After all, if they're as greedy as they seemed to be, it would only be a matter of time until they set their sights on this well-built mansion.
Tysone wasn't going to risk it, not when the mansion had become his people's home.
Takashi's eyes lit up. "You want us to go on the offensive?"
"Damn right I do. We can't just wait for them to come to us. We need to take them out, fast and clean."
Kohta's glasses gleamed with excitement. "The King of Destruction is ready to unleash hell!"
It was the law of survival here, and if that 'gang' turned out to be as malicious as Yuki claimed them to be, then it was Tysone's job to protect what was his. Their assault on those poor bastards would be justified to the extreme.
And Tysone was quite proud to see how his ragtag team's moralities were taking such a drastic and necessary turn. The usual would've just considered doing the bare minimum required to make it past the night, and yet they'd evolved from their former selves into beings ready to do whatever necessary to survive in this crazy world.
His respect for his group grew ever larger as he looked into Takashi's determined eyes. They didn't judge him; instead, they looked at him for orders.
"Fury mode: activated." Takashi gave him an eager grin as Rei gave him an approving smile.
Kohta grabbed a handgun and held it firmly, eyes flashing. "Ready to put a few bullets in some fucker's brain!"
"K-Kohta..."
Asami's meek voice could be heard coming from the corner, and he noticed her peering at him with something akin to surprise; clearly, while everyone evolved in some way, the polite officer still seemed to be afraid of fighting.
Tysone couldn't blame her. She hadn't experienced the things they had, or developed their ability to survive.
And though she may be an officer with a duty to protect and defend, her skills did not match up to Kohta's, or Takashi's.
"Ah, I didn't mean it like that!" Kohta's surge of killing intent broke and he waved his hands at his crush. "I-It was a figure of speech, really! Ha ha ha!"
Tysone inwardly chuckled, his amusement showing on his face as well. That boy sure had a lot of emotions within him, so it seemed.
The room erupted into a brief, uneasy laugh, the tension dissipating just enough to make the air breathable. Tysone, however, didn't let the levity linger. He clapped his hands, the sharp crack snapping everyone back to the mission. He addressed them with a stern voice, laced with that no-nonsense commanding tone he'd honed over the months.
"We'll adjourn for now. Have a quick meal. I want everyone ready in four hours. We'll meet in the living room to further discuss how to handle the Red Serpents. Kohta, Kenji... you two don't have to come. Just make sure the Mule is in perfect condition. I want her running like a dream."
A chorus of "Yes, sir!" and "You got it!" filled the room as they dispersed.
Tysone lingered for a moment, his gaze landing on Saeko, who was by the door. She'd kept her silence throughout the entire exchange, merely watching.
He turned towards Yuki and her group. The tied blonde didn't shrink from the gaze; it seemed like Yuki's fierce temperament held strong even in the face of... well, something otherworldly. She stood straight and stared right back.
He let out a soft snort. 'Sassy, aren't we?'
She reminded him a little bit of an older version of Saya.
But unlike the somewhat tsundere attitude the bespectacled girl tried to keep whenever he was around, Yuki was confident in front of her, it seemed. 'Wonder how'd Saya would react, hmm...?'
And thus, in the aftermath of the unexpected meeting, Tysone finally walked to Saeko, joining her at her side.
"Shizuka, keep an eye on them for the time being. Make sure to tell us if they do something. Don't untie them, or loosen up the knots. Those three will need to earn our trust first before we can think about it." He glanced back, looking into her brown eyes. "You got it, right?"
"Absolutely." Shizuka nodded, eyes locking with Yuki's. "You guys can rest assured."
"Y-Yeah... th-thanks..." Yuki's cold features relaxed a fraction. She managed to give the blonde nurse a faint, if wary, smile.
"Well." Tysone said, addressing the others who had started filing out. "Let's have something to eat first."
...
Everyone, after a hearty meal and a good bit of rest, met in the living room.
Tysone let their spirit recover some. Besides, he couldn't just start barking orders around like some kinda maniac; he wasn't their slave driver. A good leader knew his employees needed breaks, and also a good motivation, a little something to boost their morale. And also rewards, which was why he didn't hold back in making sure their stomachs were filled with delicious food, and each one of them was properly entertained and not bored when they weren't in duty.
In fact, Tysone mentally noted they should raid another convenience store, and a library, and pick gaming consoles along with some games, just to give them some entertainment during their free time and, also, when things would inevitably get stale.
"First of all." Tysone said, sitting down on his recliner couch. "I'm proud of everyone."
He could sense their spirits lift, a small smile pulling at the corners of his lips.
"Asami and Haruto did excellent jobs today, standing guard. Kohta and Kenji have done an amazing job too with our ride." He nodded in their directions, and everyone at the table also showed their gratitude and congratulations towards the two. "They've been working extra hard lately, but I still expect nothing less. I'm proud of the fact that all of us, together, have made our house this... safer."
Kenji nodded in appreciation, while Kohta rubbed the back of his head vigorously.
"Now, before we proceed with the crux of the meeting." Tysone looked at Saeko, his Vice Leader, sitting next to him. "As you all know, in our latest raid, we got two Rank 1 cores, and a Rank 2 one... which I believe no one would object to keeping and giving to Saeko."
No one disagreed. Saeko herself had proven over and over that she deserved any perks and equipment they would receive. She was their core melee combatant alongside Tysone himself.
"I think it's fair." Takashi voiced his approval.
Rei nodded, staring right at him. "Same here."
After a round of encouraging nods, Tysone turned toward the hallway, sensing his younger lover's presence just waiting for the dramatic entrance. "Saya! Bring the box."
A moment later, Saya walked into the living room. The dark circles under her eyes hadn't completely faded, but she moved with purpose, clutching a heavy metal lockbox against her chest. She set it down on the table with a solid thud.
"I've finished the preliminary analysis." Saya said, pushing her glasses up her nose. She looked at Tysone, her expression guarded. "The frequency patterns on the Rank 1 cores are stable. But that big one... the one from the hammer-arm mutant." She keyed in a code, and the box popped open.
Nestled in high-density foam was the core. It was the size of a large plum, so pitch-black it seemed to swallow the ambient light of the room.
"It's incredibly dense." Saya continued, her voice tight. "The energy signature is erratic. If a normal human absorbed this, their cellular structure might just collapse under the strain. They'd likely explode, or mutate into something mindless. You need a body that's already been primed to handle it."
Basically, someone who had already consumed a Rank 1 core.
So there was no jumping a few ranks to instantly have monstrous powers. At least, not safely. He figured a Rank 3 core would have the same requirements.
"I see." Tysone leaned forward. "Saeko should be plenty able to handle it, then."
Saya nodded. "Logically, yes. Her physiology has already adapted. The risk isn't zero, but it's... manageable. Manageable for a baseline human, anyway."
Saeko rose gracefully from her seat, her movements fluid and calm. She approached the table, her gaze fixed on the dark crystal. There was no fear in her eyes, only a deep, resolute focus.
"Saeko, this one is yours. Please, take your time absorbing it, and if you feel any discomfort, tell Shizuka. Immediately."
Saeko's lips curved into a faint, almost serene smile. "Understood." She picked up the core.
Author's Note:
If you're enjoying the story and want to read ahead or support my work, you can check out my P@treon at [email protected]/LordCampione. But don't worry—all chapters will eventually be public. Just being here and reading means the world to me. Thank you for your time and support.