Chapter 25: The Recruitment Crisis
The grand hall of the Awakened Association Headquarters buzzed with ambition and desperation. Guilds, corporations, and independent contractors had set up booths, each vying for the attention of new recruits. Amidst the flashy displays of S-rank guilds and the somber, militaristic recruitment drives of the Bureau, one booth stood out.
It was sleek, modern, almost minimalist. A clean, illuminated sign above read: MAGICAL DELIVERY LLC.
Xavier sat behind a small, pristine table, attempting to look professional. Serena, however, was the picture of efficiency. She stood beside him, a tablet clutched in one hand, her gaze sweeping over the passing crowd with an unnerving intensity.
"Next," she said, cutting off a particularly long-winded applicant trying to impress them with his D-rank fire magic.
A nervous young woman with singed eyebrows shuffled forward. "Hi! I'm Brenda, a C-rank Pyromancer! I can… uh… warm food really fast?"
Serena's green eyes narrowed. "Sub-par efficiency. Potential for collateral damage. Rejection."
Brenda deflated, slinking away.
Xavier sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Serena, we need somebody. You've rejected forty-seven people in the last hour. What exactly are you looking for?"
"Optimization," Serena replied, not looking at him. "High Speed. Sub-Space storage affinity. And a high tolerance for your nonsense. You lack the necessary discipline to train a truly optimal delivery team."
"Hey!" Xavier protested, but she ignored him, already scanning the next hopeful.
He felt the whispers from passersby. "That's the 'Irregular' guy, right?" "The one who soloed a D-rank?" "His partner looks like she'd fire you for blinking too slowly." Xavier rubbed his temples. His "Unique Irregular" status was both a blessing and a curse.
Just as Serena was about to dismiss a timid support mage, a familiar figure approached the booth.
"Xavier? Serena?"
Xavier's head snapped up. "Silas! What are you doing here?"
Silas, looking a bit more worn than their last encounter, clutched a crumpled flyer in his hand. "Hey, man. Long story short, the Magic Bureau put a temporary freeze on Iron Will's dungeon dives. Something about… 'unregistered outside assistance' and 'bypassing safety protocols'." He shot Xavier a meaningful look.
Xavier coughed. "Oops."
"Yeah, 'oops'," Silas sighed. "Anyway, my sister needs academy tuition, and I need a job. Saw your booth here." He gestured awkwardly. "You guys… really hiring?"
Serena's gaze sharpened, assessing Silas. "Class: Druid. Support. Moderate Speed. Sub-Space storage affinity: Negligible. However…" Her eyes flickered. "Creative application of organic material for cargo securing: High potential."
Silas blinked. "Cargo securing?"
"Vines, roots," Xavier chimed in, suddenly enthusiastic. "You could hold down boxes, create temporary ramps for stairs, even secure items to the car during high-speed turns! This is perfect!"
Serena nodded slowly. "Logical. His class offers unique, non-overlapping utility. He is an optimal choice for Employee #1."
Silas looked between the two, a mixture of relief and confusion on his face. "So… I'm hired? For magical delivery cargo security?"
"Yes," Serena stated, pulling a tablet from thin air. "Sign here."
Silas, still slightly bewildered, took the tablet. Just as his finger hovered over the glowing signature field, the serene hum of the Awakened Association Headquarters was shattered.
The air in the grand hall curdled. A sickly, black-purple hue began to spread from the far end of the district, accompanied by a sound like tearing fabric and grinding stone. The elegant transparent walls shimmered, then fractured.
Silence fell, then morphed into terrified screams.
"What the—?!" Xavier pushed past the booth, his eyes wide.
In the middle of the bustling public square, where moments before children had been chasing pigeons, a monstrosity of a portal was tearing itself open. It wasn't the clean, shimmering blue of a normal dungeon gate. This was a Corrupted Dungeon Gate—a jagged, gaping maw leaking black ichor and distorted mana. Horrific, multi-limbed creatures began to claw their way out, their forms twisting and writhing.
Panic erupted. Awakened rushed forward, but Bureau guards, trained for standard breaches, were caught flat-footed by the corrupted energy.
[Ding!]
[Emergency Delivery: Containment Breach!]
[Deliver all corrupted entities back to their origin point.]
[Time Limit: 15 minutes before full district lockdown!]
[Reward: Unknown]
Xavier didn't hesitate. He looked at Silas, whose face was pale but determined. He looked at Serena, whose eyes held a familiar, sharp focus.
"First day on the job, Silas," Xavier said, his voice surprisingly calm amidst the chaos. He slapped the young Druid on the shoulder. "Hope you're ready for a field delivery."
Silas took a deep breath. "You bet, boss."
Serena stepped forward, her hand settling on Xavier's arm. "Your engine sync is refined now, Xavier. Use it. Do not disappoint me."
Xavier grinned, feeling the familiar hum of his Engine Sync already thrumming beneath his skin. This wasn't just a delivery anymore. This was a mission. And he had a team.
He reached for his Exhaust Saber.
Magical Delivery LLC: Employee Handbook (v1.0)
Created by: Serena (The Optimized Partner)
| Rule | Description |
|---|---|
| 01. Punctuality | If the customer is hungry, you are a minute late. |
| 02. Combat | Combat is a secondary task. Do not spill the soup. |
| 03. The Bag | Do not look inside the Infinite-Sized Bag. You are not ready. |
| 04. Management | Xavier is the Driver. Serena is the Boss. |
| 05. Emergency Protocol | When the world ends, deliver faster. |