Starting With SSS-rank: I Get A New Skill Every Livestream

Chapter 279: Reunion and the truth

It all happened so fast that Kyle could barely piece together the events.

He remembered getting into the car.

He remembered his brother and his girlfriend coming outside to see him off.

He remembered watching his luggage being loaded into the trunk of the sleek black sedan.

Then...

There had been a man waiting in the backseat.

He introduced himself as Leo, carrying an easy smile that made him seem instantly approachable. According to him, he had been assigned by the Headmaster to escort Kyle to the academy.

He even asked him to contact the headmaster if he was doubtful. But Kyle didn’t. He didn’t suspect anything truth be told.

As the car pulled away, they exchanged a few words before introducing themselves properly. Leo appeared to be a kind person, someone who was talking about Kyle’s possible future in the academy.

After that...

Nothing.

His memories dissolved into an endless void. It was as if someone cast a spell he never noticed.

...Only for Kyle to awaken in this unfamiliar place.

Face to face with the one woman he hated with every fiber of his being.

"So, Ava... you orchestrated this entire thing?" Kyle asked, unable to believe he had been taken down so effortlessly that he never even had the chance to activate his skill.

[Host, since it was a Genesis-based skill, Golden Limb could not restore your consciousness.]

Kyle had expected as much.

Activating God’s Eye, he shifted his vision into a third-person perspective, allowing himself to take in the room with far greater clarity.

"How I wish I could have you all to myself in this place," Ava said wistfully. "There are so many things I want to talk to you about."

Only then did Kyle understand why she had said wish.

She was far from alone.

Five other people occupied the room.

Four of them stood motionless in the corners, their disciplined posture making it obvious they were guards.

As for the fifth...

"I apologize for arranging such an unpleasant reunion."

The man stepped into the light.

Without a word, Ava rose from her chair and respectfully offered him the seat.

"Pascal... Cyrus," Kyle muttered, recognizing him instantly.

He remembered the man well.

The Chief of the Surveillance Department.

The same person who had come to visit him in the hospital.

"I didn’t expect something like this from you," Kyle said with a low growl as he effortlessly snapped the ropes binding his wrists. "Why exactly was I restrained?"

Pascal let out a quiet sigh.

"I understand your anger, but believe me, this was the least offensive approach I could think of." His expression turned solemn. "It was the only way I could have a conversation with Montclair’s unregistered Special-grade Nightwalker."

"...!!"

Kyle’s pupils contracted.

Ever since he had awakened, frustration had dominated his thoughts.

Now, for the first time, something else took its place.

Shock.

"What... are you talking about?" he asked, forcing down the suspicion that immediately surfaced in his mind.

Pascal said nothing.

He simply leaned back in his chair.

A moment later, Ava stepped forward and placed a terminal on the table. Its display flickered to life.

Kyle’s brows furrowed.

The footage showed him in the middle of a fierce battle against something the camera could barely capture. The creature was nothing more than a distorted blur darting across the screen.

Yet the location...

And the devastation left in the wake of the fight...

Those alone were enough to reveal what kind of monster he had been facing.

"That... was just a Ghoul," Kyle argued.

"Mister Kyle," Pascal replied calmly, "I believe you should watch the footage until the end."

He folded his hands on the table.

"The battle reaches a point where you tear off the creature’s arm. After recovering the corpse, our examination confirmed that, despite being dead, it was indeed a Special-grade."

Kyle swallowed hard.

So, the secret was finally out.

No wonder they had stopped digging into the incident. No wonder they had left Veronica alone.

It was because they already knew what had truly happened that day.

"So," Pascal said after the recording came to an end, "shall we stop pretending and discuss the real matter?"

Although the video had finished playing, he knew Kyle had stopped watching long before it ended.

Kyle narrowed his eyes.

"So... the Central Authority intends to break its promise and recruit me anyway?"

"Not really." Ava let out a quiet snicker. "You give yourself far too much importance."

Kyle didn’t spare her so much as a glance. To him, she no longer existed.

His gaze remained fixed on Pascal.

Adjusting his glasses, the man calmly crossed one leg over the other.

Resting his hands on his knee, he asked, "Before I convey the message entrusted to me, I need to know one thing."

He held Kyle’s gaze.

"What is your biggest objection to working with us?"

"Restrictions," Kyle answered without a moment’s hesitation. "I don’t want to spend my life shackled by duty. I want the freedom to live the way I choose, not constantly be told where to go or what to do."

His voice hardened.

"And above all, I refuse to be forced into doing things against my will."

Pascal gave a thoughtful hum.

"And why do you believe we would force you to do something that a person of your character would never willingly take part in?"

Kyle shrugged.

"Who knows?"

His gaze sharpened.

"But tell me this. Don’t you order your people to hunt down Nightwalkers you deem dangerous? Like the woman standing over there, who was sent to hunt me under your orders?"

"This little...!"

Ava’s voice rose in anger, only to die midway as Pascal slowly raised a hand.

Silence returned.

Pascal never lost his composure.

From everything Kyle had seen, the man possessed near-perfect control over his emotions. His face rarely betrayed even the slightest ripple, making it impossible to tell what truly occupied his mind.

"I understand your concern," Pascal said. "But what if I asked you to do what you already prefer?"

He paused briefly.

"Slay monsters. Protect people."

Kyle arched a brow.

"So, in the end, you’re still asking me to work for the government. You’re just dressing it up differently."

Pascal leaned forward, lowering his voice.

"I am offering you the opportunity to become part of something greater than yourself."

His gaze hardened as he added,

"Something that could change countless lives and ensure the Aether World remains hidden from the innocent people who should never have to witness the horrors we confront every single day."

Kyle fell silent.

His brows slowly drew together as the weight of those words settled over him.

Yes, the man had been emotionless or at best, kind so far. But when he said those words, there was a trace of excitement laced in his voice.

As if he was eager to get him to join whatever programme they have planned.

Naturally, Kyle was wary and held no motive to join the government. However, there was no harm in listening to what they had in mind.

"Tell me."

°°°°°°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading. He is in the big leagues, with much more difficult opponents and room to grow.