"Mmmm... Certainly." The clerk's expression soured at 12193's bold claims of wanting more S-class missions. It wasn't merely about surviving an S-rank mission once; now, 12193 craved more... This was how it looked at the clerk.
12193's narrative of enduring an S-rank mission as mere cannon fodder had already been disseminated throughout the organization through gossip and the usual rumor-mongering. It was an admirable achievement, achievable by only a select few. One might argue that 12193 had morphed into an emerging sensation in the eyes of his fellow minions, a rising star stemming from his survival tale in the perilous S-rank mission.
"However, I would not be able to provide you the files you wished to see..." The clerk demurred, feeling restless. He knew better than not to antagonize anyone who worked for the organization. "You do not have enough authority level to claim such files." He faked a strong front. The clerk was barely four feet tall with brown hair, wearing pristine white robes. He looked weak, and someone who seemed easy to bully.
The Mission Clerks working for the organization were generally weak-willed, motivated only by fear to work their jobs so that they would not die. The clerk himself was essentially a slave forced to do the desk job. It was complicated. Most trivial duties done within the City of Zeal were performed by slaves who were implanted with a more strict brain chip, the kind that does not explode, but 'rapes' the mind, a memory scourer of sorts.
"Hey, you really won't show me? I'd gut you like a fish if you know what I mean." 12193 threatened.
The clerk balked, yet chose to meet force with force. "Excuse me, Sir 12193... What do you need the files about yourself?"
"Huh?" 12193 rubbed his chin, seemingly contemplative. "You see, I wanted to know if my great tales of surviving a confrontation with the legendary Flamecore were recorded on my data so that it could reflect on my system. I always hated the damn 'system' for looking down on me."
Whether that was a lie, the clerk would not know. The clerk didn't see any deceit through 12193 and decided to comply with half of the request. "Here was the Compendium. What missions would you like to see?"
"Narrow it to time-sensitive missions, the kind which had mission execution dates. Arrange it from the most recent to the later dates. Highlight the cannon fodder variety, the kinds that would kill me."
For the clerk, what he heard had sounded like empty bravado. There was a reason why it was called a ‘Cannon fodder’ variety.
"Come on, hurry, you are making me wait... dumbass..." 12193 added, annoyed, gesticulating the clerk to do his job properly.
"Apologies, but here, look... see page 479..." The clerk bowed, submissively handing the Compendium.
12193 flipped the pages, read, and analyzed the mission details with scrutiny.
The clerk knew that look. It was not the eyes of an arrogant man who was rumored to be reckless, suicidal, and weak-minded. The clerk had heard rumors of what the '12193', Survivor of Flames was like. He was supposed to be petty! But this? There was an excited and dangerous glint in the man before him. The clerk unknowingly trembled.
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12193's eyes had been staring back at him for some time, and only now did the clerk realize what happened.
"Did I fall into a daze?" The clerk's face paled. "W-what happened?"
"Oh my," 12193 teased. "You ain't doing your job properly, want me to tattle to your direct supervisor?"
"No. Please no." The clerk felt like crying.
"Half your Zentury credits and I will keep my mouth shut," He, 12193, malevolently smiled as he whispered his threats in a soft voice. "I also knew your real identity. How was your spy work? Any leads? I could not believe the Hero Association was daring enough to send one of their own this deep with so much risk."
"How? W-why?" The clerk trembled. His face was pale as ice.
"Slaves too had their own credits to earn from their masters. With it, the masters lure the abducted normal people turned slaves to desire freedom so that the slaves would work harder. Though the 'slaves,' clerks like you were allowed to have money, you have little to spend with it, don't you? You really had no use for it, since the only thing, freedom, that your credits could buy, you would be able to easily circumvent... Isn't that the case, the Flesher, Master of Deceit, Tobias Lure?"
"I can kill you where you stand," Tobias returned the threat. "Who are you?"
"Kill me? And what, destroy your precious illusion? Your disguise? Sure, I will be dead, but you'd follow seconds after, so too bad. And who am I? That isn't really important, is it? It was certainly amazing though how you could subvert the chip implanted in your head."
"The name, of course, is important. How am I to put meaning to a face if I don't know what to call you? And aren't you afraid they will overhear our conversation?" Tobias challenged 12193 back. "What would a minion such as yourself know? Don't challenge me."
"Ironic you say that," Minion #12193 slammed his index finger at the Compendium, pointing at a particular mission. "I want this mission!"
"Huh?" Tobias was flustered as 12193 began yelling.
"I want this mission! You hear me, you mongrels?" Minion #12193 raised a ruckus as he began name-calling every minion his eyes landed on. "You hear, yes, you fat fuck, and that goblin-faced-fucker! I am going to take this mission, and I will live to tell the tale!"
"What are you doing?!" Tobias panicked, realizing that 12193 was up to something.
"I am threatening you," 12193 was certain that this time, he would not hold back anything. "Their eyes are all on us. I only need to induce either of the two scenarios: one is I confess them your identity, and two is I force you to attack me."
"Fine, I will give you half my credits!" Tobias sweated, feeling the creeping sensation of fear slithering at the back of his neck.
"No," 12193 shook his head. "I changed my mind, I want all of it."
"H-huh? You monster."
[Ping! + 521,877 ZC]
"All drinks on me!" 12193 shouted, earning wild applause from the crowd of minions. "Yeah, you heard me right!"
They all saw it. The coercion was not clear in context, but these minions, these bad people knew what coercion was when they saw it. They cheered as half of the Mission Halls were filled with more people hearing the free drinks. The Halls were a quarter of a tavern, thus drinks were quickly and easily offered.
"Prepare the files I was asking for, and... the mission... Yes, the mission... As I said, I wanted that mission, so you better put me in them, you hear me, clerk?" 12193 turned around and walked away, and when he was gone, Tobias saw the mission page.
[S RANK MISSION— Swarming the Immortal King. The Immortal King was a century-old villain who betrayed the organization. His crimes against Zentury were Kinslaying, Thievery of Classified Information, Massacre of the Pouring Gorge, etc... Though he was one of the organization's founding leaders, he had long abandoned the Tenets! Kill him, you will be rewarded! Cannon Fodder Variety. Survival upon commission: 1,000,000 credits]