The heads of the Vanguard, the Scouts, the Defense Force, and the City Police met at the City Police headquarters. “So… we need to address the problem of Christopher Vincent and his friends.” The City Police Commissioner, a man named Javier began.
“I wouldn't categorize them as a problem.” David commented. “More… an opportunity.”
Javier frowned at him. “You would view it that way, but you can't deny that letting them simply hand power to the public will cause problems! How are my people supposed to maintain order if everyone they're meant to police completely outclasses them?!?”
“Don't let them outclass you then.” David shrugged. “It's a simple solution. I've been considering allowing my men to get the system, advocating for it even, though I highly doubt I could completely prevent them from acquiring it in the first place. I'd even recommend sending a few squads to join the Eternal Tribe, for high risk missions. Obviously it wouldn't be reasonable to have all our forces join, too much power to give to one individual, but that doesn't mean we need to completely ignore the advantages they can provide.”
“I have to side with David.” Belinda agreed. “The Vanguard has been hemorrhaging people for decades now. Even for high-tiers, the upper levels are too dangerous. My people are lucky to retire with crippling injuries. The system could do wonders for our survival rate, not to mention Chris's world. Do you really expect me to tell my people it's better for them to die, that their privacy is more important than their lives?”
Samuel sighed. “The risks of accepting the system, not to mention a connection to Chris's world, are… undeniable. An enemy capable of knowing every plan, our exact level of power, the resources we have at our disposal… it would be a nightmare. However, these people have shown no indication of wanting to be our enemy, and the only way to stop this would be to act like they are, which… I'm fairly certain would be a very bad idea. Banning our forces from acquiring the system, requiring any citizens who do have it to register, possibly even quarantining them…” Samuel shook his head. “Even if we did all that, if these people are our enemies, can we really defeat them? Taking the system would certainly make things easier for them, but- it's only a matter of time before Christopher Vincent has an army of Omega-tiers at his disposal. Immortal Omega-tiers. Without the system what chance do we have to resist something like that?”
David chuckled. “We could ally with the Doppelgangers.”
Javier scowled. “So our only option is to let these people do whatever they want?”
“Do you think there's any way we could stop them from doing anything?” Samuel raised an eyebrow. “What consequences could we impose? We can't imprison them, we can't kill them, we could maybe fine them but if they refuse to pay we're back to imprisoning or killing them, which again, we can't do. We could attempt to unleash the psycorps on them, but that risks an entirely different problem, and if it doesn't work it almost guarantees we'd go to war with them, so it should be left as a last resort. So yes, letting them do whatever they want is our only option. All we can do is hope they don't abuse it.”
“Alright, let's stop talking about Chris and his friends as if they're some hidden threat we have to combat.” David shook his head. “I've been working with Chris for a while now, and if there's one thing I've learned it's that you'd have to practically force the kid to be your enemy. I'm pretty sure you could fight him for years, and by the end he'd just sit there wondering why you were bothering him. If the other three are anything like him, you can bet that they have zero interest in fighting us or taking over. This is an opportunity to take humanity to a completely different level! Don't waste it looking for threats that simply aren't there.”
Javier sat in his chair, looking uncomfortable. This wasn't how he'd expected this meeting to go at all. He'd been expecting a planning session on how to contain the effects of the system, not an argument for why they should accept it! “I can't support the system spreading to the government or the command structure of the military.”
David gave him a weird look. “Why? We'd be crippling ourselves only for what you're trying to hide to get out the moment you give the orders to the people who do have the system, because they're the ones who'll have to carry them out. It's a non-solution. Either everyone has it or no one does.”
Javier gritted his teeth. “If we compromise our command structure-”
“Then what? They beat us faster?” Samuel rolled his eyes. “Treating these people as our enemy is a lost cause. It can only hurt us. On the other hand, accepting them would provide benefits beyond anything we've experienced since we descended underground all those years ago. Is it… unnerving? Absolutely. The amount of power Christopher Vincent and his friends hold is… terrifying. But there's nothing we can do to change that. Their power is completely out of our hands. All we can affect is how much we benefit from it.”
Javier growled, standing up and beginning to pace. “I can't accept this! You're saying there's nothing we can do to control these people?!?”
“Yes. There is nothing we can do to control them, and if you try…” Belinda gave him a stern look. “Remember you've been talking about David's son-in-law, and my nephew. If you act against him without any reasonable cause, whose side do you think we'll be on?”
Javier sputtered. “You would choose them over the City!?!”
“I would choose them over you.” Belinda corrected. “They have done nothing to harm the City and plenty to benefit it. You are the one trying to make a problem out of this, trying to turn something good into some sort of insidious conspiracy to take over the City.” Belinda cocked her head. “It makes one wonder if there are any… ulterior motives involved. Is there someone pressuring you to turn Chris and his friends into enemies?”
Javier gave her an incredulous look. “I'm not being pressured, I'm terrified of these people! How can you not be?!?”
“I've actually met and interacted with them, instead of making them up to be some kind of boogeymen in my mind.” Belinda sighed. “I won't say they aren't dangerous, of course they are, but… they are incredibly careful with their abilities. When confronted with a riot, they didn't attack, imprison, or in any way react to the violence. Instead, they lectured the mob. They aren't out to abuse their abilities, even when anyone else would, even when it would be so easy for them to do so. If there was anyone I would trust with such abilities, it is those four.”
“I haven't interacted with them as much, but as much as they are terrifying, they're terrifying in a way that it's almost useless to actually be terrified.” Samuel added. “It's- it's like fearing that the ceiling will collapse. Could it happen? Of course. Is there anything you do about it? Absolutely nothing. Worrying about it will only stress you out.”
Javier groaned. “So what do we do?”
“Get the system, get stronger, fear less.” David grinned.
Belinda rolled her eyes, but still nodded in agreement. “The system is going to become a minimum requirement for anyone who wants to remain competitive.”
“As for the Eternal Tribe, that we should keep out of the government and command structure.” Samuel added. “Otherwise we might as well elect Christopher Vincent Mayor for life and be done with it.”
David nodded. “Agreed, though it won't stop me from counting the days until retirement. I can delay immortality, but there's no way I'm giving up on it. I also still think we should have special squads made of members of the Tribe.”
This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
“As do I.” Belinda agreed. “For the Vanguard, it's almost a necessity.”
Javier sighed. “I- I'll think about it. The system is one thing, but I'm not sure I'd trust Christopher Vincent with my men.”
Samuel shrugged. “The lower levels aren't dangerous enough to require such measures. I won't prevent my men from joining, but special squads would be overkill.”
“That's fair. I don't think it's smart to discriminate against the Tribe, but I do understand the concern.” David commented.
“Is that everything then?” Belinda asked.
Javier nodded. “Yes, that's all.”
“We still on for poker Friday?” Samuel asked.
“Yeah, I'll see you then.” Javier agreed.
“I'll bring snacks.” David offered.
“I'll bring a bucket for all your money.” Belinda grinned.
*
Greg sighed. “I'm bored.”
“Greg.” Victoria growled in a warning tone.
“What? I am!” Greg protested. “This World is too… political.” He grumbled with a distasteful expression. “I mean, all the World's we're in are pretty political, but… Beast World is full of Beasts to fight, Rune World has Cultivators and Rune Beasts, Mage World has mages and more beasts, System World has their beasts and dungeons, but what does Maze World have? Just a bunch of people! Even the Dragons are people I can't fight for no good reason! It's boring.”
“It's complicated, not boring.” Victoria retorted.
“The two aren't mutually exclusive. Plenty of complicated things are boring. Like the law. Or politics.” Greg waved dismissively. “Look, all I'm saying is I need more stimulation! Arguing with the freaking Damir is turning my brain to sludge and I need an outlet!”
“What about the Maze?” Chris offered. “You can fight in there.”
Greg sighed. “Yeah, I guess. I dunno, it just feels… unsatisfying to tear through packs of creatures that can barely resist.” He glanced at Chris. “Your ability makes things too easy.”
Chris paused, before shrugging in agreement. “Yeah, that's fair. It's one of those abilities that really snowballs once you get going.”
“And again, I'm worried about Alexander.” Victoria sighed.
“I do wonder where he is.” Chris muttered. “I'm fairly certain he got into the Maze, but I'm not sure if he's out of it, and if so, where he might have gone…” He paused. “I hope he isn't going after Jer'tunal.”
“Could he go after Jer'tunal?” Andrew asked skeptically. “I mean, I understand how we could get to him, but there have to be defenses in place for, you know, normal people.”
“Ah, but that's the thing.” Greg retorted. “Alexander isn't normal. He's a protagonist. They pull off crazy shit all the time.”
Andrew frowned. “So, at any time, all our plans could be ruined by some crazy protag offing Jer'tunal before we're ready? Should we protect him or something?”
Greg snorted. “That would absolutely get us labeled as villains, plus the only one of us who could reliably protect Jer'tunal would be Chris, and at that point, we'd have to kill the dude ourselves.”
Andrew's expression twisted. “So what do we do?”
Chris shrugged. “Keep going as if our plans won't be ruined and deal with it if they are.”
Greg clicked his tongue. “Great, more arguing with fucking nobles. Ugh, I really need to hurt something. Or fuck. Man, I could use a girlfriend.” Greg sighed.
“You could try the kobolds.” Chris offered. “They're very interested in you guys.”
Greg's expression twisted. “Unfortunately, I can't. It feels like it'd be too… uneven if that makes sense.”
Chris cocked his head. “Oddly that does make sense. They're too new to all this, to thinking, to morality, all of it. Almost like dating a child, but… different?”
“Yeah, it's weird.” Greg sighed again. “Fuck it, not the point. How about I just go fight a Dragon? They like fighting! No killing, just… stress relief.”
Victoria rolled her eyes. “Sure, why not. Only if they agree though! No attacking people out of nowhere!”
Greg rubbed his hands together, grinning excitedly. “No problem.”
Victoria turned to the others. “I am a little worried about our plans with the Elven Kingdom though. Greg's right, dealing with the nobles is going to be a bitch. It always is. All they really care about is power and getting more of it, or at least maintaining what they already have. Getting them to put that power at risk by supporting us is going to be a pain in the ass.”
“Is this even necessary?” Andrew asked tentatively. “I know we want to avoid chaos, and if we just off Jer'tunal, the Elves will reject us, but… do we need them to accept us? None of us are interested in running a kingdom, right? As long as the nobles continue to take care of their people, we're good, aren't we?”
Victoria shook her head. “We aren't worried about the Elves hating us, we're worried about the civil war that will erupt as the nobles all fight for who gets to be in charge.”
“Sure, but we already established that at least two of the Dukes absolutely won't be on our side, haven't we? So no matter what we do, there's going to be a civil war. Wouldn't it be better to just take care of Jer'tunal, show off some overwhelming force, and say if anyone else causes problems, they're next?” Andrew retorted.
Victoria opened her mouth to counter, before pausing thoughtfully. “Huh.”
“I'm certainly down.” Greg chuckled. “Sounds exciting.”
Chris shrugged. “Seems workable to me. But admittedly, I mostly just think dealing with nobles is going to be a pain and I'd rather avoid it. I think getting a few of them on our side would be good, but ultimately pacifying everyone with a show of force should be equally effective.”
Andrew paused. “Wait… are we just being lazy again?”
Victoria slowly shook her head. “No… winning over the nobility was always a long shot, we just… Jer'tunal has left the kingdom fractured, and the odds of us fixing it with a few conversations are slim. Violence is arguably inevitable, and by leaving Jer'tunal where he is, we just give him more time to hurt the City. We already know he's creating an army of soldiers that could be sent down the Maze at any time, forced to attack the City until they either succeed or die. Taking our time and gathering allies is almost criminal once we know all that. We were just so focused on ‘the plan’ that we didn't realize it was already doomed.”
Andrew sighed. “Why do all our plans go to shit? It's like the answer is always to say fuck it and just go for it, but we have to try to be smart about it and just end up wasting time.”
“Better for a plan to go to shit than people.” Victoria frowned. “Being careful isn't wrong, we just- I guess we have a tendency to be too careful? To talk more than we act?”
“I think it's because it's too easy for us to act.” Greg commented. “I mean, I could have killed Jer'tunal practically the moment we got here. C-4 bed, no problem. Probably, at least, it isn't like I've checked. But we know from experience that just because something looks like a good idea doesn't mean it is, which is why we need to be careful and make sure to gather more information before we do.”
Andrew shook his head. “I guess. It's just- aren't you guys sick of watching problems fester because we can't act for some reason? I understand that working with people is better, but- ugh, I just wish we could at least stop the problem, then work on a solution.”
“But… you stop a problem with a solution. How do you stop a problem without one?” Chris frowned.
“The way only we can.” Andrew replied. “Force everyone into your world. It doesn't solve anything, but it at least keeps people from hurting each other. From there we can figure out what we actually need to do. Like with System World, instead of trying to find a way to maintain the monstrous races' supply of noble races, we could have just shoved them all into your world until we figured out a solution. They wouldn't have been happy, but they would have been secure until we had a way to fix things.”
“That presupposes that we're capable of getting them all into Chris's world.” Greg pointed out. “I'm positive we wouldn't be able to get anyone with a Domain in. And here, there's no way we're getting any cultivators or Dragons into Chris's world. The Dragons wouldn't even fit! And once we've pissed them off, who knows what they'll do?”
Andrew grimaced. “I- shit.” Andrew sighed, deflating slightly.
Victoria patted him on the shoulder. “Hey, it wasn't a bad idea, it just has… execution issues. Once we're stronger, it'll be a whole lot more feasible.”
Andrew shook his head. “But that's just more waiting.”
“Welcome to reality.” Greg chuckled. “Problems don't get solved instantly. You need power, resources, and cooperation, all of which take time.”
Andrew's expression twisted. “I guess, but still, I feel like we could do… more. Be just a bit more proactive.”
“Maybe.” Greg agreed. “How about we start with dethroning a king?”
“It does seem to be the right move…” Victoria muttered. “But no C-4!”