Deus Didymus: Rend

Chapter One: Update

Wonyoung sighed. Just in front of her, rain poured onto the ground--stopping right before her feet.

"I can see the future, yet I got caught in the rain..."

The dim sunlight suddenly turned softer, turning Wonyoung's attention above her where an umbrella hovered above her with the help of her favorite person.

Standing next to Ji Hoon, Kami, Xiaoting, and Chaeyeon stood with their own umbrellas over their heads.

"Let's go to Chaeyeon noona's place."

Wonyoung glanced toward the accompanying crowd, shrugging her shoulders.

"I don't have anything else to do."

The group of five made their way through the empty drenched paths, eventually stopping before Chaeyeon's house.

"You live in a very modest place, Noona," Kami commented.

Chaeyeon shrugged, "I don't need anything more than this. I'm the only one living here anyway."

Once inside, Xiaoting placed herself comfortably in a leather chair while Chaeyeon moved to the kitchen. Next to Ji Hoon, Kami rested his head on the soft cushions behind him whilst Wonyoung rested her head on the towering Hanam's lap.

"It's a shame Hikaru noona isn't here," Ji Hoon commented, "She's going to be an instructor after all."

"I had to send her out on a mission," Chaeyeon replied, "Yeeun is occupied on a mission already, and we needed someone to snipe away at a target from a long range."

"I coulda done it and gotten back in time for dinner," Ji Hoon mumbled.

Xiaoting burst into laughter, "Bullshit!! You couldn't use a bow even if your life depended on it!"

"Yeah," Kami rubbed the back of his head, "You may have a keen eye, Hyung, but your form is completely off..."

Ji Hoon crossed his arms, "Bows are stupid anyway. I probably could just throw a rock or something."

"Speaking of a keen eye," Wonyoung added, "You've been keeping an eye on a boy recently. Why?"

"He has quite a special Allele," Ji Hoon replied, "I looked into his records and everything. It seems like his Allele is a mutation, but it doesn't just stop there."

"What would a kid have that would gain your attention?" Xiaoting questioned.

"It seems there was a little bit of divine intervention in his birth."

The four others turned their heads toward Ji Hoon, their attention undivided.

"You can't just stop there," Chaeyeon ushered, "Go on."

"I won't say just yet," Ji Hoon sighed, "But he's going to be a problem if we don't recruit him into the academy. Luckily!! He's a fan of mine."

Xiaoting rolled her eyes, "Who isn't? I can't walk with you in public without being bombarded by girls who want to marry you and guys who want to be you."

"Wait a second, this boy you speak of has manifested his Allele already?" Chaeyeon questioned.

"Nope," Ji Hoon grinned.

"Then how can you tell?"

Ji Hoon pointed toward his eyes, "I can see Alleles as colors. They're still hereditary after all, so they're present at birth."

"How come you haven't mentioned this to any of us before?" The commander asked.

Ji Hoon shrugged, "You guys never asked."

"I guess..."

Kami lifted his left leg, resting his foot on top of his knee; from his trench coat a book found itself in the boy's hand.

"Chaeyeon noona, I have my brief of our strongest feats."

"Good," Chaeyeon nodded, keeping her eyes on the vegetables in front of her, "Ji Hoon?"

"No one around," The young man replied casually.

Kami flipped through the pages, "Then I shall start. I will be reporting all of the instructors as well as key people as per usual."

"You can omit me," Ji Hoon commented, "Nothing's changed with me since last time."

Chaeyeon scoffed, "I don't think you could do anything under my radar that tops blowing a hole through the continent."

Ji Hoon crossed his arms, "You're still not letting that go..."

"Seo Youngeun remains the same," Kami began.

Chaeyeon nodded, "As expected."

"Choi Yujin tore down and rebuilt the entire wall in a day after an earthquake--though she passed out immediately after finishing. You remain unchanged, Chaeyeon noona. Lee Hyunseo earned a kill count of seven Dunam in her most recent mission in a single fight. Miyawaki Sakura developed a cure to the most recent epidemic. Ezaki Hikaru remains unchanged-"

"She hasn't done anything since she assassinated that one guy from HYBE?" Ji Hoon questioned, "He was supposed to be next in line for commander..."

"She hasn't gone on any difficult missions since then," Chaeyeon replied, "That's why."

Ji Hoon nodded, turning back to Kami as the youngest continued reading.

"Kang Yeseo remains unchanged. Xiaoting noona, with the assistance of her two students, disarmed and deterred a coup aided by YGE in Starship. Sakamoto Mashiro remains unchanged. Kim Chaehyun also remains unchanged as well as Naori Yan."

"How about the assassins?" Chaeyeon questioned.

"Kafu retains his feat of wiping a military base by his lonesome."

"That guy confuses me," Xiaoting mumbled.

"Maki and Moka remain unchanged as well," Kami continued.

Ji Hoon closed his eyes, pinching his chin.

"I think we should adjust the rankings in this country."

Once more, the four others present turned their heads toward the pillar awaiting a follow-up.

"I think our ranks are really inflated. While that might be good for morale and nice for intimidating other countries, I think it hurts us in the future."

Commander Lee sighed, "Yeah. I've been thinking about that a little recently."

Ji Hoon nodded, "Our Hanam should be fine, but the rest might need a little adjusting."

"Are you saying that most of the people in our ranks are weaker than their rank says they are?" Xiaoting questioned.

"Yep. I personally think we have too many in the Dunam rank for what it is. It's not like their salary depends on their rank either."

Xiaoting raised an eyebrow, "Is it not?"

"The missions given are personalized based on who the ministry thinks fits it the best," Kami replied, "Naturally the lower rank a person is, the less likely they're going to receive a higher risk mission--and in turn a mission with a higher pay--than someone above them, but if all of the ranks are adjusted, then nothing should really change."

Chaeyeon approached a cooler at the entrance of her kitchen, pulling a pack of meat from its confines.

"I'll have that finished in about four or five months at least."