“I bet you’ve heard it everywhere. “Strategist-types are awesome!” Well, let me tell you something.
You’re not wrong.
Among the several broad-type classifications for Metas, the strategist archetype is one of the most valued ones. Accelerated processing time, improved decision taking abilities, uncanny information gathering skills, everything you could wish for if your goal is to prepare yourself for battle- physical, or mental.
The better thought your plan is, the more likely it is your enemy has a counter-strategy for it. Thinking outside the box and getting in the other’s skin is their shtick. You won’t win if you play their game. No matter how good, secret or failsafe you think your plot is, a strategist is likely to blow it up spectacularly while making you look like a child for thinking on it.
That is the strategist’s trademark.
So, they are a pain in the ass, yeah.
But there is one little weakness, something most people tend to ignore when facing a strategist.
They tend to overdo a lot.
Make a straightforward plan and they sure as hell won’t be expecting it... But the best weapon against them?
Raw improvisation.”
Excerpt from Stormlord Zeustro’s interview, moments after capturing the Villain Brainiac Maniac by walking right into his lair.
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Did I make it?
Lawrence suppressed the urge to gawk. The blonde beauty –Christiane was her name, was looking at him with an expectant look. Does she expect me to do something to her? She just yielded so… I should be tying her up and dropping her in my basement or something-? Okay dude, what the hell, that was a pretty psychotic random thought.
…No, more like, Villain-like thought. But the crappy kind of villain.
What kind of villain kept their prisoners in the basement of their house anyway?
Okay, secure your priorities, then move on to negotiation of terms. I think I read something like that somewhere?
I’ve got to study for this kind of stuff later.
Back to negotiations.
Lawrence turned the switch once again, feeling his inner evil take control.
“I don’t remember asking you to surrender” he said, voice of steel coming out more naturally than he would like to admit. “I merely asked you a question.”
Christiane giggled. “I’m afraid I have no proper answer, Mr. Lakewood. I wanted to negotiate using the information in my hand as a bargain, but it appears you outsmart me in every possible detail. And as much as I am afraid to admit, I came in a hurry with no backup plan- I have been utterly defeated. So, to answer your question: there is nothing stopping you from ending my life.”
I don’t remember any of that though…
“Straightforward, at least. Very well, I will listen to whatever you have to say- if, you tell me how you found me, and everything you know about me and my subordinate” He gestured outside.
“Assessment?”
“Hmm?”
“Oh, nevermind me, I’m just mumbling. Well, I’m sure we can manage- under one condition.”
Lawrence cocked an eyebrow.
“Can you bring more biscuits?”
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He is evidently on another scale Christiane thought as she chomped a piece of deliciously baked biscuits, courtesy of some Cloudsweet Café according to Lawrence. He disarmed my main- and backup plan.
She was willing to bet the fake evidence on him was already secure, or… Maybe he didn’t even have to do that. What if he was sure from the beginning things would turn up like this? Was this another test? But even so, not preparing a countermeasure against that would be bold. He was either extremely confident on himself, or those documents no longer existed-
We’ll figure out when- if, I leave.
She wasn’t one hundred percent sure about her survival- although, Lawrence didn’t strike her as a man to kill unnecessarily. She would make sure not to force him, at the very least.
So that means complete honesty. And nothing of holding back part of the truth…
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
Well, it wouldn’t work either way. He would figure out everything anyway- or rather, already knew.
Which brings forward the new question. So why ask?
“Assessment?”
Was he assessing her? But what for? Maybe he wanted to test if she tried to hide something from him. Or maybe, he wanted to know what kind of reasoning had driven her to take conclusions… Maybe it was a bit of both. But there could be only one reason he would go through all the effort.
He wants to measure my utility as an asset.
He wants to use me?
The thought was hilarious.
And after I came to him with a proposal of cooperation- this is not a 60-40%, it’s an utter 0-100%, and I don’t have another choice. I have to accept…
Really, he plans had all gone down the drain.
But then again, that wasn’t a bad thing.
I better start talking. My chance of observing him closely will burn to ashes if I make a mistake…
Her primary goal wasn’t spoiled. Observing raw power upfront. And… Learning. So that she would improve.
Besides, the more power, the better position to learn and improve. And this man… He was a walking promise of power and improvement.
If she managed to survive.
“I have to admit” she said, now addressing him, “that when I first saw you, Mr. Lawrence, you struck me as a rather simple person.”
She wanted to laugh at her initial assessment.
“As you most likely know, my power allows me to intuit other’s capabilities. It is not a Status reader, as it focuses more in skills rather than powers. For example, I can tell by one look that your subordinate is quite capable in both combat and infiltration department, and she has a great intuition; if well she has a rather dull and straightforward way of thinking.”
Lawrence tapped his chin slightly.
I’m probably right. The girl’s aura was easier to read. It was a chaotic mess of sharp and twisted edges, but they were rounded and polished rather than jagged and spiky.
“Your aura was- is, immense” she admitted. “Whenever a person stands relatively close to you, the power of your aura suppress anything else. I cannot say for sure, but I am quite certain the intensity of aura indicates potential, and one such as yours… It was enticing.”
The feeling was rather intuitive, but she was sure it wasn’t wrong.
“I am… attracted to power. For academic reasons, mostly. I like knowledge, Mr. Lakewood, and power promises knowledge. So when I saw such a vast amount of potential I decided to take the opportunity- potential cannot be stolen, but it can be spread.”
“Ride along the rockstar and you’ll eventually become famous” he nodded.
“Exactly. However, while massive, compared to average, your aura is quite sharp but unrefined. You have excellent intuition, and you are rather smart for the average, but nothing near enough to face a Strategist archetype- or that is what I thought, before I learned you can manipulate your aura.”
Lawrence tapped his chin again.
“Is it bigger than what it really looks like? Or did you shrink it as to not scare people away? Aura is the visual manifestation of your capabilities- which translates in that you can manipulate the way people perceive you. So, even if you manipulated your potential to appear more impressive… that alone is a reason to make me want to observe you closer.”
He nodded.
“In other words: you want to observe. And ride along my power. You seek knowledge?”
She nodded.
“Oh, but please don’t get me wrong. I am human too. I wish for wealth, fame and love. I cannot say I’m driven purely by logic, I am still not a robot.”
“…Hmmm…”
“So that is my motivation. I won’t lie: I had intended to blackmail you in the beginning. Make you unable to turn down my offer. We would work together towards controlling part of the city, and eventually Worne YK- those were my original plans. It would take a vast amount of time but with my planning and your potential we would eventually arrive to that place- and, you would have developed quite a lot, and so would have I. Watching improvement boosts improvement, after all.”
“Those were your original plans.”
“Yes. But it would have costed too much time- thirty years to secure control over a single state, fully working towards that goal. And, this was planned based on the original state of your aura- in which I cannot trust now, sadly. And I assume you wouldn’t let me have a peek on your real self?”
“Watch your words, woman. We are negotiating your terms of surrender.”
She laughed. “I guessed so… Well, whatever the case may be, those were my original intentions… But, seeing the state of things, I can wholeheartedly admit I was completely wrong. Both in my assessments of your potential, and the time and effort it would take to control the state. I believe I can make a new approximate based in our conversation but, without the exact measurements of your aura, it could have a time biass…”
Lawrence nodded again. “Tell me.”
“Hmm?”
“What do you see?”
“Well…”
With the ability to change others perception over him, his otherworldly intellect and instinct, his ability to conceive the most intricate plans, the ability to pull competent people to his side, and his natural charisma, Lawrence was a force like she had never seen before. Except perhaps…
She shook his head.
“Five years.”
“For Worne YK?”
Is he complaining? Well, nevermind. I will give my true assessment nevertheless.
“World domination.”
“…”
“Five years for world domination, assuming you take a political approach rather than a military one, in which case it would take… Twelve years.”
“… Is that your honest calculation?”
“..Yes.”
“I see…”
An uncomfortable silence filled the room.
And then, Lawrence laughed.
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He laughed. He laughed, because it was the only thing one could do when told a joke.
What on the actual fuck? Is the lady high on something right now? She’s been ranting for hours and hours about my aura and how I can trick people and how I kept running her machinations? But I haven’t done a damn thing! And now she’s telling me I’m taking over the world in the next five to twelve years…
Hahah, this has to be some kind of sick joke…
But…
He had used the Evileye of Truth on her. She was telling the truth. And she was also a Meta, much to Lawrence’s surprise. Which meant, while her calculations could be completely off the point… They weren’t made out of thin air.
Of course, she believed he was some kind of big brain overlord who thought two thousand steps ahead of anything. So that was a bit of a misunderstanding on her side.
Yeah, she’s a valuable asset but I’m not going to believe any of that.
Not for the foreseeable future.
Which left him with…
Scouting.
The girl was a Meta. Albeit a crazy one. She was also a Strategist type based on what he had seen, so, there was no reason not to.
And he had the advantage that she thought he was some kind of all-seeing God or some gibberish like that. He could use that in his benefit, keep her in check, make sure she wouldn’t go around him and try to put him in some kind of devilish plan.
Althought that was without taking in consideration the toll it would take on his sanity. Good grief, I have enough with Mikaella, pretending around her is more than hard enough to add another woman to the party. Especially this woman...
…We’ll figure it out.
“You’re hired” he said. From his tone she knew, it wasn’t a question. It was an order.
Very well. It isn’t what I had planned but… It’s refreshing to lose sometimes.
Now, to make sure I can get as much growth as possible from Mr. Lawrence…
This will be fun.