Keon stared in disbelief at the situation unfolding before him. "What the heck?" he muttered under his breath as the headless robot's disembodied head flew past him, landing in his Rift Barrier dimension.
He snapped his fingers, and with a casual flick of his wrist, he tossed the robot's head out of the dimension, watching it fly into the air and crash somewhere out of sight.
His gaze shifted to the new threat before him.
A woman with shark-like skin, her entire body covered in rough, sleek scales, was moving toward them. Her sharp, pronounced jaws gleamed in the dim light, and a long, deadly tail swayed behind her, cutting through the air. Keon didn't miss the predatory glint in her eyes as she closed the distance.
Behind her, Keon saw a man cloaked in magma, his body emanating an intense heat that almost felt like standing too close to a bonfire. The molten rock that coated his body seemed to shift and bubble as if it were alive. And standing beside him was a gigantic robot—headless, its massive form towering over them.
So that's where the head flew from, Keon thought as he observed the headless machine, its body now beginning to stir.
Keon's heart raced, but his face remained expressionless as he prepared himself for whatever came next.
Victor Jhon remained unphased, even as the fiery figure and the monstrous woman advanced toward them. He adjusted his cuffs, his expression unreadable.
"You know," he began, his voice steady as ever, "out of all the specialized teams we have, we've decided to place you as support for one."
Keon glanced over, brow furrowed in confusion. "Support?" He couldn't help but let the skepticism leak into his voice as he surveyed the incoming threat.
Victor nodded, still calm. "Exactly. You're not being thrown into the front lines just yet, kid. We've got a more… tactical role for you in mind. You'll be assisting in ways that make use of your unique set of skills."
Keon couldn't decide whether to be relieved or insulted. "So, what, you've got me running errands while the big players take the spotlight?"
Victor's lips twitched upward into a half-smirk. "Something like that. Think of it as reconnaissance, strategy, and a little bit of everything in between."
He paused, his eyes flicking to the approaching woman and the molten man beside her.
"They'll need someone like you, who can think fast and adapt. You might be the one who decides whether they fail or succeed."
Keon narrowed his eyes, processing the weight of Victor's words. "Right… so basically, I'm the wildcard."
Victor's gaze lingered on the woman with the shark-like skin, his tone dropping just a touch. "You could say that. But if you play your cards right, you might just make a difference."
With that, Victor gave a nod to the others, signaling it was time to move forward.
Keon's mind was already racing with possibilities. If they thought he was just a support player, they were in for a surprise.
The shark woman approached, her movements graceful yet intimidating, as she swung her hips with every step. Her long, muscular tail undulated behind her, glistening like polished shark skin in the dim light. Her sharp features were framed by flowing hair that seemed almost unnatural, as if it were being tossed about by an invisible current. The air around her felt charged with a quiet danger, as though she were a predator circling her prey.
With a confident grin, she raised two fingers in a casual salute, flashing Victor Jhon a sly smile.
"Yo, sire," she greeted, her voice smooth, almost teasing, as she swayed toward them.
Keon's eyes narrowed, his system panel flickering to life in front of him as he involuntarily scanned the newcomer. Her presence was commanding, and he could feel the weight of her power even before the description appeared.
[System Analysis: Target Identified]
Name: Azira Voss
Title: The Shark-Woman
Espria: "Shapeshifting"
Notable Traits: Enhanced Strength, Amphibious Adaptation, Tail Whip, Jaw Extension
Status: Confident, Approaching
Keon kept his expression neutral, absorbing the information. Shapeshifting—seemed like she could alter her form to some degree, adding another layer to her already intimidating presence.
Before he could even process it further, Azira's eyes flicked over to him, her grin widening as she noticed the young man at Victor's side.
"Who's the kid?" she asked, her tone curious, but still laced with a hint of amusement.
Victor Jhon didn't miss a beat, his gaze never leaving her as he gave a nod toward Keon.
"Keon," Victor said simply, his voice calm, but there was a certain weight to it. "He's joining you as support for your team. Consider it… an experiment."
Azira gave a lazy tilt of her head, eyes narrowing playfully as she observed Keon. She shifted her stance, tail swishing in the air behind her.
"An experiment, huh?" she mused, her smile never fading. "Well, let's see if he's got the bite to back up that bravado."
Keon exhaled slowly, eyes still locked on Azira. This woman was certainly a force to be reckoned with—her confidence and power radiated in waves.
Victor raised an eyebrow, clearly noting the interaction, but said nothing more, his focus now shifting back to the task at hand.
Keon glanced between Victor and Azira, his curiosity piqued by the sudden shift in the conversation. He crossed his arms, his gaze flicking over to Victor with a wry smile.
"So, out of all the specialized teams you have in SVD," he began, his tone light but with an edge of genuine curiosity, "I have a question. Are you putting me here randomly, or did you plan this before?"
He raised an eyebrow, waiting for an answer. Keon's sharp instincts told him that there was more to this assignment than just coincidence, and it nagged at him. If they had handpicked him, then there was more at play here than what he could see.
Azira let out a low chuckle, the corners of her mouth curling in amusement. "I thought you were just a support guy," she teased, glancing at Victor. "You sure ask a lot of questions for someone in that role."
Victor, however, didn't seem fazed by the question. His piercing gaze shifted back to Keon, his expression unreadable for a moment. Then, after a pause, he answered with a slight smirk, his voice steady.
"Let's just say," Victor began, eyes narrowing slightly, "it's not entirely random. But, whether you're here by choice or chance, you'll find out soon enough."
Keon's eyes narrowed thoughtfully, but he didn't push further. He could tell that Victor wasn't in the mood to divulge any more than necessary. For now, he'd have to accept the cryptic answer, but he filed it away for later.
Azira, seemingly unbothered by the exchange, gave Keon a sideways glance. "You're lucky, kid," she said, her grin widening. "I could've done worse than let you tag along. Don't screw this up."
Keon just nodded, maintaining his calm facade, but inside, his thoughts were racing. There was a lot more going on behind the scenes than they were letting on. And he intended to figure it out—sooner rather than later.
As Keon was about to respond, a loud explosion echoed from behind Azira. The ground trembled, dust and debris scattering into the air. Keon whipped his head around just in time to see the aftermath—an enormous cloud of smoke billowing from the direction of the headless robot.
Through the haze, Keon could make out the figure of the magma-covered man, his body radiating intense heat. The man was methodically and violently tearing apart the massive robot, each strike sending tremors through the ground as molten rock spilled from his limbs, leaving scorch marks on anything they touched.
Keon couldn't help but be fascinated by the raw power emanating from him, but his attention quickly shifted back to Azira. He put his hands together as though in prayer, fingers pressed to his lips for a moment, and then slid them apart into a presenting position—an exaggerated gesture of curiosity and intrigue.
He tilted his head slightly, his voice clear and slightly playful, but with genuine curiosity. "And who's that guy?" he asked, his eyes narrowing as he focused on the destruction unfolding before them.
Azira turned her head to glance at the magma-wielding man, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "That's Delric," she replied casually, her tone unbothered by the chaos he was creating. "Don't mind him. He likes to destroy things for fun."
Keon raised an eyebrow at the answer, the chaotic scene in front of him almost too absurd to be true. Delric, as she called him, seemed to be dismantling the robot piece by piece, his magma-covered hands glowing with intensity as he methodically destroyed it. The scene was strangely calm, despite the destruction. Keon's mind was already working through the possibilities—this wasn't just some random act. Delric was doing this on purpose, and that purpose was what Keon needed to understand.
"Is he... Ok in the head?" Keon asked, still trying to piece things together.
Azira's grin widened as she shot him a sideways glance. "He's... one of us, yeah. But you'll figure that out soon enough."