Lord Of Beasts

Ethan remained silent for a moment.

’So I get banned from entering Gates, and now they want me to join a unit to crack down on Titled crime.’

He couldn’t help but smile.

’They really couldn’t find two more suitable people? The two most chaotic Titled they have, both with criminal records.’

It almost felt intentional.

But it also unnerved him that he was being selected as a newly recognised B Rank. It meant they foresaw his future abilities and had their eyes on him. The Blood Demon’s warning replayed in his mind before he looked at the Director of Special Operations within the Association.

’He seems like a slimy dude that you shouldn’t trust.’

Greg continued speaking, ignoring the not-so-pleasant look Ethan was giving him.

"The Association will handle logistics, funding, and operational support. You can also recruit additional personnel should either of you feel someone would complement your team."

"I haven’t accepted yet," Ethan pointed out.

Greg didn’t even blink.

"You will."

"Oh?" Ethan smiled. "What makes you so sure ?"

"Because if you refuse..."

The blue-eyed man’s fist clenched, ready to respond in kind to any threat he was expecting to receive.

"...I’ll simply negotiate," Greg said with a smile.

Ethan laughed. "Fair enough."

He thought for another few seconds, and while he needed more details, this honestly didn’t sound like a fun opportunity. If he wasn’t going to be entering gates, this would keep him busy. And while it was dangerous, it was even more interesting.

"I’ll do it," he decided.

Greg nodded once.

"Very well. But by accepting, you’re also accepting responsibility as leader of the Anti-Titled Crime Unit."

"What?!"

That genuinely caught Ethan off guard.

He immediately turned towards Kaela, as if to get her view, and she simply shrugged.

"Sounds like a headache; I’d rather just punch people."

That was fair.

Still, something about it appealed to Ethan. Not long ago he’d been completely powerless, getting tossed around by Kaela like a ragdoll during their first meeting. Now, she considered him an equal, one powerful enough to lead them both.

The change was almost unbelievable.

An even bigger change was the fact that the former convict who’d spent years rotting in prison was now essentially being asked to become a glorified, Titled police officer.

’Life really is strange.’

But he didn’t mind strange; after all, the norm was boring.

"I said I’ll do it."

He looked Greg directly in the eyes.

"But I’ve got conditions."

Greg didn’t look surprised in the slightest.

"I expected as much."

Ethan smiled.

"First off, that name’s a no-go. I’m thinking something like the Enforcement Unit, and we’ll be Enforcers."

Kaela nodded, "I like that name."

He did too and impressed himself with his naming choice, which had come a long way since calling his at the time Ulfen, Wolfy.

"And you’ll enforce what?" Greg questioned.

"The law, of course," Ethan laughed before becoming serious. "And our wills as the Association’s Enforcers."

That didn’t seem to resonate with the uptight man, but Ethan continued regardless.

"Level with me, Greg. You wanted this to be some off-the-books operation where you get us to cause a mess, then you and your black suits can swoop in and clean it up. That way you get these drugs off the streets without any risk to the association and its reputation."

Greg smiled. "Oh? What makes you think that?"

"Why else would we be meeting alone in this warehouse?" Kaela chimed in, catching Ethan’s drift.

"But there’s more to it than that, isn’t there... Gregory? I think you have some ulterior motives with these drugs that grant an untitled person superhuman abilities. And I bet that your father doesn’t agree with your perspective on things."

Greg smiled again, though even he couldn’t hide the surprise in his eyes.

Kaela, on the other hand, was gobsmacked and looked at Ethan as if he was someone different from the reckless smoker she knew.

"If you and your black suits can get your hands on these drugs and perfect them without the side effects, you could have an army of superhumans at your disposal. You yourself would be able to feel the power rushing through your veins."

The man’s face twitched.

Ethan had hit the nail right on the head, and it was only natural for a man in his line of work to wish to feel such powers.

’Hell, if I hadn’t received my Title, I would probably be looking for that drug too.’

"What do you want?" Greg asked directly, slightly tense.

"Don’t get me wrong, I agree with you and think the old man only has no interest in it himself because he is an A Rank. Let me guess, he keeps shutting this down and prioritising existing Titled, calling them the real thing."

That didn’t answer the question, but Ethan paused and lit another cigarette using minor assimilation with Spark, as if to rub in Greg’s face that he was Titled. He exhaled slowly with a smile, knowing that he had already won the game of wits and had seen through the man who was so notoriously difficult to read.

’No amount of special spy training can hide one’s desires.’

Ethan saw himself in Greg’s inferiority complex and chase of power, wanting to break through that ceiling of being a feeble untitled. And once he knew what the director wanted, he held all the cards in this negotiation.

"Scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours. You want us to basically be Titled cops and stop the spread of these illegal drugs, but also to find the source and bring it to you. We want an actual official unit with autonomy and a fat budget that we can both access."

Kaela immediately nodded and added, "A really fat budget."

Ethan wasn’t finished yet, far from it.

"Second, we need a base of operations and a designated nerd that can handle operations and answer directly to us. You can pick who it is, and whoever they are, they better be good."

Greg nodded.

"That can be organised."

Ethan nodded.

"In return, you get the two of us on the case of whatever these drugs are, and we’ll also crack down on all Titled-related crime. That’s what we do as Enforcers. And before I forget, we should also have authority over your black suits."

Greg seemed hesitant, but nodded again.

"That can also be arranged."

"Good," Ethan was done with his official requests.

"Now, on a personal note, I want continued protection of my family."

"That goes without saying."

Ethan appreciated that response, but his expression became noticeably more serious.

"I also want the best treatment the Association can provide for my Aunt. I’ve seen your medical facilities and healers. If there’s anything they can do for her Parkinson’s, I want it done."

Seeing her becoming weaker every time he visited was one of the few things that genuinely hurt him. If there was even the smallest chance they could improve her condition, he wasn’t about to let it slip away.

Greg answered without hesitation.

"I’ll handle it personally."

It was an easy thing to grant, and would earn him favour with the man who caught him completely off guard in this meeting.

Ethan gave a satisfied nod.

"Good."

He took one final drag from his cigarette before flicking it onto the warehouse floor and crushing it beneath his boot.

"And lastly, I need you to find someone for me..."