*
A year later we had become accustomed to such missions. The missions mainly include assassinating some targets or escorting supplies. As it turns out, there were a few rival underground organisations. As it stands, our own organisation, the cult of the progenitor was one that is only semi-underground as it actually worked together with some government officials behind the scenes.
That was where some of the funds such as electrical and water maintenance bills came from. But facilities were one thing and food was another, we had to procure the food ourselves. Before Gerald and I became executives, the cult had already established some channels of distribution with the black market. The black market remained resourceful and provided a large variety of the things that we needed. As a result, we were able to procure better supplies such as tomatoes and cabaged to complement the bread provided to the experimentees.
At present, we also did some favours with a magical girl with production magic, so that we could get her to reproduce newer storybooks and toys for the experimentees. In a few words, we had brought a myriad of new things to the facility. We proposed to the central authority of the cult to give more funds, reasoning that better standards and conditions of living would bring up the chances of magical girls awakening as they wanted.
We fought over it for months and managed to secure some money to vary the soup for a while. The bread is also a newer and softer brand. It was truly different from the time we were there ourselves. For some odd reason... While it looked like central had fought us over the budget allocation for a long while, the remaining few weeks seemed mord like they were eager instead. Almost as if they were in a rush, either to resolve the conflict between us or something else had happened.
Anyway, our main source of revenue... Was from assassinations. Throughout the year, we had honed our powers to the point that we would remained visually undetectable. The only way to sense was through their sense of magic, but even that was hard to detect us with. We were training for this exact cases and practicing to control our aura to the point where we could mask our magic presence as well.
From the countless groups of enemies we've encountered, there were mainly 3 powerful competitors nearly on par with the progenitor's cult. FahvisMagia, a group characterised by their worship for magical girls. Since they are tied down by something as broad as worship, they have plenty of helpers blending into normal society as normal humans.
One would usually expect that with such a basis for worship, they would have the smallest amount of magical girls backing their operations as only a select few would be around to be put on a pedestal. If there were too many magical girls, their interests may clash with each other and incite discord. But the most worrying thing is a single rumour, they are backed up by a country sized organisation in another continent. It would explain why they have plenty of magical girls to fight with out organisation. Going against their expected image.
The second group is The Union. Unlike the others, this group is confirmed to be back by another major faction of another continent. They mostly influence economic and trade activities, but boast one of the highest security and combat capability in the world. Moreso than even entire countries. They don't have the numbers and are rather lacking in manpower compared to the other organisations, but since they are 99% comprised of magical girls, they are likely the biggest force in the underworld.
Even if they had only set up a small branch in our territory, they truly have immense power to have gotten to the top with the amount of people they had. Their magical girls are also highly ranked, with rumours mostly about their high level of magical technology.
The last one is the Vermanian faith. This one was the only group that seemed to have details supporting that they are not backed by any particular major faction. While major factions are the leaderships of immensely powerful magical girls on the surface, to the point where it could be said that they rule entire continents, this group had more evidence to support that they are an underground international organisation. They've spread their roots the widest and it was even said that some of them have been found in the other major underground groups.
If there was one clause that completely represented this group, it was: The universe is God's corpse, we live on his bountiful sacrifice. While they do indeed have this distinct belief, what makes these organisations underground were their illegal activities. A particular problematic branch of the Vermanian Faith is the Efermeris blood guardians...
They're a small subdivision that named their god Efermeris. What sets them apart is their goal of annihilating every living being on earth. When there are no more conscious actors to observe the universe, time stops having any significance and the universe will reset as part of an eternal cycle. This cycle includes the emergence and death of a universe.
They believe at the very end when the universe is dead... It will revive their god, who would grant them salvation by reviving them from the dead and allowing them to transcend the universe. Their God, Efermeris is the entity that voluntarily dies... Or explodes, forming the big bang and the universe with his corpse.
***
"... Our target this time goes by 'Yuna', she's been causing trouble on one of our routes. While she's quite strong she isn't as overly equipped as a Union member, so she's either from FahvisMagia or the Vermanian Faith." (Gerald)
While FahvisMagia was a harmful agent that leaned close to the political side of the world, the Vermanian Faith was the more occult type where human sacrifices weren't uncommon. Either way, both are harmful to our country and land.
"Any details on her location other than the routes she attacked?"
"... Over there, I'll take out the map and mark it on the app." (Gerald)
While we did lead much better lives due to being executives, we did have to pick up quite a few skills to hold up our positions in the organisation. Memorising maps in an instant to utilise them, maneuvering through obstacles with efficiency and positioning ourselves with a high degree of positional awareness, all in order to corner the prey.
"You ready?" (Gerald)
"Heheh! How many times do you think we've been doing this? Let's go."
Nodding in approval, Gerald led the way out of the room. At that point, we were above the C grade classification of magical girls. Individually, we were around the low end of B grade and could easily take out Vehegian on our own now. Rather, Vehegian was also a new magical girl. She had only been added to the ranks of the progenitor's cult for half a year before she met us. Compared to the boss, Marianne who boasted countless years, she was less than a toddler. And we who defeated her despite having just awakened into magical girls, weren't much of an anomaly at all. It was the mere law of the jungle.
***
"Come to think of it, Vehegian was really weak after all huh? Those 2 who defeated her right after awakening had potential that shot through the roof.
Well, not that it matters much to me. With my decades of experience, they all look the same to me. Raw power isn't that useful without the knowledge to use it. " (Heredina Alimia)
"... Is that so?.... " (Marianne)
She didn't particularly ignore her secretary with deep navy blue hair, she simply thought that there was more to the power gap between the duo and Vehegian than a simply difference in potential. While modern magical girls are indeed disappointing, that is only because they completely lack experience but they more than make up for it with power.
As an example... She received a report that another branch had nearly been wiped out. The 4 major organisations including the one she was in were in more of a stalemate situation, with each one keeping the other 3 in check. While an emergence of a new power was scary, thankfully this wasn't the debut of a new group, but an integration of a modern magical girl into the FahvisMagia. At the same time it was unfortunate.
The Union was an eccentric entity focused on magic research and constant gathering or upgrading of their own power. No matter what their goals revolved around that same few rules. On the other end, the Vermanian Faith while the most morally corrupt and repulsive, they were a mere cult that did as they pleased and ignored some laws in the pursuit of pleasure. They were a hedonistic group with no greater purpose, the things they preach were hardly believable for the general population and that tiny dissonance has seeped into their members. Due to their unorganised nature, it was easy for the other groups to incite and take advantage of them.
This leaves the FahvisMagia, their political goal posed the most danger in throwing the country into chaos, while we were actually backed by our own country. So of FahvisMagia was able to procure so much power, it would threaten the present balance that we have. The new magical girl they had didn't listen to strategy at all, rather they didn't need to. They simply ran in, breaking down every obstacle and blew up. A large release of energy disintegrated a large part of the base as well as the documents it held. It served no purpose other than to wipe out life...
Is something major happening in the other side of the world? Something is interfering with a natural law that has held constant for few millennia... Or maybe somethings was about to happen in the future, and the law of magical girls is preparing humanity to fight it off. Just thinking about it gave her shudders... The new magical girls are awakening stronger and stronger. It may be in an anticipation to a new threat to humanity.
But the maximum limit of growth was around the same as before, around C grade for the average small time magical girls that fought monsters or aliens, and around B to A grade for the talented. S grades are still a rarity that were powerful enough to be considered tactical advantages and above that... Well, SS grades are a myth anyway. Even the progenitor is a mere S grade that had lived for centuries, only he would know of the existence of any SS grades, beings of unlimited and immeasurable power. That said, the limit suggests that her concerns may be false....
A larger threat would require a larger limit... Or perhaps the limit wasn't set by the law of magical girls but the human body... They are a limit after all, it may have nothing to do with the law of magical girls... But that was for another time.
***(Paridia)
"Did you get her?" (Gerald)
"Yeah... I got her before she became aware of us. Since my bullet is powered by light magic, even magical girls cannot see it normally... But her corpse exploded. Not in a way akin to whale carcasses, but more of a combusting way. We need to get the cleaners. "
"... At least we solve the problem that nearly eliminated another branch, I didn't even have to get in and chase her to the promised point. I've called the cleaners, continue guarding the area. I'm counting on you. " (Gerald)
"Mhmm. But don't you think it was too convenient? The target was completely defenseless, they fell for the bait... The new supplies that were coming in, in an instant. She may have been supervised a superior from FahvisMagia."
"That's okay. They know the threat you pose with your sniping magic. If they don't dare to come out now, it meant that they're too weak to survive a fight anyway. I'll keep on the lookout, let's buy a new ingredient after today. The kids back at the facility will love it. " (Gerald)
"... Mhmm. "
Turning off the receiver, I continued to monitor the surrounding areas. I guess Gerald had gotten used to me by now huh... She was relaxed enough to casually use the word 'kids'... I've always avoided it... Because I had refused to think about it, but perhaps Gerald had accepted it. As aspected of her, she had come to terms with our lifestyle. I never called the experimentees 'kids', because I am around the same age as them. It forced me to reflect that we led drastically different lives despite having lived as long as them... It makes me pity them and I get infuriated by own powerlessness.
Our organisation has always complained about manpower issues and how they are no reliable magical girls to solve certain issues that the organisation is facing. But in truth, they definitely have a few S grades up their sleeves. As proof... Marianne has 2 stats that are S grade. One more and she was considered a low end S grade herself... We were right to work under her in order to survive, the other branches only get A grades or even B grades for bosses.
Well, I can't wait to visit the experimentees soon. I wonder how they would react to a new dish. I'm not able to discern if it was a coincidence or not, but we had 3 more magical girls awaken. Their time of awakening varied throughout the year, but a common point was that it took at least 8 months since we've become executives.