Two hours later, at 11:15 AM ⧼UTC-5⧽, the Situation Room in the West Wing of the White House became the epicenter of a critical meeting.
Around the table sat some of the United States' highest-ranking officials, including the Vice President, Secretary of Defense, CIA Director, and a select few others. Presiding over the meeting was the President himself, his expression calm but focused.
"Let's begin the second official meeting," the President announced, his voice commanding yet measured. "One by one, bring me up to date on the information gathered about the Alpha Chosen. Agent Blue, please start us off."
All eyes shifted to the blond-haired young man, whose piercing blue eyes occasionally flickered with tiny streaks of lightning, exuding an air of danger about him.
However, none of them were particularly shocked—at least, not as much as they had been when they first witnessed Brandon's abilities during the initial official meeting a few days ago.
Back then, they had nearly jumped out of their seats at the sight of his lightning element abilities.
Ignoring the gazes fixed on him, Brandon began his report. "Mr. President, there hasn't been any change in the number of Alpha Chosen aligned with the Guardians Guild since our last meeting. We still have five in total. Henry, Kensei, and Min-soo remain in their respective home countries, while Gabriel is at the Guild's main base in Washington."
The President's eyebrows lifted slightly. "Oh, Gabriel's here in Washington? Why wasn't he invited to join us today? As an Alpha Chosen, he has every right to participate in this meeting."
Brandon nodded, "I considered it, Mr. President, but Gabriel recently evolved to Tier-3. He hasn't yet gained full control over his Tier Suppression. If he were present, the effects of his suppression could involuntarily affect everyone in the room. By the next meeting, I expect him to have mastered it, and I'll bring him then."
The President leaned back, nodding thoughtfully. He remembered the sensation of Tier-2 suppression from his first encounter with Brandon in the Oval Office, alongside the CIA Director.
Even that level of suppression had been intense, almost suffocating. The idea of experiencing Tier-3 suppression was enough to make him grateful for Brandon's foresight.
Several others in the room, however, exchanged confused glances, clearly unfamiliar with the concept of Tier Suppression.
Noticing this, the President gave Brandon a subtle signal. "Agent Blue, perhaps a quick demonstration would help clarify what Tier Suppression entails for those who haven't experienced it."
Brandon straightened slightly in his chair, acknowledging the request. Though they had all been briefed on the Trial Program during the first meeting, Tier Suppression was something that couldn't truly be explained—it had to be felt to be understood.
Brandon allowed a small amount of his Tier Suppression to radiate outward, carefully directing it at everyone in the room except for the President and the CIA Director.
The effect was immediate and chilling. Conversations ceased mid-sentence as every individual froze in place, their bodies locked in an invisible grip.
Despite the room's centralized air conditioning, beads of sweat began to form and trickle down their faces. The oppressive weight in the air felt suffocating, and their wide eyes fixed on Brandon with a mix of terror and disbelief.
They had been briefed on the Alpha Chosen's extraordinary powers before, learning about their ability to manipulate elements and their superior physical capabilities.
Many had rationalized it as nothing more than enhanced strength and magical tricks. But now, facing Brandon's Tier Suppression, they realized how far beyond human comprehension these powers truly were.
To them, Brandon wasn't just a man anymore—he was an embodiment of raw power, a reaper who could end their lives with a mere thought. The realization shattered any sense of superiority they might have felt, replaced with overwhelming fear and respect.
After three seconds, Brandon lifted the suppression, allowing them to move and breathe freely once more. Calmly, he addressed the shaken room.
"Please excuse me. I did this demonstration to show you what Tier Suppression feels like, as per the President's instructions. Since normal humans are not considered Tier-1, the tier difference between us is significant. That's why even a fraction of my Tier-3 suppression is more than any of you can handle."
As they wiped sweat from their brows and tried to steady their racing hearts, the officials exchanged uneasy glances. For the first time, they truly understood that Tier Suppression alone could be a lethal force. Their earlier assumptions about Alpha Chosen now seemed woefully naive.
The meeting resumed, with the President addressing Brandon directly. "What about Olivia's group? Did you invite them to join the Guardians Guild?"
Brandon nodded. "Yes, Mr. President. I extended the offer, but they declined. From what I've observed, they're preparing to join an organization under Olivia's leadership. She provides them with resources comparable to ours, so it's not just about material support anymore. It's about trust and leadership. Sergei, Andrea, and Kasim trust Olivia, and they believe in her vision."
Brandon paused briefly, his tone measured as he continued. "If I were to press them to join us, it might come across as an attempt to poach Olivia's group, which could cause friction between us. That kind of internal struggle would weaken us at a critical time. With the upcoming tournament against Alpha Chosen from other planets, staying united is far more important than increasing our numbers right now."
The President sighed, his disappointment evident, but he nodded in agreement. Brandon's reasoning was sound, and his foresight to prioritize unity over recruitment was admirable.
"I see your point. I'm glad to have someone like you working with us, Brandon. Your ability to think things through is a great asset."
After a moment's thought, the President's curiosity peaked as he leaned forward in his chair. "What about 'that' individual?" he asked hurriedly. "Did he reject your invitation as well?"
Brandon chuckled dryly, his expression a mix of amusement and helplessness. "Mr. President, about that… to begin with, we have nothing we could offer that would catch his attention. Let me explain. The last official meeting took place on Day-5 Rest Period, so none of you are aware of what happened on Day-6."
He proceeded to detail his experience at Earth's Foothold, describing the otherworldly, advanced technology that Jay seemed to control.
Brandon's words painted a vivid picture of technology so sophisticated that they were likely centuries, if not millennia, ahead of anything Earth currently possessed. As the implications sank in, stunned silence filled the room.
Breaking the silence, the Vice President, a sharp-eyed woman with a knack for asking pointed questions, spoke up. "According to the last report, Jay was ranked third among all Alpha Chosen in the Trial World on the first day, then climbed to first place over the next two days. But his ranking started to fall after that. If I may ask, what is his current position on the 'Trial World Alpha Leaderboard'?"
Her question immediately caught everyone's attention. The President leaned forward, his expression eager. The idea of one of Earth's Alpha Chosen being the strongest among millions of contenders from across the galaxy had been a point of pride.
Although Jay's decline in ranking had caused some concern during the last meeting, hearing that Andrea, Min-soo, and Olivia remained in the top 10 had eased those worries. Now, with the Vice President bringing it up again, they all wanted an update.
Brandon hesitated briefly before answering. "He's no longer in the top 1,000 rankings, but…"
Before Brandon could finish his thought, the Secretary of Defense interrupted, his voice laced with impatience. "Excuse me for intruding, but if he's not that strong anymore, then what's there to worry about? We could simply bring him into custody and extract information about this advanced technology. He's just one person. What could he possibly do against a country?"
His suggestion drew murmurs of agreement from more than half the individuals in the room. They nodded, clearly intrigued by the idea of securing the technology Jay controlled by force.
The President, though more composed than the Secretary of Defense, was clearly entertaining a similar idea. His thoughts leaned toward persuading Jay to share the technology willingly, perhaps even resorting to subtle threats if necessary.
To him, Brandon's description of the technology was too valuable to ignore. If it truly held even half the potential Brandon implied, acquiring it—by any means—might justify the risks, even conflict.
Brandon, observing the direction their thoughts were headed, was momentarily stunned. 'How could they jump to such conclusions without hearing the full story?' he wondered.
His mind flashed back to the chilling memory from earlier that morning, just two hours before the meeting. Each time he replayed it, a cold shiver ran down his spine. 'If they had even the faintest idea of what Jay is capable of, they wouldn't dare to think about making a move against him.'
He glanced at the Secretary of Defense, who sat smugly, as though his suggestion had been the most logical solution.
For the first time in years, Brandon felt his composure waver. The urge to unleash his full Tier-3 Suppression on the man flared in his chest. He knew the result: the overwhelming force would likely crush the Secretary's body, leaving him gasping for air, or worse.
But Brandon remained composed as he reminded himself of the Secretary's age and frailty. As infuriating as the suggestion was, the consequences of acting on his anger wouldn't be worth it. Instead, he drew in a deep breath, straightened, and addressed the room.
"Before making any decisions you might regret," he began with a sharp tone, "I suggest everyone listen to what I was about to say before I was rudely interrupted."
His words cut through the air, making it clear he would not entertain further interruptions.
Normally, Brandon wouldn't challenge someone of the Secretary of Defense's rank so openly, but his new authority placed him just below the President. With that leverage, he didn't feel the need to hold back.
The Secretary's face darkened, and he opened his mouth to retort, but the icy glare Brandon shot him froze him mid-thought. Though Brandon's gaze carried no Tier Suppression, it was enough to convey the sheer weight of his power.
The Secretary of Defence hesitated, then shifted uncomfortably and sank back into his seat, his confidence visibly shaken.
The room fell silent, all eyes now firmly fixed on Brandon, awaiting his next words.
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Author Note:
The revamped version of Volume 1 is now live on Kindle. You can find it on Amazon by simply searching the book title. Thank you for your support, and I hope you enjoy the new edition!
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Volume 2 Revamped Chapter Release Schedule
📅 Daily Releases – A revamped chapter will be released every day until Chapter 130. (Jan 1st to 30th)
These revamped chapters won't interfere with the usual chapter updates.
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Exclusive artwork for every free chapter is now available on my PATRE0N page! You can find the link in my Discord server.
The first ten to comment for new chapter releases will get '1 ADVANCED CHAPTER' for free on Earth Alpha Prime's Discord server.
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Discord Link for 'Earth's Alpha Prime' :
https://discord.gg/maQC7xDBYZ
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