CHAPTER 44: 44: COMPLETING UNFINISHED TASK

Ego exited the sanctuary and emerged within the depths of the slum he had carefully registered beforehand—a place shrouded in gloom and forgotten by progress.

With steady calmness and an unwavering expression, he searched for every individual he had once promised strength and power. It was finally time to fulfill the end of his bargain. A week had passed since Stone’s demise, and by now, any suspicion that might have arisen had long died down.

With swift, silent efficiency, he moved them—one after the other—into the sanctuary, not even giving them a moment to register what was happening. Most of them were still half-asleep, shocked and terrified as the world they knew melted away into the unfamiliar.

"Welcome back," Aaron said smoothly, still masked under his new identity, Ego. His voice carried quiet authority, resonating with subtle power. "I trust you all have been well."

He had already caught their scent in previous encounters—memorized every trace—so locating and transporting them had been a task so simple, it felt almost effortless.

"W-Who are you?" Hailey stammered, clutching her arms protectively around herself. Her body trembled, her voice shaky and unsure, mirroring the confusion and fear etched onto every other face in the room.

Just moments ago, she had been lying peacefully on her old, worn-out bed, her dreams undisturbed. Then—darkness. And now, she stood amidst strangers in a foreign place that reeked of mystery and power.

The others looked around, equally unsettled, some frozen, others pacing restlessly. There was a thick silence in the air—pregnant with questions, uncertainty, and tension.

"Just stay calm for a little while longer. Our leader will explain everything to you when he arrives," Ego responded curtly, not bothering to comfort them further. Without another word, he turned and walked away, disappearing into the depths of the sanctuary.

Aaron quickly made his way to his inner castle. There, he shifted his form again—transforming into the old man they had once met before, the symbol of power and mystery they called Retribution.

When he returned, his eyes glowed with a divine golden hue, and his mere presence silenced the confusion, replacing it with awe and reverence.

"You’re all here. That’s good," he said, voice deep and layered with authority.

With a single gesture, Aaron undid the mental seal he had placed on them. Their repressed memories surged forward, rushing back like a tidal wave—everything they had forgotten, every moment in his presence, the promises, the gifts, the death of Stone. It all came crashing back.

"Sir! You brought us back! Does this mean...?" someone exclaimed, voice quivering between hope and disbelief.

"Yes," Aaron said with a slight nod. "After observing and evaluating each of you, I have identified those truly worthy of becoming protectors. You have been chosen—to rise above this world’s cruelty and reshape your slum into a sanctuary of your own."

A moment of silence passed—and then it shattered into cries of gratitude.

"Our savior..." Barnes whispered, his eyes glistening as he lowered his head in solemn respect.

"Thank you... for killing that monster, Stone. Thank you!" another added, and soon the rest of the group followed, echoing the sentiment with growing emotion.

Aaron raised his hand, and silence once again returned.

"Now is not the time for thanks," he said. "There is one thing I must know from all of you. Do you still desire power? Are you still willing to pay the price to protect yourselves... and the people you care about?"

"YES!" the answer rang loud and clear, their voices full of raw conviction. "We are ready. We will do anything!"

Aaron nodded once again, satisfied. "Very well. Among yourselves, choose two individuals you would be willing to follow. Leaders you trust."

The group conferred amongst themselves, speaking in hushed, respectful tones. In the end, Derrick and Bailey were chosen.

"Good," Aaron said, walking forward with purpose. With a wave of his hand, he initiated the transformation—bestowing vampiric power upon Bailey, who began the painful ascent to becoming a vampire viscount, and triggering Derrick’s evolution into an alpha werewolf. Though different in nature, Aaron ensured their strength remained balanced—equals in might, different in form.

Bailey screamed, her veins glowing ominously, her nails digging into her arms as her body morphed, reshaped by pure power. Derrick growled low, his bones audibly cracking, reshuffling, as his inner beast clawed its way to the surface.

"From this moment, you two will choose who amongst your people you want to bring in. You will be given access to the sanctuary’s resources—animals to hunt, blood to feed on—so that none of you ever need to harm a single innocent soul."

Aaron’s voice hardened.

"And be warned—turn no one without my approval. Any disobedience, any violation of this order, and I will destroy you myself."

With that, he turned to the others. "Everyone else, you are dismissed. Bailey and Derrick will remain until their transformation is complete."

The process would be done slowly. Once fully turned, they would each return to bring in one person at a time. This way, suspicions would be avoided, and attention kept far from their little operation.

With the matter settled, Aaron decided to spend the rest of his week in leisure—touring, visiting familiar faces, and enjoying the final breath of peace before the next Chapter began.

---

Elsewhere...

Leo had already departed, securing admission into a respectable second-rate university. He had left days ago but made sure to promise Aaron they would stay in touch.

Lily had been admitted into Twilight, one of the prestigious big six universities. Yet, for reasons Aaron couldn’t quite understand, she had taken to avoiding him altogether.

Not that it bothered him. If anything, he found her actions oddly amusing.

Governor Levi and his entourage had also left, vowing to assist in locating Principal Endrick.

"Hah... everyone’s gone," Aaron muttered, lying alone in an open field, his arms behind his head as he stared into the endless blue sky. "How boring..."

"System, draw," he called lazily.

Lately, despite his immense luck stat, he’d been getting nothing but duds. It was obvious the system had intentionally restricted high-reward items—perhaps one per year, or if he was lucky, every few weeks.

But this time...

[Congratulations! You have drawn an SSS-rank item: Moonlight.]

[Item Function: Generates ten Moonlight Rings daily. These rings suppress a werewolf’s urges during full moon or any time the moon is present.]

"Huh... Not what I hoped for," Aaron mumbled. "But still... not bad. That should help the little cubs I’m raising."

His thoughts drifted.

Rose had chosen not to leave with him.

He couldn’t fault her. Her roots, her family, her job—all were deeply embedded here. Uprooting herself to follow him would have required a level of bravery most didn’t possess.

He understood.

It was his final day to rest before he headed to Ragnarok. For now, all he wanted was to soak in the world’s calmness, this fleeting tranquility.

"You really know how to make the most of your time," Liam’s voice pierced the silence. He sat beside Aaron, uninvited, but not unwelcome.

"Of course," Aaron replied, not bothering to look his way. "Gotta enjoy life before it becomes chaos again."

"How’ve you been? Since... you know, being left behind," Liam asked quietly. There was guilt in his tone—just a little—but Aaron picked up on it all the same.

"I lived. I endured. I grew stronger. Now, I’m doing everything I can to make my parents proud," Aaron said, a stiff smile forming. His voice was calm, but the undercurrent was sharp with emotion.

Back on Earth, he had grown up without knowing his parents—abandoned, orphaned, forgotten. The orphanage matron told him they left him at the doorstep with no name, no message—just a blanket and hope.

And now, here on Blue Star, he had discovered parents—even if only in death—who had left behind a legacy worth inheriting. It wasn’t repulsive. In fact, it was oddly comforting. So much so that he was slowly learning to accept them as his real parents.

"It’s good," Liam said finally, staring into the sky. "In the end, we only have ourselves to rely on."

"Trust me. I’ve learned that well," Aaron said, his voice sharpening again. "No one came when I was suffering. After my parents died, everyone just looked away. But now that I’ve got potential? Suddenly everyone’s a long-lost relative, a friend of my parents..."

He turned his head, eyes locking with Liam’s.

"So, tell me—what do you want?"