Who could have predicted the catastrophe unfolding outside every Disaster Shelter, including Disaster Shelter 05? Initially, the Novas on duty only had to fend off attacks from Therians and Avians, airborne monsters they were well-prepared to combat.
Despite suffering injuries and losses, they managed to defeat the monsters with relative ease. But just as they thought the worst was over, a group of cloaked and masked enemies with different motifs emerged from the shadows.
There were twelve teams of seven Zeniths each on duty. Nearly half of these teams had already fallen to these mysterious adversaries.
George, one of the Vanguard Novas on duty, found himself locked in a desperate struggle with an enemy wearing a cloak and a mask emblazoned with the letter J. Despite his telekinetic powers, George was finding it impossible to land a hit on his elusive foe.
"Who the hell are you?" George demanded, his tone grim and serious.
He was controlling ten swords with his powers, his preferred method of attack and defense, striking and defending from all directions.
"Hahaha! You're not worthy of knowing who I am," J replied, his tone mocking.
George couldn't discern whether his opponent had any powers. J dodged his attacks effortlessly, moving with a casual grace. He jumped left and right, ducking and stepping back just enough to avoid each strike as if he could predict George's every move.
Nearby, several other cloaked figures watched the duel. "J! Stop playing. Finish this now!" shouted G, one of the cloaked figures.
Beside G stood H and I, sitting on a pile of corpses belonging to the Zenith Captains in George's team. George was the only survivor.
"Shut up! I'm having fun here! Don't interrupt me," J retorted, clearly enjoying the battle.
Without warning, a bolt of lightning struck George's right thigh. "Argh!" George screamed in agony, blood pouring from the wound. Smoke billowed into the air, mingling with the smell of burnt flesh as his right thigh was charred.
Seeing this, J started to turn, knowing who was responsible. "Why the—"
Before he could finish, H appeared in front of both George and J. Her electrokinesis powers had delivered a lightning strike, and she had moved with terrifying speed. "Didn't you hear what G said earlier?"
Her voice was soft, yet her tone was hard and commanding. J trembled at her presence. "G is your superior. Listen to him."
In their organization, the Alphabet Squad, every member had to obey those in higher positions. According to their ranking, G was above J, granting him more authority within the squad.
Though they were all part of the Alphabet Squad, H's strength was said to far surpass that of everyone else, even those in the rival Animal Squad. She was a force to be reckoned with, and her power instilled fear in both enemies and allies alike.
Yes. They came from the same organization as Cat, Snake, and Bear. They were rival squads. The question many had about H was why she chose to stay in the Alphabet Squad.
"Bastard! How dare you ambush me?!" yelled George, struggling to sit up after being blindsided by H's attack.
Desperation gripped him as he scanned the battlefield, hoping for rescue. His team lay lifeless around him, victims of the ruthless enemies standing before him.
Other teams were faring slightly better, managing to hold their ground and even take down some enemies. But George's situation was dire.
H turned his gaze toward George, his eyes cold and unfeeling. "I had planned to spare you if you kept quiet. But… you talk too much."
J, standing nearby and watching in silence, swallowed hard. H's words sent chills down his spine. Not even a second later, H unleashed another lightning bolt that struck George squarely in the forehead, killing him instantly.
'One attack to kill a Vanguard Nova? What level is she?' J and the others wondered, stunned by H's display of power.
"What are you waiting for? Hurry up," H ordered.
J growled in frustration. Dealing with H always unsettled him. Her overwhelming aura and power stifled his every move. "What do we do now, G?" J asked, his tone laced with disdain and disrespect.
I, another member of the squad, spoke up with a commanding voice. "J."
"What?!" J snapped, his anger getting the better of him. Almost immediately, he regretted his outburst. 'I'm dead! I'm really dead this time!' Sweat began to bead on his forehead.
"Kneel," ordered I.
Without hesitation, J complied, kneeling before G, H, and I.
Still not satisfied, I commanded again, "Prostrate!"
BAM!
J, trying to resist I's power, inadvertently slammed his forehead into the ground with such force that his mask cracked. "Damn you, I! Damn you! Stop your power now. Otherwise…" J threatened.
"Otherwise what? What can you do?" I retorted, laughing wickedly.
J gritted his teeth, the sound of grinding echoing in the tense air. He felt utterly humiliated, his pride shattered.
"Enough! We have more important things to do," barked G, tired of the internal bickering. His eyes turned towards Disaster Shelter 05.
'Who is our target? Why was the Alphabet Squad sent for this mission?'
G had been pondering this for a while. The Alphabet Squad was one of the strongest mid-level squads in their organization, and with H joining them, this mission had to be crucial. Their target must be significant.
"We need to complete this mission quickly. If any Master or Supreme Novas arrive, we'll be in serious trouble." The others nodded in agreement. Even J, despite his humiliation, knew they had to focus.
Only H remained calm, indifferent to G's concern. Nonetheless, she followed the others toward the Eastern Gate of Disaster Shelter 05, her presence a constant reminder of the power and ruthlessness they wielded.
***
Meanwhile, inside Disaster Shelter 05, Aric had just finished eliminating the twenty Therians present. Ten for each Terralions and Steel Bulls. They were all Level 10, with identical attributes.
"I find their attributes a bit strange," said C99.
"Why?" Aric, facing monsters for the first time, didn't understand C99's confusion.
She replied, "I've never encountered species with identical attributes before. They're likely clones."
Aric still didn't understand what C99 meant. Even if they were clones, what was the issue here? Frustrated with Aric's lack of comprehension, C99 decided to analyze the situation on her own.
It wasn't that Aric didn't want to think more deeply. Sitting among the carcasses of the monsters, he felt very excited. He had received a handsome reward after completing a secret mission!
Aric deliberately stayed put because he didn't want to be approached by other people. Several individuals had tried to come near him but changed their minds after seeing the carcasses. They all had personal interests, which Aric strongly disliked.
'Never mind. I better check my progress and the secret mission rewards from earlier,' Aric thought to himself.
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[STATUS]
[Name] Aric Valen
[Species] Human
[Power] Mimicrion (Aerokinesis)
[Grade] S* (S)
[Level] 5 + 9 (14)
[HP] 2500/2500 (6250/7250)
[EP] 2500/2500 (6750/6750)
[Attributes] Strength - 50 (120), Endurance - 50 (120), Agility - 50 (140), Vitality - 50 (125), Intelligence - 50 (135)
[Free Attribute Points] 45
[Cumulative EXP] 800
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"I've reached Level 5 so quickly." Aric felt quite proud of his achievement and the speed of his leveling up today.
C99 just smiled. She didn't want to dampen Aric's spirits with reality. Right now, Aric was fighting enemies many levels higher than him, allowing him to gain substantial EXP while using Elis's power.
However, the higher Aric's level, the lesser the EXP he would receive from the same enemies and the more EXP he would need for the next level. He would need to defeat enemies that provided more EXP, meaning higher-level and stronger foes.
"You've just matched those in the mid-Apprentice Novas rank. Usually, children under twelve reach this level, and you're eighteen now," C99 said, mocking Aric with a laugh.
"There's always something you have to say, C99. But it's okay. I don't mind. I'm on the right track." Aric grinned widely, truly excited. He had just seen the reward given.
.
[SECRET MISSION REWARD]
Power Booster - When activated, the host receives 60% of the full power of the copied ability's owner for 10 minutes. Can only be used once every 72 hours. The host will suffer backlash after 10 minutes. The severity of the backlash depends on the level difference between the host and the copied power's owner.
[Redeem reward (YES/NO)]
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Without hesitation, Aric pressed 'YES' with his mind. He was eager to use this power but knew it should only be used in critical situations.
"It's good you're thinking that way. We don't know how severe the backlash will be. If your enemy is still undefeated and you receive the backlash, you'll be doomed." C99 felt more relieved, seeing that Aric was beginning to understand everything.
It was undeniable that 'Intelligence' provided the ability to think, find solutions, and, in simple terms, made Aric many times smarter than before.
Aric looked around. Many residents in the safety section still chose not to come out. They were worried about another attack.
"How did the monsters get into this shelter, C99? Why can't the Novas help?" asked Aric.
It was impossible for the Zenith on duty not to know what was happening inside right now. Unless…
"There must be a portal that led the monsters in and what you're thinking about the other Zenith is correct, Aric. They were also severely attacked. According to the information I obtained from the security system, a group of cloaked and masked humans with various motifs attacked this shelter."
"Motifs? Are there animal motifs?" Aric's tone was anxious. His chest ached. He had a score to settle with those who injured Ryan.
"There are no recent updates. Many Zenith were likely defeated this time," C99 replied.
"What do you think their purpose is, and who are they?"
C99 remained silent, not answering immediately. She had several guesses. It was likely they were connected to the organization that attacked the creator's lab.
However, she wasn't sure what their purpose on Earth was, as Earth wasn't worthy of being on their target list. Earth was too weak. Unless it had something to do with C99 and Aric, or more precisely, the power within Aric's body.
"All of that is still unclear, Aric. We need to gather evidence before taking action."
Aric nodded in understanding. He also realized his strength wasn't sufficient to do anything yet. If they could injure Ryan so severely, Aric had no hope of fighting them.
"Be careful, Aric. I can sense the attack isn't over yet. This area will likely be attacked again," C99 warned.
"Still not over yet…" Aric looked around. Not only were there Therian carcasses here, but human bodies were also scattered. There were children, women, teenagers, and even the elderly.
Aric closed his eyes, unable to bear seeing more lives lost. With this newly awakened power, he would try his best to ensure the people outside the safety sections remained safe.
Aric was very frustrated at the moment. Those who managed to get into the safety sections still wouldn't unlock the doors to let others in for shelter.
They claimed to worry about potential infections from those exposed to the Therian carcasses. Their excuses were absurd. It was all because the safety sections were stocked with food, drinks, and medicine.
If more people came in, these supplies would deplete faster. The supplies outside were scattered, damaged, and destroyed by the earlier Therian attack.
"How many lives do you think were lost?" Aric asked C99.
"1,972 people killed." C99's answer was precise and concise.
"That many…" Aric began to think that if his family were in this area, no lives would have been lost. He truly felt like he was bringing shame to the Valen family name.