"It's me~"
Ronnel nodded.
"Have I told you more than Beyond has?"
Of course I've said more. And not only that—we even have opinions about the rules Beyond set for you~ ah~
The same thought flashed through everyone's mind.
Among them, the disheveled man slouched in front of the computer, one eye covered by his bangs, had already recognized Ronnel the moment he walked in.
He quickly pulled up a classified file, compared it with the photo on his screen, and felt even more certain.
He immediately sent Ronnel's profile to everyone else's phones.
Ronnel didn't mind. In fact, he welcomed it—it saved him the trouble of talking.
Sure enough, the others casually pulled out their phones, pretending it was nothing, and after reading the contents, a flicker of dread appeared in their eyes.
Everyone except the little puppet-like girl remained still.
"I knew everything the moment I heard your name," she said slowly, her tone almost robotic.
"Youngest-ever Battle Olympia champion... three-star Ruins Hunter... the one who defeated Jed—the criminal who imprisoned Chairman Netero in Heavens Arena. Suspected to be among the strongest in all six continents..."
She spoke as she rose from her seat, standing upright with eerie grace.
Ronnel had been commended by the V5 for his role in subduing the Chimera Ant rebellion. That recognition earned him a promotion from two-star to three-star Hunter.
"You're incredibly powerful. Honestly... even if I faced you myself, I estimate my chances of winning to be under 10%."
"However, the fact that Beyond granted you the privilege to answer only to him—that, I do take issue with..."
Her words hung heavy in the air.
The waiter and chef subtly set down their trays, freeing their hands.
The watermelon-haired man and the guy in the fish-patterned apron abandoned their chess game. Even the two quiet women tensed.
Everyone was bracing for what might come.
Only Ging and Pariston remained unfazed, still bickering in their usual way.
"That privilege..." the little puppet girl continued, "Honestly, I don't really mind."
…?
Everyone blinked in confusion.
Wait, what?
They all stared at her, stunned. But she just kept talking, as if none of them mattered.
"It's only natural for the strong to have privileges. Your strength surpasses Beyond's... I have no issue with you receiving benefits that match your capabilities."
The more she talked, the more confused everyone else looked.
Ronnel, though, remained unchanged. He'd seen this act before in his past life.
First, give you a shiny crown. Then? Try to rein you in with it.
But~
Just as expected, after acknowledging his strength, the puppet girl's tone shifted.
"That clause—'if you're dissatisfied with the plan, you can withdraw at any time'—that's what I can't accept."
She sounded serious now.
"Everyone here has an interest in the Dark Continent. We..."
"I've never considered myself one of you," Ronnel interrupted, his voice calm.
"Nor do I see any of you as companions~"
"You need to understand. Strictly speaking, my relationship with Beyond is the same as Kakin's relationship with him. We're collaborators."
"There's no hierarchy here. He gives me solid plans and logistics for the Dark Continent. I help him achieve his goals. That's it."
"If our cooperation goes smoothly, great—we work together. If not..."
Ronnel smiled faintly. "Then we go our separate ways."
"You think you can just walk away from a nation!?" the apron-clad fisherman suddenly yelled, slamming his hand on the table.
"Pretty much~"
Ronnel thought for a moment and answered truthfully.
With his current strength—and the tools and weapons at his disposal—wiping out a nation wouldn't be hard.
...
"You arrogant bastard..."
The fisherman's face contorted. He stood up sharply.
"You think you can just—!"
His words caught in his throat.
His body trembled. His pupils shrank. Sweat poured down his face.
"What the hell…?!"
He felt it—a monstrous presence locking onto him. His brain screamed at him to run, but his limbs wouldn't budge.
He wasn't the only one.
The gloomy hacker, the watermelon-head, the chef, the waiter—all of them froze in place, faces pale, bodies rigid.
"You're just Beyond's underlings. And as underlings, you ought to know your place and focus on your jobs."
Ronnel's gaze darkened. Threads of aura began radiating from him, crawling across the room like phantom blades.
Even Ging and Pariston flinched slightly under the pressure.
"I'll only say this once. For Beyond's sake, I humored your questions. If you have complaints, take them to him. If you've got a problem with me—bring it to me directly."
"But you better be prepared to die."
"I'm very good at killing~"
Gulp.
Someone's head lowered unconsciously, as if in a deep bow.
And then, just like that, the suffocating pressure vanished.
...
"Haaah~"
A collective sigh of relief echoed through the room.
"Any more questions?" Ronnel asked, glancing at the puppet girl still standing.
"...No more~"
Her voice sounded hollow. She slowly sat back down without another word.
Like hell she'd dare say anything.
She had known her chances were slim... but the gap was even wider than she imagined.
------------
Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)