There was a heavy silence when Hera passed the gun to the girl. The implications of what Phobos said were obvious. Neither he nor Don could judge the man that tried to rape the girl. However, the girl herself was perfectly in the right. Phobos and Hera just gave her the power to execute that right.

“Star stop, think about it.” Don seeing that things were going in the wrong direction talking to Phobos he addressed the girl Star directly.

“When he was trying to assault you if you hurt him or even killed him it would be self-defense. However, now that the act was prevented whatever you do would be counted as a separate case. If you were to hurt him at the moment in the eyes of the law you would be just as much in the wrong as him.”

“What you said is questionable at best. In the first place, it isn’t known that your so-called law will return anytime soon.” Phobos hearing that this man was trying to manipulate her decision had to say something.

“But more than that an institution which was not there to protect you from incurring harm should not have the right to judge you how you chose to avenge yourself. Of course, this is oversimplifying things and when social structure was maintained there are a lot more variables but at this moment if she were to retaliate no one has the right to judge her. After all, everybody here knows what she would have to endure if my friend here didn’t save her.”

“This isn’t a matter of right or wrong. Star, you know how hard these two days were.” Don knowing that he couldn’t win by trying to appeal the legality of the situation started trying to pull the emotional strings of Star. “You can imagine how stressed Edd was. He just made a lapse of judgment. I am sure that he utterly regrets what he attempted. Try to forgive him.”

Star held the big revolver with two hands listening to both of them hesitating what to do. She saw the beast-like expression Edd made when he attacked her. There wasn’t even a bit of hesitation in his eyes. Yet for some reason she was wavering.

“Star if you were to hurt Edd now it would create a crack in the team which we have gathered. You should best know that it is impossible to survive on our own in this scary world.”

Seeing that his strategy is working Don started to use the team and future survival to influence Star to give up punishing Edd. Although he said it nicely it was a low-key threat that if she did something to him she would be expelled from the group.

When he said that a few women in his group had a depressed look. Most likely the same line was used on them to gain something from them. Some women's eyes showed a sense of death. There was no light in them. Like a dead fish’s eyes.

Phobos didn’t comment further. He felt that he said enough. If she can’t get rid of such low-level manipulations it may be better to let her be manipulated. If Phobos at the moment influenced Star into making a decision that he thought was right it wouldn’t be helping her but harming her.

Everyone had their own way to survive. One way was to be humble to follow such manipulations and trample on your dignity to survive and it has been a way to survive since ancient times. Sometimes the person may even see that he is being manipulated and still follow because his survival would be smoother.

There is also the way Don survived. Using words and small schemes. Distorting facts and painting the white black. Manipulating people to follow his word without any contribution to the team.

This wasn’t the worst. Don was a special breed. The reason Phobos didn’t like him as soon as he saw him was because he recognized the type. Although Phobos didn’t have the high EQ Eve did but he could sense people he wouldn’t get along with from afar.

Don was a special breed of manipulative people that believed what they were saying. It was not that they had a distorted view of the world but were judging different people with different standards. Like he judged Edd's actions were due to stress but if Star acted it would be a crime.

Phobos had seen few people like him and he always kept his distance. They were people that couldn't be argued with because in their brain they were never wrong. If they seem to be losing an argument they shifted the theme little by little until they came to irrefutable fact and used that to argue their case.

It followed no logic or reason. The only thing that mattered to them what was right in their head. Phobos placed them in the category of Holier than thou personality types. In this category were included hypocrites and narcissists, but it is not a set rule. After all, human personalities were very complex and humans were full of nuance.

“You mean to say that she has to sell her dignity and her body for the safety of your group. Even if that’s the case I feel that she has much better options than your shit-stained group. You don’t have to worry. Decide whatever you want, you can follow us if you feel unsafe with them. At least we can guarantee that you won’t be raped in the middle of the night.”

At this time Eve unexpectedly voiced out. Phobos felt like this wasn’t the time to be recruiting new people in the group. Especially when Star was in such a vulnerable position and would grasp for straws.

On second thought it is just the right time but not morally so. Even if Phobos was sure that Star would be a lot safer in his group, he felt that using her vulnerability to join in was not right. He knew that expanding the group was beneficial for them but felt that this is not the right way. However, he didn’t say anything. Eve had a way better sense of people. If she said this it meant that she had already calculated all the variables.

Star had been quietly thinking all the time. Having to make such a heavy decision was hard for her. She has had a normal unexciting life until a couple of days ago. Almost being the victim of a sexual assault and having to decide whether and how to punish her attacker was far away from her comfort zone.

However, the helplessness she had experienced being attacked would be hard to forget and if she left Edd walk away without any consequence would be disastrous. Not only would she be unfulfilled because she didn’t punish him, but she would also be exposing other females to this beast because he would think that such acts are easy, acceptable, and without ramification.

This is why Star steeled her will and walked near Edd. She outstretched her arm holding the heavy revolver and aimed at him. As Star did that she felt that someone placed a hand on her shoulder. Turning around she was that it was the woman that gave her the revolver. Feeling that her decision was supported she got ready to pull the trigger.

“Wait don’t th-”

Don trying to once again get the attention of Star was interrupted by a deafening explosion. At the same time, Star was hit by the recoil and Hera who had placed her hand on her shoulder was helping her absorb it. Hera knew that with the modification Phobos made the recoil would be quite large that is why she got ready to support Star after she fired. Star’s misunderstanding was an unintended result.

Most of the people around had lost their hearing capability after the firing of the bullet and had a screaming noise in their ears. Phobos was not one of them. Although his hearing had been improved quite a lot and should have been affected the most was not. That was because he had improved his body overall. That meant his protection from loud noises was improved as well.

Hera was fine as well even if she was one of the people closest to the sound. The most impact from the sound was received by Star and Edd. Edd however had a lot more problems at the moment. In the first place after he was attacked by Hera he was left in constant pain and couldn’t take a proper breath. He couldn’t even plead with Star when she pointed a gun at him.

However when people started to hear they could hear his screams echoing throughout the shop. If he had any sense left in his brain at the moment he should’ve been thanking God that Star had left him alive but the pain that was coming from his groin area was overwhelming all thinking. A clear squeal like a pig being slaughtered was being constantly produced from his mouth.

He had even forgotten his inability to breathe properly. Everyone around focused on him and saw that there was a big pool of blood being created, the source being between his legs. Star wasn’t comfortable ending his life because his offense was prevented but took the tool he was about to use.

Don and his group were quite shocked. Don was especially looking at Star with poisonous eyes. Like he was about to jump at her and shred her to pieces. He wasn’t angry about Edd being mutilated but that she had disregarded his words. Although Edd was a useful tool and this is the reason Don had created the space for him to make a move on Star tonight he wasn’t that important for Don to be angry.

Don gave such a reward to the more useful guys to keep his group satisfied and under control. He didn’t care that the women were devastated in the process. In his mind, Don was giving security to the women as they would feel safer if they had someone to rely on in these trying times. Without even a thought of what consequences the women would suffer from his decision.

Star disregarding him and punishing Edd would put a big splinter in authority over the group. The males wouldn’t believe that he had the power to give them the women as he used to and the women would believe that they had a better choice than enduring suffering and humiliation for safety.

Don had allocated Star to Edd because she was the most beautiful woman in the group and Edd was the only other person in the group who had awakened except him. He knew that it was a bit hard to control a group of more than twenty people only with the power he awakened so he started allocating such benefits.

Don was contemplating attacking Phobos and his group on multiple occasions but when he saw that everyone was equipped with guns he hesitated. Especially when Phobos after finishing his two sentences stayed at the side with his arms crossed but the revolver that was in his hand was conveniently aimed right at Don. Don was sure if he did anything he would be shot at immediately.

He felt that the chance of him being hit with such an awkward posture was small but he didn’t feel like taking that chance. Although for Don there were a lot of drawbacks in the whole interaction it was nothing serious. Even if Edd died it wouldn't be a big deal. There would even be a plus as Edd being an awakened was hindering his total control of the group.

However even with all the drawbacks and none of the benefits like the situation at the moment he wasn’t that worried. Don was quite confident that his control of the group will only become stronger. After all, he had achieved such a strong grasp only after two days.

While Don was calculating the situation Phobos was on the side just looking. If he knew however how distorted this group had become only in two days he may have had a different set of actions. However, as he didn’t know he didn’t do anything.

Phobos felt that everything was over, turned and started walking away. When he was nearing the staircase he saw Anna, Megan and Alice there. Apparently, they had watched the whole situation but felt that there was no need to take a center role.

“Well, let’s go back.”

Passing by them Phobos felt that he should say something to them. They just nodded and followed after him. They had some questions but reserved them for the other women.

Eve at this moment had taken the hand of Star and was following the distant back of Phobos. Hera and Diana on the side looked at each other but didn’t say anything and kept up.

Don and his group watched in silence until they were all gone. At this time a thin man who looked a little wretched went next to Don.

“Manager will we leave them just like that. Why don’t you show them your true power and blow them away? Then maybe even those chicks will start to beg underneath us.” While inciting Don he didn’t forget to salivate about Eve and the girls. He especially had a thing for rebellious girls so Eve was just his type.

“No need to hurry Fred. Although my power is quite stunning it is still no match for guns.” Don displayed his power while talking. There was a visible air movement between his palms. “However it won’t be long to catch up. I feel that I am becoming stronger every moment. They will soon learn that the era of the gun is gone.”

“That is if they even have ammunition until that time. I don’t know where they found such strange revolvers but it should hardly have much ammunition. It is clearly a collector's weapon that is specifically designed. It is a miracle to be even functioning.”

Don was very confident in his knowledge. And he knew that such revolvers weren’t on the wide market. They looked very impractical at first glance. It was a miracle that Star didn’t break her arm when she shot the revolver. Thinking about this he glanced at where Edd was. Hearing his screeches he felt annoyed.

“Someone go and bandage him up. With his ability, he should be fine tomorrow. Ugh. He may be missing a part but it won’t be life-threatening.”

Don gave the command and went to his sleeping area. Two females were waiting and when they looked at Don there was clear fear in their eyes but he was oblivious of that. He just lay in his makeshift bed and beckoned them.

A mirrored picture was happening at the restaurant in Phobos’s room. The only difference being the females were more than willing to jump in the bed and cuddle close to Phobos. He didn’t feel like doing anything at the moment so he just fell asleep with them. He continued to improve Diana’s ability as they were interrupted.

Eve however still wasn’t in that picture. She was settling in Star. She allocated Diana’s old room to her and told her to try to get some sleep. She then quickly skipped to Phobos’s bed and plunged in. Hugging Hera from behind she fell asleep as well.

A few hours later Hera and Eve woke up because of their biological clock but they saw that Phobos was still asleep. Usually, he was the first one to wake up. That is why they found it strange. Although they didn’t have the control Phobos did in the connection they had established, they could somewhat feel what he was doing.

When they felt that he was awakening Diana’s Word and it was at a critical point they just quietly left the room. After washing and dressing up they split up. Eve went to Star to feel her out and learn more about her. Hera on the other hand gathered Anna, Megan and Alice as they would be helping her with her next project.

Phobos at that moment was seeing how Diana’s Word was evolving. It was a bit different from his, Hera and Eve’s Word evolution. There was a clear choice with them. Although there was an attraction in a few directions and they could take them but there was one direction which was the strongest and clearest.

With Diana however, it was almost a perfect split between two directions. The closest feeling Phobos could compare it to was when he was awakening his Word and the second strongest direction for him was evolution but improvement was a clear winner.

Phobos couldn’t make out the meaning in Diana’s directions but he didn’t have to. It was all Diana’s choice he was only assisting with his ability. After she made her decision it took a bit of time to consolidate her Word.

They woke up four hours later. Diana jumped up from the bed and showed her naked body in all its glory. Phobos wasn’t one to complain when watching works of art so he just lay in bed and enjoyed it.

“How is it? You should have a lot better feeling and control of your ability. Especially when your Word is condensed you should be aware of what your ability represents.”

Phobos called out to Diana as he was watching her looking around the room with a fascinated expression. He saw that there was a small glow in her eyes.

“Yes. It’s so different. Well, it’s not that different but it is represented in a whole different way. I can basically do the same things. Everything in my sight I can know all specifications represented in numbers. What something weights. The speed it’s moving at etc.”

Phobos was a bit surprised. Hera and Eve had drastic changes in their abilities when they condensed a Word. Hera from a little physical boost was directly upgraded to doubling all her specs and Eve from being able to distort the empty space a little was able to turn a table into a distorted lump of matter.

“My Word is Digit.” Diana continued to explain. “I can not only instinctively know the specifications of everything I see but I can physically see those specifications as well. It is almost like Altered Reality. When I look at an item It doesn’t only send the information about it in my mind but also shows it to me in an easy to process way.”

Diana continued to look around in fascination. Phobos was quite interested in what her ability could be useful for but couldn’t think of much at the moment. The most basic being that her shooting should improve a lot. After all, shooting was basically math.

He may be able to have the same skill if he trained in the simulated world for a few days but it would be natural for Diana. She only had to pick the gun up and point it somewhere then she would know exactly where the bullet would land. This was the most basic application of her ability and Phobos was sure Diana would figure out better ways to use it.

He got up and was about to go wash up when Diana looked at him. Looking him up and down Phobos could almost see her salivating. It was like she had seen her favorite meal and wanted to devour it. Phobos of course knew what this sight entailed. He just wasn’t accustomed to receiving it early in the morning. Most females were too exhausted to have any desire the next day.

Diana didn’t care about his thoughts and jumped on him. Then she dragged him back into the bed. Phobos narrowed his eyes seeing how naughty she was. This is what he gets for taking it easy on her the night before. Phobos took the decision that Diana would be incapacitated and would be unavailable to work this day. Phobos was ready to punish Diana for her presumptuous act with a small taste of eternal bliss.