Hi3rd: Achievement Hunter

"Nothing. I came here to get some fresh air."

Mobius' perfunctory reply did not have much of an effect on Aponia. 

The former continued speaking:

"Did you plant these flowers yourself?"

"Yes."

"I did not expect you'd know about it." Mobius commented before she asked, "Did you see something?"

"Mn."

It was an affirmative answer.

"Alright, then. I won't bother you for long."

Mobius walked out of the courtyard. It was unknown as to what thoughts she had during this entire time.

Aponia did, however, know why she was hated within Fire MOTH. To the patients she brought, Mobius treated them more like a live subject. The only reason she was willing to trust her was due to Aleph.

It was different from being cold and rational. Mobius acts as if she wants to achieve something, and that something could only be done by exploring the depths of human potential.

Fortunately for her, Aleph satisfied all of her conditions. His body alone contained way too many treasures she hasn't discovered up until now. He tanked 99% of her attention, with the remaining 1% being directed to these opportunities to do 'live testing'.

"The sacrifices you make… Sir Aleph is truly…"

Once again, Aponia began her usual over-the-top compliments—something Aleph could not get her to stop.

*****

Zoom-!

A figure streaked past the night sky.

"Well."

Aleph looked at the 'major achievement' in his sight.

[Achievement Unlocked: A Million a Day]

[A Million a Day: Kill one million honkai beasts within the span of a day.]

"Star Rage… Tsukumo Yuki called it Bom Ba Ye, no?"

He was familiar with that term as it came from a famous boxer in his previous life. It roughly translates to 'finish him'.

That term perfectly encapsulated Bom Ba Ye's destructiveness. Tsukumo could only create a black hole once, either by adding mass on her body or on her shikigami. Since Aleph had enough reserves and could withstand the attraction of the black hole itself, it wasn't a problem to drop off one or two in every city.

That alone increased his efficiency of cleaning up honkai beasts.

Swoosh-!

His speed began decreasing as he neared the Mu Continent. A few minutes later, his feet landed onto the helipad.

Tap-!

Click.

His battlesuit was made up of mostly synthesized fabrics and few metallic plates. It wasn't a big deal to wear it outdoors, nor would it look intimidating to civilians.

He walked across the top floor of the hospital. He bypassed several hospital staff as well as recovering patients. Some of them made their way, while the other patients gave him a salute. Their gestures and mannerisms made it clear they were once soldiers.

Things continued this way until he rode the empty elevator—until it was stopped by a hand.

A bulky man shorter than Aleph arrived. The man, Kalpas, immediately put on his annoyed look. The only difference was his restraint.

"What a coincidence. How are things going on your side?" Aleph asked.

"..."

"I see, I see. Do you want to fight?"

"No."

Aleph was startled when he heard a different answer from what he expected.

"It will be meaningless… for now." Kalpas added.

"Ah."

Kalpas was someone who wouldn't shy away from a fight. His way of recognizing someone mainly came from their pure strength. 

However, Aleph was someone else.

No matter how hard he fought, Kalpas knew he had no chance in defeating him. Even when the Evolution Cube was used on him, he still didn't have a chance. 

It was so hopeless he outright gave up challenging Aleph after three entire months.

Just like that, Kalpas left the elevator. It didn't take long before Aleph also left and headed towards an office.

When he opened the door, the one who greeted him was a familiar friend.

"It's really you."

"Who else do you think it would be?" Aleph rhetorically asked. "Hm, this is just right. Some girls prefer traps nowadays."

"..."

Seeing Su's long hair, he knew there would be more people mistaking him for a woman. That happened way too many times in their school.

"Really, I'm not joking. Or is it that you already found one while we were gone?"

"Stop it. I don't have a girlfriend… yet."

Aleph gave off a light laugh as he sat on the sofa.

"How was it? Your journey." He asked.

"...It's a long story."

"I'm all ears."

Su began telling his stories. He wasn't in Nagazora when the third eruption occurred. The city he was in got affected by the honkai eruption. Undead broke out and truck-sized honkai beast began killing everyone on the main road.

At first, he was with the military—Fire MOTH—but separated once things turned for the worse. He experienced not eating anything for several days. He was there firsthand when the tragedies struck the common people.

It was then that his knowledge in medicine became useful. He landed in the 'Ninth Hospital' and was taken in by a professor who was independently searching for the cure to honkai corruption.

'Ten thousand people to cure one…'

Knowing the things from the game, Aleph took a deep breath. It was such a huge cost to cure one person. Fire MOTH also had several studies as Su's mentor, though it was left to collect dust—except for some councilors who committed heinous crimes just to produce several such cures.

Naturally, Aleph and the rest dealt with them accordingly.

"Actually…" Aleph spoke. "We have a working cure here, right in this hospital."

"...Ah?"

"It's already proven to work for about 90% of the patients we have here. We are planning to include it to our treatment plans, then spread it to other hospitals."

Su fell silent. He felt complicated knowing that the thing they sought was right in front of his eyes. He thought for a while and looked at Aleph.

"What do you plan for me to do?" Su asked.

"I was hoping you could spearhead that operation. You know, we are very short-staffed… with people we could trust. You can bring along your mentor as well."

"...Alright, I'm in."

Without any hesitations, Su agreed.