Date: Unspecified
Ti: Unspecified
Location: Myriad Realms, Card World, Southern Region, Blossom District, Sky Blossom City, TSR Guild Headquarters
"Contact Sansa. She’ll be leading this ti," I answered Henricks, sharing her grimoire ID with him and preparing to dismiss them.
"What? Boss, tell you’re joking," Blair exclaid. When my expression didn’t change, she cried out in desperation, "She’ll use us as cannon fodder."
"If she feels that’s all you’re good for, then tough luck," I shrugged, making it clear that Sansa would indeed be leading the war this ti. "If you feel differently, take it up with her."
Instead of dismissing them, I decided to leave, letting them marinate in what I had said. But I paused and added, "Have the other captains and demigods who are guarding the teleportation hubs and the city stay behind and continue their good work."
Then I gave Luna one final warning. "You, go hide in your lab and bury yourself in your research. If your grandma sees you, she’ll want to kill you—and I won’t be stopping her."
Without waiting for her to respond, I turned to go find Susan, Anna, and Jill. They were confused as to why my subordinates had suddenly gathered them, kept asking strange questions. The won were now interrogating them, demanding they co clean and explain what was going on. I had to assure them that everything was under control before they once again banded together to find a way to screw over like they did earlier today.
"Henricks, why didn’t you speak up?" Blair asked their forr leader, blaming him for not standing up for them.
"How could I, after that pathetic display?" Henricks shot back. "You ran the Freedom Fighters alongside , so you know the bare minimum of resources and capital we need just to keep it running, right? Now tell —how long do you think it would take for us to afford the lifestyle we’re enjoying right now on our own?"
"Our boss invested in us without a mont’s hesitation, not because he had surplus capital lying around or doing charity, but because he trusted our conviction. He saw our thirst to change the world for the better. And now, when it’s ti for us to deliver, you’re wallowing or talking about retreat."
He exhaled sharply. "Honestly, I’m ashad."
"Don’t forget, Freedom City is only a ans to an end. Card World is our ho. Do you really think Her Highness Dalie will always be this accommodating? Have you not t other celestial wills? Or do I really need to spell out what will happen if we overstay our welco?"
"What do you an?" Jax asked, having never considered the questions Henricks had put forward.
Seeing the looks on his captains’ faces, Henricks let out a long sigh before speaking. "All you need to know is this: in the upcoming war, we have to earn back the trust we lost. The boss’s goal and our old cause aren’t that different. So I don’t want to hear any of you say that we lost our cause. That isn’t the case. We didn’t lose it—we modified it."
"We can’t be rigid. We have to adapt with the tis. And if that still isn’t enough to motivate you, then I can only ask one thing—please don’t ruin this chance at redemption for others."
He straightened. "Now ready your troops. I’ll get back to you after I speak with Sansa. Be prepared for the worst."
After Henricks left, Jax turned to the others and asked, "What did he an by saying Freedom City is only a ans to an end?"
They exchanged looks. None of them fully understood what Henricks had been implying with that statent.
Luna spoke up. "I can’t say for certain, but considering that the Lil’ Red Storm Realm’s power-level limit is higher than Card World’s, I’ve always found it odd that there were no life forms of its own. A celestial of its power should be housing powerful sentient life forms but it didn’t. I once overheard Her Highness Dalie talking to Wyatt about creating her own kin. I’m guessing she’s preparing to populate her realm."
She paused before continuing, "That would make us pests in her garden. I suppose that’s why Henricks reminded us not to forget that Card World is our ho."
"Can’t Her Highness Dalie just accept us as well?" Jax argued, sounding like a runaway who had finally found a new ho, only to realize it might never truly be his.
"Sure—when people stop planning their own children and start adopting strays," Luna said sarcastically, finding the change in Jax and most of the captains almost amusing.
These were the sa people who had selflessly fought against the central governnt for decades, sacrificing their wealth and spilling their blood. She still rembered the ti Jax had held off an entire central-region army regint on his own, using necromancy to awaken fallen soldiers and turn them into weapons for his cause.
And yet now, he was behaving like a spoiled child.
"So our fight was never over?" Jax asked in lancholy as the fog clouding his mind finally cleared—the sa fog that had settled when he saw his people laughing in Freedom City, no longer worrying about their next al or whether they would live to see the next sunrise.
"Yep. It never was. We just got a fancier headquarters and a much savvier leader," Luna replied as she headed toward the teleportation hub, ready to return to her lab and continue her research.
However, just as Luna was about to leave, the entirety of Sky Blossom City trembled, as if struck by a massive terraquake. The city’s array formation activated imdiately.
Just when they thought it was over, the tremors from below grew stronger and stronger.
"What’s going on? This can’t be natural—are we under attack?"
"The terrain is brimming with rule power. This is definitely an enemy attack."
"All units, take positions!"
"Just like the good old tis, people!"
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