Chapter 15 – Tension Beneath the Surface
Ash from the explosion still lingered in the air as a tall man in a pristine white suit stood silently before the charred cavity left by the detonation. His braided silver hair gleamed under the hazy sunlight, his purple-tinted sunglasses reflecting the gaping maw of destruction before him. The crater burrowed into the earth like a collapsed sewer tunnel, exposing scorched metal pipes and broken support beams. Rubble lay in heaps, some still smoldering.
Scattered buildings around the blast zone had not been spared—whole walls crumbled, windows shattered, smoke trails marking their wounds. Hovering vehicles loomed above, flickering with red and blue lights, while authorities in layered armor scoured the wreckage with handheld scanners. Some directed drones to sweep overhead, while others barked orders or collected fragmented data cores from buried consoles.
The man approached the barricade with a slow, deliberate gait. He flashed a silver badge etched with the emblem of a white tiger. The guards stepped aside instinctively.
"Your report," he said coolly, as if the smoke and ruin around him didn't exist. An earpiece was revealed tucked in his right ear.
A raspy voice replied, slightly distorted by static. "Yes, sir. It was two adventurers. A young demi-boy—barely thirteen, maybe—and a taller man. They infiltrated our base. I barely made it out thanks to one of ours... they stayed behind and initiated the detonation protocol."
The man's hand shifted into his coat pocket as he walked along the edge of the crater, his eyes narrowing.
"That'll be all. I presume you're the only surviving witness?"
"Yes, sir."
He pressed a small switch on the earpiece, ending the call. In his thoughts, a sharp deduction formed: They survived. I'm certain of it.
His gaze lifted toward the massive skyscraper ahead, built like a crystalline palace jutting into the sky. The Congress is in session. Timing, perfect.
He stepped into his hovering black vehicle, its body sleek with sharp contours and glowing edges, before disappearing into the stream of air traffic.
---
Inside the Grand Chamber
Frank sat tensely among the others as the Congress reached its concluding discussion. Floating screens displayed different mutated beasts—each bearing distinct powers. One could phase through walls. Another dispersed fog that induced paralysis. The footage flicked to the mutated Mooncrawler's spatial-warping ability.
"The rise in these anomalies is spreading beyond Goldeń Clove," one noble commented gravely.
"We must alert neighboring kingdoms," said another. "This goes beyond territorial threats."
"Agreed," boomed the city's ambassador. "From here on, every allied kingdom, neutral guild, and private agency must be informed. We are facing coordinated acts of terrorism."
The chamber stirred with murmurs, until the tall doors creaked open. The man from earlier entered with graceful confidence. His badge shimmered again under the magical torchlight.
"General Augustus!" a noble called.
All eyes turned to him.
With a curt bow and warm grin, he addressed them. "An honor to be among the minds that shape our great realm. I am Iven Augustus, General of the White Knights. My timing is quite fortunate."
He exchanged nods with ambassadors and nobles alike. His eyes then landed sharply on Raymond and Kaido.
Tayla and Elias noticed it too.
Why did he glance at them like that? Tayla thought.
Kaido leaned close to Raymond. "That guy gives me an odd feeling."
Raymond ruffled his own hair, sighing. "You're not the only one. Keep your guard up."
Augustus approached. "I hear you two handled the infiltration. Quite the mess."
Raymond extended a hand. "It was rough, but we managed. We have intel."
Augustus grinned. "Your father would be proud. He trusted you for a reason."
Then he turned to Tayla. "Your sister returned recently. She's quite impressive."
Tayla offered a polite nod. "She's always been the fighter. I just try not to fall behind."
Finally, he stepped toward Frank. "So, you're the new intern? I heard you survived that mutant incident in the outskirts."
Frank scratched the back of his head. "Yup. Nearly wet myself, but I'm told that's not uncommon."
A few nearby chuckles followed. Augustus smirked and walked away.
As he turned, Frank's eyes narrowed.
Appraise.
[Appraisal Activated]
> Name: Iven Augustus
Level: 98
Class: Commander
Skills: Authority, Last Stand, Defense, Warrior's Might
Frank swallowed hard. His entire skill set is about control and surviving hits. All defense... all dominance.
---
Inside the Vehicle
The team rode in silence for a while. The city passed by their windows in glimmering lights.
"Am I the only one who felt off about that guy?" Kaido asked.
Frank leaned against the seat. "I didn't even know he was a general. Pretty sure his entire power tree is just... shouting and not dying."
Raymond chuckled. "You're not wrong."
Tayla crossed her arms. "Still. His presence wasn't just military. It felt… political."
Elias sighed. "We've stirred something big."
"Bigger than we ever expected," Raymond agreed.
"Also," Frank added, "I realized something. All this started when I joined you guys. It's like... the universe aligned me into this group for a reason."
Kaido blinked. "Dude, don't go all chosen-one on us."
Frank laughed. "Hey, I'm just sayin'. A glowing lady throws me a sword and sends me on a suicide quest? Classic chosen-one material."
---
Across the City — "The Alloy Bean" Café
Steam curled upward from a dark roast as two figures sat inside a retro-futuristic café, their booth surrounded by holographic vines that shimmered every time someone walked past.
A screen floated at their table's center, showing live footage of the destroyed area.
"Quite the sight, don't you think?" said the man with silver-black hair pulled into a ponytail. He bit into a sandwich without looking away.
"Yeah," replied the demi-human woman across from him. Spikes lined the back of her amber-streaked hair. Her slightly pale skin bore markings faintly glowing under her scarf. She took a sip of her steaming coffee.
"He's still in the city," she said. "I can feel it."
"We're not two steps behind yet," he muttered. "We still have our lead... and the coordinates we received."
The screen flickered again. Flames. Sirens. Red symbols.
The woman narrowed her eyes.