"Train him well!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
...
Watching Kinshasa leave with Hak Foo, Selene turned to Liver and asked, "By the way, how did you deal with those three idiots?"
"...Idiots?" The sudden question caught Liver completely off guard. But within moments, three familiar faces popped into his mind—Chow, Ratso, and Hak Foo's old companion Finn.
Recalling the troublesome trio's misadventures, Liver immediately understood. "I've already arranged it. As per your orders, I relocated them to the least-damaged area."
That's right—orders. After his battle with Jackie, Liver had been assigned by Selene to guard the embryonic Honkai Beast core. It was during that time that he encountered the four former Dark Hand members who had temporarily joined Tarakudo's service.
Since Selene had already descended upon the Jackie Chan Adventures world at that point, Liver had relaxed somewhat, no longer striking to kill in every encounter. During one of these skirmishes, he discovered that among all his opponents, Hak Foo was the one with the most combat experience—the one who truly embodied the essence of a warrior.
Since Jackie hadn't successfully "recruited" him, Selene settled for the next best thing—a substitute. Though Hak Foo's physical prowess couldn't compare to Jackie's (especially when the latter donned the Divine Armor), his martial skills were on par, perhaps even superior in certain aspects.
Thus, through a mix of intimidation and temptation—and by exploiting Hak Foo's lust for battle and strength—Liver successfully recruited him. As for the other three, they were 'released.'
Because Liver mistakenly assumed Hak Foo had a close relationship with those three fools, he had instructed the Honkai Beasts to spare them, treating them as allies and granting them privileged status.
Hak Foo hadn't bothered to correct him, and so he eventually met Selene under those pretenses. Thus, the man who had changed masters four times—(1) Valmont, (2) Shendu, (3) Daolon Wong, (4) Tarakudo—finally welcomed his fifth master.
"I see... Forget about those three from now on. Let them fend for themselves," Selene said as she sat back in her luxurious office chair, lifting the teacup Sebas had prepared for her.
"Understood," Liver replied. Seeing that she had no further orders, he prepared to take his leave.
"Liver, this mission must have been hard on you. Tell me—what reward do you desire?" Selene asked suddenly after taking a sip of tea.
"Milady, you flatter me. It was merely my duty..." Liver began, instinctively about to refuse.
"Ah, don't rush to refuse. You know my temperament well—merit must be rewarded."
Thud!
As she spoke, Selene tapped her finger—clad in a silver-white gauntlet—on the desk.
In the next instant, eight dark shadows materialized before her: the blade-armed Razor Khan; the bat-winged Bat Khan; the colossal, musclebound Sumo Khan; the armored Samurai Khan... and others.
"I trust that after commanding the Shadow Legions, you haven't forgotten their power. Choose one. Consider it a reward for your loyalty," Selene said calmly.
Since Selene had spoken to such an extent, refusal would now be nothing short of disrespectful.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Liver focused his gaze on one of the towering black figures—a hulking soldier with an auger-shaped left arm and a pincer-like right claw.
"Milady, this humble servant chooses the Crab Khan."
"Hmm. A fine choice. Crab Khan soldiers are exceptional in close-quarters combat—their strength and agility are both remarkable..."
With a wave of her hand, Selene sent forth a black sphere of energy—the control authority of the Crab Khan Legion—into Liver's body.
"That will do. Liver, you may go. Take time to familiarize yourself with your new power... I'm feeling a bit tired," Selene said as she rose from her seat and began walking toward her palace chambers.
Trembling slightly, overcome with emotion, Liver dropped to one knee and declared reverently, "As you command!"
As Selene and Sebas walked down the marble corridor, she spoke casually, "Sebas, remember—focus on accelerating industrial development. Strengthen the security of Dr. Stylish's research workshop. One week from now, Liver and I will return to the Imperial Capital. Dr. Stylish is a rare talent—I'm leaving him to you."
After speaking, Selene rubbed her forehead wearily and waved a hand at Sebas. "Alright, Sebas, go take care of your duties. I'm going to catch up on some sleep."
"As you wish."
...
Time flew by. Three years passed.
Imperial Calendar, Year 1022.
Imperial Capital — The Royal Palace.
"Report!"
In the opulent, gold-decorated grand hall, a white-haired, overweight middle-aged man sat lounging lazily. One greasy hand held a chunk of roasted meat as he chewed noisily, while the other propped up his chin as he watched the dancers below sway and spin in half-revealing motions.
Just then, an official who had earned his position through allegiance to Honest hurriedly pushed open the doors, clutching a sealed document folder as he rushed inside.
The sharp creak of the doors instantly shattered the pleasant rhythm of the music, drawing a frown from the Minister who ruled all matters of the Empire.
"What is it?" Honest asked with irritation.
"Report, Minister Honest! The Western Defense Army requests reinforcements—the Western Kingdom has mobilized its forces and begun an assault at the border!" The official bent respectfully, offering up the dispatch with both hands.
Honest's expression darkened as he skimmed through the letter. The music still played, and the dancers still moved, but his mood soured with each passing second. The cold gleam in his black eyes made even the attendants nearby tremble with fear.
"What about Great General Budo and General Selene? How have they responded?" Honest demanded.
"...Great General Budo made no comment, only stating that the Imperial Guard is responsible solely for protecting His Majesty. As for General Selene... she refused outright, citing that she is currently on leave..." The official swallowed nervously before adding, "She said Minister Honest may decide as he pleases."
Crack!
The wine glass in Honest's hand shattered into pieces.
The next instant, his furious roar drowned out the music entirely. "Damn it! Those two arrogant bastards—always looking down their noses at me! How dare they treat me like some subordinate!"
Decide as he pleased? Honest would have liked nothing more than to do just that. But the Empire's most elite forces—the Imperial Guard—were firmly under the control of Budo and Selene. He couldn't command them at all!
In Honest's eyes, Budo and Selene's refusal was nothing more than a ploy to force him into depleting the troops that belonged to his own faction.
Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Honest continued, "How goes Esdeath and Najenda's campaign to suppress the rebels?"
"Although the southwestern tribes have risen in revolt again, their population was already decimated by General Selene's previous purges. They no longer pose any real threat. Generals Esdeath and Najenda have successfully pacified most of the region and are now marching toward the southern provinces to quash the remaining uprisings."
"Good. Send orders to Esdeath—have her redirect to the western border to deal with the Western Kingdom's invasion. Najenda's mission remains unchanged. She is to continue suppressing the southern rebels."
"Yes, Minister!" The official saluted.
"Well, what are you all standing around for?! Resume the music! Keep dancing!" Honest barked, glaring at the frozen performers.
Suddenly—twang!
A string snapped from one of the instruments, the sharp note cutting through the hall like a blade. The musician froze, his face pale with dread.
"Guards!" Honest's expression twisted into something monstrous. "Throw that filthy commoner into prison!"
"N-no! Please, Minister Honest! Have mercy! I beg you!" The musician cried as he was seized by the guards, struggling desperately.
Seeing the two guards hesitate, Honest's tone turned icy. "What's wrong? Can't even handle a single peasant? What use do I have for you, then?"
"No, sir! We'll take care of it right away!"
As the three men were quickly dragged away, Honest sneered and reached for another chunk of greasy meat from the platter beside him.
How dare some wretch spoil his mood!
Chewing viciously, Honest thought darkly to himself: Budo, Selene... we'll see who laughs last.