Chapter 88: Metamorphosis

The next morning, Dean received word that the peltasts had made contact with their first proxy. An agreement was made without his oversight. And Zach had proven capable of negotiating Elysium’s interests.

The reality was that the bandits relied on speed and intimidation to extract supplies and manpower from those who did not have the strength, knowledge, or will to defend themselves.

But this also made them susceptible to certain styles of warfare by trained individuals. Zach and Dean had a conversation, even if they could get the bodies in the fight by their proxies. They simply didn’t have enough arms or munitions to distribute to them.

Not only that, but training with firearms created noise… noise that could be heard for miles. This meant that whatever training was required to get the proxies up to speed would almost certainly be noticed by the bandits, resulting in a full scale attack.

So, Zach had correctly made the decision to use the proxies as information assets, and silent saboteurs or assassins. Not as direct front-line soldiers.

While one might think this was counter-intuitive towards the “toppling an empire narrative.”

The reality was that wars were won primarily by intelligence and logistics. Elysium supplied the logistics part of the equation, but if the peltasts were expected to act as the primary form of both reconnaissance and direct action, it limited any given action they could take.

Especially when considering that their numbers were already extremely limited. By approaching the tributaries with the mentality of using them as a giant web of intrigue, this solved many of the issues Elysian currently faced and allowed the peltasts to operate as the primary combat arm of this growing insurgency.

Frankly speaking, Dean was incredibly impressed with how Zach had correctly made this decision without his input, based simply on the lectures and practical knowledge he had trained the peltasts with.

In fact, Dean made a decision that once the Peltasts were expanded, Zach would be made the unit commander no matter how large it grew. He had proven himself worthy of that position.

Dean had reflected on all of this over breakfast. Too deep in thought to notice how anxious Yuki looked as she prodded at her eggs.

It wasn’t until she began routinely picking at her wrist beneath her sweater’s sleeve that Dean finally noticed something. It was abnormal behavior for Yuki, and she seemed extremely precise about the spot she get rubbing, itching, and just plain touching.

As if she were looking for constant reassurance. In the end, Dean placed down his fork and knife and looked over at Yuki, she herself barely noticing as she kept staring at her wrist.

“Yuki’s is everything alright?” Yuki snapped to attention, making a sharp noise, as if startled by his sudden inquisition.

She looked over and saw that all eyes were now squarely on her, and blushed. Averting her gaze, as her tone became quiet and sheepish.

“Dean… can you please come with me for a second, I need to speak to you… in private…”

Dean normally would have rejected the request. He was not the type of man who liked being pulled away from his breakfast.

But the way Yuki was acting was deeply concerning to him. Her well being, even if it was just a small mental breakdown from all the pressure she was under, like he thought, was far more important than the comfort of his eggs.

He placed his fork and knife down and followed Yuki up the stairs and into their room. Where she surprised him by pulling her sweater off entirely without a single statement in between.

Naturally, Dean’s eyes were drawn to her chest, but this only served to anger Yuki as she shoved her wrist in front of him.

“Dean! That’s not why I dragged you here! Look! Am I going insane? Or do you see it too?”

Dean didn’t see anything at first… It just looked like her normal sleeve… until it hit him… She had just taken her sweater off…. He looked at her face, her body, and then her forearm… And there it was… Her forearm looked exactly like her sleeve.

But this was not what startled him. Out of nowhere, the familiar red glare of the tyrant ledger’s overlay forced its way into his sight.

—

Analyzing….

Analyzing….

Analyzing…

Metamorphosis identified….

Class-A Evolutionary Trait… Active Camouflage…

Evolved Lifeform: Yuki Tanaka.

Health: 100/100

Relationship: In Love

—

Dean stared at Yuki’s forearm in disbelief. And this only made her more anxious. Her shouts ultimately brought him back to reality.

“You can see it too! Can’t you! Dean? What’s happening to me?”

Dean took a deep breath and calmed himself. He sighed heavily as he gripped Yuki’s shoulders, dragging her into his embrace as he rubbed her back gently in a soothing motion.

“Relax Yuki… I know what this is… You’re fine… You’re not in any danger. The reality is… I have a similar condition… You just can’t see it?”

Yuki couldn’t understand at all what Dean was saying… But his warmth, his gentle voice, it soothed her in a way Katherine’s clinical diagnosis never could.

And she trusted him. She took a deep breath and exhaled. And the moment the air escaped her lungs, she felt a deep calm overcome her once more.

Then and only then did she see her skin return to the normal spray tan she somehow managed to keep until now.

“I don’t know what’s going on… but thank you…”

The two of them stood there in silence for a long while. Yuki refusing to let go, because the only thing keeping her from panicking right now was Dean’s warmth, and Dean silent as he struggled to understand just what was happening.

What was the tyrant’s ledger? How was it related to this new metamorphosis Yuki had spontaneously undergone? And was this tied to the sudden shift in climate that had brought the end to the world?

These were the questions that plagued his mind, and which he had no answer to.

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