System's POV-Chapter 866: Interview With Thirteen [Part 2]

"Hello, Miss Emma Gency," Thirteen said with a smile. "Are you good with dealing with seriously wounded individuals who are just a step away from kicking the bucket?"

"Sir, I am a trained Medic," Emma answered. "I thrive in that environment."

"Great." Thirteen nodded. "If you had to survive an apocalypse with only three items, what would they be?"

The young lady pondered for a bit before giving her answer.

It was not only her who was thinking of an answer to this question. Even Erica, Sherry, Shana, Cristopher, and Colbert thought about what items they would keep in that situation.

"A solar-powered phone charger, portable fan, and a coffee machine," Emma answered. "I need my daily dose of coffee to work long shifts, even if it’s in the apocalypse."

"Very admirable," Thirteen commented. "Final question—if your life had a theme song, what would it be?"

"Raphael’s Final Act from Baldurs Gate 3," Emma answered. "An orchestra singing while the world is about to end will make it incredibly epic."

"You have good taste." Thirteen smiled. "I like that song as well. Thank you for your time. Please call the next one when you leave."

The girls by the wall wondered why Zion didn’t make things difficult for Emma, unlike poor Al who had been wrung dry and left questioning his life choice of applying to the 69th Battalion.

As if knowing what they were thinking, Thirteen glanced in their direction and smirked.

"She’s a medic, you know?" Thirteen stated. "We need as many of them as we can when we go to the battlefield."

His answer made sense, so the three young ladies no longer questioned his decision.

This time, a young man nearly two meters in height entered the room.

He was the first person Thirteen noticed when he saw the new recruits. With his height, he inevitably stuck out like a sore thumb.

"Mr. Hugh Jass, why did you join the military?" Thirteen asked as he rested his chin on the back of his intertwined hands.

"I didn’t really have any intention of joining the military in the past," Hugh replied. "But whenever I see you, I feel a heartache that I can’t explain."

"Have you gone to the hospital to have it checked?" Thirteen inquired calmly.

"Yes," Hugh replied. "But the doctor said that he doesn’t see anything wrong with my heart or body. Well, aside from being tall that is."

When Thirteen saw the young man, he also felt something that tugged at his heartstrings.

However, unlike Vincent, who looked exactly like he did in his past life, Hugh’s face and appearance didn’t resemble any of Thirteen’s previous hosts.

Still, there was an inexplicable feeling as if they had known each other for a long time.

Thirteen glanced at his Status Page momentarily and looked at the names under the Destiny Bond tab.

The Destiny Bond was a skill that "The One" had given him out of pity when they met for the first time.

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< Destiny Bond >

— You will feel the presence of the people who have a very strong connection with you. The stronger your feelings are for a person, the stronger the connection.

If your feelings for them reach a certain threshold, it is possible to pinpoint their exact location using the strings of fate that bound you to them.

List of People that are tied to your Destiny.

Gerald

Alessia

Mikhail

Shasha

Remi

Rhia

Arthur

Callista

Erica

Sherry

Shana

Cristopher

Colbert

Vincent

Hugo - (New!)

****

Thirteen blanked out for a brief moment when he saw the name Hugo appear under his Destiny Bond tab.

’Hugo… Hugh,’ Thirteen thought. ’Now it made sense. Why didn’t I think of it right away?’

The teenage boy’s gaze softened a bit as he gazed at the tall young man in front of him.

"You know, I feel the same way," Thirteen said with a smile. "Perhaps we were good friends in our past life."

"I do hope that’s true, Sir," Hugo rubbed his nose. "If that’s really the case then this must be fate at work."

The corner of Thirteen’s lips twitched after hearing the word "Fate."

It was the word he hated the most. But knowing Hugh didn’t mean it in a bad way, the teenage boy decided to just let it slide.

"Final question," Thirteen said. "If your life in the military had a theme song, what would it be?"

"I Will Survive," Hugh answered in a heartbeat. "My family and I used to live in the Cygni Continent, and like everyone, we evacuated to here, in the Sirius Continent.

"We have lost our home, but we haven’t lost our future. I am willing to fight for that future and make my stand alongside the heroes of humanity. When I say heroes, Sir, I am referring to you."

"Me, a Hero?" Thirteen shook his head. "You should be referring to them, right?"

The teenage boy pointed at Erica and Shana, who were standing at the corner of the room and listening to the conversation between Thirteen and Hugh.

"They are indeed part of the Hero Party." Hugh nodded. "But Sir, in my eyes, you are also a Hero."

Thirteen didn’t comment right away. Instead, he stared at the young man, who reminded him of the gentle Bronze Golem who only wished to protect the tomb of his creator.

Unfortunately, his Master was a very powerful individual, and many coveted the treasures that were buried alongside him.

The Bronze Golem, Hugo, protected the tomb, even when his body was hacked into pieces by the members of the Hero Party in that world, who thought of him as a mere Guardian Monster blocking their way.

After the Heroes looted his master’s tomb, the Bronze Golem’s body parts reattached themselves to each other, and it wandered the land, thinking of ways to avenge his creator.

But after reaching a sanctuary where those who had fled from the constant war gathered, Hugo decided to stay there as their Guardian.

He had faced many battles while protecting the sanctuary, and the inhabitants started to call him their Hero.

The gentle giant became good friends with them and spent ten years with them.

He even thought there would come a time when he didn’t need to fight anymore, and everyone would be able to live in peace and harmony.

Unfortunately, peace wasn’t an option in a world where Humans and Demons fought a bitter war in order to subjugate each other.

In the end, Hugo died at the hands of the General of the Demon Army, who next massacred the helpless people the Bronze Giant tried to protect.

Before Hugo died, he had two regrets—his Master’s tomb and the Sanctuary. In his last moments, all he thought about was how much he hated himself for being powerless to protect the ones he held dear.

Both were now in ruins, just like his body that had been destroyed without any hope of revival.

"Hugh, you call me a Hero, but in my eyes, you are the real Hero," Thirteen said as the memories of his previous host slowly faded. "Don’t worry. As long as you follow me and listen to my orders, I will ensure that you will survive. I swear it."

Erica, Sherry, Shana, Cristopher, Colbert, and Hans were quite surprised because the teenage boy’s expression suddenly became serious.

Thirteen liked to hide behind a fake smile, and the number of times where he truly showed his true emotions were extremely rare.

Everyone who had been with him for the past few years could tell that he wasn’t faking anything right now.

His words were all serious, and since he swore on it, he would definitely make it happen without fail.

"Don’t worry, Sir," Hugh replied with a smile. "I heard you have many restrictions in your body. I will do my best to protect you. I may not be the strongest in the 69th Battalion, but I am fairly confident with my strength."

"Protect me?" Thirteen smirked. "Very well. From now on, I will let you protect me. You’ll become my personal bodyguard in the Cygni Continent."

"Sir, Yes Sir!" Hugh saluted.

Thirteen returned his salute and asked the young man to call the next person in line for the interview.

When Hugh left, Thirteen glanced at Cristopher and Colbert, then asked them to arrange for Hugh’s quarters to be beside his own when they arrived at the Cygni Continent.

This surprised the two young men. In their eyes, Zion wasn’t someone who needed anyone’s protection.

But since it was his orders, the two nodded and promised to do his orders without fail.

When the door of the office opened, the young man returned to his business-like expression and welcomed the newcomer.

"Mr. Penny Tration," Thirteen said. "What’s your life motto?"

"When in doubt, slide in smoothly and make it look intentional, Sir," Penny replied. "Also, go as deep as you can go when it comes to relationships… like go real deep."

Erica, Sherry, and Shana were starting to question why Zion’s new recruits had some very unique names.

However, since this wasn’t really their problem, the three just listened and blushed as the teenage boy continued to question the young man, who would soon become Vincent’s next best friend.