Paradise of Infinity: 322 (Patreon)

Title: The Interview

Her bias seeps into her actions once again. It’s natural. Ray would have used her time efficiently and made the best of her abilities had she been a programmed bot. Fortunately, she is lazy, petty, moderately vindictive, and damnably curious. It’s why Ray didn’t just go out of her way to use one of her skills to control her environment using her bloodline, tapping on the resources the ‘meta’ characters represent. Ray may not share Nik’s reservations about often using mind-control skills, but she believes in keeping things real.

The ability to speak, work around personalities, notice slight flaws, and manipulate someone without a bloodline—needs skill and practice. Why?

Because she won’t always be the one with the highest raw stat across the board in every confrontation. Even now, Ray is very limited in her output. Not to mention, Ray’s encounters with individuals seeped in blood and violence, like Balalaika and Chang, made Ray want to polish herself further.

That’s why she didn’t use her skills or persuade Nik to do so against Kunugigaoka Private High’s Chairman, Gakuho Asano.

The slender, fair-skinned man wears his brown hair neatly combed and divided from the center. Despite cold calculations, his brown eyes share a sense of intriguing twinkle unbefitting of a social monster the man turned into if the sawtooth leaf pin on his tie is an indicator enough. Unlike Balaika, from what Ray remembers, Gakuho is a living monster who cares little about anything but the ideals he swore to uphold, even in the face of planet-destroying creatures like Koro-Sensei.

As one would expect from someone of his caliber, his office comes furnished with lavish carpet, tables, shelves, and a collection of personal and general trophies, alongside other small trinkets that tie the room together.

Still in his seat, fingers interlocked above the table, Gakuho stares at the trio. They aren’t dressed for the job they desire, but he admits that fashion is merely the flakiest portion of one’s resume. Their chances of getting a job depend on many other things, often around skills, drive, and teaching models.

“Class 3-E, I assume,” Gakuho begins, his gaze dancing between the trio. “Or was it always your intention to openly identify yourselves as individuals incapable of hiding your lust for fights.” His stare fixates on Nik and Revy, surprising Ray since she never expected Nik to raise any bell from Gakuho—except for having some similarities to being the MC of sour Doujins.

Nik smiles back. Try as he might, he cannot calm down. The fear of the unknown is rooted deep inside Nik when the said ‘Unknown’ seems an entity beyond his wildest imagination. As for Revy? It was perhaps her resting bitch face or the scent of smoke on her clothes from her earlier cigarettes.

“That’s quite the rude deduction,” Ray blinks. “Or is it that the prestigious Kunugigaoka often attracts troublemakers for its employ?” Granted, she is taking liberal advantage of her knowledge, but Ray feels more comfortable getting her way around Gakuho. “Or the information about you doesn’t do the real you justice, Chairman Asano.”

The man lets out an amused hum, “Information, hmm? I apologize for my rude comments. Go on. You three would like a job in my school. Let’s start with a resume.”

“I’m afraid it’s confidential,” Ray shakes her head. In hindsight, maybe she shouldn’t have been so excited to meet Koro to forget about a damn resume!

“That is a shame,” Gakuho sighs. “No matter.”

‘I already want to kill him,’ Revy rolls her eyes as she observes things unfold, as promised. It’s not like she has anything better to do.

“Our school nurtures the brightest minds the country has to offer,” Gakuho informs. “The value of a teacher sums to a recitation of the knowledge printed on the textbook. I suppose even a trained monkey fits that role, but we have a reputation to uphold. It would look quite a spectacle to have someone who looks like they’ve never touched a book in their life teach the classes. Can I interest my confidential guests in a job more suited to discretion, a janitor’s job, for instance?”

“Chairman Asano,” Ray sighs. “Our employer expects your cooperation. I hope you understand it.”

“I do,” The man chuckles. “Do you?”

‘Good,’ Ray sighs internally. She needed a chance to display that she knew things since Gakuho was too clever to spill the beans to unspecified strangers.

“I’m informed of certain matters,” Ray nods grimly. “It’s not the 10 Billion Yen Bounty we are after, but the preservation of mankind.”

‘I don’t know Japanese that much, but I know a ‘Billion’ in almost every language!’ Revy jolts with surprise. What are they talking about?

“Preservation of mankind doesn’t befit my permission, does it?” The Chairman chuckles. “All this is unnecessary.”

“It’s not,” Ray shakes her head. “Our employer believes in consistency. We aren’t here to disrupt others but to help them. It includes working under the school’s superiors when studying the cause of recent panic. The two people next to me are my hired help, but I assure you they are no less professional than me or my employer in their focuses.”

Gakuho stares at the trio, nodding slowly, “Belief in consistency is admirable. But I don’t trust mysterious hires.”

“And yet you trust the words of a creature who threw the world upside down,” Ray tilts her head. “Our employer predicted your hesitation, Chairman Asano. They studied you, and they have a message for you.”

Intrigued, Gakuho smiles, “Please, don’t keep me in the dark.”

“They said your system is in grave danger,” Ray somberly whispers, “A creature of that nature voluntarily teaching Class 3-E won’t settle for anything less than its version of perfection. Perfection for a creature of that magnitude is not something humans like us can compare to, Chairman. The absolute foundation of what makes your school AND you great is at risk.”

She smirks with amusement, her expression almost mimicking what Asano had early on. “Yet you don’t seem to realize that in your peak of superiority.”

“A motivated teacher cannot change an unmotivated classroom,” Gakuho shakes his head.

Ray swallows internally, showing a mask of cool and calm as she smiles, “A motivated teacher cannot change lives, Chairman. A powerful one can.”

Gakuho’s expression freezes as Ray leans on with her words, “Our employer does his research, and his predictions are often correct. We are to be our employer’s eyes and ears to study that creature, but their warning is a gift for you, not a lure for our hire. Do what you want with that knowledge.”

The Chairman looks at the trio before leaning back on his chair. The twinkle in his eyes brightens slightly.

“It seems I’ve been ruder than I realized. Take this chance to introduce yourselves.”

Ray’s expression would brighten if she wasn’t so discerning of it.

“I’m Ray, he is Nik, and she is Revy. While on the introductions, our employer wants his ‘children’ taught by that creature to gauge his motivations. Their name is Hansel and Gretel.”

---

“I can’t believe it worked!” Ray squeaks and giggles uncontrollably. “Did you two see that? I was in my zone!” She stuffs her face with chicken wings as Revy watches tubs of food around Nik and Ray.

“Do you think it’ll work?” Nik questions while whaling down milkshakes. He never knew this world had his homeworld’s HFC knockoff—KFC. It’s just as delicious!

“I’m 70% sure!” Ray grins. “If it doesn’t work, I’ll just use other means. But I’m glad I took the chance to do things this way. It’s fun! Oh, I was so tensed the entire time!”

“So, we’re teachers in a school just like that?” Revy questions.

“That’s a school that would allow the restructure of a shed to gun down a man using military-grade machine guns,” Ray licks the sauce off her lips. “I think we looked plump chickens in comparison. Of course, my beauty did half the job to persuade the man~!”

“Your looks can only get you free cab rides,” Revy snickers. “I’ll be damned if you can get us out of the bill of all this food.”

Ray and Nik share a look before the former licks her oily lips seductively, “Alright, it’s a bet!”

—30 Minutes Later—

The duo strolls the busy Tokyo streets after separating from Ray, with Nik sipping his last Milkshake of the day and Revy still looking dazed and out of sorts.

“Are you still thinking about that?” Nik questions, loudly slurping on the straw, attracting slightly indignant scowls from others that shift to curious adoration in the woman’s case and an even more hateful look from the men once they see him.

“We paid for the food and then ate it,” Revy stares at Nik. “How did that slut get the cashier to pay out of his pockets?!”

“He probably smelled something good,” Nik tilts his head, tossing the milkshake into the nearby trash can without looking at it. “That’s one of Ray’s and my abilities. We’re attractive.”

“Nah, last I checked, that’s narcissism,” Revy smirks, folding her hands behind her head.

“That, too,” Nik snickers, making a ‘V’ sign for one of the pedestrians pointing their smartphones at him. He blinks and looks forward, “Oh, we’re already here.” They stop near the public library. Revy’s expression darkens further as she glances at Nik with disgust and a wronged look. “This is the fun you had in mind?”

“Hmm,” Nik shrugs. “I need to know more about modern infrastructure to improve my holding. And stealing things from a library would brand me a different breed of asshole, so I’d rather study and keep things in my mind.”

“I want to return to Roanapur,” Revy sighs. “I hate how slow things are here!”

“You could read books about guns,” Nik offers as they enter the building.

“Or I could pick a gun and shoot it,” The woman retorts. “Do you think they have porn mags in there?”

“And you call me a nerd,” Nik scoffs.

“What was that?!”

“Me calling you a loser for reading porn in a library,” Nik replies as he walks up to the reception before walking further past through desks and shelves. Revy picks her pace, stomping her way to Nik as he rummages through some basic architecture and engineering books to compare what he already knows from the Fire Nation’s archives stored in his Mental Library.

Rightfully annoyed by his earlier comments and probably more annoyed by the sheer lack of ‘activity’ of the job until now, Revy sits opposite Nik, keeping a stern glare on him with her legs crossed and resting on the table. The half-Chinese ignores the slightly strange and disapproving looks from other silent readers in the library, closing her eyes while tapping her boots together.

“Do you bore other girls like this, too?” Revy snarks after a while.

“I suppose it does suck for you. Others don’t always need me to keep them busy,” Nik hums, flipping through the pages.

“Are you even reading?”

“No, I’m memorizing all of it for now. I’ll read when it’s convenient,” Nik replies, closing the first and continuing to the next book.

“You know, I would have a way to keep busy if you didn’t choose a table in the middle of the library,” Revy smirks, making Nik glance at her before he shares her smile. “When did an audience stop you before?”

She works her jaw before chuckling softly—

“Shhhhhhh!”

An elderly—no, an old foreign woman—glares at the couple from a few tables away, shushing them with a finger on her lips.

“Did that bitch just—” Revy snarls.

“We’re sorry,” Nik smiles apologetically and waves at the woman.

The library had different options for seating. For instance, the lengthier tables to seat several people with the sides of the table suitably covered, the long benches in the corner for those who want to study together, and even smaller tables for couples like Nik and Revy without the sides covered. Nik chose their seats simply for the convenience of the nearby engineering section.

“Hey,” Revy opens her feet to glance at Nik from between the frame of her boots, “Do you really want to do it? I don’t mind the public, but I don’t know about you.”

“Oh my, consent? For me?” Nik touches his chest, “I’m touched, Revy.”

“Keep that up, and you’ll be touching yourself for a while.”

When Revy believes Nik is about to agree, they hear a familiar chime echo from his pocket.

“Shhhhhhhhh!”

Revy deadpans and turns to look at the woman, scowling, “What?!” Her loud bark scares a few academic patrons of the library, solely focused on their books, while Nik whistles softly, “Looks like your wish came true, Revy. It’s Balalaika’s call.”

Revy almost jumps in surprise.

---

Several police vehicles and trucks surround the massive holdings of the Tokyo Port, keeping the news reporters at bay while searching the almost empty area without a single ship docked nearby or giant containers stacked atop each other for import or export.

Someone ransacked the entire port!

“The official statement from the police is that someone knocked out the men at the same time before committing the ‘Heist.’ The ‘How’ is still unknown.” Nik translates the statement while sitting inside Balalaika’s ride alongside Revy. He glances at the scarred leader before questioning, “Did something happen?”

“Ah,” Revy suddenly exhales. “Your supplies, right, Anego?”

“Hmm,” Balalaika nods. “Hotel Moscow’s freighter ship, Marya Zaleska, stored the needed ammunition to carry out the tasks of my alliance with Washimine Group. Now, I only have my men and no firepower.” She looks at the port’s entrance from her window. “I suppose I could plan some ambush with what we already have in the Japanese Branch’s storage, but it’s not enough.”

Nik stares at the port before frowning.

‘Do they honestly not fear the Government’s retaliation?’ He could understand why someone like Accu-mulet wouldn’t care about such fears, but others are very much mortals and limited. What if they cause damage to the extent that they decide to drop some—

Nik blinks.

‘I should do the same and go for their submarines!’

Wouldn’t that grant him a fair sum of AP without much trouble since he’s a waterbender? All he needs to consider is keeping the crew inside the submarine alive, and that’s it! He should get 3 AP or more with each sub.

The second Nik refocused on his objective of earning AP, he looked at Balalaika, “I’m wondering something, Sofia.”

Revy and Balalaika stiffen as Nik continues with an almost eager look. “That ammunition of yours… is most of it to blow things up?”

Balalaika narrows her eyes, “So what if it is?”

“Send me,” Nik grins. “The Dundies can perform some non-lethal assassination AND ruin that location for good. Things work if Kousa Council loses its sources of business, right? Killing their men is a bonus.”

“No,” Balalaika exhales. “It would just leave those men free to back others up and solidify their defenses. They die.”

“Then it’s better to assassinate their leader instead,” Nik scoffs.

“Nah,” Revy flatly replies. “These Japanese Yakuza are only honorable on the outside. One of them would take the leader’s position in the first hour with some bullshit reasoning.”

“Wait, Honor?” Nik blinks. “The fuck do they feel honorable for? Trafficking? Drugs and whores?” He shakes his head. “Anyway, let’s not get off track. It’s fine.” He reasons. “Killing them all in one, well-planned spot works for you, right?”

Balalaika raises her eyebrow, “It can.”

“I can deal with their establishments, and you deal with the men as you like,” he shrugs. “It would save you loads on reacquiring more firepower.”

The blonde contemplates for a few minutes before retrieving a card from her military coat’s pocket, sliding it into Nik’s pockets as her digits brush against his package under Revy’s uncomfortable stare.

“I want that place gone in six hours. Expect your payment once we finish the job.”

Nik smirks, “And I don’t get to negotiate?”

“Balalaika would let you negotiate,” she smiles, taking her hand out of his pocket, “But Sofia’s always been one selfish bitch.”

“Are you two done?” Revy scowls.

“Calm down, Revy,” Balalaika glances at the brunette. “Don’t you know the way of our world already? The strong gets what they desire.”

Revy grits her jaws. She doesn’t care what they do when she isn’t here, but the sight of the woman she somewhat respects being so tight with her ‘dick-mate’ is as bad as seeing a mother rutting with her daughter’s boyfriend.

“Aw,” Nik rubs the back of his head. “That’s flattering, right, Boris?”

Revy’s and Balalaika’s expressions freeze while Boris looks back through the mirror, a rare smirk on his scarred face as Nik visibly brightens. He never knew Boris could smile!

A short scoff leaves Balalaika’s lips as she dismisses the ‘crowd.’

“Now, get out.”

---

As Ray predicted, Paradise divides the concentration of hosts based on the missions available and their priorities. The primary objective target’s location in Japan finds the country housing the highest concentration of hosts. They refused to take significant actions to keep themselves from attracting the primary target’s attention.

No matter how experienced, no host wants to offend a threat ranked 6 by Paradise without adequate preparations.

That’s what even someone as combative as Lava-Head believes. He likes to fight, but he always prioritizes his profits. He didn’t purchase an AP storage chip to fuck around! That shit cost him 40 AP, but it’s worthwhile since it can store an infinite amount of AP for as long as he remains Rank 1. Promoting to Rank 2 will see his use transitioning from Rank 1 AP Storage Chip to its Rank 2 variant.

However—

‘That bastard!’

The ‘Dracule’ scowls while observing the ransacked port. He clutches the oddly squealing scarab in his hand, crushing it with a sickening squelch as its juices spill through his clenched fist.

[Lava-Head: I don’t know what kind of life you lived under Transmigration, but we don’t screw with the Government unless necessary, period! You’re getting out of hand!]

[Managed-Ant: Did you just kill one of my scarabs? Do you know how expensive it was to tame the small swarm of them?!]

[Lava-Head: Keep it up, and I’ll end your whole swarm. You’re only alive because partners cannot kill each other.]

The lack of response annoys Lava-Head as he breathes deeply to calm his cold nerves. He stares at the Police guarding the crime scene until a prompt from the chat module attracts his attention.

[Managed-Ant: I’ll text you the train we’ll meet at later. Try and end me 凸(¬‿¬)凸.]

A feral snarl escapes Lava-Head’s thin lips as his canines grow pronounced before reverting as he forcibly calms himself.

‘Fuck, I still haven’t fully mastered my bloodline. The Epic variant must be even harder to control.’

He sighs as his body slowly melds with the shadows.

***

Alternate Title: Ray Trying To Be Real? *Cue Detroit Becoming Human OST*; The Chairman; New Teachers and Students; Revy In a Teacher’s Suit~; Ray Pulls Every Lie From The Books; Using The Meta Knowledge Instead of Bloodline; A Leap of Character; Ray’s Determination; Ray Finessing Her Way Into The School *Nik and Revy Wondering When They Will Share The Screentime*; A Good Teacher Teaches, A Powerful Teacher Builds; Warning; Ideals; An Honest Chairman That Works On Sundays, Too; Studied; Ray Exploiting Minimum Wage Workers; A Dazed Revy; Library; Shussshhhhhh!; Cockblocked By a Heist; Nik Accidentally Setting Himself To Be Bodied By Sofia, Revy, and Others *Boris Chuckling At His Demise*; Nik: Bet, I’m Doing The Same Shit Now!; Preying on Navy?; A Pirate’s Life For Nik; A New Job; What’s The Reward?; Sofia Has Something Spicy In Mind; Nik’s a Nerd; Nik About To Become Nik The Builder; Insects and Vampires; The Underlying Conflicts Between Partners *Meanwhile Nik and Ray Trying Not To Look At Each Other’s Legs For More Than Five Seconds*