Leave The Monster Alone

"What are you doing here? Non-interference, wasn't that what you all decided?" Fidi asked the question in a small and tense voice. He did not look straight at the other but that was the only one he could be addressing.

"Now don't be like that my dear snake, I'm here to follow orders just like you. I need to make this rebellion a success after all" Those words rang a bell in Mark's mind but he did not know why.

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Code name: Nathan Millers

Nickname: the jumping Karp

Role: helped the rebellion become a success, the external factor

Warning: Do not engage with the individual. Deemed as highly dangerous and caution is advised when facing.

More information: criterion locked

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Great, another point Mark had to think about now. Did he have to face all those people? Why were they all showing up unannounced?

At least this was a person who was supposed to be here this time and not like Vodi and Fidi who just showed up as they liked.

"It was agreed that we would take your place on this mission since you were far too careless in your pursuit of what you deemed interesting. Wait a sec, are you here to check out the 'candidate' for that position?" Fidi asked in an irritated voice but by the end, he sounded almost scared.

The other did not do anything suspicious, he just scoffed in amusement which was not really appreciated but Mark will not call the other out this time. He had half a mind to tune everything out because there was a small static noise that appeared all around him.

It felt like buzzing to him and it unsettled him. But its frequency was changing the more he shifted. The further he want from Kuro and the party, the worse it got for him. And it was just loud enough to cause an unwanted headache to him.

"What I am here to do is my own business and it won't interfere with your own. I just wanted more freedom of moment so I took the presented opportunity. So this is the 'Mark' we all heard about in the report? And the new host for the divine monkey's core? How ordinary" was this an insult? 

If so then Mark did not mind being called ordinary. In fact, ordinary was good and secure. Anything special was generally problematic combined in a package which Mark would rather never face. He was happy being where he was anyway.

"So, you still did not answer my question. Who are you? Expect Nathan Millers that is. I refuse to believe you are a normal human being" Mark was sure it could have been worded better if he had allowed himself time to think but he had not and this was all he could come up with.

Now the other had an amused smile on his face which ticked Mark off a lot. It was something about that face that glared at Mark's senses.

"I'm not a normal human? Well, then enlighten me what a normal human is in these times? Are you a normal human then Mark? One who can kill those monsters? Or is it the people in the base who hardly seem alive now?" Nathan called out Mark and all of a sudden his words made sense.

What was a normal human being? In these times no one seemed normal anymore. Or rather, the abnormal that had once baffled the world had become the norm. Even Luna or Liam were 'normal humans' in the current definition of the world.

"Forget normal and everything else, you don't seem human at all. Are you a divine beast as well?" Alan asked as the tension in his voice grew. He hated this feeling that wanted to make him flee in front of this predator. 

Actually, everything about this new person was dangerous and yet it called out to Alan to join the other and submit to him as a lower being. Alan had to do his best to keep his wits but it was getting difficult now for him to focus.

"Ah, I see. So you can sense this much about me. Then, if I do not feel human then I must not be a human. Have you thought about that?" of course Mark had. Had he not asked this question outright?

The other was just spinning his words now which was irritating to Mark. Can the other not come out and say it aloud? It would be so much better to have confirmation.

"Nathan please, do not make it any more difficult than it had to be for us" Vodi was the one who pleaded and the other calmed down all of a sudden. The humour in that face vanished as if it had never been there.

"Of course. Then, I'll introduce myself. I'm Nathan Millers, one of the four major forces. Now guess which one I am?" one of those four divine beasts?

All of a sudden the divine beasts' nervousness and Mark's feeling made much more sense now. This was one of the driving powers in this war from the opposite side and could end everything should he chose to.

Someone like that was in front of Mark and he was not prepared. There had been no preparation, no build-up and no warning. The other had sprung it all on them all of a sudden.

"What happened? Did chicken get your tongue? No wait, the real chicken would take offence if I made such jokes and so would the old man. Really, they should retire or die out like that idiot dd. Honestly, losing his core like that" and it just clicked.

This was the bayakko, the spiritual tiger of the 4 divine forces. Someone like that actually existed was this a big and elaborate prank on Mark by the others? 

Actually, the game's guide explicitly said that there were those 4 seats but they were not introduced even till the end. The most famous theory was that it was planned for a sequel where they were the antagonists but there was no data.

Not even minable data or actual name dropping by any major villains. But here was one of those mysterious figured and even in the form of a famous person who made little and too much sense at the same time.

"So what are you planning next? Are we privy to it or not?" Fidi asked the other who was amused at his won words. He was not even expecting their answer and seemed to have given up on the, entirely.

"I'm just here to observe. Think of me as the backup. Now then, you should get ready because I feel it coming. Someone is about to use a mass amount of power and it will affect a lot of people. Well, even him" the finger was being pointed toward Mark who did not know what this was about.

And then the pain started. It was a familiar kind of pain, the same one he felt after the bomb's explosion and his body wanted to move. Mark did not want to but the body felt entitled to do as it wished to.

"Mark?" Alan's voice reached him but it was being covered by a thin veil of smoke over his ears. And eyes. And mouth and everywhere else. It even obstructed Mark from connecting from his senses.

"A fly trying to dominate a predator? How amusing, won't you say Mark?" the pressure receded as the other spoke but it was not because of the voice. It was his own resistance building up against the foreign power.

It took some time but Mark was alright once again.

"What was that shock of power? I was rather weak but still could be felt" Fidi asked in a concerned voice. It was clearly the concern for Mark and not for others who might be affected in the same way.

"A foolish attempt to control their betters. Really, the person using their pheromones to mind control, should know better" someone was doing what? To only Mark or were there other victims as well in their grasp?

There was a loud shooting noise and then another. 

Before they knew it, the whole base had come down into a wild panic because of the gunshots that were just fired just now.

Then a person mindlessly walked in front of the pair, his daze eyes looking at them all but not really seeing anyone significant.

He lept at the group in an attempt to clear their head away from their body but he did not even make half the distance before he lost his consciousness. Everyone else at the party felt gave uncomfortable expressions as well but Mark felt nothing at all.

"Looks like the trouble started. Any idea who did this?" well, Mark had one and only one. Shiro made these bombs so she had to know what this was.

"The resistance did this" and he had proof as well to back his claim. Now they were talking.