Which is which 2

The novel, which is a web novel, got an adaptation after 500+ chapters, the name of the novel… No, why is memory hazy?!

The moment I got up from that damned coma for 6 months my memory of my past life was getting hazier. It's just a distant fog at this point, I have my notes but I just wrote the facts. 

[The novel has 500+ chapters, it also has an adaptation. It doesn't follow the novel that much]

That, that note. It's quite hard to discern which I was placed on because I don't know which PART the adaptation followed! And thanks to my memory being hazy I cannot pinpoint the novel's accuracy with reality. 

I sighed, I can't get confused for so long, OS's perk immediately takes effect and suppresses my confusion making me calm as a lull 

"ah… "

I can't even put my guard down even after taking out a threat in my life. Now I have to take measures even stricter than before. 

"God damn it, why am I sent to this place!"

I muttered under my breath, before looking at the bus stop bench across the street. 

There was a man in a khaki trench coat and a hat, with a tattoo on his face. Have I seen him before?

He stood up and tipped his hat looking at me. I was confused but not moments later a bus with full passengers came, putting my focus on it, and when I looked back at the man he was gone. 

"what the– I've seen that man before!"

That's right back in the Nursery with me and Jeanne, who the hell is that guy? OS's perk activated more as I got more confused. 

That man managed to get away under the Marksman Diary perk which is my eye. I have a panoramic view, so it even made me more confused. 

I stopped thinking about that man for now as I have matters on my plate. I decided to go check out my two adorable friends. 

They were already out of the changing rooms and both of them had healed their injuries, well that's for Qian Xin, Senna didn't sustain that many injuries anyways. 

"Damian!"

"in the flesh"

I replied with a smile to Qian Xin's call. 

"Well, how's the fight?"

I asked with a grin. 

"Senna is annoying as hell"

"As expected of rank one of the 1st year~"

Senna with a smile spoke whilst her tongue was out and Qian Xin was annoyed by their fight. 

I mean yeah if the same sniper keeps sniping you every time in-game you'll eventually get annoyed and try to find them and when it turns out that sniper could fight on equal grounds you'll be angry too. 

"Anyways, both of you, what do you want to eat? I feel like cooking"

And as if a prize laid before them they looked at me with their eyes shining and immediately barked a barrage of dishes. 

"calm down. I'll cook anyways so just calm down"

The two girls looked at each other and with their arms locked on each other's shoulders they moved away from me and started whispering at each other. 

"Damian's cooking…"

"Yeah, we should have… "

I only cooked twice for these girls though, I don't understand why they're being like this. Is my cooking that good?

"Okay, Damian"

"Koff"

Senna coughed while Qian Xin looked at me. It was a bizarre sight looking at these two. 

"I want your mother's recipe of Lumpia and Spicy Buffalo wings"

"Can I have that Carbonara and Hummus?"

"sure, if y'all good after this tournament I'll go buy the ingredients"

Both vehemently nodded as they both ran away seemingly in a direction they only know, since this is the waiting room they're probably going to start changing their clothing in the Changing room. 

I went out and sent them messages that I'll be waiting at the Academy gates as always. 

Whilst I was waiting I got another phone call. It was Sophia, I wonder what she called this time. 

—Sir… 

"What is it?"

—The time of completion for your mask was delayed. 

"oh?"

—The reason is… 

"...?"

—80% of Craftsmen we found are actually from other Businessmen who think your ready-made potion is a threat to them. 

"I believe I have a contingency for that?"

—Yes but I believe there is a better way. I found information that Craftsmen are severely underpaid for their work. 

The moment I heard this information the gears in my mind started running. It wasn't that long before I replied. 

"Make them work for us, lure them with proper pay and workspace. Make sure that all of them work for us, I'll leave this task at your discretion."

—Are you sure sir?

"Of course, you have your own eyes on talent don't you?"

—...Understood. 

The call ended. I know Sophia isn't normal the moment I bought her, those eyes, she has the eyes of a fighter and years of an unfortunate experience. She probably has the best eye out of us, that's why I chose her. 

I returned my phone to my pocket as I already saw the two girls walking toward me in casual clothing. 

The tournament would last at least a week. So we'll have our leisure for the whole week. 

***

"Hahaha! Damian thank you, the effect of my perk has subsided."

How did I get myself in such a situation, where I and the Mayor/Headmaster are talking in a salon drinking tea. 

"Well, I guess that would make a proper conversation partner at least."

"Is that so?"

Elron sipped his tea gracefully, it reminded me of Riley for some reason, his manners are impeccable. 

"Well, Your rewards that day were rightfully so"

I sighed as I have plans for today. I want to finish some things. I looked at the notes I have in OS.  

===

Notes:

Mercenary group: Owl Knights 

Mercenary group: Midnight corps

Red pill Inc: Industrialized specific tools

Red pill Inc: Branches and main HQ. 

Blue Pill Co: Expand Influence. 

Project A1-032

Bounty Hunter persona

===

"though I can't help but get curious"

Putting my gaze back at Elron I raised a brow. 

"Why don't you want to be in the limelight?"

"It gets annoying when you're there, in the spotlight— the platform where I would be seen, the limelight I mean"

We stared at each other for a moment, the madness I always felt was replaced with a serene, elegant, and poise aura 

He was completely anew. All I've known from investigating Elron just in case my plan in capturing Viperpool got out of control is that Elron's Perk gives him a side effect of childish madness. 

That's right, childish madness. It makes him act like a child out of control, hence childish madness. It never gave him a bad outburst or anything but more like he's a moody child. 

It never went out of control and never gave him trouble but I believe it's because he is good enough to keep it under control. 

"you're thinking about me aren't you?"

"Your Perk"

"... It never went out of control, because I kept it under control"

"figures"

I sipped my tea, he is aware whenever his perk is having its episodes. So he could at least control it, well considering this man could rank up to [-SS] anytime I wouldn't be so surprised. 

"I'm here to ask you, how did you discover these… pills?"

"Well, just like how you know much about me I did the same to you"

"no not the investigation thing, how'd you know how to suppress the effect of the perks I mean"

"it's a mana infused pill, same with any processed potions or natural resources but instead of giving you a lot of raw mana to cultivate your mana pool it suppresses all of your perks"

"suppress?"

"Yeah, to a certain degree"

Elron raised his brow and placed his index under his chin, with a thought he looked at me with a firm gaze. 

"I can't sell you the recipe"

"Tsk, fine"

"I could give you a discount though"

"oh?"

"I mean, the mayor has helped me a lot, I don't think it's the same with the Headmaster though"

Elron laughed lightly at my joke then looked at me with a smile. I would've been surprised if I didn't know about his perk, after all, he wouldn't show this kind of emotion so half-heartedly. 

"I kept holding back myself just in case I ever become a rabid dog, It's also the reason why I never advanced my rank"

I tilted my head, curious as to why he was telling me this. 

"Thanks to that I have to make an excuse about protecting my hometown even though I want to escape from it."

'Wait… '

"And now that I can advance above [-SS] in my Discretion…"

Oh fuck, I was avoiding being in the spotlight then I got spotted by a helicopter myself. 

Elron made a coverup story about wanting to be in his hometown whilst hating the mafia, didn't he? He just wanted to gauge how much power I had. 

"You…"

"Don't worry, don't worry. I won't do anything, now that I even have this medication I will zip my mouth shut even more"

He paused and looked at me with a pitiful gaze. 

"What's worse is that if they found your capability do you think they will see you just as a talent?"

"What do you mean?"

I asked, words mixed with different types of emotions. 

"Do you know the five Warheads of Humanity?"

My eyes widened and I sat leaned back on my seat, my brows furrowed. I placed a hand on my face. 

"so you knew"

Warheads of Humanity, they're the monsters that could turn tides in a war whenever they are deployed. Right now there are five that exist and their identities are unknown, Ranks don't hold any significance to them at all. 

But as the author, my notes have their identities and I described their personalities. All of them are monsters I couldn't even hold a candle on. 

"I should've become a warhead myself but my perk made me unqualified, thankfully"

Becoming a warhead makes you a dangerous existence, so the Supreme Government puts surveillance on you 24/7. 

It's the most choking lifestyle you'll ever have and you don't get much of a choice if you get labeled as a warhead. 

"Damn, am I that… dangerous?"

"Yes, yes you are Damian. Your choice not to be displayed is good, the guilds complaining about missing talents was just a facade, the truth is the Supreme Government just wants to make sure that history won't repeat itself."

"what happened?"

"Do you know about the Kale, Montonia Massacre?"

"Yes, it's the destruction of a town in Kale, Montonia"

I didn't have this on my notes, it's in history class where I learned about a massacre of a town by a singular villain. 

"The news portrayed a psychopath killing the entire town with bombs and poisons, as it killed about 2,000 innocent lives. But in truth, it was a [S] rank gone rogue. Want to know the whole story?"

I nodded, I've known too many things, so why not learn about this one?

"His name is John Volton, He hid his talent, joined a mercenary group, and went bounty hunting, even starting a family. At first, the guilds were upset about letting talent go but then the Supreme Government used him hiding his talent as breaking several laws cornering him even in court."

"Mind you that the corruption of the government was its all-time high that year. And they did everything to tie him down until he went into debt. And unfortunately, his family got sick."

"Thanks to the government being corrupt, the medical advancement was so bad he didn't have enough money to treat his family. He even begged the government."

"The moment the government got the news of his family being sick they used that opportunity to tie him down completely."

"Delaying his family's treatment just to do their bidding. To let you know, that year has its scarcity of [S] ranks."

The first appearance of a [S] rank is in 2050, the time [S] ranks started appearing all around the world is 2150. 

"Until one day, his family was assassinated by Nexus. He was only available to the higher-ups back then, so information about John was confidential. The moment they learned about the government using him, Nexus made its move."

"And when John learned what happened to his Family he was left on a rampage in the city of Hunberg, Kale."

"There were no bombs nor biological weapons, it was all John and his Skills. He didn't even use his Martial guide."

"The heroes sent to stop him are the ones who did more damage in the city than the one they are trying to stop."

"John was purging every Supreme Government official left and right at that time. He almost even ranked up in the fight."

He sighed. 

"That year, every single corrupt government official was purged, and the accident in Kale was covered. John Volton was the very first known Warhead, solely because the fight was under John's control. If not for the heroes killing innocent lives he would be unstoppable."

I silently listen to it all, I just learned a lot of things I shouldn't, this way I'm already tied to this world's secret, and now I am a dangerous man. 

To be labeled as a warhead, one must be able to go against the Supreme government. But I'm sure I can't be labeled as one. 

"Sir, my potential assessment is only [-B] Rank."

"Aren't you hiding your real potential"

I closed my eyes, sighed through my nose, and shook my head as I opened it and looked at Elron's eyes again. 

"... Well, that's good, as long as the Supreme government doesn't have their eyes on you. And of course not to be labeled as a warhead. At least that way you could move more freely. Especially you have a family don't you?"

"Yeah…"

Being in this world is more complicated than I thought, I looked around the salon which is just the two of us. 

"Headmaster, how busy are you?"

"Why'd you ask?"

"I feel like I need to learn more about Mana control"

To a certain degree of mana control, I could access the wind primus. Why does Wind need such control? Do you know how many variables you need to activate a gust of wind? The pressure, temperature, etc. 

Why do I need the wind primus? I don't. It's just a symbol of accomplishment I need. I needed that mana control because of my guide. That's why. 

Making myself strong on one part will make me weak on the other, I'm a marksman if ever a melee weapon user comes close to me I'll be done for. The guide I have right now is so hard that I barely scratched its surface. And I need another strength to cover a weakness. 

Sure I can defeat Senna and Qian Xin but they will surpass me in no time. I needed alternatives the moment the one I'm using doesn't work. 

And what else can I use than the man before me, he'll use me for his perks, I'll use him for my needs. As the author, I know the dangers of this novel.

Remember that this place was created thanks to my past life trauma, and all the bosses are as hard as any dark souls type game as I persistently warned myself in my notes. 

I haven't met a single boss and my life was already in danger multiple times, it's just thanks to luck at this point. 

I wanted to make sure that if someday, everything was taken away from me I would at least have a way to fight.

I looked Elron straight in the eyes and he responded with a shake of the head indicating a no.  

"I'm one of the scapegoats you mainly used when dealing with the underworld you know? If I do put you under my wing they will link you whatever you've done in there, my plate is also full"

I nodded in agreement, I've probably used him too much, his name that is. I made sure that I won't get linked with the ready-made potion and used the mayor as a means of a dead end. 

I sighed. 

"Well I have a secret"

"Is it big of a secret?"

"Well… I trust you enough Headmaster"

"You can just call me Elron, I don't want us to have such a distant relationship"

"Alright, I trust you Elron"

"I'm glad to hear that"

I took a deep breath and looked at Elron, Elron is not a bad guy at all. He felt more like a reliable father you could go to, he warned me of what I'm doing could lead me to be labeled as a Warhead, he just became my scapegoat and even made me stand out less, heck he was even willing to take me under his wing if I didn't send the people to him whose investigating the ready-made potion. 

"The Nexus might come for me"

So I decided to spill it.

"How is that?"

He took a sip of his tea. 

"I'm the son of Freya Cassanova."

–Pfft!

He spat it out and looked at me with mixed emotions, his eyes wide and his mouth opening and closing, bobbing like a fish. 

"N-no way! That's not… the witch's son..?"

I gave a light smile. 

"The only reason why I'm alive is that I know she wants me to live, and also the reason I don't want to stand out is because of that. I also don't have enough power to go against Nexus"

"No way… this is too big of a secret Damian! Do you know that your mother is secretly a Warhead?!"

"Oh damn, we almost had the same predicament. Please do enlighten me why"

"Your bloodline Damian! Your bloodline! The Cassanova bloodline!"

He pulled out his phone and placed it on the table, using its hologram feature to show me, my ancestors, all… had the same Light ability. 

"D-do you know how much your bloodline is coveted?!"

"Pretty much"

I pulled out my phone and showed the Damascus Guild from the States of Union. 

"What… what is up with this?"

"My cousin, he's imprisoned there"

"Cousin… your Uncle, Richard Cassanova had a child too?!"

"Yes. And his adoptive father is my biological one, that's why my cousin is there right now, he thought he had the chance to bang my mother and the child was my cousin"

Elron scratched his head, he just got pulled into one of the most problematic family problems. 

"Hoo…  I thought I'm pulling you into a rabbit hole, turns out I'm the one being pulled."

"Haha, sorry bout that"

"Nah, I'm glad I met you, without you, I don't even know what I would do with my perk."

"I'm happy to hear that"

"Now that I think about it, how did the Guild's head manage to have a go with your mother?"

I furrowed my brows and my mouth was tightly knitted to a frown. 

"I investigated, and it turns out that guy was fucking manipulative, gaslighted mom multiple times to make her think that he's the only one she can rely on, and so on. And don't ask me such questions later on"

"Alright, just glad to have met you"

The tea was already cold, but our talk ended there.