91. Triple Promotion
Max Vierkant blinked, frozen in place. "..."
Outside the door, led by Colonel Banerjee, was a magnificent bloodsteed. Inside, flanking the young man were twenty or so golden eagle agents, their faces grim, recently returned from Crown Mountain.
Two women from the Containment Division were in charge of the counter that day.
With care, they presented each item to their colleagues. First, two pieces of finely crafted coat. Their deep black fabric caught the light like polished obsidian, hinting at a luxurious texture. Embroidered on each cuff were five golden stars, arranged in a straight line.
Next came tailored black trousers, their crisp lines enhanced by the fabric's subtle sheen.
Then a pair of wide-brimmed hats adorned with five stars embroidered across the H.A.R.M. sigil at its center—symbols of rank and authority.
Finally, two black cloaks, dark as night. Embroidered upon them were fierce wolves, jaws agape, swallowing the moon, adding a touch of menace.
"Whoa! He's been promoted to colonel!" A crowd of agents had gathered to see what was going on. Why had someone ridden a bloodsteed into H.A.R.M.? Was there an emergency?
But instead of some urgent news, they witnessed the unthinkable: the promotion of one of their own. Jealousy burned in their hearts. Crown Mountain... it was a terrifying place, no doubt.
Ordinary agents lay awake at night, dreading the summons. But for those with true skill, those who craved a challenge, it was an opportunity. A chance to prove themselves, to rise through the ranks.
And this one... he'd certainly risen fast!
The second woman from the Containment Division presented another set of brand-new black uniforms.
The agents glanced at the uniforms dismissively, then suddenly froze in place.
Their eyes widened in disbelief as they took a second look. The uniform bore no stars on the sleeve. Instead, at the collar was an exquisitely embroidered full moon—the personal symbol of General Skyler Grant, one of the twelve H.A.R.M. General's!
"..."
A hush fell over the crowd. Throats went dry. The excitement of the moment evaporated, replaced by a tense silence. Eyes met, and the air crackled with a sudden, unspoken rivalry.
Being named a personal attendant... it meant just one thing: he'd made it. Reached the top.
His achievements stood undeniable, his strength beyond question. He had nothing left to prove. Gone were the days of perilous missions and risking his life on the front lines. Now he could settle into a quieter role—following the H.A.R.M. General or establishing his own comfortable post to monitor vampires beyond Cascadia's borders. At last, a life of relative peace and security awaited.
And serving under him? It's an agent's dream! Standing guard duty means a life of leisure—years could pass without seeing combat. Yet each still counts toward earning merits.
If only this newly minted colonel would take a few of them along...
A wave of eager agents surged forward, jostling for position.
Alex Bai raised an eyebrow, surprise flickering in his eyes.
Max Vierkant, however, paled. His initial delight at the sight of the cloak vanished when he noticed the full moon.
Disappointment, and perhaps a touch of bitter regret, clouded his features.
"Colonel Kane!" they shouted, their voices merging into a chorus of excited congratulations. "Welcome back! A triple promotion—that's incredible!"
The Golden Eagle agents—except those still holding the uniforms—snapped to attention and saluted crisply. Their boots struck the polished floor in unison, the sound echoing through the hall.
Following the Golden Eagle agents' example, over a hundred agents from both the Containment and Purge Divisions snapped to attention and saluted as one.
Even Chandra Banerjee, standing outside the door, dropped his usual playful demeanor. He let go of the bloodsteed's reins and snapped a salute. "Congratulations, Colonel Kane!"
"What are you staring at me for?" Alex Bai asked, shooting Max Vierkant a pointed glance. "Don't you have hands?"
"..." Max Vierkant hung his head, weakly wiggling his helpless arms.
Alex Bai threw up his hands in exasperation. "Perhaps I should have stayed in bed today," he muttered.
Disciples of the Admiral could rise all the way to the rank of general—but serving as a personal attendant for someone else? Unheard of. Especially before being formally accepted as a disciple.
Even Senior Sister Patani hadn't attained the rank of general until her predecessor's death.
She had earned this position through her brutal suppression of Sacramento—a raw display of power.
Now, Kane's rank surpassed three of the Admiral's five disciples, including Alex Bai.
He sighed.
A promotion directly from captain to personal attendant colonel? Even with a Crystal Realm Leviasaur on Crown Mountain, such a leap would require him to have slain it single-handedly. Had the H.A.R.M. General simply been sightseeing on Crown Mountain? Surely the general must have contributed something.
"Has General Grant lost his mind?" he grumbled. "This kid hasn't even been with H.A.R.M. for a month, and the general's tossing promotions at him like candies?"
Chandra's ears perked up at the mention of General Grant. He whirled around, ready to unleash a torrent of words—but then he caught the rest of the sentence.
His jaw dropped. "Ah?"
A month?
His blood ran cold. A month? Which incompetent colonel or major was responsible for this? Were they on their deathbed, too lazy to even lift a finger?
Recruiting a talent like this without giving a notice... unbelievable! He wondered if the old man was even aware—none of the other lieutenant generals or colonels had even imagined such a possibility.
And there was a very good reason for that.
Someone who hadn't even completed their first month at H.A.R.M., who hadn't even received their first paycheck—why would they risk their life?
… …
I glanced around, a flicker of unease in my eyes.
After a brief hesitation, I asked, "What about combat techniques and elixirs?"
The agents exchanged bewildered glances, their expressions shifting from surprise to amusement.
One of the woman on duty stifled a giggle and, after gently shoving a few of her colleagues aside, ushered me into the room behind the counter.
She disappeared behind a large cabinet and emerged with a sheet of paper. "Colonel Kane," she said with a warm smile, "tell me what you need. Once everyone returns and we've calculated the merits, we'll deliver everything to you right away."
"Anything?" I asked with a raised eyebrow, keeping my expectations in check.
Chandra had initially promised us only a low-grade Wave Realm technique. Yet I'd captured Mendy Snow and the instructor, slain the peak Wave Realm Leviasaur, and even delivered the Crystal Realm Leviasaur's head to General Grant.
Surely my achievements were worth at least three to five techniques?
"Oh?" The girl blinked, momentarily flustered. "Crystal Realm techniques are beyond our authorities. Anything in the Wave Realm, maybe..."
"I haven't made up my mind yet," I said with a casual wave of my hand. "Why don't you bring everything out so I can take a proper look? I like to be thorough."
The two majors on duty exchanged uneasy glances. "Colonel Kane," one began, choosing her words carefully, "we had an incident once where an outsider with a photographic memory infiltrated H.A.R.M. to steal our training manuals. Since then… well, we've had to implement strict rules. Please understand—it's nothing personal, Colonel Kane, but rules are rules."
I sighed inwardly.
H.A.R.M. was wealthy, yes, but those riches had limits. Their techniques and artifacts were primarily obtained through... acquisition.
They might have dozens, even hundreds, of techniques that once belonged to various organizations and families, but if those factions hadn't developed them first, H.A.R.M. couldn't simply conjure it out of thin air.
The Wave Realm techniques in their possession likely couldn't match what I already knew—particularly the Admiral's five ultimate skills.
H.A.R.M.'s finest Wave Realm techniques came from powerful organizations and influential families. These groups discovered hidden potential in common combat techniques and, through their vast resources and centuries of refinement, elevated these techniques far beyond their original power. However, even these enhanced versions couldn't match truly transcendent techniques like the Harmonious Quartet.
Techniques like Harmonious Quartet offered a vast array of ways to utilize essence but were often complex and demanding. Few practitioners could truly master them, let alone afford to use them.
All of H.A.R.M. Cascadia's combined resources had focused on developing crucial internal techniques. Their crowning achievement? The Melting Sun Furnace—a technique that sent shockwaves through the twelve cities.
"Very well," I conceded, masking my disappointment. "Body tempering techniques. Movement techniques."
The two Containment Division girls froze at my words.
Could it be a coincidence? Or was he after that top-grade technique...?
"Colonel Kane," one ventured, "have you heard of Kongo Shintai Academy?"
"A minor school," she explained. "Barely second-rate."