Galaxy's First Ruler

Chapter 26: Killing Intent

'CONFIRMED: ADA has been hacked'

The screen of news channels had been flashing similar statements for the last few hours. They had found out that someone had hacked the HQ of one of the world's prominent organizations. But the ADA's spokesperson had assured the public that NO DATA was stolen or lost. The veracity of which was confirmed by the shocking declaration of direct resignation of the ADA's Director, Mr. Myers. And many heard whispers of the Deputy Director taking over the position as the New Director.

Dreamers from all around the globe were taking an interest in the proceedings of the investigations. But, the most disappointed were the Dreamers of the USA. And why won't they be? If you had taken the responsibility of one task and you couldn't even do that properly, there wasn't much left to say about you. To put their heart at ease, they revealed that the Deputy Director would make a statement. And that too in the presence of the Guild leader of Blazing Royals Guild, Baron Edmund.

"First, I want to apologize to all the citizens of the USA, and the Dreamers around the world who are registered with ADA. Second, I want to reassure you that no data has been stolen from us. The hack was a brief lack of security and was dealt with as soon as it had occurred." Olivia said, addressing the room full of reporters. Baron Edmund was on her left and, seeing Ms. Wells finishing her statement, he nodded at the words.

"But why did the hack happen in the first place?" one reporter asked.

"This" Olivia's words seemed to be caught in her dry throat, but a glance from the Baron gave her the strength to proceed. "This fault lies with the previous director, Mr. Owen Myers."

The entire room had buzzed with incomprehensible sounds. But Olivia had to continue, "Mr. Myers, contrary to the ADA's policies, had tried to access the data related to one Dreamer. Which probably gave a momentary path to the hacker/hackers to enter our systems. He is being inquired by the authorities as we speak."

"Who is the Dreamer that made even the Director himself break the rules?" Olivia recognized the lady asking, and she had always hated this voice. Other reporters had also demanded this information. This news would be the cream of the crop for them. Olivia couldn't see the face of the reporters because of the lighting, but she knew that bitch would have a low-quality smirk on her face right now. Who could have been this reporter, who had forced one of the most composed women to swear out curses? But the lady on the seat at the far back hadn't finished with her questions.

"Where were you, Ms. Wells? Should we assume you didn't even know about it?"

The SecDef, seated on Olivia's right, intervened on her behalf. "That would be all. Now please be understanding. Baron Edmund is a busy man. You don't want him to be occupied by these things, right?"

Politicians always had a way with their words. Who would deny the fact that the face of ADA wasn't a busy person? And who would deny that there were many important places that needed his presence? A brief eye contact happened between Olivia and the unknown lady, now that they had stood up.

Edmund shook his head and said, "How could such a leak have happened? Mistakes over mistakes. This isn't the ADA we all had been hoping for."

Hearing no reply from either Ms. Wells or the SecDef, Edmund went out to his car. Just as he was about to enter, his mobile rang. He received the call, getting comfortable in the backseat. The caller's name, COD, was visible for a moment.

Edmund: Yes?

Samael: He hasn't returned yet

Edmund: What?

Samael: First, it was you who made me Chief of Dungeons; I didn't ask for it. Second, you brought him to our Guild; I remember I didn't agree. He comes and goes as he pleases. Why do you even tolerate him?

Edmund: When was the last time you saw him?

Samael: I don't know, maybe the time when the news channels had reported about the hacking. We have only 12 and a half hours for the Random-Allocation.

Edmund: Don't worry, he will come back later. Take care of all the preparations without him for now

Samael: Just just don't tell him I called you about this

Beep!!

Edmund threw the phone on the side and asked himself, "Where are you? Boomie."

*

Prescott (Arizona)

USA

The military and the task force from the Anti-Dreamer Department of ADA had surrounded the Dungeon. The excuse of preparing for Random-Allocation had masked the real purpose of their presence behind it. But there was one person who had guessed for what such a force had been dispatched. And his back hadn't stopped getting wet from all the sweat ever since then.

"You have done it this time, Andrew. By God, who had contacted you anyway? No matter how much money someone had given you, was that worth it?" asked The Thunder Guild's Director of Dungeons, Mr. Brown, eyeing a blue-haired man. The man had blue eyes, blue eyebrows, and even the greatcoat which he had been wearing was blue. Not the blue of the ocean, but the blues of lightning. With a deep frown on his face, Andrew tightened the grip on the 2 ft long handle of a hammer which was resting majestically on the ground.

"Humph! So what? Do I need to justify myself to these Government dogs? I, Andrew Thunderbird, can't be scared that easily."

"That's right! That's right. But why did you change your surname, Guild Leader?" The last sentence was barely audible.

"What did you say?"

"Ah, nothing! Haha!" No matter how much of a clown their Guild Leader was, Mr. Brown thought, he was a powerful Dreamer. Mr. Brown hadn't believed that someone would send such a massive force to only inquire about one suicidal Dreamer. There was a guess in his mind, but it was so outrageous that if it was right, then they had dragged themselves too deep into the muddy water. He saw the huge hammer, laid down on the road, and thought, 'Maybe it was worth it. I can only guess how much money Andrew must have received to even buy his dream Item.'

Suddenly, a car approached the barricade. The two Guild members and the Anti-Dreamer task force weren't expecting anyone at the moment. They all put their attention towards the man that had come out of the car. The man had worn shorts and a loose T-shirt, his hairs were like a red bush, and his straight frame looked like a lone tower in the desert.

Everyone worthy to know knew that the Blazing Royals Guild was secured behind a 'wall'. It was high and sturdy enough for most to have called it insurmountable. Recruited by the Baron himself, and the savior of thousands. Most of the world only knew of Edmund. Not only because he had been famous for being the founding member of ADA but also because he was one of the strongest in the world.

The mountains surrounding the highest peak are often underestimated.

And this was the case with the strongest Tanker of America, Mr. Bernard Delmar the Blood Berserker.

*

Boomie had been in a state of complete ecstasy since he saw the news about hacking. He cared little about the hack or whatever. No, but the two things surrounding it had made the news important enough for him to rush out of the Guild. First, he heard that one of their recruiters had chanced upon something extraordinary. So what? Everything had been extraordinary for quite a while by that time. But his location, Wenatchee, was just too coincidental. The second was the message he got from the Guild Leader. It informed him about a Dreamer attempting to raid a Dungeon by himself and how it might have been related to the hacking.

Boomie had neither rushed out towards the HQ of ADA nor had he rushed to Prescott, Arizona. Boomie, he had gone home. The joy after listening to the message which was given to him by Mrs. Guo had finally surmounted the 'wall'. And then he realized the ADA had sent a team of Anti-Dreamers and military to apprehend the Dreamer, so he immediately came to this location.

"Don't mind me," Boomie casually said, seeing that everyone had been looking at him. But the most uneasy was the Anti-Dreamer's team, for they had the special privilege to collect some information on other Dreamers. They all looked at each other and warily turned around.

Boomie had just wanted to rush into the Dungeon, but unfortunately, he could have only attempted it within a short time limit of the Dungeon opening. He looked at all the Dreamers, including the Thunder Guild's Guild Leader, who had picked up the hammer at some point.

'I guess, I would just have to kill them.'

Boomie's bushy hairs had waved like he was underwater. The veins all over his body wriggled like venomous red-purple snakes. The sharp red glint in his eyes made him look even more blood-thirsty. And this brought changes to others too.

The soles of all the Dreamers became itchy. The tips of their fingers throbbed with pain. Their ears ringed with unknown murmurs, and the fear watered their eyes.

Death was lurking right behind them.