“Deep Sigh The problems just keep getting worse…” Raising his hand to his face, he sighed in tiredness and disappointment…

“!!!!!!” x3

The 3 secretaries tensed to the point of turning pale. Even though it wasn’t his fault, it was a fact that the situation could take a tortuous turn if Gregory decided to cause trouble…

As an exceptional student at the Academy, the Director held him in high regard, even giving him private lessons personally. Rumors circulated that the Director had him as the City’s promise to win this year’s State Tournament and participate in next year’s National Tournament…

This is Gregory Gunn. Reserved and rarely seen in public, but his fame spreads throughout the 3 Zones of the city.

“So you’re this Hound’s partner?” The first to speak was Nora, looking seriously at Gregory.

“Yes, I am.” He replied, as he approached Darya with long strides.

“Right… Know that this was a duel agreed upon by both parties. Miss Wynne over there—”

“Don’t worry, I have no complaints. Even without my authorization, this was a fair duel, I understand.”

“Oh, that makes things easier. Your partner’s condition is extremely serious, but know that she fought bravely until the end. Her stamina and work intelligence are far above average, a formidable warrior. I’ve already called the medical team and they should be arriving soon, we will take all necessary care for her to recover completely.”

Nora continued to patiently explain the situation, but Gregory wasn’t paying attention to her words. He was staring at Monique’s charred body, his expression growing heavier and darker with each step he took closer.

“She knew we had more urgent tasks, yet she chose to be irresponsible. She herself said not to take reckless measures, but here we are… Hahaha, how ironic…” He knelt down next to Darya and spoke.

You could feel the remorse and sadness consuming him from the inside out. He placed his hand on her face and tried to gently caress it, but stopped as soon as he felt her skin lacerate under his touch and start to bleed.

“How did it get to this point??” Juliette, who had moved towards the 3 secretaries, asked in a low voice.

“She suffered serious injuries several times, yet she remained standing and did not accept defeat. In the end, I think in a moment of madness, she made a suicidal move. Miss Wynne protected herself with a devastating attack that hit her at point-blank range. It will be better to review the images later…” Professionally, Leyla gave a brief summary of what had happened.

“I see…”

“The girl’s resistance to injuries is truly enviable, there is nothing to worry about. On the other hand, Juliette, you better take a shower as soon as possible…”

Approaching them, Mrs. Frostwood elegantly spoke, with a small smile on her face as she advised Juliette to get rid of the suspicious smell that was impregnated on her body.

“!!!” Juliette’s face immediately turned red, but fortunately the other 3 women didn’t understand what it was about.

“Hehe, don’t worry, only me and the two girls back there can clearly feel it. Even so, it’s not subtle of you.”

“What’s this about?” Aria asked, not understanding what they were talking about as she couldn’t smell anything different.

“Nothing… You three can go upstairs to help Patricia and Beatriz close the system.”

“????” x3

The two secretaries felt wronged for not finding out. They would have to deal with their curiosity as they reluctantly moved towards the exit.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

And a few seconds after they left, 2 men and 2 human women dressed in white came in and started taking care of Monique. Placing her on a stretcher and rushing to take her to the structure dedicated to the Superintendence's clinic.

Gregory accompanied them all the way there. But he was prevented from entering the Intensive Care Unit. He could only wait outside while looking in the mirror in the room and watching the medical operation on Monique...

__________________________________________

The long but relatively narrow corridor was lit by white lights that seemed brighter than necessary, creating an aseptic but cold environment. There was no conversation, but the silence was frequently broken by the hurried footsteps of the doctors who came and went frequently.

Gregory was sitting on a metal bench against the wall, his hands clasped and his gaze fixed on the floor. His hair was disheveled, his shirt was untidy and his eyes showed the fatigue of a mind in turmoil.

The door next to the bench led to the room where Monique rested, finally stabilized after more than 3 hours of surgery and medical treatment. According to the doctors, she was doing very well even for a Parahuman, considering the injuries she suffered.

And although she needed at least two weeks of complete rest, the doctors said she was recovering quickly and could recover before then. But none of that calmed Gregory, Monique was unconscious and had serious injuries all over her body, there was no good news…

He could have left Monique at home… He could have warned her not to cause trouble… He could have been more serious when he spoke to Juliette… He could have not had sex in the elevator...

Tak Tak Tak Tak

As he thought about what he could have done differently, the firm footsteps of boots against the tile floor interrupted his reverie.

He looked up to see Juliette approaching, her face carrying an expression of concern and determination. Behind her came Caleb, with his impeccable posture but also visibly worried and dismayed.

Coming to him, Juliette placed a hand on Gregory's shoulder and asked gently: “Gregory, how is Monique?”

“She's fine, better than the doctors expected. But she is still unconscious and may take up to 2 weeks to be released.”

“And you… How are you?”

“That’s not important.” As he said this, Gregory was blunt, and stood up from the bench.

“Right, this is Caleb Moreau, the General Supervisor of the Efflium SHH. Sir Caleb refereed the Duel…” She said, formally introducing Caleb.

“Gregory Gunn, right?” Caleb said, extending his hand. “We didn’t have time to formally introduce ourselves earlier due to circumstances, but I thought I should check on you and your partner.”

Gregory hesitated for a moment, but accepted the handshake. “I don’t know what I can say about the situation… But it’s a pleasure to meet someone so important and famous. It must have been uncomfortable to watch such a one-sided duel.”

“No, on the contrary… Your partner certainly caught my attention in a positive way, the training she received was clearly not to combat other Parahumans, but I could see the effectiveness of such a strategy against mutanids. If she had been equipped with the correct armor, she would have been victorious without a shadow of a doubt.”

“She is very disciplined, indeed, it is a striking characteristic. But I think that even equipped with armor, she would have been defeated. Her opponent has more experience, more skill, more attack power and more battle intelligence… It was a humiliation, Sir Caleb, there are no arguments to defend her.”

“Maybe yes, maybe not… But do not despise your Hound, she fought bravely and was brilliant. I know very few Hounds who would have performed so well in a duel under such unfavorable circumstances.”

“I appreciate the compliments, rest assured that I will pass them on to her as soon as she wakes up.”

Caleb crossed his arms, watching Gregory. “Well, today I just wanted to wish her and you the best. But I am one of the special guests for the graduation of the Hunters Military Academy. So, I hope to see you there, prepared and focused, in a week.” He gave a slight smile and waved before walking away, leaving Gregory and Juliette alone.

After Caleb left, Gregory sat back down on the bench and Juliette sat next to him, silent.

Gregory remained silent, thoughts racing through his mind. Juliette looked at him worriedly, but didn't know what to say.

Until finally Juliette remembered something important and broke the silence, her voice gentle but firm. "What about the mission Freud gave you? We still have to deal with that."

Gregory rubbed his face with his hands, sighing deeply. "I know. 65 hours left, but I have no idea how to complete the mission without Monique. I don't want to think about it right now..."

"Have you given up on asking Vivian and Daira for help?" Juliette asked bluntly.

Gregory hesitated, frowning. "I don't know... I don't blame either of them for what happened, but being around them now, after everything, is uncomfortable. Vivian didn't do anything wrong, but..."

"But you don't want to face her after this," Juliette added, reading his thoughts. "I understand, but you know that this mission can't be done alone. And the truth is that Vivian and Daira are the best options you have. They are skilled, and you will need strength and strategy."

"I don't know..."

"This is no time for doubts, Gregory. In the end, it was all your fault, shouldn't it also be your responsibility to solve everything?"

"Do you have to throw it in my face, Julie?" he complained, looking hurt at Juliette next to him.

But at that moment she stood up and shouted loudly. "I have to, of course I have to. Be a man, damn it, take responsibility."

"!!!" Stunned, Gregory looked at her without reacting.

"You're going to get off your ass and solve your problems like a real man should."