Parked nearby the abandoned warehouse was a convoy of sable-tinted vans and SUVs. Each of these vehicles belonged to the biohazard department of SIGIL, tasked with cleansing the world of the tainted touch of cryptids and Aberrants.
Biohazard personnel clad in hazmat suits entered the decrepit concrete structure, transporting decontamination equipment inside. Their arrival wasn't particularly concealed as the inhabitants of the slums watched from a distance.
The supervisor of the biohazard team walked with a tempered pace, observing the somewhat devastated interior of the abandoned warehouse. In the middle of the ruins were the Jaegers of SIGIL.
"Scorched marks, an immense cavity, and damaged structures. All to handle a lone dhampir." He muttered under his breath, meeting the gaze of the rookies before him. "Makes me wonder..."
"What would happen if it were a group of dhampirs. Perhaps, the warehouse would have collapsed by now." For rookies of the best Blocks in SIGIL, they were no less than a disappointment.
Nonetheless, it was his job to handle the mess left behind by confrontations with adversaries. There's not much he could complain about. At least, they didn't collapse the structure.
Otherwise, the situation would have been a bit too troublesome even for him. The dhampirs were one of the weakest, along with the ghouls. Elite units were supposed to ensure that opponents were eliminated before escalation.
"I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. After all, you're rookies." He sighed to himself and waved at them while heading towards the area crowded with scorch marks and rubble. "Return to the headquarters."
"The mission is a success. Let the biohazard department handle the mess." As such words escaped his mouth, several biohazard personnel passed through the two Jaegers. They bowed lightly as they proceeded in their cleansing duties.
Damien shook his head while his lips curved into a subtle smile. He glanced towards his collaborative partner and remarked. "Don't take it to heart. They're paid to take care of our messes."
"Of course, he's not wrong about how it could have gone better." Their battle was a testament to their inexperience against the cryptids. If he had grabbed the dhampir during his first mission, he could have crushed the bastard.
'There were many things I could have done instead of only crushing the cryptid. Eclipse isn't some bulldozer. It's a giant hand.' Adjusting his fedora, he straightened his black suit and gave his farewell.
"It was nice to work with you, Jason. I hope we can collaborate on a mission again." His body gradually shifted like a silhouette in the air, steadily disappearing. He had released Psychic Operation and vanished.
Jason was left behind near the entrance of the abandoned warehouse while the biohazard personnel cleansed the scene with chemicals and flames. That's right. The hazmat unit torched the splattered blood of the dhampir.
"I'd rather not work with you again." He murmured to himself since he'd rather avoid the troubles that came with the identity of his collaborative partner. "Until I become strong enough within the SIGIL."
There was no one above the law in his eyes. Not even the strongest of humanity. But strength mattered if he wanted to enforce his beliefs and not be swallowed by the views of others.
He needed to become stronger.
As he walked towards the exit of the decrepit warehouse, the edges of his lips discreetly rose. "I look forward to the future, Damien."
The aftermath of the collaborative mission was swiftly handled by SIGIL. Law enforcement swiftly took down the human trafficking ring, arresting the criminal leaders of the operation.
Following the death of the dhampir backer, the criminal ring became no less different than a headless chicken. There wasn't much left for them to do. After all, they stood no chance against the Federal Government.
In the vibrant and crowded cafe somewhere near Williamsburg, Damien and Francine lounged together in the shaded outdoor area, sipping their respective coffee amidst the calming daylight.
Silence filled their wooden table, but it was soothing to the mind. The gorgeous secretary of Block 7 was busy reading through reports while he dealt with notifications that had recently bombarded his mind.
He maintained a calm facade, pretending to read through a newspaper while actually studying the newly emerged notifications. It was troublesome, to say the least.
'I didn't think that taking care of that dhampir would cause such a thing...'
| Congratulations, you have eliminated a dhampir! |
| You have brought about the existential terror of death. Update feature unlocked! |
| Updating Monster Gacha System Mainframe... |
| Update Complete! |
The notifications before the update alert were astounding. Killing practically augmented the system, updating it and unlocking more features along the way. It made him wonder one thing.
'Does it also require me to kill?' Damien previously thought that the Monster Gacha System merely required the terror of others. But reflecting upon that thought process. It didn't make sense.
'It didn't give me any information about how my monsters could grow. The only information it granted was its ability to summon monsters...' In simpler terms, there should be a way to level up his monsters.
Since rankings existed, the growth of his monsters shouldn't be impeded. Unless, of course, it was by design. Perhaps the only way to get better monsters was through Gacha.
'Let's investigate once I return to my private quarters.' He nodded to himself and decided to throw the problem to the later Damien. It wouldn't be the first time he did so.
'I want to enjoy my time with Francine.' He sipped his coffee and began reading the newspaper, inhaling the calming breeze and the sweet aroma of caffeine.
---
A couple of hours later...
Jason stood in the middle of a stone platform with a tinge of boredom. Before him were the senior officers of Block 6; the sentinels of Brooklyn and the SIGIL Headquarters.
He didn't expect that once his collaborative mission concluded. He would be sent into the main branch for questioning by the senior officers. However, it slightly irked him that they were probably interested in his partner.
"Cadet Jason, report all the details regarding the collaborative mission with the third member of Block 7." One of the senior officers finally spoke, directing all the attention towards the young man.
Not wanting to waste his time, Jason expounded every minute detail about the mission. From his meeting with Damien to their journey through Brooklyn, ending with their battle against the dhampir in the abandoned warehouse.
The senior officers were probably aware of it, merely wanting Jason's own biased opinion about his collaborative partner. Although there's not much he could be biased about.
Even though he disliked Aberrants with the depths of his heart, Damien wasn't a bad guy. Other than his unusually high aether resembling an Aberrant, he wasn't that different from an ordinary young man.
In any case, after hearing his detailed recollection, the senior officers discussed and voiced their opinions. Some agreed, some disagreed. Nevertheless, Jason wasn't particularly pleased to be in the middle of Block politics.
Fortunately, one of the senior officers noticed his presence and dismissed him. "Thank you for the report, Cadet Damien. You have a bright future ahead of you. Return to your quarters."
And so, Jason's first meeting with the higher echelons of Block 6 ended with him stepping out of the doors as they chattered from behind.