...
(Gavin and Immortal King— a flashback of dialogue from the past.)
"Teacher, is it true that we are an evil organization?" Gavin was only 10 years old at that time when he asked him this question to his mentor. Gavin has never been this curious before, so it made the Immortal King feel a little bit happy.
To think that young Gavin has already grown this much. This kid makes this old man a teensy li'l bit teary. Usually, if it were someone else, the Immortal King would have ignored them. But it's Gavin that we are talking about!
"Huh? What do you mean?" The Immortal King asked, curious about the young boy's thoughts.
"Well, we have employee benefits that are too good, right? We have insurance policies, good wages, free training camps, charity funds, vacations, and plenty of incentives. Are we copying the Hero Society?"
"Gavin, why ask?"
"Because I am curious..."
"That's the point!"
Did a donkey kick his old man's head? That's the point? It's what scammers say to inquisitive questions to bullshit their way, right? Gavin for the first time doubted his dear teacher.
But… no way… would his teacher really lie to him? To bullshit with him? Gavin steeled his resolve. He idolizes the Immortal King like how a pupil does to his teacher, or how a son looks up to his father…
Seeing the quickly changing faces of his pupil, the Immortal King explained.
"Let me enlighten you, my dear pupil. Plagiarism is bad, and Zentury successfully recreated it... Nah, it was big sister's idea anyway. Just hear me, Zentury is the kind of evil that turns goodness into wickedness."
"..." Gavin is speechless. Perhaps, does the Immortal King really intend to bullshit with him?
"Don't be fooled, kid. Our insurance policies and wages are factors that greatly contribute to our people's loyalty. They are the lure, collar, and cage. Do you remember the credit system? Every time they are using them, they are actually accruing debts. Since these people are not smart, it is very easy to manipulate them. When they hear words like credit limit, spend on everything you like, and easy money, they can get easily deluded either by the jargon or temptations. Hahaha... It's a trap they will never see coming."
"That's horrible..."
"This is not where it stops. The training camps ain't really offering free education. Our instructors specialize in brainwashing after all, hahaha..."
"H-how about me?"
"Nah, you are all good. You share Zentury's dreams too, hence you don't need to undergo the brainwashing campaign. Oh, there is also the charity... That was just a front. Our charity organizations are where we receive bribes and where we scout prospects for minionship. Meanwhile, the vacation and incentives serve as motivation. Even a big boss like myself is not immune to its allure."
"It got me curious. But how is that even possible? How does that relate to curiosity? You said being curious is the point. But... It seems too obvious to me who is barely just 10 years old. You don't need any education to realize that this is a scam all along, right? Even before I asked you this question, I already have an idea that something bad behind the scenes are happening." The Immortal King showed a doting look to Gavin. Such an inquisitive mind, 'this is really my son!' though not biologically, it doesn't matter for the Immortal King.
"Oh, so that's why you asked in the first place. Not just because you are curious, but because you are suspicious. Excellent thinking, kid. You see, the key is curiosity itself. You see, when a person's curiosity gets the best of them, they'll want to check it, right? What happens after that— you'll go and check it for yourself then you'll go "Wow, this credit-something is amazing. This card with my name is called a credit card? The higher my rank is, the higher the credit limit I can have. And I can spend it on any Zentury facilities across the world. Not to boot, it gets refreshed every month. It's like I have free money every month. But do I have to do missions if I want to continue using it? Sure!""
*Gasp~ Gavin gulped. This is a shocking revelation!
"Then what's next? They will say something like "Is this really an evil organization, the benefits are too good. This must be paradise!" The Immortal King added.
"It sounds more like an evil corporation than an evil organization..."
"That's what makes it eviler. Just be thankful you are not a corporate slave or something worse."
"It can get worse?"
"Yes, like being processed as raw materials."
Gavin chose silence at that moment. It only now does he realize that he really is in an evil organization. Because of the Immortal King's pampering, Gavin remained ignorant of the organization's darkest sides.
"Hmmm… Gavin, I want to tell you something."
"What is it?"
"You are not from this world."
…
'That came fucking out of nowhere...'
When Gavin opened his eyes, he was met with a starless night. It's dark, and nary a light could be seen, thus explaining his camp's situation. For a normal human, it would be difficult to move in this kind of environment, however, Gavin has an excellent memory.
He lightly trod the path, certain where he should step. They cannot afford a bonfire right now, especially with the heroes chasing their tails. They didn't even bother to set up a tent, for the fear of spending less time resting, and even 'escaping' if the occasion calls for it.
From a distance, Gavin can see the flickering lights. He fearlessly headed there, not even second guessing whether it was the enemies or not. The lights came from fireflies, in a night like this, the light they created is quite a spectacle to see. It's beautiful.
From there, Gavin idly watched the light show in a trance. He recalled his old man, the Immortal King. A sense of bitter shame, regret, and repulse rose in his heart. Even now, Gavin doesn't understand it.
Why? Why does the Immortal King show him such strong favor when he intends to use him as a sacrificial lamb? Gavin's childhood memories haunt him. It feels terrible.
Maybe, all of it was an act on the Immortal King's part? Or maybe, all of the 'love' Immortal King has shown is the truth all along and there is actually a different mastermind behind the scenes.
"Why? You can't sleep?"
Gavin looked where the voice came from. It was the masked executive, going by the name 'Leneya'. She has cascading black hair with strands of white, an alluring figure, and maybe a beautiful face behind her steel mask judging by her enchanting deep indigo eyes.
No one has ever seen her face. She has been an executive in the organization longer than him, so Gavin has to show some form of respect. Though there isn't any hierarchy between executives, proper respect is still to be shown for those who hold more power than you.
"Yes, I had a… dream. Or more likely a nightmare, I think…"
Gavin observed Leneya. She looked unguarded but Gavin won't be fooled. He personally witnessed this woman rip off a Destructive-grade hero in half with one move. It has been a week since their contingent met, but Gavin still held no clue as to how this woman's brain ticks.
"It was me." Leneya suddenly said out of the blue.
"Excuse me?" Where did that even come from? Gavin didn't mind at first, but the next words that came out from Leneya's lips are quite a shock for him.
"It was me who created the rumor. That you were the Immortal King's organ dispenser, his chance for a second life. Yes, it was me who induced you into killing your mentor. I made the Collective convince you, pressure you… The Immortal King is…"
"Innocent?" Gavin cuts off Leneya's words. He is angry, full of rage! The 'Collective', the subsidiary of Zentury composed of the organization's executives, held sway that Gavin cannot ignore.
"Pfft…" Leneya stifled her laugh. "That's funny. An interesting choice of adjective. No one who belongs to Zentury is innocent. Why are you so angry? You could have chosen to ignore the collective, right?"
Yes, Gavin could have ignored them. He has the ability to do so. However, he chose not to do so… It is because he wanted to learn the truth, thus he tested the Immortal King. It was... a test gone out of control.
"You are curious, right? Because just what if… What if the rumors were true?" Leneya challenged Gavin.
"…" But Gavin only remained silent.
"Judging by how the Immortal King suddenly treated you differently after the rumor was blown out of proportion, that must be when you decided, right? That you should confront him directly. You then colluded with the president to issue a kill mission for the Immortal King. This way, the Immortal King would be left with no choice but to answer to you."
"…"
"However, contrary to your expectation, the Immortal King chose to resist. And in the end… remained silent as to why he adopted you in the first place. Does he really intend to rear you like livestock, and harvest your Special Ability for himself, or is there a totally different reason?"
"Color me impress, tell me."
"It is because… the Immortal King is… afraid of your kind," Leneya said, hanging word by word. An ominous premonition made itself known to Gavin's mind.
Leneya continued. "You see, I know… You are not from this world. Oh Gavin the Undying, tell me… Do you know what a 'dreamer' is?