Chapter 178: The Way of the Operator

Words : 872 Updated : Sep 25th, 2025

"Test...?" Narata muttered with evident excitement. Although she had previously studied to become an Operator and even passed the exam, she had forgotten some information during her time as a Phantom and needed to brush up on her knowledge. "Sure, but, I'm not talking about the technical stuff they teach at the academy. You know that without me, after all, you're here because you always wanted to be an Operator and not a Phantom." Tron said calmly, but his voice was serious and oppressive. Then, Tron waved his hand. "Riska, slice my pancakes." She didn't even hesitate to proceed to do Tron's order with a genuine smile on her face. "Narata, you must realize that you are a failure." Tron said harshly, looking down at her from above. Narata shuddered. She knew Tron was stern, but she was not prepared for this at all. "You're weak, you've completed very few missions while failing quite a lot and consistently showing mediocre results. However... All of that only applies to Narata-Phantom." Tron put his fingertips together. He sighed and said: "I don't have much to say about the Narata-Operator, but as you realize I'm a fairly experienced Phantom and know what a good Operator should be like. I want to find out if your Phantom pride will keep you from being a good Operator. It's critically important, to all of us." Tron said and looked at Riska for a few seconds, as if setting an example for her. At this time, Riska was still slicing his pancakes. "Adam, do you mind to help me?" Tron asked in a calm tone. "Sure." Adam nodded, "But, what am I supposed to do?" Tron smirked. "Nothing out of the ordinary. Just be a Phantom while in the same room with the Operator." Before Adam could realize anything, Tron pointed at him, looking intently at Narata. "Narata, pretend I'm your Phantom for this period." Narata quickly nodded several times. "Fine, in that case - give Adam a massage." Narata shook her head. "Sorry, I just finally realized that it's not easy to stop being a Phantom, but... I'm ready for it. If I want to achieve what I've always dreamed of, I have to act more confidently and give my all to my chosen profession." Narata uttered before crushing her NEP. Strangely enough, even the always cold and serious Tron smiled at that moment. He seemed to be waiting for her to do it, and that was a pretty important part of his test. "Hah, not bad. Fine, both of you, take your seats, it's not good to leave food untouched - it's disrespectful to the cook." Tron waved his hand. Narata's eyes shone brightly, but not because she was allowed to eat, no, after all, she was an Operator, not a slave at the mercy of a tyrant. She realized that such a reaction from Tron meant only one thing - she had passed the test or, at least, was on her way to doing so. "Narata, there's something you need to understand." Tron spoke up, "I had no intention of humiliating you or anything like that. The Operator's tasks are much broader and more important than slicing pancakes or giving massages. Everyone understands that." Narata nodded, listening to him intently. Riska was enjoying her meal in the meantime, genuinely happy for Narata. They were in the same position, it was just that one of them had already traveled this thorny path. "However, the most basic thing is the ability to obey your Phantom, whether your Phantom asks you to gather information about his mission or cook him dinner. Those are your responsibilities - that's the way our world works, and if you want to be an Operator, you have to be ready for it." Tron said calmly. Narata got a serious look. "Yes, I'm grateful to you. There was still some doubt inside me before we met, but now I remembered why and wherefore I wanted to become an Operator. I want to obey and be useful to my Phantom and the entire Citadel." Narata said confidently, placing her palm on her chest. Tron nodded. "Good, very good. In that case, we'll do it this way - Riska will quickly help you recover as an Operator, given your graduation from the academy and your willingness to do so, it won't take long. Then, we will accept you into the Dark Order and find you a suitable Phantom." Riska smiled, waving her hand. Tron continued: "But, you must realize that we demand results. I have one candidate for your Phantom - he's not as tough as me, that's for sure, but he's also a member of the Dark Order, obviously. We value strength and results more than anything else, so be prepared." "Sure. I'll do my best! I'm the Operator!" Narata exclaimed belligerently. Adam stared at her intently, strangely seeing the same confidence in Narata's eyes as earlier in Silvana's gaze. 'Hah... It's amazing how a person can change when they are in their place...'

Chapter 178: The Way of the Operator

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