Our next guests were the brotherhood of iron a syndicate involving a bunch of stuttering messes. Clearly they got the crappy and cheap limb replacements.

"Are all syndicates composed of such half-witted individuals? I expected something more refined." angela said.

"It all depends on the syndicate. The city is full of them. You could say there's one for every fixer out there." roland said.

"Well hate to break it you angela. We're not getting refined guests any time soon. The library is still canard ranked. The lowest rank. And therefore our guests are going to be low rank fixers and utter losers until the library rises in rank." i said.

"I noticed you called the library canard ranked a few times…mind explaining that." angela said.

"It's what the hana association calls the lowest rank threats of the city. They are essentially one of the top dogs of the city. The ones who decide who gets to climb in the fixer pecking order. And also the ones who decide the level of threat in the city. Meaning they decide on the bounty. Canard is the lowest. Meaning only desperate suckers are going to care. The highest being star of the city. Meaning a pretty high bounty. Which means some of the most powerful people of the city would be after the library." i said.

"There's actually a rank past star of the city. Impuritas civitatis. It's a rank that very little threats reach. But getting that rank means the hana association will come for it themselves….and maybe even the head." angelica said. I twitched in anger hearing that…the head.

"So we'll get stronger and more refined guests once we climb up these ranks? Sounds good to me." angela said with a smile.

"But first things first…got to deal with these brother of iron clowns." i said. And like all the utter times we went to greet the guests. It seems as though they were having second thoughts about this. Thinking they were naive.

"There's no need to worry dear guests, in this place, we play strictly by the rules written on the invitation." angela said. We spooked them with our warp entrance.

"Greetings dear guest. I am angela, the director and librarian of my name sake. This is my assistant jon." angela said.

"Alright stutter bots. This is how it works. You go in through that door and fight for your life against those waiting for you. Win, you get the books you came for. Lose, and your more books for the library. If you're not ready, leave now. But if you're up to fight for your life. Go right ahead." i said motioning to the doorway.

"W-we've already come this far. We have to do this. D-don't be so gloomy." mo the leader of this trio of weirdos said.

"May you find your book in this place then." Angela and i said in unison. They were tougher than the ones before. But malkuth managed to beat them. She had finn and eri backing her up. They were tougher thanks to their metal bodies. But malkuth beat them thanks to them being dumb as bricks.

"See. keeping your brain in scrap metal is not a good idea." roland said.

"Isn't it still better than a frail human body though?" angela asked.

"There are plenty of ways to boost your physical prowess in the city that don't evolve having your fleshy bits chopped off. Tattoos. Medicine and drugs. It's possible as long as you got the money…clearly those clowns didn't consider they had to get cheap metal upgrades as shown by their stuttering." i said.

"It's also a one way street. Once it's done. You can't go back. And your life usually goes down the drain right after that." angelica said.

"When does one need to put their brain in a machine then?" angela asked.

"Cause their desperate suckers in need of cash. So desperate that they sell their entire frigging body. Organs and all. Either that or by folks that has work that their body can't take anymore…either way it's only done by people that are really really desperate" i said. I noticed angela seemingly thinking about something.

"What? Interested in getting a new body?" roland asked.

"No. i just remembered my past for a moment." angela said. Knowing how her past is painful. I took her hand.

"You're free from that. As those two would say. That's that and this is this. You have people who legitimately care for you now. So don't look to the past. Look towards a bright future okay." i said. Angela went wide eyed before getting out if my grip and turning around.

"Get back to work." she said before teleporting away…was it something i said.

3rd person pov/somewhere else in the library.

Angela reappeared and sat down in front of a book shelf. Her cheeks a bright red as she looked at her hand…

"His hand was…so warm." angela said with a smile.

"Ms angela? What are you doing here? And why are your cheeks red?" malkuth asked. Angela quickly stood up.

"I was not here! I didn't even get out of bed this morning!" angela yelled in panic. As she warped away again leaving behind a very confused malkuth.

"She has a bed?" malkuth asked.

Jon pov.

Our next guests are a trio of fixers from the hook office. Though they look like a group of serial killers to me. One of them is even wearing a creepy mask and wielding a machete. One of their members taein caused 20 more deaths considering he got a new toy from the workshop. A couple of bio mechanical scythe arms. Apparently these guys once belonged to a killer syndicate…yeah that makes sense.

"Even rascals like those can join offices these days. Huh?" roland asked.

"I know…it's disheartening to know that even machete wielding psychos can become fixers. The whole fixer industry is a red sea." i said.

"I know jon is a color fixer. So what about you two?" angela asked.

"We're rank 1. The best of the best." angelica said with pride.

"Really? Haven't seen that so-called best of the best yet." angela said with a grin. With that shot fired. We went to greet our guest as per usual.

"Greeting dear guest." angela said only to get a knife coming for her by naoki. Which i caught.

"That guy's got some good reflexes." taein said.

"And this is why i'm with you angela. Because of psychos like this. Anyway my name's is jon. The directors assistant. I already told you her name. Go through that door and fight for your life. Win. get the promised books. Lose and your more books of the collection. May you find your book in this place. Now go in and die you fucking lunatics." i said. The trio talked a bit but went in anyway. They were no match for the combined might of roland and angelica. Guess they really wanted to show angela that rank 1 ability.

"I see now…thank you for protecting me jon." angela said.

"We're friends. It's what we do." i said with a smile.

"Though i find it odd that our guests are still willing to go considering i have color fixer as my bodyguard." angela asks in confusion.

"That's because nobody knows that your assistant is the white messiah." roland said.

"From what we heard jon came in. slayed the distortion and disappeared. Before the pianist. We thought the messiah was just a myth. A fairy tale. It's only after he saved from the pianist that it turned out he did exist." angelica said.

"So does that mean santa and the easter bunny is real too?" roland asked in a sarcastic tone. I just rolled my eyes and got back to work.

So we upped in rank. Now the library is an urban myth. But before we send out the invite for the next guest. I figured we'd up our firepower a bit. The brotherhood of iron are just lowly criminals. While the hook office are a bunch of psychos and fuck yun. So our guests turned assistants is only finn and eri. But there is a way to get more assistance. As it turns out the abnormalities that I dealt with back in x-394 have become books here. And if we go inside them and suppress it. We can awaken assistants and gain pages that could give us an edge against the upcoming guests.

The first suppression on my floor is the suppression of lament of innocence. The same red crowd of people that that my kid self turned into. The arena took the form of the destroyed apartment complex the one where those backstabbing selfish pricks lived in. when it was done. I got two green cards and one red cards. Peaceful days. Warm home. And greed.

The one on the floor of general works was blood bath. It took a different form. The arena was like we were in that blood filled tub. The floor and walls were the same flesh that the bloodbath was made from the walls had it's eyes on it. And the thing roland angelica were fighting was as if the blood inside the tub became flesh and took on a humanoid appearance. And so when it was beaten. The floor of general works gained the scars pale hands and blood abnormality pages. And they got a new assistant library…and it was my favorite blue haired starry eyed weirdo! Bong bong! I hugged her when I saw her again. I really missed her and her silly antics.

The first abnormality on malkuth's floor was the scorched girl. Though it wasn't much of a fight. Malkuth told her that i was here. And the scorched girl agreed to help out. And so the scorched girl was helping malkuth. Alongside gaining the abnormality pages. Footfall ashes and matchlight. But no assistant librarian. I thought that was because of the scorched girl willing to help me and malkuth that was until i went back to the main room. The light screen showed up again. At first I was confused considering we didn't send an invitation yet.

I was pretty sure this wasn't in the city considering how bright it was. But what I saw going below that bright sky was anything but. Some poor guy around malkuth's age. Wearing a hood. When he got home he took it off revealing that arm and eye were dark and mutated. His sclera was completely black. His arm was all black with long sharp claws on his fingertips.

"I'm a freak…i was an incompetent and impatient loser…so they put me up for an experiment even i could do. I was promised a great check if I did. And look where it got me…I was such an idiot. I can't live like this…" the guy who's named alex said. He noticed something glowing on the desk. It was an invite to the library. But it wasn't the one usually sent. Instead it was offering a job. "The library…well what do i got to lose." he said as he signed it with his human hand. And the pathway opened.

"Odd…i didn't write that invitation." angela said.

"I think it was sent after the first suppression on malkuth's floor. Instead of one awakening it sent an invite to someone who would be perfect to stand by the librarians." i said.

"So you think that this alex is a perfect assistant for malkuth?" angela asked.

"He is if you consider elijah. Her and him are a lot a like. Incompetent and impatient. But tries their best. It seems both of them made a mistake of taking a substance they really shouldn't have. Elijah died a painful death. While alex lost a chance at a normal life. Having to hide the fact he's now a mutant." i said.

"I see…well that mutant arm should make him very well suited to handle our guests." angela said as me and her warped to greet our new assistant.

"Greetings. I am angela the director and librarian of my name sake. And this is my assistant jon." angela said.

"Hi…so you're my boss now? Sorting books will be a bit hard with this..arm of mine but i'll do my best." alex said.

"Actually that mutant arm will be helpful to you in the second part of your job…this isn't a normal library bucko. A lot of the books here were people who came before. When guests arrive they have to fight an ordeal to get the books that the invitation said they would. They win. They get them. They lose and they become books in the library themselves. You're to assist the librarian of the floor of history in these ordeals." i said.

"So basically i'm to be a gatekeeper." alex said then sighed. "Well not like i have much of a choice." he finished accepting his job. He and malkuth got along just fine. He was worried that she would be afraid of him because of his arm. But malkuth has seen enough horror in lobotomy corp to not let his arm get to her. He was thankful but also worried about what she saw in lobotomy corp that made her so strong to fear…it's better he did not know.

With the completion of the hook office. Another floor was unlocked. We entered and everything was purple i had an idea on who's floor that was. And sure enough it was yesod as i saw him fixing roland's tie. Same old yesod. I tapped him on the shoulder.

"Jon…welcome back." yesod said with a grin as he offered me a handshake. One I gladly took.

"Good to be back…and we'll finish this." i said.

"Try not to let your hatred screw it up again…" yesod said in a sarcastic tone. I laughed.

For our next guests…we take a turn to the district that I hate the most. District 23…the district of cannibals and were watching the disgusting culinary art of one pierre and her partner jack. Carving into human flesh. And talking about how they lost their suppliers and how Pierre wants to become one of the eight chefs…ugh. A lot of them want to become one of those freaks. And apparently they captured folks and gave them anesthetic to keep them alive for the best taste.

"Ugh...fucking district 23." i said letting out my hatred of it clear as day.

"I remember you making your disdain for district 23 quite clear. So cannibalism is rampant in that area?" angela asked.

"I swear if I get the ordinance to blow up a district. I know where i'm aiming it. Honestly eating people for survival..it's still gross. But at least understandable. But people all over district 23 are always eating each other. The RICH people mostly. If this is what the ultimate favor is. I'll stick to hamhampangpang sandwiches thank you very much." i said.

"Hey a fellow enthusiast!" roland yelled. I gave him a high five. Angelica smiled and rolled her eyes.

"I understand jon's disdain for it. They make their victims suffer because that somehow adds to the flavor." angelica said.

"Well that sick mindset added flavor for the singing machine…considering those chefs from district 23 were treats for the singing machine if it behaved for the week." angela said. Once again we went to greet our guests.

"Greetings dear guest. I am angela, the director and librarian of my name sake. This is my assistant jon." angela said.

"Woooow! What a wonderful pair of ingredients. With such a glossy appearance." pierre said.

"Try it and you'll be losing your teeth, you depraved sick bitch. Now go through the door and you'll have a fight waiting for you. Win. you get what you came for. Lose and your more books for the library. Now go! May you sickos find your book in this place." i said. Not hiding my disdain for these two. Which is why me and the three ladies took this one. Needless to say we butchered these two butchers and not a single fuck was given that fight.

"What a bunch of night cases. It's best not to interact with the likes of them." roland said.

"And the people of the backstreets have two less cannibalistic freaks to worry about…and that's a job well done i see." i said.

"Well they were more well mannered than roland here." angela said.

"Well here's a word of wisdom miss naive library director. If you meet a polite and well-behaved person in the backstreets, run for your life, not all lunatics are polite but all polite people happen to be lunatics." roland said.

"Are you saying i'm a lunatic roland?" i asked offended.

"You are. But you're a lunatic in a good way. A Lot of your actions many folks would consider impossible. And the fact you did it…well a lot of people will think you're crazy." roland said with a grin. I sighed.

"Get back to work, smartass." I said.

The next guests are the streetlight office fixers. An unpopular fixer office. But it's a step above the gutter tripe we've been dealing with up till now. These two were seeing now lulu and mars are fairly normal bickering like a married couple. Lulu is a bit of a smartass with a temper. And mars just seemed to be annoyed with her. However the two started fighting when it turned out mars ate her cake in the fridge. Their boss san entered and he had a face that screams he's dealt with these two fighting all the freaking time. But they seem to have a connection to the zwei.

"The zwei?" angela asked.

"An association that keeps the peace in the districts they set up in. think of them as cops with swords rather than batons." i said.

"There's a total of twelve associations. Each in different kinds of work." roland said.

"They also delegate work to lower rank offices. And I already told you the hana association is the biggest of them. They have their white gloved hands on everyone. Even color fixers have to go through them." i said.

"They really like to grade things." angela said.

"Easier that way." roland said.

"Know what?" angela asked.

"How valuable i am." roland said trying to act smug. Anyway we went to greet our new guests.

"Greetings dear guest. I am angela, the director and librarian of my name sake. This is my assistant jon."

"Prepare yourselves." lulu said.

"Easy there firecracker. Your ordeal hasn't started yet. Go through that door. And be ready to fight for your life. Win. and you leave with what you came for. Lose and your more books for the library. It's not too late to turn back now." i said. These three are pretty close to each other. And this is another group of folks i don't want to kill.

"I see that you have some humanity jon. But turning back is not an option. We have a job and we're going to see it through." san said. I sighed.

"May you find your book in this place." me and angela said at the same time. Once again the floor of history handled this one. Alex showed that he was pretty tough probably rank 1-2 fixer level. But the only one who died was mars. The other two made a run for it.

"Huh…didn't know running was an option for the guests here." i said.

"Quite…still i find myself feeling…sad about this." angela said.

"Of course…those three seemed like a family more than a fixer office."

"It's not a good idea for fixers to form such a tight bond with each other. Well i guess that will be a lesson to them." roland said. I sighed.

"Said like a man who's probably had a few knifes in his back over the years…but you did break that rule of yours…after all you made your partner during your missions your wife." i said. Angelica giggled.

"He's got you there honey." angelica said with a smile. Roland sighed. And another floor unlocked. This one had a calming atmosphere. As i looked around i heard a soft voice.

"Jon?" the voice said i turned around and saw hod. She walked up to me and put her head on my chest. I got the message and hugged her.

"I missed you little sis." i said.

"I missed you two big brother." hod said with a warm smile. After introducing everyone. We got back to work.

And it was time for round two with the streetlight office. Or lulu. After retreating san apologized to lulu and told them that they were off the case. She objected after the fact that mars died. But san knew it wouldn't end well for them. But the final gut punch came when lulu found a cake in the fridge…oh boy. She went outside into the rain and cried. Letting out her sorrow…seems like she really did care for him…she just hid it. Of course the invitation came her way. And it looked like she was about to rip it in half until she remembered…mars book. So she gathered some friends of hers. And signed her name.

"That was heartbreaking to watch…" i said.

"Quite…let's get this over with." angela said. We warped in and before angela could say anything. Lulu was already swinging. I grabbed the bat and forced her away.

"Shut up i don't need a greeting from either of you assholes! I'm here for mars book. I'll get it. Kill all the monsters here and blow your heads off!"

"You know the drill…go on ahead…" i said. She gave me and angela a nasty look before entering. Despite being more aggressive. Than last time. She and her friends didn't survive. After the battle as roland angelica and angela were talking i grabbed both mars and lulu's book and charged them with light bringing both mars and lulu back.

"Lulu? What…happened?" mars asked only to get a hug from a crying lulu. "aah…i didn't know you cared." mars said sarcastically.

"Shut up you jerk." lulu said but i could see a smile through her tears. The two got up and noticed me. Lulu immediately went for a swing.

"Easy there firecracker!" i said as i blocked the blow. She kept swinging. Only for mars to pull her away.

"Like that nickname…you brought us back. Why?" mars asked. I sighed.

"Because you two didn't deserve this. There's plenty of sickos and assholes that i will gladly kill. But you two were just a couple of fixers that had no idea what you were getting into. Which is why i want to hire you two." i said as i used the book to conjure up a stack of cash. "This for every reception you win. How about it?" i asked.

"After what you done to us? It's going to take a lot more than-" lulu said i interrupted her by finding another book on baked sweets and conjuring up a cake. "Dammit!...you win." lulu said.

"Looks like he knows your weakness huh?" mars asked with a smug smile.

"Oh shut up mars!" lulu yelled with a pout and a blush. After that, Lulu met malkuth and they got along…though fire's started to become a bit of a problem. And soon the library was now urban legend ranked and another floor unlocked. This one was green with little weird green slime thingies all over the place. Clearly angelica thought they were cute as she tried to sneak some in her pockets. The smell of beer and the sound of snoring led me to netzach. Who tied his hair in a bun. And he was still the same guy. I'm just glad he's not downing that drug anymore. But judging from the empty beer cans. He's still got an alcohol problem. So i grabbed a bookk on horns. And conjured an air horn. And put it next to his ear and pushed the button. He woke up with a startle.

"Morning netzach. Up and adam time to work!" i said with a smile.

"Geez boss…did you become a hardass when we last saw each other three years." netzach said recovering from the massive headache he now most likely has.

"Nah. just need to make introductions. This is roland his wife angelica. And my three partners in distortion hunting from facility O-5681 catt taii and rose." i said after the introductions were made.

"Good to be working with you i guess…" he said as he lied back down. "I'll keep up on the books don't worry…but also…nice to see you again boss." netzach said as he fell back asleep. Now that the library is urban legend ranked. We're going to some fighters actually worth their salt…but i'll keep climbing up that rank as much as i have to….just to see you again kali.