Carter returned to his house. He climbed into the window to make sure Kaito wouldn't know he was out.
"Time to sleep!"
The man lay on his bed.
He didn't wake up until noon and walked down. Kaito already prepared coffee and breakfast for him. Actually, lunch would be more appropriate.
"Damn, Kaito. You really are a good barista." Carter said.
"I'm glad that you like it, Mr. Caine." Kaito smiled. "Did you watch the news?"
"Why? What happened?" Carter said.
"Why don't I show you." Kaito turned on the TV.
The news was broadcasting about the Eldritch Knight.
"Aside from the Invoker, we believe that there is also a secret order of warriors that fight for humanity. They're called the Eldritch Knights."
The media was going around and interviewed people that might know about their existence. There were many theories about their origins. But none suspected that it was fake.
However, the media didn't deliver any news about the traitorous action of general Auschutz. The government probably wanted to hide it.
Carter ate lunch and watched the news at the same time. It was rather interesting to see the reaction of the people.
[Synchronization +10.0%]
[Eldritch Knight's Synchronization]: 156.9%
'More Synchronization? It seems like killing Terror and Acting aren't the main way to raise Synchronization. If people believe more into a story of a skin, it could also raise it. I wonder what I'll get if Synchronization reaches 200%.'
The richest man in Terrorstate, Bart Wells, was also being criticized heavily because of his press conference. He refused to give any comment for now.
Carter checked his Prime Coins.
Bronze Prime Ticket needed 999 Prime Coins. Carter intended to get 2,000 Prime Coins to have enough for a two way trip. He wanted to explore other dimensions, but he wanted to make sure that he could return to Terrorstate as well.
"Where're the others?" Carter asked.
"Miss Nina and Mister Quill have returned to the building. They're staying in their rooms. Miss Piper and Mister Neros came over to drop them off but they didn't stay." Kaito said.
"I see."
Carter intended to teach the human supernatural pathway to Nina and Quill. They were still too weak at the moment and he needed them to be stronger to be useful. They would be his allies once he started jumping dimensions.
"Call them to my office after I finish." Carter said.
"Of course, Mr. Caine."
A while later. Carter sat in his office waiting. He was still using the fake face of Carter Caine through System Ghost.
'So many abilities and skills… I will only get more from now…'
His default skin, Carter Hayes, was always at 100% and would automatically add new abilities and skills to him. But it didn't raise his level. A big weakness compared to ordinary skins.
'Well. I can't ask for too much. The default skin is already broken.'
Soon, Nina and Quill knocked on his door.
"Come in."
The two of them entered the office.
"You need us, Mr. Caine?" Nina said.
Carter nodded. "Let's be honest to each other. You're Zen's friends. So you are my friends. And your position as former Cyber Slaves gives you certain advantages. You know more about the real enemy."
"Which is?" Quill said.
"The invaders from other worlds, of course."
Nina and Quill looked at each other.
"Now. You're still too weak to accompany Zeneros. So I can give you a way to be more powerful. But in exchange, I need something from you."
"Tell us what you want, Mr. Caine."
"Loyalty, of course." Carter said.
"To you?" Nina frowned.
"Nope. To our faction." Carter said.
Nina and Quill inhaled deeply. That could only mean one thing.
"You and Zeneros are members of a faction? A faction from the Prime World?"
"Of course." Carter nodded.
'Of course not.' He straight up lied.
"But like you, I don't know much about the higher-ups. We're a low dimension after all. And most low dimensions are treated as nothing more than slaves."
"So you want us to become slaves for your faction?"
Carter rolled his eyes, "Do I look like I want that, Miss Chekhova? Our faction is not savage like Cyber Runner."
"What is your faction name?" Quill asked.
'Welp… Didn't prepare for that.'
Carter remembered his blank username in the Prime System.
"We're the Blank Space."
"Never heard of it." Nina said.
"That's obvious. We're a secret order after all. That is why we're called the Blank Space. The Blank Space is just a nickname for the ease of communicating. The actual name of the order is empty."
"Alright. I bite. What do you want from us?" Nina said.
"I already told you. Loyalty. And in exchange, we can give you power."
"What kind of power?" Quill said.
"The one that belonged to humans." Carter smiled.
He stood up and grabbed a vase. His entire hand swollen and crushed the vase into pieces.
"Seven Pillars of the Prime World stand for seven most powerful Supernatural Pathways. But none represented humans. This is the power that belongs to humans.
No body modification like the Utopia. No divinity like the Mythos. No enlightenment like the Immortals either.
This is pure human strength."
"How?" Nina frowned. "I've never heard that humans could become awakens on their own terms."
"That's the neat part. And that's the reward for each new member, Miss Chekhova.
So I ask the two of you. Are you in or out?"
"Well, I have to be honest, Mr. Caine. It is an attractive offer and I would be a fool to not join it." Quill laughed.
Nina was more concerned. She was a Cyber Slave for a long time. She didn't believe a gift without a price.
"Look, Miss Chekhova. Here's the truth. We will have an exploration soon. One of my friends is going to another dimension and he might need some help. That's why I'm recruiting you."
"Ah…" As soon as she heard that, Nina relaxed. "If that's the reason, then I'll join. But we want the supernatural pathway right away."
"Of course, it is the deal after all." Carter nodded.