Gaius Alastair, the golden prodigy of the academy, had decided to block our path.
[Combat Initiated: Gaius Alastair]
Rank: S
Talent: Sentinel Warrior
Class: Holy Knight
Weapon: Golden Spear
Armor: Golden Holy Armor
He stood in the clearing like a monolith, the Golden Spear gleaming under the simulated sunlight. His armor, a pulsating radiance of pure power, was an open declaration of dominance.
"Show me your true power, Noah!" he bellowed, voice like rolling thunder. "Hold nothing back, or this will be over before it begins!"
The air thrummed with energy, and I could feel the heat at this moment unfold, holographic feeds capturing every second of my battle from the drones.
I didn't rush in blindly. That was a rookie's mistake. Instead, I activated my drones, letting them fan out in a synchronized defensive formation. These weren't just tools—they were extensions of my mind.
My drones hovered around me in a protective formation, their synchronized movements a calming rhythm. I exhaled sharply, muttering, "You want my best? Careful what you wish for."
Gaius surged forward, a blur of gold and fury. His spear sliced through the air with enough force to split atoms, leaving glowing arcs of energy in its wake.
The first volley of my drones fired, sending crackling bolts of electricity at him. Each blast lit up the jungle in sharp bursts of blue, but Gaius plowed through them, his Golden Armor shimmering with an impenetrable aura.
"If is that all you've got, you clearly disappointed me" he sneered, spinning his spear and releasing a golden shockwave that scattered my drones like leaves in a storm.
Gaius wasn't just strong—he was calculated, each movement precise and efficient. A straight brawler would have been flattened by now.
I activated my Electromagnetic Barrier, deflecting his next strike, and retreated into the shadows of the jungle. My drones buzzed around him, firing intermittent shots to test his reactions. He wasn't just shrugging off my attacks; he was enjoying this.
"If you keep running, I might get bored!" he called, laughing as his spear spun like a blazing propeller.
A system alert blinked in my vision.
[New Mission: Defeat Gaius Alastair]
Rewards: 1 EX Skill
Failure: Death
Wait. Death? This was a simulation. Nobody was supposed to die here. Unless…
Unless someone tampered with the system.
In class, we'd learned about System Administrators, or MODS—those with partial control over GAIA's System facilities. They were powerful, but even their authority was supposed to have limits. Had Gaius's family bent those rules?
The thought chilled me. Gaius wasn't just any senior. His family might have ties to the GAIA System itself and Codebreaker is warning me to be serious.
If his family was one of the MODS then this fight might not be as safe as advertised.
"Alright, in that case, let's even the playing field," I muttered, stepping into the clearing again.
Atlas gasped as my Mecha Suit materialized, sleek and imposing. Matte black with neon-blue accents, it looked like something out of a cyberpunk fever dream.
Twin plasma blades shimmered on its wrists, while an energy cannon hummed ominously on my shoulder.
Gaius's laughter rang out like a bell. "Finally! A real fight!" His excitement was almost unnerving.
Missiles launched from my suit, streaking toward him with deadly precision. Gaius twirled his spear, deflecting them in midair with divine ease.
He leapt skyward, spear glowing like a second sun, and slammed it into the ground upon landing, sending a wave of golden energy that forced me to engage the suit's thrusters to avoid being vaporized.
He closed the distance in a heartbeat, his spear a blur of golden light. My suit's mechanical arms intercepted the blows, plasma blades clashing against the spear in a storm of sparks and screeching metal.
Gaius grinned like a madman. "Your suit's impressive, but let's see if it can outlast me!"
I activated Electrostatic Pulse, sending a wave of EMP energy through the area. His armor flickered for a split second, giving me an opening. My drones swooped in, targeting weak points in his armor with pinpoint accuracy.
But Gaius wasn't fazed. He channeled raw energy into his spear, creating a golden projectile that obliterated three drones in one shot.
It wasn't just brute strength that was keeping him in the fight. His Golden Armor redistributed energy perfectly, absorbing attacks and converting them into power.
I spotted the flaw. It wasn't invincible—just efficient. If I could overload the system, I could break through.
I sent the remaining drones to create a diversion, firing relentlessly to keep him occupied while I charged the Mecha Suit's energy core.
[Warning: Energy Surge Detected. Core Power Output at 80%.]
Gaius roared, spear blazing brighter than ever as he charged at me for the final blow.
I unleashed the full power of the suit, directing every ounce of energy into a focused plasma beam. The two forces collided in an explosion of light and sound that shook the arena to its core.
When the dust settled, Gaius was on one knee, his Golden Armor cracked and dimmed. My suit was scorched, smoke curling from its joints, but still functional.
Gaius let out a booming laugh, standing and resting his spear on his shoulder. "You've exceeded my expectations, Noah. You've got potential, but don't think this means you've won. I will see you again soon."
His body disintegrated into digital fragments, marking the end of the battle.
System Notification: Target Gaius defeated.
[Mission Rewards Available]
Atlas practically bounced over, his face lit with excitement. "Holy crap, Noah! That was insane! I didn't think you had that in you!"
I deactivated the Mecha Suit with a casual shrug. "It's all the suit and drones. I'm just a C-rank, remember?"
"C-rank, my ass. That was genius-level strategy. You've got brains, skills, and the tools to back it up," Atlas said, slapping me on the back.
But my mind was elsewhere.
Gaius's fight wasn't just a fluke. His MOD-level access and the system's ominous punishment for failure were warning signs.
My Codebreaker ability might be hiding me from GAIA for now, but this victory had likely painted a target on my back.
Atlas handed me an energy booster, the sleek metallic canister hissing softly as he cracked it open. He passed it over without a word, his usual smirk replaced with a focused intensity.
"Drink up," he said, tipping his own can back. "No use in getting caught sluggish."
I nodded, downing the cool, tangy liquid. It burned slightly, a mix of artificial citrus and whatever concoction powered these things, but it did the job.
The warmth coursed through me almost immediately, the fatigue in my limbs fading like a bad memory.
We tossed the empty canisters aside, the faint clink echoing in the tense quiet. "Top shape or not," I said, flexing my fingers and watching my drones recalibrate, "we're gonna need more than stamina for what's coming."
Atlas grinned, his usual cocky edge returning. "Yeah, but being alive and awake helps, don't it?"
I rolled my eyes but couldn't help the small smirk tugging at my lips. For better or worse, we were as ready as we'd ever be. "Let's move," I said. "We've got more tags to collect."
As we walked deeper into the jungle, the system chimed with a new alert.
[Warning: High-Level Opponents Detected Ahead.]
"Looks like things are about to get interesting again," I muttered, the faintest grin tugging at my lips.