"Build an army. Not just a guild. Not a task force. An army capable of total eradication."

That alone was troubling. What followed was worse.

"Their main stronghold is hidden in the capital," she continued. "Buried beneath layers of legitimacy—political, economic, and legal. By the time anyone notices, it will be too late."

The capital.

I let out a slow breath. "You're telling me to wage war in the heart of the country?"

"Yes. And to win before next year."

I stared at the table, then laughed—short, humorless. "You really don't aim small."

She met my gaze. "Neither do they."

I tapped the table, once. Twice. "I'm all in when it comes to saving the world. I don't want monsters ruling over us either."

My gaze locked on her. "But do you really expect me to become that strong within a year?"

She didn't answer right away. The veil shifted as her head tilted, as if she were looking past me—past the room—into timelines only she could see.

"Yes," she responded with absolute confidence. "Not because it's easy. Not because it's guaranteed."

I frowned. "Then why?"

"Because you're already moving faster than any projection I've seen. You don't grow linearly, Mr. Mercer. You escalate. Every crisis strips away another limit."

Her voice slowed, turning cautious.

"It's as if there's an external force...something even my eyes can't perceive… pushing you forward. Supporting you. Letting you break past the future that was supposed to be fixed."

For the first time, her confidence wavered.

"You don't seem to have any real limitations at all."

Wow. She was right on the money.

That meant that my system wasn't bound by this world at all. If even her precognition couldn't see it, then whatever backed me existed outside her sight… outside fate, probabilities, and predetermined outcomes.

No wonder my growth kept tearing past her projections.

"I'll take that as a compliment,"

She didn't say anything.

"So, now that the grand plan is laid out… what else do I need to do?"

She drew a slow breath before answering.

"First, you need to weaken DARKNESS. Hitting them head-on would be reckless—it's too early for that."

Her voice steadied as she continued. "Instead, cut off their tendrils. Dark Rock. Mythical. Corrupt politicians. Corporations operating as their front lines."

She looked toward the table, fingers resting lightly against its surface.

"They draw strength from influence, money, and legitimacy. Strip those away, and the core will rot on its own. By the time you face them directly…They'll already be bleeding."

I nodded, understanding the logic behind it.

"What else?"

She didn't hesitate this time.

"Second, you need legitimacy. Not the kind you seize through forced—but the kind that's handed to you. Public trust. Legal standing. Allies who choose you."

I raised an eyebrow. "That sounds like a headache."

"It is," she admitted. "But when the capital burns, the world must see you as the solution—not the cause."

"Third, consolidate the other organizations. The biggest of them is the Order. If you can bring them under your banner—or at least make them work with you—it will give you an immediate and massive boost."

I frowned slightly. "They won't like it if a young man suddenly starts bossing them around."

She nodded, unsurprised. "Of course they won't. The Order values hierarchy, tradition, and seniority. You represent everything that threatens that."

"Guess that makes me the bad guy—taking credit for all their sweat and blood."

"It's all for the greater good," she said.

Impressive reasoning. Her strategic mind was uncanny—like a supercharge modern Napoleon, seeing one hundred moves ahead while everyone else struggled with one.

I had to admit it—life would be far easier with her on my side.

click!

She retrieved something from her purse and pushed it toward me.

"This USB holds everything I uncovered from my father's laptop. DARKNESS intends to sacrifice this city first, then eleven more. If you don't interfere, none of them will survive."

"How much trouble are we in?"

"A lot. Right now, three DARKNESS core members are running the operation. All of them are above-average S-Ranks—and their leader wields a powerful Celestial Weapon."

"What sort of weapon are we talking about?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. All I know is that my father was supposed to meet them about a new experimental medicine."

"Are you talking about a pill that could turn a human into a monster?"

"How did you know?" she exclaimed.

I scratched my head. "I already dealt with one of their agents. He took a pill… and turned into a monster."

She took a long moment before answering.

"That one was likely lower-ranking. Facing a core member? That would've been loud… uncontrollable."

I completely agreed. S-Rank weren't the type you could take out quietly—especially one wielding a Celestial Weapon.

"Even so, what's your take on the medicine?" she added.

"It boosted his physical abilities, sure—but I was too strong to witness its full effect. It ended too quickly."

She let out a slow, deep sigh. "This must be fate. You might not know, Mr. Mercer, but the new generation drug DARKNESS is using was developed by your father's company."

"Without your father's research, this medicine wouldn't exist. DARKNESS wouldn't have the tool to turn humans into monsters so efficiently."

She clenched her fist. "I hate to say it to you, but Daniel Mercer, your father, accelerated DARKNESS's plan by at least ten years."

I felt a flicker of anger, but honestly, I already expected the worst from his dealings.

And it was not like I'm his real son—losing my temper now would be beneath me.

"Well, we can't choose our parents. What matters is that we do our part to fix their mistakes. Pointing fingers at the dead won't help anyone." I muttered.

"Thank you, Mr. Mercer. You've only reinforced that you're someone who can be trusted—you don't let emotions sway your decisions, and actions."

Her flattery wasn't subtle, but it worked. If she wanted to paint me as the good guy, who was I to argue?

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