"Now, I change the world!" I said to myself.
I then teleported to the headquarters of Worldwide News. The objective of this place is in its name. It is an organization with the sole purpose of delivering news from all around the world. In the case of an emergency, it is capable of delivering a mandatory broadcast to almost every screen all around the world.
I walked out of my dark cloud and found myself in the middle of a spacious room. To my right was a designated area for people to wait. Some high end cushioned couches decorated the area. There were quite a number of people there sitting in wait.
In front of me, however, was a reception. The receptionist was being bombarded by all kinds of people trying to get their requests across.
I then pushed through the crowd, with my height and presence, it was easy for the receptionist to single me out.
"I need to speak to the person in charge!" I said in a commanding voice.
Although my voice wasn't as loud as the others, it was carried with authority, thus everyone else went silent.
"And who might be asking?" The receptionist asked cautiously, not sure if I am someone important or not.
"Tell them Grayson is here to see them." I said to him.
'Another one…' the receptionist thought to himself as he completely lost interest.
"Alright, please wait over there. I'll make a call." He said to me pointing at the waiting area and pretending to make a call.
'Where have I seen him before...? It doesn't matter. Just another fake, trying to get attention.' The receptionist couldn't help thinking.
As soon as I walked away, the crowd continued to make a fuss. I did as he said and went to have a seat in the waiting area. I casually began solving the crossword puzzles in all the magazines available there. After some time had passed, people around the waiting area began whispering amongst themselves.
"Isn't that him?"
"The one who poisoned the miracle drug!"
"No way! What would he be doing at a news station of all plaes?"
"That's the man who wrote that book that made people want to kill themselves!"
"Book? What book?"
"Do you not know anything?"
"He's so hot, should I approach him...? Maybe he will notice me."
The whispering grew louder and louder to the point where even a normal person could hear the conversations from where I was sitting. Some more time passed and the whispering finally caught the attention of the receptionist. He too couldn't help but be curious.
'Could he actually be…?' He thought to himself.
He quickly pulled out his smartphone and checked the latest news. As usual, everyone was still talking about the miracle drug and the increased death rate. He swiftly scrolled down his phone screen a little, then suddenly came to an abrupt stop on a certain image. There it was, the image of the man responsible for it all, completely covering his phone screen.
"HOLY CRAP! THAT'S HIM!" The receptionist couldn't stop himself from shouting with disbelief. After brushing me off, the image the man saw now struck him like a thunderbolt. He immediately picked up the telephone on his desk and called the general manager.
"What is it? I'm busy!" The manager said through the phone.
"I'm sorry ma'am, but there is someone very important here to see you. His name is Grayson. It's thee Grayson!" The receptionist said, with excitement in his voice. "Haven't I not already told you not to bother me with these fakes? Send him away and don't disturb me with this foolishness again or I'll fire you like the last one!" The manager said and was about to hang up.
"WAIT! Ma'am, that's what I thought at first too, but I'm looking at a picture of him right now. It's the same guy; it's the actual Grayson! Should I call the police?" The receptionist said in one breath.
"Are you sure? It will be your job if it isn't!" She asked in disbelief.
"Yes ma'am. No mistake about it!" The receptionist said with certainty.
"Then what are you waiting, for send him up. Do not call the police, not yet! This is big!" She said with excitement as she envisioned the ratings going up.
"Yes ma'am!" The receptionist said and was about to hang up but then….
'This is taking too long.' I thought to myself as I finished the last of the crossword puzzles. I put the magazine down then teleported away from the waiting area.
"Umm…ma'am, he's gone!" The receptionist said flabbergasted, no longer sure whether or not to trust his own eyes.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE'S GONE!" The manager screamed, snapping out of her delusions.
The receptionist quickly ran to where I was sitting, hoping to figure out where I disappeared to. On the table he saw around 20 magazines lying open with completed crossword puzzles on them.
'They're all the same handwriting. Was it him that did all these? Did he finish them all in this short period of time...? Impossible!' The receptionist thought to himself.
"Oh shit!" He said out loud then began to run back to his desk.
"Hello...? HELLO!" The manager shouted through the telephone, receiving no reply.
"Ahem." I coughed.
(GASP!)
The manager jumped out of her chair in fright.
"You! How on earth did you get in here?" The manager asked.
Her heart was audibly pounding inside her chest.
"You'll know soon enough. You wanted to meet me as well, yes?" I said to her.
"Ah, yeah I did; I do." She said composing herself.
"Hello, ma'am!" The receptionist, who just got back to the phone, spoke up.
"Never mind, he's here." The manager said to him then hanged up the telephone.
She then walked to the front of her desk then leaned back on it with her arms crossed. She wore a white blouse that was loose everywhere apart from her plump chest. Her black pencil skirt was so tight around her thin waist that it looked like it threatened to split her in two.
She undid the first button on her blouse then said as she pulled out her phone, "I have some questions, but before that…"
…
"So, it's really you. Why did you come here?" The manager asked as she looked at a photo of me in her phone to confirm my identity.
"I need you to arrange a press conference for me." I said to her.
"Why should I? What's stopping me from calling the police on you right now?" The manager boldly proclaimed as she showed me her phone. On the screen, I could see she had already typed in the numbers 911.
Despite the threat, the manager knew that she didn't have to do all that. A press conference was exactly what she wanted from me. However, she knew I was a dangerous man, thus, wanted to secure her position and safety before any negotiations were made.
"Your younger sister, Kiitan, just started University. She looks happy. It would be a shame if an accident were to befall her." I said to her calmly.
Immediately after hearing my reply, the manager's face hardened.
"Give me 3 hours!" She quickly said in a serious tone thinking that if everything that has been said about me is true, I wasn't someone who would bluff a threat.
"I'll see you in 3 hours then." I said to her then disappeared through a gate.
I left the manager, alone, in her office. in a state of shock and with even more questions than she intended to ask. She suddenly slapped both her cheeks, waking herself up from her stupor.
"I need to quickly set up the conference!" She urgently said to herself then went to make some calls.
After leaving the manager's office, I appeared in the safehouse and found Azrael conversating with the tailed Lilith.
So long as Azrael was with her, I could always see and hear whatever she was up to wherever she was. Axelia was with Elaine in her room, explaining her existence to her. Kitsune and Livia had picked up an obsession with reading manga these past days and were still at it even now.
Ace was in the kitchen preparing a meal for everyone. He was now fully aware of the existence of my shadows and helpers after having a lengthy conversation with the tailed Lilith. He took it very casually. It seemed like nothing could phase him now.
'It's a shame that everyone has gotten so comfortable…just a little over 3 years, that's how long I might have till Thanatos comes after me.' I thought to myself.
"Unfortunately, we can't afford to get comfortable here." I said to myself.
"What's that?" Ace turned my way and asked after hearing me speak.
"Nothing, we won't be staying here anymore." I said to him.
"Where to now?" He asked.
"You decide." I said to him then conjured a briefcase with a shit load of money.
"It's still not safe out there." He said to me.
"It will be, after today." I said confidently.
I then stepped outside and found Terry lying beneath a tree, a little far off from the safehouse. She was looking at the sky.
"This planet is filled with so much life. You truly are favoured." She said to me.
"Perhaps, hey Terry…" I called out, still approaching.
She looked at me, puzzled by the name, but proceeded to respond either way, "Yes Monarch."
"Do you know where the Legendary Reaper's planet is located?" I asked her.
"No, but I do know the locations of a few other reapers. Most of them, however, are around Armando's level in strength. You came after me and are looking for the Legendary Reaper, so I assume you have a certain standard?" She said to me as she sat down against the tree.
Her flaming body touched the tree, but the tree did not burn. Neither did the grass beneath her. She had perfect control of her flames.
"They won't be useful to me. I need power from this so-called untouchable existence if I am to have a chance against Thanatos. Does he even truly exist?" I asked her.
"The location of his planet is not known to many, but I assure you, he does exist. I saw but a glimpse of him once. If I were to describe his power, it would be complete 'Domination'. It literally made me want to surrender my soul. If I had continued looking at him I just might have. He almost killed me without even trying to. I suggest you never go after him. It's not a debate...if you challenge him, you will die! You cannot defeat him, even with the rescent power buff!" She said to me with a glum expression.
"I see, even so, I have no other choice. Besides, the outcome of a battle is never set in stone. The scales can tip into anyone's favour at any given moment." I said to her as I sat against the tree as well.
"I do know of a reaper that might know of the planet's location, but it could be a dead end." She finally said.
"No harm in trying. You will take me to the reaper and hopefully, get the Legendary Reaper's location." I said to her.
"Yes Monarch." She replied then continued to look at the clouds above.
3 hours passed by quickly and it was finally time for the conference.
"Everything seems set." I said as I suddenly appeared in the manager's office.
"Fuck!" The manager screamed out in shock.
"How do you keep doing that?" She shouted.
"Save your questions for the press conference." I said to her with a smile.
"Everyone is already at the main hall waiting. However, the police caught wind of the conference and are waiting on you as well. You might not even reach the conference room." She said to me.
"I'll take care of that." I said to her.
'Azrael come, and bring the tailed Lilith with you.' I said to Azrael telepathically.
A few seconds later Azrael and the tailed Lilith walked out of a gate in front of me.
"I have a task for both of you…there are quite a number of police and military personnel downstairs. Make sure none of them enter the hall I'll be in. I do not want any interruptions!" I said to them.
"What are you trying to accomplish here?" The tailed Lilith asked me.
"To break the system." I said with a smile then teleported to the hall.
I stepped out of the gate and saw a crowd of reporters, news anchors, journalists, etc. all around the hall chatting away. They had yet to notice that I had arrived. I slowly walked up the stage, and stood behind a podium filled with numerous microphones. When people noticed me on the stage, the entire hall suddenly quiet down.
"Thank you all for coming." I said into the microphones.
Immediately after I spoke, a barrage of questions shot at me from all around the hall.