The Beauty Collector

"My greeting to the people of Miseri Do Mar: I'm Zeno Zavior, your new landlord by the universal right of conquest."

Said the many holographic projections of Zeno that hovered in the skies and all of the screens of electronic devices across the island, his icy blue eyes narrowing as he looked directly at the camera with a smirk. The sudden appearance of Zeno causes all the panicky and anxious citizens to stop what they were doing and pay attention to the man, Zeno Zavior, with a sense of trepidation.

"Well, well, I'm afraid that your government and military have proven to be quite ineffective against my soldiers in a real combat, so now that your island is on the verge of being conquered by me, your inevitable landlord, can you just surrender now? Surely you don't want to die for your dear government so we can keep the unfortunate casualties of war to a minimum... or just don't if you disagree for whatever reason; it's fine either way..."

Zeno continued his speech as he started to grin malevolently. He wants to see if anyone will actually still be stupid enough to try to resist after experiencing such an overwhelming difference in power, the fact that Zeno was constantly shoving it in their faces.

"Oh right! Since your guys fate is already sealed, I will inform you what you can expect after this other than the fact that I of course will be your ruler."

As if he just remembered something important, Zeno made an expression like he just realized something while continuing speaking to the islanders.

"First, I will change the name of this island to Freedom Island; ironic, I know. Second, all manner of taxes will be abolished, as well as all positions and jobs of the old government. Third, you, the Freedom citizens, heh, will lose any right to be involved in the new government... no, MY business from now on. Fourth, all criminals will be sentenced to a civil service duty, or what I like to call it with the fancy title of Neo-Slavery if you want a more simple term, and lastly for those who have committed more hideous crimes and the undesirables... you shall be executed on sight!"

Zeno finished with a serious expression, and then his image was disconnected before the screens in all devices returned to normal, leaving many people with a conflicting feeling and strange faces by his declaration of annexing their nation with the promises of tax abolishment and dictatorship despite calling themselves Liberty.

÷×÷×÷

Meanwhile in the bunker under the High Estate, Vincente Mansfield, the prime minister, was seated at the head of the table after he calmed down, his knuckles white as he gripped the armrests tightly.

The room was filled with his advisors and ministers, who were fortunate enough to be presented in the high estate when the invasion started, all wearing expressions of disbelief and fury. The audacity of this man to claim their land so brazenly! But the chaos outside and the ineffectiveness of their own forces were true, and that weighed heavily on their minds.

*..."

The silence was deafening as they continued to stay quiet while looking at each other. They can't really do anything else here in the bunker, like a bunch of rats trapped in a cage. Fear is evident in their eyes. They had been the ones ruling this land for decades, lining their pockets and living in luxury while the people suffered from their corruption. But it seems that karma was finally catching up to them.

One of the advisors, a portly man with a sweaty brow, spoke up, his voice shaking slightly.

"Mr. Prime Minister, we must consider the lives of our citizens. If we continue to resist, it will only lead to more bloodshed."

Everyone in the room knew that this guy was just being a righteous hypocrite, and what he really meant was that he wanted Vincente to be a scapegoat so maybe they could survive what the invader might do to them, but everyone also knew that Vincente Mansfield wasn't going to go down without a fight, especially not one that would cost him his wealth and power.

"Fuck your citizens!"

Vincente swore at his advisor, who was flinched by his loud voice. Vincent's face was red with anger as he stood up.

"You bunch of bitches! This is MY nation, MY island! I won't give it to some lunatic or anyone... EVER!!"

"But Vincente...!"

The room erupted into a flurry of protests and shouts, each one trying to persuade the prime minister to surrender just as the monitors showed them the relentless march of Liberty's forces in the streets of the city and their own troops that were either being slaughtered or had already surrendered.

Why are they not just knocking the prime minister out and offering him to the invader? Well, the prime minister was the only one with a gun in the bunker... you know, for his safety and this exact reason.

"Vincente, think about it! We can't fight them! They have the power to wipe us out like nothing!"

A high-ranking military officer pleaded, his voice desperate. The others nodded in agreement, their eyes darting from the screens to their leader.

Vincente's expression grew darker as he listened to them whining and whimpering. He knew deep down that he had no hope of winning, but the thought of losing everything he had built over the years was too much to bear. His greed and pride were the only things keeping him from admitting defeat.

But as the seconds ticked by, the tension grew heavier, and the cries for surrender and swearing grew louder. The room was like an overinflated balloon, ready to pop at any moment.

Suddenly, a very loud, thudding noise at the vault door of the bunker silenced the room as the people inside the bunker turned their heads towards the door.

Then another loud thud sounded again as the vault door deformed inwardly with the sound of the metal groaning under some immense pressure engulfed the room.

"..."

The officials exchanged fearful glances as the noise grew louder and the door was about to be breached. It was clear to the people inside that their bunker was no longer a sanctuary but rather a trap.

With another loud thud, the vault door burst open off the hinges and fell down inside the bunker, causing a little cloud of dust to fly up.

Through the dust, a white figure emerged—it is a soldier in white futuristic armor with a glowing red visor and white cloak wielding a pistol and a red lightsaber. It was Yae who arrived inside the bunker with five Geborgs who were following her inside.

( AN: Yae is the clone of Tsubasa. )

Yae's glowing red visor turned towards the stunned people inside as they gulped nervously from her presence alone.

"Your time is up. Surrender, or else."

Yae voice echoed in the room while the Geborgs positioned themselves besides her with their Lasguns aiming towards the Miseri Do Mar's ministers and advisors, who looked at Vincente with pleading eyes, but the prime minister was unresponsive, his anger gone as he stared at the soldiers that had just invaded his nation in a daze.

"Decide, NOW!"

Feeling impatient, Yae shouted with a commanding voice while the Geborgs took a step forward, their Lasguns intimidating the government officials as they cowered, their guts nonexistent. The sight of their own soldiers being cut down and ripped apart by the invading force is still playing vividly in their minds.

"Ahhhh! Fuck it!"

Vincente, however, somehow miraculously found a last vestige of his pride. He was screaming madly as he pulled out his pistol from the holster and glared at Yae and the Geborgs while he aimed the gun at her.

"You'll never take me alive!!"

The room was eerily still after his declaration; the other government officials were looking at Vincente with their eyes wide in surprise and despair. Vincente's hand trembled as his sweat trickled down his face.

"Is that so?"

Yae and the Geborgs remained unfazed, their weapon at the ready.

"Vincente, stop!"

"Dieeee!"

A voice of reason from the minister of defense cut through the tension, but the prime minister was beyond rational thought. Multiple gunshots rang through the bunker, echoing off the cold, concrete walls.

"Heh..."

Yae didn't even flinch; her armor was absorbing the bullets' kinetic energy before the bullets dropped uselessly on the floor around her feet.

"Kill the red ones."

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Nooo! Please!"

Yae ordered with indifferent, and a moment later, the bunker was filled with pleading voices, screams, and the bright light of Lasguns.

Ten seconds later, the prime minister and most of the officials' bodies and what remains of them scattered randomly on the ground as the survivors were trembling in fear with their eyes shut as some of them lay on the ground and some stood while desperately shielding their faces with their arms.

From thirty-something people now only five are still alive.

Eventually the survivors opened their eyes and looked around in horror at the remains of their once colleagues around them. The room was silent except for the whimpering and the heavy breathing of the terrified men who were deemed not bad enough to die by Zeno.

"Alright. The rest of you who are not dead, come with us."

One by one, the officials complied with Yae demand, raising their hands in defeat while dragging their feet as they walked towards Liberty's soldiers.

Seeing that they are now obedient, Yae gestured with her hand to the two Geborgs near her, and they nodded before they approached them to take the officials into custody. The group then was led out of the bunker by Liberty's soldiers, their futures still uncertain.