October 13th, 2026 Friday, 11:34 P.M.
Esther BPO, 3rd Floor.
Lunaris City, Federal Assembly of Aeloria Planet Gaia.
The unified supercontinent of Terra.
In the dimly lit expanse of the office building, a lone figure sat hunched in an office chair, bathed in the soft glow of a flickering computer screen.
The air humd with the distant whir of machinery, punctuated occasionally by the echo of footsteps traversing the empty corridors. With a headset snug against his ears, he navigated the final monts of yet another late-night shift at Esther BPO. Nier Featherburn Agustus, 36, with his dium-length, curly maroon hair and piercing red eyes, appeared to be an ordinary office worker at first glance.
However, beneath that unremarkable facade lay the burden of an extraordinary legacy. A curse that had haunted the n of his bloodline for generations. He often mused that were it not for the distinctive red of his eyes, he could easily blend into the mundane backdrop of office life.
"Sir, yes! The total cos to 568 Carlees."
He spoke into the headset, his voice steady as he engaged with the custor on the other end of the line.
"Mhm... so what will be your thod of paynt?"
He listened intently, fingers tapping rhythmically on the desk as he spoke along looking at his computer screen.
"I see, via Unitycard... sure, just send your credentials via our company email and we can take care of it on our end."
As the call ca to an end, a weary sigh escaped his lips.
"And of course, he hangs up without a proper goodbye. That'll cost a -2 on my QA score for sure."
He muttered, leaning back in his chair.
The night stretched on, and his patience wore thin.
But as he goes on, eventually only three minutes remain till the end of his shift, but this last call goes on far longer than he personally would like, till he reluctantly accepts the overti, after all, he was used to this routine, given that overti had beco a part of his life.
After all, how could he complain, today was his day off, but Nier himself had volunteered for the extra hours, trading shifts with a colleague who had family obligations.
With no one waiting for him at ho, he didn't mind the late hours too much. A quiet night in front of the television, perhaps a movie or two, was all he yearned for after a long week, especially when he had his ti off.
Thankfully, he didn’t have to work the weekend this ti around.
But on that note, Nier began speaking to himself, as he said.
"Hmmm... man, I could use a nice bath when I get ho."
He said this aloud as he got up from his seat, logged out of his Xcall, and shut off his monitor.
Right after clocking out, he made his way to the locker room, gathering his belongings, a rucksack containing his phone, wallet, and essentials. The motions of his routine had beco second nature over nearly eleven years on the job, each step a well-practiced dance on his part as he liked to call it, given this was his normalcy outside his unique situation.
As he exited the building, he waved to Benson, the ever-watchful security guard. A small yawn escaped his mouth as he approached the front desk.
"Man, how I envy you right now!"
Nier stopped to look at him, replying with a faint smile.
Chuckling at his comnt, he replied back to him as such.
"Hehe... I’ll be saying the sa to you co early Monday morning."
Benson chuckled right back at the comnt, waving him off but not before adding.
"Have a good weekend, buddy... also, watch out for any Fluxes out there. I heard they’ve been showing up quite a bit lately, safe area my ass… No one is safe with those abominations flooding our world like they own the place… tsk Well, it is still better than joining the military and going on the frontlines… humans like us can’t do what those Hestas can do… but better them than us yah know."
Nier closes his eyes and nods his head in agreent while saying.
"That we can agree on comrade… but I ain't no stranger to danger… I am a selfish man, I love life and like a roach, I will strive to the end, like hell, I am going to make so damn Flux take down so easy… honestly, that is the day hehehe… but I’ll try to be careful though... I don’t want to end up like Maria."
Benson’s expression shifted slightly, his curiosity piqued.
"...Speaking of Maria... any clue what got her?"
Nier nodded solemnly before responding.
"The news said a skinwalker got her... killed her whole family. Her eldest son is lucky to even be alive."
Grimacing at Nier’s comnts, Benson replied back.
"Oof… tragic I hope the kid is alright losing your entire family just like that, I can't even begin to imagine."
A small sound of discomfort escaped Benson's lips before he continued.
"Be safe out there, man... the world ain't what it used to be, I tell ya. After the Great Cleave, this world we live in has gone to shit. Sure, it’s rare to run into a Flux in a safe zone, but the chances are still there ya know. Thankfully, I keep my little brother strapped to at all tis."
With a grin, Benson pulled out the AF492 Pistol, a unique firearm specifically designed to detect and activate in the presence of Flux energy.
The weapon's advanced technology enables it to sense the unique energy signature emitted by Flux entities, ensuring that it only functions when such a threat is nearby. Despite its compact size, the AF492 packs a punch capable of blasting through solid concrete walls with ease.
However, due to its specialized chanics, the weapon cannot be used against humans. It is calibrated to ignore normal organic life, focusing solely on the distinct energy readings Fluxes radiate.
For civilians, owning an Anti-freak weapon is not just legal, it’s practical. In a world where encounters with Fluxes are increasingly common, these weapons have beco essential tools for personal safety.
As the threat of Fluxes grows, daily life has adapted. Coexisting with monsters ans civilians must arm themselves with Anti-Freak weapons, tools designed to make even monsters hesitate when humans are ard and ready.
These pistols balance functionality and accessibility, empowering ordinary people to defend themselves against the unpredictable dangers posed by these creatures.
Of course, they aren’t 100% guaranteed to save you, but they’re usually enough to deter most low-level Fluxes, given that most are mindless beasts. Only a rare few possess intelligence, and encounters with those are exceptionally rare.
Maria, Nier’s forr coworker, wasn’t so lucky. She had the misfortune of crossing paths with a skinwalker, a Class Yellow-level threat.
These kinds of Fluxes are usually harmful to specific types of people or thing, aning their actions are for the most part uncertain, but overall, usually have so form of subjectivity behind their actions, and are among the rarer types of Fluxes docunted. According to the Global Flux Archive, skinwalkers were officially classified in 2019, making them one of the most infamous entities to date, given they have the intelligence to be a serious problem, or rather they can mimic the intelligence of their victim.
On the other hand, Nier chuckled as he unstrapped his own gadget and placed it on the counter for Benson to see. The mont he did, beads of sweat began forming on Benson's forehead, and a low whistle of recognition escaped his lips.
*Whistleee!*
Benson whistled in surprise, and continued as he said, making further comnts.
"I take back what I said, if anything, the Fluxes are the ones that should be worried. But Jesus, Nier, not even the Big Boss has one of those! Damn, so the rumors were true. Instead of finding a wife, you’re spending your earnings on strange gadgets that make people question your sanity."
Nier didn’t reply imdiately. He had his reasons for buying the device, reasons he rarely shared. Hell, he even took out a three-year loan to get it.
As such he replied calmly.
"Well call insane… but there are tis you need sothing dead or seriously hurt, even a human being if they heheh… overstep their boundaries."
When Nier Said this, Benson replied back with a worried and surprised face as he said.
"You said that as if you yourself have used that thing on a human before…
Nier just smiles causing Benson to sweat beads as he nervously asks.
“Nier… y-o… you're joking right?!”
…
"Nier…
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
User Comments
0 comments from readers