Black Badger

Shashinsky detected the arrival of Yekaterina and Colton’s car.

And Hildebert Taleb’s vehicle as well.

It seemed everyone had arrived. With time remaining before the meeting, they would likely spend it at their individual villas within the private estate, then gather in the conference room.

Everyone except Hildebert Taleb.

He reported the situation to his master.

Erich Erhart, humming lightly as he watched something on his tablet, brightened the instant he heard the report.

“Excellent!”

Levi’s brow twitched, but Shashinsky pretended not to notice.

“At long last, I’ll be able to have a proper conversation with Prometheus again.”

“We have about twenty minutes left, so I can guide you to your villa. Or would you prefer to go directly to the conference room?”

“I’ll go to the conference room.”

Erich closed the tablet case.

“Prometheus will already be there, won’t he?”

Levi was smiling only with his mouth now.

It was as if black smoke, born of jealousy, were rising off his body.

Shashinsky let out a deep sigh.

Erich Erhart’s underlings were all of the same breed.

People blinded by their blind devotion and love for Erich. None of them had forgotten the hand that once reached down to them in the depths of their personal pits of hell.

That beautiful hand, shining so brightly it made one’s eyes ache.

Even Shashinsky was not free from such feelings.

In fact, perhaps no one was more ensnared by Erich than he was. He had been Erich's longest-serving subordinate. When his athletic career had ended due to injury, plunging him into depression, it was Erich — his college classmate — who had extended that hand to him.

He had never escaped from that day onward.

At least he had not gone insane the way Levi had.

Levi — an orphan of the world, a child who had wandered the streets, subjected to things no one should ever have to imagine.

To that child, Erich must have seemed like an angel.

But the boy had already twisted far beyond repair.

“Second floor.”

“Thank you.”

Erich hummed as he stepped out of the car.

“Let’s all go up together.”

“Yes.”

Levi’s burning eyes trailed after his master’s back.

Shashinsky fought the urge to sigh.

“Levi.”

But he could not hold back a warning; following behind the blond, curly-haired subordinate up the stairs, he whispered:

“Control yourself.”

Levi’s eyes slid sideways toward him.

Seeing his eyes curve into long crescents, Shashinsky finally released a sigh.

“I’m always controlling myself.”

Controlling myself from devouring Erich Erhart.

“Come on. The one with the yellow eyes is already seated.”

Levi gave a faint grin and jerked his chin toward Hildebert.

Between his curved eyelids, his pupils burned with desire. Indeed — Levi’s love was so fanatical it had curdled into pathology, accompanied by the bizarre impulse to consume every drop of Erich Erhart’s blood.

And Erich, knowing this, still kept Levi as his second subordinate.

“Prometheus! Wonderful to see you!”

“Ah, yes. How have you been?”

Shashinsky guided Erich to his seat as Erich greeted Hilde with a wide smile.

But even as he prepared his master’s preferred tea and the cigars his master smoked, Shashinsky could not stop thinking about Levi.

A subordinate who sensed threats to Erich better than anyone — yet was more dangerous than any enemy.

And despite knowing that, Erich — that idiot — had happily gone to visit Levi’s house alone during Shashinsky’s vacation.

Clang!

He set down the tin of tea leaves.

Remembering how he had thrown aside his diary and sprinted straight to Levi’s place the moment he’d heard made irritation rise in his throat again.

And to throw open the door, pale as death, only for Erich to lift his wineglass and say, ‘Oh! You’re on vacation today, aren’t you? What brings you here?’ with that carefree tone—

And Levi clicking his tongue in disappointment.

Honestly, this place was full of idiots.

And the biggest idiot of all was himself — stuck here, unable to leave....

“Shashinsky.”

A soft voice.

Shashinsky snapped out of his thoughts and looked up.

Two golden eyes met his immediately.

Hildebert leaned forward slightly and held out his hand.

“Shall I help you?”

For a moment, Shashinsky did not understand the question.

Then, recalling the man’s nature, he understood — and held out a polite hand to decline.

“I appreciate your kindness, but I’m fine. Please leave this sort of work to us.”

“Then I’ll just make my portion of coffee.”

Hilde answered lightly and reached for the bag of beans.

“You always work so hard.”

With a quiet smile, he poured the beans into the grinder.

Shashinsky paused mid-pour of the tea and watched the Titan standing beside him.

Hildeberet Taleb.

The one currently drenched in his master’s affection, the one under the scrutiny of Sukhoi and Falcon alike.

A key figure who could determine the outcome of the war.

The strongest living being within the Core.

He’s grown stronger.

Seeing the man pour hot water with calm precision, Shashinsky forced down the chill that crawled up his spine.

This man — sometime recently, his skill had leapt forward.

Even before, Shashinsky had never been confident about victory against him. But now it was beyond doubt: he was no match for Hildebert.

This Titan had surpassed Lee Seunghyun’s strength some time ago.

And the fact that he still had not fully reclaimed his past abilities was terrifying.

Meanwhile, Hilde, oblivious to the tension, carefully inspected the filter paper.

“Shashinsky. Offer him a cigar.”

As he turned back to the tea, Erich gave the order in his clear voice.

Shashinsky looked at his master and nodded.

“Yes.”

After serving the steaming tea to Erich, he handed a cigar to Hildebert, who had returned to his seat.

The man took it with a bright smile.

“Thank you.”

Not a hint of caution.

Softly curved eyes, large relaxed hands.

This “harmlessness” was one of Hildebert’s defining traits.

He’d heard that before entering the estate he had a small run-in with a nouveau-riche civilian. Reportedly, Hildebert had simply turned his head along the trajectory of the man’s swinging fist.

A very fitting response for someone like him.

And he had never asked for the man’s name, nor asked Falcon — who had witnessed the situation — to “take care of that person.”

All very «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» characteristic of him.

“It’s pleasant to smoke again after so long.”

“Call when you need more. If it’s your request, I’ll always oblige.”

“Your words alone are already enough.”

But Shashinsky knew the source of that harmless aura.

Overwhelming power.

The ease that grows in someone who has lived their entire life as the stronger one. The composure of someone who knows that no matter how someone strikes or insults him, he could kill them effortlessly with a flick of his finger.

The calm of someone who no longer feels the primal fear of losing his life.

And this was someone who, even without all his power restored, already carried such strength.

What kind of threat must he have been to humanity at his peak?

And how reassuring must he have been to his own kin?

Shashinsky felt he finally understood why the Titans had depended on Hildebert so heavily — and why Hilde had borne that crushing responsibility alone without complaint.

“They’re coming in.”

But that was his story — none of Shashinsky’s concern.

Sensing movement within the mansion, he reported to Erich:

“Wei is first.”

“Hm.”

Erich answered with disinterest.

The fourth Elder never captured his master’s attention.

“Sukhoi and Falcon are entering right behind him.”

“I haven’t seen Jaeyeon in a long time.”

Joy returned to Erich’s voice.

“It’s a bit disappointing that Seunghyun and Yehyeon aren’t here, but... we’re here to discuss a serious matter today, so it can’t be helped.”

Good — at least he understood the gravity of it.

Because he was once Erich’s friend, he could think that way, Shashinsky thought as he followed behind Erich until the Elders finished taking their seats.

Now and then, he checked on the Titan.

Hildebert had straightened his posture and was calmly observing the people entering the conference room.

Judging by the shift in his eyes, he too was preparing to meet the Elders.

Wei and her first subordinate climbed the stairs.

Hildebert stood.

“Nice to meet you.”

Shashinsky watched the Titan walk up to Wei — a sharp-faced, stern-looking middle-aged woman — and extend his right hand with polite restraint.

“I’m Hildebert Taleb.”

“Pleasure. I am Li Wei.”

The Fourth Elder was the same as always.

Sharp yet elegant demeanor. Always composed, never fully relaxing in front of the other three Elders.

And the subordinate behind her was also the same.

Fresh, clean-cut features. Bright expression. Eyes fixed on Wei without wavering.

Radiantly youthful appearance.

Wei did not introduce her first subordinate — her lover — Liu O’Neill.

Though Hildebert seemed to recognize Liu O’Neill.

He must have heard about him from the Black Badger senior aides.

Seeing the faint “How could someone so harmless-looking have made that choice?” written plainly on Hildebert’s face almost made Shashinsky laugh.

“Did we have someone like that?”

Erich, apparently following Hildebert’s gaze as well, asked in puzzlement.

Shashinsky swallowed a heavy sigh before answering in a businesslike tone.

“Wei’s first subordinate.”

“Really? Never seen him before!”

“He has never been replaced.”

Of course, even if told today, his master would forget Liu O’Neill’s name.

Just like he always forgot about the youngest adopted daughter of the Choi family.

The Elders soon finished taking their seats. Shashinsky sharpened his senses as the air thickened.

Meetings involving Falcon and Yekaterina always grated on his nerves.

At least Seunghyun wasn’t here today. Yekaterina had brought three subordinates in his place.

Even without him, his absence alone made the atmosphere easier to bear. That man’s presence was that powerful.

Though ironically, the teacher of that destructive man seemed faintly disappointed that Seunghyun wasn’t present.

It was impressive, in its own way, that she could care for a disciple whose personality was so catastrophically broken.

As he stood behind like a statue, the Elder meeting finally began.

“You already know why we’ve gathered.”

Colton Wiseman’s voice resonated through the room.

Hildebert leaned back in his chair and slowly exhaled cigar smoke.

The fresh, rookie-like Black Badger impression he’d once given was gone without a trace.

“Yes. It’s about the spatial displacement line, isn’t it.”

“According to the Commander’s report, you don’t know the exact details.”

“Correct. I know it in outline, but that won’t help. Inaccurate knowledge is worse than useless.”

“I hear the Bookkeeper is at your cabin.”

Yekaterina brought up Yoow.

“He still hasn’t spoken, has he?”

Hildebert nodded quietly, asking for a little more time.

But the Elders remained skeptical.

No surprise. The idea that a spatial displacement line could form inside a Core was catastrophic. Portals sometimes opened inside Cores for unknown reasons — that was the primary cause of Creatures appearing inside.

But for a Titan to actively, deliberately connect the outside and inside — this was the first time.

And for such a thing to manifest near Black Badger HQ, in the heart of Center Core, heightened the severity.

And the fact that the Creature Hildebert described as a “Usurper” had infiltrated Black Badger HQ as well.

There had been no casualties, but that was only because Hildebert, Lee Seunghyun, and Choi Yun had happened to be nearby.

Remove even one of them, and there would have been deaths.

If all three hadn’t been present, the building would have collapsed.

Possibly the entire HQ.

All from a single spatial displacement line opening in the Science Wing on an ordinary evening.

“That’s how the Second War began.”

Even his master now grasped the seriousness of the situation.

“Prometheus. There’s no guarantee we’ll be as lucky a second time.”

Hildebert answered that he understood the severity.

Of course he did.

But he seemed unaware of how seriously the Elders were taking it. Shashinsky stood behind him, hands folded, listening to the strongest being in the Core report that he would make the Bookkeeper speak within two weeks.

Colton and Yekaterina instantly cut the two weeks down to three days.

Hildebert looked stunned, protesting that “that would only increase the likelihood of inaccurate information.”

The Elders did not budge.

Even Erich did not take Hilde’s side this time.

That alone showed how grave the matter was.

A Titan’s blade pressed against his neck without warning.

Colton leaned back in his chair.

“Squeeze hard enough and a method always appears.”

“You can force someone to spit out anything! But that only raises the odds of false information. Give me two weeks. I know how serious this is.”

“Five days.”

The man standing at the pinnacle of humanity’s hierarchy replied coldly.

“Within five days, make him speak about the spatial displacement line.”

“What? Seriously—”

“If you fail, I’ll have your tagalongs culled.”

Colton declared it casually.

“Whether Creatures kill them, or my subordinates do, the result will be the same if we can’t stop the spatial displacement line.” 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Murderous intent flooded the room.

The air tightened. Breath seized in everyone’s throat.

The pressure was so dense the tableware trembled.

A reflexive urge to draw a weapon stiffened muscle and bone.

Cold sweat rose.

One of Yekaterina’s subordinates instinctively drew his gun. The other two rushed to stop him before he could aim at Hilde. Shashinsky understood the reaction. Jaeyeon’s faint laugh, Levi’s small gasp —

He shared their response. He too had forgotten how to breathe under the force the Titan emitted.

I’m going to die.

The thought came — and only then did he remember how to breathe.

After releasing the held breath, he turned his gaze to the source of the killing intent.

The one sitting, staring straight back at Colton.

The leader of the Titans.

Hildebert Taleb looked at Colton with sharply honed golden eyes.

“Colton. We made a pact.”