Hitake discovered that surviving a Hive Queen came with paperwork.
A lot of paperwork.
He sat in Professor Mira's office with his arms folded while she pushed another stack of forms toward him.
“Sign.”
Hitake stared.
“What is this?”
“Mission report.”
“I already gave one.”
“This is the official version.”
“I already gave that too.”
“This is the academy's version.”
“What's the difference?”
Mira smiled.
“The academy likes making students suffer.”
John, sitting nearby, whispered, “She's terrifying.”
Mira looked at him.
“I heard that.”
John straightened.
“Yes, Professor.”
Zena covered a smile.
Hitake picked up the pen.
“Fine.”
He signed.
Another paper appeared.
He stared at it.
“What now?”
“Casualty report.”
Hitake frowned.
“Zero.”
Mira nodded.
“Exactly.”
She looked at him seriously.
“Do you understand how unusual that is?”
Hitake shrugged.
“We got lucky.”
“No.”
Mira leaned back.
“You made decisions under pressure. You gave orders. Your team followed them. Nobody died.”
John looked at Hitake.
“You saved the civilians.”
Hitake shook his head.
“We all did.”
That answer made Mira smile.
“You're learning.”
When they left the office, Nefertiti appeared.
She looked unusually pleased.
Hitake immediately became suspicious.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You're smiling.”
“I smile.”
“That's what Zena says when she's hiding something.”
Zena looked at him.
“I don't hide things.”
Nefertiti appeared beside her.
“You do.”
Zena nodded.
“I suppose I do.”
Hitake stopped walking.
“Are you two having a conversation about me?”
“Yes,” they answered together.
He sighed.
“This is going to be my life, isn't it?”
“Yes,” Zena said.
“Absolutely,” Nefertiti added.
A golden interface appeared before Hitake.
[SPECIAL REWARD AVAILABLE]
Hitake's eyes widened.
“What?”
[Because of exceptional mission performance.]
[Civilian casualties: 0.]
[Team casualties: 0.]
[Command success: Confirmed.]
Nefertiti smiled.
[Your sugar mommy has decided to spoil you.]
Hitake stared.
“What did you give me?”
The interface expanded.
[DESTINY ALLOCATION UNLOCKED.]
Hitake went silent.
He had expected attribute points.
Maybe equipment.
Maybe another skill.
Not this.
“What does it do?”
Nefertiti placed her hands behind her back.
“Your attributes are yours.”
She smiled.
“Destiny Allocation allows you to rearrange them.”
Hitake's eyes widened.
“So if I have points in Strength—”
“You can move them.”
“To Agility?”
“Yes.”
“Perception?”
“Yes.”
“Endurance?”
“Yes.”
“Mana?”
“Yes.”
He stared at the interface.
“So I don't lose the points.”
“No.”
“They stay mine?”
“Forever.”
Hitake laughed.
“That is broken.”
Nefertiti smiled proudly.
“Of course.”
Zena folded her arms.
“She does spoil you.”
“I know.”
Nefertiti looked at Zena.
“Should we give him something else?”
Zena considered it.
Hitake's eyes widened.
“No.”
Both women looked at him.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
Nefertiti smiled.
“Good boy.”
Hitake's face twitched.
The interface opened.
[DESTINY ALLOCATION]
Current Attributes:
Strength — 48
Agility — 49
Endurance — 40
Mana — 37
Perception — 55
Luck — 12
Charm — 8
[Redistribution Available]
Hitake experimented.
He moved ten points from Strength to Agility.
The numbers changed.
Strength — 38
Agility — 59
Then he moved them back.
Strength — 48
Agility — 49
Everything returned exactly as before.
Hitake smiled.
“This changes everything.”
Nefertiti nodded.
“It allows you to adapt.”
Zena looked thoughtful.
“So if he needs speed...”
“He becomes faster.”
“If he needs defense...”
“He becomes harder to break.”
“If he needs perception...”
“He becomes more precise.”
Nefertiti smiled.
“Exactly.”
Zena looked at Hitake.
“Then we should make sure you never waste your points.”
Hitake looked between them.
“You two are enjoying this too much.”
“Yes,” they said together.
He groaned.
Later that evening, Hitake returned to the academy dormitory.
He had barely stepped inside when he remembered his mother. Since he lived at school, he rarely had a reason to visit her at home, but he suddenly decided to use the mission paperwork as an excuse.
He told the dorm supervisor that he needed to deliver the official documents to his mother and get her signature for the academy records.
With permission granted, Hitake left the dorm and headed home.
Amara was waiting.
She looked at him for a long moment.
Then her eyes moved toward his arm.
The smile disappeared from her face.
“You awakened it.”
Hitake stopped.
“You knew about the weapon.”
Amara slowly sat down.
“Yes.”
Hitake's expression hardened.
“Then I think it's time you tell me everything.”