Arc 2: The Tower of Power
The Twelve Stärkeren
A month had passed since the entrance tournament for the organization Zero had begun. Everything was proceeding according to plan, and the board had confirmed that the entire operational system was running smoothly.
In a room at the end of a dimly lit hallway on the ground floor of the tower, Aoji sat with his Lieutenant, Werner — a twenty-six-year-old man with long brown hair and an average build. A true prodigy, Werner was not only highly intelligent but also responsible for managing the organization's entire financial sector.
Werner was organizing the letters he needed to send to the Stärkeren to notify them about an upcoming meeting scheduled for the following week. Meanwhile, Aoji sorted through papers—reports from completed missions—while his Cardinal-class Lieutenant drafted the official notice that would be copied into twelve identical letters to be delivered.
"Haven't you finished yet? It just needs the time, date, and location," Aoji muttered, wondering what could possibly be so difficult about sending a letter.
"Actually, sir… I'm trying to find the right words to convince them to attend this meeting," Werner replied, clearly frustrated. Only three of the Twelve had shown up for last month's meeting.
"I forgot about that… Those brats think they can do whatever they want," Aoji was seething inside, furious with the rebellious youngsters who consistently missed the monthly gatherings.
"You've never mentioned any kind of punishment for not showing up," Werner adjusted his glasses, trying to ease the pressure on his shoulders.
"I've never even thought about it…" Aoji's brain froze for a moment, causing a brief mental lag.
"Damn the day I created that cursed rank," Aoji rested his forehead on the desk, lost in thought about the moment he had created the rank above Division Captains—the "Die Stärkeren."
"Thanks to that rank, we've been able to keep them somewhat under control. Without it, the organization would be in chaos," Werner recalled the time, years ago, when he had proposed the creation of a rank above Captains.
The Stärkeren were composed entirely of incredibly powerful individuals—stronger even than Division Captains. Some were invited to join due to their outstanding skills and experience, while others were simply forced into it, since they refused to take orders from people weaker than themselves, namely the Captains.
"They're good. The best, even. But they're a bunch of headstrong loners with no leadership," the old man growled, clearly fed up.
Most of the Twelve Stärkeren completed their missions with excellence, but some just wandered the world aimlessly. Because they were rarely seen—often disappearing on missions that could take months—it became nearly impossible to discipline them or keep them in check. This fueled growing resentment among the directors and Division Captains alike.
"Write this: they'll have their salaries cut and will be barred from taking on new missions for an indefinite period," Aoji crossed his arms and nodded proudly, satisfied with his quick thinking.
"And on top of that, ban them from taking any missions ranked A to S, including Global-class. I bet they'll show up now," he added with a confident grin.
The organization's headquarters was located on the ground floor of the towering structure. It hosted meetings, summits between national leaders, and served as the central hub where all members could pick up missions suited to their experience and rank.
Missions were classified by difficulty levels, ranging from E to S. The easier ones were E to B, while A to S were considered difficult. To manage this system, five ranks were established to distinguish the talented and experienced from newcomers, and to prevent rookies from taking on dangerous missions. Before this ranking system, many inexperienced recruits died attempting missions far beyond their capabilities, damaging Zero's reputation.
With the new rank structure, everything fell into place. The success rate of missions rose from 60% to 88%, and never before had the organization earned so much gold. The ranks were as follows:
Marshal: The supreme commander of all other ranks. The strongest man in the world, president of the organization, and final authority on all matters.
12 Die Stärkeren: Popularly known as "The Twelve Stärkeren," they are the strongest members of the organization after the Marshal. Each has their own independent division and is capable of completing "Global-level" missions (above S rank). They are renowned and immensely wealthy.
Division Captains: There are twelve divisions within the organization. Each is led by a Captain chosen from among the strongest or most distinguished Lieutenants.
Lieutenants: Serving under a Captain, their role is to support the Captain in managing the division.
Aspirants: Newcomers who enter the organization through the Tournament of Power. Once accepted, they are assigned to a division selected by the board.
"What about the location? The tournament is still ongoing—we can't have those lunatics here at the tower… Maybe… the Fairy City?" Werner hesitated, pen in hand, shivering for some reason.
"Yes, perfect! And it's neutral territory too," Aoji perked up, rising from his chair. He turned toward the window, admiring the lush green landscape beyond, and declared:
"Then the meeting will be held at our sub-headquarters, in the city of Alta Luz."
"I'll send a notice to the Fairy Queen. I don't want her to be caught off guard…" Werner replied, already drafting another letter—this one addressed to the Queen of Light.
To be continued...