When Gaston woke up, he found no changes in his body other than finding himself relatively cold. I gotta get up, make some money, and pay my debts. Thank you for this day’s life.

He pried his bare back from the bed. He took the blanket off him and walked to the bathroom, where he washed his face off and stared at the mirror. Need to go work, have to go to work, and then in six, five, four, three, two, and one.

He flipped the switch in his head. Dressing up, he wore his boxers, and went to the kitchen, where he took a cup and prepared himself an instant coffee. Dragging his body back to the living room/bedroom, he sat down and drank the coffee while scrolling through his favorite streams.

Streamers have added variety since the discovery of these superhuman strengths. Though there are changes in the society, the streaming culture has gotten stronger. There are changes in video games, and through these changes in style and gameplay that they made it possible. Of course, they aren’t as popular as Breakers livestreams, but there was still a wide audience for those who are too busy to play the games themselves. On the front page of the website he was using, there was a breaker who had taken a break fighting the Type-class monsters.

He swiped left of his mobile and checked out a stream of someone trying to speedrun a forty four-hour long game. He placed the coffee on the table and watched it while taking time to sip on his coffee. After ten minutes of watching, he took his mobile phone and saw that there was only half-a-battery left. Turning it off, he plucked the battery casing and pressed his fingers on the battery.

Inserting the battery to the mobile phone, he turned it on and found that the battery was once again full. Placing his phone aside, he went to the bathroom, washed himself, and wore his business suit. He plugged his AR-module into his ear and started self-diagnostics on his business suit before arming himself with a concealed sidearm. After that, he got out of his apartment and followed the GPS route that took him to the harbor where they would conduct the ceremony of the mining.

Traffic was fine. There was no one that barred him other than the police officers who were dutiful in their profession. He handed his identification code, and bid the officers goodbye as he boarded a train headed to the coastlines. It didn’t take long for him to arrive near the harbor where he got off the station, and was welcomed by a drizzle of rain. From where Gaston stood, he spotted the ships that were going to be used for the mining operations immediately. It also helped that there was a lot of equipment entering the harbor so early in the morning that he knew where to go.

Reaching the front of the harbor, he presented his identification and waited for five minutes before being allowed inside. He took a long look at the state of the harbor, before making a beeline towards the area used by the Babaika Lions. Most of the Lions of Babaika guarded the area, and although he was immediately stopped by the underlings. He calmly took out his identification and strode calmly while taking in what he could gather.

The way the operators were taking it easy meant they prepped the equipment here. The well-equipped and power armor wearing troopers of the Lions were standing by, talking without their helmets on. While the support staff were conducting pre-dive tests on the equipment again. Most of the equipment that Gaston could find in the area is state-of-the art and would cost millions to even pay. How the Commander of the Lions could afford such equipment was beyond him. He walked next to one of the equipment, prepped his chin with his hand, and studied the equipment with obvious interest.

The operator of the equipment watched him and demanded his identification code. Gaston nodded, handed his identification code and studied the mining equipment while the operator confirmed his identification code. After confirming his identification code, Gaston returned to staring at the equipment.

After a while, Gaston left the raid equipment and inspected the rest. From the mining, to the deployable drones, Gaston didn’t hide that he was interested in the tools that the Lions would use. Though stopped by the operators and staff once in a while because he wasn’t the usual face. Gaston could examine the equipment, and took notes while doing it.

After his examination of the equipment of the Babaika Company, he moved to where the officers-in-charge should be. Gathered around Lady Romanov were her officers and staff, who reported the status of the equipment. Gaston remained just outside of the building that they were in while watching what was happening inside the prefab office of the Lady.

From what he could gather, most of it was about the state of their preparations and how steady the miners and the drones were. The drones would do most of the work, but they needed human judgement when it comes to high-risk mining operations that involve large bodies of water.

Gaston noticed that most of the submersible ships that were anchored in the harbor were still being readied by the harbor staff while carefully guarded by the employees of the Lions. Among the guards were power-armored breakers guarding them with their multi-function weapons at hand. There was an oppressive air among them and yet the harbor workers showed no signs of fear, as if already experienced by their intimidating nature.

A healthy amount of salty wind blasted his face. Gaston turned towards the prefab office and met eyes with the Lady Romanov, who had spotted him standing outside. Her eyes told Gaston enough of what she wanted. Walking up to Lady Romanov, he greeted her with a polite nod which she languidly returned. Her non-dominant hand typing on the keyboard interface installed on her table. It took a minute before she looked at Gaston.

“You have quite a flair for patience, adjutant. Or is it because you are too shy to make your presence known?”

“I prefer not to stick to other people's business when I can, Madame.”

She typed without looking at Gaston again. Her eyes focused on the lines of words she wrote using her native language. Gaston didn’t know if it was her own or if the Company wrote their important documents in their own native language. Catching Gaston’s eye, the Lady took her hand away from the keyboard of her interface.

“You know your place and perhaps you’ve been confident, but there is a reason that you are here. Gaston Hardy, what do you think of the Babaika Company?”

“Lions of the European Mountains, Madame.”

She laughed heavily, amused at the short words he had said. Gaston remained muted while watching her calm herself at the words spoken by Gaston. to Gaston it felt like he made a joke that he did not understand himself. Her laughter slowly died, and the stony-faced look returned once more.

“Indeed, our rise to power has been successful. The people called me a whore for it. Some think that I slept with Arabian princes, and slept with powerful figures to get so much from them. Most of the European countries, at least the one’s standing, fund my Babaika Lions. Do you know? Because we do our jobs too well. We have jurisdiction in the Balkan states and even reclaim some lands that my family had owned centuries ago.”

“Adjutant, have you heard of the noble’s right?”

“I may have. It depends if it's the old belief or the new belief.”

“It is said that those who have such lineage are much more susceptible to the strength that we receive as breakers. Those who have noble-blood can manifest stronger abilities among them. Of course, though there is truth in such a claim, but think of the abilities of a breaker as a lucky draw. There are those given abilities that are monstrous, while there are abilities that are stable yet weak. There are exemptions to this draw, and could improve their talents.”

She smiled and ignited her left hand with bio-energy that then turned into a flame.

“It is said that bio-energy is energy produced by living creatures. However, some of the energy that we find recently has made us wonder why ichorium, a mineral, has bio-energy? Why does it react and give power when in relation to the user’s blood?”

“I don’t know, madame.”

“Perhaps ichorium is alive, no? Do you know? That the noble-blooded clans and families have risen in the past years? Some adhere to old rituals, and old religions thought to be lost are becoming common once more. The best part is that such old religions, considered pagans, though their methods are unscientific, have proven that their archaic rituals could increase strength.”

Gaston listened, waiting for the point. She raised her lips, understanding what was inside Gaston’s mind.

“There are affairs in our old continent that nobles such as us are reclaiming their ‘divine’ right after reclaiming power. Of course, the reason we have done so is not because of noble rights, but the wealth that we have established while hidden behind the eyes of the masses.”

“Your eyes tell me why I would say this to you. Not that you do not know the affairs of the old homeland, no?”

“So you have read my previous employment?”

“I must admit that your CV has quite a tale to tell. I had them checked, and although they have praise and some are admonishing you for your lack of effort in fulfilling your duties. You satisfied most of them with your role as their adjutant,” she took one of the written reports. “To be neutral in his duties, and capable of doing his task. You do not go beyond, and your intention has always been to get paid your dues. However, I noted this incident that you were part of the golden gate incident, and what do I find? In debt to many companies, and the only reason you took this job is because you have no credit for a collateral and the UEDF has gained your contract through such awful means.”

She slid a copy of a written document with a digital signature on it. Gaston’s face crumbled at the sight of the written document and the signature on it. Next to this piece of document was another document listing the dues he needed to pay. Janna had called him a fool for signing the papers, and yet here he was being ‘owned’ by another.

“I hate this kind of slavery,” she stared. “I do not mean to enslave you through this contract, adjutant. But the UEDF and the Consortium have been eager to put a piece that could abide by their rules. I do not intend to go against them, mind you, but an adjutant that does not interfere is something that my company needs. And the months that may come will address the ‘noble right’ of the old European clans. Until then, I want an adjutant who will stay neutral with us and if possible keep the best interest of my company until I get my true noble title back.”

Gaston studied the document with a rather painful gaze. It’s written in the agreement that until then, that until he paid his debt, the interest would not only go up, but kept until said debtor can repay the full sum. It was a terrible contract that Gaston signed in hopes to be saved from the split-realm incident that left him stranded.

“Do you agree, Gaston Hardy?”

“It sounds as if I had a choice in the first place, madame.”

“You do not have it.”

Gaston bit the walls of his mouth and then nodded.

“Then I welcome you to my company, adjutant.”

She offered her hand that Gaston could only shake. Whatever schemes and plans that the Lady has. Until then, he was going to be part of her company until he paid his dues. Gaston was weak against his debts and the best way to bind someone into a company was to make them owe said company. Gaston hated himself for falling for the contract. Then again, there was no other way to survive other than that contract back then. Choices were not a luxury to him when the golden gate accident happened. If he could, he would have killed the person who demanded him to sign that life contract, too bad that the man was rotting in the ground and had sold his contract to another.