Wrapping it up (Volume Final)

 Each soldier had a job, and worked it. Killing ants, burning eggs, and gathering the essence stones. "Looks like I receive experience points for destroying ant eggs," Winter thought, "Lucky bonus," Ultima commented, "Inventory," they commanded, "I'll have to organize all of these one day," he sighed, "Hm?" They ask, reaching out to a forming sword grip, "I forgot we had this," they commented as the blade in one hand. Keeping the tip pointed up, with an aquamarine aura and electricity emanating from it. "Let's give it a whirl-" they decided, swinging it in a circle in their right hand with electric trails streaking behind it. Swinging it across their body as a wave of an electric storm streaks across the room into the eggs, "Woah! It'd be a waste to keep this in my inventory!" They laughed, "I should use this to get rid of the remaining eggs," they continued.

 Off in Flore, a light was on late at night in a castle-like mansion. The TV was showing the events of the Kauai Island raid, "What do you make of this, Mr. Davis?" A middle-aged man with green eyes and blonde hair asks. He wore a formal business attire. "I watched the videos. I didn't realize how much time had passed. It's already well past four in the morning," a stocky middle-aged man with light brown hair that he wears in a small ponytail, blue eyes, and a neatly trimmed beard. He wore a simple white collared shirt and a pair of gray beige pants. "Director, sir-" the young man began, only to be interrupted by Mr. Davis- "You already know my answer, Mr. Hodge. Isn't that why you came to my house at this ungodly hour?" He asks. "A Mythic that can summon and command over a hundred beasts, Mr. Greats is truly one of a kind," Mr. Hodge replied, "I think I'd be a shame to let such talent go to waste. Klato is too small for a powerful man like him," he added. "I agree, but do you know anything else about him?" Mr. Davis asks, "This file contains details about the unprecedented explosion at the MDA Bureau a couple of months ago-" Mr. Hodge slapped a file on Mr. Davis' desk and slid it over to him- "Otherwise known as the 'Unprecedented explosive visit,' by Cyrus," he began, "According to Cyrus, the man knew his mother and asked for the whereabouts for his brother, Winter Greats. At first, we weren't sure if he was a human or monster, but he claims to be above us 'monkeys' and had a fling with Debris Throndsen," Mr. Hodge explained. "The information provided by Cyrus on this mysterious man at the time of the incident still remains on file in the MDA Bureau, but this man claims to be the father of Winter Greats by implication," he added. "We have been presented with the perfect opportunity, sir-" Mr. Davis looked through the file- "As of now, no one else has even hard of Winter Greats' name," Mr. Hodge explained, "We can't do the same thing we did with Billy Bob, Klato's MDA chairman is in affiliation with the President, and if we took another S-rank, it'd be a slap in the face," Mr. Davis sighed, "But Winter would be worth the risk, wouldn't it?" Mr. Hodge asks, watching Davis close his eyes, "Are you sure you can do this?" He asks, looking at Hodge, "I'll give it my best shot, sir," he replied.

~>System<{" The [<em>Player] Has [Leveled up]!"}>It rang<~< p>

 "Did I reach level one hundred?" Winter asks, hearing the ring of the system. Stepping through the corpses of the ants with billows of smoke behind him.

~>System<{" MAIN STATUS: [Name: <strong>Winter Greats], [Level: 100],"}>it displayed<~< p>

 He returns the sword to his inventory, "Finally," Winter sighed, letting go of the grip of the sword. "This one seems unusually troubled," he commented, looking down at the ant king's corpse. "Arise," he commanded and just like before with Hellraiser, a powerful darkness surrounds Winter. He looked around again, "Seriously, why is this happening? I can't feel or see anything," Winter sighed, turning his body around, "Does it happen because I'm extracting powerful shadows? Or perhaps it's the overwhelming mana that's doing this while their form is being constructed," he wondered, "Ah, good. I'm back again," he commented as the darkness melted away. Behind him, a figure of shadows stood up, and Winter turned back to face it.

~>System<{" The [<em>Player] Has [Successfully Extracted] a [Shadow]!"}>It rang<~< p>

 A huge humanoid shadow ant with an aquamarine glow, white eyes, sharp claws, and smoky wings. "For a second there, I thought I had failed," Winter chuckles. The ant king stood again, with smoky shadows flowing from his new body.

~>System<{" The [Shadow Soldier: <strong>???], [Level: 1], [Rank: Knight],"}>it displayed over the ant king<~< p>

 The ant king kneels before Winter, its wings and shadowy smoke flowing from it. He watched it kneel down with a wide expression, "I've never seen this rank before," Winter thought, "Thus far I have only seen Infantry and Elite Infantry soldiers," he added, "Is Knight above those?" He asks himself, "That means this guy must be stronger than the rest of my soldiers I have thus far," Winter reasoned while looking at the ant king, "Though, I'm not surprised, he did kill Simón and kept up with Baruka," he thought. "Now to extract the queen's-" he turned to face the queen's dead body- "My king," a voice began, "please give me a name," the ant king pleaded with his head hung low, "Looks like the ultimate loyalty applies to everyone in my army-" he thought while turning his body around- "You're able to speak too?" Winter asks, "I always could," the ant replied, "Just like Hellraiser, the only difference between speaking soldiers and silent soldiers is their rank," Winter thought, "It seems like level 5 in elite infantry is the minimum requirement for a soldier to speak," he added. "I was the one who killed you," Winter began, "Do you still wish to follow my commands?" He asks, "I was not killed by you-" the ant corrected while raising its right hand- "Rather, it was through your powers that I was reborn, master," it explained with its hand against its chest, "happiness overflows within me. I shall follow you for the rest of eternity, my liege," the ant added while it hung its head low. It began again, "My king, please bestow upon me a name," it pleaded. "I guess it'd be kind of weird just calling you 'ant' or 'bug,' right?" He asked, thinking of a name. "You should have a name that sets you apart from the others," Winter added, "How about the author who wrote a novel called 'the ants,' Beru?" Ultima asks, and he smiles, "Beru it is. Your name is now: Beru," he explained. "Thank you, master," Beru bowed its head.

~>System<{" The [Shadow Soldier: <strong>Beru], [Level: 1], [Rank: Knight],"}>it displayed<~< p>

 "Nice, now it's time for the ant queen," Winter turned and walked over to her corpse. "Arise," he commanded as a shadow figure formed from her mana.

~>System<{" The [Shadow Soldier: <strong>???], [Level: 1], [Rank: Knight],"}>it displayed over her<~< p>

 Suddenly, the ant soldiers flinched and reacted to the queen's presence, and Winter turned toward them, "Huh? My bond with the ants became weaker," he thought. "Beru, can you explain what happened?" Winter asks, "The queen has the inherent power to rule over her colony," it explained, "so as long as she is alive, she has the right to command the ants?" He asks, "Precisely," Beru replied. "Her mana is considerably lower than it was before, why did it decrease?" Winter asks, "The queen's mana was mainly used for reproduction," it began, "the reason she has less mana now is that she no longer has a body to reproduce," Beru explained, "The queen is not suited for battle?" He asks, "Yes, master," it responded. "Terminate extraction," Winter commanded, "there is no need for two commanders," he thought, "How is gathering the essence stones going? Make sure to put it in a safe place to build a colony here," Winter explained, the knight soldiers nod, putting the essence stones in a pile. "We're not going to keep any for ourselves," he added to make sure they know. "This one from Beru's corpse will be more than enough for me," Winter thought, looking at the essence stone. "Now for the most pressing matter at hand," Ultima began, "How are we going to deal with the remaining ants?" It asks, "I'm not sure," he thought, crossing his arms, "We'll give it our all, but-" Winter began before being interrupted- "My liege, I can feel it," it began, "our enemies are having a difficult time navigating the skies because they do not have a leader," Beru continued, "They are incapable of maintaining their formation and are scattering in confusion," it explained. "Do you know how many ants there are?" Winter asks, "there were 8,700 of them before the attack today. Approximately 4,000 have survived," Beru replied, "I knew I killed a lot in the battle earlier, but I guess there still are a lot more," he sighed as he looked out, "Could you wipe out the rest yourself?" Winter asks, turning his focus to Beru. It grew serious quickly, "If you give me the order, my Liege," it replied.

 The Knight's Guild stood on deck, "The ants are flying this way!" Philip yelled on the warship with its cannon aimed up into the sky. The warships fire at the ants flying in, and three mages combine their power to fire at the ants as well. Explosions rained from the sky, on another warship the Hunters' guild prepared for battle, "The ants are headed our way! They're going for a head-on collision with us!" Gina explained, "Listen up! We're next, so get into formation!" Richard yelled, watching the approaching swarm of ants. "We should be preparing too," Eva, the Fame Guild vice master explained, "Slaughter any ant in sight!" A member yelled. "What are you guys doing?! A single Ant is B-rank at least!" A Fiend Guild member yelled, "Get into battle formation! If you fall out of it, you'll be killed!" He explained, as Lee Lyn trembled, "How are we supposed to fight those things?" He asked himself, "This guy's A-rank, but he's such a pussy," the Fiend Guild member sighed as he walked by. On the mainland, ants flew over the sea into the Klato seaport, and Mythics stood prepared for battle. "The ants are already here?!" The B-rank healer asked, "Are we even able to take them on?!" She adds, "They're fast!" Uncle David commented, "They're only a yard away now!" He added, flinching when he saw a streak of aquamarine cuts slice through the ants. With ease, it cut through each of the approaching ants. Letting their corpses fall into the sea, "that thing just now! What killed those ants?!" The B-rank healer asks, "What incredible speed. I can't make it out," Uncle David mumbled, "What on earth is that thing?" He asks as Beru rushes through more ants. Efforts to exterminate the invading ants carried on for two days in the western regions of the country. The ants went as far as Flore, "I can't believe the ants have flown all the way to Flore already," the captain sighed, "We haven't been able to sleep for two days now," he added. "The second wave of ants is now within range, sir!" A console man reported, "Orders to fire must be-" his second mate began- "Hold on, now. It looks like our hero wants all the action to himself," the captain explained. "They just keep coming," a muscular and handsome young man with dark yellow eyes and long black hair that he wears in a ponytail, with several large additional strands of hair dangling from his head like leaves from a tree, commented. He wore a red collar shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and black pants with boots. Two swords hung from the back of his belt that had red sheaths and brown grips with golden guards and a dragon skull for the pummel. "I'm going to make every single one of you sink into the ocean!" He smirked, drawing both swords with one hand on the grips. His aura glowed orange like a fire, and swiped both blades in a 'X,' crossing his arms in front of him as a plasma-like slash flew into the sky. With explosions in the sky, the ants were eviscerated with ease. "These ants are lame. If the ant Mr. Greats battled against were still alive-" he sheathed his swords- "I'd be having a bit more fun right now," he explained, "What a shame," he added as corpses of ants fell into the water in front of the war ships.

 Within a hotel room, Assistant Laura stood beside a couch with her arms behind her back. "What do you think, sir?" She asks, "Mr. Bob and Mr. Greats are connected by one incident. There's a possibility that Mr. Bob's older brother was murdered by Mr. Greats, and so Mr. Bob is looking for revenge," Laura explained as the Goliath sat on a fittingly sized chair. "Is that what their relationship boils down to?" The Goliath asks, "I believe so," she responded with a nod, "Considering everything that has happened, it'll be even harder to meet Mr. Greats now," he smiled with a remote in hand, "It's really too bad. I was looking forward to meeting him in person," the Goliath added. "What are you going to do if they fight, Mr. Thompson?" Laura asks, "You still don't know me, do you?" He laughs, "Mr. Bob is my property, and I won't forgive anyone who messes with my property," he explained with a bright yellow glow in his eyes, "Even if it's the government of the United Colonies of Gaia!" He crushed the remote in his hand. On the third night of the Kauai Island raid, soldiers along with Mythics of the Knight Guild and Fame Guild landed on the Kauai Island. Aiming to collect the essence stones, Winter reported to be stored safely on the island, and to standby in case of another incident. This group stepped into the Waialeale mountain tunnels, entering through the entrance Tusk made with his dragon's breath. Philip lit a cigarette as they stepped into the queen's chamber, "There was once a man who never had a lick of luck," he began, "Sorry?" Elliott asks with a young woman following behind them, "He always tried to be the very best at what he did, his dream was to become a gold medalist," he continued with the crowd of soldiers and Mythics. "He trained to become stronger, and went on diets so that he could compete at a lower weight division," Philip explained, "He endured intense training sessions. All that was left was for him to compete in the Olympics. That was his lifelong dream, after all," he added, "He passed the dopin' test, and even have a good dream the night before," Philip began, "he was in top condition. However, a mana meter evaluation found that he had magic, so he was barred from competin' in the Olympics!" He complained, "Oh, is this story about you?" Elliott asks, "That man had to give up on his dream, but he then found a new callin'! He vowed to create the country's best guild!" Philip went on, dropping his cigarette, "Please don't litter here," the young woman commented, "You're an inspiration, sir!" Elliott complimented as they stepped toward the pile of essence stones the soldiers left behind, "Look at all these essence stones! With these, my dream of creatin' the country's best guild will be-" Philip began before being interrupted- "You'd be committing embezzlement!" The young woman yelled, "Anyway, looks like this place was wiped clean," Philip commented, "Come on, you guys. I don't sense any mana here, so it's okay to relax," he added. An ant stuck his head out behind a turn, and before it could scuttle away, its head was cut in half. "Looks like one of them was hidn'!" Philip commented, appearing behind the ant as its corpse fell to the ground. "No need to worry too much, though. There may be a few stragglers, but we're here to protect you," he explained to the workers.

 "Sir!" Elliot began, "What's up?" Philip glanced in his direction, "Woah!" A soldier commented, "Who's there?" Another asks. A huge and muscular man with tan skin, glowing yellow eyes, sharp teeth, and wild black hair stepped out of the shadows of the tunnels leading into the queen's chamber. He wore silver fur pelts, a ragged skirt with a thick silver fur waistline, and gold-trimmed white armor on his right shoulder and over his waist. "The only people here on this island should be us and some MDA agents!" Philip thought, "Who are you?!" He asks, "Sir, is that a human?" Elliott asks, "Don't open fire yet! We don't know if that's a monster!" The woman yelled to the soldiers, "You are currently trespassing a restricted area! If you don't follow our orders, we will shoot!" A soldier yelled. The huge man looked confused, raising an eyebrow that seemed to be covered in makeup. A fire-like pattern pointed out from his eyes to the edge of his face, and a point directed down to his chin coming from the outer edge of his eye. He then spoke, asking a question in a foreign language to the others, "A language spoken by monsters?!" Philip thought before, a muscular old elf with blue skin, long silver hair with a single long strand dangling over the right side of his face. Blank white eyes, and round ears, snapped his fingers with a glow of blue surrounding him. He wore a ragged white cloak with a black collar over a tattered white shirt, ragged black pants, and a pair of black boots. Everyone felt an overwhelming magic consume them, and each fell to the floor unconscious, and the huge man turned back to face the old elf, "What do you think you're doing?" He asks in their language, "There's no need for us to cause a commotion in the Primordial Deitiress of Deaths' realm. I've only put them to sleep for the time being," the elf explained, "did you check?" he asks, "Yes, I'm positive it was his power," the large man replied, "How odd," the old elf commented, "I don't understand why he chose a vessel from this realm," he explained, "Who knows what's going on inside that head of his? If you're curious, why don't you go ask him yourself?" The huge man replied, "This place reeks of rotting ants," he sighed, "If she saw what happened, she would've had a fit," the huge man added. "The hunt will begin as scheduled, this changes nothing of what we plan to do to him," the old elf explained as he gathered his mana between his index and thumb, "Understood," the huge man responded as the old elf released the mana and created a portal. "By the way, do you think the Primordial Deitiress of Deaths might know his whereabouts?" The huge man asks, "If he had nothing to do with her for over 10 centuries now, you tell me," the old elf replied, "How about we ask her now before we go?" He asks, "Let's just leave this in her hands," the elf shook his head, "Are you saying that because you don't want to get involved?" The huge man asks, "I guess that's one way to interpret it," the old elf shrugged, "Think whatever you want," he stepped through the portal before it closed in a glimmer of brilliant light in the shape of a star. The huge man sighed, "Coward," he growled, turning to look at the humans, "I suppose there isn't a good reason to make things more troublesome," he commented. He swiped his claws in the air, greeting a portal of blood-red mana. He leaped through before it closed with similarly brilliant light in the shape of claw marks.

 Cameras went off, capturing images of Winter stepping down a white brick path. With both hands he held a white flower, in a gray tux with a white dress shirt underneath, and a tie the same color as his suit. "When the Kauai Island raid came to a close, it was all anyone could talk about," Winter thought, recounting the comments he got, "Wow I'm at a loss for words," one explained, "I thought it wasn't possible to summon that many beasts!" Another read, "Watching Mr. Greats and his beasts fighting the ants cured my cancer," one randomly stated, "That was awesome!" One praised, "I lost my parents four years ago to the last raid, but I don't think Mr. Greats will see this post though," another read. Winter paused as he reached the end of the path, "During the raid, the public witnessed Winter in action for the first time since he became an S-rank," Ultima thought, "Shouldn't he be considered a National-Ranked Mythic?" One asks, "Nah, he's not that good. You need to relax," another replied, "Seriously? Not only did he practically clear an entire S-rank dungeon by himself, but he's also a lot more skilled than the other S-ranks!" Another joined the conversation, "But Mr. Greats still lacks experience. If he really was that capable, people will soon recognize his skills," one replied, "Doesn't matter, he was fucking amazing!" They exclaimed. "He basically made his debut during the Kauai Island raid," Ultima explained, "Because the entire country had been invested in the success of the raid, people couldn't stop talking about it, and Winter is a hot topic of discussion everywhere," it added. "Although, with all this praise came criticism," Ultima reasoned, "But wait-" one comment began- "what if Winter had transformed sooner? Maybe then Michel Weaver wouldn't have died," they asked, "Why didn't he decide to join the fight with the ant right away?" Another asks, "People believed that the death toll could have been avoided completely if he had fought the ant king sooner," Ultima explained as Winter laid the white aluminum with the rest of the flowers, "There were many who voiced their support for Winter, but not many who tried to refute the criticism. Since they had no idea what happened, they can only accept that there were only two casualties suffered," It reasoned as looked at Michel's picture. He looked up to see a large pillar behind both Simón's and Michel's pictures. Surrounded by flowers and petals drifting in the wind. Winter glanced to his right, seeing the Weaver family grieving, "Best not to speak to them, let alone have them see you," Ultima commented, "Yeah," he agreed, stepping away from the pictures. Winter passes Erik on the marble path, "I always believed a single hero couldn't end a war by himself," Erik began as they both paused, "But after recent events, I'm starting to think I was wrong," he explained, and Winter turns his head to Erik, "Chin up, Mr. Greats. You were able to put an end to this tragedy," Erik replied, "Thank you," he added as Winter nods, and steps away.

 Through the crowd, Macey catches a glimpse of Winter. Sensing some eyes on him, he turns to see Macey. She quickly turns away, awkwardly looking at her feet, "Hm?" He asks, confused. Winter glances back at the memorial, "A total of 4,801 Mythics participated in the fifth Kauai Island raid, and 727 magical civilians were called to arms," he thought, "Of 64 magical beings and 32 civilians died in battle," Winter added, "The death toll was dismal, but the final raid had the least number of casualties compared to the previous attempts," Ultima commented. Sat at a picnic table near the parking lot, Winter, and sears sat opposing each other, "What are you planning to do now, Mr. Greats?" Mr. Sears asks, "Clear more dungeons, and probably continue working at EWR," Winter replied, his amulet in hand as it hung from his neck, "Very well," he nods, "I should look into what kind of benefits I get as an S-rank while I'm at it," Winter thought, "By the way, did you cast some kind of barrier on Kauai Island, Mr. Greats?" Mr. Sears asks, "Pardon?" He asks, "Soldiers and Mythics were sent to the island to clear up the ant corpses and collect the essence stones you gathered, but all of them ended up losing consciousness," he began, "the Mythics were all A-rank or B-rank, and members of the Knights and Fame Guild," Mr. Sears continued, "I was wondering if you maybe had cast a barrier and forgotten about it," he explained, "No, I nor my soldiers have nothing like that," Winter replied, "I see. I didn't think so," Mr. Sears sighed, "What did the Mythics and soldiers say?" He asks, "They have no recollection of the events that happened before they lost consciousness," he explained, "frankly speaking, we have no way or even knowing whether they were put under a spell or not," Mr. sears added, rubbing his forehead with his hand, "Do you know what is is, Ultima?" Winter asks in thought, "Sounds like something from a Deity of slumber or the Monarch of Frost," It replied, "Who're they?" He asks, "The Lord of ice and ice monsters," Ultima explained. "Mr. Sears," an agent began. He turned to face the agent, "Ah, I must get going. It seems a guest of mine has arrived earlier than expected," Mr. Sears explained while standing up from the table, "Thank you for your time," he added, and Winter nodded as he stood up as well, "I should head home," he thought as he stepped away. Unbuttoning his tux over shirt, he stepped off into the parking lot, headed to his .

 "Excuse me, are you Mr. Greats?" A man asked from behind, and Winter turned to see a young man with blue eyes and slick orange hair, wearing a gray business coat over a white dress shirt and a black tie. "I am," Winter replied, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Greats," he began, "My name is Anthony Atkinson, and I am a senior official from the MDA Bureau in Flore," Anthony explained, handing Winter a business card, "Why is someone from Flore here?" Winter thought, taking the card, "You can just call me Anthony," he smiled, "Please excuse me for showing up like this at a funeral, but you're a hard man to track down," Anthony admits, "I even stopped by your office," he added, "Was he the guy from Flore that left he business card for me with Mari?" Winter thought, "What business do you have with me?" He asks, "I would like to share some information with you, Mr. Greats," Anthony explained, "What information?" Winter asks, "There's probably not a single city or institution in this world that can provide you with the information I'm about to share," he replied, "Beside us, that is," Anthony added. Winter stared at him with reasonable suspicion, "Why would you share information like that with me just like that?" He asks, "We benefit from sharing this knowledge with someone such as yourself," Anthony replied, "I was originally going to be the only one paying you a visit today. Although, it seems the raid on Kauai Island left a strong impression on our deputy director. He wishes to have a meeting with you in person," he explained, "I must say that this was unprecedented," Anthony continued with a chuckle, "The deputy director will explain the rest in detail," he added. "I have a car waiting nearby. Would you like to go meet him?" Anthony asks, "Information, huh?" Winter thought, "It's probably a form of a trap," Ultima commented, "I don't know if the information you wish to share is reliable enough to waste my time," Winter opened his car door, "I'll give you a call after giving it some thought," he explained putting a foot in, "How silly of me to forget," Anthony began, "A good hand should never be kept hidden when striking a deal," he explained, "An upgrader-" Anthony began explaining as Winter was buckling up- "Is a Mythic who can enhance the abilities of another Mythic. Have you heard of them before?" Anthony asks, Winter turned to him, eyes wide.

 Winter sat in a black car, going through Klato's downtown traffic. They were surrounded by other cars while heading to their destination. When they finally arrived, they stopped in front of a hotel building, "We're here," Anthony commented, getting out of the car. Winter follows him inside, and after an elevator ride, they reach a hotel room set up for their meeting. "It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Douglas Hodge, and I am the deputy director of the Flore MDA Bureau," the middle-aged man with green eyes and blonde hair greeted Winter with a handshake, "Winter Greats," he replied. "Come, let's sit down," he gestured to the couches in the middle of the room. Winter nods and all three sit down, "Allow me to get straight to the point, Mr. Greats," Mr. Hodge began, "These are household documents and a job application," he continued, "It usually takes anywhere from one to two years to be processed and be considered to join the Flore MDA Bureau, but we're willing to make an exception for you," Mr. Hodge explained, "One second. Just say the word, and you'll become an employee of in one second," he gestured with his index finger, "I came here because Mr. Atkinson told me that you had some information to share with me," Winter replied, his eyes glowing an aquamarine. "An Upgrader must be nearby," he thought, "Is it possible to upgrade a Mythic's abilities?" Winter asks, and Mr. Hodge grins, "Actually, someone who posses such powers is here with us right now," he replied, "Please tell Mrs. Mears to come in," he turned to speak to a nearby agent, "Mears? Could it be?" Winter thought as he heard the clack of high heels, "The only person in the entire world capable of enhancing a Mythic's abilities is here," Mr. Hodge explained, "I present to you, Maya Norma Mears," he added. Winter turned and saw a middle-aged woman with dark skin, curly black hair, and bright turquoise eyes. She wore a large hat and a cream-colored jacket over a white blouse and a business skirt. "I think we have officially met her mother," Ultima laughed, "I can tell that she's completely different from the other Mythics I've seen previously, and that she shares some similarities to Macey," Winter thought, "Mrs. Mears, please explain to Mr. Greats here the scope of your powers," Mr. Hodge stood up, "You must be skeptical about all of this, and I don't blame you," Mrs. Mears began, sitting on the couch, "Everyone gives me that same look of doubt at first," she smiled, looking at Winter's poker face, "Although, once you get a taste, you'll be begging for more," Mrs. Mears explained as her eyes glowed a bright turquoise.

 Winter raises an eyebrow, "Is that so?" He asks, "Shall I surprise you?" She asks, leaning in, "Mrs. Mears!" Mr. Hodge commented, "Relax, Douglas. This young man isn't getting that kind of taste," she laughed, as Mr. Hodge could only shake his head. "As you may know already, every Mythic being has a limit to their strength, and nearly no one can reach past it," she explained, remaining leaned over the coffee table between the two couches. Winter stared blankly, "She must get around," Ultima commented, "Thus, a Mythic's rank will most likely stay the same over their lifetime, unless they're an evolver," Mrs. Mears explained as she poured herself coffee. She grabbed a plate of strawberry cake. Winter glances down to see her break up the cake before returning his eyes to her face, "This fact is common knowledge among Mythics. No one can exert power they do not have," Mrs. Mears added, "But you can change that, no?" Winter asks, "Yes, I have the power to gift others with power they did not have previously," she replied before taking a bite of the cake. "She must be like Michel, but instead of buffs that time out, they are permanent," Ultima reasoned. "Through a process of three stages, I can move the post of their limitations," Mrs. Mears explained, "I'm not so sure what to call this, though. I could be gifting them power that I possess, or perhaps simply drawing out their true potential," she added. "Everything she said is true," Mr. Hodge came in, "Although, Mrs. Mears required a long period of rest every time she used her powers, so only three or four Mythics are able to receive her aid each year," He explained. "Am I going to be one of those three or four? If she's telling the truth, then she has an incredible ability," Winter thought, "How effective is this process?" He asks, "It's different for each person, but after going through all three stages, the individual will possibly experience anywhere between a 20% to 30% increase in overall abilities," Mrs. Mears replied, "That's insane! I now understand why Billy Bob decided to move to Flore despite getting so much hate from the public," Winter thought, "who could turn down such an offer?" he added, "Us," Ultima replied, "Yes, but any normal Mythic would jump at an opportunity like this because they can't just constantly grow," Winter reasoned, "If anyone where to find out about her powers, then-" He began before Mr. Hodge interrupted him- "That's precisely why she's under our care. We ensure her safety while also compensating her with a suitable salary, and in return, she heightens the abilities of the Mythics we choose," He replied.

 Mr. Hodge gestured to Mrs. Mears with his right hand, "This is what we wished to present you with, this is your gift Mr. Greats," he explained, Mrs. Mears took a drink of her coffee, "A gift?" Winter thought, "Do you mean offer?" He asks, "Once you become a Mythic of the Flore MDA Bureau, you will become our top priority and receive preferential benefits. Mr. Hodge replied, In addition, meetings with the guild of your choice will be arranged with the contract in your favor, he explained. Mrs. Mears slide the plate with the cake away, "You don't have to make a decision right away. We're just easing you into things today," she explained, "Hm?" Winter asks tilting his head, "This is a gift, just as we said," Mrs. Mears explained, "Yes, do we have permission to perform the first stage of her powers?" Mr. Hodge asks, "What's the catch?" Winter asks, "Just think of it as a complimentary service, Mr. Greats," he replied, "She said 'I'll be begging for more' when I 'get a taste,' right?" Winter thought, "She sure is confident you'll be satisfied with the results," Ultima commented. Mrs. Mears reach out her hands, "Give me your dominant hand if you wish to proceed," she explained. Winter offered her his right hand, "Look into my eyes, closely," Mrs. Mears began, "This will only be the first step," she explained, Winter nods and stares into her eyes. "Nice! He took the bait!" Mr. Hodge thought, watching both of their aura glow from their body, "He's been able to keep his cool until now, but once the first step is completed, he'll be the one trying to get in touch with us!" he added in thought, Mrs. Mears' magic begins to take effect, and from their hands comes a radiant humming light. "No, if he's the impatient type, he might even sign the papers right away!" Mr. Hodge corrected himself.

 "Simón Alcabú was strong enough to be a National-Ranked Mythic, yet this man was able to achieve what he could not," she thought as Mrs. Mears experienced herself zooming into Winter's eyes, "He successfully completed the Kauai Island raid with powers never seen before," Mrs. Mears added, "I wonder how much he's capable of!" She thought as her consciousness peered into his soul, and without another moment, she found herself in the depths of darkness, "An abyss?" Mrs. Mears thought while looking around, "No, this is different-" she reached out for the nothingness, and it quickly moved away to avoid her- "This is absolutely nothing!" she flinched, sensing something watching her. She turned to see a figure cloaked in what seemed to be the darkness. Mrs. Mears trembled in fear as the figure stepped toward her. The nothingness that cloaked the figure was removed, and it revealed a humanoid skeleton with two sets of eyes, and an irregular rib cage and hips. It glowed a bright white, and a spiral of sale-like energy came from its back as it held out both hands palm up. She screamed, pulling her hands away and grabbing her head. Two agents rushed in with Anthony, "You bastard, what have you done to Mrs. Mears?!" Asks an agent as two pull their guns on him. Winter only watched in surprise, "Did she see you?" He asks Ultima in his mind, "Impossible, I'm only an additional state of your mind, not soul! Whatever she saw must have been something related to the System," it replied, "Stop! Are you guys nuts?!" Mr. Hodge asks, "Don't you know who this man is?!" He asks, "You morons!" He yelled at the agents, "But Mrs. Mears is-" the first agent replied- "If you're that worried, go and check on her yourself!" Mr. Hodge replied, "My apologies, Mr. Greats. Our agents stepped out of line," he apologized. Agents stood around Mrs. Mears and attempted to comfort her, "What the fuck did she see to be so scared?" Winter thought awkwardly, "It's fine-" he replied- "I have no idea," Ultima replied, "If you had done something like this to Aiden Thompson or Lixic Lorjurn, all of us would've been dead by now. Got it?" Mr. Hodge explained to the agent who pulled his gun, "Yes sir!" He replied. Mr. Hodge then stepped over to Mrs. Mears, "What's the Matter, Mrs. Mears?" He asks, kneeling down. She could only hold her head as she trembled, "You're covered in sweat, are you not feeling well?" Mr. Hodge asks as she looks up at Winter, "It seems Mrs. Mears are feeling under the weather today. Do you mind if we reschedule for another time? I'll be in touch, Mr. Greats," Mr. Hodge explained, "Sure," Winter replied as he stood up. "Anthony, please show Mr. Greats the way out," he turned to Anthony from Mrs. Mears' side, "Of course,'' Anthony nods, leading Winter out of the hotel room.

 "Mrs. Mears, What happened?" Mr. Hodge asks as she drops her hands, beads of sweat running down her face. Mrs. Mears turned to him, "He's-" she trembled, stuttering over her words- "He's something else, something beyond our comprehension!" Mrs. Mears explained, "Then does that mean he's as strong as a National-Rank Mythic?" Mr. Hodge asks, "I can't tell, I've never seen anything like it," she shook her head, "Whatever I saw, it was something pertaining to the nothingness," Mrs. Mears continued, "He's the lord of nothingness!" She explained, "And while I was looking into him, he was also looking back into me," Mrs. Mears shuddered, "I'm not talking about Winter Greats. The thing that was staring into me was the infinite nothingness within him!" She explained loudly, trembling as she hugged herself. "On top of that, there was no limit to his powers," Mrs. Mears explained. Winter stepped out of the hotel, and into the car he rode over to the hotel.

 At the MDA in Klato, Mr. Sears reached up to his face with his right hand and rubbed the bridge of his nose with a sigh. "I can't believe we lost a Mythic like Michel Weaver," he thought, "Well, he was retired, so I shouldn't say he was a Mythic," Mr. Sears corrected himself, "It's sad to label his death as a 'noble sacrifice,' when he was killed so brutally," he added in thought, "I know that even greater challenges are waiting ahead for us, we may even see more deaths and damage than this," Mr. Sears reasoned before his phone began to buzz and ring, "Yes?" He asks, answering it, "What? A B-rank dungeon appeared in an overpass?" Mr. Sears asks, "A regular strike squad won't be able to handle something like that," he thought, "I'll give one of the major guilds a call," Mr. Sears replied before hanging up, "Wait, doesn't Mr. Greats's live in that area?" He asked himself. Winter sat in his car, stuck in traffic, "What could be in my soul that could be that terrifying?" He thought, "I could see the look of terror in her eyes, so I highly doubt she'll agree to meet with me again," Winter sighed, "That doesn't matter, but what's with all of this traffic? I want to watch that new episode of that new drama," Ultima asks, "Not sure," he replied before his phone began buzzing. Winter grabs his phone from the cup holster in the center console, "Mr. Sears?" He asks while answering the phone, "Mr. Greats, I have a new job for you," Mr. Sears explained, "How can I help?" Winter asks, "There is a dungeon that formed in an overpass, so some MDA agents had to block off the highway," he replied, "That explains the traffic jam," Ultima commented, "What rank?" Winter asks, "B-rank, could you take care of it, Mr. Greats?" Mr. Sears asks, "Is it okay for me to enter without a permit?" He asks, and Mr. Sears only laughs, "Who do you think is in charge of those?" He asks, "That would be the MDA," Winter replied, "And who are you speaking to right now?" He asks, "The chairman," Winter chuckles, "Don't worry, I've got it covered," Mr. Sears replied, "Thanks," Winter got out of the car with the phone in hand while he stepped down the highway, and through the parked cars. "The dungeon you see behind me now appeared under an overpass of the highway!" A news reporter explained standing in the road with traffic going around a blocked off area, "Everyone! We ask that you please follow our directions!" A man asked, wearing a hard hat and a yellow high visibility vest. Winter stepped into the restricted area, "Hey, hold it right there! This is a restricted area!" A female agent yelled at him, "Huh? Mr. Greats?!" She asks as he looks over, "That's Mr. Greats!" One commented, looking out the window of his car, "He must be here to clear the dungeon!" Another reasoned, "What brings you here? You may be an S-rank, but that doesn't mean you can just ignore protocol!" The agent continued, "You have an entry permit, right?" She asks, "Even if you do, I can't allow you to enter this dungeon unless you come back with a party that meets the minimum requirements!" She added, "I've been told otherwise," he thought, "Sir, I'm at the dungeon right now, but there's a bit of a problem," Winter commented.

 Winter handed the phone to the agent, "Here, take the call," he explained, "Who's on the other end?" She asks awkwardly, "Someone you won't be able to argue with," Winter replied, "This is Mr. Sears speaking," he explained, "Yes, yes! Yes, of course. I will do as you say, sir," she spoke into the phone, after a while she hung up and handed it over, "I guess you meet the requirements," the agent sighed, "Cool, I'll be heading in, then!" He turned away, "I can't believe he's my superior even though he joined a month ago," she thought, "I hope he trips and twists his ankle," she added in thought as Winter stepped into the dungeon. "Wait! The dungeon is-" an agent yelled, witnessing the dungeon suddenly changing- "It's collapsing!" He added.

~>System<{" The [<em>Player]'s [Level] Does Not [Match] The [Dungeon] The [Player] is Entering, The [Level] of The [Dungeon] Will be [Increased]!"}>It rang<~< p>

 The ground below Winter's feel crumbles away. "A Collapsing Dungeon?!" The female agent asks, "Could this be happening 'cause I wished he would get hurt?" She thought. Winter looks around as he appears into a new world, "Yay. Another Collapsing Dungeon," he sighed. With both hands in his pocket, he was surrounded by a tropical jungle with rain coming down on him, "DAMN IT! NOW WE CAN'T WATCH THE FIRST EPISODE OF THAT NEW DRAMA WHEN IT AIRES!" Ultima curses, "Looks like we'll have to push ourselves to get out in time," Winter chuckled, "Push myself, huh?" He thought, "I don't think this dungeon will be too much of a challenge," Winter looked up from his feet into the tree line. Tribal monsters stepped out of the shadows, with many eyes shining deeper into the darkness. His soldiers formed from the shadows, "I'm going to clear this in one day," he decided as his soldiers clashed with the monsters. Each fighting multiple monsters at a time, "Mythics are born to be hunters of monsters," Ultima thought, "But monsters are not the only enemies they must fight," it added as Macey sat in the dojo meditating. Uncle David stepped away. Watched her from the window, "Mythics must be careful not to fall prey to others," Ultima reasoned, as Igris stabs his long sword through many tribal monsters at once. Iron crushes a tribal monster as he roared, "The tides can change any moment, after all," it continued, as Erik and Aaron argue over something in a meeting with Mr. Sears. "First-rate Mythics never let their guards down for this reason," Ultima added as Tusk and Tank rampage through the burning jungle. Tommy and Philip were speaking in an office room and Elliott had to hold Philip back as he held an annoying expression on his face, and Tommy had an amused expression. "Even though there are tens of thousands of monsters to hunt, Mythics will never stop their hunt," Ultima explained as Dwight looked annoyed with Lee lyn as he sat in a chair. Beru screeched as it stood on a pile of corpses, holding a head with its mask still on. "Not a single Mythic-" It began as Winter stepped between a tunnel of knelt down Shadow Soldiers lined each side of the path- "Onto the next target," Winter smiled, loosening his tie as shadows radiated off of his body. "Plans on stopping any time soon," Ultima explained, "After all, it's only getting interesting!" It chuckled, leaning forward as it rested its chin on his hand as his elbow rested on his thigh.