Chapter 59
Director Grant could not swallow his pride; he walked out and never looked back, Monica was dumfounded by just what happened, as Katarine just sent out a file to all the remaining directors at the conference room with files connecting to Director Grant's illegal activities. ,
"This has been the third time he presented this project at my table; I never uttered a word and insisted that his plans were insufficient."
"This was not because it was insufficient; no, the project has truly many flaws, and all this pointed out his ill guided action toward the company's best interests."
Monica knew that Director Grant's pride would prevent him from admitting his mistakes, but she never expected him to react so impulsively. As she watched him storm out of the conference room, she realized that this was just the beginning of a much larger conflict within the company.
"And I know Director Grant has been with us for many years and even became some of your mentor, but it's clear that his recent decisions are not aligning with the company's goals and values. It's time for us to address this issue before it causes more harm."
" I was hoping that he would change the way he was presenting the project , but it was still inclined to his own agenda; it might be faint at first , but now its deliberate."
"And somewhat inclined toward something more than just a casual hint , but in doing this act , he was undermining the collaborative efforts of the team and hindering our progress."
"It's crucial that we confront this behavior head-on to ensure the success of our projects and maintain a positive work environment."
"His greed finally got to him; I never expected that all this time his ambition to take my seat is still lingering in the background, but now it's clear that he will stop at nothing to advance his own interests."
"It's important for us to address this issue before it escalates further and causes more disruption within the team."
" Monica , with respect to Mr. Grants's time here , please inform the proper department concerning his dismissal and ensure that all necessary paperwork and procedures are followed in a timely manner to avoid any potential conflicts or misunderstandings. This will also help to maintain professionalism and integrity within the organization."
"yes ma'am,"
" I know, he was your mentor and former colleague, but it's crucial to handle this situation objectively and according to company policy. It's essential for the team's morale and productivity moving forward."
" I know, I was just thinking about how his departure will impact the team dynamics and workload distribution. "
"It's important to address any concerns or questions that may arise from his dismissal to ensure a smooth transition for everyone involved."
" I will appoint supervisor Davis to handle his task; he has worked with this kind of type of project before, and I have seen his dedication and leadership skills in action before, and I believe he will be able to effectively manage the workload."
" I will give him proper time to adjust, and if within said time frame he is able to adapt to the vacant position, I will officially promote Mr. Davis as director."
"Noted Ma'am."
"For the time being the conference room atmosphere drastically changed because of this matter, Let's reschedule the meeting, and I will give the rest of the remaining directors to polish their proposals."
"Especially the residential housing building we are planning to make, as I said, the unbits must be designed to protect the residents from the increasing monster attacks "
"And Secretary Sonia , please schedule a meeting with Supervisor Davis. "
"Yes Ma'am,"
"To individuals who desire to stay in my company , just do the right thing, my door is always open if you are in need of any help."
"Remember, teamwork and communication are key to our success. Let's work together to overcome any challenges that come our way." "Thank you all for your hard work and dedication, it does not go unnoticed."
While Ethan finally reached the industrial district and was contemplating the assessment and had already read all necessary detail concerning the knights association, his plan to have a double life was really about having the freedom to enjoy his day with Katarine without gathering too much annoying circumstance; being a high-rank knight was to grant him authority to act and secure large rifts or high rank monsters without having to resort to working in the shadows.
Not all attacks are done at night. Ethan knew that balancing his responsibilities as a knight with his personal life would be challenging, but he was determined to make it work. He understood that being a high-ranking knight came with sacrifices, but he was willing to put in the effort to achieve his goals.
"The world is rapidly changing, and I really don't know when this will return to normal."
While walking toward the warehouse, Ethan wanted to forge a mask that would complement his clothing and armor and provide extra protection during battles. He knew that adaptability was key in his line of work, especially in uncertain times like these.
An unseen figure was watching above the residential building; the man was wearing run-down clothing, resembling a beggar; he was pale looking and skinny; his gray beard and wrinkled skin were a stark contrast to the well-dressed residents below. Despite his appearance, his eyes gleamed with intelligence and purpose, hinting at a hidden agenda that only he knew.
"Ah, so this place is Earth, such a fragile planet… I never truly understand why this place became the center of everything,"
"Even this host body was on the brink of death when I came, and yet it serves its purpose well enough for now," the figure muttered to himself, a sly smile playing on his lips as he continued to observe the unsuspecting residents below. "
"It's hard to locate my other brethren; they have been in this place for many, many years."
"Transferring to different vessels every time the old one dies is very risky, but it's the only way to blend in and continue our mission without drawing attention," the figure thought as he scanned the crowd for any signs of his fellow beings. "Perhaps one day we will understand why Earth was chosen as our stage, but for now, we must focus on our task at hand."
The old, pale man was about to leave the roof of the building when another person was waving at him across the other connecting building. It was a young man about ten years old and stood around three feet tall. He was wearing a school uniform and was actually living in the building he was in.
The pale man smiled and gave out a hardly laugh. As if they knew each other for a long time, the old man made his way over to the young boy. They exchanged a few words before the old man scratched his own head and continued on his way, leaving the boy looking up at the sky with wonder in his eyes.
"Ah, what a wonderful day to be alive," the young man thought to himself as he watched the old, pale man walk away. The boy's eyes followed the old man until he disappeared going down the building roof exit."
"I should have killed him right away."
He whispered to himself; the guilt of even entertaining such an idea washed over him.
"But mother would get mad at me!"
Meanwhile, the old man stepped into the bustling streets below, the sounds of traffic and distant chatter melding into an overwhelming symphony. He released a heavy sigh, his thoughts consumed by urgency.
"What the hell is that thing doing out here?"
He wondered, spotting Ethan just moments too late. The scent he caught in the wind was faint yet unmistakable, stirring an instinctual wariness in him. He had felt the strange aura before, but the intensity was diminished; was it a trick of the mind? As the weight of his purpose pressed down upon him, he resolved to gather the rest of his brothers. The thought was enough to quicken his steps.
In his world, unlike their enemies, they were unbound—free to indulge in the darker desires that painted their existence in shades of chaos and revelry. Yet, this very freedom often felt like a double-edged sword.
"Being part of the third hierarchy has its perks, but facing off with the fallen second hierarchy is unwise, especially when it's Carnival; this is a really bad sign."
"After becoming a fallen, he was seen killing multitudes of races."
"I can't afford to get the civilians involved in this conflict," he thought to himself as he quickened his pace even more. The consequences of a war between the hierarchies would be catastrophic for all involved.
He muttered to himself. There was an omen in the back of his mind, a gnawing sense of foreboding that the peace they had oft taken for granted was on the verge of shattering. As he looked around at the unsuspecting crowd, he felt the weight of both his duties and his choices closing in. Today was no ordinary day, and the path ahead would demand sacrifices he was uncertain he was prepared to make.
Ethan reaches a particular thrift shop. With all manners of items, he spots that it was selling tactical equipment, so he browsed through the selection; some items were still in good and unsed condition, while others showed signs of wear and tear. Until he saw many airsoft Half Face Tactical Skull Masks, but they were made of plastic, he needed something more durable and costomed made that he probably would ask his father to make, so based on the dimension and the design and actual fit, Ethan took out his cell phone and took a picture and sent the picture to his father.
He secretly told his father that he was a registered knight. Ethan was still hesitating to tell his mother, as he knew the reason why he wanted to become an artist was to secure his mother's fear of growing up like his father. Ethan's father responded with excitement and pride, assuring him that he would create the armor for his son. Ethan felt a sense of relief knowing his father supported his dreams, but he still struggled with how to approach the topic with his mother.
Ethan's parents already knew their son was in a relationship, but they haven't personally met her. Ethan's father suggested that they invite his girlfriend over for dinner so they could finally meet her. Ethan agreed, feeling grateful for his father's understanding and support. This would be the perfect opportunity to introduce his girlfriend to his parents and hopefully ease any concerns they may have had.
Ethan's father might have retired from being a military man, but his forging skills were still sharp as ever. Most of the items he gave Ethan still bear the marks of his craftsmanship. He assured Ethan that he would make the best mask for him; he even asked about the retractable chain on the armguard he made.
He explained that the design was good, but the additional arm guard placed on top of it was making retraction slow down, but he couldn't remove the arm weights. As it was part of his training regiment, he asked his father to look into ways to improve the arm weights and have it gain more weight without compromising his secondary weapon.
Nicolas Abelard. Haniel was delighted with this information; he assured his son that he would craft the best training and weapon for him that would optimize his performance without compromising any aspect of his training. He promised to work on a solution that would allow for increased weight without hindering the functionality of the retractable chain on the armguard.
Ethan was happy and thanked his father for everything he has done for him. Ethan gave out a small smile and said his goodbye, and because he needed to wear something for the time being, he bought the mask and left the thrift shop. The pale old man was seen passing the shop and was heading toward the industrial district known as the old church. It was located a few blocks from the hidden mini garden.,
The priest managing the services there was kind and very generous toward the poor. Many old and devout people who were near the church go there, including Nicole Hernandez's older family members. Ethan was still in contact with her; their casual communication was civil and friendly. Despite the distance between them, they made an effort to stay connected and catch up on each other's lives whenever possible. Ethan admired Nicole's dedication to her family and her strong sense of community, but unknown to him she had already resigned from her old job and became a full time staff member of the knight association droid department. She is now using her level 6 ability of telekinesis to become one of the workers behind the testing droid assembly and maintenance.
She was also reluctantly unaware that Ethan came to test the knight assessment test and passed with flying colors. Ethan was friends with Nicole, but he was just being kind and did not want to be rude and still wished to gain more friends along the way. Only two know about his knight registration; it was Katarine and his father.
He knows that Katarine will soon register herself, as her powers and abilities are becoming increasingly difficult to hide. So having the same privilege was vital to her, especially since they were both seeking the same thing. They both wanted to save those who were in need of help.
Ethan was already out of the thrift shop when the church bell rang. This was the signal that the mass service was about to start. He wasn't that religious but still believes in God. Ethan wasn't tied to the church, but I was held together by the way his parents brought him up.
He respected the traditions and values instilled in him by his family, even if he didn't attend church regularly. Ethan found solace in knowing that he had a strong foundation to guide him through life's challenges. He was already tired and a bit sleepy; he just wanted to go back to the warehouse and catch some rest, as he still needs to live a normal life. Killing killing monster might be profitable, but he hasn't started yet, so that will come maybe tomorrow.
As for now, he just needs to sleep.
Meanwhile, Varinka was still looking for the owner of the knife that was the only evidence of her younger brother's untimely death. The smell of death on the blade was still potent and was driving her lust to kill, which was getting stronger with each passing day. She knew she needed to find the killer before her desire for vengeance consumed her completely.
Victor Yuli Romanov used all his connections to secure all CCTV cameras in the area, and after many months, his team was able to capture a reoccurring person on the location of the industrial district; this was already noticed by Victor himself, but knowing the person was just an average guy working for an old logistic warehouse company was very unexpected. However, Victor couldn't ignore the evidence pointing towards this individual as the possible killer or knowing the identity of the knife owner. He knew he had to approach the situation with caution and gather more information before making any moves.
But one of the Victor Yuli Romanov personnel was secretly informing Varinka out of fear; this person was new to the organization and firsthand saw what kind of person Varinka was, unlike his boss Victor, who was more like a businessman than a criminal boss. Varinka just enjoys torturing people for fun and amusement.
This person took snap shots of the CCTV video and sent it to Varinka and even gave her the address where this person was staying. To her surprise, it was the same warehouse where she felt the massive aura of death. oozing out of the place. Her hunger grew even worse.
Moaning could be heard as Varina was naked on her bed. At the very top floor of the 50-story luxury building that their family owned in the entertainment and business district, Varinka was satisfying herself with three men; sadly, two of these men had already died from multiple stabs on their bodies. , the third man was moaning and gasping for dear life as the bedsheet was covered with his blood, while the other two were laying the flood naked and brutally sexually assaulted . The smell of sweat , saliva and semen could be smelled inside her private quarters.
These 3 men were young aspiring male models. Varinka was sexually active, and with her captivating presence, she never had any issues luring men to satisfy her sexual needs , but upon receiving the information about the possible identity of her brother's killer, while receiving sexual activities from the two young male models,
Her lust for sex became a thirst for blood . As Varinka's right hand was holding her phone lying on her back, the first young man on top of her was still continuously shoving his manhood into her opening.
This behavior infuriated her, so she quickly put down her phone, grabbed the metal chopstick from the bedside table, and stabbed him four times in the side of his rib cage with it. The third young man who was watching the three was able to witness her brutality and insanity in action, while the other man, whom she was previously stroking his manhood with her left hand, ended up with multiple stabs on the stomach. She casually spit out the blood that splattered on her mouth and face like it was gum.
As the two young male models bleed out, Varinka just shoves the two men off of her, ,with the slim model like physique and the male model just crumpling on to the queen size bed, slowly dying. Everything happened so fast that the third naked model fell off the bed and dropped toward the floor in pure terror. Varinka stood up naked and just kicked the third model on the neck this time, ensuring he wouldn't get back up again. The room was filled with a tense silence as Varinka surveyed the scene, her expression cold and calculating.
While at the same time one called her hard all this , as her phone was still active , Varinka walked around her bed and picked up her phone and ordered the man to send a car to the building parking lot and have a gun prepared for her.
"Get me some new clothes, please."
"The one I had before, is now filled with sweat , semen and blood."
"yes ma'am"