Patrick hovered over the city as he stared below, countless chattering and noises ringing in his ear as he could see, hear, and detect everything within Earth 001. His vision was as clear as day, despite being nighttime. Closing his eyes and adjusting to his senses being heightened at an infinite scale, Patrick instantly adapted and opened his eyes simultaneously. The loud and chaotic noises from the living and non-living beings worldwide were significantly reduced, as Patrick could now control his infinite senses.
"Time to return to the orphanage; it's only an hour before the teachers begin the roll call; even though time is of no significance to me right now, it is already second nature not to miss roll call, as a person would usually be expelled from the orphanage after missing three roll calls."
Patrick spoke and slowly began descending, his throne steadily transforming into black mist as it dissipated into the surroundings; simultaneously after, the space became empty as Patrick's figure disappeared from the scene.
Southwest of Metro City, an orphanage compound stood opposite a large corporate company building. One could tell the orphanage was old, as there were many worn down buildings, with only a few useable buildings left standing. These buildings were the shelter homes, the teachers' quarters, and the main administrative building; everything else was ruined.
At the compound gates of the orphanage was an old but healthy security officer, seeming in his fifties, standing as security with his safety vest and guns strapped to his upper body; he had a robust physical presence, not looking like someone in his fifties the least. This was because he was awakened. As awakened warriors, their bodies were blessed with Mana, which increases their strength and abilities and helps them maintain their physical appearances at peak state.
"Sigh~ What a tragedy; to think that the orphanage lost its last opportunity for sponsorship. I'm sure those power-hungry corporate bastards are involved in this matter; after all, the Miss refused to sell the land to them; I can only imagine the turmoil she must be experiencing right now. On the one hand, the livelihood and security of hundreds of children, and on the other, the pressuring influence from the higher-ups. Truly sad-
"What's sad, Mark?
The officer expressed with dejected emotions as he thought of the current situation of the orphanage, but before he could finish his sentence, a familiar voice interrupted from beside him. Instinctively reacting like any other sneaked-on person, the officer, thinking he was being attacked, hurriedly swung his right elbow to his side, intending to hurt the other party before they made any more moves. But surprisingly, the officer missed his target; with a shocked expression, he quickly reacted as he jumped a few meters from his position.
But upon noticing the other party's figure, the officer's face instantly lost its coldness as he switched to a calm and respectful demeanor; he stepped forward and saluted the arrived figure as if greeting his superior; he respectfully spoke.
"Good Evening, boss; welcome back."
Patrick stood opposite Mark as he nodded to Mark's greetings. His hands were tucked in his sweater pockets with the hood covering his head. Seeing Mark saluting him, Patrick was unreactive, not because of his 'Infinite Calm' skill, but rather because this wasn't Mark's first time saluting him, and also, he was already numb to Mark's salutations and respectful attitude, meaning this was a reoccurring thing.
Patrick casually spectated the compound as he stared at one particular building in the distance, the teachers' quarters; he saw a lit room with a womanly shadow; he then slightly twitched his brows as he instantly understood everything. Maintaining his gaze at the quarters, he spoke.
"So, the Halton Brothers Corporation succeeded in bribing the officials from approving the sponsorship request. They not only succeeded in lowering the orphanage's real estate value, but aimd to demolish it altogether, hmm...so everything went as I anticipated ..."
Mark stood as he listened to this person he calls boss with a revering expression, with his head down, as if not daring to cross his boss' eyes. As his boss had said, everything was within his calculations, making the entire tumultuous event like a little play of puppets, and he is the puppeteer. His name is Mark Willis, a fifty-year-old D-rank Awakened. Despite being awakened at the age of thirty, Mark had strove through painful trials and tribulations in many Gates using his 'Iron Body' ability as he later became one of the one-hundred D-rank warriors in southern Metro, earning him a respectable place among the Awakened Warriors.
As he was a reliable Awakened with the 'Iron Body' ability, Mark made a fortune for himself working as a mercenary for large organizations and raiding Gates, and since he was single and childless, his responsibilities were pretty much non-existent. But due to his massive spending habit and gambling addiction, Mark unfortunately lost a significant percentage of his wealth, leaving him owning loads of debt and almost homeless. Even the large organizations he worked for dropped him as they labeled him a high-risk-low reward prospect. With little to no choice, Mark was forced to work as a security guard at Patrick's orphanage since it was impossible to get a high-paying job after being dropped by the biggest Gate-hunting companies, even a D-rank like him was rejected.
With him having to bear the drastic change in paycheck, Mark could only swallow his pride and manage the little money the orphanage paid him. Exactly six months ago, the orphanage was unable to pay him for three months, but even worse, the lady in charge always told him to be a little more patient, saying that the orphanage was experiencing some slight difficulty. But with his fifty years of experience, Mark quickly understood that he wasn't going to receive any more paychecks from this job, he even wrote a letter of resignation, but the day he was about to deliver his resignation letter, he was stopped by a silver-haired kid, whose hight was even taller than him, as he was 5'10".
After a conversation with the silver-haired kid, Mark was shocked to see the level of maturity the kid possessed. As if he was already a grown man, the kid spoke with confidence and arrogance as he offered to pay him and not resign. As any normal situation would go, Mark didn't take the kid's words serious, taking it that the kid was just trying to make him stay, even daring to lie about paying him off -pocket. But to Mark's surprise, the kid brought out a small phone-like device, with a few clicks, he stopped as he looked at Mark, speaking after. "Check your phone."
With a doubtful expression, Mark suspiciously pull out his phone as he slowly switched his eyes to the phone, seeing a pop-up message on his lock screen after. With a tap, Mark clicked the message as it showed the details; 'Edin Bank. A deposit has been made to the account number 7785XXXXXX. Your bank balance has been updated. Your current balance is D$ 900,000.' Seeing the number, Mark couldn't help but slowly count the zeros like a toddler learning to count. But despite having such a ridiculous amount of money from a fifteen-year-old child, his shock was how did the kid even transfer the money?! Had the kid hacked his phone with that unknown device just now, and with less than five clicks at that?!
Since then, Mark had signed a five-year contract with the kid and began calling him boss. His paychecks had a significant increase; despite working as a mere security guard, his monthly pay was many times the salary of most CEOs. His attitude of resigning changed to wanting to work at the orphanage forever; even the lady in charge was surprised upon seeing the calm and vibrant mood of Mark, even when she explained she couldn't pay him, as Mark even brushed past the topic several times.
After a month of working for the silver-haired kid, Mark discovered the name of his boss, Patrick Alexander King, at least that's what they call him during roll call. But next to receiving huge pay checks, Mark also received numerous things from his boss, some which greatly increased his chances of survival; like the blue liquid which his boss calls the 'Regeneration Fluid,' although it came in small bottles, just a mere sip could completely heal any wound, even severed limbs.
Like when he was in a situation where he and his formed team of Awakened were besieged by black walking flowers, with some of his teammates even losing limbs, Mark had consumed the blue liquid in attempt to recover as much energy as possible, but to his surprise, his wounds began healing at observable speed, with that, he and his team survived that calamity. But this caused Mark to have even more respect for Patrick, even seeing Patrick as more than a boss, but rather as someone worthy of being revered. Despite Patrick not being an Awakened, Mark never pondered on the thought as he thought his boss was only a second away from awakening as one of the most, if not, the most powerful Awakened in the whole world. As for someone with an extremely high intelligence, his boss, who could make a magical item like the blue liquid from scratch, which even surpassed the healing capabilities of the potions sold at Gear Centers, it was only a matter of time before he discovers a way for him to awaken.
Mark stood with a respectful demeanor as silence filled the scene, he didn't even make a sound, let alone speak. The scene was silent for three seconds, Patrick held his head down as if thinking, then, raising his head to Mark, he spoke.
"Mark, since the Halton Brothers Corporation have made their move, they will attack the orphanage tonight, making a catastrophic event which will lead to the instant closure of the orphanage, ensure security at the teachers' quarters, as for ours, leave that to me."
"Yes, Boss! Pardon me, Boss, but should I capture them for information, or-
The Halton Brothers wouldn't be so stupid to send their men on dirty tasks like this. The enemies would be hired assassins, and since we already know their client, they provide me no value. Kill them."
Patrick interrupted Mark as he spoke with a passionless tone, his eyes not showing the slightest emotion of compassion or sympathy. Done speaking, Patrick began walking as he walked past Mark, with Mark saluting Patrick again as if saying farewell to the Captain. But Patrick spoke, his words leaving a vibrant light in Mark's eyes.
"If you perform a diligent job, perhaps I might reward you with a weapon this time."
Patrick's figure disappeared into the distance as his words were the only thing left behind, these words resounding in Mark's ears as he trembled excitedly, he unconsciously murmured.
"The Boss will reward me with a weapon?! The 'Regeneration Fluid' can be considered a SSS-rank level magical item, hell even at the Mythical Stage, as it can instantly regenerate limbs, heal all wounds and even recover one hundred percent of one's energy, so far, such a treasure isn't even rumored in Dasia Kingdom, let alone in Metro City; a weapon made by the Boss would surely not be any less unbelievably powerful compared to the fluid. I can't even stop trembling from excitement, if only I could go kill the assassins, but I must follow the Boss' orders and secure the teachers' quarters-
Wait, I didn't notice it earlier, but did Boss get taller?!"
Deep within the orphanage, far from the standing buildings and security gate, Patrick stood before a partially demolished building as he stared at it, he held an affectionate face, like someone finally returning home, away from the chaos of the outside world. He slowly untucked his hands from his sweater, steadily raising his right hand, countless stacks of bricks appeared and settled next to him. The bricks stood tens of feet tall, towering over Patrick. Patrick then opened his palms as a cement shovel materialized on it, looking up at the ruined story building, he calmly but friendly uttered.
"You have been the home of my greatest secrets, now is time I repaid the favor."
-
Patrick stood before the now renovated story building as he expressed satisfyingly. The bricks were gone since they were used in the renovation. The previously demolished building was no more, as only a majestic and kingly castle-like building stood before him. It took no time for Patrick to rebuild the three story building as his speed was infinite.
Grace had remained quiet all this time, but she suddenly sounded.
"Master, you heart rate has increased significantly. Upgrading the skill 'Infinite Calm,' upgrade complete."
[Passive Nature: Absolute Calm; Totality embraces you, brings Master to an always calmed state]
Patrick stood before the building as unlimited thoughts raced through his mind; as he stared at he building, which he called home, only one word lingered in his consciousness.
"Family!"