[Chapter 43] Andrei's Rage

[Somewhere Under the Rainbow, Frame] 

[Early Morning 7:15 am]

...

The silence was broken by Andrei, who's aura soared. Earthquake had a hard time breathing, but eventually found air seeping into his lungs due to the other Top 10's presenting themselves. Must've been because they felt his energy. 

"What is the meaning of this, Andrei?" Supri, a mature, slim woman with short white hair, wearing a white dress along with a pearly necklace asked. 

"It's too earlier for you to start a racket." Schnauder, a muscular, severe-looking man with light blue eyes and gray-turquoise hair, bored voice entered. He is seen wearing a black t-shirt, gray baggy jeans and flip flops. 

"Ben has been killed." His words alone, earned a frown from both awakeners. 

"How?" They both questioned. 

"I don't know how! I just got a package with his head in it!" He shouted, displaying the young dead awakener's blonde bloody head. 

"Holy sh*t!" Roist exclaimed shamelessly like his master as he enters the room alongside Muse who is just as shook as the other Top 10's. 

"Well, do you know who's behind his death?" Supri smartly asked. 

"No, not yet at least. But I think this letter will explain everything." He said, carefully ripping the sides of the envelope as he pulled out a thin sheet of paper and read what was written. A look of anger flashed across his face. 

"Well don't keep us hanging. What was discussed inside the letter?" The scarred man (Schnauder) asked. 

"It's from Eminence's chairwoman telling me to know my damn place!" He slams his fist against his throne's armrest.

"What did you do, Andrei?" Supri asked, knowing that any awakened organization wouldn't dare make an enemy of someone, especially that of a Top 10, unless for very good reasons. 

"I didn't do anything?!" He replied. 

"Well, it certainly doesn't look like it." Schnauder joined in. 

"What does the letter exactly say, word by word?" Supri questioned, not believing Andrei's short summary in his own words. 

"Who cares what the letter says! A lowly organization arrogantly challenged 3 Top 10's! We must act quickly and show them their place!" He spouted complete and utter bullsh*t. 

"Give me the letter." Supri demanded, and when he didn't, flat out refuses to give her the letter, Schnauder swiftly took it from the red head drama queen's hands and read it out loud himself. 

"It says, dear Andrei, 1 of the Top 10's. I am here to inform you that one of your men, or more specifically, one of your disciples, decided to commit a heinous act that our organization could not overlook." Schnauder stops, both himself and Supri narrowing their eyes towards Andrei in suspicion. 

"What did you do?!" Supri demanded. 

"It is none of your concerns!" He yelled. 

"It is if your actions reflect terribly on us, on Frame!" She shouted. 

"All I did was send Ben to do a little recruitment mission. No big deal!" He explained, but it was not enough as the other Top 10's got a slight idea of what took place. 

"So, you forcefully took awakeners against their own free will from other organization's territory?" Schnauder questioned, though he already knew the answer to it as he read the rest of the letter in his head. 

"So what if I did?!" He exclaimed. 

"Andrei! You can't just do that!" Supri lectured, thought Andrei didn't want to hear it. "And why not?!" 

"Being a Top 10 does not give you the privilege to do such things. It's one of the awakened world rules." She pointed out. 

Andrei: "If I recall, only power dictates the law. And as you can see, I am 1 of 10 that withhold the title as the strongest. An honored one, to obtain such privileges! Only you," pointing to Schnauder, "and Supri, along with the other 7 Top 10's can stand as my equal. So why must I care about taking praiseworthy talented awakeners from a lowly born country such as South Korea? They'll be good assets to Frame and will only do us good." 

Supri: "Even so, if another Top 10's were to hear about this, they won't sit still. They will take action against us. Not just you, but all of Frame." 

Andrei: "That is if they were to catch word of this. Which they will not." 

Schnauder: "And how do you propose we prevent such a thing from occurring. As far as I know, words spread fast around the awakened world." 

Andrei: "I'll just blame Eminence." 

At this, everyone in the room looked at him deadpan. 

Schnauder: "Are you stupid?!" 

Andrei: "Wha-" 

Schnauder: "Who in their right mind would believe that?!" 

At Andrei's confusion Supri explained, "do you really think others will believe an organization such as Eminence is capable to defeating a Top 100? Moreover, a disciple of a Top 10?" 

"Why wouldn't they?!" He exclaimed stupidly, not catching on to what she meant, earning a disappointed sigh from Earthquake who's well aware of what both Top 10's were hinting at. 

Sometimes, he wonders why he's following someone a bit slow in the head. But then he thinks back to all the things Andrei has done for him, even giving him his force control allowing him to rise in the ranks of a Top 50. 

Worth it if you ask him. With that, his loyalty will forever be in Andrei even if he's not the brightest tool in the shed. 

The mature woman sighed, 'how can someone be this stupid?' She thought, before side eyeing the scarred man, 'remind me why we're working with him again?' 

Catching sight of her narrowed eyes, Schnauder eyed back, 'because he's useful everywhere else but up there,' pointing to his brain, earning an eyeroll but an impressed and surprised look from her, translating to, 'it's a wonder how he has survived this long.' 

The light blue eye man replied back with an unnoticeable slight nod in agreement. Of course, this wasn't left unnoticed by their disciples who were biting hard on their lower lip, trying to hold back their snickers as it has become a daily occurrence witnessing one of many of Andrei's dramatic tantrums resulting in his stupidity showing. 

And somehow, every time, Andrei is too busy lost in his own world to notice himself being made fun of by 2 of his coworkers. Heck, even Earthquake sees it, but he wouldn't dare utter a word of this out loud, as he'll not only earn the fury of 1, but 3 Top 10's.

So without needing to think twice, he kept his mouth shut and let the 2 Top 10's eye each other as they continue to make fun of his master behind, or as a matter of fact, in front of his master's back. 

Supri: "From what the public knows, Eminence's awakeners are only around that of a Top 200. For them to be able to best a Top 100 is unheard of. In fact, I wouldn't of have believe they defeated your disciple if not for their confession." 

"If it's about proof, then we have the evidence right here!" Andrei pointed to Ben's head and the letter from Eminence confessing to the crime. 

Schnauder: "That's not the problem though. Even with it, many would think we faked the letter in order to pit the blame on some innocent organization. Not that many would care if that said innocent organization were to disappear, but that would hurt Frame's image." 

Slowly but surely, Andrei caught on to what they meant. Even so, both awakeners continued on with their explanations.

Going on to say how low Frame would go just to justify the death of one of their own. But for a disciple of a Top 10 to die at the hands of a Top 200, whether it's believable or not, many will start to look down on them. 

In fact, some would argue that many awakeners would shoot their shot and try to attack members of Frame, thinking that if a Top 200 can defeat a Top 100, then why can't they do so as well.

Making them a big target for ignorant awakeners who are trying to gain fame rather quickly, and defeating awakeners affiliated with Frame is the way to go. That is and was always how the awakened world function. 

Defeating the so called strong, in order to prove themselves to the awakened world, that they are without a doubt, strong. Which is complete and utter bullsh*t since they can be strong with or without the acknowledgement of others, but I suppose many require the recognition of other strong awakeners in order to recognize them themself, that they are strong too. 

Not to mention, let's just say that Eminence innocently being the target of Frame's rage happens to survive the aftermath, who's to say they won't somehow recover quickly. Many would kill just to be a part of an organization that singlehandedly manage to defeat a Top 100 who is also the disciple of a Top 10. 

All in all, the spotlight will be on EAO. Both good and bad, but mostly good attention. And that's something neither of them can, nor will, look forward to. Mostly because only them and some smart organizations will be suspicious of Eminence's true capabilities. 

Because as hard as it is to believe a newly created organization with awakeners to be around the level of a Top 200, it is not entirely impossible that they've been hiding their true powers the entire time. 

Which means, they know jacksh*t about Eminence other than what they willingly let out. Which too could be a hoax as none of it could be real. 

Understanding the seriousness of the situation, Andrei couldn't help but sigh loudly in frustration. All Supri and Schnauder have said could be wrong, but it also could be true. Either way, it's not a risk he or anyone in Frame is willingly to take. 

There's a lot at stake, and waging war on an organization they basically know nothing of, is like walking through a maze blindfolded. Not that our main characters will have a problem, but others will. The others being organizations or awakeners in general, who want to make an enemy of Eminence. 

And as easy as it is for a Top 10 to singlehandedly destroy organizations in one fell swoop, an organization with many powerful awakeners ranging around that of a Top 100, is an entirely different story. As together, they can do a lot of damage. 

Then again, the awakeners affiliated with Eminence could have the power surpassing that of a Top 100, going as far as a Top 50, which is even more dangerous for the 3 Top 10's. Because they can do some serious damage to each of them even if it means they will die in the process. All in all, their attacks can leave the 3 incredibly vulnerable to other awakener's attacks. 

The risks outweigh the benefits. Sure, Andrei would like to have his revenge for one of his favorite disciples, but he cannot. Not with his organization and reputation as a whole, on the line. It's safe to say, but those things are much more important than one of his disciple's lives. 

"Then what do you propose we do?" Andrei asked, requiring assistance from his fellow Top 10's who shrugged in response.

"Absolutely nothing. We can't do anything as anything we do right now will affect our reputation." Schnauder pointed out the obvious, but Andrei was having none of it as he still held on to his grudge against Eminence for killing his precious disciple. 

"So you're saying we let them go?! For killing one of our awakeners?! Be a pushover?!" He yells. 

"No! That's not what I'm saying!" Schnauder shouts back. 

"Sure sounds like it! Maybe, if I kill one of your disciples, you'll know what's it like to be in my shoes!" At Andrei's words, all Top 10's released their aura as it clashes against one another, their disciples were force against the walls as they choked for air. 

Clearly, Andrei threatening them enrage them greatly that they forgot to shield their disciple away from their threatening aura. Nevertheless, they're able to withstand a bit of it due to their master's powers as it forces them to create a barrier, splitting them off from the Top 10's suffocating energy. 

Schnauder: "You want to repeat that, Andrei?!" 

Supri: "I suggest you take a step back before you start something you cannot finish." 

Andrei: "I merely speaking facts. If you were in my shoes, and lost one of your disciples, would you not be as angry as I am?!" 

Supri: "Yes I would be, but threatening to kill our disciples is crossing the line." 

Andrei: "Well at least then you'll understand my pain!" 

Schnauder: "Are you still threatening us, because this will not end well for you." 

Andrei: "Maybe I am." 

He responded, instantly increasing his aura, causing Supri and Schnauder to do so as well. Their disciples had trouble keeping up with their master's aura even when they worked together to hold up the barrier. 

Seeing as things were getting worse, they all made eye contact, signaling to each other that they must stop them as a battle between 3 Top 10's will not end well for either of them or all of Frame for that matter. 

Roist went to Schnauder, Muse arrived in front of Supri, and Earthquake bowed his head to Andrei. At the sight of their disciple, their aura calmed a little, but stayed heightened, on guard still. 

"Get out of my way Roist." The scarred man demanded sternly. 

"Same applies to you Muse." The only woman in the room spoke.

Muse: "I'm afraid I cannot do that master." 

"Same as well." Roist nonchalant attitude nowhere to be seen, replaced with a serious demeanor. 

"I will not ask again, move!" Schnaduer shouted, prepared to push his apprentice out of the way even if it means doing so forcefully. 

"We cannot do that." Muse spoke on Roist behalf, which annoyed him a bit as he doesn't require assistance to speak for himself. 

"And why is that?!" His master's asked. 

"Because if you fight right here and now, there will be nothing left of Frame. Moreover, you will sustain serious injuries from battling each other, leaving not only yourself, but all the remaining of Frame, complete and utterly vulnerable." Earthquake voice the consequences that will come if such a thing were to occur. 

Realizing this, all 3 parties aura calmed a bit more, though their guard remained unchanged. "I suppose you're right, but it still doesn't change the fact that we'll letting Eminence get away with murdering my disciple." 

Before anyone else spoke, Earthquake proposed a troublesome, yet suitable solution. "How about we blame South Korea." 

...