“Well, well, well…look what we have here,” Mohawk remarked as he looked at his injured comrades with slight contempt. “It’s like a common occurrence to meet you guys here now, huh?”
“You two must have been put in a difficult situation to end up like this,” The Queen Deathbringer remarked. “I’m glad you two survived at least.”
“...Thank you, ma’am,” One of the super soldiers spoke as they laid on the bed.
“I thought you two were supposed to conduct reconnaissance on the forest,” Twintails chimed in. “But apparently you engaged in combat with Lilith Ashley…”
“...We thought it would have been the right call since we saw her alone and we know her to be on the weaker end of the S-Class criminals,” The super soldier explained. “Clearly we were wrong…”
“Yeah, clearly…” Mohawk muttered as he rolled his eyes. “How bold of lower level super soldiers to make a decision like–”
“Did you find anything about Lilith in the fight?” The Queen Deathbringer questioned as she interrupted the rude Mohawk. “She must be a bit strong to severely injure you two by herself, but is there anything in particular you remember about her?”
“Well, not only could she cross a few dozen kilometers of forest in a few seconds when she tried to escape, but she could react to us even when we had the stealth advantage on our side. Hitting her also felt like hitting friggin steel too…she barely accumulated injuries when we hit her,” The super soldier explained. “That’s not even the worst part…that katana she uses can even shoot this weird…crescent wave. Just getting grazed by it was what put us in this condition.”
“You two really were sorely mistaken about it being the right call,” Twintails said.
“She was a regular human all her life, so she definitely must have gotten stronger,” The Queen Deathbringer spoke as she rubbed her chin. “She’s gotten immensely stronger compared to half a year ago.”
“Tsk, if these bozos just stayed in hiding rather than fighting, this wouldn’t have happened!” Mohawk yelled. “You’re both so damn use–”
“Ahem!” The Queen Deathbringer cleared her throat as she elbowed Mohawk. With scrunched eyebrows, Mohawk gazed at her.
“...Well I guess something good did come from this. We got to confirm that they actually live in that forest, and we learned more about that S-Class criminal,” Rolling his eyes, Mohawk said. “You did good I guess…so just hurry up and get better.”
“Yeah.”
“That’s much better,” The Queen Deathbringer remarked as she patted Mohawk on the back.
“...Let go of me.”
- * * *
Lilith’s exposure to the Chinese martial art continued with more breathing exercises. Hour after hour, she kept the same ritual, only stopping for meals. Her breathing may be a bit too fast, or a bit too loud. Her shoulders may be rising too high at times.
She may have errors, but she kept practicing.
As the sun’s light upon the land waned with its setting, the visibly tired Lilith kept training.
“Let’s call it here today, Lilith,” The NPC remarked. “You should get some rest for now.”
“...Sigh, I thought I could have gotten it today,” Lilith replied as she stood up. “I guess I can’t be quick to rush things…”
“I think it’s quite the opposite. In just one day, you’ve nearly gotten the fundamentals down,” The NPC replied. “It took me a few weeks to master the basics, and you’ve done it in a far shorter time…that’s talent.”
“...You don’t need to try to make me feel better. Consoling words won’t make me stronger,” Lilith replied as she trekked towards her front door in dejection. “I need to see the fruits…of the talent you claim I have.”
Without any further remarks, the NPC simply watched as Lilith entered her home.
“...She really is just like I was,” The NPC said to himself. “At this rate…she’ll end the same…tragic way to fulfill her desire for strength.”
The same way, huh? The NPC thought to himself. No way…there’s no way he has expected all the events thus far, right?
- * * *
With all the hardships and suffering Lilith has gone through, Ada has been joyfully relishing her time as the president. After all the ‘good deeds’ she has done as the president, Ada took the opportunity to reward herself with a massage.
With only a towel to cover her features, Ada laid stomach first on a massage table in a lobby room of the White House. Four pairs of warm hands crawled over the tense muscles of her legs, shoulders and back, Ada’s skin glistening as the arms passed over and leaving an oily trace.
“How does it feel, Madam Ada?” Kneading and caressing the back of her thighs, Charlotte questioned. “I hope it’s to your liking.”
“Ahh…right there. That feels…so good,” Lifting up her face with a satisfied smile on her face, Ada replied. “Don’t stop…”
“That’s good…hey, make sure you guys aren’t slacking on the massage,” Charlotte remarked as she gazed at her fellow masseuses. “The madam takes very good care of her body, as you are all aware.”
“You don’t need to tell me twice,” Frank replied.
“It’s an honor being able to touch her body in the first place,” Leon chimed in. “There’s no way I’d slack off.”
“Fufu. I heard that two super soldiers encountered Lilith early in the morning,” Ada remarked. “They failed to eliminate her, though.”
“What? Two super soldiers failed to kill that weak bitch?” Frank questioned. “Man, talk about incompetent.”
“No need to be angry, as the outcome was somewhat expected,” Ada replied as they continued to rub her muscles. “They were low tier, expendable super soldiers…they were mainly used to confirm the location of the S-Class criminals.”
“I heard about it. Even though they were low tier, they still had the environmental advantage due to those googles, right?” Charlotte remarked. “Well, whatever…I guess they did confirm what you wanted, madam.”
“Yes, you should just let us at them,” Leon replied. “I’ve been itching to fight them, and I especially want to get rid of that Zack.”
“I understand, but I think it would be better to let my super soldier pets deal with them,” Ada replied. “You four are far more valuable to me than any other.”
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
“That…means a lot, madam,” Charlotte said. “You’re right.”
“Yes, for now. I just want to toy with them as much as I can until I get the proper moment to finally eliminate them.”
- * * *
As the moonlight crept over the country, city lights were seen pounding and glowing like a cyberpunk atmosphere. With a car parked close to a building echoing beats of music from the inside, Zack, Rose and Octavius hopped out.
“Tsk, I’m telling you that this isn’t going to help,” Zack muttered as he gazed at the flashing lights through the glass.
“Tsk, shut up! I’m being nice and giving you other opportunities to deal with your stress and addiction,” Rose remarked. “You can just drink your ass off here and it’ll feel great.”
“It’s not even like we have a choice,” Octavius remarked. “Since Rose went out of her way to take away all the drugs.”
“Shut it.”
There was no break in their stride as the bouncer stepped aside for the trio to enter. The bustling vibe of the club immediately struck them the second they entered.
Packed with humans like packed sardines in a can was the first thing that met their eyes amid all the flashing lights. The music beat with such a loud reverberation that it felt like their ribs were being shook from within. No one else seemed to mind as they were losing themselves while dancing to the beat.
“Tsk, is it just me or is everything so damn loud,” Zack remarked with scrunched eyebrows as the three squeezed through the dancing bodies.
“Ugh, that’s what you’d expect in a nightclub, Zack,” Rose remarked. “I thought you liked this type of stuff though.”
“...Not when my head is killing the shit outta me,” Zack replied. “And it’s so…friggin crowded here.”
Finally pushing their way to the front, the three escaped from the wave of dancers. They rested their arms and elbows atop the countertops with half-empty glasses accompanying them.
Squeaking was audible on the other side of the counter as a man had been wiping a glass cup with a towel. He rocked a black button up with rolled up sleeves, and an apron hanging from his waist.
“So, what will it be?” Clocking the trio with a glance, the bartender questioned as he shouted over the music.
“Give us three ciroc on the rocks,” Leaning over the counter so she could be heard, Rose replied.
He needed no words, only a nod as he reached for the bottles behind the counter. As if it were a martial art of its own, he expertly mixed and shook the drinks using the concoction he poured from the bottles with great sleight of hand. The ice which rattled like chains, if only for a brief moment, even surpassed the beats of the music.
“Your drinks,” Sliding the glasses to the trio, the bartender remarked.
“Thank you,” Octavius responded as they took their drinks, and turned their backs as they sat on the stools.
“It’s been a while we got to hang out like this, huh, Rose?” As the trio sipped on their vodka, Octavius said. “I’m sure you’re excited for this, huh?”
“Hmm? What the hell are you talking about?” Pausing her sipping, Rose questioned.
He never responded, but instead gestured to Zack as he playfully elbowed Rose and repeatedly raised his eyebrows.
“Ugh! Screw off!” Rose yelled as she shrugged him off with a flustered face. “Don’t freaking touch me!”
“Heh, someone’s all flustered,” Octavius remarked. “Look on her, Zack–”
“Gimme another round, bartender!” With an empty glass in his hand, Zack had turned around and spoke to the bartender.
“What the…you’re already finished?” Rose questioned with raised eyebrows. “Those things aren’t meant to be drunk fast, you know.”
“Well…I can’t really help it. It’s just so freaking hot…and stuffy in here!” Pulling on the collar of his shirt and rubbing his neck in irritation, Zack responded with gritted teeth. “I can’t just drink one glass.”
“...This might have been a bad idea,” Rose muttered.
At first it seemed like Zack only wanted another round…or it was hoped for. He’d drain two, then three, then four and more. He was in a race with only himself, only stopping periodically to hiss at the burns of the vodka going down his throat.
The bartender eyed the growing crowd of glasses, only to go back to cleaning his utensils, pretending not to notice. His friends, who were far more frugal and reserved in their drinking, gazed at the now drunken Zack in concern.
“Ugh…friggin hell…it’s still…so damn hot,” Sluggishly twirling around a half drunken glass of vodka, Zack muttered as he rested his head on the counter. The once packed club had now whittled down to only a few people, more drinking and less dancing.
“You’re so drunk right now,” Rose responded. “The air conditioning is on full blast. There’s no way you could be hot.”
“God dammit! I want some friggin coke!” Zack yelled. “Shit! It’s so annoying!”
“You’re not getting any damn coke! The whole point of coming here is to get you off that shit!” Matching his anger, Rose remarked. “Stop yapping about that!”
“RRAAHHH!!!” In a sudden outburst, Zack stood up off the stool and stormed away. “I’m going…in the bathroom!”
“...Don’t be too long,” Rose muttered. Amid their argument, Octavius casually continued to sip on his drink. “Tsk, this shit is all your fault. If only you didn’t give him that addicting shit, like a damn dumbass.”
“Oops.”
With a serious wobble giving him a pep to his step, Zack had approached the nightclub’s restroom.
“...That’s definitely Rose Thatcher by the counter,” With the now quieter music allowing him to hear his surroundings, Zack’s ears caught wind of a nearby conversation between two suited men. “Beside her is Octavius too…to think we finally get to meet them here.”
“This is our chance,” The other gentleman replied. “Let’s pay them a visit.”
The hell…? What the hell…are those two talking about? Zack pondered as he staggered through the doors of the restroom. Those guys…just said…Rose and Octavius’s names…shit.
Thoughts of the previous encounter with the surviving Silverdust associate…and the terrible result the setup had on him and Rose had surfaced in Zack’s head.
“Shit…it really is…so freaking hot now,” Zack muttered as his breathing rate increased. “My head is hurting me…and I’m so hot…and then some bastards show up…to screw us over!?”
In his irritation, Zack scanned the bathroom. His eyes wandered everywhere before stopping on a metal bar that was used as a towel rack. Despite being fixed to the walls, Zack had pulled it out without any difficulty.
“Not this…time.”
While Zack occupied the restroom, his friends had received the acquaintance of the two men who conversed about them. They had approached the counter beside the two Blueblood chiefs.
“Oh, don’t mind us…” Octavius said. “Go ahead and order away.”
“Mr. Santino and Ms. Thatcher of the Bluebloods, right?” One of the men greeted them. “My name is Geoffrey Hoffman, and this is my partner Steve Richards. Sorry for interrupting you too.”
“Huh? How the hell do you know…our names,” Pausing their drinks in surprise, Rose replied with suspicious eyes. “Who the hell…are you two.”
“Please don’t feel threatened by our presence. We merely wish to be beneficial to your organization,” Steve said. “We are aware of the issues the Bluebloods are facing, and we could help revive your company as your manufacturers.”
“...There’s no way you two would be doing it out of the goodness of your heart,” Octavius replied. “What’s in it for you two.”
“Well, we are a small business looking to prove ourselves,” Geoffrey replied. “Working with the renowned Bluebloods would be the best choice–”
“Hold your friggin 'horses. The last time I had a meeting like this, my friend and I got backdoored!” Rose interjected. “If you two don’t give me a reason to trust you, you better leave…if you want to keep living.”
“...We do want to be of use to your organization,” Steve replied. “We even have assurance for your mistrust–”
“You’re right, Rose. We ain’t trusting these damn sons of bitches,” Looming behind the two with a lengthy metal rod, Zack muttered.
“Huh? Who are you?” Geoffrey questioned as the two men turned around. “Wait, aren’t you–”
“Zack, wa–”
Octavius never got the full words out, as the rod had shined an orange radiance.
BOOM!
With one violent swing, Zack smacked Geoffrey across his head with the rod. Releasing an explosion upon impact, Geoffrey’s head was instantly reduced to a pile of charred brain matter and bony mush.
The deafening noise and the tremors which shook the entire building violently, forced terrified screams out of the partygoers as they instinctively looked to escape. The bartender too had hidden out of fear.
Steve, who was blown across the room, had his limbs contorted.
“AAAHHHHHHH!!!” Steve yelled as Zack strolled towards him. “I-IT HUUURRRTS!!!”
“It’s not fun…when you’re…the one hurting, huh?” Zack muttered as he raised the rod in the air. “I hope Ada hears about this!”
BOOM!
“Damn…what a mess,” Octavius muttered.
Zack simply stood still, stained in bits of blood of the now splattered Steve.
“Meh, I don’t really care. They probably deserved it,” Rose replied. “I can’t trust people like that now. I’d have done the same thing.”
"Uh huh..."