The Damned Demon

Remy stood among the crowd, surrounded by his friends and admirers. His friends clapped him on the back, while others showered him with congratulations and well-wishes. Smiling politely, Remy returned their excitement with friendly grins and nods. But behind that smile, a knot of unease twisted in his gut. His mind kept wandering back to the letter he had received earlier that morning. The letter\'s ominous words had rattled him enough that, upon the sender\'s warning, he had immediately destroyed it.

Remy didn\'t know what to expect on Mars. The secrecy, the intense preparations, and the rumors swirling within the academy had only fueled his anxiety. And after being confined within the academy grounds, unable to even step outside, something about this journey didn\'t feel right.

Suddenly, the lively chatter in the hall was replaced by silence as Professor Jim entered, his presence commanding immediate attention. The professor offered Remy a warm smile. "Remy, it\'s time," Jim said with a nod, gesturing for him to follow.

Remy hesitated for a brief moment but then fell in step behind the professor. As they walked, Remy noticed that other genius students were being led away by different professors. Each group seemed to be heading in separate directions. That struck him as odd. He was the only one being escorted alone.

Remy frowned slightly, glancing at Jim. "Professor, why am I being taken out of here alone? The other students are all in groups."

Jim didn\'t break stride, his voice steady as he explained, "It\'s part of the security protocols. You\'ve heard about the protests against the Mars Vanguard Initiative, I\'m sure. Some fanatics don\'t agree with it, especially after our association made it clear that anyone who backs out would be ostracized and blacklisted. For good reasons, of course, though, they would never accept them."

Remy\'s brows furrowed as he listened. He had heard whispers of the protests—how some accused the WHA of running shady operations and forcing this Mars Vanguard Initiative on all Hunters for dubious reasons.

He couldn\'t help but agree, in part, with the concerns of the protesters. "I heard about that, but is it really that bad?" he asked, still uneasy.

Jim glanced at him, his expression serious. "Some of these fanatics would do anything to sabotage the mission. Some are part of cults, ordered by demons to slow us down. There are also extremists who might try to harm students like you who are taking part in the initiative. That\'s why we\'re taking extra precautions. And you, Remy… well, you\'re considered extra special by our academy. They want to ensure you have the best protection."

Remy nodded slowly, forcing a smile. "Extra special? I wouldn\'t consider myself that," he said, though inwardly, his unease deepened. Something about this explanation didn\'t sit right with him.

"Hoho. See. Your modesty is one of the things that make you special compared to so many Hunters," Jim said with an appreciative smile.

As they continued walking, Jim led him through a series of secretive corridors that Remy had never seen before. The halls were empty, devoid of the usual hustle and bustle of academy life. Dim lighting flickered overhead, lighting up the cold, metallic walls. The further they went, the more isolated Remy felt.

Eventually, they entered an underground clearing—dark and vast, with huge armored water trucks and boats lined up in neat rows.

Remy knew these vehicles were ones that could both be used on waters and land. Since this entire academy was situated on an island, he figured they must be planning to navigate out of the waters using these vehicles.

Armed guards in heavy armor stood around, their weapons gleaming under the dim lights. It felt more like a military base than something that would belong in an academy.

Remy blinked in surprise, taking in the scene. "Is… is all this really necessary?" he asked, his voice betraying his confusion. "Why can\'t we just use a teleportation portal to get to the Bridge Station? Wouldn\'t that be safer?"

Jim shook his head, his expression unwavering. "Teleportation portals aren\'t an option. The Bridge Station is too far away, and using portals would emit energy signatures that could expose its location. We can\'t risk that. So, we have to do things the old-fashioned way."

Remy\'s frown deepened. He didn\'t like this. Everything felt off—too secretive, too heavy-handed for what was supposed to be a monumental step forward for humanity. "I see," he murmured, though doubt gnawed at him. He glanced around at the heavily armed guards, their presence doing little to calm his nerves.

Jim placed a hand on Remy\'s shoulder, his grip firm but not unkind. "Don\'t worry, Remy. You\'re in good hands. We\'re just taking every precaution to make sure you arrive safely."

Remy forced another nod, his mind racing as Jim gestured toward one of the vehicles. But before he could move, the doors of the underground hall slid open with a soft hiss, and a woman stepped in. She was strikingly gorgeous, with chocolate brown eyes and silky, cascading brown hair, clad in sleek silver-blue armor that seemed both functional and elegant.

Jim\'s face brightened as he saw her, "Amelia. I was beginning to wonder if you\'d make it on such short notice," he said with a chuckle, visibly more relaxed.

Amelia smiled apologetically, her voice warm and sincere. "I\'m so sorry about that. I was in the middle of something when I got the message that I needed to help escort Remy to the Bridge Station." Her gaze shifted to Remy as she stepped forward, offering a handshake. "You must be Remy Eleanor. I\'ve heard a lot about you. Consider me your big sister for the trip—here to make sure you get where you need to go safely."

Remy blinked in surprise, quickly gathering his composure as he offered a polite smile and took her hand. "Pleased to meet you, Miss Amelia. I\'ve heard great things about you as well, and I\'m honored that you\'ll be personally helping me, though I hate to trouble you."

Amelia chuckled softly, the sound putting Remy at ease almost instantly. She patted him lightly on the head, a friendly gesture that caught him off guard, "Don\'t worry about it, Remy. I\'m happy to be here for you."

Oddly enough, the anxiety that had gnawed at Remy\'s mind all morning seemed to lessen just by being in her presence. Despite knowing she was an elite Hunter ordered by the WHA to ensure his safe passage, her easygoing and warm demeanor made him feel a bit more secure about the whole ordeal.

But just as Remy was beginning to feel more at ease, a gruff, annoyed voice echoed through the underground facility, shattering the moment. "Why are you people wasting time standing around? Get inside the damn trucks already and prepare to get the boy out!" Nôv(el)B\\\\jnn

The guards, who had been lingering nearby, quickly scattered to their positions. Remy and Amelia both turned toward the source of the voice to see none other than Supreme Commander Lenny Stan, storming in with a grumpy expression plastered on his face.

"Commander Lenny," Jim greeted him with a smile, trying to diffuse the tension. "We\'re all ready and will be in your care during the transport."

Lenny forced a smile as he regarded Jim. "I still don\'t know why the president wanted me to personally oversee this when you could\'ve handled it on your own, Jim," Lenny grumbled, before his gaze shifted to Amelia, lingering just a little too long as he eyed her from head to toe. The licentious glint in his eyes didn\'t go unnoticed. "But... I suppose I can\'t complain when a pretty and strong Hunter like you is here to keep me company."

Remy stiffened uncomfortably as Lenny\'s attention lingered on Amelia in a way that felt inappropriate, especially for someone of his rank and age. He didn\'t expect the Supreme Commander to be like this when in public he was so respected for his heroic acts and gestures, especially for saving the world by taking down the Corrupted Prince.

Or was this his true face when not before the public? After having personally experienced a tragedy which involved someone he trusted being two-faced, he didn\'t find this too surprising.

He glanced at Amelia, wondering if she was equally uncomfortable.

Amelia, however, handled it with grace. She chuckled lightly and offered a disarming smile. "You sure know how to flatter a girl, Commander. But I\'m just as glad to be part of this mission, especially with such a well-known and capable commander like yourself."

Lenny\'s grin widened, his ego clearly stroked by her words. "Hahaha! You know just how to make a man feel good, don\'t you?" he winked, clearly enjoying himself a little too much.

Jim cleared his throat, trying to get things back on track, "I think the guards are ready to escort us now. Shall we?"

Amelia gave a subtle nod, and Remy followed suit, though his mind was still swimming with questions and an uneasy feeling he couldn\'t shake.

—

Meanwhile, in the high-rise office of the president overlooking the waters, Derek stood in silence, watching through the large window as multiple armored trucks sped over the waters, their destination a closely guarded secret. His hands clasped behind his back, he appeared calm, but his single visible eye gleamed with something else—something darker.

Greg approached him, glancing out the window as well, "We\'ve already started installing M.A.M. in the S Rankers, and soon these prodigal geniuses will have it as well. But... are you really sure the Coven of the Damned will make a move? I mean, they can\'t possibly know which route we\'re using to transport these students, especially Remy. And with the kind of tight security Lenny and the professor are overseeing, what could go wrong?"

Derek\'s expression didn\'t change, though his eye narrowed slightly. "That\'s exactly why I\'m looking forward to seeing how this can go wrong."

Greg blinked, taken aback by Derek\'s cryptic response. He opened his mouth as if to ask more, but then thought better of it, letting out a sigh instead. Why do I even bother? he thought.