Mr. Henderson's silent approval was a powerful shield. For the next few days, Leo experienced a strange new status. No one dared to openly antagonize him. The grunt work stopped. He was given small, but legitimate, research tasks. It was a fragile truce, but it was a truce nonetheless.
Mark, however, was simmering. He had been publicly humiliated, first by his own incompetence and second by Leo's surgical dismantling of his attack in the conference room. He was a cornered animal, and cornered animals are predictable. They lash out.
On Wednesday afternoon, Leo received an email that made his blood run cold. It was from Human Resources.
Subject: Formal Complaint - Mandatory Mediation Meeting
The email stated that a formal complaint had been filed against him regarding "unprofessional conduct and creating a hostile work environment." His presence was required at 4:00 p.m. in the HR mediation room.
This was a different kind of threat. It wasn't about data or deadlines. It was about reputation and character. In the corporate world, an HR complaint, even a baseless one, was a permanent stain.
His phone vibrated, the System's timing as impeccable as ever.
[Special Quest: The HR Gambit] [Description: A desperate colleague has weaponized corporate policy against you. This is a battle of perception, not performance. Navigate the minefield of HR protocol to turn your accuser's blade back on them.]
[Objective 1: Emerge from the meeting with your reputation intact.] [Objective 2 (Hidden): Make your accuser regret this course of action.] [Objective 3 (Bonus): Solidify your status as an untouchable employee.]
Leo's Calm Mind skill kicked in, washing away the initial shock and replacing it with icy resolve. He wasn't the victim here. He was a player who had just been challenged to a new game.
At 4:00 p.m. sharp, he walked into the designated room. It was a small, soundproofed office designed to feel non-threatening, which only made it more so. Sitting at the table were two people: a stern-looking woman with perfectly coiffed hair and a nameplate that read 'Cynthia Albright - HR Partner', and Mark, who was doing his best to look like a wounded puppy.
"Thank you for coming, Leo," Ms. Albright began, her tone professionally neutral. "We are here to discuss a complaint filed by your colleague, Mark. He has made some serious allegations about your behavior."
"I see," Leo said, his face a perfect mask of calm concern.
"Mark," she prompted gently. "Please tell Leo what you told me."
Mark cleared his throat, avoiding Leo's gaze. "Leo, I… I feel that you've created a very aggressive and hostile atmosphere. After the issue with the report, you've been glaring at me, making me feel unsafe. I even saw you near my computer when I was away from my desk. It feels like you're trying to intimidate me… or worse, sabotage me again."
It was a weak, pathetic accusation, built on feelings and flimsy conjecture. The old Leo would have sputtered in denial, gotten angry, and immediately looked guilty.
The new Leo leaned forward slightly, his hands folded on the table. Calm Mind analyzed the attack vectors. Poker Face concealed his contempt.
"Thank you for sharing your concerns, Mark," Leo said, his voice imbued with an almost zen-like serenity. "To make sure I understand fully, could you please provide Ms. Albright with the specific dates and times I was glaring at you? And regarding my presence near your desk, could you specify when that was? I was asked by Sarah to retrieve a file from the archives near your cubicle yesterday morning. Perhaps that's what you're referring to?"
Mark sputtered. "Well, no, I don't have exact times, but it's a pattern! It's the vibe you give off!"
"A vibe," Leo repeated thoughtfully. He turned to Ms. Albright. "Cynthia, I'm concerned. The events Mark is referring to seem to stem from two specific incidents. The first was when I was asked to remake a pot of coffee that was accidentally ruined. The second was when I had to reconstruct a corrupted report file under a tight deadline to prevent our department from missing a submission to Mr. Henderson. In both cases, I acted only to solve a problem and ensure the team's success."
He paused, letting the words hang in the air before delivering the killing blow.
"Frankly," he continued, his tone shifting to one of sincere worry, "I'm worried about Mark. The pressure of our fast-paced environment seems to be affecting him deeply, perhaps causing him to misinterpret my collegial intent as aggression. After he was unable to assist with the report recovery, I can understand why he might feel stressed. My only goal is to be a productive member of this team. If my efficiency is being perceived as a threat, then perhaps we need to address the underlying stress factors in the department."
He had done it. In under a minute, he had transformed from the accused into the concerned, high-performing professional. He had validated Mark's "feelings" while simultaneously reframing them as a symptom of Mark's own incompetence and stress. He had weaponized the very language of HR against his accuser.
Ms. Albright's expression had shifted from neutral arbiter to shrewd analyst. She had seen this play out a hundred times. She knew exactly what was happening. She looked at Mark, whose face had gone from pale to beet red. He had no response. He had been completely and utterly outplayed.
"Mark," she said, her voice now carrying a distinct chill. "Filing a frivolous HR complaint against a colleague, especially one that appears to be retaliatory in nature, is a serious violation of TitanCorp's professional conduct policy."
An hour later, Leo sat at his desk as Mark was escorted by Ms. Albright to the center of the office. In a low, mortified mumble that was audible to everyone, Mark was made to formally apologize to Leo for "a misunderstanding." It was a total, unconditional surrender.
Leo's phone buzzed.
[All Quest Objectives Complete.] [You have flawlessly navigated the HR Gambit, turning a baseless accusation into a public display of your superior composure and strategic mind.] [Reward: +500 EXP, +5 Charisma Stat.] [Title Acquired: The Unshakable Intern] [Effect: You are now immune to low-level intimidation tactics. Junior colleagues will hesitate to challenge you directly.]
The public apology had drawn a line in the sand that no one would dare cross again. Mark was a broken obstacle, and the others now looked at Leo with a new kind of respect—the kind reserved not for a colleague, but for a predator. The game had changed. He was no longer just surviving the corporate jungle; he was starting to carve out his own territory, one decisive victory at a time. The next target wasn't a petty bully. It was the next rung on the ladder.