55 Guidelines (1/2)

As a silence stretched on in the room after the Official uttered those words, Aaron took a moment to take a deep breath and assess everything he had heard.

He had always known that information was paramount, in any battle, and that a weaker Tera lying completely hidden was much more dangerous than a much stronger one that was out in the open.

Zealots. Although he didn't even know the proper meaning of the word, he didn't like the sound of it, and finding out that they wanted to kill him made him wish that he could go kill them first.

Sometimes, he knew that that was the best decision that could be taken. When there were irreconcilable enemies, and this group seemed to be so, because they had set out to kill all those like him, it was best to go after them proactively and pull them out by their roots.

Rather than being backed up against a wall and having to break out, Aaron much preferred not being surrounded and cornered in the first place, itself.

However, his wishes were grand, but his power was still too weak.

Yet, there was hope. He told this to himself while stroking the spot on his hand where the Core that had absorbed Woof was present, and he even heard Woof bark softly in his mind, as if the Tera had felt his emotions, and was reassuring him in this manner.

As they watched him, both the Official and the old man soon got smiles on their faces, and the former even leaned over to the latter and whispered, ”Every time I see how a Survivor is different, it amazes. Give the same news to someone who has grown up safe and protected, and they will panic and grow scared. Maybe one in a hundred would be able to react calmly, but that's it. This is why that other Monarch in the World Government keeps pushing the law that all children should be thrown out to survive at a certain age after arming them with some skills. It's harsh, but he says it's necessary if humanity wants to keep beating back the hordes. After the apocalypse, it was do or die, but now, it is not so for the youngsters, and that's dangerous.”

Looking up after he gave this long speech, Gildart saw that Aaron was looking at him inquisitively.

Coughing, he said, ”Err…you're not supposed to know that. Please don't tell anyone about it.”

Aaron raised an eyebrow, but nodded.

So this guy really was really absent-minded, after all.

Chuckling as he saw the sheepish expression on Gildart's face, the old man said, ”If the news does spread, it won't be the first time you'll be getting in trouble because of your tongue, and I warrant that it won't be the last, either. Anyway, get the Orientation over with. Anissa is definitely waiting, and I don't want more vases to break…”