Chapter 60
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"Is that… it is!" Micheal's voice was full of excitement as he looked out before him, his eyes zeroed in on something far away.
"I've found them!"
After resting his Soul and allowing himself to recover, Micheal had once again gone out searching. He was constantly going back and forth between large tracts of land, going over the same areas.
It was frustratingly inefficient, but on such short notice, and with no allies nearby, it was the best method he had available. Maintaining secrecy was one of his most important goals at the present moment, even if it meant he couldn't do things like hire other people to help him search.
Thankfully, his identity was decently obscured and, even better:
He had an Aura Nullification Necklace.
The unique Artifact was something he always kept on him now. While it did protect and shield his mind and Soul, he was most grateful for something else.
The necklace helped hide his energy signature, and his presence in general, from anything seeking it out.
The Monster Class Morenkai had lost his trail partially as a result of this. However… Morenkai weren't the only beings that could search for him in similar manners.
There were dozens of powerful and unique Abilities related to scanning or searching for people or things. Any one of those could give clues away as to who he is or was, or what his powers were. With the Aura Nullification Necklace, the vast majority of those would become ineffective.
That all made his life much easier, and meant he could spend his hard-earned Points on more important things.
After Micheal searched for around 30 more minutes, he had come upon his present situation.
He held his binoculars up to his face as he gazed them through, breathing slowly. He was currently around 100 meters up above the nearest skyscraper, slowly falling down towards its roof.
Out about 7 skyscrapers over, Micheal could make out two groups of people currently in a faceoff. One group was much larger than the other one, with more than a dozen armed men and women, while the other group had only 5 figures present.
Micheal recognized the leader of the large group instantly. It was a man of Middle Eastern descent, wearing a set of loose, white leather pants and a brown vest, with long brown hair that was wrapped up in a bun. He held a long, metallic saber in his hand.
'The Arabian General Asim.' The man was a legend among legends for most humans, a warrior that was regarded as one of the most elite close-combat fighters.
The leader of the smaller, 5 man group, was likewise instantly recognizable.
A mountain of a man with short blonde hair, wearing a set of dark red armor, with a large spear tied into place on his back.
That could only be the famed Wonder King, Vladimir.
Micheal stored his binocular as he shot forward at maximum speed, the ornate robe he wore as a disguise flapping in the wind. He glided forward gracefully, but with as little obvious motion as possible, trying to maintain a low-key figure.
It took him only a few seconds to reach a skyscraper that was around 3 bridge's worth of distance away. Upon the skyscraper was a single Morenkai, shambling about.
Micheal dashed across the skyscraper, keeping as low as possible. He ignored the Morenkai as he ran up and then threw himself over the edge.
The Morenkai had noticed his presence and was in the process of turning around to chase him when it realized what he had done. It stood frozen for a moment, almost as if it couldn't believe its senses.
Micheal's Life Orbs raced around and caught him as he began to fly between skyscrapers, quickly maneuvering himself and leaving the Morenkai behind.
In no time at all, he managed to fly over to the skyscraper the two groups were meeting at.
'Yes! They aren't battling yet!' When Michael reached the skyscraper the two groups were at, he could hear voices talking. That meant he still had a chance.
His original plan had been to prevent them from meeting entirely. If he could've found either group alone, he planned on distracting them by claiming he was a member of the Purgatory Church and going on a spiel trying to recruit them.
Whether or not either group believed him wouldn't matter, since all he needed to do was mess up their timeline so that they missed each other.
Unfortunately…
He simply didn't know where either group emerged from or where they would meet each other at. All he knew was that they met in this general area and that they become mortal enemies.
The lack of information was frustrating, but he had to work with what he had.
When he managed to get within full earshot of the two groups, however, his heart dropped.
For… now he could understand what they were saying.
"…and why should we do anything for you? Who made you God, arbiter of our lives?" One deep voice spoke out loud.
"Do you think I won't kill you all as you stand, here and now?" Another replied back, full of heated emotion and a hint of hatred.
'Damn it.' He mentally swore as he heard the leaders of the two groups arguing. He could feel the tension in the air, as if a battle was about to break out.
He was too late.
He sighed deeply.
'Very well. Plan A is no go. Time for Plan B.'
He adjusted his fancy robe and plain mask, making sure they were tightly attached. Hiding his identity would be rather important here.
He pulled out the Heaton Sniper Rifle he'd purchased at the Open Market. He looked at it a moment before nodding and slung it around his back, putting on the strap that connected it.
He then tapped on his Spatial Ring again, withdrawing three sleek-looking, round, black objects. Right after that, he opened his Shop screen, making a couple of purchases.
He sighed again after he finished preparing.
'Time to be the villain.'
.. .. .. .. .. ..
"You're telling me that none of them know anything at all about Heron?!" Number 10's voice was incredulous as she stared at the Truthseeker sent by the Angels Arcadia.
"Yes, Madam Fury." The Truthseeker replied, using Number 10's nickname. The Truthseeker was dressed like the rest of the Arcadia warriors, in white leather armor with a blade and a gun. His job wasn't to stand out, but to blend in. His plain appearance, with short black hair and an average face, helped.
"We've talked to all of their leaders, and not one of them has lied." Commander Hatchel sighed, his set of armor heaving as he stood up.
They were currently in the middle of a small meeting, within one of the open lounge rooms in the skyscraper they'd found the Stardust Coalition at. Commander Hatchel, the secretive Truthseeker Arcadia had sent, and Emissary Antler all sat or stood at one side of a long wooden table, while Number 10 sat alone on the other side.
"Maybe if Officer Martin was here, it would be different." Hatchel rubbed at his forehead, his gentle appearance twisted with frustration.
According to everyone here, the only people that had any leads on Emissary Heron was Officer Martin of the Godfather Organization. The Emissary had first been introduced to them by the Stardust Branch of the Godfather Organization.
Whether or not the Stardust Branch was fooled into thinking the Emissary was also a topic they had tried to resolve but…
Officer Martin had left, leaving behind several subordinates that knew nothing.
Officer Martin had returned to the Godfather Organization's inner territory to make a report, and, by all records, wouldn't return to the Stardust Coalition's home base for several days at least.
The timing was conspicuous. There wasn't really any reason he needed to report anything in person, not when he could just send a message using the Godfather Organization's network. A B Ranked Officer in a Cluster Branch didn't exactly warrant a lot of importance.
It was almost as if the man had been warned that they were coming and left a couple of days before their arrival.
However… they hadn't even decided to come looking until very recently. It wasn't as if he could've been tipped off. All the clues pointed towards the Godfather Organization members being unaware that the Emissary was a fake, so it seemed incredibly unlikely that the two were knowingly in cahoots.
That left them with the sole conclusion that the Officer had left of his own accord to make a report in person.
And that meant they couldn't question him until he returned, effectively stalling their investigation.
Of course, if the investigators had been aware that Officer Martin had reported in person at Micheal's suggestion, well... that might've caught their interest.
Before Micheal and the Stardust Coalition parted ways, Micheal had subtly dropped the suggestion to Officer Martin, mentioning how the information Shigun provided to the Godfather Organization HQ was incredibly valuable. As a representative of Shigun, it was very likely they'd heavily reward him.
And… as Michael had expected, the draw had proven sufficient, and Officer Martin had left for the Main Branch. The Officer had seen the considerable power Micheal had displayed and no doubt greatly wanted to increase his own personal power.
This subtle plan had removed the only possible information leak out of the easily-accessible picture. Micheal knew his identity would get out eventually, but all he was worried about were the immediate next few days. As long as he could stave off too much direct attention, everything would go perfectly.
And so far… his plans had met with success.
Number 10 stared at the Commander and then to the side, quietly whispering to herself.
"That trashy piece of garbage. You sniveling, unworthy, murderous villain, how could you hurt my delicate sweet 14. I'll rip your fuc-" Number 10 abruptly cut herself off as she looked back up at the Commander.
"What do we have, then?" Number 10's voice returned to its sweet and warm tone as she nodded at the man,
"Anything at all?"
"Most of what we've learned isn't notable. Heron is very strong, he was able to obliterate a Pseudo-Monster Class Morenkai with a single punch, he's a powerful A Ranker. He's intelligent, has keen senses." Commander Hatchel sighed as he shook his head.
After a moment, however, he nodded slightly and continued,
"Well, there is one thing a few of them have confirmed. Heron has, or at least had, a companion named Crane. She never stood out or did anything notable, but he isn't alone."
When Number 10 heard that, her eyes narrowed behind her mask.
"A companion? Why haven't I heard of this before?" She spoke the words slowly.
"Look, Madam Fury, we are working with you as much as we can. The only reports I've read didn't mention any companion, only his own actions. I'll have our men review any and all reports that relate to him." Commander Hatchel held his hands in the air, trying to defuse the situation.
"Alright. If this is true, then he isn't alone." Number 10 tapped on her Spatial Ring.
She withdrew a nail file from it. Her nails were painted black, immaculately coated. She began to use the nail file as she spoke, her voice full of its ever-present warmth.
"He may have shielded himself, but I refuse to believe everyone he knows is able to perfectly avoid detection."
Before she could continue, however, something unexpected happened.
"Sir! We've gotten word from the Captain-Commander!" One of the Arcadia warriors burst into the lounge, faintly out of breath. He held a smartphone in his hand, one of the men that worked as a communications expert.
Number 10 glared at him, but remained silent, assuming his entrance had something to do with her case.
"What is it?" Emissary Antler, who had been silent up to this point, stood up and waved the man over. The warrior rushed forward and privately began to whisper to the Emissary and to Commander Hatchel, his words containing a hint of urgency.
After he finished his message, he stood still, waiting patiently for orders.
Antler and Hatchel exchanged glances and then stared over at Number 10.
"Well?" She waved at them impatiently.
"We have to go." Commander Hatchel replied. He waved at the Truthseeker and the guard, and then immediately began barking orders.
"Everyone! Wrap it up and prepare to move out! We are leaving in 5 minutes!" The Truthseeker and the Communications Officer had already rushed out, spreading word to the others.
"What?!" Number 10 sputtered out loud as she heard this response. She took a couple of steps forward, her fists trembling.
"How dare you abandon this investigation and hunt for such a vile crimin-"
"Sorry, ma'am. It's not our call. The Captain-Commander has personally called us back." Commander Hatchel cut her off. He hesitated for a second before he added,
"You might want to check in with your Director."
Number 10's entire body was shaking with rage and confusion as she stared at him.
By this point, the skyscraper was growing busy as the forces of the Angels Arcadia prepared to leave.
"Give me an explanation, Commander." Number 10's voice was dangerously calm.
It was the normally reticent Emissary Antler that stepped forward and answered her.
"We've been called back because of the chaos that's broken out in the Main Cluster." He leaned his arms on the wooden table, his voice cold.
"Chaos?" Number 10 stared at him in confusion.
"Tens of millions of new men and women are pouring into the Main Cluster, and the number only seems to be getting larger. It's gotten far worse than what we expected and had initially prepared for a couple of days ago." Emissary Antler shook his head and went on,
"We're leaving. The investigation is temporarily postponed. We will contact you all when we are willing to resume it."
And just like that… The representatives of the Angels Arcadia filed out and left.
Number 10 couldn't believe what she was hearing and seeing. Beneath her mask, her face was a seething mask of rage in its own right. She stalked out from the lounge area, quickly finding some of her own troops.
Among them, one of them had the ability to set up a temporary long-distance communication array, so they could contact their own when not in normal range.
In just a few minutes, Number 10 was on the line with one of the higher-ups, using a specially prepared smartphone.
"…it's devolving into a bloodbath in some areas. Huge battles have already broken out as groups of criminals attempt to take advantage of the situation. It's absolute chaos up here." The speaker's voice was gruff and deep, making the man sound like a large, heavyset man.
Just as the Angels Arcadia had said, something big was happening. The speaker was patiently explaining this all to Number 10.
"What?! But it seems fine where I am!" She returned a response, stubbornly. She absolutely did not want to give up on the investigation.
"Your location is closer to the inner part of the Main Cluster. It's only the outer areas that are currently being swept up. I'm sure it'll spread in time." The speaker's voice was dismissive,
"You need to return right now, Number 10. You can continue the investigation later. I'm glad you had the foresight to contact us." When using long range communication, it wasn't possible for the Nightrunners higher-ups to contact Number 10 first. She wasn't in an area with devices, satellites, or other things they could control and use to pinpoint and call her.
"But we still hav-" Number 10 began, but was cut off.
"That is a command, Number 10." The gruff speaker's voice was commanding, not giving even a little.
Number 10 clenched her fists in response, not saying anything.
"Besides." The speaker whispered quietly,
"This is an excellent opportunity to expand my experiments. We just need to find a suitable head researcher as fast as possible. It's a shame what happened to Leila." The speaker sighed,
"Now, are you going to obey your orders?" The man's voice contained a hint of steel.
"Yes, sir." Number 10 replied, begrudgingly, her eyes flashing as she hung up the phone.
She immediately began giving orders, organizing her team as they prepared to retreat.
The various members of the Stardust Coalition watched as both major forces prepared to leave, and left, many of them feeling a hint of relief.
"But I'm not going to give up that easily." She whispered quietly to herself as she stood in a hallway, watching her team pack all their tools up,
"Emissary Crane, was it? Let's see if you can hide as well as your friend…"
.
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"Is that… it is!" Micheal's voice was full of excitement as he looked out before him, his eyes zeroed in on something far away.
"I've found them!"
After resting his Soul and allowing himself to recover, Micheal had once again gone out searching. He was constantly going back and forth between large tracts of land, going over the same areas.
It was frustratingly inefficient, but on such short notice, and with no allies nearby, it was the best method he had available. Maintaining secrecy was one of his most important goals at the present moment, even if it meant he couldn't do things like hire other people to help him search.
Thankfully, his identity was decently obscured and, even better:
He had an Aura Nullification Necklace.
The unique Artifact was something he always kept on him now. While it did protect and shield his mind and Soul, he was most grateful for something else.
The necklace helped hide his energy signature, and his presence in general, from anything seeking it out.
The Monster Class Morenkai had lost his trail partially as a result of this. However… Morenkai weren't the only beings that could search for him in similar manners.
There were dozens of powerful and unique Abilities related to scanning or searching for people or things. Any one of those could give clues away as to who he is or was, or what his powers were. With the Aura Nullification Necklace, the vast majority of those would become ineffective.
That all made his life much easier, and meant he could spend his hard-earned Points on more important things.
After Micheal searched for around 30 more minutes, he had come upon his present situation.
He held his binoculars up to his face as he gazed them through, breathing slowly. He was currently around 100 meters up above the nearest skyscraper, slowly falling down towards its roof.
Out about 7 skyscrapers over, Micheal could make out two groups of people currently in a faceoff. One group was much larger than the other one, with more than a dozen armed men and women, while the other group had only 5 figures present.
Micheal recognized the leader of the large group instantly. It was a man of Middle Eastern descent, wearing a set of loose, white leather pants and a brown vest, with long brown hair that was wrapped up in a bun. He held a long, metallic saber in his hand.
'The Arabian General Asim.' The man was a legend among legends for most humans, a warrior that was regarded as one of the most elite close-combat fighters.
The leader of the smaller, 5 man group, was likewise instantly recognizable.
A mountain of a man with short blonde hair, wearing a set of dark red armor, with a large spear tied into place on his back.
That could only be the famed Wonder King, Vladimir.
Micheal stored his binocular as he shot forward at maximum speed, the ornate robe he wore as a disguise flapping in the wind. He glided forward gracefully, but with as little obvious motion as possible, trying to maintain a low-key figure.
It took him only a few seconds to reach a skyscraper that was around 3 bridge's worth of distance away. Upon the skyscraper was a single Morenkai, shambling about.
Micheal dashed across the skyscraper, keeping as low as possible. He ignored the Morenkai as he ran up and then threw himself over the edge.
The Morenkai had noticed his presence and was in the process of turning around to chase him when it realized what he had done. It stood frozen for a moment, almost as if it couldn't believe its senses.
Micheal's Life Orbs raced around and caught him as he began to fly between skyscrapers, quickly maneuvering himself and leaving the Morenkai behind.
In no time at all, he managed to fly over to the skyscraper the two groups were meeting at.
'Yes! They aren't battling yet!' When Michael reached the skyscraper the two groups were at, he could hear voices talking. That meant he still had a chance.
His original plan had been to prevent them from meeting entirely. If he could've found either group alone, he planned on distracting them by claiming he was a member of the Purgatory Church and going on a spiel trying to recruit them.
Whether or not either group believed him wouldn't matter, since all he needed to do was mess up their timeline so that they missed each other.
Unfortunately…
He simply didn't know where either group emerged from or where they would meet each other at. All he knew was that they met in this general area and that they become mortal enemies.
The lack of information was frustrating, but he had to work with what he had.
When he managed to get within full earshot of the two groups, however, his heart dropped.
For… now he could understand what they were saying.
"…and why should we do anything for you? Who made you God, arbiter of our lives?" One deep voice spoke out loud.
"Do you think I won't kill you all as you stand, here and now?" Another replied back, full of heated emotion and a hint of hatred.
'Damn it.' He mentally swore as he heard the leaders of the two groups arguing. He could feel the tension in the air, as if a battle was about to break out.
He was too late.
He sighed deeply.
'Very well. Plan A is no go. Time for Plan B.'
He adjusted his fancy robe and plain mask, making sure they were tightly attached. Hiding his identity would be rather important here.
He pulled out the Heaton Sniper Rifle he'd purchased at the Open Market. He looked at it a moment before nodding and slung it around his back, putting on the strap that connected it.
He then tapped on his Spatial Ring again, withdrawing three sleek-looking, round, black objects. Right after that, he opened his Shop screen, making a couple of purchases.
He sighed again after he finished preparing.
'Time to be the villain.'
.. .. .. .. .. ..
"You're telling me that none of them know anything at all about Heron?!" Number 10's voice was incredulous as she stared at the Truthseeker sent by the Angels Arcadia.
"Yes, Madam Fury." The Truthseeker replied, using Number 10's nickname. The Truthseeker was dressed like the rest of the Arcadia warriors, in white leather armor with a blade and a gun. His job wasn't to stand out, but to blend in. His plain appearance, with short black hair and an average face, helped.
"We've talked to all of their leaders, and not one of them has lied." Commander Hatchel sighed, his set of armor heaving as he stood up.
They were currently in the middle of a small meeting, within one of the open lounge rooms in the skyscraper they'd found the Stardust Coalition at. Commander Hatchel, the secretive Truthseeker Arcadia had sent, and Emissary Antler all sat or stood at one side of a long wooden table, while Number 10 sat alone on the other side.
"Maybe if Officer Martin was here, it would be different." Hatchel rubbed at his forehead, his gentle appearance twisted with frustration.
According to everyone here, the only people that had any leads on Emissary Heron was Officer Martin of the Godfather Organization. The Emissary had first been introduced to them by the Stardust Branch of the Godfather Organization.
Whether or not the Stardust Branch was fooled into thinking the Emissary was also a topic they had tried to resolve but…
Officer Martin had left, leaving behind several subordinates that knew nothing.
Officer Martin had returned to the Godfather Organization's inner territory to make a report, and, by all records, wouldn't return to the Stardust Coalition's home base for several days at least.
The timing was conspicuous. There wasn't really any reason he needed to report anything in person, not when he could just send a message using the Godfather Organization's network. A B Ranked Officer in a Cluster Branch didn't exactly warrant a lot of importance.
It was almost as if the man had been warned that they were coming and left a couple of days before their arrival.
However… they hadn't even decided to come looking until very recently. It wasn't as if he could've been tipped off. All the clues pointed towards the Godfather Organization members being unaware that the Emissary was a fake, so it seemed incredibly unlikely that the two were knowingly in cahoots.
That left them with the sole conclusion that the Officer had left of his own accord to make a report in person.
And that meant they couldn't question him until he returned, effectively stalling their investigation.
Of course, if the investigators had been aware that Officer Martin had reported in person at Micheal's suggestion, well... that might've caught their interest.
Before Micheal and the Stardust Coalition parted ways, Micheal had subtly dropped the suggestion to Officer Martin, mentioning how the information Shigun provided to the Godfather Organization HQ was incredibly valuable. As a representative of Shigun, it was very likely they'd heavily reward him.
And… as Michael had expected, the draw had proven sufficient, and Officer Martin had left for the Main Branch. The Officer had seen the considerable power Micheal had displayed and no doubt greatly wanted to increase his own personal power.
This subtle plan had removed the only possible information leak out of the easily-accessible picture. Micheal knew his identity would get out eventually, but all he was worried about were the immediate next few days. As long as he could stave off too much direct attention, everything would go perfectly.
And so far… his plans had met with success.
Number 10 stared at the Commander and then to the side, quietly whispering to herself.
"That trashy piece of garbage. You sniveling, unworthy, murderous villain, how could you hurt my delicate sweet 14. I'll rip your fuc-" Number 10 abruptly cut herself off as she looked back up at the Commander.
"What do we have, then?" Number 10's voice returned to its sweet and warm tone as she nodded at the man,
"Anything at all?"
"Most of what we've learned isn't notable. Heron is very strong, he was able to obliterate a Pseudo-Monster Class Morenkai with a single punch, he's a powerful A Ranker. He's intelligent, has keen senses." Commander Hatchel sighed as he shook his head.
After a moment, however, he nodded slightly and continued,
"Well, there is one thing a few of them have confirmed. Heron has, or at least had, a companion named Crane. She never stood out or did anything notable, but he isn't alone."
When Number 10 heard that, her eyes narrowed behind her mask.
"A companion? Why haven't I heard of this before?" She spoke the words slowly.
"Look, Madam Fury, we are working with you as much as we can. The only reports I've read didn't mention any companion, only his own actions. I'll have our men review any and all reports that relate to him." Commander Hatchel held his hands in the air, trying to defuse the situation.
"Alright. If this is true, then he isn't alone." Number 10 tapped on her Spatial Ring.
She withdrew a nail file from it. Her nails were painted black, immaculately coated. She began to use the nail file as she spoke, her voice full of its ever-present warmth.
"He may have shielded himself, but I refuse to believe everyone he knows is able to perfectly avoid detection."
Before she could continue, however, something unexpected happened.
"Sir! We've gotten word from the Captain-Commander!" One of the Arcadia warriors burst into the lounge, faintly out of breath. He held a smartphone in his hand, one of the men that worked as a communications expert.
Number 10 glared at him, but remained silent, assuming his entrance had something to do with her case.
"What is it?" Emissary Antler, who had been silent up to this point, stood up and waved the man over. The warrior rushed forward and privately began to whisper to the Emissary and to Commander Hatchel, his words containing a hint of urgency.
After he finished his message, he stood still, waiting patiently for orders.
Antler and Hatchel exchanged glances and then stared over at Number 10.
"Well?" She waved at them impatiently.
"We have to go." Commander Hatchel replied. He waved at the Truthseeker and the guard, and then immediately began barking orders.
"Everyone! Wrap it up and prepare to move out! We are leaving in 5 minutes!" The Truthseeker and the Communications Officer had already rushed out, spreading word to the others.
"What?!" Number 10 sputtered out loud as she heard this response. She took a couple of steps forward, her fists trembling.
"How dare you abandon this investigation and hunt for such a vile crimin-"
"Sorry, ma'am. It's not our call. The Captain-Commander has personally called us back." Commander Hatchel cut her off. He hesitated for a second before he added,
"You might want to check in with your Director."
Number 10's entire body was shaking with rage and confusion as she stared at him.
By this point, the skyscraper was growing busy as the forces of the Angels Arcadia prepared to leave.
"Give me an explanation, Commander." Number 10's voice was dangerously calm.
It was the normally reticent Emissary Antler that stepped forward and answered her.
"We've been called back because of the chaos that's broken out in the Main Cluster." He leaned his arms on the wooden table, his voice cold.
"Chaos?" Number 10 stared at him in confusion.
"Tens of millions of new men and women are pouring into the Main Cluster, and the number only seems to be getting larger. It's gotten far worse than what we expected and had initially prepared for a couple of days ago." Emissary Antler shook his head and went on,
"We're leaving. The investigation is temporarily postponed. We will contact you all when we are willing to resume it."
And just like that… The representatives of the Angels Arcadia filed out and left.
Number 10 couldn't believe what she was hearing and seeing. Beneath her mask, her face was a seething mask of rage in its own right. She stalked out from the lounge area, quickly finding some of her own troops.
Among them, one of them had the ability to set up a temporary long-distance communication array, so they could contact their own when not in normal range.
In just a few minutes, Number 10 was on the line with one of the higher-ups, using a specially prepared smartphone.
"…it's devolving into a bloodbath in some areas. Huge battles have already broken out as groups of criminals attempt to take advantage of the situation. It's absolute chaos up here." The speaker's voice was gruff and deep, making the man sound like a large, heavyset man.
Just as the Angels Arcadia had said, something big was happening. The speaker was patiently explaining this all to Number 10.
"What?! But it seems fine where I am!" She returned a response, stubbornly. She absolutely did not want to give up on the investigation.
"Your location is closer to the inner part of the Main Cluster. It's only the outer areas that are currently being swept up. I'm sure it'll spread in time." The speaker's voice was dismissive,
"You need to return right now, Number 10. You can continue the investigation later. I'm glad you had the foresight to contact us." When using long range communication, it wasn't possible for the Nightrunners higher-ups to contact Number 10 first. She wasn't in an area with devices, satellites, or other things they could control and use to pinpoint and call her.
"But we still hav-" Number 10 began, but was cut off.
"That is a command, Number 10." The gruff speaker's voice was commanding, not giving even a little.
Number 10 clenched her fists in response, not saying anything.
"Besides." The speaker whispered quietly,
"This is an excellent opportunity to expand my experiments. We just need to find a suitable head researcher as fast as possible. It's a shame what happened to Leila." The speaker sighed,
"Now, are you going to obey your orders?" The man's voice contained a hint of steel.
"Yes, sir." Number 10 replied, begrudgingly, her eyes flashing as she hung up the phone.
She immediately began giving orders, organizing her team as they prepared to retreat.
The various members of the Stardust Coalition watched as both major forces prepared to leave, and left, many of them feeling a hint of relief.
"But I'm not going to give up that easily." She whispered quietly to herself as she stood in a hallway, watching her team pack all their tools up,
"Emissary Crane, was it? Let's see if you can hide as well as your friend…"
.
"Is that it is!" Micheal's voice was full of excitement as he looked out before him, his eyes zeroed in on something far away."I've found them!"After resting his Soul and allowing himself to recover, Micheal had once again gone out searching. He was constantly going back and forth between large tracts of land, going over the same areas.It was frustratingly inefficient, but on such short notice, and with no allies nearby, it was the best method he had available. Maintaining secrecy was one of his most important goals at the present moment, even if it meant he couldn't do things like hire other people to help him search.Thankfully, his identity was decently obscured and, even better:He had an Aura Nullification Necklace.The unique Artifact was something he always kept on him now. While it did protect and shield his mind and Soul, he was most grateful for something else.The necklace helped hide his energy signature, and his presence in general, from anything seeking it out.The Monster Class Morenkai had lost his trail partially as a result of this. However Morenkai weren't the only beings that could search for him in similar manners.There were dozens of powerful and unique Abilities related to scanning or searching for people or things. Any one of those could give clues away as to who he is or was, or what his powers were. With the Aura Nullification Necklace, the vast majority of those would become ineffective.That all made his life much easier, and meant he could spend his hard-earned Points on more important things.After Micheal searched for around 30 more minutes, he had come upon his present situation.He held his binoculars up to his face as he gazed them through, breathing slowly. He was currently around 100 meters up above the nearest skyscraper, slowly falling down towards its roof.Out about 7 skyscrapers over, Micheal could make out two groups of people currently in a faceoff. One group was much larger than the other one, with more than a dozen armed men and women, while the other group had only 5 figures present.Micheal recognized the leader of the large group instantly. It was a man of Middle Eastern descent, wearing a set of loose, white leather pants and a brown vest, with long brown hair that was wrapped up in a bun. He held a long, metallic saber in his hand.'The Arabian General Asim.' The man was a legend among legends for most humans, a warrior that was regarded as one of the most elite close-combat fighters.The leader of the smaller, 5 man group, was likewise instantly recognizable.A mountain of a man with short blonde hair, wearing a set of dark red armor, with a large spear tied into place on his back.That could only be the famed Wonder King, Vladimir.Micheal stored his binocular as he shot forward at maximum speed, the ornate robe he wore as a disguise flapping in the wind. He glided forward gracefully, but with as little obvious motion as possible, trying to maintain a low-key figure.It took him only a few seconds to reach a skyscraper that was around 3 bridge's worth of distance away. Upon the skyscraper was a single Morenkai, shambling about.Micheal dashed across the skyscraper, keeping as low as possible. He ignored the Morenkai as he ran up and then threw himself over the edge.The Morenkai had noticed his presence and was in the process of turning around to chase him when it realized what he had done. It stood frozen for a moment, almost as if it couldn't believe its senses.Micheal's Life Orbs raced around and caught him as he began to fly between skyscrapers, quickly maneuvering himself and leaving the Morenkai behind.In no time at all, he managed to fly over to the skyscraper the two groups were meeting at.'Yes! They aren't battling yet!' When Michael reached the skyscraper the two groups were at, he could hear voices talking. That meant he still had a chance.His original plan had been to prevent them from meeting entirely. If he could've found either group alone, he planned on distracting them by claiming he was a member of the Purgatory Church and going on a spiel trying to recruit them.Whether or not either group believed him wouldn't matter, since all he needed to do was mess up their timeline so that they missed each other.UnfortunatelyHe simply didn't know where either group emerged from or where they would meet each other at. All he knew was that they met in this general area and that they become mortal enemies.The lack of information was frustrating, but he had to work with what he had.When he managed to get within full earshot of the two groups, however, his heart dropped.For now he could understand what they were saying."and why should we do anything for you? Who made you God, arbiter of our lives?" One deep voice spoke out loud."Do you think I won't kill you all as you stand, here and now?" Another replied back, full of heated emotion and a hint of hatred.'Damn it.' He mentally swore as he heard the leaders of the two groups arguing. He could feel the tension in the air, as if a battle was about to break out.He was too late.He sighed deeply.'Very well. Plan A is no go. Time for Plan B.'He adjusted his fancy robe and plain mask, making sure they were tightly attached. Hiding his identity would be rather important here.He pulled out the Heaton Sniper Rifle he'd purchased at the Open Market. He looked at it a moment before nodding and slung it around his back, putting on the strap that connected it.He then tapped on his Spatial Ring again, withdrawing three sleek-looking, round, black objects. Right after that, he opened his Shop screen, making a couple of purchases.He sighed again after he finished preparing.'Time to be the villain.'.. .. .. .. .. .."You're telling me that none of them know anything at all about Heron?!" Number 10's voice was incredulous as she stared at the Truthseeker sent by the Angels Arcadia."Yes, Madam Fury." The Truthseeker replied, using Number 10's nickname. The Truthseeker was dressed like the rest of the Arcadia warriors, in white leather armor with a blade and a gun. His job wasn't to stand out, but to blend in. His plain appearance, with short black hair and an average face, helped."We've talked to all of their leaders, and not one of them has lied." Commander Hatchel sighed, his set of armor heaving as he stood up.They were currently in the middle of a small meeting, within one of the open lounge rooms in the skyscraper they'd found the Stardust Coalition at. Commander Hatchel, the secretive Truthseeker Arcadia had sent, and Emissary Antler all sat or stood at one side of a long wooden table, while Number 10 sat alone on the other side."Maybe if Officer Martin was here, it would be different." Hatchel rubbed at his forehead, his gentle appearance twisted with frustration.According to everyone here, the only people that had any leads on Emissary Heron was Officer Martin of the Godfather Organization. The Emissary had first been introduced to them by the Stardust Branch of the Godfather Organization.Whether or not the Stardust Branch was fooled into thinking the Emissary was also a topic they had tried to resolve butOfficer Martin had left, leaving behind several subordinates that knew nothing.Officer Martin had returned to the Godfather Organization's inner territory to make a report, and, by all records, wouldn't return to the Stardust Coalition's home base for several days at least.The timing was conspicuous. There wasn't really any reason he needed to report anything in person, not when he could just send a message using the Godfather Organization's network. A B Ranked Officer in a Cluster Branch didn't exactly warrant a lot of importance.It was almost as if the man had been warned that they were coming and left a couple of days before their arrival.However they hadn't even decided to come looking until very recently. It wasn't as if he could've been tipped off. All the clues pointed towards the Godfather Organization members being unaware that the Emissary was a fake, so it seemed incredibly unlikely that the two were knowingly in cahoots.That left them with the sole conclusion that the Officer had left of his own accord to make a report in person.And that meant they couldn't question him until he returned, effectively stalling their investigation.Of course, if the investigators had been aware that Officer Martin had reported in person at Micheal's suggestion, well... that might've caught their interest.Before Micheal and the Stardust Coalition parted ways, Micheal had subtly dropped the suggestion to Officer Martin, mentioning how the information Shigun provided to the Godfather Organization HQ was incredibly valuable. As a representative of Shigun, it was very likely they'd heavily reward him.And as Michael had expected, the draw had proven sufficient, and Officer Martin had left for the Main Branch. The Officer had seen the considerable power Micheal had displayed and no doubt greatly wanted to increase his own personal power.This subtle plan had removed the only possible information leak out of the easily-accessible picture. Micheal knew his identity would get out eventually, but all he was worried about were the immediate next few days. As long as he could stave off too much direct attention, everything would go perfectly.And so far his plans had met with success.Number 10 stared at the Commander and then to the side, quietly whispering to herself."That trashy piece of garbage. You sniveling, unworthy, murderous villain, how could you hurt my delicate sweet 14. I'll rip your fuc-" Number 10 abruptly cut herself off as she looked back up at the Commander."What do we have, then?" Number 10's voice returned to its sweet and warm tone as she nodded at the man,"Anything at all?""Most of what we've learned isn't notable. Heron is very strong, he was able to obliterate a Pseudo-Monster Class Morenkai with a single punch, he's a powerful A Ranker. He's intelligent, has keen senses." Commander Hatchel sighed as he shook his head.After a moment, however, he nodded slightly and continued,"Well, there is one thing a few of them have confirmed. Heron has, or at least had, a companion named Crane. She never stood out or did anything notable, but he isn't alone."When Number 10 heard that, her eyes narrowed behind her mask."A companion? Why haven't I heard of this before?" She spoke the words slowly."Look, Madam Fury, we are working with you as much as we can. The only reports I've read didn't mention any companion, only his own actions. I'll have our men review any and all reports that relate to him." Commander Hatchel held his hands in the air, trying to defuse the situation."Alright. If this is true, then he isn't alone." Number 10 tapped on her Spatial Ring.She withdrew a nail file from it. Her nails were painted black, immaculately coated. She began to use the nail file as she spoke, her voice full of its ever-present warmth."He may have shielded himself, but I refuse to believe everyone he knows is able to perfectly avoid detection."Before she could continue, however, something unexpected happened."Sir! We've gotten word from the Captain-Commander!" One of the Arcadia warriors burst into the lounge, faintly out of breath. He held a smartphone in his hand, one of the men that worked as a communications expert.Number 10 glared at him, but remained silent, assuming his entrance had something to do with her case."What is it?" Emissary Antler, who had been silent up to this point, stood up and waved the man over. The warrior rushed forward and privately began to whisper to the Emissary and to Commander Hatchel, his words containing a hint of urgency.After he finished his message, he stood still, waiting patiently for orders.Antler and Hatchel exchanged glances and then stared over at Number 10."Well?" She waved at them impatiently."We have to go." Commander Hatchel replied. He waved at the Truthseeker and the guard, and then immediately began barking orders."Everyone! Wrap it up and prepare to move out! We are leaving in 5 minutes!" The Truthseeker and the Communications Officer had already rushed out, spreading word to the others."What?!" Number 10 sputtered out loud as she heard this response. She took a couple of steps forward, her fists trembling."How dare you abandon this investigation and hunt for such a vile crimin-""Sorry, ma'am. It's not our call. The Captain-Commander has personally called us back." Commander Hatchel cut her off. He hesitated for a second before he added,"You might want to check in with your Director."Number 10's entire body was shaking with rage and confusion as she stared at him.By this point, the skyscraper was growing busy as the forces of the Angels Arcadia prepared to leave."Give me an explanation, Commander." Number 10's voice was dangerously calm.It was the normally reticent Emissary Antler that stepped forward and answered her."We've been called back because of the chaos that's broken out in the Main Cluster." He leaned his arms on the wooden table, his voice cold."Chaos?" Number 10 stared at him in confusion."Tens of millions of new men and women are pouring into the Main Cluster, and the number only seems to be getting larger. It's gotten far worse than what we expected and had initially prepared for a couple of days ago." Emissary Antler shook his head and went on,"We're leaving. The investigation is temporarily postponed. We will contact you all when we are willing to resume it."And just like that The representatives of the Angels Arcadia filed out and left.Number 10 couldn't believe what she was hearing and seeing. Beneath her mask, her face was a seething mask of rage in its own right. She stalked out from the lounge area, quickly finding some of her own troops.Among them, one of them had the ability to set up a temporary long-distance communication array, so they could contact their own when not in normal range.In just a few minutes, Number 10 was on the line with one of the higher-ups, using a specially prepared smartphone."it's devolving into a bloodbath in some areas. Huge battles have already broken out as groups of criminals attempt to take advantage of the situation. It's absolute chaos up here." The speaker's voice was gruff and deep, making the man sound like a large, heavyset man.Just as the Angels Arcadia had said, something big was happening. The speaker was patiently explaining this all to Number 10."What?! But it seems fine where I am!" She returned a response, stubbornly. She absolutely did not want to give up on the investigation."Your location is closer to the inner part of the Main Cluster. It's only the outer areas that are currently being swept up. I'm sure it'll spread in time." The speaker's voice was dismissive,"You need to return right now, Number 10. You can continue the investigation later. I'm glad you had the foresight to contact us." When using long range communication, it wasn't possible for the Nightrunners higher-ups to contact Number 10 first. She wasn't in an area with devices, satellites, or other things they could control and use to pinpoint and call her."But we still hav-" Number 10 began, but was cut off."That is a command, Number 10." The gruff speaker's voice was commanding, not giving even a little.Number 10 clenched her fists in response, not saying anything."Besides." The speaker whispered quietly,"This is an excellent opportunity to expand my experiments. We just need to find a suitable head researcher as fast as possible. It's a shame what happened to Leila." The speaker sighed,"Now, are you going to obey your orders?" The man's voice contained a hint of steel."Yes, sir." Number 10 replied, begrudgingly, her eyes flashing as she hung up the phone.She immediately began giving orders, organizing her team as they prepared to retreat.The various members of the Stardust Coalition watched as both major forces prepared to leave, and left, many of them feeling a hint of relief."But I'm not going to give up that easily." She whispered quietly to herself as she stood in a hallway, watching her team pack all their tools up,"Emissary Crane, was it? Let's see if you can hide as well as your friend".
