Following the very action-packed last chapter, I decided to have this one as more of a break. That being said, it is the true debut of everyone's favorite criminal gang and its hilarious leader, so hey, I imagine that ought to be fun. As an aside, I have a digital red mark on my face because I did the birthday chapter all to myself, leaving my beta reader out of it and thus leading to an internet slap. Perhaps justifiably, because that was also their 20th birthday! What a coincidence. So a very belated happy birthday to Doc43Souls, who also provided services to this chapter. Enjoy!
*Chapter 11: Supplies and Surprises*
Even after the tiring activities of the early morning, the rays of the desert sunlight were eventually persuasive enough for me to open my eyes. I was pleased to note that my head wasn't punishing me from the previous night's libations, meaning the meal and water last night did its job at filling me up properly. At the very least, I still had the stomach to raid a base of gangers after throwing back a few beers without having to liberate my insides the day after.
"Good morning Sensei! It's 9:30 now! Did you have a good sleep?"
The childish voice was a fair substitute for an alarm, especially since it was 30 minutes before the one I set. "Good morning, Arona," I said as I sat up and stretched my arms, placing the laspistol in my hands back on my holster. "It was a pleasant enough rest." I was still just using a bedroll, but that would change soon enough. Given the combative and energy-draining activities we took part in until early the dead of night, I opted to forgo my practice with my chainsword. Not wanting to be completely idle, I decided to do an accounting of the current situation.
The first thing I did was dial up the Master to notify him that his part-timer was safe and sound. Just like Rin, he answered after only a single tone.
"Who the hell is this?"
I should have expected the very gruff and unpleasant answer on the other side of the line. I imagine that getting a call from an unknown number would invite suspicion, and didn't take any offense. "It's Cain. I got your number from Serika's phone. She's alright, and with luck she should be able to go to work. We'll call back to notify you."
I could practically feel the grin in his voice at my explanation. "Heh. Knew it. Good job there, Sensei. Thanks for the heads up. I'll be seeing her at twelve."
He bid me goodbye, and it was then I realized that I just finished a pleasant phone call with a canine abhuman. Frak, I ate his cooking twice and consumed alcohol in front of him. I even opened up to him and was relieved by his advice.
I was probably getting desensitized to all this insanity. Then again, between coming back to life and having to look after practically bulletproof abhumans with halos, talking to a dog was comparatively low on the list of absurdities.
With that sad realization of the state of my life out of the way, I decided to check on the SCHALE account. Originally consisting of about 300 followers, my previous posts were apparently received positively by the general community of Kivotos, receiving hundreds of likes apiece, and tripling my followers to about 900. To no surprise, my little victory shot had more active discussions for the visual aid and its poignant demonstration of my activities. Reactions were split between discomfort at the brutality shown and the satisfaction derived from the fact it was visited upon a group of troublemaking delinquent gangers.
"Most of the people supporting and following you are the citizens left in the Abydos area!" Arona helpfully divined for me, and I had to admit it was a little scary that she was able to tell that to me so quickly. Yes, such information was often part of the publicly available information on the site (an idea that I'm sure the Administratum would love for how it would streamline many processes, bureaucratic inertia notwithstanding), but being able to instantly pore over all that data and give a sound conclusion in an instant was a little terrifying. I don't know if anyone in the Adeptus Mechanicus could do it so quickly.
I distracted myself from that idea by seeing if I could find any familiar faces among the replies, and I will admit that it was quite amusing to see little Yuuta among my followers, even posing an innocent question among the sea of reactions. "Did you cut up another tank with your chainsword, mister?" I couldn't help but smile fondly at the question and answer that "Yes, yes I did."
Another thing to note was that the Foreclosure Task Force was there as well. All of them (except Serika, but that will probably change later) had followed my account, and Shiroko, Nonomi and Ayane were already there in the comments, giving their own account of events and congratulating me (and themselves) on a job well done.
"We won 5 on 50, Sensei is very good at leading."
"Yup, yup, we kicked their butts when they dared to kidnap our friend!"
"Yes, our friend was kidnapped, but Sensei helped us get her back!"
It was honestly a little surreal watching discussion of last night's raid unfold live as comments, replies and more poured in from the four corners of Kivotos. Using social media was a simple enough task, but seeing it applied in real time was definitely an experience.
I couldn't help but feel a familiar sense of foreboding until I realized that, by the Emperor, this was Perlia all over again. Fighting in the desert with only five students against hordes of gangers, many of whom had the accuracy of a wild greenskin? Following up my first lucky day with a desert campaign that would solidify my legend? If I had to march across the desert with another ragtag army to liberate it from a horde of gangers, I'm going to start wondering if His Divine Majesty was collaborating with Tzeentch to have a grand old time at my expense.
That thought was enough to convince me to log off. I finished with my little social media checkup, hoping that my future was in the Emperor's hands instead of the machinations of an insane god or worse - both of them deciding to have fun with me together. After that, I then dressed myself up in my usual outfit and armaments, retrieved the power pack "charging" on the windowsill (If nothing else, the desert heat did wonders for my power pack economy) and made my way to the club meeting room, noting that it was now 10:00.
I opened up the doors to find three of the Task Force members already there. Shiroko and Nonomi were at the usual table checking up on MomoTalk like I saw myself, while Hoshino was almost asleep on the couch nearby, her halo a near microscopic phantom shade hanging above her head. It solidified and enlarged as I opened the door, even more as the rest of the FTF delightfully made note of my presence.
"Good morning, Sensei!" From her position, Nonomi was the first to notice my presence, causing the other two to look towards me.
"Good morning, everyone," I greeted with my usual easy demeanor as I took my own seat at the table. "I see everyone decided to come just a little bit early."
"Nn, we didn't feel like sleeping in too late anyway," Shiroko said cheerfully.
"We noticed the extra stuff you posted on your official account! People are actually curious about us now!" Nonomi said gleefully.
"Hopefully that means people will figure out what's going on here," Hoshino drawled out, though she went from comfortably lying down on her seat to sitting up and opening her eyes.
Moments after I entered, the door opened once again to reveal Ayane, all smiles as she came in with our last member in tow.
"Serika's fit for duty everyone!" Our bespectacled operator announced happily. "Everything's OK!"
The girl in question came into the room in a demure manner that was very much at odds with her usual outgoing ways. "Hey everyone. I'm back. Sorry for being such a screwup yesterday. Thanks for rescuing me."
"You would have done the same for any of us," Shiroko pointed out without judgment or hesitation. "It's natural to help friends in need."
"And now we're all together again! You don't need to cry anymore!" Nonomi added, and unfortunately for Serika's dignity, she was being one hundred percent genuine, making the catgirl's eyes twitch in frustration.
"That being said, if you reeeeeally wanna thank us, maybe give us a reward? Extra nap time, a little extra money… Treat us to lunch maybe?" On the opposite end, we have Hoshino, who was definitely trying to take the piss out of her irritable junior, much to her anger.
"Like hell! Use your own money to pay for it once!"
Laughs went around at the outburst, and eventually even Serika herself couldn't remain out of good cheer, smiling with resignation and fondness. As her eyes landed on me, she swallowed her pride and beamed happily at me. "Thanks for helping us out, Sensei."
It was such a heartfelt declaration of gratitude that it gave me a moment's pause, but I managed to put up my own smaller smile of acknowledgement in turn. "No need for thanks. We're all in this together." A rote declaration I'd trotted out over the years, but it never felt so odd saying it as right now.
"Now that I think about it, why don't we make that official?" Unusually, it was Hoshino who spoke up to propose an idea. "Let's make Cain Sensei our advisor while he's here! It's what he's been doing for us after all!"
The rest of the Abydos students looked towards their vice president and pondered the idea, Serika's eyes widened in unexpected dread. "Did… Did you just give us a good idea, Hoshino? Am I going to get bombed again today?"
"We should be careful, we might be attacked again…" Ayane shivered.
"Hey, you kids are mean! Why are you acting like this to your elders, hah?!"
Ignoring the banter, a nod of approval came from Shiroko at the proposal. "Nn, he's been advising us on and off the battlefield after all."
"You'll hear no complaints from me!" Nonomi said, happily clapping her hands together.
"There we go, a unanimous vote." The club president brightened up with a toothy grin towards me. "You're one of us now, Sensei."
From the twinkle in her multicolored orbs, I could feel the tension between us had drained away. Our little handshake this morning had allowed us to ease whatever hidden issues she had with me for the good of the team. The fact she made the suggestion at all meant that she acknowledged me, and I would be remiss in denying the request.
"Very well. I accept the position." Such a thing would technically require me to be school faculty, but my extrajudicial authority allowed me such simple privileges as declaring myself a club advisor, especially under approval from a member of the student council. Pomp and circumstance it may be, but it symbolized what I meant to these girls, so there was little reason not to accept. "As your advisor, I now declare this meeting open." With that, everyone took their seats at the main table, their faces still light, yet suitably urgent. "Ayane? What is the status of your investigation?"
"Whoever the Helmet Gang's backer is, they changed tack a little too quickly," our operator informed us. "Because they only used small arms at first, all of the materiel the Helmet Gang had while they were attacking Abydos was legal. However, they were also using the Helmet Gang to test illegally modified weapons, which explains the base out in the desert. The majority of the new weapons the gang was armed with seemed to be of low quality, illegal arms as well."
"That certainly explains how much of a travesty that Crusader was." I didn't make tanks and even I felt I had to be offended, let alone anybody with actual mechanical experience. If somebody dared to stick an Earthshaker Cannon on a Salamander in a manner that bordered on heresy, I'm certain legions of tech-priests and even a few guard regiments would be willing to go on a personal vendetta for the catastrophic waste of brain power and resources.
"They probably just gave the cheapest things they could find because they didn't think we could put up much of a fight, or they didn't care about the Helmet Gang,." Hoshino's casual suggestion was made with a slight clenching of her fists. Clearly, she didn't think very highly of whoever was behind the attack, whatever the answer was. It was probably both. "If it weren't for Cain Sensei, honestly, they'd probably be right."
"But still, we beat them back twice now!" Serika pointed out. "Surely, they'll give up now!"
"I'd err on the side of caution for that one, Serika," I replied grimly. "The masterminds behind this were willing to hire out an entire gang to siege you for weeks, and they only now just started bringing out armored fighting vehicles. I certainly believe that we made a big enough impression on the Helmet Gang," and here, my allowance brought a small smirk to Shiroko and Serika's mouths, "enough that they'd probably give up of their own volition. But now, I think they'll just hire better agents."
Despite my encouragement, Serika slumped in her seat. "Ugh, will this ever end…?"
"So what do you suggest we do, Sensei?" Shiroko followed up, immediately ready for action. This was partly due to her realizing how serious such a possibility would be for the school, but the twinkle in her eye told me that she was also very much looking forward to taking a crack at all comers, especially if they were good. I suppressed a sigh at the realization before moving on to other matters.
"Serika, the Master said you'll have a job at 12. However, on the way, I'd like you to pass by the convenience store." I opened up my wallet and fished out a yen bill to hand to her. I don't think anywhere in the Imperium had banknotes to the tune of 10000, a clear indication of how ludicrously inflated the prices were. Did they think bigger numbers were better for pricing here, just so you could feel your wallet was heavier? Nobody would buy it. "Reimburse them for the grenades I bought and the inconvenience of the shelling. Afterwards, you work your job and buy us lunch. Shiroko and Nonomi will be with you." Shiroko could help her out in a pinch and play courier for our lunch and for any errands that might pop up, and Nonomi was stuck here all day yesterday. Let her have a taste of the outside.
Serika apologizing for her apparent poor performance last night was left unsaid. That was between her and them, and nothing needed to be said to anyone else on the matter.
"You got it, Sensei." No reluctance this time. Serika heard my directions and accepted them immediately, eager for a chance to amend her mistakes.
"So what are you, Ayane and Hoshino doing here, Sensei?" came the very sensible question from Nonomi.
Fortunately, I was answered as the sound of rotors echoed in the distance, growing louder as it neared us. As one, all the students of the FTF reached for their weapons in alarm.
Except for Hoshino, I noted, who seemed to have the same easy grin she usually had. Indeed, for all of her experience, sparing a glance for what I would do slowed her enough that her juniors outpaced her in readying her weapon. That didn't match with her usual behavior.
"Dammit, are they here already?!" Serika growled as she unstrapped her autogun. "Come on, I just got up!"
"We should move out and intercept them as they land," Shiroko agreed, her own weapon having been drawn far faster. "If we're fast enough, we can maybe get a good position to damage their aircraft before they get here."
"I partially agree with the sentiments," I said with a smile as I confirmed my suspicions on my phone. "But no need for arms here."
"They'll be there soon. Get ready for them."
When we arrived outside the campus, we were greeted by the billowing winds of two transport helicopters, far bigger than the one used to move me here. Nearly twice as long and with two rotors each instead of one for the purposes of lifting up their massive weights, the aircraft barely managed to fit inside the campus grounds. Their almost pristine white color (because of course they would be) was a stark contrast to the dilapidated, sandy and yellowed colors of the district, and various sounds and gestures of disapproval or wariness erupted as they laid eyes on the blue tower and cityscape emblem of the General Student Council.
The rotors powered down, with the loading ramps of both copters opening up. Eight people, a pilot, co-pilot and two flight engineers for each copter, exited the aircraft. The former were garbed in pilot suits and helmets and the latter in brown fatigues with headsets. The desert heat quickly disabused them of the idea of headwear, and they were promptly removed. From there, I could see the utterly dazed and stunned expressions on their faces, instantly telling me everything I needed to know about how little they understood the situation.
"Good morning to you all," I announced my presence cheerfully, causing the four to look towards me and my "entourage". They winced when they saw the frowns and glares on their faces, and considering the carnage they wrought last night with my help, I couldn't blame them. "I do apologize for the unexpected summons. Things have been a little…" and here I pretended to suck in my breath for emphasis, looking around at the terrible state of the school and the clearly disgruntled students behind me, "... hard. I trust that I didn't inconvenience you too much?"
"N-no you didn't, Cain Sensei," one of the pilots, a fair-skinned girl with brown hair partially tied at the side into a small braid, spoke up immediately. Her voice sounded familiar to my ears, and this combined with her uniform led me to realize that she was the very one who took me here. Since I never saw her bare-faced I could never get a good look at her, but the double-layered circular halo was confirmation enough. "The Acting President made sure to explain the urgency of the situation before we left."
So I hoped. Let me impress that idea upon them even more. "Good to know. Could you begin the unloading? I need to explain a few things to the students, then we'll get right to helping." I pointed my thumb back at the Task Force, still a little displeased, but seemingly more confused and very much waiting for me to explain what the frak was going on. "Don't worry, it won't take too long, the entire student body is here already."
The guilty expressions on all the other poor souls told me that seeing was believing. Regular people found taking red-eye flights difficult, let alone the flyboys and flygirls in the pilots' seats, and I imagine throwing my extrajudicial weight around to force them to come probably didn't do any favors for my image. Hopefully, seeing the fine state of affairs around here would be enough to put any complaints to rest.
With that, the crew went back inside their transport copters to begin retrieving the goods inside, leaving me to deal with the confused students behind me as they walked up to me.
"Sensei, what's going on? Why is the GSC here?" Shiroko's eyes were narrowed in suspicion, and likely the only reason she didn't go up and confront the newcomers herself was because I went first.
"Simple," I replied with a knowing smirk on my face as I looked back towards the helicopters. "I asked for them to come here and help."
The crews were now wheeling out pallets full of various supplies: Ammunition and explosives of all kinds made up the bulk of the delivery, aiming to provide not just for the Abydos girls, but anyone else who could come to help, which would be more than just me if I had anything to say about it. Various tools and gadgets, desert exploration gear, parts and shells for our new vehicles and more were also part of the initial relief package I requested.
If the fact that I came here was utterly unbelievable to them, the looks that crossed their faces now made it seem like getting the General Student Council off their arses to actually help them was a miracle only the Emperor himself could have granted.
"I told you before that I considered the current state of the district a crisis that could affect the city," I began as I looked back towards the helicopters. "I thus argued that this was a problem that needed long-term attention. To that end, I've designated this as a forward operating base for all future operations in this district. Of course, such a place would need a regular resupply, so once a month they'll be coming here to drop a few things off."
I don't know how long it would take to deal with the current influx of gangers, but solving the desertification and the debt would undoubtedly take more than a few days, weeks or even months, if not years. Unless the GSC was content with losing an entire district of the city, they would need to take a serious look at the apocalyptic state of affairs here, and the first order of business in that regard would be shoring up the academy. And so were these supplies delivered.
All on the GSC's credit, mind. SCHALE itself had the money and materiel to provide supplies in this matter, but I specifically pushed for the GSC to actually start making steps towards helping out Abydos. Stamping a few forms and throwing a few bills around to spend for supplies was a paltry conciliatory gesture compared to the utter neglect the district experienced for who knows how long, but you know what they say about thousand mile journeys…
I will admit, Rin did a good job. It was the witching hour when she received my call, and she must have spent at least another hour or two on logistics, but here was relief, barely seven hours later. Practically a blink of an eye where the speed of bureaucracy was concerned, so perhaps she knew how urgent things were after all.
"But we still have everything we scavenged from the Helmet Gang…" Dazed as she was, Ayane could only point out that little inconsequential inconsistency, and I chuckled.
"Perhaps," I acknowledged. "But you could also repair them and maintain them for later use, maybe scrap them for spare parts for your other weapons." I tilted my head as though giving an offhand comment. "Or perhaps sell them somewhere else, take advantage of a few gun buyback programs… Somebody in this city could use those guns elsewhere, couldn't they?"
Part of the reason these girls were able to survive this long was because they were incredibly good at maintenance. Everything that was still usable at all around here was due to a little bit of luck, and immeasurable efforts on FTF's part to keep them functional. Their weapons especially were immaculately maintained for a ragtag band of debt-ridden desert fighters. I've seen hive spire palace guards with less well-preserved weapons. Putting that talent to use for other endeavors instead of just mere survival would aid them significantly.
"I won't always be here, but at the very least, this way I can help even if I'm not."
The severity of the problems here would no doubt require my presence, but I would have to leave here to perform my duties in other parts of the city. But this way, I would make sure these kids weren't just left to do everything on their own.
"Of course, somebody needs to check whether these supplies are being used properly," I thought out loud. "Which means I'll have to pass by every now and then."
Among the items delivered were those for my own personal use, such as clothes and other items specifically assigned for me. With the desert as blisteringly hot as it was, a few power packs for my laspistol and chainsword (which I would discreetly "source" on my own) were really all I needed.
Also, I was assured that I would have a decent bedroll among the supplies. Rin was confused by my insistence on the idea, but she relented. Now if only I could order a whole box of tanna so easily.
"Sensei…" Those were the only words that could come out of Ayane's mouth, but the sentiment itself was shared by the rest of the FTF, who could only look at me with awe.
"Thanks, Sensei," I looked down at Hoshino, who seemed oddly accepting of it all. I would've expected her to react more to the GSC's presence, but she seemed content with remaining grateful for my part in bringing them here. "You're really giving your all for us here."
The simple declaration made me keenly aware of what I had just done. The thrill of last night's triumph gave way to the warmth of camaraderie, and with this gesture, now I was truly part of it. I could see it in their eyes and hear it in their voices: I had completely secured their loyalty, just like with the troops on Perlia, the 597th and the other regiments I fought alongside in life.
Unlike every other occasion I did so however, I did not feel as assured by the increase in combat effectiveness this would surely bring, or the fact that they would willingly throw themselves in front of a bulletstorm for my sake, especially since their ludicrous durability meant they could do it again and again.
This loyalty came with pure faith. The idea that me being here would make everything alright. Certainly not a belief I ascribed to, considering my life. Somehow, the pressure of meeting those expectations was just as heavy as the prospect of facing down a line of bolts and lasbolts should I fail, but I suppose I'll just have to lie to myself enough that I can meet them.
It was then that I realized, with discussions of long-term endeavors and thoughts of coming back here, that for the first time, I was thinking of a future in this city.
This really was my life now, wasn't it?
I suppose I'll just have to get used to it.
What a complete turnaround the past few days were. From basically waiting for their school to fall, to kicking out every two-bit ganger and criminal from their district and getting more supplies and possible income than they ever had, she never imagined things could improve so much.
As Shiroko drove her and Nonomi through the district in their new van, more people seemed to be out and about. Apparently, the fact that Cain Sensei and the FTF were dealing with all these gangs was encouraging people to try and get out again, and they seemed to have become minor celebrities, with people cheering them on as they passed was the biggest shot of popularity they've had for years, and while it wasn't exactly bringing it back from the dead, the fact that she could see more than twenty people around the streets and patronizing the few open stores was more than uplifting enough.
When she arrived at the store she messed up, she was expecting to be greeted with unease and derision at how badly things went last night.
To her utter surprise, the canine couple working the store was less unsettled and more utterly relieved at her presence. Apparently, them letting her go was as much for her sake as it was theirs, considering how distracted she was, and after learning she got abducted they were willing to give Cain Sensei everything he needed to set things right. With gratitude, shame and warmth bubbling inside of her, she offered Cain Sensei's payment to them, assuring them that both of them insisted on giving them what they owed, and the couple took the money to cheers from the customers inside.
Finally, when they arrived at Shiba Seki Ramen, she was utterly surprised to see it filled with customers. When the Master turned his scarred face towards her the moment she entered, he grinned as though he knew exactly when she would come.
"Gotta say, this is the first time one of my own ever had a spotlight on them." He pointed a thumb towards the adoring crowd looking towards her. "Got a few people here who came here just because you're putting time in here."
This shift promised to be a hard one. Just looking at the tidal wave of hungry eaters could make her feel exhausted.
She grinned. No pain, no gain, and she was already feeling the gain just from all the encouragement of seeing this many people here. This was gonna be hard, but she would meet it head on.
The stories of war always tell of grand battles, heroic last stands, hard choices and sacrifices and other unpleasant experiences that were recollected with such gusto you might actually think you want them to happen. I much preferred the tales that weren't told: Drills, paperwork, maintenance, the everyday life. Of course, such things weren't propaganda pieces because they were dreadfully boring, but give me that over another opportunity for my heroism any day.
Such as it was with looking after the homefront while the rest of the girls went through the city. We were making a rigorous effort towards turning the location into an adequate base. For all the GSC's shortcomings, the crew who came here didn't really deserve us taking it out on them, so after they finished with the unloading we sent them off, leaving the three of us to properly store what we received. Just like with me, Hoshino was willing to let any distaste she had for the pilots stay hidden and Ayane was generally more open anyways. It was a very small step towards bridging the district and the council together, but it wasn't the worst beginning for such an endeavor.
We made steady progress throughout, only being interrupted by a lunch delivery. Between Shiroko dropping off our ramen lunches at the appropriate time (though I really didn't like the strange look she was giving me) and Serika's mercifully uneventful updates, things appeared to be going smoothly on all fronts.
With today's morning spent focusing on seeing to the supplies for my own use, I decided to spend the afternoon dealing with the ones for the rest of the base, aiding the girl in storing the deliveries according to Ayane's specifications, while said operator worked on the Flak 41. Strange to think a Hero of the Imperium would be reduced to such simplistic labor, but for all the difficulty, it wasn't the worst experience in the world.
Of course, I had other reasons for hitting up that little narcoleptic, and that was to voice a suspicion I had throughout the entire morning.
"Did you know they were coming?"
My question caused the girl to shoot me a surprised look. "How did you figure that out?"
"You weren't as surprised as I thought you would be," I answered, recalling her slightly slower reactions to the GSC's coming, which was like a Valhallan purposefully slowing their draw at the sound of an ork.
"Uhee~" she let out her characteristic hum, "Looks like you got me there. You're pretty observant, aren't you Sensei?"
"It's all part of the job." After all, when correcting the undisciplined and purging the heretic fell under your purview, you had to have a keen eye. "When did you realize?"
"Weell…" She drew it out, but mercifully for not very long. "It was this morning when you made the call. I was about to tell you it was your turn to shower when you used your phone. I eavesdropped on you when I heard you mention the Acting President's name."
Dear me, I must have been more laser focused and tired than I thought if I didn't hear her steps outside of the room. And deciding to spy on me the moment she heard me call Rin? I wonder what crime she suspected of me then? "And then you waited a bit afterwards to avoid suspicion."
To her credit, her tone was apologetic as she spoke. "Sorry, Sensei. I didn't want you getting disturbed."
I was unsettled now, but I couldn't completely blame her. After everything she experienced, she was right to eye the council with suspicion. After all, that was a thought we shared. "No harm done. It made everything a little easier since you got the surprises out of the way." And fortunately, she didn't catch anything of consequence from me.
"Hehe, does that mean I have your permission to keep an ear and eye on you?" She said teasingly.
"I'll leave that to your imagination," I replied in a similar tone, hiding just how much anxiety the image gave me. Looks like I was going to have to look after what I say in private.
"I'll be sure to look for some alcohol the next time I do just in case!" She kept it up, and I had to suppress a wince that she managed to catch me in a hidden fit of pique. Time to divert.
"If you can find a cup of tanna instead, I'd be much more forgiving, I'm sure." It was bait, but it was genuine, because the Emperor help me if I wasn't craving for the relief of my drink of choice after all these hectic days.
"Tanna?" She was on it like sump rats on a corpse, tilting her head. I had to blink my eyes to ensure that that little strand of hair sticking out from her head didn't form a question mark. A trick of the light, surely, right? "What's that?"
"A type of plant that's used to brew tea," I began, recollecting my memories of that beautiful liquid. If I wasn't going to have a drink of it, then by the Golden Throne I was at least going to remember it right. "The tea has a faintly bitter after taste. It's a delicate flavor that's not to everyone's liking, but it's my favorite drink."
Sadly, Amberly was among those who didn't believe in the greatness of tanna, but you never shared everything with everyone, even with people as… acclimated to each other as we were. The differences did make things enjoyable, so I couldn't quite fault her for that. Seeing the disgust on her face as she took her first and only sip was an image of her I never forgot, among many others.
"Huh. Guess some adults do like the bitter stuff like I heard," Hoshino mused, snapping me out of my bittersweet recollections. "You haven't been able to drink it since you got here?"
"To my great misfortune," I sighed. Would that I could be blessed even with just a sip…
"Well, no promises, but I'll keep an eye out for it if I can."
The strangest thing to hear was that she wasn't joking. She legitimately was going to have a go at it. What an odd girl. "Well, do tell me if you find anything." I doubt she would, but the gesture was appreciated.
There was more I wanted to ask her. The revelation of her weapons' titles, marked with the cursed name of the most hated traitor in the galaxy for what he had done to our God Emperor and our budding Imperium, had been seared into my brain for days now, forming a burning question that I needed to get an answer to.
But I don't know what secrets that name held, and I didn't want to risk the easygoing relationship we had now. So instead, I shifted to a different, if closely related, topic.
"I have to say you look quite good for taking a shell capable of piercing armor with nothing more than a bulletproof shield." I tried to keep my voice casual, hopefully not letting my disbelief at the feat show.
"Well, Iron Horus has always been a durable thing, and I guess a bit of it's rubbed off on me!" She chuckled. "Don't worry about little ol' me or your hair will turn gray way earlier than they should!"
By the grace of juvenat treatments, I was blessed with them coming in later than they should have for a man put through the wringer by the whims of fate as I was, but given how many distressing revelations were piled on me barely a week into my time here, I might well get a few aging strands before the next year comes. "I'm just surprised at how much you took without going out like a light. You're far hardier than most I've seen around here."
"Maybe, but that's what I trained for," she replied easily. "I'm sure you can find somebody else tougher than I am if you look hard enough."
I'm sure she was downplaying things just like I did, but here, I could see my theories blossoming.
I'd noticed that while the run of the mill ganger was dropped (though not dropped dead) in a few bullets, the students I was blessed with commanding took far worse shots while remaining in a far better state, such as Yuuka taking a stub rifle shot to the neck with all the annoyance of an insect bite. It appeared that the paths you chose to take in your studies and training here affected the growth of not just active psyker powers, but your physiology as well. The average or above average students could take a few barrages or even a well placed vital shot without having to dive for cover or ask for a medicae. Then there were those who preferred staying power like Hoshino did, able to outlast all others before coming back when the opposition was exhausted while trucking on without effort.
I also suspected that Hoshino was speaking in reverse: Her durability rubbed off on her weapon. Those developments in durability extended to the weapons as well. I was able to cut apart a ganger's gun with my chainsword. I'd always be wary of any armament that had Horus, curse his name, stamped right on it, but I'm not sure if a bulletproof shield was artillery proof too. These girls and their chosen weapons were more intrinsically linked together than even a guardsman under the threat of execution for misplacing his lasgun, that was for sure.
It was the difference between having skin and weapons like flak armor, and having the same resilience and armaments built like Space Marine Terminator Armor. I know what I'd rather have if I had no choice but to eat or shoot a bolt or a bullet, impossible as it would be for me to wield the blessed tools of His Angels of Death.
It was also why I feared what would happen to Ayane if she took the kind of hit Serika did. She was a backline operator who made several irreplaceable contributions to Abydos' efforts, but fighting in the frontlines and taking a hit wasn't one of them. She would most definitely be far frailer than Hoshino by virtue of experience and training alone, let alone the power of their halos. I wonder if she'd even be as fine as Serika was, because while she wasn't Hoshino, she was still a frontliner.
"Perhaps," I allowed. Then, I masked my intentions with a little bit of telling off that needed to be done anyway. "But they're not around here. You're the only one we've got here."
"Trust me, I know that better than you think."
There was a bit of gloom, a holdover from her bitter experience of keeping the school held up longer than anyone. I stared at the slight bit of sorrow that whisked through her face, before it quickly disappeared as she looked at me with an ever so melancholy smile. "Besides, it's funny to hear that from you. Having a gun in your hands to shoot bullets and a halo on your head to take them are a dime a dozen in this city. There's only one person like you around here. And I'm not talking about the fact that you swing a fancy sword."
"Take care of yourself, alright? We can take a lot more than you can. Losing you will hurt more than that tank round."
Any more ideas of speculation and theorizing were lost at having my advice thrown right back at me. I had to stop from hearing such naked concern from this deceptively resentful narcoleptic of all people, before I had to pick up the pace to keep in step with her again.
They wouldn't want to lose the one person helping them more than anyone, I suppose. Fair enough.
That was the busiest and most profitable shift the restaurant had ever had. Even though it was a small store, she could really feel the pressure of carrying bowls back and forth between the Master's cooking area, the counter chairs and the booths. Despite both her and the Master insisting that Shiroko and Nonomi leave serving the tables to them, they still managed to help merely by being there, as they managed to grab some attention from the curious restaurant goers and answer any questions they had. Nonomi took to it better of course, a natural socialite in her element. Meanwhile, she suspected that Shiroko took on the duty of delivering ramen back to the school as an excuse to temporarily flee from the questioning mob. Still, she came back and weathered all of it as best as she could.
It was a tiring but gratifying experience, and hours later things were finally winding down as the torrent of curious eaters and customers gave way to the quiet lull of the afternoon.
"Fine work today, Serika," the Master told her proudly as he patted her on the back and gave her a well-earned check. She checked inside and her eyes widened at the 15000 yen bundle that was inside.
"Master, this is-"
"Proportional to the business you brought me," he cut her off with a grin. "Now sit down, take a break, and eat your food. You and your friends get these on the house for everything you've done."
Assured by her boss, she slumped onto the nearest counter chair with an exhausted sigh as he began preparing her favorite bowl of seafood ramen in front of her. Her friends were soon at her side. Save for Shiroko bringing their friends' lunch back to school, they dutifully looked after her the whole time, never going anywhere else to make sure nothing would happen, and they were all smiles as they looked after her. They even elected to wait for her to finish before having their meal, so they would all eat together. Really, her friends were crazy and sometimes annoying, but they were the absolute best.
"I never knew being a waitress could be this difficult." Shiroko's soft voice sounded almost as spent as hers. "It was hard just dealing with all the attention, you were juggling talking with people and bringing things over."
"Just goes to show how hard Serika works for us!" In contrast, Nonomi was as peppy as ever, thrilled at being able to talk with more people.
She felt herself perk up a bit at the appreciation she showed, and she grinned at her two fellow clubmates. "Thanks for staying here too, you guys. You really helped just by being here."
Despite the fact that the Master was already working on her food, she was still on the clock, so the moment the doors opened she immediately stood at attention to welcome people inside. "Welcome to Shiba-Seki Ramen! How many in your party?"
"O-Oh, um…" Walking through was a girl who seemed to retreat from everything, hugging her shotgun close to her chest. and she had to raise her eyes at the "How much is the cheapest thing on your menu?"
"The cheapest?" She looked at the poor thing seemingly afraid of her own shadow and internally winced. Yeah, she knew how that went. Outwardly, she put on her most encouraging customer-friendly smile. "The Shiba Seki Ramen Bowl for 580 yen! Our signature, super tasty dish!"
And also the one Cain-Sensei ordered for his second taste of ramen yesterday. If that was how he usually ate, where the hell did he tuck it all away?! Even today, the man asked for two bowls of her favorite seafood ramen (apparently because the idea of having seafood in a desert sounded funny to him). Shiroko said that he apparently did morning practice with that chainsword of his if he could help it. Maybe it was about working out so he could pig out without showing it? Well, if he was some veteran military commissar or whatever like the other girls said, all the fighting and the stress plus the workout might be enough to keep him thin no matter how hard he ate, and staying in a blistering desert like this would properly help that too…
As she was considering all this, the girl in front of her gave a slightly creepy elated grin. "Oh, uh, thank you!" She then ran outside, likely to usher in her friends.
She guessed right. Much to her surprise, three more students came in, haloed and armed.
"Look at that! We finally found something less than 600 yen!" The second to come in after the purple girl was a student who gave every impression of a mischievous prankster.
"Incredible. What a miracle." The next one to come in gave a far more intimidating impression, even with her hands in her pockets, the very picture of an emo punk.
"A yen saved is a yen earned. I knew there would be something cheap enough for us." The last to come exuded confidence and elegance, clearly leading the rest.
"Y-you were right… I guess you do know everything, Boss…" The first girl praised her with stars in her eyes.
"Right…" She kept up her grin, not wanting to question how strange these girls were. When nobody else entered, she assumed that was all of them and did the usual routine. "So, four in your party. Shall I take you to your seats?"
"Nah, we're fine," the little imp spoke up. "Just give us our bowl and four pairs of chopsticks to go would you? Please and thank you."
Yup, she was two for two on her assumptions, and the second one was far less pleasant. "Wait, things are so bad for you guys that you have to split a bowl for four of you?!"
"I'M SORRY!" She reeled back when the purple girl suddenly wailed, a deathly pallor of shame hanging over her. "I'm sorry we're broke, I'm sorry we're poor, I'm sorry we barely have a coin to our name!"
"What…?" There was something seriously wrong with this girl. "No, please, you don't have to apologize to ME of all people for that…"
"No, really, what's the point of living like this…?" The pitiful girl was shaking all over, unable to even look at her. "We're lower than dirt, a waste of space and air… Why did we even come in here? We're sorry, we're sorry, we're sorry…"
"For crying out loud…" As she started to ramble on, her punkish friend sighed in resignation and put a hand on her shoulder. "Knock it off Haruka, you're making a scene."
"Don't say that about yourself!" She insisted. "Being poor isn't a crime to be ashamed of. You shouldn't be so hard on yourself!"
"I… shouldn't?" Why was this girl acting like that was a revelation?
"You're students! Nobody expects you to be loaded with cash!" Nobody, unless you were some shitty corporation asking an academy to pay money to stop people from dying to desert sandstorms or they'd take it all away. "Besides, you and your friends scraped up enough to share a bowl of ramen together. That's something, right? So just wait right here. I'll be glad to get it for you."
Her own circumstances weren't an excuse to leave other people in bad straits if she could help them. She had the chance to help now, so why shouldn't she?
As their feline waitress trotted off to give their order, they took their seats at the counter, unsure of what to say, until Kayoko broke the silence.
"... I think she might have gotten the wrong idea."
"Yeah, we aren't begging on the street! Aru just burned through all of our cash!"
She tried to hide her wince. She wasn't sure how successful she was, but that didn't matter. Mutsuki was a friend, but she couldn't let that slide. "That's 'boss' to you. You should know better than to leave out my title, Staff Chief Mutsuki."
"Really? You want us to call you boss when we're off the clock?" She had that grin on her face again, the one that always promised trouble. Well, she was ready! She would definitely keep her composure this time! "I don't know, what kind of boss can't even afford to treat her employees to more than one measly bowl of ramen."
She did not keep her composure, the painful fact stabbing right into her heart and making her cringe inside and out.
"Well, I can't blame her entirely this time," Kayoko said with a sigh. "After what happened last night, I think I'd spend everything on extra support too."
Having her section chief's support would usually be enough to bolster her confidence, but sadly, that wasn't the case this time.
It was supposed to be an easy job. Just two days ago, after the Helmet Gang got their rear ends kicked out of Abydos, their client called up Problem Solver 68 to replace them on the cheap in case they finally botched the job. As a budding new company, she relished the opportunity to work for such an esteemed client.
As for the opposition? Apparently, the Sensei that saved the city was with them, and while she had seen the videos and the reports, she wasn't sure how much stock she should put in them. Surely, it wouldn't be too bad, would it?
And then last night's post on SCHALE came in. 5 students and one teacher against the entirety of the remaining Helmet Gang members in Abydos backed by tanks, and it was the gangers who were wiped out to a woman and had their armor reduced to piles of burning scrap.
She'd already blown all the money they had for hiring the Part-Timer mercs, but for all the money their client had they refused to give them extra for what they were facing! How were they supposed to face a monster like that?!
… No. She couldn't show her fear. After all, she was the Boss of Problem Solver 68! Besides, she had Kayoko's support, didn't she? Mustuki wouldn't complain about that!
"Would it have made a difference?" her chief of staff continued without missing a beat. "She blew all our money on those girls before last night anyway! This is the only food we're having today for a reason!"
For somebody who hadn't eaten all day, she certainly wasn't lacking the energy to punch her confidence in the gut.
"... Fair. She could've at least negotiated better so we'd kept enough for a bowl each."
Et tu, Kayoko?! Betraying your boss for your section chief?! Mutiny within the company would not be allowed! She must regain the initiative!
"It was to ensure that we would get our hired help, no matter what! Failure is not an option!" She excused herself, then inspiration struck and she tacked on some words of wisdom appropriate to the situation. "You know Problem Solver 68's motto: Expect the unexpected!"
"First time I heard we even had a motto…" Kayoko groaned, sounding a sentence or two away from palming her face. "You just made that up on the spot, didn't you?"
"Oh, shut it!" she finally gave up, smiling brighter than she really felt. "I'm treating you all to sukiyaki after we're done here, so you better go all out!"
"Sukiyaki?" Haruka, ever reserved, spoke up for the first time since they sat down with curiosity in her voice. "What's that?"
"A dish for adults. Delicious, or so I've heard," Kayoko's face scrunched up in displeasure. "With a price tag to match."
"W-wow…" Just that description was enough to have Haruka imagining the taste with awe. "I don't know if dirt like me could appreciate it. Would I have to sacrifice my life afterwards for overindulging?"
"No, no. Let the very idea guide you to victory and savor its taste right after!" Haruka's lack of value in herself was as disheartening as always, and she wasn't sure how she could ever fix it. Surely, when they were in better straits, she'd feel better about herself because all of them were successful, right? "Problem Solver 68 is practically an industry titan already. We deserve only the best, wouldn't you agree?" Yes, say it enough, believe in it enough, and you'll make it a reality. That was how it worked, right?
"Haha! You're so ambitious, Aru."
"I told you to call me Boss!" She ordered, and she dearly hoped it didn't come out as a whine. Thankfully, any more conversation (and torpedoing of her confidence) was interrupted by their server's call.
"Order up! Bowl's hot, so be careful!"
She sighed and looked ahead, preparing for the indignity of sharing a tiny bowl among the four of them, when her eyes shot up to her head at the sight.
That wasn't a normal serving of ramen. That was a TOWER. Somehow, the chef had stuffed a single bowl full of enough noodles, meat, eggs and all the toppings to serve all of them. There was so much in it that it made the counter rumble when the girl placed it down. Even more impressively, the chef managed to fit it all in it with a tasteful (and tasty!) artist's hand, with the arrangement looking as pleasing to the eye as the smell to the nose and, she was sure, the flavor to the tongue.
"That is a HUGE bowl…" Even Mutsuki was unable to give any of her usual gab at the tantalizing sight.
"That looks like it could feed ten people…" And Kayoko was bereft of her usual flatness, a hint of disbelief and awe entering her voice.
"A-are you sure this is the right order? We don't have the money to pay for this…" Yes, a pertinent question, Haruka! This was probably a zero or two off of their budget!
"Yep, this is exactly what you ordered! A plain, old Shiba Seki Ramen Bowl!" The waitress assured them with a winning smile! "Isn't that right, Master?"
Her boss, a canine with the grizzled bearing and scars of an old warrior, crossed his arms and smiled at them, knowing exactly what he was doing. "Well, I might have overfilled a smidge, but you don't need to worry about that."
"He said it's OK! So it's OK!" their waitress joined her boss in grinning. "Enjoy your meal!"
"You join them too, Serika. I'm closing up before dinner."
"Thanks boss!"
As employer and employee left them with their meals, Haruka did a good job of summarizing how they felt. "W-wow…"
"I say we eat first and ask questions later!" Mutsuki's usual teasing was tempered by her hunger and anticipation. "Chopsticks ready!"
She laughed, and truth be told she'd be crying at the generosity they stumbled upon if this wasn't public. "Just like I said: Expect the unexpected! It'll be rude to send this back, so let's make the most of it!"
"ITADAKIMASU!"
And so they set about partaking of their dishes… Or they would if they didn't freeze after the first bite. Hungry as they were, they piled everything they could onto their spoons and took it all together, and the taste just did them in.
It was heavenly. She was actually shedding tears at how beautiful it was. The stresses of the past few days, the hunger of today and the fear of what they would do next… It all disappeared in the face of this divine food.
"I-it's so yummy!" Haruka cried out by her side.
"Didn't expect a ramen place this good with the district like this!" Mutsuki agreed as she took in even more of the food.
"Don't we know it!"
Their waitress, now dressed in a school uniform instead of her part-time outfit, joined in with three ramen bowls in hand, placing them down on the counter and taking a seat in between her and the two others near them. "The ramen here is just the best. People come from all over the district to try this place out!"
"I can see why!" she said after another serving that went down beautifully in her mouth. "I've been to my fair share of shops, and ramen this good is hard to find!" It was the perfect middle ground between cheap and extravagant, and you always got your money's worth even at the most mediocre of ramen restaurants, but this was another thing entirely.
"We're regulars here, you see?" their waitress explained once more. "That's how I decided to start working here! And it's just great that students from other schools are coming here to see the light!"
"Your uniforms…" The girl beside her, a silver-haired wolf girl with heterochromic irises of black and white looked over each of them in turn. "You're from Gehenna? That's a long trip."
"It's just so nostalgic for girls like us to be sharing ramen…" The last one didn't quite seem to be looking at them, a wistful look in her emerald eyes. "Or was it udon? Eh, it doesn't matter…"
"Well, I certainly didn't expect to find fellow connoisseurs here! Isn't life wonderfully unpredictable sometimes?!" This day was certainly looking up! Perhaps things would turn out fine after all!
(... She hasn't figured it out yet, hasn't she?)
(Talking to our targets? Yup?)
(... And we're not going to do anything about that?)
(And interrupt how hilarious this is? Nope!)
(Why am I not surprised…)
"Good luck with your job, guys!"
"Same to you! I hope you can revitalize your school!"
What a happy little surprise that meal turned out to be, she thought as the new students got in their van and drove off. Great food and great new friends. What a fine way to send them off on their mission. "Ah, they're good kids."
She turned back and instantly felt something was wrong. Mutsuki was giving her the same grin she always had when she knew something that would make her lose her mind, and given Kayoko's exasperated look she was agreeing with her. Haruka was as confused as she was, so she would be of no help in this matter. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"I can't believe it. You never realized at all…" Kayoko moaned, disbelief and pity dancing in her eyes.
"What? What are you talking about?" She was missing something dreadfully important, wasn't she?
"Aru, you didn't recognize those uniforms?" Mutsuki's impish grin blossomed even more. "Those girls were from Abydos."
… Eh?
Eh?
"EHHHHHHH?!"
—-
It was coming into the evening by the time the rest of the group came back. I divested myself of my greatcoat during lunch, but by the time the cold came in, I put it on once more to greet our returning members. Serika, Shiroko and Nonomi seemed quite cheerful as they disembarked from the van Shiroko parked inside, brightened by more than just good food.
"Hey guys, we're back!" Serika said with a luminous grin. She looked around and noted the artillery shells arranged on the now pristine tractor, plus the far cleaner gun. She also noted the distinct lack of anything else on the field, a testament to mine and Hoshino's backbreaking work. "Damn, you guys were busy!"
"Welcome back everyone," Ayane welcomed them as the backline operator she was. "Seems like you had a pretty fulfilling day."
"You could say that," Serika beamed, the envelope in her hand, far thicker than yesterday's salary for working at the Master's restaurant, explained it all. "How about you, Cain Sensei? Did you like your two bowls of ramen?"
I smiled as I tried not to groan at the subtle barb. "I can understand why the seafood bowl is your favorite. Not mine, but with the Master's touch it couldn't be anything but delicious."
"Definitely looked like it," Hoshino said, her head shaking in disbelief. "Man, if that's what you consider an average meal, I dunno how you barely show it."
Because that isn't my meal, I wanted to scream out so badly. The fact that I was apparently "insecure" enough to "eat" my extra bowl away from other prying eyes was more damning evidence that I would be unable to refute without revealing details I wasn't comfortable revealing. So, just an average day of doing Amberly's Inquisitorial duties, if significantly more "household domestic". Out loud, I took the question with grace. "The stresses of the job make me comfort myself with food, and my workouts keep me fit and ready to fight."
"Nn, that makes sense. Military work must be tiring even off the battlefield." She threw me a guileless smile and a thumbs up. "Just keep it up and you should be just fine, Cain Sensei."
Shiroko's attempts to assure me of my fitness were only more damning for how genuine they were. "I blame you for this, you know that?"
"Sorry, Sensei." So she said, but the messy chomps and slurps I heard in my head during her lunch didn't sound very contrite. I was grateful that I could cut off hearing her, because I didn't want the feast of a ravenous AI taking up my headspace. Sadly, the idea that I was a glutton was starting to take root in these kids, and with the way my meals were going it would only be a matter of time before the rest of this damn city thought it too.
"You performed all of your tasks?" I changed topic by asking Serika, though really, I had a feeling I didn't need to ask. The cat girl nodded proudly.
"Yup, the store owners assured me I could work there again and we got a ton of customers for lunch!"
"We're pretty popular around town now thanks to Sensei's posts online!" Nonomi excitedly informed us, clearly basking in the attention. "It's great seeing the district liven up thanks to what we do." Well, it's good to know that I wasn't the only one with a budding reputation around here. Maybe they can get a taste of what that would entail…
"So we're the talk of the town. Cool," Hoshino followed up with a yawn. Credit to her, she didn't do much of those while we were playing serfs and servitors lugging supplies around. "Did anything else happen?"
"Yup!" Serika was eager to enlighten us as to what happened. "We made some new friends while we were there!"
For some reason, my palms tingled when I've heard those words, and though my reply came out casually, I was filled with unease. "New friends? Really now?"
"Yup! They're students from outside Abydos!"
How unfortunate that my feelings were justified. Now my palms felt like I stabbed them into a sparking wire panel. "From where?"
"Gehenna," Shiroko promptly. "It's a pretty long trip."
Ahhh, of course. Without even trying, Shiroko was heightening my fears. "Did they say why?"
"Apparently they have some kind of job to do around here," Nonomi continued, though her concern was becoming visible as she looked at me. "Sensei? What's wrong?"
"... Students from one of the Big Three academies going to this faraway district in order to do some kind of job," I slowly recounted. Hoshino already figured out what was wrong, narrowing her eyes at what I was implying. "What kind of job would tempt you to go from an academy like Gehenna to a sandblasted place like this? It would have to be very lucrative work."
And now Ayane and Shiroko were recognizing the very big problem on our hands, with the former starting to go over her tablet in distress. Nonomi and Serika were starting to realize it as well, with the latter looking devastated. "No, it can't be…"
Unfortunately for Serika, as Ayane would tell us, it was.
"We have incoming hostiles gathering within the city!"
I should have known. The only luck I had right now was that I didn't have to go back inside for the greatcoat. Were it that I was so lucky in other ways?
It was quite some time after they left the restaurant, but until now she felt like she was just thoughtlessly putting one foot in front of the other, not sure of where to go.
"Aru? Yo, Aru? You ready yet?"
This job was already hard from the start. Facing off against a band of students rallied by a man who faced down hordes of gangers and won was already a daunting prospect. Why did it have to get even harder?
"Yeesh, our sweet little Aru is really torn up, huh?"
She wasn't sure she was even going to eat today, but thanks to the generosity of a struggling student like them, they were able to eat more than their fill. And now, she was tasked with smashing apart her academy as her employer bid her to do.
"Dammit, we can't let this go on any longer."
"Oi. Boss."
The sudden mention of her title snapped her out of her internal panicking as she found Kayoko staring intensely at her. "Are we doing this or not? Better make up your mind before we run out of time."
Yes… Time. Due to their shoestring budget they didn't have much of it left before they lost their extra hands. It was now or never.
"What happened to 'doing the crime if you got the dime'?" Mutsuki reminded her, clearly not caring what they'd do next either way.
"Don't worry, Lady Aru! I'll do my best to either run away or turn them all to dust at your command!"
Haruka's unwavering belief in her made her sigh. What kind of executive was she if she couldn't even do a simple job like this? She wanted to be a fine villain. She would have to deal with this now.
"Round up the muscle! Let's do this!"
*Chapter 11: Supplies and Surprises, END* As you can see, the academy is starting to come along. Its improvement as an actual base of operations will tie in to some things that will come after Volume 1, which I am very excited about. The rules of weapon durability are a specific thing to this fic, something which will especially relate to students who rely on close combat. Maintenance is, of course, still paramount, but in a proper students' hands those things will be as hard to deal with as a student. Also here are the beginnings of Cain's other reputation of a heroic appetite, supported by a voracious AI. Again, this will lead to some fun interactions later on. And thus, we lead up to the legendary first meeting between the Hero of the Imperium and (Most definitely, without a doubt) Kivotos' Number One Supervillain. If everything goes right, it will hopefully be up by this week. I hope you enjoyed this installment!
