SSS Awakening: Creating Primordial Beasts To Be My Summons-Chapter 27: Meeting Brought Forward

Ceha had explained to Cohen how she was being treated like an outsider at school.

This was because people had figured out she was related to an Outlier.

Thankfully, Ceha still had friends who stood by her despite the whispers and distance others kept.

She was just mostly worried about how Cohen was likely receiving worse treatment than her.

After assuring her that everything was fine, Cohen got a clearer picture about how people thought of Outliers.

To them, Outliers were walking disasters—unstable, unpredictable, and one mistake away from catastrophe.

There was no basis for this rumor aside from the fact that what granted these people their power was said to be an orb of improperly contained power.

’Things are spiraling out of control... faster than I thought. I don’t think I can wait till tomorrow night for that explanation.’

That night, thoughts of the growing tension—and his inability to do anything—clawed at Cohen’s mind.

So, he messaged Boss Haru, maybe the meeting Farahd had arranged for the next day could be brought forward.

- - - - -

[9:47 P.M.] Cohen: Boss, I have to see you really urgently. I have questions I want to ask.

[10:03 P.M.] Boss: Come by the facility at 11.

[10.03 P.M.] Cohen: Thank you for the response. See you then.

- - - - -

At 10:40 P.M., Cohen wore his newly bought armor, its structure allowing for free movement.

He put on a black hood.

Using his connection with them, he told Cas and Pollux, who were in Ceha’s room, to keep watch.

Then under the cold night’s cover, he left the apartment complex.

Upon leaving, he could sense that he was being observed.

The range was beyond his Perception of Gray so he couldn’t tell where he was being observed from or how many people were responsible.

’Was I too low level to detect them yesterday or the evolving conflict brought them here?’

He showed no reaction to them and took a taxi to the center of the city.

...

The facility closed at 7 P.M. with most people who hung around leaving at 10.

The Monster Processing Facility loomed ahead—a massive, sterile warehouse of reinforced steel and humming machinery that were guarded.

Cohen was familiar with the guards and since they had been informed beforehand that he would be coming, they allowed him in.

Following the familiar structure, he found himself on the top floor where the Boss’s office was.

"Good evening, Boss."

Haru sat behind his chair, welcoming Cohen with a smile.

"Are matters really so dire that you have such a serious face on?"

"You know I take matters affecting my family negatively seriously."

"Your family?" Haru’s face also turned serious as he stood. "Follow me."

’This place isn’t safe to talk?’

Cohen trailed behind Haru as the man led him to a back room.

In the back room was a swirling mass of black and white energy.

Cohen had come across two different types of gates now.

The first type led to the unknown place where the Baptised stayed while the other connected to a pocket realm that made up dungeons.

This gate didn’t feel like any of those, especially with Cohen’s Perception. It felt like this gate was warping reality instead of splitting it.

"A transportation gate?" Cohen asked.

"That’s right." Haru turned to Cohen with a smile. "Do you trust me enough to follow where it leads?"

Cohen remained silent for a moment.

"I do."

Haru expressed a nod of satisfaction.

He walked through the gate, leaving Cohen to follow.

After a moment of feeling his senses mess up, Cohen found himself in an unfamiliar location, his active Perception of Gray working.

He was in a large reinforced white hall.

He looked around in awe.

"Why...are there many spatial gates here?"

About five black and white spatial gates, spread out unevenly from each other, were active.

And with his active Perception of Gray and more focus, Cohen could feel various markings on space telling him the spatial gates meant to be there were inactive.

"A work of art in its own way," Haru replied casually.

At that moment, Cohen noticed the only two people who were present walking towards him.

One of them was Farahd, the skinny tall man with a brown ponytail and black eyes.

Beside him, standing at a slightly taller height of six-foot-six, was a man one could tell was middle aged just based on his wrinkles.

He wore a light blue shirt, a cream colored suit vest and cream pants. He wore a complimentary flap cap that covered his long brown hair and had slim square glasses that enhanced his black eyes.

The pressure he passively exuded told Cohen a lot about his story.

This was the strongest being he had encountered so far.

The duo reached them and Haru bowed forward before Cohen could speak.

"Been a while, Captain."

In a calm low bass voice, the imposing man said.

"Haru, I can finally thank you personally for your good work. Farahd, treat Haru to the good stuff. Cohen and I will be okay discussing alone for now."

"Senior, that’s our sign," Farahd turned around after flashing Cohen a brief salute.

Farahd and Haru left, moving towards the sole door in the hall.

The Captain then revealed a calm smile.

"Cohen, do you find it hard to remember me?"

Cohen had indeed felt a deep sense of familiarity after meeting the man.

But he was trying to understand the current development even if a bit so he was quite confused.

The Captain let out a low laugh. "That’s understandable. Let’s go sit somewhere and have a hearty conversation."

"Alright, sir," Cohen replied.

He trailed behind the tall man, curiously looking around the hall.

"What... What is this place? Where are we even? Is this within the city?"

The Captain answered.

"No, we’re not within the city. We are in a claimed location in the Wild not far from the city. This place... it’s the safe haven I’ve built.

"And specifically, this hall has gates that I opened that connect to various key locations in the Wild and some specific normal places like Haru’s room."

Cohen said, visibly impressed.

"... That’s a very cool ability. No wonder the Boss called it a work of art."

’This should be the work of a Talent. If I find the right beast, its conversion could birth an ability like this, I’m certain.

’Hmmm, instead of trying to use the Guild’s resources, I think a better option will be to gather information and find a beast that’s likely to grant me an ability that’ll help my travel.’

While he busied himself with his thoughts, they reached the door and entered a smaller room.

It had three white walls and then a large glass wall through which Cohen could see the distant tall trees lit up by artificially placed light posts

’We really are in the forest. And by the size of the trees, we’re very deep in.’

In front of the glass wall was a desk, a large chair behind and two chairs at the opposite side.

The room also had a section that had couches and coffee table for more casual talks and a shelf lined with books and notes.

The Captain pointed at the couches and said, "You can sit there, I’ll join you in a bit."

Cohen followed suit and sat, hearing the man say as he approached his desk:

"I’ve heard a lot about your past few years from Haru. Haha, it was interesting to see him turn from someone who was reluctant to hire you to someone who valued your contribution at the facility."

The Captain took an object from his desk drawer and slowly approached Cohen, his face keeping its hearty smile.

"I’m glad you proved me right and worked very well."

Cohen saw the man laugh as he continued:

"You made it very easy for me to support you by applying for a job in the facility. I would have had to make a fake business and send you a job offer instead."

Cohen ruffled his hair and sighed heavily.

"I’m sorry. I came here to understand what affairs the city was dragging us outliers in, but instead, I’m getting more confused about my own personal affairs.

"What do you mean support me? Where do you know me from?"

The old man sat on the couch opposite Cohen and stretched the object he held to Cohen.

The object was square in shape, its polished edges framing a carefully preserved photograph, capturing a moment frozen in time.

It captured two men.

One with curly black and gray hair, yellow eyes and a shaved face.

The other had a full brown beard and combed-back brown hair.

They were shaking hands and flexing their bulky muscles while looking at the camera.

They were both wearing a uniform that looked like the blueprint of the current Heavenly Spire main uniform.

Cohen’s eyes widened as he looked between the image and the old man.

He opened his mouth, but didn’t manage to say anything.

This made the Captain laugh as he said:

"I changed quite a bit, but I didn’t think that’s enough for you to forget me."

Cohen’s hand dropped, the picture coming low while the young man was still agape.

"Mr... Isla?" his voice came out almost as a whisper.

The Captain nodded with satisfaction.

"You’re old now. You can call me Farid."

He paused.

"Cohen... Herman Bennett sent me to you."