Cyberpunk: Ultimate Cyborg System

"Ah, Merry said you acquired majority shares in Ronda the other day." Beatrice chimed in.

"That's right. It took a lot of work." Turning to his white haired friend with a grin, Derick added. "We have a new model coming out later this year, but I can get you one ahead of time."

"You already know I'm not that into cars."

More than a mode of transportation, to the upper class of society, cars were a symbol of status. Many collect them just to flaunt their wealth, and Wolf had no interest in that.

"Hey now, don't say it like that." Derick gave him a jab. "We have yet to choose the name, you know. I can pull some strings and make you the face of this new model."

"You're just looking for a mascot." Said Beatrice.

"Hey now, it's nothing like that. All heroes do advertisement gigs. Fighting crime doesn't pay the bills."

"Not really. We get paid pretty well." Said Wolf.

"But you aren't paid hundreds of millions." Said Derick. "C'mon, at least think about it."

"Why not ask your sister?" Said Beatrice. "She likes cars, and she's pretty popular."

"Well, she isn't a Level 5…"

"Come to think of it, where is Merry?" Wolf asked. "Wasn't she with you?"

"Well…"

Pressing her lips into a line, the petite woman turned in a certain direction. Sitting at one of the tables was their bubbly teammate, dressed in a stunning red dress and radiating her positive energy. That wasn't what caused Beatrice's complicated expression, however.

"That's…"

Merry was talking with someone, but the difference in the smiles they wore couldn't be more drastic. Wolf was quick to recall the person, and that allowed him to understand what his teammate was doing.

"Mr. Eisenberg, huh…" Derick said, his voice somber. "I almost didn't recognize him earlier…"

Wolf knew he wasn't the only one. The man aged an entire decade in just a few months, his hair losing all its color, his cheeks sinking, and his skin shriveling. Though he put some effort into looking presentable, the aura of gloom enveloping him was hard to ignore.

"He… he hasn't been doing well," Derick said. "Liliana's passing shocked us all, but…"

"She was in the same class as Merry, right?" Wolf asked.

"Yeah…" Beatrice cast her gaze down at her plate. Though she still has some cake left, she is no longer in the mood for it. "The… the other day, I caught her inquiring about the case."

The two guys turned to her, their eyes asking a silent question. Holding Wolf's gaze for a moment, she turned away and studied their surroundings, as if to check if anyone was close enough to listen in on them. A moment later, the chatter filling the banquet hall faded, blocked by an invisible wall.

"It's still unconfirmed, but we might have found a lead."

As soon as she said that, the other two tensed up, the look in their eyes sharpening.

"Don't get your hopes up. It's more of a trace than an actual clue." Unfortunately, it doesn't lead anywhere."

"Something is always better than nothing." Said Derick.

Beatrice seemed a little hesitant, but then she sighed, giving in to their demanding looks.

"Well, we believe the perpetrator has been involved in the operation last month."

Though her unsure tone downplayed the validity of the information, it didn't change the fact that she had just dropped a bomb on them. Both Wolf and Derick looked like they were about to explode, but a single glare from her helped them regain their composure. The fact that she went through the trouble of putting a soundproof barrier showed that what she said wasn't meant for the public to hear, and their reaction might draw those unashamed of asking questions.

The initial shock soon faded, and Wolf seemed to realize what his team leader was alluding to.

"Don't tell me…"

"That's right."

Operation Wolf Slayer was supposed to be a conflict between two coalitions: the NVPD and BEO versus the Romanos and Stahlwölfes. That wasn't how things turned out, however. A third party got involved, and taking advantage of the chaos, they managed to kill four heroes and escape with one of the main objectives of the operation, destroying every piece of evidence that might lead back to them.

At the moment, the only thing that has been confirmed about this third party is that they have at least one Level 5 on their ranks. That Level 5 was the same armored individual Wolf fought after losing control, and if what he heard was true, they could do a lot more than just incinerate things with torrents of fire.

"A… Level 5…" Though he wasn't the one who fought the villain, Derick looked even more shocked than Wolf. "But… that's…"

"Level 5 is just an estimation." Said Beatrice. "It might be more, it might be less."

"What do you mean by more?" He asked.

"Paragon…"

When Wolf whispered the name, Derick's eyes turned to him, his shock getting stronger.

"Don't tell me…"

Once again, they turned to the leader of Team Silver Wind, the BEO officer with the highest security clearance among them. Beatrice's expression darkened, and once again she seemed to hesitate.

"According to Flame Guard, they encountered someone who fits the description on the day of the city hall riots." She said. "That was the first instance of the third party's involvement."

"The riots?" Wolf frowned.

"They didn't fight the heroes, but they still managed to escape. Add to that what happened during the operation, and… well, you can probably figure out the rest."

A villain who killed five Genomes and escaped from the grasp of the city's most powerful superhero team. A villain that is said to be at least a Level 5. Taking that into account, it suddenly started to make sense why the world's most powerful hero was transferred to the city.

"The riots…" With his face scrunched up, Wolf seemed to think of something. It didn't take him long to connect the dots, and he soon reached an epiphany, his eyes widening as a result. "Flare was investigating Catalyst…"

All of a sudden, the doubt he had vanished, and he became entirely convinced.

"That's right." Sighing, Beatrice got up from her chair. "It was nothing more than bad luck. Her eagerness to prove herself led her to an encounter with a Level 5 villain. I feel bad for Mr. Eisenberg, but there was nothing she could have done."

Seemingly done with what she had to say, the petite woman was about to walk away, but then she came to a stop. Turning around, she regarded her white haired teammate with serious eyes.

"Ghost. That was the name they gave them." She said. "It might be true that Paragon was brought here to face them, but as far as I can tell, you are being kept around for the same reason."