...*Riiing!*

...*Riiing!*

...*Riii-*

*Beep!*

…

?: “Hello?”

??: “Hello. Dark Mercenaries? I believe you received a ‘commission from this cell phone number, correct?”

?: “Who is this?”

??: “...I am but a grunt, tasked with calling every mercenary corps under contract with either a ‘Leyman’ or an ‘Evergreen’ in order to confirm that your preparatory methods are finished, and you are each still willing to uphold your ends of the contract. As Dark mercenaries demanded role as the leader of this coalition, You are also receiving the very first call.”

?: “My company is ready to do their part. Did you make a decision about my demands? You better not have called wasting my precious time to confirm my preparedness without coming to terms with our second contract. I don’t like being treated as a fool.”

Grunt: “Yes. I’m sure that nobody likes being made a fool of.”

?: “…”

Grunt: “You needn’t worry. I received a signature for your contract. We’re sending over the original and a copy for your verification. Please check for yourself when it arrives in about 3 - 5 minutes. More importantly, We must have a guarantee that you can officially get the job done properly. The ‘Numbers’ have already failed, miserably. The death of those kids – especially the two dangers; Elijah Abiko and Ophelia, are crucial. It is imperative you divert all of your focus on completing this single task, no matter who comes to intervene, or what happens to thwart your plans. Just kill the non – combatant children, and regardless of your next actions, your role will be considered complete and the money will be sent to your respective accounts.”

?: “That’s not of importance to me! *SLAM!* Do you not know who I am? I am Darz! One of the highest ranking elite mercenary divisions on the continent! No matter where you search in the entirety of this region, throughout ALL of Spes Nova we nearly stand unrivaled! With the exception of two, none can match us! You think I care about some lousy payment? That is your DUTY to fulfill, whether we succeed or no; read the fine print!”

Grunt: “...I believe you mean 4. There are four companies that can rival you, and at least 3 that are your equal in power, professionalism, numerical workforce, grunt quality, loyalty, mission success rate and mission satisfaction reviews. No matter which we choose from, I can easily name three that qualify to compete with you. And this isn’t even counting the two companies that aren’t that much weaker – such as the Numbers.”

Darz: “Hahaha! You dare to compare my Dark Mercenaries with middle grade Scum like the numbers?!”

Grunt: “’Upper’ middle.”

Darz: “You piece of shit. If I wasn’t in need of this contract’s fulfillment, then you’d have already been killed without being given the chance to end this call! Tell me how the Numbers can compare to the very organization that brought down the famed Valiant Ranger Patrol of Eastern Spes Nova?! Or how about the 18th Ranked Tuscan Mastermind from Villain Haven? The 15th Ranked Fort Rumble from Herotopia we eliminated? My company effectively kills rankers. What makes you think you hold the right to compare us with infantile trash like the Numbers?!”

Grunt: “Oh nothing much, save for the fact their leader, ‘Zero’ Killed the former 10th Ranked Villain ‘Arba Traitor’ in his own home. Without the need to spike his drink, or take advantage of his subordinates’ numbers. I’m only assuming if a group like them failed after taking action, then we expect you, Darz, to stay true to your reputation and perform much better to this task.”

Darz: “(The workings of a single man don’t represent an entire mercenary company’s efficiency!) I’ll head out once I received confirmation via our second contract.”

Grunt: “...Speaking of, what is it you wanted then, instead of money? If I know, then I can verify it with the higher ups for you.”

Darz: “…Land.”

Grunt: “...Par-Pardon? I don’t think I heard you properly.”

Darz: “A plot of land in Herotopia. I do have a family you moron. I’ll kill the kids, if I can have a plot of land for my daughter. It’s logically superior to remove her from that lawless Wilderness where she can be used against us by any villain with a grudge.”

Grunt: “...I...will call and confirm for you.”

Darz: “Don’t keep me waiting.”

*Beep!*

Grunt: “...Next to call, is one of those 3 mercenary companies who can actually compete against him.”

...*Riiing!*

...*Riiing!*

*Beep!*

?: “This number...Madame Leyman?”

Grunt: “...What?”

?: “You ARE the one that called, asking for an assassination, right or wrong? (A male’s voice? Is this an impostor? I’ll need to remember to kill him, after the mission ends.)”

Grunt: “No. I am not. I am but a lowly grunt working for the woman or man that hired you. Just curious, though...who exactly introduced themselves when they commissioned your Company? We only have a MISS Evergreen or a MISTER Leyman over here.”

?: “(...They seem to be telling the truth. It seems testing them was useless. Either way, I only agreed to speak with the commissioner directly. If he dares to send in a pathetic nobody to speak with me, then I have to respond with equal kindness. His head will be removed after I’m paid.) Ah, sorry. My mistake. I heard the name ‘Leyman’ and assumed they were a woman.”

Grunt: “...Please don’t. It’s confusing.”

?: “…”

Grunt: “You are Renegade, the leader of the Spectral Daggers, correct?”

Renegade: “...Yes. May I ask who’s calling?”

Grunt: “You may not. I am just ‘grunt’, nothing more.”

Renegade: “You…”

Grunt: “Have you prepared? We need to make sure you give us confirmation before continuing with the mission. We failed to hear back from The ‘Numbers’ we sent in, and two of their force have been captured already. The man codenamed One, Zero’s substitute, promised everyone he was bringing along would be killed if they were captured and forcefully investigated. Your job is to speed up the process. Kill these two, and ensure they can never speak again. They’re going to die regardless, so long as One was telling us the truth, but we’d rather not risk being double-crossed by that fool. Also, how many can you mobilize within the general area?”

Renegade: “About a hundred, granted you’re talking about scouring the areas outside of the school and not outside of the city itself. If you increase our scope, then I increase my subordinates.”

Grunt: “Then… What if we request searching the next 5 cities over? Even if they’re half-dead zombies running away from alerted heroes, we need you to hunt them all down. The captured duo are the primary targets, but the other 4 who ‘went missing’ and escaped are potential information-leaking threats. Please take care of them.”

Renegade: “Increasing our scope to the radius surrounding the next 5 cities in every direction increases the personnel count to 500. Your price increases as well.”

Grunt: “So few?”

Renegade: “The number my Spectral Daggers Mercenaries provide is smaller than the other companies participating due to the fact that I guarantee the quality of my subordinates. Each can at most, handle any heroes or villains ranked in their respective 500s – 1000s. Together, they have no problem dealing with higher rankers either, up until the top 40s. Anything beyond that…you can leave to me.”

Grunt: “I’ll hold you to your word then. Can you promise you’ll get the job done? If not, then I’d rather know now and call an organization that’s actually reliable.”

Renegade: “…Are you mocking me? Do you know the price to pay for mocking me and my company, the Spectral Daggers? Do you know how the 30th, 75th, 43rd, 29th, 77th, 19th, and 14th Ranked Heroes all Died? Do you want to know how the 13th Ranked Hero Canine Comrade felt as she took her last breath? The same exact answer fits both questions: very unpleasantly.”

Grunt: “Yes, yes. I heard all about you torturing her and her animals, you must be very proud of yourself for catching a hero as strong as she. Though I also heard you were forced to run away without killing a large number of her pets.”

Renegade: “The way I left them, they would’ve been happier dead. Besides, although they cost me some of my best subordinates, my group and I managed to kill all of her main partners. I spent my life, torturing powerful heroes and making them scream: ‘kill me!’! It’s especially tempting to ruin their families in front of them when they’re strong enough to hold their own against the best in the world. If you’re asking me whether or not my company, the same one that drove her, the 13th best hero in Herotopia to madness before her death, is capable of silencing a gang of middle-ranked trash such as the Numbers, then be prepared for what’s to come, ‘grunt’. Because when you least expect it, I am going to kill you.

Expect the job done within 2 hours’ time.”

*Beep!*

Grunt: “...Okay. That’s two confirmations. Now for the rest…

*Looks at watch* I only have 35 minutes left to organize all of these swell-headed bosses. This wouldn’t be so complicated if there wasn’t so much scheming from both Security and The boss lady herself. I should update her soon...”

---