Influence><Interference

(Some time before the particular Quest.)*

" W.E.B? " Vengeance Hunter asked Black Merchant about it.

" Yes, you didn't hear it wrong... " Black Merchant tells.

" 'Weaving, Expanding, and Binding', or W.E.B., is the organization that runs the human trafficking in Hellios and Trashville. "

" Since the organization are mostly ran by those with Spider abilities, then you should've guessed why it was called like that. " 

" But some of their members, often are not Spider-based..., non-Spider Ability people could join and fun fact, Hunter... "

" You already knew one of them... " Black Merchant suddenly says it.

" Who? " Vengeance Hunter asks for he never thought he already had an encounter with a W.E.B. member.

" Really, you're asking about it. " Black Merchant sighs since Vengeance Hunter seemed that clueless, he thought Hunter would easily connect to it.

" Fine, I'll ignore the set up and get straight to the punchline. "

" It's Prof. Vile. " Black Merchant says which startled Vengeance Hunter a bit for he remembers the professor, remembers his [Mechamorph] ability that reminds him of an insect for instance.

" Yes, it's him, Hunter... "

" The Professor that changed your life forever, yup... "

" Matter of fact, he's an elder member of that organization, one of its founding members even. "

" Originally, I want to catch him and ask him more about it. "

" But, as I found him... " Black Merchant pauses, while Vengeance Hunter had another Flashback about his past*.

" I see him perish by your very hands, thus I had to change my plans 'cause of it. " Black Merchant says.

" What do you want about it? " Vengeance Hunter asks Black Merchant as the Merchant gazed upon him.

" Hunter... "

" You know well the reason I helped you, right? " Black Merchant asks Vengeance Hunter, reminding him why he became a Volunteering Sponsor to Vengeance Hunter's cause.

" You had your own agendas. " Vengeance Hunter replied.

" Agendas that happened to align our targets, both the Heroes and Villains. "

" Indeed. " 

" That's why I told you about this organization, W.E.B. "

" For the one responsible for your mother's death, the Villain you let go back then*, happened to be a member. "

" He's there? Do you know the place, Merchant? " 

" Not yet, but I do know how their trafficking operates. "

" Trains... " Black Merchant tells Vengeance Hunter.

" The transport that had many effects on your past, the place that people of Hellios go missing. "

" The perfect place for abducting people who are desperate for transport since Personal Vehicle Taxes are getting higher here. "

" Speaking of abduction, you should've realized the train rails are connected beautifully, you could even recognize the rails' shape in the maps looked precisely like a spider's cobweb. " Black Merchant tells while Vengeance Hunter thinks about it, remembering how the Hellios Train Map looked like.

"(He's right, just as I remembered, it looks like a Web.)"

"(Don't tell me.)"

" It's not a coincidence, Hunter... "

" The train stations, the trains that your father once worked in, is part of W.E.B.'s trafficking network, such a twist, isn't it? "

" It was. " Vengeance Hunter tells Black Merchant while his fingers hold the chin.

" I know what you think, if the abduction thing had been done for some time, why people in the country never ask the Heroes or the Government 'bout it. "

" As if every time they do, the thought of it just slips away. " Black Merchant adds.

" Perhaps there's a W.E.B. member with 'Telepathic' ability, perhaps? " Vengeance Hunter replied to it.

" BINGO!!! " Black Merchant praises Vengeance Hunter.

<Message >

<User's INT Status +1>

" Huh? "

" That's right, there's some 'Telepath' in charge for this matter. "

" A telepath in particular, happened to have unfinished business with me. "

" Aranea Syphon, The Mind Binder. "

" She's in charge for the unfinished abduction using trains, for she uses her telepathic-based ability to make the people slowly forget about the abduction, an ability she expanded through the Medium of her lackeys. "

" Or by the Telepath's language, what she did is called 'Influence Extension'. "

" Must be dangerous. " Vengeance Hunter replied after hearing it.

" Of course, reminds of any 'influencers', doesn't she? "

" Speaking of influencing, she usually used W.E.B.'s Arachon Soldiers to do so. "

" Arachon...? " Vengeance Hunter asked.

" W.E.B.'s lackey soldier, they have 'em like any evil organization should. "

" Those soldiers often comes in different forms, in daylight, the soldiers often become civilians, extending her influence reach over those who went to the stations. "

" Even when night falls, the Arachon extend the influence while openly operational with their Arachon suit, abducting those who were misfortunate enough to use the train, for the influence ensure then won't see it coming before it's too late. " 

" If that's how dangerous it had become, then we have no choice but to swiftly deal with this 'W.E.B.' organization. " Vengeance Hunter replied with conviction.

" But first, I shall correct My mistake and end that 'Villain' first, as for 'Aranea'... "

" She's mine. " Black Merchant tells.

" But before we clash, I need you to do something. "

" And that is... "

<Message >

...

(Back to the present.)

Vengeance Hunter holds the Arachon Soldier's head in front of him.

<Shared Ability: [Memory Interference ('?')]>

<A 'Shared Ability' that allows the User to interfere memory of another Subject. Skill Origin: [Black Merchant]>

<This ability is available while 'Vengeance Hunter's INT and SNS are>60 points and still connected to 'Black Merchant' mind's [Influence Extension], which was possible thanks to 'Black Merchant's Skills, [Ability Link] and [Psychic Link].>

<Shared Ability Skill: [Memory Revelation ('?') | Active]>

<A 'Shared Ability Skill' that allows the User to reveal Subject's memory.>

<User 'Vengeance Hunter' and 'Black Merchant' begins to see the 'Arachon Soldier Elite's memory.>

<Displaying Memory.>

Vengeance Hunter sees it, witnessing the soldier's memories that shown a building, a building that looks invisible if seen by naked eye, but for those related to W.E.B., they're able to see it.

" Bingo! " Black Merchant says it from his place, connected with Vengeance Hunter through their minds as he's now on the vast skies, floating with his other ability.

[Ability: Skysoar ('?')]

" It seems we have the proper lead. "

" Thank goodness their place is on the place I've been suspecting they could be at. I knew it! " Black Merchant is happy as his plan worked.

" What should I do next? " Vengeance Hunter asked using their shared [Psychic Link], the scene returns to him as he still holds the Arachon Soldier's head.

" Don't worry, Hunter... "

" Since you use [Memory Interference] on him then the ability's 'Interference Effect' will interfere with Aranea Syphon's influence over him. "

" But don't forget, since the interference has been laid, then Aranea would likely be alarmed by this and sent more Arachon's to you. "

" Are you prepared? " Black Merchant asks as Vengeance Hunter sensed many incomings as well as the System.

" You don't have to tell me. " Vengeance Hunter says as he prepares his blade for incoming enemies from the next train door in front of him.

" Come then. "

__________

Extra:

* (Some time before the particular Quest.).

It means the <Mission: [Sub Quest: Hunting the Death Train]>, issued in Chapter 10: The New Hunt.

* ... while Vengeance Hunter had another Flashback about his past.

See The First Two Chapters for this matter.

* For the one responsible for your mother's death, the Villain you let go back then.

This one briefly mentioned in the flashback at Chapter 16: After Dream.