The hivemind is conquering for me? Chapter 777: New Digs

Jinx's eyes widened at Timmy's words, and grasping their meaning, she protested, "No way! I'm not staying as the boss. Just look at you, you're all energetic with some cool new eyes. Come on, boss man, put your mask back on and get things rolling again! Maybe we can restart the war? Wouldn't that be a blast?"

It was then that Jinx realized Timmy wasn't even listening to her; his hand was gently caressing Fume's face. "I could sense your presence, you know? Right beside me the entire time I was trapped. You kept me from losing my mind, my dear."

Smoke began to curl from Fume's mouth as a blush spread across her cheeks. "T-Timmy! You've never said anything so romantic before~" The woman practically melted under his touch, which was both cold and warm.

He then turned his gaze to Jinx and smirked. "The war served its purpose. My injury and my brush with death were the final decisive events. I have gazed into the eyes of death itself and returned from the brink. My task here is complete. I left that note for you as a final safeguard, should I need to start anew, but that is no longer necessary. I am finished with this world. After countless years, I am done. The next stage of my plan is now in motion. It's a pity I couldn't secure that man with the unique Cryokinesis before departing, but with my newfound power... Heh, he isn't essential. I will acquire him in due time. For now, my schemes can finally commence. I can exact true vengeance."

Suddenly, a black veil enveloped Timmy, and in an instant, he was attired. Not in his customary white garments, but now in a black suit and mask. He inhaled deeply, drawing in the ambient sounds of the room before exhaling.

"Ah~ Now, Jinx. I can sense your considerable frustration. Therefore, I will issue my final directive. Do as you see fit. You can manage this place, or you can depart and let the strong fight over the remnants; I would choose the latter in your position. As for myself, I will be taking a few of my..." He paused, turning his head towards Fume.

"Trusted companions to assist in advancing my plan. I truly appreciate all your help, Jinx, in bringing me to this point. However, you are far too unpredictable for my future endeavors. The sole reason I refrain from eliminating you outright is because I have a fondness for you."

Questions flooded Jinx's mind. Hundreds of them. What was this plan? Where was he headed? Whom was he taking with him? Why were his eyes altered? Why the black attire? What exactly was 'death's warden'? What was this mysterious veil?

These were just a few of the inquiries swirling in her head.

Jinx, however...

"Alright, sounds good. Later, nerds. Have fun with your new look. Oh, Fume, go pleasure that old man well. The guy clearly needs it after sleeping for so long; he's going senile. As for me? I haven't the slightest clue what the hell just happened, but I honestly couldn't care less. I'm outta here! Screw this and screw everything, I'm gone!"

With that, Jinx departed the scene, leaving Timmy and Fume alone. Fume was on the verge of asking a question, but Timmy gently lifted her up.

"My dear, the time for questions will come later. But for now, I need to know one thing. Regardless of circumstance, will you stand by my side?"

Fume remained silent, offering only a nod. This prompted a smile from Timmy beneath his mask. "Good girl. Your unwavering loyalty to me will undoubtedly be rewarded. I haven't merely been asleep; I have journeyed beyond the veil and witnessed the ultimate truth... This galaxy is in its decline, yet it clings desperately to existence. With my newfound comprehension, I shall shatter this cycle and, from its fragments, I will ascend. For death is not always the conclusion, my dear. Sometimes, it is merely a new beginning..."

...

Jinx skipped along gleefully, her objective now accomplished. Sophia would undoubtedly have a fit later when she was unmuted, but that was entirely Sophia's own fault for not paying attention to her. Her former subordinates attempted to approach her, seeking advice or aiming to curry favor, but she simply ignored them all until she had exited the main encampment.

She then promptly commandeered a bicycle from a bewildered teenager and began heading north.

Four hours later, while navigating with a complete disregard for conventional safety, she abruptly slammed on the brakes. The sudden deceleration sent her hurtling off the bike and directly into a nearby building.

Disregarding the terrified expressions of the family whose living room had just been inundated with bricks and debris, she sprang to her feet, seemingly unharmed, and bellowed at the top of her lungs.

"If I go back, he won't fuck me!"

She then turned to a woman in her mid-forties, approached her, and seized her by the shoulders.

"What should I do? If I return now, does that mean I've broken my verbal agreement with him? Or will he understand that my job is finished and still let me get clobbered? I can't possibly live without his cream dispenser. Not after it was promised to me and I've contemplated it for so long. I need him deep inside me. He's going to regret letting that wench Keyla smash first. I will break his mind! Using my pussy! He'll see, I just need to-"

*BANG!*

Jinx released the woman she had been restraining, allowing the creature to retreat towards its offspring. A sigh escaped Jinx as she scrubbed at the side of her face. As her gauntlet swept over her skin, tiny metallic spheres detached and fell away, the flesh beneath them knitting shut instantly.

"*Sigh*," Jinx uttered, turning her attention to the man clutching a shotgun.

She advanced, and he fired once more, the shot striking her directly in the center. The impact propelled her backward, but she sprang up, recovering with swiftness. Her pace quickened further, yet the man remained motionless, no second shot from his double-barreled weapon.

Reaching out towards him, Jinx saw the entire family now huddled together. She placed a hand on the man's shoulder. "I'll be taking that back, thanks." With that, she bent the shotgun's barrel and tossed it aside.

"Now, where were we? Ah, yes!" she declared, moving into the kitchen, visible to the entire family, and began rummaging through the cupboards. "I arrive, deciding to visit my best friend... Whatever your name is. And then this husband of yours goes 'bang bang' at me? What's his problem? Don't you recognize this face? You're in my territory after all- Oh! Wait, it's not mine anymore. Right! Hmm, looks like you don't have much, do you?"

"W-What do you want? Why are you here?" the man stammered, his voice rising several octaves in a warning tone, though his posture betrayed sheer terror.

Jinx retrieved some crackers from a cupboard, munching on them as she faced the man. "Ooh~ I like that. Trying to play tough. Kind of hot, I won't lie, but I'm loyal, sorry. Look, my crashing through your wall was an accident. Bike mishap. I'd just remembered something utterly devastating and was trying to get advice from my good friend on how to handle it."

Jinx's cheeks then stretched, her smile widening unnaturally as her sharp teeth became visible. The two children present began to wail, clinging tightly to their parents.

"But then you decided to shoot me in the head... I was going to leave after I finished ranting. No trouble. But now you've really annoyed me, and I need a way to unwind. So here's how it's going down. I'm going to disembowel mother dearest over there, leaving her helpless. I'll shred your legs so you can't move, then I'll devour junior and juniette right before your eyes. After that, I'll decide which of you I want to consume alive for dessert, and then I'll simply kill the last one when I feel like it because I'm bored. Ready?"

...

Sometime later, Jinx was lounging on the couch, her body coated in blood. She used a shard of sharpened femur to pick at her teeth, then patted her stomach with satisfaction, smearing the blood further. "Ahhh~ I feel so full. I wonder if this is what pregnancy feels like?"

She closed her eyes, a smirk playing on her lips at the thought. The idea of carrying Apollo's child filled her with a strange delight. "Oh! I wonder if I'd lay eggs or still produce normal babies if I got pregnant? I should ask mama about that once I'm off her bad side." she mused aloud to no one in particular.

Her gaze swept over the apartment. Apart from the gaping hole in the wall, it was surprisingly well-kept for this part of the south. "I could stay here for a bit, it's close enough to Sophia's territory that once I can return, it'll only take a few hours. What do you think, buddy? Should I call this place my new home?"

She inquired, looking towards the corner where the man who had so rudely shot her was still alive, though he had lost his arms and legs. His expression was one of sheer agony, especially after the horrors he had just witnessed.

Jinx gave a slight shrug.

"Meh, quiet roommates are definitely better than noisy ones, after all."