Chapter 542: Finding a demon [1/2]
'Uhm. My {Kindred}? Are you there?'
I could feel a swirling mess of anger, frustration, and resentment. It was obvious that my girls didn't like the idea of being separated. For one thing, as soon as Operation Scissor was over, I was to go to the 32nd floor to recover Evelyn Flowers. What's left of her, anyway.
But that, of course, was not the reason for their frustration. It was due to the fact that although I had originally intended to bring everyone. I knew I could only bring half of them.
The Sirens were immensely powerful, incredibly resourceful, and the foundation of Hellsend. Each one of them was worth a thousand reapers in my book. And that was before you consider how they worked as a unit.
When they were together, they hardly needed words, as they made plans at a speed I couldn't even begin to comprehend. This was demonstrated in full when they turned the Seeker War on its head. Within minutes of their arrival, they were able to take down several Phantoms and completely dominate our opponents.
P1 mercenary Dominic Maegester and his cronies Grampa and Kid were killed with ruthless efficiency. I kept them in mind as I knew they were formidable. Especially after they used their barbaric {Fate} {Libra}. Continue reading at empire
But according to my girls. Dominic died from a teleporting bullet courtesy of Jas. Kid and Grampa, on the other hand, were poisoned by Aki. But they perished by being beaten to death by Liv. In a gruesome {counter} powered trampling according to Lilly.
Of course, that did not include the fight the Sirens had with the Slayer. The plan to kill Andromalius also came from them. If it were up to me, I would bring them all with me for the rescue. But if I did that, I wasn't sure the battle line for the 24th floor would be completed in time.
There was just too much ground to cover. And that was after I didn't even know if it was possible to move between zones. I had too little information. Believing that nothing would go wrong was not in my nature. This land would be my domain. It was my responsibility to protect it.
Of course, I had no intention of leaving the Alpha before descending to the 32nd floor. But if I successfully rescued Evelyn only to return to a ruined base, that would be putting the cart before the horse.
There were few people I trusted more than my own {Kindred}. This base would be the home I would make with my battle harem. The stronghold from which I would weather the calamities of Hellsgate. And possibly the home for my future children.
These selfish reasons made the 24th floor more important to me than a mere battlefront. And the girls had to know that. I didn't know how to explain it, but I sucked it up and prepared to beg the Sirens to understand.
To accomplish both goals, I needed four of the girls to protect my domain. The "defense" team, so to speak. And three of them would come with me to adventure the 32nd floor. The "attack" team.
'Girls, I…'
However, before I could even begin to explain the sirens, they all calmed down. What's more, they began to discuss as they all understood what I wanted.
'Beloved, if you explain it like that, how could I even say no? No matter whether I am on the attack team or the defence team. I will give it my all! I will show the world how powerful we have become!'
'Hmm. If Possum says it is important. Then I will believe it. I'm fine with both roles. I can't wait to try out my new guns. The Hellcats are not ready yet.
But they will be soon!'
'Darling, your plan would require you to divide us by role. You need tanks, allrounders, assassins, and support on both teams. While {Limitless} makes us all a bit more balanced, please take everyone's specialties into consideration.'
'Honey, please think about what you need. Strictly speaking, only Liv is a pure tank. I can be a support tank because of Alfonso. Jo, Robyn and I are allrounders. Jas and Aki are pure assassins. {Regen}, {Rewind}, and {Butcher} makes us all support.
Finally, Lilly can fit into any role, which makes her our ace.'
'Goodness! Sure, praise from you, Bella? Maybe tomorrow we will see pigs fly! But I digress. Dearest, you certainly have a way with words. How can even a briefing sound like a serenade?
My personal squad is also something I have begun to think about in depth.'
"Husband, unfortunately, I do not see how I can help protect the 24th floor after the Alpha is killed. I think I am much better suited to join the attack team. Also, remember that the girls and I received our soulgears from Addison. As a result, we now have improved tactics.'
'Shujin. We have confirmed that it is possible to use the {Portal} from Earth to the battlefront. Unfortunately, we do not know if we can use the {Portal} several floors down. If it turns out that we can, then the selections for both teams will be of little consequence, but if we cannot, we need to be absolutely certain of our team assignments.'
'You all agree with my arrangement? But I haven't said anything yet?' I asked confused.
'Darling, think of it like this. The more you think about an issue, the more we hear about it. You used a lot of brain power trying to plan how to convince us. We heard it all as a result.'
'Indeed. The dripping affection of your thoughts for our sake and the overwhelming trust was quite euphoric, my love. It made me feel blissful that you hold me in such high regard.'
'Possum, anyone who still refuses to listen to you after all that doesn't deserve to be a Siren!'
'As much as I hate to admit it, it would be best to let Bella choose the teams. Husband, we already know that you do not play favorites. So either make the teams yourself or let Bella decide.'
'Dearest, you need the ability to deal with large crowds and a strong attacker. The one with the highest attack right now is Jas. {Counter}, {Gather}, and {Carve} have practically made her a boss killer. As for tanks, Bella needs too much preparation, so either Liv or I would be the optimal choices.'
'Shujin, please note that Jo, Lilly, and Robyn are good choices for crowd control. However, Bella would be far superior to all of them in terms of controlling the enemy. Her children, once deployed, can efficiently cover a wide area.'
Accustomed to them insulting the fuck out of each other, what I heard made my jaw drop. Not only did they dutifully advise me, but they also did not hesitate to praise each other for their strengths.
It showed that despite their own concerns, my goals and safety triumphed over any grumbling they might have had. It made me fall in love with my women all over again.
'My {Kindred}, I love you.'
'We know!' They all thought happily.
Smiling, I resumed my briefing and replied to Santi. The speed of the {Kindred} discussions allowed us to make a plan on the spot, and hardly anyone noticed.
"I know. Therefore, after the Alpha is killed and the Stronghold is retaken. The Sirens and I will split into two teams. I will leave four of my girls behind. Minerva, Rhiannon, Vela and Inari will guard and protect you all. They will answer to the call sign Anvil."