Over the years, the death rate of espers at Monster Headquarters had decreased significantly, down to about 50%—a fifty-fifty chance—but that figure was calculated across all levels indiscriminately.
If you considered the distribution by rank, then within that successful fifty percent, roughly 80% were the lowest-grade C-level, 15% were B-level, and only 5% were A-level.
The top-tier S-level could not even be calculated using probability. It was estimated that only one or two people per million espers could ever reach S-level.
The 50% death rate might seem reduced, but in reality, at the very beginning, the mortality rate for new espers was even higher—up to 70%. Most candidates didn't survive the process, dying painful deaths along the way.
Because of this, the company took espers very seriously. Each one represented countless resources and meticulous cultivation.
The scandal that had shaken the world years ago involved an S-level who chose to defect, trying to escape the company's control.
The headquarters of Blackwater—also known as Monster—appeared on the surface as a biotechnology company, but in reality, it was the world's largest mercenary organization.
It didn't just offer ordinary mercenary services; it also provided a rare kind of service: the employment of espers.
Monster's control over espers was absolute. Every new esper had a chip implanted in their brain.
The chip had one function: detonation.
It would explode if it detected death, or if the individual attempted to leave the company or disobeyed orders, it could be triggered by authorized personnel.
Under such circumstances, escaping company control was nearly impossible.
No matter how powerful an esper was, a single press of the chip's detonation button could end them instantly—no one, not even God, could save them.
This was part of why the S-level defection was such a sensational event. It wasn't just about an S-level turning traitor; it was about an S-level breaking free from the company's control.
After organizing his thoughts, Saiko turned to Ohm and asked, "So this matter with the company is also connected to that S-level?"
"If it's related to the S-level, how does it involve the Phantom?"
Ohm answered Saiko's question patiently: "It is connected to him, but not entirely."
"This matter mainly concerns his son—the boy who fled with him back then."
"The boy was eventually discovered by our operatives during his escape, but this time, he wasn't as lucky as before."
"This time, he was caught red-handed. After a fierce battle, he was finally eliminated."
Ohm paused as if recalling something, lit a cigar, and continued speaking while puffing smoke, perhaps to help Saiko relax.
"S-levels are S-levels. That man's power was strange—before dying, he somehow made everyone forget his son's existence."
"This allowed his child to live a normal life under his protection."
"With this effect, as long as we hadn't seen or interacted directly with the child, we would never remember anything about him."
At this point, Ohm's expression grew solemn. He continued:
"All we knew was that the company once had an S-level defector, and that he was eventually dealt with. That was it. Any information about the child was forcibly erased from our memories. We wouldn't remember that he existed, or that he was the S-level defector's son."
"If it weren't for the recent battle in New York, when our company saw the footage of that escaped individual, we might never have remembered anything about the boy in our lives."
Hearing this, Saiko inhaled sharply. He had never known the full details of these secrets.
He had known only that S-levels existed, but had never imagined their true abilities.
Now, hearing Ohm describe this man's powers, Saiko felt a chill run down his spine. Goosebumps prickled his skin.
The man had erased everyone's memory of his son—a terrifying ability indeed.
"How does this involve the Phantom, then?" Saiko asked, still puzzled.
Ohm explained: "Now I'll clarify the connection to the Phantom."
"According to all our current data, the Phantom assembled a team of five people."
"One of them, codenamed Black Armor, is the boy I mentioned—the escaped child."
"Though we don't know exactly how he got here, we can now confirm he is that child."
Saiko asked, "Does he have distinguishing traits? How can we be sure he's the boy?"
Ohm replied, "There's no mistake. Black Armor's abilities are unique, and once we saw him, our subconscious mental blocks were lifted."
"His formidable power to manipulate gravity is one of the strongest abilities seen in decades among espers."
"This ability originated from an S-level involved in that incident. That S-level, known as the Gravity Queen, was unmatched worldwide because of it."
"This child inherited his mother's power, becoming a second-generation esper without the need for cradle cultivation."
After explaining the individuals and events involved, Ohm glanced at the nervous Saiko.
He continued: "My current mission is to temporarily take over Blackwater and find a way to control this escaped individual. If control is impossible, the directive is to eliminate him."
Saiko nodded quickly and forced a respectful smile: "Just give the orders. We will carry them out perfectly."
He knew the severity of the situation. He could bluff in front of subordinates, but not in front of a special envoy.
The two then proceeded to discuss the subsequent handling of Liu Xiu.
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