บท 39: Reward
Even though they held onto the hope that Pulse might still be alive, the loss of one of their own was a heavy blow for the Mutant underground organization. It marked the first time they had to grapple with the painful reality of losing a comrade. Max understood that such sacrifices were an inevitable part of their mission. To help Mutants establish the underground organization, they needed to be prepared for losses. So, he offered words of comfort to his fellow members and then made his way home.
At home, Max's first stop was the basement, where he opened the door and allowed the snake and Yukio to move freely. After ensuring their comfort, he headed upstairs and indulged in a relaxing bath. As he lay in the warm water, his eyes closed, and a contented smile played on his lips. His mood was undeniably good.
Not only had they secured $50,000 from the Mutant underground organization, but each of the nine rescued Mutants had also contributed a minimum of $50,000, amounting to a total of $500,000. Furthermore, they had successfully saved Katie, who, despite being registered with the Sentry Special Service, could breathe easy as long as she remained unapprehended. Most importantly, Max still possessed the "nuclear weapon" – the silver samurai armor. Once it was in his hands, he could wield an unmatched level of power, rendering him nearly invulnerable.
"The Devil Fruit is different from the X gene, so there's no need to worry about how it interacts with the X gene. People who've consumed a Devil Fruit become averse to the sea and lose their ability to swim. Exposure to seawater, as well as regular water, rivers, or hot springs, has a similar effect, but there's no discomfort at the moment. In other words, I don't experience the side effects of the Devil Fruit. Maybe it's because of the different means of acquiring abilities or the fact that I brought this power into the real world myself. After all, the game doesn't simulate the effects of seawater or bathing, so there might not be any side effects," Max mused as he reflected on his newfound abilities.
Although the absence of side effects might not be particularly advantageous since he could always escape to another world through the door if necessary, it was undeniably better to have no side effects at all.
After soaking for more than ten minutes, Max dried himself off and donned fresh clothes.
In the living room, both the Viper and Yukio were present. Max sat down and reached for Yukio's backpack, upending its contents.
"How much?" Max inquired.
"Seven hundred and twenty thousand dollars," Yukio replied.
"That much?" Max was pleasantly surprised.
Yukio nodded, explaining, "Some of them had substantial savings. I've combined their contributions and set aside a handling fee."
"Good point," Max agreed. These people wouldn't have the opportunity to retrieve their funds later, so it was prudent to have some money on hand.
"Including the $50,000 from the Mutant underground base, the total is $770,000," Max calculated.
"Out of that, $50,000 will go toward repaying the house, and $20,000 for general expenses," Yukio noted.
"Five hundred thousand will be allocated to me, and each of you will receive one hundred thousand. Is that agreeable?" Max proposed.
He had no intention of monopolizing the funds. Viper provided crucial technical support, and Yukio had completed various assignments, such as withdrawing money on this occasion. Everyone contributed value and played a role. Although they might not necessarily require the money, this division was a matter of cooperative principles.
Both Viper and Yukio expressed their agreement. After the money was divided, Max turned to Viper and asked, "How's Katie?"
"I haven't woken up yet, you can go and see," Viper suggested, gesturing toward the room upstairs. Max rose and made his way to the door.
Upon entering the room, he found Katie still asleep under the quilt, with her shoulders peeking out. Max's curiosity got the better of him, and he stole another glance. As he approached her, Katie stirred, snorted, and blinked her eyes open.
"Where is this?" Katie inquired.
"It's my house," Max replied, moving to sit beside her. "Your body is on the mend. With a bit of care, you'll recover. During this time, you're welcome to stay here in peace."
"Thank you," Katie responded, making an effort to sit up. "I don't know your name..."
With that, the quilt naturally slid down, revealing her. In a swift, instinctive motion, Katie hastily yanked the quilt to shield herself, wincing at the strain and inadvertently revealing the treated wound on her wrist.
Max didn't seem the least bit embarrassed, and Katie's slight discomfort was noticed but not remarked upon.
"My name is Max, and 'Sacred Gates' was just a random code name I adopted initially. You can think of it as me, or you can view this group as our collective identity. Now that you're awake, let's talk about compensation."
"What do you want?" Katie inquired.
"Experience, I want your experience," Max replied. "Our abilities have some similarities, and your experience could be valuable to me."
"Is that all? No money, no... other requests?" Katie questioned, her gaze shifting to herself with a hint of uncertainty.
"That's all," Max affirmed. He understood what Katie was getting at but was resolute in his response.
Money? He could earn it.
Women? Undoubtedly, he desired companionship. As a mercenary accustomed to life-and-death situations during missions, a woman's presence was more than welcome. However, he recognized his priorities.
Strength in ability came first. With that, he could make money, attract women, and enjoy all the other aspects of life.
.....
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