Code Collector

The pale boy with the petite figure leaped around the room. Allen was still focusing his energy into Oliver, making him act like how he wanted him to act.

"See?" Queeny smirked. "It's easy once you get the hang of it. Until then, you have to practice this activity. Today, you should master one Body, tomorrow you add another, and the next day you'll have your third Body ready to go."

Allen stopped. He regained his focus to his own body, making Oliver fall to the ground, limping like a wooden puppet. "But if I can master controlling these Bodies, how can I move? You saw how much I needed to focus my own attention into moving Oliver. I basically lost my own sense of movement."

"That's what you'll learn on the fourth day," Queeny said. "When I started using the Body Creator Code, I thought that my puppets should move like a true human being in the field, fighting beasts like they're true Hunters. I didn't have the proper training in order to master the Code."

"When I did master it, everything was too late. My own sense of movement vanished and my body felt like it was foreign," Queeny continued. Allen looked at the one controlling Queeny, Kevin, who was sitting on the couch while looking at them. Queeny followed his gaze and sighed. "If you don't do this training program that I created, you will become just like me. I'm just lucky I only lost my ability to speak right after my body went numb."

Allen slowly nodded. He completely got the point Kevin was trying to show him. Each and every Code has their own level of difficulty, some are harder to control than others, but then for this particular Code, the user will have to experience their senses in another body.

If they get so used to that feeling, the senses of their own body and all other locomotive functions will cease to exist. The Code will eat its user once the user fails to stop before he could cross the line.

"You see, I was just a boy back then. Just starting my own Hunter lifestyle," Queeny said. "My father was a rich entrepreneur that was involved in selling technology to the Hunters. He was one of the founders of the mobile phones we are using in the Otherworlds."

"When I said that I wanted to become a Hunter, he was overjoyed," Queeny smiled sadly. "He was finally going to have a pride of his own and not just his company. He provided me with all the things I needed, Codes, equipment, bodyguards, and even the technology they built."

"But one day, my father fell from the heavens. He was framed as the stockholder who embezzled funds— billions of funds," this time, Allen saw the anger in Kevin's face instead of his puppet. He focused on the man who was sitting on his couch as he saw the aura that was seeping through him, dark and bitter aura.

"My father tried to free himself from the frame up, but he couldn't fight more than half of the company," Queeny said. "So, he ended up using all of his money into paying the embezzled funds. He was also sent to prison for his crime and pay damage fees to the company. Before all of this happened, he gave me the Code. I vowed to myself that I will find those people and make their lives miserable."

Allen's ear seemed to twitch after hearing this statement. He looked at Kevin, but the boy shook his head, with Queeny saying, "I took care of all of them. If you want to see them, you can always visit their graves. It's located somewhere in the mountains."

"You're cool," Allen chuckled. "Though, what happened to you was horrible, you still manage to joke about it."

"What do you suggest me to do?" Queeny crossed his arms. "Cry? For them? I won't shed a single tear or sweat for them. Those bastards were weak and they didn't even hire proper bodyguards. After I got rid of them, I disposed their bodies here in the Otherworlds. That way, at least heir stenchy meat would feed the beasts."

"But how exactly will Dante master this Code?" Jeremy butted in, waking the two from their own little world. "You said that he can master this, but how exactl?"

"He just needs to get used to the feeling of feeding information to others while he moves," Queeny replied simply. "While you practice everyday, don't forget to move even just a bit. Just a step forward and a step backward would help. You can also raise your hands and put it down without breaking the link between you and the Body."

"C-Can I actually do that?" Allen asked, completely unsure of what he was going to do. "I don't think I can."

"You can if you try," Queeny said. Her body started to glow, meaning that she was being taken back by Kevin. "And you can't if you never even had the will to try."

With those words leaving her lips, the puppet vanished into thin air. Kevin was looking at Allen, a smirk playing on his lips. He couldn't talk, so he just nodded at Allen. He stood and took his time to leave without saying anything more.

"Wait–"

Before Allen could even get to the door, Kevin was gone. The boy left him inside his room and when Allen went to the hallway, Kevin was nowhere to be found.

"Was that man a ghost or something?" Allen asked himself as he scratched the back of his head. "Why did he suddenly leave? He didn't even say anything more."

Allen went back inside the room and saw Jeremy there, cleaning after the plates they used to eat snacks. For the time Jeremy was there, his apartment was clean, completely clean.

The man was a clean freak, and since he was currently out of job, he had more time in his hands. This allowed him to invest more in Allen's room, serving the boy like he was a housemaid.

"I'll wash the dishes too," Jeremy announced as he went to the kitchen. Allen heard the water from the sink run, so he just sat on the sofa and looked a this phone, susprised to see a message for him.

It was from unknown number and Allen was about to ignore it when an inkling feeling told him that he should at least read the message.

'Come to the alley by Pomelo Street and 2nd Avenue. -J.s'

The text was clearly from Jake from the initials alone. It could also be Jack but it wouldn't make sense for the old man to want to meet up since Allen hasn't talked to him nor did he ever tried to ask for his help at the moment.

Allen replied to the text, but his message was unsent. He tried asking for Jeremy's help, but the man said that the number was deactivated. That was why he wasn't able to send. Although Allen showed Jeremy his response, 'Ok', he deleted the first message so that the man wouldn't know his plan.

He knew that Allen was the Wandering Trader, but he didn't know that he was connected to Jack Summers. Allen now has many faces that he shows to different people. Some people knew this face or two, but they didn't know everything there is to it about him.

He sighed and went to his living room, letting Jeremy finish washing the plates. He laid his head on the back rest of the sofa when an idea entered his mind. "Oh!"

Allen immediately ran to the kitchen to find Jeremy. "I have an idea, and you're involved this time."

"No," Jeremy deadpanned. "I have a feeling that you'll just use me for something, and then you'll get rid of me right after."

"What?" Allen scrunched his face. "Why would I even do that?"

Jeremy shrugged, "I don't know. You're already keeping secrets from me. I don't know how long it would take you to get rid of me."

"Stop talking nonsense and hear me out," Allen groaned. "Since you're out of job right now, and you're already a Hunter, why don't you join me while I hunt?"

"What?" Jeremy scrunched his face. "Why would I– oh, body count?"

Allen nodded, "The more members of the team, the longer we can stay outside of the camps. Since you're currently bored inside the camp, you have no other choice but to come with me."

"Woah, woah, woah," Jeremy raised his hands defensively. "Who told you that I was bored?"

"So, you're saying that you're not?" Allen smirked, crossing his arms. "Tell me then. What does Jeremy Young do these days? He's not a police officer anymore and he doesn't hunt."

"I–I…" Jeremy stuttered. "Ugh. Fine then. I'll come with you, but not because I'm incredibly bored."

"Yes!" Allen grinned. "Now the team is almost complete. I just need to figure out how to master the Bodies."