” The developer remarked. “I’ll only tell you each of their locations every ten days…starting with Charles.”
“...What!?” Ada uttered with shock.
“I’ll tell you Charles’s location, then maybe Zack’s location ten days from now,” The developer said. “And twenty days from now, I’ll tell you Lilith and Nathan’s location.”
“Damn it, why don’t you just tell me them all now! I want to be finished with this damn chapter!” Ada yelled. “Wait…what about Olivia?”
“She’s currently living with Lilith,” The developer answered.
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“...Of course that parasite would be sticking onto someone else,” Ada replied. “Tsk, whatever…there’s no point asking you to tell me sooner.”
“If it makes you feel better, you can do whatever you want to them after,” The developer said. “Massacre them, torture them endlessly…it really doesn’t matter. You finally have the chance to end them without anything stopping you.”
“Oh? That’s the first thing you said that resonates well with me. I suppose I can wait then,” Ada replied. I’m starting to think my manipulation does work on him somewhat…since he’s receptive to my words…and even helpful. “The crumbling of what you built will cause the world to flock to me like sheep.”
“We’ll see about that,” The developer remarked with a smile. “Who knows? Maybe they’ll grow under pressure as you say, and the outcome will be far different.”
“...Just tell me Charles’s location…and get out of my office after.”
- * * *
The base of the second generation anti-blessed malefactor corps was filled with the bustling noise of clashing bodies and steel. Boots pounded against the dirt in a violent fashion, as if a group of people were trying to make a mess of the ground.
“C’mon, you guys need to make sure your form is perfect while fighting!” Barking advice and suggestions, the Queen Deathbringer remarked as she watched them. “Don’t just consider this as a spar! Many of you will be delegated across multiple states to eliminate the S-Class criminals, so your fighting prowess needs to be top notch!”
Amid her shouting commands, the grunts of super soldiers could be heard tossing out jabs and kicks at each other, only accompanied by the occasional thud as a few met the ground.
All had participated in this large sparring session – all except for the two new-gen blessed hunters who spectated at the sidelines.
“I’m surprised the Chief is going out of her way to ensure everyone’s up to par,” Twintails remarked as she watched. “We don’t normally get this much guidance as super soldiers.”
“She’s doing this because she’s also a super soldier. As much as I hate to admit this about an old head like her, she does understand us,” Mohawk replied. “Everyone thinks we’re just perfect war machines.”
“Fufu, I doubt the president thinks that, especially after your little blunder.”
“Tsk, you’re never going to stop pestering me with that, huh, you damned woman!?” Mohawk yelled. “You haven’t even done much of anything yet!”
“True, but that means I haven’t failed,” Twintails said with a smug expression. “You see, I would be nicer to you if you didn’t insult my marksmanship.”
“...Whatever. I’ll only fail this one time,” Mohawk replied. “The next time I meet them…they’re all dead.”
“Are you two just going to sit over there and watch, or are you going to spar?” Appearing next to them like a gust of wind, the Queen Deathbringer suddenly remarked.
“It’s not like we’re going to get better if we’re sparring with weaker super soldiers,” Twintails replied. She’s so fast… “None of these guys are on our level.”
“Why don’t you guys spar with each other then?” Their chief suggested. “You two are blessed hunters, after all.”
“Nah, you’d have to be my equal to spar with me,” Mohawk replied with a smug smirk. “She hasn’t earned that yet–”
“I wouldn’t want to spar with someone with an ego so large like that guy,” Twintails interjected as she clobbered him with a punch to the back of his head. “You’d think his recent failure would have humbled him already.”
“...You’re never going to stop yapping about that, huh?” Mohawk muttered as he rubbed the back of his head.
“Sigh, I suppose I can act as your sparring partner,” The Queen replied. “I would honestly be the best person for you two.”
“That would be perfect!” Twintails replied.
“Yeah, sure…I do want to pay you back from the last time you beat me, too,” Mohawk agreed.
There was something about the way they spoke that sparked a certain interest in the chief. Their behavior had tugged a distant memory in her as she no longer ‘looked’ at them. It was but a moment, but the Queen Deathbringer was back in the base with her deathbringer subordinates.
“...We’ll begin shortly.”
- * * *
After waking up from his week-long slumber, Zack had reunited with the rest of the Bluebloods.
“It’s about time you woke up. It’s good to have you back, Zack,” The director said as the four occupied the couches of the living room. “You really pulled through despite those injuries.”
“...Huh, the last thing I remembered was fighting a damn super soldier,” Zack muttered as he raised his arms up, surveying his thicker forearms and muscular frame. Even the intrigued Rose took a peek, with flushed cheeks. “Now I feel…different. I can’t…explain.”
“You were given a dose of some super soldier serum which survived the destruction,” Octavius replied. “It boosted your chance of survival, and likely increased your physique beyond its original levels.”
“I see…so that’s what it was.”
“You did a good job recovering,” The director continued. “I was starting to worry the serum would have been wasted.”
“...That would be unfortunate, huh,” Zack muttered with cold eyes. “So…what the hell happened while I was out?”
“Well, the shitty bastard and his group of super soldiers fucked over the organization, razing it to the ground,” Rose remarked. “Now we’re here…our only hideout.”
“Tsk…shit!”
His sudden outburst sparked confusion in the trio, as they gazed with widened eyes.
“I know our predicament is terrible, but I didn’t expect you to react that intensely,” Rose said.
“You don’t understand…sigh,” Zack muttered, much to Rose’s confusion. “Octavius…you know what I need, right?”
“...Oh.”