Nick understood the Protectors.
They all followed the Left Arm because the Left Arm was leading by example.
She helped humanity, and her attitude inspired them.
Nick knew that because he was also inspired by her.
"The Envious Researcher is dead," the Left Arm spoke with a serious voice as she looked at the researchers.
Then, several sheets of paper appeared in front of them.
"Look through all these new advancements. We must make sure," she ordered.
The researchers almost couldn't believe that the Envious Researcher was dead, but they still followed the Left Arm's orders.
The Shields waited for half an hour while the researchers were reading about the new advancements.
Everyone looked at Nick.
"Nothing," Nick confirmed.
This confirmed it!
The Envious Researcher was actually dead!
"Spread the news," the Left Arm ordered. "Everyone is now allowed to share knowledge with each other."
This was a momentous occasion!
Humanity had gotten rid of one of their biggest shackles.
And yet, Nick frowned.
'A bit late, aren't we?' Nick thought as he sensed the Sun looking at him once again.
Nick threw a glance at the Champion, who seemed a bit distracted.
'Are they talking?' he thought.
"You deal with everything," the Champion said to the Left Arm.
"I will, Champion," she confirmed. "You did a good job. You are worthy of your title as the Champion of Light."
The Champion just nodded.
"Julian," Nick heard the Champion speak in his mind.
"Yes, Champion?" Nick transmitted back.
"Come with me," he ordered.
Nick furrowed his brows and wordlessly followed the Champion.
Usually, one would think that the Champion was about to praise him for his contribution, but Nick knew that wouldn't happen.
The two of them entered Aegis' headquarters and walked into the Champion's office.
The door closed behind them, and Nick's senses were isolated.
The Champion's office could be completely isolated from any kind of sense.
Of course, the new window was also covered by the walls.
When the office was in this state, not even the Left Arm could sense what was going on inside.
Whatever the Champion wanted to do to Nick was not something he wanted anyone to know.
'Killing me right now makes no sense. This would be the worst moment imaginable,' Nick thought.
'The thing he fears the most is being exposed and killing me after I contributed this much would be impossible to justify in front of the other Shields.' ŗ𝘼𐌽∅βΕS̈
'Is it related to his talk with the Sun?'
The Champion went onto his throne and sat down.
For several seconds, he just looked at Nick, who looked back with a neutral expression.
"What is humanity to you?" the Champion asked.
This was a tricky question.
Nick was supposed to be a Specter, but he was also supposed to work for Aegis.
Answering that humanity was just a tool for him would betray his allegiance, while saying that humanity was an ally would betray his existence as a Specter.
As a Specter, he was supposed to only look out for his own gain, but as a member of Aegis, he was supposed to view humanity as his ally.
"Partners," Nick answered.
That was all Nick said.
While lying, saying more was bad.
Honest people gave short answers to simple questions since they didn't feel a need to explain or justify their actions.
"Just partners?" the Champion asked after a couple of seconds, his eyes narrowing.
"If I said anything else, it would end badly for me," Nick said. "If I say I work for humanity, you would think I would be lying since I am a Specter, and Specters always want what's good for themselves. If I said it is a tool, I would be betraying my partnership with Aegis."
"What I think is not important. It is only important what I say."
The Champion looked at Nick silently for a while.
"As a Specter, you should only be interested in yourself.How can humanity trust that you won't betray them?" he asked.
"Because I'm not stupid," Nick answered.
The Champion frowned while Nick continued explaining.
"Attaining new customers is several times more difficult than maintaining old customers. Additionally, repeat customers count for the majority of profit."
"In a way, Aegis and humanity have been customers of my services. Aegis is a solid repeat customer, and our partnership has paid off for both of us several times."
"In the last five years, I got to work with several Protectors, which made my power advance drastically. Who else can offer me something like that?"
"Betraying humanity would be betraying my own growth and survival."
"By working with you, I have eliminated my biggest predator. Aegis has a monopoly on a commodity that I desperately need. Humans."
"I am also not the only Specter that thinks like that," Nick said.
The Champion knew what Nick was referring to.
The False Prophet.
The only Adversary that Aegis had to work with.
Did Aegis suppress the False Prophet?
No.
The False Prophet was here voluntarily.
Whenever a powerful human worked with the False Prophet, it would speak a prophecy.
50% of the time, the prophecy came true.
50% of the time, it didn't.
Yet, the prophecy was always something significant.
A city would be destroyed.
A Protector would die in battle soon.
A Fallen or Peak Demon would break out.
At first glance, this seemed like a useful tool.
If it weren't for the fact that increased instances of working with the False Prophet led to an increase in worldwide catastrophes.
The more humanity worked with it, the more tragedies happened.
More Demons broke out.
Cities were destroyed more frequently.
The reason why it was called the False Prophet was not because its prophecies were incorrect half of the time.
The reason for its name was that it didn't predict things.
It predicted them and then caused its predictions to be true via its powers.
Even more, the more powerful the Extractor working with it was, the more devastating the predictions became.
Working with it was extremely risky for humanity, but it was the only Adversary humanity had.
Just like Nick, the False Prophet was in a partnership with humanity.
It offered Zephyx and growth for the Shields, but in exchange, it got to cause disasters and grow more powerful.
The Champion looked at Nick for a while.
"Your answers are very similar to mine," he said.
"Someone once asked me these same questions, and I gave a similar answer."
Nick could see where this was going.
'Is it already time?'
"Julian, would you be interested in a new business partner?"
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