Upon hearing this, Beatrix was immediately reminded of the classic line:
"I'm not human anymore."
"When the infection level exceeds 100%, the infected individual can awaken supernatural abilities," Aurelia explained. "Bizarre forms of manifestation-maybe elemental control, enhanced perception, bodily hardening, or other strange powers-can emerge."
Fake espers, Beatrix thought.
He understood this concept-it was similar to how superheroes in DC and Marvel had all sorts of strange abilities. Some useful, some completely useless.
He even joked to himself, "I wonder if one of them can talk to fish."
"That's not a wrong comparison," Aurelia nodded. "The strength of ordinary people is still within controllable limits-especially when measured against modern technology and firearms. So far, we haven't encountered anyone strong enough to physically withstand direct gunfire."
"But that's not the real issue. The truly terrifying part is that many infected individuals don't awaken combat abilities. Some develop extremely strange powers that are hard to anticipate or defend against. That unpredictability is what makes them dangerous."
Beatrix nodded in understanding.
Indeed-modern firearms, when viewed from a scientific standpoint, are terrifyingly effective. Regardless of how strong a carbon-based lifeform becomes, there's a limit to what flesh and bone can endure.
But if someone gains a specialized ability-
One that defies physics, logic, or detection-
That's a different story.
Worse yet, when the type of power is unknown, it's nearly impossible to formulate a proper response.
"Those infected with powers are already dangerous," Aurelia continued. "But once their infection coefficient exceeds 100%, mental instability is almost guaranteed. And I'm not talking about ordinary madness. These individuals retain clarity, purpose-even strategy. Some will even write detailed plans. That's what makes them especially dangerous."
Beatrix instantly grasped the horror she was describing.
Crazy people aren't scary.
Smart crazy people are.
And who better to deal with such threats than Batman?
If you had to rank "madman wrangling" in comics, Batman would absolutely top the list-even above Joker himself.
After all, Gotham's most famous attraction wasn't its skyline-it was Arkham Asylum, home to a revolving door of brilliant lunatics.
For over 80 years of comic canon, Batman practically lived there.
He had more experience fighting the mentally unstable than anyone else.
"That said," Aurelia added, "Not every infected person goes insane. There's a rare subset-those whose minds remain completely unaffected. They still undergo bodily transformations and develop enhanced abilities, but without the usual psychological breakdowns."
"We call them: special individuals."
Beatrix took this in quickly.
He had already started feeling like this world wasn't as peaceful as he had assumed.
At first, he thought he'd landed in a relatively normal urban world.
Clearly, he'd underestimated things.
"Specials are the most effective force we have to deal with the infected and eliminate disease sources," Aurelia continued. "That's what our agency, Unit Nine, was founded for."
"Our agents are often exposed to infected entities. As a result, most of our personnel are recruited from this pool of special individuals. Even if someone has no useful ability and can't fight, we might still hire them as civilian staff."
"Unlike infected people, specials can't be detected using portable scanners. You need a full medical assessment to determine whether someone is a special."
Beatrix immediately thought of his hospital visit the day before.
He pointed to himself. "So... you're talking about me?"
"Exactly," Aurelia said, flashing a charming smile. "Yesterday's event confirmed your status as a special individual."
"Your physical examination showed an infection level under 10%-which is unusually low. That doesn't necessarily mean you've awakened any powers, but you are a qualified special."
"Which means, starting today, you're officially eligible to join Unit Nine."
She leaned back slightly, her alluring figure sinking into the plush sofa, her chest rising and falling right beside the more serious-faced Bernica.
Even in this tense moment, Beatrix couldn't help but glance at the display.
There's darkness in every man's heart-Beatrix was no exception.
He had every reason to believe that this stunning woman was teasing him on purpose.
A trap.
A provocation.
"Of course," Aurelia said, her voice sweet again, "Whether you join or not is entirely your choice. We won't force anyone."
"But there's something you need to know."
"Infected and specials are natural enemies. Whenever an infected person senses the presence of a special nearby, they'll instinctively attempt to eliminate them."
Beatrix suddenly thought of what happened in the schoolyard-
Those infected students who turned toward him with cold, lifeless eyes.
It gave him chills just remembering it.
Now that he thought about it...
Maybe he was targeted because he wasn't infected.
Because he was special.
He now realized: pretending to be crazy to fit in with the infected?
That never would've worked.
---
Beatrix quickly processed all the implications.
His body was unique-he was a special.
And joining the organization might be the smartest move.
After all, powerful trees provide good shade.
Being part of an organization meant protection.
Of course, it also meant greater exposure to danger. But it all came down to choice.
After thinking carefully, Beatrix made up his mind.
Joining Unit Nine wasn't just about duty-it was also about opportunity.
This world had revealed itself to be far more dangerous than it first appeared.
Anyone could suddenly be killed.
Waiting around to die of natural causes wasn't an option.
Now that he had a chance-even if it was just for self-preservation-he had to act.
Besides, joining gave him access to resources, training, and intelligence about supernatural events.
And most importantly-
He could learn more about the mysterious system he possessed.
The game-like interface that let him summon superheroes and fight evil might eventually draw the attention of Unit Nine.
If that happened, being on the inside would let him control the narrative-and prepare for any contingencies.
So even if he had to fake it-he'd rather be an insider than an outsider.
"And don't worry about money," Aurelia added. "Special personnel receive a starting monthly salary of $5,000, not including bonuses or end-of-year payouts."
"I'm willing to work hard for the organization," Beatrix declared, trying to sound loyal and sincere.
Aurelia smiled-and made a mental note.
"He reacts to my appearance, sure, but he got really excited when I mentioned salary.
Wealth over beauty.
But that's okay. Greed is manageable-as long as it doesn't spiral out of control."
"This guy's name... definitely worth remembering."
---
As they continued talking, the buildings outside the car window grew sparse.
Beatrix noticed the change in scenery and raised an eyebrow.
"Hey, wait a second. If you didn't know I'd say yes, why are you taking me to HQ?"
"What if I had said no?"
Aurelia turned to him with a sweet, dazzling smile.
"Then we'd still take you to headquarters."
"Because according to our rules-civilians must not know the truth."
"If you refused to join, we'd be obligated to erase your memories."