'I will not take Quinn back to the mainland.'
That was the decision Andarm had reached.
To be sure, she held immense value. The power and knowledge required to survive the Dark Continent were immeasurable. However, that was only relevant if she could be completely controlled.
It wasn't that winning her over was entirely impossible. A cooperative relationship could likely be built temporarily. But there was no guarantee how long that relationship would last. The risk was simply too high.
When he first encountered Quinn, he still felt there was a possibility of taming her. The decisive rupture occurred immediately after the battle with the Worm, due to the action Quinn took.
She had removed the brain from Katroi's corpse and fed it to the red bug she possessed.
That thing was not human. Fundamentally, its sensibilities as a species were different. Andarm was forced to recognize that she was an existence that could never coexist with them.
The ship's analysis team had identified the species of that bug. Based on the characteristic structure of its leg joints, it was suspected to be a Chimera Ant. It was a species already discovered within the Dark Continent, and its ecology had been investigated in detail. He could make a reasonable prediction as to why she had fed it the corpse's brain.
It was a horrifying prediction. They were no longer at a stage where they could grope for a path to coexistence. No matter how obsessed Andarm was with achievements, he knew when to cut his losses. If he took her back, far from gaining fame, he would likely be held responsible for bringing back a Sixth Calamity. He recognized that she was not an existence he could manage.
Living things hit by the projectiles fired by the Chimera Ant turned into red, succulent plant-like crystals. The principle was unknown. He didn't even know if it was a Nen ability. On top of that, it performed attacks like laser beams that incinerated a wide range over long distances. Since the flow of aura could be observed, this was thought to be a Nen ability, but the scale was simply too massive. How was it generating energy that far exceeded the amount of aura a single life form could supply?
That alone was a terrifying opponent, for whom the word 'dangerous' was insufficient. But furthermore, by eating Katroi, it had acquired his ability.
The ability to sense the malice of others. For Andarm, who constantly falsified himself and concealed his true intentions, it was a troublesome ability. Even so, as a Nen user, Andarm's true strength exceeded Katroi's. During this investigation, they had spent a long time together on the same ship, yet his act had never been seen through.
However, Katroi's ability, which Quinn had absorbed, seemed to have been further strengthened within her. Quinn suspected Andarm. It wasn't that his act had been seen through, but she sensed some kind of heterogeneity. That was something even Katroi had been unable to do. In conversing with Quinn, Andarm had to pay the utmost attention and pour all his energy into his performance.
Why Quinn could use the ability of a human the Chimera Ant was supposed to have eaten was also a mystery. The unknowns only made the anxiety factor swell further. Andarm had engaged in battles of acting prowess against sly old foxes countless times, but he had never dealt with an opponent that required this much nerve.
Andarm didn't know what would have happened if he had shown even the slightest ulterior motive. He treated her with maximum hospitality to avoid making her wary or provoking her as much as possible. He took care to prevent her from coming into contact with anyone other than Quantum as much as possible, and even allowed her to bring in personal belongings that would normally never be permitted.
The social gathering was planned to probe Quinn's reaction. It was, so to speak, an event to curry favor, but it was also meant to determine to what extent she could blend in with the people of the research team. The result was the worst possible outcome. Katroi's ability displayed a perceptive power beyond Andarm's expectations, and he reaffirmed that reconciliation was hopeless.
The only saving grace was that she had opened her heart to the Quantum squad members, but using that to make her obey temporarily would be like hugging a bomb that could explode at any moment. As per the original objective, the plan to eliminate Quinn was put into action.
This plan required caution. The final goal was to leave Quinn behind on the Dark Continent, launch the ship safely, and escape. It was not hard to imagine that if they made one wrong move, the threat of the calamity would bare its fangs at the research team.
Once they set sail, there was no way to catch up to the ship by swimming. This sea area was a major habitat for Nutakonbu, and the mucus they secreted made it a demon's sea where even fish could not swim. However, the United States had analyzed the characteristics of this mucus from data obtained during the previous voyage, and the Quantum Road was equipped with propulsion engines capable of navigating this sea area at high speed.
The problem was the large-scale laser Nen bullets Quinn possessed. With that power, there was a danger of being shot down even if they opened up some distance. They had to get out to the open sea immediately and advance beyond the horizon where they could no longer be seen from the coast.
If they could escape, good. If they didn't make it in time, he would use Chel and Tokunosuke as shields. Quinn trusted the Quantum squad members. Seen from Andarm, who could accurately read the subtleties of others' emotions, he was convinced that trust was immense. It was a relationship so tied together it was better called dependence. It could be said they had sufficient value as hostages.
But would that alone truly make Quinn hesitate? He couldn't declare that a destructive impulse to wipe everything out wouldn't be born if she couldn't have them. Andarm's mind-reading was strictly a skill for use against humans; there was no guarantee it would work on an opponent that wasn't human.
In case the plan ended in failure, a radio had been issued to Quinn. If she had any room left for rational thought, she would likely try to contact the ship first. He didn't think she would so easily destroy her means of escaping the Dark Continent.
Negotiations would start from there. It might become an overwhelmingly disadvantageous negotiation for the research team.
A single bead of sweat rolled down Andarm's forehead. His romance-grey hair, usually set perfectly, showed signs of disarray.
However, the obsession dwelling in his eyes held not a shadow of doubt. In his heart, he shouted down the self that was only thinking about what would happen if he blundered.
I am Andarm. I will not be shaken by something like this...!
"Silence!!"
At his shout, everyone in the vicinity listened intently, to the last man.
"We have not yet been able to fully elucidate the situation that has occurred within the ship. However, there are reports confirming multiple enemy-like shadows near the docking harbor entrance. We have already blocked the routes leading from the outside into the ship, but the situation does not permit optimism."
He paused for a breath. Then, he issued the order gravely.
"To completely break away from the enemy forces, this ship will commence departure immediately!"
After everyone saluted, they all began to move to their stations at once. There was no objection to the commander's judgment. They would fulfill their assigned roles based on discipline.
The Quinn elimination plan was already reaching its finale. The mysterious attack that had suddenly occurred was also part of the plan. In other words, no attack had occurred from the start. It was nothing more than a pretext to launch the ship.
These manipulations of false information were carried out by humans Andarm had manipulated with his Nen ability. He was a Manipulation-type user. The ability was called 'Actor's Make'.
Although the activation conditions for this ability were loose and it was easy to use, frankly speaking, its effect was weak. It did not have the power to hijack a human's consciousness and control them; at most, it only made it easier to guide another person's thoughts in a certain direction. If one decided to resist, it could be easily dispelled.
This was an ability meant to assist Andarm's conversational skills. His words had a charm that attracted people. This person is right. If I follow this person, I can be safe. It worked as flavor text to give him that kind of charisma.
Andarm did not think even slightly that he was a pure and righteous human. However, he had pride as one who stood above others. That was to not use coercion. Making people obey through force, or brainwashing them by lining up only convenient words... he felt like vomiting at a status gained in such a way.
He was strictly a 'correct human when viewed objectively', and those around him agreed with his opinions of their own accord, without being forced. No matter how filthy his inner self was, his evaluation had to be correct. He wouldn't be satisfied otherwise. That was why he thoroughly acted the part of the 'righteous self'.
That was a very difficult thing. An opinion that is correct from one side is wrong from another. In reality, there were many people hostile to him. His position as a soldier, the faction he belonged to, the people he was related to. Just by living, humans carried both correctness and mistakes.
That is precisely why there was meaning in transcending such status and reaching the point of a virtuous man believed in by many. He swore to spend his life acting as a virtuous man. That was a Covenant that had already reached the realm of madness, and it dramatically boosted his Nen ability.
The second ability born from that was 'Actor's Full Aspect (Level 2)'. This allowed him to completely manipulate an opponent on whom he had kept 'Actor's Make' active without release for one year.
It was not as easy as it sounded. On his pride, he could not use means like brainwashing; he had to make the opponent obey strictly through the charm of the humanity he portrayed. Also, since it would be dispelled if they left the effective range of the ability, he couldn't just leave it active and distance himself.
Humans felt the most indignation when admonished with sound arguments. A good person is not necessarily a liked person. The closer you are, the more your opinions might clash. Without going through such twists and turns and being recognized as a truly trustworthy human, it was impossible to keep the ability active continuously for a year.
Therefore, a manipulation target who reached the realm of 'Actor's Full Aspect (Level 2)' could be called a supreme collection item for him. Rather, activating Level 2 went against his policy of disliking forcing others to obey. He was satisfied at the stage of achieving one year of continuous activation, and rarely had the opportunity to activate Level 2.
If asked why he created such an ability, it was because in his younger days, he had stronger ambition than now and tended to value results over process. He used Level 2 actively back then, but as he reached old age, his hardened orientation toward acting became increasingly paranoid, and the opportunities to use it had vanished.
But now was the time to use that secret technique. He didn't have the leeway to worry about appearances. A human under the influence of Level 2 would obey Andarm's orders completely. If told to erase their memories, they would forget everything inconvenient.
There was one puppet to whom he was giving the most important order right now. His name was Gragg McMeyer. He had ordered him to play a core role in the Quinn elimination plan.
He was a puppet raised with great care. When they met, he was as good as invalid. Andarm had beaten him into shape from scratch and finished him into a first-rate Nen user. Considering his original personality, he wasn't suited to be a special forces captain, nor would he have much strong interest in exploring the Dark Continent or discovering returns. Andarm had guided him there to utilize him as his own pawn.
He felt no guilt in using up the puppet. Rather, he thought it was only natural for him to serve after being raised this far. If there was any feeling of regret, it was only the lingering attachment to losing a part of his collection.
Dance, for my words are righteous and good.
Everything is in the palm of his hand; the villain masquerading as a saint manipulates his puppets.
"New information regarding the unidentified threat has come up! Confirmed a light-emitting sphere at the 12 o'clock direction! Displaying image!"
One of the operators shouted. Then, an image was projected onto the main monitor. There, a giant spherical object was floating on the sea. It was emitting a vivid yellow-green light that pierced the eyes, clearly visible even in the midnight sea. The surface of the sphere undulated like the surface of water.
Andarm sat deeply in his chair and scrutinized the monitor.
"What is this...?"
Andarm voiced the impression shared by everyone present.
What is this?
Such a thing was not in the scenario. It was not scheduled in the plan he had envisioned.
As if mocking him, a 'ringing' echoed, loud enough to shake his eardrums.