Chapter 53
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"Yo-you're supposed to be dead." Leila stuttered as she watched Micheal walk forward, her voice wavering.
"Emissary Heron." By this point, Commander Kenneth had recovered enough to no longer look dazed. He kept his grip around Leila's neck, knowing that if he let go, she would likely lash out.
At the same time, he pulled her down with him as he bent down and picked up his Gold Giant's Gauntlet Artifact, putting it on his free hand, though not activating it.
Micheal studied Kenneth for just a brief second, watching as he still carried Leila with care. He didn't drag her down rudely like he might an enemy, but instead pulled her with him like he would someone he cared about.
His face remained impassive, hidden by the mask he wore as he gave nothing away.
"Commander. Have you recovered enough to move?" Micheal kept his voice serene as he bent down and picked up Leila's silver gun.
"Yes… Yes sir." Kenneth nodded sharply, growing more and more steady. He blinked several times and then stared at the body of Number 14.
"You… killed him?!" Kenneth stuttered out, his eyes wide.
"He tried to kill me." Micheal shrugged and took a few more steps forward until he was right next to the Commander.
"Ah, of course. This will be a huge incident… we should make our escape now, while Number 11 is preoccupied." As the full enormity of the situation settled into Kenneth's mind, he realized that it had reached a point where he couldn't change things. It was now a matter between the true higher-ups.
The death of a member of the Nightrunners Numbers deep within Arcadia territory was bound to send shockwaves throughout the Main Cluster.
"You-you said you were switching bodies! How are you still here?!" Kenneth had loosened his grip enough on Leila to allow her to talk a bit freer. The woman didn't have the attitude of a prisoner, but instead acted as if she had been wronged, her demure attitude gradually making a return.
"Oh, right, about that." Micheal calmly looked her in the eyes,
"I lied."
He held her gun up to her forehead.
Kenneth and Leila's eyes widened.
"What are you-"
"Wait-"
BANG
He blew her brains out.
.
—- Points Obtained—-
Points: 22,280
.
Blood, bits of bone, and brain matter spattered out into the air, staining the ground as Leila's body collapsed backwards, killed instantly. Her corpse froze up as it fell, knocking hard against the floor as it slipped from Commander Kenneth's grasp.
"What have you done?!" Commander Kenneth's eyes went red as he saw this, his body trembling.
"She was a traitor." Micheal replied succinctly.
The Black Witch was known, in the historical records, as the genius researcher that not only helped jumpstart the Nightrunner's Nest feeding program, but helped pioneer the way for them to use innocent humans, causing the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocents.
With her death, Micheal had effectively crippled the start of the Nightrunner's Nest Feeding program. While it wasn't impossible for them to recover, they would be greatly delayed and miss out on the key starting moments of the Great Arrival, unable to effectively take advantage of this period.
Leila was a veritable genius when it came to experimentation and organization. Losing her was a huge blow.
They wouldn't fully stop, however. This was only a delay.
After all, the one who started the plan, the one who suggested using innocent lives as fuel, and the one that directed everything was ranked extremely highly in the Nightrunners.
The leader of the Numbers and the second in command of the entire Nightrunners. Ranked 2nd on the Main Cluster Ranking.
The man known as Number 1. Garen Olsteis, nicknamed 'The Hero.'
Micheal tossed the thought from his head for now, focusing on the present.
He had successfully accomplished one of his first big goals here in the Main Cluster. That was more than enough for now.
"She would have been tried and dealt with by the Angels Arcadia Truthseekers! You cannot just murder our fellow-" Commander Kenneth's face grew red as he stared at Micheal, trembling in rage. The man's body began to turn to steel, his outrage fueling him.
"Commander. This is a live combat situation and we have officially been attacked. If I hadn't interfered, you would be dead right now." The Commander likely wouldn't have been killed, but there was no reason to tell him that.
Micheal's words were cold, but full of unfeeling logic that couldn't be argued against. When the Commander heard them, he froze.
"Yes… I know, but-"
"Commander, is this really the time for this discussion?" Micheal interrupted him again, mercilessly, as he stored her gun in his Spatial Ring.
As they were speaking, a few random Morenkai had begun to creep into the ground floor, moving towards the source of all the noise. The fight down here had caused quite a racket, finally drawing the ire of the monstrous creatures.
Kenneth stuttered for a moment, looking around as if he was lost for a moment.
The Commander ran his fingers through his hair as he took a deep, ragged breath. He gained control of himself, his body returning back to normal.
"Yes, yes. Yes sir, Emissary Heron." His voice shook as he nodded stiffly. His eyes pierced towards Micheal like daggers, but no longer did he seem as if he was about to attack.
"You are correct. My infatuation has interfered with my ability to think clearly." Despite his words, his tone was a mess of emotions, the emotional injuries he'd suffered ones that would stick with him.
Micheal glanced at him sideways. He had half expected the man to go on some type of rage-fueled attack, despite the clear betrayal by the woman he loved, or at least cherished. The Commander was able to see the logic of the situation, however, and not react blindly. For that, Micheal gave him credit. Arcadia certainly chose their Commanders well.
"Call it in and let the Headquarter know what's going on. Can you make it safely back to base?" Micheal continued.
"Yes, sir." The Commander replied mutely, his eyes still full of anger. Some things could not easily be let go, and the Commander was, to some degree, in the right. The proper course of action would've been to imprison Leila.
However, Micheal wasn't willing to risk her living, and opted to go with what he saw as the best plan. Killing her first and arguing later.
"Alright. We can settle these differences with the Headquarters when we return. For now, we split up to ensure one of us survives. You take that stairway, I'll take this one." Micheal's voice was full of urgency as he pointed at one of the vacant entrances. He began to jog towards it immediately, opening the door and entering it as soon as he reached it.
The Commander froze for a second before he remembered there was a lethal Monster Class Morenkai on the loose, as well as an extremely powerful, murderous Werewolf. He sprinted over to the stairwell Micheal had pointed out, throwing it open and making his own escape.
Both of them were chased by a small throng of normal Morenkai that had entered the ground floor.
A few seconds passed.
Micheal's stairway door slowly crept open as he reentered the ground floor. Behind him, half a dozen regular Morenkai corpses lay sprawled out, killed silently.
He looked left and right around the room before running over to where Leila's corpse was.
"No point leaving it here." He muttered as cleared out her Spatial Ring, looting everything in it. He also took off a white necklace she had on, an Iridescent Exterior Necklace, a Defensive Artifact he recognized that was designed to protect from long range attacks. When he saw it, he nodded, and put on his own necklace, donning the Nullification Aura Necklace once more.
He didn't worry about Number 11 coming back anytime soon.
If Monster Class Morenkai were so easy to deal with, all of them would've been wiped from the Cluster with ease. This one here wasn't the absolute strongest of them, but it was still a Monster Class Morenkai.
As he finished looting Leila's body, he turned his attention over to the last thing of interest in the room.
A small, glowing black orb that had remained largely ignored by everyone else. The original reason that Leila had used as an excuse to come here in the first place.
A Temporary Nest.
"Well now… no reason to leave you here either…"
.. .. .. .. .. ..
Some time later...
In an ordinary looking bedroom, a lean, but solidly proportioned and muscular, man sat at the end of a bed. This man had shoulder-length, well-maintained blond hair and a solid blond beard that matched his jawline and tan skin, giving him a powerful, masculine appearance.
At this exact moment, the man reached down and picked up a book.
In the ordinary bedroom he was sitting in, if one was to name a single thing that seemed out of the ordinary, it would be the dozens of books that lay stacked in piles on the floor, the desk, even the dresser off to the side.
Books on strategy, books on medicine, books on martial arts, a plethora and font of knowledge, from a variety of sources.
This man examined the book he had picked up, glancing at it.
"Ah, an older title." His voice was deep as he spoke, rippling out with authority.
"The Art of War - Sun Tzu. I haven't read this one yet." He read the title out loud and nodded his head slightly.
He stared at the book.
A small flash of green light appeared and then vanished in his eyes.
"Not a bad read, not a bad read at all. " The man set the book down atop one of the stacks near him, rubbing at his beard slightly, as if in deep thought.
"Many of the strategies he offered give me a bit of a new outlook on possibilities I could focus on in the modern world. Or, at least, here in the First Layer." He frowned slightly and then nodded.
"It was worth the time spent reading."
Approximately 2 seconds had passed since he picked the book up, stared at it without visibly opening it, and then set it back down.
Just as he was looking over at another stack of books, a beeping sound echoed out from a sleek grey bracelet he wore.
The man squinted, tapping on the bracelet.
"Director Prime…" Number 11's voice echoed out, ragged and hoarse, as if he was extremely tired.
This was a Goldsteel Communication Bracelet, a special Artifact that was engineered through combining a few different things from the Shop, plus modern human ingenuity. It could be used for long distance communication, but was extremely expensive to create, limiting its users to only the members of the Nightrunner Numbers and the Director.
"Borial? What's the matter?" Director Prime, the leader of the Nightrunners and one of only 6 S Rankers in the First Layer, spoke Number 11's true name, recognizing the man's tone and words without problem. A concerned expression appeared on his face as he stood up, his eyes tense.
"Number 14 is dead. Leila is dead. I am badly injured and in need of evac. I just put in a request with the backup team, Number 6 is coming to help." Number 11 gave a terse report, interspersed with wheezing gasps.
Prime closed his eyes briefly when he heard the report, clenching his fists so tight they turned white. His chest shook slightly as he took a deep breath.
"Take it steady, Borial. Do not die on me. Follow the basic tenets, lay low and out of sight." Not a hint of emotion colored his words as Prime projected a verbal facade of absolute confidence, his voice deep and enthralling.
"Yes, sir." Number 11's voice seemed to become slightly brighter, as if drawing confidence from Prime's words.
"Are you in a safe position? Can you safely communicate at the present moment?" The Director of the Nightrunners continued, his voice steady.
"Yes, sir. Just in pain." Number 11 wheezed back a response.
"Alright… What happened? How did Antwan die?" Prime's face bore a grim expression as he spoke Number 14's real name. Unlike other organizations, the upper leadership of the Nightrunners were close-knit. Prime had handpicked each and every member, forging bonds of friendship that seemed thicker than steel.
It was an unorthodox methodology, but Prime had never been one to stick to what others demanded be normal. Even his name was unusual, his old name long since abandoned after he arrived in the Seven Layers.
Director Prime continued,
"This was supposed to be a simple mission. Leila was more than willing to be the head researcher for Garen's Criminal Nest Feeding program, but… it seems my planning was lax."
"Director it isn't your-" Number 11 began but was cut off.
"No, Borial. I sent you two in unprepared. It is my fault." His eyes were cold, all hints of emotion on his face quashed as he maintained the image of a stoic, powerful general.
The famous Director of the Nightrunners had another nickname in the First Layer.
The Grand Strategist.
He was renowned for his incredible foresight, planning, and tactics, something that led the Nightrunners to become a major power despite starting so late into the race. For him to make a mistake was a rare thing.
A few moments passed as Number 11 began to speak.
He told Prime about how Commander Kenneth had shown up alongside Leila, how a man known as Emissary Heron had appeared and killed himself, how they were then attacked by the same Monster Class Morenkai they had tracked on the way, and how he later returned to find both Leila's and Number 14's abandoned corpses after temporarily fighting off and fleeing from the Monster Class Morenkai.
The more Prime heard, the sterner he looked. When he heard about how the Monster Class Morenkai had attacked them at the opportune time, he couldn't help but ask,
"It was following you two again?"
"No, it fled from us after we engaged with it and injured it a week back. We simply tracked it on the way to meet up with Leila. Its reappearance was unexpected. The Monster Class Morenkai usually stay away from beings they can't defeat." Number 11 replied, voicing his complaints.
When Prime heard that, his face twitched. He sat back down on his bed, folding his hands together as if in concentration for a split second. His eyes flashed with green light.
A second later, he tapped on the Communication Bracelet,
"Let's go over it again. Give me every single detail you remember, Borial. Leave out nothing, no matter how minor. Every scrap you saw, every word spoken, every movement made… especially those of this Emissary Heron. Tell me everything. " Prime's voice was cold,
"Everything."
.
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"Yo-you're supposed to be dead." Leila stuttered as she watched Micheal walk forward, her voice wavering.
"Emissary Heron." By this point, Commander Kenneth had recovered enough to no longer look dazed. He kept his grip around Leila's neck, knowing that if he let go, she would likely lash out.
At the same time, he pulled her down with him as he bent down and picked up his Gold Giant's Gauntlet Artifact, putting it on his free hand, though not activating it.
Micheal studied Kenneth for just a brief second, watching as he still carried Leila with care. He didn't drag her down rudely like he might an enemy, but instead pulled her with him like he would someone he cared about.
His face remained impassive, hidden by the mask he wore as he gave nothing away.
"Commander. Have you recovered enough to move?" Micheal kept his voice serene as he bent down and picked up Leila's silver gun.
"Yes… Yes sir." Kenneth nodded sharply, growing more and more steady. He blinked several times and then stared at the body of Number 14.
"You… killed him?!" Kenneth stuttered out, his eyes wide.
"He tried to kill me." Micheal shrugged and took a few more steps forward until he was right next to the Commander.
"Ah, of course. This will be a huge incident… we should make our escape now, while Number 11 is preoccupied." As the full enormity of the situation settled into Kenneth's mind, he realized that it had reached a point where he couldn't change things. It was now a matter between the true higher-ups.
The death of a member of the Nightrunners Numbers deep within Arcadia territory was bound to send shockwaves throughout the Main Cluster.
"You-you said you were switching bodies! How are you still here?!" Kenneth had loosened his grip enough on Leila to allow her to talk a bit freer. The woman didn't have the attitude of a prisoner, but instead acted as if she had been wronged, her demure attitude gradually making a return.
"Oh, right, about that." Micheal calmly looked her in the eyes,
"I lied."
He held her gun up to her forehead.
Kenneth and Leila's eyes widened.
"What are you-"
"Wait-"
BANG
He blew her brains out.
.
—- Points Obtained—-
Points: 22,280
.
Blood, bits of bone, and brain matter spattered out into the air, staining the ground as Leila's body collapsed backwards, killed instantly. Her corpse froze up as it fell, knocking hard against the floor as it slipped from Commander Kenneth's grasp.
"What have you done?!" Commander Kenneth's eyes went red as he saw this, his body trembling.
"She was a traitor." Micheal replied succinctly.
The Black Witch was known, in the historical records, as the genius researcher that not only helped jumpstart the Nightrunner's Nest feeding program, but helped pioneer the way for them to use innocent humans, causing the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocents.
With her death, Micheal had effectively crippled the start of the Nightrunner's Nest Feeding program. While it wasn't impossible for them to recover, they would be greatly delayed and miss out on the key starting moments of the Great Arrival, unable to effectively take advantage of this period.
Leila was a veritable genius when it came to experimentation and organization. Losing her was a huge blow.
They wouldn't fully stop, however. This was only a delay.
After all, the one who started the plan, the one who suggested using innocent lives as fuel, and the one that directed everything was ranked extremely highly in the Nightrunners.
The leader of the Numbers and the second in command of the entire Nightrunners. Ranked 2nd on the Main Cluster Ranking.
The man known as Number 1. Garen Olsteis, nicknamed 'The Hero.'
Micheal tossed the thought from his head for now, focusing on the present.
He had successfully accomplished one of his first big goals here in the Main Cluster. That was more than enough for now.
"She would have been tried and dealt with by the Angels Arcadia Truthseekers! You cannot just murder our fellow-" Commander Kenneth's face grew red as he stared at Micheal, trembling in rage. The man's body began to turn to steel, his outrage fueling him.
"Commander. This is a live combat situation and we have officially been attacked. If I hadn't interfered, you would be dead right now." The Commander likely wouldn't have been killed, but there was no reason to tell him that.
Micheal's words were cold, but full of unfeeling logic that couldn't be argued against. When the Commander heard them, he froze.
"Yes… I know, but-"
"Commander, is this really the time for this discussion?" Micheal interrupted him again, mercilessly, as he stored her gun in his Spatial Ring.
As they were speaking, a few random Morenkai had begun to creep into the ground floor, moving towards the source of all the noise. The fight down here had caused quite a racket, finally drawing the ire of the monstrous creatures.
Kenneth stuttered for a moment, looking around as if he was lost for a moment.
The Commander ran his fingers through his hair as he took a deep, ragged breath. He gained control of himself, his body returning back to normal.
"Yes, yes. Yes sir, Emissary Heron." His voice shook as he nodded stiffly. His eyes pierced towards Micheal like daggers, but no longer did he seem as if he was about to attack.
"You are correct. My infatuation has interfered with my ability to think clearly." Despite his words, his tone was a mess of emotions, the emotional injuries he'd suffered ones that would stick with him.
Micheal glanced at him sideways. He had half expected the man to go on some type of rage-fueled attack, despite the clear betrayal by the woman he loved, or at least cherished. The Commander was able to see the logic of the situation, however, and not react blindly. For that, Micheal gave him credit. Arcadia certainly chose their Commanders well.
"Call it in and let the Headquarter know what's going on. Can you make it safely back to base?" Micheal continued.
"Yes, sir." The Commander replied mutely, his eyes still full of anger. Some things could not easily be let go, and the Commander was, to some degree, in the right. The proper course of action would've been to imprison Leila.
However, Micheal wasn't willing to risk her living, and opted to go with what he saw as the best plan. Killing her first and arguing later.
"Alright. We can settle these differences with the Headquarters when we return. For now, we split up to ensure one of us survives. You take that stairway, I'll take this one." Micheal's voice was full of urgency as he pointed at one of the vacant entrances. He began to jog towards it immediately, opening the door and entering it as soon as he reached it.
The Commander froze for a second before he remembered there was a lethal Monster Class Morenkai on the loose, as well as an extremely powerful, murderous Werewolf. He sprinted over to the stairwell Micheal had pointed out, throwing it open and making his own escape.
Both of them were chased by a small throng of normal Morenkai that had entered the ground floor.
A few seconds passed.
Micheal's stairway door slowly crept open as he reentered the ground floor. Behind him, half a dozen regular Morenkai corpses lay sprawled out, killed silently.
He looked left and right around the room before running over to where Leila's corpse was.
"No point leaving it here." He muttered as cleared out her Spatial Ring, looting everything in it. He also took off a white necklace she had on, an Iridescent Exterior Necklace, a Defensive Artifact he recognized that was designed to protect from long range attacks. When he saw it, he nodded, and put on his own necklace, donning the Nullification Aura Necklace once more.
He didn't worry about Number 11 coming back anytime soon.
If Monster Class Morenkai were so easy to deal with, all of them would've been wiped from the Cluster with ease. This one here wasn't the absolute strongest of them, but it was still a Monster Class Morenkai.
As he finished looting Leila's body, he turned his attention over to the last thing of interest in the room.
A small, glowing black orb that had remained largely ignored by everyone else. The original reason that Leila had used as an excuse to come here in the first place.
A Temporary Nest.
"Well now… no reason to leave you here either…"
.. .. .. .. .. ..
Some time later...
In an ordinary looking bedroom, a lean, but solidly proportioned and muscular, man sat at the end of a bed. This man had shoulder-length, well-maintained blond hair and a solid blond beard that matched his jawline and tan skin, giving him a powerful, masculine appearance.
At this exact moment, the man reached down and picked up a book.
In the ordinary bedroom he was sitting in, if one was to name a single thing that seemed out of the ordinary, it would be the dozens of books that lay stacked in piles on the floor, the desk, even the dresser off to the side.
Books on strategy, books on medicine, books on martial arts, a plethora and font of knowledge, from a variety of sources.
This man examined the book he had picked up, glancing at it.
"Ah, an older title." His voice was deep as he spoke, rippling out with authority.
"The Art of War - Sun Tzu. I haven't read this one yet." He read the title out loud and nodded his head slightly.
He stared at the book.
A small flash of green light appeared and then vanished in his eyes.
"Not a bad read, not a bad read at all. " The man set the book down atop one of the stacks near him, rubbing at his beard slightly, as if in deep thought.
"Many of the strategies he offered give me a bit of a new outlook on possibilities I could focus on in the modern world. Or, at least, here in the First Layer." He frowned slightly and then nodded.
"It was worth the time spent reading."
Approximately 2 seconds had passed since he picked the book up, stared at it without visibly opening it, and then set it back down.
Just as he was looking over at another stack of books, a beeping sound echoed out from a sleek grey bracelet he wore.
The man squinted, tapping on the bracelet.
"Director Prime…" Number 11's voice echoed out, ragged and hoarse, as if he was extremely tired.
This was a Goldsteel Communication Bracelet, a special Artifact that was engineered through combining a few different things from the Shop, plus modern human ingenuity. It could be used for long distance communication, but was extremely expensive to create, limiting its users to only the members of the Nightrunner Numbers and the Director.
"Borial? What's the matter?" Director Prime, the leader of the Nightrunners and one of only 6 S Rankers in the First Layer, spoke Number 11's true name, recognizing the man's tone and words without problem. A concerned expression appeared on his face as he stood up, his eyes tense.
"Number 14 is dead. Leila is dead. I am badly injured and in need of evac. I just put in a request with the backup team, Number 6 is coming to help." Number 11 gave a terse report, interspersed with wheezing gasps.
Prime closed his eyes briefly when he heard the report, clenching his fists so tight they turned white. His chest shook slightly as he took a deep breath.
"Take it steady, Borial. Do not die on me. Follow the basic tenets, lay low and out of sight." Not a hint of emotion colored his words as Prime projected a verbal facade of absolute confidence, his voice deep and enthralling.
"Yes, sir." Number 11's voice seemed to become slightly brighter, as if drawing confidence from Prime's words.
"Are you in a safe position? Can you safely communicate at the present moment?" The Director of the Nightrunners continued, his voice steady.
"Yes, sir. Just in pain." Number 11 wheezed back a response.
"Alright… What happened? How did Antwan die?" Prime's face bore a grim expression as he spoke Number 14's real name. Unlike other organizations, the upper leadership of the Nightrunners were close-knit. Prime had handpicked each and every member, forging bonds of friendship that seemed thicker than steel.
It was an unorthodox methodology, but Prime had never been one to stick to what others demanded be normal. Even his name was unusual, his old name long since abandoned after he arrived in the Seven Layers.
Director Prime continued,
"This was supposed to be a simple mission. Leila was more than willing to be the head researcher for Garen's Criminal Nest Feeding program, but… it seems my planning was lax."
"Director it isn't your-" Number 11 began but was cut off.
"No, Borial. I sent you two in unprepared. It is my fault." His eyes were cold, all hints of emotion on his face quashed as he maintained the image of a stoic, powerful general.
The famous Director of the Nightrunners had another nickname in the First Layer.
The Grand Strategist.
He was renowned for his incredible foresight, planning, and tactics, something that led the Nightrunners to become a major power despite starting so late into the race. For him to make a mistake was a rare thing.
A few moments passed as Number 11 began to speak.
He told Prime about how Commander Kenneth had shown up alongside Leila, how a man known as Emissary Heron had appeared and killed himself, how they were then attacked by the same Monster Class Morenkai they had tracked on the way, and how he later returned to find both Leila's and Number 14's abandoned corpses after temporarily fighting off and fleeing from the Monster Class Morenkai.
The more Prime heard, the sterner he looked. When he heard about how the Monster Class Morenkai had attacked them at the opportune time, he couldn't help but ask,
"It was following you two again?"
"No, it fled from us after we engaged with it and injured it a week back. We simply tracked it on the way to meet up with Leila. Its reappearance was unexpected. The Monster Class Morenkai usually stay away from beings they can't defeat." Number 11 replied, voicing his complaints.
When Prime heard that, his face twitched. He sat back down on his bed, folding his hands together as if in concentration for a split second. His eyes flashed with green light.
A second later, he tapped on the Communication Bracelet,
"Let's go over it again. Give me every single detail you remember, Borial. Leave out nothing, no matter how minor. Every scrap you saw, every word spoken, every movement made… especially those of this Emissary Heron. Tell me everything. " Prime's voice was cold,
"Everything."
.
"Yo-you're supposed to be dead." Leila stuttered as she watched Micheal walk forward, her voice wavering."Emissary Heron." By this point, Commander Kenneth had recovered enough to no longer look dazed. He kept his grip around Leila's neck, knowing that if he let go, she would likely lash out.At the same time, he pulled her down with him as he bent down and picked up his Gold Giant's Gauntlet Artifact, putting it on his free hand, though not activating it.Micheal studied Kenneth for just a brief second, watching as he still carried Leila with care. He didn't drag her down rudely like he might an enemy, but instead pulled her with him like he would someone he cared about.His face remained impassive, hidden by the mask he wore as he gave nothing away."Commander. Have you recovered enough to move?" Micheal kept his voice serene as he bent down and picked up Leila's silver gun."Yes Yes sir." Kenneth nodded sharply, growing more and more steady. He blinked several times and then stared at the body of Number 14."You killed him?!" Kenneth stuttered out, his eyes wide."He tried to kill me." Micheal shrugged and took a few more steps forward until he was right next to the Commander."Ah, of course. This will be a huge incident we should make our escape now, while Number 11 is preoccupied." As the full enormity of the situation settled into Kenneth's mind, he realized that it had reached a point where he couldn't change things. It was now a matter between the true higher-ups.The death of a member of the Nightrunners Numbers deep within Arcadia territory was bound to send shockwaves throughout the Main Cluster."You-you said you were switching bodies! How are you still here?!" Kenneth had loosened his grip enough on Leila to allow her to talk a bit freer. The woman didn't have the attitude of a prisoner, but instead acted as if she had been wronged, her demure attitude gradually making a return."Oh, right, about that." Micheal calmly looked her in the eyes,"I lied."He held her gun up to her forehead.Kenneth and Leila's eyes widened."What are you-""Wait-"BANGHe blew her brains out..- Points Obtained-Points: 22,280.Blood, bits of bone, and brain matter spattered out into the air, staining the ground as Leila's body collapsed backwards, killed instantly. Her corpse froze up as it fell, knocking hard against the floor as it slipped from Commander Kenneth's grasp."What have you done?!" Commander Kenneth's eyes went red as he saw this, his body trembling."She was a traitor." Micheal replied succinctly.The Black Witch was known, in the historical records, as the genius researcher that not only helped jumpstart the Nightrunner's Nest feeding program, but helped pioneer the way for them to use innocent humans, causing the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocents.With her death, Micheal had effectively crippled the start of the Nightrunner's Nest Feeding program. While it wasn't impossible for them to recover, they would be greatly delayed and miss out on the key starting moments of the Great Arrival, unable to effectively take advantage of this period.Leila was a veritable genius when it came to experimentation and organization. Losing her was a huge blow.They wouldn't fully stop, however. This was only a delay.After all, the one who started the plan, the one who suggested using innocent lives as fuel, and the one that directed everything was ranked extremely highly in the Nightrunners.The leader of the Numbers and the second in command of the entire Nightrunners. Ranked 2nd on the Main Cluster Ranking.The man known as Number 1. Garen Olsteis, nicknamed 'The Hero.'Micheal tossed the thought from his head for now, focusing on the present.He had successfully accomplished one of his first big goals here in the Main Cluster. That was more than enough for now."She would have been tried and dealt with by the Angels Arcadia Truthseekers! You cannot just murder our fellow-" Commander Kenneth's face grew red as he stared at Micheal, trembling in rage. The man's body began to turn to steel, his outrage fueling him."Commander. This is a live combat situation and we have officially been attacked. If I hadn't interfered, you would be dead right now." The Commander likely wouldn't have been killed, but there was no reason to tell him that.Micheal's words were cold, but full of unfeeling logic that couldn't be argued against. When the Commander heard them, he froze."Yes I know, but-""Commander, is this really the time for this discussion?" Micheal interrupted him again, mercilessly, as he stored her gun in his Spatial Ring.As they were speaking, a few random Morenkai had begun to creep into the ground floor, moving towards the source of all the noise. The fight down here had caused quite a racket, finally drawing the ire of the monstrous creatures.Kenneth stuttered for a moment, looking around as if he was lost for a moment.The Commander ran his fingers through his hair as he took a deep, ragged breath. He gained control of himself, his body returning back to normal."Yes, yes. Yes sir, Emissary Heron." His voice shook as he nodded stiffly. His eyes pierced towards Micheal like daggers, but no longer did he seem as if he was about to attack."You are correct. My infatuation has interfered with my ability to think clearly." Despite his words, his tone was a mess of emotions, the emotional injuries he'd suffered ones that would stick with him.Micheal glanced at him sideways. He had half expected the man to go on some type of rage-fueled attack, despite the clear betrayal by the woman he loved, or at least cherished. The Commander was able to see the logic of the situation, however, and not react blindly. For that, Micheal gave him credit. Arcadia certainly chose their Commanders well."Call it in and let the Headquarter know what's going on. Can you make it safely back to base?" Micheal continued."Yes, sir." The Commander replied mutely, his eyes still full of anger. Some things could not easily be let go, and the Commander was, to some degree, in the right. The proper course of action would've been to imprison Leila.However, Micheal wasn't willing to risk her living, and opted to go with what he saw as the best plan. Killing her first and arguing later."Alright. We can settle these differences with the Headquarters when we return. For now, we split up to ensure one of us survives. You take that stairway, I'll take this one." Micheal's voice was full of urgency as he pointed at one of the vacant entrances. He began to jog towards it immediately, opening the door and entering it as soon as he reached it.The Commander froze for a second before he remembered there was a lethal Monster Class Morenkai on the loose, as well as an extremely powerful, murderous Werewolf. He sprinted over to the stairwell Micheal had pointed out, throwing it open and making his own escape.Both of them were chased by a small throng of normal Morenkai that had entered the ground floor.A few seconds passed.Micheal's stairway door slowly crept open as he reentered the ground floor. Behind him, half a dozen regular Morenkai corpses lay sprawled out, killed silently.He looked left and right around the room before running over to where Leila's corpse was."No point leaving it here." He muttered as cleared out her Spatial Ring, looting everything in it. He also took off a white necklace she had on, an Iridescent Exterior Necklace, a Defensive Artifact he recognized that was designed to protect from long range attacks. When he saw it, he nodded, and put on his own necklace, donning the Nullification Aura Necklace once more.He didn't worry about Number 11 coming back anytime soon.If Monster Class Morenkai were so easy to deal with, all of them would've been wiped from the Cluster with ease. This one here wasn't the absolute strongest of them, but it was still a Monster Class Morenkai.As he finished looting Leila's body, he turned his attention over to the last thing of interest in the room.A small, glowing black orb that had remained largely ignored by everyone else. The original reason that Leila had used as an excuse to come here in the first place.A Temporary Nest."Well now no reason to leave you here either".. .. .. .. .. ..Some time later...In an ordinary looking bedroom, a lean, but solidly proportioned and muscular, man sat at the end of a bed. This man had shoulder-length, well-maintained blond hair and a solid blond beard that matched his jawline and tan skin, giving him a powerful, masculine appearance.At this exact moment, the man reached down and picked up a book.In the ordinary bedroom he was sitting in, if one was to name a single thing that seemed out of the ordinary, it would be the dozens of books that lay stacked in piles on the floor, the desk, even the dresser off to the side.Books on strategy, books on medicine, books on martial arts, a plethora and font of knowledge, from a variety of sources.This man examined the book he had picked up, glancing at it."Ah, an older title." His voice was deep as he spoke, rippling out with authority."The Art of War - Sun Tzu. I haven't read this one yet." He read the title out loud and nodded his head slightly.He stared at the book.A small flash of green light appeared and then vanished in his eyes."Not a bad read, not a bad read at all. " The man set the book down atop one of the stacks near him, rubbing at his beard slightly, as if in deep thought."Many of the strategies he offered give me a bit of a new outlook on possibilities I could focus on in the modern world. Or, at least, here in the First Layer." He frowned slightly and then nodded."It was worth the time spent reading."Approximately 2 seconds had passed since he picked the book up, stared at it without visibly opening it, and then set it back down.Just as he was looking over at another stack of books, a beeping sound echoed out from a sleek grey bracelet he wore.The man squinted, tapping on the bracelet."Director Prime" Number 11's voice echoed out, ragged and hoarse, as if he was extremely tired.This was a Goldsteel Communication Bracelet, a special Artifact that was engineered through combining a few different things from the Shop, plus modern human ingenuity. It could be used for long distance communication, but was extremely expensive to create, limiting its users to only the members of the Nightrunner Numbers and the Director."Borial? What's the matter?" Director Prime, the leader of the Nightrunners and one of only 6 S Rankers in the First Layer, spoke Number 11's true name, recognizing the man's tone and words without problem. A concerned expression appeared on his face as he stood up, his eyes tense."Number 14 is dead. Leila is dead. I am badly injured and in need of evac. I just put in a request with the backup team, Number 6 is coming to help." Number 11 gave a terse report, interspersed with wheezing gasps.Prime closed his eyes briefly when he heard the report, clenching his fists so tight they turned white. His chest shook slightly as he took a deep breath."Take it steady, Borial. Do not die on me. Follow the basic tenets, lay low and out of sight." Not a hint of emotion colored his words as Prime projected a verbal facade of absolute confidence, his voice deep and enthralling."Yes, sir." Number 11's voice seemed to become slightly brighter, as if drawing confidence from Prime's words."Are you in a safe position? Can you safely communicate at the present moment?" The Director of the Nightrunners continued, his voice steady."Yes, sir. Just in pain." Number 11 wheezed back a response."Alright What happened? How did Antwan die?" Prime's face bore a grim expression as he spoke Number 14's real name. Unlike other organizations, the upper leadership of the Nightrunners were close-knit. Prime had handpicked each and every member, forging bonds of friendship that seemed thicker than steel.It was an unorthodox methodology, but Prime had never been one to stick to what others demanded be normal. Even his name was unusual, his old name long since abandoned after he arrived in the Seven Layers.Director Prime continued,"This was supposed to be a simple mission. Leila was more than willing to be the head researcher for Garen's Criminal Nest Feeding program, but it seems my planning was lax.""Director it isn't your-" Number 11 began but was cut off."No, Borial. I sent you two in unprepared. It is my fault." His eyes were cold, all hints of emotion on his face quashed as he maintained the image of a stoic, powerful general.The famous Director of the Nightrunners had another nickname in the First Layer.The Grand Strategist.He was renowned for his incredible foresight, planning, and tactics, something that led the Nightrunners to become a major power despite starting so late into the race. For him to make a mistake was a rare thing.A few moments passed as Number 11 began to speak.He told Prime about how Commander Kenneth had shown up alongside Leila, how a man known as Emissary Heron had appeared and killed himself, how they were then attacked by the same Monster Class Morenkai they had tracked on the way, and how he later returned to find both Leila's and Number 14's abandoned corpses after temporarily fighting off and fleeing from the Monster Class Morenkai.The more Prime heard, the sterner he looked. When he heard about how the Monster Class Morenkai had attacked them at the opportune time, he couldn't help but ask,"It was following you two again?""No, it fled from us after we engaged with it and injured it a week back. We simply tracked it on the way to meet up with Leila. Its reappearance was unexpected. The Monster Class Morenkai usually stay away from beings they can't defeat." Number 11 replied, voicing his complaints.When Prime heard that, his face twitched. He sat back down on his bed, folding his hands together as if in concentration for a split second. His eyes flashed with green light.A second later, he tapped on the Communication Bracelet,"Let's go over it again. Give me every single detail you remember, Borial. Leave out nothing, no matter how minor. Every scrap you saw, every word spoken, every movement made especially those of this Emissary Heron. Tell me everything. " Prime's voice was cold,"Everything.".
