CHAPTER 269: THE AOTG WAR: MAYA’S SIDE (01)

--This Chapter is written in Maya’s POV--

Three blocks down from Grey Hawk City Hall, there was a high school called Northmont High.

A few years ago, Miwen and I attended it for a short period, until our family moved away to challenge a Dungeon in another state.

As a private school, it was quite spacious and well-located, near the subway, parks, and the city’s biggest shopping center.

It had five stories above ground and two below, not counting the rooftop, which was open.

Two basements might seem a little overkill for a school, but there was a reason for it.

The school was built after Catherine’s message, by those who experienced the chaos and horror brought by the Dungeons.

Security had been its main selling point since its inception.

In other words...

It was half school and half fortress.

AOTG Member #38: "Argh! What is this bitch-"

Maya: "Please, mind your language on the school grounds."

Thanks to a small tower on its rooftop, the school’s guards had a clear view over its three gates.

Paired with the five other towers spread throughout the campus’s grounds in a star shape, it was easy to notice any threats trying to make their way inside.

After the AOTG’s rebellion, I chose this place as the base of operations for the Aegis Division in my attempt to stop the organization I once was a part of.

The organization I once believed in.

Freedom Hounds Member #5: "It doesn’t make sense! There isn’t an ability that can- Ugh!"

Power For Hire Member #3: "Haah... It’s no use... Let’s just jump her together... Shit!"

Power For Hire Member #4: "How..."

Freedom Hounds Member #6: "Kuh... Haff..."

Having defeated the fifth invasion attempt this week, the strongest so far, I was starting to feel proud of the choice I made.

In total, we knocked down over 200 men.

Yet, even after telling the guys to take these men to the military in the City Hall, I couldn’t let my guard down.

A few steps ahead of me stood the worst opponent.

Throughout the entire battle, from beginning to end, his deadpan eyes never left me, always analyzing my every move, trying to decipher me as if I were a puzzle.

With the power he’d amassed, very few could oppose him.

But the scariest part was that, even in such an overwhelmingly advantageous position, he refused to move so much as a finger.

He knew that it was near impossible for me to keep him at bay, and yet he didn’t attempt a single attack, even from a distance.

It was too much of a risk when his objective wasn’t to defeat me yet.

Still, since he was the only one reaching his goals, I could hardly call this battle a victory.

Erik: "Still a problematic woman, I see. I thought I’d have no choice but to tire you out with overwhelming numbers without Lance’s Gift, but it seems like I underestimated you again..."

Maya: "Well, if it makes you feel better, I’m feeling pretty tired. If you don’t mind, could you retreat this time?"

I stretched my arm and moved it around a bit to show how much of a toll the battle had taken on me.

Erik: "Stop. You’re not going to bait me into attacking you with cheap reverse psychology."

Maya: "What if it is reverse reverse psychology and I’m telling the truth?"

Erik: "...Such a waste. This would be over already if I had you."

That was so unexpected and embarrassing to hear, I couldn’t stop myself from grinning in response.

I was both flattered and offended, so, as per tradition in our family, I decided to address only the compliment.

Maya: "Ehehe~ Thanks, but I’m not that great, you know?~"

Erik: "You’ve been a thorn in my side since the day you joined. The only one I couldn’t get rid of. You understand that, yes?"

I couldn’t deny that.

Back then, I became part of a small group inside the AOTG.

We were often quite successful, so before long, we gained influence inside the group.

Even though it was thanks to everyone’s efforts, they gave me almost all the credit, and I was given one of the highest positions in the AOTG.

It was something like an executive, I guess.

I was basically only under the leader himself, and I was often called to every meeting.

During these, Erik and I always hit heads.

We agreed on a few things, but it was obvious that our visions were totally different... Especially when it came to the methods.

It couldn’t be helped, though.

I’m a bit of an idealist, while he’s what people would call a realist...

I believe in people.

He reads people.

Surprisingly, he reminded me a lot of Miwen, so I had a soft spot for him.

Perhaps this is why he caught me off guard.

Not that I’m trying to cover my own mistake, though.

Even if I could see the darkness in his heart, this was the same for everyone I’ve crossed paths with in the past.

I underestimated what he was capable of, but...

As long as I am who I am, no matter what I see in others, I won’t settle for who they are when I know who they can be.

Even now.

Maya: "You’re annoyed. That’s rare."

Erik: "....Hahaha! Yes... I suppose it is."

I had never seen him laugh before.

Normally, that would be a reason to celebrate.

A signal we were getting close.

However, even to an optimist like me, that twisted smile only caused fear.

Erik: "I wonder why?"

Maya: "Hm?"

I took a step back.

He came closer.

Erik: "I don’t miscalculate. I don’t entertain stupidity. And I don’t play games. So why is it that when you’re involved..."

I didn’t miss the subtle change in his voice.

Or rather, I couldn’t miss it.

The chilling tone it carried remained the same, except now it burned like ice.

Even though they weren’t my words, the sensation in my throat wouldn’t leave me.

And step after step, I found myself with the back against the wall.

Before me, him.

Barely a finger between us.

Chris: "Maya!"

Maya: "Don’t move! I can handle him."

With a swift movement of his fist, he tore a hole through the wall, missing my head by only a few centimeters.

Caught between his arms, I had nowhere to run, as his body was still close enough for me to feel every breath.

He stared me down with his eyes.

I could barely stop myself from cold sweating.

Yet, I lifted my chin.

I met his eyes with the same intensity as he did mine.

This much wasn’t enough to intimidate me.

I wanted to make this clear to him.

Erik: "Earlier, you said that you were tired. The contradiction is undeniable. Tell me, Maya. Were you lying to me?"

Maya: "I’m tired. But not enough to lose."

It’s hard to tell whether or not a bluff has worked against his kind.

But thankfully, I had a lot of experience playing with Miwen, so if I tried a little, I could see through him.

The rest was just up to faith.

If this was the end, at least I’d played my last hand the best I could.

Hopeless hope.

The ambition of the desperate.

This is what I could muster, so it’s what I relied on.

Thus, I had nothing to fear.

Erik: "...You’re smart enough to know that even if you resist, you cannot win. What’s your ultimate goal here?"

Maya: "...After I defeat you-"

I immediately noticed these words were not the ones I wanted to speak.

He had used a Gift to force me into honesty, so I steered away from the entire truth while still being honest.

Maya: "I’ll negotiate a few points with the government in exchange for dissolving the Aegis Division peacefully. If I leverage the reputation I build, we might be able to achieve a good compromise."

That’s not all there was to it, but I believed that having him think I had a concrete plan would help make me seem more confident than I actually was.

Erik: "...What compromise?"

Maya: "What else? A better world."

Erik: "So those ridiculous ideals... If I remember right, that little utopia dream you had wasn’t so far from the Gift-centered world I foresaw. If not for the selflessness you believed in, of course."

Maya: "Don’t bother. Even if it’s a similar end, I won’t stoop to your methods."

I used my elbows to break the wall behind me.

The shockwave caused it to crumble instantly, and the dust caused by its crumbling hid me from his view.

Erik: "Believing in a utopia is already childish. Believing you can achieve it without any-"

Maya: "I don’t need to calculate, I already know the answer. I don’t need to entertain the stupid, I already see their value even when they don’t. And I love playing games."

Erik: "...What?"

Maya: "Hm... It’s getting late. How about you go back home, and I promise to play with you again another time?"

I could tell that, aside from provoking his curiosity, my words didn’t affect him.

Still, he had already admitted that he didn’t understand why he always found himself underestimating me.

As long as he had realized that himself, I could push him in the direction I wanted while making him believe he ended there through his own will.

Erik: "Next time will be the last. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay out of the way. Like your mother did."

I didn’t manage to provoke him.

But at least he didn’t manage to provoke me, either.

Maya: "Mom is definitely planning to backstab you. People don’t call her a fox for nothing."

Erik: "I made sure she won’t".

I didn’t doubt him.

And yet, I was still sure of my words.

If he thought I was a problem, he was going to be in a world of hurt once Mom revealed her cards.

Maya: "...Wanna make a bet? When the dust settles, if you’re below me... You’ll follow me. No complaints allowed."

Erik: "And after I win?"

Maya: "Whatever you want from me."

Erik: "You’re lucky that I know how useful you can be. We have a deal."

Just like that, using the powers he took from so many people, he vanished from sight, instantly, without so much as a noise.

The look in his eyes hadn’t changed much since the battle began, so it was hard to determine how much more serious he was now...

Yet, deep down, I knew that for better or for worse, he wasn’t lying, and that the battles were only going to get harder from this point onwards.

Still, I let out a sigh of relief.

Not because he was finally gone.

But because I had finally gotten what I wanted.

A chance to correct him.

After all, he was essential to my goals.

It’s just a shame that such an important piece mistook itself for a player.

On the bright side, once I’ve properly polished him, I’ll be only a step or two from the only victory that truly matters.

Maya: "...I hope Miwen joins soon."

He was taking more time than I thought.

It made me happy that he’d started to grow, but...

I needed him to play the game.

There’d be no point otherwise.