Chapter 3

❄ The Price of Freedom ❄

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Rime woke up to find himself in a cell, guarded heavily. He looked around to see Arthur standing in front of him, with a smirk on his face.

"Welcome back, Rime Kruger, I must say, I'm impressed. You're quite the powerful gifter. But unfortunately, that power makes you a threat to the government."

Rime glared at Arthur, anger boiling inside of him. "What do you want from me!"

Arthur leaned against the cell door, crossing his arms. "I want you to work for me. Use your powers for the government's gain."

Rime scoffed. "I'll never work for someone like you!"

Arthur's expression didn't change. "Due to your criminal record, the government still considers you as a criminal, and that is why you will work for me. I'm giving you an opportunity to change your life and have a positive impact on the world. It's worth remembering that your actions previously caused the police officers and cashier to freeze, and you're fortunate that they survived because of the presence of a fire user who works for us."

He began to pace back and forth before sighing. "Listen, believe it or not, people above me want to put you in prison for the rest of your life, but my boss thinks you can be of use to us."

Arthur stopped moving and looked at Rime with a serious look. "Have you heard about the group called the Sinners?"

"No, what about it?" Rime asked.

Arthur let out a deep sigh and shook his head, "It's hard to believe, but the group we're up against is practically invincible."

Rime looked at Arthur with a confused expression. "What do you mean by invincible?"

Arthur described, "There are a group of immortal beings, who possess the ability to conquer the city with their vast army. However, 20 years ago, my boss prevented their attempt to do so. Now, they are gradually regaining their strength. This group comprises of five members, with a leader named Zeus. He aims to eradicate all the gifters and take control of Athens."

Upon unlocking Rime's cell, Arthur posed a question, "Would you be willing to assist us in bringing Zeus and the rest of the Sinners to justice? Doing so will ensure that you won't have a criminal record or be sent to prison."

Glancing at Arthur, Rime asked, "If your boss stopped them once before, why can't he do it again? Is there a reason?"

Arthur let out a sigh and responded, "You'll comprehend the situation once you meet him. So, are you willing to cooperate?"

Rime rose to his feet and looked at Arthur with a steady expression. "I will cooperate with you," he said. "But my sister must be freed and unharmed. And I need your word that you will not betray me."

Arthur's face turned serious. "I agree to your terms," he said. "But remember, if you betray me, there will be consequences."

Rime nodded. "I understand."

Arthur nodded, "Let's go see your sister. She's with a good doctor." He freed Rime from his restraints and gestured for him to follow.

Arthur and Rime walked down the facility hallway, with Arthur in the lead.

Rime asked, "What is this place anyways?"

Arthur replies, "It's the Vindicta headquarters. Some members are on a mission and aren't here right now. But currently, only some staff are here."

Rime asked with a curious look, "Is it true that you're the strongest in Vindicta?"

Arthur chuckled while having his hand at the back of his head, "I am an A-rank agent, so people may think that, but all members of Vindicta are A-rank so I can't say for sure."

Arthur hesitated briefly, "Another member does exist, but he's not part of Vindicta. His power is so great that it drains the life force, or chi energy, of those around him, leaving them weak. To avoid harm, he stays away from crowded places and doesn't visit the headquarters too often. His name is Kuro Enzo the S Rank Agent."

Rime looked at Arthur, trying to make sense of what he was saying. "Um, I'm sorry Arthur, but I'm a bit confused. Could you simplify it for me?" he asked tentatively, hoping that Arthur would break it down into simpler terms.

Arthur glared at Rime, irritation clear in his voice. "Seriously you little shit, do I have to dumb it down for you? Rankings are determined by measuring a person's aura with a special tool and grading it based on intensity levels, from A to D. Combat level and intelligence are tested to determine their overall grade. It's not rocket science. Kuro, however, is on another level. He's so strong that he's broken the usual ranking system and earned himself an S rank. Got it?"

Arthur gestured impatiently at a tablet mounted on the wall. "Look," he grunted, "the answers are right in front of you." Rime stepped closer to the board, squinting to read the small text.

❄ ❄ ❄

S Rank Kuro Enzo A Rank Vindicta B rank

Amateur Agents

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

C rank Rookie Agents D rank Untrained Agents

Rime had a worried look and wondered, "Arthur's teammates are as powerful, if not more powerful than him?! What kind of monsters are in this organization anyways?"

Arthur and Rime entered the medical room where Rime's sister was being treated. They were greeted by the confident and boastful Dr. Freya.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Dr. Freya said with a hint of arrogance. "Arthur, I suppose. And who is this?" she asked, noticing Rime.

Arthur smirked. "Oh, This is Rime, he's here to visit his sister," he explained.

"Your sister is taking a nap. The recent fight she was in took a lot out of her, and she has some minor injuries. I would not worry too much; she needs time to rest that is all.," Dr. Freya informed them.

"Now let me see if you have any injuries, Rime." Dr. Freya said as she closed her eyes and focused her chi around that area. She opened them and declared, "Ah, yes! I can see that Rime also has some injuries. But don't worry, I'll start treating them too."

Rime was stunned by Dr. Freya's skill. "How did you learn to do that?" he queried.

Arthur chimed in, "Dr. Freya has learned to focus her chi on her eyes so she can see if someone has sustained injuries."

Dr. Freya laughed, "That's right! And let's be real, who else could do this better than me?" she boasted.

Arthur said with a nod, "She is called "Freya the Specialist" for a reason."

Rime was amazed by Dr. Freya's abilities. "That's incredible," he said in awe. "I've never seen anything like this before."

Dr. Freya chuckled, "Well, I am the best after all. So, it's expected that I would deliver the best results."

Dr. Freya took some bandages and began treating Rime's injuries. She was quick and efficient, and soon Rime was feeling much better.

"There you go," she said with a smile. "Come back later today and your sister should be feeling much better too."

Rime nodded gratefully. "Thanks!"

Arthur also expressed his gratitude and the two of them left the room. As they made their way down the hallway, Rime was filled with admiration for Dr. Freya's abilities. He couldn't resist the urge to ask her how she was able to master her aura to such a degree.

Arthur and Rime reached the sleeping quarters and he informed Rime that this would be their new home. He offered Rime a choice of the available rooms. He walked the hallways, searching for the room with the most space. But, he came across a room that was cluttered and smelled foul. He turned to Arthur and asked, "Who lives in that mess?"

Arthur held his nose and replied, "That's Shin Tanaka's room, also a member of the Vindicta. He's not the type of guy to keep his room clean."

Rime thought to himself as he had a look of disgust and had his hands in his mouth "I'm gonna puke, this guy must not be human!"

After some consideration, Rime chose room 10. He appreciated the room's spaciousness and the nice view outside. He was thrilled to have found a place to call his own.

Arthur answered a call, "yes, yes...okay," then hung up and told Rime, "My boss wants to see you. Come with me." Rime's demeanor grew serious as they walked to the boss's office.

Arthur opened the door and Rime saw the boss - an old man in his 50s with a white beard, white hair, fair skin and missing his left arm. Arthur looked at the boss with a stern gaze, "I've brought him here."

The boss smiled at Rime, "Nice to meet you, Rime. I'm Kyosuke Enzo." Rime replied, "Same to you."

Taking a moment to reflect, Rime thought, "Hold on a second, the old man's surname sounds familiar - Enzo, like Kuro Enzo? Oh, they must be related. And this elderly man actually fought the Sinners on an even footing two decades ago? Hmm, I understand what Arthur meant now. It seems he lost his arm in the battle against them."

Kyosuke Enzo continued, "I was the one who convinced the government to not put you in prison. I've heard great things about you, Rime, and I believe you have the potential to be a valuable asset to our organization." Rime listened intently, intrigued by the offer. he continued, "I have a proposition for you, would you like to hear it?"

Suddenly, the door burst open and Mia rushed in, embracing her brother. Everyone was taken aback and Dr. Freya entered the room, panting and apologizing, "I tried to stop her, but she wanted to see her brother. Sorry, boss."

The boss chuckled, "It's all good, it's all good." Rime looked at her with a worried smile, "I see you're okay, Mia."

Mia replied, "Yes, I'm fine. How about you? Did they do anything to you?" She cast a menacing look at Arthur.

Arthur raised his hands and smirked, "Relax, I haven't done anything."

Rime calmly replied, "I'm fine, Mia."

Kyosuke Enzo gestured towards the chairs, "Please, both of you take a seat. We have a lot to discuss"