Chapter 122: Captain (2)

—By the way, who’s that kid? —Gilthunder asked, directing his inquisitive gaze toward me.

—Oh, he’s the new member. Reinhardt, come here! —Mica replied, raising a hand as if calling a lost pet.

—Alright. The rest of you can leave. I’ll talk to you later —Gilthunder ordered with an authoritative tone.

The atmosphere visibly calmed upon hearing his command. Though the excitement faded from their faces, everyone obeyed instantly, even the usually rebellious Mica. Only Gilthunder and I remained, with him evaluating me with a piercing gaze that seemed to cut through my mental defenses.

—To survive, you’ll need someone to teach you a ton of things —he declared after a moment of scrutiny that felt eternal—. Team up with Alice and learn from her. —Then he turned his gaze as if locating someone in the shadows—. Got that, Alice?

—Do I have a choice? —a female voice replied. I followed Gilthunder’s gaze and saw a girl who had been trying to slip away silently. Her face reflected resignation when she finally stopped fleeing, as if caught in the middle of a perfectly planned escape.

—Teach him what he needs to not die. You can beat him up if he gets annoying, but don’t kill him —Gilthunder ordered casually, as if discussing the weather.

—Understood.

What’s that, “understood”? A chill ran down my spine. The odds of surviving under the tutelage of a girl who’d just been given permission to “beat me up” if I annoyed her weren’t exactly high. My fate seemed rather grim.

—Now, you two will have your first mission as a team —Gilthunder announced, motioning for Alice to come closer—. We’ve received reports of a possible Evolutionary Container in an abandoned building.

An Evolutionary Container was a creature in its critical metamorphosis stage toward its third evolution. It was widely known that this phase was the longest, most significant, and most important for beasts, producing powerful beings capable of reasoning upon completing their transformation.

—If it completes its evolution, it’ll become a third-evolution creature.

I quickly analyzed the implications. It was standard practice for members of the same rank as the creatures to be assigned to them; that was, after all, the purpose of guilds. These organizations wielded enormous influence in Danafor and its surrounding territories. Though most dark guilds ruled their zones like true tyrants, they at least provided a rudimentary defensive and economic system for the city; even if the city managed to break free from their yoke, its economy would inevitably plunge into utter chaos.

I noticed Alice’s face harden as she listened to Gilthunder’s words, her eyes reflecting a mix of emotions she tried to conceal.

—Avoid fighting at all costs. If the evolution is complete, you’ll have only two options: run or die.

—What kind of garbage mission is this?! —Alice exploded, clicking her tongue in obvious frustration, and with good reason. A third-evolution beast meant it was on par with an Awakened at the level of a Great Mage (5), in the case of mages, or at least ten Awakened at level 4.

—What did you say? —Gilthunder narrowed his eyes dangerously, and the room’s temperature seemed to drop several degrees.

—N-no, nothing. I mean, I could go investigate alone —Alice quickly corrected, her voice wavering.

—In any case, you must trust your instincts —Gilthunder masterfully ignored Alice’s comment—. Your mission is only to verify and eliminate the target if it’s still evolving. If not, return to report. Understood? —he concluded, his gaze alternating between us.

—Yes, sir —we responded almost in unison.

Alice and I exchanged cautious glances. Her intimidating personality deeply unnerved me, and the undeniable fact that she was far stronger than me didn’t help ease my apprehensions in the slightest. For her part, I could read in her eyes that she considered me an unnecessary burden, a hindrance in her path.

—Are you going to stand there? —Gilthunder snapped, his cold, murderous eyes promising pain—. Or do you want to die?

—We’re on our way! —we shouted in unison, feeling the blood drain from our faces, leaving us pale as paper, before bolting toward the door.

From now on… was I going to team up with this girl?

***

I looked up, letting my eyes trace the imposing infrastructure towering above me. When I arrived here with Arceus, I hadn’t stopped to observe it closely. Now, the residences and buildings formed a gray sky with green lights glowing from their windows like stars on a full-moon night, connected by elevated corridors and walkways protected by sturdy safety railings. On one of those railings, a man lounged carelessly while chatting with another. I couldn’t help but mentally calculate the force of impact if someone fell from that height to the ground where I stood. The odds of survival would be practically nil.

Shaking off those unnecessary thoughts, I lowered my gaze and focused on moving forward. Around me, dozens of people came and went, crossing paths with me in a constant, chaotic yet predictable flow. Each face that passed seemed more intimidating and dangerous than the last, marked by scars, tattoos, or simply the hardness acquired after years of living in a place like Danafor.

Alice, on the other hand, walked with a firm, confident stride, radiating a self-assurance that could only come from rigorous training and countless battles.

Her presence was impossible to ignore. Her hair, blonde as ripe wheat, was tied back in an elegant ponytail that swayed slightly with each of her calculated, precise movements. Her eyes, a cold steel gray, scanned the surroundings with a sharpness that reminded me of a seasoned predator, always alert, always prepared. She wore a fitted black outfit that favored mobility in combat, complemented by a short, blood-red leather jacket that added a touch of audacity to her already intimidating presence.

—Stop staring at me, brat —she snapped without even turning to confirm I was watching her. Her perception was impressive, almost supernatural.

—I was just assessing your combat capabilities. If we’re going to be a team, I need to know your strengths and weaknesses to devise the optimal strategy.

—My strengths are many. My weaknesses… —Alice let out a dry laugh and turned to look at me directly, a mocking smile curving her lips, revealing a glint of danger—. You won’t live long enough to find out.

—I understand you’re not thrilled with this assignment —I kept my expression calm as we continued walking—, but we must adapt to complete the mission successfully. Efficiency is paramount.

—Listen up, brainiac —Alice stopped abruptly and faced me with her arms crossed, a defensive stance that signaled her resistance to forming any bond—. I have three rules: don’t get in my way, obey my orders without question, and if I see the situation getting messy, I’ll leave you behind without a second thought. Got it?