New Benefits For Team Leaders

4 days later, at another location in the Existence in space after the Interchanging Dust Dynasty became wanderers.

Inside a Defensive Frigate, within the Carrier's hangar where the commander Choliac's incomplete Fleet could dock. Heian Ciemnosc picked up a long cable. He was tired and somewhat bored but needed to do this stuff. Meanwhile, the outside was bustling, with the crew members chatting and spending time beside their Fighters. Heian Ciemnosc dragged the 3 fists-thick cable down an opening on the floor through a corridor in the Frigate. Sounds emerged from wherever the hell he was, followed by 'pshift' sounds and energy flashes.

“... Hey!” After a quarter of an hour, when the noises and flashes stopped, Heian Ciemnosc climbed up his hole and saw Cara. She flashed her panties, wearing a skirt, innocently smiling at him. Cara saw his face and made a surprised expression before closing her legs and retreating a couple meters. “Ahem, I was just about to tell you the meal is ready. Banquet in 35 minutes… Are they a nice color? I’m planning to heat my next communications with Riquel.”

“He said the Obscure Orb Sect is preparing for something big, and he might not have enough of me if I didn’t start ‘dating’ him through the Universal Conveyance. But I want to ‘accidentally’ slip some images so he can - you know? Hehe,” Cara elaborated without Heian Ciemnosc asking, fortunately for him.

“That’s how you greet your Team Leader? Hm?” Heian Ciemnosc shook his head and hopped upwards, sat on the floor, and sighed out of boredom. Cara helped Heian Ciemnosc up his feet and cutely saluted him, “Cara, alias beauty, man: Riquel from the Obscure Orb Sect. Status, currently horny and lonely, too young to care about face. Report finished!”

“...” Heian Ciemnosc looked at his Team member casually. Cara stood in attention without shame, standing in front of him. Heian Ciemnosc’s silence paused as he softly muttered, “Beto would’ve understood if I spank you for your behavior.”

“Waaaaaaaaagh!” Cara turned and fled. Her tail between her legs, showing her black stockings and thick athletic shoes, making Heian Ciemnosc shake his head. ‘Riquel’s getting a good night this time, huh?’

Heian Ciemnosc didn’t chase the fleeing Cara and returned to the Frigate’s corridors, walking through them. He could do this with his eyes closed, no Spirit Sense, and illusory array formations deviating his feet and sense of direction. Of course, this was after he was brutally trained for 2 days.

Heian Ciemnosc walked towards the central command. Now that the Space Station stopped several Universes away, the team leaders and soldier units would be taught what the Crimsonbreaking Faction had been preparing since the 10 year war. Back then, only the best were given such attention, but now, after ample time and experience, it would reform the Faction as a whole.

‘Ahh, let’s see what our baby has to offer,’ Heian Ciemnosc sat and thought as he checked the Defensive Frigate’s modifications for extra mobility and immediate but short-period flexibility. After confirming they were fine, Heian Ciemnosc looked at the ammunition storage, extra weaponry, repairing parts, and state of the Frigate’s modules. Everything was perfect.

Finally, Heian Ciemnosc checked the personnel and confirmed everything was in order with the Frigate’s temporary commander. This was Heian Ciemnosc’s Team’s Defensive Frigate, but he wasn’t fit to command it. He could only be tasked to co-lead it, with the Medium Flotilla’s commander having the bigger hand to directly order Heian Ciemnosc’s Defensive Frigate.

No matter what Heian Ciemnosc’s orders could be, the Medium Flotilla’s commander's words would always override them. Heian Ciemnosc was allowed to guide the piloting team of experts but nothing else. He also had a say in the Fighters’ deployment but had to go to battle himself.

Heian Ciemnosc needed extra tests and training as one of the team leaders to be selected singlehandedly by commander Choliac. However, if he could prove he could instruct the Defensive Frigate while fighting in his Fighter Team, he could be granted the same privileges as others like him in this program, where team leaders were to co-lead Frigates under responsible commanders.

This would also show Heian Ciemnosc and others the differences between leading a Fighter Team and a Flotilla. While a Frigate and Destroyer commander has their crew personnel and Fighter Teams to worry about, a Cruiser or selected leading Cruiser commander needs to have all their attention on everyone, on the battle surrounding them, and ready to order and advise its people. Heian Ciemnosc hadn’t seen it first-handedly, but he was already feeling the pressure from what he heard from others and his new Flotilla commander.

‘Mn,’ Heian Ciemnosc was satisfied after checking everything, including sanitary levels and the smallish and small engines’ state by the naked eye. Heian Ciemnosc stood up and headed to the Frigate’s rampart. When he walked down it, he was met with a few long tables extending for a hundred meters, leaving a good space for every cultivator to eat and drink all the bunch of dishes placed before them.

“Heian Ciemnosc! Hurry~!” Cara lifted her glass of wine but dared not drink from it. She attracted Heian Ciemnosc’s attention when he was just becoming dumb. Heian Ciemnosc recognized his Team at the center of the tables where the Defensive Frigate’s crew personnel sat. He felt like this was a ceremony, but… was this a ceremony?

“Team Leader, welcome!!” Moy stood up, reflecting on Sandra’s encouraging eyes as he loudly shouted, bringing every table’s attention to himself and Heian Ciemnosc. There were more tables in the hangar, each belonging to the respective spaceships. Heian Ciemnosc even saw his previous commander sitting in a space where tables floated in the sky, forming up to a quarter of a million crew members, including auxiliary units and some new recruits.

“Co-leader!!” - “Good to see you, co-leader!” - “Co-leader, come on! Don’t be jealous. We’ll have to step on that beauty sooner or later. Can’t you just let us look inside?” - “Hahaha!” - “He wants her all by himself! What co-leader is that?! Haha!” - “Bohoo! I’m less than a spaceship! Co-leader, please give me a chance~!” - “...”

Heian Ciemnosc was speechless with how well-welcoming these folks were. They were all the people Heian Ciemnosc was given to take care of. It wasn’t to the point of a commander, but he was somewhat of an unofficial leader to them. And if they weren’t hermits, which they were not, they would know Heian Ciemnosc’s capabilities were getting accepted by the Faction as a whole.

“What are all of you talking about? She is ready, but no one is to enter my Team’s Frigate until the Supreme Battleship commander says so,” Heian Ciemnosc shook his head and said. He slowly walked to his seat in the middle, surrounded by his Team members, while reminiscing about his first tortured times.

The Flotilla he belonged to before was led by a commander who preferred a Frigate over a Cruiser, also using this chance to teach the incomplete Fleet’s crew members what it is to live and die in and for battle. However, that commander managed great results, and now that she had shown all her capabilities, she couldn’t deny the Chairwoman’s vision.

Now that that female commander shone in the spotlight, she was leading a Large Flotilla in a leading Cruiser, nothing less than expected. Heian Ciemnosc’s new Flotilla was led by a full-fledged commander with his leading Cruiser, but Heian Ciemnosc was expected to take the role of a Fighter Team’s Team Leader and a co-leader, semi-commanding the Frigate.

“Woopa! Forgetting about me?” A voice drifted into the Frigate’s banquet, and the silence that dropped was to the point it could make wind appear in these closed quarters. Heian Ciemnosc felt his vision blurry before a figure cleared up before his eyes, wearing a fantastic, dark-flowered, one-shoulder dress with a pale white color as the background.

“Milyy,” Heian Ciemnosc softly exclaimed, not expecting to see his wife. It wasn’t a bring your partner to work day. The people became excited. Their spaceship’s little gem has shown up! It was time to celebrate! Hurrah!

“Huh, it seems like there’s no seat for me? Well then, I’ll rest on your lap, husband.” Milyy looked at the seat Heian Ciemnosc was just walking to and said those words. Heian Ciemnosc looked at the chair, but her words became shocking before he could say anything.

‘As expected, my wife’s using words to elevate my status.’ Knowing he couldn’t compare to Milyy in terms of status, Heian Ciemnosc nodded and blinked, appearing cute and docile, gaining a few positive points in everyone’s eyes. Milyy formed a flat ‘U’ after narrowing them. She was genuinely content.

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Slide. Thud, slide- rustle~.

Heian Ciemnosc dragged the chair just enough for him to sit and slid it back towards the table with his dark Neutral Energy. The Frigate’s crew members’ eyes opened wider, astounded as they murmured. “What? He’s in the 2nd stage already? Already?!” - “We sure he ain’t a Chosen?” - “... Chairwoman has wisdom.” - “Auch!” - “Don’t speak nonsense at the table!” - “...” - “No, really… He’s really brought at a great time… We’re living a brand new Change, you know? And we got ourselves a Chosen…” - “Shh! This is a banquet…”

Milyy sat on Heian Ciemnosc’s lap, accommodating her dress, but not even an Officer dared look her way as she tried sitting down. Heian Ciemnosc moved the chair forwards, and Milyy looked back at him, even more content. He lifted his hands and held her wrists, not shy to get intimate with his wifey before his half-subordinates. Not for once, they were respectful.

Heian Ciemnosc looked at his Team members, and they were content. Clanton brought all his little birds, so he sat far away, in the middle of his harem, with some beside Loma, who looked like a wifey beside her doting hubby. Cara was taking Soul pictures with her blinking eyes, and Sandra gave Moy caresses on his face.

These people were warriors. Even if Heian Ciemnosc wanted to give them more time, they wouldn’t take it because they didn’t need it. Just as Heian Ciemnosc’s heart was moved, and he planned some things, Ruo Wei lifted her left hand sideways. She was on his right, so he knew what it meant.

Milyy stabbed Heian Ciemnosc with her right elbow on his right shoulder to hurry him, to which he moved his hand and grasped Ruo Wei’s left hand. She immediately squeezed it, tightening the lock before he knew it. Heian Ciemnosc let their hands hang at the side since she needed it so much.

“Attention!!” It didn’t take long for the announcer to shout. “Commander Choliac present! Be silent!!”

Ruo Wei softly let go of his hand and stood upright. There wasn’t a need to stand up and salute. The Crimsonbreaking Faction was a mostly military organization, but they weren’t so uptight with traditions and regulations. Unless it was something as important as a burial or ceremony of the level of commander Choliac, where at least a Disciplinary Elder had to be present.

Step, step, step, step, step, step, step.

“... … …” The hangar fell silent as commander Choliac entered through the massive gates. He walked in without ceremonial acts, looking ahead like an uncle waking up with the rest of the family already having breakfast and was hurrying to join them. The commander wore a suit, looking elegant at the very least. He stopped somewhere in the center of the hangar and accommodated his tie and collarbone before speaking.

“Take this banquet as the start. You’re not starting training after my words, ordering you to move into space battle formation and ready, reach you, but now.” The commander looked at them and paused for 3 seconds, looking somewhat grieving. So few could tell what went through an old timer in the Third Step. “There will only be a ‘grand’ celebration after your training ends, and you can go hunt those who are to be taken down!”

Everyone remained concentrated and looked at their leader seriously. Commander Choliac spoke with haste. Nobody knew if it was genuine or acted to encourage them. “Information has come to us, and our ally, of our prey already moving near the borders. They’re moving fast… but they will be delayed. If you don’t want to fail at the notice of our Faction with your brothers and sisters of other incomplete Fleets and the main force, you will train not just harder but do it better and learn faster!”

“...” The crowd was pressured, and it could be felt in the air. The commander flicked his right wrist dismissively and said before walking towards his small table with the other few Disciplinary Elders. When he sat and picked a fork and spoon, the commander stopped and clashed them above his head.

“The banquet begins now!”

“Hua!” - “Huaa!” - “Hua!” - “Hua!” - “Huaaaa~!” Soldier and auxiliary units started eating their dishes. Each cultivator had about 10 plates and 4 drinks. They would have enough time to see each other’s faces and chat. Heian Ciemnosc spread his Spirit Sense through his banquet. His Frigate was a Third Step spaceship, one of the most apparent reasons Heian Ciemnosc, a non-Officer, non-peak Second Step cultivator with only 2 years of experience and not even a month as a Team Leader, could command it.

“... … …” The banquet was quite tranquil, but Heian Ciemnosc and anyone else in a leading position could feel something building up. It was more than a notion. It came from the beating hearts of the rest. When Heian Ciemnosc was halfway done, everyone was still on their third plate and first drink. He looked back at his Defensive Frigate and became pensive before resuming his dinner.

Milyy drank a lot of liquor. Whenever her 10 drinks were emptied, a female Officer would come and place new glasses while another Officer filled them with the Faction’s finest winery products. Heian Ciemnosc, of course, could only be refilled 1 drink and of the same type only.

After 3 hours, Milyy kept her eyes narrowly closed, purring with her back on Heian Ciemnosc’s chest, promptly thanking him for this great evening. She became warmer the more she talked with Ruo Wei and Sandra. While Loma and Cara didn’t talk much to her, their interactions were smooth and calm.

. . .

Back at the headquarters. On the living room sofa.

“And in the last hour’s news, the Crimsonbreaking Faction’s calling has been heard… There have already been 300,000 organizations who have reported and delayed their enemies’ escape to the Existence’s borders…” - “That’s right, but while they have the right to want to survive… why is fleeing the first thing they think of? What have they done? What do they know?” - “Indeed~. Now. Let’s talk about the preferred Fauna pet of the past decade…”

The TV showed various channels on the same screen, with one’s Spirit Sense changing which to focus on more. Just as Heian Ciemnosc was hearing about things he and the Crimsonbreaking Faction already knew, and he, as a Team Leader and co-leader, was bathed with information to excite, desperate, and encourage him, Ruo Wei changed the channel to another section.

“Hey, I will start charging you if you keep changing the channels like that.” Heian Ciemnosc said as Ruo Wei’s body trembled, cuddling with him as they lay on its cushions. Heian Ciemnosc supported his head with his left hand and kept his hand on his stomach while Ruo Wei’s bum was just a few centimeters above his crotch.

“It’s not fair, hahaha, ahem,” Ruo Wei turned her head towards Heian Ciemnosc before elaborating. “Beto would always hug me tighter if I did that, and he wouldn’t stop even if I was bashing him and screaming to the top of my lungs.”

“Hmm,” Heian Ciemnosc made a comforting sound from his throat, calming the situation. Then, pinching Ruo Wei’s stomach, he made her yelp cutely with a ‘yiip!’ and a jolt on the sofa that made her sit up. Heian Ciemnosc sat up with her and watched TV as she breathed before articulating, “Ey, you don’t try anything with me. Are you that scared of Beto? Or are you really not a mindless hips swinger?”

“Hmph,” Heian Ciemnosc slightly harrumphed from his nostrils. He squeezed her sides before defending his points of view, “If I was interested in someone, even if their family or lover were mutilated, and they went through traumatic experiences, I wouldn’t have gone soft to let them have time. Ruo Wei, or should I say mommy- ouch… You remind me of someone else. Someone I can’t see anymore.”

“Hmmm.” After pinching Heian Ciemnosc’s left thigh with her Neutral Energy, Ruo Wei leaned her head on Heian Ciemnosc’s left shoulder like a log. Her ear rested near his trapezius muscle as the TV went on but seemed silent before them.

“But what about you?” Heian Ciemnosc asked, pulling Ruo Wei towards him and letting her fall on the sofa. She placed her head on his lap, a foot away from his abdomen. Ruo Wei tilted her head leftwards and threw him a questioning look from below. Heian Ciemnosc asked her, “Are you sure you aren’t trying to sink me somewhere to abuse me? I know I can be quite difficult to resist. Just look at my new admirers- ouch!”

Heian Ciemnosc stopped when he felt his heels squeezed by a few slender, crafty fingers. They would’ve been filled with calluses if Ruo Wei wasn’t a cultivator but a citizen or civilian. Ruo Wei smiled and said while extending her hands upwards to hold Heian Ciemnosc’s chin and the top of his head like a baby.

“I’m glad we can have each other,” Ruo Wei said, “I don’t spend much time with those I know. The others are busy, and Cara is in that stage. Ah, I can understand, but it will be a long time before we can hang out like before… Thank you, blackie. I can’t share your pain, but I know you feel and think… and your energy fluctuated with too much emotion when you mentioned that someone.”

“Care to tell?” Ruo Wei asked, playing with his chin and ruffling his pitchest-blackest medium-short hair. Heian Ciemnosc looked down, but his eyes lost focus. “...”

“Maybe another time,” he said before both turned their heads to the TV. One felt so alone she nearly felt like sobbing many a time during the night. The other had so much to work…

Not long after, Heian Ciemnosc brought a sleepyhead ‘mommy’ to her bedroom, where Beto’s things were neatly kept with array formations. He paused there… as if paralyzed. Heian Ciemnosc suddenly realized he couldn’t do that. Even if that incident of wrath and darkness didn’t occur, he only watched his home burn down. The place he was loved… where he felt and thought.

Rustle~~. “Mnnh,” Ruo Wei moaned as Heian Ciemnosc tucked her in the bed. He kicked her feet every time they tried to exit from the corner, ensuring she was comfy before leaving. Afterwards, when he was making his way to his bedroom, he received a notification about training and permission to enter their respective spaceships only during space training where their commander or at least co-lead was present.

Tiringly, Heian Ciemnosc gave thousands of crew members the notification and his Team members before walking to his bedroom. There, he saw Milyy in her dark-flowered one-shoulder dress still. Her arms sprung upwards as if holding something soft, constantly licking her lips in delight.

Rustle~... tight~!

Heian Ciemnosc hugged Milyy from above before throwing himself on the bed. The sheets moved by his dark Soul, and he held Milyy tight, pressing his face against her chest as she opened her turquoise hot pink mixed eyes as her hands gently held his hair and caressed his head. Her eyes slowly widened over their full capacity when she felt a trace of wetness down her chest, falling to the bed.

…