The Antagonist (5)

"It was truly unbelievable that you took care of the Invisible Hunter case within two days."

"Yeah." There was no need but I forced a smile behind my mask

"I know, Leader can provide you with my contact information so I hope you'll reach out to me at any opportunity you find. I have many connections from financial supporters after all."

"Yeah I'll sure do."

Finally with that, the man left happily with the thought that he had made me his pawn or something.

"Mark how many more are there left! My social energy is on a single digit number."

"Humans don't have such energy and H.P. bars in real life. Also the people you're meeting here are important members of our faction, you will probably need them later so make sure you remember all of their names alright."

"I'm bad with names and faces... and relationships. I'm good at remembering powers and their specialities so those three won't be necessary."

An old guy who can make contracts, a person who puts thoughts in somebody's mind, a woman who can make modern technology to stop and malfunction. Aside from these I don't think I want to recall more.

"You can find flaws in every proper system can't you?"

These last two days were stressful or should I blame the whole week?

The current me was neither thrilled by my recent achievements nor excited about benefits I'll reap in future with it. I was just disappointed with the developments. Struggling and seeking over and over just to see empty results, I also don't feel like participating more will give me any clue to Chandler.

At least the eerie feeling I got that someone was lying to me was finally gone. The feeling, that came from the article's name "Floating Wire" and the name of the killer being "Invisible Hunter".

Of course a telekinesis user can be confused with an invisible person but not the other way around. And that tiny detail led me to see three people dying in front of my eyes.

Yesterday I gave it a little thought when I saw my house's doors open yet no signs of someone entering from there making it obvious he never had to use an entrance to enter a room.

In the middle of my thoughts I looked towards Cupid for a bit, he was calmly assessing the situation which just seemed out of character for him.

Yesterday I called Cupid right after when Irina was knocked unconscious. I told him about how to corner Controller like he did today and I was the one who told him what he was saying about how White Mage revealed everything to him.

Yesterday I posed as someone from Irina's faction who hated her and instructed him and prepared the skit.

Of course the thing about White Mage's death was just a mere speculation at that time and I mentioned him so that he'll take me seriously.

And as planned, he rejected my idea which actually led to the death of White Mage, this made it easy to fuel the fire made from her death, considering I was also the one who brought the woods to burn, so I did accepted when he was about to hit me.

Such a genius thing to do. Except for the part when I get punched.

The words about two Executives killing Freedom Members spread like wildfire and now, not just the Executives but the members of higher positions in factions were also busy calming this blaze down.

And at last the day had ended and we were in the car, just about to leave.

Robert looked exhausted from calming this chaos down, same with Sera who did not expect the death of Crystal User and Controller from this unknown power and finally Mark looked fine playing on his phone.

"Thanks for the hard work you four did. It all went perfectly." Said Harry, starting a conversation.

"I liked my previous mask more which I broke, I almost got punched and I'm tired, I don't like this day." I removed the new mask I wore at the end and took a much more relaxing posture with the help of the seat.

"I didn't think both of them would have a connection with Author and his killer."

"It can't be helped, also it looked like you could see the future by how accurate you were." Robert tried to encourage me.

Well he also did a fair share of work in leading people for me. He was also the one who made Freedom members to gather on all seven floors leaving only the ground floor for Cupid.

"You're tired Mr. Shade? You have no right to say that! You just thought of a plan which couldn't have worked without us and talked to a few people at the end as a formal courtesy. Learn to treat people better, you're a complete slave driver! I can't believe I had to look for a used cup in the middle of a murder site for evidence!" Sera complained for a long time.

Sera was responsible to collect all camera footage, stop streamers and make them take out Controller and Crystal's contact information. Along with taking White Mage's cup, which was an extra proof found by Mark.

"I also worked my ass off Sera, I was busy dealing with people who are constantly asking why. We don't have police badges to gather easy evidence you know."

Mark stalked White Mage this morning, found the old footage with the Hotel's security camera and found the empty box of sleeping pills.

"Also, I was supposed to be the man today and stop the three from fighting, why did you change the plan so suddenly and replaced me with Ms. Ice Demon!"

So that was the reason he was sulking. Also they did quite a lot of work so I shouldn't talk back.

"I couldn't stop her from following me. How did you two even convinced people and gathered those proofs to begin with? I was just letting my intuition run wild so I didn't even think about how you could."

""Money!"" Both of them replied in a synchronised tone.

"Yeah, right."

"What about me?! I drove you four everywhere! Unlike you all what I had to deal with, was doing nothing for like 10 hours today while others enjoyed a second day of Reverie! You guys can take any car from Faction's base and you still make me drive!"

Is that how you guys treat the cars costing millions?!

"Hey let's stop this here and also Harry I know you went back home and took naps."

"How?!"

Thank you Robert, I feel like I'll burst any moment now.

When we finally started to leave after this stupid argument we stopped near the exit.

I had already gotten comfortable enough to close my eyes so I spoke in a grumpy tone.

"Why did we stop?" I asked looking at Sera.

"Looks like somebody is here to see you."

"Huh?" I slid my mask back on my face without properly hooking it and my window's glass dropped down.

"Hello Mr. Assistant."

"Mr. Roald?" The old man who guarded the Executive's Meeting Room was here to personally meet me.

"Today you did a great job, all of this was accomplished by you and now all of this achievement will help you tomorrow, when you'll fulfill your friend's request."

So he also knew something about my Chandler.

"Stop lying, when I said I figured everything out, I truly did. I know all the people who worked in the shadows."

"You are right but still continue walking on that path, Mr. Nameless Apostle." Saying that he turned back and returned.

I could not argue with an elderly like him, something in my ethical side of mind stopped me from it...

"He and his granddaughter, really love to say weird things out of nowhere but it looks like he's not that bad."

The glass was back up and we left the place.

"Looks like there are more rumours about you." Mark spoke on the way.

"Who is sending you those..?"

"It says you're being shared by Ice Demon and Enchanting Healer as a lover... And you are the brother of Cupid?!"

"I take it back, that old man was a crafty guy! He is the one who spreads the rumours!"

And that explains the last piece of the puzzle.

After we returned to my home, Irina was in my room reading one of my books on MY bed!

"Oh you all returned early?"

Early? We returned way too late.

"Leader we-"

"Take Anna back home and explain the situation of the current affairs to her. Rest for the day and wait for my next order."

""Yes ma'am!""

The swings in her personality are scary.

With her words, without much time wasted all five of them left.

"You look awfully bossy for someone who was close to dying."

"You can say that." Saying that she crossed her legs and placed her cheek on her hand.

I still have many feelings going on for Irina currently, so many at the same time that I don't think I even had these many inside me.

"So what happened today."

"Nothing much, everything that you thought and planned."

"Me?"

"Yeah, you, Spider, Chandler and Mr. Roald, perhaps a few more people considering how many dead men were playing."

"You're overthinking it."

"The reason I, an ordinary person saw your faction's member die before you, the previous second-in-command of Freedom was because Spider didn't let out that news to you especially."

"Where did I come from then?"

"You gave your location intentionally to those two pretending to be Invisible and hinted to me."

"Not exactly but yeah I did make them attack me somehow. Of course I also shook them a bit so that they couldn't kill me. Don't worry they don't know our address."

"You also intentionally provoked them by saying you knew who the Invisible Hunter was. Not to mention it was pretty obvious now that Mr. Roald is the one spreading rumors about Executives that led me to corner them."

"He loves doing that, especially mixing them up with the true and fake ones. Though it should've been pretty obvious to you, the only person who can spread rumours about Executives and the Leader should be the person above us. And in position, he is like the founding members of Freedom itself."

So that's what he was writing! He was writing rumours openly like he was doing something important.

"Makes sense, so you not only knew about the whole Invisible Hunter's scenario's truth but also you knew their faint connections with Chandler as well, right?"

"Indeed."

"And why didn't you tell me that woman?"

"Why didn't you told me, that you hugged Ice Demon, held hands with her and allowed rumours like you are being shared by me and her to spread, Mr. Nameless Apostle." She said with a wide smile on her face.

"That... is fair enough! We are equal now."

I wanna be salty for being used but smiling Irina is scary! I don't want her to start talking to me the same way as she does with Mark and others, that's really pressuring.

Even Ice Demon and Cupid only helped me because Irina claimed that she didn't want to catch the Hunter so basically everything I did for today was dancing on her palms.

Lastly the hidden clue behind everything was Chandler's death, Chandler didn't only knew his time of death but hearing how the Pig Guy knew about it and wanted to give me authority to meet with the Executives made it clear.

Chandler knew about both events beforehand and when I connected that with what Irina said at the cafe about making me meet with the Executives, I knew that one of the Executives may turn out to be the culprit.

And finally as soon as I met with the two culprits, their out of the place nature and too fitting powers along with the article made me realise that they were the culprits.

White Mage and Cupid however with their acts made me suspect that maybe one of them was cooperating with them or is the mastermind controlling them.

Looking back, as I unveiled what was behind everything, I started feeling another ominous feeling. Not as weak as being deceived but as sharp as that of being controlled by someone.

If that feeling did not come, I could not have made connections of me catching the culprits with Irina, Spider, Chandler and Mr. Roald.

The feeling of being used, forced to take responsibility for an action I didn't even make willingly.

A puppet with strings attached to my back being controlled by puppeteers without even its knowledge. I don't want to do it again or feel even half of what I was feeling right now. A feeling so disgusting yet nostalgic that I would rather vomit blood to forget it.

But still I had to be the puppet because Chandler wants me to. I can't cut off the strings yet because I'm not strong enough, a puppet without strings does not possess the strength to move on its own.

Irina who is right in front of me reading a book from my shelf is also truly frightening and still she doesn't even compare to the murderer of Chandler.

As things are going, I am going to make dozens of enemies whom I cannot even defeat by normal means but Chandler wants me to do that, also that man Roald told me I'm heading for the right path.

So the puppet with strings will move yet another move from now on.