Chapter 399 (2/2)
When Lyra opened her mouth, Mrs. Hamilton's hand, shaking though it was, clamped down on her shoulder. This was her turf, not this hasty girl's.
”Ah, Transcendence is against the System's rules?” Mrs. Hamilton asked innocently.
At the mention of rules, Octavius' ears visibly perked up. ”Hmm hmm, a very interesting question. What was your name again? I would say that it isn't against the System's rules, because at its core, the System forbids nothing. Anyone may take the path of the Heretic, for example. Only, there are consequences for all actions that subvert the will of the System-”
”How intriguing and well designed. Individuals such as yourself undoubtedly are a necessary part, keeping the System running.”
”Haha! Well...” The rhino man seemed to blush, and gave her a look that Mrs. Hamilton had received many times from human men. She almost wanted to roll her eyes. It was the look a man gave her when they moved her from an unknown entity, to something that wasn't attractive enough to be lusted after, but wasn't yet old enough to have her brain dissolve into mush. A capable assexual being. Easy to work with, uncomplicated, and she could feel him shift her.
The grey spider in her mind rubbed his forelegs together in glee.
”Perhaps so, administration of the System is not something that is simple... it's more of a monitoring. Seeking patterns. Finding problems and making sure the System recognizes them as an issue.”
”Ah, so you've known this was coming for a long time?” Mrs. Hamilton asked quizzically. Lyra was silent in very strange way, her gaze focused on Mrs. Hamilton's face.
So she can imitate me later, practicing in the mirror, Mrs. Hamilton thought with a certain bitterness. And Mrs. Hamilton had no doubt that she would be great at it.
”Of course! Your... Earth, has been peculiar in a number of ways,” Octavius said, coughing into his hand, then pounding his chest. ”The exploits of your people have surpassed expectations by magnitudes. My regular reports detail the dangers of humans in an incredible amount of accuracy! I had just this sort of situation in mind-”
Gotcha, Mrs. Hamilton thought, her mouth staying perfectly still. ”So... this Transcendence... it necessitates an... emergency report?”
”Well no,” Octavius said with a sigh, shaking his head. ”There is only one time that a true direct report is given: when the first world in the Cohort triggers the Calamity, I will give a debriefing on everything. Until then, the regular reports are how I record my research...”
He trailed off, seemingly struggling with something. Which made Mrs. Hamilton narrow her eyes. Was he truly...
But then he spoke, and she once more felt at ease. ”I suppose... this doesn't constitute something that is outside the normal operations of the System... Still... I'm somewhat worried...”
There was a greedy gleam in Octavius’ eye. Mrs. Hamilton smiled. Making a deal with a fool was unpredictable. Making a deal with a monstrous intelligent rhinoceros that had weaseled himself into controlling a whole Cohort of the System...
”Tell me what you are worried about,” Mrs. Hamilton cooed. Lyra watched, her eyes unblinking.
The ash treant did cartwheels, delighting in his body.
****
”You feel that?” Donny looked towards the horizon. Lucifer stood next to him, gazing in the same direction as him, towards the Northeast.
”Yea...” The other man didn't speak much, Donny had learned very quickly, but was most comfortable brooding, and meticulously inspecting his equipment. Donny was disappointed that all of that careful maintenance hadn't had anything to do with the cloak he allegedly received from slaying the first Tier III Raid Boss, but it was something that Donny could afford to wait on.
If the difficulty of the Raid Dungeon was to be believed, they would need every tool in their arsenal to handle it. At least based on the seriousness that the Ghosthound was treating it...
”He.... finally got a Class...” Lucifer said, squinting towards the swirling clouds, visible even miles away.
”Yea...” Donny said, not knowing what else to say. That was their leader. The hope of humanity.
The Ghosthound.
Donny wondered what sort of Class he ended up with. He wondered what sort of level up gains he would receive from it.