Chapter 38: An Offer of Cooperation
Despite the slightly unpleasant incident earlier, Rovel's good mood remained entirely unshaken.
He went downstairs to buy groceries, cooked a satisfying meal for himself, and then sprawled out on the sofa, sinking into the simple bliss of a life lived on his own terms. There were no mandatory piano lessons to attend, no schedule squeezing every last second from his day, and no predetermined goals he was forced to achieve.
Well, that wasn't entirely true. There was still one goal…
His younger sister, Yuki Suou.
'Time to log in.' The day's events, if nothing else, served as a stark reminder that he couldn't afford to slack off.
The virtual world of "Honkai" was currently his only path to tangible power. He had to seize this opportunity, to forge himself into something stronger. Strong enough to stand against the entire Zhou family. Strong enough to protect Yuki.
With Chiba Academy closed for the holidays, the Kendo Club was off-limits for the next couple of days. To make matters worse, Mei's family dojo had also been sealed off, leaving him with nowhere to properly train. That left him with only two viable paths forward.
He could either spend money at a public Kendo Dojo to grind his skill proficiency, or… he could go hunt Death Soldiers.
Rovel decisively chose the second option.
The primary reason was simple: he was broke. His current lifestyle was still being bankrolled by his dear sister, and he didn't have much capital to burn. Secondly, while paid dojos offered venue buffs that boosted proficiency gain, the increase was a pittance compared to the Kendo Club. It was an even more pathetic substitute for training directly with Mei. For now, there was no rush to grind his weapon skills that way.
His main objective was clear: reach level 10 as quickly as possible and see what kind of breakthrough quest the system would throw at him.
With a renewed sense of purpose, Rovel handled the virtual streets and alleys of Changkong City, his eyes scanning every shadow for the telltale signs of Death Soldiers. His luck, however, seemed to have run dry. He wandered for what felt like an eternity without spotting a single one.
Just as he was about to move to a different district, a voice cut through the air.
"Excuse me… are you Mr. Rovel Suou?"
A group of men materialized from a side street, effectively blocking his path. At their forefront was a man whose player name, "Funahiki Mi," was exceptionally conspicuous. Perhaps it was because his short stature made him look like a child standing amongst his burly bodyguards, but Rovel could read the name floating above his head without even needing to look down.
"You've got the wrong person," Rovel said, not even bothering to lift his gaze as he tried to sidestep the group.
But they clearly had no intention of letting him pass. The bodyguards shifted, forming a solid wall that blocked his exit.
"Do you want to fight?" A flicker of hostility sharpened Rovel's eyes, his hand drifting instinctively toward his waist.
"Of course not," Funahiki Mi said quickly, his face splitting into a practiced, almost nauseatingly fake smile. "I simply wish to have a civil discussion with Mr. Suou on behalf of the Funahiki family. Please, take this. One hundred thousand in-game currency. Consider it an apology for my foolish older brother's behavior."
The smile was so wide and insincere that it squeezed his already small eyes into nearly invisible slits. Rovel had the sudden, absurd urge to ask him, 'Do you dare open your eyes when you talk to people?'
"Fine," Rovel said, his expression unreadable. "I'll take the money. As for cooperation, forget it. I'm not interested."
He accepted the trade request. A system notification chimed, and his inventory balance instantly swelled by a hundred thousand.
'See? Wandering around aimlessly does pay off,'he thought with a smirk.'You never know when a fool with deep pockets will show up to hand you free cash.'He was already planning how to spend it.'Hmm, I should see if I can use this to buy a decent sword. Using Mobius's scalpel for combat isn't a sustainable solution.'
If he used it too often and the blade dulled, he had a feeling the good doctor—Snake—would not be pleased. While the scalpel was an Epic-tier piece of equipment, it was ultimately a support item, not a dedicated weapon. His fight with Mei had taught him that all equipment possessed an invisible durability stat. Push it past its limit, and it would break. It was best to avoid using the scalpel for combat unless absolutely necessary.
"Mr. Suou, cooperating with us will bring you far more than this," Funahiki Mi pressed, his smile unwavering. "I don't mind being transparent with you. I have already established contact with an executive from Anti-Entropy. It won't be long before I can officially join their ranks."
He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice as if sharing a grand secret. "If you are willing to cooperate with me, I can guarantee there will be a place for you within Anti-Entropy in the future."
Funahiki Mi played his trump card. They were just empty promises for now, but the offer was undeniably attractive. Anti-Entropy was one of the two most powerful organizations on the planet. For a player to join them this early in the game was a ticket to a future of immense power and influence.
Just as he'd hoped, Rovel's footsteps halted. He turned, his gaze finally settling on Funahiki Mi. A flicker of contemplation crossed his face.
"What's the name of this executive you mentioned?" he asked, his tone carefully measured.
"Her Excellency Cocolia," Funahiki Mi blurted out, unable to contain his pride.
He watched Rovel's reaction with hawk-like intensity. He saw Rovel's eyes narrow in deliberation, a clear sign that he was tempted.
"I don't believe you," Rovel said, shaking his head after a moment. "Not unless you can arrange a meeting for me."
"I'm sorry, I'm afraid I cannot fulfill that request," Funahiki Mi replied, his smile tightening slightly. "Her Excellency Cocolia is currently at ME Corp headquarters. Even I cannot simply go and see her whenever I wish."
He quickly followed up, not wanting to lose the momentum. "But I have other ways to prove my connection… Mr. Suou, please, follow me." He extended a hand in an inviting gesture.
Rovel gave a slow, deliberate nod and followed the group. They led him away from the main streets to a discreet, unmarked warehouse. From there, they took an underground elevator, which required a keycard for access, descending deep beneath the city.
When the elevator doors hissed open, the surrounding lights flickered to life one by one, revealing a massive, cavernous space. Standing silently in the center of the room was a hulking, blue-armored mecha.
[Prototype Titan Mecha, Level 20]
Funahiki Mi strode forward and donned a heavy-looking control helmet. With a low hum, the prototype Titan powered on, its blue core flaring to life. The heavy machine whirred and clicked, its joints articulating as it began to move. It took several ground-shaking steps, coming to a halt about five paces from Rovel, its massive frame casting a long shadow over him. At nearly three times his height, its presence was undeniably imposing.
"This," Funahiki Mi declared, taking off the helmet, his small eyes gleaming with pride and arrogance, "is the welcoming gift Her Excellency Cocolia gave me. A Titan Mecha, produced by Anti-Entropy themselves. This is their primary combat unit!"
'Produced? More like a hand-me-down,' Rovel scoffed inwardly.
If his memory of the game's lore served him right, the standard Titan Armor, while a mainstay of Anti-Entropy's forces, wasn't particularly difficult to manufacture. A true, combat-ready Titan could hold its own against a Temple-class Honkai Beast.
This thing, however, was just a prototype. Judging by its level, it was probably only capable of dealing with low-level threats like Death Soldiers or Charger-class Honkai Beasts.
It was almost laughable how thoroughly Cocolia had duped this kid.
Of course, Rovel had no actual intention of cooperating with him. He was merely playing along to complete a hidden quest. He already knew that Cocolia was the mastermind behind Raiden Ryoma's imprisonment, but the quest required concrete evidence. To get that evidence, his best bet was to find a way inside ME Corp and do some snooping. And this gullible fool might just be his ticket in.
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