Chapter 130: Chapter 124: Specialist
Dean crossed his arms and replied, "It’s nothing to be proud of. You know that, right? You basically just bullied a bunch of kids."
Zeke coughed, feigning innocence. "It’s not bullying. It’s character development."
Dean scoffed, shaking his head. "Yeah, keep telling yourself that."
Cass snickered but quickly wiped the amusement off his face when Dean turned his sharp gaze toward him.
"Oh, don’t think you’re off the hook either," Dean said, his voice carrying a hint of exasperation. "You’re no better than him. In fact, I’m kinda surprised how easily you fell for his trap."
Cass lowered his head slightly, clearly disappointed in himself. "I’ll do better in the future," he muttered.
A voice cut in from behind, casual yet firm. "Oh, come on, Dean. Go a little easier on the kids."
Ramses approached, his hands tucked into his coat pockets, watching the exchange with an amused smirk. "Ezekiel’s move was brilliant. Even with all of your battle experience, you didn’t realize what he was doing until I pointed it out. You can’t really expect Castiel to see through something that even you missed."
Dean turned to glare at Ramses, but the man was unfazed. He simply met Dean’s gaze with a knowing look.
Dean sent a private voice transmission to him, his mental tone dry. "I’m trying to teach them a lesson."
Ramses sighed and replied in the same manner. "You know, I might not be the best parent around, but even I know that turning everything into a ’lesson’ is a big no-no. Give them credit where it’s due."
Dean remained silent. He hated to admit it, but Ramses had a point—at least when it came to Cass. Zeke was a different story altogether.
Dean still struggled to see him as a kid, even though Leonel had explained Zeke’s regression in detail. The boy wasn’t just a normal child; he was essentially a person with the memories and experiences of an adult version of himself. Logically, it made sense that he sometimes acted like a kid—because he was one. But those very memories made it so he often didn’t behave like one, and when he did, it felt strange.
Maybe Dean had just gotten too used to Zeke’s unnatural maturity. Maybe that maturity wasn’t an achievement, but a testament to the boy’s mental state—and not in a good way.
Dean sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. He needed advice. He really missed his father at times like this.
Before he could dwell on the thought any longer, Zeke’s voice cut through his musings. "So... what are my rewards?"
Dean blinked, caught off guard. "What rewards?" he asked, feigning ignorance.
Zeke raised an eyebrow, not buying it for a second. "Oh, you know what I’m talking about. It’s the only reason I even bothered taking this exam."
Ramses and Alexandra turned to look at him, then at Dean. The unspoken question was written all over their faces.
Dean coughed and crossed his arms. "Could you not demean the best academy in the Federation when you haven’t even left the exam grounds?"
Zeke smirked. "Oh, you mean the academy whose entrance exam I just dominated without even having to move an inch? Yeah, sure. I already told you, I’m only here for one reason."
Dean sighed. He might as well get it over with. "Alright, alright," he relented. "By the authority of the Supreme Commander of the Earth Federation, I grant you the rank of Specialist. You are permitted to form a squad consisting of four Private First Class and two Privates of your choosing. Any mistakes your subordinates make will reflect on you and your conduct. So bear that in mind."
Zeke grinned, clearly pleased with himself. Placing his right fist over his left chest in a mock salute, he said, "Sir, yes, Sir."
Although he attempted to appear serious, the mischievous glint in his eyes gave him away.
Ramses sent another voice transmission to Dean. "I pity the poor bastards he’s going to choose."
Dean shot him a look and responded dryly, "You do realize that one of them is going to be your descendant, right?"
Ramses froze. His eyes widened before a slow realization dawned on him. A sigh of deep resignation followed. "It’s just going to be like back then, isn’t it?"
Dean shook his head. "Knowing Zeke? It’s going to be a hundred times worse."
Ramses exhaled sharply. "...Fuck."
Alexandra, who had been watching their silent exchange, suddenly snapped her fingers. "You two! It’s extremely rude to use voice transmissions when you have company."
Ramses, without missing a beat, grinned and replied, "Well, I disagree. After all, isn’t that the whole point of voice transmissions?"
Before he could continue, Alexandra held up a hand, narrowing her eyes. "You win," she declared. "You will not trick me into entering another debate with you. I still haven’t recovered from the trauma you gave me last time."
Ramses smirked. "Hey, it’s not my fault you’re a sore loser."
Alexandra huffed. "I was nineteen!"
She paused, then frowned slightly. "Wait... why does that sound weird?"
A brief silence followed.
Dean, seeing an opportunity to escape before another debate broke out, clapped his hands together. "Alright, that’s enough. The boys need rest. We’ll see you later."
Ramses nodded. "Don’t forget about my offer."
Dean didn’t respond immediately. Instead, a conflicted expression crossed his face. He gave a small nod before grabbing the boys by the shoulders and teleporting them away.
Alexandra pouted. "Hmph. I wanted to get to know them better," she muttered. Then, more seriously, she added, "And I need to talk to Uncle Dean about Grandpa. I’m getting worried."
Meanwhile, the trio reappeared at the Reed Residence.
Zeke, never one to let things go, immediately asked, "What offer?"
Dean exhaled, stretching his neck as if suddenly exhausted. "I’ll tell you about it later," he said.
Zeke narrowed his eyes but let it go—for now.
Cass, who had remained relatively quiet, finally let out a small sigh. "I feel like I just survived a battlefield."
Zeke shot him a grin. "Welcome to my world."
Dean rubbed his temples. It was going to be a long day.
