World's Best Protagonist [BL]

The next time I opened my eyes, I muttered a curse as soon as I felt the air on my skin. Where am I? In hell, already? Why is it so damn hot in this place?!

"You’re awake."

Diego’s voice came behind me. I jerked away after realizing I was on his shoulder, dangling like a sack of rice. I looked up, my back curving upward. My eyes could see nothing but smoke rising to the sky.

At a far distance, I could see a volcano erupting... wait, why is that bulk of flaming mountain moving? Te Ka, is that you?

"Where are we?"

My body was hurled to the ground. I groaned after hitting a solid surface. Thank God, it wasn’t magma. I suddenly remembered my first day of training.

"Inside an Infernal Vortex," Diego answered.

So, the simulations were created after vortexes, indeed. I thought they were exaggerated. This means an Infernal Vortex appeared. This must not be in the jurisdiction of the 1st Division. If it was, there was no reason the captain would not inform me and Noir.

I sat upright. The floor was warm, but looking around, I saw small houses, small patches of grass, and...humans...?

"What the..."

"Surprised?"

My head spun to my father. He opened his arms like he was showing me his armpits. Then, he spoke as if he was the lord in that small town.

"This is what I’m telling you, Jade." You did not tell me anything about this, crazy father. "This is what the Overlords aim to do. A new world. A new civilization."

What...does he mean those humans are...

My eyes darted back to the humans, a group of family of three. Mom, Dad, and child. A unit in each house. All looking at us with fear and oppression.

No. They’re not humans. I mean, Earthlings. Their figures are similar to ours, but their ears are elongated. Fairies? Elves? What are they?

One kid met my eyes. His face scrunched and he started to cry. The mother quickly hugged and consoled the child, while the father hid them both behind him as if I was going to attack them just because the kid cried.

"Ah, looking at those eyes, I could tell this information was not disclosed to Seekers. They and their faux principles! Vortexes aren’t just a place of carnage, of monsters, and or a battlefield! They are portals leading to a new world. Look at this," he gestured at the surroundings.

Despite the cracked lands, burnt trees, and hot, humid air, lives are sprouting. Not monsters. Not some beasts whose only instinct was to kill and eat.

Vortexes are worlds where a different breed of humans, and intelligent creatures, reside. It means those monsters that the Seekers fight are also monsters in their eyes. And to them, Seekers are heroes.

Is that the reason why, despite the evident fear in their eyes, they bowed to us? This is their territory. They should be chasing us away.

No, wait. If there’s a boss monster in this world, then, who is in charge of defeating it? I glanced over at what seemed to be a huge block of molten rock moving from the distance. It’s fighting something.

Seekers.

Seekers are risking their lives fighting that monster, but these scumbags here are building their empire. What a bunch of motherf*ckers.

I glared at my father. My eyes burned with rage.

"Why did you bring me here?"

He fucking smirked. "I wanted to show you what my goals are. You’re clueless and stupid head won’t understand it using mere words, so here it is. Vortexes kept appearing on Earth. Don’t you think it’s calling us?"

"What bullshit are you spouting?"

"It’s not, Jade. Earth is bound to be destroyed. Lives are bound to end. As I said, every power has a limit. So, instead of raiding vortexes and fighting monsters nonstop, why don’t we just relocate the citizens to a world where vortexes don’t appear?"

"And what? Invade someone’s world? Just like those monsters did to Earth?"

Sergio shook his head. "Where different from monsters. We’re not invading. We’re simply immigrating. That’s what we’ve been trying to make the UAO understand, but they’re just too stubborn. Soon, their resources will run out, their Seekers will too. There’s nothing else to be done if the Earth has reached its end. Then, what’s wrong in saving as many lives as possible?"

My jaw clenched. I almost burst into laughter hearing that. Him? Thinking of saving lives? Total bullcrap.

"That’s also the purpose of forcefully awakening those who had joined us. In this fantastic world, they can adapt as long as they are strong. I’m going to build a kingdom that will protect its people."

I almost puked. Please, stop him.

I know very well that all he wanted was to be on the top. Money, power, influence, respect and obedience of the people, everything he wanted, he could get as long as he sat on the throne.

I never imagined a world outside the monster’s lair. So, I was never curious to explore the vortex. But how did these scumbags get to enter the vortex? And how will they exit? If the Seekers—

"My lord, the Seekers have overwhelmed the boss monster now. I believe it won’t be long until they kill it," one of the bulky men appeared suddenly and reported to Sergio.

My brows furrowed. They were monitoring the fight. If the Seekers killed the boss and exited the vortex, the vortex on Earth would disappear; therefore, locking us in this world.

What did Claude say before?

The overlords plan to capture the boss monster and keep it alive, so the vortex won’t close. That way, they can come and go whenever they want.

The old man replied, "Create distractions. Make sure they don’t kill it. Infernal Vortexes seldom appear. But this kind of vortex is what suits me. I’m thinking of building a place here."

"Yes, my lord."

Four of his minions disappeared.

Now that it was quiet, I suddenly recalled something said by the director of the NMA. I turned to this world’s creatures still watching us from afar. They all looked terrified.

I didn’t want to get them involved, so I took advantage of the lesser number of people and ran toward the boss monster.

Everyone’s power was nullified. Still, the other men caught up to me, including the mad dog.

"Where do you think you’re going?" He yanked my hair and pulled me backward.

I glanced back and sighed in relief to see that I had run quite far. Now those people, or whatever they are called, won’t be harmed. I laughed when I saw my father chasing us, panting, like the rest of us.

The mad dog dragged me back. Cursing under his breath. I just smirked, looking at the dark sky filled with smoke. Yup, it’s coming.

One mistake they did, was fucking bring me inside the vortex. Now, let’s see if what Director Alistair said is true or not.

If it’s true... it’s time to accept the truth then.

If it’s not...I’m doomed.