Veteran bosses.

"Come on, wake up, it's time to start."

A voice resounded from outside and Clémentine who was sleeping woke up still sleepy.

She looked out the window only to realize that it was so early that there was still no sign of the sun.

"Quickly. I wouldn't want to scold you on the first day, so go into the living room. In five minutes I want you there."

Again a voice echoed and Clémentine realized that it was a voice transmitted by the broadcasters in the living room of her apartment.

Using her psionic energy Clémentine stimulated her mind to clear herself and move away from her state of drowsiness.

It was too early for her, but she did not forget that she was working.

She changed quickly and when she opened her bedroom door she found Nicole with a sleepy expression.

Last night because of their nerves they stayed up late, it was inevitable and since no one came to order them to go to sleep early they went to bed too late.

Now they were regretting it.

"We'd better go out," Clémentine said as she used her psionic energy to stimulate Nicole's mind.

That ability to stimulate was pretty basic among psionics, so it wasn't too much of a problem.

When they left, they found Leslie and Erica across the room and Andres arriving drowsy.

Clémentine and Erica looked at each other.

Clémentine used her psionic energy again to wake up the whole group, and Erica created a cold blizzard, which made everyone's body shiver with cold, waking up in the same place.

"Should we wash our faces?" Nicole asked at random.

"No, I think we better hurry," Andres responded with a serious tone.

They had already been late changing and had no time to comb their hair or wash their faces.

Instead of using the elevator, the group created a small doorway and after passing it, they arrived at the second-floor room.

"4:32 minutes... Well, they were on time." Liam said, looking at the time on his holographic watch and noting that some of the young students were trying to fix their hair, he said. "Prioritizing time is important, I'm glad they didn't overdo it.

Nodding calmly, he pointed to some drones."

"You can order your breakfast from the drones and then make yourselves more comfortable. In 15 minutes you will have your first mission." Liam reported calmly.

Clémentine could feel the excitement of her first mission... It was a mixture of excitement and anxiety.

It was a mixture of emotion and anxiety. From the first day, they had a mission... It was clear that the group was more than it seemed.

Since they had little time, Clémentine asked a drone for her breakfast and then went upstairs to her room to get ready.

Leslie, Nicole, and Erica followed her.

They knew they wouldn't have to make a big deal out of their appearance sometime, but for Clémentine, who had long hair, it was pretty annoying if she didn't tie it up... Especially since when she woke up her hair was a mess.

"I wish there was a spell to fix the hair. Erica murmured with a sigh as they went down to the dining room.

"That sounds nice. Nicole responded and Clémentine couldn't help but nod gently.

"I don't care about the hair, I just care about washing my face," Leslie commented with a low tone.

The three who heard it nodded... They were human and like any human when they woke up it was a disaster.

When they entered the dining room they found their breakfasts prepared and Alice eating a quiet breakfast with Andres.

"Good morning."

Greeting each other, they started to eat breakfast.

Seeing them eating breakfast so quietly, Alice hesitated for a moment to look at them.

"There are times when having a comfortable breakfast is not possible, but if you are hungry you can always get some snacks or energy drinks from the fridge... There are magic invigorating drinks that are very useful, they reduce hunger and energize the body". Alice commented after thinking about it and taking a look, she added. "I recommend that you save one now."

The members of the group looked at each other.

Those words sounded like a warning - advice.

After breakfast, the group drank their magic drinks of their choice and realized that in one of the refrigerators this type of drink was very common... since they were filling several shelves.

Before the hour Liam had marked was up, the group along with Alice who used every minute to eat used a portal and went down to the training camp in the basement.

When they arrived, they found Aurora coming out of the gate room and her gaze froze for a moment.

She was wearing a combat suit that the group had seen before and when they saw that it was full of dirt, they all realized that she had been working.

"There was an emergency mission and I took it. Aurora reported not only to the group that looked at her in surprise but especially to Alice who was questioning her with her gaze and ignoring the expression of that glutton, she said. "You must have read yesterday's summary by now, right?"

All the students nodded in unison.

That summary was quite long and contained information about beasts, monsters, and typical creatures in the Central African area where they were found.

Weaknesses and strengths, along with how each of them could effectively and accurately bring down their enemies according to their particular professions.

For Clémentine it was surprising, as the summary that fitted her abilities very well.

Also, that summary had information about Zerzura and the mercenary group in general.

"As you must know. Like other people, we are in charge of protecting the villages and carrying out missions. In some, we get paid, but usually, there is no reward." commented Aurora, and looking at the students, she declared. "The Zerzura Protection System is a regional protection system. We get reports from all over the region and the system categorizes them to send to the other mercenary groups, guilds, or local heroes. Unlike us, they are paid according to the creature they kill no matter where it is".

The protection system was a complex system that, after receiving requests for help from the villages or sightings, analyzed it through drones that were stationed in the villages and towns or that were exploring.

They also use high-tech satellites and war drones capable of being fast like airplanes to explore the area or simply high-altitude drones to carefully scan and analyze the level of the creature.

Once analyzed, the creature's danger was categorized into ranges and sent to be dealt with by the different mercenaries, adventurers, or heroes that were enlisted in the system.

And they used portals that the City of Zerzura had prepared to send them to take care of their enemies, traveling hundreds of kilometers in an instant.

Only these portals could only appear around the village or villages very different from the personal portal that the Aurora group had.

All this information was contained in the summary that Clémentine and the others had read.

"Just now, three missions came to us. Search and elimination, subjugation, and a clean-up mission." Aurora reported and looking at the students, she ordered. "Clémentine and Erica accompanied by Alice will take on the mission of submission. Andres with Liam will go to the cleanup. Nicole and Leslie will come with me to the search and elimination."

Each type of mission not only required different skills, but also different procedures.

"You have 10 minutes to prepare, before that I would like you to let the drones analyze your body measurements," Aurora said with a serious expression.

"Analyze our measurements?" Nicole asked shyly.

It was one thing to prepare, but to be told to let them check your measurements... Without an explanation, it seemed strange.

"You don't need to undress, you can do it with your clothes on."Replied Aurora, trying to control her expression.

Nicole had become slightly shy because she related 'taking measurements' to being 'naked.

******

The portal opened and both Clémentine and Erica felt a slight dizziness due to the distance covered.

Clémentine cautiously remained prepared in case something suddenly attacked following the protocol found in the summary.

Erica at her side was the same and only Alice was eating her chips on her back.

Seeing that there were no enemies, Clémentine was not embarrassed by her caution and only scanned the surroundings to check the situation.

They were in a very strange 'savannah', as a few hundred meters away was a huge green forest.

As the sun was rising, it was a beautiful sight, so both Clémentine and Erica were dazzled.

"That is the magic forest, we are at the edge of the forest," Alice reported to the bewildered students and eating her chips, she added. "This is your first mission. I will only lead."

"Guiding?" Erica hesitated, perplexed.

This was their first mission... That meant they knew nothing!

In the summary were the basic procedures, but the theory and reality were very different.

"Yes, you will take care of everything," Alice responded, and opening her holographic watch, she declared. "Submission' missions have another name... 'Rescue', we will take care of submitting and rescuing a regionally protected creature."

Erica and Clémentine also opened their holographic watches and when they realized the situation, they couldn't help but tremble.

"We'd better get moving. The latest report from the drone, says it has begun to be hunted by a leopard." Erica muttered a serious look and then after seeing the map on her holographic watch, she looked at herself with Clémentine and they started running.

The explorer drone in the area was sending out information every second.

Alice, instead of running with them on foot, only let four arms out of her back to use it to move.

As I watched her move, Alice half nodded.

This was her first mission and she was not only protecting them but also judging them.

To see their weaknesses and strengths.

As they ran towards the target, Clémentine realized that Alice was using her abilities so she began to levitate and Erica used a magical flying device to follow her partner.

The target was two hundred meters from their arrival point.

When they approached, the first thing they noticed was a drone flying over the area at a high altitude.

The common magic spells and the common ranged attacks could not hit it.

A plain was tinged with yellow caused by the combination of sun and grass and in the center of that place was a large tree.

It was very typical of the area and if a professional was present he would recognize it as a 'flat-top acacia'.

As you got closer you could see a three-foot leopard roaring to climb that big tree while at the top a three-foot-tall young gorilla was using a branch to chase away the predator.

Clémentine at first thought it was a predator hunting its prey, but as she got closer she noticed that the leopard had brittle skin with an ominous black color, and realized her mistake.

"It is a monster," Clémentine exclaimed in surprise.

"I know, let's go together," Erica answered, and pulling out her magic wand she shot ten ice arrows that made the leopard jump away from the tree where the gorilla was.

Her speed and reaction caused Clémentine's eyebrows to flutter.

"It's a B-range creature, be careful," Clémentine warned seriously and using her psionic abilities began to lift stones around her.

"GRAA!"

Roaring fiercely, the leopard dodged Clémentine's rocks with great speed and jumped up to cut Erica, who was flying overhead.

Erica was not frightened by this attack; she condensed her magical energy into a barrier of ice, causing the leopard's claws to dig into the cold, thick ice.

However, unlike what Erica thought, the leopard didn't fall to the ground but rather asserted itself by seeking to climb over the ice barrier and kill its prey.

Since Erica was maintaining her barrier, she felt slightly pressured, but when she saw Clémentine's surroundings become agitated, she calmed down.

When the leopard reached the top, Clémentine let out a shockwave that pushed the leopard to the ground, raising a cloud of dust and letting the monster make a painful sound.

"Restrict his movements!" Erica asked seriously.

Clémentine followed her request by moving her hands to catch it between them, and although they were far away and the movement seemed unreal, a force was created around the leopard.

"Do your thing... it's too strong." Clémentine murmured in sweat as she kept her hands invisible around the leopard as it madly sought to escape.

Erica did not disappoint her and used her best spell.

"[Ice Spears]" exclaimed Erica and waving her wand at the leopard she sent five Spears of Ice flying.

The leopard desperately sought to escape by cutting off the tangible force that was holding it back, but thanks to Clémentine's effort the spears hit it hard.

When the leopard remained motionless, Clémentine sighed and fell to the ground, unable to maintain her levitation.

Alice caught it in her black arms and Clémentine hid her surprise caused by the soft and pleasant sensation to the touch that those black arms gave her.

"Thank you," Clémentine murmured slightly exhausted.

The restraining abilities were the ones that spent the most energy, because it required more mental strength to maintain them, due to the monster's resistance.

"What do we do now?" Erica asked after seeing that Clémentine was fine.

Clémentine breathed calmly and watched the young gorilla in the tree look on in fear.

"They say these magical beasts have high intelligence and as adults, they are capable of reaching the A-range," Clémentine remembered the summary she had read.

This magic beast was quite special because they were protected under the treaty of the City of Zerzura.

"How about we talk to it," Erica asked with hesitation.

They both looked at each other... Their duty was 'submission' but as Alice had said, these missions were called 'rescue' because they had to get the creature back to its habitat with its species or the safe zone at least.

Although they both knew the procedure, once they looked at the young three-foot gorilla, they hesitated.

This race was special, as it was a magical beast that developed naturally on earth, its numbers were small and its race was very protective of its species.

Adding to the high intelligence it was difficult to know how to treat it.

"We will take you to your family." Said Erica as she approached the tree, but the gorilla responded by waving the branches in a clear signal to move away.

One could tell he was very scared.

Alice who was watching all this couldn't take it anymore and come closer.

"He is a child gorilla, not a 'young' one, yet his parents must not teach him human speech." Alice said and looked at the gorilla carefully, she explained."Thundering gorillas in their youth are six feet tall and in adulthood are ten feet tall."

Erica was embarrassed to hear that explanation.

She already felt strange trying to talk to a magical beast, but now her embarrassment only increased when she discovered she was talking to a 'child' who would surely not understand anything.

"Clémentine, can you put him to sleep?" Alice asked, and when Clémentine nodded, she ordered. "Do it, I'll take care of it."

Clémentine looking at the gorilla used her psionic energy to generate a natural sleepy state around the gorilla.

This thundering gorilla was in the developmental stage and was a C-range creature, for Clémentine whose mental strength was high could force him into a deep sleep.

Using this ability was not Clémentine's specialty, so just replicating it cost her a great deal of mental strength.

However, the gorilla could fall asleep and Alice using two black arms caught him.

Erica sighed with relief.

It was her first mission and she felt fulfilled... Even though they had only saved one gorilla.

Clémentine wiped the sweat from her forehead and her lips moved as she saw Alice eating her chips as she stood with four arms coming out of her back and one of her extra black arms carrying the rolled-up gorilla.

It was a 'striking' sight... not to mention terrifying.

"Do you want a ride?" Alice asked, looking at Clémentine who looked a little tired.

Unlike Erica, who used a magic object, Clémentine used her powers to levitate.

Clémentine looked at the three-foot gorilla wrapped around a black arm that could stretch, then shook her head.

In her mind, she could see herself being rolled up and carried away while Alice ate chips... And that was too embarrassing.

"Let's go to the safe zone," Alice ordered after seeing the map on her holographic watch.

The duo nodded and began to move as the sun rose high.

"By the way... What about that drone?" Erica asked, looking at the drone in the sky.

"Those are patrol drones that are in charge of exploring the areas. If they find missions like these, they send them to the city of Zerzura for analysis and categorization." Alice explained gently.

Africa was big and the area which the city of Zerzura had control of was enormous.

These drones made it possible to maintain a watch around the villages and near the forests for unforeseen cases like this.

"They are quite useful. Dungeon overflows, monsters, waves, and migrations are discovered by them". Alice added, eating her chips.

Such a large area was abandoned for a long time, so the best way to have control and surveillance was to use scout drones.

"They must be a big expense for the city," Clémentine murmured as she looked at the drone.

She couldn't launch an attack at this distance to bring it down, and she was sure that the wizards, or A-range creatures, were the same.

These drones were safe from normal attacks, but that meant that the cost of creating them was high; after all, not only could they maintain a high altitude, but they could also guard the area perfectly.

They were most likely created with the latest technology available.

Taking into account that these drones were spread all over the area of influence of Zerzura City, it made Clémentine think that the cost of maintenance was astronomical.

"Yes, the Apicius Company spends hundreds of millions of dollars in the defense budget and sometimes reaches thousands," Alice commented, and noting that Clémentine and Erica were surprised by the number, she said. "But don't be fooled, Apicius Company earns double or triple what they spend."

Africa was a land rich in natural resources and when one added the creatures, the available dungeons, and the magical forest of which they were neighbors and with which they had commercial and diplomatic relations... The expenditure was less than the profits.

Cores, magics, alchemical ingredients, magical metals, magical plants, taxes on guilds that earned millions, and all service industries plus government profits more than paid back.

"It makes sense that it would be one of the richest companies," Erica whispered honestly.

A so-called food company that was behind the Cosmos Multinational and other companies... It was clear they weren't just focused on food.

Moving around for about fifteen minutes, Alice ordered them to be on their toes and as they approached a part of the magical forest that was considered the safe zone, a large ten-foot gorilla jumped out of the forest landing in front of them, raising a cloud of dust.

*Roar*

Roaring fiercely, the gorilla struck his chest, letting out thunderous sounds from his powerful fists.

Both Clémentine and Erica felt the pressure of a very special A-range creature.

"Here, don't lose it again," Alice said undisturbed, leaving the young gorilla on the ground.

The adult gorilla approached and took the small gorilla in his arms.

Clémentine could see the joy and happiness on the gorilla's face as she kept her 'cub' safe.

Another ten-foot gorilla approached from behind carrying a foreign object in his hand and declared. "Thank you, 'Protector of Zerzura'."

Both Clémentine and Érica were perplexed to hear the mechanical voice of the chief gorilla... But they quickly discovered that it came from the object in the gorilla's hands.

"This is our job. You know how it is... Today you and tomorrow we." Alice declared with an indifferent look as she ate some chips.

The gorilla nodded and they both returned to the forest.

Clémentine knew that situations of 'submission' were quite rare and more so in species like the 'Thundering Gorillas' who were very protective of their own, however, today she could not hide her astonishment at the situation.

Erica was the same and did not hesitate to look to Alice for an answer.

"With Aurora, we have been doing this for five years, at the end of the day in a moment they come to recognize you and give you titles," Alice commented and seeing that Erica and Clémentine were still surprised, she explained. "As for the saying... Well, they protect humans on their turf too."

They were helping one of their own today so that tomorrow they would help a human being... It was a simple exchange of mutual support.

A relationship that was created after five years of friendship and diplomatic relations.

However, Clémentine and Érica remained attentive to the number of years.

Five years meant that Aurora and Alice when they were 15 had been working here... By the time they were in school, their companions were already venturing into Africa.

Both couldn't help but hide their excitement from their 'veteran bosses'.