_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Not that Rosen's group was impressed.
Blizzard alone could drag those flying hunks of metal out of the sky with her powers.
Frieren, meanwhile, was marveling at the tech again. Flying without magic—imagine how much energy that could save on long journeys.
Gabriel even toyed with the idea of trying out a rocket launcher, just like in her games. She decided against it—for now.
The pilots, unaware they were practically marked prey, smirked down at Rosen's people with thinly veiled contempt.
One plane dropped a heavy black metal case into the shelter's courtyard.
Rosen strode over and opened it. Inside lay only a satellite phone.
The moment he connected, a low female voice came through—judging by her tone, somewhere in her forties or fifties.
"Hello, stranger. I'm a director of Umbrella Corporation, and your point of contact for this mission. We noticed your activity on Morinoshi's surveillance feeds. We're here in good faith to open communication."
"If you agree, board the aircraft. They'll escort you to Umbrella headquarters."
"I'll go," Rosen said evenly. "But my companions come with me. Accept that, and we'll talk."
A brief silence. Then: "Accepted. I'll authorize it. In return, the company has one condition."
"When you arrive, you'll face our latest Tyrant prototype in combat. We require battle data and a blood sample. If you comply, your companions will be granted company membership. As for you… the board is willing to break precedent and offer you a director's seat."
"Save the formalities. What matters is that we cooperate smoothly."
"Agreed. To a pleasant partnership."
The line went dead.
Rosen immediately dropped a note into the group chat.
[Shepherd]:"Negotiations done. Stick to the plan once we're inside headquarters."
[Shut-in Angel]:"Got it."
[Old Mage]:"Found the mind-reading spell."
[Blizzard from Hell]:"Be careful. Umbrella won't be this generous without a catch."
[Saeko]:"Agreed. We can't let our guard down."
[Shepherd]:"I know. But in the face of overwhelming power, schemes are meaningless. Just focus on avoiding infection."
One of the transports descended, ramp lowering to the ground.
Rosen led a dozen companions aboard.
The interior had been refitted—plenty of hidden panels and vents. Frieren's x-ray vision revealed gas emitters and weapon ports.
[Old Mage]:"It's full of weapons. I see gas dispersers too."
[Shut-in Angel]:"Knew they'd try something dirty!"
[Blizzard from Hell]:"Well… so are we."
[Shepherd]:"The other aircraft are locked on us too, no doubt."
Still, no one looked worried.
Blizzard and Frieren both promised they could throw up barriers before any attack landed.
Their calm confidence rubbed off on Saya, Kaori, and the others. Soon, the exhausted girls drifted back to sleep in their seats.
The transport roared across the sky. Thousands of kilometers melted away in just a few hours.
Before long, the fleet crossed Japan's borders and soared out over the Pacific.
When they finally landed, Rosen realized their destination: a colossal luxury cruise ship.
"Using a cruise liner as HQ… not bad," Gabriel muttered.
At least zombies couldn't swim.
On the deck, a reception party awaited.
At the front stood a blonde, middle-aged woman in a suit. She carried herself with the poise of someone long accustomed to power, though her age was starting to show through her polished exterior.
Six heavily armed troopers flanked her, with countless more weapons aimed from the shadows.
"It's a pleasure," the woman said smoothly, extending a hand. "I'm Anna—the one you spoke to earlier."
Rosen raised his hand with a faint smile.
"Then tell me everything about your company."
As his words left his lips, an unseen force rippled through the air.
Anna's face went pale as she realized, with horror, that her own mouth was moving without her consent.
"..."
________________________________________________________________________________________________________