1 Prelude Take 1

Heavy boots stepped into the tower through the enormous metal gate. The guards in armed gear glanced at the comer and nodded slightly without leaving their position. The newcomer's figure was wrapped in a hooded dark clock. The uniform of the Organisation could be seen through the front opening of the clock. A few strands of short dark brown hair and the delicate chin revealed from the hood, betrayed the persona. Her back was straight and the posture of walking was silent and agile. She was carrying a brown leather armor case, knowing who she was, it must be a long-range weapon. She shook her head when an attendant attempted to take it to put it in the safeguard for the time being.

She quickly followed the attendants to the conference room. It was brightly lit. And the screen was playing some film from the years before when the world was normal. She found the seat in the corner and sat down.

"Hey, Venus..." A warrior sitting nearby called out and came to sit next to her. He was Roy, a fire elemental, and an acquaintance of hers.

"Did you hear about Mark?"

The girl scrunched her eyebrows as she looked at him questioning.

"No. I was with the 3rd regiment. We were trapped in the beast tide for a week before we could get out. What happened?" She informed slowly.

"Ouch. That's something." Roy scrunched up his face in confusion and enlightenment. He glanced at her hesitantly.

"What happened?" Venus asked noticing the guy's difficult expression. Her interest was piqued.

"Well, Mark had some disputes with his regiment before they departed for the quest for resources. Yesterday they came back with twelve people alive. Mark and his two friends were not in it. And they didn't even explain what happened. Just said that they were lost in the beast tide." Roy said in a hushed tone. Roy's face was ugly. He understood the underhanded methods those bastards used. But he was in a different regiment and he was also powerless.

"Do you doubt?" Venus caressed the leather stitches on the bag with coldness hidden in her hooded eyes and asked.

"Hm, he was in the fifth regiment. 3rd and 5th regiments went in the opposite range for the mission. If your regiment encountered the beast tide how could they as well? And this is not even spring when the hibernation period is ended. So Grim Forest can't encounter all-around beast tides. The beast tide you encountered should be stray monsters. So, the conclusion is that they were finished off during the mission by the captain." Roy concluded in a somber tone.

Venus rubbed the leather case thoughtfully and crossed her legs.

"Oh yes. A month ago the 5th regiment had disputes over that girl. What's her name? Jay... J... Yeah, Jessica. Her boyfriend, that gunslinger, James, fought with the captain. Then he and his friend Liam never returned. And now this. There's something fishy. The situation is similar." He mumbled softly.

Venus snapped her head to look at him. Her eyes were venomous. She narrowed her eyes and asked coldly.

"What did you say? Liam was involved in that? Speak up. I want to know everything." Venus pressed the barrel of the pistol on his waist from the space in the backrest. She knew he was just speculating. But she needed that. Her friend, who had saved her life, was involved in this bitchy dog blood drama and had lost his life. How could she sit around?

"Well, I'm just guessing, you know. I don't know for sure." Roy whispered.

"I don't need you to be sure." Venus pursed her lips and sneered.

"Okay. Uh... I heard that, that bitch cheated on James with the captain of the 5th regiment. And she had been for almost several months. A night before the mission James caught them because of Liam. Well, Liam found out and snitched to James. James and Liam knew some dirty deeds of this regiment. So, they decided to finish them off. And, Jessica blew air into the fire. On the excuse of encountering the A-level elemental wolf king, they were sacrificed heroically. And this time, I guess Mark knew something about what James and Liam knew, and they had evidence and recording with them. Mark is a pussy. He must have wanted some benefits. So he should have arrogantly decided to blackmail them. And he and his two sidekicks must have been finished off because of his foolhardiness."

Venus removed the pistol from his waist. Her face was cold and black. Roy looked at her beautiful frosty face. He understood something.

"Hey... Liam. Liam was your friend, right?" He had seen them talking a few times.

Venus hummed absent-minded.

"I'm sorry."

"Well, it's nothing. These times are not suitable for kindness and sincerity. We are also animals. Though intelligent animals. So, we should know the law of the jungle better. We are humans and should act like ones." Venus spoke slowly. Her face was resolute. Her eyes glanced down hiding a chilling coldness. She turned to face Roy, who was still disturbed by his own words.

The conference hall was full now. All the ability holders and professionals from around the world had come to this meeting. It was arranged for the introduction of a new project called Chant of Dracos.

A team containing warriors and assassins as guards rushed in. Everyone in the conference hall stood up to welcome them. The president of the HERO - Humans Empowerment and Re-establishment Organisation, was going to appear today. Mr. Drake Ryder, the president of HERO came and sat down on the front seat along with his subordinates. The MC had started to introduce the vision and mission of the Chant of Dracos.

"After that, let us congratulate the heroes of this year with the highest prowess and the highest contribution. Let's invite the captain and deputy captain of the fifth regiment of the capital city. Let's applaud for their bravery." The high pitch voice of MC rang throughout the conference hall. The members of the fifth regiment cheered loudly and jumped up and down and boo-ed to the other regiments. Well, This year's Annual meeting was special. The president was present.

The audience was filled with noise and claps. No one noticed the left corner where an assassin put up the rifle on the mount and arranged it neatly for the center of the stage. Roy signaled his cronies to surround the corner so as not to be noticed by anyone before action.

"Please say something to our members of HERO." MC welcomed the fifth regiment members on the stage and handed the captain a mic.

"We have firmly believed in ourselves for the life and brotherhood. We try our best to help our fellows and will always do. We will try that this will be the least contribution on our part as we shall try our best to keep contributing more. I have always believed that humanity is the best and we will prove to ourselves that we can rule the world even if hellfire rains down or lava leaks out. Humanity is-"