Chapter 151: Back to work
Leonard sat in the void, motionless. His body curled forward, his hands hanging between his knees, eyes staring blankly into the endless black that surrounded him. There was no ground beneath him, no sky above, only the suffocating emptiness of his own spirit. He did not move, he did not speak. Even breathing felt like a meaningless gesture.
Not far from him, two figures stood in silence, watching.
One was the Demon. It wore Leonard's own face, his own frame, his own every feature, except for its eyes. In them burned the cosmos itself, an endless scattering of stars swirling within dark pupils, a reflection of something ancient and unfathomable.
The other was the Fragment. A humanoid shape of pure, absolute black, as though carved from the void itself. Its form bled into the darkness, featureless, unreal, yet its eyes shone a stark, merciless white.
Both gazes rested upon Leonard, the broken boy. Neither spoke. Neither moved. The silence was heavier than any chain.
Leonard did not lift his head. He simply sat there, lost, his mind hollowed out by the echoes of torment.
The Demon turned his head toward the Fragment, his star-filled eyes narrowing slightly.
"Are you not going to intervene? He is your successor… your vessel."
The Fragment did not shift its gaze from Leonard. Its pale, merciless eyes pierced through the boy's hollow figure as it answered, its voice devoid of even the faintest trace of feeling.
"No. If he cannot endure such a pathetic attack, then he does not deserve the title of Administrator."
Without another word, the Fragment turned its back, its black silhouette dissolving into the endless void until nothing remained.
The Demon stood still, his expression unchanging, his cosmic eyes lingering on Leonard. There was no pity in his gaze, nor cruelty, only an impassive, calculating silence.
The Demon walked toward Leonard, his footsteps echoing faintly in the void. He sat down directly in front of him, mirroring his posture.
Leonard slowly raised his head, his eyes empty, lifeless.
The Demon met his gaze without flinching. "Are you done with this act? You look like a drama queen."
Leonard said nothing, simply staring back at him in silence.
The Demon tilted his head, his voice sharp and mocking. "What? You're depressed because you killed people?"
Finally, Leonard's lips parted. His voice was hoarse, trembling, yet hollow.
"I'm an assassin… I thought I was a protector of humanity, its savior… but in the end, I'm no different from those I despise. I'm just a murderer."
Silence hung between them, stretching across the void like a suffocating veil.
Then the Demon smirked faintly, though his tone remained as flat as the abyss itself.
"You're fucking right. You are a murderer, an assassin, a conspirator, and much more."
The words struck Leonard like an anvil, crushing what little strength was left in him.
The Demon leaned closer, his tone sharp and merciless.
"So what? You're going to cry because you killed humans?"
Leonard's eyes slowly lifted, a faint spark of defiance flickering for the first time.
"You're just a demon. You're the embodiment of sin. You can't understand."
The Demon chuckled, low and mocking, the sound reverberating through the endless void.
"Stop comparing me to those lesser creatures. You still haven't realized, I was never born of hell."
Leonard stared at him silently, the emptiness in his gaze clashing against the weight of the Demon's words.
Leonard finally spoke, his voice hoarse, fragile.
"…Then, what are you?"
The Demon smiled, a cold curve of his lips.
"Do you know how this universe was born? Or rather, how did the multiverse come into existence?"
Leonard gave no answer.
The Demon continued, his tone steady, almost like a teacher addressing a naive student.
"The Three Brothers were not born, they simply appeared. The first brother, entranced by the flame of creation, used it to forge the Tree of Knowledge. From that flame and its roots, all local branches and timelines of the multiverse sprouted. The first beings born from the Tree became what most of you now call Old Gods, or Supreme Divinities."
He leaned forward, his eyes like galaxies swirling in the dark void.
"But now I have a question for you… How do you think the Three Brothers themselves came into existence?"
The Demon tilted his head slightly, his gaze piercing.
"I won't say more, your fragile mind couldn't endure the conceptual weight. But listen carefully. From the same Void that birthed the Three Brothers, others were born. Brothers and sisters, shaped from Chaos, emerging upon the Tree of Knowledge. Quickly, they discovered their powers… and began experimenting. They crafted living beings, races, and civilizations."
His voice grew colder, his smile sharper.
"But soon, they discovered a far greater pleasure: to watch these creations suffer. To torment them. They played with their children of flesh and soul the way you mortals play with your fictional characters in video games. Isn't it amusing? The freedom to kill, to torture, to steal, to insult, without consequence, simply because it is a game?"
Leonard's lips trembled, but he remained silent.
The Demon leaned closer, his star-like eyes shimmering with cruel memory.
"Among them was the firstborn of the Void and Chaos. The strongest of all. His name was Ma'tol. Jealous of his siblings' creations, he forged malicious entities, armies of corruption, to wage war against them. Entire worlds burned, innocent realms annihilated in the crossfire of divine amusement."
The void around them seemed to pulse as the Demon's tone deepened.
"Yet one god refused to destroy life. He found joy in being worshiped, in seeing mortals serve him. His choice enraged the others. Ma'tol, eldest and proudest, rallied the siblings against him, against Xiolt-la."
The Demon's voice carried weight, like the echo of an ancient hymn.
"They waged war unending. Ma'tol's armies crumbled, abandoning him to swear allegiance to Xiolt-la. Until at last, Xiolt-la invoked Roh'i Xifalk, the Duel of the Gods. For ten thousand years they fought, until Xiolt-la finally struck the fatal blow."
The Demon's smile turned hollow, almost mournful.
"As Ma'tol's divine form was cast down into the Oblivion, he spent his last fragment of power sealing Xiolt-la away. To fall into the Oblivion… is death. Eternal, irredeemable, even for them. Thus, Ma'tol died."
Leonard finally broke the silence, his voice hoarse.
"…And what does that have to do with now?"
The Demon's eyes glimmered like distant galaxies. He leaned forward, his tone calm but cutting, each word slicing into Leonard's mind.
"Everything. Because you, Leonard, are no different from them. You kill. You manipulate. You sacrifice lives for a greater design. And you tell yourself it's for humanity's sake."
Leonard's fists clenched, his chest tightening.
The Demon tilted his head, expressionless.
"You think those gods were monsters because they played with their creations? Look at yourself. You believe you're humanity's shield, but how many have died under your command? How many more will die in the future?"
Leonard's breath grew shallow, trembling under the weight of the words.
The Demon continued, voice dropping into a low growl that echoed through the void.
"As leader of the SCP Foundation, you will never be perfect. You will lie. You will betray. You will order deaths you cannot count, and you will justify it as 'protection.' That is the burden you inherit. That is the truth you cannot escape."
He leaned closer, their faces inches apart, his star-lit eyes locking with Leonard's empty gaze.
"You are already like them. Whether you accept it or not."
Leonard asked, his voice low and trembling.
"What am I supposed to do then? Tell me."
The Demon answered, a cruel smirk tugging at his lips.
"Embrace your role. Fulfill your objectives. You fight every day against all kinds of things, against dangers that would tear this world apart. Do you think you can succeed by staying a saint? No. Concepts of good and evil, black and white, they're bullshit. There is only one color that defines you, that defines the Foundation itself.
Gray.
Neither good nor bad.
Just doing what must be done to achieve the goal. And you, Leonard… what is your goal? Your true one. Not that pathetic cliché of 'I want to save the world.' No. I want your real reason."
Leonard fell silent, lips moving with a whisper.
"…"
The Demon snarled, leaning closer.
"Louder. I can't hear you!"
Leonard lifted his head, voice breaking as he shouted.
"I want to protect my own! My family, my subordinates, my loved ones! I want to make sure they can live safely and in peace!"
The Demon frowned, unconvinced.
"Stop lying to yourself. I don't want some half-assed answer like that. Your mother brought you into this world so you could live for yourself. Do you really think she'd want a fool who'd throw himself to his death at the first chance? So tell me, Leonard, do you live for yourself, or do you live for others?"
Leonard's fists clenched, his nails digging into his palms until blood dripped down. His voice trembled, caught between anger and despair.
"I… I don't know!"
He shouted, his voice cracking as it tore through the void.
"I don't fucking know! Every time I try to live for myself, people die! Every time I try to protect others, I lose myself! So tell me, what the hell am I supposed to do?!"
His chest heaved as tears welled in his eyes, but he didn't look away from the Demon.
"I don't care if I'm a murderer. I don't care if I'm a monster. If I stop now, if I stop fighting, everyone I love will vanish. So maybe I do live for others. Maybe that's all I've ever had. But if that makes me weak, if that makes me pathetic, then so be it."
Leonard's voice dropped, his words almost a whisper.
"I just… don't want to be alone."
The Demon asked coldly, his eyes like starlight burning in the void.
"So, you really think you'll protect them by sitting here crying? You think hiding will save them?"
There was a long silence.
Then, finally, Leonard rose to his feet. His movements were unsteady, but his gaze had regained a spark of determination.
In a sudden, unexpected motion, he stepped forward and pulled the Demon into a hug.
The Demon froze, his body stiff, utterly caught off guard.
Leonard's voice was quiet, yet firm, trembling with sincerity.
"Thank you… for helping me, my brother."
He released him, stepped back, and in the next moment, his figure dissolved, returning to the real world.
The Demon remained motionless, stunned by the gesture.
From the void, the Fragment of the Administrator reappeared at his side, its white eyes glimmering as a faint smile crossed its dark, featureless face.
"Interesting. I did not expect you to show that side."
The sound shook the Demon from his trance. He scoffed, turning his head away.
"I only did it because he's my only source of entertainment."
The Fragment's smile widened.
"Of course. I believe you… Ma'tol."
The Demon's expression hardened. His voice was sharp, almost bitter.
"I am no longer Ma'tol. Only a shard. A fraction bought back from the Oblivion by the System."
The Fragment gave no answer, only a knowing smile, before vanishing once more into the endless dark.
The Demon was left alone. Slowly, he looked down at his arm, fingers brushing against the spot where Leonard had held him.
A faint whisper escaped his lips.
"Strange… what is this feeling?"
---
Leonard stirred on the edge of his bed, the darkness of his room pressing in. Slowly, he sat upright, muscles stiff, mind still echoing the remnants of the void he had just left.
He rose, silent, and moved to the bathroom. The shower roared alive under his hands, hot water cutting through the weight in his chest. Steam swallowed the mirror as he stood beneath the spray, letting the water strip him clean, not just of sweat and grime, but of lingering shadows of doubt and fear.
Once done, he dried himself with measured precision. His movements were deliberate, mechanical, shirt, tie, vest, jacket, pants, boots, each piece of clothing a layer of armor, a statement of control.
Then, a familiar darkness coalesced.
The Administrator's aura emerged, forming around him as a living shadow. It climbed over his body, thick and fluid, shaping him into a humanoid figure of absolute darkness. Two stark white eyes burned against the black, a white line marking his mouth. The room seemed to recoil slightly from the weight of his presence.
He stepped out of the room.
Two Resh-1 operators were stationed outside, standing rigidly in the hallway, while three site attendants with datapads froze mid-motion. All five blinked, surprise flickering in their eyes before they instinctively snapped to attention.
"Welcome back, Administrator," one said, voice careful, respectful.
Leonard's shadowed form loomed over them, unmoving, silent. His voice, low and precise, cut through the hallway like a blade:
"Convene the O5 Council. Immediately."
A few minutes later, Leonard sat in the darkened chamber, accompanied by Graves and Franz. The projector ahead cast the faces of all O5 Council members across the room.
Leonard began:
"Good evening, everyone. It's… good to see you all again. I apologize for abandoning you for a month."
O5-1 replied calmly:
"No need to worry, boss."
Leonard continued:
"Now, there are several matters we need to discuss. First, I received a brief summary regarding the conclusion of the SCP-2911-JP incident. You handled the aftermath well, and I thank you for that. Next, concerning Iblis—"
O5-3 interjected, startled:
"Boss, excuse me… did you say Iblis?"
Leonard's gaze shifted to the incident summary on the screen:
"SCP-2911-3."
O5-3's expression softened:
"Oh."
Leonard pressed on:
"Furthermore, I must say, I was surprised that in just one month of my absence, you have already taken control of the United States… and in such a manner."
A few O5s in the room exchanged amused glances, trying to hide their smiles, a little embarrassed.
Leonard's voice remained steady:
"In any case, it was to facilitate our global operations, so I commend you all for that."
Several O5s displayed momentary surprise before quickly returning to their neutral expressions.
Leonard leaned forward slightly, voice firm:
"Finally, we come to the main topic of this meeting."
Every eye in the chamber hardened.
Leonard said:
"SCP-001… The Black Moon."
Eyes widened, some O5s even rising from their seats.
Leonard continued:
"I confronted the Engineer and The Black Moon above the Empire State Building."
O5-6 exclaimed:
"That enormous energy surge… it came from there!!!"
Leonard's shadowed aura shifted slightly as he spoke:
"The Engineer has formed a contract with The Black Moon. The two are working together to destroy us. Therefore, we will hunt them down and eliminate them before they can act. You are all already aware of The Black Moon's power. If left unchecked, the entire universe could face extinction. Humanity and The Black Moon cannot coexist. It's either him… or us."
O5-10 spoke up:
"I propose the creation of an MTF specifically tasked with investigating and tracking all traces of The Black Moon."
The other O5s nodded in agreement.
All eyes turned to Leonard.
He said, voice calm but firm:
"Very well. I approve the formation of a new MTF, created solely to investigate and hunt SCP-001. Ensure that it is fully equipped. This MTF must have perfect logistical and military support. It will operate directly under the administration of my office."
O5-1 responded:
"Yes, boss. We will send you the complete list of candidates, the MTF organization, and all other details. Would you like to add anything specific for this MTF?"
Leonard thought for a moment and said:
"Include Dr. Clef and Dr. Bright. Their expertise will be necessary."
O5-1 nodded:
"Yes, boss."
Leonard asked:
"That's all I had to say. Does anyone have anything else to add?"
There was a moment of silence. Leonard then said:
"Very well. Meeting adjourned. I won't keep you any longer. Have a good day."
Graves cut the projector feed. Franz turned on the lights and smiled:
"Boss, it's good to have you back."
Graves added:
"Same here, boss."
Leonard smiled faintly:
"Let's go grab something to eat. You two can catch me up on everything I've missed here."
---
A few hours later, Leonard sat at his desk. His head pounded after everything Graves and Franz had told him. He leaned back, rubbing his temples, and let out a long sigh.
Suddenly, a glowing blue notification flickered into existence before his eyes:
[Ding! You have multiple unclaimed rewards! Would you like to claim them?]
Leonard muttered, "Yes."
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for surviving SCP-001 'The Black Moon.']
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for resolving the SCP-2911-JP incident.]
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for containing SCP-…]
[Ding! Congratulations…]
[Ding!…]
One after another, countless notifications exploded into his vision in rapid succession.
"Whoa, whoa, stop! My head's going to explode!" Leonard shouted, clutching his skull.
Instantly, the flood of messages halted. Another crisp notification appeared:
[Ding! Due to the large number of unclaimed rewards, the System will compile everything into a single summary. Would the Host like to open all accumulated packs together?]
Leonard exhaled and said, "Yes."
[Ding! Please wait, Host. Your rewards are currently being consolidated.]
Ding! Your rewards have all been consolidated! Congratulations to the host for receiving:
Records, Archival, and Information Security Administration (RAISA)
Protected Site-7
PANOPTICON global surveillance system & Atreus Array
Special Technology Applications Group (RAISA)
The Artificial Intelligence Applications Division (AIAD)
Department of Informational Technologies
Site-15
AIC units are now available in the shop
The Telecommunications Monitoring Office
Site-14
Decommissioning Department
Logistics and Transportation Department
Department of Procurement and Liquidation
Site-106
Department of Tactical Theology
MTF Eta-77 "Spheres Within Spheres"
MTF Kairos-1 "Sola Fide"
Reliquary Area-27
Religious units are now available in the shop
The items "Holy Water" and "Sacred Sanctuary" are now available in the shop
Department of Disinformation
Site-18
Site-50 (Site-8150)
Research and Reliquary Dimensional Containment Site-120
Site-300
Department of Applied Thaumaturgy
Site-333
Lunar Area-32
SCP-120
Site-246
MTF Delta-3 "Solomon's Hand"
Site-201
MTF Upsilon-20 "Hogtown Garrison"
MTF Beta-4 "Castaways"
MTF Gamma-4 "Blondebeard's Crew"
MTF Gamma-5 "Red Herrings"
MTF Delta-14 "Winter Wonderland"
MTF Delta-45 "Rolling Thunder"
MTF Epsilon-9 "Fire Eaters"
MTF Zeta-9 "Mole Rats"
MTF Iota-10 "Damn Feds"
MTF Kappa-10 "Skynet"
MTF Omega-0 "Ará Orún"
MTF Sigma-9 "Valkyries"
MTF Sigma-5 "'; DROP TABLE taskforces —"
DTF Sigma-6 "Puddlejumpers"
Dr. Django Bridge
Dr. Kain "Pathos" Crow
Dr. Charles Gears "One of the Four Doctors of the Apocalypse"
Dr. Simon Glass
Dr. Sophia Light
Agent Dmitri Arkadeyevich "Waxx" Strelnikov
Dr. "Iceberg"
Dr. Benjamin Kondraki
1 500 000 Golds
Léonard jumped from his chair and shouted: "Woah woah woah, what the heck?!!"
Leonard's eyes widened, unsure of what to say. Finally, he grabbed his phone and dialed Franz's number.
"Boss?" Franz answered immediately.
Leonard said, "I just received an overwhelming number of new troops and Sites. I'll leave it to you to coordinate with the O5s and get everything in order."
Franz replied, "Understood, Boss. Also, O5-1 just sent me the organizational chart of the new MTF. There are still a few details left to finalize, but the main structure is done. She just sent it to you by email."
Leonard turned on his computer and logged into the SCPiNET mailbox.
From: [email protected]
Subject: Organization of MTF Nu-1 "Wolf Hunters"
Commander: Vacant
Vice-Commander: Red Eagle (Alpha-1)
Strike Team:
Leader: Dr. Alto Clef (Decommissioning Department)
Research Team:
Leader: Dr. Jack Bright (Director of Personnel)
Auxiliary Combat Team 1:
Leader: John "Reaper" Adams (Omega-1)
Auxiliary Combat Team 2:
Leader: Michael "Warhammer" White (Nu-7)
Auxiliary Combat Team 3:
Leader: Aidan O'Rourke (Site-19 Security Teams)
Support Team:
Leader: Dr. Ciam Smith
Capability: Full mobilization of any terrestrial, aerial, and naval forces to support their operations. Use of anomalous objects will be left at the discretion of OoTA.Leonard studied the rest of the document, satisfied, then immediately called Graves. Within a minute, Graves entered the office and asked, "Boss?"
Leonard turned his screen and pointed at the vacant spot.
"I want one of our Resh-1 men as Commander."
Graves nodded. "Yes, Boss. I'll take care of it right away." He jogged out of the office, already calling several Resh-1 operators over the radio.
Ten minutes later, Graves returned, accompanied by a Resh-1 operator. Both saluted.
Graves spoke first. "Boss, I've brought the candidate."
The operator stepped forward and saluted. "I'm Pyro, Sergeant and team leader of the second squad of Group Three. I'm a psionist with clairvoyance, telekinesis, communicative and control telepathy, as well as pyrokinesis. My specialties are tracking, investigation, interrogation, torture, and reconnaissance."
Leonard smiled. "Very good, Sergeant. You'll accompany me tomorrow to Site-19, where I'll introduce you to your new team. You'll also be in direct contact with me and will have clearance to request the use of OoTA and Resh-1 resources."
"Yes, Boss!!!" Pyro's eyes were practically burning with flames, filled with determination.
Leonard chuckled lightly. "Go prepare your things. Tomorrow at 10 a.m., we depart. You're dismissed."
Pyro saluted sharply and left the office, his steps almost bouncing with excitement.
Leonard turned to Graves with a faint smile. "It's rare to see a Resh-1 operator this excited."
Graves laughed. "True. But I understand him, he's heading out on a solo mission, directly assigned by you."
Leonard let out a low chuckle. "Haha… Sometimes I swear, Resh-1 feel like little kids to me."
He turned toward the tall window behind him, the glass revealing a sweeping view of the immense garden outside, bathed in the quiet glow of the evening.