SSS Ranked Beast Tamer: My EP increases with girls-Chapter 26: CH 0: A plan to betray

Across the table from where Dave and the two girls were seated, a small group of teenage boys sat, their eyes constantly flicking over to Dave.

Every now and then, one of them would glance away, as though trying to avoid the feeling of envy gnawing at them. But it was hard to ignore the fact that Dave had become the talk of the base ever since his stunning victory the day before.

The whispers of "One hit" reverberated in the air, carried from one conversation to the next, like an unshakable rumor that wouldn’t die. It was all anyone could talk about, and for the executives, it was starting to grow old. People had begun to grumble about it, the constant mention of Dave’s knockout victory was becoming an irritant.

One of the boys, a lanky figure with dark, suspicious eyes, leaned in and muttered with a sneer, "How is it even possible for him to defeat those people with just one hit? He must be faking it, right?"

Another boy, his blonde hair tousled and his voice edged with disbelief, chimed in, "Maybe he paid those guys to throw the match. I mean, that’s the only way it makes sense, right?"

Before the conversation could go any further, a voice broke in, sharp and direct. A figure who had been sitting just beside the group of boys stood up, his posture straight and his face set with quiet determination. He walked over to their table, and without any hesitation, addressed the gossipers.

"Will you all stop talking trash about someone who’s doing better than you?" the boy said, his voice low but carrying a weight of authority. He locked eyes with the first teen, glaring fiercely at him. "He’s strong, yes. And if that bothers you, maybe try matching up to him instead of whining about it."

"And you," he added, pointing directly at the boy who had spoken about the throwing of match, his gaze hardening. "After everything that has happened, you still think money is useful in this current state of world?" He asked. "What matters now is strength and survival. And clearly, Dave had won the fight with his own pure strength. Perhaps you should work on that tiny brain of yours if you can’t work on your strength."

The words hung in the air, a stinging challenge that silenced the group of boys. They watched as the boy, without waiting for a response, turned on his heel and started walking towards the exit. His shoes clicked sharply on the floor, echoing in the brief silence that followed.

The boys at the table exchanged uneasy glances, the tension lingering. One of them, the one with the blonde hair and a short temper, let out a frustrated snort. "Gosh, I can’t believe that guy. Who does he think he is? Still trying to act like he’s the class rep, like high school matters anymore. And how dare he call my brain tiny?"

"Yeah, right?" another boy muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. "Doesn’t he know where we’re at now? Things have changed."

But then a third boy, the one who hadn’t spoken at all had muttered with a venomous sneer, "Do you know he was assigned to the restaurant? The same place One Hit was assigned to?"

The words hit like a slap. The name "One Hit" still stung, and the boy who had been insulted clenched his fists in frustration. "Stop calling him that!" he snapped, his voice rising in anger. "It infuriates me every time I hear it!" With that, he stormed off, his footsteps heavy and quick as he left the dining hall.

As the group sat in simmering silence, unsure of how to react, the door swung open again. Gunther entered, his presence immediately commanding attention. He surveyed the room with a sharp glance before his voice rang out across the space.

"Alright, everyone, wrap it up! Time to move!" he announced, his tone leaving no room for argument.

The sound of his words hit the group like a sudden pulse of electricity. Hearts skipped a beat, and the atmosphere in the room shifted. The complaints, the envy, the simmering frustration, all of it evaporated instantly as everyone jumped to attention. They knew the day was about to begin, and there was no time for distractions.

Dave glanced up from his meal, the weight of the system’s punishment still hanging in the back of his mind. With a sigh, he stood, feeling the room settle into the routine of preparation.

’Time to go.’ He said to himself.

...

In one of the quieter, dimly lit rooms of the casino base, a pair of figures could be seen huddled together, speaking in hushed tones. Their voices barely rose above the steady hum of the air conditioning, the sense of secrecy could be felt everywhere in the air. The duo were none other than Ajax and his aunt, Tasha, both of them sharing a common purpose, but with a very different motivations.

Tasha, with her eyes narrowed in concentration, laid out the plan. She spoke with a calm but steely determination, her voice soft but every word carrying the weight of conviction.

"This is everyone’s assigned location," she said, glancing down at a piece of paper, her fingers tracing the details. "It’ll take the group up to two days to finish with their tasks, but they’ll all meet at the rendezvous point after." She paused, ensuring Ajax was following. "I’ll handle my part once I’m out of the base. You’ll execute yours when the time comes. Don’t rush it."

Ajax, his brow furrowed in focus, nodded sharply, absorbing every word. "Got it, Auntie," he murmured. "We do this right, and everything falls into place."

Tasha’s fingers brushed the walkie-talkie she had placed on the table, its compact design a stark contrast to the weight of the plan they were about to set into motion. She handed it to Ajax, her eyes serious, as if the device held more than just the power to communicate.

"Just to be safe," she added, her voice dropping even further, "keep your ear on everything Gunther reports back to the leader. It’ll help you time your move. Trust me, you need to know exactly when to act."

Ajax took the walkie-talkie from her, feeling its cool plastic against his palm before placing it by his side. "Alright, Auntie. I understand. We’re going to succeed, and I’m going to make that son of a bitch pay for humiliating us," Ajax growled, his knuckles cracking as his fist struck the palm of his hand.

Tasha’s expression hardened, the flicker of anger in her eyes revealing the depth of her personal vendetta. "Not just him," she muttered, her voice thick with malice. "We’re making the whole damn casino pay. And that includes Anthony, the so-called leader. He used me and then discarded me. I’ll make sure he regrets those action of his."

There was a coldness in her words, a certainty that nothing would stop her from making him suffer. And Ajax, fired up by the plan, and fueled by his own hatred, was ready to follow her lead, no matter what it took.