Seducing the Guideverse With My System — Raising an Anomaly [BL]

North Vancouver, Canada

In a high-end restaurant somewhere beneath the fog-draped North Shore Mountains, two familiar figures were seated in a booth.

One seemed intrigued by the meals before them, already taking a bite the moment the waiter dropped their orders. The other one... well...

"Remind me why you decided to follow me here instead of heading back to whatever graveyard you usually crawl out from?" Gabriel didn’t even bother hiding his cynicism as he watched Valentine devour a steak. "I come here for the quiet and scenery. And here you are—"

"As uptight as ever." Valentine chuckled, tongue flicking over a red stain at the corner of his mouth. "Loosen up, Gabriel. This is probably why you’re still single."

"Don’t start." Gabriel rolled his eyes as his gaze shifted to the glass walls beside them. It gave a beautiful view of the foggy landscape and dull skies.

He stayed staring for a beat, the only sound audible being Valentine’s chewing. Then, "I’m glad the Norfolk incident didn’t escalate," he murmured. "But yet I can’t help but feel this... helplessness. If that even makes sense."

Valentine arched a brow, finally withdrawing his fingers from the steak. "Why? Because of the Void entity?"

Remembering that made Gabriel shift with unease. Yet it wasn’t even what he was talking about. "Not exactly," he leaned closer. "I’m referring to the C-Rank. Ambrose."

If Valentine was uninvested before his posture showed he had interest now. He grinned. "What about him?"

"It doesn’t bother you how a so-called C-Rank Guide was able to override a power source that was at least upper SS-Rank?" A pause. "Maybe it doesn’t. You’re the one who added him to the team anyway."

"Are you talking just because or you’re actually driving at something?"

"Valentine," Gabriel’s fists curled. "Be serious for once. What he did in the Echo Rift wasn’t just a gamble. It was a death sentence—one he managed to survive. If it had been an S-Rank Guide I’d still be shocked. A ’C-Rank’ is clearly pushing the boundaries of impossible."

Despite all that talk Valentine merely shrugged. "We all have our secrets. Even if he’s somehow beyond his stated rank—"

"You know something that I don’t," Gabriel dropped like a bomb. Sure enough, the other man tilted his head as he went on. "That’s the only reason you’d add a so-called ’C-Rank’ to a raid mission where even the lives of us SS-Ranks hung with uncertainties."

Valentine didn’t respond. Not yet.

He grabbed his fork and knife, digging into his steak. Once he’d cut out a piece, he bit, making sure he savoured every movement it made down his throat.

Gabriel didn’t even react—he just grabbed a glass of sparkling wine and downed it in one gulp. Once Valentine was finished, he let out a satisfied sigh.

"I see why you come here." He winked, setting down his cutlery. "Now. About your... insightful accusations—"

"Not an accusation but the truth."

"Yes, yes." Valentine waved dismissively. "I won’t even try sugar coating it. There’s something... different about that Guide. And I’m not talking about his face or those pretty lips you got the chance to kiss."

If Gabriel were just a few shades lighter his face would’ve probably flushed red. "You sick bastard. I was trying to resuscitate him—"

"Resuscitate, kiss... whatever," the Necromancer remained unfazed. "My point is, I have a feeling you’ve noticed that difference too. Who knows? Other stuck-up SS-Ranks might’ve as well."

Neither of them said anything for a while, the chattering of the few customers around them drowning their respective thoughts.

"What are you saying then?" Gabriel finally asked, absentmindedly grabbing a fork. "So what if I’ve noticed something? Does that mean I should keep silent? Just... watch?"

Valentine smirked. "Unless you want to force the secrets out of him he’s not budging," Underneath his sunglasses, his eyes were distant. "Reminds me of a younger me."

When he saw the frustration behind Gabriel’s iridescent orbs, he added: "Whatever secrets he has will come to light eventually. So why trouble yourself with it now?" He stretched a hand, shoving him lightly on the shoulder. "The Guide saved our lives. And probably the entire continent too. The least we owe him is silence."

That appeared to make Gabriel give in. He sighed with resignation, poking his fork into the salad dressing on his salmon. He was just about to eat when the hairs on his neck stood on end.

His brows furrowed, eyes trailing to the restaurant’s entrance at the opposite end. The doors swung open and in came someone he least expected.

Tall, burly frame. Muscular arms that instantly announced his presence. And a thick brown moustache—all this framed under a sharp ashen grey blazer.

Silence settled in the space, every head swinging to the door as one.

The man’s hawk-like eyes scoured the restaurant, ignoring the looks people gave him. Then—his gaze locked on the SS-Ranks.

"... You’ve got to be kidding me..." Valentine slowly took off his sunglasses as the man strode past the rows of seats, heading for them.

Once his shadow loomed over the table, he paused, mouth curving in a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. "Gentlemen. So glad I could find you."

Valentine set a hand on his temple, as he angled away from the man. Leaving communication to Gabriel.

"President Josiah," he got on his feet, taking the man’s outstretched palm in a handshake. "The pleasure is ours."

Yep.

The president of the United States Hunters Federation. One of the country’s SS-Ranks.

"At least someone is pleased," Josiah sniggered softly, gaze darting to Valentine. "The grim reaper himself. I didn’t expect you’d be lounging all the way in Canada."

"Anything to heighten my chances of not seeing you, old friend," Valentine replied with enough snark to cause another ice age. "So... what brings you here? Global warming?"

"Original as always," Josiah clicked his tongue but didn’t go back and forth. His head snapped back to Gabriel. "I decided to see you directly, Hunter Gabriel. Especially after my vice reported all you told him."

He stopped, letting those words land before his mouth opened again. "... About the C-Rank Guide who accompanied you into the Rift. Ambrose Hale—if I’m not mistaken."

Gabriel’s hands stiffened at his side. He exchanged a look with Valentine but the latter had gone back to pretending his steak was the best thing he’s ever had.

"Well," he forced a smile regardless. "What is it you’d like to know?"

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