The air pressure. I don't know what that energy that came inside of me. Was it me, or was it my mind? No, it was my very existence that unlocked this key. This world is like a game. I have gained exp points and level up. But only players can accidentally find hidden quests or hidden paths in the game. I have to be a player in order to unlock skills that go beyond anyone.
The air blast that formed in my palm expanded until it reached the face of Orion. Then a gust of wind blew. Air is released on a high level with that blast. Orion is gone for me.
I am happy that I am finally able to get power.
But a blast of wind cleared out of my vision. I saw Orion still standing in his position.
"What the hell?" I question myself.
Was it all useless? Why?
"I give up," he said.
Wait. Wait. What?!
I stopped my halt.
"What are you saying?" I asked him.
"Damn... I'm the one... sorry" he said to me.
Is he saying sorry for his behavior towards me?
"What are you saying?!"
Before he was able to reply. I saw Kalki and Sophie coming towards us. How near we landed that these guys were able to catch up to us?
"What happened here?! We saw air" Sophie yelled out.
"Yeah. Too much destruction comes, and then some buildings are blown away. This is why we come" Kalki correctly says.
So, they were able to reach us due to Orion's air punch, not mine power. So, Orion's strength can make us reveal enemies.
I look towards him.
"Orion—" I was cut off.
"Congratulations. You are finally able to use your power. This is your awaken"
"Awakening?" Sophie asked.
"Basically, an Adaptae got its name as an Adaptae because they got the power to adapt. Whenever an Adaptae fought against a stronger opponent, there is a high amount of chance that he would adapt to his enemy and learn new paths to defeat him. This is called awakening. This is your first awakened state you reached" Kalki gave an explanation.
We look at him with confusion.
He is a genius.
"Why are you guys looking at me like that?!" he asked us.
"You know too much about this topic" Sophie expresses her thoughts.
"Oh! Umm! Those were stated in a secret file on them!!!" He laughed it off.
Sophie then moves towards Orion.
"We still don't know why you are here, Orion. As this place is government under and it is given to our research center for the work! So, why are you here?!" Sophie asked.
"Wait! This area government restricted?!" I ask Kalki.
He nodded to my question.
"Well, there is a reason for that"
I cut off Orion before he could say anything.
"Tell me, Orion! How can I become a ranker?!" I asked him.
I want to become the best. I want to surpass everyone here on this play.
Orion smirked like he was expecting this question from my mouth.
"You can become a ranker by getting recognition from an expert," he told me.
"Then how did you get recognized? Tell me whole this process"
But as usual, Kalki adds the lore.
"You can become a ranker by getting recognition from the higher ranker. When in the beginning of the war, Adaptae starts to appear with their miraculous powers. Then many of the Adaptae were used as meat shields or as weapons by the government, but to convince the Adaptaes, they needed to make a representative of their race. So, the most powerful Adaptae, or you can say puppet of the government , the leader in each country, represents the country. To make them fully equal, they gave them authority to make Adaptae as rankers, fame, and money. Most importantly, they gave them the title to make them the best!" Kalki out of nowhere dropped the lore.
"Your friend knows a lot," Orion whispered to me.
"Which country do you belong to, Orion?" I ask him.
"Greece, of course," he smiled.
"Greece. The first representative of Greece was none other than the person with the title Heaven. Now, the current head is different. He is grandson of him" Kalki drops the lore again.
"What have you done to get recognized by a ranking Adaptae?" I asked.
"I am built differently. Well, for your answer, I get recognized by none other than Unbreakable Hunter. After seeing my skills in hunting and especially when I killed a Cerberus recently in time. I am popular, and I am her hunting partner" he explained.
I get it. If I think about it. He got selected due to his skill rather than his strength. He earned his fame quickly.
"Then am I worthy?"
My question shocked three of them.
"You know what you are saying?!" Sophie yells.
"What do you mean? I am just trying to become strong so I can help everyone!" I told her.
"You know what you are asking for?!" She yelled at me.
"Also, why are you shocked, Orion?!" I turn towards him.
"Are you on the team?" He asked me.
"Yeah" I told him.
His shock expression changed into a normal one.
"You can't join the ranks of Adaptae adventures. You are under the private research facility protection, and you belong to us, not to them" Sophie told me.
"Wait! I thought that facility comes under the government"
I am all confused.
"It got its funds from there, but we came under the government? No! Especially not. You can compare it like criminals giving money to police"
"So, in this case, you guys are police and criminals are the government?"
She nodded.
"We do all their evil works. So, they can't lose control of the Adaptaes and their people" she told me.
So, they are the faces of two coins. One is a good act, and one is an evil act.
I turned to Orion.
"Tell me! How can I become one? Am I worthy?!"
This time, my ego is speaking.
He smiled. His bright teeth. My eyes. They are shining too much.
"Oh! What, are you bored?" He asked me with a smirk.
"Tell me"
I looked into his eyes.
How does this system even work?! Even if he recognized me? How can I prove to anyone that I am a ranker?
"Well, you are worthy. But if you want a rank card, then you will be part of us. Then assist me in something" he said.
"What thing do you need help with?!" I asked
What type of task is Orion about to do that he can't do alone?!
"Well, there are many rankers who recently started to work in a cult, and they become racist towards humans as Adaptae are superior to humans and top of the food chain. So, I took this task to hunt down one who is dwelling there as recently rumors are coming"
"So, you are here to check if rumors are true or not?" Sophie asked Orion.
"I hope my answer clears your previous question you asked," Orion said.
"Who is the person you are talking about, and where is she?" she asked him.
"Gū Chén" Orion spoke her name. "She is currently in the Hagia Sophia from my sources"
"You mean that mosque?!" I ask him.
He nodded to my reply.
"Can't you see that Hagia Sophia should be in Sultan Ahmet, but it is here which is impossible unless you are an Adaptae" he explained.
After all the arguments. We followed him towards the mosque.
"Lots of strength, lots of muscle, no fat!" Orion laughs as he prepares himself for a big battle.