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His creased elbow gently rested on the furniture before him, and a stern expression was glued to his face.

Tia and her team members stood before the Grandmaster of their great Alliance—Pariah, the number one Gifted in the world.

As the leader of Team Gamma, she had just told him of their recent escapade. He was informed about the success of their mission… but more importantly, about the horror they encountered.

"The Hoarder…" He whispered, his eyes narrowing in extreme seriousness.

Everyone in the Gifted Alliance knew who the Hoarder was. However, no one had really ever fought with him, neither did they have a firsthand experience against him.

The only person who could claim such a right was Pariah.

And even he was wary of the Hoarder.

"I\'m glad he didn\'t harm you. He must have thought you were too insignificant to bother about."

"A-ah, yes. I thought the same." Tia responded to Pariah\'s sudden smile with a slight bow.

Perhaps she had a weakness for handsome, strong men. The charming face of their leader, and his firm personality, always made her more reverent in his presence.

"The Second Wave is happening soon. We can\'t allow that person to affect our plans. Since we have our first sighting in weeks, it\'s best we take active steps to prevent any disaster from happening."

Tia didn\'t completely understand what Pariah was saying. She wanted to ask, but wondered if it was in her place to do so.

"I\'ll be recalling every member of the Alliance who has gone to search for resources, as well as the scouts. It\'s too dangerous to have them out at this time." He suddenly added.

Tia\'s eyes bulged. She knew the repercussions of that action, causing her to be unable to keep silent for much longer.

"B-but, what of the quota? We haven\'t yet reached our required amount to pull through the incoming wave."

According to the details provided by the System, the wave would last for at least five weeks. In that period, it was highly improbable that they would be able to get supplies easily—or even at all.

"I understand your concerns, but the risk is too great. If the Hoarder chooses to interfere with our chain of activities, it would spell doom for the Alliance. I can\'t allow him to harm any one of you."

Tears nearly fell from Tia\'s eyes as she heard the heartwarming speech given by her dear leader. Her heart raced as well, and she struggled to keep a straight face.

"At least, not until we are prepared to deal with him." He added.

"But… what are we going to do about the deficit supplies?"

For a brief moment, silence enveloped the entire room, and tension took over. Tia knew Pariah always had a plan, so she knew he wouldn\'t let her down.

"It seems I\'ll have to utilize some of my Karma Points to handle the lack of enough goods. If we buy from the <Shop>, we should be able to make up for our loss."

That was true. You could get anything with Karma Points.

Pariah was currently the top Ranker in the world. His Karma Points were more than she could even imagine, so it wasn\'t impossible for him to take care of their shortage problem with his Points.

However, that brought about another problem.

"B-but aren\'t you supposed to use them for emergencies? And also to deal a devastating blow to the Hoarder when the time comes."

"Yes, but this takes priority. Once the Wave begins, I can always earn more Karma Points. For now, though… we have to consider everyone in this Camp, and then beyond."

Tia\'s heart fluttered even more as she watched her leader\'s elegant smile. He was just too good to be true.

"U-understood!"

"Thank you for understanding, and thank you all for your hard work." Pariah bowed his head to everyone who stood before him.

It moved all the members of Team Gamma, almost to the point of tears. Here was a man who was far stronger and smarter than them, yet he constantly praised them.

"I\'m relying on you all." He said, despite the fact that they were the ones relying on him.

They knew it within their hearts, after all. No matter how hard they tried, and how much they contributed…

"We are unworthy."

… They could not be compared to Pariah!

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Tia and her team eventually left Paul\'s office, and he sighed the moment the last of them departed and closed the door.

Closing his eyes to enjoy the brief moment of silence he could enjoy, he rested his head on his chair.

"Are you really going to use your Karma Points for the resources?" A voice suddenly echoed from behind him.

Emerging from the shadows was his dear partner and closest friend—Lily (Code name: Lilith).

Her small stature was well accentuated by her cute face and flowing white hair. Her crimson eyes matched Paul\'s, and they appeared to be twins at this point.

Lily sat on Paul\'s desk, a small distance from him, and a smile was on her face. Her question still hanging in the air, waiting for Paul\'s response.

"No. You should know already… we have enough supplies to last us five weeks."

That\'s right! The Alliance had gathered enough to keep them fed and thirstless for five weeks. Thanks to their combined efforts and hard work, everything was already prepared for their group.

"Then why did you—"

"Why else? To garner more gratitude and respect. If I choose to sacrifice my Karma Points for them, they\'ll be more willing to listen to me and obey my commands."

Selflessness was the key to the hearts of these people; Paul had figured that out a long time ago. Everyone loved a charismatic leader who would do anything for the people.

That was how he was able to climb to this position and get everyone\'s adulation as a Hero.

"But, do you really need to resort to that? Lying and manipulation… isn\'t really like you." Lily spoke, showing a little concern for him.

He was her everything, so she cared about him more than anyone. Seeing him slowly devolve into his current state troubled her.

"Why not? It\'s the most efficient way." He responded, as usual, showing conviction in his tone.

It seemed he truly believed that manipulating everyone was the best way to get the job done.

"After suffering defeat at the hands of Jeremy that day… you know what I realized? I was too weak—not only physically, but mentally as well."

Paul could only say these things because she was Lily. She would always remain by his side, no matter what.

"To beat that monster, I need to abandon all the virtues that held me back. Even if it means resorting to petty tricks like manipulation… I have to stop him."

Paul\'s eyes widened with desperation, and his lips broadened to form a smile that represented insanity. No longer did he resemble the virtuous Grandmaster that everyone adored.

Something was different about him.

"I have to win… no matter what!"

Something darker.

*

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[A/N]

Okay, now that I\'ve set the stage… we\'ll be delving into the wave in the next chapter.

Sorry for the delay in releasing this chapter. I\'ve been occupied with tests and other stuff.

Please comment if you want to see what happens next.