Chương 62: The Calm Before The Storm

Rain poured down from the seemingly black sky, drenching everything in its path. Nothing could escape the torrential downpour that sought to cover everything below the clouds with fresh water. Lightning flashed, and thunder created a deep growling noise akin to that of a bear.

And inside the grand palace with tall windows and towers that penetrated into the soft layer of clouds, inside a dim office with minimal decorations and grim, dull stone walls, sat a man diligently working on something whilst sitting by his desk. No, it wouldn't even be right to call him a man. His face was spotless, with no pimples or wrinkles in sight. His eyebrows were neat and short, and his eyes looked ready to cast a nasty glare at someone. He looked more like a teenager than a man.

He looked no older than twenty years old. This man, no, this boy, had neatly arranged dark hair which had a slightly purplish hue, and he wore magnificent black robes adorned with intricate jewels around the edges. However, he didn't care, since this boy was someone without any interest in lavish, extravagant items. After a while, the boy looked up, averting his gaze from the work he had been doing. He put his pen down on the desk softly to the point where it made almost no noise.

Then, he laid his elbows on the desk, put both of his hands on his chin and stared intently at the door in front of him. Bang! Discordant thunder and a flash of lightning followed, shrouding the boy in a layer of white. With his dark, almost jet-black eyes, he cast a chilling, ominous gaze, emitting a sinister aura enough to give an ordinary witness goosebumps. His stern look was more than stern. He had eyes that looked ready to kill. Clack! Suddenly, the door to the office opened.

"Mr E, I've brought him in," said a voice, and soon, the source of this voice would be revealed. The person who entered the office appeared to be another teenage boy; he had a face devoid of any wrinkles and acne and his hair was neatly combed to the side. He was wearing black garments that were similar to the ones the boy in the office wore. He was none other than EB, one of the boy's, E's, main subordinates.

"Good," E said, his voice sombre yet high-pitched, reminiscent of the voice of a boy who hasn't hit puberty yet.

"Bring him closer to me."

"Yes, sir." EB was dragging someone by the collar, making a horrible squeaking sound as the person was forcefully dragged along the smooth marble floor. Then, once he was a few inches from E's desk, he flung the person forward, letting the body crash into the desk. E stood up, delicately placing a finger on his lips. He then walked over to where the person EB dragged in lay, his footsteps creating an unsettling echo around the whole office. Clop, clop, clop.

"Tch." He clicked his tongue and cast a subtle glare at the person. Then, he opened his mouth to speak.

"You've been a bad boy," he said slowly in his high-pitched voice, admonishing him like a mother scolding her child.

"You've been a very bad boy indeed." The person who had been dragged painstakingly into E's office against their will was another teenage boy. He sat up and stared at E for a while before standing up, brushing away the dust on the white lab coat he had been wearing. He had a scrawny appearance with messy hair and a scruffy beard. He had a ton of acne on his face, and his hands, which he used to button up his lab coat, were riddled with deep, irremediable scars. He was none other than Gavin.

"Did you really think I wouldn't know?" E continued, his voice ghostly and chilling but lacking any trace of hostility.

"Did you really think your little trick would go unnoticed?" Gavin was speechless; his mouth could not open at all. He was staring straight into E's condescending, tar-like pupils that lacked any trace of true emotions.

"Unfortunately, I am not the kind of guy who tolerates breaking the rules. Don't think your little trick can bypass me, because it won't. I am a hawk surveying every nook and cranny of this research facility. Under my watch, troublemakers are quickly extinguished and incinerated." The manner in which E said the words 'extinguished' and 'incinerated' was enough to make Gavin flinch and wince. He almost hit his head on the side of E's wooden desk.

"Gavin, oh Gavin. What have you got to say for yourself?" Still, Gavin remained speechless, suffering from the pure trauma of E's irrevocable words. He couldn't muster up the courage to let out any sound.

"Speak," E said firmly.

"You don't have to be scared. I'm listening."

"I…" That was all that came out of Gavin's mouth. Nothing else.

"I can't hear you."

"I… I…"

"Speak." All of a sudden, Gavin prostrated himself on the ground, ready to fill a reservoir with his tears.

"Forgive me, E! I have committed a sin. I have committed a grave sin. I'll accept any punishment you like! Anything! You can skin me alive in front of all the members of The Leak! Anything!!!" E pursed his lips as if he was in deep contemplation. Then, he let out a loud, prolonged sigh.

"These subordinates," he said ominously.

"These petty subordinates. I bestowed upon you the name A! You were my most trusted subordinate. And now all of that is going to waste?"

"I'm sorry! I'm deeply sorry! I'll do anything to repay you!"

"Unacceptable." Whilst Gavin was still prostrated on the ground, E stuck out his leg and kicked Gavin in the chest, not with his foot, but with his knee. The impact was enough to knock Gavin back a few feet.

"Urk!"

"Traitors need to know their places," E said once Gavin was writhing on the floor in considerable agony.

"In The Leak, there is no place for traitors. Perfidy never goes unpunished. Do you know where those who betray their bosses go?" Gavin couldn't talk; he was drooling and clutching the part of his chest that E had kicked, a place that was near his heart. If his kick had landed just mere centimetres to the side, then E could have punctured his heart, killing him on the spot. Was E intentionally trying to prolong Gavin's suffering by not killing him? Gavin didn't want to know. Kick!

E kicked Gavin in the chest with his knee again, causing Gavin to spit out a whole bottle's worth of blood on the spotless marble floor.

"They go to their graves." Bang! Again, there was a flash of lightning, followed by the low growl of thunder, which made E's demeanour even more pompous and condescending. He smiled wide, his face shrouded in lightning, revealing slightly yellow teeth, reminding Gavin that he was still just a measly, irrelevant teenager. This, paired with E's dark eyes that gleamed and juxtaposed his white face, was something straight out of a horror movie. Bang!

The booming thunder was so loud it created mini tremors in the dark office like an earthquake. Gavin, who was suffering from indescribable pain, flinched, almost hitting his head on E's wooden desk again.

"I'll die! I'll go and die now! I'll kill myself right here, right now! Cough! Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough!!!!!" More liquid advanced-level mana crystals were spilled on the floor, creating a mark that was akin to a ketchup stain on a white t-shirt.

"No," E said sharply.

"You will not be killed. I do not want all of The Leak's efforts, as well as mine, in raising you to be in vain."

"Thank you, E!" Gavin cried.

"Thank you so much! I will never forget this moment!"

"Instead," E continued, "you will be excommunicated. I don't want to see any trace of you here at The Leak anymore, unless another superior takes a liking to you and takes you in as a subordinate."

"Thank you so much!" However, instead of returning the thanks, E simply smirked derisively. He knew what was coming, but Gavin unfortunately didn't. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"However, you know what happens to people who are excommunicated, right? Since you are the subordinate with the prestigious name EA." Gavin's face suddenly contorted; all of the happiness seeped away from his acne-ridden face.

"What… argh!!!!!" Abruptly, E grabbed Gavin by the neck and held him in the air with superhuman strength unbefitting of his skinny stature, despite the fact that Gavin was taller and had a more bulky build than E. Although Gavin cried out in pain, and his cries were tantamount to those of someone being stabbed to death, E didn't seem fazed.

"You'll witness torture like never before," E muttered assertively, yet his voice was soft and sweet.

"I'll make sure your death is a slow and painful one. I'll make those nightmares in movies a reality."

"No… no…" Gavin was basically pleading for his life at that point. However, E didn't show any mercy; he reached into his inventory and pulled out a small dagger. And then- Slash! Slash! In an instant, there were deep cuts that stretched the entire length of Gavin's arms. Each arm had the identical cut; the similarities between the two cuts were uncanny, the differences were almost non-existent. Gavin cried out in pain, but that wasn't enough to deter E, who threw him on the ground.

Crimson blood soaked E's black robes and painted an unwanted red picture on the white marble floor.

"Gavin, Gavin, Gavin," E continued, his voice getting colder and more high-pitched as he spoke. He spoke slowly, increasing the duration that Gavin suffered from the excruciating, overwhelming pain E had induced in him.

"Subordinates can be easily replaced. On paper, they may have a high skill set, but in reality, that's irrelevant. We, as members of the 26 Superiors, can easily dispose of old subordinates and hire new ones whenever we wish. Learn this so that you don't get dumped if another superior decides to take you in." Tears trickled down Gavin's panic-stricken face, making his eyes sting. He couldn't speak. If he spoke, he would be speaking out of line, and that would certainly prompt E to elicit a hostile response.

"Just like how spiders ensnare flies and other insects in their webs, you have been ensnared in mine. As an insect, the only way to escape a spider's web is through death. If you want to escape and break free from my web, the only option is excommunication, a punishment exponentially worse than death. It will make you wish you had died instead." Gavin wanted to let out all of his emotions and bawl out loud, but that was not possible when he was in E's office.

"You reap what you sow," E said dreamily, turning to stare at the rain beyond the window. Then he turned around abruptly, casting a spiteful gaze at the suffering Gavin, and said, "Remember that. You reap what you sow." Gavin shuddered uncontrollably, making him regret ever thinking about betraying his boss.

"Take him out," E ordered EB.

"Don't come back until he's rotting in the dungeons."

"As you command, boss," EB replied.

"Also, do you want coffee?"

"That would be much appreciated. Thank you very much." Slam! And just like that, EB was out of the office, leaving E alone in the dingy, mundane space. A trail of ruby-red blood soaked the white marble floor, a testament to Gavin's seemingly necessary suffering. Drip, drip, drip, drip, drip. The rain showed no signs of stopping.

"Now I have to clean this up," E whispered to himself, pointing at the trail of blood with a bony finger.

"Why do traitors have to be so troublesome?" Clop, clop, clop. E slowly marched back to his desk and sat down, staring at what was on the piece of paper. And soon, at a remarkable speed, EB had returned.

"Boss, here's your coffee," he said, frantically trying to reach E while trying not to spill any of the coffee.

"Much appreciated." E accepted the coffee, which was the strongest black coffee anybody has ever tasted, and took a huge sip. Then he placed the mug on the desk, creating as little noise as when he set down his pen.

"To think that traitors can be so troublesome," E said once the coffee was in his system.

"I have to teach them a lesson, and then I have to clean up the mess I created because of their insolence." He pointed to the pool of blood that Gavin had shed and the trail of blood leading out of the office. The smell, which had been lingering for a while, was slowly wafting towards the noses of E and EB.

"You know what?" E continued, his voice still lacking hostility.

"I could promote you if you want. Now that the EA name is vacant, you can take it if you want." However, EB simply shook his head.

"I cannot accept this promotion. It would be too burdensome for me. I like the name EB, and I would rather keep it. Thank you for offering though." That prompted E to sigh. However, rather than displaying unyielding petulance, he simply smiled.

"You do you," he said.

"If you want to keep the EB name, keep it."

"Thank you, boss." E took another sip of his strong black coffee.

"It feels great to finally be a part of the 26 Superiors," he said elegantly.

"I am not complaining at all." EB couldn't respond to that. After all, being a subordinate of E means you have to deeply consider how to respond; if you respond in a way that offends E, unimaginable, potentially insidious pain could follow, and that could send you on your way to the graves. EB was the only one who could withstand E's wrath. He was a cold, domineering and tactful person with similar traits to E who calculates and considers every move.

He examines all possible responses, scrutinising each response at least twice before he opens his mouth. Because of this, he has never offended his boss in the past.

"Serving under a boss is painful," E murmured, resting back on his chair.

"You know exactly how it feels, right, EB?" EB nodded solemnly.

"You have to keep up with their demands, and you're always on your feet, doing whatever the boss tells you. That's not the lifestyle that I want to live. I want to do everything at my own pace, and I don't like others scolding me for doing things wrong. I like it this way." Those words were obviously aimed to provoke EB and mock his status at The Leak. However, EB's face didn't show any visible signs of being offended after hearing this puny jest.

"EB, you have to learn that this is how life works at The Leak. If you're a boss, you get to do whatever you want and you can boss your subordinates until the end of time. However, if you're a subordinate, you virtually have no free time and you have to follow the orders of your boss exactly. Which would you rather be, EB?" Still, EB didn't speak; he silently knelt down on the floor in front of E's desk.

"Don't worry. You'll get your chance soon. You've been serving me well so far, and I'll certainly miss you when the opportunity comes. If you ever come crying to me saying you want a promotion, I'll be happy to go and kill one of the other superiors just to please you. After all, the other members say that I'm a deranged, pathological freak who knows no bounds." EB remained silent.

E's words were manipulating his brain profusely, convincing him that he needed a promotion and that he should become a superior of the Leak. After all, wasn't that what every member of The Leak desired? To become a member of the famed '26 Superiors'? However, EB knew that this was a deceptive trick. He was not going to fall for something like that easily. If E ever went and killed another one of the 26 Superiors, EB would surely be framed for the action and be sent to the dungeons for life.

And since that outcome was undesirable, EB kept his mouth shut. After all, in a conversation where you don't know how to respond, it's always best to not say anything.

"Don't pull a face like that, EB. If you ever ask me to kill another superior, of course I'll do it for you in a heartbeat. Just tell me when." Once E finished the remaining coffee in his mug, he stood up and walked towards the kneeling EB. He knelt down in front of EB and put a hand on his cheek. Despite the hand being chillingly cold, EB didn't shiver, nor did he falter at E's perpetually portentous presence.

"That is the responsibility of a boss," he whispered.

"Whenever his subordinate is in distress, the boss responds and tries to fulfil his demands. That's the reciprocal relationship, the optimal relationship, between boss and subordinate here at The Leak."

"I understand, boss," EB replied, standing up.

"Also, who was the boss that you served under previously?" E's face contorted slightly, but there was no sign of indignation anywhere.

"It was D," he said.

"One of the Big Three, consisting of B, C and D. You're fairly new to this industry, so you might not know. Those three are absolutely not to be meddled with. If you do, your head might go flying even faster than if you were to commit a sin under me." EB nodded as if he understood.

"I absolutely hate the guy," E continued.

"He was too bossy and he kept losing subordinates every week. I had the name DA for a while, but soon, once there was an opportunity for promotion, I seized it." EB smiled.

"Boss, have you heard about Cayman William Grace?" he asked after a while, trying his best to change the subject.

"Have you heard what he's planning?"

"Hm? Cayman Grace?" EB nodded.

"He's planning something," he said solemnly.

"Huh?"

"He's assembled a group of Hoppers and he's continuing his mission. Don't you know? They want to go out there and create the 'Regression' skill." Despite EB's tone containing a tinge of hostility, E smiled and said, "I know. This is old news here at The Leak. Besides, I'm well acquainted with that group of Hoppers."

"Oh? Please elaborate."

"I know them quite well. Let's just say they used to be friends of mine. Those are all the details I will disclose." EB pondered over what E had just said. E has a personal connection to Cayman, and he used to be friends with him. Did those words imply betrayal? Did those words imply that he was also a traitor?

"Speak. Continue," E said, ordering EB, who was in a daze, to continue.

"We're going off-topic."

"H-He's trying to claim that planet. The most popular one right now. The one that C has stationed all of his forces at."

"Oh really?" E put a finger to his lips, and once he released the finger, he licked his lips fervently.

"C wants you to be there when things go awry. He wants you to station your forces there just in case something happens."

"That guy? That wizened fool who always wears make-up?" EB nodded, indicating that E had hit the nail on the head.

"And why should I do that? I already have business I need to take care of here." Bang! Another flash of lightning hit, exaggerating E's chilling, childish facial features. Again, his dark eyes provided a stark contrast to the fleeting flash of light.

"Watch what you say, or I might change your mind about you. And tell C to scrap everything involving me, because I'm not going."

"Why not?"

"It's a firm no, let's leave it at that. I am not going, and that is final." EB didn't respond.

"Go. Now. Before I lose my patience. Before I reconsider and decide to hire another EB and have your head on display on my desk." Those words were the final straw, making EB shudder unconsciously. He knew that E was vicious, but he didn't realise that E could go to such lengths. After all, E and EB had a boss-subordinate relationship, and subordinates were easily interchangeable at the boss's discretion. Sighing, EB walked out of the office and slammed the door shut.

E, who was left all alone again, stationed himself behind his desk but didn't sit down.

"Tsk, tsk. These incompetent subordinates," he whispered to himself, his voice cold and commanding.

"They don't know their place. They have to be spoon-fed just to know everything." Drip, drip, drip, drip, drip. Listening to the relaxing sound of the rain outside, E picked up the mug on the desk and studied it for a while. Then, nonchalantly, with only the raw strength of his right hand, he broke it, sending miniscule fragments flying everywhere, some grazing his face and creating shallow wounds. Crack! Still, he licked the blood on his cheeks and swallowed it, revelling in the taste of fresh human blood.

His lips then curled up into a sinister, sadistic smile.

"If he wants to play that game, I can play along. If it involves killing, I'll play any day of the week. Nobody dares to underestimate me and my powers. After all, I am not just a mere subordinate anymore, but E, one of The Leak's 26 Superiors. I'm not a lowly nobody anymore." Clink, clink, clink. His expensive footwear stepped on some of the broken mug's fragments, shattering them into even smaller shards. They looked like diamonds with their sharp edges and shiny appearance.

"They don't know anything about me. They will never know anything about me. This is just the calm before the storm. Soon, it's time to show the world who I really am." E's smile seemed to stretch all the way to his eyes. Once another boom of thunder could be heard, he sneered to himself, saying these final eloquent but bloodcurdling words, akin to what an ordinary teenage boy would say.

"It's time to cause some mischief."