Alarms blared through the barracks, a sharp, pulsing wail that cut through the air like a blade.
"ATTACK! ATTACK! ATTACK! Prepare for deployment!"
Rose jolted awake, heart hammering in her chest."W-what?! Is Lionel here?!"
Her voice barely left her throat as she scrambled to her feet, pulse racing.
Arnik was already ahead of her—armor strapped on, charging down the hall with fierce determination.
Kai was quick to follow, sprinting out of his room, a tablet clutched in his hands as he scanned incoming reports, eyes sharp behind his glasses.
"Kai!" Arnik called, his voice steady but urgent. "What the hell is going on?! Has Lionel broken through the line?!"
Kai shook his head, breath tight."No. It's something else... something different."
Rose caught up to them at the end of the hallway, her hair disheveled, eyes blazing with adrenaline.
Kai glanced over, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth."You got here fast... surprising."
Rose puffed her cheeks out, glaring."What's that supposed to mean?!"
Arnik glanced around, scanning the group."Where's Aika?"
A sudden thump—Aika came stumbling down the corridor, eyes half-closed, practically sleepwalking, her steps uneven as if her body hadn't fully caught up with her mind.
Arnik sighed."All right, let's go."
They charged forward, boots pounding the steel floors, the sirens echoing all around them.
The doors to the command center slid open with a sharp hiss.
Inside, Andrew Handerfall stood waiting, arms crossed, his expression grim.
Arnik skidded to a stop, eyes narrowing."Andrew... what's happening?"
Arnik didn't seem too happy to see his father.
Andrew spoke, his tone calm but laced with an edge."This isn't an attack from Lionel... per se. It's a terrorist attack."
Kai's expression darkened, his jaw tightening."The hell? Why now? At a time like this?"
Andrew's gaze sharpened, his voice steady but low."They're a mix of space pirate remnants and... Lionel supporters."
Arnik's eyes narrowed, disbelief flashing across his face."Lionel has supporters?"
Kai let out a low, bitter laugh, rubbing his temples in frustration."Of course he does. The human race is full of self-hating fools and demon worshippers."
Silence hung in the room, the weight of Kai's words sinking in.
Andrew's voice cut through the tension, sharp and cold."We need to eliminate the terrorists. So act quickly."
The room tensed as everyone moved to leave—except for Arnik.
He stood frozen, his eyes locked onto Andrew, an unreadable expression on his face.
Andrew's glare sharpened, voice dropping into a dangerous tone."That was an order."
Arnik's voice came out low, tight, cold."You mean... kill them."
Andrew didn't flinch."Correct. Do it. That's an order."
Arnik's fists clenched, knuckles turning white. His gaze dropped to the floor, then rose again, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes."We... we've never killed anyone before."
Andrew's voice snapped, sharp and impatient."Listen, this is war. People who support the enemy deserve death. Now go—or I will demote you!"
Arnik grit his teeth. He knew Andrew was right. He knew. But the thought of taking a human life twisted in his gut.
Still... he had to follow orders.
Without a word, the squad turned, heading out to stop the terrorists.
The most popular district on the planet of Mercery—Apollo Square.
It was a bustling heart of commerce, alive with shops, markets, and the planet's largest weapons development facility.
Now, it was in flames.
Smoke billowed into the sky, ash swirling in the heat. Explosions echoed through the streets, the ground shaking beneath their boots.
Angel Squad stood outside the square, the chaos unfolding before them.
Arnik's voice rang out, loud and commanding."Okay! We're going to contain the criminals... and..." He hesitated, the words heavy on his tongue."...Kill them if you must!"
The squad snapped to attention."SIR, YES SIR!"
Just as they prepared to move—
BOOM!
CRASH!
The comms crackled with static, a voice shouting through the chaos."We've just had an attack on the Capital!"
Arnik's eyes widened, his stomach twisting into a knot. His mind raced, thoughts spinning in a blur.
So much is happening... What do I do?
Kai's voice cut through the noise, sharp and decisive."Rose! Aika! With me! We'll handle things here!"
He pointed at Arnik, his tone firm."You! Get to the Capital!"
Arnik hesitated, shame and frustration burning in his chest—but he nodded."Alright. I trust you three to handle this."
Kai nodded sharply, drawing his weapon."Rose, Aika—let's move!"
They sprinted into the burning square, weapons at the ready, as Arnik took a breath, centering himself.
His eyes narrowed, focus snapping into place.
Let's see how far I've come...
He crouched low, his energy gathering, surging into his limbs."Lightning Mutation... Flash of Lightning!"
In a burst of power, Arnik shot forward—faster than the eye could track. He zipped across the city, a streak of electric blue tearing through the sky, leaping from building to building like a living bolt of lightning.
He landed hard on a skyscraper, crouched low, scanning the devastation below.
The Capital was in total shambles—fires raging, structures crumbling, smoke choking the air.
Arnik's breath caught in his throat.
What the hell happened here...?
Arnik dashed into the building, smoke choking the air, flames licking the walls. His Lightning Mutation sparked across his skin, crackling like a living shield, repelling the heat as he powered forward.
Screams echoed from deeper inside—chaotic, panicked.
Gotta find the Senators... fast!
He skidded into the main corridor—
His eyes widened.
It wasn't just chaos—it was an organized assault.
Dozens of mutants in military-grade combat armor swept through the building, their movements sharp and disciplined. Tactical helmets, reinforced plating, high-grade rifles crackling with magical energy—these weren't random thugs. These were trained, lethal.
They moved like a unit, dragging Senators through the halls, their boots thudding in unison. The sounds of gunfire and orders barked in clipped tones cut through the thick air.
Arnik's chest tightened, the weight of the situation sinking in.
This... this isn't just a random attack.
He pressed forward, weaving through broken beams and smoke, his boots slamming against the marble floor, sparks trailing behind him.
The heat pulsed against his skin, but then—
A shift.
The center chamber—untouched by the fire. Pristine. Still.
Massive pillars loomed, casting long shadows that swallowed the space in eerie silence.
Arnik's eyes darted, his breathing slowing as he scanned.Where are they...
His instincts screamed—
POW!
Arnik's fist shot up just in time, the plasma blast slamming into his forearm, mana flaring on impact. Sparks scattered, the force jolting up his arm.
"The hell?!"
He pivoted—
And there he was.
A mutant stepped into the light, clearly not one of the disciplined units.
This one wore steampunk-esque armor—rusted brass, exposed gears, vents hissing with steam. It looked cobbled together, crude, yet somehow radiating raw, dangerous energy.
Arnik's stance tightened, fists raised, lightning dancing across his body."Are you responsible for this?"
The man tilted his head, a crooked smile cutting across his lips."Can't take all the credit now, can I?"
Without warning, the man charged.
His boots pounded the floor, steam erupting from his joints, gears whining as they propelled him forward like a battering ram.
Arnik's eyes narrowed, adrenaline spiking.
He's fast!
The mutant's fist lashed out—Arnik twisted, the punch grazing past him, air splitting under the force.
Arnik countered, fist crackling with mana, driving a straight punch toward the man's gut—
Clang!
The impact rang out, metal sparking. Arnik's knuckles ached from the force.
The mutant grinned wide, visor glinting."Gonna have to hit harder than that!"
Arnik slid back, boots skidding across the marble, sparks trailing behind.
This guy... he's no joke. But I'm not backing down.
"Lightning Mutation—Flash Step!"
Arnik vanished in a crackle of energy, reappearing behind the mutant in a burst of light. He launched a rapid series of strikes, fists moving like lightning, each blow colliding with brutal precision.
The mutant grunted, blocking with his armored arms, but Arnik's attacks came fast, sharp, unrelenting—
A right jab.
A spinning elbow.
A knee to the gut.
The mutant staggered, steam hissing from his armor, but he roared and swung back, a brutal backhand aiming for Arnik's head—
Arnik ducked, sliding under the blow, sparks flaring across the floor. He leapt back, landing on a pillar, crouched, breathing hard, eyes sharp.
This isn't going to be easy...
The mutant wiped blood from his lip, smirking."Not bad, kid... but you're playing in the wrong league."
Arnik's fists clenched, lightning crackling brighter than ever.
"We'll see about that."
Arnik's breath sharpened, mana crackling at his fingertips as he conjured a sword of pure plasma. The blade hummed in the air, a burning arc of energy, bright enough to sear the shadows from the room.
"Let's see if you can handle this," Arnik muttered, his voice low.
He dashed forward—lightning lancing behind him, plasma flaring in his wake. His speed tore across the floor, a streak of energy so fast, the mutant barely had time to react.
Too slow.
Arnik's blade cut through the air—
ZIPP!
A sharp, precise slash tore across the mutant's chest, sparks flaring, the searing edge of the plasma blade slicing into armor, cutting through layers of protection like paper. The mutant staggered back, a burst of smoke and molten sparks spraying from the gash.
Arnik skidded to a stop, breathing hard, eyes narrowed.
The mutant collapsed to a knee, clutching his chest, the wound deep but not fatal.
Arnik exhaled, steadying himself."Alright... now where's the rest of—"
BOOM.
A sudden, violent blast—too fast, too bright—slammed into Arnik's chest, a brutal shockwave that tore through the air with deafening force.
He barely saw it coming.
The impact hit like a cannon, launching Arnik backward, his body smashing through walls like they were paper, shattering concrete, tearing through metal, debris raining in his wake.
He flew over seventy meters—slammed into the far end of the Capital building, crashing into the floor in a cloud of dust and rubble.
His body didn't move.
...What...the hell...
Pain seared through his chest, his ribs screaming in protest. His arm—mangled, twisted at a sickening angle.
Blood dripped from his mouth, pooling beneath him.
"Pleh..." He coughed, spitting out blood—so much of it.
How...? How was that so powerful...
His vision blurred, but he forced himself up, gritting his teeth, sweat mixing with blood as he clenched his fists.
The mutation in his body surged—forcing itself into his shattered bones, sealing the fractures, knitting the pieces back together with raw, burning energy.
Arnik's breath rasped in his throat.
He looked up—
The man was standing there, armor hissing, energy oozing from his body, mutation swirling around him in an unnatural, twisted way.
What... the hell...
Arnik's heart pounded in his ears. He tapped his comm, voice raw."Are you... are you seeing this?"
Takashima's voice screamed through the feed, panic-laced."There's no way... he's... he's using Heart Mutation!"
Arnik's eyes went wide, his breath catching.Heart Mutation...?! But that takes a master to control...!
Vayne's voice crackled in next, sharp and cold."He is... He underestimated you. But you also underestimated him."
The words hit like a slap.
"You should have killed him when you had the chance... Fool."
Arnik gritted his teeth, rage and frustration boiling in his veins.
The mutant's cruel voice echoed across the rubble-strewn chamber, dark and mocking."There's no way in hell I'm dying to a kid like you."
Arnik's fists clenched, his body trembling—pain, rage, defiance burning through every cell.
Vayne's voice cut in, crisp and firm."I'm on the way. Stay alive."
Arnik's eyes narrowed, the crackling of his mutation rising to a fever pitch.
He stood, the energy surging, sparking, overflowing from his body like a living storm.
I won't lose... I won't lose to a monster like you...
His voice was low, a growl tearing from his throat.
"I won't... lose..."