"Any other questions?" Firewing propped her chin on her hand, watching Brandon with a knowing look.
Even though they'd only just met, she could already tell—whenever Brandon put on that thoughtful face, he was about to ask something pointed.
"Has the government already discovered the existence of mutated creatures besides humans?" Brandon asked.
"Of course. I mean, given the sheer numbers, how could we not?" Firewing shrugged, as if it were obvious.
"When you say 'numbers,' you mean lumping together every species on Earth that isn't human, right?" Brandon replied, slightly exasperated.
"What else? You always have to plan for the worst-case scenario, don't you?"
"There's no telling whether these creatures will be friendly toward humans—or if peaceful coexistence is even possible."
"It's better to expect the worst. That way, no matter how bad things get, you'll never be surprised."
Firewing didn't seem especially bothered by the topic. She wasn't a politician—she just followed orders. Like she'd said, the whole point of the Spiritual Bureau was to handle mutated creatures that could threaten humanity.
If they endangered human lives, the only outcome was death. No exceptions.
She wasn't about to start talking about equality for all beings. She didn't even care that much about people outside Vantora—much less about mutated animals that threatened humans.
"Got it." Brandon nodded, then asked another question.
"How many people are in the Bureau so far?"
"With you and me, that makes five."
"We have an ice-element user who accidentally froze her entire house during her awakening—luckily, her parents weren't home. Otherwise…"
Firewing trailed off, but Brandon got the message.
"There's also a beast-type user, probably some kind of tiger mutation—crazy strength, speed, agility, and a real knack for combat. Pretty solid all around."
"And finally, we have a healer. She can only heal external injuries for now, but regular knife wounds are patched up in five seconds flat. It just burns through her energy, so she can't use it much yet. But that'll improve as she gets stronger."
"Ice-type's name is Yue Frost, beast-type is Carl Stone, and the healer's named Hazel Yates. Don't get them mixed up."
Firewing's intro was quick—just names and power types, but it was enough for a rough picture.
A classic little team: ice mage, brawler, and healer-support. Neat and tidy.
But honestly, none of this was especially tempting for Brandon.
A villa? If he really wanted one, he had the means.
Private training grounds? Tempting, but he could build his own if he felt like it.
Bottom line: he wasn't hurting for money.
As for teamwork—he was strong enough not to need backup. Resource-wise, with how fast he was growing, most "rare" materials would be pointless; and the really valuable stuff? There was no guarantee the Bureau would give those out to him.
Plus, if he really needed something, he could find it himself.
With his [Authority of Nature], anything on Earth he truly sought, he could eventually locate.
He was just about to turn her down when Firewing interrupted his train of thought.
"Oh, almost forgot—if you join the Bureau, you don't have to go to school for the next few days. Just focus on your powers. Who knows what kind of enemies the future might bring? Better be safe than sorry."
"If you ever feel like going back to school, pick any university you like—we'll pull some strings and get you in. Just for fun, if you want."
"…Wait, really?"
Now that got his attention.
His grades were good enough that school was easy, and he could chat in the group while zoning out in class, but—this was the era of spiritual awakening. No textbook could compare with the excitement of mastering his powers.
And hey, it wasn't quitting school for good—he could go back whenever he wanted.
"Damn," Firewing muttered, seeing his sudden interest.
"So after all that, skipping school is what finally gets you on board?"
Unbelievable!
If she'd known, she could've just led with that and saved herself a speech.
"I'll join the Bureau, on one condition," Brandon replied smoothly. "I'm fine with fighting monsters or saving civilians, but I want nothing to do with politics."
"And if a mission feels wrong to me, I can refuse."
In every world, every country, at every level, humans weren't truly united.
Once things got complicated enough, there'd always be voices pulling in different directions. Brandon had no interest in getting involved with that stuff.
Even if the contract was just a normal piece of paper, not a soul-bound artifact, some things had to be clear from the start.
"…"
"You've really got nerve, you know that?" Firewing rolled her eyes.
The others—Carl, Yue, Hazel—had agreed instantly. Negotiating? They'd never even think of it.
Only this guy. If it wasn't for the "no more school" perk, she had the feeling he'd have said no.
Where did he get that confidence?
Sure, talent was nice, but could one person's training really outdo a nation's resources?
No matter how strong someone's potential was, nobody could compete with the backing of a whole country… right?
"Fine! If you say so, Lord Brandon, your wish is my command!"
"But all of this depends on how powerful your ability really is."
"If your awakened power isn't strong enough to make the higher-ups take notice, you can forget about making demands. But if your ability is truly on another level—even better than mine—then the contract is just a piece of paper."
"As long as you're not threatening the country or endangering civilians, do whatever you want."
She was actually looking forward to seeing just how overpowered his powers really were.
"Metal? Lightning? Or can you control all the elements?"
"If you can master every element, and each one is as strong as that lightning trick you showed before, maybe you have a shot."
Lounging back on the sofa, Firewing crossed her legs and grinned.
"All right—show me."
Brandon didn't mind. If you wanted respect, you had to prove you deserved it.
"Fair enough. This way, you'll get a clearer picture of what I can really do."
He snapped his fingers.
Nothing happened.
Firewing frowned, ready to make a sarcastic remark—when suddenly, she realized something was very, very wrong.
She couldn't breathe.
(End of Chapter)
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