Chereads / The New Era Project / Chapter 60 - Come, it’s time to change this city

Chapter 60 - Come, it’s time to change this city

In Aven city, the rainy weather becomes worse as the downpour can now be considered a torrential full blown storm. Lightning can be seen flashing down furiously as though the heavens were furious. Each flash of lightning is quickly accompanied with a delayed thunderous roar which rattles numerous constructions standing erect in the city.

Akeno is sitting at her desk rapidly ordering and dispatching multiple teams along with the student enforcer team over telecommunications.

Akeno commands over a communication line with the student enforcer team. "Reinforce the gates with the student enforcer force. Also authorize the non-esper police force."

She turns to Akimichi. "Akimichi quickly go aid with the prevention of further explosions."

After Akimichi disappears with his ability, Akeno contacts Kotori Kotomi and Kotori Miku. "Hey Kotomi, I need you on standby to help oversee the operation. Miku, please lead a team to directly counter any esper enemies. Leave the non-espers to the police force. Also, grab a few esper specialists in explosion cleanup to try to patch up any affected areas.

Miku replies, "No problem. Heading over there now."

Kotomo also replies, "Alright."

After promptly arranging this layout, Akeno's brows wrinkle as she thinks deeply. "What other tricks would they try to pull. What other cards might they expose. Perhaps -1? We will see shortly. If the situation escalates, I'll have to call on those couple of individuals.... What might be their goal?"

Kotori kotomi rapidly heads over the scene at the gate. The downpour of rain rapidly affects everyone's vision and slows down everyone's movements. Here, a mob of masked individuals have clashed into the entrances of the gate. They have been directly intercepted by numerous student enforcer teams.

Within the mob, a mixture of non-espers and espers are trying to create plenty of havoc. Numerous brawls and clashes are occurring everywhere. Naturally, their goal is the Aven Institute of Technology.

Numerous types of supernatural abilities are scattered everywhere as this scene can now be considered a battle scene.

Some flaming projectiles, or creation of armored projectiles can be seen flying from the enemy. Screeches from some of the mask individuals are coordinated to try to disable the defender's mentality and disrupt their thought. Some armored fights have rushed to try to pound their way through.

There seems to be quite a lot of flaws with these individuals though. As it seems many have severe limitations. After being fully exhausted, they would collapse. Individually, they are really not the matches of an esper. Two normal police non esper members can also easily take down one. Their ability is limited, however, there are many of them. Thus, it is obvious that they are using the overcrowding strategy to outnumber and exhaust the defenders.

Kotori Kotomi (the older sister of Kotori Miku) frowns as she sees the present situation. She immediately contacts Akeno, "Akeno, can I suppress this mob. It will make cleaning this up very much easier and would force them to expose their next act."

Akeno, from her office, hears Kotomi's inquiry and thinks quickly. Kotomi using her gravity ability can instantaneously restrain this mob, however, it would quickly expose her and inform the board of directors of her existence. The enemy is in the dark, while they are in the light. Truly annoying.

Clenching her teeth, Akeno replies, "Sure, go ahead, However, do it in an inconspicuous area." There is no point in delaying further. This is just a start and literally cannon fodder. Might as well clean up this cannon fodder efficiently to allow for maximization of the time available to deal with any other unexpected occurrences.

Kotomi nods. She heads into a nearby building and sits down in a corner that is a blindspot for any who enter. She also orders all the defenders to quickly evacuate and leave a 10 metre gap between the enemy and themselves while continuing to utilize ranged weapons and abilities with crowd control.

Focusing, she mutters as she lifts her right hand with the palm facing upwards.

"G-Restrain."

She turns her right hand so that her palm faces the ground. Slowly, she moves her hand closer to the floor. The mob of masked individuals who have been rushing about suddenly feel a huge gravitational force fall onto them. Those that have been in the air or jumping around immediately fall quickly. Each one of them can feel as though their entire body had been filled with lead.

The gravity pressing down on them is like a waterfall that continues to increase in weight. Each of the masked attackers were pressed faced down onto the ground while the rain continues to fall.

***

In a different location of Aven city, a board of directors meeting is being held. On the screen is the live video regarding the situation occurring at the Aven Institute of Technology.

Naturally, the same five members sit around the conference table. A different mask is worn by each. Tiger, Hawk, Cat, Fox and Leopard can be seen.

The dark haired man with the tiger mask was unsatisfied as he comments, "Those experimental half baked products could barely even qualify to be cannon fodder."

The male with the hawk mask shakes his head in disappointment. "Failures were expected. This was a good opportunity to dispose them. Might as well not disappoint the student council and gift them a pleasant light show."

Under the conference table, the woman with the fox mask clenches her fist.

"It seems that the talent from that many years ago still exists." The woman in the cat mask analyzes in her chilling voice.

At this time, the Tiger masked individual comments. "No problem, things have changed. After I have gotten confirmation that the rest of the -1 members are in position within the institute, we will deliver the student council a nice show."

At this time the hawk masked man smiles cruelly as he suddenly stands up from his seat. He laughs cruelly as he interjects, "By the way, it seems that within our group a traitor has emerged…." He smiles as he scans the three females sitting across from him.

"Oh? You mean yourself?" The masked female in the cat mask in a chilling voice questions back sharply.

"Haha.We'll see." The hawk mask man immediately flings his right arm towards the female with the leopard mask. A series of iron daggers were shot from his hand.

The female with the leopard mask immediately evades this attack by using her fist to break the conference table in front of her and using a large broken piece as a shield.

Thump Thump Thump. Thump. A series of four iron daggers is stuck on the shield which used to be a part of the conference table. All members have stood up vigilantly eyeing each other.

"What's the meaning of this?!" The woman with the leopard mask questions.

"You know what it means..already~" The hawk masked man cruelly smiles and answers as he immediately dashes over to continue attack. Standing on the side, the masked fox and masked cat is also about to make a move but stopped immediately as they have been eyed by the tiger masked male.

The tiger masked male grunts and shows an expression of annoyance as he immediately makes his move. His movement was so fast, that it where he was originally seemed to have left an afterimage.

He can be found immediately behind the hawk masked male holding his neck upwards. "I'm surprised you were able to survive that long here. Truly an annoying trash."

Squeezing the hawk masked male's neck,visibilly, everyone could see the life draining out of him. "It was quite obvious, that you were the one who had assassinated and replaced the real board of director member, director He!"

The hawk mask of the male falls to the ground. Everyone can see that this guy's face was half burnt and essentially a hideous AF face. The tiger masked male sighed, "It seems like during our conflict with the student council, forces from the outside very much have grown larger balls and have started to infiltrate. We need to finish this senseless struggle with the student council as soon as possible."

As the hawk mask-less male with the hideous face has his life drained out of him as the tiger masked male continues to squeeze tightly on his neck, he gasps while exclaims, "Hahaha. Your broken city and everything with it will be taken soon! Keep fighting against yourselves idio-!"

The male dies as he almost finishes his sentence. The tiger masked male throws the guy's corpse onto the ground.

The tiger masked male turns to the three females, "Right now, the outside eyes covetously at our tech. This guy over here is clearing from the outside and seemed to have pushed the policies of the Esper Enhancement Program and deviated it from its intended purpose. Although the student council uses this material to continuously discredit us, they won't be able to handle the outside were they to fully control this city. Thus, they should stay out of the way and deal with the supporting administration and logistics instead!"

He turns to the woman with the leopard mask. "Go to your student council president and tell them to give up the authority. It's time for you to go back to the camp which you stand with. Else, it's war." The male's eyes under the mask becomes ferocious as though he was a hunter staring down at his prey.

The leopard mask takes off her mask. "It seems like you figured it out." Grinning, she exhibits a fighting position. Throwing a smoke bomb onto the floor, she had seemingly disappeared from the room.

The moment the smoke bomb had hit the floor, Akimichi had appeared next to her and teleported them back to the student council president.

The woman with the cat mask had risen to such a high position to protect her profits with the goal of changing this corrupt board from the inside. Who would have known that the tiger masked male had pretty much held the majority of the power and that such chaos would occur with the exposure of the hawk masked enemy infiltration. She takes off her cat mask as she looks at the tiger masked male and fox masked female.

"I resign my position from the board of directors." Dropping the mask on the floor, she looks at both the fox female and tiger masked male. "I do hope you too can lead Aven to new heights. I will give up this leadership role and step down taking on the role of investor."

The tiger masked male nods. "No problem, though, as you know a lot of secrets, we'll have to temporarily put you under house arrest."

The fox masked female shakes her head. "I am a bit disappointed. To think that you would shy away. No problem, here in the board of directors, there is no place for the timid."

The cat masked female is now maskless as she is escorted out.

From a total of five members, only two remain. Truly a major shuffle of power had occurred. As the door closes after the former cat masked female is escorted out, the tiger masked male grins. "Naturally, I had made preparations. Though, it had been unexpected that you are still here."

The fox masked female replies, "I have my interests here as well."

A beeping noise can be heard as a notification shows up on the tiger masked male's phone. "It seems like preparations are ready. The student council will obviously not drop its hold on such power. Time is of the essence. It's time for war."

He presses taps on a button which was accessible with an application on his phone. This icon that he had tapped had a huge exclamation mark on it.

The tiger masked male turns to look at the fox masked female. "Come Fox, it's time to change this city."

***

The numerous mob who were suppressed by Kotomi suddenly explode one by one. "Sh*t! Akeno, they have explosives within each of themselves!"