Endless Evolution: Last Star Chapter 8: Operator

The Fire Fox Squad had departed for the Citadel several hours prior. During that time, the two men inside Fort Norton remained locked in a lengthy discussion. Eventually, however, their conversation reached its natural conclusion, as all things must.

"I'm a... Naturalborn Phantom?" Adam whispered, gesturing toward his own chest in disbelief.

Douglas gave a solemn nod. "Indeed. However, there is no need to disclose that fact to anyone. As far as the public is concerned, you are merely a standard Phantom who awakened your talent through the usual means. I will personally manage your documentation to ensure your sudden appearance raises no red flags."

With a heavy sigh, Adam leaned back and fixed his eyes on the ceiling for a long moment.

Over the preceding minutes, Douglas had pressured him to recount every detail of his ordeal, ranging from the start of the experimentation and his victory over the Silver Weaver to his eventual meeting with the Fire Fox Squad.

"What will happen to Aiden Henk? Is he going to be held accountable for his actions?" Adam inquired, his expression darkening. He was referring to the scientist stationed at the Morton Observatory.

"Listen, Adam, I truly empathize with your anger," Douglas began, attempting to soothe him. "But considering the current state of affairs, the most prudent course of action is to keep this quiet. Even if I attempted to intervene on your behalf, others would block me. Our Citadel cannot afford a public feud between a Naturalborn Phantom and a chief scientist from one of the Observatories."

Adam remained silent. His eyes grew increasingly shadowy, resembling the dark depths of an abyss, before he suddenly regained his composure and nodded.

"So... what is the plan now?" Adam asked, tilting his head slightly.

"I need you to remain here for a few more hours while I finalize the arrangements as quickly as possible. You should be back at your residence by nightfall. Do you want me to alert your family?" Douglas asked with a serious tone.

Adam declined with a shake of his head. "No, I'd rather it be a surprise."

A small smirk played on Douglas's lips as he retrieved a compact book from an inner pocket and slid it over to Adam.

"Take this. It is the only form of diversion I can provide right now. I hope it keeps the boredom at bay."

With those words, Douglas exited the room.

"What's this? A printed copy of the White Book?" Adam let out a yawn. "Well, I suppose it beats counting the tiles on the ceiling."

Eventually, the time passed, and Douglas returned carrying a substantial black briefcase.

Click.

The case was snapped open, and Douglas began arranging various items across the table: several documents, a wristband, a metallic card, and a flash drive.

"This is your NEP—your Navigational Explorer Processor. Your identification number is 14113," Douglas explained, sliding the bracelet toward Adam.

"14113? That's my name now? Not very creative," Adam remarked, raising an eyebrow as he fastened the NEP to his wrist.

"Hahaha, well, that's just how the system works." Douglas then pushed the metal card forward. "This contains 10,000 credits. Most Phantoms receive a starting bonus of only 3,000 to 5,000, but you... you are a unique case."

Adam’s eyes widened in pure shock. His entire family survived on a mere 100 to 200 credits a month—and even that was a struggle to obtain. He was now holding enough currency to support them for years.

"Don't get too comfortable, though," Douglas warned before handing over a stack of paperwork. "Living in the slums is miserable, but it is also inexpensive. You won't survive on a few hundred credits in the Third Ring."

"This is for your new home. The first month's rent is covered, but you will be responsible for it after that. It costs 1,100 credits monthly."

"Damn! This is incredible!" Adam shouted with joy as he inspected the photograph of the residence.

The Third Ring was the district situated above the slums, typically populated by the affluent, government officials, military personnel, or Phantoms. It boasted lower crime rates, superior living conditions, and noticeably cleaner air.

"Now, let us move on to the most vital matter," Douglas said with a smirk. He took Adam's wrist and plugged the flash drive into the NEP interface.

"Huh? What are you doing?"

The NEP hummed to life instantly, projecting three holograms. They displayed images of three young women accompanied by exhaustive dossiers detailing everything from their eye color to their physical measurements.

Adam’s face flushed bright red as he looked at Douglas in total confusion.

"I realize this is startling, but it isn't what you're thinking. I'm not here to manage your romantic life. Adam, surely you noticed that the Fire Fox Squad—especially Lisa—was in constant communication with someone?"

Adam nodded, recalling the various notifications that had appeared on Lisa's NEP device.

"Typically, only veteran Phantoms and squad leaders are assigned personal assistants; everyone else is managed by a general pool. However, as I mentioned, you are a special case. These women are non-combatants, but they are highly trained Operators."

"An Operator...?" Adam whispered, scanning the images.

Douglas confirmed with a nod. "Yes. An Operator’s responsibilities are vast. They provide their Phantom with critical updates, evaluate mission offers, devise strategies, and calculate potential risks. They manage data on monster types, population counts, loot potential, and combat vulnerabilities. Having a dedicated Operator is far more efficient."

"I get it... It's like a partnership between the brain and the muscle, right?" Adam suggested.

Douglas shrugged. "Essentially."

He pointed back to the profiles. "It might seem cold to put their lives on display like this, but they are fully aware of what is included in these files. It is your job to select the one that fits you best. Choose carefully."

"Each of them has a distinct look and temperament."

"Yeah, I can see that..." Adam agreed.

For several minutes, Adam scrutinized the profiles. He was stunned by the level of detail; he now knew their life stories, their skill sets, their phobias, and even their breakfast preferences.

"What about Odile Cerfbeer?" Douglas asked, pointing to the first girl, who had pink hair and a cheerful, petite appearance. "She is intelligent, kind-hearted, and performed exceptionally well on her examinations."

Adam didn't respond. It was clear he wasn't looking for someone as gentle as Odile.

"Perhaps her instead?" Douglas indicated the second candidate, Nancy Rouanet. She had short blue hair, a composed expression, and wore round spectacles.

Adam shook his head. "I've made my choice. My head tells me this might be a mistake, but I need someone like her if I want to improve."

"I choose her." Adam tapped the image of the final girl—Silvana Desio.

"Ouch... that is going to be a volatile combination," Douglas remarked, clearly caught off guard by the selection.

Silvana possessed shoulder-length black hair and piercing green eyes. Her expression was icy and stern, devoid of any warmth or friendliness.

"Can I meet her?" Adam asked.

"Of course... as her Phantom, you can contact her whenever you wish. But I must give you fair warning: Silvana follows the chain of command perfectly, but she is not a pushover. She will demand the absolute best from you, just as she demands it of herself."

"A warning? People usually say that before something terrible happens, but... I don't see any downsides to that," Adam replied coolly.

Douglas blinked in surprise, then broke into a wide grin.

"Very well. Come with me. I'll take you to her door, and you can take it from there."

...

Crackle.

A mechanical door slid open inside a building adjacent to Fort Norton.

Adam was greeted by a scene of clinical perfection: dozens of glowing blue monitors and holographic displays of various monsters filled the room.

A tall woman wearing a sleek, form-fitting black suit rose from her station. With her hands resting on her hips, she performed a deep bow.

"Adam Vinter, I am Silvana Desio, and I am your assigned Operator. It is a privilege to serve with you, Naturalborn Phantom."

Silvana paused briefly before looking up. Her frigid green eyes met Adam's smile, but the moment he opened his eyes fully, she detected a underlying intensity in his gaze—exactly what she was looking for.