33 Unexpected offer

He patiently waited for Thomas to return. Frederick was still waiting for his weapons in the empty office. He was alone, sitting in complete silence.

Frederick wanted to obtain modern weapons to become more effective at hunting candidates. Although he could use Blood Dominion, it would leave traces of the authority.

He would avoid that at any cost. It would make everyone believe that Frederick possessed the authority, which meant that he would be hunted down with even more intensity than now. What if they found the original authority while hunting Frederick down?

Although authorities weren't unique, as a few candidates can have the same one, it would be extremely odd, to say the least, for two Blood Dominions to appear at the same time. There was also the possibility that they would discover that he could create copies. This was something he couldn't afford. He was trying to lay low, and he couldn't possibly let something like this happen.

Therefore, he had to avoid using his authority unless there was an absolute need for it. At most, he could probably use sanguine Infusion to strengthen his body, as it would leave no trace.

A few minutes later. A few knocks could be heard at the door. The knocks were soft yet sharp, and the timing between each knock was almost the same. It didn't take a genius to guess who the person on the other side of the door was.

After the third knock, the door was opened. On the other side was Thomas, still with his professional smile. Surprisingly, there was also someone Frederick had never seen. Following behind him was a woman in her mid-thirties with short brown hair and a calm demeanor. She had the same uniform as the rest of the receptionists, but it was clear that she held a position of a bit higher authority since her badge had a golden trimming and her emblem was more impressive.

The most notable aspect of her appearance was her long, scar-covered fingers. They looked quite intimidating, which added to her overall aura.

When they both entered the room, Thomas closed the door behind them. The instant the door closed, the woman sat down on the free seat while Thomas stood beside her.

The woman's gaze didn't waver as she stared directly into Frederick's face. After a long gaze, she spoke with a calm tone that still seemed to give off an air of dominance. "You want the guild to provide you with military-grade weapons? Are you crazy? At most, we can provide you with a standard gun, but that's all we're willing to do for the name and abilities of the authority. Unless you have additional information?"

 The woman didn't waste time and directly got to the point. Her gaze seemed to look past his camouflage and see his actual appearance, as if she were seeing through Frederick. Her words were direct, but there wasn't any hostility behind them, and her demeanor was relaxed yet professional.

"...The authority is with that red-haired woman. Good luck then." declared Frederick calmly as he stood up, ready to leave. He did not waste any more time and refused to give more details without hesitation. After all, he could go to other guilds to ask for weapons there. 

He only wanted to use Aegis to distract the city from him, and a gun was not something he desperately needed anyway. Frederick was wanted because he knew the existence of Blood Dominion. But if that information was spread, would anyone still be interested in him? 

So he did not bother anymore. His goal was already completed, and whether this guild had extra information, like the authority's name or abilities, was no longer his issue.

Frederick wasn't interested in getting Blood Dominion back. He already had a copy, so having the original wasn't that useful. Keeping something that would only attract trouble was pointless. At most, he could trade it, but that was all. Instead, he was more interested in the chaos this authority could create.

Frederick's reply surprised the woman slightly. He did not want to negotiate, which startled her a bit. In her mind, It was clear that Frederick only wanted those weapons to hunt down the high-rarity authority himself. After all, who wouldn't be interested in a high-tier authority?

 She could guess that Frederick wanted to "use" Aegis Guild. Giving the information about a high-tier authority for free to Aegis would instigate a conflict between the city and the guild as they will fight for the high-tier authority. This could create an opportunity for a third party to get the authority.

She wanted to obtain more information from Frederick without giving him too much. But the fact that Frederick did not seem to care the least made her suspicious. Was he bluffing? Some theories started to emerge in her mind.

There is little information about this rarity of authority, but they couldn't afford to allow others to obtain it. Although Aegis was indeed the most powerful guild in Haven, it did not mean that other guilds were pushovers. Some of them possessed extremely powerful and feared authority. And if either the mayor or another guild obtained the authority...

The woman paused for a while, then spoke again. "We're going to hunt the authority either way. How about you help us get our hands on the authority? Then, we will provide you with a sci-fi rifle we obtained. With this authority, we might be able to oust the current mayor from office. This would greatly help all the inhabitants of the city. They have suffered far enough."

"No. Thank you for the proposal, but I am not interested," answered Frederick coldly. Although he wouldn't mind working with others, it was only if it had enough benefits. He did not even bother considering other candidates in the city. What could he gain by helping others? Recognition? Fame? It's such a useless concept in front of power.

The woman frowned. Evidently, she wanted the authority and did not want to miss the opportunity. The more she stared into Frederick's face, the more her face contorted. Aegis couldn't ignore the existence of a high-tier authority, especially if it ended up in the hands of the mayor or other guilds. That would be a disaster for them.

"...You don't seem to want to join us either, which is understandable. How about this instead? Instead of a gun, if you share what you know about the authority, we will allow you to undergo the purification process," said the woman after pondering a bit.

Hearing this, Thomas was a bit surprised. He glanced at the woman as if asking if revealing this to someone they barely knew was a good idea. However, when he saw the woman's expression, with a sigh, he did not question her anymore. The woman had a severe look on her face and looked highly determined.

Frederick raised an eyebrow when he heard the woman's proposition. He suddenly stopped in his tracks. He turned his body a bit so that it could face both Thomas and the woman simultaneously and looked at both of them in the eyes.

"Purification process?"

"The purification process was supposed to be a secret, but it was somehow leaked out recently, so it doesn't matter if you know about it. We have someone with the authority of Cleanse Body, which allows the user to purify a body from all impurities and toxins. Succeeding in the process will boost stats... permanently."

The woman answered in a calm voice while Frederick stayed silent, simply absorbing all the information given. The woman stared deeply at Frederick with determination, waiting for his answer.

After a long moment, Frederick was still lost in his thoughts. Rushing was never part of his way of doing things. Frederick wanted to process everything fully. The offer was extraordinarily enticing, and if it could allow him to become stronger, then he would gladly accept.

Nevertheless, Frederick did not wholly trust Aegis and would prefer to confirm the integrity of this purification process. Although he had heard that some authorities could boost your stats temporarily, this was the first time he had heard about an authority that could increase your stats permanently.

Frederick did not know this, but since the lockdown, the price of firearms skyrocketed, from its usual value of 10 to 20 lesser rarity authorities to a terrifying 50 to 60 authorities for even the most basic handgun. This was caused by the guilds and mayor trying to buy in bulk, pushing the prices.

If it were before the lockdown, the woman would've probably given what Frederick wanted, but the situation has changed. She knew Aegis needed all firearms possible for the upcoming authority hunt, but she still required Frederick's information. So, instead of a gun, she tried to make another offer.

This choice was also because she knew that even if Frederick successfully increased his stats, he still wouldn't be as dangerous as a gun. After all, no matter how strong someone is, it is not enough to block a bullet ...at least not yet. 

"What happens during the process? What are the drawbacks?" Frederick asked seriously. He did not hesitate to ask a few questions. 

The woman remained silent for a while. It was evident that she wasn't ready to provide that information. "I cannot tell you exactly how it works, but you would feel like you were reborn, in a way. The drawback is that you will feel extremely weak for about a week."

'Extremely weak for a week...It means that I won't be able to hunt until the start of the main story.'

"What about the risks? And the stats given?" Frederick didn't take much time and resumed asking his questions.

The woman looked like she wanted to refuse to answer, but noticing Frederick's silence, she did not try to push her luck. She let out a sigh and then responded with a defeated look."...The process has about a 30% chance of succeeding. The success and stats given depend entirely on your luck. It can range from 3 to 6 points from what we know."

"And what if it fails?"

"Death. It will kill you if it fails." The woman looked completely resigned when she answered the last question. She seemed already convinced that Frederick would reject her offer.

However, that was far from the case. This offer sounded way more realistic than an increase in stat without any risk or negative consequence. If this process was without any price, Aegis would have already dominated the city. In a world like this, where everything could kill you, an ability with such a price seemed way more natural.

Unexpectedly to them, Frederick said something that surprised both of them.

"I accept your offer."