Two days after returning to the Tower, Zark'thul tapped his fingers on the desk in his office. Several holo-screens hovered before him, displaying data and stats, though his attention was focused on the new directives displayed on the interface.
> [Directive 2-2] Broker a Deal with the Kaldeck Company
> [Difficulty] ★★☆☆☆
> [Objective] Make contact with Kaldeck Company and broker a mutually beneficial contract between them and the Northmen Traders Guild. Representatives have agreed to meet your Agents in the city of Ichthys.
> [Repeatable] No
A negotiation of sorts. Hardly appealing.
Even with his current position, he didn't fancy himself a business specialist. He possessed vast knowledge and experience in various of fields—thanks to having subsumed countless beings—but the intricacies of such formal agreements were less clear to him.
Business dealings were the human way of organizing their world and managing resources, often measured in abstract or symbolic units of worth. This task, essentially an exercise in bartering, held little appeal. Still, it needed to be done, and he had to play the role of a businessman as long as he remained in his current body.
"Right, then." His eyes drifted over the next directive.
> [Directive 2-3] Extract Information from a Suspicious Merchant
> [Difficulty] ★☆☆☆☆
> [Objective] Infiltrate the warehouse of the merchant named Vholux and extract information. His trade operations have been linked to the illegal trafficking of people and contraband in the city of Ichthys. Locate the appropriate documents, confront the target, and turn him in to the authorities.
> [Repeatable] No
Vaguely reminiscent of his most recent escapade in Athebury. Was the Tower trying to imply something?
He flicked through the instructions again; the order of the operations seemed open-ended. Did it mean they could be done simultaneously? The objectives both referenced the city of Ichthys.
Hmm...
The next two screens appeared.
> [Directive 2-4] Recover Stolen Supplies
> [Difficulty] ★☆☆☆☆
> [Objective] A convoy of caravans carrying a shipment of guild supplies has been attacked and looted by a group of marauders in the mountains of Korvu. Infiltrate the marauder camp, retrieve the supplies, and punish the thieves. Dead or alive.
> [Repeatable] Yes
A clear and direct objective. Repeatable too. Ideal.
> [Directive 2-5] Capture a Rogue Mage
> [Difficulty] ★☆☆☆☆
> [Objective] A mage who previously sold his services to the Northmen Trader Guild has gone rogue and stolen vital knowledge from the guild. Reports have placed him at a hideout in the mountains of Korvu. Capture or eliminate the rogue mage and retrieve any sensitive information or materials in his possession.
> [Repeatable] No
Zark'thul contemplated the directives. Two of them were linked to the same city, while the other two were connected to the same mountain.
He sifted through the documents and maps Elspeth had given him.
Athebury, Ichthys, and the Korvu mountain range. They were all positioned within the same region. The region was marked as 'Pharyl.' To the southwest lay the capital, 'Andurth.' Athebury was directly south of the capital, Ichthys lay southwest of the capital, and the Korvu mountain range ran between the capital and Ichthys.
It seemed his next tasks all centered around this one specific region.
He scanned the map for where the marshland that the previous directives had sent him to was located. It was indeed south of Athebury. Everything was connected. How convenient.
Doing each directive one at a time was simple but inefficient. As much as he wanted to personally handle each one, he remembered Elspeth's earlier advice to 'leverage' his Agents as employees.
He could dispatch different squads to handle each objective separately. It was the best way to cover all the ground quickly and ensure a more efficient deployment of his resources.
But he only had two squads to work with, and one of them was predominantly goblinoid whose expertise revolved around strength rather than subtlety. One of the directives involved negotiation, while the other entailed infiltration.
He doubted either of these would play to the strengths of a brute squad. Maybe the one that involved capturing or eliminating the rogue mage in the mountains could work, but that was his least promising option. That left the supply recovery mission for the brutes.
In contrast, his REDLINEs were much more versatile and suited to a wider range of tasks. That said, he couldn't afford to have them split up; a full squad would provide better coordination and execution for their upcoming missions.
He needed more Agents, plain and simple.
----------------------------------------
The Summoning Chamber hummed to life once again, the alcoves lining the walls activating with a low thrum. As before, the ceiling shifted and spun, an interplay of intricate machinery adjusting into new alignments. Glowing runes etched around the central platform illuminated the chamber in a soft, ethereal light.
Zark'thul and Elspeth stood at the edge platform, the same spot they had occupied for previous summoning rituals.
"Another batch of REDLINEs?" she inquired.
"Not much choice, is there?" He selected the REDLINEs dossier on the interface and locked in the request. The platform's gears turned as they initiated the summoning sequence. "Versatility is our priority. These are the most suitable candidates."
A pillar of light erupted from the platform, accompanied by a deep bass hum, which pulsed through the chamber. Within the radiance, ghostly figures coalesced into physical bodies, materializing under the summoning pillar.
Five new Agents, all clad in the familiar grey bodysuits, stood before them. As their eyes adjusted to the surroundings, their expressions shifted from initial confusion to sharp focus.
"Sir," they intoned in unison, offering crisp salutes to Zark'thul.
"At ease," he responded, and the Agents relaxed their stance.
He checked their information on the AetherLink, and his brows knitted together. All five were at the lowest rarity, Common—and one-stars at that.
This wasn't unexpected. These Agents were there to fill an immediate need, not to become indispensable assets. Still, it was slightly disappointing.
> image [https://i.imgur.com/weXkrnH.png]
> Name: (Unnamed)
> Type: REDLINEs, Male
> Role: Artillery
> Rarity: ☆ (Common)
> Level: 1
> Morale: 80%
> image [https://i.imgur.com/0Lm8SNP.png]
> Name: (Unnamed)
> Type: REDLINEs, Male
> Role: Support
> Rarity: ☆ (Common)
> Level: 1
> Morale: 80%
> image [https://i.imgur.com/vWKV9Jz.png]
> Name: (Unnamed)
> Type: REDLINEs, Female
> Role: Controller
> Rarity: ☆ (Common)
> Level: 1
> Morale: 80%
> image [https://i.imgur.com/q9HvcQp.png]
> Name: (Unnamed)
> Type: REDLINEs, Male
> Role: Assassin
> Rarity: ☆ (Common)
> Level: 1
> Morale: 80%
> image [https://i.imgur.com/MfD30kL.png]
> Name: (Unnamed)
> Type: REDLINEs, Male
> Role: Tank
> Rarity: ☆ (Common)
> Level: 1
> Morale: 80%
Unnamed. It seemed like REDLINEs didn't start with one after all. He learned from the first squad that receiving proper names provided them with a sense of identity, enhancing their cohesion and performance.
But thinking up names on the spot was something he didn't want to go through right now.
"You're all part of Squad 3. Select names for yourselves at your discretion. Ask for advice from your compatriots if need be. After you've completed Elspeth's orientation, I'll provide a further briefing. Dismissed."
"Squad 3, acknowledged," they replied in unison.
That settled, he turned his attention to the next task.
He returned to his office to check on his current resources and see what else he might need. The desk interface illuminated at his touch, presenting a variety of options. He tapped on the "Storage" function. An array of icons flashed by, each representing a different item type: Gear, Consumables, Artifacts, and Materials.
He checked his stock of materials, looking for the two items required for an Agent upgrade—Experience Cores and Skill Books.
The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
[Experience Core (Basic) x 74]
[Skill Book (Basic) x 4]
Not nearly enough, but a good start.
Fortunately, it seemed like the Tower allowed him ample time to build up his resources. The time limit for completing each directive didn't start until he formally accepted it. He was tempted to accelerate through the second floor immediately, but the available directives were far more complex.
He accepted that he would need to spend time grinding for resources before attempting them. That meant rotating his squads to run the first floor's directives on repeat. Not that he hadn't done that already, but this time, it would be all three squads simultaneously.
----------------------------------------
Three days later...
[Squad 1 has completed Directive 1-3. Squad 2 has completed Directive 1-5. Squad 3 has completed Directive 1-2. Rewards have been added to your account.]
[You've gained 400 Experience in total]
[You have advanced to Level 5]
[You have acquired the ability 'Aura of the Eldritch Terror']
Zark'thul had spent a week within the Tower, allocating the first-floor tasks to his squads. Each squad ran the directives on a cycle, returning to the Tower to replenish their strength and rotate the next task.
He checked the details of his newly acquired ability in his AetherLink—though he had a hunch about it already.
> [Aura of the Eldritch Terror] As a vestige of your eldritch nature, your mere presence exudes a palpable aura of unease. Mere mortals are at constant risk of being stunned while facing you. Enemies in your vicinity become unsettled, suffering from penalties to their attack power and defenses. As the embodiment of eldritch might, your Agents feel inspired by your presence, experiencing boosts to their morale, attack power, and defense.
>
> This aura scales with the potency of your level and any applicable gear or artifacts. Mortal fear is an echo of your ineffable essence, the primordial terror that once thrived in the beyond. Cost: 5 Essence; Duration: 2 minutes.
Upon activating this ability, a pulsating, amorphous sphere of shifting darkness and disturbing organic shapes encompassed Zark'thul's entire office. The sound of slithering tentacles, grating teeth, and formless whispers seemed to reverberate from every corner, creating a disorienting soundscape that filled the room with an unsettling ambiance.
Zark'thul smiled, amused at the recognition he had long awaited. This ability was a nostalgic remnant from before his demise, albeit considerably weaker than its original incarnation.
It seemed to serve a largely psychological function now. Mortals might feel unsettled or panicked in his presence, but if the effect didn't immediately stun them, they'd have enough time to collect themselves before attacking.
Ah, the path to recovering his former glory was steep and arduous. Perhaps when he achieved level thirty, or forty, or maybe more, he might truly become an embodiment of Eldritch power once again. Though, whether his human vessel could withstand the strain remained a question.
"Sir?" Elspeth's voice reached him through the cacophony of his own malevolent presence.
He deactivated his ability, and the unsettling darkness gradually faded. "Elspeth?"
"Apologies, sir. I wanted to inform you that all squads have returned from their missions. As anticipated, no losses have been incurred."
His gaze fell upon her face, a picture of clinical detachment even in the wake of his overwhelming aura. He had already expected it wouldn't faze her—she was neither human nor easily disturbed—but still, an aspect of himself hoped otherwise.
Her brows furrowed slightly in a subtle display of uncertainty. "Will there be any further orders, or should we resume our regular schedule, sir?"
Zark'thul tapped a few keys on his keyboard, then stood up from his chair. "I'm still missing an Agent who specializes in negotiations and diplomacy. I'd do it myself but that directive specifically stipulates the use of my Agents instead."
Elspeth inclined her head, indicating her agreement. "Generally, Agents are geared towards combat-oriented roles. They're able to perform many tasks to some extent, but more specialized knowledge requires a different personnel type."
"So we've got other roles, then?"
"Correct. Each employee type serves a distinct role within the Tower. 'Agents' fulfill field operative duties, handling activities outside the Tower's boundaries. Then there are 'Receptionists' who manage front desk operations and guest coordination, and 'Researchers' for scientific or arcane inquiries."
"So what we need is some kind of business-oriented role."
"That would be a 'Specialist.' They are highly skilled individuals who serve specific administrative or operational functions. Their designation isn't limited to business operations; there are many types of specialists who can fulfill other necessary roles as well."
"How do I get one?"
"By hiring them directly from the city outside the Tower."
Zark'thul paused. "I have to go out and hire someone?"
"Normally, you'd issue a job posting in the city's employment market, which is accessible through your AetherLink, and then interview the applicants that respond. I've taken the liberty of doing so in advance. You've received several responses, and five of them have been shortlisted as potential hires.
"However, regulations require that all interviews be conducted personally to ensure the process is carried out properly. A list of the prospective hires, along with their relevant details, has been forwarded to you."
He checked his AetherLink. Sure enough, the data had arrived.
"Are they... Agents?" He looked at her.
"No, sir. These are local candidates from the city. They are a blend of various species."
"I'd have to interview applicants, then?"
"Regulations require it. A personal interview is mandatory."
What a nuisance.
----------------------------------------
The next day...
Zark'thul sat across from his latest interviewee in the second floor's small meeting room. This was the last candidate of the day, and his patience was wearing thin. All the candidates had been dressed smartly, seated straight-backed and proper, only to blunder when confronted with the intricacies of the role's requirements.
These people seemed utterly unaware of how woefully unprepared they were for the positions they had applied for.
Interviews were an act of masquerade: both sides knew there was a facade, a dance of predetermined steps. The job seekers danced to his tune, parroting what they presumed he wanted to hear. They answered, they smiled, and they withdrew. There was no substance or individuality. It was an illusion, an impersonation, nothing more.
His annoyance with the whole affair was only exacerbated by the fact that his business was elsewhere, handling directives and orchestrating the missions of his Agents. Being anchored in this room, away from the action, frustrated him.
However, this candidate seated before him was... different from the others.
Firstly, she wasn't human.
She was a Gixiet, a type of alien bearing a striking resemblance to humans—save for the vibrant blue skin, angular ears, and segmented horns that jutted out from the top of her head, the points curling backward. Her hair was styled into long braids that coiled around her neck and rested on her shoulders like silken ropes.
Gixiet were a spacefaring race known for their uncanny beauty and innate psionic powers. Their psychic abilities were potent, making them excellent tacticians and negotiators—at least, according to the dossier provided by Elspeth.
Appearance-wise, the Gixiet before him could be described as comely. She was dressed in a meticulously tailored suit and projected an aura of refinement, confidence, and intelligence. The otherworldly allure of her appearance didn't detract from her professional demeanor.
Yet, something else caught his attention.
Her gaze, was oddly... curious, perhaps even eager. There was a glimmer in her eyes he couldn't quite define. The other candidates all behaved uniformly, almost as if they had a template to follow— eyes forward, head up, voice pitched, and body language controlled. Not this one.
She was fixated on him, her pupils dilating slightly in focus, or perhaps... fascination?
Maybe this interview wouldn't be as dull as the others.
"So, Xashai, I presume?" he asked, picking up her dossier from the table.
"That is correct," she replied, her voice lilting in a faint alien cadence.
The dossier provided an extensive summary of her credentials—no surprises there, since every candidate before her was similarly impressive on paper. But that wasn't what mattered.
"Tell me, Xashai, why do you want this job?" He watched her closely.
"To experience something different," she replied without missing a beat, her eyes never leaving his. "To work with someone who isn't... boring."
There it was again, that glint in her eyes. Something... hungry.
"I see. Let's dig a bit deeper, shall we?" He set her dossier aside and leaned in, eyes locking onto hers. "In your words, how do you approach problem-solving, negotiation, and crisis management?"
She leaned forward, mirroring his movements, their gazes connecting across the table. "When dealing with a crisis, I would immediately assess the situation for its root causes. Then, I would either address them myself or direct the appropriate parties to resolve the matter promptly."
"And in terms of negotiation?"
"I excel at it. I have a way with words, with knowing how to sway individuals to my perspective. However, the process tends to bore me."
He raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
She shrugged. "People are... easy to predict. Boring. Once you understand them, everything falls into place."
"What if they don't? What if they refuse to yield?"
Her lips curled into a sly smile. "Then I have other means of persuasion." A flicker of light danced around her irises, a clear display of her psionic capabilities.
Now that intrigued him. "Could you give me an example of such 'persuasion'?"
"Let's say I'm negotiating a trade agreement, and the other party is being unreasonable and arrogant. First, I'd try to convince them through words and reason. Language has a way of shaping perceptions; a slight inflection here, an emphasis there, and you can subtly shift someone's view. But, if they insist on being stubborn..." Her smile broadened, a hint of menace edging into her tone. "Well, let's just say I can make them change their mind, whether they want to or not."
Zark'thul was no stranger to manipulation or mental compulsion, having used these tactics extensively during his tenure as an eldritch being. But what intrigued him was her use of it as a last resort.
"You enjoy the challenge then?" he inquired.
"I do," she affirmed, leaning back in her seat. "The thrill of the hunt, the pursuit of prey, that moment where they realize they've been ensnared—it's intoxicating. Yet, at the same time, there's a certain..." She trailed off, as if considering her next words carefully. "I'm not a brute. If I can get what I want with a well-placed phrase, a deft turn of logic, or an emotional appeal, I'd rather employ that. Coercion, as effective as it can be, is... crude."
Zark'thul found himself slightly impressed with her response. There was an air of sophistication to her words, a hint of depth that the other candidates lacked. Plus, the prospect of someone with her caliber of expertise and ruthless efficiency was indeed attractive.
If only all candidates interviewed were as competent as her, not just on paper.
"Do you have any other questions for me?" she asked.
"How would you manage a team of field operatives and would you have a problem with taking instructions from a lower lifeform such as a human?"
"Oh, not at all. I find humans rather endearing, to be honest," she said. "As for managing field operatives, while I've never been in a formal managerial role before, I'm a quick study. Plus, given the right tools and authority, I'm sure I can manage just fine. But, to be clear, these operatives, are they humans?"
"Close enough," he said. "Humanoid, at least."
"Fascinating." She cocked her head to the side. "You're quite different from them, aren't you? Human, that is." She studied him with an inquisitive gaze. "There's a certain aura about you, something... different."
"Do tell me more." He leaned forward, intrigued.
Elspeth cleared her throat audibly. He was getting too lost in this conversation and veering too far off-script for her liking. The job interview was not for him to indulge in his own interests, she wanted to say.
"Ahem," he coughed, getting back to the matter at hand. "Regardless, if you were to join us, the operatives you would be managing are made up of highly advanced artificial humans. They require no supervision aside from clear directions, and you won't have any problems with them. They'll do exactly as you tell them to."
"Does that mean I'm hired?" she asked, the eagerness back in her voice.
"Yes. Welcome to the team, Xashai. Your first directive starts now."
[You've hired 'Xashai']
> image [https://i.imgur.com/NGfqpgP.png]
>
> Name: Xashai
> Species: Gixiet, Female
> Role: Specialist (Business Negotiator)
> Rarity: ☆☆☆ (Rare)
> Level: 10
> Ability: Psionic (Intuitive Empathy, Emotion Augmentation)
[You have unlocked the option to hire employees under a new personnel type: 'Specialists'. Specialists are non-combat personnel with enhanced skills and expertise.]
"Thank you, sir." She rose from her seat, smoothing down her suit. "I assure you, you won't be disappointed."
"Let us hope not. Now, Elspeth will show you around." He gestured to Elspeth, who responded with a silent nod.
"With pleasure, sir," Elspeth stated, her face a picture of perfect professionalism.
Xashai rose to join her, but not before flashing a sly smile in Zark'thul's direction. "Until we meet again, sir."
With that, she turned and strode towards the exit, Elspeth following close behind. As the door shut behind them, Zark'thul reflected on the curious exchange.
For all the tediousness of the interviews, this one had proven interesting.
He settled back into his chair, mulling over the interview. Gixiet weren't known for their subservient natures; they were proud and independent, often viewing themselves as equals or betters. For Xashai to acquiesce so readily to a role of service was telling. Either she was exceptionally adaptable or, more likely, she was driven by some ulterior motive.
Her final glance was not lost on him; it spoke of calculated intent.
Of course, none of this detracted from her competence. She was undoubtedly the most skilled individual he'd interviewed. If she could fulfill her responsibilities and help achieve his directives, she was a valuable asset, whatever her private designs may be.