After entering the 'apartment complex', everybody was dragged inside a spacious looking building before being rushed into their 'living quarters'. Within this lone building, a myriad of doors arched in parallel to one another in two separate directions. Oddly enough...slight moaning and crying could be heard if one's attention was focused enough on each door...much like Noel's was right about now.

Noel/Tyler: “Umm, excuse me. I'm just a little curious but, are all these doors filled with people?”

The silence was suffocatingly palpable. If one listened closely, a pin dropping could be heard from anywhere in the hall!

….Probably.

Countless whispers began over their careless company's comment. Nearly everyone distanced themselves from the youth in a second while discussing his obvious punishment, save for a certain duo of leaders that wished for no more victims. Even the traumatized boy was dragged away by an elderly woman with clear motherly instincts, seeking to save him from his grandfather's fate.

Following Noel's question, Security Guard #2 paused in his steps.

Security Guard #2(Felgore): “Shut up trash. You're lucky I can't kill you since the boss already made reservations for your pathetic corpse. Just be ready to sacrifice yourself for Boss Watt's research. At least then your existence won't be an entire waste.”

---

{…What's with the people on this island all calling me trash?! Is this what the outside world is like? Is this the reason behind my brothers and sisters' distaste for outsiders?

Either way, these people are very rude.}

Noel/Tyler: “...Will you answer my question yet...or no?”

Security Guard #1: “No, not all are being used, only most of them. You're currently being guided to one such vacant room now.”

Security guard: #2(Felgore): “Brat. Next time you back-talk me and I won't hesitate to kill you. Even if that means I'll be taking Boss's punishment for it, you'll still be dead. Remember that.”

{...This mission taught me something special. Just like sister Alianne believes there's no reason to kill and father believes there's never a place for weak emotions to be involved while on a mission, maybe, just maybe...not all people deserve to be saved. I mean, earlier, those security guards supposedly killed someone, right? Haven't they done this sort of job before? Have others died the same way? I dunno about the rest, but, guys like them who kill for the heck of it, or to satisfy their emotions...maybe they deserve to die.

Yeah, probably.}

The awkward silence pursued before relenting once their group reached an odd door. Its strange appearance wasn't very noticeable to the rest due to their deprived senses and a serious lack of lighting in the hallway, but Noel certainly took note of it.

None of these 'apartment' doors had doorknobs.

They were more like a slab of wall which could only be opened by what appeared as a thumb-sized fingerprint identification device in the location where a doorknob ought to be positioned.

Finally, without another word, the giant group were pushed into their living quarters.

...Well, that is, if a black room without light or windows and a single tiny ventilation shaft for breathable air counts as 'living quarters' for such a massive group.

???: “Is...everyone all right? Try to be careful while moving around in here. We haven't figured out how much space there is, yet.”

Victim #99: “Of course we ain't alright! We were just drugged an' kidnapped ya dodo!”

Victim #45: “No shit fool! We'll obviously be careful while moving without any freaking light! *Thunk* Oops.”

Victim # 37; “Oww! Watch it!”

Traumatized boy: “Waaah! Grandpa! It's dark here...!!”

*KACHAK!*

And with the simple act of sealing the door, the fates of 199 unfortunate victims became sealed as well.

Yes, 199...

Because Noel escaped!

Obviously he was not keen on the idea of continuing out his mission inside a dark room being squeezed by 198 grown-ups and a kid somewhere around his own age. His father would be the laughingstock of the underworld if his son's assassination attempt failed due to being unable to break out of a prison...immediately after blending in with other prisoners!

{Daddy—err-I-I mean Father, AHEM...still hasn't let me pick out any super powers for myself yet. All I can depend on right now is my home training. This sucks!}

Of course, for some people, THAT sort of inhuman training and experimentation on the body which can freely produce super soldiers far surpassing humanity's norm for peak human capabilities in physical, mental and even spiritual fields is already considered a superpower. It's so absurd to those aware of the Family's existence, in fact, that they're often cursed under-breath for being too greedy. 'Leave some room for others to shine in!' or 'Just drop dead already, damned power hoarders' are the usual drunken complaints.

They're definitely not perfect though. If the Malierano Family were the strongest organization around, they'd have long taken over, instead of paying respects to other factions or groups. Nobody would ever dare to resist their conquest throughout the world. They are the strongest criminal organization though.

---

For this current mission, Noel can only rely on his father's training to continue tailing Security Guards #1&2 without being spotted.

{Those prisoners...if I try to free them now, they'll just make a scene. Some may get hurt while others might die. It'd be safer to have them stay in that room for now until the authorities...wait, if that crazy old man controls all the security here, then...can the authorities even figure out what happened? Hm...after I get rid of my current 'hit', Professor Watts, then I'll come back for them all. Yeah, sounds like a plan!}

Pretty soon, the three left the apartment complex and headed in the direction of a small building devoid of any neighboring structures for at least 5 km. It was easy to see because the closer they got to the center of the island, the sparser buildings and even streets, became.

Eventually, there were nothing left for Noel to hide behind.

But he wasn't worried. His family's movement technique lets one take full advantage of their superhuman strength, allowing each leg muscle to work entirely at supporting their movement, and immediately reacting to their opponent's blind spots. Besides: Even though he doesn't have his family weapons yet, he does have his mother Naosuke's special needles.

Security Guard #2(Felgore): “Ugh, this walk annoys me to no end.”

Security Guard #1: “Shut...up...for now.”

Security Guard #2(Felgore): “Why aren't the other groups reporting in?”

Security Guard #1: “Their groups...didn't break...out of their...container. Naturally, they didn't need...to come this early. If...anything, were...the only...ones who...appear like...failures...to the boss.”

Security Guard #2(Felgore): “Wait...then, why...why the heck are there so many empty shipments here?!”

As the duo(+1) got closer, their collective gaze fell upon scattered metal. Miles away far in the opposite direction which they came from, one could just barely make out half in-tact shipment containers which seemed to have been carelessly tossed aside like toys by really heavy machinery.

Neither of the security guards could make out what such a scene meant, by it wasn't their place to question things. Their only job was to report the overall situation with the damaged container and how no suspicious activity occurred during their cover-up attempts.

Noel thought differently though.

{If those are the same shipments as the one that brought 100 people here, then assuming each one of those damaged 30 had about the same number of kidnapped humans...

What could've caused those containers to be in such a state, and where are the 3000 humans they used to all carry?}

?: “Welcome, dear visitor! Soon, Very soon, we will begin a wondrous achievement, never heard of before in any era on earth!”

Both Security Guards #1&2: “Boss Watts!”

Prof. Molodov Watts: “You know, originally, that young lad from the Chaotic Faction was supposed to inherit this...Fragment I uncovered from an extremely old meteorite in my younger days. They would take me to their chosen location with the nearly 20,000 sacrifices required to condense enough life force for his soul to not go BOOM during the excruciating process of it fusing with his fragile, little soul. Luckily for you, and Huhuhu, a tad unfortunate for them, I prepared enough for today.”

Security Guard #2(Felgore): “Ummm, B-Boss, I d-don't mean to interrupt but, which of us are you talking to? It sounds-”

*SPLURT!*

With the faintest squelching of blood, the heavily built man felt his entire body swelling similar to the head of his previous victim. He only had enough time to stare despairingly at his former comrade, Security Guard #1, before his entire body exploded into mush.

Security guard #1 was surprised by that ruthless scene. He never thought their contracted boss would outright kill them! He only knew the man had a way of dealing with trouble-making employees which corrected their actions in a heartbeat. The terrified eyes of his co-worker, pleading for help right before death was surely something that would haunt him for life...if he manages to get out of here alive.

Yet, strangely enough, he can't seem to feel anger or blame towards Boss Watts. Maybe it was because of those, crazy rumors? Apparently Professor Molodov spread some sort of brainwashing frequency throughout the entire island in order to control the thinking habits of his employees so they don't ever question his decisions.

That's impossible...right?

That isn't what surprised him the most though.

After his comrade was murdered, from behind where the man once stood, a formal-suited boy drenched in blood and flesh while donning an expression comprised of both surprise and appallment.

Prof. Molodov Watts: “Welcome, young master of the Malierano Family: Soon to be one of the 57 renowned 'children' After you complete your ‘Final’ mission: young Tyler Malierano. I believe you told my subordinate...oh I'm sorry, your Family doctor...that you had some business to discuss with me?”

---