Number 7

"Now take a good look around you. Do you see all these people, Klaude?"

"I do, mother."

Walking through the bustling streets of a dense metropolis was a mother and child.

"Tell me what you see."

"I see a large number of people who will work like this for the rest of their lives, unable to ever amount to anything more than what they are right now."

"Indeed."

With a snobby attitude and flashy clothing that was fit for nobles, the woman and her child glared upon those who ran street stalls and frantically made pleas to the public as they attempted to advertise whatever product they were selling.

"If you wish to become like them... then you will do exactly as they have done. You will struggle your way through school, barely even scraping by to get a worthless degree which is equivalent to a participation trophy, and then you will find yourself unable to obtain any actual achievement beyond such a thing - eventually settling on such menial work in order to survive. However... you will not become like them."

"Yes, mother."

The young boy who was only 5 years of age wore a pair of suspenders and his hair was brushed straight down, in a manner that was typical of a noble child.

"Therefore, in order to become something above them... you must first raise yourself above them. You will not participate in such affairs all for the sake of a participation trophy. Instead, you will compete. You will strive to achieve that which is difficult to obtain. You will challenge the best of the best... and you will win. The awards you obtain for such efforts... those will be proof that you were not merely a PARTICIPANT in this society, but a WINNER."

"Yes, mother."

The boy obediently agreed with every statement that exited the mouth of his mother, who seemed to glare at each and every person that surrounded her as if they were below her.

For in her mind, they were.

"Please... please... just a coin or two... anything so that I can have something to eat..."

Walking through the streets, the two looked on to see a homeless man who was begging.

A man wearing a suit stopped by with a smile, pulling out his wallet as he handed the man a bill.

"Get yourself something to eat and maybe even a coat with this. Have a wonderful day, Sir."

"Oh... thank you... thank you so much...."

The homeless man stood up, grabbing the man as tears came to his eyes.

"Thank you... thank you...."

"No, it was nothing. Do not worry about it."

The businessman then continued on, waving before he left and disappeared into the crowd.

"Do you see that man, Klaude?"

"I do, mother."

"A fool. It is because of people like him that such participants are allowed to live in this society instead of being weeded out. When people play professional sports, those who are unfit to play are cut from the team. Yet in this life, because of fools such as that man, those participants are still allowed to play - and that drags the team down as a whole. Do you understand?"

"I do, mother."

The child responded in a robotic manner, not daring to make any statement which presented individual thought.

"Even if that man was successful... his actions show that his success is only temporary. He is not playing the game to win, but rather to feel good. He must believe in his mind that he has done something right, lavishing in those emotions. Or perhaps he is making an attempt to curry the favor of those around him. Regardless... his actions are those of someone who is incapable of standing on the top. But you are different. You will not allow false emotions and pleas of morality to hold you back from your true potential. Do you understand?"

"I understand, mother."

"Very well."

Continuing to walk, the mother and child strolled past the homeless man, who was currently shoving the money into his pocket with a smile.

"You there. Parasitic scum who lives only to pollute these streets. Remove yourself from the sight of my son. Do you not see that you are an eyesore to all these people around you?"

As the woman stood above the man saying this, the man merely looked up with a saddened smile.

"Ah... forgive me."

Getting up, the man quickly grabbed his mat as he made his way to leave.

"Wait just a minute. You have the gall to ruin our outing and yet you're going to just leave?"

As the homeless man began to walk off, he was stopped by this statement as he turned around with confusion.

"Forgive me.", he said timidly, though confusion filled his expression.

"Beg for forgiveness."

Pointing to the ground, the woman gripped her son with her free hand as a crowd gathered, witnessing the spectacle.

"Only if you beg my son for his forgiveness can you be allowed to leave this place."

'Hey, what is that woman doing?'

'Can't she just leave the man alone?'

'Isn't somebody going to say anything?'

'He wasn't hurting anyone. What's wrong with her?'

As the people gathered around and the murmuring began, the woman glared around her as she spoke in a loud tone.

"And to all of you peasants who think you have the right to judge us... take a look at yourselves. Working day and night, struggling to survive only to indulge yourselves as if it's something to be proud of. You all should take a good lesson from this. You should strive to be as excellent as myself and my son, who I raised."

'This woman is insane.'

'Isn't anyone going to protect the poor man?'

These thoughts filled the minds of the crowd, however not a single person stood forward.

They merely watched, unwilling to allow themselves to be the first to go against the woman.

For there was a fear instilled within them.

A fear of whatever fate which lied with the man who went against the rich and powerful.

"Forgive me... I understand... Please forgive me for disturbing you..."

The homeless man slowly bent himself over, laying himself prostrated with a timid smile as he begged the woman and her son for mercy.

"I'm truly sorry... for ruining your day."

"You should be."

Uttering this statement was none other than the boy, who placed his foot on the head of the man.

"People like you who do nothing to improve their situation... are nothing more than LOSERS who have no possibility of winning."

'Is... nobody going to do anything?'

'Is everyone really just going to sit here and watch this?'

The woman grinned with a smug expression, watching with pride as her child berated the man.

The homeless man didn't so much as grit his teeth, humbly submitting to the treatment without complaint.

"If it weren't for people like you... then perhaps we would have already won this war."

At this statement of the woman, the eyes of the man widened.

He begun to shiver, holding his arms to his chest as he trembled with terror.

"Oh? That seemed to trigger you, didn't it? I'm sure you were one of those people. The soldiers who FAILED to hold the line as those Empire barbarians raided our allies lands. Am I wrong?"

"Stop... please stop..."

"Isn't it your fault that so many people died? Isn't it because of your INCOMPETENCE that such atrocities have happened!? HM!?"

"Please... I'm sorry... forgive me... it... it was my fault... I understand... I know..."

The man spoke with terror in his voice, pained regret lacing every word as he quivered.

"I am trash... useless... incompetent... all of those things... I know."

The man said this with acceptance, tears dripping from his eyes as he spoke.

However as he said this, the harsh tone of the woman cut off any sense of absolution.

"If you have admitted it to yourself... then why do you continue wasting the resources of others by continuing to live?"

At these words, the man was met with a kick to the face - by none other than the child.

"It is as mother says. You are a waste of oxygen."

'Hey... what the hell?'

'Now the kid is getting violent?'

'Should we call the police?'

'Would they even do anything?'

Not a soul moved.

Each and every person in the crowd was filled with a sense of disgust, however there was something greater than their disgust which stopped them.

Fear.

"Enough of this."

However there was one man who was able to overcome this fear.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Stepping forth was the businessman who had given the man his money earlier.

"Do you believe that just because you have status or power that you are allowed to throw judgement around on others... as if you understand them?"

Stepping forth, this man had overcome the fear of being the only one to step forward.

He had overcome the fear of allowing himself to become an EXAMPLE.

"Ah... do you see, Klaude? People like this... will never come out on top. Watch closely."

Stepping around her child, the mother walked forth as she stood before the man with a haughty expression.

“Are you going to assault me?", she asked. "Perhaps you'll traumatize my son... or even assault him? Child abuse is a major crime, you know."

"Move."

The man looked at the woman with furious eyes, not yielding to her threats.

"You likely have a decent job. With the snap of my fingers... I can decide whether you keep it. The government, the police, the mafia, the military, the CEO's, all these people will take my word over yours. Now tell me."

Leaning forth as she spoke, the woman's expression became rotten with a grin as she bore over the businessman.

"Do you dare to go against us?"

At this threat, the man who had overcome his fear could do nothing more than back up with a gulp.

He knew more than anyone that going against such a person could lead him to ruin.

Yet even so, he could not back down.

"If I were to keep everything at the cost of my soul... then what worth would it have?"

Then, walking around the woman, the man stormed forth as he approached the child.

The woman watched dumbfounded, her expression quickly turning to indignance as the man ignored her warnings.

"Step away from this man, boy. Take your foot off him."

"I will not listen to a man such as you.", the boy replied as he smothered his foot around the back of the homeless man's head, looking the businessman straight in the eyes without shuddering.

"How sad this is.", the businessman commented as he bent down, grabbing the foot of the boy as he removed it from the head of the homeless man.

"Agh!!"

Stumbling back, the boy made a dramatic scene of falling which the businessman ignored, extending his hand to the homeless man as he helped him up.

"Let's get out of here."

"T... thank you..."

"That man... he attacked me!! He attacked me, mother!"

The boy made a scene as the man walked off, at which the mother immediately began to shout as well.

"How barbaric!! A lawsuit! I'll have every judge and lawyer in this nation on your case before you even know what has happened! You'll be locked up for the rest of your life!!!"

"What of it?"

With a glare, the man met the woman's eyes as he assisted the homeless man, who leaned on him.

"Arrest me. Put me through the system of justice, if you will. But know one thing. If such a thing is what this justice system will allow... then I would highly doubt that there is any justice within this system."

However as the man walked away, out of the crowd a number of men in suits appeared.

All wearing sunglasses, these men ranged from built thugs to thin professionals.

They held their hands behind their back, quickly surrounding the four as they formed a circle around the scene.

"Hah! Fool.... the mafia was present! They will punish you for such impudence! Come now, my son. Let us watch as they show this man his place!"

Sniveling, the woman grinned as the men of the mafia stood perfectly still, not making any movements even as she ordered them to do so.

"What are you all doing!? They are right there! These men assaulted me and my son!! Take them away!!"

"We do not move without the orders of either the boss... or the madame."

One man made this statement, refusing to budge as stillness filled the plaza.

The people in the crowd around backed off, some leaving and others watching from a distance as the scene unfolded.

"Why you... then bring me your boss. If he finds out who I am, then he will surely whip you dogs into shape and let you know that you are at my every beck and command-"

"The boss will not be coming."

Stepping forth as a path opened up for her, was a woman.

She was gorgeous beyond belief, and carried herself with elegance as she walked forth.

And as soon as she stepped into the circle, each and every one of the men bowed.

"Good afternoon, Madame Palmer.", they said in unison.

The woman shrugged off the greeting, stepping before the businessman as she gave him a single glare.

"Trying to play at being a hero is not something that someone so POWERLESS should attempt. Even if you try to save the ones you care for... they will still be ripped from you unless you control everyone and everything."

With this statement, the woman moved on, leaving the men to merely watch in dumbfoundedness, completely unaware of her motives.

Stepping before the woman and child, the woman grinned with delight as she approached the boy.

Then, picking him up, she lugged the boy behind her back.

"WHA- What are you doing!? Put me down this instant!"

Smack!

Spanking the child, the woman slapped him loud enough to resound throughout the entire plaza.

The jaw of the mother dropped as she watched her child be abused and humiliated in such a manner, at which the boy began to shout.

"Put me down!!! Agh!!"

"Very well."

Throwing the child to the ground, the boy rolled through the dirt as the wind was knocked from him.

"AH!!! My baby!!! What are you doing to him!!! You fiend!!! You villain!!! You... you...."

"You were the one who dealt with fiends and villains. And yet when we decide to go against you... only then are we evil?"

Snap.

"Why you..."

With the snap of her fingers, the words of the rich woman were cut off as the men surrounded her, blocking her from moving.

"Take the child for our collection. As for the woman... ensure that she is so unrecognizable that her identity cannot be confirmed."

"Very well, Madame!"

With this statement, the men rushed forward to perform their orders as the woman walked off.

Every person present in the crowd watched, horrified yet filled with mixed emotions as the blatantly violent group took control.

However as she stepped off, the woman spoke up in a loud voice, which carried itself to reach all around.

"And if any one of you wishes to meet the same fate as those two... then try and report us. And when you do so... your child will be next."

----

It began with women who treated their children like objects.

She started with the rich and the powerful, leading attacks on those mothers who were abusive.

This soon extended to the poor, who abused their children in less mental and more physical manners.

One after another, unfit mothers found their children taken from them - and were unable to do anything as the mafia grew in power.

With more and more men joining, the third branch quickly became an overwhelming powerhouse of thugs and bandits, men of all types who were skilled in the art of violence.

And all the while, Ally grew to become 2nd in command of this 3rd branch.

"You're at 29 children already. I made a gamble on whether you or your husband would actually be of any use to me... but it seems like you've returned my bet ten times over already."

"I suppose so."

"I don't particularly care who you attack as long as you get me the children. They all have a use. Rich or poor, abused or loved, teenager or infant, I can make money off each and every one of them. But your girl... well, she has progressed far more than any of the others."

"In what way?"

Turning to the man known as the boss, the woman sat across from him as the two both sipped on glasses of wine, elegantly resting within what was almost certainly some sort of hideout.

"She's mature. Only a year and a half old and I can already tell. She doesn't cry like other babies when she wants something. She just sits there, unphased."

Putting his hand to his chin in thought, the man whispered quietly to himself.

“Perhaps it's that she merely doesn’t want anything in the first place.”

"I see."

Raising an eyebrow, the man placed his wine glass on the table as he looked up to the woman in confusion.

"Shouldn't you be a bit more concerned? This is your child we're talking about. The one that you joined us to save. Aren't you concerned at all about what's happening with her?"

"Hm... yes, I suppose I am."

"You don't seem like it."

"Is that so?"

Looking up to the ceiling, the woman thinned her eyes as she let out a lengthy sigh.

"I'm going to start using the hospitals."

"Oh?"

"It will be the quickest and most efficient way to collect more. Am I wrong?"

The woman said this without a trace of regret in her tone, glancing at the man as he grinned with pleasant surprise.

"I see. Then take as many men as you need. Such a large order will require a great amount of support. You have my permission to do as you please."

Standing up, the woman walked off as a grin spread across her face.

"I've been thinking recently, you know."

As she walked off, the man found his eyes glued to her as she exited the room.

"It doesn't sit well with me."

"What doesn't?"

The man asked this question, however the woman continued to walk.

Her footsteps quieted as the door closed, and the man was left to wonder to himself.

'I suppose it would have to be that, wouldn't it?'

Then, as he took a sip of his wine, the man checked his watch as he grinned.

'I really am lucky. Even though there were so many risks... it looks like each and every roll came up as a six.'

----