"But won't I be taken directly to the enemy at the exit point?" Aric was puzzled by C99's suggestion, his eyes fixed on the portal steadily shrinking.
There was a pressing issue. The three masked individuals were near the portal, and while Aric was confident he could hold off G and I with the Power Booster, H remained an unknown threat, undetectable by his scan.
As the portal continued to shrink, Aric grew more concerned. He would waste a lot of Power Booster's time if he faced all three enemies simultaneously.
Who knew if the remaining time would suffice if he ended up in the enemy's territory? Or would he even have any time remaining?
Understanding Aric's hesitation, C99 explained in a serious tone, "The first point is here, the Disaster Shelter 05. The second point is in the enemy's territory. Between them is a random point."
"You mean I need to jump out into the random point? I could end up anywhere!"
"Yes... and you might time travel."
Aric swallowed hard, a mix of worry and excitement flooding him. "Is there no other way?" he asked.
"No."
If there had been a better suggestion, C99 would have offered it. Despite her advanced intelligence, she couldn't provide a more viable solution. Even if she could, Aric might not be able to execute it.
"If only I could use my body freely," C99 muttered, though Aric, preoccupied with anxiety and the urgency of the situation, didn't register the comment.
In this life-or-death scenario, Aric had to focus on his mission. What C99 had said earlier didn't fully sink in. He knew the plan sounded crazy, but ignoring it was even crazier. "Alright. I agree. Let's go!"
Although their interaction seemed lengthy, it took only a few seconds. Aric turned to face J, who had just stood up. He was feeling pain all over his body after the clashes against Aric.
'Damn! Who the hell is this kid? Suddenly gotten so strong,' mused J before turning to see G, H and I irritated, 'And what the hell those three are doing? Why are they not making any move yet?'
Aric was looking right at J. "Anyway, I need to defeat this guy first," Aric said.
He glanced at the civilians, especially those still outside the safe sections, shivering with fear, crying, and screaming for help. He felt a mix of relief and urgency, knowing his enemies weren't targeting civilian lives.
Without further hesitation, Aric delivered a swift kick. "Cyclone Kick!" The attack unleashed wind power in the form of a sharp crescent directed at J.
Without his mask, J appeared to be a man in his thirties with long black hair and an average build. His ordinary face belied his affiliation with such a dangerous organization.
"I can easily kill you kid if this is how you attack," J taunted, dodging Aric's initial attack effortlessly. He had been reading Aric's mind from the start, making Aric's moves predictable.
Aric sped toward J and immediately followed up with another punch aimed at J's abdomen. This time, J blocked it, but Aric had a trick up his sleeve.
Using a burst of wind as an explosive force, Aric's fist overcame J's defense and landed squarely on his abdomen.
J winced as the impact reverberated through his body. Despite his ability to read minds, he couldn't anticipate the explosive power Aric now wielded, thanks to the Power Booster and the new attributes addition suggested by C99.
"Urghh!" J grunted, his sneer faltering. He looked at Aric with an eerie smile, "No wonder they're after you. You're 'something,' kid."
"Does he know something, C99?" Aric asked internally, his thoughts racing.
C99 remained silent for a moment, considering the possibilities. It was too soon for anyone to have detected her presence on Earth; she had only been here for four days. Yet, as Aric and J exchanged blows, C99 couldn't shake a growing sense of unease.
The Power Booster's time was running out. Aric altered the speed of his next punch with aerokinesis, managing to push J back slightly.
"C99?" Aric prompted again.
"I think they didn't know my existence here and your identity. Unless..." C99 paused, the implication clear. If one of the other 98 systems had detected her, they were in serious trouble.
"We'll discuss this later. We have more urgent matters to handle. The Power Booster's time is almost up," Aric interrupted, focusing on the immediate threat.
"You are right. Focus on our objective," C99 replied, her tone serious. "Use a large-scale attack to distract them. If you manage to injure them, that's a bonus. You only have one chance, Aric."
Hearing C99's suggestion, Aric's demeanor shifted. His previously cheerful aura now carried the weight of their dire situation. This mission was life or death, and he needed to act swiftly.
With his mother's copied speed and the Power Booster's enhancement, Aric could easily outpace his enemies.
However, escaping from four enemies simultaneously was a daunting task, especially since it was his first time using his power and the first time as well being in combat against other Novas.
Aric sprinted towards J, clearing his mind entirely. This time, he would not depend on C99 to instruct him. This mental clarity prevented J from reading his thoughts, giving Aric a crucial advantage.
"How do you know about my pow—" J began, but Aric's sudden burst of speed cut him off. In an instant, Aric was upon him, his attacks unpredictable and relentless.
Before J could finish speaking, another wind-powered punch landed squarely on his face. Shocked and too slow to dodge, J fell flat on his back and lost consciousness immediately.
Aric's attack, though raw and unpolished, carried immense destructive power. Yet, his actions only earned him a scolding from C99. "Do you only know how to punch? Can't you vary your attacks?"
Frustration welled up in Aric. Even in such a critical situation, C99 still found time to nag. "I'm sorry. I never learned martial arts before this. It's the only thing I'm confident in doing."
Despite his irritation, Aric couldn't help but grin, amused by C99's attitude. To anyone watching, he appeared to be a battle maniac, reveling in the thrill of the fight.
'Better they think that,' he mused. 'If they knew I was talking to a system in my mind, they'd think I was truly insane.'
Understanding his plight, C99 softened. "Don't worry. You'll soon gain more access to the Novas System. One of the features is the [Library]."
Aric's eyes lit up as C99 continued, "Inside, you can access martial arts techniques and more."
His excitement grew. The Novas System, which he knew so little about, promised so much potential.
"What's even more interesting is that these aren't techniques you can find on Earth or anywhere in the Milky Way. They're collected from previous wielders of Mimicrion," C99 added, making Aric even more eager.
"Alright. I need to save myself and unlock all the features of the Novas System!" Aric declared.
Though J was defeated, none of the remaining enemies moved. They watched, waiting. H had signaled them to hold off and instructed I to record Aric's actions for their organization's higher-ups.
Flying swiftly at the height of about five meters, Aric kept his movements low to avoid revealing his plans. The portal was ten meters above ground, but he didn't need to go that high.
As he flew, Aric gathered strength for a large-scale attack, following C99's suggestion. He knew it was the best move for their current situation.
Aric stopped about five meters from his enemy, bringing both fists to his waist. He took a deep breath, scanning the surroundings. Once he confirmed no civilians were in the vicinity, he proceeded.
A loud shout echoed, "Cyclone Dragons!"
If C99 had a physical body, she would have facepalmed. "Can you not shout the name of your attack?"
The question was rhetorical; C99 just enjoyed scolding him. Aric, however, was thrilled with the technique he had just unleashed.
The roars of two giant wind dragons reverberated through Disaster Shelter 05, announcing the beginning of his counterattack.
For the faint-hearted residents inside or outside the safety section, the sight was too much to bear, and they fainted immediately.
The two dragons launched coordinated attacks on G, H, and I. Given Aric's current Level 59 and formidable Strength, his strikes were challenging for his enemies to handle. However, it didn't mean he could defeat them outright.
His attacks disrupted their focus and prevented them from counterattacking quickly. This was the opportunity C99 needed for Aric to escape.
"Now, Aric!" shouted C99, ensuring Aric acted at the right moment.
This chance was unlikely to come again. Additionally, Aric seemed exhausted, likely from the effects of the Power Booster, which was about to expire in less than a minute.
He launched himself like a rocket, unleashing his full wind power from both palms, propelling his body towards the portal. At this point, Aric's plan was clear to his enemies.
"H! Do something! He's trying to escape through the portal!" yelled G.
H, hearing the command, felt conflicted. She had no intention to attack but knew she had to act to avoid future complications.
She gathered her electrokinesis power in her right hand, forming a one-meter-long lightning spear.
She then threw it swiftly towards Aric. Fortunately, the effects of the Cyclone Dragons still lingered, disrupting her aim slightly.
Her attack wasn't aimed at a critical part. G was puzzled, "Why did your attack miss?"
"That kid's power disrupted my focus. But don't worry. It's not an ordinary spear. It has a tracker," H replied, providing a seemingly reasonable excuse.
She had intentionally aimed for Aric's thigh. The tracker would embed itself in Aric's body right when the spear hit him.
ZAPPP!
The lightning spear moved incredibly fast. Aric failed to dodge it. It hit his thigh, and electrical power surged through his body.
"Argghh!" Aric's scream echoed loudly before getting unconscious.
Fortunately, he was only inches away from the portal and was violently sucked into it.
C99 had to use a bit of her energy to take control of Aric's body since he was unconscious after H's attack.
H's strength and power far surpassed Aric's, and there was something mysterious about her that even C99 couldn't explain.
She struggled to control Aric's body, using aerokinesis to blast and change direction so Aric could exit the space-time tunnel before reaching the exit.
Where would they end up? She didn't care. What mattered now was ensuring Aric's safety.
This was their only chance to escape. If they were late, they would exit at the enemy's location.
C99 was sure that the enemy organization, with the motif of letters and animals that had attacked Ryan the other day, was the same one behind this assault.
C99 pondered the organization's motives behind this latest attack, her thoughts racing with questions.
WIZZ!
A rift in space and time tore open in a dense forest area, near a large, clear lake. Aric was hurled from the rift, crashing into the water below.
SPLASH!
C99, still controlling Aric's body, swiftly maneuvered him to the surface, guiding him to the shore where he collapsed. Exhausted, she relinquished control as her energy waned.
"Looks like I'm still far from regaining full power, and now I need to rest and recover," C99 lamented.
.
[Power Booster deactivated]
[Backlash will be felt by the host in 10…9…8.....2….1]
.
"Arghhhhhhh!"
A wave of excruciating pain jolted Aric awake. He immediately wished for unconsciousness to escape the agony, unlike anything he had ever experienced.
C99 remained silent, filled with sympathy for Aric's suffering. She couldn't bring herself to scold him, knowing he had endured more than enough.