"Noah! Are you dumb? If you lose here, it doesn't matter whether you get the tag or not—you'll end up disqualified!" Atlas argued through the private comms, his voice a mix of frustration and panic.
I smirked, already anticipating his reaction. "I know that," I replied calmly. "But I also know I won't 'die' taking Cason's attack."
A heavy sigh echoed in my ear. "You're unbelievable," Atlas muttered.
I chuckled, trying to lighten the tension. "Relax. Even if—and it's a big, impossible 'if'—I lose, you'll still be alive, right? The rules state that our team only gets disqualified if both of us are out. I can respawn if you manage to keep us in the game and we make it to the next phase."
Atlas grumbled something unintelligible before sighing again. "Fine. Just don't do anything stupid, okay?"
"Who, me? Stupid? Never," I joked, though my focus remained locked on Cason. My confidence wasn't baseless; I had a plan, and I wasn't about to let it crumble.
Before our duel could even begin, a squad of seniors approached, their arrival marked by the hum of thrusters.
Four figures, all clad in sleek black armor nearly identical to Cason's, stopped a few meters away, forming an imposing line. I blinked in disbelief.
A team of Plasmancers? That didn't seem right. Atlas had specifically mentioned that Cason was the only Plasmancer across GAIA's entire sphere.
"Holy shit!" Atlas's voice crackled in my ear, clearly alarmed. "That's the G.O.D. Squad. One of GAIA's top elite squads."
"Let me guess," I replied, already piecing things together. "G.O.D. stands for 'God of Death,' doesn't it?"
"How'd you figure that out?"
I smirked. "It's obvious. Just look at their matching gear. They all mimic the God of Death's style, even if their armor's not plasma. It's still black and likely enhances their abilities."
One of the squad members stepped forward, his visor sliding up to reveal a young man with sharp features. "Captain," he said, addressing Cason. "Are you challenging a rookie to a duel again?"
Again? I frowned, glancing at Cason, who looked completely unbothered. Was this guy habitually picking fights with rookies? It certainly seemed that way.
"What do you mean again?" Cason replied lazily, his tone oozing nonchalance. "This is my first duel today."
Another member, a fierce-looking girl with a crew cut, crossed her arms. "Captain, you made a promise to the Lord this morning that you wouldn't engage in duels. That's the only reason he allowed you to join this tag team battle."
Cason let out an exaggerated sigh, and to my utter disbelief, pouted.
"Why are you guys here? You always ruin my fun with your nagging!" he complained, sounding more like a sulking teenager than the infamous 'God of Death.'
His squad visibly hesitated, their expressions torn between embarrassment and frustration. It was clear this wasn't the first time they had to rein him in.
"Err, Captain," the sharp-featured man said awkwardly, "we're your squad. Of course, we have to be by your side during missions."
"But we're not on a mission, are we?" Cason countered, his voice laced with irritation.
Watching this exchange, I struggled to reconcile the comical behavior in front of me with the deadly figure who had just decimated my Vanguard Strikers minutes earlier. Was this really the same God of Death? It felt surreal.
I cleared my throat, cutting through their bickering. "Cason, are we still doing this or what?"
"Yeah, yeah, we're still on. Just give me a sec," he replied with a dismissive wave before flying over to his squad for a private discussion.
From their body language, it was clear the squad wasn't thrilled with his decision. I couldn't hear their exact words, but the sharp gestures and heated expressions spoke volumes.
Finally, their voices carried over the comms.
"Captain, this duel makes no sense. There's no benefit to you if he wins."
Cason shrugged. "The worst that happens is I lose a tag. It's not like I'll lose all of the squad's tags."
"But you'll still—"
Cason cut them off with a sharp glare. "You leave me no choice but to pull rank. Squad 21, listen carefully. You are to refrain from interfering in my duel. If any of you do, I will personally disband this squad unit."
"Captain!" they exclaimed in unison, their shock palpable.
"Obey or not?" Cason commanded, his voice firm and unyielding.
The squad members exchanged uneasy glances, clearly torn between loyalty and frustration. This wasn't just a duel—it was Cason imposing his will, consequences be damned.
Seeing his squad reluctantly agree, Cason's grin stretched wide as he turned back toward me. "It's settled. Let's start," he said, his tone gleeful. Then, pointing to one of his squadmates, he commanded, "Conrad, oversee our match. Make sure nobody interferes."
Conrad nodded without hesitation. He tossed a crystalline object into the air. As it reached its apex, it exploded in a burst of light. Conrad raised his hand, and his eyes turned a glowing white. A simulated arena materialized around us, vivid and immersive.
"A Visionary Architect!" Atlas exclaimed over the private comms. His excitement was almost tangible. "Wow, this is my first time seeing one in person!"
"What's a Visionary Architect?" I asked, intrigued by Atlas's reaction.
"It's a super-rare support class," Atlas explained.
"Their class is a hybrid between Alchemist and Mage. Like an alchemist, they need materials to create something, but instead of using raw substances, Visionary Architects use data crystals. The grade of the crystal determines the complexity of what they can create. Then, like a mage, they use magic to turn those visions into reality."
I gave it some thought. The concept sounded strangely familiar. "Isn't that similar to my building skills? I mean, I also use materials to construct things."
Atlas was quick to clarify. "Not exactly. Visionary Architects are different. The things they conjure aren't permanent. Their creations are temporary projections of their imagination, shaped by magic. That's why they're invaluable as support awakeners in warfare, especially for stealth missions—they leave no trace behind once their creations fade."
I mulled over the explanation. Temporary or not, it was an impressive ability, especially for someone overseeing a match like this.
If anything, Conrad's conjured arena ensured fairness—or at least that's what I hoped.