Dungeon Raider System-Chapter 517: The human paradox

When Uriel accused the army of thinning the human population on purpose, everyone reacted in different ways. The army was the most respectable institution, not just that, they were the last defensive line of humanity. Without the army, megacities were impossible to defend and it was also thanks to the army's incursions that independent hunters were able to even set out outside the cities.

The army was the backbone of human society and after dedicating his whole self to the army, Tate felt as though Uriel had just spat on everything he believed on.

"You can't possibly accuse the army of something like that! This man is a traitor!" Tate shouted red in the face, not expecting what followed.

"You are correct," Cassandra muttered leaning forward to rest her chin on her intertwined fingers. "Do you mind telling me how did you figure it out? We can't let people know..."

"It's quite easy, really... The army is controlling the transit inside the dungeon claiming that crossing the first world is dangerous, when actually it's pretty safe if you know where you're going. Then, the army chose a floating island with a higher elevation to settle the headquarters and at first I didn't think much of it since it's a good tactical decision, but that island isn't that big.

It would be one thing if only the soldiers from Texas were allocated there, but you being here means there's also those who survived whatever happened in Louisiana..."

"There's no hiding it, we're running short in supplies and we can't afford to feed everyone..." Cassandra nodded.

"I can't believe you betrayed the people you swore to protect!" Amy cried, earning herself a scolding glare from Mayhem who after her latest experiences had become a proper soldier.

"It's not as simple..." Cassandra wasn't one to take blows from other people, but circumstances were different now. "I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Do you know what's the average survival of soldiers who go on incursions either to the third world or the outside?"

"Uhm... I..." Amy stuttered.

"Just take a guess..." Cassandra insisted, but when she noticed Amy didn't have a clue on how to answer, Cassandra showed her three fingers.

"Three days!?" Amy and Tate, both gasped in shock.

"Three hours..." Uriel muttered and Cassandra nodded at him.

"From the moment they exit this camp, the average soldier lasts three hours in an incursion. The current record is currently held by Captain Silvermane, who managed to return after sixteen hours. We can't send our strongest soldiers, we can't send them in numbers and after breaking the math, we have enough food to keep people barely alive for two weeks.

But that's only if hunters consumed the same amount a traitless human would..."

"Is there any solution? Why can't we..."

"Let the grown ups talk, sergeant." Mayhem blurted out, sending Tate back into his self reflecting streak.

"We already came up with a solution. We need soldiers and our population is too high to be sustained. It's tough, but drafting people into the army is currently solving both issues. It's only a temporal solution meant to buy us some time, but outside the dungeon there's still millions of people waiting to enter. If we refuse to harbor them, they'll become violent.

As if that wasn't enough, some people are rebelling against the government and they're a pain to deal with."

"Are you not worried about some of those people infiltrating the army? I know that the army works separate from the government, but accepting that kind of people inside the army ranks is a ticking bomb that could go off at the worst possible time." As usual, Uriel didn't focus too much on the situation at hand, but on the possible long term consequences.

It could be considered a flaw of his character, but was actually one of the many reasons why he was almost never caught off guard.

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"Why would I worry about my haircut, when my head is about to be cut off?" Cassandra replied and then let out a sigh.

"It sucks to be you, but hey! You're a general now." Uriel tried to joke, but Cassandra wasn't in the best mood.

"I really wish I wasn't... the things I've had to do... It makes me wonder if what your friend did was the correct thing?"

"He's not my friend." Uriel scoffed.

"But you have to give it to him, he single handedly took control of a city and manipulated it from behind closed curtains until he got what he wanted, then he left and is probably doing the same thing somewhere else." Cassandra's theory about Sam's intentions wasn't far from what Uriel was expecting.

In fact, Uriel had already anticipated that after Sam's public display more hunters would figure out they could become holy rank hunters by genocide. This meant that a secret race among heavenly rank hunters might have already started without Uriel's knowledge and it would probably end up in yet another city being razed.

Not just that, just like Cassandra, Uriel also questioned himself on whether it was the right thing to do in order to give humanity a fighting chance against cryptids. It was a terrible sacrifice, but having enough holy rank hunters on the human side could open the possibility of retaking the planet and making it safe for humans again.

It was a paradox in which, to protect humans they needed to sacrifice some of them. But in the end it was a moral question that didn't have an answer because, even if they did, there were no certainties that the holy rank hunters wouldn't become the cause for the next war, one that could be way worse than the one against cryptids.

"So, you weren't joking when you said your head is going to roll. Even if you succeed, you'll pass on to history as either an incompetent general who suffered heavy losses or as an evil tyrant that sent people to die on purpose." Uriel said with a smirk he could barely hold, though not because he wanted to make fun of Cassandra but the opposite.

"I take it a formal request means nothing to you." Cassandra looked him in the eye when she noticed the expression on Uriel's face. After the downfall of the city she was supposed to defend by the hands of the titan, Cassandra led an exodus towards the megacity of Texas only to learn that the city had already fallen and the highest ranking officers in the army were dead.

This immediately granted her the title of commanding officer and she rose to become a general, which only made her scarier to her subordinates and citizens alike. She stood up and placed herself directly in front of Uriel under the expecting gaze of those present. "Do you really want me to do it?"

"Do what?" Uriel asked, completely clueless to her emotions. Contrary to Cassandra who had spent a great deal of time watching him, Uriel lost all interest in her even before going to Chichén Itzá. To him, reading her was even more difficult than reading her oddly inexpressive sister.

"By the look in your face, I know you're up to something. That's why I'm asking if you want me to do it here, in front of everyone." Cassandra couldn't help but blush and in spite of their inability to conceal their energy signature, all of those present melted in the background.

"If you're thinking about last time, I'm still not interested." Uriel said as he took a step back, but Cassandra took a step forward making Uriel feel like a cornered animal.

"If you won't do it for me, then do it for the people. I know you care, if it wasn't for you, no one would have been able to escape the city. Please, Raider..." Cassandra insisted. Things were taking a turn to a direction Uriel wasn't too thrilled about, but he felt as though refusing wasn't an option.

Especially when Cassandra unwittingly revealed to everyone in the room Uriel's identity as Raider, the man responsible for the massive exodus towards the dungeon.

"Fine, but I have a few conditions. I want half your batteries, a quarter of your crops, freedom for my company to come and go as they please anywhere in the dungeon..." Uriel started listing his demands and contrary to everyone's expectations, she agreed on the spot.

"Done."

"I'm far from done, actually... I'll also need a rank in the army that will keep people like this guy from bothering me." Uriel's list of demands grew a bit more with a few unreasonable asks he knew Cassandra had no choice but to accept. However, it wasn't until he got to the last point where Cassandra finally snapped.

"I'm sorry, but I can't let you have him," She said, directing a brief glare towards the man Uriel just asked to join his company. "He's an idiot, but a dutiful one. He's loyal to the bone and I can't afford to lose someone like him."

"Why do you even want Tate on your team? I'm stronger than him, if you want me to come with you just say the word and I'll be there." Mayhem butted in.

"Isn't it obvious?" Uriel too looked at Tate, who now found himself under the cold glare of two heavenly rank hunters, the intense pressure caused by their combined flux energy and the prospect of being killed as payback for humiliating Uriel was almost enough to make him wet his pants. But then, Uriel continued. "You said it yourself, he's loyal to the bone and we could use someone like him."