The city was completely the same. Nothing changed much in such a period. The higher crime rates were sustained and there was no concrete plan for these kinds of resolve to be acted.
Strawberry gathered everyone including Raj for their retrieval mission. "Somebody tipped us about this hardware in Kabkab location 56."
The quarrel between several organizations and groups has been explicit since last year. Organizations participated in the event held by the government to create a valuable weapon for the state. Done behind the scenes.
Kabkab, a critical base of Regulus where they held most of their test subjects.
"It'll be your mission to retrieve the subjects, Quanta, and return the wielders here safe and sound. You can engage in combat, but if possible, not."
"Mr." He was pinning Raj.
"It will be your very first mission here. This is not the same as those mission, mission, it's more of a practice mission, mission."
"Wait for further instructions. Everyone waits in the lobby for your deployment." As the commander continued to do his errands."
Everyone replied. "Yes Ma'am!"
Everyone moved. "Mr. Raj, are you okay with your team?"
"Yes ma'am, we are doing well."
Strawberry was putting on some reminders.
"Remember the things you learn. And be quick in deciding, in crucial situations if ever you'll be in a tight situation."
"Yes," Raj replied confidently with a smile.
"But why are they doing this?" Raj was wondering what their aim was pressing an operation.
"For the experiment to continue, they need a Quanta source."
"It was paused because of the explosion, and they happen to have secured new rounds of funding, and right now... They are trying to pursue it even though it would be impossible."
"Still, they were doing it," Chuckles.
"Do they know that it would be pointless? Because if they do, they would, not right?"
"Maybe they have other plans than just continuing the experiment. We don't know their other intentions for now."
"So, you are doing this mission?".
"Three years after the explosion it stopped and after that, we don't know who someone continued it and a said unknown organization was fully established five years afterwards. They are continuing with what they are doing right now."
A member of his squad approached Raj slowly while making the eye signal.
"Heyyyyy!" His teammate trying to be part of the conversation.
It is past the point of no return since Strawberry is now on his way.
"Be careful on this mission. It is always expected that blood will shed in every mission."
"Their organization has skilled people for each task. They are training their people properly even in their childhood years. Don't ever underestimate them."
Raj trying to persuade Strawberry to come with them.
"How about you? Aren't you going?". He asked.
"If I can, but I have other matters to attend to and you also have some of the best troops here with you."
"Beware. Now go."
Raj exclaimed in excitement as he was about to go on his first mission. While his teammate was talking loudly yet was left unnoticed ", yes! See you!"
An explosion boomed. It was the underground base of the hardware store. The sound echoed meters away.
"Deploy troops deploy." The A team moved the location first.
While still on the airship.
"Our team should not only be called team B you see guys, but we should also name it a cool one!"
Shield talkatively speaking while they were moving towards their position.
Shield was the talkative person who was with Raj while talking in the lobby with Strawberry.
"Like Corvus, or Betelgeuse Team?!"
Shield. Five feet and nine inches shield was one of Raj's partners during his training with Strawberry.
"Shut up Shield be on guard!" Levi exclaimed. Raj's team members were his mates during his training days.
While Raj was on his corner spot positioning.
"Raj, what was the real reason you came here? I mean you always say that the commander kidnapped you. But I think there is more to it. I can't sense any threat or forcing from so it was you."
Out of randomness Shield brought up the question in a sudden manner.
"It's because you wanted to seek answers, right?"
A year ago, he remembered Strawberry's words, he remembered. "I don't have much information about your father but when I do, I'll tell you."
"Your father worked together with Socrates. I know. It's okay Socrates can take care of himself; you saw what he is capable of." Talking calmly to himself.
"But Strawberry because..."
"The organization we wanted to bring down had affairs with what happened years ago."
"You can stay and work here for now until I find the records about your father."
"Thank you for your help. I don't know what to do in return for everything you did."
"I did? Not yet. I will still be doing it."
"Fate must bring you here. How lucky you are to be lost here and found by us."
Raj was in his thoughts. "Brought me here? Huh? Maybe slammed me." While he continues to reminisce about his experiences.
His eyes turned to heart. The people around him were wondering what had happened to him."
"If that is so, okay. I wanted to also help here that's why I volunteered to join your team while I was still searching for answers."
"I know. I can see your potential."
Another explosion occurred.
They are already deployed.
"Raj the captives!" Ferra shouted from a distance. One of her team members.
Raj immediately carried two of their captives with him on his shoulders. When he was about to rescue the third one.
Axel appeared before him. Axel knew it was different, his aura changed from before. Axel could see the buff in Raj's muscles.
In a glimpse.
"So, you are working for them now?"
"You rejected my offer to you, and accepted theirs?"
Axel was disappointed about what he had learned.
"It's not what you think. You tried to kill me!"
"I didn't I was trying to help you to be free from the enslavement of this technology."
Axel was walking towards the person Raj was about to save. Carrying the victim in its neck with a single hand.
"Watch this." A light glowed in Axel's hands, the source of power from the victim transferring to his.
It was like a circuit with lines with dots after each line ends, his hands visualized. The light was glowing in green and blue with a gradient flowing in Axel's hand.
Ferra was already out of the scene as she was protecting himself from the crossfire.
"What was that? What did you do!?!"
Like how the roots absorb water. Axel absorbs the life out of the body from his victim.
Like how a plant wilts when left un-watered for days was how his victims looked like.
"I don't need any more of those machines. I can extract now by myself" Axel's power also upgraded after time had passed.
The place they were standing turned out to be their battlefield.
The blasts got quiet for both of them in a second. The two of them hurried their strides towards one another.
"HYAAAAHHH!" Raj's fists passed over Axel's face. Axel burst and aimed his clenched hands at Raj.
Zoom.
Raj with his senses able to dodge Axel's counter. He flipped over a distance and performed his fighting stance. "Just leave these people alone Axel!"
"Leave them? I cannot. My parents left me, and you want me to leave them?"
"I need to help them."
In shock.
"Are you kidding me?"
"But you are killing them!"
Axel has his ideals. He always sticks to his principles and follows them.
"It's for a better future Raj!" Axel burst its energy all over his body. Creating small spheres of explosions in the air. Elevating himself and producing more power surrounding him. "Try this."
"Bell"
A sound of metal sheets was screaming all over.
A swirl of drastic light fired at Raj.
Raj was in his place when he saw the light and the attack coming.
His vision turned white. It exploded. The smoke from the explosion covered the battlefield. Raj projected himself in the air. The attack was not penetrative.