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"Your mission this time is to secure that mystical Loom of Fate, along with the assassin syndicate's miraculous healing serum..."
Chief O said, pulling out a recent hit list from the Fraternity.
"We've looked into this list. Most of the people on it don't deserve to die."
It was obvious. For a Fraternity that constantly preached about "delivering divine justice," either their prophet-like Loom was malfunctioning, or they had a traitor in their ranks.
In short, the Fraternity had become a weapon for someone's personal agenda.
Of course, none of that was Mike's problem. His mission was simply to stop them from doing any more harm.
And while he was at it, he needed to retrieve that mystical Loom and the Fraternity's healing serum.
According to the files, the serum didn't just heal surface wounds; it could literally mend broken bones overnight.
"Since this is your first mission, there's no time limit. Take all the time you need to prepare before making your move..."
After Mike finished looking over the files, Chief O thoughtfully added,
"Of course, if you feel like you need backup, you can always call in other agents for support before you strike."
Within the MIB, the division of labor between regular agents and Division X candidates wasn't always strictly defined.
After all, before Division X was formed, the regular agents were the ones handling supernatural incidents.
"Don't worry, I know my limits~"
Sensing Chief O's good intentions, Mike replied with a smile.
It wasn't that the MIB lacked the firepower to wipe out the Fraternity themselves. They were specifically handing Mike this relatively "easy" mission as a training exercise to help him get his feet wet.
After accepting the mission, Chief O had someone escort Mike to the lounge to wait for his new teammate, Needy.
Meanwhile, James Edwards had also officially joined the MIB. Now wearing the iconic black suit, he had been given his new codename: Agent J.
True to form, the guy couldn't keep his mouth shut. He was currently in the lounge, trying to bond with his new partner, Agent K.
"K, you know the difference between you and me?"
Agent J joked.
"We're wearing the exact same vintage suit, but I make it look way cooler... cooler..."
Then, his voice trailed off as he spotted Mike, who was somehow making the exact same conservative suit look like it belonged on a movie star. Agent J instantly felt his ego deflate.
"Hey, Sports Boy... or I guess I should call you Agent M now."
Agent J quickly recovered and walked over.
"Where's your partner? I don't see them."
"I'm in the special Division X, so they didn't assign me a partner. They did, however, set me up with a teammate for my squad..."
Mike replied modestly.
From the selection process to onboarding, the two of them had definitely crossed paths a lot. And despite being a bit of a chatterbox, Mike actually liked Agent J.
"Whoa, whoa, don't be shy~"
Assuming Mike didn't have a veteran agent to show him the ropes, Agent J let out an exaggerated sound and proudly introduced his partner.
"This is my partner, Agent K. Don't let his age fool you—word is he's a real badass. He's stopped alien riots and saved the world multiple times..."
"In fact, we're about to go investigate this recent alien immigration issue."
Since they were all part of the MIB, agents often helped each other out, so there was no real need for secrecy between them.
The "immigration issue" Agent J mentioned was about the recent mass exodus of aliens living on Earth. It seemed they sensed an impending danger and were fleeing the planet in droves.
This highly unusual behavior had definitely caught the MIB's attention.
Out of respect, Mike greeted the stern-faced Agent K. The veteran agent was undeniably highly capable and part of the MIB's elite.
At the same time, Agent K was sizing up the young man in front of him. Being a candidate for Division X meant, at the very least, that the kid could hold his own.
After forcing a stiff smile to be polite, Agent K deadpanned and turned his attention back to his new partner.
Compared to Mike, Agent J—who was currently feeling inexplicably smug—fit the definition of a rookie perfectly.
Just as Agent J was in the middle of his bragging, Agent Z walked over, bringing Needy along. She was now dressed in a standard black suit.
"Alright, my ride's here. I should get going and prep for my mission."
Mike waved at Agent J.
"Catch you later~"
Watching Mike and Needy walk away, Agent J did something rare: he shut his mouth and fell completely silent.
"What's wrong with you?"
Seeing his new partner suddenly deflate, Agent K wasn't quite used to the quiet.
"This is total bullshit. How come Sports Boy gets a smoking hot chick as a partner, and I'm stuck working with a senior citizen..."
Agent J grumbled, sounding intensely bitter.
Even though Needy had an incredibly "icy" vibe, there was no denying that with her perfect figure and delicate features, she was drop-dead gorgeous.
In fact, her whole dark, goth aesthetic gave her a uniquely captivating charm.
"Senior citizen?"
Hearing his partner's complaint, even someone as stoic as Agent K couldn't help but twitch his lips.
He was already starting to regret showing any "concern" for the rookie.
Meanwhile, after leaving MIB headquarters, Mike drove out to the deserted outskirts beyond Sixth Avenue and parked his red Ferrari.
Right behind him, Needy, who was driving the MIB-issued Supercar, was forced to pull over as well.
She was still way too dangerous to be around Paige and the others, so before bringing her back to the mansion, Mike needed to test the waters with her.
Because of Needy's unique situation, Chief O had specifically asked Mike to keep a close eye on her before they left.
Chief O had also made it clear that if Needy ever showed signs of becoming a threat during their partnership, Mike had full authorization to "return" her immediately.
Gripping the red trigger remote, Mike stepped out of his car and saw Needy sitting perfectly still in the Supercar, staring straight ahead without any intention of getting out.
Surprisingly, ever since leaving headquarters, her behavior had been incredibly "tame."
That wasn't going to work...
Mike walked up to the vintage black Ford, tapped on the window, and bluntly admitted,
"You guessed right. I'm the one who orchestrated your bestie Jennifer's death..."
"So, what are you gonna do? Avenge her?"
Mike was absolutely certain that when he pushed Jennifer into the abyss at the demon altar in Minnesota, no one else was around.
So, Needy's intense hatred for him was mostly based on a gut feeling.
Now, by laying the truth out in the open, Mike was essentially handing her an excuse to attack him.
Sure enough, the moment she heard the truth, Needy showed signs of turning feral, a sinister red glint flashing in her eyes.
That's it. Come on, make your move~
Sensing the girl's pure malice, Mike tightened his grip on the remote, a faint smirk playing on his lips.
In that moment, Mike looked more like a devil tempting a mortal to sin.
But it seemed he had underestimated the girl's self-control.
One second, Needy was completely tensed up, ready to strike. The next, after glaring daggers at Mike, she abruptly turned her head away and stared blankly through the windshield.
It was as if nothing had even happened.
"Tch~"
Seeing his bait rejected, Mike shook his head in disappointment and warned her,
"You can tag along, but you better behave. If I catch you stepping out of line, I won't hesitate to send you straight to your best friend."
Ignoring her reaction, Mike turned and walked back to his Ferrari.
Once he was out of sight, Needy sat in the vintage Ford and caught a glimpse of her reflection in the rearview mirror. A look of pure disgust immediately washed over her face.
In reality, two years ago at their high school in Minnesota, Needy had been the first one to develop a crush on Mike.
But because she was too shy to make a move, her best friend Jennifer had swooped in and stolen her thunder.
If things had played out normally, it probably would have turned into some melodramatic, cheesy teenage love triangle. But then the whole demonic sacrifice happened, changing everything.
...
Now, gradually losing her human emotions, Needy didn't even know how she felt about Mike anymore.
He had killed her best friend, so naturally, she should hate him...
But seeing the guy she used to be head over heels for standing right in front of her again sparked a very strange, complicated feeling...
Was it attraction? Was it hatred? Maybe it was a little bit of both!