Bloodstar System: Infinite Evolution Through Beast Slaughter

Orson’s face had gone dark enough to drip.

"Impossible."

He paced the chamber, certainty hardening with every step.

"I placed eighteen patrol teams around the school. Every camera feed is under my control. Even a fly entering that place would have its sex checked."

"And even if someone managed to call the police, our people inside the department would intercept it immediately."

The more he spoke, the more convinced he became.

He turned toward the manager sprawled on the floor.

"Has anything come back from the school?"

The man froze, hurriedly checked his phone, then shook his head.

"No. No reports of anything unusual."

Orson slammed a palm onto the table.

A cold smile returned to his face.

"As long as nothing happened to Dace, they have nothing on us."

"Antares Command made all this noise, yet they came without a search warrant."

"What does that tell you?"

The black robed envoy considered it.

"They are bluffing?"

"Exactly."

A sharp gleam entered Orson’s eyes, the look of a man who believed he had seen through everything.

"I heard Norcrest just appointed a new Frontier Marshal."

"He wants to use House Hurst to establish his authority."

Orson settled back into his chair and straightened his collar, all the composure of a powerful family head returning at once.

Manester might have given him pause.

That old fox knew how the city worked.

But some newly appointed brat?

He thought he could challenge Orson?

"Since they want to play, I will make it worth their time."

Malice flickered through his eyes.

"Contact every media connection we have."

"Television stations, newspapers, online personalities. Bring all of them here."

The manager blinked.

"Reporters? Now?"

"Idiot."

Orson’s voice cracked across the room.

"Antares Command has surrounded law abiding citizens without evidence, entered private property, and restricted our freedom."

"This is enormous news."

"I want all of Norcrest to see it."

"No. I want the entire Aurelian Dominion watching."

"I will bury them under public outrage."

The plan grew more perfect in his mind with every passing second.

All he needed was time.

Stall them.

Muddy the waters.

Antares Command was an official organization. Public pressure was exactly what they feared most.

And those few precious hours would be enough for Dace to finish the last of the feed and complete his breakthrough.

Once Dace reached Rank Five, everything would reverse.

It would no longer be Antares Command surrounding House Hurst.

House Hurst would wash Antares Command in blood.

"Excellent."

A sinister laugh slipped from beneath the envoy’s hood.

"A fine calculation indeed."

"Let them stand guard outside. We could use the time to finish our preparations."

Orson smiled with satisfaction and walked to the surveillance screens.

Rows of black armored vehicles filled the feeds.

"What a pity."

"That new Frontier Marshal is destined to become the first stone beneath House Hurst’s rise."

He studied the images with open contempt.

"What expression do you think that fool will make when the evidence he is so desperate to find becomes a Rank Five god capable of crushing him with one hand?"

His laughter filled the chamber.

He was so certain that he never even considered contacting Dace to confirm the situation.

Why would he?

Dace was a peak Rank Four Fiend, surrounded by subordinates, hunting a group of defenseless students.

It was no different from releasing a tiger into a chicken coop.

What could possibly go wrong?

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

...

Top floor of Alkaid Authority headquarters.

Inside the supreme command office, two wicker chairs sat before an enormous window.

Beyond the glass, the lights of Norcrest stretched into the distance like glowing rivers.

Manester lifted the steel cup issued to him as a recruit and took a slow sip.

For once, he looked relaxed.

Across from him, Kyo sprawled in the other chair and watched the city below.

"What is it?"

Manester lowered the cup.

"Going to miss the view?"

Kyo scoffed.

"I got sick of this place years ago."

He pulled a wrinkled transfer order from inside his coat and waved it in the air.

"The assignment came through."

"I leave in a week at the latest."

Something tightened briefly in Manester’s eyes, then passed.

"That place is not Norcrest."

"The Voidbeasts are stronger, and the people are far more complicated."

"With that temper of yours, try not to offend everyone the moment you arrive."

Kyo rolled his eyes.

"Save the funeral speech."

"I am about to break through Rank Six."

"With that kind of strength, anyone who comes after me had better decide whether they can afford to lose a few teeth."

Then he looked at Manester’s stern face and grinned.

"I thought you would be crying and begging me to stay."

"Back then, you could barely sleep whenever I was not here holding the line."

Manester snorted.

"You think too highly of yourself."

He turned toward the city.

A smile crept onto his face despite his effort to hide it.

"I have Joren now."

At the name, Kyo took one look at Manester’s expression and immediately decided to ruin it.

"Keep dreaming."

"That kid is a walking disaster."

"One day he will tear a hole through the sky and leave you to clean it up."

Manester waved him off.

"Impossible."

"He took office today. He is probably learning the work, inspecting the lower divisions, or building goodwill among the troops."

"You can sit there and be jealous."

The more he spoke, the happier he became.

Before long, he was humming some ancient tune whose name neither of them remembered.

In his mind, Norcrest was already thriving beneath Joren’s leadership, while Manester himself went down in history as the man who had recognized the boy’s potential.

Then the alarm screamed.

The highest level alert tore through the entire Alkaid Authority building.

Manester and Kyo launched out of their chairs at the same instant.

Two immense auras burst through the office, sending documents spinning everywhere.

The door slammed open.

A communications officer rushed in.

"Commander!"

"Something happened. Something huge!"

"All combat units of Antares Command have deployed."

"The heavy armor battalion, the aerial assault force, the special operations brigade. Everyone."

"Three thousand fully armed personnel are moving on the wealthy district."

Manester’s mind went blank for a beat.

"Who gave that order?"

The words came out as a roar.

Without the Commander’s signed authorization, who would dare mobilize all of Antares Command?

The officer swallowed and looked carefully at Manester’s face.

"It was Frontier Marshal Joren."

Manester’s mouth fell open.

He looked as though someone had shoved a live frog into it.

Kyo’s eyes went wide.

"Joren?"

Manester could feel his blood pressure racing straight toward his skull.

"What is he doing?"

"Why is he taking thousands of troops into the wealthy district?"

"Are they having a group barbecue?"

The officer shrank back.

"The Frontier Marshal issued a purge order."

"His exact words were..."

He paused, then tried to imitate Joren’s tone.

"Not even a fly gets out."

No evidence.

No procedure.

He had mobilized the military and surrounded one of Norcrest’s great families.

Kyo finally recovered and swore aloud, though the expression on his face was almost delighted.

Manester heard nothing but a ringing in his head.

A moment ago, he had been imagining a peaceful retirement.

Now Norcrest might be on the verge of chaos.

Without airtight evidence in Joren’s hands, the consequences would be impossible to contain.

Higher command.

The media.

Public opinion.

They would drown him in spit before the night was over.

Manester moved like an enraged lion.

His body blurred across the office, smashed through the window, and plunged from the tower.

Kyo stood by the shattered opening, shaking his head as laughter brought tears to his eyes.

"To think I get a show this good before leaving."

He raised one hand.

The heavy sword behind him flew into his grip.

"No chance I am missing this."

"And I have hated those bastards from House Hurst for years."

Boom!

Kyo jumped after him.

The communications officer remained kneeling amid the wrecked office, staring into the wind pouring through the shattered window.

They just left?

No one had even told him how he was supposed to write this report.