At that moment, Nier sat alone in his office. Two heavy cases of cash rested on the desk before him, the faint metallic scent of money mingling with the sharp tang of cigar smoke that lingered in the room. 

He opened one of the cases, stacked the bundles neatly, and fed them into the humming money counter. The machine whirred to life, its rhythmic clicks filling the silence as the bills were tallied one after another.

Watching the numbers climb, Nier couldn't help but smile. Just a month ago, he had been clawing from the bottom, scrounging in the shadows like a rat.  This update is available on NoveI★Fire.net

But now...now things were different. One piece of advice had been enough to shift everything.

"Hehehe… that bastard really got me thinking indeed."

He muttered under his breath, leaning back in his chair as the memory surfaced.

He thought back to the day when all of this began...the day the idea of taking control became more than just a dream. 

From that point forward, everything changed. The life of crime was dirty, bloody, and merciless, but it was efficient... Easier... So much easier than trying to play by the rules of a world already stacked against him.

In just under three months, or sixty-six days to be exact Nier had gone from nothing to a name feared on both opposing sides of Sector 38. 

Friends had been made, enemies buried, and alliances carved out in the sake of blood and money. Taking the North and the South had been no easy feat, but the fact that he now sat here counting profits was proof enough, he had done it.

For the name of the Cult... He manage to achieve the goal of passive income for it's profits.

But you must be wondering, how did he reach here in such short period of time.

To understand this story, we must go back, go all the way back to the Morning of October 15th, 2026, one day after he returned back home from Sector-38.

For this story, for Nier at least was a growing experience. And one that shape his way of thinking even further.

The morning sun slipped through the cracked shutters of the Augustus estate, spilling light across the wreck of a room that Nier called his own. The bed creaked as he rose, rubbing the morning cold from his eyes and stretching his arms with a tired groan.

"Ahhh, man… what time is it, Lisa?"

[10:20 A.M., Master]

"I see. Thanks. Well, I better start the day off right then, that being with a much needed cold shower."

With those words said he  began to dragged himself to the bathroom, the tiles cold under his bare feet. 

The pipes groaned, and soon icy water poured over him, jolting him awake. It ran down his body in rivulets, washing away the remnants of sleep, but not the memories of last night.

"Aaahhh… stop it, please, it hurts!"

The voices of the homeless echoed in his head as clearly as if they were still there.

"At least spare my son… he is innocent!"

Nier lowered his gaze, the image of the father and child still vivid, their terrified faces, the way his tail had sliced clean, ending them both in a single stroke.

"...m-mm-Mon~~ster!"

The word lingered like a broken records. As he ran his fingers through his hair, working the shampoo in until the foam slid down his shoulders, mingling with the water. 

But no matter how much he scrubbed, the memory of last night clung to him. The homeless camp, the pleading voices, the fire in their eyes before he snuffed them out. Man, woman, child, elderly it didn't matter the gender, race, or age, to him they all looked the same, to him they where all just HUMANS.

He had spared no one.

And now opening his eyes, Nier rinsed the last of the shampoo from his hair, and soap from his skin, watching the foam slide down his body and vanish into the drain. He shut off the shower, water dripping from his frame, his maroon hair slicked back as he stared at his reflection in the mirror.

Taking a good look at himself.

He may look human.

But this was just a flesh puppet, or a meat suit by the end of the day.

"I really did all that last night, didn't I?"

He murmured. 

A faint smirk tugged at his lips. The reality of his actions finally setting in.

"Strange… I don't feel guilty. Not even a little. I don"t even feel different. It was like raiding a nest of ants, nothing more. I know this isn't normal, but deep down, I can't bring myself to care. To me, it felt as natural as breathing, walking… living... And to live should never be a sin."

He chuckled more under his breath, remembering Kaly's words.

"So this is what she meant. You look human, you talk human, but inside you are not... your humanity will slowly slip away, piece by piece."

He leaned against the sink, droplets of water still sliding from his shoulders, his crimson eyes burning faintly with a wild gleam.

"Heh… oh well. You can't turn a lion into a vegan, or force a herbivore into being a predator. Nature has its law, its order, its place for all things."

He straightened, that smirk sharpening into something darker.

"And this… this is mine get used to Nier, get use to it."

And yet, even in the blood and ruin, he had found his prize. The greatest moment of last night wasn't their screams, or even their fear, it was when the silence broke, and a new voice finally spoke, or rather pain, but he could understand that pain.

[Notice... you have absorbed +14,380 units of Negativity, after adding all your current and gain, you have a grand total of 44,504 units of Negativity]

"Forty-four thousand, five hundred and four units of negativity… from just one night."

Nier muttered, a low laugh escaping him. 

"Hehehe… pain and evil really are omnipresent. Still, that is a good thing. Hopefully today I can find some recruits worth my time...last night was such a disappointment."

He dried himself off and stepped out of the bathroom, steam curling out behind him as the automatic dryer help to dry his skin. Crossing into his wardrobe, he sifted through the rows of clothes.

Joggers were usually his favorite, the way the fabric slid against his skin always left him comfortable, but today he settled for something simpler. 

A pair of black shorts, a clean white name-brand T-shirt, and his favorite sneakers.

After slipping them on, he took a moment to run a comb through his hair, working lotion into his skin before finishing with a sharp spritz of cologne.

It was then Lisa's voice stirred to life, as she called out to him and said.

[Master, the contractor has arrived. And they are waiting outside in the drive way]

Lisa informed him.

"Oh? That was quick. We only made the call last night...I was expecting them to take longer."

[It's because I scheduled the appointment for today, as you requested. I also placed a planning deposit with Zane Construction]

"Zane Construction?"

Nier let out a low chuckle. 

"So you weren't joking when you said you would get me the best. Those architects are famous for catering to the wealthy. Finally, this yard might stop looking like a ruin mess."

[The Zane family, much like the Garbutts, has their hands in many businesses across the country]

Lisa replied a matter-of-factly. 

[Their construction branch specializes in luxury estates]

"I see…

Nier leaned back in his chair, thinking.

"They are on the intercom, yes?"

[Yes Master... Would you like to speak with her now]

"Wait...did you say her?"

[Correct. The contractor is a female]

A smile tugged at the corner of Nier's mouth. 

"Well then, put her through."

[Very well. I'll connect you]

Thirty seconds later, a soft but professional voice resonated from the villa's sound system.

"Hello? Is this the head of the house speaking?"

"Yes! This is Nier Featherburn Augustus. And with whom do I have the pleasure?"

"Ah, Mr. Augustus, good day. My name is Lorraine Zane. Your assistant reached out yesterday, though a bit late in the night, I must say. She explained that you're looking to rebuild and improve your property. After reviewing both the discussion notes and the scale of the estate, I decided to come myself. A project of this magnitude requires personal oversight of my level."

At the mention of her surname, Nier's eyes widened slightly. A Zane herself came to me is it my lucky day he wondered in that moment. 

Now that was a surprise. But perhaps, he thought, one that could work to his advantage.

"Very well, Ms. Zane. Give me a moment and I'll open the gate. Wait for me in the front garden. Don't worry...there are no animals on the grounds to bother you. Just take a seat until I arrive."

"Of course, Mr. Augustus."

The intercom then clicked off. And Lisa, efficient as ever, began unlocking the gate moments after, allowing Lorraine Zane to drive onto the property.

With this in mind, Nier grabbed his phone as he prepare to meet up with Lorraine saying to himself.

"Let's get a Yandere discount hahaha."