World's Best Protagonist [BL]

Noir was cursing the air while we loaded the vehicle of spatial suitcases that usually the scavenger team is in charge of.

Why, if anyone asks?

Well, our team captain was benevolent for once and granted the other team’s wish—swap places. Commander Lan had approved the request since Class A vortexes are always taken care of by three teams—Charlie, Delta, and Echo.

Alpha and Bravo teams are in charge of Class S vortexes, but due to their rare appearances, the two teams are helping to clear out Class A.

Team Charlie - 02 was displeased that the mission was given to our team instead of theirs, and the worst of it, they were to come as the scavenger team.

I assumed that Claude stole this mission from them, but after I learned about the changes, I couldn’t help but cast Etienne a few questioning glances, but even he was confused at the captain’s action.

"Ah, fuck. Why do I have to do this shit?"

The last suitcase was thrown in the trunk. The backdoor was slammed, garnering a few passersby’s attention.

Noir’s gaze flickered to me. He looked around. After noticing that no one on the team was nearby, he walked up to me, still sporting that annoyed look.

"This is it. Do you have a plan?"

"I don’t."

"You don’t look afraid."

"Maybe I will once I get there."

What’s the point of drowning in anxiety now? I’m not the kind to tremble at the last minute before walking up the stage.

Noir squeezed my shoulders, brought his face a bit closer, and whispered in my ear. "The first thing you must do if you go back to that place is grab the book you said was about me. If you don’t bring it, you know what will happen."

Yeah. Goodbye to my normal Seeker life. I guess next to losing my books, the second thing I’m afraid of is losing my freedom. I once ran away to pursue it. I’m not going to let myself lock up again.

"I understand."

"Good."

Noir tapped my shoulder and smiled amicably. I almost rolled my eyes at him.

"Get in."

My shoulders jumped after Claude appeared behind us and said that. My heartbeat raced wondering if he heard our conversation, but after saying that, he hopped in the passenger seat without a word.

I was relieved.

Allen came. He smiled and complimented me, "You look great in the uniform."

"Thanks," I smiled back. He motioned me to get in already, so I did.

The Seekers’ uniform is a black, sleeveless bodysuit that is made of a flexible yet durable material that clings to the wearer’s form, allowing for unrestricted movement; added with armored plates in some areas—chest, the V-part of the lower body front and back, and shins; paired with black combat boots, and a black tactical long coat over.

On the edge of the collar of the long coat embroidered the team’s division, name, and number.

I caressed the symbol 1-A3 on mine. I felt mixed emotions, staring at the white symbols. It’s happening. I already prepared myself, but I can’t wait to be done with it as well.

The Charlie team’s car overtook us. Noir raised his middle finger to them, and Allen, the driver, sped a little.

Not long after, due to the two team’s sudden race, we arrived at the place earlier than expected. The vortex was in the middle of the ocean, in the northern sea, just above the biggest island.

Mole Island is a small island located a few kilometers from the big one, where a watch tower was built. The plan was to ride a boat to Mole and then, fly from there using Allen’s ability.

I was amazed to see his abilities for the first time. It made sense to me why he was always the one accompanying the captain instead of Terrius. He’s literally working as the damage control.

A ferry was already on the dock. An old fisherman waved his hand at us, greeting us with a warm and grateful smile.

"Thank God, the UAO had sent two teams to take care of that frightening whirlpool as soon as possible! We stopped fishing as soon as it appeared, but even if we moved somewhere far, the nets were all empty."

The old man rambled.

"They say a few beasts escaped and ate everything underwater. We don’t even know how to make a living besides fishing, so I’m really glad that it will soon be over. Thank you, young lads!"

"Don’t thank us. We’re just the scavenger team. They are the ones that will be fighting," Noir answered begrudgingly.

The old man looked back at the Charlie team secured in their seats already. Captain Jerome smirked, looking proud.

Claude ignored his arrogant smirk.

I almost touched his forehead to check if he was having a fever since he was behaving so well. After Terrius and Allen loaded the suitcases into the boat, the old man started the engine and soon the boat was moving.

Someone in the Charlie team stood and faced us, ready to give his speech.

"A reminder to all of you. Don’t even think of getting in our way. Your job is to harvest spoils. That’s all."

"Sure," Allen replied. He looked like he had given up building a civil relationship between the two teams. He wasn’t even advocating for cooperation like he used to the other day.

The Charlie member looked satisfied. He smirked and sat back in his seat, high-fiving with another member.

Once the ferry arrived on the shore, Claude and Terrius began throwing the spatial suitcases at each of us. We were like businessmen heading to a conference with this get-up.

A guard greeted us and explained the current situation in the area as we walked to the observatory—a small open structure on stilts facing the northern sea.

The guard seemed elated meeting an Alpha team, but Claude pointed at the team behind us and said, "Explain it to them, not us."

He walked away after that, followed by his loyal chicks—us. The guard was bewildered, but Jerome explained the matter, and the guard just got more confused. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

They were engrossed in talking, feeling the respect the guard offered them, so they didn’t notice Allen creating a horizontal round shield in the air, outside the fence of the observatory, and a meter just above the water.

They shone green and looked like magic circles.

Claude jumped in and landed on it. It raised him a few meters. The rest of the team followed. The Charlie team noticed us already, and they dismissed the guard to follow us next.

I looked up at Allen who was already up the sky. "Does it come with a railing? I don’t trust my balance."

"Try."

Allen grabbed my wrist and pulled me up. All of them seemed used to this kind of transport, but it was my first time, so my knees wobbled a bit and the green circle tilted. Allen made sure I was steady before letting go.

"Thanks."

Then, the team fled away.

"Wait, what about us?!" Captain Jerome shouted.

Allen was the only one who stopped, looked back, and answered, "Our job is to harvest the spoils, not deliver the rotten."

Noir chuckled. I smiled. Allen looked cool at that moment. We fled away, curses chasing us, but we didn’t care.

The vortex was as terrifying as I imagined—an unholy mix of a black hole and a pissed-off ocean, swirling violently in the middle of nowhere. The wind howled around us, and I swore I could hear faint, gurgling whispers beneath the roaring currents like the ocean was trying to talk but was too busy drowning itself.

"Lovely place," I muttered, adjusting the straps of my gear and relaxing myself. "Should’ve brought a surfboard."

Claude, standing in his usual self-important, ’I’m-the-only-one-with-a-brain’ pose, barely acknowledged me.

"Stop talking. We’re going in."

I glanced at the others. Noir grinning like we were about to enter a carnival ride instead of a death trap and giving me a thumbs-up. Allen looked one nervous twitch away from having an aneurysm.

Etienne was muttering something that sounded like a prayer, Lexie stretching her body, and Terriu just glaring down at the vortex, standing still, completely unbothered.

I admire to be that unbothered in my life.

Claude raised his hand, giving the signal. The wind picked up, a chilling, almost hungry force pulling at my clothes. And then—

We jumped.