Gaston Hardy left the room. Always so calm and stoic that it made the lioness who held the leash of the Babaika Lions turn to the woman who was his other half. Janna Lucas, Exemplar, and one of the few Enforcers sponsored by the UEDF. She was a brilliant woman with merits that would not lose to any famed breaker. She was called the One-Eyed by her peers.

“So, a black-hat?”

She stared daggers. Her expression without her other half was always so grumpy. Her face was always like she was annoyed by whatever it was anyone was saying. Miss Janna strode to the front of her desk, lifting her chin.

“Yes, a black hat, she’s named Kathy Matsui. You’ve read the report.”

Lady Romanov tapped the report given to her, “It is said that she managed to detect. What are your thoughts on this?”

Janna sat on her desk. It was brazen and bold especially to the lioness. But if there was anything that she had known from the start. The one-eyed woman didn’t like her that much. Not when she made sure to find the two of them and brought their debts. It wasn’t an easy transaction, she recalled. This woman fought two rounds with her Red Valkyrie, and it took three of them to calm her down.

The only reason that she agreed was because their goals aligned. She would be their ticket to the former red planet and lived there away from the troubles of earth. To expand she needed more strong fighters who could do something within the boundaries of the law and the rules of the earthside consortium. Their debt was designed to leash them to the UEDF and the Consortium. She had to make a deal to make sure to bring them in.

Curious, she asked. “Did he know?”

“He knows. But he places his trust in me. Gaston doesn’t like dealing with the schemes. Hates it enough that he’d rather stay as a freelancer. My Gato doesn’t like fighting.”

For a man who had strength. It was understandable. It was common among those who have great power, to understand the responsibility of their power. And for a man who could take on split-realm ships with his bare fist. The self-control and discipline was admirable. Which she expected from someone who could calm a mad woman like Janna Lucas.

“So you are leaving him alone? This Hijiri must be quite impressive.”

“It is our responsibility. Hijiri is someone who we are grasping straws. She was able to find those flesh-eggs in the sand; who knows what she might find with the proper equipment.”

“You place a lot of faith in an unproven.”

She looked at Janna with the eyes that were wondering whether she was a fool or not. Trust without results was disastrous and the only thing that she had relied on for years was proof that she could trust anyone.

Would any fool trust someone that was done by luck? To her it must have been luck. But she herself makes her own luck. She does not wait for the opportunity to come. It was because of the skill of the two that she allowed them.

Their results made her allow this action. Independent action was not tolerated unless there was a serious need for it. Permission needed paperwork, and the exceptions are for those who have enough strength to take responsibility for their actions.

“Miss Kathy Matsui has an extensive record in drone work. She’s also part of the market – specifically the Silk Road where she worked as an admin. Was this part of your plan? I wonder?”

“For once it was luck.”

Janna’s tone of voice made it clear that it was nothing more than pure luck in their path to find someone like Hijiri. Of course, she knew that from the start their real lead was the event that happened in the storming event in Tenryū Ward.

Their first arrival. The storming event and the attack all over the city. She had heard from the acting branch-manager of the Earthside Consortium that there were leads discovered by Constable Yu who had passed. From the start there was already suspicion that there was someone in the Japanese government who had fallen to the ideals and beliefs of the Ahra Sitra Cult.

She made a melancholic expression. When the world broke and the ichor was released to the world. Nations broke and many laws were revised. The old ways of the world. The faith of the people were tested and when those who have become breakers appeared.

They were like angels sent by God. She recalled that day in Moscow where these humans evolved to break the tide of monsters. She saw her brothers and family raise their rifles in hopes to defend themselves. Perhaps it was a joke from God that made those Priests from the Orthodox Church gain the powers.

Religion had little influence in first world countries, and when the world broke and the monsters started to appear. Everyone who was afraid turned to God and prayers. The rest went for their weapons and fought like cornered animals.

Those who were saved by the priests asked God for forgiveness.

Those who were saved by their own weapons went to god for forgiveness as well.

Those who survived and did not find god when they needed embraced the flesh-meat that rescued them from destruction and saved them from the breaking of the world. When the world was on fire they were maintained and saved. Although they were used as living flesh batteries for the biomass entities. They longed for the embrace and it was said that those who felt the embrace of the biomass flesh wanted to experience it once more.

Obsession and salvation became the desire of those cultists. And when thousands of people with such intentions gather, they would naturally create a group. The most disturbing thing about the Cult of the Sitra Ahra other than its neutralism.

The Sitra Ahra Cult does not engage unless there is a need to embrace the bio flesh. The Sitra Ahra Cult does not tolerate attacks and ill intentions of their ‘brethren’. The Sitra Ahra Cult does not tolerate any ‘heresy’ to their salvation.

They were the most amiable among the cultists. They were a semi-peaceful group that did their own thing until they decided to wrap the world around the biomass flesh produced by the storming events and split-realm openings.

To think that the most ‘peaceful’ of them became the most dangerous faction. It was half-expected and unexpected. There was little news about the Cultists with their paranoia. Their ways were secretive and since they do most of their activities without causing unnecessary trouble. Even the informants and the information brokers had little knowledge about the cultist other than the three reminders and warnings that they have released once.

“Constable Yu’s death. The split-realm engines that were detonated,” she went on. “Means that there is foul play. Of course, the mark of the tree alone is enough to implicate them. The world is hoping to catch them naked.”

And it was not to butcher them. It was to take what they have for themselves. No matter what method or technology that they have used. It was still useful enough if a singular person could transport a city-size creature to a place no one was able to detect.

A method that was far different from the split-realm tunneling system that they have made. There were no scans or traces of the transportation that made everyone who had underestimated the cult’s resources become aware of them fully now as a faction. They’ve become a dangerous existence.

In regards to the Cult there was a need to take what they have taken. Find the BEHEMOTH-class entity, take the resources that they have stolen, and then make use of them. BEHEMOTH-class entities contain two things that make them very valuable. The heart of the behemoth and the ichorium that was in the body of the beast and outside of the body.

“Do you expect Adjutant Gaston to find any traces?”

“He doesn’t need to,” Janna replied. “To find the BEHEMOTH is one of the main priorities. But the real goal is to find any information at all about the cult.”

Janna said with a leveled tone. She looked at Janna before expressing herself in a confident tone that none other than those who have sat on their position could make, “Have I forgiven you two for implicating the home of my lions?”

It was a voice full of threat. It barely made Janna flinch or react. She merely folded her arms and stared back at Lady Romanov with eyes full of threat. The Red Valkyrie on the side held on to her dragon-slaying sword, ready to move.

“I’ve already said my piece about that,” Janna said. “You can keep your grudges, but that deal was none of your business. If you have not brought our debts… do you think we would be here wasting our time looking for needles in haystacks?”

“No. The deal stands that we will get the merit. The two of you will get the card to live on the red planet. I admire the simplicity of such a goal.”

The goal was simple enough. The two had no ambition. They were working-class individuals that are buried in debt and were always the pawn of the higher powers. The two were agents and enforcers who have relatively kept themselves low profile until the Golden Gate Accident.

“I admire that Adjutant Gaston has such willpower,” she went on, watching Janna’s face change to that of a cold demoness who was ready to tear her apart. If it wasn’t for the fact that she was their ticket. Janna was sure that she would lose a tooth by now. “To chase after the same people who have caused him grief and utter hatred for the cult. What I find interesting is whether this was personal or not.”

Janna breathed out. She unfolded her arms and leaned forward. “I am not a patient woman. My emotions are rampant and because of my association with the UEDF that I’ve been recently… patient. I’ve learned to do better and the reason why we are speaking so politely is because I learned the hard way. I understand that you knew what happened in the Golden Gate. What your survivor saw and what my Gato saw in that hell. You must understand it well. Not that anyone other than Gato lived a year after seeing that hell.”

It was also the same conclusion that made her find out about the circumstances of Janna Lucas and Gaston Hardy. Two living exemplars who have naturally evolved without the use of the breaker formula. They were amazing specimens that the UEDF kept for their own use. They could not be replicated and even if they do get the right conditions that would produce exemplars like them who are naturally evolved.

Why would they do that when they can already produce breakers who could produce the same effect if the right person is able to evolve? The only difference of the evolution process was how it was done.

To turn them into super humans who could face the belua. It made no difference other than they were useful for the UEDF and those who could make use of their talents.

“I have no qualms about you,” Janna went on. “But when it comes to handling the cult. You want merit. We want freedom on how to act regarding them. We are playing a dangerous game with them. And right now Gato and I are the only ones willing to dance with them.”

“And I thank you two for that.”

Janna snorted. Her face full of displease then resignation. She sat on the expensive couch for a moment before leaving the office without permission from her. The Red Valkyrie, who stood in the same office, watched her go. Still wrapped in silence.

“We sure have hired two troublesome employees.”

The Red Valkyrie said nothing as she remained seated on the side, acting as her bodyguard. They were troublesome, Janna and Gaston, but they were useful employees who she paid a good price for.