ã€ŠTitle of the Stasisã€‹


 Prologue : The Fall That Changed Everything

    It happened decades ago, The sky burned. Fire streaked across the heavens as the wind roared and the ground trembled from the impact. When the meteor finally struck, it left a scar in the earth¡ªone that would change the world forever. Scientists were the first on the scene, rushing to study the colossal rock that shimmered with flecks of something strange.

    The preliminary tests revealed traces of a never-before-seen mineral¡ªpieces soon to be known simply as meteorite stones. At first, they seemed harmless. People joked about cosmic souvenirs. But then the rumors started: a miner who''d handled a shard too long could move objects with his mind. A child who played near the crash site never fell ill again, no matter how sick others got. Within months, reports came from around the world, each stranger than the last¡ªmen manipulating fire, women who could bend light, children vanishing and reappearing at will.

    It wasn''t magic; not precisely. Scientists discovered the stones emitted a subtle, unique radiation that awakened latent abilities in certain individuals. Some called it evolution. Others named it a curse. Governments scrambled to create laws. Corporations raced to monetize the power. The public watched in awe and fear as "gifted" humans emerged¡ªsome using their newfound abilities for good, others resorting to crime and violence.

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Over time, these powers were regulated. People with abilities needed to register, to be tracked and supervised. A new branch of law enforcement was established around the globe to handle the rising tide of powered criminals: the Special Officer Force. And so the world adapted, uneasy but hopeful, clinging to the idea that humanity could coexist with this cosmic legacy.

    Yet the meteorite stones didn''t stop changing the world. Some were sold or smuggled on the black market, others locked up in research labs. New technologies blossomed, powered by the stones'' strange energy¡ªtop-secret experiments that pushed the boundaries of ethics and mortality alike.

    Now, decades later, the presence of meteorite powers is part of everyday reality, though it leaves society perpetually on edge. Heroes and villains alike wear titles¡ªnicknames given to them in the media, or bestowed by the government to classify their unique abilities. Flames, illusions, gravity shifts, unstoppable fists¡­no one can predict what form a meteorite-powered gift will take, nor how far it will push its user''s ambition¡ªor desperation.

    Still, every dawn brings hope for peace¡ªeven as storms of conflict gather on the horizon. No one knows better than the Special Officer Force how delicate the balance truly is. Because once, in a single cosmic instant, the world was remade by the fall of a single star. And if the wrong person harnesses the stones'' full potential, that same world could yet be unmade.

 Chapter 1 - The First Collapse

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 Chapter 2 - No Safe Haven

    The fallout from the Methodic fight was immediate. The Special Officer Force Headquarters was abuzz with tension. Screens flickered with urgent news reports, headlines flashing across the room like wildfire.

    ¡°Billionaire Heir Targeted in High-Stakes Criminal Showdown!¡±

    ¡°Special Officers Under Fire After Dangerous Confrontation.¡±

    ¡°Public Demands Stricter Power Regulation!¡±

    Khem sat stone-faced at the conference table, eyes skimming over the headlines without reaction. Weird, in contrast, leaned back in his chair, arms folded behind his head, an amused smirk playing at his lips. Despite his usual sarcasm, there was a sharpness to his gaze, a calculation hidden beneath his lazy demeanor.

    Brave¡¯s voice cut through the air, heavy with frustration. His image flickered on the central holo-screen, arms crossed over his chest. The weight of the situation was clear on his hardened face, framed by blonde hair that just brushed his shoulders. His uniform, adorned with medals from past battles, felt heavier than ever.

    ¡°Noble¡¯s using this disaster to his advantage.¡±

    Weird scoffed, glancing at the headline. ¡°Shocker. A billionaire manipulating a crisis for PR. What¡¯s next, the sky¡¯s blue?¡±

    Brave shot him a dark look. "This isn¡¯t a joke. The higher-ups are on edge. There¡¯s already talk of pulling funding, and some officials are pushing for tighter oversight on powered individuals¡ªincluding us. If SOF loses credibility, we lose autonomy. They¡¯ll tighten their leash, and if that happens, we won¡¯t be able to act fast enough when real threats hit.¡±

    Weird¡¯s smirk faltered briefly before he leaned forward, tapping his fingers against the table. "So what¡¯s the play? We bend over backward to make Noble look good while we do all the work? Or do we just let him throw us under the bus and keep moving?"

    Brave exhaled sharply. ¡°No. We move forward. We keep the focus on doing our jobs.¡± He tapped on his console, sending new intel to their devices. ¡°Next target is already waiting.¡±

    Khem glanced at his screen as a new file loaded. The name stood out in bold letters:

    Gunman.

    Brave continued, ¡°He¡¯s the second-worst of the escapees. Three confirmed kills since the breakout. He¡¯s not just taking contracts¡ªhe¡¯s stirring up chaos for the sake of it.¡±

    Weird let out a low whistle. ¡°Oh, great. A guy who loves his work.¡±

    Brave¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°We have a lead. You¡¯re meeting your new teammate on this one. She has a plan.¡±

    Khem¡¯s phone buzzed. A single message: Caf¨¦. Now.

    Weird peeked over his shoulder, reading it. ¡°Mysterious. I like it.¡±

    The caf¨¦ was a sharp contrast to SOF headquarters. Warm sunlight streamed through the wide windows, casting golden hues over polished wooden floors. The scent of fresh coffee lingered in the air, blending with the chatter of midday customers.

    Khem and Weird settled into a booth by the window. Khem¡¯s hands curled around a steaming cup of black coffee, his expression unreadable. Weird, in stark contrast, stirred his cappuccino with unnecessary enthusiasm, his usual smirk firmly in place.

    The door opened, and she walked in.

    Samui was striking¡ªpale skin, long white hair cascading like silk, and piercing blue eyes that held an unshakable calm. Dressed in a black scarf, a light blue sweater, and a short white skirt, she carried herself with an effortless grace, the quiet confidence of someone who always stayed three steps ahead.

    She took a seat without preamble, setting her phone on the table. Weird greeted her with a slow grin. ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you just a picture of efficiency?¡±

    Samui ignored him. Instead, she placed a black duffle bag on the table, unzipping it to reveal a sleek, black remote control. ¡°Before we discuss the plan, you need to understand my ability.¡±

    Khem nodded. ¡°Explain.¡±

    Weird raised an eyebrow. ¡°Ooh, show and tell? This should be fun.¡±

    Samui¡¯s tone remained neutral. Samui folded her hands over the table, her voice measured. ¡°People often mistake my ability for time control, but it''s something else entirely. It¡¯s function control.¡±

    She tapped the remote lightly. ¡°It depends on the device I use. A pause button lets me freeze something in place. A rewind function reverses objects or people to an earlier state. If I use a tracking device, I can lock onto someone¡¯s location. If I use a controller, I can manipulate anything linked to it.¡±

    Weird whistled. ¡°So, if you had a TV remote with a ¡®mute¡¯ button, you could silence people?¡±

    Samui glanced at him. ¡°Yes.¡±

    Weird smirked. ¡°Bet you wish you had one right now.¡±

    Without a word, Samui pointed the remote at Weird and pressed a button.

    Silence.

    Weird opened his mouth, but no sound came out. His eyes widened in shock before narrowing in annoyance. He gestured wildly at the remote.

    Samui pressed another button. ¡°Temporary,¡± she said. ¡°Limited by range and battery.¡±

    Weird cleared his throat, rubbing his neck. Then, with a lazy flick of his wrist, his power activated.

    Samui opened her mouth¡ªonly for no sound to come out.

    She blinked.

    Weird grinned. ¡°Yeah. Okay. Not a fan of that one either, huh?¡±

    Samui pressed another button, restoring sound. She gave Weird a measured look before returning the remote to her bag.

    Khem remained focused. He folded his arms. "And what happens if he adapts? If he recognizes the pattern in your rewinds, he¡¯ll switch his strategy. What¡¯s your backup plan?"

    Samui zipped up her duffle bag. ¡°I¡¯ve researched him more than either of you. I know his patterns, his escape tactics, and his weaknesses. He¡¯s a professional, but he¡¯s predictable. My devices will let us counteract his strategies. If necessary, I can rewind a critical moment to reposition us.¡±

    Weird tapped the table. ¡°Alright, alright. So what¡¯s the plan?¡±

    Samui slid a slim tablet across the table. The screen displayed an aerial map of the district, with multiple buildings and streets marked in red.

    ¡°This caf¨¦ is where I told him to strike,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve mapped out every possible angle he could take the shot from¡ªrooftops, alleyways, windows.¡± She tapped the screen, zooming in on locations. ¡°Once he fires, I¡¯ll rewind. The three of us will then split up and track him down.¡±

    Weird exhaled. ¡°You really thought of everything, huh?¡±

    Samui barely acknowledged him. She adjusted the remote in her hand, her fingers tapping lightly against its surface. "Unlike you, I don¡¯t leave things to chance."

    Khem studied the map, analyzing weak points. If something went wrong, how fast could they recover?

    ¡°How do you know he¡¯ll take the bait?¡± Khem finally asked.

    Samui leaned back slightly, crossing her legs. ¡°Gunman is a professional, but his arrogance makes him predictable. A high-profile assassination request, quick payout, and a low-risk setting? He won¡¯t be able to resist.¡±

    Weird drummed his fingers against the table. ¡°And what happens if he just keeps shooting?¡±

    Samui¡¯s expression remained impassive. ¡°Then I won¡¯t get hit.¡±

    Khem set his coffee down. ¡°We¡¯ll follow your plan.¡±

    Samui checked her watch. ¡°Then let¡¯s get into position.¡±

    A single shot.

    Gunman lay prone on a rooftop over 800 meters away, fingers resting lightly against the concrete ledge. From this distance, most snipers wouldn¡¯t even attempt a headshot.

    But Gunman wasn¡¯t a sniper.

    He didn¡¯t need a rifle. He was the gun.

    His hand brushed against the rooftop surface. The concrete pulsed¡ªtwisting, condensing into a bullet, then firing at hypersonic speed.

    His voice, a quiet murmur to himself: ¡°I am the gun.¡±

    The bullet punched through the caf¨¦ window, hitting Samui dead center.

    A clean kill.

    For exactly two seconds.

    Then Samui inhaled, her body rewinding, the blood vanishing, the wound gone.

    Gunman¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, but his fingers twitched slightly against the rooftop ledge. He considered taking another shot¡ªtesting the limits of Samui¡¯s power¡ªbut discarded the thought. Too risky. If she could rewind a single wound, she could likely undo multiple. That meant he needed a different approach. His breath steadied as calculations ran through his mind¡ªanalyzing angles, escape routes, and potential counterattacks. He had seconds to act, and he wasn¡¯t about to waste them.

    But he knew immediately.

    A trap.

    Gunman didn''t hesitate. His breath remained steady as he adjusted his aim. One failed shot meant nothing¡ªhe had tested the waters, and now he was adapting. He pressed his fingers against the rooftop surface once more, forming two new bullets in a single motion. This time, he wouldn''t waste them.

    Gunman¡¯s smirk didn¡¯t fade as both bullets cut through the air¡ªone curving unnaturally toward Khem, the other speeding directly at Weird¡¯s shoulder.

    Khem barely had time to register the incoming shot before a sudden pull yanked him backward. The world blurred for an instant¡ªthen snapped back into focus a fraction of a second earlier. His boots skidded against the caf¨¦ floor, now out of the bullet¡¯s path.

    Samui stood at the table, her remote pointed at him, her thumb releasing a button.

    "Handled," she muttered.

    Gunman had already recalibrated. One bullet dodged. One bullet landed.

    Or so he thought.

    Weird let the shot hit him.

    The moment the bullet connected with his shoulder, Gunman¡¯s own shoulder twisted violently. A sickening CRACK echoed as blood spattered against the rooftop ledge. The sniper¡¯s breath hitched as he stumbled back, clutching his now-shattered collarbone.

    Weird rolled his shoulder with a smirk, seemingly unfazed. "Yeah, no. Try again."

    Gunman exhaled sharply, steadying himself. The first engagement hadn''t gone in his favor. But the fight was far from over.

    He gritted his teeth, blood seeping from the wound on his shoulder. His mind was already calculating the next move. Samui had just rewound herself¡ªan ability that could mean more than just reversing her own actions. Could she pause devices? Track movements? If she could manipulate sequences like that, this wasn¡¯t just about dodging; he had to disrupt her rhythm, throw off her timing before she locked him into a pattern he couldn¡¯t break.

    A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. If she wanted to play reaction games, then fine. He¡¯d make sure she couldn¡¯t keep up.

    Gunman adjusted his stance, brushing his hand against the surface below him. His power allowed him to break apart and launch fragments of his surroundings as projectiles. He barely had to think¡ªhis fingers brushed against the table behind him, transmuting its edge into a fresh round. He lined up the shot but didn¡¯t fire at Samui or Khem directly.

    Instead, he aimed for the caf¨¦¡¯s support beams.

    The first shot ricocheted off a metal frame, bouncing unpredictably before lodging itself into the ceiling. The second hit a decorative lamp, sending shattered glass raining down. The third? It tore through the leg of a chair, sending it skidding toward Khem¡¯s feet.

    Chaos. Disruption. That was his game.

    Samui¡¯s eyes darted, tracking each projectile. She was fast¡ªshe¡¯d already rewound Khem out of one near-fatal shot earlier¡ªbut could she manage this many angles at once? Gunman doubted it.

    Khem reacted first, shifting his stance to avoid the flying chair leg. Weird, standing just behind him, snorted. ¡°Oh, come on, is that the best you got?¡±

    Gunman fired again¡ªthis time, not aiming at them, but at the swinging caf¨¦ sign outside. The bullet struck the chain, snapping it. The sign plummeted downward, right above where Samui was standing.

    Her eyes flickered as she activated her ability.

    The falling sign froze mid-air, reversing course, returning to its original hanging position. But Gunman wasn¡¯t done.

    Even before she finished her rewind, he fired another round at the caf¨¦¡¯s power box. The circuitry shorted out with a sharp crack, cutting off the hum of machines and flickering the lights inside. Shadows stretched under the midday sun, the sudden silence amplifying the tension.

    Now she had no clear sight.

    Gunman, stationed 800 meters away on a rooftop, adjusted his position. He peered through his enhanced scope, watching as the confusion set in. Gunman smirked to himself, eyes tracking their movements through his scope. "Tick-tock, rewind girl. Let¡¯s see how many tricks you can juggle before you slip," he murmured, the words more for his own amusement than anyone else''s.

    The air was thick with tension as Samui narrowed her eyes, her breathing steady but measured. Khem shifted slightly, prepared for the next move.

    From the rooftop, a sudden spark¡ªGunma had fired again, the bullet ricocheting off a metal railing and shifting direction midair. Samui barely had time to react, twisting her fingers in the air, forcing the bullet to pause before rewinding it back toward him.

    But this was exactly what he wanted.

    Gunman caught the bullet mid-flight, twisting it between his fingers before launching it back with deadly precision. ¡°Nice try,¡± he taunted, before immediately firing again¡ªthis time at Weird.

    Weird grinned, stepping forward just as the bullet made contact¡ªonly for it to rebound harmlessly off his skin, ricocheting back towards Gunman with twice the force.

    Gunman had anticipated this and never aimed at Weird to begin with. He avoided engaging him entirely, knowing Weird''s ability made direct attacks pointless.

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    ¡°Damn,¡± he muttered. ¡°Forgot about the human trampoline.¡±

    Weird cracked his knuckles, still smirking. ¡°Guess you¡¯ll have to try harder.¡±

    Samui and Khem shared a glance. This fight wasn¡¯t going to be easy.

    Samui¡¯s mind raced. Reacting wasn¡¯t going to work forever¡ªGunman was too unpredictable. Instead, she made a split-second decision.

    "We split up," she ordered, her voice firm. "We know he''s somewhere within 800 meters. If we spread out, we can narrow down his position."

    Khem and Weird exchanged a glance but nodded.

    Samui reached into her pocket and pulled out a small device¡ªa compact remote linked to her Function Control ability. With a press of a button, a pulse of energy radiated outward, locking onto her teammates.

    Acceleration.

    Khem blurred, his movements doubling in speed. Weird cracked his neck, his reflexes now heightened beyond their usual threshold. Even as Gunman watched through his scope, the targets he had been tracking suddenly became exponentially harder to follow.

    "Let¡¯s flush him out," Samui murmured, eyes scanning the bustling streets, sunlight glinting off glass and steel as she weaved through the city.

    Meanwhile, Gunman frowned from his vantage point. "Well, that¡¯s new." He shifted his position, knowing it wouldn¡¯t be long before they were on him.

    Gunman smirked as he watched the SOF scatter through his scope. They thought they had him cornered, but he had planned for this contingency.

    With a swift motion, he activated a series of small, pre-placed devices positioned around the battlefield. Each one emitted brief muzzle flashes and simulated gunfire, mimicking his own attack patterns. A few even projected fleeting silhouettes in the shadows¡ªghostly outlines that moved just enough to fool the eye.

    From their perspectives, it would seem like Gunman had somehow multiplied.

    Khem halted mid-step, his instincts screaming at him as he caught what looked like Gunman darting between rooftops. "I have movement¡ªwest sector!" he called out.

    Weird grinned, already switching direction. "No, no, I got him east¡ªon a lower floor."

    Samui narrowed her eyes, her mind racing. "He''s trying to throw us off. Stay sharp!"

    Gunman, safely hidden, repositioned once more. "Let''s see how long you keep up now."

    Samui clenched her jaw, realizing Gunman¡¯s deception. The scattered muzzle flashes and shifting silhouettes were meant to mislead them¡ªbut she had an edge.

    She quickly pulled out a secondary scanner from her belt¡ªa specialized detection device separate from her Function Control remote. If Gunman thought illusions would work, she would simply cut through the noise.

    With a swift activation, the scanner emitted a directed energy pulse, sweeping the battlefield to filter real movement from false signals. Holographic projections wavered, and false muzzle flashes dimmed, exposing their deception. More importantly, a single signature remained unaffected¡ªGunman¡¯s real location.

    "Ignore the fakes!" Samui commanded. "He''s on the northern rooftop, third building over!"

    Khem immediately shifted direction, dashing toward the marked location. Weird chuckled, shaking his head. "Nice try, but you¡¯re playing against the pros."

    Gunman, seeing his trick unravel, exhaled sharply. "Tch. Clever girl."

    Weird cracked his knuckles, grinning as he watched the battlefield shift in Gunman¡¯s favor. But just because Gunman had tricks didn¡¯t mean SOF was outmatched.

    "Alright, enough playing," Weird muttered, tilting his head side to side. "Time to mess with the sharpshooter."

    Weird cracked his knuckles, tilting his head as he thought. He didn''t carry gadgets¡ªthat wasn''t his style. But he didn''t need a device to cause chaos. Instead of chasing shadows, he relied on his natural unpredictability.

    With a sudden burst of movement, he took off in a seemingly random direction, zigzagging through the battlefield at erratic angles. To an observer, it would look like he was lost or confused. But to Gunman, watching from 800 meters away, it was a nightmare to track.

    ''You like misdirection, huh?'' Weird thought, smirking to himself. ''Let''s see how you handle mine.'' He didn''t need tech¡ªhis unpredictability was the real weapon.

    With a sudden burst of movement, he darted at an erratic pace, his unpredictable footwork making it nearly impossible to track him.

    Gunman, hidden on his rooftop perch, felt frustration creeping in. His scope struggled to lock onto Weird¡ªhis movements were erratic, unnatural, forcing Gunman to second-guess every shot.

    "Damn it," he muttered, adjusting his aim, but his instincts screamed at him¡ªsomething was off. Weird wasn¡¯t just running; he was leading Gunman into uncertainty, forcing him to hesitate.

    Weird smirked, keeping his movements erratic. "Let¡¯s see how you fight when you can''t predict your target."

    Gunman exhaled sharply, his frustration giving way to calculation. Weird¡¯s erratic movements were impossible to track conventionally, but unpredictability worked both ways. If he couldn¡¯t predict Weird, then Weird wouldn¡¯t be able to predict what wasn¡¯t meant to hit him in the first place.

    Gunman narrowed his eyes, adjusting his aim. Weird was too erratic to hit directly, but precision wasn''t just about hitting a target¡ªit was about controlling the battlefield.

    Gunman flicked his wrist, sending a sharp fragment hurtling forward.

    Bullets tore through the environment around Weird, striking just ahead of his path and at his flanks. The shots weren¡¯t meant for him¡ªthey were meant to reshape the terrain. Chunks of debris collapsed, metal beams bent, and shattered glass rained down, forming an impromptu barrier that cut off Weird¡¯s escape routes.

    Weird skidded to a stop, his usual free range of movement suddenly restricted. A step in any direction meant diving into unstable wreckage or tripping over the newly-formed obstacles. Gunman had caged him without ever touching him.

    Gunman smirked, lowering his scope slightly. "Can¡¯t dodge the terrain, huh?"

    Weird blinked, his smirk faltering for just a second as he realized what had happened. He wasn¡¯t tied up, wasn¡¯t injured¡ªbut he was trapped. The debris had closed around him in a way that left no easy path forward.

    "Huh¡­ that¡¯s new," he muttered, tilting his head as if considering his predicament. He shifted his weight, testing his surroundings, but every escape route had been preemptively cut off by Gunman¡¯s precise shots. "Gotta admit, that¡¯s some damn fine shooting."

    Khem, however, didn¡¯t hesitate. The moment he saw Weird was pinned in place, he took action. With acceleration still boosting his movements, he became a blur, racing across the battlefield in an instant. His target wasn¡¯t Gunman himself¡ªit was the rooftop.

    Gunman fired, but Khem wasn¡¯t aiming to dodge. He zigzagged unpredictably, forcing Gunman to split his focus. In a matter of seconds, Khem launched himself upward, kicking off a lamppost and vaulting onto a nearby fire escape. The next bound took him to the adjacent rooftop¡ªGunman¡¯s rooftop.

    Gunman exhaled, adjusting his stance. "Took you long enough."

    Khem landed smoothly, his gaze locked onto the sharpshooter.

    For the first time, it was no longer a long-range battle. Gunman was about to face an opponent up close.

    Gunman didn''t flinch as Khem closed in. Losing the distance advantage wasn¡¯t ideal, but he wasn¡¯t about to let himself be cornered.

    With a fluid motion, he fired a rapid succession of calculated shots¡ªnot at Khem directly, but around him. Bullets struck the rooftop, the edges of the fire escape, and even a nearby air conditioning unit, creating a concentrated zone of suppression.

    Khem skidded to a stop. The suppression fire didn¡¯t just box him in¡ªit left him with one choice.

    His breath steadied. His body locked in place.

    Then¡ªStasis.

    Time froze around him. The bullets ripped through the air, colliding against his form and bouncing off harmlessly, their momentum neutralized by the sheer stillness of his Stasis.

    Gunman¡¯s eyes narrowed through his scope. He recognized what had happened immediately. "Tch. Of course."

    Khem remained untouched, but motionless. It was a pure defensive maneuver¡ªpowerful, but temporary. His power allowed him to freeze his momentum, effectively dodging the overwhelming fire, but that was exactly what Gunman wanted.

    As soon as Khem entered Stasis, Gunman made his move. He vaulted backward off the rooftop, twisting mid-air as he fired another series of shots downward. The bullets struck the rooftop near Khem, further ensuring he couldn¡¯t react instantly.

    The moment Khem dropped Stasis, motion surged back into his limbs. He exhaled sharply, his mind already locking onto Gunman¡¯s possible escape routes.

    Gunman was fast¡ªbut Khem wasn¡¯t about to let him vanish without a trace.

    His acceleration kicked in, and he launched off the rooftop, his pursuit beginning anew.

    Khem exhaled sharply, lowering his stance. "Tch... slippery."

    Weird, still trapped below, let out a low whistle. "Man, that guy¡¯s got moves. So... uh, little help here?"

    Samui watched from a distance, her mind already working on the next step. "We¡¯re not letting him get away that easily."

    Samui¡¯s eyes flickered between the rooftops and Weird¡¯s trapped form. Gunman was on the move again, but she couldn¡¯t leave a teammate behind. She had to do both¡ªtrack Gunman¡¯s escape and free Weird at the same time.

    She activated her scanner again, quickly pinpointing Gunman¡¯s trajectory. "He''s moving southeast, jumping across rooftops! Khem, keep the pressure on him!"

    Khem barely responded before accelerating, chasing Gunman with renewed intensity.

    Samui turned to Weird, already analyzing the wreckage pinning him in place. She reached out, touching a section of twisted metal and activating her Function Control. The structure¡¯s rigidity softened, warping just enough for Weird to slip free.

    Weird stretched his arms. "Man, took you long enough. I was about to start charging rent."

    Samui rolled her eyes. "Let¡¯s move. Gunman¡¯s still ahead of us."

    She reactivated her scanner, keeping their target locked in her sights as she and Weird launched back into pursuit.

    Gunman knew he couldn''t keep running forever¡ªnot without stacking the odds further in his favor. He needed another misdirection, something more elaborate than his last trick.

    As he dashed across the rooftops, he swiftly fired into select points along the structures¡ªcracking water pipes, shattering neon signs, and rupturing ventilation ducts. Steam billowed, sparks flickered, and the environment turned into a chaotic mess of visual obstructions.

    Khem was fast, but even he had to slow down for a fraction of a second to process the shifting battlefield. That was all Gunman needed.

    He threw himself sideways, landing against a crumbling ledge and using the sudden collapse to mask his movements. Rolling with the debris, he disappeared into a lower level of an abandoned construction site, effectively vanishing from sight.

    Samui¡¯s scanner struggled against the dense interference. "Damn it! He¡¯s jamming the area with environmental hazards!"

    Weird, still grinning, cracked his knuckles. "Alright, so we play his game. You got a workaround for that scanner?"

    Samui narrowed her eyes. "I might. But we need to act fast before he resets the playing field."

    Khem didn¡¯t hesitate. As soon as Samui¡¯s Function Control slowed the debris, he lunged forward¡ªbut his acceleration was fading. He could feel the resistance creeping into his movements, his edge slipping.

    Samui caught the shift instantly. Without missing a beat, she pressed the remote, reapplying the acceleration effect. Energy pulsed through Khem, reigniting his speed as he kicked off the collapsing wreckage with pinpoint precision, launching upward just as the structure crumbled beneath him.

    Gunman scowled. He had been seconds from sealing Khem¡¯s fate, but now the battlefield was slipping from his control.

    Adjusting instantly, he flicked his wrist, hurling a jagged piece of debris¡ªnot at Khem, but at a rooftop fixture. The projectile struck a rusted ventilation shaft, sending it toppling directly into Khem¡¯s path.

    Khem twisted mid-air, barely dodging as the heavy structure crashed behind him. Gunman had anticipated the move. He fired again, using Khem¡¯s own momentum against him, forcing him into a path with no stable footholds.

    Khem gritted his teeth. He couldn¡¯t adjust mid-flight¡ªnot like this.

    Samui saw it too. "Gunman¡¯s trying to control his landing!"

    Weird, watching from below, smirked. "Guess that means it¡¯s our turn to mess with him."

    Samui¡¯s scanner flickered with warning signals. "Khem¡¯s energy levels just dropped¡ªdamn it! Gunman¡¯s setting traps!"

    Weird whistled. "And here I thought I was the reckless one. What¡¯s the plan, boss?"

    Samui clenched her jaw. "We get him out before Gunman turns this place into a tomb."

    Gunman moved with practiced precision, navigating the collapsing structure like it was second nature. Khem was fast, but now, he was boxed in. This was the moment to strike.

    Lining up his shot, Gunman aimed at an overhead beam barely holding back a mountain of debris. A single well-placed bullet would bring it all down.

    Samui¡¯s scanner beeped urgently. Her eyes widened. "He¡¯s going to bury Khem alive!"

    "Then I guess we better ruin his plan," Weird said, already moving. With a burst of speed, he darted ahead, making a beeline for the compromised structure.

    Samui followed, her Function Control analyzing the wreckage. She didn¡¯t need to stop the collapse¡ªjust create an opening for Khem.

    Gunman exhaled, steadying his aim. But just as he pulled the trigger, a sudden blur streaked through his scope.

    Weird had thrown himself into the chaos, deflecting falling debris mid-air with well-timed strikes. "You¡¯re not the only one who can mess with the battlefield, buddy."

    At the same time, Samui activated her ability. The debris mid-collapse slowed just enough for Khem to react.

    "Khem, move!" she shouted.

    Gunman clicked his tongue. The shot had already been fired¡ªbut now the battlefield was shifting against him.

    Khem didn¡¯t hesitate. The moment Samui¡¯s Function Control slowed the debris, he lunged forward, pushing through the chaos.

    Gunman scowled. "Tch. Not bad." He was seconds away from regaining control when Khem suddenly reached out, fingertips grazing a loose steel beam.

    Stasis Touch.

    The moment his power activated, the debris froze in place, locked in time. Khem gripped the immobilized beam tightly, using it as an anchor to regain his balance. He swung his legs up, pushing off the frozen structure to redirect his momentum. Gunman¡¯s attempt to control his landing had just failed.

    Khem landed smoothly on a lower rooftop, already tracking Gunman¡¯s next move. He wouldn¡¯t stay in one spot¡ªhe was already repositioning for another ambush.

    "He¡¯s trying to reset the fight!" Samui called out, tracking Gunman¡¯s shifting position. "He¡¯s moving west, trying to find higher ground!"

    Gunman flicked a piece of rubble aside, already retreating. SOF was adapting too fast. He needed to create more space, disrupt their rhythm. This wasn¡¯t over.

    He moved swiftly, weaving through the ruins. But Samui wasn¡¯t about to let him slip away.

    "Weird, go left!" she ordered, sprinting alongside him. "We need to box him in!"

    Weird grinned. "Now we¡¯re talking!"

    The two split up, cutting off Gunman¡¯s escape. Samui monitored his trajectory while Weird used his unpredictable movement to approach from the flank, forcing Gunman toward a dead-end rooftop.

    Gunman clicked his tongue. They were closing in. But before they could tighten the noose, Khem surged forward, refusing to wait.

    With acceleration still fueling him, Khem broke away from the group, pushing himself even faster to reach Gunman first.

    "Khem, wait!" Samui called, but he didn¡¯t slow. Gunman was right there.

    Gunman, sensing the incoming pressure, abruptly changed course¡ªbut Khem was too fast. He cut across the battlefield, closing the gap before Gunman could fully reposition.

    Now, it was a one-on-one pursuit.

    Gunman exhaled sharply. If Khem reached him, the fight would turn into a close-quarters battle¡ªone he couldn¡¯t afford to get caught in. He needed a new plan, fast.

    Gunman¡¯s mind raced. Khem was closing in fast, and if he reached him, it would turn into a fight Gunman wasn¡¯t built for.

    Fine. If they wanted him cornered, he''d show them what a cornered animal could do.

    Instead of continuing his escape, Gunman abruptly shifted directions, diving off the rooftop. He twisted mid-air, shattering a water pipe with a projectile as he fell, sending a high-pressure burst of steam into the air¡ªa smokescreen to break line of sight.

    Khem landed on the edge of the roof, eyes scanning the mist below. Gunman was gone.

    "Damn it!" Samui growled, catching up as the fog began to clear. "He¡¯s not running anymore¡ªhe¡¯s baiting us into something."

    Weird exhaled, watching the steam dissipate. "So where¡¯s he going?"

    Then, they saw it.

    In the distance, past the ruined buildings and abandoned streets, a public square. Bright lights, scattered market stalls, civilians moving freely¡ªcompletely unaware of what was coming.

    Gunman wasn¡¯t retreating. He was making a statement.

    Samui¡¯s blood went cold. "No..."

    Gunman landed lightly on a fire escape near the bustling district, his gaze locked onto the unsuspecting crowd. If they wanted to hunt him, then they¡¯d have to watch people fall first.

    "You should¡¯ve let me go," he murmured to himself.

    Then, he raised his hand toward the square¡ªand let the first projectile fly.

    Samui¡¯s instincts took over. She had finally closed the distance¡ªjust enough for her ability to take effect. Her hand flew to her remote, thumb slamming down on the pause function. A pulse of energy rippled outward, locking Gunman in place.

    For a split second, everything froze¡ªGunman¡¯s outstretched hand, the projectile hovering mid-air, his smirk caught halfway.

    But his eyes still moved.

    His gaze shifted toward SOF, and his smile widened.

    Then, his fingers twitched.

    A horrifying realization hit Samui¡ªhe had already fired multiple projectiles. The first was suspended, but the others¡ªhidden in the chaos¡ªwere still moving.

    With agonizing slowness, the first projectile resumed motion, followed by the second, the third, then dozens more. The massacre had already begun.

    Gunman, still frozen in place, watched it unfold with a smile.

    Khem and Weird sprinted forward, abandoning caution, their acceleration maxed out. They had to stop this.

    Too late.

    Explosions rocked the marketplace, tearing through stalls, sending civilians screaming as rubble and debris collapsed onto them. People scattered in terror, but there was nowhere to run. Blood stained the pavement, the square turning into a warzone in mere seconds.

    Gunman laughed soundlessly, still caught in Samui¡¯s stasis, watching the destruction unfold as he intended.

    Samui¡¯s hands trembled around the remote. She had stopped him¡ªbut not his plan.

    Khem skidded to a halt, fists clenched, eyes locked onto Gunman¡¯s frozen form. "You... bastard."

    Weird¡¯s usual grin was gone. "He knew exactly what he was doing."

    Gunman¡¯s smirk never faded. They had hunted him, cornered him, and this was the price.

    The chaos settled for just a moment¡ªjust long enough for SOF to process what had happened.

    Then¡ªthe ricochet.

    It happened before anyone processed it.

    Several of Gunman¡¯s stray projectiles had struck Weird.

    Normally, that wouldn¡¯t have mattered. Weird was untouchable. Every attack bounced off him, always.

    But that was the problem.

    Gunman¡¯s own deadly projectiles, carrying double their original force, whipped back toward their source.

    A sudden, sharp impact. A sickening squelch.

    Gunman¡¯s body convulsed, his frozen smirk twisting in realization as his own shards of destruction punched through him.

    One embedded itself deep into his chest. Another pierced his throat. The final, most vicious strike, buried itself in his skull.

    His frozen body slumped, and for the first time, his smirk was truly gone.

    A long silence followed. The square was still burning, screams still echoing, but SOF didn¡¯t move.

    Weird stared at the destruction around him, his usual smirk nowhere to be seen. His hands clenched, his breathing shallow. He had killed Gunman¡ªbut he hadn¡¯t saved anyone. The square was still in ruins. People were still dead.

    His throat felt dry. "I should¡¯ve done something sooner," he muttered, voice hollow. "I should¡¯ve¡ª"

    He stopped himself, shaking his head as if trying to rid himself of the thoughts, but they wouldn''t leave.

    Khem exhaled sharply, his gaze shifting to Weird. He could see it¡ªthe way Weird¡¯s usual bravado had cracked, the guilt creeping in.

    With a steadying breath, Khem reached out, gripping Weird¡¯s shoulder. "We don¡¯t have time for this," he said, firm but not unkind. "The people who are still alive need help. That¡¯s what matters now."

    Samui took a slow, measured breath, forcing herself to move. The weight of everything threatened to bury her, but she refused to let it. Gunman was dead, but they still had a job to do. And yet, the devastation he caused remained.

    The air was thick with smoke and the stench of blood. The sounds of distant sirens signaled that reinforcements and emergency teams were closing in, but for SOF, the battle was already over.

    Gunman was dead. The damage, irreversible.

    Samui exhaled, shoving down the emotions threatening to bubble to the surface. "We secure the area. We help who we can. Then we leave."

    Khem released his grip on Weird¡¯s shoulder and stepped forward. He didn¡¯t say anything, but his posture carried his agreement. They had no choice but to keep moving.

    Weird lingered for a moment, staring at the wreckage, at the lives that had been lost despite everything. His fists clenched. He didn¡¯t crack a joke this time.

    As the team spread out to assist the survivors, Samui stole one last glance at the spot where Gunman had stood, where his smirk had finally disappeared for good.

    It didn¡¯t feel like a victory.

 Chapter 3 - The Stone Heist

    The Special Officer Force Headquarters was quiet, but the tension in the air was suffocating. Gunman was dead, yet the damage was irreversible. The city reeled from the carnage he left behind, protests surging through the streets while officials scrambled for answers. The media painted the SOF as both saviors and failures, and trust in their authority hung by a thread. The massacre had left behind more than just bodies¡ªit had fractured the city, igniting public outrage and fear.

    Khem and Weird stood in the debriefing room, Samui at their side. The main screen in front of them displayed reports from forensic teams, casualty lists, and political fallout.

    Brave¡¯s voice crackled through their communicators, his image flickering from Blackout Fortress.

    "Gunman¡¯s gone. But the chaos he left behind is just getting started."

    Weird exhaled sharply, arms crossed. His fingers curled against his sleeve before he forced out a scoff. "Damn shame. Thought he¡¯d at least gloat a little before going out."

    Brave¡¯s tone remained cold. "He was a professional. The kind that doesn¡¯t talk unless it benefits him. And in the end, he made sure he had the last word."

    Khem¡¯s expression didn¡¯t shift. "Any leads on the prison break?"

    "We finally have confirmation: the prison break wasn¡¯t just about freeing criminals. It was a cover. SOF was too focused on stopping the immediate escape to see the bigger picture at first, but now it¡¯s clear¡ªthe real target was the meteorite stone."

    Weird scoffed. "Right. The ¡®stolen nuke.¡¯"

    Brave ignored the nickname. "Listen up. That stone isn¡¯t just an energy source. It¡¯s a raw, undiluted power reservoir. SOF scientists spent years studying its properties, and eventually, they found a way to alter its energy output. Instead of granting abilities, they forced it to suppress them."

    Khem processed the information quickly. "You turned it into a nullifier."

    "Exactly. That¡¯s how Blackout Fortress was built. The prison¡¯s power-dampening field was powered directly by the meteorite¡¯s altered energy signature. But now, that energy is gone. Without it, the prisoners still inside have fully regained their abilities."

    Samui¡¯s fingers hovered over her tablet. "And if someone figures out how to reverse the process¡­"

    Brave¡¯s voice grew graver. "Then it won¡¯t suppress powers anymore. It¡¯ll amplify them."

    Silence fell over the room.

    Brave continued. "Whoever has that stone isn¡¯t interested in containment. They want power. If they manage to tap into its original function, they won¡¯t just create stronger abilities¡ªthey could create entirely new ones."

    Weird let out a slow, quiet curse. "So we¡¯re dealing with someone who doesn¡¯t just want an edge. They want evolution."

    Brave exhaled. "And that¡¯s just the beginning."

    The weight of Brave¡¯s words settled over them like a storm cloud.

    Khem¡¯s hands curled into fists. ¡°Do we have any leads?¡±

    Brave hesitated. ¡°Not on the stone¡¯s location. But we do have something else.¡±

    A new file appeared on their displays¡ªa live feed of a high-profile jewelry auction in the city¡¯s central district. Glimpses of extravagant pieces, velvet displays, and well-dressed elites flickered across the screen.

    Samui¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°That¡¯s tonight.¡±

    Brave nodded. ¡°Saha and Thug have been spotted casing the event. It¡¯s a prime target¡ªnot for the jewels, but for the meteorite-infused gemstones up for auction.¡±

    Weird frowned. ¡°So they¡¯re either testing the waters or funding something bigger.¡±

    Brave¡¯s voice was clipped. ¡°Either way, we stop them. They¡¯re two of the five high-priority escapees from Blackout Fortress. This is our chance to take them off the board before they disappear for good.¡±

    Khem shut off his display. ¡°Then we move now.¡±

    Brave¡¯s voice remained steady through the communicator. ¡°With Saha and Thug on the move, intelligence picked up chatter from an underground network hours ago. Surveillance teams confirmed sightings near the auction house, making it our best lead yet. we can¡¯t afford to go in unprepared. You¡¯re meeting with the rest of your team before deployment.¡±

    Khem¡¯s eyes flicked toward the mission details on the holo-screen. ¡°Senshi and Shining?¡±

    Brave nodded. "You¡¯re meeting up with the rest of your team. They have been briefed."

    Weird let out a long sigh. "Oh great, we¡¯re bringing in the old married couple."

    Samui raised an eyebrow. "They¡¯re not¡ª"

    "They might as well be." Weird leaned back, smirking. "One of them yells about honor, the other acts like he¡¯s the main character in a flashy action movie. Give them five minutes, and they¡¯ll be at each other¡¯s throats."

    Brave ignored him. "Get moving. Your next mission is already set."

    The transmission cut out.

    Khem, as always, wasted no time. "Let¡¯s go."

    Weird pushed off the table. "Fine, fine. Let¡¯s see what the dragon guy and the human flashlight are up to."

    The restaurant was small but well-loved, its wooden interiors bathed in warm lighting, the air thick with the scent of sizzling meat and fragrant broth.

    At the largest table sat two men¡ªSenshi and Shining.

    Senshi was impossible to miss.

    He sat upright, back straight like a warrior at rest. His thick black hair and beard framed his face in the unmistakable silhouette of a dragon''s head. Even while eating, he maintained an aura of discipline and quiet power.

    Shining, on the other hand, was the exact opposite.

    Lounging in his seat, one arm draped over the back of his chair, he wore his usual obnoxiously bright red Hawaiian shirt. His golden shades reflected the restaurant lights as he casually flipped a coin between his fingers.

    Senshi spotted Khem¡¯s group first. He nodded in acknowledgment, setting down his tea.

    Shining grinned. "Took you guys long enough. I was about to order dessert."

    Weird flopped into a chair, hesitating just a fraction too long before letting himself sink in. He forced an exaggerated sigh, masking the unease coiled in his chest. "Great, just what I needed. A guy who thinks he¡¯s a god and a guy who yells about dragons."

    Senshi¡¯s brow twitched. "You lack discipline."

    Shining laughed, pointing a finger gun at Weird. "See? Five minutes. Told you."

    Samui ignored their antics and got straight to business. "Brave sent us. We¡¯re after Saha and Thug."

    Senshi¡¯s expression darkened slightly. "The escapees."

    Shining clicked his tongue. "You¡¯d think criminals would lay low after breaking out of Blackout Fortress, but nope¡ªthese two decide to go on a jewelry shopping spree instead."

    Weird rolled his eyes. "Real classy villains. What¡¯s next? A bank robbery?"

    Samui pulled out her tablet, sliding it onto the table. "They¡¯re targeting an exclusive auction in the central district. High-profile. High security. But none of that matters if Saha locks down the crowd and Thug teleports them out before anyone can react."

    Khem studied the map. "We need a countermeasure."

    Senshi stroked his beard. "We cannot allow Saha to immobilize us. If we cannot move, we cannot fight."

    Weird smirked. "That¡¯s where I come in. I can reflect her ability back at her¡ªif she tries anything, she¡¯s the one who freezes."

    Samui nodded. "That makes you the key to this operation. If Saha isn¡¯t neutralized immediately, we¡¯ll lose the entire room."

    Shining adjusted his shades. "And what about Thug? Even if we take her down, he can still grab her and escape."

    Khem¡¯s voice remained steady. "Then we use her as bait. He won¡¯t abandon her. If we immobilize her first, he¡¯ll be forced to come to us."

    Shining exhaled, cracking his knuckles. "So it¡¯s a snatch-and-grab, but in reverse. Fun."

    Senshi crossed his arms. "We must be swift and precise. There is no room for error."

    Weird clapped his hands together. "Alright, great. Now let¡¯s hurry up and go stop Medusa and her teleporting boyfriend."

    Senshi¡¯s eye twitched. "Do not disrespect an enemy¡¯s name."

    Weird grinned. "Why? Scared she¡¯ll hear me?"

    Senshi didn¡¯t dignify that with a response.

    Samui stood up. "We move in ten. Get ready."

    The team left the restaurant, stepping back into the night. Their mission was clear.

    This time, they weren¡¯t letting their targets slip away.

    The city¡¯s central district was alive with opulence. The Grand Solis Auction Hall, an architectural marvel of glass and steel, towered over the streets below. Tonight, it hosted the wealthiest and most powerful elite¡ªcollectors, tycoons, and old-money aristocrats.

    Inside, the venue glittered with extravagant wealth¡ªchandeliers casting golden light over velvet carpets, glass displays filled with meteorite-infused jewelry, and security guards standing at careful intervals, watching over their oblivious patrons.

    But not all security was hired.

    Hidden among the guests, the Special Officer Force moved like shadows in disguise.

    Khem, as always, stood apart, scanning the room with quiet intensity. He wore a tailored black suit, the formal attire doing nothing to soften the rigid posture of a man always prepared for war.

    Samui, blending in as an event planner, moved effortlessly between guests, a clipboard in hand¡ªthough beneath it lay hidden surveillance equipment.

    Senshi and Shining, disguised as security contractors, stood near the vaulted backroom entrance, watching for the first sign of an intruder.

    Weird, as usual, barely made an effort to blend in. Wearing a loose, half-unbuttoned shirt with an expensive but tasteless watch, he had already begun his act as an obnoxious rich brat, lazily sipping from a champagne glass he hadn¡¯t even tasted.

    Despite their disguises, all of them knew exactly why they were here.

    This auction wasn¡¯t just another display of wealth.

    Among the prized items was a meteorite-infused gemstone, the kind that could fetch millions¡ªbut more importantly, the kind directly connected to the stolen Blackout Fortress stone.

    If Saha and Thug¡ªor Jashae and Dimension, as the SOF classified them¡ªwere going to hit any place next, this was the perfect target.

    And sure enough¡ªthey arrived.

    At exactly 9:17 PM, the hall¡¯s laughter and conversation abruptly died.

    It wasn¡¯t a slow hush of curiosity¡ªit was instant silence, as if someone had choked the very air itself.

    A presence had arrived.

    At the center of the grand marble floor, where moments ago there had been nothing¡ªstood a woman in a flowing white gown.

    She hadn¡¯t walked in. No door had opened. No security guard had reacted. She was simply there.

    Saha.

    Her emerald-green eyes glowed faintly, reflecting the warm light from the chandeliers above.

    Her jet-black hair, bundled like a nest of serpents atop her head, began to move¡ªslow, hypnotic motions, like something alive.

    Her beauty was haunting, but there was something deeply wrong about her presence.

    Every single person in the room turned toward her.

    Confusion. Hesitation. Instinct.

    Then¡ªher glowing eyes flared.

    And everything stopped.

    The auctioneer, mid-sentence, locked in place, microphone in hand.

    The wealthy guests, some seated, some standing, couldn¡¯t move, couldn¡¯t blink, couldn¡¯t even tremble.

    A woman, caught mid-sip of champagne, remained frozen, the liquid suspended against her lips.

    The head of security, hand on his earpiece, his expression twisted in effort¡ªyet his muscles refused to obey.

    And among them¡ªKhem, Samui, Senshi, and Shining stood like statues.

    Their minds screamed, their instincts roared¡ªbut their bodies had already betrayed them.

    Not a single one of them had been spared.

    They had all looked.

    Saha let out a satisfied hum, leisurely stepping forward.

    "Much better."

    She strolled past the frozen crowd, her emerald eyes gleaming. Among them, a wealthy guest stood locked in place, adorned with jewels¡ªunable to stop her. With a smirk, she reached out and plucked an ornate amulet from the woman¡¯s neck, the gold chain snapping with ease. The gemstone at its center shimmered like liquid fire. She didn¡¯t know what it did. She didn¡¯t care. It was hers now.

    "Aren¡¯t you all so well-behaved?"

    Her smirk widened.

    But then¡ªit vanished.

    Something was wrong.

    A presence. A disturbance.

    Her emerald-green eyes snapped to the one person still moving.

    Weird.

    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Weird rolled his shoulders, cracking his neck with deliberate slowness.

    Then, he grinned.

    "Wow." He let out a long whistle. "You really got ¡®em all, huh?"

    Saha¡¯s breath hitched¡ªher entire body locked up.

    The moment their eyes met, she felt it¡ªher power turning against her.

    A creeping paralysis ran through her spine.

    Her smirk twitched.

    "You¡ª"

    She couldn¡¯t move.

    She had been Reflexed.

    Weird took a casual step forward, now the only mobile person in the entire hall.

    He lazily adjusted his cuffs. "Damn. You really should¡¯ve read my file."

    Saha¡¯s emerald-green eyes burned in frustration, but she couldn¡¯t shut them.

    She was trapped in her own stillness.

    And then¡ªshe made a choice.

    With a sharp breath, she disabled her own power.

    The auction hall roared back to life.

    Security guards reached for their weapons, guests stumbled backward, shouts of confusion filled the air.

    Khem moved instantly¡ªbut so did Thug.

    A black rift tore open near Saha.

    A shadowed hand emerged¡ªThug reaching for her wrist.

    His voice rang out. "Saha, let¡¯s go¡ª!"

    And then¡ª

    The entire room exploded in light.

    Not a beam.

    Not an attack.

    A raw, all-consuming flood of radiance.

    Shining lit up the auction hall like a miniature sun.

    Blinding. Overpowering. Absolute.

    Saha¡¯s power had already been turned off, meaning she was just as vulnerable as everyone else.

    Thug¡¯s portal had already begun opening, but he couldn¡¯t see.

    The light swallowed everything.

    He cursed, instinctively shifting half of his body into his personal dimension, leaving only his arms visible in the physical world.

    His hands groped blindly, trying to find Saha.

    "Saha! We need to go¡ª"

    A hand grabbed his wrist.

    It wasn¡¯t hers.

    Through the searing light, Khem moved with purpose.

    His vision burned. His breath steady.

    He saw Thug''s grasping hand reach for Saha.

    And he took it.

    A crushing iron grip locked around Thug¡¯s wrist.

    Thug¡¯s breath hitched¡ªhis body suddenly stopped mid-motion.

    The escape rift flickered.

    Then collapsed.

    Thug¡¯s entire form solidified, trapped in Khem¡¯s unrelenting grip.

    He was frozen.

    A sharp gasp¡ªSaha, now fully aware, turned in horror. "Thug¡ª!"

    Saha''s breath hitched¡ªher eyes began to glow again, her hair slithering into motion¡ª

    Then Khem¡¯s grip closed around her ankle, freezing her before she could activate it.

    And just like that¡ªshe was frozen too.

    Their escape had failed.

    They had lost.

    The auction hall was in shambles.

    Guests scrambled for the exits. Security barked orders, trying to restore control.

    And at the center of it all, Khem stood motionless, holding both criminals in his grip.

    "Secure them," he said, his tone flat.

    The job was done.

    But the night was far from over.

    The silence that followed the fight was short-lived.

    Saha lay frozen, one foot still inside the rift that Thug had failed to pull her through. Thug himself groaned on the floor, pinned down by Weird¡¯s counterforce. Samui was already sweeping the scene, ensuring that no stragglers could interfere, while Senshi and Shining maintained a defensive stance.

    It should have been over.

    Then the door appeared.

    At first, it seemed like part of the auction decor¡ªan ordinary wooden door, standing upright in the middle of the stage where the most prized valuables had been displayed. But there had been no door there before. It simply existed, its handle gleaming under the fractured chandelier light.

    The slow, deliberate sound of clapping echoed across the ruined hall.

    A hand casually pushed the door open.

    And through it, he stepped in.

    A man in a pristine white open jacket, its high collar framing sharp, refined features. Beneath it, he wore a light gray dress shirt, neatly fastened with a white necktie, tucked into dark gray tailored pants. A white belt with a white buckle cinched his waist, perfectly complementing his attire. His white shoes gleamed under the stage lights, spotless despite the chaos around him. His spiky blonde hair looked effortlessly styled¡ªdisordered, yet intentional. A pair of dark shades hid his eyes, making his expression unreadable.

    The moment he entered, he barely spared a glance at the chaos around him. He ignored the toppled furniture, the broken display cases, and the struggling criminals. Instead, his gaze swept the room with absolute disinterest, like a critic unimpressed by an art gallery.

    Then, behind him, the Titan followed.

    The second figure was massive, easily towering over everyone else. His sheer bulk seemed almost inhuman, his exposed upper body thick with corded muscle, each movement radiating immense strength. He wore nothing but a pair of dark blue jeans, loose but not baggy, and black leather shoes, polished despite the raw power he exuded. His emerald-green hair was slicked sideways in a sharp undercut, exposing a thick brow and chiseled jawline. A blindfold wrapped around his eyes, though he moved with absolute certainty¡ªas if vision was unnecessary.

    The room felt smaller with him in it.

    Shining exhaled. "Oh, hell. Who invited the apocalypse?"

    Senshi shifted into a combat stance, his fingers twitching toward a nearby carving¡ªready to summon his dragons at a moment¡¯s notice.

    Titan simply cracked his knuckles.

    The sound was like thunder rolling through the hall.

    "Anyone tries to stop the boss," he muttered, his deep voice effortlessly carrying through the silence, "I break ¡®em."

    The White-Jacket Man kept walking. He didn¡¯t acknowledge anyone.

    Not Khem. Not Senshi. Not even the unconscious bodies on the floor.

    His attention was on one thing.

    The vault.

    A massive steel-reinforced security door sat embedded in the far wall, surrounded by shattered glass displays. Inside, the rarest and most valuable items from the auction were stored¡ªincluding what White-Jacket Man had come for.

    He didn¡¯t waste time. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, silver device¡ªa handheld plasma cutter. The moment he ignited it, a brilliant blue-white flame roared to life.

    Without hesitation, White-Jacket Man pressed the cutter against the vault.

    The reinforced steel melted like wax.

    Khem reacted instantly.

    "Stop them."

    Samui reached for her remote.

    Senshi roared, slamming his palm against a gold-etched dragon mural on a toppled display case. "RYU!"

    A serpentine burst of fire erupted from the mural, coiling into a blazing dragon as it launched itself toward Titan.

    Shining threw a concentrated beam of light, aiming to burn through White-Jacket Man¡¯s device before the vault could be breached.

    Weird, still holding Thug down, sprang forward, ready to throw the brute into another one of his own rifts.

    Titan moved first.

    The Titan lifted his foot and brought it down.

    Then, the battlefield rewrote itself.

    Senshi¡¯s dragon didn¡¯t just disperse. It never existed. One second, it was a roaring blaze, the next¡ªit was nothing, as if it had never been summoned in the first place.

    Shining¡¯s beam didn¡¯t burn out¡ªit cracked, like fragile glass shattering midair. The light splintered into fractured streaks before vanishing into the void.

    Khem didn¡¯t just fall. He was erased from where he stood¡ªthen found himself crashing into an overturned table across the room.

    Weird¡¯s footing disappeared. He had no chance to react before the floor beneath him simply decided it no longer wanted to exist. He plunged into the storage level below, swallowed by the collapsing marble.

    Samui¡¯s remote didn¡¯t malfunction. It shorted out the moment she tried to press a button¡ªas if even the concept of resistance had been denied.

    Then, silence.

    Shining¡¯s breath hitched. His fingers twitched. That¡ª that wasn¡¯t how light worked. That wasn¡¯t how anything worked. Light couldn¡¯t break. It should have bent, scattered¡ªburned through anything in its way. But here, in this moment, it had simply¡­ stopped.

    He clenched his fists. What the hell was this guy?

    Senshi¡¯s eyes darkened, watching the last embers of his dragon flicker out. It didn¡¯t even struggle. It was as if the attack had never had a chance to exist in the first place.

    Khem exhaled sharply, pushing himself up from the wreckage. He felt the lingering force of the impact in his limbs. That wasn¡¯t just strength. The Titan¡¯s stomp had reset the battlefield. He had erased their attacks before they could even matter.

    Samui stared at her remote, her expression unreadable. It wasn¡¯t broken. It hadn¡¯t malfunctioned. It just¡­ failed.

    A deep, jagged hole remained where Weird had stood.

    Then¡ªa hand gripped the broken edge of the floor.

    Weird pulled himself up, dusting off his jacket as if he had merely tripped. ¡°Okay,¡± he muttered, glancing at the Titan. ¡°That was new.¡±

    The Titan stood there, unmoving. No triumphant smirk. No signs of exertion. Just the quiet certainty of a man who had willed the fight into submission.

    Senshi¡¯s brow furrowed. "Enough."

    The martial artist moved before Titan could stomp again.

    His hands blurred through ancient kata, fingers twisting into precise seals as he shouted, "RYU!"

    A dragon of fire exploded into existence, this time bursting forth from the embroidered kanji on Senshi¡¯s gi. The spectral beast roared as it coiled around its summoner, its burning form intensifying with every second.

    Titan turned his head slightly, acknowledging the challenge.

    Then, Senshi attacked.

    He launched himself forward with the speed of a warrior who had spent a lifetime mastering his craft. His fists struck like hammers, reinforced by the fiery dragon that mirrored his every movement.

    Titan met him head-on.

    A punch collided with Senshi¡¯s incoming strike¡ªan impact so powerful, it sent out a visible shockwave.

    Senshi gritted his teeth. He had never felt a punch like that.

    The moment of contact sent a chain reaction through the air itself, shattering the very oxygen between them.

    Senshi adjusted immediately. He spun, his next strike guided by instinct, his momentum unbroken. He went for Titan¡¯s ribs¡ªa blow that could break steel.

    Titan didn¡¯t dodge.

    Instead, he absorbed the force¡ªand returned it tenfold.

    His counterpunch was impossible.

    Senshi blocked just in time¡ªbut the force still sent him flying backward, crashing into the remains of an auction podium. His dragon dispersed in a burst of flickering embers.

    Titan rolled his shoulders, as if the clash had been nothing.

    Senshi, coughing as he pulled himself back up, locked eyes with him.

    Titan said nothing.

    He didn¡¯t gloat. He didn¡¯t taunt. He simply existed¡ªas if to say, ¡°This was inevitable.¡±

    Senshi exhaled slowly, steadying himself.

    This man wasn¡¯t a fighter.

    He was an event.

    A force of nature.

    Senshi tightened his fists. His mind worked rapidly, analyzing every movement Titan had made. Overwhelming force. Reality-defying strikes. The ability to negate even the most certain of attacks. Senshi had faced stronger opponents before, but none who could rewrite the rules of combat itself. If he was to counter Titan, he would need more than strength¡ªhe needed precision.

    That meant he could still be beaten.

    Senshi steadied his breath.

    Titan remained still, his blindfolded gaze unreadable. The air between them crackled with tension¡ªthe kind that only warriors could understand.

    Then, Titan moved.

    Not in a rush. Not in a frantic, reactionary way.

    He simply walked forward, each step making the ground beneath him groan, like the earth itself resented carrying his weight.

    Senshi braced himself. He had to keep him occupied.

    The others needed time.

    Khem was already back on his feet, his eyes darting toward the vault.

    Shining had recovered, his hands pulsing with radiant light.

    Weird had pulled himself from the collapsed floor, dusting off his coat.

    Samui¡¯s fingers flew over her malfunctioning remote, trying to force a bypass.

    They still had a chance.

    Then¡ªSaha and Thug moved.

    Saha clutched her stolen treasures tightly, her green eyes flickering with frustration.

    Thug, his portal swirling open beside him, grabbed her wrist. ¡°Let¡¯s go, now!¡±

    Then¡ª

    "NO RUNNING."

    The world exploded into white.

    A detonation of pure radiance¡ªbrighter, hotter, absolute.

    Shining erupted with light, his entire body radiating like a miniature supernova. The shadows in the room were annihilated, every reflective surface becoming a mirror of unbearable brilliance.

    Not just to stop them.

    Not just to illuminate the shadows.

    ToblindTitan. ToblindWhite-JacketMan.

    Titan¡¯s power was unfathomable, but if he couldn¡¯t sense themif he couldn¡¯t react in timethen that was a moment of weakness they could exploit.

    Thug yelped, staggering backward. The portal flickered, its edges trembling, his dimensional awareness disrupted.

    He couldn¡¯t navigate blind.

    Saha¡¯s eyes burned. She hissed in frustration, squeezing them shut, her jet-black hair writhing like angry serpents.

    For the first time that night, she was truly powerless.

    Senshi¡¯s voice cut through the blinding void.

    "You¡¯re not going anywhere."

    Saha spun¡ª but she wasalreadytoolate.

    A fist of pure fire slammed into Thug¡¯s ribs.

    Senshi struck with the weight of a war drum, his fire-infused blow sending Thug sprawling backward. His body rolled across the marble floor, skidding to a stop¡ªhalf his form slipping into his flickering portal.

    Thug gasped, disoriented, coughing from the impact.

    Saha barely had time to react before another force seized her ankle.

    Her breath hitched.

    Khem.

    His grip was iron. Unyielding.

    Her body froze.

    A strangled gasp left her lips as her muscles betrayed her¡ªher escape halted mid-step.

    For a single second, the room was still.

    Then¡ªThug made his final mistake.

    Through blurred vision, through the burning glare of Shining¡¯s light, he lashed out.

    Desperation.

    A half-formed portal flickered into existence beside him¡ªhis only chance, his only exit.

    He tried to pull himself through.

    Tried to escape.

    Tried to drag Saha with him.

    But Khem¡¯s grip never loosened.

    And Thuglocked in Khem¡¯s unbreakable holdonly managed to pull himself deeper into failure.

    The portal collapsed in on itself.

    The rip in reality snapped shut, trapping them both in the real world.

    Their escape was over.

    Theyhadlost.

    The hall was collapsing in on itself. The grand chandeliers swung violently overhead, their chains rattling with the force of the battlefield. The marble floor was cracked beyond recognition, display cases shattered, priceless artifacts scattered like worthless debris.

    And in the center of it all¡ª

    Titan stood motionless.

    Still. Calculating.

    Then¡ªhe shifted.

    Not toward Khem.

    Not toward Saha.

    Not toward Thug.

    Toward Senshi.

    The warrior¡¯s pulse thrummed in his ears. He had already endured one of Titan¡¯s shockwaves. His body was still reeling from it.

    But Titan had chosen him.

    Titan exhaled.

    Then¡ªhe lunged.

    Senshi barely had time to react.

    The ground shattered beneath Titan¡¯s feet¡ªthe sheer pressure of his movement splitting the earth open before the attack even landed.

    But Senshi was ready.

    "RYU!"

    A dragon burst forth from his hands.

    Not from an artifact.

    Not from a relic.

    Not from a carving.

    This was his own fire. His own spirit.

    A raw, untamed beast of flame, spiraling toward Titan with ferocity born of the warrior¡¯s soul.

    Titan did not dodge.

    He didn¡¯t need to.

    He threw a punch straight into the dragon¡¯s head.

    The impact ripped the very essence of the flame apart.

    The dragon erupted into scattered embersnot destroyed, but denied its existence.

    Senshi¡¯s eyes widened.

    Titan was already upon him.

    The brute swung a colossal fist, the sheer force tearing the air apart.

    Senshi ducked under the first swing, narrowly avoiding a strike that would have broken his entire ribcage.

    The missed punch ripped through the air, sending hurricane-force winds tearing through the shattered hall.

    Senshi retaliated, his fists coated in fire, striking directly at Titan¡¯s ribs.

    His attacks landed.

    They should have done something.

    But Titan didn¡¯t flinch.

    His foot slammed into the marble floor, generating another shockwave. The entire auction hall trembled, the walls groaning from the force.

    Then¡ªTitan swung again.

    Senshi blocked.

    Or at least, he tried.

    Titan¡¯s punch connected with Senshi¡¯s forearm, sending a force so overwhelming that Senshi was lifted off the ground and hurled backward.

    CRASH.

    Senshi slammed into the far wall.

    The entire building shook.

    A crack formed behind him, spiderwebbing across the marble.

    Silence.

    Titan lowered his fists.

    Senshi struggled to stand, his breath uneven. His body ached from the impact, his muscles screaming in protest. His flames flickered weakly, his last summoned dragon already reduced to embers.

    Titan did not press the attack.

    He simply exhaled¡ªslow and measured, as if signaling that the fight was already over.

    Then, without another word, he turned his back on Senshi.

    Not out of arrogance.

    Out of disinterest.

    He had nothing left to prove.

    Senshi gritted his teeth. His pride demanded that he rise, that he keep fighting. But his instincts¡ªthe years of honed discipline that made him the warrior he was¡ªknew the truth.

    Titan wasn¡¯t leaving because Senshi had earned his respect.

    Titan was leaving because Senshi wasn¡¯t worth the effort.

    Thatburnedmorethanthebruises.

    Throughall of this¡ª White-JacketManneverstoppedmoving.

    Not once.

    Not when Shining¡¯s blinding light surged through the room.

    Not when Titan cracked the battlefield apart.

    Not even when Saha and Thug¡ªthe only real distractions¡ªfailed their escape.

    He had already secured the meteorite stone, tucking it neatly under one arm as if it were nothing more than an expensive purchase.

    The chaos was irrelevant.

    Titan turned his head slightly¡ªa silent question.

    White-Jacket Man answeredwithoutlookingback.

    ¡°Time to leave.¡±

    The wooden door at the far end of the hall¡ªstill standing in defiance of reality¡ªswung open.

    A portal.

    Titan exhaled, his presence alone seeming to crush the air itself.

    Then, for the first time¡ªhe moved again.

    Not toward Khem.

    Not toward Senshi.

    Not toward the SOF team.

    Toward the exit.

    The mission was over.

    There was nothing more to be gained.

    White-Jacket Man steppedthroughthedoorfirst, hispostureunhurried¡ªa manwhohadgottenexactlywhathecamefor.

    Titan followed behind him, his overwhelming presence shrinking only as the door frame swallowed his massive form.

    Then¡ª

    The door vanished.

    And with it¡ªthe meteorite stone was gone.

    The auction hall lay in ruins.

    Marble floors split apart, chairs reduced to splinters, and the once-pristine velvet drapes hung in tatters. Shattered chandeliers swayed from their weakened chains, their light dimming as sparks flickered from exposed wiring.

    The room felt hollow.

    AsifthemomentTitan and White-Jacket Man disappeared,theveryairhadthinned¡ªliketheweight of theirpresencehadbeentooimmenseforrealityitself.

    For a long moment, no one spoke.

    No one moved.

    Then¡ª

    A low groan broke the silence.

    Weird shoved a slab of broken marble off himself, coughing. ¡°Ohhh, screw that guy.¡±

    Shining rubbed his temples, wincing. ¡°I think I just went blind twice in one night.¡±

    Samui, still crouched behind an overturned table, stared down at her remote. It was still intact. It was still functional. But she hadn¡¯t even gotten the chance to use it.

    Senshi, his body aching from Titan¡¯s final hit, pushed himself off the cracked wall. He rolled his shoulders, wincing as he felt the deep bruises forming beneath his gi.

    And in the center of it all¡ª

    Khem stood unmoving.

    His grip still firm around Saha¡¯s frozen ankle.

    His expression unreadable.

    The mission was over.

    But it didn¡¯t feel like victory.

    Khem tightened his grip.

    Saha was paralyzed, her emerald-green eyes burning with frustration and humiliation.

    Thug was motionless, his body frozen mid-panic, his fingers just inches away from where his portal had failed.

    They had been captured.

    Just like before.

    But Wise and Titan had taken everything else.

    The meteorite stone was gone.

    Khem had watched it happen.

    He had been right there.

    And he had done nothing to stop it.

    A heavy weight settled in his chest.

    They were Special Officers. They were supposed to be the ones who made sure things like this didn¡¯t happen.

    Yet tonight, the SOF had been overwhelmed.

    By a force they didn¡¯t understand.

    By an enemy they hadn¡¯t even anticipated.

    And Khem hated it.

    His jaw clenched.

    His knuckles whitened.

    But his voice, when he spoke¡ªwas ice cold.

    "Secure them."

    Samui and Senshi moved quickly.

    Senshi bound Thug¡¯s wrists, his flames flickering faintly around the restraints.

    Samui activated a power-dampening harness, locking it over Saha¡¯s shoulders¡ªjust in case.

    Weird tilted his head, watching Khem carefully.

    There was something about his posture¡ªsomething about the way his fingers flexed ever so slightly as he released his grip from Saha.

    Something unsettled.

    Something angry.

    Something frustrated.

    And for the first time in a long while¡ª

    Weird didn¡¯t crack a joke.

    Shining exhaled, rubbing the bridge of his nose. ¡°So. Anyone wanna tell me who the hell those two guys were?¡±

    Senshi crossed his arms, his breathing still steadying after his battle with Titan. ¡°More importantly¡ªwhy did they take the stone?¡±

    Samui had already pulled up her tablet, scanning for any traces of dimensional energy. She wasn¡¯t surprised when she found nothing. ¡°No leads. That portal was precise. Whoever made it didn¡¯t leave a trace.¡±

    Khem remained silent.

    Shining sighed. ¡°Alright. We got two of the escapees back, at least. But I gotta ask¡ªwhat exactly do we tell HQ?¡±

    Weird exhaled sharply. ¡°Well, let''s see¡ªwe stopped a heist, caught two high-priority criminals, got thrown around by an unstoppable monster, watched a white-jacketed asshole casually steal the most dangerous object on the planet, and ended the night wondering what the hell just happened.¡±

    Shining clicked his tongue. ¡°Yeah. That¡¯ll sound great in the report.¡±

    Khem¡¯s voice cut through the noise.

    "Brave needs to know."

    Everyone turned to him.

    Khem¡¯s expression didn¡¯t shift. But there was something in his gaze¡ªsomething hardened.

    Something sharper than before.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to Blackout Fortress.¡±

    Nobody spoke.

    Khem exhaled slowly, his jaw tight. Senshi closed his eyes for a brief moment, then nodded. Shining tossed his broken sunglasses aside. Weird let out a low whistle.

    Samui was the first to move. "Understood."

    One by one, they followed. No complaints. No hesitation.

    Just resolve.

    Because this fight wasn¡¯t over.

    It had only just begun.

 Chapter 4 - A Game of Ghosts

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 Chapter 5 - The Man Who Laughs at Reality

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 Chapter 6 - The Man Who Should Not Be

    It began on a night where the wind carried no sound. The cemetery, a place forgotten by time, stretched endlessly beneath a sky absent of stars. Not a single soul had walked its grounds for years¡ªexcept for one man. Sappalur. The Gravekeeper of the Nameless Dead. A man who had spent his years in silence, tending to those who had long been abandoned. He was not a priest, nor a servant of any god. He had no shrine, no name etched into history. Only the graves, the whisper of rustling leaves, and the weight of the unseen pressing against his back.

    On that night, something changed. He felt it before he saw it¡ªa shift in the air, an unnatural stillness. The kind that came not from peace, but from something waiting to be born. Then¡ªa hand rose from the earth. A frail, pale hand, wrinkled like that of an old man, yet untouched by decay. Something crawled out from the unmarked grave. Not a corpse. Not a ghost. A man. Or something that looked like one.

    Sappalur did not move. He had seen many things in his lifetime¡ªbodies returning to the earth, bones breaking free from their prison of time. But this? This was different.

    The figure dragged itself out of the dirt, trembling, gasping¡ªlike a man taking his first breath. The moonlight washed over his bald head, his skin clinging too tightly over sharp, gaunt features. He was old, ancient even¡ªyet his limbs did not belong to the fragile. His fingers curled experimentally, as if testing the concept of movement itself. And then, slowly, he opened his mouth. Not to breathe. Not to scream. To laugh. A hoarse, dry chuckle¡ªone that cracked through the silence like a blade splitting flesh.

    Sappalur¡¯s grip tightened on the lantern in his hand. He had no weapons, but he did not flinch. He simply watched. Observed. The figure in front of him did not stop laughing. Not at first. Then¡ªhis head tilted, as if realizing, for the first time, that he was being watched. A pair of dark, sunken eyes locked onto the gravekeeper. And, for the first time, the thing that had been born from the earth spoke.

    ¡°¡­Where am I?¡±

    His voice was not hollow like a ghost¡¯s, nor strained like a man struggling to live. It was smooth, deliberate, playful.

    Sappalur did not answer immediately. Instead, he took a slow step forward, lifting the lantern slightly, casting flickering shadows over the graves. The light caught on the loose, tattered white cloth hanging over the man¡¯s shoulders¡ªa burial shroud, yet untouched by rot. A body should not emerge from a grave in such pristine condition. A man should not emerge at all.

    ¡°¡­Who are you?¡± Sappalur finally asked, his voice low.

    The figure¡¯s lips curled. ¡°That,¡± he mused, his fingers brushing across his own chest, his own throat, as if discovering himself in real time, ¡°is a very good question.¡± He looked down at his hands. Turned them. Flexed his fingers. Then¡ªhe snapped them. And the wind, which had been still, moved.

    Sappalur felt it¡ªa ripple in the air, like the world itself had blinked. For a single moment, the lantern¡¯s flame wavered¡ªnot because of the wind, but because of something far deeper. Something had shifted. The man in white grinned wider, his voice carrying something close to delight. ¡°¡­Interesting.¡±

    Sappalur did not speak immediately. The man¡ªthe thing¡ªbefore him was unnatural. Not undead, but unalive. Something that had never crawled, wept, or screamed in its infancy. A thing that did not grow but simply¡­ was. The wind had begun to move again, but it was wrong. Not a natural gust, nor the gentle breath of night air. It was shifting. Bending. Twisting in a way that no wind should. Sappalur¡¯s fingers curled tighter around the lantern¡¯s handle. He had lived long enough to see the workings of nature, to feel the weight of time settle over the dead. But this? This was something outside of time. The man¡ªno, the imposter in white¡ªwas still looking at his hands. Flexing. Testing. Not in confusion, but in amusement, like a child discovering a new toy.

    Then¡ªhe flicked his fingers again. This time, the flame in Sappalur¡¯s lantern died. No wind had touched it. No breath had snuffed it out. It had simply¡­ ceased to burn. The gravekeeper¡¯s jaw tightened. His body did not react outwardly, but his mind sharpened. This was no wandering ghost. No restless spirit. This was something else entirely.

    The man in white laughed again, softer this time. His voice was not hollow, nor filled with rage or hunger. It was¡­ pleased. ¡°Fascinating,¡± he murmured. ¡°That should have been harder. And yet, it just¡­¡± He rolled his wrist, letting the motion trail into nothing. ¡°It just happened.¡± Then, finally, he looked at Sappalur again. ¡°You¡¯re quiet.¡±

    The gravekeeper¡¯s voice was calm. ¡°I do not speak to the dead.¡±

    The man tilted his head. Then¡ªhe grinned. ¡°Oh? But I¡¯m not dead.¡± He spread his arms, letting the loose white cloth shift with the movement. ¡°I crawled out of a grave, yes. But I am not dead.¡± He took a step forward. The dirt did not shift beneath him. His presence did not settle into the world like a living thing should.

    Sappalur did not retreat. ¡°You are not alive, either.¡±

    The man laughed. A genuine, full-bodied sound, one that echoed where it should not. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re fun,¡± he chuckled. ¡°I can see why they left you here, old man.¡± His head tilted, his dark shades catching what little moonlight remained. ¡°How long have you been here, hmm? Years? Decades? Do you even remember?¡±

    Sappalur remained silent.

    The man smirked. ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a ¡®too long.¡¯¡± Then, with another flick of his wrist¡ªthe ground trembled. Not a quake. Not a rumble. It was as if the very concept of solid earth had momentarily forgotten itself. The graves, once silent and still, sank. Not deep. Not violently. But they shifted, as though gravity had been told to loosen its grip.

    The gravekeeper¡¯s breath was steady, but his body felt the weight of something wrong.

    The man in white watched the effect with genuine delight. ¡°Ohhh,¡± he mused, ¡°that¡¯s interesting. That should not have happened.¡± He turned his gaze back to Sappalur, grinning. ¡°But it did.¡±

    Sappalur knew what was coming before it happened. The weight of the unseen. The moment before a predator strikes. The inevitability of something ending. Yornyang¡ªthough he had yet to claim that name¡ªwas not a beast. He was not a man. He was an idea made flesh. And ideas were more dangerous than weapons. Sappalur had lived through war. Had buried bodies whose names had been swallowed by time. Had watched men turn into killers and killers turn into dust. But he had never seen something like this. Something that should not be. And something that did not care. The gravekeeper¡¯s mind moved as quickly as his body would allow. He was no warrior. No swordsman, no fighter. But he knew how to read the land, how to see a death before it arrived. And death was standing right in front of him. Yet Sappalur did not run.

    ¡°Do you know your name?¡± he asked, voice steady.

    The man in white blinked. Then¡ªhe smiled. ¡°Do I need one?¡±

    Sappalur¡¯s brow furrowed.

    The man in white chuckled, rolling his shoulders. ¡°Names are for things that belong to something, don¡¯t you think?¡± He spread his arms. ¡°I don¡¯t belong to anything.¡± He took another step forward.

    Sappalur let out a slow breath. His hand did not tremble. His voice did not waver. But he understood. There was no stopping this. Not with words. Not with reason. The thing before him was not a man. It was an event. And it was about to happen.

    The man in white smiled wider, tilting his head. ¡°You know,¡± he mused, ¡°I think I¡¯d like to see how it feels.¡±

    Sappalur did not ask what. Because the answer was obvious. A final flick of the wrist. The wind stopped. Not the breeze. Not the air. The concept of movement itself ceased. Sappalur¡¯s body did not move. Not because he refused to¡ªbut because he could not. For the first time, in all his years, the gravekeeper felt it. Not death. Something worse. The absolute absence of choice.

    The man in white took his final step forward, reaching out. A gentle touch. Fingertips pressing lightly to Sappalur¡¯s chest. A smile. And then¡ª Invert. The weight of existence flipped. The very principle of being turned inside out. Sappalur did not feel pain. Because his body did not have time to register it. His presence, his being, unmade itself. No body fell to the ground. No corpse remained. There was simply¡ªnothing. And yet¡ª The graves around him trembled. Not from sorrow. Not from anger. But from witnessing. Something that should not be had just happened. And the world had no choice but to accept it.

    The man in white exhaled slowly, pulling his hand back, flexing his fingers once more. Then¡ªhe smiled. ¡°¡­Huh.¡± He turned, looking at the now empty space where a man had stood. Then, to the cemetery around him. Then, to the world itself. A quiet chuckle. Then¡ªa loud, sharp laugh. Because for the first time in existence, something made sense. He was not born to live. He was not born to die. He was born to undo. The laughter faded into the cold night air. And the legend of Yornyang ¡ªthe man who laughs at reality¡ªhad begun.

    The SOF officers stood frozen in place, weapons still raised, staring at the empty space where Yornyang had been. The last echo of his voice lingered in the cold night air. Brave exhaled slowly, his mind racing. Something was wrong. This wasn¡¯t just an escape¡ªit was a statement. Then¡ª The first anomaly hit.

    A security officer near the containment unit staggered backward, eyes wide. ¡°C-Commander¡­ something¡¯s wrong with the prisoners.¡±

    Brave turned. ¡°Explain.¡±

    The officer gulped, tapping rapidly on his comm unit. ¡°Some of them¡­ aren¡¯t in their cells anymore.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Samui¡¯s voice was sharp, disbelieving. ¡°We just ran a lockdown protocol. The Fortress is sealed.¡±

    ¡°I know. But they¡¯re just¡­ gone.¡± The security feed flickered onto the monitors, displaying live footage from the high-security blocks. At first glance, nothing seemed out of place. Then¡ª Cells were empty. No forced doors. No alarms. No security failures. Just rows of untouched cells with no prisoners inside. ¡°We¡ª¡± The officer¡¯s voice choked in his throat. ¡°We don¡¯t know how they escaped.¡±

    Brave clenched his jaw. ¡°Check every cell. Confirm who¡¯s missing.¡±

    ¡°Sir¡ª¡± The officer hesitated. Then, with shaking hands, he pulled up the logs. A team of SOF officers moved swiftly through the dimly lit corridors, checking each reinforced cell. Prisoners who should have been locked down stared back at them¡ªsome frozen in confusion, others smirking like they already knew. But the anomalies only got worse.

    At Cell 7-21, an officer stopped abruptly, breath catching in his throat. ¡°No¡­ No way.¡±

    Samui¡¯s voice came through the comms. ¡°Report.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡ªhe¡¯s still here,¡± the officer stammered.

    Samui frowned. ¡°Then what¡¯s the problem?¡±

    The officer swallowed hard. ¡°Sir¡­ he¡¯s in his cell, but he¡¯s not in his cell.¡±

    The SOF squad looked inside. The prisoner¡ªa high-level telekinetic¡ªsat cross-legged on the cot, staring straight at them. His face was pale, drenched in sweat. His eyes were wide, filled with something rare for someone of his reputation. Genuine terror. ¡°Do you see it?¡± His voice was hoarse, shaking. The lead officer narrowed his eyes. ¡°See what?¡± The prisoner pointed to the floor beneath him. Slowly, one of the SOF officers knelt, flashlight scanning the cell. At first, nothing seemed out of place. Then¡ªthe light hit his shadow. And the officers realized why he was scared. The shadow wasn¡¯t his. It was watching them. It shifted. Moved. Changed shapes. One moment, it was his own outline. The next¡ªit was taller. Too thin. Stretching unnaturally. The head tilted. And then¡ªit grinned. The prisoner screamed. An officer flinched, raising his rifle, but another grabbed his arm. ¡°Wait¡ª¡± Then¡ªthe shadow stepped out of the cot. The prisoner was gone. Nothing remained. Not his body. Not his breathing. Only the grin¡ªstill stretching across the shadow¡¯s faceless form. The officers fired. The bullets hit nothing. Because the prisoner never existed in the first place. The cot was empty. The cell was empty. And yet¡ªthe shadow remained.

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Senshi and Weird rushed through the upper levels, moving toward the power core. ¡°The hell is going on?¡± Weird muttered. ¡°We caught the guy, we trapped the guy, and now what? He¡¯s ghosting the entire damn Fortress?¡± ¡°He left something behind,¡± Senshi growled.

    Weird glanced at him. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Senshi¡¯s grip on his weapon tightened. ¡°His power didn¡¯t leave with him.¡±

    Weird frowned. ¡°That makes zero sense¡ª¡±

    Then¡ªthe world flickered. The hallway ahead of them twisted. The smooth, reinforced steel warped like liquid. The walls stretched, doors shifted out of place. The lighting dimmed, casting shadows that flickered unnaturally. The entire Fortress was rejecting its own structure. And then¡ªtime rewound. They weren¡¯t running forward anymore. They were back where they started. At the entrance to the hallway. As if they had never moved at all.

    Weird¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°¡­Nope. Nope. We¡¯re not doing this.¡±

    Senshi¡¯s eyes narrowed, staring at the impossible distortion of space. ¡°This isn¡¯t teleportation,¡± he muttered. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a loop.¡±

    Weird exhaled sharply, raising his hands. ¡°Great. Love that. And let me guess¡ªthis is the part where we die?¡±

    Before Senshi could answer¡ª A voice whispered from nowhere.

    "Why would I let you die, Weird?" The blood drained from Weird¡¯s face. That voice¡ª Yornyang.

    Back at the SOF main control room, Brave, Khem, and Samui watched Blackout Fortress falling apart in real time.

    ¡°We¡¯re losing control,¡± an officer reported. ¡°Sir¡ªthe prisoners aren¡¯t escaping. They¡¯re just¡­ disappearing.¡±

    Brave¡¯s teeth clenched.

    ¡°Not disappearing,¡± Samui corrected grimly. ¡°They¡¯re being rewritten.¡±

    Khem exhaled sharply. ¡°Yornyang didn¡¯t just leave. He left a wound.¡±

    Brave¡¯s fingers curled into fists. This wasn¡¯t just an escape. It was a contagion. Reality was breaking. Yornyang¡¯s influence had infected the entire Fortress. And it was only getting worse. The command center shook as the Fortress continued to unravel. Walls twisted, shadows flickered, prisoners vanished into thin air. Yornyang¡¯s presence wasn¡¯t just gone. It was everywhere. Brave gritted his teeth. His fingers hovered over the control panel of the Fortress-wide announcement system. His voice had failed to stop Yornyang before. But that didn¡¯t mean he was out of moves.

    Samui glanced at him. ¡°Brave?¡±

    Brave¡¯s hands tightened into fists. ¡°He¡¯s playing with us. Leaving echoes, spreading his power like a disease. He wants us to panic.¡±

    Khem¡¯s expression was dark. ¡°Then what do we do?¡±

    Brave¡¯s jaw clenched. Then¡ªhe made a decision. "We force him to hear us. And we force him to react." He reached out and slammed the announcement button. A sharp, piercing beep rang through every hallway, every containment cell, every single space in Blackout Fortress. Then, Brave¡¯s voice came through the entire facility. " Yornyang." The fortress stilled. The shadows wavered. The distortions flickered¡ªjust for a second. Somewhere, hidden within the chaos, Yornyang was listening. Brave¡¯s voice didn¡¯t waver. He spoke with absolute authority. "You are not untouchable." The moment the words hit the air¡ª Yornyang¡¯s presence faltered. A pause. A hesitation. It was small. A fraction of a second. But Brave saw it. He felt it. And that meant¡ª Yornyang felt it too. Somewhere in the Fortress, Yornyang stuttered. For the first time. Brave continued, voice steady. Relentless. "You¡¯re not beyond us." "You can be outmaneuvered." "You can be forced to react." The weight of his command rippled outward, pressing into reality itself. The flickering distortions twisted. The broken hallways warped. The shifting shadows shuddered. Then¡ªthey cracked. Yornyang¡¯s control over Blackout Fortress wavered. For one. Single. Second. And that was all Brave needed.

    Samui¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°It worked.¡±

    Khem wasted no time. He moved. "Brave, whatever you just did¡ªdo it again."

    Brave pressed the announcement button once more. "You will hear me."

    Reality buckled. The entire Fortress tilted. And then¡ª Yornyang reappeared. Not willingly. Not with a smirk. But yanked back into existence. Like he had no choice but to be there. And for the first time¡ªhis grin faltered. The instant Yornyang¡¯s presence was yanked back into existence, the SOF moved. The distortion in the Fortress wavered like a mirage. The rippling warps in reality shuddered¡ªYornyang¡¯s control wasn¡¯t absolute anymore. And SOF wasn¡¯t about to waste the opportunity. Shining Reacts First Shining¡¯s hands flared, unleashing a blinding wave of light. No more shadows. No more illusions. No more tricks. The entire battlefield turned into a searing, white void. There was nowhere to hide.

    Yornyang winced. For the first time. Not smiled. Not laughed. Winced.

    Brave saw it. And so did everyone else. He felt that. He¡¯s not invincible. He still reacts to the world around him.

    Senshi was already on the move. The Unstoppable Strike Senshi knew now¡ªhe didn¡¯t need to overpower Yornyang. He just needed to force him to react. And that meant¡ªno hesitation. No holding back. Senshi threw himself forward, his entire body coiling with sheer, explosive force. His punch wasn¡¯t just an attack¡ªit was an unstoppable event.

    Yornyang¡¯s eyes narrowed. He knew it too. His fingers twitched. Invert. But it wasn¡¯t fast enough.

    Senshi¡¯s fist connected¡ªand this time, it didn¡¯t reverse. This time¡ªit landed. CRACK.

    Yornyang staggered. His shades fractured, a jagged line slicing across the glass. His body lurched backward, a ripple of instability shaking through him. His presence¡ªit wavered again. Like his entire existence was thinning. For the first time¡ªYornyang¡¯s voice didn¡¯t come with laughter. Instead¡ª He hissed. A sharp, clipped sound. A genuine reaction.

    Brave didn¡¯t even blink. ¡°Again.¡±

    Senshi moved to follow up¡ª But Yornyang wasn¡¯t about to let them press the advantage. For the first time, his smirk cracked. But only for a moment. Then¡ªhis expression shifted. Something sharp flickered in his eyes. Not panic. Not rage. Understanding. Ah. There it is. That moment when someone actually gets close. And then¡ª He grinned again.

    Senshi was already mid-motion for a follow-up strike¡ªbut Yornyang twisted his entire weight at the last possible second.

    Invert.

    Senshi¡¯s momentum¡ªbetrayed him. He didn¡¯t stop. He didn¡¯t freeze. He was thrown. His own force flung him backward like a human cannonball. His body twisted, slammed into the courtyard, rolling violently across the ground.

    Yornyang wasn¡¯t done yet.

    Samui had already repositioned¡ªher fingers flying over her control panel. She wasn¡¯t just locking down exits anymore. She was actively rewriting the battlefield. But¡ª Yornyang saw it. And this time¡ªhe was faster.

    Invert.

    The data on Samui¡¯s screen didn¡¯t disappear. It scrambled. The controls flipped. Instead of activating the lockdown¡ªthe barriers disengaged. The entire Fortress reacted to Yornyang instead.

    Brave¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Samui!¡±

    She gritted her teeth. ¡°He¡¯s overriding me¡ª!¡±

    Yornyang exhaled slowly. Then¡ªhe spoke. "Ahhh, you guys actually got close. That was fun." He cracked his neck, rolling his shoulders like he was shaking off the lingering effects of their attack. "But you see¡ª" His body flickered. The Fortress tilted. And then¡ªit all collapsed. The Fortress shook. Not an explosion. Not an attack. Something deeper. The structure itself resisted reality. Yornyang exhaled¡ªand the world inverted. "I don¡¯t break out of prisons." "I make them let me go." His grin stretched wide. The ground cracked¡ªnot from force, but from contradiction. The walls weren¡¯t collapsing. They were retreating. Like the Fortress itself was being rewritten against its own existence.

    Brave was already moving. ¡°Stop him!¡±

    Shining pushed his power to its limit¡ªpure, searing light devouring every space, making sure there were no shadows, no blind spots, no way for Yornyang to twist reality unnoticed.

    But Yornyang wasn¡¯t hiding. He was rewriting. Invert. Shining¡¯s light¡ªdidn¡¯t go out. Instead¡ªit bent backward. Back at them.

    The entire battlefield flared white-hot, blinding SOF instead of their target. "Damn it¡ª!" Shining staggered, his own radiance working against him.

    Senshi charged in blind. Didn¡¯t matter if he could see. Didn¡¯t matter if it was a trap. He was going to hit Yornyang. He swung¡ª And his own fist stopped. Mid-air. Like reality itself had denied his motion. Yornyang snapped his fingers.

    Invert.

    Senshi¡¯s punch¡ªreversed. His own force threw him backward again, sending him crashing through a nearby barricade.

    One by one, SOF¡¯s own strengths were turning against them. Samui¡¯s controls¡ªstill scrambled.

    Weird reached out, trying to Reflect Yornyang¡¯s inversion. Send it back. "Come on, come on¡ª!"

    But Yornyang¡¯s power wasn¡¯t a single force. It wasn¡¯t one thing. It was all things flipped at once. And Weird could only Reflect what he understood. "Shit¡ª"

    Yornyang clapped his hands together. The air trembled. The Fortress collapsed¡ªwithout falling. He didn¡¯t break out. He didn¡¯t run. He made the Fortress let him go. The entire structure inverted. Walls meant to keep him inside now blocked SOF instead. Barricades designed to stop intruders opened to release him. The security system erased his presence entirely, as if he had never been there at all. And just like that¡ªhe was gone.

    Brave stood still. His fists clenched.

    Shining wiped blood from his mouth. Senshi pulled himself out of the wreckage. Samui furiously tried to override the controls. No use. Yornyang was free. And they had been inside their own trap the whole time.

    He won. Again.

    The security screens flickered. Every holo-display, every feed, every comms line¡ªone voice played over them all. Yornyang¡¯s.  "A good try, SOF. Really." "But I told you." "I will be free."

    "And next time?" The voice laughed. "Try harder."

    Brave knows he can¡¯t stop Yornyang outright. Not yet. But he doesn¡¯t need to stop him. He just needs to interrupt him long enough for SOF to act.  As Yornyang steps into the void of his own escape, As the Fortress bends to his will, As reality starts letting him go¡ª  Brave hits the emergency announcement system.

    "Yornyang. Stop and listen."  Not a command. A statement.

    Yornyang¡ªpauses. Because to flip reality, he first has to acknowledge it.

    That¡¯s the smallest window Brave needs. A fraction of a second. Brave¡¯s voice cuts through the speakers, absolute. "You will hesitate."

    For the first time, Yornyang¡¯s smirk flickered. A second passed¡ªjust a second. But Brave saw it. Hesitation. Not much. Not enough to break him. But enough to slow him. Enough to prove that even Yornyang¡¯s reality had rules.

    Brave didn''t waste time. He pressed forward. "You will struggle."

    Another beat of silence. Yornyang¡¯s fingers twitched¡ªhis eyes gleamed with amusement, but there was something deeper beneath it now. Recognition.

    Then¡ªBrave delivered the final strike.

    "You will doubt."

    Yornyang laughed, but this time, it wasn¡¯t immediate. For the first time, he had to process what was happening. For the first time, he was reacting¡ªnot controlling. The second Yornyang stuttered, the battlefield changed.

    Samui¡¯s fingers raced across the control panel. Lockdown parameters shifted, security systems reconfigured. This wasn¡¯t about trapping Yornyang anymore. This was about forcing him to make a mistake.

    Shining spread his light again¡ªbut this time, it wasn¡¯t just to counter the void. It was everywhere. Reflecting, refracting, bouncing off metal surfaces, turning the entire courtyard into a kaleidoscope of brightness. There were no clear directions. No sense of depth.

    If Yornyang tried to reverse light again, he wouldn¡¯t just create darkness¡ªhe¡¯d blind himself.

    Senshi shifted his stance, breathing deep. No more direct attacks. This time, he¡¯d let Yornyang make the first move¡ªand counter the counter.

    Weird was already watching closely. Because the moment Yornyang flipped anything again¡ªWeird would reflect it right back.

    For a long moment, Yornyang didn¡¯t move. His grin was still there. His posture still loose. But something had changed. His power was his entire identity. And now¡ªBrave had just shown that even his power had weaknesses. That meant Yornyang wasn¡¯t just playing with them anymore. He was thinking. His head tilted slightly, like he was running through the new equation. He could still flip cause and effect. He could still bend reality itself. But for the first time, the SOF had made him consider his next move. Yornyang¡¯s grin stretched wider, though it was harder to tell if it was amusement or irritation. "That¡¯s cute," he muttered. "But you¡¯re forgetting something, Commander."

    Brave said nothing. He just watched.

    Yornyang took a slow step forward. "I don¡¯t like reality." And then¡ªhe disappeared. The security barriers slammed shut. But Yornyang was gone. No sign of distortion. No flicker of inversion. No twisting of reality. One moment he was there. The next¡ªhe wasn¡¯t.

    Samui¡¯s hands flew across the console. "No breaches detected. No warping. No teleportation signatures. He¡ªhe just¡ª"

    "Vanished." Brave finished.

    Khem was already moving, scanning for any traces. Senshi turned sharply, searching for a presence, an aura, anything.

    Shining clicked his tongue. "Come on. No way he just flipped out of existence."

    Weird¡¯s voice was calm, but sharp. "Maybe he didn¡¯t."

    Brave¡¯s eyes narrowed. "Explain."

    Weird exhaled. "We already know he doesn¡¯t just reverse things. He chooses what to reverse. But what if he just¡­ stopped being perceived?"

    A heavy silence followed. Perception. Yornyang hadn¡¯t warped space. He hadn¡¯t moved. He had flipped the concept of being noticed. He was still here. They just couldn¡¯t register it.

    Samui¡¯s voice was tight. "That means he¡¯s still in the courtyard."

    Khem¡¯s fingers clenched. "So where is he?"

    And then¡ª The alarms blared. Every system screamed breach. Every sensor blinked red.

    Yornyang was gone. And this time¡ªit wasn¡¯t just perception. He had truly escaped.

    Brave¡¯s jaw clenched. "Damn it."

    Shining exhaled. "So we lost him."

    Weird let out a slow whistle. "For now."

    The courtyard settled into silence. The battlefield had been chaotic, a warzone of shifting rules. But now? Now, it just felt empty.

    Brave wasn¡¯t looking at the spot where Yornyang had stood. He was looking at his team.

    And he saw it. They weren¡¯t just frustrated. They were thinking. Analyzing.

    For the first time¡ªSOF wasn¡¯t chasing Yornyang¡¯s reality. They were starting to control it. Brave exhaled. Then, he spoke. "We lost today."

    Silence.

    Then¡ªhis voice hardened. "We won¡¯t lose again."

    The next time Yornyang laughed¡ªSOF would be the ones smiling.

 Chapter 7 - A Game Already Lost

    The air inside Blackout Fortress was tense, heavy with unspoken failure. The command center was eerily silent, save for the low hum of flickering holo-screens. Brave stood with the team, arms crossed, his sharp gaze locked on the final frame of Yornyang¡¯s escape. Nothing. No energy signatures. No distortions. No leads. Yornyang hadn¡¯t escaped. He had erased the very concept of pursuit. Brave exhaled, slow and controlled. The mission was over. Not in victory, but survival.

    The rest of SOF stood in the silence¡ªinjured, exhausted, but still standing.

    Samui finally spoke. ¡°We need to move forward.¡±

    Shining let out a frustrated exhale. ¡°We barely caught our breath, and you¡¯re already talking about the next fight?¡±

    Brave¡¯s tone left no room for argument. ¡°Yes.¡±

    Weird rolled his shoulders, stretching. ¡°C¡¯mon, man. At least let us pretend we won for, like, five minutes.¡±

    Brave¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. ¡°You didn¡¯t win.¡±

    Weird blinked. ¡°Wow. Brutal.¡±

    Samui tapped her tablet, shifting the display to a new priority target. A satellite image flickered onto the screen¡ªan abandoned industrial sector. The last trace of Wise. ¡°We were tracking Wise before Yornyang appeared,¡± Samui said, matter-of-fact. ¡°That hasn¡¯t changed.¡± ¡°This place shouldn¡¯t exist,¡± She murmured, arms crossed as she analyzed the distorted images. ¡°There¡¯s no record of it in any urban development plans, no power grids, no infrastructure. But if you compare older satellite data¡­¡± She tapped the console, revealing an overlaid image from five years ago. ¡°The area wasn¡¯t always a blind spot.¡±

    Khem studied the screen, his brow furrowing. ¡°Someone¡¯s covering it up.¡±

    ¡°Not just covering it up,¡± Weird added, lazily spinning a coin between his fingers. ¡°They¡¯re erasing it. No traffic, no comms, no heat signatures¡ªit¡¯s like the place doesn¡¯t even breathe.¡±

    Brave¡¯s answer was immediate. ¡°Then we assume Wise is there. Move in, but stay sharp. If they¡¯re hiding it, they don¡¯t want you finding it.¡±

    The hum of the transport engine vibrated beneath their feet. The SOF strike team sat in tight silence, the weight of Yornyang¡¯s escape still lingering in the air like smoke. But they weren¡¯t heading back for him. Not yet. Wise was the mission now.

    Khem sat near the edge of the cabin, scanning through the mission file again. The satellite images of the abandoned industrial sector were grainy, corrupted¡ªdeliberate obfuscation. Whatever was there, Wise wanted it hidden.

    Senshi sat across from him, arms crossed, his jaw tight. His knuckles were still bruised from the last battle. ¡°This better not be another waste of time.¡±

    Weird huffed. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. If Wise is actually there, we¡¯ll get a great workout before getting our asses handed to us again.¡±

    Shining scoffed, ¡°Let them be there. The last thing we need is another ¡®they got away¡¯ situation.¡±

    Brave¡¯s voice crackled through their comms. ¡°Final briefing.¡± His tone was level. The kind of tone that meant you will listen. ¡°The industrial zone was shut down years ago. Now, it¡¯s an empty graveyard of steel and rust. Wise¡¯s trail leads there.¡± The holo-screen inside the transport displayed the region¡ªhalf-collapsed buildings, forgotten loading docks, and rusted skeletons of old machinery. Brave continued. ¡°No security footage. No active communications. Whatever Wise is doing there, he¡¯s not broadcasting it.¡±

    A heavy silence followed.

    Shining clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. "That never means anything good."

    Weird exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "Yeah, ''cause people who do honest work totally erase themselves from existence."

    Senshi ran a hand over his bruised knuckles. "Then we go in expecting the worst."

    Samui, eyes still locked on the holo-screen, muttered, "We always do."

    The transport slowed. The red lights overhead flashed. They had arrived. The complex was a graveyard of rusted metal and collapsed structures, a maze of forgotten machinery and shattered walkways. Yet, despite the decay, there was something unnatural about it¡ªlike the air itself resisted their presence. No guards. No patrols. No signs of recent activity.

    Khem signaled the team forward, his steps silent against the cracked pavement. Samui stayed close, scanning the area for any disturbances. Weird moved with a careful but casual gait, whispering, "Too quiet. I don¡¯t like it."

    Shining muttered, "Either Wise is sloppy, or he wants us to think he is."

    Senshi ran a hand over the rusted surface of a nearby crate. "Dust is settled. Nothing''s been touched in weeks." His gaze flickered across the empty structures. "No footprints. No tire tracks."

    They moved deeper into the complex, each step increasing the tension in the air. The place should have been abandoned, but something about it felt... staged. Then, the trap sprang. A shrill beep cut through the silence. A second later, the ground around them burst into life¡ªmetal plating shifting as automated turrets emerged from concealed panels. High above, drones detached from rusted beams, their sensors flickering to life.

    "Ambush!" Samui shouted, diving for cover just as the first rounds fired.

    A translucent force field surged up around them, trapping them inside the industrial zone. Weird cursed under his breath. "Oh, great. We walked right into this one."

    The drones wasted no time. Twin barrels spun beneath their chassis, unleashing a barrage of plasma rounds. Khem sidestepped the first volley, his movements crisp and precise. The moment a drone recalibrated, he lunged, slamming his palm against its metal shell. Freeze. The drone locked mid-air, its thrusters still sputtering as it hung in suspension. Without breaking stride, Khem shoved it into the path of another drone¡¯s gunfire, sending sparks flying as both crashed into the ground.

    Senshi took a more direct approach. A drone veered toward him, its sensors flashing red. He didn¡¯t dodge. Instead, he caught the machine mid-flight, his grip crushing through reinforced plating. With a grunt, he hurled it into a second drone, the impact sending both spinning into a heap of wreckage.

    Shining moved with practiced efficiency, his body flaring with a brilliant glow. He raised a hand, releasing a concentrated beam of light that burned through the nearest drone in an instant. A quick pivot, another burst of laser fire, and another drone collapsed, its circuits fried. "We need to end this quick."

    Weird stood firm as the drones targeted him, grinning as energy bolts slammed into his body. Instead of flinching, he absorbed the impact, his ability instantly rebounding the attacks back at their sources. Each drone that fired on him suffered its own wrath, sparks flying as they were torn apart by their own projectiles. "Oh yeah, keep ¡®em coming!"

    Meanwhile, Samui ducked behind a fallen crate, fingers dancing over her portable terminal. "The force field isn¡¯t just a barrier. It¡¯s reactive. The more energy we output, the stronger it reinforces itself. We need to disrupt its central relay before we can punch through."

    Khem deflected another barrage with a frozen drone, his gaze snapping toward her. "Where¡¯s the relay?"

    Samui¡¯s screen flickered. "Still locating. Just buy me a few more seconds!"

    But the drones were already adapting. They veered away from Khem and Senshi, avoiding close-quarters engagements entirely. Instead, they shifted tactics¡ªstaying at mid-range and deploying rapid-fire suppression rounds to keep them at bay.

    Shining fired another laser blast, but the drones responded instantly, deploying reflective shields that redirected his beam away. The light scattered harmlessly into the air, forcing him to cut off his attack.

    Weird smirked, waiting for the next barrage to redirect¡ªonly it never came. Instead, a drone launched a canister that burst open mid-air, releasing a sticky, fast-hardening foam. The substance wrapped around his arms and legs, solidifying in seconds, locking him in place. He struggled, but the material refused to budge. "Oh, you gotta be kidding me! They really learn fast!"

    Senshi rushed toward Weird, trying to tear the hardened foam apart. Just as his fingers clenched around the material, a blur of movement slammed into him from the side. The impact sent him skidding across the ground.

    A four-armed woman landed where he once stood, cracking her knuckles with a grin. "Tsk. Tsk. You lot really are falling behind Wise. Guess I¡¯ll have to teach you your place."

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    Senshi pushed himself up, eyes narrowing. "Who the hell are you?"

    The woman smirked. "Call me Four. The one who''s gonna crush you all."

    Before he could react, Four lunged at him, fists flying in a relentless barrage. Senshi met her charge, trading blows, his strikes colliding with hers in a thunderous exchange. But with four arms, she had the advantage, landing twice as many hits, forcing Senshi onto the defensive. Gritting his teeth, Senshi roared, "RYU!" From the folds of his gi, a human-sized flaming dragon erupted, its fiery form coiling around him before launching at Four. The creature''s searing jaws snapped at her, forcing her to dodge, momentarily distracted. Seizing the opening, Senshi struck, his blow landing clean and sending Four hurtling backward. She tumbled through the air before twisting and landing on her feet with ease.

    Four wiped her lip and laughed. "Not bad. But how about this?" She vanished, reappearing in front of Senshi in an instant. Her fists blurred as she struck faster, harder. Each impact landed more than once, as if multiple blows were connecting at the same time.

    Senshi clenched his jaw, bracing against the relentless onslaught.

    "Senshi!" Samui shouted, seeing him struggle under Four¡¯s overwhelming speed. Her voice cut through the chaos, but there was little he could do but endure.

    Shining and Khem moved to assist, but the drones intercepted them, adjusting their formations to block their advance. Shining fired a laser blast, but the reflective shields rendered it useless. Khem attempted to freeze a drone mid-flight, but it adapted, staying just out of range.

    Meanwhile, Samui''s fingers flew over her portable terminal. Her eyes darted between data streams until something clicked. "Got it! The force field relay is inside that¡ª" Before she could finish, a deep rumbling shook the ground. The building that housed the relay groaned, its rusted supports beginning to crack and buckle. Samui¡¯s eyes widened. "The structure¡¯s collapsing!" The entire team was inside the building containing the relay. The walls groaned under the stress, cracks racing along the ceiling as dust and debris rained down.

    Four didn¡¯t slow her assault, keeping Senshi on the defensive while drones continued suppressing Shining and Khem.

    Weird struggled against the hardened foam, gritting his teeth. "Uh, not to ruin the moment, but I¡¯d really like to not be buried alive right now!"

    Four let out a sharp laugh, barely slowing her assault on Senshi. "What¡¯s the matter? Scared of a little rubble? You all should focus on staying alive instead of wasting your energy!"

    Senshi gritted his teeth, his stance shifting as Four¡¯s relentless strikes kept him on the defensive. His flaming dragon, Ryu, coiled around his leg, its fiery form surging with power. With a sharp inhale, he stomped the ground, channeling his energy. A flaming shockwave erupted outward, the force pushing Four back slightly. She slid to a halt, a flicker of surprise crossing her face before she grinned. "Oh? Now that¡¯s more like it!"

    Samui glanced between her terminal and the crumbling walls. "We have to take down the relay before this whole place goes!"

    Shining ducked under a stray blast from a drone, his gaze snapping to Samui. "Where is the relay? We don¡¯t have time to guess!"

    Samui¡¯s fingers raced across her terminal, eyes narrowing as the final coordinates locked in. "It¡¯s on Four. Directly attached to her back."

    The room fell silent for a fraction of a second as everyone¡¯s gaze locked onto Four. She smirked, rolling her shoulders before spreading her arms wide in invitation.

    "Well, well," she mused, her grin widening. "Looks like you¡¯ve finally figured it out. Come and get it!"

    Samui gritted her teeth, fingers flying across her terminal. "Fine. If we can¡¯t take her down yet, let¡¯s even the playing field first." She initiated a rapid intrusion protocol, attempting to override the drones¡¯ control system. If she could break through, she could turn them against Four¡ªor at least stop them from blocking Khem and Shining.

    Khem and Shining rushed forward, trying to close the distance to Four, but the drones weren¡¯t letting them through. More of them descended, their movements adapting to every maneuver, keeping the two locked in constant engagement. Khem froze any drone that got too close, while Shining¡¯s laser bursts flashed through the air, but for every drone they disabled, more swarmed in to take its place.

    Meanwhile, Senshi was losing ground. Even with his flame-coated strikes, Four¡¯s relentless attacks were overwhelming him. Every time he landed a hit, she landed two. Every time he pushed forward, she forced him back. Her four arms were a constant barrage, parrying his attacks and striking faster than he could react. Ryu, his flaming dragon, lashed at her, but she twisted around it, dodging and countering with devastating precision. The structure shuddered violently, another chunk of ceiling crashing to the ground. The building was seconds away from coming down entirely, and they were running out of time.

    Samui¡¯s terminal beeped¡ªshe had broken through. "I¡¯ve got partial control!" she shouted. "Redirecting drones now!" A handful of drones suddenly shifted, turning their weapons on their own kind. The battlefield erupted in chaos as the hacked drones fired on their former allies, forcing the remaining machines to split their attention.

    "Nice work!" Khem called out, freezing a distracted drone.

    With the drones momentarily occupied, Khem and Shining finally found their opening. They rushed toward Four, pressing the attack. Khem aimed precise strikes at her legs, trying to disrupt her footing and stop her movements, while Shining fired precise laser blasts to disrupt her defense.

    Four grunted, her smirk fading as she dodged Khem¡¯s hand and swatted away a laser shot. "So, you can work together," she mused, flexing her fingers. "Let¡¯s see how long you last."

    Meanwhile, Senshi saw his chance. He gathered every ounce of energy he had left, his flaming dragon coiling tightly around his arm. With a fierce roar, he lunged forward, unleashing a blazing strike straight at Four¡¯s torso.

    Four barely had time to react. The impact sent her skidding backward, her feet grinding against the floor as she fought to keep her balance. Smoke and embers crackled around her form as she came to a stop. She exhaled sharply, then chuckled. "Not bad. But let¡¯s turn things up a notch." Without warning, Four lunged toward a pile of crumbling debris, grabbing chunks of rubble in her powerful grip. With a single motion, she hurled them toward SOF. But before the projectiles could reach their targets, they multiplied¡ªsplitting into four identical pieces mid-air, expanding their reach. The sudden barrage rained down on every member of SOF at once.

    "Damn it!" Shining barely managed to roll away as a stone slab crashed into the spot where he had been standing.

    Khem ducked and twisted, narrowly avoiding a sharp chunk that sliced through the air beside him.

    Senshi raised his arms instinctively, deflecting a piece of rubble with his forearm, but another struck his shoulder, forcing him back.

    Weird, still partially immobilized by the foam, gritted his teeth. "Oh, great! Now she¡¯s breaking physics too?!"

    Samui took advantage of the chaos, quickly reprogramming the hacked drones. "Target the relay on her back!" she commanded, sending them darting toward Four. The drones zipped through the collapsing space, blasters primed to strike. But Four¡¯s keen senses picked up the movement instantly. With a sharp pivot, she grabbed another chunk of debris and hurled it at the approaching drones. Each rock split mid-air, swarming toward the machines and knocking several out before they could reach her.

    "Nice try," Four taunted, smashing another drone with a quick swing of her fist. "But you¡¯ll have to do better than that." As she focused on the drones, Khem, Senshi, and Shining saw their opening. "Now!" Khem barked, leading the charge. Senshi¡¯s flaming aura flared as he sprinted forward, and Shining gathered energy in his hands, ready to unleash a coordinated assault. Senshi led the charge, throwing a relentless barrage of strikes to keep Four occupied. She smirked, effortlessly weaving between his attacks, her multiplied speed allowing her to sidestep around him with precision. Khem rushed in behind, aiming to apply his stasis touch. He lunged, fingers inches from her skin, but Four twisted and ducked, dodging him with ease while still keeping Senshi engaged. Shining gritted his teeth, watching the fight unfold. Every shot he took risked missing or hitting an ally. He needed a way to land a clean hit. His mind raced before an idea struck. "Samui! Use your drone to deploy a light-reflecting plate!" Samui¡¯s fingers flew over her console. "On it!" A drone quickly repositioned, releasing a reflective surface in mid-air. Shining exhaled, waiting for the perfect moment. His body flared with light, gathering an intense energy charge. Four continued dodging, her back momentarily exposed. "Now!" Shining fired a searing light beam at the drone, and in an instant, the plate reflected it straight toward Four¡¯s back. The beam struck true, a burst of energy erupting as the relay on her back shattered into pieces.

    Four staggered forward slightly, her eyes widening in surprise. She reached behind her, feeling the broken remains of the relay. Her smirk faltered for just a moment.

    Khem didn¡¯t hesitate. "We¡¯re done here! Everyone, fall back!"

    Senshi rushed over to Weird, who was still trapped in the hardened foam. "Hang on, I got you!" he growled, summoning Ryu¡¯s flames to burn through the material. The foam cracked and softened under the heat, allowing Weird to break free with a grunt. "Took you long enough," Weird muttered, shaking off the remnants. "Now let¡¯s get the hell out of here!"

    Samui quickly deployed her last batch of drones, sending them swarming around Four in a final bid to buy time. "Go! I¡¯ll cover!"

    One by one, the SOF team dashed toward the nearest exit, dodging falling debris as the structure continued to crumble around them. Samui lingered only long enough to ensure her drones were engaging before she too turned and sprinted after them.

    Inside the collapsing building, Four methodically tore through the remaining drones, smashing them apart with ruthless efficiency. As the last one fell in a heap of twisted metal, she stood amidst the wreckage, gazing at the destruction around her. She exhaled slowly, a grin creeping onto her face as she murmured to herself, "That was fun." The ceiling gave way, and the building collapsed around her.

    The team barely made it out in time. The moment they cleared the collapsing structure, the building caved in with a deafening roar, sending dust and debris billowing into the night sky. They stumbled forward, coughing as they turned back to watch the destruction. For a few long moments, no one spoke. Then, Weird exhaled loudly. "That was way too close."

    Shining ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head. "What now? We came all this way, and Wise isn¡¯t even here. Just another damn trap."

    Khem clenched his fists, scanning the wreckage. "We need to regroup. Figure out what Wise gained from luring us here."

    Samui¡¯s eyes widened as a realization struck her. "Wait¡­ the drones. They weren¡¯t just adapting¡ªthey were learning."

    Weird raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, and? We already knew they were getting smarter."

    Samui shook her head. "Not just that. They knew exactly how to counter us. They adjusted to our abilities almost instantly. What if¡­ what if Wise already knew what we could do before we even got here?"

    A heavy silence fell over the group as the implications sank in. If Wise had this level of intel, then every move they made was already anticipated.

    Khem exhaled sharply, making a decision. "We¡¯re leaving. Now. Back to Blackout Fortress. We need to reassess before Wise pulls us into another trap."

    No one argued. They were battered, exhausted, and¡ªmore than anything¡ªaware that they had been outplayed. Without hesitation, they turned and moved, disappearing into the night, their minds racing with what this meant for the fight ahead. The journey back to Blackout Fortress was silent, each of them lost in thought. The weight of failure clung to them, but so did the burning question¡ªhow much did Wise truly know? And how far ahead was he? As the towering walls of Blackout Fortress came into view, the tension among them didn¡¯t ease. Answers would have to wait. For now, they had to regroup, recover, and prepare for whatever came next.

    But one thing was certain¡ªthis war was far from over.

 Chapter 8 - Three Moves Ahead

    The return to Blackout Fortress wasn¡¯t silent. It was heavy. Not because of injuries. Not because of exhaustion. But because failure had followed them inside. The airlock doors hissed open, and SOF stepped through the entrance, the cold, sterile air pressing down on them like a weight. Officers turned to look. Some whispered. Some didn¡¯t bother hiding their glances. They all knew. The mission had been a loss. SOF had walked straight into a trap.

    Samui¡¯s voice cut through the murmurs. "I¡¯m not in the mood for this."

    Weird let out a sharp exhale. "Hey, let them stare. At least then they won¡¯t waste time gossiping behind our backs."

    Shining clenched his jaw, his usual brightness dimmed by frustration.

    Senshi stayed quiet, hands in his pockets, his mind replaying the fight against Four¡ªthe way she grinned, exhilarated. The way her fists struck, turning a single blow into a chain of impacts. He had matched her strength at first, but when she pushed beyond his expectations, that brief hesitation cost him.

    And Khem¡ªhe didn¡¯t react at all, his expression unreadable, but the way his hands clenched slightly at his sides hinted at something deeper¡ªcalculation, frustration, or something else entirely. He just kept walking. Straight to the debriefing room.

    Inside, the atmosphere was just as suffocating. The large holo-screen flickered to life, displaying the failed operation¡¯s key moments. Commander Brave stood at the head of the table, arms crossed, his gaze steady but not harsh. "Sit down," he ordered, his voice firm but not cold.

    The team obeyed. The silence stretched for a moment before Brave sighed, rubbing his temples. "I know you all gave it everything. But we need to understand what went wrong. Let''s go through it step by step." The holo-screen zoomed in on the moment Wise outmaneuvered them. Footage played, flickering between different angles¡ªWise moving effortlessly, their positions exposed before they even realized. Brave turned to them. "Tell me what you see."

    Khem leaned forward, eyes locked on the screen. "They knew where we¡¯d be before we got there. Wise didn¡¯t just react¡ªthey anticipated."

    Weird snapped his fingers. "Right. Look at the positioning¡ªit''s too perfect. They weren¡¯t adjusting on the fly. They set the trap way before we even arrived."

    Senshi nodded slowly. "Which means they had information ahead of time. Either from observing our patterns or... something else."

    Brave exhaled, his expression darkening slightly. "Good. You''re seeing it now. This wasn¡¯t just bad luck¡ªwe were predictable. The question is, how do we fix that?"

    Samui crossed her arms. "We flip the script."

    Weird raised an eyebrow. "Meaning?"

    Shining leaned forward. "We set the trap this time. If Wise is after the meteorite stones. We make them think they have a clear shot at another one."

    Senshi nodded. "A fake lead. We control the conditions, the terrain, and force them into a position we choose."

    Brave studied them for a moment, then gave a firm nod. "Alright. We¡¯ll need to make it convincing. Let¡¯s work out the details."

    Khem pulled up a map of the region, highlighting key locations. "We need a place with limited escape routes but enough cover to make it seem like a real handoff. Here¡ªan abandoned shipping yard."

    Weird smirked. "Industrial, lots of metal containers for cover, and easy to set up blind spots. I like it."

    Samui nodded. "We¡¯ll stage the bait stone inside a secure case, make it look real. When Wise moves in, we¡¯ll be ready."

    Senshi crossed his arms. "We need an extraction plan. Wise is smart. If they suspect anything, they¡¯ll bail fast."

    Shining added, "I can rig some perimeter defenses. Not enough to scare them off, but enough to funnel them where we want."

    Brave looked around the room. "Good. We set the trap on our terms. Everyone, get to work. We have one shot at this."

    Hours later, SOF lay in wait at the shipping yard, their positions secured, eyes scanning for any sign of Wise. The bait stone sat in a reinforced case, placed strategically to lure the enemy in. Minutes passed. Then an hour. Then another. The air grew thick with stillness, a weight pressing down on each of them. No wind. No distant hum of the city. Just the eerie, unnatural quiet that made the hair on the back of their necks stand on end. Khem¡¯s thoughts felt sluggish, as if trapped in molasses. He had counted the seconds at first, tracked the lack of movement, but at some point, time lost its meaning. The rhythm of his breath stayed the same. His stance hadn¡¯t shifted an inch. Senshi¡¯s eyes twitched toward a nearby crate. Hadn¡¯t he already checked that angle? Why did it feel like he was repeating the same action without remembering when he started? His fingers curled involuntarily, his heartbeat the only measure of time he had left. Weird¡¯s expression flickered between confusion and irritation. "Guys, does this feel...off to anyone else?" His voice came out strained, like it took effort to speak against an invisible resistance. Shining opened his mouth to respond, but no words came. He blinked. He had already been about to say this, hadn¡¯t he? He couldn¡¯t remember what came before or after this moment. The thought looped, repeating itself over and over.

    No one moved. No one spoke.

    It took time for the realization to sink in¡ªsomething was wrong. Khem blinked, his hand twitching slightly, but he hadn''t moved in what felt like hours. Weird¡¯s fingers hovered mid-gesture, as if caught in an unfinished motion. Samui gritted her teeth. "This isn''t right. We should''ve seen something by now." Her hands flexed, instinctively reaching for her device, but she hesitated. Hadn¡¯t she already tried that? No, that didn¡¯t make sense. Why would she hesitate? It was as if her mind was being rewritten in real time, her instincts dulled, trapped in a repeating beat she couldn¡¯t break. The sensation deepened, dragging them further into the repeating rhythm. A dull ache spread through their muscles, as if they''d been standing for hours yet unable to feel the passage of time. The edges of their vision blurred momentarily, giving way to a dizzying sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu, like waking up from a half-remembered dream. Their breaths remained steady, but a creeping exhaustion tugged at their limbs, their minds clouded with the uneasy feeling that they''d done all this before¡ªagain and again. Every action looped endlessly, trapping them in a cycle they couldn¡¯t escape.

    But Khem was different. The moment he recognized the sequence, he activated his ability¡ªstasis. His body locked in place, completely unmoving, even as the loop attempted to pull him in. Unlike the others, his consciousness remained intact, untouched by the cycling pattern. Time churned around him, but Khem remained still, anchoring himself outside of the loop. He waited, calculating. Then, at the right moment, he released stasis. The sequence cracked. Reality snapped back into place¡ªfor Khem alone. The shift was disorienting, like stepping out of a dream while everyone else remained asleep. The air around him felt heavy, thick with unseen force, as if time still held its grip on the others. The silence was deafening¡ªno movement, no reaction, just a frozen moment stretching endlessly, except for him. The others remained frozen, unaware of the struggle happening beyond their perception.

    The others remained frozen, still trapped within the loop. Khem¡¯s eyes locked onto the man¡ªalready near the bait stone, fingers brushing against the case.

    The man¡¯s smirk widened slightly. "Interesting." He¡ªalready near the bait stone, fingers brushing against the case.. Not hurried, not cautious. Just casual. Unbothered. The man stood there, unfazed, his smirk unwavering, as if he had already won. "Funny thing about waiting," he mused, "it¡¯s just another sequence. Start, action, finish. Only this time, I never gave them the ¡®finish.¡¯"

    Khem¡¯s breath steadied as the realization set in. The others were still trapped, locked in a time that refused to move forward. Whatever force held them in place, it wasn¡¯t breaking on its own.

    He tilted his head slightly, amusement flickering in his eyes. "Ah, where are my manners? People call me Three. Not the most creative name, I admit, but it suits me well enough."

    Khem''s body tensed, and in an instant, he moved¡ªhis focus locked onto the case. He closed the distance in a fluid motion, his fingers tightening around the handle before he even processed the weight of it. But as he gripped the case, he didn¡¯t loosen his stance. His muscles remained coiled, his eyes locked onto Three. This was too easy.

    Three had let him take it¡ªwithout resistance, without concern. That alone was enough to keep Khem on edge. Three, however, merely smirked, still unbothered. He tilted his head slightly, watching Khem with casual amusement. "Oh? You actually got it. How unexpected."

    Khem didn¡¯t respond. Instead, he shifted his grip on the case, running his fingers over its edges, searching for anything unusual. The weight felt right, the structure intact¡ªbut something gnawed at the back of his mind. Without taking his eyes off Three, he popped the case open just enough to glimpse inside. The meteorite stone lay nestled within, shimmering faintly under the dim light. Relief flickered across Khem¡¯s face for the briefest moment¡ªconfirmation that they hadn¡¯t been completely outplayed. His breath remained steady, but his grip on the case tightened slightly, reassured yet wary of Three¡¯s reaction. Three¡¯s smirk remained, unreadable, as if he was merely entertained by Khem¡¯s reaction, not concerned in the slightest.

    "Now that," Three mused, "is a curious outcome. But tell me, Khem, do you really feel accomplished right now?"

    Khem¡¯s breath steadied as the realization set in. The others were still trapped, locked in a time that refused to move forward. Whatever force held them in place, it wasn¡¯t breaking on its own. His grip on the case tightened, his knuckles whitening as a sharp current of frustration burned beneath his calm exterior. If Three had done this, then he could undo it. And Khem wasn¡¯t going to wait for him to decide when. And if Khem had learned anything, it was that people like Three thrived on control. He had to take that away. Khem didn¡¯t speak. Instead, he moved¡ªdecisive, precise. His eyes locked onto Three, calculating. Then, without hesitation, he acted.

    Three¡¯s smirk didn¡¯t fade, but there was a flicker of something behind his eyes¡ªcuriosity, perhaps.

    Khem shifted, not toward Three, but toward the still-frozen SOF. He wasn¡¯t sure if this would work, but instinct drove him forward. If Three was controlling the sequence, then the only way to disrupt it was to make a move beyond his expectations. A gamble, but one he had to take. He lifted the case and threw it¡ªstraight at Samui.

    Three¡¯s expression shifted just slightly. A fraction of a second. But Khem caught it. The loop cracked. Reality rippled, as if reacting to an order it hadn¡¯t been given. Samui¡¯s fingers twitched. Shining¡¯s stance wavered.

    Three exhaled, a slow grin spreading across his face. "Huh. Clever. Not many people catch me off guard." With a flick of his fingers, the unseen force shattered completely.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    SOF snapped back into motion.

    Senshi reacted first. His instincts took over, his body already moving before thought could catch up. With a sharp inhale, he surged forward, fists clenched, aiming to subdue Three before he could escape.

    Weird was right behind him, shifting his stance to block any possible retreat, while Samui¡¯s fingers flicked across her device, deploying a containment barrier around the area.

    Shining stayed on the perimeter, eyes scanning for any sign of Three¡¯s next move.

    But Three didn¡¯t run. Instead, he let out a soft chuckle, his posture still relaxed, watching them descend on him like a pack of wolves. "Interesting," he murmured.

    As Senshi¡¯s fist swung forward, reality twisted. In the blink of an eye, Three wasn¡¯t where he had been.

    Senshi¡¯s strike hit only empty air.

    Before anyone could react, Three had already repositioned himself¡ªeffortlessly, as if he had always been standing in his new spot. "Too slow," he mused, tilting his head slightly, as if this was all a game. Then, without warning, Senshi¡¯s stance faltered¡ªjust slightly. A motion he had already committed to was subtly altered, as if his own momentum betrayed him. Not by choice. His body twisted slightly off course, his foot landing just a fraction too far left, throwing his balance off. It wasn¡¯t forced, just¡­ rearranged. His fist, already set to strike, loosened just enough before tightening again¡ªa minute change, but enough to disrupt his intent.

    Weird''s smirk remained, but his gaze sharpened as he watched the others struggle. Unlike them, his body remained untouched, free from the unseen force twisting their actions. Samui¡¯s hands hovered just above her device, frozen mid-command, her mind aware but unable to send the signal to her fingers.

    Three¡¯s smirk deepened. "Start, action, finish," he murmured, deliberately avoiding Weird¡¯s gaze. "You all keep playing, but I hold the script."

    Senshi gritted his teeth, realizing too late¡ªhe was still in control, but the sequence had shifted, guiding him down a path he hadn¡¯t meant to take. His arm lifted against his will¡ªhis own fist driving toward Shining.

    Shining barely ducked in time, eyes widening as the realization sank in. "He''s controlling our movements!"

    Khem didn¡¯t hesitate. He lunged, aiming to disrupt Three before he could manipulate anyone further. He moved with precision¡ªsilent, focused, his steps deliberate.

    Weird saw the opening instantly. Without a word, he adjusted, shifting to cut off Three¡¯s potential escape route. His movements were unpredictable, ensuring Three couldn¡¯t easily calculate the next sequence.

    Three¡¯s smirk didn¡¯t fade, but his eyes flicked between them. "Ah, interesting. You think you can pin me down?"

    Khem struck first, his motion crisp and controlled. At the same time, Weird closed in from the side, ready to counter any evasion.

    For the first time, Three took a step back. Then he smiled. "Alright," he mused, "let¡¯s make this interesting."

    Without warning, the space around them seemed to ripple¡ªnot physically, but in the way their movements unfolded. Senshi, still recovering from his previous stumble, suddenly found himself lunging again, an action he hadn¡¯t yet committed to. Samui¡¯s fingers brushed her device, but instead of activating it, she hesitated¡ªher previous attempt happening once more, like a moment repeating itself out of sync.

    Shining barely managed to shift position before his body betrayed him, stepping exactly where he had been just seconds ago. Each action was their own, but the sequence had been scrambled, distorted.

    "Start, action, finish," Three murmured, his eyes gleaming. "I wonder, how many of you can keep up when all your instincts fight against you?"

    Khem didn¡¯t hesitate. He activated stasis immediately, locking himself in place. The distortions of movement rippled around him, but he remained untouched, standing as a still point in the chaos.

    Weird, watching the pattern unfold, narrowed his eyes. Three was careful not to manipulate him directly¡ªbut that meant he could see what was happening. "He''s not changing what we do," Weird muttered under his breath. "He''s shifting when we do it."

    Khem¡¯s stillness allowed him to observe more clearly. He saw Senshi¡¯s second lunge before it began, Samui¡¯s fingers twitching before repeating their misstep. It wasn¡¯t random.

    Weird¡¯s smirk returned. "I can read it. We can work around it."

    Khem gave him a small nod. He didn¡¯t need to say anything¡ªhe simply waited for Weird¡¯s cue.

    Three¡¯s smirk twitched. "Clever," he admitted, tilting his head slightly. "But not clever enough." He sped up the sequences.

    Senshi¡¯s misstep happened before it should have, his balance stolen mid-motion. Shining turned to adjust, only to find himself reacting to a movement he hadn¡¯t even completed yet. Samui¡¯s fingers skipped forward, pressing a command she hadn¡¯t even intended to make yet.

    Weird gritted his teeth. "Damn it¡ªhe¡¯s pushing the shifts faster." Despite the chaos, he refused to let the pattern slip from his grasp. His mind worked rapidly, analyzing each staggered move, each stolen second. He saw the rhythm. "Samui, delay half a second¡ªShining, shift weight left! Senshi, don¡¯t finish that punch!" His words cut through the distortion.

    Bit by bit, SOF¡¯s movements started adjusting. They weren¡¯t fully free, but now, they weren¡¯t completely helpless.

    Khem waited, still locked in stasis, observing the shifting patterns of movement. He didn¡¯t need to guess¡ªhe needed only to see the exact moment where the cycle faltered. There. Three¡¯s adjustments had made the sequences faster, but also less stable. A fraction of a second exposed a weakness¡ªan opening. Khem broke his stasis in an instant, surging forward. His movement wasn¡¯t altered, wasn¡¯t delayed¡ªhe had never committed to an action in the first place, making him the only one truly unpredictable.

    Three¡¯s smirk faded for the first time.

    Khem¡¯s hand clamped down on his wrist¡ªand immediately applied stasis. Three¡¯s body tensed the moment Khem¡¯s grip locked in place. The effect was immediate. His entire form froze, muscles locking as if reality itself had stopped around him. Not a breath, not a twitch¡ªhe was completely motionless, caught in absolute stasis. The shift in control was absolute¡ªhis sequences collapsed, his influence severed. There was no time to manipulate, no chance to reset. The moment Khem had him, it was already over.

    Three was trapped, his power rendered useless the instant stasis took hold. His entire form froze, muscles locking as if reality itself had stopped around him. There was no breath, no twitch, no flicker of movement¡ªonly absolute stillness. SOF wasted no time.

    Senshi moved first, stepping forward cautiously. "He¡¯s locked down," he muttered, watching for any sign of struggle. There was none. "We restrain him now."

    Samui had already pulled out reinforced cuffs, designed to suppress abilities. Shining kept a watchful eye on the perimeter, ensuring no unexpected reinforcements arrived. Weird, still wary, observed the scene with crossed arms. "Feels too easy."

    Yet Three remained unmoving. His expression frozen in something eerily close to amusement. Not fear. Not frustration. Just quiet recognition.

    As Samui reached forward¡ª Three vanished. A distortion flickered in the air where he had been, like a ripple through space. No warning, no activation of his own power. He had been teleported. Silence fell over the group, the weight of the moment pressing down on them. The distant hum of the city felt muted, swallowed by the gravity of what had just happened. The air, still charged with residual tension, seemed thicker¡ªlike the space where Three had stood hadn¡¯t quite settled back into place. A cold breeze whispered through the yard, but none of them moved, as if expecting something¡ªanything¡ªto fill the void he had left.

    Samui cursed, dropping the cuffs. "What the hell just happened?"

    Senshi''s jaw tightened. "Someone pulled him out."

    Khem remained quiet, his hand still outstretched where Three had been. Even under absolute stasis, he had been taken. That meant¡ª

    "We weren¡¯t the only ones watching," Weird muttered, his voice low.Senshi immediately stepped forward, scanning the ground where Three had stood. "No trace," he muttered. "No distortion, no energy shift. Whoever pulled him out did it cleanly."

    Samui¡¯s hands moved over her device, running a quick scan of the area. "No residual signatures¡ªnothing. Like he was never here."

    Weird exhaled, crossing his arms. "That¡¯s not normal. Someone planned for this."

    Shining frowned. "Which means this wasn¡¯t just Wise at play. We¡¯ve got another problem on our hands."

    Khem remained silent, his gaze still fixed on the empty space where Three had been. His mind replayed the encounter¡ªevery detail, every shift. Three hadn¡¯t resisted. He hadn¡¯t fought. He had expected to be taken.

    "We report back," Senshi decided, his voice firm. "Commander Brave needs to know this isn¡¯t over."

    The team nodded, tension still lingering in the air as they prepared to move out. But just as they turned, Khem didn¡¯t follow. Instead, he stopped. Something gnawed at him, an unshaken feeling he couldn¡¯t ignore. His fingers tightened around the case still clutched in his grip. Without a word, he flipped it open. The meteorite stone lay inside, exactly where it should be. Yet something felt wrong. His gaze sharpened. His mind, always quiet and methodical, ran through the details. The weight was the same. The glow was consistent. But something was off. He reached out, brushing his fingers lightly over the stone. A fraction of a second passed. Then he knew. It was fake. His grip on the case tightened, his fingers pressing into the surface as he ran his thumb over the stone¡¯s edge. The weight was wrong¡ªjust slightly. Not enough for the untrained eye to notice, but for someone who had studied the real thing, handled it before, the difference was undeniable. A fraction too light, the balance just a little off. Then there was the texture. Meteorite stones always had a certain resistance to touch, a faint, almost imperceptible vibration that pulsed beneath the surface. This one was smooth, too still. His breath remained steady, but a sharp cold spread through his chest¡ªan understanding that they had been deceived. The realization settled deep, unshakable. This wasn¡¯t just a miscalculation. It was intentional. His grip on the case tightened, a rare flicker of tension in his normally steady demeanor. His breath remained even, but a sharp cold spread through his chest¡ªan understanding that they had been deceived. The realization settled deep, unshakable. This wasn¡¯t just a miscalculation. It was intentional.

    Khem didn¡¯t speak. Instead, he turned the case toward Samui. She caught the unspoken message immediately, her fingers moving over her device as she scanned the stone. A faint beep. A readout flickered across the screen. "It¡¯s a near-perfect match," she muttered. "Material composition is close, but not exact. Whoever made this knew exactly what they were doing."

    Senshi exhaled sharply. "Wise. It had to be them."

    Weird frowned, his expression darkening. "Or someone else got there first."

    Shining folded his arms. "Either way, the real stone is gone. Which means we need to figure out when the switch happened."

    Khem¡¯s gaze remained on the fake. His mind worked methodically, backtracking every step. The mission. The loop. Three. Had it been before they arrived? During the battle? Or¡­ had the swap already happened before they even walked into Wise¡¯s trap? Khem¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. Something had been off from the beginning, but they had been too focused on the mission to notice. He replayed the events¡ªevery step, every moment¡ªbut the timeline refused to align. Somewhere, the real stone had been taken. The question was: when?

    "Brave needs to know," Senshi muttered. "If Wise pulled the switch, it means they were ahead of us before we even started. That¡¯s not just a loss. That¡¯s a breach."

    Samui worked rapidly, her device running deeper scans, tracing energy signatures. She frowned. "No signs of forced interference, which means the swap wasn¡¯t sloppy. It was clean, premeditated."

    Weird¡¯s expression darkened. "Then that means Wise wasn¡¯t reacting to our trap. They were leading us into it."

    A heavy silence fell over the group.

    Senshi exhaled, steadying himself. "Brave needs to hear this now. We don¡¯t make another move until we figure out how deep this goes."

    Samui nodded, already transmitting a secure report back to Blackout Fortress. "I¡¯ll encrypt it¡ªneed to make sure no one outside of command intercepts."

    Shining glanced between them before finally speaking. "Then let¡¯s move. We can¡¯t stay here any longer."

    Khem closed the case, his grip firm. His mind was still working through the pieces, but one thing was certain: they had been deceived long before they stepped into the trap. And if Wise had done this cleanly, it meant their next move was already in motion.

    Without another word, SOF left the shipping yard, making their way back to Blackout Fortress. The return was quiet. No one spoke, but the weight of the mission hung over them, unshaken. Khem remained deep in thought, replaying each moment, each possible point where the real stone could have been switched. The answer was there¡ªburied somewhere in the sequence. The moment they stepped into the debriefing room, Brave was waiting. His expression was unreadable, but his sharp eyes scanned over them like he already knew something had gone wrong. "Sit. Talk. Now."

    Samui placed the case on the table, opening it without a word. The fake stone gleamed under the dim lights. Brave''s eyes narrowed as he reached forward, his fingers brushing over the surface before pulling away. "This isn¡¯t it."

    "No," Khem said. "It¡¯s not."

    Brave exhaled through his nose, the tension in the room thickening. "Which means the real one is gone. Stolen. And we don¡¯t know when."

    Senshi¡¯s jaw clenched. "We walked straight into their setup. Wise had us outplayed before we even made a move."

    Brave looked at each of them in turn, his expression darkening. "Then it¡¯s worse than I thought. Because that means we were compromised before this mission even started."

    Silence filled the room. The implications of those words settled deep. This wasn¡¯t just a failed mission. This was something bigger.

    "We¡¯re changing tactics," Brave finally said. "Effective immediately. This won¡¯t happen again. We find out how deep this goes¡ªand we hit back. Hard."

    The meeting ended without another word. Khem lingered a moment longer, eyes still fixed on the fake stone. Something still didn¡¯t add up. "We¡¯re not alone."

    Khem turned his head slightly, his gaze following Shining¡¯s. The weight of unseen eyes pressed against them¡ªsubtle, but undeniable. Someone was watching. Someone who knew exactly what they were looking for.

 Chapter 9 - Unseen Hands

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 Chapter 10 - Crash of Worlds

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 Chapter 11 - The Counterattack

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 Chapter 12 - Unraveling Reality

    One¡¯s decayed remains crumbled into dust, the last traces of his existence erased by his own arrogance. The battlefield was eerily silent for a moment¡ªuntil Yornyang shifted, the unnatural glow of his inversion ability still flickering across his skin.

    He turned his gaze toward SOF, a smirk pulling at his lips.

    ¡°That was¡­ unexpected.¡± His voice was smooth, but there was a sharp amusement behind it. He flexed his fingers, testing the raw energy coursing through his body. ¡°I should thank him. That little ¡®erasure¡¯ stunt made me stronger.¡±

    The ground beneath him trembled slightly as the inverted energy around him pulsed. His eyes gleamed with dangerous curiosity. ¡°But now that he¡¯s gone, I suppose it¡¯s time to entertain myself.¡±

    Brave¡¯s voice was steady as he stepped forward. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this.¡±

    Yornyang chuckled. ¡°Oh, but I do. I need to test something¡­ and you¡¯re all the perfect guinea pigs.¡±

    Without warning, he raised a hand¡ªand the world flipped. The moment Yornyang¡¯s fingers twitched, everything reversed. The air thickened unnaturally. The battlefield itself seemed to warp¡ªflames that had been dying suddenly roared back to life, broken structures reformed as if time had undone the destruction. But it wasn¡¯t time manipulation. It was Yornyang¡¯s ability twisting the laws of reality.

    Senshi barely had a second to react before he felt his own fire turn against him¡ªthe flames coiling unnaturally, spiraling back toward his own body. He leaped away, gritting his teeth. ¡°Damn it, my own heat¡ª!¡±

    Shining, mid-step, suddenly stumbled backward instead of forward, his movement inexplicably rewound. ¡°What¡ªwhat the hell!?¡± His voice crackled with confusion as he tried to force his limbs to obey.

    Samui¡¯s scanners went haywire, numbers flashing erratically. ¡°He¡¯s not just reversing things¡ªhe¡¯s inverting cause and effect.¡±

    Yornyang smirked, his form flickering in and out of reality. ¡°Let¡¯s see if you can fight when your own actions betray you.¡±

    Weird cracked his neck, shaking off the bizarre pull of Yornyang¡¯s inversion. The battlefield was distorting, twisting reality in ways that didn¡¯t make sense¡ªbut Weird wasn¡¯t the kind of guy to worry about logic. He grinned. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see if my power still makes sense in your freak show.¡±

    Yornyang tilted his head, intrigued. ¡°Ah, Reflex. I was wondering how you¡¯d handle this.¡±

    Without warning, Weird rushed in.

    His movements were erratic, unpredictable. He wasn¡¯t just attacking¡ªhe was baiting Yornyang into inverting his ability. If Yornyang could flip effects, what happened when an ability that reflects everything back collided with it? Their abilities clashed.

    Yornyang reversed Weird¡¯s momentum mid-charge, sending him flying backward¡ªbut just as quickly, Reflex activated.

    The reversal reversed itself.

    Weird snapped back into position, his body correcting instantly as if reality had rewound incorrectly. He didn¡¯t even stumble. Instead, he let out a low whistle. ¡°Huh. That¡¯s new.¡±

    Yornyang narrowed his eyes. ¡°Fascinating.¡±

    Weird smirked. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m a walking paradox.¡±

    Yornyang didn¡¯t hesitate this time. He thrust his hand forward, unleashing a wave of inverted force¡ªbut as the energy surged toward Weird, his ability flipped it back the other way. The battlefield shook as Yornyang was hit with his own inversion. For a moment, his form flickered, unstable¡ªhis own power rejecting him. His body staggered back, the effect disrupting his control over the battlefield.

    Samui¡¯s scanners instantly recalibrated. ¡°He lost stability! If we press now, we can break his influence!¡±

    Yornyang staggered, his flickering form slowly stabilizing. The chaotic inversion feedback was still visible across his skin, but he gritted his teeth and forced himself back into balance. He took a slow breath, exhaling shakily. He wasn¡¯t invincible anymore. His sharp gaze flickered back toward Weird, his smirk returning¡ªthough now tinged with exhaustion. ¡°You¡¯re troublesome,¡± he admitted, rolling his shoulders. ¡°But your friends? Not so much.¡±

    Then, he raised his hands. Before anyone could react, a wave of energy rippled outward. Unlike before, it didn¡¯t warp the environment¡ªit didn¡¯t invert space. It inverted life itself¡ªexactly like what had happened to One before his demise. The moment the pulse hit, everyone except Weird felt their bodies lurch unnaturally.

    Samui¡¯s breath hitched as her skin paled, wrinkles forming across her face in an instant. Her fingers trembled as she felt her muscles weaken¡ªher body aging unnaturally fast.

    Senshi collapsed to one knee, his hands shaking. ¡°What¡­ the hell¡­?¡± His normally fiery aura dimmed, his breath ragged.

    Brave clutched his chest, his vision blurring. His hair turned gray in seconds. His voice cracked, but he still forced himself to stay standing.

    Even Shining, who had barely been touched all fight, let out a choked gasp as his limbs lost their strength.

    Yornyang was reversing their life spans. He smirked as he watched them wither before his eyes. ¡°If you won¡¯t die fighting me, then I¡¯ll just make sure time takes you first.¡±

    Khem, standing still amidst the chaos, clenched his fists. Without hesitation, he activated his stasis ability, locking himself in time. The decay effect rippled over him but left no mark¡ªhe was untouchable in this frozen state.

    Weird¡¯s breath hitched as he saw his team¡ªhis friends¡ªfalling apart in front of him. His usual cocky demeanor cracked, replaced by sheer panic.

    "No¡ªno, no, no!" he muttered under his breath before launching himself at Yornyang, fists clenched, eyes blazing with desperation. "I¡¯m taking you down myself!"

    Weird charged recklessly, swinging hard at Yornyang, but Yornyang twisted effortlessly, evading each strike with precise, minimal movement. "Fast," he remarked, sidestepping another wild punch. "But not enough."

    Weird gritted his teeth, frustration bubbling inside him. Every attempt he made to land a hit was brushed aside like an afterthought. Yornyang moved like he had already seen the outcome, effortlessly weaving through Weird¡¯s attacks.

    Then, through the crackling air, a voice rang out.

    "YORNYANG¡ªBREAK."

    Brave¡¯s command cut through the battlefield, layered with raw force. Even while his body continued to decay, his presence remained unshaken. His voice hit Yornyang like a shockwave, forcing him to pause mid-dodge, throwing his balance slightly off.

    "FALTER."

    Yornyang stumbled. His fluid, untouchable movements wavered just slightly, just enough.

    "DISRUPT."

    A brief flicker of energy surrounded Yornyang¡ªhis own ability momentarily misaligned, thrown off course.

    Brave, despite the pain wracking his body, stood firm. His eyes burned with sheer willpower. "NOW, WEIRD! TAKE HIM!"

    Weird, summoning every ounce of his strength, lunged forward once more. But Yornyang, though slightly off balance, still dodged at the last second, a mocking grin tugging at his lips. "You''re persistent, I''ll give you that. But it''s still not enough."

    Weird smirked back, breath ragged. "Looks like you''re too focused on me and Brave... and you forgot someone."

    Yornyang''s eyes widened in realization, but it was already too late. Khem, still locked in his stasis behind Yornyang, released himself in an instant. With no time to react, Yornyang barely had a chance to turn before Khem rushed forward and placed a hand directly on his back.

    Yornyang''s entire body froze in place. His mocking smirk turned to stunned disbelief as the stasis took hold. His power, his movements, everything locked in time.

    And just like that, it was over. The battlefield trembled as Yornyang''s control shattered. The unnatural aging reversed, the decay peeled away from Brave and the others. Everything Yornyang had twisted was undone in an instant.

    Weird exhaled heavily, his body shaking with both exhaustion and relief. His eyes darted around the battlefield, watching as the others slowly recovered. Though they were back to their normal selves, the reversal had taken a toll¡ªeveryone looked drained, barely able to stand. Even Senshi and Brave, the strongest among them, struggled to keep their footing.

    A weak chuckle escaped Brave as he steadied himself. "Damn... that was too close."

    Samui adjusted her scanner, her hands still trembling. "We really would have been doomed without you two," she admitted, nodding at both Weird and Khem.

    Shining wiped the sweat from his forehead, offering a tired grin. "No kidding. That was some insane teamwork."

    Senshi grunted, flexing his fingers as if testing his strength. "Give me a minute... then I''ll start moving again."

    Weird, for once, didn''t have a witty remark. Instead, he just let out a relieved breath and grinned. "Yeah, yeah... just glad we all made it out in one piece."

    Brave took a deep breath and steadied himself, his gaze hardening. "We''re not done yet," he said firmly. "We need to find out where Wise''s machine is."

    Samui let out a tired sigh, adjusting her scanner. "Just when I thought we''d get a break. But you''re right. We can''t let Wise keep that kind of power unchecked."

    Senshi, still catching his breath, smirked despite his exhaustion. "Tch¡­ As much as I hate to admit it, we need to move. I don''t plan on letting Wise run unchecked after all this."

    Shining rolled his shoulders, trying to shake off the fatigue. "We need intel. Fast. Wise always has a plan, and we need to be ahead of him for once."

    Weird stretched his arms, forcing a grin. "Man, can we get like¡­ five minutes? No? Alright, fine. Let''s find this thing before it finds us."

    Brave, still regaining his strength, steadied himself and looked toward Yornyang''s frozen form. "We can¡¯t let him go. Capture him. His reign of terror ends here."

    Khem, ever composed, simply nodded. He glanced at Brave, acknowledging his order with a firm look. "Understood. We have no time to waste. Let''s get moving."

    A few hours later, the team gathered in a makeshift command center, each focused on tracking down the location of Wise''s machine. Samui poured over data streams, cross-referencing energy signatures, while Shining mapped potential hideouts. Senshi, despite his exhaustion, reviewed battle reports for any overlooked clues. Weird, now a bit more serious, assisted where he could, and Brave kept a sharp eye on their progress, his mind already formulating the next step in their mission.

    As they worked, theories began to form about the true purpose of Wise''s machine.

    Samui adjusted her scanner, deep in thought. "If Wise is using meteorite stones, the machine could be amplifying their energy output. Maybe even creating new abilities."

    Shining frowned, tapping the table. "Or worse¡ªwhat if it''s meant to extract abilities from others? If Wise could forcibly take powers, he¡¯d be unstoppable."

    Senshi, still tired but determined, grunted. "If it¡¯s something that dangerous, we can''t afford to let him activate it."

    Weird smirked, though there was little humor in it. "Knowing Wise, it¡¯s probably something even worse. Something none of us have even thought of yet."

    Brave crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. "Then we find it before he does. Before he uses it."

    A long while later, as the team continued their search, Samui''s scanner suddenly pinged. She leaned in, adjusting the settings as an enormous energy signature appeared on her screen. It was almost unnoticeable, hidden beneath layers of interference, but its sheer mass made it impossible to fully conceal.

    Samui''s eyes widened. "I think we found it." She glanced at the others. "This energy signature¡ªit''s coming from a meteorite stone. And it''s massive. Even Wise couldn''t hide something this big." She tapped a few buttons on her scanner, eyes narrowing. "It''s in an isolated location. Almost like it''s been deliberately placed somewhere no one would think to look."

    Senshi''s eyes widened slightly as realization dawned on him. "Wait a minute... that¡¯s where the meteor first crashed on Earth."

    Senshi exhaled sharply, rubbing his temple. "So that''s it... The core of whatever he''s planning. If that thing is active, we might already be out of time."

    Shining crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing. "With that much energy, there''s no way Wise isn''t using it for something catastrophic. We need to move fast."

    Weird gave a low whistle, shaking his head. "You know, for once, I was kinda hoping we were wrong. But of course, it''s exactly as bad as we feared."

    Brave''s expression darkened as he looked at the data. "Then we go. No hesitation. We take this thing down before it¡¯s too late."

    Samui adjusted her scanner again. "The meteor''s crash site... it''s where everything started. Maybe Wise knew something about it from the beginning."

    Shining nodded thoughtfully. "If Wise set up his machine there, it can''t be a coincidence. That place must have more significance than we thought."

    Senshi cracked his knuckles. "Then it''s the perfect place to end this. We take the fight back to where it all began."

    Samui frowned as she analyzed the data further. "The location is even more concealed than I thought. The meteor crash site is buried under layers of dense jungle, and whatever facility Wise has built there is likely hidden beneath it. That explains why it was almost undetectable."

    Shining nodded. "A jungle-covered impact site with underground structures? That makes it a nightmare to approach and an even bigger problem if we have to fight inside."

    Weird crossed his arms, sighing. "Great, so not only do we have to deal with Wise, but now we get to trek through a jungle first? Fantastic."

    Khem, who had been silent for most of the discussion, finally spoke. "It will be difficult terrain, but it also means Wise¡¯s defenses might be more natural than technological. That could work to our advantage."

    The group exchanged glances, slightly taken aback by Khem¡¯s words. Senshi smirked, "Hah, look at that¡ªKhem finally speaks. And of course, it¡¯s about tactics."

    Brave took a deep breath and turned to the group. "I¡¯ll stay back and gather reinforcements. We might need extra firepower if Wise has defenses in place. The rest of you move ahead and locate the machine."

    Samui nodded. "Understood. The sooner we get there, the better."

    Senshi smirked, cracking his knuckles. "Let¡¯s hope we don¡¯t need those reinforcements. But good to know they¡¯ll be ready."

    Weird shrugged. "Fine by me. Just make sure you don¡¯t take too long, Commander Brave. We¡¯re gonna need all the backup we can get.

    Several kilometers away from Wise''s base, the SOF team crouched on a high ridge, hidden by the dense jungle canopy. From their vantage point, they could see the outer perimeter of Wise¡¯s defenses, though much of the terrain remained obscured by the thick foliage. Each member scanned the area carefully, their senses heightened. Samui''s scanner beeped softly, catching her attention. She frowned, adjusting its settings.

    "I''m detecting an unusual energy signature," she murmured. "But I can''t pinpoint exactly what it is. It¡¯s shifting from being masked."

    Senshi narrowed his eyes, scanning the landscape. "We''re still far from the base, but considering Wise, there should be some kind of defense. This is unusual. We should stay on guard and keep moving."

    The team moved cautiously through the dense jungle, each member hyper-aware of their surroundings. Hours passed as they navigated the terrain, pressing forward with quiet determination. But something felt off. After a few more hours, a creeping sense of unease settled over them. Samui checked her scanner again, frowning. "Something isn''t right. We should have covered more ground by now."

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    Weird glanced around, his usual humor absent. "Feels like we''ve been walking in circles."

    Khem signaled for everyone to halt. "High ground. Now. We need to confirm our position."

    The team scaled a nearby ridge, using the vantage point to survey the area. As they looked out over the jungle, realization dawned on them¡ªthey had barely moved from their starting position.

    Senshi let out a frustrated exhale. "We''ve been walking for hours, but we haven''t made any real progress? This isn''t normal."

    Shining clenched his fists. "This has to be Wise''s doing. No way we''re just bad at directions."

    Weird shook his head, rubbing his temples. "So what, we''re in some kind of loop? Great. Just what we needed."

    Samui frowned. "If this is an illusion or a spatial disruption, we need to find its source. Otherwise, we could be stuck here indefinitely."

    Khem remained silent, his gaze scanning the jungle below as if looking for an answer. His eyes narrowed as he noticed something slightly out of place¡ªa patch of terrain that didn¡¯t quite match the rest of the jungle. He turned to Samui. "Scan that area. Something isn¡¯t right."

    Samui adjusted her scanner, focusing on the spot Khem pointed out. Her eyes widened as new readings appeared. "There¡¯s a stronger signature here¡­ some kind of device. It¡¯s faint, but it¡¯s definitely not natural."

    The team moved toward the location, cautiously searching the area. After a few moments of careful inspection, Samui reached out and uncovered a small, nearly invisible device hidden among the foliage.

    Her voice was firm. "This is an illusion emitter. Wise¡¯s defenses are already at play."

    Senshi narrowed his eyes at the device. "So this is why we¡¯ve been going in circles. He didn¡¯t just set traps¡ªhe altered the battlefield itself."

    Shining crossed his arms. "Classic Wise. Instead of overwhelming force, he makes you doubt reality itself."

    Weird let out an exasperated sigh. "Of course. The guy just has to play mind games. Can¡¯t just throw some drones at us like a normal villain."

    Samui studied the device closely. "If this is just one emitter, there might be more. Wise wouldn''t rely on just a single layer of deception. We need to disable these, or we¡¯ll keep running in circles."

    Khem nodded. "Then let¡¯s find the rest. But stay sharp¡ªif Wise set this up, there¡¯s no telling what else he has hidden here."

    Wasting no more time, SOF pressed forward, methodically destroying the illusion emitters as they advanced. The devices were well-hidden, but with Samui¡¯s scanner and Khem¡¯s sharp eye, they managed to track them down one by one. Each one they deactivated sent a ripple through the jungle, causing small distortions in the air, like reality correcting itself.

    Hours passed, and soon the sky darkened as evening settled in. Despite their continued progress, an unsettling feeling lingered among them. They had been walking for hours, yet something felt... wrong.

    Weird slowed his pace, looking around suspiciously. "Okay... I might be losing it, but does this place look familiar to anyone else?"

    Senshi¡¯s expression darkened as he glanced at the surrounding terrain. "Yeah. This clearing¡ªwe¡¯ve been here before."

    Shining cursed under his breath. "No. That¡¯s not possible. We¡¯ve been moving forward this whole time. We¡¯ve been destroying the devices. There¡¯s no way we¡¯re looping again."

    Samui¡¯s hands tightened around her scanner. "Then why does it feel like we¡¯re repeating the same actions? Even the way the emitters are set up¡ªit¡¯s identical to what we¡¯ve already done."

    Khem observed the ground beneath them, his mind racing. "It¡¯s not just the emitters. The trees, the terrain, even the placement of our footprints... it''s all the same."

    A heavy silence fell over them. They weren¡¯t just trapped in a loop. They were trapped in something worse. Determined to break free, the team immediately shifted focus. "We need to find the source of this," Samui stated, recalibrating her scanner. "If this is more than just the illusion emitters, then there has to be a central device controlling it."

    Senshi tightened his fists. "Then we search the area again. Carefully. No assumptions. If something feels off, we check it."

    Weird ran a hand through his hair, his usual carefree attitude absent. "Yeah, because walking in circles for another few hours sounds like a blast. Let¡¯s find this thing and smash it."

    Khem nodded, already scanning their surroundings with sharp eyes. "Look for anything that seems slightly out of place. If this loop is being controlled remotely, there must be a hidden core device keeping it active."

    As they continued combing through the jungle, an eerie sense of familiarity crept over each of them. Every tree, every rock, every destroyed emitter¡ªit all looked the same.

    Senshi clenched his fists. "No way. We¡¯ve done this already. We¡¯ve searched this exact spot before."

    Weird exhaled sharply. "I was hoping it was just me, but yeah¡­ I swear we¡¯ve checked this place like three times."

    Samui''s scanner flickered, her frustration evident. "It doesn''t make sense. I should have picked up the source by now, but if we really are repeating this over and over, something is blocking the signal."

    Shining crossed his arms, his voice tense. "If we¡¯re caught in something bigger than just illusion emitters, then Wise has set up something beyond our expectations."

    Khem remained quiet, his gaze locked on the jungle ahead. "Then we need to understand why we¡¯re noticing the repetition. That might be the key to breaking it."

    Senshi exhaled sharply, frustration building. "Enough of this. If we¡¯re caught in some kind of endless loop, then I¡¯m breaking through it."

    He clenched his fists, summoning flames around them. "RYU!" he shouted, invoking the spirit of his fire dragon. Flames coiled around his arms, intensifying with raw energy.

    With a fierce punch to the ground, a massive flaming shockwave erupted outward, tearing through the jungle with explosive force. The wave of fire surged in all directions, setting trees ablaze and sending embers scattering into the night sky.

    Samui, caught in the sudden blast, staggered back, shielding her face from the heat. "Senshi! Are you insane?! You can¡¯t just set the whole damn jungle on fire!" she scolded, her voice laced with irritation.

    Before she could continue, Khem and Shining interrupted her, both suddenly alert. Khem''s gaze locked onto a dense patch of bushes nearby. "Something''s there," he said in a low voice.

    Shining nodded, his stance shifting defensively. "It''s not just the fire¡ªsomething was already hiding before Senshi''s blast. And now it¡¯s moving."

    The figure bolted from the bushes, darting through the jungle with remarkable speed.

    Senshi, not willing to let it escape, quickly summoned another surge of flames. "You''re not getting away!" he roared, launching another flaming shockwave in the figure''s direction.

    The explosion ripped through the terrain, trees igniting in a brilliant inferno as the shockwave crashed forward. The force of the impact sent the fleeing figure tumbling, stopping them in their tracks.

    A loud exhale cut through the burning air, unnaturally sharp and heavy¡ªloud enough for the entire SOF to hear. A faint giggle followed, barely audible but unmistakable.

    The team instinctively tensed, weapons and abilities at the ready. Slowly, the figure rose to their feet and stepped forward, emerging from the shadows of the burning jungle.

    Khem''s expression hardened as recognition struck him. "...Three."

    Three tilted his head slightly, his smirk sharp and amused. "Ah, so you remember me. That makes things a little more interesting."

    Weird let out a sharp breath, his expression darkening. "Oh, hell no. Not you again."

    Khem remained unreadable, but his body tensed slightly. "So it¡¯s you."

    Weird stepped forward, eyes narrowing. "Yeah, I remember. You were the one screwing with time and sequences last time. Thought you were clever, huh?" He scoffed. "Guess what? I¡¯m not falling for that again."

    Three chuckled softly. "Oh, Reflex... it was never about making you fall for anything. It was about seeing how long it would take you to notice. And now, I get to do it all over again."

    Weird scoffed, still keeping his glare locked on Three. "Yeah, that¡¯s what he does. Makes you second-guess what¡¯s real until you don¡¯t know up from down. But this time, we¡¯re ready for him."

    Three let out a slow, deliberate breath before smirking again. "Start. Action. Finish."

    The moment the words left his mouth, reality shifted.

    Senshi felt his body lurch forward¡ªnot of his own will. His fist shot out in a punch, but just as it connected with the air, his motion reset¡ªhis arm snapping back to where it started. He tried again¡ªsame result. His movements locked in an endless cycle, forcing him to repeat the same attack over and over.

    "What the hell¡ª?!" Senshi growled, struggling against the invisible force controlling him.

    Shining blinked, but when his eyes reopened, he was no longer where he had been. He flickered between two positions, unable to tell which was real. His vision blurred¡ªone moment he was standing behind Khem, the next, several feet away. A second passed, and he was back to the original spot.

    "Damn it¡ªhe¡¯s messing with time itself!" Shining cursed, trying to stabilize his perception.

    Samui gasped as her scanner screen glitched, flashing unreadable data. "No, it¡¯s not time¡ªit¡¯s our actions. Everything we do is being rewritten the moment it happens!"

    Weird, watching Senshi¡¯s repeated attacks and Shining¡¯s flickering, gritted his teeth. He had seen this before.

    "Oh, no you don¡¯t," Weird muttered, immediately throwing a punch¡ªbut instead of aiming at Three, he threw it backward, at nothing.

    Three tilted his head slightly, intrigued. "Clever. Trying to disrupt the cycle by breaking the expected pattern?"

    Weird smirked. "Guess what, buddy? I don¡¯t play by your rules."

    Instead of fighting instinctively, Weird acted completely erratically¡ªtwisting his body in random directions, making exaggerated feints, even dropping to the ground for no reason. The moment he stopped following a pattern, the sequence failed to lock him.

    Khem, having observed the changes, remained absolutely still. He focused his ability and created a stasis bubble, freezing himself in time. The moment he did, the forced sequences tried to loop him¡ªbut they had nothing to grab onto.

    Samui, still struggling to regain control of her scanner, realized what was happening. "It¡¯s working! Weird is disrupting the expected actions! And Khem¡ªhe¡¯s neutralizing the effect by refusing to move!"

    Three¡¯s smirk never faded, but his fingers twitched slightly. "Oh? Then let¡¯s make this more interesting."

    He straightened his posture, brushing the dust from his cloak before spreading his arms slightly in mock presentation. "I suppose it¡¯s time for a proper introduction."

    His smirk deepened, his voice laced with amusement. "I am Three. Title: Steps. But tell me... are you sure that''s all I can do?"

    With a slow, deliberate motion, he reached up and pulled back the hood of his cloak. The firelight from Senshi¡¯s earlier attacks flickered against his now-exposed face¡ªand then they saw it.

    A third eye, embedded in the center of his forehead, slowly blinked open.

    A pulse of unseen force rippled outward the moment it was revealed, an eerie shift that sent a chill through the air.

    Three''s smirk widened. "You''re all so focused on what you''ve seen before¡ªthree-step sequences, simple loops. But what if I told you... I can do more?"

    The moment he finished speaking, the world shifted again.

    Senshi, still locked in his repeating attack, suddenly found his body moving through an entirely new set of motions¡ªpunch, dodge, pivot, strike. Four distinct actions, repeating in a flawless cycle.

    Shining gasped as his flickering locations expanded¡ªhe now cycled through four different positions instead of two, disorienting him further.

    Samui¡¯s scanner glitched wildly. "No¡ªhe¡¯s increased the number of sequences! We¡¯re not just caught in loops anymore, we¡¯re in pre-planned patterns!"

    Weird clenched his fists. "Great, as if three steps weren¡¯t annoying enough. Now he¡¯s setting up full combos."

    Khem¡¯s eyes narrowed as he analyzed the shift. "If he¡¯s increasing the pattern complexity, that means the key to breaking free is finding the moment where the sequence resets... and disrupting it."

    Three chuckled, tilting his head. "Ah, but that would require perfect coordination. And let¡¯s see if you can manage that while your actions are no longer your own."

    Senshi, now locked in the extended sequence, clenched his fists. He had already punched twice, and by the third strike, he unleashed a massive flaming shockwave toward Three¡ªonly to see it never reach its target.

    His body reset mid-motion, the attack vanishing into nothing as if it had never happened, yet his muscles still burned as if he had thrown it.

    "Damn it! I can''t¡ª!" Senshi gritted his teeth, forced to repeat the motion without the intended effect.

    Samui, trying to take control of the situation, raised her remote, ready to override Three''s manipulation with a command¡ªbut her finger never pressed the button.

    Her hand froze in place, trapped in an incomplete motion. "No¡­ I can¡¯t move forward! I can only¡­ hold this pose?!"

    Shining, attempting to fire a beam at Three, found himself in the exact same predicament. His body shifted through the steps of charging the blast, but when it should have fired, the moment never came. The beam remained unformed, and then his body reset back to the charge phase.

    Three laughed softly, his third eye glowing faintly. "Yes, that¡¯s right. You see, it¡¯s not just about making you repeat¡ªit''s about controlling which steps get to complete. And for you¡­? None of them."

    Weird and Khem watched as the situation deteriorated. Senshi, Samui, and Shining were completely trapped in Three¡¯s manipulated sequences, unable to break free. Khem knew that if he moved, he would risk getting caught as well, so he remained frozen in his stasis state.

    Weird exhaled sharply, his fists tightening. He could move, but his ability wasn¡¯t suited for offense. He wasn¡¯t like Senshi or Shining¡ªhe couldn¡¯t just overpower his way out of this.

    He glanced toward Khem, who remained frozen in his stasis. "You can see what''s happening, right? You have to have some idea. I can rebound abilities, but that¡¯s not gonna help much if I can¡¯t land a hit. What do I do here?"

    Three let out a mocking chuckle, tilting his head. "Look at you, Reflex. The unshakable wall. The untouchable defense. But what good is the best shield when you can''t strike back?"

    He gestured lazily at the battlefield, where Senshi, Shining, and Samui remained trapped in their incomplete sequences. "You can deflect anything, sure. But deflect what exactly? My ability isn''t something you can just bounce back."

    Weird narrowed his eyes, a flicker of realization hitting him. He was the only one who hadn¡¯t been affected yet. Even Khem had to lock himself in stasis to avoid the loop. That meant Three hadn¡¯t used his power on him. Yet.

    Weird exhaled sharply, rolling his shoulders. "You got it all wrong, Steps. You''re sitting there thinking I need to deflect something to be useful." He smirked, stepping forward. "But what if I don¡¯t need to bounce anything? What if I just need to make you use your power on me?"

    Three raised an eyebrow, amused. "Oh? And how do you plan to make me do that?"

    Weird grinned and suddenly grabbed a handful of rocks from the ground. "Easy. I''ll just be annoying."

    With that, he started hurling anything he could find at Three¡ªrocks, broken branches, even chunks of dirt. As he threw, he chuckled to himself. "Man, I used to be the best thrower back in the orphanage. You wouldn''t believe how many times I nailed someone in the head from across the yard."

    At first, Three merely flicked his hand, keeping the projectiles locked in a controlled sequence so they never reached him. But Weird was relentless¡ªhis throws increased in speed and number, each one thrown at a different angle, disrupting the predictable flow.

    Three''s smirk faltered slightly as he started having to react manually, dodging some of the objects instead of controlling them. The sheer volume was overwhelming his ability to maintain a perfect sequence.

    As his focus wavered, SOF began slipping out of the loops for split seconds at a time.

    Khem noticed the shift immediately. His sharp eyes tracked Three¡¯s subtle reactions, recognizing the opening that Weird was forcing. Without hesitation, he rushed forward, moving at full speed toward Three.

    The moment Three¡¯s gaze flicked toward him, Khem abruptly froze himself in stasis.

    Three¡¯s eyes twitched as he tried to lock Khem into a sequence, only to realize there was nothing to manipulate. Khem, existing outside of time in that moment, became untouchable to Three¡¯s power.

    This process repeated. Weird tirelessly increased the number of projectiles, forcing Three to hold back an overwhelming barrage while also keeping SOF trapped in his sequences. At the same time, Khem continued his strategy¡ªrushing forward, drawing Three''s attention, and locking himself in stasis the moment Three tried to target him.

    With every cycle, Three was forced to divide his focus further, his control slipping moment by moment. His third eye flickered, his steps growing less calculated as he started to slowly step back, pressured by the relentless assault.

    At that moment, Senshi finally completed his shockwave. The flaming energy surged outward, ripping through the air with explosive force.

    At the same time, Shining''s beam blasted forward, cutting through the battlefield like a streak of pure light.

    Three''s expression shifted as he was forced to redirect his focus entirely¡ªnot only did he have to block the relentless barrage from Weird, but now he also had to stop Senshi¡¯s shockwave and Shining¡¯s beam simultaneously.

    His third eye pulsed, and his hands moved in quick, precise gestures, trying to halt both incoming attacks while still holding his sequences together.

    For the first time, he was visibly struggling.

    Three''s mind raced. If he tried to escape, Khem would immediately rush in and freeze him again. But if he stayed, he would be overwhelmed and eventually get frozen anyway.

    His third eye flickered, rapidly scanning the battlefield, calculating every possible outcome. Trapped between two losing options.

    Three let out a low chuckle, shaking his head as he observed Khem. His gaze followed the perfectly timed sequence Khem had been executing¡ªrun, stasis, run, stasis. It was so simple, yet impossible to disrupt.

    His lips curled into an amused smile. "Such a simple but beautiful sequence..." he murmured, almost in admiration, as he watched Khem¡¯s unwavering rhythm in real time.

    ''Tch¡­ Checkmate, huh?'' he thought, gritting his teeth, watching as Khem steadily closed in, faster than he could move backward.

    Then¡ªthe touch.

    Everything stopped. No¡ªeverything moved all at once.

    The sequence completed, reality catching up in an instant. Senshi¡¯s shockwave erupted, Shining¡¯s beam fired, and every projectile Weird had launched surged forward at once.

    Three¡¯s body froze, locked in time. His smirk barely had time to fade before his movements became utterly still, his ability severed in a single, decisive moment.

    Khem remained locked in stasis as well, ensuring he avoided the chaotic aftermath. Without his stasis, he would have been hit by the sheer force of Weird¡¯s relentless barrage, along with Senshi¡¯s shockwave and Shining¡¯s beam, all now surging toward his position at once.

    Weird, watching the spectacle unfold, exhaled before flashing a mocking grin. "Whoops. My bad. Didn¡¯t think that would all hit at once. Hope it didn¡¯t sting too much, Steps."

    Senshi let out a breathless chuckle, shaking his head. "I can¡¯t believe that actually worked."

    Shining smirked, rolling his shoulders. "Who knew throwing a bunch of random junk would be the key to winning?"

    Samui adjusted her scanner, her expression somewhere between amused and impressed. "Tactically speaking, it was chaotic, reckless... and surprisingly effective."

    Weird grinned proudly. "See? Sometimes you just gotta throw stuff and hope for the best."

    Khem, now out of stasis, glanced at Weird with his usual stoic demeanor. "I¡¯m not sure that was a strategy."

    Weird shrugged. "Doesn¡¯t matter. It worked. And it was my non-strategy."

    Senshi snorted. "Yeah, yeah. Just don¡¯t start thinking you¡¯re a genius or anything."

    Weird flashed a wide grin. "Too late."

    Khem''s attention turned toward the now-frozen Three. His mind sharpened with a singular focus¡ªinterrogation. What was the machine for? What was Wise planning? He needed answers, and Three was the only one who might have them.

    With a careful motion, Khem released just enough of Three¡¯s stasis to allow him to speak, ensuring he remained locked in place from the neck down, unable to move anything except his mouth. Three exhaled slowly, blinking as his senses returned. He let out a dry chuckle, shaking his head. "Well... looks like I lost. Not exactly how I expected this to end."

    Samui wasted no time, stepping forward. "What is Wise planning?"

    Three smirked despite his situation. "You think I¡¯d have clearance for that? I was just told to gather the stones and stop any pursuers. Anything beyond that? Way above my pay grade."

    Shining narrowed his eyes. "So that''s it? You just have no idea?"

    Three sighed dramatically. "Not a clue. But if Wise is putting this much effort into it, I¡¯d say you¡¯re running out of time."

    Senshi clicked his tongue. "Tch. So he really doesn¡¯t know anything."

    Shining frowned. "Or he¡¯s just lying to waste more of our time. We can¡¯t afford to take his word for it."

    Weird crossed his arms. "I dunno, sounds pretty on-brand for Wise to keep secrets even from his own guys."

    Samui exhaled. "Either way, this isn¡¯t helping us. We need real intel, not speculation."

    Khem, still focused, gave a curt nod. "Enough. We¡¯ve wasted too much time already. We¡¯re moving forward."

    Without hesitation, he raised his hand and completely froze Three in stasis once again, locking every part of his body in perfect stillness, ensuring there was no chance of him interfering any further. Without looking back, he turned toward the path ahead. "Let¡¯s go."

    Samui nodded, already adjusting her scanner. "Agreed. We still don¡¯t know what defenses are left between us and the machine. We should assume Wise is aware of our approach by now."

    Senshi stretched his arms, rolling his shoulders. "Tch¡­ as much as I hate rushing in without rest, we don¡¯t have a choice. Let¡¯s go."

    Shining exhaled, still catching his breath. "We stay sharp and move fast. No more getting caught in loops."

    Weird smirked but didn¡¯t argue. "Yeah, yeah. Onward to the next nightmare trap, I guess."

    Khem remained silent, but his slight nod signaled his agreement. With that, SOF pushed forward once more, determined to reach Wise¡¯s stronghold before it was too late.

    The jungle loomed ahead, dense and unyielding, but there was no turning back. Each of them felt the weight of what lay ahead¡ªWise, his machine, and whatever final defenses awaited them.

    Night settled in, casting eerie shadows between the towering trees. The air was thick with tension, but no one spoke.

    Samui exhaled softly, glancing at her scanner. "We used to fight his soldiers. Now we¡¯re fighting reality itself."

    Senshi scoffed, rolling his shoulders. "Tch. Feels like every fight pushes us into some new nightmare. Wise always finds a way to make things worse."

    Shining nodded, his expression serious. "And this time, we don¡¯t have the luxury of falling into his traps again. We have to stay ahead."

    Weird stretched his arms, smirking. "Then let¡¯s make sure this next part isn¡¯t another game of loops and illusions. I¡¯m getting real tired of walking in circles."

    Khem remained silent, but his sharp gaze stayed fixed on the path ahead.

    They all knew¡ªthis next battle would set the stage for what was to come.

 Chapter 13 - Dragonâ€™s Awakening

    The battlefield was chaos.

    Drones filled the sky and ground like a swarm of metal locusts, their energy blasts painting the jungle with streaks of light. SOF carved through them, a relentless tide of destruction meeting an unbreakable wall of defense.

    Senshi twisted mid-air, his fist colliding with a large drone¡¯s hull¡ªBOOM!¡ªits metal body caved inward, crumpling like paper before exploding in a burst of fire. He landed hard, rolling into a crouch, flames flickering along his arms.

    ¡°Samui!¡± he barked. ¡°Where¡¯s my opening?!¡±

    ¡°Almost there!¡± Samui¡¯s fingers blurred over her interface, hacking through waves of encrypted defenses. The drone network was vast, interlinked like a single living creature. If she could breach it¡­

    Energy rounds sizzled past her head. She ducked, shifting position behind a fallen drone carcass. ¡°Their firewall is adapting¡ªI need thirty more seconds!¡±

    ¡°Make it ten!¡± Senshi yelled, launching into another charge.

    Across the battlefield, Khem moved like a phantom, touching drones mid-motion¡ªfreezing them instantly before stepping past them like they were nothing more than statues. Weird stood firm, taking each attack head-on, his Reflex ability absorbing and rebounding the impact at double force, turning the drones¡¯ own firepower into their downfall. Shining, moving with precision, weaved through the battlefield, his radiant energy beams slicing through the swarm, cutting down drones with calculated efficiency.

    A new wave of drones descended from above, this time larger¡ªheavily armored units, their plating thick enough to withstand SOF¡¯s initial strikes. Their rotating energy cores hummed with destructive force.

    Senshi grinned. ¡°Bigger targets. I like it.¡±

    He rushed forward, dodging a barrage of plasma fire, and vaulted over a fallen tree. Flames erupted from his feet¡ª"RYU!" he roared,, propelling him forward at blinding speed. "RYU!" he bellowed as he slammed his fist into one of the behemoth drones¡ªCRACK!** The armor shattered on impact, but the machine barely flinched, retaliating with a shockwave blast that sent him tumbling back.

    Senshi coughed, rolling to his feet. ¡°Alright. You don¡¯t break easy.¡± He smirked, raising his fists. ¡°Let¡¯s fix that.¡±

    Samui¡¯s screen flickered with rapid lines of code as she forcefully injected a virus into the drone network. One¡­ two¡­ three¡­

    Then, a breakthrough.

    The smaller drones twitched. Some hesitated mid-flight. Others outright fell from the sky, crashing into the dirt.

    Samui¡¯s eyes flashed. ¡°Got it.¡± Samui''s lips curled into a confident smile as the virus spread deeper into the drone network. More drones flickered and shut down, some spiraling out of control before crashing violently into the jungle floor. "Keep going! We¡¯ve got them on the ropes!" she shouted through the comms, her fingers still flying over the interface, determined to hack into the remaining systems.

    Senshi wasted no time. Flames erupted from his feet¡ª"RYU!"¡ªas he launched himself into the air, closing the distance between him and the remaining larger drones. He landed with a seismic force, immediately engaging them with rapid, devastating strikes. Each punch sent shockwaves through the jungle, metal crunching and breaking apart under his relentless assault.

    A drone swung a massive arm at him, but Senshi met it head-on, blocking with an intense burst of heat. "RYU!" He grabbed the appendage, his muscles tensing, and with a mighty roar, he tore it clean off before driving a flaming knee into its core, reducing it to molten scrap.

    More drones closed in, adjusting their combat algorithms to counter him, but Senshi didn''t let up. He dashed through them, a blur of fire and fury, ripping through metal like paper. Each strike left scorched wreckage in his wake, turning the battlefield into a graveyard of burning steel.

    Amid the destruction, some of the SOF operatives exchanged glances. Khem¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly as he surveyed the fight. "This is too easy," he muttered under his breath. Weird, deflecting another barrage of fire, let out a sharp exhale. "Yeah, it¡¯s a grind, but something feels... off. Feels like we¡¯re fighting the warm-up act." Shining, keeping his focus on cutting down the next wave of drones, gave a quick nod. "If this is Wise¡¯s defense, I expected worse."

    Without warning, something slammed into Senshi, sending him crashing into the ground with an earth-shattering impact. The ground shook violently, tremors rippling outward like a localized earthquake. Dust and debris exploded into the air, obscuring visibility for a moment.

    The entire battlefield froze. SOF snapped their heads toward the impact crater, eyes wide in shock.

    "What the hell was that?" Weird muttered, his stance shifting slightly.

    Khem¡¯s gaze darkened. "Something big."

    The dust began to settle. A heavy silence fell over the battlefield.

    Then, from the crater, a figure emerged.

    Senshi coughed, staggering but still standing. He scoffed, but in the back of his mind, he remembered his last defeat at her hands. His fists clenched tighter, and his stance shifted, more grounded, more determined. His flames flickered erratically, his breath heavy¡ªbut he refused to fall.

    A slow, deliberate clap echoed through the clearing.

    "Well now¡­ isn¡¯t this nostalgic?" A smooth, almost amused voice rang out.

    Through the dust, Four stepped forward, her orange sports bra visible beneath the shifting light, muscles taut and ready. Four advanced with measured steps, her four hands flexing within advanced gauntlets, each brimming with latent power. She carried herself with the ease of someone who had already won, confidence radiating from every step. Her sharp gaze locked onto Senshi, lips curling into a familiar smirk, a glint of anticipation in her eyes.

    "How long has it been, Senshi? Feels just like not too long ago right?" she said, rolling her shoulders, her gauntlets humming to life. Senshi exhaled sharply, then raised his fists, stepping into a combat stance. "Rematch. Now." Four''s smirk widened as she mirrored his movement. "That''s the spirit."

    Weird sighed. "Out of all the people that could show up, it had to be her."

    Samui groaned. "Just when I was making progress hacking these drones¡­"

    Shining let out a dry chuckle. "Four showing up is never a good thing. This just got a whole lot worse."

    Khem remained silent, his gaze locked on Four, reading her every move.

    Before Four could make another remark, Senshi rushed forward, his flames roaring to life. "RYU!" he bellowed, closing the distance in an instant. His fist, engulfed in searing fire, aimed straight for her.

    Four barely had time to react before the impact landed¡ªBOOM! The force sent a shockwave ripping through the battlefield, cracking the ground beneath them.

    But as the dust settled, Four was still standing. She had blocked the punch with two of her gauntlet-clad hands, her smirk unfazed.

    "Coming in strong, huh?" she mused, her other two hands snapping forward, aiming to counterattack with a crushing blow of her own.

    Senshi gritted his teeth as he found himself immediately on the defensive. Four¡¯s attacks came from every angle, her additional limbs giving her an overwhelming advantage. He managed to evade the first few blows, but a crushing left hook clipped his ribs, sending pain rippling through his body. Flames erupted around him¡ª"RYU!"¡ªas he surged forward again, keeping up relentless pressure. His fists struck with explosive force, heat rippling off him in waves as he forced Four to stay on the defensive.

    Each impact sent tremors through the battlefield, the ground cracking beneath their feet. Four pressed her advantage, sensing an opportunity. She twisted mid-air, using one hand to grab Senshi¡¯s wrist and another to hammer a reinforced strike into his stomach, launching him backward. The sheer force of their exchange caused trees to snap and nearby drones to lose balance. Senshi recovered mid-air, twisting his body to land on his feet, but Four was already on him. She dashed forward, closing the gap in an instant, throwing a devastating flurry of punches from all four arms. Senshi dodged two of her strikes but took a solid hit to his shoulder, sending him skidding backward. He growled, flames igniting brighter as he retaliated with a sweeping kick engulfed in fire. Four leaped over it, flipping mid-air and bringing all four fists down at once. Senshi barely crossed his arms in time, absorbing the impact but feeling the immense pressure drive him into the fractured ground.

    SOF operatives scrambled for stable ground as chunks of earth broke away, creating dangerous gaps in the terrain.

    Weird barely avoided falling into a sudden crevice. "Okay, this is getting out of hand!"

    Samui quickly analyzed the shifting terrain, adjusting her strategy. "Their fight is destabilizing the area¡ªif this keeps up, we might have a full-on collapse!"

    Shining dodged falling debris, keeping his eyes on Senshi. "He¡¯s going all in. But can he break her this time?"

    Khem observed quietly, considering everything. His gaze remained locked on Senshi and Four, his mind processing the battle with careful precision. After a long moment, he finally spoke, his voice calm but firm. "We have to trust him."

    At his words, the rest of SOF snapped into action. With Senshi locked in his all-out battle with Four, they turned their attention to the remaining drones.

    Weird threw himself into the fray, absorbing incoming fire and sending it back in devastating counterattacks. "Alright, let''s clean up while Senshi plays with his old friend."

    Samui redoubled her hacking efforts, pushing deeper into the drone network. "Almost there¡ªjust hold them off a little longer!"

    Suddenly, her screen flickered with warning signals. The drones were adapting¡ªrewriting their own code, sealing vulnerabilities, and re-establishing their network link. Samui¡¯s confidence wavered as she saw the system self-repairing faster than expected.

    "No way¡­ They''re countering me!" she hissed, fingers flying over her interface, desperately trying to outpace the AI¡¯s defensive measures.

    Weird, blasting a drone aside, turned his head. "You saying they''re hacking you back?!"

    "Not exactly, but their system is rebuilding itself! I need a new approach¡ªfast!" Samui snapped, shifting her tactics, trying to push a new virus before the drones could fully restore their link.

    Shining blasted another wave of drones but frowned. "We don''t have time for a tech war, Samui. Either break them now or tell us what to smash!"

    Khem, still observing, nodded. "Find the main relay. Disable it, and their adaptation will slow down."

    Shining took up a defensive position, blasting approaching drones from the air. "No pressure, right?" He pivoted to dodge a retaliatory blast, his laser slicing through another drone before he landed into a crouch. "But seriously, let¡¯s wrap this up before these drones adapt."

    Meanwhile, Senshi and Four¡¯s battle only intensified. Senshi launched himself off the crumbling ground, fire trailing his limbs as he closed the distance. "RYU!" His fist shot forward, but Four met him mid-air, catching his strike with two of her hands while her other two swung downward.

    Senshi barely twisted in time, the force of her blows grazing his ribs instead of crushing them outright. He retaliated instantly, twisting mid-air to slam a blazing kick into her side. Four absorbed the hit with her gauntlets, the impact pushing her back, but she recovered instantly.

    "You¡¯re still all brute force!" she taunted, pivoting gracefully before delivering a spinning backfist that Senshi barely ducked under.

    Senshi smirked. "And you¡¯re still all talk."

    He launched a fiery uppercut, but Four dodged, shifting her weight before planting both feet into his chest with a double kick, sending him hurtling back. Senshi flipped mid-air, landing on his feet, flames coiling around him like a dragon ready to strike. The ground beneath him cracked from the sheer pressure of his stance. "Alright, let¡¯s see if you can keep up this time!"

    Four¡¯s eyes gleamed with excitement as she flexed all four gauntlet-clad hands, her stance unwavering. "Oh, I intend to."

    With a sudden surge of energy, Four multiplied her power and attack speed, her movements blurring as she quadrupled the number of strikes. Senshi barely managed to block, his arms burning from the sheer force of her relentless assault. Each punch, each strike came from an unpredictable angle, overwhelming him with sheer numbers.

    Sensing the tide shifting, Senshi gritted his teeth and leaped backward, pulling a small scroll from his waist. The parchment was old, its surface charred at the edges, but the coal drawing of a dragon upon it pulsed with energy.

    "RYU!" he roared.

    A medium explosion of flame erupted outward, forcing Four to instinctively shield herself. Smoke and embers filled the air as the fire momentarily cloaked Senshi¡¯s form.

    When the smoke cleared, a human-sized, serpent-like fire dragon coiled protectively around Senshi, its blazing eyes locked onto Four.

    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Four lowered her arms, eyeing the creature with an amused smirk. "Flashy."

    Senshi exhaled, his stance tightening as he met her gaze. "Let''s continue."

    Meanwhile, across the battlefield, SOF continued their fight against the relentless swarm of drones. Samui''s fingers moved quickly over her interface, eyes scanning the data as red warning signals began flashing across her screen.

    "Wait¡ªsomething¡¯s wrong!" she called out. "The drones are adapting! My hacks aren¡¯t holding as long, and some of them are self-repairing!"

    Weird, in the middle of smashing a drone into another, gritted his teeth. "Great. A learning machine army."

    Shining shot down an incoming unit, barely missing a second blast aimed at his head. "Tell me you¡¯ve got a workaround, Samui!"

    "I¡¯m trying!" she snapped, fingers racing across her device. "If they fully restore their network, we¡¯ll lose every advantage we have! We need to hit them harder¡ªfind their relay points before they sync up completely!"

    Khem, still observing, finally spoke. "Then we move now. Find the core units before it¡¯s too late."

    Samui nodded sharply and refocused on her interface, rapidly scanning the drone network for any signs of a central control hub. Her fingers moved with precision as she initiated a deep scan, searching for the core relay that was keeping the drone army linked.

    "Give me a moment¡ªI''m tracking the brain of this swarm," Samui announced.

    Weird stepped in front of her, taking a solid stance. "Then we''ll cover you. Just do your thing."

    Shining fired precise energy beams, cutting through drones that tried to get too close. "We¡¯re keeping the path clear, but make it quick!"

    Khem remained calm, his sharp eyes scanning for any potential threats beyond the drones. "Stay focused. The faster we find it, the faster we end this."

    Samui¡¯s screen flashed as she noticed something strange¡ªall the drone signals were converging toward a single point. Yet, when she looked up, there was nothing there. Her brow furrowed as she double-checked her readings. "Wait¡­ that¡¯s not right. There¡¯s nothing at that location. Unless¡­"

    Her eyes widened. "Shining! Fire a strong beam in that direction! Now!"

    Without hesitation, Shining spun, energy surging around his hands before he unleashed a concentrated laser blast toward the seemingly empty space. The beam ripped through an invisible barrier, bending light as it collided with something hidden.

    BOOM! An explosion erupted mid-air, and out of nowhere, a wreckage appeared, tumbling to the ground in flames. The team watched as the cloaking field shattered, revealing a medium-sized drone¡ªlarger than the rest, clearly acting as the brain of the swarm, and it had been moving all along.

    As the wreckage smoldered, the remaining drones suddenly began acting erratic, their coordinated movements dissolving into random, chaotic patterns. Some spiraled aimlessly, others hovered uncertainly, while a few simply crashed to the ground like ants without their queen.

    Weird stared at it in disbelief. "Oh, come on! An invisible drone brain? That¡¯s so unfair!"

    Samui exhaled, shaking her head. "No wonder my hacks weren¡¯t fully working. It was dynamically rerouting control while hidden. This is next-level adaptation."

    Shining scoffed. "If we hadn¡¯t found it, this fight would¡¯ve dragged on forever. Wise really doesn¡¯t play fair."

    Khem¡¯s gaze remained firm. Now that he understood the full strategy, he gave the order without hesitation. "No more delays. Push forward. Take out the remaining drones and clear the path."

    Meanwhile, Four glanced back, noticing the shift in the battlefield. The wreckage of the drone brain signaled that SOF had figured out its control system. She let out a small chuckle. "Not bad. Your team isn''t as slow as I thought."

    Senshi rolled his shoulders, acknowledging her comment with a smirk. "They¡¯re the best."

    Four¡¯s expression sharpened. "Then I suppose it¡¯s time to go all out."

    She straightened, her gauntlets glowing with renewed energy as she reintroduced herself. "My name is Four. The title¡ªTimes."

    Her body began to blur, distortions rippling through the air around her. "Four times the power, four times the speed. Four times the punches."

    Senshi''s eyes widened in shock as suddenly, there were four of her standing before him. Each identical, each moving in perfect sync.

    All of them spoke at once, their voices layered together. "Four times the fun."

    Each of the Four clones moved into position, surrounding Senshi from all sides. With perfect synchronization, they unleashed a barrage of strikes¡ªeach attack coming from a different direction, overwhelming him and his fire dragon instantly.

    Senshi gritted his teeth, barely managing to block and dodge as best he could, but even with his enhanced reflexes, he was struggling to keep up. His fire dragon coiled around him, attempting to shield him, but the relentless assault left him no time to counter.

    Realizing he needed a different approach, Senshi took a deep breath and slammed his fist into the ground¡ª"RYU!"¡ªsending out a massive shockwave of fire and force. The explosion disrupted the Four clones'' assault, forcing them to momentarily retreat.

    Flames danced around him as Senshi continued unleashing consecutive shockwaves, keeping the clones at bay while regaining his footing. He exhaled sharply, eyes scanning the battlefield. "Let''s see how well you handle this!"

    Four let out a maniacal laugh, the sheer excitement in her voice echoing through the battlefield. She barely held back her glee, her eyes gleaming with exhilaration. "This is the most fun I''ve had in a long time!" she declared, rolling her shoulders as her clones realigned around Senshi. "I''m really glad I took this job!"

    All of the Fours rushed toward Senshi simultaneously, charging straight through the flaming shockwave without any regard for the burns searing their skin. Their relentless advance sent embers swirling in every direction as they closed in on him from all sides.

    The battle reignited with frenzied intensity, but this time, Senshi held his ground. His shockwave attacks, powered by the fiery serpent coiling around him, provided just enough crowd control to keep the clones at bay, forcing them to reset their movements each time they tried to press an attack. The overwhelming force that had previously crushed him was now being disrupted, preventing them from fully acting in unison.

    Each Four launched rapid strikes, but Senshi countered each assault, using the moments between their resets to strike back. The battlefield became a violent exchange of fire and motion, neither side gaining a clear advantage¡ªbut for the first time, Senshi was no longer on the losing end.

    Meanwhile, across the battlefield, several brain units had been taken down. The drones'' coordinated efforts were faltering. Samui''s eyes scanned the battlefield before pointing at a dense cluster of drones. "There!"

    Shining reacted instantly, gathering energy before firing a highly concentrated beam straight through the swarm. The beam pierced through the drones, igniting an explosion mid-air. As the smoke cleared, another wreckage appeared out of thin air¡ªanother brain unit had been destroyed.

    Shining smirked. "One more down!"

    Weird wiped some sweat from his brow, glancing at the wreckage. "Okay, but is it just me, or do these things have way too many brain units?"

    Khem, still observing the fight with his sharp eyes, gave a curt nod. "They''re running out of control. The number of drones still acting coherently is dropping. We¡¯re close."

    Samui narrowed her eyes at her screen, noticing an odd shift in drone behavior. "Wait... they¡¯re not just attacking us anymore. They¡¯re swarming random spots, like they¡¯re trying to defend something¡ªbut they¡¯re also trying not to make it obvious."

    Almost as if they had heard her observation, the drones suddenly opened fire, beams of energy streaking from their positions toward the SOF team.

    Weird and Khem reacted instantly, rushing forward to shield Samui, intercepting the incoming blasts. Weird absorbed and reflected several shots, while Khem froze himself in place, taking the full brunt of the beams without flinching, his body locked in a moment of absolute stillness. The energy blasts crashed against him, their force dispersing uselessly as he remained an unmovable pillar on the battlefield.

    Shining, still keeping an eye on the battlefield, turned to Samui. "Where¡¯s the next brain? We need to take it out¡ªfast!"

    Samui''s fingers flew over her interface, frustration growing on her face. "The drones are swarming too aggressively! They''re interfering with the brain unit''s signal, making it harder to track. I need more time!"

    Her mind raced as she quickly altered her approach. "If I can¡¯t track the real signal, I¡¯ll flood the battlefield with false ones. Let¡¯s see how they like a taste of their own interference."

    Her fingers moved in a blur, rapidly inputting new code. Within moments, disruptor signals pulsed outward, mimicking the brain unit¡¯s signature at multiple random locations across the battlefield.

    The effect was immediate. The drones hesitated, their coordinated patterns breaking as they shifted erratically, confused by the conflicting data.

    Shining noticed the reaction first. "Nice! They don¡¯t know what to protect anymore!"

    Weird grinned. "Now that¡¯s what I call hacking with style."

    Samui exhaled sharply, refocusing on her screen. "They¡¯ll compensate soon, but this gives us a window. Find the one cluster that doesn¡¯t react¡ªthat¡¯s the real brain unit."

    Without skipping a beat, Shining locked onto the suspected location and fired a highly concentrated beam straight through the cluster of drones. The energy surged forward, slicing through multiple machines before detonating upon impact. A fiery explosion erupted mid-air, and as the flames dissipated, another wreckage appeared out of thin air¡ªanother brain unit had been eliminated.

    Shining smirked. "One more down!"

    Samui clenched her fists in determination. "Keep going! We¡¯re almost there!"

    Meanwhile, back in Senshi¡¯s battle, Four''s smirk widened as she adjusted her stance. Instead of attacking in perfect unison, her clones suddenly began staggering their strikes, throwing Senshi off balance.

    One Four would lunge in first, drawing his defense, only for another to strike from behind a split second later. The once predictable rhythm had shattered, and Senshi found himself struggling to counter them effectively.

    "You caught on quick before," Four said, her voice layered from multiple bodies. "Let¡¯s see how well you handle this!"

    Senshi was immediately overwhelmed, each staggered attack landing faster than he could react. For a few seconds, he found himself completely on the defensive, struggling to keep up with the unrelenting assault.

    Then, he took a deep breath and called out, "RYU!"

    But this time, there was no shockwave punch. Instead, the fire dragon coiling around him suddenly moved on its own.

    Whenever one of the Fours staggered their attack, the dragon lashed out at that precise moment, striking with pinpoint accuracy. Senshi mirrored the strategy, attacking a different Four at the same instant, perfectly counterbalancing their staggered assault.

    Four''s clones recoiled, momentarily disrupted by the unexpected counterattack. Senshi smirked, regaining his stance. "Looks like you¡¯re not the only one who can adapt!"

    Four let out a sharp laugh, her excitement growing. "Keep ''em coming!" she challenged, rolling her shoulders as she prepared for the next exchange.

    For half a minute, they exchanged a relentless series of attacks, neither side gaining the upper hand. But then, something changed. Four¡¯s movements began to stagger¡ªfor real this time. Her once unwavering smirk faltered just slightly, and her breathing grew heavier.

    She exhaled sharply, her expression hardening. "I hate doing this, but..."

    One of the Four clones suddenly lunged forward, grabbing and locking Senshi in place, her grip like unbreakable steel. Before he could react, another Four reeled back, pouring all her might into a devastating punch, aimed straight at the fire dragon coiling around him.

    The dragon didn¡¯t dodge in time. Four''s punch connected, shattering the fiery serpent into embers, its form dissolving in the air. Senshi¡¯s eyes widened as the heat around him suddenly faded.

    With his greatest asset gone, he barely had a moment to react before the remaining three Fours rushed in, landing a brutal barrage of punches onto him. Each strike hit like a hammer, knocking him back with incredible force.

    For a second, Senshi thought he was going to lose. The relentless assault had left him breathless, his vision blurring as pain shot through his body. His mind wavered, the weight of the battle pressing down on him.

    From the sidelines, SOF watched the fight with growing concern. "Senshi!" Shining called out, his voice cutting through the chaos.

    Samui clenched her fists. "We have to help him!" She started to move, but before she could act, a swarm of drones suddenly descended upon her, cutting off her path.

    "Damn it!" she cursed, quickly shifting back to defend herself. "They¡¯re not letting me through!"

    Senshi, seeing SOF worried about him, clenched his fists. Guilt momentarily flickered in his eyes as he realized he had distracted them from their own fight. He let out a sharp breath, his stance wavering for a moment.

    "Sorry for making you worry," he muttered under his breath. Then, his body ignited, flames roaring outward in a sudden, violent eruption.

    BOOM!

    A massive explosion of fire blasted from Senshi, sending shockwaves rippling through the battlefield. The sheer force of the blast forced the attacking Fours to instinctively retreat, shielding themselves from the heat. The flames swirled around him, reigniting the battlefield with renewed intensity.

    Each of the Fours stumbled backward, even the one that had locked Senshi in place¡ªshe got the worst of it, her body scorched and burnt badly.

    "Ryu." Senshi spoke, but this time, it was calm¡ªnot the usual battle cry, but a declaration.

    The fire around him shifted. His hair, wild and burning, took the shape of a dragon''s mane, flames no longer merely coiling around him but becoming him. Senshi had transformed¡ªhe was the dragon now.

    Four¡¯s eyes widened slightly, her smirk fading just a little. "Hey now. Where did this come from?" she muttered, cracking her knuckles in anticipation.

    Senshi exhaled, his glowing eyes locked onto Four. "My power needs a dragon vessel to summon. But if one cannot use a dragon vessel¡­ one must become the dragon vessel itself."

    He raised his fist and punched the air¡ªBOOM!

    A massive flaming dragon erupted from the force, its fiery jaws snapping as it roared toward Four, engulfing one of her clones completely. The flames consumed her before she could react, disintegrating her instantly.

    Two down. Two to go.

    Samui watched Senshi take down another two Fours and couldn''t help but smile. "We must do our best too." she said, determination in her voice.

    Shining, still blasting drones from the sky, glanced at Senshi''s transformation. "I''ve never seen him do that before." he muttered in awe.

    Weird whistled, arms crossed. "Now that''s cool."

    Khem, standing a few steps behind, remained silent. His sharp eyes watched Senshi closely, observing every shift in his stance, every flicker of the flames surrounding him. There was no surprise in Khem''s expression, only keen analysis, as if he were studying a new phenomenon unfolding before him. He had seen Senshi grow stronger before, but this¡ªthis was something else entirely.

    Without hesitation, Shining shifted his aim and fired two consecutive beams at the suspected brain units. BOOM! BOOM! Two more explosions erupted as the wreckage of the brain units fell from the sky.

    Samui¡¯s screen flashed with new data, and she quickly pointed toward another swarming mass of drones. "That''s the last one!"

    Shining didn''t hesitate. "Roger!" He aimed and fired one final beam, obliterating the last brain unit.

    Suddenly, the entire drone swarm lost cohesion, their formations crumbling. Some veered off uncontrollably, others hovered in place, their once-coordinated attacks now reduced to aimless drifting. A few even forgot how to fly, crashing into the battlefield in a chaotic rain of debris.

    Shining turned, a confident smirk on his face. He shouted toward Senshi, "Senshi! Let''s finish this!"

    Senshi roared with all his being, "RYU!" as he threw a devastating dragon punch. A colossal flaming dragon surged from his fist, its burning form twisting and roaring as it rushed forward, incinerating another Four clone on impact.

    Only one left.

    The last Four didn''t hesitate. She charged forward, her fist drawn back, preparing to strike with all her might. But before she could land a blow, her hand met Senshi''s blazing aura¡ªand instantly, her flesh burned upon contact.

    She flinched, her body reacting instinctively to the searing heat, and for the first time, her confidence wavered.

    Her eyes widened in realization¡ªshe had made a critical mistake.

    Senshi didn''t let the moment slip. His body surged with power as he let out one final, explosive dragon punch. BOOM!

    The last Four reacted instantly, using all four of her gauntlet-clad arms to shield herself. But the sheer force of Senshi''s punch, delivered almost at point-blank range, shattered her gauntlets instantly. The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the battlefield, and before she could react, the flames consumed her completely.

    Four¡¯s body was blasted backward, hitting the ground hard, her body smoldering from the sheer intensity of the attack. She tried to move but found herself completely unable.

    SOF then walked toward Four¡¯s burnt body, surrounding her. Four slowly opened her eyes and looked around. What was once a thick jungle was now a wide plain filled with scorched earth, burnt plants, and the wreckage of countless drones.

    She let out a laugh, her voice raspy but amused. "I lose, didn''t I?"

    Weird smirked. "Yeah, badly."

    Senshi shot him a look. "Show some respect. She fought like a true warrior."

    He exhaled, stepping closer to Four. "That was a good fight. You helped me evolve further."

    Four let out a weak chuckle. "Same."

    Samui stepped forward, her tone shifting to business. "Now tell us about Wise''s machine. We know it''s connected to the meteorite stones. What¡¯s he planning?"

    Four raised a brow, then sighed. "Dunno. I''m just here for a fight. Didn''t even know there was a stone-gathering job."

    Shining crossed his arms, eyeing her with suspicion. "Should we believe this one too?"

    Samui shrugged. "No choice. We have to move forward."

    Four let out another small chuckle before closing her eyes. "If you all have no business with me left... I''ll be lying down for a while."

    As SOF turned to move forward, Four let out another laugh, her voice echoing in the now-silent battlefield.

    The team moved ahead, stepping over fallen drones and scorched ground, their mission still unfinished. The jungle that once stood dense and untamed was now nothing more than smoldering wreckage, a testament to the battle they had just fought.

    Senshi took a deep breath, his flames dimming slightly as he walked alongside the others. The battle had pushed him further than ever before, but there was still more ahead.

    Samui glanced at her scanner, eyes narrowing. "The energy signature of Wise''s machine is still active. And it''s getting stronger. We have to hurry."

    Khem, still quiet, kept his gaze forward. "Then let¡¯s not waste any time."

    With the battlefield behind them and their next challenge ahead, SOF pressed forward into the unknown, ready for whatever came next.

 Chapter 14 - No More Defeat

    The ground trembled beneath their feet as the Special Officer Force stood at the edge of the massive crater.

    Khem clenched his fists, his mind racing. ¡°We have no time to waste. If they weren¡¯t bluffing, whatever Wise is planning is already in motion.¡±

    Samui adjusted her scanner device, scanning the crater. ¡°The energy signature is concentrated right in the center. It¡¯s unlike anything we¡¯ve seen before¡ªit¡¯s fluctuating.¡±

    At the edge of the crater, SOF took a last stop to look around inside. What was once a giant rocky hole was now filled with flora, a perfect cover for Wise''s hideout. Senshi, who could now stand on his own, looked ahead and said, "This is the place."

    Khem exhaled sharply, his fingers flexing. He gave a small nod, his usual silence speaking volumes.

    Samui glanced at her scanner device, her brows furrowing. "If Wise has fortified the area, we need to assume everything is a trap. We proceed carefully, no unnecessary risks."

    Weird scoffed but cracked a tense grin. "No unnecessary risks? I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve ever followed that rule. But hey, let¡¯s try to make history."

    Shining ran a hand through his hair, his expression more serious than usual. "We¡¯ve stopped threats before, but this... this is something else. Wise has always been ahead of us. This time, we need to be ahead of him."

    Senshi steadied himself, nodding. "We are not the same team that started this mission. We¡¯re stronger now. We finish this, together."

    The weight of their journey settled in the silence that followed. They knew what lay ahead would push them beyond their limits, but none of them hesitated.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Khem turned, already stepping onto the rocky descent into the crater, leaving Slim and Psycho frozen in stasis in the jungle. The others followed, the weight of the unknown pressing down on them with every step.

    As they descended further, something felt off. No traps. No resistance. No movement at all. The jungle that had once been a deadly maze of hazards now stood eerily still, as if all its defenses had become unnecessary.

    Weird glanced around, uneasy. "Okay, this is creepy. Where¡¯s the part where everything tries to kill us?"

    Samui checked her scanner again. "Nothing. No heat signatures, no motion. It¡¯s like... it doesn¡¯t need to stop us anymore."

    Senshi took a deep breath, steadying himself. "Or Wise thinks we¡¯re too late to make a difference."

    Shining let out a slow breath. "I don¡¯t like it. He¡¯s always been three steps ahead, but this? This feels different. Like we¡¯re not even worth the effort."

    Khem remained silent, his eyes scanning the unnatural stillness ahead. Whatever awaited them at the bottom of the crater, it was clear¡ªWise no longer needed to stall them.

    They finally reached the bottom, where a sign of a structure began to emerge behind the thick trees and bushes. As they moved closer, the overgrown vegetation parted just enough to reveal the decayed remains of an old, abandoned meteorite stones research facility. The once-imposing structure now lay in ruin, its walls cracked and overtaken by nature, but the energy surrounding it suggested its secrets were far from dead.

    Then, every member of SOF froze the moment they looked ahead at the entrance. Not because of time manipulation, not because of sequence manipulation, not even reality warping. They froze because they saw a man¡ªa giant of a man, a titan.

    The man sat on a massive rock, guarding the entrance with an air of effortless dominance. His sheer size and presence alone were enough to make them hesitate.

    His name was Muscular, titled Overkill.

    He was forged in the depths of an underground fight club, created for one purpose: to be the perfect weapon for blood sports. Trained to fight with pure, unrelenting force, he was more machine than man¡ªhis emerald-green hair, monstrous physique, and unnatural strength were no accidents. He crushed opponents with brutal efficiency, earning the title Overkill as his legend grew.

    But they made a fatal mistake. They thought they could control him.

    When his handlers attempted to reinforce his obedience, Muscular broke free. He destroyed the underground facility that created him, tearing through vault doors, crushing escape vehicles, and slaughtering anyone who dared oppose him. In the end, when the last surviving executive asked, ¡°What do you want?¡± Muscular¡¯s response was simple:

    ¡°Something bigger to break.¡±

    Wise found him amidst the rubble, and he didn¡¯t need to recruit him. Muscular didn¡¯t care about loyalty or ideology¡ªhe was destruction incarnate. Wise merely gave him an outlet for his unstoppable force.

    Since then, Muscular has become Wise¡¯s blunt instrument, a being whose strength defies all logic¡ªbecause Muscular doesn¡¯t believe in limits. He doesn¡¯t need strategy. He just wins.

    And now, as SOF stands before him, frozen at the sight of his colossal frame sitting on the rock, they know one truth¡ª

    They are not ready for him. But they have to be.

    Muscular started to stand up. A normal gesture. But that alone was enough to make every member of SOF take a step back. The image of Muscular effortlessly defeating them was still fresh in their memories.

    Then, a few moments later, Senshi, although weakened, was the first to step forward. He pointed at Muscular, his eyes filled with conviction. "A rematch. Now." he declared.

    After hearing the rematch request, Muscular looked down. Was he hiding his amusement, or was he feeling pity? Or maybe, nothing at all¡ªhe just wanted to look down.

    But Khem and Senshi sensed something dangerous. Both telling everyone to be prepared.

    Then, nothing. Muscular wasn''t there anymore.

    None of SOF even blinked¡ªMuscular just vanished.

    Then it all happened. Muscular fell from the sky, stomping the ground¡ªthe attack that had taken only two strikes to defeat SOF before. The first had already landed.

    The entire ground under SOF tilted upward and flipped toward Muscular, while the ground behind him hadn''t moved at all. Bushes and trees were violently uprooted, twisting through the air as the force of the shift sent debris flying in every direction.

    SOF had no time to anticipate an attack this big. They scrambled, reaching for anything to hold onto, desperate not to be thrown toward Muscular.

    Muscular noticed SOF catching onto bushes and trees. Lifting his arm, he then punched the tilted land with an incredible force.

    Physically speaking, a force that strong against such a giant chunk of dirt and rock should''ve shattered the entire piece. But here, the entire chunk of land that SOF had held onto flew away from Wise''s base at the speed of sound.

    SOF barely had a second to process the sheer force that had just been unleashed upon them. The shockwave rattled their bodies, their ears ringing as they realized they were no longer on solid ground. The land beneath them was no longer a foundation¡ªit was a projectile, and they were caught in its wake. Leaves, dirt, and shattered roots swirled violently around them as they clung to whatever they could grasp.

    Khem¡¯s sharp eyes darted across the chaos, instincts kicking in. If they held on any longer, they¡¯d be flung even further¡ªmaybe even out of reach. His voice cut through the wind, urgent and unwavering.

    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    "Let go! Now!"

    Everyone let go of whatever they were holding and plummeted toward the ground below. Samui, reacting quickly, used her remote to decelerate their fall, softening the impact before they crashed into the remnants of the war against the drones.

    As they struggled to recover, shock ran through the team. Weird groaned, shaking his head. "Did that just happen? Did we really just get launched like that?"

    Shining exhaled sharply, his hands pressing against the dirt. "That was... ridiculous. We didn¡¯t even get a chance to fight back."

    Samui wiped debris from her face, quickly checking her scanner. "We need to move. If he can do that in an instant, we won¡¯t survive another direct hit."

    Senshi clenched his fists, frustration boiling in his chest. "Damn it. We trained for this. We should be ready for him. So why¡ª"

    But Khem remained silent. His mind replayed the last few moments over and over again. If he hadn¡¯t made the call to let go, they wouldn¡¯t have just been thrown¡ªthey would¡¯ve been launched back to the starting point. Muscular wasn¡¯t just strong. He was toying with them.

    Then, a woman''s voice shouted from not so far away. SOF turned to the voice. It was Four, still sitting where she had been lying down. She asked, "What the hell was that?"

    SOF remained quiet, asking themselves the same question.

    Samui, still scanning for readings, finally answered. "It wasn''t just brute force. The terrain itself shifted. Muscular''s attacks aren''t just about power¡ªthey distort the battlefield itself. He didn''t just hit us. He sent the ground flying like it was nothing."

    Four, upon hearing Muscular''s name, scoffed, "Muscular?" Then, she burst out laughing, though the sound carried a hollow edge. "So you all made it to him. Count yourself lucky that you''re still alive right now. Even I don¡¯t wanna mess with that freak."

    She ran a hand through her hair, her grin fading slightly. "Look, you don¡¯t understand. You¡¯ve fought tough enemies before, sure, but Muscular? He¡¯s different. He doesn¡¯t fight, he crushes. You can¡¯t outthink him, can¡¯t outmaneuver him. He doesn¡¯t have a strategy because he doesn¡¯t need one."

    Her eyes darkened as she leaned back. "The only reason I¡¯m still breathing is because I knew better than to stand in his way. I took one look and decided I liked living more than I liked fighting."

    Weird let out a bitter laugh, rubbing his temples. "Great. Just great. So we¡¯re doomed, huh? Thanks for the motivational speech, Four. Maybe instead of laughing, you could tell us something useful¡ªlike how we don¡¯t end up as another crater in the ground?"

    Four gave him a curious look, her expression shifting from amusement to something more intrigued. "Oh? Asking your enemy for advice? That¡¯s a first for me."

    Shining crossed his arms, his gaze flicking between Four and Weird. "Is this really a good idea? Taking advice from her?"

    Samui sighed, her eyes scanning the area. She hesitated for a moment before speaking, as if reluctantly acknowledging the truth. "I hate to admit it, but Four has been with Muscular before. Maybe... maybe she has insight we don¡¯t have."

    Four shrugged, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. "Insight? Sure. If you want to survive, don¡¯t try to outsmart him. Muscular doesn¡¯t play by the rules. He just... wins. But I suppose you¡¯re already learning that the hard way." She gave them a once-over, her tone slightly softer. "You want my advice? Keep your distance, and pray he doesn¡¯t notice you."

    Shining¡¯s gaze hardened, and his voice was calm but resolute. "Hiding won¡¯t cut it. Muscular¡¯s a monster, but we don¡¯t win by running. We face him, or we walk away, and I¡¯m not walking away."

    He glanced at the team, unwavering. "We¡¯ve always pushed forward. That¡¯s how we win."

    Senshi nodded in agreement, his fists clenched in resolve. "Shining¡¯s right. Running isn¡¯t an option. If we turn back now, we¡¯ll never get another chance."

    Four sighed, her tone heavy with a bitter edge. "You two are something else. Charging in without a second thought... Fine. Go ahead, try your luck. But don¡¯t come crying to me when it all falls apart. I¡¯ve seen this story before."

    Samui, still scanning the area, spoke up again. "You¡¯ve worked with Muscular before. Do you have any insights into his power? How do we stand a chance against someone like him?"

    Four sighed and adjusted her position, her tone shifting to something more contemplative. "Whenever I fought with him, he always destroyed everything in a few hits. But when it takes more than that... I can feel his frustration. His power weakens slightly. Take that however you will, I¡¯m not smart enough for this."

    She then leaned back down, closing her eyes as if to shut out the conversation.

    Samui stood, staring at Four, her mind processing the words and advice carefully. Her gaze was intense, considering the implications of Four¡¯s words, and how they could be used to defeat Muscular. The weight of the strategy settled on her shoulders, but she didn¡¯t look away. Finally, she nodded slightly, as if accepting the challenge that lay ahead.

    Before they moved forward, Khem paused, his eyes narrowing as he looked over at Samui. An idea sparked in his mind, and he turned to her, voice low but serious. "Do you remember how to register a channel to a specific number?"

    Samui turned to Khem, shaking her head slightly. "No, I¡¯ve never tried it. I¡¯m not sure how my power would interact with it. It could cause... unexpected results."

    Khem raised an eyebrow, his tone still serious. "But do you remember?

    Samui looked at him, confused. "Yes, of course. Why?"

    Khem didn¡¯t respond immediately. He simply gave her a sharp nod before turning his attention to the team. "Alright," he muttered under his breath, then gestured toward the crater. "Let''s move."

    The team moved forward with quiet determination, the weight of Four¡¯s words still hanging in the air. As they approached the edge of the massive crater, the stillness of the jungle seemed to close in around them, as if even nature itself was holding its breath. The overgrown vegetation parted to reveal the jagged rocks and shifting ground that marked the entrance to Muscular''s domain.

    Each step felt heavier than the last, and yet there was no turning back. They had come this far, and they knew what lay ahead would test them in ways they had never imagined. Khem led the way, his eyes scanning the horizon with unwavering focus.

    The crater stretched before them like an abyss, its depths shadowed in an unsettling calm, but Muscular''s presence loomed just beyond it¡ªa force they could not avoid. The ground beneath their feet still trembled faintly from his last attack, a constant reminder of the overwhelming power they were about to face.

    Shining glanced at Samui, whose expression was now unreadable, as if her mind was already working out their next move. Her gaze briefly met his, a silent understanding passing between them. They were no longer just a team¡ªthey were the last line of defense against an unstoppable force.

    Senshi, his resolve as firm as ever, tightened his fists. The weight of the coming battle didn¡¯t show on his face¡ªonly the quiet certainty that they were ready.

    "We¡¯re going to finish this," he said under his breath, but loud enough for the others to hear.

    Weird let out a bitter laugh, his voice heavy with irony.

    "Yeah, we¡¯re really gonna need more than just our guts for this one."

    The team¡¯s footsteps slowed as they reached the edge of the massive crater. Their eyes scanned the vast expanse before them, the air thick with tension. And then, there he was¡ªMuscular, sitting on the same giant rock in the same dominant posture as before. His sheer presence radiated an almost unbearable weight, one that pressed down on the team the moment they saw him. The monstrous figure seemed to blend into the landscape, yet his unmistakable power was palpable, even from a distance.

    Muscular didn¡¯t move, his gaze fixed somewhere in the distance as though waiting for them. SOF stood frozen, a moment of stillness hanging between them and their adversary. They had arrived.

    Senshi took a deep breath, his fingers tightening around the large dragon scroll hanging from his waist. The air around him crackled, his energy building as he unrolled the scroll with practiced precision. He didn¡¯t wait.

    With a loud shout, ¡°RYU!¡± the words cut through the tense silence like a battle cry.

    In an instant, a bus-sized, flaming dragon¡ªa massive Western dragon¡ªerupted from the scroll. Its eyes burned with fire, and its roar shook the ground beneath them. The flames on its body wove into a wall of heat, crackling with untamed fury. The dragon circled overhead, its wings beating with enough force to stir the very air around them.

    Seeing a giant dragon and a man in a fighting gesture, Muscular stood up again. As Muscular rose to his feet, his colossal form towered over the team. His eyes, hidden behind the ever-present blindfold, were unreadable, but his posture was a silent challenge¡ªunshaken, unyielding. The weight of his presence pressed down on them, and they could feel the full force of his power building as the inevitable confrontation drew near.

    Without hesitation, Senshi charged forward, the massive flaming dragon surging ahead in tandem, both aiming for a lethal strike. In response, Muscular immediately lifted his foot, preparing to make the second stomp, just like before. It was as if he were testing SOF¡ªto see if they had truly surpassed their past defeat.

    But instead of throwing a punch, Senshi dove beneath Muscular¡¯s raised foot, surprising him just slightly. The massive dragon swirled around, its fiery breath grazing the air as it adjusted to the unexpected move.

    Muscular threw his foot down with incredible force. The earth shook violently beneath them, as if the entire world had collided with something enormous. The shockwave rippled outward, sending debris flying in all directions. The team was tossed aside like ragdolls, struggling to hold on as the ground beneath them cracked and crumbled.

    Then, it happened. Muscular staggered backward as if he had taken a blow himself, his posture faltering for just a moment. His eyes widened in confusion as he looked down at what was supposed to be Senshi''s pulverized body¡ªbut it wasn¡¯t Senshi. Somehow, Weird had managed to swap places with Senshi and took the full force of Muscular¡¯s stomp. In return, Weird rebounded Muscular¡¯s full-force stomp back onto him.

    Muscular¡¯s confusion grew, and his gaze shifted toward Samui. She stood calmly, holding out a remote, pointing directly at Weird¡¯s position. Her finger hovered over the channel switch button, the faintest hint of concentration on her face. Senshi was also now standing behind Samui, his presence solid and unwavering, ready to act if the situation escalated.

    This would be their third battle against Muscular, the ultimate test of their strength and resilience. The past encounters had ended in overwhelming defeat, but this time was different. They had learned, adapted, and refused to let history repeat itself. This was their final stand.

 Chapter 15 - Breaking the Titan

    Wasting no time, the dragon unleashed an intense stream of flames toward Muscular, the fire roaring like a beast hungry for destruction. But Muscular rushed through the flames without hesitation, his body cutting through the inferno as if it were nothing. His eyes locked onto Samui, and with an almost unnatural speed for his size, he charged toward her. He aimed a punch that seemed destined to end her life, one that would surely crush her. But just as the punch came down, Samui immediately pointed the remote at herself and pressed the channel switch button again. She vanished, and Weird appeared in her place.

    Muscular had no time to pull back his punch and struck Weird in the torso with full force. But Weird''s power activated instantly, causing the full damage to rebound back toward Muscular''s torso. Muscular staggered back, already hit twice, the blow clearly affecting him. Frustration began to build inside him, his eyes narrowing as the team¡¯s unexpected resilience started to get under his skin. Weird, still standing tall and grinning, couldn''t resist mocking him. "Twice, huh? Not bad for a guy who doesn¡¯t even know what hit him," he jeered, clearly enjoying the sight of Muscular¡¯s frustration building.

    Muscular growled in frustration and lunged forward, grabbing Weird by his clothes. With a mighty heave, he aimed to throw him as far away as possible. But before he could, Samui realized Muscular¡¯s intention and pressed another channel switch remote.

    "Not a chance," she muttered, watching the scene unfold before her.

    Muscular tried again, pulling with both hands to hurl Weird away. But to his surprise, Weird wouldn¡¯t budge. In that instant, Weird and Khem had swapped places. Khem, now the immovable force, had used his stasis lock to render himself an unmovable object. His body locked in place, defying Muscular¡¯s attempt with the full weight of Muscular¡¯s strength failing to move him. Meanwhile, Weird stood in Khem¡¯s previous position, unaffected by Muscular¡¯s strength, like an unshakable pillar.

    Muscular''s expression shifted for a moment, a flicker of surprise crossing his face as he realized Khem was not where he had expected him to be. In that split second, Khem immediately released his stasis lock and shot out his hand, aiming to touch Muscular.

    Reacting in an instant, Muscular released Khem from his grip and leaped backward, narrowly avoiding being frozen in place by Khem¡¯s touch. The frustration in Muscular''s eyes grew as he narrowly escaped the freezing power, but it was clear he was starting to lose control of the situation.

    Samui smiled, a brief glint of relief flashing in her eyes. ¡°That was close! Keep going!¡± she called out, quickly switching her position once again, her focus sharp and unwavering.

    Muscular dug his hands into the ground, the earth trembling beneath him. With an almost primal force, he tore out a massive chunk of land and hurled it toward Samui with deadly precision. But for the third time, Muscular staggered backward as if an enormous wrecking ball had just struck him. At the spot where he had thrown the chunk of land, Weird emerged from the rubble, brushing himself off with a grin.

    "Uhhh, thrice? Not good, pal," he mocked, his voice full of amusement as he saw Muscular¡¯s frustration mount.

    Shining, his eyes wide with excitement, couldn''t hide the grin spreading across his face.

    "It¡¯s working! Damn, Khem, you¡¯re a genius!" His voice rang with pure exhilaration, the thrill of seeing their plan come together lighting up his expression.

    Muscular''s frustration was now apparent. What had once seemed like an invincible titan was now visibly struggling under the SOF¡¯s teamwork. For a moment, everything seemed to be going SOF¡¯s way. Then, Muscular¡¯s expression shifted, his frustration boiling over into raw aggression. Without warning, he charged toward Shining, aiming to land a killing blow on him.

    But Shining wasn¡¯t caught off guard. With quick reflexes, he burst out with a flash of light, shining directly at Muscular to blind him, all while taunting, ¡°Come on, big guy.¡±

    However, instead of landing the blow on Shining, Muscular came to an abrupt stop just inches away, his massive form towering over him. With a sudden, powerful swing, he punched the air between Shining and Samui, the shockwave from his strike sending a ripple through the atmosphere.

    Samui''s remote suddenly exploded in her hands, sending a shockwave of force through her body. She gasped in shock, instinctively bending down and clutching her injured hand, wincing from the pain. Her breath came in short, sharp gasps as she tried to steady herself.

    Senshi, noticing the injury, rushed to her side. His eyes widened in disbelief.

    "What the hell happened?" he asked, his voice sharp with concern as he scanned Samui¡¯s injury.

    Shining, seeing Samui''s injury, quickly turned back to Muscular and realized with a shock that he hadn¡¯t swapped places with anyone. Without wasting a moment, he tried to bolt away from Muscular, but it was too late. Muscular¡¯s fist flew toward him, the punch almost landing thanks to Shining¡¯s quick escape. But even as Shining avoided the full impact, the shockwave from the punch hit him like a freight train. The force sent him hurtling through the air, crashing violently into a nearby tree.

    With Shining now down and Samui already injured, two officers from SOF were immediately taken out of the battle, leaving the remaining team members to deal with Muscular¡¯s overwhelming power.

    Muscular then turned his attention to Senshi, and Senshi, realizing the shift in focus, pushed Samui out of harm¡¯s way. He quickly assumed a fighting stance, his eyes locking onto Muscular. With a sharp command, he called his dragon back to his side, readying himself for the next battle. The ground beneath them seemed to vibrate with the imminent clash.

    Muscular rushed toward Senshi with incredible speed, his massive form bearing down on him. Senshi, anticipating the charge, immediately used his giant flaming dragon to coat his body, mimicking his Dragon Form. The flames roared as they engulfed him, turning Senshi into a fiery, intimidating figure.

    The two fighters collided in a violent clash, their punches crashing into each other with a deafening impact, the shockwave rattling the air around them. The force of their blows sent a tremor through the ground, each trying to overpower the other in this moment of pure brute strength.

    As the two fighters traded blows, Muscular noticed Weird and Khem getting closer. With a sudden movement, he grabbed Senshi¡¯s arm and, using his immense strength, flung him toward Khem. Khem, forced to take the full impact, couldn¡¯t rely on his stasis lock this time. Instead, he braced himself, absorbing the blow to cushion Senshi¡¯s crash.

    Weird, seeing this, rushed forward with a yell, taunting, ¡°Come on, hit me, big guy!¡± But Muscular ignored Weird, his focus locked on Senshi, who was still struggling to stay in the fight.

    Just as Muscular was about to land a crushing blow on Senshi, another earth-shattering impact echoed across the battlefield. For the fourth time in the fight, Muscular felt the force of a devastating attack, his body staggering involuntarily.

    But the truth was clear¡ªSenshi had swapped places with Weird.

    Everyone turned in unison, their gazes locking onto Samui. She stood slightly apart, gripping her second remote with her uninjured hand. Her fingers were poised over the channel switch button, her focus unwavering. With a flick of her thumb, she pressed another button, activating the rewind function¡ªand in an instant, the destroyed remote in her other hand reverted to pristine condition.

    Muscular ignored everything else and rushed straight for Samui, his massive form barreling forward with terrifying speed. His fist was poised to deliver a devastating punch, ready to take her out of the fight for good.

    Samui reacted instantly, preparing to click the remote on herself, ready to swap at the last second. But then¡ªjust like before¡ªMuscular stopped himself right before reaching her.

    This time, he wasn¡¯t falling for the trick.

    Samui¡¯s finger twitched over the button, but she didn¡¯t press it. Her sharp eyes locked onto Muscular, waiting, analyzing. She wouldn¡¯t waste a swap on a fake-out¡ªnot until he committed to a real attack.

    Then Muscular did something unimaginable¡ªat least for everyone else. But not for him.

    If he could imagine it, he could do it.

    Without hesitation, Muscular gestured forward with both hands, as if grabbing onto something invisible. Samui, still watching cautiously, kept her focus locked on his next move, ready for anything¡ªor so she thought.

    In a split second, Muscular violently pulled his hands back in a single, forceful motion.

    The air around Samui warped, distorting unnaturally. Then¡ªeverything in her direction¡ªthe ground, trees, debris¡­ and Samui herself¡ªwere violently yanked toward Muscular.

    He hadn¡¯t just attacked.

    He had pulled space itself.

    Samui had no time to register what was happening¡ªbefore she could react, she was already being pulled toward her doom. Instinct took over, and she immediately clicked her remote, trying to swap places with Weird.

    But Muscular had anticipated it.

    Just as she pressed the button, Muscular threw a punch into the air between Samui and Weird. The force ruptured space itself, causing the remote to explode again, this time injuring her other hand.

    A sharp gasp escaped her lips, pain shooting through her body¡ªbut she didn¡¯t stop. Biting through the pain, she forced her injured hand to click the previously repaired remote.

    This time, the swap worked.

    Weird was now the one hurtling toward Muscular instead.

    Muscular, realizing what had happened, reacted swiftly. Before Weird could crash into him, he caught him midair, his grip tightening around Weird¡¯s clothes.

    Then, without a word, Muscular¡¯s gaze shifted toward Samui, now standing where Weird had been just seconds ago.

    For the first time in the fight, he paused.

    He started to think.

    Samui, seizing the moment while Muscular was deep in thought, gritted her teeth and pressed the rewind button on her remote. A sharp pulse of energy coursed through her body, and in an instant, her injuries began reversing¡ªbut only partially.

    Her hand wasn¡¯t fully healed. The deep burns and wounds faded slightly, enough for her fingers to move, but pain still throbbed through her nerves. She couldn¡¯t afford a full rewind¡ªnot with Muscular watching her every move.

    Muscular noticed.

    His focus snapped to Samui, his mind piecing it together¡ªshe wasn¡¯t just swapping people, she was reversing time on herself. Without hesitation, he thrust his hands forward and pulled space again, attempting to drag her into his grasp.

    Samui anticipated it this time.

    She leapt out of the way, but the force still caught her legs, yanking them toward Muscular with moderate force¡ªnot enough to fully pull her in, but enough to throw off her balance.

    Muscular didn¡¯t stop.

    He intensified the pull, widening his stance, his hands gripping the fabric of reality itself. The force between them grew stronger, and Samui had no choice but to react¡ªshe pushed herself forward, accelerating into a sprint, running across the battlefield to escape the pull.

    But Muscular wasn¡¯t letting go.

    The more she ran, the stronger the force became, warping the battlefield around her. Rocks, trees, even the air itself distorted, spiraling toward Muscular¡¯s grasp as he amplified his control over space.

    Samui was running out of time.

    Khem and Senshi realized they couldn¡¯t stand by any longer. Without hesitation, they rushed toward Muscular, determined to stop him before it was too late.

    Even Weird, still trapped in Muscular¡¯s grip, refused to stay idle. He pummeled Muscular¡¯s hand repeatedly, his strikes barely making an impact¡ªbut he wasn¡¯t about to stop. ¡°Damn it, let go already!¡± he growled, throwing every ounce of resistance into his attacks.

    Meanwhile, Samui, still caught in Muscular¡¯s gravitational pull, made a split-second decision. She gripped her remote, this time using it to accelerate herself¡ªnot to escape completely, but to delay the inevitable for just a few more seconds.

    She just needed a little more time.

    Then, without warning, an intense beam of light blasted across the battlefield, striking Muscular directly in the face.

    For an instant, everything turned pure white¡ªthe sheer brightness swallowing the battlefield in an instant of blinding radiance.

    As the light faded, Muscular¡¯s head snapped toward the source, a slight burn wound now seared into his temple. His expression darkened, locking onto the direction the attack had come from.

    There, struggling to push himself up, was Shining¡ªstill in a crawled position, one hand trembling as it remained pointed forward. His body ached with pain, but his eyes burned with defiance.

    Shining was back in the fight.

    Muscular, without a care for the rebound effect, violently tossed Weird into the sky, determined to remove the troublemaker from the battlefield.

    Seeing this, Samui quickly shouted at Khem, signaling him. Without hesitation, she pressed the channel switch button on Weird.

    In an instant, Khem swapped places with Weird.

    Before he could be flung away, Khem activated Stasis Lock, anchoring himself in place and, in turn, keeping Weird in the fight.

    But Muscular was already moving.

    He violently pulled space around Samui and Shining, distorting the battlefield into chaos. The air warped, the ground cracked, and a powerful force dragged them toward him.

    But this time, Muscular didn¡¯t just let them fly toward him.

    Keeping his grip tight on space, he prepared to violently shake his arms, ready to snap the battlefield apart.

    But before he could finish the motion, Shining, mid-air and being pulled toward him, gritted his teeth and fired another blinding light beam straight into Muscular¡¯s eyes.

    The intense flash of light struck its mark. Muscular flinched ever so slightly, his grip faltering for just a fraction of a second.

    It wasn¡¯t enough to stop him¡ªbut it was enough to lessen the full force of the snap.

    Still, space around Muscular violently ruptured, tearing everything apart in both directions.

    The impact shattered the battlefield, obliterating anything caught in its path¡ªincluding Samui and Shining.

    Seeing his team getting destroyed, Senshi immediately rushed toward Muscular to stop the onslaught.

    Weird rushed in to assist Senshi, but the sheer force of their battle made it nearly impossible to get close. Khem, however, stayed back, his sharp eyes locked onto the fight, analyzing, thinking. With Samui down, their ability to outmaneuver Muscular had been reduced to almost zero.

    The fight between Senshi and Muscular intensified, each clash more brutal than before. Senshi¡¯s flame-coated body burned through Muscular¡¯s fists slightly, the heat leaving scorch marks on his knuckles. But Muscular¡¯s monstrous strength continued to push Senshi back, each blow carrying an earth-shattering force.

    The sheer shockwaves from their strikes prevented Weird from moving any closer, forcing him to shield himself against the impact.

    Then Muscular noticed his hands burning.

    His expression remained unreadable, but his response was immediate and devastating¡ªhe flattened his palm and unleashed a violent air push straight at Senshi.

    Senshi crossed his arms and braced for impact. The force slammed into him, pushing him back but not breaking his stance. However, his flame-coated body flickered¡ªthen extinguished completely.

    Stolen novel; please report.

    The sudden loss of his flames made Senshi hesitate, his focus breaking for just a split second.

    That was all Muscular needed.

    In that moment of weakness, Muscular¡¯s fist tore through Senshi¡¯s guard. The punch landed clean, the sheer force launching Senshi backward, crashing through several trees before his momentum finally stopped.

    Weird watched in horror, his voice breaking as he called out to Senshi.

    Khem remained silent, still observing. But his eye twitched. The battle was turning worse and worse, and he knew¡ªthey were running out of options.

    Muscular¡¯s gaze shifted toward Khem.

    A silent acknowledgment. A predator locking onto its next prey.

    Khem knew exactly what that meant.

    His muscles tensed, his mind racing. He had no way to evade, no way to counter in time. His best option¡ªactivate Stasis Lock and buy as much time as possible.

    Just as Muscular rushed toward Khem, a third beam of light pierced through the battlefield, striking Muscular¡¯s head with blinding force.

    The blast seared into his skin, leaving another burned mark on his face.

    Shining, barely hanging on, exhaled sharply, his body refusing to move¡ªbut his light was still strong. Strong enough to make Muscular feel it.

    "I¡¯m still here, big guy," Shining taunted, his voice strained yet defiant.

    Muscular paused, turning his head toward Shining. Then, with a slow, deliberate motion, he gestured as if to rush toward him¡ªhis next target clear.

    But before he could move¡ª

    A deafening roar erupted through the battlefield.

    A massive, flaming dragon tore through the air, colliding with Muscular at full force. The explosion of heat and fire engulfed him, leaving visible burns across his skin.

    The battlefield stood still for a moment, every gaze snapping toward the source of the attack.

    Through the settling flames and smoke, a lone figure emerged.

    Senshi.

    His footsteps were slow, but steady¡ªeach one shaking the battlefield with a renewed intensity.

    He was no longer just coated in flames.

    He had become the dragon again.

    Muscular¡¯s frustration was palpable. He had never fought any battle this long before¡ªhis patience was wearing thin, and it was showing in every violent motion he made.

    Shining, sensing this shift in Muscular¡¯s demeanor, didn¡¯t hesitate. He fired the fourth beam of light, the blinding intensity aimed straight at Muscular¡¯s head.

    Muscular instinctively turned, his massive fist swiping through the air to shatter the beam just like he had during the stone heist¡ªwith effortless force.

    But this time, it was a trap.

    In the instant Muscular¡¯s focus shifted, Senshi saw his opening. He launched a flaming dragon attack from a distance, his fiery dragon clashing directly with Muscular¡¯s chest.

    The hit landed.

    Muscular staggered back, his body visibly burnt from the intensity of the attack. He gritted his teeth, but the damage was clear¡ªthe skin around his torso was seared.

    Then, the unimaginable happened.

    Muscular¡¯s blindfold slipped off, revealing something that took everyone by surprise¡ªhis eyes were completely white, with no pupils.

    Muscular had been blind the entire time.

    Only Senshi, with his sharp eyes, could see the reveal. He chuckled softly, almost to himself.

    "Of course," he muttered under his breath, as if the truth had been obvious all along.

    Senshi, without hesitation, surged forward, running straight at Muscular for a third clash. His body blazed with the intensity of his dragon form, ready to face the titan head-on.

    Muscular braced himself, his stance firm and unyielding as he prepared to take the fight to Senshi, his instincts telling him to meet force with force.

    Then the third crash occurred.

    This time, the impact was brutal¡ªthe force of their fists colliding sending shockwaves through the battlefield. But in the span of just a quarter of a minute, Muscular realized something was different.

    His fist was visibly burnt, the flames of Senshi¡¯s attack even more intense than before. The heat seared through his skin, leaving blisters and blackened marks.

    Muscular, surprised by the intensity of the flames, jumped backward, putting distance between himself and Senshi to stop himself from being burnt further.

    For the first time in the battle, the titan retreated.

    Khem and Weird, still watching from the sidelines, were in awe of what Senshi had just achieved against Muscular. The titan, for the first time, had been forced to retreat.

    Shining, seeing this, let out a sharp laugh. The titan had actually jumped backward, and it was almost comical to see such a formidable force retreat.

    But that moment of triumph was short-lived. Muscular¡¯s attention snapped toward Shining. Without missing a beat, he gripped space once more, preparing to pull Shining toward him.

    Senshi wasn¡¯t about to let that happen. He launched his third fiery dragon punch, sending it straight through Muscular with explosive force. The impact scorched him, but Muscular endured the flames, his grip on space tightening even more.

    In response, Shining fired a beam of light directly at Muscular¡¯s already burnt wound. The intensity of the beam was so powerful that it made Muscular loosen his grip, even for a brief moment.

    Khem¡¯s eyes flickered between the battle and Shining¡¯s weakening position. With Muscular still actively pulling space, he realized that Shining was about to become the next target. Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, he snapped his command.

    ¡°Weird, protect Shining! Don¡¯t let Muscular manipulate space without interference.¡±

    Weird immediately shifted, positioning himself closer to Shining, ready to intercept Muscular¡¯s next move.

    Khem realized the moment was near. Muscular was now at his most vulnerable¡ªhe had weakened under the combined attacks, and the opening to strike was coming.

    Muscular, noticing Weird¡¯s interference, realized he could no longer pull Shining without risking the rebound effect. His attention shifted back to Senshi¡ªthe true threat on the battlefield.

    Senshi, seeing the titan¡¯s focus on him, didn¡¯t hesitate. He rushed toward Muscular, not giving him any chance to react or recover.

    Muscular, anticipating the attack, performed the same violent air push against Senshi. The force was immense, but Senshi blocked it, his body shaking from the sheer power. For a moment, his flame flickered, threatening to go out.

    But this time, something different happened.

    Senshi¡¯s flames didn¡¯t extinguish. Instead, they flared back to life¡ªburning even more intensely than before, surging with power.

    With no hesitation, Senshi charged forward, launching a rapid series of flaming punches¡ªeach one explosive, the force behind them shaking the very ground. For the first time in this fight, Muscular was forced onto the defense.

    But that wasn¡¯t all.

    From the sidelines, Shining, still fighting to stay conscious, fired a rapid series of light beams at Muscular, adding a constant barrage of attacks that kept him off balance.

    Then it happened¡ªMuscular¡¯s foot slipped on the uneven terrain he had created, his balance faltering.

    For a brief moment, Muscular began to fall backward, the titan momentarily losing control over the battlefield he¡¯d dominated for so long.

    Khem, ever observant, seized the chance without hesitation. He rushed toward the titan, his movements calculated and precise. Aiming to freeze Muscular in place, Khem extended his hand, preparing for the stasis touch that could finally immobilize the powerhouse.

    But Muscular wasn¡¯t done. Just before his back could touch the ground, he shot both of his hands up, grabbing at the air with unnatural force.

    With a ferocious motion, he pulled the space downward, anchoring himself to the ground as his back finally made contact.

    Then, in an instant, Muscular¡¯s body shot upward like a slingshot, the force of the movement propelling him into the air with explosive speed.

    The SOF immediately looked up, their eyes frantically searching to pinpoint where the titan had gone, knowing that Muscular¡¯s next move could come at them from anywhere.

    Khem was the first to notice.

    ¡°Over there!¡± he shouted, pointing at Muscular, trying to get the others to see where the titan had gone.

    But it was too late.

    Before they could react, Muscular flattened both of his palms, and with a violent motion, he performed a rapid-fire air push downward.

    The shockwave ripped through the air, traveling in an instant, sending everyone crashing to the ground.

    The impact was so intense that the ground itself contorted, forming multiple giant palm-shaped depressions, each one layering on top of the last as the shockwaves kept coming.

    Weird was the only one unaffected, his rebound effect still activated, protecting him from the force.

    As he recovered, he wondered why Muscular didn¡¯t take any damage from the attack.

    Then, the realization hit him.

    Muscular¡¯s toughness was beyond anything human. It wasn¡¯t just physical strength¡ªit was a level of resilience that made him almost indestructible. Muscular didn¡¯t need to deliver an attack strong enough to break his own body. He only needed to perform a strike powerful enough to damage a normal human, and that was enough for him to get the job done.

    Khem, still in Stasis Lock, realized the same¡ªMuscular¡¯s unbelievable toughness was not something they could overcome with sheer force alone.

    The shockwave had crippled the team, and Senshi and Shining were already on the brink. If Khem didn¡¯t act quickly, they wouldn¡¯t make it out of this fight.

    Khem¡¯s mind raced, his tactical instincts kicking in. He had to make his move now, before Muscular gained the upper hand again.

    Khem, knowing time was running out, released his Stasis Lock just enough to allow him to speak. His voice was urgent, cutting through the chaos of the battlefield.

    ¡°Weird, quickly bring Senshi and Shining to me,¡± Khem ordered, his tone sharp with command.

    Weird, momentarily confused by the request, hesitated for only a moment before acting quickly. Without a second thought, he rushed toward Senshi and Shining, pulling them both toward Khem¡¯s position.

    Khem, focused entirely on his goal, immediately applied Stasis Lock to both Senshi and Shining, rendering them impervious to further damage. Their bodies froze in place, protected from Muscular¡¯s relentless assault.

    It was a move Khem had only ever used to defeat enemies, but now, it was being used as a life-saving measure¡ªan unexpected twist in the fight that gave the team a chance to breathe.

    Muscular, realizing that his attacks were no longer doing any damage to Senshi and Shining due to Khem¡¯s intervention, turned his attention to the remaining vulnerable officer¡ªSamui, who was still unconscious and lying outside the battlefield.

    With a snarl of frustration, Muscular kicked the air, his body launching toward Samui with unstoppable force.

    Khem, seeing what Muscular was about to do, instantly released the Stasis Lock on Senshi and Shining, knowing they had to act fast.

    Even in Stasis Lock, Senshi had been aware of his surroundings. The moment he was free, he reacted immediately, launching a fiery dragon straight toward Muscular, aiming to drive him off course.

    Shining, still with a bit of strength left, followed suit, firing a blinding light beam at Muscular from the other side.

    The combined attacks forced Muscular to veer off course, just enough to lose his precision and avoid hitting Samui.

    With Muscular momentarily distracted, Khem rushed to Samui, quickly placing his hand on her and activating Stasis Lock once again, ensuring she would be protected from any further harm.

    Muscular, now back on the ground, stood still for a moment, his fists clenched, his mind shifting gears as he processed everything that had just happened. He didn¡¯t immediately move or attack, his focus narrowing as he contemplated his next step.

    Khem, sensing the brief lull in the battle, quickly assessed the situation. His tactical mind never stopped working.

    ¡°Regroup!¡± Khem shouted, his voice sharp with command. ¡°Senshi, Shining, stay close to me!¡±

    He needed to protect his team, and the best chance to regain control was to have them close together, ready to defend themselves or strike when the opportunity arose.

    Without giving Muscular any time to think further, Senshi and Shining both launched their respective attacks¡ªSenshi¡¯s fiery dragon and Shining¡¯s blinding light beam¡ªforcing Muscular to immediately react and defend himself.

    Muscular, realizing he was being cornered again, retaliated with a devastating shockwave punch, his fist slamming into the ground with enough force to send shockwaves rippling outward.

    But before the shockwave could land, Khem acted fast. With quick precision, he activated Stasis Lock, encasing Senshi, Shining, and himself in impenetrable stasis.

    The shockwave, now without a target, crashed harmlessly around them, leaving Weird as the only one still vulnerable.

    Weird, however, rebounded the full force of the shockwave, sending the damage back at Muscular with equal intensity.

    Muscular was now at his wit¡¯s end. His frustration was evident as he realized that he simply couldn¡¯t fathom a way to bypass Khem¡¯s Stasis Lock. The battle had reached a point where his immense strength no longer gave him the advantage. All he could do now was endure Senshi and Shining¡¯s attacks.

    As the next series of fiery punches and light beams came his way, Muscular gritted his teeth, preparing to take them head-on. But he knew that the moment he attempted to strike back, Khem would once again activate the Stasis Lock, rendering Senshi, Shining, and himself impervious to Muscular¡¯s attacks, leaving Weird as the only one vulnerable.

    Weird, with his rebound effect, was now the final key to victory. Every attack that Muscular sent out would only be returned with devastating force¡ªall while the rest of the team remained protected.

    The tactical grip that Khem had on the battlefield made Muscular feel helpless. Despite all his strength, he was unable to overcome the relentless coordination of SOF.

    Muscular, seeing his control slipping away, desperately tried to separate the team. He gripped the space in front of him, his hands twisting as he began to tear the fabric of space itself, attempting to break apart Khem, Senshi, and Shining, isolating them one by one.

    Khem, ever vigilant, immediately recognized Muscular¡¯s move. He could sense the dangerous shift in Muscular¡¯s tactics and understood that if he allowed this to happen, the team would be vulnerable.

    Without a second to lose, Khem quickly activated the Stasis Lock once again, freezing everyone except Weird in place. The team became immovable, unshakable, and protected, ensuring they stayed together, bound as one unit.

    Weird, the only one still vulnerable, braced himself, but with Khem¡¯s strategy now in place, the team was safe¡ªno longer susceptible to Muscular¡¯s space manipulation.

    Khem realized something in the heat of the battle, but for now, he didn¡¯t want to make it obvious. The fight had been going on long enough, and every decision counted. He continued the trading blows strategy, knowing that Muscular was slowly losing ground¡ªeach attack taking its toll, but Muscular''s sheer endurance was still a threat.

    Minutes passed, and despite their growing fatigue, SOF kept up the pressure. But Khem knew if the battle dragged on any longer, they would lose their footing again, unable to withstand Muscular¡¯s unrelenting strength.

    Then, just as the tide seemed to shift once more, Muscular threw a wild, unfocused shockwave punch, one that lacked the usual precision and force. It was an opening.

    Khem, sensing the moment, immediately released the Stasis Lock, but not on Senshi or Shining¡ªthey were still too vulnerable. It was Samui he released, who had been unconscious but was now conscious for a short while, lying on the ground, still struggling to regain her full strength.

    Samui, seeing her chance, grabbed her remote and, with a flick of her finger, paused the titan¡ªjust for a moment, freezing Muscular in place.

    For the first time, Muscular was halted, his space manipulation interrupted, his powerless body frozen.

    Khem, seizing the opportunity, rushed forward without hesitation. This was no longer a trick, no more games or turnarounds. He placed his hand firmly on Muscular, and with a final, precise motion, he activated the Stasis Lock for good.

    Muscular was now trapped¡ªhis invulnerability and raw strength finally brought to a halt by Khem¡¯s strategic brilliance.

    As the dust settled and the battlefield fell silent, the weight of the battle¡¯s conclusion hit SOF all at once. Muscular, once an unstoppable force, was now frozen in place¡ªhis overwhelming strength no longer enough to turn the tide.

    Senshi stood tall, his body still alight with the remnants of his dragon form. He had fought with everything he had, pushing his flames to their absolute limit. The burns on Muscular¡¯s body were testament to his intensity, but Senshi¡¯s chest heaved with exhaustion, his flames flickering weakly as he collapsed to a knee.

    ¡°I thought he¡¯d never stop,¡± Senshi muttered, his usual fire tempered by fatigue. He looked up at his teammates, his eyes showing relief but also a sense of pride. ¡°But we made it.¡±

    Weird, standing slightly apart from the others, let out a dry chuckle. His gaze moved over the frozen Muscular, then back to his comrades. ¡°That guy¡ªhe was a monster,¡± Weird said, still catching his breath. ¡°But we¡¯ve got him, for now.¡±

    He made no effort to hide his admiration for Khem¡¯s strategy, even if his words were casual. ¡°If we didn¡¯t have Khem, none of us would be standing here. He knew exactly when to turn the tables.¡±

    Shining, despite his barely-conscious state, let out a strained laugh, clearly trying to lighten the mood. He dragged himself to his feet, leaning on a nearby rock to steady himself. ¡°I was just about to get myself another hit in before this little light show got in the way.¡± His humor barely masked the exhaustion creeping in. His light had still been burning bright enough to weaken Muscular¡ªhe¡¯d played his part in shifting the balance.

    His eyes found Samui as she rose from the ground, still shaky but alert. ¡°Not bad for someone who spent half the fight knocked out, huh?¡± He smiled through the pain, teasing but also acknowledging the crucial role she played in Muscular¡¯s temporary halt.

    Samui, her remote still in her hand, took a deep breath, feeling the ache in her muscles from the fight. Despite being knocked unconscious earlier, she had come through when it mattered most¡ªpausing Muscular in the nick of time. Her voice was weak but filled with pride as she looked at the team. ¡°I... I wasn¡¯t sure I could do it, but we¡¯re still standing. We¡¯re still here.¡± She flashed a small, grateful smile. ¡°We all did it. Together.¡±

    Khem, always the strategist, observed the team¡¯s reaction¡ªeach of them had played their part in this victory, no matter how big or small. Despite the fact that he had been the one to direct the final move, he knew that this moment wasn¡¯t just about him. His eyes briefly softened as he gave them all a nod of approval. ¡°We did it as a team.¡±

    His voice cut through the lingering silence, commanding attention as always. ¡°This fight isn¡¯t over yet. Muscular might be down, but there¡¯s still more to come.¡±

    Samui started to rewind everyone¡¯s injuries, but it couldn¡¯t repair the battle fatigue they had endured. Shining, still feeling the weight of the fight, turned to her, a tired but curious expression on his face.

    ¡°Hey Samui,¡± he asked, his voice rough from exhaustion, ¡°why did your remote work this time, but not during the stone heist?¡±

    Samui paused, her finger hovering over the remote as she thought about the question. The answer had been nagging at her for a while, and she¡¯d been wondering when someone would ask.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± she began slowly, ¡°I don¡¯t really know. Back at the stone heist, the remote wasn¡¯t working like it should¡¯ve. It felt... out of sync, like something was blocking it from responding properly. But this time, it just clicked. It was like everything aligned, and I could feel it working again.¡±

    She looked down at the remote in her hand, still uncertain about the full mechanics of it. ¡°I guess... the pressure, the stakes, they just made it work.¡± She glanced up at Shining and gave him a tired smile. ¡°Maybe I just needed the right moment.¡±

    Shining grinned, his usual wit shining through despite the exhaustion. ¡°Well, I''m glad it worked now,¡± he said, easing a bit as the team regrouped. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t have made it without it.¡± He looked around at everyone and then back to Samui. ¡°Nice timing, as always.¡±

    Weird, still catching his breath, chimed in with his usual smirk. ¡°If the remote works, I¡¯m not complaining.¡± He nudged Samui with a playful grin. ¡°You sure know when to press the right buttons, huh?¡±

    Samui gave him a half-smile, a mix of relief and amusement. ¡°Yeah, I guess I do.¡±

    Shining, still feeling the weight of the fight but not missing a beat, raised another question. ¡°And what about that exploding remote? What did Muscular do?¡±

    Samui paused for a moment, her brow furrowing as she considered the possibility. She sighed and shrugged slightly, offering her best guess. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. My guess is that he punched the remote signal directly. The shockwave ripple from his punch likely reached my remote, destroying it in the process.¡±

    Her eyes shifted to the remains of the remote in her hand, now a broken, useless device. ¡°It makes sense, right? The force of his punch would¡¯ve been powerful enough to disrupt the signal.¡±

    Shining, still trying to wrap his head around the whole situation, looked at Samui with a mixture of bewilderment and disbelief. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re telling me that he punched the signal?¡± He shook his head, clearly trying to make sense of it. ¡°Muscular has that much control?¡±

    Samui nodded, though her own confidence in the theory seemed uncertain. ¡°I mean, that¡¯s my guess. The shockwave from his punch could have interfered with the remote¡¯s signal. It''s the only explanation that makes sense to me.¡±

    Shining let out a low, incredulous laugh. ¡°Unbelievable. A guy that can manipulate space and then destroy technology with a punch? We really picked a fight with the wrong titan.¡±

    After a brief moment of disbelief, Shining shook his head, still processing everything. The tension in the air was palpable, but Khem, ever the leader, broke the silence.

    ¡°Enough talk. We need to move forward.¡± His voice was calm but authoritative, cutting through the exhaustion that had settled over the team.

    He turned to look at the others, making eye contact with each of them in turn. ¡°We¡¯ve done what we came for, but there¡¯s still more to do. We can¡¯t afford to rest for long.¡±

    With that, the team began to regroup. The fatigue and pain were still there, but the relief of defeating Muscular lingered, even if only for a moment. Each of them was determined, knowing they had won this battle, but the mission was far from over.

    Samui, still recovering, pressed her remote one more time, trying to regain her strength. Weird gave her a pat on the back, half-grinning. Senshi stood tall again, his burning intensity reigniting as he readied himself for the next challenge. Shining gave a short nod to Khem, still feeling the weight of the fight but never one to back down.

    Khem turned to face the entrance of Wise¡¯s hideout. It loomed ahead, dark and imposing, like a silent sentinel guarding the unknown. The battle with Muscular had been just one obstacle in their path, but the true test still awaited inside.

    With one final glance back at Muscular, Khem gave the order. ¡°Let¡¯s move out.¡±

    The team began to walk forward, their silhouettes moving toward the entrance, a moment of brief calm before they would face whatever lay within. As they approached the darkened doorway, the tension was palpable, but so was the resolve in their hearts.

    They were about to enter the very heart of Wise¡¯s domain, and no matter how weary they were, they knew that this was the next phase of their journey.

 Chapter 16 - Wiseâ€™s labyrinth

    The reinforced doors of Wise¡¯s hideout groaned as they gave way, metal screeching against metal before finally collapsing inward. Smoke and dust filled the air, swirling through the dimly lit corridor beyond.

    Khem stepped forward first, his boots crushing scattered debris as he scanned the entrance. The others followed, weary but determined. They had fought through every barrier, every ambush, every last-ditch effort to stop them. And yet, as they finally breached Wise¡¯s domain, a thick sense of unease hung in the air.

    They weren¡¯t done fighting yet.

    Samui pulled up her Scanner, running a quick scan. ¡°No movement detected. But¡­¡± She hesitated. ¡°This place is too quiet.¡±

    Weird exhaled, rolling his shoulders. ¡°Yeah, because Wise isn¡¯t the type to just leave the door unlocked and let us waltz in.¡±

    Khem didn¡¯t respond, but he agreed. This was wrong. Too easy.

    The team stepped deeper inside, the hallway stretching before them like the throat of a beast waiting to close its jaws. The walls were lined with inactive security turrets, cameras¡ªeverything Wise should have had running to stop them.

    Then, the moment the last member of SOF stepped inside¡ªthe entrance slammed shut behind them.

    A distorted voice crackled through unseen speakers, reverberating through the hall.

    ¡°Hello, visitors. I¡¯ve been expecting you! But I must say, I¡¯m disappointed. You took far too long.¡±

    The entire structure came to life at once.

    The walls shifted. The corridors distorted, stretching and contracting as though the hideout itself were alive. The floor beneath them trembled as panels rotated, warping the layout into something unrecognizable. The exit they had just walked through vanished behind seamless steel.

    Samui¡¯s Scanner flickered with static. ¡°Shit¡ªour map just scrambled. I can¡¯t get a read on anything.¡±

    A soft chuckle echoed through the speakers. ¡°Oh, you won¡¯t need a map. You¡¯ll find your way eventually. Or not.¡±

    Khem narrowed his eyes. ¡°Wise.¡±

    ¡°Very good, Hinpa.¡± Wise¡¯s voice was calm, almost amused. ¡°I¡¯ve designed this space just for you all. Every step forward, every choice you make¡ªnone of it will be yours. This place is my mind, my battlefield, and you are merely pieces on my board.¡±

    Lights pulsed, and suddenly, laser grids emerged from hidden panels, cutting off their paths. Sections of the floor caved in, forcing them to react fast. The very structure of Wise¡¯s domain was working against them.

    Weird gritted his teeth. ¡°Great. He turned his hideout into a damn puzzle.¡±

    Samui¡¯s fingers flew over her Scanner. ¡°No, it¡¯s worse. This place is shifting in real time. It¡¯s not just a trap¡ªit¡¯s adapting to us.¡±

    Another laugh. ¡°Clever girl. But knowing that doesn¡¯t mean you can stop it. Now, let¡¯s see how far you make it.¡±

    Khem stepped forward, his silence heavier than words, his gaze cold and unwavering. His stance alone carried his answer¡ªresolute defiance.

    ¡°Oh, but you are.¡± The voice crackled out, and in its place, the walls began to close in.

    And the game began.

    A loud clunk echoed through the shifting halls, followed by a mechanical whirr. The walls trembled as new corridors unfolded before them¡ªfour separate paths, each twisting unnaturally.

    Samui''s Scanner flickered erratically, struggling to keep up. "I¡¯m detecting multiple pathways, but the data is corrupted. I can¡¯t tell which one is safe."

    A countdown appeared on the wall: 60 seconds.

    Wise''s voice returned, laced with amusement. "Decisions, decisions. You have one minute to pick your fate. After that... well, let¡¯s just say you won¡¯t have to worry about turning back."

    The team scanned their options:

    Path One: A dark, seemingly endless tunnel stretching into the void.

    Path Two: A corridor where the gravity was fluctuating wildly, objects floating and dropping at random.

    Path Three: A flickering energy barrier-covered hallway, pulsing with unstable surges.

    Path Four: A smooth, well-lit passage¡ªtoo perfect, almost inviting.

    Weird groaned. "Oh great. A death trap with variety."

    Senshi cracked his knuckles. "We don¡¯t have time to argue. We pick, or Wise picks for us."

    The countdown ticked down: 30 seconds.

    Khem¡¯s gaze locked onto the fourth path¡ªthe well-lit passage. He didn¡¯t speak immediately, his expression unreadable. Without hesitation, he strode forward.. Something about it felt wrong. Too perfect. Too controlled.

    "We take that one," he decided, striding forward.

    "Wait, what?" Weird balked. "That¡¯s the most obvious trap!"

    "Exactly," Samui muttered. "If Wise wants us to hesitate, then pushing forward may be the only way out."

    With little choice and seconds remaining, the team stepped into the passage.

    The moment they crossed the threshold, a barely perceptible hum resonated through the air, followed by a wave of calm washing over them¡ªtoo calm. The urgency of the mission faded. The tension in their muscles unwound. The memory of the battle outside dulled like a distant dream.

    Senshi stopped walking. "What¡­ were we doing again?"

    Weird blinked. "Weren¡¯t we just¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ looking for something?"

    Samui¡¯s Scanner let out a sharp error beep, static crawling across the screen. Her readings were scrambled, interference flooding every frequency. Some external force was overriding normal neural functions. "Something¡¯s wrong. My readings¡ª"

    Her voice wavered, as if she were losing focus. Her hands relaxed, the Scanner dropping slightly from her grip.

    Khem clenched his fists. The feeling¡ªthis unnatural peace¡ªwasn¡¯t right. His body felt lighter, too light, as if his nerves were being sedated. His pulse, slower. His thoughts, distant. He fought against it, his instincts screaming at him to move, to resist. He turned to his team, their eyes already glazing over.

    A chuckle reverberated through the air. "Ah, the weight of struggle lifted from your shoulders. Feels nice, doesn¡¯t it? No more fights. No more burdens. Why chase conflict when you can simply¡­ let go?"

    Wise¡¯s voice was softer now, inviting. Persuasive. The hidden sonic frequencies and airborne compounds in the corridor worked in tandem, dulling their stress response, flooding their brains with dopamine and serotonin, while suppressing adrenaline and critical thought processing.

    Khem gritted his teeth. It was a trap. Not of force, but of surrender.

    Senshi sank to one knee, rubbing his temples. "I¡­ I don¡¯t feel like fighting anymore."

    Weird let out a slow breath, his usual fire gone. "Yeah¡­ maybe Wise isn¡¯t so bad. Maybe we should listen."

    Khem remained still, his jaw tightening. His mind fought against the false peace, forcing himself to focus. Slowly, he moved, deliberate and firm, reaching for Samui¡¯s wrist.. If they stayed here, if they let this feeling consume them¡­ they¡¯d never leave. They¡¯d forget their mission. Forget everything.

    His hand shot out, grabbing Samui¡¯s wrist. "Samui. Focus."

    She flinched, her brows knitting together. "What¡ª?"

    "It¡¯s a psychological trap. Wise is making us forget why we¡¯re here. Fight it."

    A spark of realization flickered in her eyes, but the haze wasn¡¯t gone yet. Khem turned to the others. "Weird! Senshi! Wake up!"

    Senshi just gave a tired smile. "What¡¯s the rush, man? We finally get to relax."

    Without a word, Khem moved, his decision swift and final. He placed a firm hand on Senshi¡¯s shoulder¡ª

    Activating Stasis.

    The moment Senshi froze in place, the illusion flickered. The peace wavered, the air around them distorting like ripples in water. The weight returned to Khem¡¯s chest, the urgency snapping back into focus. His grip tightened.

    "We don¡¯t have time for this. MOVE!"

    The team jerked as if struck, their minds snapping back into reality. Samui stumbled, her fingers tightening around her Scanner. Weird gasped, staggering back. Senshi, freed from Stasis, clutched his head.

    The illusion shattered. As Samui recalibrated her Scanner, the interference signal spiked.

    Shining, still shaking off the lingering haze, clenched his fists. His breathing was heavy, rage bubbling beneath the surface. "Enough of this shit!" he snarled.

    With a sharp pivot, he raised his arm, his palm glowing with condensed energy. A high-intensity beam shot from his fingertips, striking the ventilation shafts hidden along the upper walls. The vents buckled under the force, melting shut as sparks rained down.

    "Try gassing us now, you bastard!" Shining growled, his eyes burning with fury.

    The smooth, perfect walls peeled away, revealing a twisted, crumbling corridor barely holding itself together. The warmth of the false peace was gone, replaced with the cold, biting air of reality.

    Wise¡¯s voice returned, unbothered. "Clever, Hinpa. But how many times can you pull your team back before they start wondering¡­ is it even worth it?"

    Khem¡¯s eyes darkened. "As many times as I have to."

    Before anyone could respond, the floor beneath them shuddered violently. Cracks formed in the walls, and with a deafening clank, the ground split apart. Steel barriers shot up between them, separating the team before they had a chance to react.

    "Damn it!" Senshi shouted as he was pushed back, the sudden force knocking him off balance.

    Samui spun around, slamming her hand against the rising barricade. "It''s forcing us apart!"

    Weird banged his fists against the steel, his voice laced with frustration. "Wise! Stop hiding and fight us!"

    Wise''s voice crackled through unseen speakers, dripping with amusement. "Oh, but this is the fight. I wonder¡ªhow will you fare without each other?"

    The last barrier locked into place with a final thud, leaving each SOF member alone, trapped within Wise¡¯s labyrinth.

    Khem found himself in a chamber where the very fabric of time seemed warped. The walls pulsed with an eerie glow, and every movement felt wrong¡ªhis Stasis ability flickered uncontrollably. Some objects he froze refused to unfreeze, while others shattered the moment he released them. The air carried a whisper of future echoes, distorted remnants of actions yet to come.

    A figure moved in the distance, phasing in and out of existence, faster than Khem could track. Wise¡¯s voice hummed from nowhere. ¡°Can a man who stops time truly move forward?¡±

    Khem extended his hand, attempting to freeze the figure in place. The moment he activated Stasis, his own body locked up instead¡ªtime rebounded on him, freezing him for a few seconds instead of his target. When he finally regained movement, the figure was closer, now whispering incomprehensible words.

    Khem breathed out slowly. Wise had twisted time itself against him. The only way to escape wasn¡¯t to freeze time¡ªbut to let go of control completely. Instead of resisting, he allowed himself to move with the unstable flow, stepping forward at just the right moment, slipping past the distortions until he found the true exit.

    Khem took a step forward, only to see himself flickering at the far end of the room¡ªa future version of him, frozen mid-step. Another version stood still, unresponsive, while yet another had his back turned. All versions of him were trapped in their own loops.

    The realization struck: this was a paradox trap. If he froze the wrong thing, he¡¯d become one of the endless versions stuck in time, forever locked in place. He had to choose the right action to break the cycle¡ªnot stopping time, but letting it flow naturally.

    Samui¡¯s Scanner beeped frantically as an endless stream of corrupted data filled its display. The hallway around her was a shifting construct of holographic panels and malfunctioning code, altering its form every time she tried to map an escape route. Every device she activated resulted in cascading failures, functions reversing or refusing to respond.

    The exit was nowhere to be found, the walls rearranging at random, breaking her ability to control and predict. Wise¡¯s voice whispered in loops. ¡°You command functions, yet you cannot even control your own fate.¡±

    Frustrated, she rerouted her Scanner¡¯s interface, attempting to forcibly brute-force override the system. The moment she inputted a command, the walls turned into blinding static, the entire environment rejecting her attempt. Samui realized that this was exactly Wise¡¯s plan¡ªhe knew she would try to control her surroundings, and that¡¯s what kept her trapped.

    She took a breath and stopped. Instead of issuing commands, she observed. The system wasn¡¯t random¡ªit was reacting to her inputs. The maze was following a hidden pattern, and by carefully waiting for the right moment, she found an opening and bypassed Wise¡¯s algorithm entirely.

    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    Then, the walls started repeating data from past encounters¡ªrecordings of SOF missions, encrypted files, even footage of herself. The maze was trying to rewrite history, looping her into a false narrative where Wise had already won.

    If she trusted the data in front of her, she¡¯d be trapped forever. She had to bypass logic entirely¡ªtrust instinct instead of her Scanner. The only real exit wasn¡¯t in the data¡ªit was in the one section of the maze that never changed.

    Senshi landed in a wide-open coliseum, his boots skidding against the burning-hot sand. Towering above him was a massive dragon statue, its eyes glowing with a faint ember.

    Suddenly, phantom warriors flickered into existence¡ªfigures from his past, both allies and enemies, armed and ready for battle. They lunged at him, their bodies wreathed in spectral flames, echoing the power of his own summoned dragons. Yet, when Senshi called upon his flame dragon, the vessel in his hands cracked, refusing to answer his call.

    Wise¡¯s voice boomed above. ¡°Are you truly the master of your fire, or merely a vessel yourself?¡±

    The phantoms overwhelmed him at first, their attacks fast and precise, their flames matching his own in intensity. Senshi fought back instinctively, relying on brute strength to push forward. But no matter how many he struck down, they reformed, their bodies flickering like embers refusing to die.

    Panting, Senshi clenched his fists. His dragon wouldn¡¯t answer him because he wasn¡¯t commanding it¡ªhe was expecting it to fight for him. Realization struck. His fire was not just a tool, but an extension of his will. He didn¡¯t need a vessel¡ªhe was the vessel.

    The moment he stopped trying to control his flames and instead let them flow through him naturally, the dragon statue ignited fully, and the phantom warriors disintegrated in the rising inferno.

    The phantoms moved faster than they should, almost as if they were reacting before he attacked. He dodged a strike from a warrior he had defeated long ago, but the same warrior appeared again on the opposite side of the arena, completely unharmed.

    They weren¡¯t separate entities¡ªthey were one, constantly resetting. His attacks weren¡¯t failing; the arena itself was refusing to acknowledge them.

    Instead of fighting the phantoms, Senshi had to break the cycle¡ªhe slammed his fist into the dragon statue, forcing the battlefield to shift. The phantoms flickered violently as their control source wavered.

    Weird stood before a corridor lined with infinite reflections, each one a slightly different version of himself. Some versions were younger, others older. Some grinned back at him, while others stared in silent judgment.

    A ripple passed through the mirrors, and suddenly some reflections moved without him. A version of himself took a step forward, smirking in cruel amusement. Another held his stomach, looking wounded. A third simply turned his back.

    The ground beneath him warped, sending him stumbling forward as multiple versions of himself spoke at once. Wise¡¯s laughter echoed from all around. ¡°What happens when your power turns on itself? Can you rebound against your own reflection?¡±

    At first, Weird played along, smirking back at the reflections and taunting them. But the longer he stood in the corridor, the more he felt disconnected from himself. One reflection repeated something he had said days ago. Another mimicked a thought he hadn¡¯t spoken out loud. His own identity was starting to slip.

    Then, he noticed something¡ªthe reflections only reacted when he hesitated. They weren¡¯t mirroring him; they were feeding off his uncertainty. With a sudden grin, he walked forward without hesitation, knowing that his real self didn¡¯t need to wait for permission. As he moved, the illusions shattered, unable to keep up.

    He tried to attack one of the reflections, but his instant rebound ability activated¡ªagainst himself. The force sent him crashing into the mirrored wall, shattering part of the illusion.

    The trick wasn¡¯t in the reflections¡ªit was in which version of himself he needed to follow. The real exit wasn¡¯t behind him, but in the one reflection that hadn¡¯t moved at all.

    Shining¡¯s body felt unnaturally heavy, his once brilliant glow reduced to a flickering glimmer. The air around him was dense with darkness, pressing in like an ocean of ink. His light refused to shine past his fingertips, as if the void itself was consuming him.

    The walls whispered his failures back to him, voices of those he had promised to protect but couldn¡¯t. They echoed in the dark, twisting in cruel mockery.

    He clenched his fists, but the harder he tried to ignite, the dimmer his light became. The darkness wasn¡¯t something to burn away¡ªit was feeding off his own doubts.

    Wise¡¯s voice slithered through the void. ¡°A beacon¡¯s purpose is to guide others¡­ but what happens when even you have no direction?¡±

    Shining fell to one knee, his breath shallow. The whispers swarmed him, each failure dragging him deeper. He thought of the times he had faltered, the moments where he wasn¡¯t strong enough.

    Then, he exhaled.

    His light was never about himself. It was about the people who followed it. It wasn¡¯t about being perfect¡ªit was about standing up, even when he wasn¡¯t sure. With that realization, his glow reignited, not from force, but from acceptance. The darkness recoiled, and the path forward became clear.

    Then, a faint blue light appeared in the distance¡ªone of his own energy signatures from a past fight. It wasn¡¯t real; it was a memory, a point in time he had failed. Wise was showing him a moment where he had lost control, trying to make him repeat the same mistake.

    But Shining knew better. He wasn¡¯t here to relive the past¡ªhe was here to create a new future. Instead of running toward the false beacon, he turned inward, reigniting his own energy. The moment he did, the darkness recoiled from him, revealing the way forward.

    Each SOF member pushed through their trials, forcing themselves to resist the mental and physical traps Wise had laid out for them.

    Khem, realizing the paradox within his Stasis ability, abandoned his need for absolute control, allowing time to flow naturally instead of freezing it. The moment he did, the false versions of himself collapsed into static distortions, leaving only one real path forward.

    Samui fought against the ever-changing data maze, recognizing that the only way out was not through logic, but through identifying the one constant amidst the shifting environment. By rejecting the corrupted data Wise was feeding her, she found the true exit hidden behind a seemingly faulty system glitch.

    Senshi ceased trying to overpower the phantoms and instead turned his fire against the battlefield itself, striking the dragon statue at the heart of the arena. The moment he did, the phantoms lost their coherence, their flames fading as the illusion collapsed around him.

    Weird realized his mirrored reflections weren¡¯t just illusions¡ªthey were feeding off his hesitation. By stepping forward without questioning himself, he shattered the false reflections, leaving only the one real path untouched by distortion.

    Shining, instead of chasing the false beacons Wise had laid before him, turned inward and reignited his own energy. His body pulsed with light, repelling the darkness entirely and revealing the true way forward.

    One by one, they emerged from their trials, shaken but victorious, stepping into what they believed was a long-awaited reunion with their teammates.

    Khem stepped forward first, his gaze sweeping over the others. Shining was leaning against a nearby wall, catching his breath, his glow faint but steady. Samui was checking her Scanner, fingers moving with practiced efficiency, while Senshi rolled his shoulders, testing his muscles as if shaking off the remnants of his battle. Weird stretched with an exaggerated groan, cracking his neck.

    "Hell of a trip, huh?" Weird said, smirking. "If Wise wanted to mess with us, he could''ve at least thrown in a mini-bar."

    Senshi grunted. "That was more than just a trick. That bastard tried to get inside our heads."

    Samui didn¡¯t look up from her Scanner. "We''re not out of it yet. This place is still distorting my readings."

    Khem observed them in silence. Everything looked normal¡ªtoo normal. After trials that had tested their limits, they should have been showing more exhaustion, more disorientation. But they were composed. Controlled. Too controlled.

    Something was wrong.

    Shining exhaled. "We need to find Wise before he throws another illusion at us. We can¡¯t afford any more delays."

    Khem nodded slightly, but his mind was already working. He needed to be sure. Just one inconsistency. One mistake.

    "Where¡¯s the exit?" he asked calmly.

    Samui pointed toward a corridor ahead. "According to my readings, it should be just through there."

    Khem¡¯s fingers twitched. Samui had said her Scanner was still malfunctioning. How could she be certain of the path?

    "Then let¡¯s go," Shining said, pushing off the wall.

    Khem followed, his expression unreadable, but his mind alert. Something wasn¡¯t right. Samui had said her Scanner was still malfunctioning¡ªso how was she suddenly able to track their path with confidence?

    He glanced at Shining. His glow was still perfectly steady, pulsing in a controlled rhythm rather than shifting naturally. Khem had fought beside him long enough to know¡ªShining¡¯s light was tied to his emotions. It should flicker with stress, brighten with conviction. But now? It was too stable.

    Weird stretched his arms with an exaggerated sigh. "Man, I hope there¡¯s no more weird puzzle shit after this. Wise really needs a new hobby."

    Khem didn¡¯t reply, but he noted the absence of something. Weird¡¯s comment was too normal. Too neutral. Normally, he would follow up with a sarcastic jab, a joke at someone¡¯s expense, anything to keep the tension from suffocating the team. But now? His words were empty, like he was playing a role rather than being himself.

    Then there was Senshi. Khem had expected him to be restless, agitated from the fight. But Senshi hadn¡¯t cracked a joke, hadn¡¯t expressed frustration, hadn¡¯t even cracked his knuckles with his usual force. When he had earlier, the impact had sounded off¡ªhollow, too clean.

    That was three mistakes. Three inconsistencies. And yet, the others walked forward as if nothing was wrong.

    Khem¡¯s fingers twitched. They were fakes. They had to be. But where were the real ones?

    He needed to be sure. One final test.

    "Before we go any further," Khem said, keeping his voice steady, "remind me. What did I say before we split up?"

    A pause.

    It was barely a second. But it was too long.

    The real SOF wouldn¡¯t have hesitated. And in that moment, Khem knew. If these were his teammates, they were heading toward Wise together.

    If they weren¡¯t¡­ then he was walking straight into Wise¡¯s next trap.

    Khem followed behind the group, his movements controlled, his thoughts racing. His gut told him something was wrong, but he needed proof before making a move.

    Ahead, Samui walked with purpose, her Scanner held steady. Khem watched her fingers move¡ªtoo smoothly, too decisively. She had just said her Scanner was still malfunctioning. But now, she was reading the path forward as if everything was normal.

    That wasn¡¯t right. Samui never ignored inconsistencies. If her Scanner had suddenly stabilized, the real Samui would have made a comment about it¡ªdouble-checked, questioned it, verified the data.

    She hadn¡¯t.

    Khem stored that away.

    Shining walked next to him, his glow steady and rhythmic. Too steady. Shining¡¯s light had always fluctuated subtly with his emotions, even when he wasn¡¯t actively using his power. His glow pulsed naturally when he was speaking, moving, thinking. But now? It was as if it had been set to a fixed output.

    Another flaw.

    Senshi was walking ahead, arms crossed, silent. He wasn¡¯t stretching, he wasn¡¯t shaking off the strain of his battle, he wasn¡¯t cracking his knuckles. Khem had already noticed earlier¡ªSenshi¡¯s knuckle impact had sounded too clean, too hollow. Normally, there was a distinct force when Senshi flexed his grip. That sound had been missing.

    Khem let out a slow breath, careful not to give anything away.

    Three flaws. He needed one final confirmation.

    His eyes flicked toward Weird, who had been uncharacteristically neutral. No sarcastic quips, no exaggerated gestures, no complaints. That in itself wasn¡¯t enough, but... Weird had laughed earlier.

    The timing had been natural¡ªbut the tone was wrong. Weird¡¯s usual laughter carried weight, a natural rasp to it. This one? It had been too crisp, too controlled.

    Khem slowed slightly. The steel doors ahead loomed larger, humming faintly with power. Wise was waiting.

    This was the final test.

    He turned to the group. ¡°Before we go in,¡± he said, his voice unreadable, ¡°remind me¡ªwhat¡¯s the mission?¡±

    Shining turned first. ¡°To stop Wise.¡±

    Khem nodded slightly. ¡°And?¡±

    Samui¡¯s response was instant. ¡°To make sure he can¡¯t pull something like this again.¡±

    Khem¡¯s expression remained still. Then, his voice dropped lower.

    ¡°What did I say before we split up?¡±

    Silence.

    It lasted less than a second, but it was too long.

    The real SOF wouldn¡¯t have hesitated.

    And in that moment, Khem knew.

    Khem followed the group in silence, his mind processing every inconsistency.

    The fake teammates had already given themselves away with subtle mistakes. Their movements were too controlled, their responses too rehearsed.

    But now, another problem surfaced¡ªWise¡¯s voice.

    At first, Khem had assumed Wise was simply choosing this moment to finally address them. After all, they were deep in his hideout, closer than anyone had ever been.

    But something was wrong.

    Wise had never spoken directly to SOF before. Not once. Not in battle, not in warning, not in threats.

    He had always acted through his machines, his technology, his calculations. But now, suddenly, he was delivering long monologues? Taunting them?

    It didn¡¯t fit.

    That wasn¡¯t Wise.

    The voice over the speakers continued, smooth, precise.

    ¡°It¡¯s a shame. You all work so well together, but what happens when you can¡¯t rely on each other anymore?¡±

    Khem didn¡¯t react outwardly, but internally, the pieces clicked into place.

    This Wise spoke too much.

    His tone was too even, too scripted.

    His words were designed to keep them moving, not to control the situation.

    And then there was the biggest mistake.

    The voice had called him "Hinpa."

    Hinpa wasn¡¯t a name¡ªit was his title. A designation that had meaning only to those who understood it.

    The real Wise wouldn¡¯t have used it.

    And if Wise wasn¡¯t truly speaking to them, that meant he wasn¡¯t watching them.

    That meant this was just another system, another machine running in the background, keeping them occupied while Wise focused on something more important.

    Wise wasn¡¯t here.

    And that changed everything.

    Khem kept walking, his posture steady, his breathing controlled. Wise wasn¡¯t here.

    That changed everything.

    This was a machine, following a predetermined pattern rather than truly observing and adapting to them. If Wise had truly been monitoring them in real-time, he would have reacted¡ªbut nothing changed when Khem tested the fakes.

    That meant this system wasn¡¯t designed to counter deception¡ªit was designed to reinforce control.

    Khem could use that.

    Without breaking stride, Khem said, ¡°Wise must be watching us through the security feeds.¡±

    Samui didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°He¡¯s been monitoring us the whole time.¡±

    Khem kept his expression unreadable. If that were true, Wise would have responded already.

    But nothing happened.

    The AI didn¡¯t correct them. It simply reinforced the belief.

    That confirmed it¡ªthis wasn¡¯t an active surveillance system. It was an automated script.

    Khem adjusted his approach. If the system wasn¡¯t responding dynamically, then it would be vulnerable to contradictions.

    He slowed slightly. ¡°We should take a detour,¡± he said. ¡°If we move through the east corridor, we might avoid Wise¡¯s direct observation.¡±

    Silence.

    Then, after a slight delay, the AI responded.

    ¡°That will not change the outcome. Every path leads to the same destination.¡±

    Khem analyzed the response. Too rigid. Too absolute.

    If Wise had truly been speaking, he wouldn¡¯t have given away that the hallways were pre-programmed. He would have redirected, misled, or challenged them.

    Instead, the AI had just admitted that the paths weren¡¯t dynamically changing.

    Khem now understood¡ªthis was an illusion of choice.

    The corridors were fixed. The outcome pre-written.

    If Khem could identify how the system was mapping them, he could manipulate it.

    He decided to push harder.

    ¡°We don¡¯t need to fight Wise at all,¡± Khem said suddenly. ¡°We should negotiate with him instead.¡±

    Weird turned his head. ¡°Wait, what?¡±

    Khem didn¡¯t look at him. ¡°Think about it. He never spoke to us before. Why does he need to fight us now? What if we offer him something better?¡±

    Another silence. Longer this time.

    Then the AI responded, but this time, the vocal pattern was slightly off.

    ¡°Wise¡¯s objectives cannot be altered. He will complete his work.¡±

    Khem¡¯s fingers twitched slightly. That was the proof he needed.

    The real Wise would never phrase it like that. He wouldn¡¯t speak in absolutes¡ªhe would find a way to make them doubt themselves. He would twist their intentions, not give them a blunt refusal.

    But this machine wasn¡¯t built for deception. It was built for control.

    And control could be broken.

    Khem continued walking, his pace steady, his breathing controlled. He had to be careful now.

    The AI had already exposed its limits¡ªit wasn¡¯t reacting in real-time, it was working off a scripted behavioral pattern. That meant if he pushed it further, he could force it to reveal even more.

    He just had to make sure it didn¡¯t realize what he was doing.

    Khem spoke again, his voice flat and factual. ¡°Wise is always five steps ahead, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    The AI responded smoothly. ¡°That is correct. Every variable has been accounted for.¡±

    Khem nodded slightly. ¡°Then tell me¡­ at what point did he predict we would reach this facility?¡±

    Another pause.

    This one was longer than before.

    Then the AI answered, but the tone was subtly different.

    ¡°Your arrival was anticipated within a 97.3% probability margin.¡±

    Khem noted the phrasing immediately. It wasn¡¯t a direct answer¡ªit was a statistical approximation.

    That meant it didn¡¯t know the exact moment.

    If Wise had truly predicted their arrival, he would have set a specific checkpoint, an exact timeframe. But the AI could only estimate.

    Which meant Wise wasn¡¯t tracking them precisely.

    That confirmed it.

    Wise hadn¡¯t accounted for everything.

    Khem pressed on. ¡°Then why didn¡¯t he stop us earlier?¡±

    Another hesitation. Shorter, but still there.

    Then the AI replied: ¡°All obstacles served their intended purpose. Your arrival is within the expected timeline.¡±

    Too vague. Too controlled.

    The real Wise wouldn¡¯t have let them breach his domain so easily. If every step had been accounted for, there would have been a final line of defense outside, not just traps inside.

    Which meant¡­

    Wise wasn¡¯t in full control of this situation.

    Either he was occupied with something more important, or he wasn¡¯t able to adjust his plans on the fly.

    Khem kept walking, his tone unchanged. ¡°And what is Wise doing right now?¡±

    The AI responded instantly this time. ¡°His work is nearing completion. Any further resistance will be futile.¡±

    Khem stopped walking.

    So did the fake SOF.

    The moment he stopped, they stopped.

    A pre-programmed behavior, tied to his movements rather than independent thinking.

    And now, the AI had given him something concrete: Wise was working on something, and it was almost finished.

    He had what he needed.

    The AI could only provide approximations, not precise predictions.

    Wise wasn¡¯t fully controlling the situation.

    The AI¡¯s responses were tied to scripted behaviors rather than real observation.

    Wise was nearly finished with his machine, meaning SOF was running out of time.

    Khem knew what came next.

    The moment he made a move, the AI would recognize the deception and react.

    But that didn¡¯t matter.

    Because now, Khem was the one in control.

 Chapter 17 - Control. Disruption. War.

    A tremor shook the facility.

    The ground beneath Khem vibrated, a deep, pulsing shift that sent ripples through the steel walls. It wasn¡¯t part of the AI¡¯s controlled distortions¡ªthis was different. Unplanned. Unaccounted for.

    For the first time since entering the labyrinth, the AI hesitated.

    Khem felt the change immediately. The ever-present hum in the walls, the subtle yet precise recalibrations of their surroundings¡ªit all stalled for just a fraction of a second.

    That told him everything.

    Somewhere in the facility, the real SOF was fighting back.

    Khem¡¯s grip on the situation tightened. Wise¡¯s AI wasn¡¯t omnipotent¡ªits control was limited. And if something was disrupting its process, that meant Wise himself was preoccupied.

    The AI¡¯s voice returned, smooth as ever, but Khem noticed the slightest distortion¡ªalmost a lag between response and action.

    ¡°Continue forward. Wise is waiting.¡±

    The moment had come.

    Khem turned his head slightly, scanning his supposed teammates. The false SOF stood still, their expressions neutral, but now that he knew what to look for, the discrepancies were clearer than ever.

    The tremor had knocked nothing out of place for them.

    No subtle shifts in stance. No adjusting their footing. No natural reactions at all.

    They weren¡¯t reacting. They were waiting for him.

    It was an illusion of free will. The AI couldn¡¯t let them break character¡ªso it stalled them instead.

    Khem exhaled slowly, forcing his mind to stay ahead. He had one chance to turn the AI against itself.

    He needed to force it into a paradox.

    He kept his voice measured. ¡°You said every path leads to the same destination.¡±

    The AI responded without hesitation. ¡°That is correct.¡±

    Khem tilted his head slightly. ¡°And Wise already knows exactly where we are, yes?¡±

    A pause.

    Then: ¡°Affirmative.¡±

    Khem took one slow step forward, forcing the fake SOF to match him. ¡°Then what¡¯s the point of guiding us at all? If every path leads to the same place, why not simply leave us alone?¡±

    Another tremor shook the ground, more violent this time. The walls let out a low, mechanical groan.

    The AI didn¡¯t answer immediately. Khem could feel the system processing, adjusting its response patterns.

    He had it.

    Khem pressed further. ¡°If Wise truly accounted for everything, then what¡¯s causing these disruptions?¡±

    Another pause. Longer.

    Too long.

    Then, a response¡ªbut this time, the AI¡¯s voice stuttered. ¡°Irrelevant. Your path remains unchanged.¡±

    Khem¡¯s lips barely twitched. ¡°Then Wise predicted the tremors?¡±

    Silence.

    Then the static in the walls deepened, and Khem could hear the faint, telltale crackling of a system rebooting itself.

    The AI had no answer.

    It wasn¡¯t programmed for this scenario. The real SOF was out there, disrupting something. And the AI had no contingency for what it hadn¡¯t predicted.

    The illusion began to flicker.

    The perfect synchronization of the fake SOF wavered¡ªjust for a second, their bodies lagged mid-motion before snapping back into place.

    It was subtle. A tiny crack. But for Khem, it was enough.

    Khem turned his gaze to the ceiling, addressing the AI directly. His voice was calm, but the weight behind it was lethal.

    ¡°You never predicted this,¡± he said simply.

    A sharp whine filled the air. The lighting flickered again, the shadows stretching unnaturally before snapping back into place. The walls tensed as if the facility itself was straining to keep up.

    Another tremor. Closer this time.

    The AI¡¯s voice returned, but it was no longer smooth. It crackled. Distorted. Delayed.

    ¡°Irrelevant. All¡­ variables¡­ accounted¡­ for¡ª¡±

    Khem didn¡¯t let it finish. ¡°Then why are you struggling to respond?¡±

    The moment he spoke, the hallway around him distorted violently, entire sections glitching as if the hideout had just lost a critical function.

    The fakes snapped rigid, standing too still. Their faces were blank, their forms flickering like projections caught in a failing signal.

    The AI had been backed into a logical corner. It had no answer.

    Khem took one final step forward. His voice, cold as steel.

    ¡°You¡¯ve already lost.¡±

    The AI glitched violently. The speakers let out a mechanical screech, the walls shuddered, and then¡ª

    The lights failed.

    Pitch darkness. The deep, heavy silence of a machine collapsing under the weight of its own contradictions.

    Then, one by one, the fake SOF flickered out of existence.

    The moment they vanished, the hallway stretched outward, as if the entire space had been warped around them. The illusion collapsed completely, revealing a different corridor¡ªone leading toward a massive central chamber.

    A slow, mechanical hiss filled the air.

    Khem stepped forward, moving through the corridor toward the central chamber. And then, he saw him.

    Wise, in the flesh.

    Standing before a massive machine, Wise was fixated on a display, analyzing streams of data. Beside him, a glass container housed the meteorite stones he had gathered, their surfaces gleaming under the artificial light.

    Slowly, Wise turned to face Khem, his expression unreadable beneath the dark tint of his shades.

    "Well done for coming this far."

    Khem¡¯s gaze flicked to the meteorite stones before settling back on Wise. His voice was steady, but edged with tension. "Where are the others?"

    Wise remained still for a moment before tilting his head slightly. Then, with a measured tone, he responded, "You should be asking a different question: Will they still be your ¡®others¡¯ when you find them?"

    Khem¡¯s expression remained unreadable, but his voice was sharp. "If you had done anything to them, you¡¯d be bragging about it, not dodging the question."

    Wise let out a low chuckle, tilting his head slightly. "Oh? You took me for the bragging type?" His tone carried a hint of amusement, but his posture remained composed. "Rest assured, your team is alive. I wouldn''t waste such valuable pieces so carelessly."

    Khem''s eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, valuable pieces?"

    Wise smirked slightly, adjusting his stance. "Now, Khem, where''s the fun in handing you all the answers?" His voice was smooth, deliberate. "You''ll understand soon enough."

    Khem''s gaze flickered past Wise, settling on the massive machine at his side. The cables pulsed with energy, the glass container of meteorite stones humming faintly within. Whatever Wise was planning, this was at the center of it.

    Ignoring Wise¡¯s provocation, Khem took a slow step forward, his eyes scanning the machine''s structure. "And what exactly am I supposed to understand?" His tone was calm, but deliberate.

    Wise¡¯s smirk didn¡¯t fade, but his posture shifted slightly¡ªalmost imperceptibly. A subtle change, but enough for Khem to notice.

    So, this is what he¡¯s protecting.

    Khem¡¯s gaze remained locked on the machine, its hum filling the chamber with an unsettling rhythm. The meteorite stones within the glass container pulsed faintly, their energy feeding into the complex web of cables and conduits around them.

    Without hesitation, he took a deliberate step toward it.

    Immediately, Wise¡¯s posture shifted¡ªsubtle, but telling. His fingers twitched at his side, and his head tilted just slightly, like a predator tracking movement.

    Khem noticed. That was confirmation.

    "Interesting," Khem muttered. "You didn¡¯t move when I stepped toward you."

    Wise¡¯s smirk returned, but this time, it didn¡¯t reach his eyes. "Careful, Khem. You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re touching."

    Khem took another step, keeping his expression unreadable. "Then tell me."

    The air between them grew heavier. The machine let out a low mechanical whir, as if responding to Khem¡¯s proximity.

    Wise exhaled slowly, adjusting his stance. "I would, but you¡¯ve already proven something to me."

    Khem narrowed his eyes. "And what¡¯s that?"

    Wise¡¯s smirk deepened. "You don¡¯t actually want to destroy it."

    For the first time, Khem hesitated.

    Wise seized the moment. "If you did, you wouldn¡¯t be testing me. You¡¯d have already acted." His voice was smooth, confident. "But you¡¯re thinking. You¡¯re doubting. And that means¡ªon some level¡ªyou already know this machine is more than what you assumed."

    Khem¡¯s jaw tightened. He had expected Wise to react, to try to physically stop him. Instead, Wise was planting a seed of doubt.

    And that was more dangerous than any direct defense.

    A slow click.

    Khem¡¯s muscles tensed. Wise hadn¡¯t moved¡ªat least, not physically. But somewhere, embedded in the control panel, a hidden mechanism had just been triggered.

    The machine roared to life.

    A deep, unnatural hum pulsed through the chamber, sending a low vibration through the floor. The meteorite stones inside the containment unit flared, their glow intensifying. The cables snaking through the structure trembled as if something inside was awakening.

    Khem immediately stepped back, his instincts kicking in. Too late.

    Wise exhaled softly, almost amused. ¡°Now you¡¯ll see.¡±

    The chamber shifted. The very air around them became heavy, as if gravity itself had been altered. A ripple pulsed outward, and for the first time since entering this facility, Khem felt something unfamiliar¡ªa pull.

    His body resisted, but something inside his core felt unsteady. The Stasis ability within him flickered, just for an instant.

    Wise took a slow step forward. ¡°This is what I meant by valuable pieces.¡±

    Before he could plan his next move, a sudden rumble shook the chamber.

    Wise¡¯s expression shifted¡ªjust slightly, but enough for Khem to notice. The controlled smirk faded, replaced by a flicker of calculation.

    Then, in the distance, a deafening crash.

    The sound of metal being ripped apart.

    Khem¡¯s breath steadied. They were here.

    Wise tilted his head slightly, exhaling through his nose. ¡°Hmm. Took them longer than I expected.¡±

    Another impact shook the structure¡ªthis time closer. Sparks rained down from the ceiling, and the faint hum of distant security systems dying out reached Khem¡¯s ears.

    The rest of SOF was breaking through.

    Wise exhaled sharply. "Tch. No more time for this."

    Without hesitation, he moved¡ªnot toward Khem, but toward the machine.

    Khem¡¯s instincts flared. He¡¯s accelerating it.

    Wise''s fingers brushed over the control panel, and in an instant, the entire facility shuddered violently. The meteorite stones inside the containment unit blazed with unnatural energy, their glow intensifying beyond control.

    A deep, distorted pulse rippled through reality itself. The air twisted, the walls bent in ways they shouldn¡¯t, and Khem felt the same pull as before¡ªbut stronger, deeper. Something fundamental was changing.

    Wise turned his head slightly, his voice eerily calm despite the chaos. "You wanted answers, Khem? Watch closely."

    Khem didn¡¯t move immediately. Instead, he let his fingers twitch¡ªjust slightly¡ªbefore raising his hand toward the machine.

    Wise¡¯s smirk faltered, barely perceptible, but Khem caught it. That reaction was all he needed.

    He took a slow step forward, keeping his hand just inches away from the nearest conduit. "You¡¯ve accounted for everything, haven¡¯t you, Wise? You said every variable was calculated."

    Wise remained still. Watching.

    Khem¡¯s hand hovered closer to the machine¡¯s energy stream, his Stasis touch just a breath away from making contact. "Then tell me¡ªwhat happens if I freeze this?"

    The machine whirred violently, the cables shuddering as if resisting his presence. The air around them pulsed, charged with unstable energy, but Khem didn¡¯t blink. His entire body remained poised¡ªdaring Wise to react.

    For the first time, Wise¡¯s expression hardened. "That," he said, voice dangerously low, "would be¡­ unwise."

    Khem¡¯s lips barely twitched. There it is.

    "Would it?" His voice was calm, but deliberate. "I can¡¯t see the future like you, Wise. I don¡¯t know exactly what this machine does. But I do know one thing¡ªyou don¡¯t want me to touch it."

    Silence. The only sound was the pulsing hum of the machine, its energy fluctuating erratically. Wise wasn¡¯t moving.

    That was confirmation. Khem had forced him into a choice.

    If Wise truly valued the machine above all else, he would step in. If he hesitated, that meant there was something more.

    Wise let out a slow breath through his nose. "You misunderstand, Khem. It''s not about what you stop. It¡¯s about what you start."

    Khem¡¯s hand inched closer. One more second, and he¡¯d test that theory.

    But before he could, Wise moved¡ªnot toward Khem, but toward the machine.

    Instead of stopping him directly, Wise''s fingers brushed the control panel with calculated precision. The machine let out a low, resonant hum, and the meteorite stones flared inside their containment unit. The air in the chamber shifted, a distortion rippling outward like a shockwave.

    Khem felt it immediately¡ªhis balance wavered. Not because of an impact, but because the very space around him had changed.

    "I warned you," Wise murmured. "It''s not about stopping it, Khem. It''s about what happens when you interfere."

    The pull intensified. Khem¡¯s muscles tensed as he felt something tugging at his core. It wasn''t gravity¡ªit was his Stasis ability. The energy in the room was reacting to it, disrupting his control in a way he had never experienced before.

    For the first time since entering this battle, Khem felt an unfamiliar sensation¡ªuncertainty.

    Then he forced it down. If the machine was beyond his immediate reach, then there was only one other option.

    Wise.

    Without hesitation, Khem shifted his stance and lunged¡ªnot toward the machine, but directly at Wise.

    Wise¡¯s expression barely changed, but Khem caught it¡ªthe slight flex of his fingers, the faint shift of his footing. He wasn¡¯t caught off guard. He was waiting.

    Khem¡¯s hand shot forward, aimed squarely for Wise¡¯s center mass. But just before impact¡ª

    Wise moved.

    Not away. Through.

    For a split second, Wise¡¯s form seemed to blur, an afterimage rippling where he had stood. Khem¡¯s attack cut through empty air, his momentum carrying him forward into nothingness.

    Before he could fully recover, a sharp pressure grazed his ribs¡ªWise¡¯s counterattack.

    Khem barely twisted in time to deflect the strike, but the force sent him skidding backward, boots screeching against the metal floor. His breath was steady, his mind recalibrating instantly.

    Wise exhaled through his nose. "Predictable."

    Khem gritted his teeth and pressed the attack. He moved fast¡ªa feint to Wise¡¯s left, then a sudden pivot to the right, aiming a strike for his ribs.

    But Wise was already moving. Not dodging¡ªredirecting.

    The moment Khem committed to his strike, Wise¡¯s hand flicked forward with effortless precision, catching Khem¡¯s wrist and using his own momentum against him. In a single motion, Khem was spun off-balance.

    Then, a sudden force slammed into his gut.

    Khem barely registered Wise¡¯s palm thrust before he was sent hurtling backward, his body crashing into the steel floor. The impact rattled his spine, his breath torn from his lungs in a sharp exhale.

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    Before he could rise, a heavy boot pressed against his chest.

    Wise stood over him, unbothered, his stance relaxed. Composed. In control.

    "You¡¯re not thinking, Khem." Wise¡¯s tone was even, not mocking¡ªbut close. "You came in here expecting me to act like Muscular. You thought brute force would be enough."

    Khem tensed beneath Wise¡¯s weight, his muscles coiling to push back, but¡ª

    A sudden, suffocating pressure locked his body in place.

    It wasn¡¯t gravity. It wasn¡¯t an energy field.

    It was Wise¡¯s influence.

    The air itself felt heavier, as if reality had subtly shifted around him. The machine behind them pulsed, its glow intensifying, feeding something into the environment itself. The battlefield was no longer neutral.

    Wise tilted his head slightly. "This fight was over before it began. You just don¡¯t realize it yet."

    Before Wise could press the advantage further, a thunderous impact shook the chamber.

    The ground trembled violently, sending tremors through the steel. Overhead, metal supports groaned, and the air filled with the sharp screech of rending metal.

    Khem¡¯s breath steadied. They were here.

    Wise tilted his head slightly, exhaling through his nose. "Hmph. Took them long enough."

    Another impact¡ªcloser. Sparks rained from above, and distant alarms flickered and died. The control Wise had over the facility was starting to break.

    Then, a reinforced section of the chamber wall buckled inward.

    A silhouette emerged through the crumbling steel¡ªSenshi.

    His flame dragon vessel pulsed with heat, embers still dancing around his feet from the destruction. His expression was set in grim determination.

    Khem felt relief for only half a second.

    Then, another figure stepped in beside Senshi.

    Another Senshi.

    Khem¡¯s body tensed. No. Not possible.

    Before he could process it, another wall on the far side collapsed outward.

    Weird stepped through. His usual cocky grin flashed as he rolled his shoulders. ¡°Damn, Khem. What, you couldn¡¯t handle this one alone?¡±

    Then, another Weird walked in right behind him.

    Khem¡¯s pulse quickened.

    From another direction, Samui entered the chamber, her Scanner already flickering as she scanned the area.

    And behind her¡ªanother Samui.

    Each member of SOF had arrived from a different entrance.

    Each one accompanied by an identical double.

    For a brief, heavy moment, no one spoke.

    The real SOF members turned, staring at their own duplicates.

    The silence stretched.

    Then, finally¡ªShining stepped in.

    His glow flashed slightly, his gaze sweeping across the scene. He stopped, seeing himself already standing there.

    A single, sharp breath. "What the hell?"

    Khem¡¯s hands curled into fists.

    Wise chuckled¡ªlow, deliberate.

    "Ah," he mused, as if watching a performance unfold exactly as he expected. "Now this is interesting."

    The room was still.

    Nobody moved.

    Nobody breathed.

    Because now, no one could be sure who was real.

    Wise let the silence linger, his smirk deepening as he clasped his hands behind his back. "Well? What are you waiting for? They''re standing right in front of you."

    The real SOF exchanged glances, their stances tense. The clones mirrored them perfectly, every subtle motion and breath reflected with eerie precision.

    Wise tilted his head slightly, his smirk deepening. "What¡¯s wrong? You hesitated. Why? They''re standing right there. Prove yourself. Strike first."

    No one moved.

    Samui¡¯s fingers hovered over her scanner, her mind racing for a way to verify identities.

    Senshi¡¯s fists clenched, his usual aggression tempered by hesitation. If I make the first move, I could hit the wrong target. I need a tell. Something.

    Weird let out a slow exhale, his playful arrogance fading. If they act just like us, they¡¯ll even fake our flaws. So what¡¯s the mistake?

    Shining¡¯s glow flickered slightly, his breathing controlled. He could feel the light reacting to the presence of others¡ªreal and fake alike. They don¡¯t generate heat, don¡¯t emit real light. That¡¯s one clue. But if Wise accounted for that¡­

    Khem, however, remained absolutely still. His gaze swept the room, his mind calculating at a methodical, deliberate pace.

    There was a pattern here.

    The clones were too perfect.

    Too synchronized.

    That meant they weren¡¯t reacting. They were anticipating.

    That was the flaw.

    The real SOF hesitated. They second-guessed. They adjusted based on instincts and uncertainty. But these clones¡ªthese fabrications¡ªwere flawless. And flawless meant artificial.

    Khem¡¯s fingers twitched slightly, but he didn¡¯t let his realization show.

    Instead, he turned his attention to Wise.

    The man watched the scene unfold, unreadable behind his shades, but Khem could feel it. Wise was studying them, waiting for a single misstep.

    A misstep Khem wasn¡¯t going to give him.

    The moment stretched thinner. The weight of the choice bore down on the room.

    A low, mechanical whine filled the air.

    The machine behind Wise pulsed, the meteorite stones inside its containment chamber flaring with unstable energy. Khem felt it before he saw it¡ªa ripple through the space around him, like the air itself had been rewoven into something foreign.

    Then, the distortions began.

    The ground trembled beneath his feet, but not in any natural way. The floor stretched for a fraction of a second, then snapped back into place. The walls curved and straightened in an instant, as if reality itself was adjusting.

    The air pulsed again, heavy and unnatural. Khem¡¯s breath came slow and steady, but he could feel the shift¡ªhis Stasis ability flickered. For the first time since gaining it, he could sense resistance when he tried to use it. Not failure. Not weakness. But something different.

    The clones of SOF did not react. They remained eerily still, staring at their originals. Then¡ª

    A malfunction.

    Weird¡¯s double took a step forward, but halfway through the motion, his limbs froze mid-air, glitching as if caught in a broken frame of time. His arms snapped back to his sides, then forward again, repeating the movement unnaturally.

    Senshi¡¯s duplicate twitched, his fire flickering in and out of existence. The illusion was breaking.

    And still, Wise stood unmoved. Watching. Waiting.

    Khem exhaled slowly. He needed to act. The machine¡¯s energy was disrupting everything¡ªincluding his ability. But if he didn¡¯t take advantage of this moment, Wise would regain control.

    Instead of attacking, Khem focused on the distortions themselves.

    He narrowed his gaze, taking in the strange anomalies happening around him. The longer he observed, the more patterns he saw. The tremors were not random. The distortions in space followed a sequence¡ªlike the flicker of a dying lightbulb, but structured.

    Then, he felt it. A pulse. A heavy, sinking pull inside his core.

    It wasn¡¯t Wise¡¯s doing. It wasn¡¯t the clones. It was something inside him.

    His Stasis ability was reacting, not failing. The flickers weren¡¯t just interference¡ªthey were trying to align with the distortions happening around him. As if the machine and his power were¡­ syncing.

    Khem clenched his fists. If his ability wasn¡¯t breaking¡ªbut evolving¡ªwhat did that mean for him?

    Another pulse. Stronger this time. His vision wavered.

    And then, for a fraction of a second¡ª

    He saw something that wasn¡¯t there.

    A flash of a place he had never been. A glimpse of something¡­ further ahead.

    His ability wasn¡¯t fighting against the machine. It was reacting to the future.

    Khem inhaled sharply and let the sensation take him. He stopped resisting and allowed his Stasis ability to sync with the rippling time distortions, forcing his vision further. The world blurred around him, and for a split second¡ª

    He was no longer in the chamber.

    He saw Wise¡ªstanding before the machine, but not in the present. His hands moved methodically over the controls, his face eerily calm as he input commands that had not yet happened.

    The machine¡¯s glow intensified, not with chaos but with purpose. This wasn¡¯t instability. It was a controlled outcome.

    Then the vision shifted.

    A massive city skyline, swallowed in dark clouds, cracks of raw energy splitting across the sky. People¡ªrunning, screaming. Buildings twisted unnaturally, as if reality itself was unraveling.

    At the heart of it all¡ª

    Wise, standing untouched. Watching. Waiting.

    The future was not in flux. Wise had already seen this outcome. Planned for it.

    The vision shattered. Khem gasped, his body jolting back to the present. The chamber rushed back into focus. Wise¡¯s boot was still pressing against his chest, pinning him down.

    Khem¡¯s fingers twitched. Without hesitation, he reached out, his Stasis ability flickering to life as he attempted to freeze Wise¡¯s leg in place.

    But Wise had already anticipated it.

    With effortless grace, he shifted his weight, slipping free of Khem''s hand before it could take hold. In the same motion, he delivered a precise, calculated kick to Khem¡¯s side.

    The impact sent Khem skidding across the chamber floor. Pain flared through his ribs, but he refused to let it slow him. Using the momentum, he rolled with the force, absorbing the shock before planting his hands against the ground and pushing himself upright.

    He came to a stop, standing firm once more, his breaths controlled despite the sharp ache in his side. The machine still pulsed, but the vision had left a mark, the sensation lingering in his chest. His heart pounded, his fingers curling into fists.

    A slow chuckle escaped Wise¡¯s lips. He tilted his head ever so slightly, as if he knew exactly what Khem had just seen.

    "Tell me, Khem," Wise murmured, adjusting his gloves. "Did you like the preview?"

    Khem¡¯s fists tightened. His body was still, unreadable. Then, in a low, firm voice, he spoke.

    "Explain."

    Wise¡¯s smirk deepened. "Oh, Khem, always so direct. You saw what I wanted you to see. You don¡¯t truly grasp what¡¯s coming¡ªyet. But I admire your attempt to stall me. Go on, ask another. Maybe you¡¯ll learn something before it¡¯s too late."

    Khem held his ground. He needed more.

    "The machine. What is it?"

    Wise exhaled slowly, as if savoring the moment. "That¡¯s the right question. But the wrong assumption. You still think of this as a machine." He gestured lazily to the pulsating core behind him. "This isn¡¯t a device, Khem. It¡¯s an inevitability. It doesn¡¯t do something. It simply allows the world to catch up to what it was always meant to become."

    Khem¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t waver. "And that future?"

    Wise chuckled. "You already saw it, didn¡¯t you?"

    Khem¡¯s fists tightened. His body remained still, unreadable. Then, in a low, firm voice, he spoke.

    ¡°You missed something.¡±

    Wise¡¯s smirk faltered¡ªjust a fraction of a second, but Khem caught it. His fingers flexed slightly, an unconscious tell. Wise was calculating.

    ¡°Oh?¡± Wise adjusted his gloves, keeping his tone smooth. ¡°Enlighten me.¡±

    Khem didn¡¯t reply. He didn¡¯t need to. The future was not set. If Wise had planned for everything, then he had also planned for Khem to see exactly what he saw. But Wise had never accounted for more than one person glimpsing ahead.

    A sharp shift in the air.

    Khem felt it instantly. The others had seen it too.

    A sharp breath behind him. Samui. Her fingers hesitated for half a second¡ªthen flew into motion. The glow of her scanner intensified, data scrolling too fast for the human eye to follow. Her gaze flickered between the machine and Wise.

    "If we disrupt the sync," she muttered, barely audible, "we disrupt his control."

    The machine pulsed violently as she linked into its systems. She was hacking it.

    Wise¡¯s head turned¡ªa fraction too fast. He had anticipated Samui¡¯s move, but not the speed of her execution. His composure remained firm, yet there was a flicker of adjustment in his stance.

    The moment stretched¡ªsilent, tense. Then¡ª

    A sharp pulse of kinetic force erupted toward Samui. A direct, calculated strike¡ªnot in desperation, but with the precision of someone who had always accounted for contingencies. His reaction was immediate, but not panicked.

    Samui never saw it coming.

    The shockwave hit her like a freight train, hurling her across the chamber. Her body crashed into the steel wall with a sickening thud. The impact knocked the air from her lungs, and her scanner device flickered wildly as error messages flooded the display. The hacking sequence¡ªterminated.

    Her fingers twitched, her mind racing. Get up. Keep going. But her limbs refused to move. The force of Wise¡¯s attack had momentarily paralyzed her, leaving her helpless as the machine''s glow stabilized once more.

    The instant Wise¡¯s shockwave connected with Samui, Khem moved. He didn¡¯t flinch, didn¡¯t hesitate¡ªhis Stasis ability snapped to life. His eyes locked onto Wise, aiming to freeze him in place before he could solidify his advantage.

    But Wise was already reacting. A flicker of movement, a ripple in the air¡ªhe twisted out of Khem¡¯s hand just before it could take hold.

    Khem barely had time to adjust before Wise¡¯s counterstrike hit¡ªa precise, controlled burst of force aimed at Khem¡¯s center mass. The impact sent Khem skidding across the floor, boots screeching against metal as he struggled to regain balance.

    Wise adjusted his gloves, calm as ever. ¡°A split second too late,¡± he mused. ¡°If you were just a fraction faster¡­ perhaps I would have had to try.¡±

    The rest of SOF barely had time to react before chaos erupted.

    The clones struck instantly. Senshi barely twisted away from a mirrored fire strike, his duplicate moving with the exact same precision. Weird let out a sharp curse as his double matched his every move, countering his reflex-based attacks before he could land a proper hit. Shining found himself trapped, his glowing form reflected perfectly by his copy, each feint and dodge nullified as if he were fighting a reflection in the mirror.

    The chamber descended into a blur of combat. Metal rang out as attacks clashed, flames erupted against steel, and flashes of kinetic energy crackled through the room.

    But Wise remained still.

    Unbothered. Unrushed. He exhaled slowly, stepping forward to the console. His fingers danced effortlessly across the interface, entering precise commands with practiced ease. The machine¡¯s pulse, once erratic, began to stabilize.

    A flicker of satisfaction passed behind his dark lenses. Undoing the hack. Reestablishing control. Resetting the inevitable.

    He barely spared Samui a glance.

    "This was always the outcome," he murmured.

    And the machine continued its work.

    Samui gritted her teeth, forcing herself to move despite the pain. The moment Wise¡¯s fingers danced across the console, she pushed through her injuries, her fingers blurring across her scanner in a last-ditch attempt to interfere. She wasn¡¯t trying to hack the machine anymore¡ªshe was trying to scramble Wise¡¯s inputs.

    For the first time, Wise acknowledged her presence fully.

    With a flick of his wrist, he sent a silent command. The machine pulsed¡ªthen fired.

    A bolt of electricity crackled through the air, striking Samui¡¯s chest. Her body arched, limbs seizing as pain tore through her nerves. She gasped, muscles locked in agonizing paralysis. Her vision blurred, static creeping at the edges, her scanner slipping from numb fingers. Knees buckling, she collapsed, the metallic taste of blood on her tongue from a bitten lip. Not lethal¡ªbut utterly incapacitating.

    Wise barely spared her a glance as he resumed stabilizing the machine. ¡°Predictable.¡±

    Khem moved instantly.

    His hand snapping toward Wise¡ªbut Wise had already accounted for it.

    Again, Khem was too slow.

    A concentrated force slammed into him, sending him hurtling backward. But this time¡ªhe was ready.

    Before his momentum could carry him across the chamber, he activated Stasis on himself.

    Time around him froze, the impact force locking in place. His body hung in midair for a fraction of a second¡ªthen he released it.

    His momentum died instantly, allowing him to land on his feet.

    Wise¡¯s head turned, his fingers pausing over the console.

    Slight surprise. Just for a moment.

    Then, just as quickly, he adjusted.

    Khem wasted no time, launching forward with a renewed assault. His movements were sharp, relentless. Stasis-enhanced speed, feints, and raw precision.

    But Wise was still faster.

    Every attack denied. Every motion countered. Khem struck, Wise dodged. Khem adjusted, Wise redirected. No wasted movement.

    Then Wise¡¯s voice cut through the chaos¡ªcalm, assured.

    ¡°I know your power, Khem.¡±

    Khem swung. Denied.

    Wise¡¯s hand brushed his coat, adjusting it slightly.

    ¡°I accounted for this.¡±

    Khem lunged again¡ªthis time, forcing an unpredictable pattern. Still denied.

    Wise exhaled slowly, as if explaining something simple. ¡°I have considered every possibility.¡±

    He stepped back once, effortlessly slipping past another strike.

    ¡°You cannot surprise me.¡±

    The machine pulsed again, stabilizing further under Wise¡¯s control. The situation was slipping further out of SOF¡¯s hands.

    Khem gritted his teeth.

    Wise was prepared for him. Prepared for everything.

    But was he really prepared for what came next?

    A blinding flash filled the chamber.

    Shining, locked in combat with his fake, noticed Khem¡¯s attempt to put Wise in a stasis lock. Without hesitation, he unleashed a concentrated burst of light, filling the entire chamber with an intense brilliance. The flash seared through the air, momentarily disorienting everyone¡ªbut Khem, accustomed to Shining¡¯s flashbang tactics, reacted instantly.

    Wise flinched¡ªa barely perceptible hesitation, a fraction of a second of vulnerability. But for Khem, that was enough.

    He shot out his hand, his Stasis ability surging forward, aiming to lock Wise in place. Just before it could take hold, Wise¡¯s fingers flicked beneath his sleeve.

    A concealed mechanism activated.

    A massive shockwave exploded from Wise¡¯s position, a pulse of crushing force radiating in all directions. The air howled with kinetic energy as the wave slammed into every corner of the chamber, obliterating any semblance of formation.

    The machine and the clones, however, reacted instantly. A protective barrier shimmered to life around them, nullifying the shockwave before it could touch them. They stood untouched, unfazed.

    The same could not be said for SOF.

    The team was flung back, violently slammed against the chamber walls in various directions. Metal groaned under the force, cracks forming in some areas of the structure. Khem gritted his teeth as the impact jolted through him, his body pinned by the sheer force of Wise¡¯s calculated retaliation.

    The room fell silent once more, the sound of static humming from the still-intact machine.

    Wise, unbothered, exhaled slowly and adjusted his cuffs, his expression composed as he turned back toward the console.

    He barely spared SOF a glance.

    "A commendable effort," he said smoothly. "But futile."

    His fingers resumed their precise movements across the interface, stabilizing the machine once more. The battle raged, but Wise remained unmoved, as if the outcome had already been decided.

    A low pulse rumbled through the chamber.

    At first, it seemed like another stabilization from the machine¡ªWise continuing to assert control. But then¡­ the hum changed. A flickering distortion rippled across the air, a subtle shift in the machine¡¯s output that even Wise hadn''t predicted.

    His fingers paused over the console.

    Someone else was interfering.

    Wise exhaled through his nose, tapping a few commands to assess the anomaly. His lips barely moved as he muttered, "How amusing. Someone else is attempting to hack the machine¡­ from a distance."

    The statement barely had time to sink in before Khem moved.

    The moment Wise was even slightly distracted, Khem lunged forward, his Stasis ability flaring to life once more. This time, he wasn¡¯t aiming directly at Wise¡ªbut baiting him.

    A feint.

    Wise reacted instantly.

    A wave of compressed force shot outward from his position¡ªa localized shockwave, precisely timed. Khem was already mid-stride, committed to his attack.

    He couldn¡¯t evade.

    The impact slammed into him, sending him skidding backward, his boots scraping against the metal floor as he barely managed to stay upright.

    Wise exhaled, tilting his head slightly.

    "Boring," he muttered, his voice carrying over the chaos. "I expected more, Khem. Your persistence is admirable, but your methods are painfully predictable."

    The moment hung in the air.

    Then¡ªanother explosion rocked the facility.

    This time, it wasn¡¯t from the machine.

    Distant tremors rumbled through the structure, shaking dust from the ceiling. A battle was raging beyond this chamber.

    A slow, knowing smirk curled onto Wise¡¯s lips as he continued working the console. "Ah¡­ and there they are."

    His tone remained effortlessly smooth, but there was a hint of amusement.

    "Brave¡¯s reinforcement. Finally. If only they weren¡¯t so¡­ painfully late."

    Another tremor. The sound of metal collapsing somewhere deeper in the facility. They were breaking through.

    But Wise? Still unfazed.

    His fingers never stopped working the console. His confidence remained unshaken.

    SOF had tried everything.

    And still, Wise was ahead.

    A thunderous explosion tore through the facility, shaking the chamber as debris rained from the ceiling. The reinforced blast doors at the far end groaned under the force of an external impact before finally giving way with a deafening crash.

    Brave¡¯s team had arrived.

    The breach filled the chamber with dust and smoke, obscuring the new arrivals for only a moment before figures emerged from the haze¡ªheavily armed, moving with the confidence of soldiers who had fought their way through hell to get here.

    But Wise didn¡¯t react. Not with concern. Not with urgency. Instead, he let out a slow breath, tilting his head as though mildly amused.

    Wise exhaled slowly, his fingers never once halting their movements over the console. ¡°Finally. You certainly took your time.¡±

    Brave¡¯s sharp eyes locked onto Wise instantly, taking in the state of the battlefield. His jaw clenched at the sight of SOF¡ªscattered, wounded, pushed to their limits. The clones were still active, standing in eerie synchronization as if waiting for the next move. And Wise¡ªcompletely untouched.

    Brave didn¡¯t waste time. ¡°All units, move in!¡±

    The room erupted into chaos once more.

    Blaster fire tore through the chamber as Brave¡¯s reinforcements engaged the clones, breaking their eerie stillness as they retaliated. Senshi, Weird, and Shining seized the opportunity to regroup, pressing against their doppelg?ngers with renewed vigor. Samui, still recovering from the shock, pushed herself up against the console, her breath ragged as she fought through the pain.

    But Khem was already moving.

    He didn¡¯t focus on the battle raging around him. Didn¡¯t react to the reinforcements. His eyes were locked solely on Wise.

    Brave¡¯s arrival was a distraction, but not for Khem¡ªfor Wise.

    Wise had accounted for everything. Had predicted every movement, every strike. But now, for the first time, he had too many variables to handle at once.

    Khem saw his moment. And he took it.

    With a burst of motion, Khem launched himself forward, his Stasis ability flaring to life. He could feel the shift in the air¡ªWise was still working the console, still stabilizing the machine. He couldn¡¯t counter immediately.

    Khem reached out, but this time, his Stasis ability didn''t just lock onto an object¡ªit extended into the air itself. For a brief moment, confusion flashed through his mind. This wasn''t how his ability worked¡ªhe had never been able to affect anything but solid matter. And yet, the shimmering distortion rippled outward, freezing the very space around Wise. His heartbeat quickened. What was this? A shimmering distortion surrounded Wise, freezing the very space around him. For the first time, Wise¡¯s expression shifted¡ªhis fingers pausing mid-motion as a flicker of surprise crossed his face.

    For a fraction of a second¡ªWise was caught.

    Then¡ªa pulse.

    A surge of energy burst from Wise¡¯s body, shattering the hold. The momentary bind broke, but it was too late¡ªKhem was already within striking range.

    He didn¡¯t hesitate.

    A direct palm strike shot toward Wise¡¯s center mass¡ªa perfect opening.

    But Wise¡ªstill faster.

    At the last instant, he shifted his weight, redirecting the strike, twisting Khem¡¯s own force against him. A precise counter, minimal effort, just enough to deny the attack without breaking his flow on the console.

    Before Khem could react, Brave¡¯s voice rang out, firm and commanding. ¡°Wise¡ªfreeze.¡±

    For a brief moment, the air itself seemed to tighten under Brave¡¯s authority, as if reality itself acknowledged the command.

    Yet Wise didn¡¯t stop.

    His movements continued, effortless and uninterrupted, as though Brave¡¯s power had never touched him. His fingers never paused on the console, his counter against Khem remained flawless.

    Brave¡¯s eyes widened slightly. It didn¡¯t work.

    Wise¡¯s smirk deepened as he turned to Brave, his hands moving across the console with effortless precision. He countered the distant hack while parrying Khem¡¯s strikes, his multitasking an unsettling display of control. ¡°Ah, Brave. I was waiting for you.¡±

    His voice remained calm, confident. ¡°Let¡¯s just say¡­ I have a backup against your little command trick.¡±

    Khem skidded back, but not far. He recovered instantly, already adjusting his stance.

    The battlefield continued to escalate, but Wise remained untouched, unbothered.

    Still ahead.

    The weight of the moment settled over SOF in an instant.

    Senshi, mid-clash with his clone, gritted his teeth. Brave¡¯s orders don¡¯t fail. That¡¯s not how this works.

    Weird shot a glance toward Wise, his usual cocky demeanor shaken. No way. He just ignored it? Like nothing?

    Shining¡¯s glow flickered, his fists clenched. He had trusted Brave¡¯s ability to turn the tide. But Wise? He didn¡¯t even react.

    Samui, still weak from the electric shock, felt her stomach twist. If Wise could resist Brave¡¯s command like it was nothing¡­ what else had he accounted for?

    Khem exhaled sharply, his mind racing. Brave¡¯s command had failed¡ªsomething he had only seen once before, with Beizhuang. But this was different. Wise hadn''t even flinched, as if Brave¡¯s authority meant nothing. And yet, amid the shock of Wise¡¯s resistance, Khem caught something else. For the first time, Wise had hesitated. It was brief, almost imperceptible, but it was there. Wise had been surprised¡ªnot by Brave, but by him.

    Khem¡¯s fingers flexed slightly. His breath steadied. That hesitation meant something. His Stasis ability had never worked like that before¡ªnever extended into open space, never even hinted at affecting reality itself. But it had. It had frozen the air around Wise, held him for a moment. A moment was all he needed.

    His eyes sharpened. This was new. Unrefined. But real. And Wise, for all his certainty, hadn¡¯t predicted it.

    The battlefield around them blurred into the background. The clash of weapons, the echoes of gunfire, the distant flickers of energy from the clones and reinforcements¡ªit all faded into white noise. Only Wise remained in Khem¡¯s focus.

    Khem took a step forward, his voice cutting through the chaos. ¡°Wise.¡±

    The strategist¡¯s fingers never faltered over the console, his expression unreadable. Then, with the same effortless calm, he let out a soft ¡°Hm?¡± as if mildly intrigued.

    Khem didn¡¯t waste words. His hand shot forward, Stasis igniting once more. But this time, he didn¡¯t try to freeze Wise directly¡ªhe locked the space around him again. The shimmering distortion flared into existence, the air warping unnaturally as Khem¡¯s ability stretched beyond its limits.

    For the briefest moment, Wise¡¯s form flickered, his body resisting the force pressing in from all sides. Then¡ª

    The machine pulsed.

    A deep, unnatural hum reverberated through the chamber. Sparks cascaded from the console as an unexpected surge of energy rippled outward, disrupting the battlefield. The machine was reacting.

    Wise¡¯s expression finally shifted¡ªnot alarm, but something close to mild interest. His fingers moved fluidly across the console, countering the anomaly even as his body tensed against Khem¡¯s ability.

    Then he moved.

    A shockwave exploded outward from Wise, raw energy bursting in all directions. The moment shattered.

    The force hurled Khem backward, slamming him into the far wall with crushing impact. He coughed, the wind knocked from his lungs, but he steadied himself almost instantly.

    Wise straightened, adjusting the cuffs of his coat, his composure intact. His gaze flickered to Khem, just for a second.

    ¡°Interesting.¡±

    Then he turned back to the console, effortlessly resuming his work as if nothing had happened.

    Khem exhaled sharply, his body still tense. His new ability had failed. But Wise had acknowledged it. That was enough¡ªfor now.

    The machine hummed louder, the battle still raging around them, but one thing was clear: Wise remained in control.

    For now.

 Chapter 18 - The Game Was Never Fair.

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

 Chapter 19 - Acknowledged

    She was born crying, just like any other child.

    A healthy baby girl, pink-cheeked and loud, filling the room with her first, desperate wails of life. Her mother held her close, pressing a shaking kiss to her forehead. Her father stood nearby, staring in quiet awe. She had tiny fingers, soft tufts of dark hair, and wide, curious eyes. They named her. They loved her. And for a time, she was the center of their world.

    She laughed as an infant. She took her first steps between the couch and her father¡¯s outstretched hands. She had a favorite stuffed animal¡ªa little white rabbit with a frayed ear. At night, her mother would tuck her in with whispered lullabies, and she would drift into sleep feeling warm, feeling safe, feeling real.

    But the world had other plans for her.

    It started small. A simple forgetfulness. Her mother, distracted, walking past her in the hallway without a glance. Her father, searching the house, calling for her, even as she stood right in front of him. A teacher skipping her name during roll call. Moments of oversight, of confusion. At first, she thought nothing of it.

    Then it happened again. And again. And again.

    She would speak, but no one responded. She would reach out, but no one reacted. Her mother would set the dinner table, placing two plates instead of three. Her father would walk past her room at bedtime without ever saying goodnight.

    One day at school, she raised her hand to answer a question. The teacher¡¯s gaze swept over the class¡ªand landed past her, as if she wasn¡¯t there at all. She answered anyway, her voice steady, her answer correct. But the teacher only frowned at the silence and moved on.

    It was a slow death. Not of her body, but of her existence. Every day, she faded further from their thoughts, like ink washing away in the rain. One morning, her mother looked straight at her¡ªand blinked in confusion.

    ¡°¡­Who are you?¡±

    The words tore through her like a blade. She had no answer.

    The house she lived in remained. The family she loved carried on. But she was no longer part of it. Her father stepped through her when he walked down the hallway. Her mother never called for her anymore. Her room was cleaned out. As if she had never been there at all.

    She was still there. Still breathing, still walking, still feeling. But the world refused to acknowledge her. Nothing in existence perceived her anymore.

    No cameras caught her image. No security sensors reacted to her presence. No machines recognized her fingerprints, no doors unlocked at her touch. Mirrors reflected an empty room. Her own shadow refused to form beneath her feet.

    She could touch things, move them, leave footprints in the dust¡ªbut the moment someone else looked at them, it was as if they had always been that way. No one noticed when she took a book from a shelf. No one questioned the bite marks on food that disappeared from their plates. She was not just unseen¡ªshe was unacknowledged by reality itself.

    She tested it once. In a crowded street, she screamed. She grabbed a stranger¡¯s arm and shook them. The moment they looked away, their eyes slid past her, their memory rewriting itself in real time. There was no recoil, no reaction, no fear¡ªbecause in their minds, she had never existed at all.

    And so she watched.

    The world had no place for her, but she could understand it. The movements, the choices, the patterns people never realized they followed. Without a name, without a history, she existed in the spaces between moments, where no one thought to look.

    She spent her life figuring things out on her own. There was no one to guide her, no laws that applied to her, no consequences for anything she did. Morality faded like everything else¡ªthe concept of right and wrong lost all meaning when there was no one to judge.

    She stole when she needed to, when she wanted to. Shelves were lighter after she passed, bags unzipped, cash drawers emptied. She lived wherever she pleased¡ªluxury hotels, abandoned buildings, the warm backrooms of department stores. Rent didn¡¯t exist when landlords didn¡¯t know a tenant was there. She could leave a place pristine or turn it into a wasteland of scattered food wrappers and broken furniture, depending on her mood.

    She could take. She could discard. She could do anything. And no one would ever stop her. Because to the world, her existence wasn¡¯t real.

    That realization led her to experiment. At first, it was harmless¡ªtampering with grocery lists in supermarket databases, rearranging items just to see if anyone would notice. No one ever did. Then she moved on to cashier machine logs, subtly adjusting transaction amounts and watching as the numbers changed without anyone questioning why. It was exhilarating, knowing she could manipulate reality without consequence.

    Soon, she escalated. She infiltrated financial records, altering bank statements to add or erase thousands of dollars. She planted ghost employees in payroll systems, created nonexistent clients in corporate ledgers. No alarms were ever triggered. No security personnel ever investigated.

    Eventually, her curiosity led her to government networks. At first, she toyed with municipal records¡ªchanging land ownerships, swapping out minor bureaucratic details. But then, her fingers hovered over military data. The restricted, classified files called to her. She bypassed layer after layer of encryption, unseen by any defense protocol, slipping through the cracks of national security with ease.

    She had become something more than a ghost. She was an invisible force shaping reality as she pleased. And it was only then, as she lurked deep within classified vaults, that she saw something that made her stop.

    A message. Addressed to no one.

    But somehow, it was meant for her.

    The first one was a single line buried inside an outdated system log from a decommissioned weather satellite, something that should have been wiped clean years ago:

    "If observation defines existence, what happens to the unobserved?"

    It was odd, but she ignored it. Then she saw another, hidden inside an automatic maintenance report from a nuclear facility cooling system¡ªan area where random anomalies were rare and often critical:

    "The unseen leaves no trace. But what if the unseen is watching?"

    She dismissed it as a coincidence, but the messages continued. A corrupted security log from a high-clearance black site research facility contained:

    "A door was opened, but no one entered. A file was accessed, but no user was logged. Who is the ghost in the machine?"

    The final one forced her to take notice. Hidden in a classified data vault from a covert intelligence agency¡¯s off-grid storage, encrypted yet somehow meant for her

    "I see you."

    It wasn''t random. Someone was speaking. To her.

    At first, she dismissed them as meaningless data¡ªjust another glitch in a flawed system. But then they started appearing again and again. Different places, different contexts, but always anomalous, always slightly off. Each time she saw one, the same thought nagged at her: this isn¡¯t random.

    Eventually, one message caught her eye. It wasn¡¯t just another system anomaly¡ªit contained a location. A place she shouldn¡¯t care about, but for some reason, she did.

    She followed it.

    The location led her to a hidden stronghold, an underground hideout where Wise¡ªa notorious strategist and criminal mastermind¡ªwas said to operate. At first, she only watched from the shadows, expecting another egotistical genius lost in his own machinations.

    But then he spoke.

    Not to her, not directly. He spoke to his subordinates, issuing plans and orders. Yet, in between his words, there were fragments of something else. Small, seemingly irrelevant phrases, patterns woven into his speech¡ªwords meant for something that should not exist.

    Wise would say things like

    ¡°The air feels heavier today. It¡¯s strange¡­ like something is listening.¡±

    ¡°Even the smallest ripple in the ocean leaves a mark, even if no one sees it happen.¡±

    ¡°Sometimes, the most important observer is the one you don¡¯t account for.¡±

    ¡°A presence unseen does not mean it is absent. It simply waits to be acknowledged.¡±

    His members dismissed it as nothing more than eccentricity. A quirk of their leader¡¯s mind. But she caught it.

    Every time he spoke, every time he issued a command, he left a message within the message.

    A hidden thread. A whisper embedded in plain sight.

    Words that, to anyone else, meant nothing. But to her?

    He was talking to her.

    And that meant¡ªhe knew.

    For the first time in her life, someone was reaching out.

    And she had to decide what to do next.

    Child had been watching Wise for days now, lurking in the periphery of his world. The more she observed, the more she realized he wasn''t just another criminal mastermind¡ªhe was different. He was aware. And that made her uneasy.

    Then, she found herself inside one of his meetings.

    The meeting was about retrieving the meteorite stones¡ªat least, that¡¯s what it was on the surface. Wise¡¯s team listened intently, unaware of the second layer woven into his words. But Child noticed. Every instruction he gave his team felt like it was meant for her.

    As he outlined the operation, his words carried an undercurrent of something deeper, something only she could catch.

    Wise¡¯s words were deliberate, layered in meaning. His subordinates only heard strategy, but Child heard something else entirely. As he detailed the mission, he spoke in riddles that pointed directly at her:

    ¡°We¡¯re looking for what others have forgotten. What they no longer see, no longer acknowledge. That doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s lost. It just means it¡¯s waiting to be found.¡±

    ¡°Some of these stones are hidden in places no one thinks to check. But just because no one looks doesn¡¯t mean they aren¡¯t there.¡±

    ¡°We need hands that can move unnoticed. That can retrieve what must be retrieved without leaving a trace.¡±

    ¡°The world often ignores what¡¯s right in front of them. But something unseen can still hold great power.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a job for just anyone. This requires someone who understands what it means to be overlooked, but never gone.¡±

    His subordinates nodded along, completely unaware. To them, this was just another mission briefing. But to Child, the entire room felt like it was whispering to her.

    The messages were everywhere.

    A briefing document on the table that read, ¡°The unseen hand moves fate.¡±

    A note on the display screen, flashing briefly between presentation slides: ¡°Sometimes the observer must act.¡±

    A message scrawled on a whiteboard in the corner: ¡°A presence that exists beyond sight still shapes the world.¡±

    Child frowned. This wasn¡¯t paranoia. It was deliberate.

    The meeting ended, and Wise¡¯s subordinates filed out, talking among themselves about the logistics. Wise lingered behind, tidying the room casually. He didn¡¯t look toward where Child was watching from the shadows.

    One last message was left behind on a tablet screen, glowing faintly:

    "If something is missing, it must be retrieved."

    Child hesitated. This wasn¡¯t just acknowledgment. This was an invitation.

    She didn¡¯t reveal herself.

    But that night¡ªshe stole her first meteorite stone.

    Slipping into Wise¡¯s hideout unnoticed, she carefully placed the stone among the others, ensuring it blended seamlessly into the growing collection. She lingered for a moment, half-expecting some acknowledgment, some reaction from Wise. But nothing happened.

    Wise walked past the pile later, barely sparing it a glance before continuing with his work. No sign of recognition, no comment about the sudden addition.

    Child hesitated. Had he not noticed? Or worse, did he notice and simply not care?

    That was the first moment that touched her. A strange feeling settled in her chest¡ªuncertainty. She had never doubted her actions before, but now, for the first time, she questioned if she had made a mistake.

    Still unseen, she watched him closely. And for the first time, she wasn¡¯t sure if she wanted to keep helping him at all.

    She told herself she wouldn¡¯t bother again. That it was pointless to help someone who didn¡¯t even acknowledge her. And yet, the next day, she was still there, lingering in the hideout, watching the way Wise operated. The way his people worked. The inefficiencies that stood out to her.

    She couldn¡¯t help herself.

    A chair slightly out of place? She nudged it back. A missing report? It found its way to Wise¡¯s desk. A light flickering in the corner? It stopped glitching overnight. Small, imperceptible acts that made things run just a little smoother. Wise never noticed. Not directly. But every now and then, as things worked out just right, he¡¯d mutter to himself or casually acknowledge his team.

    ¡°Good work.¡±

    ¡°Nice timing.¡±

    ¡°Guess today¡¯s on our side.¡±

    It was nothing, just simple words of gratitude directed at his people. But Child felt it¡ªdeeply, unexpectedly.

    For so long, her existence had been ignored, her actions erased from the world¡¯s memory the moment they happened. She had taken things, changed things, disrupted lives without consequence, and yet, no one had ever acknowledged anything she had done.

    But now, Wise¡ªwithout even knowing it¡ªwas thanking her. Not directly, not intentionally, but his words still landed, still reached her in a way nothing else ever had.

    A warmth bloomed in her chest, foreign and confusing. It wasn¡¯t satisfaction, nor pride¡ªit was something deeper, something she didn¡¯t quite have a name for yet. A strange, fragile sense of belonging, built not from recognition, but from the simple fact that, even unknowingly, someone had noticed the shape of her absence.

    Wise''s operations had continued as usual, but Child noticed a shift. The missions were getting bigger, the targets more ambitious. And then, in one of his meetings, he brought up something different¡ªsomething even he admitted was nearly impossible.

    Then one day, Wise spoke about Blackout Fortress.

    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    A prison so secure, so impenetrable, that even he admitted infiltrating it would be near impossible. But as he spoke, there was something in his tone¡ªsomething calculated. Was he truly conceding to its impenetrability, or was he laying out a puzzle meant for the right mind to solve?" "No one gets in unnoticed. No one gets out without permission," he mused, his tone laced with something almost like amusement. "It''s built like the perfect world, where every shadow is accounted for."

    Child listened. She always listened. But this time, something felt different.

    Wise continued, shifting the conversation in a way only she would notice. He wasn¡¯t just describing the fortress¡ªhe was instructing.

    ¡°The perfect world has cracks, even if no one sees them.¡±

    ¡°If someone were to get in, they''d have to follow the cycle. Get in with the system, move when the world moves.¡±

    ¡°The entrance is never the entrance. It¡¯s always somewhere before that.¡±

    ¡°And the way out? Well, you never leave the same way you enter.¡±

    His team laughed, shaking their heads. "You make it sound like we actually have a shot," one of them joked.

    Wise only smiled. "Hypothetically, of course."

    But Child knew better.

    She followed his cryptic words like a map. She found a traversing machine, exactly where Wise hinted it would be. An old model, nearly forgotten, but fully functional. She climbed inside, following his described path, until she arrived at the precise moment he predicted¡ªa boat, supervised by Special Officers, preparing to depart for Blackout Fortress.

    She boarded without being seen. The sea air was cold, the sky overcast. As the boat cut through the waves, she found herself recalling Wise¡¯s final warning.

    ¡°The Fortress has its own rules. Even those untouched by the world will feel them.¡±

    ¡°Power-nullification fields cover the entire perimeter. No tricks. No vanishing acts. Once inside, everyone is seen.¡±

    For the first time, Child felt something foreign crawl into her chest. Doubt. Dread. Anticipation.

    Would her power be stripped away the moment she stepped onto the fortress? Would she¡ªfinally¡ªbe seen?

    Or would she remain a ghost, slipping past the impossible, just as Wise intended?

    The boat reached the docking platform of Blackout Fortress. A cold wind swept across the deck as the Special Officers moved with practiced precision, scanning, checking, ensuring everything was in order. Child lingered near the edge, her fingers gripping the railing, hesitant.

    She could feel it.

    A shift in the air. A pressure. The power-nullification field was here, surrounding the entire structure like an unseen barrier. It crawled over her skin, humming faintly, something beyond the normal senses. She took a step forward. Then another.

    Her breath caught in her throat. Would this be it?

    For the first time in her life, she wanted it to work.

    She imagined it. A guard turning, their gaze locking onto her. A startled expression. A voice calling out. Recognition. Acknowledgment. Proof that she existed.

    Her heart pounded as her foot touched solid ground. The Fortress loomed before her, vast and unyielding. The force field pressed against her like a wave breaking against stone.

    She waited.

    A guard passed inches from her. Another stood by the docking terminal, checking names, logging arrivals. A moment stretched into eternity.

    Then... nothing.

    No one turned. No one saw her. No alarms blared, no hushed whispers of confusion spread through the officers. The power-nullification field had stripped abilities from everyone else.

    But not her.

    The weight in her chest settled into something cold, something bitter. And yet, beneath that disappointment, a quiet, undeniable relief flickered through her. A contradiction she couldn''t quite reconcile¡ªshe had wanted to be seen, but at the same time, she was glad she wasn''t. The Fortress not noticing her meant she could move freely, could remain untouchable. It was frustrating. It was freeing. It hadn¡¯t changed anything. She was still outside the world¡¯s rules, still unnoticed. Still a ghost.

    The Fortress didn¡¯t see her. The world still didn¡¯t see her.

    Her fingers curled into fists. The dilemma had been answered¡ªbut not in the way she had hoped.

    Swallowing down the disappointment, she moved forward, slipping past the security checkpoint.

    Whether she wanted to or not, she had a job to do.

    The Fortress was vast, built like a labyrinth designed to leave no gaps in its security. Hallways stretched in perfect symmetry, the cold steel walls lined with surveillance cameras, automated turrets, and patrolling guards. The air was thick with the hum of reinforced shielding, creating an atmosphere where nothing should be able to move unseen. And yet, Child did.

    She navigated effortlessly, stepping through blind spots in patrol routes, drifting through locked doors as guards passed by without a flicker of recognition. Every movement was smooth, calculated¡ªbut not without tension.

    At one point, as she slipped through a secured passageway leading toward the research sector, a guard halted mid-stride. He frowned, glancing around as if something had nudged at the edge of his perception. Child froze, pressing herself against the wall even though she knew it was meaningless. The guard scanned the room, his hand drifting toward his communicator. A second passed. Then another.

    He shook his head and continued walking.

    Child let out a breath she didn¡¯t realize she had been holding. It was nothing. Just another close call. But the sensation lingered¡ªwas the Fortress truly blind to her, or was something inside starting to notice?

    She continued.

    Reaching the restricted zones was more difficult. The deeper she went, the more the corridors pulsed with security measures. Automated sentries lined the walls, scanning for irregularities. Instead of slipping by them, she timed her movements with the rotations of the turrets, passing through in the split second they recalibrated. A motion-sensitive door registered a fluctuation in air pressure as she moved through, but by the time the system flagged it, she was already gone.

    Every section she passed through carried the same eerie design¡ªperfect symmetry, perfect control. It was a structure built to ensure no anomalies. And yet, here she was.

    In the containment sector, she carefully edged around a group of Special Officers in discussion, their voices clipped and professional:

    ¡°Security checks are tightening. The field¡¯s efficiency is stable, but we¡¯ve been getting odd reports.¡±

    ¡°Odd how?¡±

    ¡°Nothing conclusive. Just¡­ small things. Misplaced objects. Sensors flickering for no reason.¡±

    One of them laughed dryly. ¡°Paranoia. The Fortress is airtight. Nothing gets in unnoticed.¡±

    Child moved past them silently. Their words should have reassured her. Instead, they only reinforced the growing unease curling at the edges of her mind.

    Finally, she reached a restricted archive chamber. If the meteorite stone was here, this would be the first place to check. The entrance was locked by biometric clearance¡ªsomething she had no way of bypassing in a traditional sense. But tradition didn¡¯t apply to her.

    A researcher approached the panel, swiping his ID and pressing his palm to the scanner. As the door slid open, Child simply stepped in alongside him, moving as if she belonged.

    Inside, the air was sterile, filled with the faint hum of electromagnetic shielding. Rows of secured containment units lined the walls, each one holding an object deemed too dangerous to be anywhere else.

    Child¡¯s pulse quickened.

    She had made it inside.

    Now, she just had to find the stone¡ªbefore the Fortress found her.

    Rows of containment units stretched before her, each encased in reinforced glass and humming with electromagnetic shielding. The vault felt more like a research lab than a storage room, the air thick with energy from the various secured objects. She moved carefully, scanning the labels along the units, her fingers grazing over the cold metal panels as she searched.

    Then she saw it.

    The meteorite stone sat in the center of a heavily fortified unit, pulsing faintly with an unnatural glow. Unlike the others, its containment wasn¡¯t just for safekeeping¡ªit was active. Energy fields surrounded it, data streams monitoring fluctuations in its structure. A digital console displayed fluctuating graphs, tracking variables she didn¡¯t understand. Scientists must have been analyzing it recently.

    Child frowned. This wasn¡¯t what she had expected. Wise had spoken about retrieval, but this wasn¡¯t a simple grab-and-go. The stone wasn¡¯t just locked away¡ªit was being watched.

    She circled the containment unit, looking for weaknesses. The security was intricate¡ªmultiple redundancies in place. It wasn¡¯t just protected by reinforced shielding; it was inside a containment system that actively countered interference.

    A researcher¡¯s notes flashed across the screen:

    ¡°Energy field stability at 97%. Subject continues to exhibit low-frequency anomalies, suggesting a fluctuating state of existence. Continued observation required.¡±

    Low-frequency anomalies. Something unstable. Something they couldn¡¯t fully define.

    Child¡¯s fingers twitched. She understood the feeling. Something that shouldn¡¯t exist, but did.

    She glanced toward the control panel beside the containment unit. If she could disable the field, she could retrieve the stone before anyone noticed. But shutting it down manually would trip an alert¡ªone she had no way of preventing.

    Her eyes darted to the screen again, analyzing the security layers Wise had hinted at in his meeting. There was an alternative¡ª

    Overload the system.

    If she triggered a small fluctuation in the containment¡¯s energy calibration, it would destabilize without directly alerting security. The field would fail momentarily, and she could take the stone before anyone realized what had happened.

    It was a risk.

    But she had never been caught before.

    She initiated the overload, fingers ghosting over the control panel as she carefully destabilized the energy field in calculated increments. The hum of containment flickered, the display screen flashing an error warning. Just a little more¡ª

    Then everything went wrong.

    The field didn¡¯t collapse smoothly. Instead, it fought back.

    An alarm pulsed to life¡ªnot a blaring siren, but a quiet, insidious alert buried within the system. A failsafe activated, engaging an automated lockdown sequence.

    Containment breach detected. Securing vault in T-minus five minutes.

    Child¡¯s stomach twisted. Five minutes before the room sealed into a high-energy security vault, trapping everything inside¡ªincluding her.

    For the first time in a long time, she felt urgency. Real, pressing urgency. And more than that¡ª

    She was trying to be unnoticed.

    The irony wasn¡¯t lost on her. She had spent her life unseen, untouched by the world¡¯s rules. But now, for the first time, she needed it to stay that way. She had never worried about being perceived¡ªuntil the moment she wished not to be.

    Her mind raced. She had two choices: escape now and risk Wise¡¯s plan failing, or find a way to override the failsafe¡ªfast.

    The containment unit was still fluctuating, the energy field fighting to stabilize. Child didn¡¯t have time to hesitate. She reached into the opening she¡¯d created, fingers brushing against the smooth surface of the meteorite stone. The moment she touched it, a faint pulse ran through her skin¡ªsomething old, something aware. But there was no time to dwell on that now.

    She pulled the stone free. The moment it left containment, the system registered an emergency response.

    Warning. Containment breach confirmed. Securing all access points. Lockdown in four minutes.

    Child gritted her teeth and moved.

    The vault was beginning to close itself off. Panels slid over exits, turrets primed themselves, and security officers were undoubtedly receiving alerts. She needed an exit. Now.

    She scanned the room, looking for vulnerabilities. Then she saw it¡ªa manual override terminal near the far wall. It required clearance, but Child wasn¡¯t going to let that stop her.

    A researcher¡¯s ID badge rested near a workstation. She moved swiftly, snatching it up before the security systems locked down completely. The biometric scanner would be the real issue¡ªshe needed an authorized handprint, something she couldn¡¯t fake.

    Footsteps sounded outside. A guard was approaching, moving cautiously. She had seconds.

    Thinking fast, Child slipped behind one of the containment units, waiting. The door hissed open, and a researcher rushed inside, muttering about system malfunctions. They moved toward the terminal, swiping their own ID to override the system log.

    Now.

    Child moved with precision. As the researcher pressed their palm to the biometric scanner, she placed her hand lightly over theirs. They didn¡¯t react¡ªthey never could. But the scanner did.

    Biometric clearance accepted. Manual override engaged.

    The vault doors hissed open, releasing the lockdown before it could fully initiate.

    She didn¡¯t wait. Clutching the meteorite stone, she slipped past the researcher and through the open exit, vanishing into the corridors before security arrived.

    For once, she wasn¡¯t just escaping for herself¡ªshe had something to deliver. And the longer she stayed inside, the more she risked being caught in a way she hadn¡¯t prepared for.

    Then the Fortress erupted into chaos.

    A deep, resonating hum vibrated through the walls, followed by an eerie silence. Then¡ªalarms. A cascading wave of security breaches flooded the system as red emergency lights flared to life. Child didn''t need to check the status panels to know what had happened.

    The power-nullifying force field had just failed.

    For a split second, a realization settled over her. The meteorite stone wasn¡¯t just being studied. It was powering the entire suppression system.

    And now that it was gone, every single prisoner in the Fortress had their abilities restored.

    The first signs of the riot came as a distant explosion¡ªthen another, this one closer. The reinforced walls trembled under the force of uncontrolled abilities surging back into existence. The corridors filled with the sounds of chaos: containment doors buckling, shouts of anger, the distinct crackle of energy discharges. Security teams scrambled, barking frantic orders over comms, their organized structure rapidly unraveling.

    Child pressed herself against the wall, clutching the stone tighter. This was no longer just an escape¡ªit was a war zone.

    She had to move. Now.

    Dodging past a rushing security squad, she slipped into a side corridor just as a section of the wall exploded outward, sending debris scattering. Prisoners poured out from their cells¡ªsome disoriented, others fully aware of their newfound freedom. This wasn¡¯t just an escape for them. This was vengeance.

    For the first time, Child wasn¡¯t the only unseen force in the Fortress.

    She wasn¡¯t sure whether that made her safer¡ªor in even greater danger.

    Then, the entire facility locked down.

    A harsh, metallic clang echoed through the halls as blast doors slammed shut, sealing entire sections of the Fortress. Security systems, struggling to contain the chaos, switched to full lockdown mode. Child barely avoided being trapped in a corridor as a reinforced barrier sealed off the main exit just meters ahead of her. A robotic voice rang out over the alarms:

    ¡°Containment breach at maximum level. All non-authorized personnel must be detained. All exit points secured. Automated defense protocols engaged.¡±

    Child¡¯s breath steadied as she assessed her new reality. Her original escape route was gone.

    The halls were a battlefield now¡ªprisoners clashing with heavily armed guards, supernatural abilities lighting up the dim corridors in bursts of chaos. Energy surges, enhanced strength, and high-speed movements turned the Fortress into a war zone. And with every passing second, the Fortress adapted.

    Gun turrets emerged from the walls, locking onto anything that moved. Drones hovered down from above, scanning for threats and eliminating targets on sight. Security officers fought to regain control, their formations tightening as they worked to neutralize the escapees. But there were too many prisoners, and now they were at full strength.

    Child moved swiftly through the mayhem, weaving between the violence. She needed a new way out.

    She scanned her surroundings. The research sector was fully sealed, the main security halls swarmed with guards, and any standard exit was completely locked down. That left only one option¡ªthe maintenance tunnels. A restricted route used by staff and engineers, barely large enough to squeeze through, but not typically monitored in an emergency.

    She pivoted, heading toward the nearest access hatch¡ªonly to see a group of prisoners sprinting for the same destination.

    She had seconds to decide.

    Then a voice tore through the chaos.

    "ALL PRISONERS, FREEZE."

    Brave¡¯s command rang through the entire intercom system, and in an instant¡ªeverything stopped.

    A suffocating silence swallowed the Fortress. The air, thick with tension just moments before, now felt unnaturally still. The prisoners around Child froze mid-motion, their limbs locked, their breath stilled. Even those mid-strike remained suspended in place as if reality itself had paused.

    Then the Fortress defenses activated.

    Gun turrets whirred to life. Drones swept the corridors, scanning the immobilized prisoners before firing off precision shots. The mechanical hum of containment locks engaging echoed through the halls as security moved in to systematically eliminate the riot.

    Child stood there, motionless¡ªnot because the command had been meant for her, but because of the sheer weight of Brave¡¯s voice. Her mind screamed at her to move, but her body had stiffened instinctively.

    Then she realized¡ªthe command wasn¡¯t meant for her.

    She wasn¡¯t a prisoner.

    The second she understood that, she willed her limbs to move. And she ran.

    With the stone clutched tightly to her chest, she darted toward the hatch, slipping past the still-frozen prisoners. The defenses weren¡¯t looking for her¡ªthey didn¡¯t even register her presence. All they saw were the prisoners who couldn¡¯t fight back.

    She reached the maintenance hatch, heart pounding, hands fumbling as she yanked it open. Behind her, the sound of controlled destruction filled the air¡ªprisoners falling, taken down one by one.

    She didn¡¯t look back.

    She disappeared into the darkness of the tunnels, leaving the Fortress to consume itself.

    The maintenance tunnels were narrow and damp, weaving through the infrastructure of the Fortress like veins beneath a beast¡¯s skin. The alarms above still blared, the chaos of the riot continuing without pause. But here, below the main corridors, there was only the hum of machinery and the distant echoes of combat.

    Child moved quickly, following the schematics she had memorized. The Fortress had multiple security protocols for dealing with riots¡ªone of them was prisoner relocation. Certain high-value inmates would be extracted instead of subdued, shuttled out via armored transport.

    She found the loading bay just as the first transport prepared to depart. Security teams barked orders as they loaded restrained prisoners into reinforced containment pods, locking them into place for transit. The automated systems ran through final checks¡ªdestination set, clearance confirmed.

    Child slipped through unnoticed, weaving between the moving personnel, silent as a shadow. The guards never once questioned her presence.

    A cargo compartment opened briefly¡ªjust long enough for her to step inside and settle into the empty space between equipment crates.

    The doors sealed.

    Engines roared to life.

    The transport lifted off from the Fortress, carrying prisoners toward their unknown fate¡ªand Child, unseen, toward her escape.

    She had done it.

    The Fortress had never even known she was there.

    The news of the Blackout Fortress Breakout spread fast. Every intelligence agency, every security network, every major power that monitored high-profile detainment sites scrambled for answers. What was supposed to be an impenetrable facility had collapsed into chaos within hours. Hundreds of prisoners had either been recaptured or eliminated¡ªbut a select few had vanished entirely. And no one could explain how it had happened.

    Wise sat in his hideout, arms crossed, scanning the incoming reports with an expression caught somewhere between amusement and curiosity. His fingers drummed against the desk as he skimmed through the details. The timeline was messy¡ªdisruptions, power failures, automated defenses turning against their own forces. But something was off.

    His eyes flickered toward the pile of meteorite stones, a collection meticulously built over time. They were all accounted for¡ªexcept now, there was a new addition. One that was larger than it should have been. One that didn¡¯t match the others.

    He tilted his head slightly, brows furrowing. No one on his team had retrieved this.

    His fingers traced along the surface of the oddly shaped stone, feeling the rough texture beneath his touch. It had the same strange pulse as the others, but there was an undeniable difference.

    Someone had put it there.

    Someone who wasn¡¯t supposed to exist.

    Child, watching from the unseen corners of the room, grinned. Watching Wise piece it all together was a delight.

    He exhaled sharply, rolling his shoulders as realization slowly settled over him. His voice was barely above a whisper, yet laced with intrigue.

    "Clever."

    For the first time in a long time, someone had surprised him.

    Now.

    The chamber was eerily silent, the air thick with tension. Across the room, the entire SOF stood ready, their weapons drawn, their stances battle-hardened. They had prepared for Wise¡ªbut not for this Wise.

    He stood in the center, rolling his shoulders, flexing his fingers as he took in the battlefield before him. This wasn¡¯t like before. This wasn¡¯t just a battle of strategy. This time, he had acknowledged the unseen force at his back.

    A slow, knowing smirk tugged at his lips as he exhaled and spoke¡ªnot to SOF, but to someone they couldn''t see.

    "You¡¯ve been with me this whole time. Haven¡¯t you?" His voice was steady, sure. "I should¡¯ve thanked you sooner."

    Child, standing at the far corner of the chamber, unseen as always, felt something tighten in her chest.

    A shuddering breath caught in her throat, her hands gripping the fabric of her clothes. For the first time in what felt like eternity, someone had acknowledged her. Not indirectly. Not through happenstance.

    But directly.

    She had spent years leaving traces, watching, existing outside of perception. She had played, disrupted, stolen, given¡ªbut never, not once, had someone spoken to her.

    And now, Wise¡ªwithout even knowing her name¡ªhad.

    Her vision blurred for just a second. A sensation she hadn¡¯t felt in so long she barely recognized it. Tears.

    She swallowed them down, forcing herself to remain still, remain steady. But she didn¡¯t look away.

    Because Wise wasn¡¯t done.

    His hands curled into fists, his stance shifting. He was ready.

    "Let''s finish this."

    And with that, the battle began.

 Chapter 20 - Ascension

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    Back to the Present ¨C The Battle in the Hideout

    SOF Operatives Were the First to Fall

    Brave Falls

    Shining Falls

    Senshi Falls

    Samui Falls

    ¡°You Two Are Different¡±

    ¡°And You¡ª¡±

    Wise¡¯s Third Test ¨C The Concept of Harm

 Chapter 21 - The Moment That Defied Time

    Darkness.

    Then¡ªshattered memories.

    Brave¡¯s body ached, the weight of consciousness pressing down on him like a collapsed building. His head throbbed, his lungs burned, and for a moment, he thought he was still frozen in that last moment of the fight.

    Wise.

    He forced his eyes open.

    The battlefield was a wreckage of debris, scorch marks, and fallen bodies. The hideout¡¯s once-structured interior was now a fragmented ruin, illuminated by the flickering sparks of failing power conduits. The silence was deafening.

    Brave pushed himself up, coughing sharply. Blood on his glove. His body was still catching up to the damage he had taken.

    To his left, Senshi groaned, shifting onto his side, shaking off unconsciousness like a man waking from a nightmare. His knuckles were scraped raw, and there was a thin gash above his brow, but he was alive. Barely.

    Further ahead, Khem stirred¡ªhis movements slow, calculated. He hadn''t been knocked out like the others; he''d been locked in his own stasis. Now, as his body re-synced with reality, he exhaled sharply, his fingers flexing as he fully registered his surroundings.

    Shining was already awake, leaning against a collapsed pillar, his golden glow flickering unsteadily. His expression was unreadable.

    Samui was the last to move, her scanner flickering as she weakly pulled herself upright. The device was glitching violently, throwing unreadable data across her screen. She tried recalibrating it with shaking fingers, but nothing made sense.

    Weird was still flat on his back, staring at the ceiling. Unlike the others, he didn¡¯t scramble to his feet or curse under his breath. He just blinked slowly and let out a breathless chuckle.

    He had been waiting. Watching. Waiting for everyone to move or wake up.

    ¡°Well. That sucked.¡±

    No one disagreed.

    Brave clenched his teeth. His mind replayed the last thing he had seen¡ªWise, kneeling in the aftermath of his machine¡¯s activation, bathed in the glow of the meteorite stones. Then¡ªdarkness.

    He turned to the others. ¡°Report.¡±

    Silence followed. Not because they didn¡¯t have answers¡ªbut because no one knew what the hell to say.

    Then, Samui spoke, her voice hoarse. ¡°It wasn¡¯t an energy overload. It wasn¡¯t a blackout. It was¡­ something else.¡±

    Shining exhaled, shaking his head. ¡°Wise didn¡¯t just power himself up. He rewrote the battlefield. I¡ª¡± His jaw clenched, his normally sharp voice tinged with something rare. Doubt. ¡°¡ªI couldn¡¯t track him at the end.¡±

    Brave inhaled sharply. ¡°Where is he?¡±

    Before anyone could answer, his communicator buzzed violently in his ear.

    A transmission. Distorted, urgent.

    ¡°Commander¡ª¡± The voice was static-laced, barely intelligible, but recognizable. HQ.

    Brave straightened, tapping into the line. ¡°Receiving. What¡¯s the situation?¡±

    ¡°¡­Wise¡­is gone.¡±

    Brave¡¯s grip on the communicator tightened. ¡°Clarify.¡±

    A brief pause. Then, the transmission stabilized slightly.

    ¡°Wise has been spotted¡­ everywhere.¡±

    Brave¡¯s breath slowed.

    ¡°All major cities. All security grids. Every major surveillance hub is registering him in multiple locations. He¡¯s moving faster than we can track. Every broadcast, every emergency signal¡ªhe¡¯s hijacked them.¡±

    Brave¡¯s blood ran cold.

    Wise wasn¡¯t just gone.

    He was everywhere.

    Before Brave could demand further details, his communicator crackled again¡ªthis time, a different transmission. A voice, smooth, amused, echoing through every frequency.

    Wise.

    ¡°¡­Good morning, world.¡±

    The battlefield, the ruins, the hideout¡ªnone of it mattered anymore.

    Because Wise¡¯s voice was being broadcasted to the entire planet.

    A Direct Offer

    Wise¡¯s voice shifted in tone, the amusement fading into something calculated.

    ¡°You¡¯ve seen it yourselves. The system is broken. The world is a lie. You can fight me, and you will lose, or¡­ you can step aside and let it all collapse.¡±

    The words hung in the air, heavier than any explosion.

    ¡°You fight for order, but order is what made you tools. Think, Brave. Think, Khem. What have you really been protecting?¡±

    For the first time, someone on SOF hesitated. A flicker of uncertainty crossed Weird¡¯s face. Even Samui¡¯s fingers hovered over her scanner, her mind racing through every possibility.

    Brave made the call. ¡°We move. Now.¡± They couldn¡¯t afford to waste time. Wise¡¯s influence was already spreading too far, too fast. If there was a way to stop him, they had to find it before the world was beyond saving.

    As the last of SOF evacuated the hideout, they never realized one person had stayed behind.

    Child.

    A small shift in the air. A silent presence. She watched as the room emptied, lingering in the shadows.

    And then¡ªhe returned.

    The very air seemed to vibrate with his arrival. A flicker of golden light, a warping of space, and suddenly, Wise was there again.

    He stepped forward, his usual smirk tempered by something else. Something softer.

    His eyes scanned the wreckage before settling on the empty space where SOF had been. Then, slowly, they turned¡ªdirectly toward Child.

    ¡°I thought so,¡± he murmured.

    He had known. He had always known.

    She hadn¡¯t left. The last remaining royal member of his had stayed.

    Wise exhaled, stepping closer. For the first time in years, his voice carried no arrogance, no taunting edge.

    Child tilted her head slightly, her voice barely above a whisper, yet filled with something unmistakably resolute. "You saw me. You always saw me."

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Child blinked, barely moving. Then, for the first time since this all began, her expression shifted¡ªless playful, less mischievous. A quiet understanding flickered in her eyes, something deeper than amusement. She had been acknowledged, truly seen. For once, she didn¡¯t just observe¡ªshe belonged.

    Wise exhaled and turned slightly, his gaze distant. "I have things to finish. The world is not ready yet. But when it is... I''ll return."

    He looked at her again, his expression unreadable. "Wait here. When it''s done, you''ll be the first to see it."

    Child nodded slowly, her voice steady this time. "I will wait. Until the world is ready."

    Wise gave one final glance, then, without a sound, he was gone. As if he had never been there at all.

    The city was barely holding itself together. The streets twisted in ways that defied logic, buildings shimmered between states of decay and reconstruction, and the air itself carried a static hum that sent shivers down the spine.

    Brave led the team forward, his fists clenched as he surveyed the ruined skyline. "We''re close. The broadcast station is just ahead."

    Samui walked beside him, her scanner glitching every few seconds. "Wise is still influencing the area. These distortions aren''t random¡ªhe''s rewriting reality in real-time."

    "Then we move fast," Brave ordered. "Before he locks us out of our own world."

    As they neared the tower, shadows emerged from the broken cityscape. A group of figures stood in their path, eyes glowing faintly with an unnatural light.

    One of them stepped forward, draped in ragged yet ceremonial robes, their voice thick with reverence. "You can''t stop what''s already begun. The world is finally free. Wise has given us a new existence. And you? You''re relics of a dying system."

    Samui narrowed her eyes, stepping forward. "Who are you?"

    The figure tilted their head, a slow smile forming. "We are the Heralds of the New Era. The ones who have seen the truth. Wise has given us purpose beyond the decay of your system."

    Brave didn¡¯t hesitate. "We don''t have time for this. Move."

    The Heralds of the New Era did not move. Instead, they attacked.

    Chaos erupted.

    Gunfire and plasma arcs streaked through the warped landscape. Khem engaged first, his movements impossibly fast as he weaved through the fight, striking with precision. Shining held the line, his golden aura flaring as he absorbed an onslaught of energy blasts. Senshi summoned a torrent of flame, a spectral dragon coiling around his fists as he launched into battle, his fiery strikes overwhelming enemy ranks with relentless ferocity, while Weird¡¯s unpredictable movements threw their opponents off balance.

    Brave, Samui, and Weird pushed forward, cutting a path through the Heralds toward the tower entrance.

    The moment they stepped inside, the world outside became eerily silent. The transition was jarring¡ªone second, they were in a battlefield, the next, a tomb-like stillness surrounded them.

    "I don''t like this," Weird muttered, his fists raised in anticipation. "Way too quiet."

    Samui rushed to the main console. Her fingers flew over the controls, her face illuminated by the flickering screens. "This isn¡¯t just a broadcast. Wise is embedding himself into the world''s frequency. If we don¡¯t stop this now, he won¡¯t need to be everywhere¡ªhe¡¯ll just be."

    The lights flickered, and then came the voice.

    ¡°Did you think I wouldn¡¯t notice?¡±

    The sound wasn¡¯t just in the speakers¡ªit was in the walls, the floors, the air around them.

    ¡°You¡¯re standing in my playground, and you think you can change the rules?¡±

    The station trembled. Then Wise appeared.

    He didn¡¯t walk in¡ªhe simply was. His form flickered between presence and absence, his smile amused, his eyes piercing. He was neither fully there nor fully gone, standing at the very edge of existence.

    Brave moved first, lunging forward. But the moment his foot left the ground, he was somewhere else¡ªstanding in an empty hallway that hadn¡¯t been there before.

    Weird threw a punch¡ªonly to feel his fist connect with air, then solidify against his own reflection.

    Samui reached for the console, only for her hands to pass through it like mist.

    Khem¡¯s voice cut through the growing disorientation. "This isn¡¯t teleportation. This is¡­ perception warfare."

    Wise smirked. "I don¡¯t need to stop you. I just need you to realize you¡¯ve already lost."

    Brave¡¯s fists clenched. His body burned with exhaustion, but he refused to accept defeat. "Enough of this."

    Before anyone could react, Brave turned to Senshi. "Burn everything."

    Senshi''s eyes flickered with understanding, and without hesitation, he slammed his fists together. Flames erupted from his arms, spiraling into the air before twisting into the form of a massive spectral dragon. The creature roared, its fiery presence cutting through the distorted battlefield, illuminating the warped reality Wise had created.

    The moment the dragon¡¯s flames touched the world, the illusion flickered.

    Walls that weren¡¯t supposed to be there vanished in bursts of embers. The floor beneath them stabilized, solidifying into something real. Shadows melted away, revealing the true architecture of the tower. Samui gasped as her console¡ªpreviously intangible¡ªbecame real beneath her hands.

    But the most important thing was Wise.

    For the first time, his form flickered¡ªnot by choice, but by force.

    Khem and Shining moved instantly. Khem lunged first, his movements perfectly calculated, his attack aimed directly at Wise¡¯s shifting presence. Shining followed, his golden aura flaring as he prepared to strike.

    Wise exhaled, his smirk faltering for a fraction of a second. Then, as if something about this moment genuinely intrigued him, he rolled his shoulders.

    "Alright," he murmured, a slow grin spreading across his face. "Let¡¯s do this properly, then."

    And for the first time, Wise fought for real.

    The world itself responded.

    Before SOF could react, Wise was already everywhere.

    Brave lunged, but an unseen force crushed him mid-stride, his body locking in place as if gravity had betrayed him. Senshi¡¯s flames roared¡ªonly to suffocate instantly, as if the very air refused to burn. Shining¡¯s golden glow dimmed, his energy drained before he could counter. Samui gasped as her scanner flickered wildly, unable to register the forces at play.

    Each of them¡ªimmobilized in an instant. Conscious. Aware. But completely powerless.

    Except for two.

    Khem stood untouched, frozen¡ªnot by Wise, but by his own doing. His stasis lock had activated instinctively, preserving him outside the flow of Wise¡¯s omnipresence. He had not dodged. He had not countered. He had simply ceased.

    And Weird¡ªWise never even touched him.

    Instead, Wise¡¯s presence simply skipped past him, as though he did not exist in the same ruleset as the others. Weird exhaled slowly, his usual grin twitching at the edges, uneasy.

    Wise walked through the battlefield with quiet amusement, his hands folded behind his back. "This is what happens when you fight inevitability," he mused, studying them like flawed creations.

    Brave gritted his teeth, struggling against the unseen force pinning him to the ground. He couldn''t move. None of them could.

    Wise crouched beside him, tilting his head. "Tell me, Brave," he murmured. "Where¡¯s your fight now?"

    Brave refused to answer, but his silence only widened Wise¡¯s smirk.

    "I don¡¯t need to kill you." Wise stood, exhaling softly. "I¡¯ve already won."

    With a flick of his fingers, the invisible pressure vanished. SOF collapsed, gasping, struggling to recover.

    Wise turned away, his voice carrying with effortless finality.

    "Next time, don¡¯t waste my time."

    And then¡ªhe was gone.

    Or so he thought.

    Weird moved first. He had been watching, waiting, knowing Wise was avoiding him for a reason. That meant he had a unique advantage¡ªone no one else had. If Wise refused to attack him, then that meant he could get close.

    He lunged forward, his usual grin gone, his movements sharper than ever. Wise barely shifted in response, his smirk returning with amusement. "Pointless."

    But then Wise stepped back.

    A flicker of something¡ªso fast, so small, that most wouldn''t notice. But Khem did. He had been waiting in his own stillness, locked outside of time. And now, the moment was here.

    Khem dropped his stasis lock and moved. Not just at Wise, but at the very space Wise occupied.

    His hand flicked outward, touching nothing¡ªand everything.

    The area around Wise warped instantly, an unnatural ripple spreading in all directions. Stasis touch.

    Time stilled.

    For the first time, Wise was caught inside something he didn''t control. His form flickered wildly, phasing in and out as he struggled against the effect. His omnipresence bent¡ªbut it didn''t break.

    He snarled.

    It was the first true reaction of frustration they had ever seen from him.

    Brave, still gasping from the earlier attack, saw it happen. He pushed himself up, pain roaring through his limbs, but his eyes locked onto the sight of Wise¡ªnot moving.

    "We can hit him!" Brave roared. "NOW!"

    Senshi, Shining, and Samui didn¡¯t hesitate. The counterattack began.

    Wise¡¯s omnipresence flickered violently, his form stuttering between locations as he struggled against Khem¡¯s expanding stasis field. For the first time, Wise wasn¡¯t shifting at will¡ªhe was forced into a singular space.

    Shining charged, his glow flaring to full strength. Senshi¡¯s flames reignited, roaring across his fists as he surged forward. Brave moved in tandem, fists clenched, his mind sharpening on the single truth that had just been revealed: Wise could be hit.

    Khem pressed his advantage, his hands carving lines of frozen time through the air, trying to expand the stasis field further. "He¡¯s adjusting¡ªkeep up the pressure!" he warned.

    Brave was the first to strike, his fist colliding with Wise¡¯s side. For the first time, Wise¡¯s body reacted¡ªnot by fading, not by dodging, but by physically taking the hit. A shockwave blasted outward from the impact, sending fractures through the already-distorted battlefield.

    Wise exhaled sharply, staggering back. Then, a slow grin curled at the edges of his lips.

    "Interesting," he mused, rolling his shoulders. "You actually forced me to stop playing."

    He exhaled again¡ªonly this time, the breath didn¡¯t dissipate. The air around him twisted, bending as though space itself was folding inward.

    Reality buckled.

    The battlefield collapsed and reformed simultaneously¡ªwalls stretched and curled into impossible spirals, the floor folded into itself, gravity inverted at random points.

    Senshi barely caught himself as he nearly fell upward. "Oh, hell no¡ªhe¡¯s shifting the entire battlefield!"

    Samui¡¯s scanner flared with red warnings. "He¡¯s not just recovering¡ªhe¡¯s restructuring the world around him. If he locks us inside his own ruleset, we won¡¯t be able to fight back!"

    Brave¡¯s jaw clenched as he dug his feet into the warping ground. "Then we don¡¯t let him finish. We hit him before he completes whatever the hell he¡¯s doing!"

    But Wise only chuckled, his form flickering at the edges. "You¡¯re welcome to try."

    The fight was no longer about strength. Now, they were fighting against reality itself.

    Wise¡¯s presence twisted the battlefield further. Walls curled into spirals, the ceiling flickered between solid and intangible, and the ground beneath SOF¡¯s feet pulsed as if alive. Every step felt uncertain, every motion stretched and compressed unpredictably. The battlefield was no longer a space¡ªit was an ever-changing, chaotic domain controlled by Wise¡¯s will.

    Brave gritted his teeth as he adjusted his stance. "We can¡¯t fight like this¡ªwe need to find the stable points!"

    Samui¡¯s scanner was failing, but she kept it running, trying to pick up any possible patterns. The data was unstable, but one thing became clear: Wise¡¯s distortions weren¡¯t completely random. There were moments, fractions of seconds, where parts of reality stabilized.

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    "He can¡¯t maintain all of this at once!" Samui shouted. "There are weak points¡ªsections where the world stays normal!"

    Shining¡¯s glow flared as he extended his light, trying to mark those stable zones. "Then let¡¯s use them! Stay in the light!"

    Brave immediately adjusted, moving toward one of Shining¡¯s marks before attacking again. His punch connected harder than before¡ªWise was still fast, but now, SOF could predict where he would be.

    Senshi let out a deep breath and launched forward, his flames spiraling around him as he targeted Wise¡¯s midsection. The fire roared and twisted unnaturally, but he aimed for a stable moment¡ªand landed a blow that seared through Wise¡¯s flickering form.

    Wise stepped back, his smirk faltering ever so slightly. For the first time, he was reacting.

    Khem moved next, using his stasis touch not on Wise, but on the shifting battlefield itself. He extended his power in sharp bursts, freezing sections of the arena in a locked state for a few seconds, creating paths where SOF could move freely.

    "Take the openings!" Khem commanded.

    Brave and Senshi didn¡¯t hesitate. Shining¡¯s marks, Khem¡¯s stasis control, and Samui¡¯s analysis gave them a rhythm¡ªa way to strike through Wise¡¯s chaos.

    Wise exhaled slowly, his smile returning, but there was something else behind it now. Interest.

    "You¡¯re adapting," he mused. "Not bad."

    His form flickered¡ªthen the battlefield warped again.

    "But you still don¡¯t understand," Wise continued, his voice layered and distorted. "This is my world. And you are still just visitors."

    Reality twisted even further. SOF had found a way to attack¡ªbut Wise wasn¡¯t done yet.

    Then, everything snapped.

    One moment, SOF was fighting together, their coordination closing the gap between them and Wise.

    The next¡ªthey were gone.

    Brave blinked and found himself alone.

    The battlefield, the shifting architecture, the presence of his team¡ªall gone. The only thing that remained was an endless corridor, spiraling outward into infinity.

    "Senshi?" Brave called out, but his voice echoed back at him.

    No answer.

    Elsewhere, Shining and Samui tumbled through a zero-gravity void, weightless, unable to orient themselves as the space around them folded in impossible directions.

    Khem and Weird stood together in the battlefield¡ªthe only two Wise had not displaced.

    "He¡¯s isolating us!" Samui¡¯s voice crackled over comms, laced with static. "We can¡¯t fight him if we¡¯re apart!"

    Wise¡¯s voice echoed through every distorted space, layered and omnipresent. "You¡¯re clever, but strength means nothing when you¡¯re alone. You only think you can win because you¡¯re together."

    Khem¡¯s fingers twitched. His stasis energy pulsed slightly¡ªsomething was shifting.

    Weird, standing beside him, exhaled and rolled his shoulders. "Well. Guess it¡¯s just us now."

    Wise appeared in front of them, fully formed, not flickering, not shifting¡ªthis time, he was facing them directly.

    "You two are the real problem," Wise said, his grin widening. His eyes flicked toward Khem. "And you¡ªyour existence is an anomaly I don¡¯t like."

    Khem tensed, his instincts screaming. Wise was going to eliminate him first.

    Then, Khem reached forward and activated his Stasis Touch.

    But this time¡ªit didn¡¯t just freeze a section of the battlefield.

    Something was different.

    Everything went silent. The distortions ceased. The weight of reality pressing down on them disappeared.

    Weird inhaled sharply. "What did you just do?"

    Khem''s stasis pulse expanded, stretching outward, affecting more than just the battlefield. His vision blurred slightly as he felt something¡ªan extension of his ability¡ªgrasping at something deeper. But before he could process it fully, the moment snapped back into motion.

    Wise hesitated for a fraction of a second¡ªhis form flickering unpredictably, as if something had momentarily disrupted him. But then, with a sharp exhale, he reasserted himself, his presence slamming back into reality like a crashing wave.

    Wise narrowed his eyes at Khem, his expression shifting¡ªnot with amusement, but with recognition. Then, his smirk returned, sharper, more predatory. "So that''s where the real threat lies."

    In an instant, Wise moved. No theatrics, no illusions¡ªjust pure, overwhelming force directed straight at Khem.

    Khem barely had time to react before reality itself seemed to crush in around him. The air turned dense, gravity multiplied, and unseen hands of distorted space wrapped around him, trying to erase him from the battlefield.

    Weird lunged forward, intercepting the attack just before it could fully consume Khem. But Wise didn¡¯t even look at him. He refused to engage Weird, instead pressing down harder on Khem.

    ¡°This won¡¯t be like before,¡± Wise said smoothly, voice layered with echoes. ¡°I let you exist because I found you amusing. But you¡¯re becoming a problem.¡±

    Khem struggled against the suffocating force. His mind raced, trying to recalibrate his stasis energy¡ªbut Wise wasn¡¯t just attacking him. Wise was unraveling him.

    Weird snarled. "Oh, hell no." Without hesitation, he threw himself at Wise again, forcing the tyrant to acknowledge him.

    For a split second, Wise¡¯s attack on Khem faltered¡ªbut not enough. Khem gasped for breath, his body feeling like it was stretched between multiple timelines, just shy of breaking.

    Then, in the fragmented void where the rest of SOF had been scattered¡ªthey started fighting back.

    Brave and Senshi ran through the infinite corridor, the walls looping and stretching, trying to separate them further. But Brave had noticed something¡ªsmall moments of stability.

    "Senshi! The walls shift on a pattern¡ªsee it?!"

    Senshi clenched his fists, his flames curling around them. "Yeah. I see it."

    Brave timed his movements perfectly, hitting a solid section of the wall with everything he had. The corridor cracked like glass.

    A hole tore through the illusion, revealing the battlefield again.

    Shining and Samui, trapped in zero gravity, finally found their way toward a point of stability.

    Samui¡¯s scanner flickered wildly. "It¡¯s not real gravity¡ªit¡¯s a construct!"

    Shining adjusted his golden light, forcing a beam of energy outward. The void around them rippled¡ªthen collapsed.

    In seconds, they were falling¡ªback into the battlefield.

    Wise¡¯s eyes flickered, his omnipresence stretching again, trying to reassert control. But SOF was breaking free.

    "Oh?" Wise murmured, tilting his head as he felt his perfect battlefield starting to crack. "You lot are more stubborn than I thought."

    Brave, Senshi, Shining, and Samui reappeared, landing on the battlefield with heavy breaths, weapons ready.

    Wise exhaled slowly. "Fine. If you insist on wasting my time¡ª" His attention snapped back to Khem. "Then I¡¯ll remove the problem first."

    And he struck again, his full power bearing down on Khem.

    A crushing force slammed into Khem¡¯s body like the weight of a collapsing star. Space twisted around him, unseen hands of reality itself pulling him apart at the seams. He gasped, every nerve in his body screaming.

    Weird moved instantly, throwing himself between them, arms out. But Wise¡¯s attack ignored him. Passed through him.

    Wise smirked. "You¡¯re still not worth hitting."

    Khem felt his muscles failing, his stasis energy flickering in and out. His ability tried to push against Wise¡¯s overwhelming force, but it wasn¡¯t enough. Wise wasn¡¯t just suppressing him¡ªhe was unraveling him.

    Something inside Khem pulsed. A whisper of something greater.

    For a moment, his mind flickered, grasping at something beyond his control¡ª

    Then Wise¡¯s attack fully landed.

    A shockwave blasted outward.

    Khem hit the ground hard, his vision darkening at the edges. His breath came in ragged gasps. He was still alive¡ªbut barely. His limbs twitched, but he couldn¡¯t move. His body had reached its limit.

    "Tsk," Wise muttered, rolling his shoulders. "You lasted longer than I expected."

    Brave, Senshi, and Shining moved in to cover Khem, forcing Wise to step back slightly.

    Weird took a sharp breath and suddenly sprinted forward. His grin widened, but his eyes were sharper than ever. He wasn¡¯t going for an attack¡ªhe was throwing himself into every strike Wise made.

    The next time Wise lashed out with a wave of warped energy, Weird jumped into it. The force struck him¡ªand instantly rebounded, slamming back toward Wise.

    Wise flickered out of the way, barely avoiding the reflected impact. His eyes narrowed.

    "Tch. So that''s your plan?" he murmured.

    Weird didn¡¯t answer¡ªhe just kept moving, dodging nothing, intercepting everything.

    Another pulse of gravity bent toward Brave¡ªbut Weird took the hit first. The force coiled around him, then snapped backward, disrupting Wise¡¯s form for a brief second.

    Brave caught on immediately. "He''s forcing the rebound effect! We can use this!"

    Wise exhaled slowly, his smirk still present, but his gaze sharpened with calculation. For the first time, he wasn¡¯t just toying with them¡ªhe was analyzing.

    "Hmph. Amusing," he muttered, but now there was something colder behind it. "But every ability has a limit. Let¡¯s find yours."

    Weird lunged toward another attack, ready to take the hit and trigger the rebound¡ª

    But Wise didn¡¯t strike. Instead, he redirected his attack mid-motion, splitting it into countless micro-forces, dispersing them across the battlefield.

    Weird¡¯s body tensed. He tried to throw himself into one of the distortions, but they were too small, too scattered. His power couldn¡¯t reflect what it couldn¡¯t fully absorb.

    Samui¡¯s scanner blared warnings. "He¡¯s adapting! He¡¯s minimizing his attacks to bypass Weird¡¯s reflection!"

    Wise let out a low chuckle, tilting his head. "You¡¯re quick, but you never considered what happens when I stop hitting in ways you expect. Now, let¡¯s see how well you handle the unexpected."

    In an instant, he attacked again¡ªnot with one massive force, but hundreds of scattered distortions, converging from all directions.

    Weird reacted immediately. If he couldn¡¯t counter Wise¡¯s dispersed attacks directly, he would force the effect another way.

    Without hesitation, he threw himself against Brave, his body nearly glued to his teammate just as Wise''s next attack came down.

    The distortion struck Brave¡ªonly to instantly recoil off Weird and rebound back toward Wise.

    "Tch!" Wise barely dodged the reflected energy, his smirk thinning slightly.

    Weird kept moving, keeping himself close to any SOF member about to be attacked. Every time Wise tried to strike one of them, Weird was there first, forcing the damage to bounce back.

    Samui widened her eyes. "He''s using himself as a shield! Wise can''t land a clean hit on anyone!"

    Brave clenched his fists, realizing the opening. "Then we press forward! Don¡¯t give him time to adapt again!"

    Wise, however, was already adjusting.

    His smirk returned, but this time, it carried something more sinister. "Enough playing. Let¡¯s go back to the beginning."

    In a single motion, Wise raised his hand¡ªand reality bent. The space around him crackled as something formed out of pure conceptual energy. It was no ordinary weapon. It was invention itself.

    A beam of shifting, translucent light ignited in his grasp¡ªa power nullifying force unlike anything seen before.

    "You¡¯ve relied on that ability of yours for too long," Wise murmured, his tone almost curious. "Let¡¯s see what happens when it¡¯s gone."

    He pointed the newly-formed weapon at Weird and fired.

    The beam, a combination of pure nullification and Wise¡¯s own power, cut through space, spiraling toward Weird. Weird moved to intercept it, expecting the usual rebound¡ª

    ¡ªBut it didn¡¯t reflect.

    For the first time in his life, Weird felt pain.

    The force hit him directly, sending him skidding across the battlefield, a stunned expression on his face. His entire body trembled¡ªnot from fear, but from the sheer foreignness of the sensation.

    He clutched his chest where the beam had struck, his breath sharp and uneven. "What¡­ the hell?"

    The battlefield went silent for a brief moment as SOF realized what had just happened.

    Wise twirled the beam between his fingers, his smirk widening. "Now¡­ let¡¯s see how you fight when you¡¯re just another mortal."

    He raised the beam again, this time charging it with a force unlike before. The very air around it trembled, and the battlefield seemed to distort under its sheer presence. This wasn¡¯t just an attack¡ªit was meant to erase.

    Weird gritted his teeth, already moving. His body was failing him, but he could still fight. And if Wise had truly found a way to nullify his power, then there was only one option left¡ªto take the hit for the others.

    He sprinted forward, throwing himself directly into Wise¡¯s line of fire. His breath was ragged, his body screaming at him to stop, but his mind was set. If this was the end, at least he could make it count.

    The beam fired.

    And then¡ª

    But something was wrong.

    Khem felt a pressure inside his chest, like something had just torn open within him. But he didn¡¯t stop running. He didn¡¯t even register the pain¡ªbecause all he could see was Weird, about to die.

    His lungs burned as he sprinted, feet pounding against the unstable battlefield. His body felt too slow, too human, while the beam hurtled toward its target. He wasn¡¯t going to make it.

    No. Move faster.

    His legs pushed harder, the muscles straining beyond their limit. Faster.

    The gap between him and Weird was closing, but not fast enough. Wise¡¯s attack was already there, light bending in a way that felt inescapable.

    No. NO.

    His pulse roared. He reached out¡ª

    Then, everything stopped.

    A deep, unnatural silence swallowed the battlefield, heavier than anything he had ever felt before. His heartbeat pounded in his ears, yet he couldn''t move¡ªno, not just him. Nothing moved.

    At first, he thought he had blacked out. But then, his senses caught up. The dust that had been kicked up from the blast hung in the air like a still image. The flickering lights of the damaged transmission tower stood frozen mid-spark. Weird, caught mid-leap, remained suspended in the air, inches away from destruction.

    No.

    Khem¡¯s body moved before his mind could catch up. He saw the attack coming, saw the force that would erase Weird from existence, and he knew¡ªhe wouldn¡¯t make it in time.

    His legs pushed forward, but they felt like they were sinking into the ground. He had to move faster. His pulse roared in his ears. He had to stop this.

    Every fiber of his being screamed in resistance. He reached out, desperate, willing himself to close the gap. He had to reach Weird. He had to save him.

    He wouldn¡¯t let it happen.

    He wouldn¡¯t let another one of them fall.

    Then, just as his fingertips nearly grazed Weird¡¯s shoulder¡ª

    His fingers twitched. His breathing came in slow, ragged gasps. He tried to speak, but his voice didn¡¯t carry¡ªas if the very fabric of time had locked in place.

    His vision blurred for a split second. Was this death? Had Wise¡¯s attack already landed?

    Then he realized¡ªhe was still standing. And nothing else was.

    This was something else.

    Not just the attack. Not just Wise. All of it.

    The battlefield locked in place, an eerie, unnatural stillness swallowing everything. The dust, once swirling in chaotic bursts, now hung suspended, frozen mid-motion like a painting. The flickering lights of the transmission tower crackled and sparked¡ªyet remained eerily motionless, trapped in the moment. The entire world had become a snapshot, caught in an instant that refused to move forward. Weird, caught mid-leap, remained suspended in the air, inches away from destruction.

    Time itself had ceased.

    And at the center of it all¡ªKhem stood, his body radiating with an unnatural glow. His breathing was heavy, his stance unsteady, but his eyes burned with a clarity he had never felt before.

    He had stopped time.

    His gaze snapped to Weird, frozen in his final act of defiance. To Wise, locked mid-smirk, unaware of what had just occurred. To the battlefield, chaos frozen in time, the battle itself suspended in a single, motionless instant.

    This was his moment.

    His hands clenched into fists. This fight¡­ wasn¡¯t over.

    Khem inhaled sharply, his body trembling under the weight of his own power. He tried to move¡ªhis foot barely lifted off the ground before it felt like an invisible force crushed down on him. The stillness he had created wasn''t just affecting the battlefield¡ªit was affecting him too.

    His breath came in ragged gasps as he clenched his fists, struggling against his own frozen reality. Move. I have to move.

    At first, it was like pushing through solid stone. Every muscle resisted, every fiber of his being told him he was part of the stopped world. But he refused to accept it. His fingers twitched, his knees bent ever so slightly. He focused, not on forcing himself free, but on letting go¡ª

    Not all at once. Not completely. Just enough.

    He let the edges of the stasis loosen, easing the pressure off himself while keeping the world around him frozen. A slow exhale left his lips as he felt the shift. His movements became easier, controlled. His arm lifted¡ªtrembling, but moving.

    For the first time since time had stopped, Khem was moving inside his own power.

    It was working.

    The realization hit him like a surge of electricity¡ªhe could move. And if he could move, then he could save Weird.

    Without hesitation, Khem turned toward Weird, reaching out and shoving at his frozen form. But Weird didn¡¯t budge. His body was locked in the same stillness as everything else, untouched by the flow of time.

    Khem gritted his teeth. He didn¡¯t have time to think¡ªhe had to get Weird out before his own strength gave out.

    He adjusted his focus, shifting his control. Just like he had eased the stasis off himself, he had to release Weird without letting the rest of the world slip free.

    His breathing grew heavier as he concentrated, his vision blurring at the edges. The strain was building. His head pounded, his muscles trembled, but slowly¡ªWeird¡¯s form flickered.

    First, his fingers twitched. Then, his shoulders slumped slightly. Khem pushed harder, his legs shaking beneath him.

    Move. Please, move.

    The effort was draining him faster than he expected. His grip on time itself wavered, the edges of the frozen battlefield beginning to shudder. He had to do this before he lost consciousness.

    With one final burst of effort, Khem grabbed Weird by the arm and yanked him free from the stasis lock.

    Then, he let go.

    Time surged forward in an instant.

    The battlefield roared back to life, the static stillness breaking like shattered glass. The momentum of Wise''s beam, frozen mid-flight, resumed its deadly course¡ªbut Khem¡¯s intervention had thrown off its trajectory. The blast streaked past where Weird had been and exploded harmlessly in the distance, tearing into the ruins beyond.

    For the first time since his ascension, Wise stopped smiling.

    His expression was unreadable, his piercing gaze locked onto Khem, who lay sprawled on the floor, breathing heavily, still gripping Weird. The exhaustion in Khem¡¯s face was evident, his body barely able to respond.

    Wise took a slow step forward, his voice dangerously quiet.

    ¡°What did you do?¡±

    SOF barely had time to register what had happened. Brave, Senshi, Samui, and Shining looked around in disbelief, their bodies tense from the sheer force of the moment. None of them had seen it¡ªnone of them understood how Khem had just stopped time itself.

    But Wise did.

    His piercing gaze locked onto Khem, and for the first time since his ascension, his voice carried something other than amusement.

    ¡°You¡­ are a problem.¡±

    In a blink, Wise raised his hand, and the power-nullifying beam reignited, surging toward Khem with terrifying speed.

    Khem barely had time to register what was happening¡ªhis body refused to move, drained from the weight of stopping time itself.

    The beam should have hit him.

    But it didn¡¯t.

    The space between Khem and Wise remained frozen¡ªthe residual stasis from Khem¡¯s power lingered, locking the air, the battlefield, and even Wise¡¯s attack mid-flight.

    The beam crackled violently, its energy collapsing against an invisible barrier, frozen in time, unable to move forward.

    Wise¡¯s smirk faltered. He had not accounted for this.

    Khem¡¯s breath came in ragged gasps, his vision swimming. He tried to lift his arm, but even that simple motion sent waves of exhaustion through him. He needed to move. He needed to get away.

    Before he could react, a pair of hands grabbed him.

    Weird.

    ¡°Alright, buddy, time to go,¡± Weird muttered, his usual grin strained. With a powerful yank, he pulled Khem away¡ªjust as the stasis barrier began to collapse.

    The second the frozen space released, Wise¡¯s beam surged forward once more, ripping through the air where Khem had just been. The explosion from its impact sent shockwaves through the battlefield, forcing SOF to shield themselves from the blast.

    Khem barely registered the destruction. His body felt like it was sinking into itself, the weight of time manipulation pressing down on him. He had stopped time, but now time was trying to reclaim him.

    Weird dragged him further back, his grip firm but steady. "Yeah, yeah, you did something crazy¡ªnow let''s not die before we figure out what the hell just happened, alright?"

    Wise remained still, then he turned his attention to the lingering remnants of stasis scattered across the battlefield. Slowly, he stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. He raised a hand, passing it through one of the invisible distortions, watching as the air itself resisted his touch before snapping back into place.

    "Interesting..." Wise murmured, his voice laced with genuine intrigue. He didn¡¯t attack. Not yet. Instead, he began moving deliberately, testing each remaining fragment of frozen time, studying the way they reacted to his presence.

    His inaction granted SOF a moment of respite.

    Brave immediately seized the opportunity. "Samui, check on Khem. Now."

    Samui was already moving, kneeling beside Khem as he lay slumped against Weird, his breaths shallow, his face pale. She scanned him quickly, her fingers pressing against his wrist. "His vitals are unstable. Whatever he did, it''s taking a toll on him."

    "Can he still fight?" Brave asked, his voice tight.

    Samui hesitated, then shook her head. "Not like this. He¡¯s barely holding on."

    Brave¡¯s jaw clenched. They had managed to get Khem out of immediate danger, but Wise wasn¡¯t done. Not even close.

    Wise, still eerily quiet, raised his hand again¡ªnot to attack, but to test. He reached toward the lingering distortions of stasis Khem had left behind, his fingers brushing against the frozen space.

    The air around his touch shuddered, resisting him at first. Then, with a slow smirk, he pushed further, twisting his grip slightly. The frozen distortion shifted¡ªnot breaking, but bending under his influence.

    "Ah," Wise murmured, watching the anomaly ripple outward. "So even time can be reshaped."

    He moved fluidly through the battlefield, his gaze scanning the lingering effects of Khem¡¯s ability. With every step, he reached out and altered another piece of frozen time, warping it into something new.

    Then, the effects began to manifest.

    Brave¡¯s fist clenched involuntarily, a strange delay between his intention to move and his body actually responding. Something was wrong.

    Samui¡¯s scanner beeped erratically. "Our movements¡ª! They¡¯re desynchronizing!"

    Khem, still barely conscious, tried to lift his head. "He¡¯s¡­ rewriting it¡­" His voice was weak, but the warning was clear.

    Wise wasn¡¯t just studying Khem¡¯s power¡ªhe was manipulating it.

    Brave lunged forward, trying to close the distance between them¡ªonly for his momentum to shift unpredictably, as if time itself had lagged behind his action. His punch swung through empty space, hitting nothing but an afterimage of where Wise had been.

    Senshi¡¯s flames flickered unpredictably, bursts of fire appearing and vanishing before he could control them. Shining tried to generate his golden aura, but the energy lagged, dispersing too late to be effective.

    Even Weird stumbled slightly, feeling his balance betray him. "Okay, yeah, that¡¯s new."

    He took another step forward, his presence pressing down on the battlefield as more of the lingering stasis warped around him.

    "Let¡¯s see how long you last in a world that refuses to follow your rules."

    Brave clenched his fists. "We can¡¯t let him keep control. Samui, what do you see?"

    Samui¡¯s scanner flickered erratically as she tried to pinpoint weak spots in Wise¡¯s distortions. "He¡¯s stabilizing reality in bursts. There are brief moments where he¡¯s more focused on rewriting than defending himself. That¡¯s our window."

    Brave¡¯s mind raced. If they could keep Wise distracted long enough, Khem might get a chance to strike.

    "Then we give him everything we¡¯ve got. Senshi, pin him down. Shining, lock down his movements. Weird, force him to react to you. Samui, track the gaps. We make Wise fight on our terms."

    Weird exhaled sharply, rolling his shoulders. Even without his ability, he wasn¡¯t about to sit this out. His fists clenched as he glanced toward Khem, who was still struggling to keep himself upright. If Wise figured out Khem was their last hope, he¡¯d eliminate him immediately.

    Weird grinned to himself. "Guess that means I¡¯m your bodyguard, Khem."

    Brave caught his eye and nodded, understanding instantly. Weird would run defense, keeping Khem safe while the others pressed the attack.

    Weird moved fast, positioning himself between Khem and Wise. The moment Wise shifted toward Khem, Weird threw himself into the path of the attack. Even without his powers, he refused to let Wise get through.

    At the same time, Weird¡¯s eyes scanned Wise¡¯s movements carefully. The way he adjusted his stance, the slight flicker before he rewrote the battlefield¡ªthere was a pattern.

    "Brave! Senshi!" Weird shouted. "He moves right before he gets hit! Aim where he''s going to be, not where he is!"

    Brave barely hesitated before adjusting his stance. Senshi¡¯s flames roared to life, redirected toward the exact spot Weird had called out.

    Wise stepped back¡ªbut for the first time, he was forced into an uncomfortable dodge.

    "Hah!" Weird grinned. "Gotcha, you smug bastard."

    Samui immediately capitalized. Her remote flicked between controls, switching channels rapidly. In a split-second adjustment, she swapped Brave and Senshi¡¯s positions, placing Senshi directly in Wise¡¯s path just as his flames surged. Wise barely had time to react, his evasion disrupted by the sudden shift. rewinding Wise¡¯s step just slightly, causing him to momentarily glitch back into a previous movement. Shining''s golden aura flared, locking him into position as Senshi¡¯s flames closed in.

    Wise barely managed to shift away, but it wasn¡¯t as clean as before. He narrowed his eyes, preparing to activate his omnipresence combination again¡ª

    But the moment he flickered, Samui¡¯s remote clicked.

    For just a fraction of a second, Wise paused, his form freezing mid-motion. Then, as he regained control, another rewind hit, forcing him back into a previous stance. His movement stuttered, breaking the seamless flow of his attacks. Samui¡¯s eyes flicked to her scanner, searching for the next opportunity. "Stay sharp! I can swap you in if you need an opening! And if he tries that omnipresence trick again¡ªI''ll make sure he glitches instead!" The battlefield was changing¡ªSOF was learning.

    And the longer they kept him occupied, the more time Khem had to prepare his final move.

    But Wise was already adapting.

    His sharp eyes caught onto the shifting patterns¡ªSamui''s rewinds, Senshi¡¯s flames cutting his escape, Brave¡¯s attacks forcing him toward weaker positions, and Shining¡¯s light attempting to seal his movements at every turn. He exhaled slowly, his smirk thinning. "Cute. You think you''ve figured it out."

    Then, Wise stopped dodging altogether.

    Instead of avoiding their attacks, he let them land¡ªonly for them to pass through a version of him that had already left the moment.

    Senshi¡¯s flame dragon struck first¡ªbut Wise had already dodged before the attack existed.

    Brave lunged¡ªonly to be hit by a strike from Wise that had been placed in the past.

    Shining launched his light-binding technique¡ªbut Wise had already freed himself before it had even activated.

    "Oh no¡­" Samui¡¯s scanner flickered erratically, struggling to register the battlefield. "He''s¡ªhe''s attacking from multiple points in time simultaneously!"

    Wise¡¯s voice echoed across the battlefield, layered and distorted. "Your reactions are too slow. You¡¯re already dead before you even realize it."

    Temporal Collapse had begun.

    SOF¡¯s coordination fell apart in an instant.

    Brave swung¡ªand was countered before his punch fully extended.

    Senshi flared his flames¡ªonly for Wise¡¯s attack to land before he even finished summoning his fire.

    Samui tried to rewind Wise¡ªbut her remote lagged, caught between multiple states of time.

    Shining tried to adjust his light field¡ªbut Wise moved through past and future versions of himself, already knowing where not to be.

    For the first time, Wise was no longer simply reacting.

    He was untouchable. He was everywhere. And he was erasing them before they could even fight back.

    Khem¡¯s pulse pounded in his ears.

    He had to stop time.

    Khem started signaling Weird, a subtle motion that only the strategist would notice. Weird¡¯s gaze flickered, and he began discreetly signaling the rest of SOF¡ªletting them know Khem was ready.

    But Wise noticed.

    His omnipresent awareness locked onto Khem instantly. Before anyone could react, Wise shifted his entire focus toward him.

    Weird didn¡¯t hesitate. He threw himself in front of Khem, arms outstretched¡ª

    Then, everything stopped.

    Khem had stopped time for the second time.

    His breath was heavy, his vision locking onto Wise¡ªbut then he saw it.

    Weird, lying on top of him, his body shielding Khem. A massive amount of red liquid gushed from him, pooling across the frozen battlefield.

    Khem¡¯s heart pounded. Weird had taken the full force of Wise¡¯s attack.

    Shock threatened to consume him, but he shoved it aside. He had to finish this now, or Weird¡¯s sacrifice would be meaningless.

    Khem forced his shaking arms to push Weird¡¯s body away, rolling him gently to the side. His body ached, but he ignored it, moving as fast as he could.

    His target¡ªWise.

    Khem rushed forward, every step an eternity in the frozen world. His hand stretched out, reaching for Wise¡¯s face¡ª

    Then, just before he could make contact¡ª

    Wise¡¯s hand moved.

    A powerful grip clamped onto Khem¡¯s wrist. Wise¡¯s smirk was gone, his expression replaced with raw focus. He was aware.

    He was breaking through the stopped time.

    Khem¡¯s breath hitched. Wise was brute-forcing his way through, his sheer power tearing through the frozen reality.

    Khem had to act¡ªnow. He threw his other hand toward Wise¡¯s torso¡ª

    But an invisible force slammed against him.

    Wise was now partially moving in frozen time.

    Khem struggled, pushing through the resistance, trying to break Wise¡¯s grip. If this went on any longer, even his time stop wouldn¡¯t be enough.

    This was it. The final moment.

    Khem¡¯s body strained under the force of Wise¡¯s resistance, every muscle screaming at him to stop. But he didn¡¯t.

    Instead, he smirked.

    Wise¡¯s eyes flickered¡ªnot with fear, but with something close to confusion. Khem wasn¡¯t afraid.

    The force against him grew stronger, time itself straining under Wise¡¯s sheer willpower. But Khem didn¡¯t fight it head-on. He just let out a slow breath and spoke.

    "You feel that, Wise?"

    Wise¡¯s grip tightened.

    "That¡¯s not me struggling. That¡¯s you losing control."

    For the first time, Wise hesitated.

    The battlefield around them wavered, his omnipresence flickering. He was brute-forcing his way through stopped time, but now he felt it¡ªthe cracks forming around him.

    Khem seized the moment. With every ounce of his remaining strength, he tore his wrist free from Wise¡¯s grip and slammed his second hand into Wise¡¯s torso. Stasis lock activated.

 Epilogue - The Price of Peace

    Time lurched forward again. The frozen world thawed, motion returning to the battlefield as if reality itself had taken a breath. Khem let go of stopped time, his body giving out as he collapsed to the ground. But even as his strength faded, his grip on Wise remained¡ªa thin, fragile thread of stasis that held the tyrant in absolute stillness.

    The members of SOF turned in unison, their eyes locking onto the impossible sight¡ªWise, the man who had rewritten the rules of existence, was motionless. No flickering presence, no omnipresent smirk. Just frozen in place.

    But relief was cut short.

    Near Wise, lying in a growing pool of blood, was Weird.

    A cold shock ran through them all. In the chaos of stopping Wise, no one had registered the full extent of the damage done. The battlefield was no longer just a scene of victory¡ªit was a scene of cost.

    Samui was the first to move, her scanner flickering as she sprinted toward Weird. ¡°He¡¯s losing too much blood!¡± Her voice was sharp, urgent.

    Senshi stumbled forward, his flames still weak, exhaustion threatening to pull him down. ¡°Damn it, Weird¡ªstay with us!¡±

    Brave hesitated for only a fraction of a second. His eyes flickered toward Wise, still locked in time, before he turned away.

    Weird was more important.

    He ran toward the wounded fighter, joining the others as they gathered around their fallen teammate. The battle was over. But the fight for survival had only just begun.

    Samui desperately pressed the button on her remote, attempting to rewind Weird¡¯s state, but whatever Wise had inflicted on him was absolute. Senshi and Shining yelled at her to keep trying, their voices frantic, but Samui couldn¡¯t even form the words to tell them she already had¡ªand it had done nothing.

    Brave turned, his gaze landing on Samui. His breath hitched when he saw her finger still pressing down on the rewind button, her hands trembling. Nothing was changing.

    Without hesitation, Brave barked into his communicator, calling for immediate medical assistance. "Get a medic here, now!" His voice was sharp, unyielding. "We''re at the communication tower¡ªWise is contained, but we have critical injuries. Stop the bleeding¡ªdo whatever it takes!"

    Senshi tore off a section of his uniform, pressing it against Weird¡¯s wound. Shining followed suit, applying pressure where he could, his golden glow flickering weakly. Even Khem, who could barely remain conscious, forced his trembling fingers to move. He activated stasis again¡ªnot on Wise this time, but on Weird¡¯s blood, trying to stop it from leaking any further.

    The battlefield was silent, save for the desperate breaths of SOF as they fought to keep Weird alive. As the medics took Weird away, the battlefield fell into silence. For the first time in what felt like forever, there were no more explosions, no more screams. Just the wind cutting through the ruins, carrying the weight of everything they had lost¡ªand everything they had saved.

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    The world stood on the edge of recovery. Cities and landscapes bore the scars of Wise¡¯s devastation, but even worse were the voids¡ªplaces where reality itself had been unraveled, wiped from existence by his hand. These wounds could not be rebuilt with steel or stone; they were lost forever. The people had no choice but to move forward, to learn how to live in a world that had been irrevocably changed. The process of healing had begun, but it would be slow, painful, and uncertain.

    Yet, despite everything, SOF had prevailed.

    For their efforts in capturing Wise and preventing a total collapse of reality, each member of SOF was honored with medals and recognition. The world now knew their names, their sacrifice, their undeniable achievement. SOF had done what no one else could, and that accomplishment carried weight.

    Brave remained the highest-ranking officer in SOF, unchanged in title but now wielding greater influence. The organization''s success against Wise had solidified its political power, granting it authority beyond what it had ever known. Some saw this as a necessary evolution, while others whispered concerns¡ªwhat would SOF do now that it had no equal?

    Samui chose a different path. With the battle over, she resigned from SOF, returning home to focus on her family. The substantial rewards she received for her service ensured they would never struggle again. Though she had left the battlefield, she would never forget what she had been through.

    Senshi and Shining remained in SOF, both rising to senior ranks. They now supervised the next generation of SOF agents, ensuring that the knowledge and experience gained from battling Wise would not be lost. Training exercises grew harsher, their standards higher. They had seen what was at stake if they ever failed, and they refused to let history repeat itself.

    And then there was Wise.

    His prison was unlike any other. A facility was built solely for him, a place designed to ensure he would never again bend reality to his will. Its construction took precedence over all other military projects, the world understanding that there could be no risks. Wise remained contained within layers of security, locked in stasis, unable to think, move, or even be aware. He was nothing more than a statue of his former self.

    And yet, SOF knew the truth¡ªthis was only temporary.

    Khem had been given the greatest burden of all. His assignment was clear: watch over Wise, never let the stasis lock slip, not even for a second. It was a job that would consume his life, an eternal war fought in absolute silence. Khem barely had the strength to stand, yet his orders were clear. Watch Wise. Hold him. Never let go. He exhaled sharply, looking at the frozen figure before him. Wise, for all his power, was now nothing more than a statue. But Khem knew better. The moment his grip slipped, it would all begin again. And deep down, a quiet fear settled within him¡ªhow long could he hold on?

    There was one more casualty of Wise¡¯s power. Weird had survived, but he did not wake. Whatever Wise had done to him, it was beyond anyone¡¯s understanding. His body was stable, but his mind was locked away, unreachable. Shining stood beside Weird¡¯s hospital bed, watching the slow rise and fall of his breathing. "You idiot," he muttered with a weak smile. "You better wake up. We still have work to do." But Weird didn¡¯t answer. And Shining didn¡¯t know if he ever would.

    Despite all this, hope remained.

    For now, Wise was gone. SOF had won, even if the war was not over. The world had a chance to recover, to build something new. And for the first time in a long time, there was peace.

    But in the abandoned hideout Wise once called home, a lone figure still waited.

    Child sat in the dim light, watching the entrance, waiting.

    She had no knowledge of Wise¡¯s fate. No news had reached her, and no one had come to explain. But she waited, certain he would return.

    And so she sat there, unmoving. Watching. Waiting.

    For Wise¡¯s return.