Chapter 684: [Coffin]’s Executive Assessment Mission
Then, silence returned like death. All gazes, whether surprised, scrutinizing, or filled with killing intent, after assessing the originator of General “Soft Death” [White Bone], were like an invisible gravitational pull, all converging on the throne. The figure there, lurking beneath a suit, his face obscured by rolling, cutting shadows on the man.
The Kurokawa on the throne remained silent for a moment. The faint black mist churned and contracted violently, as if it were the visualization of a rapidly contemplating mind beneath. The oppressive atmosphere was almost tangible, weighing heavily on everyone’s hearts.
Finally, the leader of Kuromon spoke in a low, deep, resonant voice that coiled and rose from within the black mist, tinged with a strange hoarseness. Everyone heard it. It seemed to have returned not as if answering some explosive news, but as if quietly shifting focus to the subordinates below.
“Kurokawa.” The voice was not loud, yet it pierced clearly into everyone’s ears. The focus instantly shifted. “I recall that [Coffin] is your subordinate, isn’t she?”
Kurokawa Iori from that subordinate position stood up. He seemed to have already anticipated that this question would eventually fall on him. There was no sudden change in his expression, as if he had already prepared his answer.
He turned slightly, his tone as steady as ever, betraying no ripple of emotion. “Yes, leader of Kuromon.”
“Then, regarding this proposal, how do you see it?” The leader of Kuromon’s voice was devoid of emotion.
Kurokawa Iori raised his head, his gaze meeting the deep black mist of the throne directly. His voice was clear and firm. “I agree with General [Extreme Cold]’s proposal.” Every word he spoke landed with conviction, as if stating an irrefutable fact. “I have already thoroughly assessed [Coffin]’s performance in past missions and her current ability level. She is already worthy of the title of [Executive]. She possesses this strength.”
“Mhm.” After Kurokawa Iori’s reply, the leader of Kuromon showed no outward reaction. He merely nodded imperceptibly, his fingers tapping lightly on the table, as if contemplating something.
Ice Room Yukimi’s thoughts continued to churn within the crowded venue. The leader of Kuromon’s face, hidden in the dense fog, seemed to twitch slightly as he turned towards a patch of previously empty shadow. The voice that had been immersed in the shadows spoke again, carrying a… With his call, the shadow seemed to come alive, distorting and elongating, finally condensing into the silhouette of a tall, sturdy man composed entirely of flowing black mist. He had no distinct features, only a humanoid shadow, yet everyone could feel his presence and his gaze.
“Regarding this proposal, how do you see it?” the leader of Kuromon repeated his earlier question.
The silhouette of the man called “Shadow” rippled slightly. His indistinct head turned towards Ice Room Yukimi, pausing for a moment. He said nothing, merely raising a hand and making a gesture akin to “please” towards Ice Room Yukimi. His unseen gaze paused on Konomi for a brief moment, holding an indescribable complexity of emotions. Then, “Shadow” languidly shifted his projected gaze back to the throne.
The body formed by the black shadow seemed to freeze for a moment, as if this simple action required immense effort. The leader of Kuromon on the throne watched “Shadow” make his statement. Finally, he let out a low chuckle. The laughter had a thick nasal quality, or perhaps it sounded like the grating of steel against rough stone, possessing an inhuman texture, yet it clearly conveyed his decision.
“I agree.”
“Leader,” he said, his words seeming to be squeezed out from under immense pressure, “I have no objections.”
The moment “Shadow” finished speaking, subtle, almost imperceptible fluctuations appeared in several well-concealed presences within the meeting hall. Though extremely faint, Konomi keenly caught those fleeting, malicious currents directed at “Shadow.” Someone was displeased. Clearly, not everyone was pleased or willing to see a new face directly related to the death of General [White Bone] so quickly ascend to the executive ranks. These hidden sentiments churned like underwater currents beneath a calm surface, but they were temporarily suppressed by the absolute pressure of the Kuromon leader and the clear statements of “Shadow” and Kurokawa.
Konomi understood why the leader of Kuromon had asked for the opinion of [Coffin], or rather, Uncle Fukada. This was likely also why Kurokawa Iori had chosen to entrust the organization’s torch to her. It seemed that, for the sake of his preserved parents, the leader of Kuromon did indeed show a degree of consideration towards him. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have consulted Uncle Fukada, his guardian, on this matter. Konomi could also understand Uncle Fukada’s internal struggle. After all, he was one of the few people towards whom even Konomi felt a certain affection and good will. Even if he was lacking in some aspects, he was still not at the level of Ice Room Yukimi in terms of his surroundings. Fukada Teruhiko, as a friend of Konomi’s parents from her original body of Pure Water, had taken care of this young girl to the best of his ability both before and after Konomi’s transmigration. Konomi had also received help from Uncle Fukada at many crucial moments for her ability evolution. Furthermore, after that dangerous exchange of life-lines, Konomi fully understood her determination and the reason behind her pursuit of power. Perhaps it served as a convenient excuse for her to gain power more easily, but wasn’t this excuse also an expression of Konomi’s truest inner feelings, following the natural inclination of her body?
“Konomi, send Uncle Fukada a message when you have time to ask how he’s doing,” Fukada Teruhiko said, his awkwardness even making Konomi feel a little uneasy. After all, he was a true elder who protected her ideals. Even with her pure will, even with her pure will, even with her pure will, even with her pure will, even with her pure will, even with her pure will, even with her pure will, even with her pure will, even with her pure will, even with her pure will, even with her pure will, even with her pure will, even with her pure will, even with her pure will, even with her pure will, even with her pure will, he seemed to hold a slight reluctance to offend her. “There are no other questions.”
The leader of Kuromon meant to stop the meeting from continuing. The suffocating silence in the venue was once again broken by the leader of Kuromon’s deep voice. “Since that is the case, there are no other questions.” The black-robed man on the throne nodded slightly, his face still covered in dense mist. He implicitly acknowledged the statements of Kurokawa and Shadow. “According to the organization’s rules,” he continued, letting out a low sound, his voice echoing in the silent hall with undeniable authority, “the confirmation of a new executive position requires a vote at the meeting and the completion of a designated assessment mission to be finally determined.”
As his words fell, he unconsciously tapped his fingers on the armrest of his throne, as if weighing the appropriateness or the urgency of this decision. “However,” he changed his tone, “considering the current special circumstances of the organization and the missions we are about to face, since we have the recommendation of [Extreme Cold] and the assurance of [Cage]’s assessment, the voting process will be skipped.”
This exception granted to Ice Room Yukimi showed his emphasis on the opinions of two core members, or perhaps the current situation truly allowed no internal conflict or delay. However, when he mentioned it, the leader of Kuromon’s gaze, hidden beneath the dense mist, suddenly turned towards the young girl’s illusory form behind Ice Room Yukimi. An invisible, terrifying pressure abruptly crossed the spatial limitations, crashing down on Konomi like a tangible tsunami! This was not merely an aura; it was mixed with an ice-cold will forged through training and surging energy waves, as if intending to completely crush and annihilate her mental projection. The energy balance of this meeting space distorted under this pressure, causing even the veteran executives to feel breathless.
“However,” the leader of Kuromon’s voice, in contrast, remained cold and heavy, “your assessment mission will be significantly more difficult.” The immense pressure was almost entirely focused on Konomi alone. Can you accept it? [Coffin]!”
Facing this overwhelming mental pressure, anyone else, even in a mental projection state, would have been shaken to their core and lost control. However, the hardened, ice-cold will forged on her solidified body came into play at this moment, enabling Ice Room Yukimi to withstand this terrifying killing intent and pressure. It was like hitting a piece of deep-buried ice; while the terrifying power could be felt, it did not cause even the slightest tremor. The illusion around her barely flickered. In the next second, under the gaze of countless eyes, the young girl calmly raised her head. Her uniquely indifferent eyes looked through the projection, meeting the rolling black mist on the throne, and nodded. Her voice was clear and steady, betraying no hint of emotion. “No problem, leader of Kuromon.”
“Mhm.” Kuromon let out a short, emotionless nasal sound. The surging, terrifying aura instantly receded like a tide, vanishing without a trace, as if it had never appeared. He withdrew his gaze, his face hidden in the black mist unreadable. The leader of Kuromon’s fingers on the table twitched very slightly. A fluctuation of abnormal energy instantly occurred between the throne and Konomi’s projection, faint yet clearly discernible. Immediately afterwards, a rather thin file with a black cover appeared out of thin air, as if materialized from the void by energy, hovering steadily beside Konomi. The file was covered with a faint, ethereal glow, which was the energy that allowed it to be clearly perceived and touched by the mental projection. Konomi reacted swiftly, almost instinctively raising her hand and precisely grasping the suddenly appearing file. Her fingertips felt a cold sensation that seemed to penetrate the soul. At the same time, Kuromon’s deep voice, like a final judgment, once again completely shook the entire space, carrying an irresistible command.
“The assessment target is simple—participate in this rescue operation targeting the [Academy], kill all enemies you see…”
“And, survive.”
