Bab 111: Clash of Ideology
___________ POV Beru___________
"What do you want Re-Destro?~" My impatient tone doesn't even seem to phase him.
It's already strange that he expects me to actually be willing to speak to him. I'm only doing so out of curiosity and boredom. This entire raid is basically me on the sidelines and other people getting some action.
"Well, I'm glad there's no need for senseless introductions... I guess I can get straight to the point." Glad that there was no need for introductions, but you still added that sentence in place, to waste my time all the same.
Here I am, saying this like I'm actually doing something fulfilling with my time. Not just practising my warping quirk.
"Do go on~ I'm sure you've got plenty of other stuff to do~ Wouldn't want to hold you back~" I said with some hidden sarcasm. I doubt he caught it, it's a bit hard to judge my tone when I already sound sarcastic most times.
"Well, I was planning on giving you an invitation to our cause. I know of what you've been through because of this strange quirkist society. This conversation is only happening due to that upbringing in the first place. You would never have listened to a villain otherwise."
This dude is overthinking a lot. But I guess he came to the most logical conclusion to come to. He doesn't know that I'm already reaching the age where having a midlife crisis is acceptable.
Well, I think I'm still a decade off of that. But what's 10 more years anyway?
"I agree that the treatment of me wasn't all that great at first~ But it was mostly cuz of my unlucky ass landing right into the hand of people that didn't quite like Mutant quirks, to begin with,~," I said while stretching a bit.
Also, I opened up a portal in front of a villain that was about to tackle a hero. He ended up tackling himself off of a building. Regrettable.
"Still, the very existence of such people is a sign that our society has failed in many ways. Your ability is one of the most powerful, yet you were treated like dirt from birth since the day you were suddenly called a hero." This long-nosed bastard really likes to cherry-pick his information.
Even before I was publically called a hero, I was already pretty much venerated by the Mutant Quirked Community, liked by the overall public, and even accepted by the police.
It only took a bit of pushing to legally clean my name because of those factors. But I guess this guy needs to paint things in a bleaker light if he wants to draw me into his little group.
"My dream, my father's dream, the entire reason for the Liberation Army's existence. We wish to shift the balance of power to those that are truly powerful. Quirks are controlled and regulated to a sickening degree, the strength of a quirk matters little, and many are judged due to the nature of their quirks."
Damn, this guy can really go on. At least his words are fun to poke at. I already know of the Liberation Army's goals and what-not. A society where strength is the main decider for everything or something like that.
Sounds a bit like bad planning. Not everyone with a strong quirk wants to be a leader. Not everyone with a powerful ability has a constant wish for validation and admiration that they can only fulfil by being above others socially.
Once again, this offer of his is really catered to a certain type of individual. Unfortunately, I don't count myself in that group.
"So~ To cut a very long story short~ You want the people to value power overall?~ Regardless of nature and what-not.~" Re-Destro seemed a bit taken aback when I interrupted him from continuing his speech.
But he did regain his composure rather quickly. This makes me wonder what gives him the confidence to come and seek me out like this. One wrong word and his head could be rolling on the ground faster than he can blink.
He nodded to my words, allowing me to continue for a bit.
"That's already the case, isn't it?~ Well, not in every case~ But in plenty of cases, powerful quirks are venerated, people with the potential to become great heroes or something~" I said while tilting my head at him.
"Indeed, that can be the case sometimes. But there are also others like you. Extremely powerful abilities that get completely ignored due to looks or other superficial things. Raw strength and usefulness should be the one and only way to determine how valuable a person can be. But that's not the case, unfortunately."
I mean, he's not completely wrong with his words. That's exactly what he wants me to think. I'm well aware that this is nothing more than an attempt at negotiation, he's using plenty of techniques that I've heard of and can't name, but at least I can tell that he's trying to string me along.
"Yeah...~ I can't really agree to that one chief~ 'Usefulness', 'Power', 'Strength', what's all of it worth in the end?~ Do you think everything's gonna be fine and peachy when the strongest rule?~ Did you stop to think of how people with weaker quirks would be treated?~ Nah, you don't give a shit~"
Re-Destro seems to be widening his eyes for the first time since the conversation started, I was honestly thinking he's one of those people that are just constantly squinting or something.
"... Everyone would be treated equally, that is part of our go-" Damn, this dude is probably out of ideas or something.
"That's not how the world works~ Just like there is discrimination towards villainous quirks now, there will be towards exceedingly weak ones then.~ I'm not even going to mention quirkless by the way.~" My interjection seems to have finally made him realise that his persuasion check failed.
I guess he forgot to add enough skill points to speech or something. Too bad he can't load away from this mistake.
Damn, I guess I really shouldn't have spent all of that time with Shiggy. I've devolved into actually using game terminology...
"I see that you aren't willing to see things from our point of view... Regretable, I was hoping that it wouldn't come to this." Long-Nose is using the usual 'the problem is on you, not me' technique. It was ineffective though.
"What were you expecting?~ Well, I guess I better start doing my job now~ I'm still a hero you know?~" I slowly got up as Re-Destro took a step back.
"Of course..." He then released a sigh, after which he moved his arm in a strange way, likely signalling someone over or something.
After which, I could spot a small light being shined into the window of a room underneath me. It's so small that almost no one would notice it. But time does move in slow motion currently, so I do have time to analyse my surroundings to greater extents.
I heard a small rumble. I could see the floor underneath me slowly disintegrate. But I guess it's only slow for me. God bless High Spec.
I simply did a small jump, as a hand also appeared from underneath, it seemed to try to grasp my leg or the place where my leg previously was.
I stepped to the side, as Re-Destro's hand turned black and became larger, he brought it over his head and tried to get a hold of me.
I simply swiped my hand once in his direction, my claws expanded from a few centimetres to almost a meter. But I only used them to deal superficial cuts to his extended arm as I was backing off. At least for now.
"Rude~ Inviting guests without telling me~," I said as I watched a masked man climb out of that hole that was created just now. A man wearing a strange type of bird beak mask.
Reminds me of a Plague Doctor Mask, but seems a bit different. Other than that, he's dressed quite casually. Black suit pants, black shirt, the only thing that's not quite formal is his green jacket, it even has a thick purple fur collar.
"Well, not like we were fully expecting this to work..." Re-Destro said while the other man just squinted at me.
"I guess I can entertain myself with you guys for a bit~ Doubt I'll get in much shit for dealing with you myself in this situation~ Not like I went seeking out trouble~," I said while stretching my shoulders for a bit.
The two of them tensed up and both adopted some type of fighting form... I'll thank them for relieving my boredom some other time.
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Hope you liked the chapter!
Sry about yesterday, dunno what's up honestly.
Might be getting a lil bunt out. But the stories are both reaching their endings(on Patre_on at least), so don't worry about me dropping them.
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