[Notice: Till November releases will not be consistent cause finals are coming up]
Ethan stepped into the spacious lounge assigned to his team. Unlike the other groups, the top eleven teams were given personal lounges, a sign of their superior status. As he entered, he took note of the familiar faces already present.
"Everyone's already here," he remarked, his voice steady and composed. His gaze met Jake's, whose eyes blazed with barely concealed animosity.
"So, you're our team leader? Don't drag us down, mysterious leader," Jake retorted, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Among all the child experiments, Ethan had always been a bit of an enigma. Unlike the others, he rarely mingled, except with Dianna, Elaine's assistant, and the other top ten experiments. His bond with Dianna was purely professional, forged through their mutual support of Elaine's work. Over time, Ethan grew closer to those ten, forming a tight-knit group of friends. But for the others, Ethan was a sore spot, a reminder of the hierarchy within their ranks.
Jake, in particular, bore a deep-seated grudge. Once among the top ten, he had been displaced by Ethan's sudden rise to favor. To Jake, it felt personal, like a deliberate act of sabotage.
Ethan's eyes scanned the room, acknowledging the tension that hung in the air. "Although we all specialize in different areas, we're trained to work as a team. I won't waste time with useless formalities. We'll leave immediately for our mission. Not someone in this city, actually—we'll move out at night," he commanded, his voice carrying an unmistakable authority.
The others nodded, absorbing his words. In just a few hours, they would be heading out, off to their first mission.
The city lights bathed the night in a mesmerizing glow, an awe-inspiring fusion of technology and science. Flying cars zipped through the streets below, while small personal flying ships dotted the night sky. With intricate road systems catered to vehicles on the ground, vehicles in the air, and courier-class ships soaring at the highest altitudes. Holographic pathways, woven by magic, glimmered in the sky, and the towering buildings were nothing short of architectural wonders.
"Beautiful," Marika whispered, her eyes wide with wonder as they moved stealthily within the shadows of the streets.
"There's a small manufacturing building over in District C. Our target will be holding a private meeting there. Everyone, follow me," Ethan commanded, his voice filled with determination.
"Minor physical boost," they chanted in unison, their bodies surging with newfound speed as they raced through the night.
"We're here now," Ethan noted, his eyes scanning the rooftop of a nearby building. Below, several figures were deep in discussion.
"Forget it, I'm not having anything to do with this," one man said, his frustration palpable as he left.
"What do you mean no, aren't you tired of bowing down to him? This is our district and I'm tired of paying fines. Let's form our own group," one man urged. Those who remained continued their talk as they deviced their plans.
"Damn Tshepo, I was a fool to think he's one of us. Whatever, it's a minor setback anyway. Those who lack ambition will never go anywhere," one of the men spat out, banging the table in frustration.
"Forget him. We'll just gather our forces in secret," another one replied, trying to calm the group.
"Fifty people remain. It seems our informant pulled a good show, but we'll take it from here," Ethan said, signaling the others to move out. Suddenly, within the building, the guards noticed something and stood in a defensive position to protect their employers, but they weren't prepared for what was coming next.
"Flash!" Lindiwe shouted as a blinding light filled the room, disorienting everyone.
"Chain Lightning!" Jake followed, striking down ten of the fifty in an instant.
"Ice Bullets!" Marika shouted, sending an endless barrage of ice bullets towards their targets.
"Take cover!" one of the guards yelled as they formed a magic barrier. The four they were protecting activated their protective artifacts, forming barriers around their bodies. Marika's relentless onslaught of ice bullets made it difficult for them to counter-attack carelessly. Her teammates, familiar with this tactic, maneuvered around the ice bullets with precision.
"The hell is wrong with this mage? Firing endlessly like that—do they have an infinite amount of mana?" one of the guards muttered, his voice filled with panic.
Ethan surveyed the unfolding chaos with a steely resolve. They had the element of surprise, and he knew they needed to maintain their momentum. His eyes flickered to Mia, who was unleashing her spells with relentless precision.
"She calls herself Mia, right?" he muttered to himself, recalling her file. "Her mana pool is considerably large, but her talent is somewhat above average. A normal genius compared to the monsters in the top ten. Still, everyone assigned to a team has potential."
He glanced at Jake and Lindiwe, who were overpowering their opponents with ease. "The others are faring well. Maybe this mission is just too simple for us," he mused. His gaze hardened with determination. "I guess I should finish this."
With a swift, silent movement, Ethan emerged from the shadow of a guard, his arm poised as if ready to thrust a spear, though his hand held nothing. "Chanting will waste my time," he muttered as his eyes glowed purple. With a sudden thrust, a slim spear materialized in his hand, a magic circle forming at its tip.
"Watch out, he's a silent caster!" one of the guards shouted, but it was too late. Ethan's spear broke through the magic barrier and pierced the guard's chest. The barrier shattered, and the guard's eyes widened in horror.
"He nullified the magic barrier! Forget the mage, kill that one first!" the guard commanded, but their panic was palpable.
As Ethan landed, the others tried to charge at him. "Muddy ground!" Lindiwe chanted, her spell turning the floor beneath the guards into treacherous mud. They struggled to keep their footing, their movements hindered.
Ethan didn't waste a second. He formed two magic circles beneath
Ethan's eyes narrowed with unwavering focus. He formed two glowing circles beneath his feet, ensuring he remained above the treacherous mud. With a burst of speed he cut off their heads in an instant breaking through their differences like nothing.
Ethan's eyes glowed with determination as he signaled the others to move out. They tracked down the leaders of the mission who had fled in a hurry.
"What the heck was that? Is Edwin behind this? How did he know..." One of the leaders muttered nervously as they sped through the streets, their car coming to an abrupt halt at an intersection. "Fwoo, at least we're safe," they sighed in relief.
"If only that were the case. Dispel," a voice echoed, and the illusion shattered. The streets faded, revealing their car was not even moving—they hadn't gone anywhere. They had been under an illusion spell the entire time.
"You really chose the wrong person to mess with," Ethan said, his cold purple eyes piercing through the window. The leaders looked up, fear gripping their hearts as they trembled under his gaze.
"Chh, how pathetic," Jake snarked, as the others stood behind Ethan, their gazes dripping with intimidation.
"It would be a shame to taint such a nice car with blood. Why don't we talk outside?" Ethan suggested, using telekinesis to open the doors.
"Wha... What do you want? Did Edwin put you up to this? We've got money... We'll pay you more," one of them pleaded, his voice shaking.
"No... Don't kill me! It was all his plan. He put us into this!" the others cried, their voices trembling with desperation as they pleaded for their lives.
And so, the mission drew to a close. The four rebel gang leaders were finally subdued, their reign of chaos ended. Ethan and his team, made their journey back to Black Wind.
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