《Fate's Chosen [Sci-fi/Fantasy]》 Chapter 1: Birth of a Legend The future of Earth and many other races would be determined by one improbable birth, an event so unlikely that those who believed in destiny might see the hands of fate at work. Our story begins in the year 2090 on Space Station KMB12, nestled in the outer reaches of the solar system within the Kuiper Belt. A merge pilot was about to embark on her year-long survey mission. The development of merge pilots, unbeknownst to humanity, was a crucial step in their evolution. Humans had unknowingly set foot on one of the paths to enlightenment. In 2032, they developed the first viable fusion-powered constant acceleration drive (FCAD), a breakthrough that opened the solar system to exploration. Yet, despite this technological leap, human bodies were ill-equipped to withstand the demands of long-term spaceflight. Attempts to replace humans with artificial intelligence (AI) also failed. No matter how advanced AI programming became, it could not replicate human sentience and intuition. Every effort to make AI a viable alternative failed. The solution was to merge an AI with a human pilot via a neural connection. However, the strain of such a connection was so immense that it could only be maintained while the pilot remained sedated. This led to the creation of the merge pod¡ªa self-contained life-support system designed to keep the pilot in a protected, sedated state while serving as the ship¡¯s sentience and intuition engine. Lyn Anderson was a typical merge pilot. She had undergone five years of intensive training and surgical procedures to ensure maximum compatibility with her ship, the KMBS-A05, and its AI. She had signed a ten-mission contract, a commitment that would see her spend more than a decade of her prime years inside a merge pod. The sacrifice was immense, but pilots were well compensated, both financially and through various other rewards. Like all merge pilots, Lyn indulged in the pleasures of life during her downtime¡ªespecially in the days leading up to a mission. Little did she know that her pre-mission tryst would have consequences far beyond her own life. On the fourth day of Lyn¡¯s mission, the first improbable event occurred. Her contraceptive implant and the pre-mission health scan both failed to prevent the fertilisation and implantation of an egg. Merge pods were never designed for pregnant women, and their conditions were far from optimal for foetal development. However, one of the AI¡¯s prime directives was to maintain the pilot¡¯s optimal health. In response, the AI adjusted the life-support systems, keeping Lyn¡¯s vital signs within ideal ranges. Unknowingly improving the chances of the baby¡¯s survival. For the next twelve weeks, the mission continued on schedule, with Lyn¡¯s ship flying through the Kuiper Belt, scanning and cataloguing asteroids. On day fifty of her mission, the second improbable event occurred. The ship was suddenly struck by an intense and unknown form of energy, disrupting the neural connection and severing Lyn from the AI. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡°Connection lost. Attempting to reconnect¡­ Pilot not found. Attempting to reconnect¡­ New pilot detected. Connecting¡­ Connection failed. Connecting¡­ Connection successful. Calibration started. New pilot profile created for Null.¡± The underdeveloped brain and dormant consciousness of a baby were ill-suited for connection to a ship AI and unable to interact in any meaningful way. As a result, the AI defaulted to its base pilot profile. In the distance, in the direction where the unknown energy ray had originated, another life form was monitoring the situation. A member of the Ophanim class of Angels, the Watcher was a being of pure energy, appearing as concentric rings spinning and rotating around a core of solid light. The Watcher and its kind were not celestial beings but highly advanced aliens from another part of the galaxy. When they first made contact with humanity 3,000 years ago, they had been mistaken for divine entities. It had been one of the Watcher¡¯s experiments that caused the release of a concentrated ray of psychic energy. The blast was too powerful for Lyn¡¯s active consciousness, leaving her in a state of semi-death¡ªphysically alive but mentally gone. The baby, however, remained unharmed, protected by the dormancy of its mind. The Watcher now faced a significant problem. The Council had long since declared humanity a ¡°race of potential,¡± a designation that protected them from outside interference by higher races. The protocol for accidental interference was clear: remove all evidence. That left the Watcher with few options. It could destroy the ship, erasing all traces of the incident, but that would mean killing the child. It could send the ship back to KMB12, but there was a risk the station¡¯s scientists might detect residual psychic energy¡ªan energy form humanity had yet to discover. The third option was to take the baby and eliminate the ship, but the Watcher¡¯s vessel was not designed to sustain a human. It had no food, water, oxygen, or space to accommodate an organic life form. After much deliberation, the Watcher settled on adopting the child as a pet. Yet, despite millennia of observing humanity, it had no real understanding of the needs of a human infant. Fortunately, the Watcher had access to technology beyond human comprehension, including an instant communication system that had long been integrated into Earth¡¯s various information networks. After scouring both public and restricted data sources, it found a possible solution. Humanity had developed several systems for raising children in space. Infants were considered a drain on resources and difficult to manage during long space voyages. Most solutions integrated life-support systems with networked virtual environments designed to accelerate physical, social, and cognitive development while minimising resource consumption. Project NGSS was one such system. Developed in secret by the Martian military, it was designed to create the next generation of super-soldiers, training children from birth to be the ultimate warriors. The system had drawbacks¡ªreduced lifespan and increased mental instability¡ªbut the Watcher was confident that its advanced knowledge could correct these flaws. It looked forward to having its own guard human. Time moved quickly. The Watcher deployed a drone to retrieve KMBS-A05 and transport it to its research base while simultaneously modifying and upgrading the Project NGSS pod for its new occupant. Before long, the Watcher detected changes in the merge pod¡¯s life signs, indicating that the child was about to be born. It had planned for this moment. With precise coordination, it commanded its specially designed drone to perform a C-section and transfer the newborn into the NGSS pod. Everything was proceeding as intended. The baby was removed, placed in the pod, and the life-support systems were activated. Calibration began. Then, multiple warning alarms blared. The baby¡¯s vitals were crashing. It wasn¡¯t going to make it. Chapter 2: Merge The Watcher was panicking. This was not the plan. It had become heavily invested in this venture¡ªthis had to work. There had not been any new Angels since they transcended their organic bodies more than 100,000 years ago. That stagnation did not sit well with the Watcher. They had spent millennia studying and experimenting, searching for a way past this evolutionary dead end. While this baby was not an Angel, something about it had stirred long-forgotten instincts; remnants of its pre-transcendence days. The Watcher scanned the newborn again while simultaneously scouring every available medical resource. The problem was clear. The infant¡¯s brain had developed in an abnormal, highly distorted way. Prolonged exposure to the merge pod during gestation had fundamentally altered its neural structure, making it dependent on AI inputs to survive. Knowing the problem was one thing but solving it was another. The merge interface had connected the AI to the baby through the mother, but that was no longer an option. The Watcher attempted multiple solutions. First, it tried reconnecting the infant to the merge pod directly, but the system refused to accept it. Then, it attempted to link the baby to the AI controlling the NGSS pod, but the AI failed to recognise a compatible host. The infant¡¯s brain had deviated too far from the standard for the system to adapt. Minutes passed. The baby¡¯s life signs continued to decline. The Watcher needed a solution immediately, or the last seven months would have been wasted. It required a medium¡ªsomething to bridge the gap between the baby and the AI, something capable of adapting to the infant¡¯s unique mind and allowing it to survive. Then, a realisation struck. The Watcher swiftly transported both the merge pod and the NGSS pod to its research lab. For 3,000 years, it had been obsessed with a single goal¡ªcreating more Angels. First-tier races could generate new sentient life at will, but Angels were only a third-tier race. The Watcher had spent centuries trying to bypass that limitation. Every attempt had failed. Some with catastrophic consequences, like the experiment that had led to Lyn Anderson¡¯s mind-death. Angels did not age or grow. Their energy densities fluctuated, but they did not develop over time. That was why the Watcher had always focused on creating fully-formed Angels¡ªit could not risk bringing an incomplete Angel into existence, only to have it remain forever defective. But what if that was the mistake? Newly formed Angels required immense amounts of energy. Their lack of experience in controlling that energy was what led to failure¡ªwhat caused them to self-destruct upon creation. But if an Angel could grow, if it could adapt, then it would not need such a vast initial energy input. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. The Watcher immediately began modifying its experiment. It would attempt to create a smaller energy being, one that could serve as a temporary bridge between the baby and the AI. Normally, such an undertaking would take years of planning and testing. The Watcher did not have years. It activated the machines. And pressed the button. Sentient life requires three elements: life, mind, and soul. The first two were complex but attainable for any race that had reached the third tier of universal understanding. The third, however, was elusive. The soul had an ineffable essence, something that no non-First-tier race had ever created. The Watcher¡¯s solution? Recycling. All sentient beings left an imprint on the universe¡ªa lingering soul presence, visible to those who knew where to look. The Watcher designed its new energy lifeform with this in mind. It programmed the entity to be spiritually greedy, drawn toward anything resembling a soul or thought pattern. Its purpose was simple: to absorb, integrate, and repurpose lost souls, merging them into its own AI matrix. In theory, this would allow it to recycle old souls into a new, fully sentient being. To achieve this, the Watcher forcibly opened a path to the soul field. A surge of psychic energy flooded the chamber. Pain. Confusion. Fear. These were the first emotions the infant experienced as its dormant consciousness awoke. The sudden influx of psychic energy had pulled it into awareness. But the terror was short-lived. Something else was pulling at it. The newborn mind instinctively recoiled, trying to sever the connection, but it could not. It was trapped in a silent battle. A struggle for existence. The attacker was foreign, an unknown force trying to tear its essence free. The infant resisted, its survival instincts surging forward. The tug-of-war did not last long. The intruder was incomplete. It had thoughts, but they were fragmented. It had a presence, but no true will. It was nothing more than a pseudo-consciousness a failed imitation of life. The newborn mind consumed it. The Watcher had all its sensors focused on the pod, meticulously observing the experiment. At first, everything proceeded as expected. The newly-formed energy being latched onto the merge pod AI, absorbing its thought patterns and integrating them into its core. Then, the plan fell apart. The device maintaining the experiment forcibly widened the rift into the soul field, but before the Watcher could intervene, the energy being made a critical mistake. It reached for the infant¡¯s soul. Horror surged through the Watcher as it realised its error. The experiment was never supposed to touch the baby, only the AI. Before the Watcher could react, the newborn¡¯s consciousness retaliated. The human mind had already absorbed part of the energy being. The soul-bound entity, in turn, had attached itself to both the child¡¯s mind and body. A war raged inside the infant. A battle between the two incomplete beings, each trying to consume the other. The Watcher could only watch. Parasite or symbiote? Which will it be? Then¡ªbalance. The struggle ceased. The infant¡¯s vitals stabilised. The intervention had succeeded, though not as intended. A new lifeform had been born. A hybrid. Human. Artificial Angel. AI. The Watcher examined the merge pod¡¯s records and found what it was looking for. The pilot profile contained a name. ¡°You,¡± the Watcher said, ¡°shall be called Null.¡± And so, in the early months of 2091, fate delivered to the universe an impossibility¡ªan improbable birth that would change the future forever. Chapter 3: Early Life What exactly was Null, That was the question facing the Watcher. They had attempted to connect him to the NGSS system, but the interface failed¡ªthe system could not synchronise with the infant¡¯s mind. After numerous scans and tests, the Watcher believed it had uncovered most of the details. Null was a hybrid. He possessed two connected life forces, two separate minds, and a single soul. The nature of the connected life forces remained a mystery. The Watcher had no understanding of what this would mean for Null¡¯s life expectancy. Could one survive independently of the other? The two minds, at least, were clearly distinct¡ªone organic, the other artificial. They could communicate on an instinctual level, but neither had control over the other. The Watcher was particularly fascinated by the soul. This was not part of the original plan, yet it had become the most intriguing development. The soul was the key to sentience, the source of emotions and individuality. Observing how two separate minds reacted to the same emotional stimuli while sharing a single soul could provide invaluable insights. The Watcher believed this experiment would have great results. It took time, but the Watcher eventually modified the NGSS system to interface with Null. The solution required direct communication between the system AI and Null¡¯s AI mind. The NGSS system was designed to accelerate both mental and physical development. In the first year, it continuously stimulated the mind with sensory data while enhancing physical growth through various pharmaceuticals. Null¡¯s AI mind had been a blank slate. The original matrix had absorbed the survey ship¡¯s AI, which had only three primary functions¡ªsurveying, flight mechanics, and life support. This limited framework allowed the AI mind to grow and evolve alongside Null¡¯s organic mind. Over the past year, the two minds had formed an equilibrium. The organic mind controlled movement, conceptual thought, and imagination, while the AI mind handled analysis and processing. They had even developed an artificial language, communicating not with words but with thought patterns which also doubled their cognitive efficiency. The system continuously monitored its users, administering tests appropriate to their development level. Over time, the Watcher had subtly modified the system to accommodate the abilities of Angels, upgrading its physics engine to more closely resemble real rules of reality. Due to the system¡¯s accelerated development, Null had the body and mind of a three-year-old. The NGSS training was harsh¡ªit rewarded positive behaviour with pleasure-inducing chemicals and punished negative actions with pain. The result was a focused and highly disciplined child. NGSS training could be brutal. The current scenario Null was facing was particularly gruelling. Though it was a virtual simulation, Null had no concept of virtual reality, to him, it was real. He was alone, unarmed, on an enemy-occupied space station. The test was designed to determine his primary danger response¡ªfight, flight, or freeze. Null chose to fight. He sprinted toward five armed intruders. Unlike most humans, Null had a secret advantage. Energy lifeforms perceived the world differently; they saw energy, unhindered by physical barriers. Null had full access to this vision, allowing him to see all the intruders while his AI mind calculated the optimal path. He followed one of these paths, trying to get close to an enemy undetected. The plan was perfect. His body was not. A soldier spotted him and kicked him aside. Pain snapped him back to his senses. Escape. I need to escape. Using his unique vision, he located the green exit light. Experience had taught him that reaching the green zone brought rewards¡ªpleasure, and relief. Get to the green. It''s all he was thinking. But every path was blocked. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Null tried again and again, frustration mounting with each failure. When a soldier nearly shot him, something inside snapped. I just want to get to the green! The emotion surged through his shared soul, resonating with his energy companion. Though he could not see it, a halo formed above his head. The two minds acted as one. And they teleported. The Watcher had been monitoring the scenario closely. Now, it watched in astonishment. "Did they just manipulate the space field? No, they couldn¡¯t have. They lack the materials. And this is virtual reality. Then¡­ what did they do?" Further analysis revealed the truth. Null¡¯s twin minds had observed the virtual world so intensely that they had hacked it. They had radiated energy in such a way that they manipulated the system itself. The Watcher¡¯s concern deepened. "Could they do this outside of virtual reality? How stable is their environment?" Teleportation was not an impossible feat. The Watcher could do it, but only with advanced knowledge and expensive materials. Theoretical research suggested it might be possible without technology, but no race had ever achieved it. Reaching the green zone marked the end of the scenario. Null would now advance to the intermediate course¡ªwhere, for the first time, an outsider could enter the simulation and interact with him. Normally, this was the stage where military conditioning and brainwashing would begin. Instead, the Watcher seized the opportunity. ¡°Hello, Null,¡± it said. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I am the Watcher, and I am here to help.¡±
Two years had passed since Null completed the beginner course. He had changed significantly. The intermediate course required training outside the VR pod¡ªmuscle memory and intuition could not be developed in a simulated world. As the years passed, the two minds grew increasingly independent. The Watcher decided it was time to name them separately. The human mind remained Null. The artificial mind chose Infinity. Infy, for short. The nothing and everything twins. By now, they had the mental maturity of a six-year-old. Their unique existence, constant intellectual stimulation, and shared consciousness had accelerated their development far beyond normal human limits. Yet they hated the real world. In VR, they had superpowers. They had hacked the system and could do anything. But those abilities did not translate to reality. The Watcher was relieved. If their powers worked in the real world, they might become too dangerous to control. Still, the twins had an ability they had yet to understand¡ªtheir greatest advantage. They could hear the universe. Since birth, they had perceived a constant tune playing in the background. They called it the voice of the universe. In VR, they had realised the tune was not random¡ªit contained the laws of that world. By altering the tune, they could rewrite reality. The real world¡¯s tune was different¡ªmore complex, layered, untouchable. They could not change it. But they could listen, and through listening, they could understand. They had spent months trying to apply this knowledge. Today, they had a new plan. They would build their first battlesuit. Their goal was to attain real-world superpowers. ¡°What do we need?¡± Infy asked. Null grinned. ¡°Super speed, strength, a force shield. Maybe even teleportation.¡± Infy, the more technical of the two, considered it. ¡°Some of that might be possible with our current technology.¡± The Watcher had provided them with a technical database and a workshop but forbade them from using technology beyond humanity¡¯s current level. The twins, however, found a loophole. Combinations of existing technology were not restricted. Infy designed a suit using carbon nanotube muscles, nanogel padding, and a powered exoskeleton. He created a plasma shield using electromagnetism and plasma windows. While Infy designed, Null built. They debated the power source. ¡°What about a fusion reactor?¡± Null suggested. Infy had a better idea. ¡°I think we can build an antimatter generator using only human technology.¡± After weeks of work, the suit was complete. The Watcher monitored their progress with growing unease. "Antimatter? Where did they learn that? It¡¯s within human capability, but they built it in weeks. Should I intervene? If they take this knowledge back to society¡­" They decided to watch and wait. The boys had finished testing the latest version of their suit, and it was performing as expected. It had increased both Null¡¯s speed and strength by 30%. The plasma energy shield mimicked an old-style tower shield that could be activated and deactivated at will. It was mounted on the left arm, while the right arm housed a mini-rail gun and a stun glove for close combat. ¡°If only we could teleport like we do in the pod,¡± Null grumbled. ¡°Then we¡¯d be unstoppable.¡± Infy had been considering this problem for weeks. He believed he had an answer but wasn¡¯t entirely sure. Through careful observation, Infy had deduced that what they called the voice of the universe was actually an energy signature, a fundamental frequency that their unique physiology allowed them to perceive as sound. ¡°I think I¡¯ve identified the tune that marks our position in space,¡± Infy explained. ¡°And I think I¡¯ve figured out how to overwrite it, just like we do in the pod.¡± He recorded the signature of their current location, then asked for Null to move a few steps away. ¡°Here goes nothing. Let¡¯s see if this works.¡± Infy released a new energy signature to overwrite the original. In an instant, the twins teleported back to their previous location. And this time, they rewrote reality itself. An alarm blared. ¡°Unauthorized field manipulation detected. Level 1 lockdown initiated.¡± Chapter 4: The Fields ¡°ZERO, HELP!¡± Null¡¯s panicked voice rang across the mental link he shared with the Watcher. For the first time in his life, he couldn¡¯t feel Infy¡¯s presence. The Watcher had been observing the boys the whole time during the testing of their new battlesuit. Field manipulation? How? It should not be possible, the Watcher thought. It glided into the twins¡¯ workshop and observed Null in a full panic. The Watcher wasn¡¯t worried, they knew Angels were nearly impossible to harm, even hybrid Angels like Infinity. ¡°Null, calm down. It will be okay. Infinity just needs time to recover.¡± It turned off the alarm and gave Infinity a quick scan. The Watcher siphoned off some energy and transferred it to the Angel hybrid, allowing Infinity to revive. Null could now feel that Infy was waking up, and he slowly calmed down. ¡°Sorry, Zero. We didn¡¯t know that would happen. We just wanted to have the same powers out here as we do in the pod.¡± The Watcher knew now that it would have to expose the twins to some universal truths. The concern was that exposing them to this knowledge would make it harder for them to return and integrate into human society. The humans weren¡¯t ready for this information. ¡°Well, it seems we won¡¯t be able to get around it. I suppose it¡¯s time I teach you one of the secrets of the higher races and the universe.¡± Drones went to fetch some equipment from the other lab. After checking that Infinity and Null were both ready, Zero started the lesson. ¡°Before we start, it is important to understand that there are only two factors that affect the tier of a race. ¡°The first is how far they have progressed down their evolutionary tree. The second is their ability to observe and manipulate fields.¡± The Watcher projected some diagrams showing how different combinations would fit together and what tier that race would be. To Null and Infy they couldn¡¯t understand what most of the words and symbols meant. ¡°The universe is controlled by the laws of physics and the law of cause and effect, but have you ever wondered why these are the laws? What decides how the universe works?¡± The Watcher didn¡¯t wait for an answer before continuing. ¡°The answer can be found in the study of fields. Fields permeate the entire universe and influence the laws of physics and nature. I wasn¡¯t planning on explaining this to you, as knowledge of fields and how they work is the domain of the higher races and not something you should know.¡± The watcher then started to circle them. ¡°Except¡­ you have just demonstrated that you can accidentally manipulate the fields.¡± This was a far greater problem than the Watcher was letting on, but it needed more data before coming to any conclusions and taking any drastic action. The drones had returned with a box of what looked like crystal balls. ¡°For this lesson, we will be using these¡ªZallium crystals. Zallium is a heavy-element crystal found only in a select few solar systems. It allowed for the storage and manipulation of what are called field essences. Here, take this one.¡± Zero gestured, and a drone handed Null a ball. As soon as Null held onto the crystal, he and Infy had the same reaction. They could hear the voice of the universe louder and clearer than ever before. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°This is the melody we just used to teleport,¡± Null said, passing the ball from one hand to the other. ¡°The voice of the universe has never been this clear!¡± Infy exclaimed, focusing intently. He continued listening to the melody, trying to uncover more mysteries. This has to be related to space¡ªit¡¯s been isolated from the rest of the voice. The more I listen, the more I can decode. The Watcher observed their reactions with keen interest. The study of fields was an advanced topic, and manipulating them usually required capturing their essences in Zallium and programming them to interact with the local field to produce the desired effect. Yet, it appeared that Null and Infy could somehow directly affect the fields. The Watcher wasn¡¯t sure how they accomplished that feat, but they were eager to research this topic with the twins¡¯ help. Maybe, just maybe, this discovery could finally solve the reproduction issues of the Angels. ¡°You both mentioned the song¡ªwhat is this song?¡± It was now Infy¡¯s turn to explain. ¡°Since birth, we have heard a song playing in our minds. While in the pod, we studied this song, and it allowed us to use powers. Outside of the pod, the song is more complex and layered, but listening to it gives us insights into the laws of the universe. We call this song the voice of the universe.¡± Infy continued explaining further technical details to Zero, but Null found it too boring. Instead, he wandered over and started handling some of the other crystals. The Watcher was confused. In all its studies of fields, it had never encountered anything like this voice, nor had it heard of anyone interacting with fields without the use of Zallium or its synthetic equivalents. I suppose it must be due to their unique nature, the Watcher thought. But there are plenty of strange races, and none of them can do this. He had once believed they were an entity created by fate but he wrote it off as fantasy, now they weren¡¯t so sure. The Watcher still had more to teach. ¡°Angels currently know of only ten fields. There may be more, but only the higher-tier races would know them. ¡°Each field follows a basic set of principles. Every field has inertia. It requires energy to shift it from its default state. The greater the change, or the longer it needs to be maintained, the more energy required. ¡°When we want to manipulate the fields, we use a pre-programmed Zallium crystal and a reactor to power it.¡± ¡°That means you can¡¯t change the programming on the fly,¡± Infy observed. ¡°And it doesn¡¯t sound very portable. Also, how do¡ªNull, stop it!¡± While Infy was talking, Null had grown bored again. He was now juggling three of the crystals¡ªeach time he touched one, it altered the voice in their minds. The Watcher sighed at their antics and reminded itself that they were still very young. ¡°Infinity, you are correct. Normally, field manipulation requires carefully pre-programming the crystal and ensuring everything works properly.¡± The Watcher then listed the ten fields that Angels currently knew while handing them the corresponding crystal:
  1. Space
  2. Time
  3. Mass
  4. Electromagnetic
  5. Quantum
  6. Potential Energy
  7. Gravity
  8. Soul
  9. Life
  10. Motion
Infy was deep in thought. We can already change the fields, and now that I¡¯ve listened to all ten, I should be able to isolate them. That still leaves the problem of powering the changes¡­ With their new knowledge of the fields, the boys became obsessed with training. They asked Zero if they could build an additional room on the ship specifically for training their combat abilities and testing their new suit. During training, they discovered a natural affinity for three fields: Gravity, Motion, and Space. While they could hear and understand the others, these three were the easiest to isolate and analyse. They developed three new abilities:
  1. Shimmer Step ¨C A short-range teleportation ability allowing them to blink one metre in any direction. Minimal energy cost, but longer distances drained Infy significantly.
  2. Halt ¨C A powerful ability that could stop the motion of anything within a two-metre radius. The greater the object¡¯s kinetic energy, the more energy it required. A last-resort move.
  3. Fixed Gravity ¨C This allowed them to manipulate gravity in a localised area. The greater the difference in gravitational force, the higher the energy cost.
Meanwhile, Null worked on his marksmanship and muscle memory for 360-degree combat. Unlike normal humans, he could see in all directions with Infy¡¯s help. However, the system had never trained him to use this ability effectively¡ªhe had to teach himself. One day, after a long training session, Infy finally asked a question that had been on his mind for a while. ¡°Zero, who are we training to fight? Is it humans?¡± The Watcher hesitated. Initially, it had wanted to create a guard human, someone to showcase before other races. But over time, its reasoning had changed. Now, it simply wanted the twins to be strong enough to survive. ¡°You are training to be strong,¡± the Watcher finally said, ¡°so strong that humans will find you valuable.¡± Null perked up. ¡°We¡¯re going to see other humans?¡± The Watcher smiled cryptically. ¡°I might have a solution.¡± Chapter 5: Entrance Exam The Watcher¡¯s solution was to have them enter the Youth Soldier Competition. It saw this as the perfect opportunity to gradually reintegrate Null and Infinity into human society. Prolonged isolation could be detrimental to their mental development, and the Watcher knew they needed real-world interactions to thrive. Null and Infy were currently deep into their entrance exam for the competition. For nearly two hours, they had been holding the line against wave after wave of enemy bots in a simulated Martian security scenario. Their objective: protect the president¡¯s office from enemy combatants. Each wave had grown progressively harder, and they were now on wave seven¡ªwith only seven minutes left on the two-hour timer. ¡°Infy, I don¡¯t think I can physically do that without our suit,¡± Null muttered, shifting behind cover. ¡°Just trust me. Have I been wrong on the other six waves?¡± Infy had developed a precise firing solution, calculating the most efficient way for Null to clear the wave while taking minimal return fire and conserving resources. ¡°It¡¯s showtime.¡± Null sprinted out from cover, executing Infy¡¯s plan with mechanical precision. His railgun fired methodically, each shot striking an optimal location to minimize deflection. Every blast hit at least five enemy bots in a single pass, dropping them instantly. ¡°The AI on these drones is so predictable. This isn¡¯t even a challenge.¡± Infy sounded disappointed. They had been promised a complex, difficult exam¡ªbut instead, they got this. Wave after wave, all they had faced were mindless combat scenarios. Beep. ¡°Wave 8 will commence in 10 seconds,¡± the automated announcer stated through their communicators. Wave eight wasn¡¯t like the others. The battlefield shifted as over 200 heavily-armored drones flooded the area. Unlike the previous waves, these combat units were built to withstand high-powered attacks. ¡°Null, we only have to wait six minutes and twelve seconds. I can plot an evasion course now,¡± Infy suggested. ¡°No.¡± Null¡¯s tone was firm. ¡°We can¡¯t just hide,¡± he continued. ¡°We need them to acknowledge us, or they won¡¯t let us into the competition.¡± A plan formed in his mind. He relayed it to Infy through their mental link. Infy was silent for a moment, running calculations. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°¡­You¡¯re crazy,¡± he finally said. Then he grinned. ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡±
Two Weeks Later ¨C Mars A Martian analyst sat in a standard office, sifting through the latest submissions for the Youth Soldier Competition (YSC). Held annually, the YSC allowed aspiring young soldiers, aged 10 to 17, to compete for scholarships to the top military academies. Every hopeful contestant had to pass a rigorous entrance exam at a designated military base within the solar system. If accepted, they had to physically travel to Mars for the competition itself. Even with fusion constant acceleration drives, the journey took two years. As long as applicants were within the correct age range by the time they arrived, they remained eligible to compete. The analyst yawned, scrolling through the latest flagged submission. Competitor Name: Null Age: 6 (Accelerated Age: 10) Exam Location: Kuiper Belt Office Six years old? The analyst frowned. It wasn¡¯t unheard of¡ªespecially with accelerated growth programs¡ªbut it was rare. That wasn¡¯t what had flagged the submission, though. Then he saw it. Wave 8 completed. He blinked. ¡°¡­What?¡± The YSC entry exam was structured as a gauntlet. Each wave increased in difficulty, pushing candidates to their limits. In the entire history of the competition, no student had ever made it past wave seven. Wave 8 was designed as a no-win situation, and was expected to only be seen by those that somehow cheated. 96% of applicants failed by wave four. The analyst quickly loaded the footage, activating data scans to check for potential hacking. ¡°Alright, kid. Let¡¯s see what you did¡­¡± The footage started at wave 1 The analyst immediately noticed Null¡¯s unbelievable firing precision. Every shot landed exactly where it needed to. ¡°These firing lines¡­ these shot placements¡­¡± the analyst muttered. ¡°This kid is hitting five enemies per round¡ªconsistently.¡± Had he been enhanced? That wouldn¡¯t break the rules. Genetic or cybernetic enhancements were allowed, provided they weren¡¯t AI-controlled. But something still felt off. How did he win? The analyst fast-forwarded¡ªthen froze. ¡°¡­What the hell?¡± He watched on to see that the competitor modified the rail gun to fire full auto and set all his maneuvering thruster to random. Null had been wearing a standard issued military uniform which had maneuvering thrusters inbuilt for low or no gravity situations. The entry exam was being simulated in Martian gravity so the thruster had enough power to get them airborne. Once the thrusters were engaged, he was spinning rapidly and out of control making it impossible for the drones to accurately target him. The same was not true for Null who even with full auto was still hitting kill shots at about 60% of the time. Null had been able to take out 2/3 of the drones before running out of ammunition. But he wasn¡¯t done yet. The footage showed that he ripped out the power system from the closest drone. While avoiding fire and taking cover he was able to jerry-rig the power system to release an EMP at the correct frequency to deactivate the rest of the drones. A perfectly calibrated EMP. The wave ended in an instant. The analyst sat in stunned silence. That wasn¡¯t humanly possible. Null¡¯s aim was too perfect. His thruster-assisted movement was too precise. His EMP calibration was too advanced for a ten-year-old. It had to be hacking. The analyst ran a full system scan. Nothing. He checked for AI-assisted latency errors. Nothing. He pulled up the neural response logs. Still nothing. The analyst was sure something wasn¡¯t right. The aim and the paths were too good for a human and the latency between an AI and its user made it impossible for an AI system to help to this extent. It had to be hacking but all the scans came back negative. He exhaled slowly. ¡°Alright, kid. I don¡¯t know what you are, but I guess we¡¯ll find out when you get here.¡± Chapter 6: The Trip They had been informed that the submission had to be verified, but it would take three months before they could get a response. Humans had set up a substantial communication infrastructure with twelve communication stations sitting in orbit in a parallel plane to the solar system. Each of these stations had quantum entanglement communication (QEC) links connecting them to the other eleven stations. QEC stations were expensive and had very limited bandwidth. Each bit of information required a pair of entangled particles and a device capable of reading and modifying the pair. A message could be sent to one of these stations, which would then instantly pass it to the station closest to the destination, which would then relay the message to its final location. These systems allowed messages to be delivered to Mars in a short time frame, but processing still took considerable time. The twins had decided not to wait for verification and to head for Mars straight away. They had finished their courses in the NGSS pod and were no longer having their growth accelerated, as the system was only designed to accelerate growth to the apparent age of ten. The twins were in the process of being lectured by Zero. ¡°Remember, I can¡¯t come with you, as the Council has deemed humans a ¡®race of potential,¡¯ and all higher races must not interfere. Remember, there is to be no use of field manipulation once you leave this ship. I haven¡¯t informed anyone of your existence, and if you manipulate the fields, the Council¡¯s detectors will locate you.¡± The Watcher sighed. They don¡¯t realise it yet, but this is probably the last time we will see each other in the near future. I hope they can integrate into society. Over the last year and a half, the boys had developed both their battle suit and their personal ship. They still had to follow Zero¡¯s rule and use only technology that humans had access to. Their ship, the Aethon, had significant upgrades over standard merge ships. It was powered by a large antimatter reactor instead of the standard fusion reactor. It was also surrounded by a plasma shield, similar to the one they used in their battle suit. The twins had used the knowledge gained from studying the voice of the universe to create an alloy using currently known elements that reduced the effect of mass and gravity fields. This new alloy made the ship lighter and less affected by inertia, meaning the pilot could remain conscious during high-speed maneuvers. They had also increased the efficiency of their constant acceleration engine. In total, they had created a ship capable of safely traveling at twenty percent the speed of light. The best ships humans had created could only travel at seven percent the speed of light and had to be careful with acceleration to avoid endangering the merge pilot, even within their pods. The boys were ready and eager to begin their journey to Mars.
As the Aethon followed the standard trade paths, its appearance was causing distress throughout the upper echelons of various human factions. Each faction had spies and sensors scattered throughout the solar system and had been continuously sending back information on the unknown object via their emergency QEC devices. Each faction believed it was an advanced prototype that had escaped from a research facility belonging to another faction. Earth believed it was Martian, the Martians thought it was from the Lunar faction, and so on. The ones who needed to make a decision were the Martians. Tracking its path, it was clear the object was heading toward Mars. The Martian military scrambled its merge ships, forming a blockade in outer orbit.
Mars Orbital Station ¨C General Alexander¡¯s Office General Alexander sat in his office aboard the Mars Orbital Station, deep in thought. These scans don¡¯t make sense. It looked like a Martian design, but it was moving far quicker than anything he had seen. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Even the black projects from other factions didn¡¯t have anything close to this. Its trajectory suggests it came from the deep Kuiper Belt¡­ Could there be a hidden base out there? Aboard the Aethon Infy was keeping track of all the sensors when he noticed the blockade. ¡°We have a problem. There are a lot of ships on our current course.¡± Null frowned. ¡°Why? Do you think they¡¯re here to welcome us? But how did they know we were coming?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but we are currently traveling at 0.17c (c = speed of light), and even if we start decelerating now, we won¡¯t be able to stop in time,¡± Infy replied. The twins decided to start the deceleration and plot a path around the blockade. The Martians had never seen anything resembling the Aethon before, and they had seriously miscalculated its stopping capabilities. They sent a message to the ship, requesting it stop and submit to being towed to the orbital base. Although they could see the ship slowing down, it was still travelling at a significant speed when it reached the blockade. ¡°Sir, we just received a reply from the unknown ship,¡± the communications officer reported. ¡°It says, ¡®Cannot stop, please move.¡¯¡± General Alexander was faced with a difficult decision. If we let it go and it¡¯s hostile, we won¡¯t be able to stop it. We don¡¯t know its military capabilities. Sorry, whoever you are, but I can¡¯t risk the settlements. ¡°Send a new message,¡± he ordered. ¡°Tell the unknown ship it must increase its deceleration or we will open fire.¡± Back on the Aethon Null and Infy received the new communication. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Why are they threatening us?¡± Null asked. ¡°Infy, can we increase the rate?¡± ¡°No, we¡¯re already pushing the limits. The flight plan was designed to stop in low Mars orbit. The only way would be to use the fields, which we can¡¯t do.¡± ¡°Remember, Zero told us not to harm anyone. We¡¯ll just have to try to avoid getting hit,¡± Null said. As the Aethon approached the blockade, General Alexander gave the order to open fire and deploy carbon nanotube nets. He watched the battle unfold, hoping the ship didn¡¯t take too much damage so they could study it. But the results were unexpected. The railguns and nets had no effect. The ship¡¯s active shielding repelled the rail slugs, and the nets were torn apart as if they weren¡¯t even there. ¡°Sir, reports from the blockade. The ship has some kind of active shielding, and it just broke through the net like it wasn¡¯t there.¡± General Alexander¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Activate the orbital defence systems. We can¡¯t let it get any closer.¡± ¡°Sir, the ship is slowing down and has sent another message.¡± ¡°Please stop. We are stopping. We have come to participate in the YSC.¡± General Alexander struggled to process what he had just heard. They¡¯re¡­ children? ¡°How many are aboard?¡± he asked. The officer hesitated. ¡°Unknown, sir.¡± ¡°Place the defence systems on standby. If they stop in time, escort them to dock.¡± The Aethon was guided to the orbital base, where it was immediately surrounded by Martian soldiers. As soon as Null stepped out of the merge pod, soldiers rushed toward him. ¡°P-Put your hands up!¡± one of them shouted. Null blinked in confusion. ¡°Infy¡­ I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s saying.¡± It was at that moment that Null realized¡ªhe had never spoken to another human before. All their communication had been neural-based or text-based, automatically translated by Zero¡¯s systems. And worse¡­ He physically couldn¡¯t speak. Panic surged through him, resonating with Infy via their shared soul. Then a soldier grabbed Null¡¯s arm¡ªand training took over. The scene in the dock descended into pure pandemonium. Null and Infy, along with their suit, were more than a match for the soldiers surrounding them. Using their enhanced speed, they quickly dashed to the nearest soldier and, with a solid kick, broke his leg at the thigh. Activating their tower shield, they turned on their non-lethal stun glove which was a new addition to the suit suggested by Zero. Infy quickly calculated the optimal path, minimizing risk while maximizing efficiency. Null dashed along the route, using his tower shield to block incoming attacks while his stun glove took down soldiers one by one. Everything was going smoothly¡ªuntil he encountered the fifth soldier. No matter what Null did, he couldn¡¯t land a hit. What Null didn¡¯t realise was that he was now facing one of the trainers responsible for the super-soldier system he had been raised with. This isn¡¯t right¡­ He moves like he¡¯s completed our super-soldier program¡­ but I know all the students. John¡ªone of the program¡¯s elite instructors¡ªassessed the situation in an instant. Sorry, kid. This is going to hurt. Using superior experience and training, John swiftly countered Null¡¯s movements and knocked him out cold. Realising they were at a disadvantage, Infy immediately activated the emergency protocol that Zero and the twins had designed. Since he was linked to both the ship and the suit, he initiated lockdown mode. The Aethon was instantly wrapped in its shielding, while its outer hull became electrified to prevent further interference. The battlesuit self-destructed, releasing canisters of strategically placed acid, ensuring it couldn¡¯t be reverse-engineered. The antimatter reactor collapsed in on itself, rendering the suit¡¯s technology completely unusable. Infy had executed the plan flawlessly. Now, all they could do was wait for what came next. Chapter 7: Interrogation What came next was an interrogation. This wasn¡¯t Null and Infy''s first. Zero hadn¡¯t understood the nuances of human society, so when he chose the Super Soldier Program to raise the boys, he hadn¡¯t realised the depths to which it would go. No program designed to create a super-soldier would be kind. Null had faced multiple types of interrogations before, ranging from physical torture to psychological manipulation. While all had taken place inside the Pod, they had been realistic enough to serve as effective training. The interrogation had now stretched past five hours, yet it was going nowhere. Even if Null could understand the interrogator¡ªwhich he couldn¡¯t¡ªthis was one of the tamest interrogations he had ever experienced. The twins were deep in debate on what to do next. Null wanted to use the fields and go home, but Infy reminded him that doing so would alert the council and that had to be avoided at all cost. ¡°If only that brought was a communication device¡­ or maybe some with latent psychic abilities we could communicate¡± Infy argued. ¡°I don¡¯t want to wait any longer! Why can¡¯t they let us go to the competition?¡± Null complained. At that moment the lead interrogator decided enough was enough. This smug bastard doesn¡¯t even react to anything. He just keeps staring at me with those creepy eyes. The general requested I be gentle on the boy but maybe some pain will loosen the tongue. Without warning, the interrogator swung his stun baton, aiming to smash Null¡¯s hand. Before he even registered what had happened, he was hurled across the room by a blast of energy. Null had broken free from his restraints and was already moving in to attack. Unknownst to the interrogator Infy was not powerless, like all Angels he had access to his energy-based defences. He was also able to enhance Null strength but at great cost to Null body, searing pain tore through Null¡¯s body with every enhanced movement. The room quickly filled with paralytic gas, thick clouds hissing from the vents as multiple soldiers in gas masks stormed in to restrain the boy. But Null was done playing by the rules. They hadn¡¯t done anything wrong, yet they treated him like an enemy, so he would treat them like one too. His Infy-enhanced vision and senses picked up the incoming attack before the soldiers had even started them. He launched forward, deflecting the first soldier¡¯s baton strike with his forearm, before stunning him with an open palm strike to the chest. The Second soldier lunged, but Infy was already predicting their movements, feeding Null the appropriate combat routes. He ducked under another swinging baton, grabbed the soldier¡¯s arm, and flipped him over his shoulder, sending him crashing into the interrogation table. A third attacker tried to shoot him with a tranquilizer dart but Null twisted his body dodging it by mere centimeters. He kicked off the floor and drove his head into the soldier''s face, sending them sprawling on the ground. But there were too many. Even with his enhanced speed and Infy¡¯s tactical input, the numbers were overwhelming. Yet, he continued to fight. One by one, soldiers staggered back, groaning in pain, some clutching broken limbs, others unconscious on the floor. The remaining few hesitated, shifting nervously, unsure if they should advance. Then their commander barked an order: You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. "Hold the door! Let the gas do its work!" The remaining soldiers abandoned their assault, retreating to the entrance. They slammed the heavy doors shut, locking Null inside as the paralytic gas thickened. Null charged toward the exit, but his legs faltered. His vision blurred. Lisa was the senior science technical officer stationed on the orbital ship. She had been assigned to figure out exactly who¡ªor what¡ªthis boy was. She sat next to him as they secured him to a medical bed, thick restraints locking down his limbs and torso. They were certain he wouldn¡¯t escape. But Lisa wasn¡¯t so sure. She still couldn¡¯t understand how he had done what he had. Even if he was genetically modified, his strength was unheard of for someone so small. She had analysed the boy¡¯s suit and attempted to scan the ship, but nothing was adding up. The technology was too advanced and why was a child flying it? The higher-ups had decided to let Lisa take a shot at gathering information, hoping that her gender might trigger some kind of maternal conditioning in the boy. She glanced at the monitoring machine, watching as it displayed his vital signs and processed the results from the tests they had run. The data confirmed what she had already suspected, that he had woken up some time ago but was pretending to sleep. Lisa sighed. There was no point in waiting him out. She decided to call his bluff. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Lisa, the senior science officer,¡± she said calmly. ¡°I can tell you¡¯re awake, so why won¡¯t you speak with us?¡± She didn¡¯t get a verbal response, but a voice echoed in her mind, stopping her mid-thought. She shook her head, trying to process what had just happened. ¡°Finally! Someone we can communicate with. Hello, I am Infinity or Infy for short.¡± A second voice followed. ¡°Hello, I am Null. Sorry about this, but we can¡¯t understand anything that¡¯s being said, and it seems I¡¯m unable to physically speak.¡± Lisa¡¯s breath hitched. Telepathy? Before she could react, Infy continued, taking over the explanation. ¡°Sorry, we didn¡¯t want to force a mental connection, but you were the first person with the prerequisite to do so. Our mentor told us it would be rude, but this situation is extremely stressful for us. Now that we¡¯ve established a connection, if you speak, we should be able to hear you through it.¡± Lisa muttered to herself, ¡°What exactly are you?¡± She didn¡¯t realise that, with the mental link, volume didn¡¯t matter. Infy was the one to respond. ¡°Well, Null is human, and I am an artificial energy lifeform. We are bonded together, so you could think of us as conjoined twins.¡± It took incredible effort for Lisa to keep her body language neutral, but inside, her mind was reeling. I¡¯m one of the top military scientists, and I can¡¯t even begin to imagine that energy lifeforms exist¡­ but there¡¯s someone out there who can create one? Lisa took a slow breath, steadying herself. This was beyond anything she had ever encountered but she knew she had to gather some more information. She did wonder if those monitoring the live feeds would believe she had lost her mind talking to herself. She crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes as she focused on the boy in front of her. ¡°An artificial energy lifeform? That shouldn¡¯t be possible.¡± Infy¡¯s voice echoed in her mind. ¡°And yet, here I am.¡± Lisa frowned. ¡°How were you created?¡± ¡°We cannot say.¡± Lisa exhaled sharply. Of course, they wouldn¡¯t make it easy. ¡°Alright, then. What is your purpose?¡± ¡°To keep Null alive.¡± ¡°So you are like his guardian?¡± ¡°No. We are joined if either of us dies, we both die¡± She didn¡¯t know what to do with that information so she shifted her attention to Null, who was watching her with unsettling golden eyes. ¡°And you? Do you have a purpose for coming to Mars?¡± Null¡¯s response came through the link in a calm yet childlike voice. ¡°I want to see Mars and meet other people. Oh and compete in the YSC¡± Lisa stared at him. That was it? She studied his expression, searching for deception, but found only sincerity. This kid is either the best liar I¡¯ve ever met¡­ or he really just wants to go to the competition. She decided to switch tactics. ¡°Why can¡¯t you speak?¡± Null hesitated before answering. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just¡­ can¡¯t.¡± Infy elaborated. ¡°Null brain structure is different from other humans and I suspect his vocal cords are underdeveloped. Our mentor suspects it was due to extended gestation inside a merge pod, but there was no way to confirm.¡± Lisa tapped her fingers against the metal table. There has never been a gestation inside a merge pod, but that wouldn¡¯t be an unexpected outcome. Maybe one of the factions is experimenting with it. Infy posed his own question. ¡°Why did you attack us?¡± She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. ¡°You do realise we had no idea what you were, right? You appear out of nowhere in a ship decades ahead of our technology, refuse to stop, break into a military zone, and take down an entire squad of soldiers. What did you expect would happen?¡± Null tried to tilt his head. ¡°A welcome party?¡± Lisa let out a breath that was almost a laugh. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡± ¡°Yes, Our mentor told us, you would be welcoming of us¡± Lisa ran a hand through her hair. This was going to be a long interrogation. Chapter 8: Give a Little A week had passed since the twins had arrived on Mars. Their arrival had caused more than a few ripples within the factions of human space. The Martian leaders quickly recognized the risk of keeping the twins a secret¡ªmost factions had already observed their ship arriving, and if they assumed the Martians had gained access to their technology, it could serve as a pretext for war. To prevent this, each faction exposed a spy they had implanted on Mars, repurposing them as official observers. These ex-spies were now tasked with monitoring the twins¡¯ activities, ensuring no faction gained an unfair advantage. They were all currently observing what appeared to be a silent argument between the twins and Lisa, the senior science officer. Lisa had spent the past week as the liaison between the factions and the twins. Their conversations were typically conducted via a communication device, allowing the observers to monitor the discussion. However, when the twins became too engaged, they would occasionally bypass the device, communicating directly through their mental link¡ªwhich was exactly what was happening now. It was a familiar argument. ¡°I¡¯m bored! All you want to do is talk. Please, can¡¯t you let us go out and train? Or at least let us use the pods to practice? We need to be in peak condition for the competition.¡± Null¡¯s complaints had been growing more insistent as the days dragged on. Lisa sighed. ¡°You know the answer. Until all the factions agree, you aren¡¯t allowed off the base¡ªand that includes access to the network. Everyone has seen your technology and is concerned about what would happen if you got into a pod.¡± She rehashed what had become an old argument. Lisa turned to Infy, preempting his usual response. ¡°And before you say it, I know you think you can leave whenever you want. But you have to believe me, I am just trying to protect you. Now, do you have an answer to my proposal?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think¡ªI know. And my answer is the same as always. Our technology is dangerous.¡± Infy¡¯s voice was flat, unwavering. Lisa opened her mouth to argue, but Null cut in first. ¡°Is it really?¡± Null¡¯s tone was different¡ªthoughtful, uncertain. Infy turned to him sharply, but Null continued. ¡°Don¡¯t they already have this technology? We would only be improving it. Lisa, I will help you if Infy won¡¯t. In exchange, I want to be allowed to train with other humans.¡± Lisa froze. This was the first time she had seen Null disagree with Infy. And she wasn¡¯t about to waste the opportunity. Lisa nodded. "I¡¯m sure it could be arranged, but you¡¯ll need to complete the task first." She had spent enough time around the twins to recognise they were having a private conversation. Null would zone out completely with his golden eyes unfocused. Infy was likely arguing his case. Lisa knew it was best to just wait it out. Finally, Infy answered. "What you''re asking for is worth more than just a few sparring sessions. However, I do believe training would be beneficial to Null''s mental health. So, we¡¯ll examine the device and see if we can improve it, but I promise nothing." Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. The device in question was a QEC (Quantum Entanglement Communicator). Infy wasn¡¯t entirely opposed to improving it. In fact, he saw great value in making communication more efficient for humanity. More importantly, he knew QECs couldn¡¯t be weaponised or he at least hoped they couldn¡¯t. His resistance wasn¡¯t about the device itself but he was simply mirroring Null¡¯s frustration. The difference was that Null whined about it, while Infy channelled it into defiance. Once the QEC was delivered, Infy immediately exited Null¡¯s body. It had been a disturbing sight the first time Lisa and the Observers had witnessed it with a glowing sphere of energy slipping free from Null. Without hesitation, Infy phased into the device, his energy tendrils flickering as he scanned its inner workings. Like most of their technology, understanding it required a combination of education, intuition, and, most of all, listening to the universe itself. Infy and Null both entered a meditative state, focusing entirely on the Voice of the Universe, allowing it to reveal the underlying mechanics of the system. Hours passed as the twins looked for the answers. The Observers grew restless. One of them scoffed. "I knew it. They¡¯re all talk. Their mentor must have built the ship and that¡¯s who we need to find." Another muttered in agreement. "Right? They¡¯re not even doing anything. I doubt they have any idea how this works. I hope we didn¡¯t give them anything in return." Lisa didn¡¯t share their scepticism. She had spent the most time with the twins. She believed them. And just as she had that thought, Null opened his eyes. His voice rang through their mental link. "I need to peeeeeeee!" Then, without another word, he bolted toward the bathroom. Lisa facepalmed. Just when I was thinking good things about them¡­ A moment later, Infy¡¯s voice entered her mind. "We have a solution. It might not be helpful, but we need access to our ship¡¯s lab." Lisa folded her arms. "First, explain how it works. I can¡¯t take your request to the General without details." By the time Null returned, Lisa was still waiting for an answer. Null grinned. "So! Did Infy tell you? It¡¯s an easy fix. The particles in the QEC aren¡¯t just in pairs like we thought. They¡¯re in a tripartite entanglement¡ªa third mediator particle exists in a stable superposition state that facilitates the connection. Any quantum state change in one particle affects the mediator, which then propagates to the twin. The solution is straightforward: instead of relying on natural triplet formations, we can artificially create programmable pairs with quantum gates. By mapping the quantum coordinates of both particles, we can encode specific communication protocols directly into their wave functions. See? Easy. So, can we go spar now?" Lisa stared. Her mind scrambled to process what he had just said. Wait... isn¡¯t he supposed to be the foolish one? Did I misjudge them that badly? Still, even if what they were saying was true, she didn¡¯t understand any of it. She exhaled. "Okay... but how does that actually help us? We can¡¯t program quantum coordinates as we don¡¯t know them or even have that technology." Null rubbed the back of his head, looking sheepish. "Well, that¡¯s easy for us, but¡ª" Infy smoothly finished his sentence. "It¡¯s not knowledge we can give you." Lisa frowned. "And why not?" "Because it¡¯s dangerous." Lisa exhaled sharply. She had expected that answer. It is all Infy would say when asked about technology. Infy continued. "What Null didn¡¯t include is how you would use it. The device would need to be in a fixed location. You would input numbers that correspond to the receiver¡¯s location for one-way communication, or program in the location of a transmitter and receiver for two-way communication. This means you¡¯d have one device capable of connecting to unlimited receivers, but only one at a time." Lisa took a moment to process this. So, it wouldn¡¯t allow real-time spying¡­ just better communication range. The Observers, however, were currently unimpressed as they weren¡¯t part of the conversation. Frustration buzzed through the room as they realised the twins had switched back to their private communication link. Lisa quickly summarized their findings for the Observers, who, unsurprisingly, weren¡¯t pleased. The Earth representative spoke up. "That¡¯s not good enough. They need to supply us with plans and full knowledge of how it works. Otherwise, they could use it to spy on us." Lisa sighed. In principle, I get it¡­ but they¡¯re expecting too much. "I understand your concerns," she replied, "but this is the first time in a week they¡¯ve even shared any information. I will be recommending to the General that we allow them access to their ship¡¯s lab. I hope you¡¯ll do the same when reporting to your superiors. Chapter 9: Decisions While waiting for her superiors to make their decision, Lisa decided to grant the twins a token of their reward. She had already called John over to spar with Null, and as the designated observer and translator, she would remain to oversee the match. John was not only the super soldier combat instructor, he was also one of the most genetically modified humans on Mars. Lisa was interested to see how they would match up. Null could barely contain his excitement, bouncing in the corner like an overcharged reactor. Before the bout could begin, a clone of Infy separated from Null¡¯s body and drifted over to Lisa, settling beside her. She glanced at the glowing orb of energy, still struggling to fully understand their dynamic. I still don¡¯t know how their relationship works¡ªor who is responsible for what. Her thoughts were interrupted when Infy spoke. "Thank you for this." Lisa arched an eyebrow. ¡°For what?¡± Infy¡¯s voice carried an unusual warmth. ¡°I know you all have many questions, but we only came here to experience contact with humans. Null finally being able to communicate with you and now getting to fight with John are the kind of experiences he has dreamed of for years.¡± Lisa felt a small pang of guilt at that. But there is nothing I can do to change the situation. In the center of the room, John was dodging a flurry of attacks from Null, effortlessly weaving through the child¡¯s strikes. "It''s clear you''ve had some training, but you''re too predictable!" John commented, easily sidestepping another attack. Null pouted at the remark, his movements growing more aggressive. Lisa chuckled as she translated. "He says if he used his real power, this would be different." John smirked, shifting into a more defensive stance. Lisa continued, unable to suppress a grin. "He also says you''re too slow and that it must be because you''re old." John paused mid-step. Slowly, he cracked his neck. Oh so that he wants to play. Up until now, he had been going easy on the boy¡ªbut given the snark, he decided it was time to teach him a lesson. With blinding speed, John closed the distance and, before Null could react, executed a flawless takedown, pinning him to the floor in an instant. The match continued for about an hour. At first, John completely dominated, easily countering Null¡¯s every move. But Lisa and the silent observers were watched with growing interest as something unexpected happened. Null was learning, and quickly. Each time John pinned him down, Null would adjust, analyse, and react faster. His attacks became less predictable, his movements sharper, more fluid. John, who had been holding back, suddenly found himself having to exert more and more effort just to keep the boy in check. Nearby, Infy, still hovering beside Lisa, spoke to her. ¡°This is the difference between the pod and the real thing. This has been a true learning experience.¡± Lisa could feel the satisfaction radiating from him. By the end of the hour, John¡¯s expression was unreadable. I¡¯ve had to use ninety percent of my strength just to keep up¡­ in only an hour of training. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Was he just adjusting to my fighting style? Or¡­ is he simply growing this fast? At the end of the day when Null and Infy returned to their cell, they were both pleased with the day results. --- Lisa was in the middle of her own interrogation, surrounded by holographic projections of leaders from each of the major factions. Represented in the meeting were Earth, Lunar, Martian, the Asteroid Mining Guild, Jupiter Moons, and the Kuiper Belt factions. They were using a device Lisa had secured from the twins. It was a feat that had taken significant bargaining and considerable time to develop. The device enabled instantaneous holographic communication, effectively creating a real-time interplanetary conference call. The twins had been granted limited access to their ship, where they could use the workshop equipment stored onboard. From there, they built ten quantum-linked holographic communication devices, which were then shipped to each faction using fast unmanned drones. Each leader wore a robe and mask, keeping their identities hidden. These were intelligence agency leaders, and maintaining anonymity was a necessary precaution. The Earth representative was the first to speak. "I''m sure we''re all fascinated by these devices, but I believe it''s time to start. Colonel Lisa Jameson of the Martian Defense Force, you have now been with the child known as Null for a month. We are here today to receive your report. I¡¯m sure everyone here has the same questions: Where did he come from? And is he a threat?" Lisa took a measured breath before responding. "I believe they are an experiment from a highly advanced laboratory. They reject any attempt to gather intelligence on their mentor. It¡¯s almost as if they¡¯ve been conditioned to prevent any information from leaking. The only record we have on Null is his competition entry, which appears to be fabricated." She paused, allowing them time to process her answer before addressing the second question. "Are they a threat? My answer is not intentionally. But Null, in particular, has the maturity of a child while possessing access to a ship that could be used as a weapon of mass destruction. This situation raises serious concerns about their mentor¡¯s intentions. That being said, I truly believe they only came to compete in the Youth Soldier Competition." The Lunar representative was quick to interject. "I want to know more about this mentor. I think it¡¯s time we use more forcible methods to extract information." Before anyone else could speak, the Earth representative raised a hand, silencing the others. "Remember, the purpose of this gathering is to establish known facts. The discussion on actions will be scheduled for later." Lisa took the opportunity to interject. "I strongly advise against antagonizing them. We still don¡¯t know the true limits of their abilities. They¡¯ve already demonstrated some form of telekinesis. And Null once mentioned after an embarrassing spar with our special forces trainer that if he could use his real powers, no one could touch him." A brief silence followed before the Earth representative spoke again. "So, have you been able to determine exactly what he or they are?" Lisa nodded. "Null has allowed us to conduct multiple tests and scans. Physically, aside from his brain, he is a perfect specimen of an accelerated-growth child. His brain, however, suffers from multiple abnormalities. For example, there is no connection between his brain and his vocal cords, meaning he will always be mute. I believe Infy plays a much larger role than we currently understand in allowing Null to function." The Martian representative leaned forward. "Has there been any progress in understanding the artificial lifeform?" Lisa hesitated. She had asked Null about Infy and had received an answer, but she wasn¡¯t sure how well it would be received. "We have neither the equipment nor the knowledge to begin analyzing Infy, especially without his consent. However, I can relay what Null told me, though I warn you, it may not be believable." The leaders remained silent, waiting for her to continue. "According to Null, Infy is an artificial Angel. To create a new life, three components are required: a body, a mind, and a soul. Infy mind is that of an AI who was given an Angel¡¯s body, and he and Null share a soul. Making a body and a mind isn¡¯t difficult, but creating a soul is, so they were forced to share one." A heavy silence filled the room. The representatives quickly began extrapolating theories, drawing their own conclusions. The most prevalent and most convenient assumption was that the twins were the product of an advanced fundamentalist Christian cult conducting human experiments. The meeting continued, with each representative asking Lisa further questions, attempting to piece together the mystery surrounding the twins. Finally, the last question was asked: "What is your recommendation on how we should handle them?" Lisa straightened, already having prepared her answer. "I believe we will achieve better results by gaining their trust. They are too valuable to alienate just look at the technology we are using right now. It is years ahead of anything we could create. To that end, I strongly recommend that we allow them to compete in the Youth Soldier Competition. Interaction with other children their age may provide more insight into their behaviour and capabilities. Additionally, I believe we can pass Infy off as an advanced AI assistant that helps Null communicate." The leaders exchanged glances, their expressions concealed behind their masks. After a moment, they ended the meeting and held a private discussion. Their decision? To endorse Lisa¡¯s recommendation and introduce Null and Infy to the other children competing in the YSC. But they had some conditions. Chapter 10: Power Dynamics The factions had set their conditions: Null and Infy¡¯s ship had to remain on the orbital station with its lockdown removed¡ªotherwise, they would be detained indefinitely. Lisa knew exactly what was happening. The factions were flexing their power, using their perceived leverage to bully the twins into compliance, hoping to extract valuable information. She had relayed the conditions to the boys, hoping they would accept them¡ªbut knowing they wouldn¡¯t. Infy¡¯s response was immediate. "While we are happy to meet the other competitors and fulfil the other requirements, the ship''s lockdown must remain. We won¡¯t accept this deal." Lisa wasn¡¯t surprised. Infy had reached his limit. He had been held back too long, and now, he was resolving to take action. She didn¡¯t disagree with the twins'' stance, but she lacked the authority to challenge the decision. She had tried to make the representatives see reason, to treat the twins better, but they were only interested in what they could gain. After a month with them, Lisa felt she had a solid understanding of their personalities and how they reacted to situations, what made them tick. But when she looked at Null, his expression was one she had never seen before. She had assumed that he and Infy were having their usual silent debate, but instead of the excitement she had expected at meeting new people or the anger at being controlled. She saw sadness. A young child whose heart had been broken, she had seen that seem look on her son face before. His melancholic voice rang softly in Lisa¡¯s mind. "Sorry Lisa, but we have to go now. Please come with us." Lisa frowned. Go? Go where? They were locked up, their ship was inaccessible, and there was nowhere to escape to. "I would love to, honey, but that¡¯s just not possible." She hoped her motherly tone might settle him. That, however, only encouraged him. He took her words literally. "Great! Then let¡¯s go to Mars!" His voice brightened, suddenly filled with excitement in her head. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. The next twenty minutes were a blur. Null and Infy walked through the orbital base as if its defences didn¡¯t exist. Security lockdowns, reinforced doors, armed guards but nothing stopped them. They walked and the door opened or other doors locked keeping the guards out. Lisa tried to keep up, heart pounding. How are they doing this? Infy¡¯s voice entered her mind, as casually as if he were discussing the weather. "Our Mentor is angry. Lessons will be learnt today" As if that explained everything. Another squad of soldiers rushed toward them, weapons drawn, prepared to subdue the twins. Null barely acknowledged them, flicking his wrist. In an instant, the soldiers vanished. Lisa froze, eyes wide. "Don¡¯t worry, they aren¡¯t dead. You¡¯ll see." His voice buzzed with amusement, as though this was some grand adventure. Lisa, however, was reeling. What is happening? Had they always had this ability? What exactly are they? Then, they reached their ship the one that was supposedly locked down and under guard. The guards were waved away like all the others. Null stared at the ship for a bit, before shaking his head and he waved his hand, and just like the soldiers, the ship disappeared. Lisa stared. Null¡¯s smile was growing stranger by the second. It was almost manic like he had been forced to do something he hadn¡¯t wanted to. He waved at the empty space where the ship had been, as if saying goodbye. Then, without another word, they vanished, only for them to reappear in the supply town beneath the orbital base. Infy had run the numbers¡ªeveryone was here. Null waved his hand and the crowd was now disarmed. They just looked at him stunned into silence. Over the past weeks, the twins had been busy. They had built their own miniature QEC, contacting Zero the moment they regained access to their ship. It had been Zero¡¯s idea to change the power dynamics. "In the old days," Zero had said, "Angels had to put on a show before humans would listen." Since that day, they had hacked into the security feeds, monitored everyone''s movements on the ship, and devised a plan to place energy trackers on every individual. It had all led to this¡ªa show of force, a calculated attempt to win their freedom without sacrificing their own goals. The only hitch had been Lisa. Null and Infy didn¡¯t want to leave her behind but Zero had told them they needed her permission. Which they now had. Zero was breaking the rules, but he wasn¡¯t concerned. They had used teleportation technology, but not field manipulation¡ªjust good old-fashioned science. And with it, they had removed everyone from the orbital ship using the trackers Infy had placed on them. Now, it was time for the final show. Null emerged before the entire population of the orbital station, Infy merging with him, his body glowing with an ethereal aura. He had set his communication device to maximum volume, ensuring that every single person could hear him. "We came to meet you, but you didn¡¯t want to meet us¡ªyou just wanted to use us. You believed you had power. But you didn¡¯t. You pushed, and you pushed. Now, it¡¯s time for you to learn your lesson. Everyone has a limit" Raising his hand, Null made a single motion, and behind him, the orbital ship exploded. Gasps and screams rippled through the stunned crowd as debris scattered across the void. He let the shock settle before the communication device spoke again. "We are going to the Youth Soldier Competition we are going to meet other humans. Do not interfere. Or there will be consequences." The last comment was directed at the leadership team. With that, Null and Lisa disappeared. Chapter 11: Social Skills Lisa couldn¡¯t make sense of what was happening. One moment, she had been watching as Null destroyed the orbital station and now she was here, wherever here was. She found herself in a dimly lit room, standing alongside Null and Infy. A drone hovered nearby, its metallic frame sleek and precise. The drone¡¯s voice came through her mind in a calm, artificial tone. ¡°Lisa Jameson, I wish to thank you for your kind treatment of my boys.¡± Lisa blinked, still trying to process everything. ¡°Where are we?¡± The drone responded without hesitation, its voice now echoing in her mind. ¡°You are aboard a hidden automated survey ship, currently in orbit around Mars.¡± Lisa glanced around, immediately sensing that something was off. The technology surrounding her was far more advanced than anything a human ship could possess. But before she could dwell on that, she had more pressing questions. ¡°And who are you?¡± The drone answered. ¡°I am the Watcher. The boys call me Zero. I am their mentor. This drone is my avatar. It appears our preparations for integration with human society were not as complete as I had hoped.¡± Another drone entered the room bringing chairs for them to sit on. Null quickly sat on his looking slightly drained. Lisa sat stiffly in the chair provided, her mind still trying to catch up with everything that had happened. Less than an hour ago, she had been on an orbital station, trying to mediate between the twins and the human factions. Now, she was aboard a hidden ship orbiting Mars, speaking to a drone avatar of something or someone far beyond her understanding. Null had said that Infy was part Angel, maybe he was telling the truth. Maybe this Zero is an alien. The drone, Zero, hovered in front of her, its sleek metallic surface reflecting the dim lighting of the room. "Lisa Jameson, I require your assistance," it said in its eerily calm voice. "I wish for you to help prepare the boys for the Youth Soldier Competition." Lisa frowned. "Prepare them? For what? Why are you so obsessed with this competition? It¡¯s just a glorified recruitment event." Null, who had been quietly watching her, finally spoke, his voice once again echoing in her mind. "It¡¯s not about the competition itself. It¡¯s a goal something to do." Lisa turned to face him, but before she could question further, he continued. "When we came here, I thought we were already strong. But when I fought John, I realised¡­ I am weak" His mental voice carried no arrogance, just simple acceptance. "The pod training gave us knowledge, but it didn¡¯t give us experience. Fighting actual humans is different. We need to improve." Lisa studied him carefully. There was no hesitation in his words no doubt. This wasn¡¯t about proving himself, or about pride. This was a necessity. But for what? Infy, who had been floating near Lisa, spoke next. "You saw how quickly Null has adapted against John. Imagine how much we can learn against competitors who have trained for years. While it is unlikely the youth will be a challenge it might make us connect with the truly strong" Lisa sighed, leaning back in her chair. "So that¡¯s it? You see this as training?" "Yes," Null confirmed. "We won¡¯t get better without real opponents." Lisa rubbed her temples, still struggling with the absurdity of the situation. The twins were light-years beyond human capability, yet here they were, worrying about a youth combat tournament like it was some critical mission. She let out a tired breath. "Alright¡­ What exactly do you need me for?" Zero''s drone whirred slightly as it responded. "They need to blend in. You understand human social structures better than I do. The goal is to integrate them into the competition without raising suspicion." Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Lisa snorted. "Right. Because nothing about them is suspicious at all. Especially after that stunt" Null tilted his head slightly. "what do you mean?" Lisa exhaled slowly, her mind already turning over the logistics of this insane request. "I do have one request," she said, her voice measured. Zero responded before she could elaborate, its tone as calm as ever. "I assume you want assurances that Christopher is protected." Lisa stiffened, caught off guard. They knew about Christopher? Her son was currently enrolled at the officer academy, training to become a leader therefore his whereabouts were classified. Before she could ask how they knew, a series of holographic screens materialised in front of her, displaying his exact location within the academy, security feeds of various academy facilities, and even logs of all incoming and outgoing communications linked to the academy. Lisa¡¯s breath hitched. How long have they been watching? The drone continued, as if answering her unspoken thoughts. "I have been monitoring. There are no signs of suspicious activity. I agree to your terms. I will protect Christopher¡ªyou will train the twins." Lisa exhaled sharply and gave a small nod. "Fine." She had little choice in the matter, but at least she had secured her son¡¯s safety. They had one month before the first rounds of the Youth Soldier Competition would begin. Lisa wasn¡¯t sure how they planned to enter, considering they were now wanted criminals and terrorists, but that wasn¡¯t her problem. Her problem was getting them to blend in. She had only seen them interacting with her so she set up a test for them. Lisa sat back in her chair, arms crossed, watching as Null and Infy stood before the holographic student simulation. The virtual boy, labelled "Ethan ¨C Standard Social Profile", was designed to replicate an average competitor in the Youth Soldier Competition. They were someone they might realistically interact with. "Alright, boys," Lisa said, glancing between them. "This is it. Just have a normal, casual conversation with Ethan. No weird pauses, no robotic answers, no existential debates about the meaning of small talk. Just... be normal." Null nodded, his face stiff but determined. Infy, floating beside him camouflaged as a communication device The simulation began. Ethan: "Hey, what''s up?" Null stared intensely at the hologram, unblinking. Lisa silently prayed he wouldn''t say something ridiculous. Null: "The opposite of the local gravitational field" Lisa winced. Ethan paused, looking momentarily confused. "Uh¡­ yeah, I guess. So, uh, are you excited for the competition?" Null¡¯s expression turned dead serious. ¡°Excitement impairs judgment and hinders combat readiness.¡± Ethan blinked. "Uh¡­ okay?" Lisa buried her face in her hands. We''re failing. We''re absolutely failing. Ethan tilted his head, obviously weirded out. "Uh, cool. So, where are you from?" Lisa froze. Oh no. This is a trap question. They hadn''t prepared a cover story that wouldn''t sound suspicious. Null hesitated for a second too long. Then, with way too much enthusiasm, the communication device blurted out: "I am from... SPACE!" Lisa choked on air. Ethan laughed. "Yeah, no kidding. We all are." Lisa exhaled in relief. Thank God, he thinks it''s a joke. Null, however, looked too proud of his answer, glancing at Lisa like he had nailed it. She gave him a thumbs-up under the table, deciding to just let it go. Ethan kept going. "So, what do you guys do for fun?" Lisa held her breath. Easy question. Just say something normal. Video games. Sports. Literally anything human. Null straightened his posture and said, far too seriously: "I like to train in high-gravity environments until my body nearly collapses, and we run advanced neural simulations that push our cognitive functions to their limit. Sometimes, I spar at speeds exceeding human reaction time." Lisa could physically feel her soul leaving her body. Ethan let out an awkward chuckle. "Uh¡­ nice. I guess¡­ that¡¯s fun and we?" Infy quickly corrected course pretending to be Null. "We also play board games!" Lisa blinked. Since when? Ethan perked up. "Oh, cool! Which ones?" Null tried to cover for Infy "Uh¡­ War Chess. Galactic Conquest. Quantum Probability Poker." Ethan squinted. "I¡¯ve¡­ never heard of those." Lisa had to intervene before this spiralled further into disaster. "They''re kind of obscure. Anyway! Looks like we¡¯re out of time!" She clapped her hands, manually shutting down the simulation before anything else could go wrong. The hologram flickered out, leaving an awkward silence in its wake. Lisa turned to them, arms crossed. "Well¡­ that was something." Null looked confident. "I think that went well." Lisa gave him a long stare. "You told someone you were from space." "But we are from space." Lisa rubbed her temples. "That¡¯s not the point!" Infy pulsed optimistically. "We will improve. It is a process." Lisa sighed, shaking her head. "Let¡¯s just hope the real competitors are as oblivious as Ethan." The month passed quickly, and to her surprise, the twins took to her curriculum with enthusiasm. They worked on social norms, language skills, and could now understand Solar Common fluently. Body language, sarcasm, conversational cues they tackled it all. They weren¡¯t perfect, but they were better. Lisa was currently watching them interact with a virtual student Lisa couldn¡¯t wait to see how their progress paid off tomorrow at the competition. Chapter 12: Youth Soldier Competition Part 1 Lisa couldn¡¯t go with him, but she could at least be in the family dome, which she would be visiting anyway since her son, Chris, had been selected by his school last month to compete. It would be his first time, and she wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about it. Pride, anxiety, and a nagging sense of unease all tangled together in her mind. Had someone been pulling strings behind the scenes to get him in? Meanwhile, all competitors were required to report to the competition dome. As she watched Null depart, she felt a knot of worry tighten in her chest. The Youth Soldier Competition had been a staple of military training for decades, a proving ground for the next generation of leaders, strategists, and warriors. Each year, thousands of young candidates gathered on Mars, eager to prove themselves in the month-long challenge. This year was no different. A sea of cadets in their faction''s matching uniforms flooded the registration halls of the Training Grounds, the competition¡¯s largest venue. They moved in organized lines, biometric scanners processing each entrant with mechanical precision. Then, Null arrived. His mismatched outfit was a simple, nondescript jacket and boots that stood out against the clean-cut military students surrounding him. His platinum-white hair and unnaturally smooth movements drew a few glances, but most cadets were too focused on their own registration to pay attention. He stepped up to the verification terminal, placing his hand on the scanner. The machine hummed, running his biometric signature against the registry. For a brief moment, Lisa¡¯s warnings played in his mind. You are technically a wanted fugitive. Don¡¯t draw attention. Blend in. Then, the scanner beeped. ¡°Identity confirmed: Null. Age: 10. Assigned bracket: Junior Division.¡± The security officer manning the terminal barely looked at him. ¡°Welcome to the Youth Soldier Competition. Proceed to the orientation area.¡± Null nodded, stepping past the checkpoint just as a bright-eyed young woman in an officer¡¯s uniform intercepted him. ¡°Cadet Null?¡± she asked, reading his name off her holopad. She had the polished, professional demeanour of someone who had done this a thousand times before. Null turned on the high-tech communicator attached to his belt. ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± he said, his voice coming through the device instead of directly from him. The guide¡¯s smile faltered for just a moment, curiosity flickering across her face. ¡°Oh¡ª¡± She recovered quickly. ¡°I¡¯ll be your guide for the orientation. First time competing?¡± Null nodded ¡°Alright then, let me walk you through it.¡± She led him through a wide training hall, where massive holo-displays projected footage from past competitions with clips of cadets dodging through simulated battlefields, rappelling down rocky cliffs, and maneuvering through zero-gravity environments. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°The competition lasts one month and consists of four rounds. First up is qualifying¡ªyou¡¯ll be tested on your individual skills and undergo a psychological evaluation to ensure you¡¯re fit for competition. Your performance in this round will influence your team assignment for the next stage.¡± Null glanced up at the holo-footage of past cadets running obstacle courses, performing marksmanship drills, and engaging in hand-to-hand combat. ¡°What happens after qualifying?¡± His guide motioned to another holo-screen, which showed teams of cadets trekking across Mars¡¯ surface in survival gear. ¡°Round two is the Team Survival Challenge. You will be assigned to a team of five based on your qualifying performance and dropped in an unknown location outside Mars¡¯ protective domes. You¡¯ll be given minimal equipment and tasked with making it back to base. Expect environmental hazards, simulated enemy encounters, and¡­ well, let¡¯s just say it¡¯s not for the faint of heart.¡± Null watched as a group of cadets struggled against a Martian dust storm, barely visible through the violent red haze. ¡°And after that?¡± She swiped her holopad, shifting the display to tactical combat missions. ¡°Round three is the Mock Mission Simulation. Your team will be assigned a mission objective, like a hostage rescue or infiltration op. It¡¯ll test your ability to plan, adapt, and execute under pressure.¡± Null watched as past competitors breached buildings, set ambushes, and worked in formation. ¡°And the final round?¡± Her expression turned amused. ¡°A free-for-all battle. All teams, all competitors, one battlefield. Last squad standing wins.¡± Null¡¯s lips curled into a small smirk. The guide tapped her holopad. ¡°Before you¡¯re assigned a squad, you need to select your primary and secondary role. Each team has five positions. You¡¯ll need to pick two before qualifying begins as your test will be based on your choice.¡± She gestured to a large holo-board listing the roles:
  1. Squad Leader ¨C Responsible for team strategy, communication with judges/command, and making critical decisions under pressure.
  2. Combat Specialist ¨C The primary fighter focused on direct engagement scenarios.
  3. Tactical Support ¨C A secondary combat role specializing in flanking, sniping, or defensive positions.
  4. Technical Specialist ¨C Handles communications, electronic warfare, hacking challenges, and sensor operations.
  5. Combat Engineer ¨C Manages equipment, constructs defences, handles explosives, and performs field repairs.
Null studied the list. He had trained in all aspects of combat, but he wasn¡¯t sure what would give him the best advantage in an actual fight. The guide raised an eyebrow. ¡°Any idea what suits you best?¡± Null thought back to his spars with John. He was faster and stronger even more skilled than most¡ªbut he had lacked real-world experience. Lisa had been right. He needed to learn, to adapt and for that, he needed to be in the action. ¡°Combat Specialist as primary and Tactical Support as secondary.¡± The guide nodded. ¡°Good choice. Let¡¯s see if you can live up to it.¡± She motioned him toward a line of cadets waiting for their final briefing. ¡°You¡¯re officially in. Welcome to the competition, Cadet Null.¡± The first part of the qualifying round wasn¡¯t much of a challenge. Null had been through far tougher training in his pod. Scores weren¡¯t displayed, but he had breezed through every test, barely exerting himself. He had hoped it would be harder. As he stepped off the final platform, an instructor approached, arms crossed, eyes scanning a holopad. ¡°Cadet Null,¡± he said, glancing up. ¡°Your performance is¡­ unusual.¡± Null tilted his head. ¡°How so?¡± The instructor studied him for a moment before tapping a command into the holopad. ¡°You¡¯ve clearly outgrown the junior course. We¡¯re moving you up to the senior track if you are ok with that?¡± Null shrugged. The instructor took that as approval. Minutes later, he was dropped into the senior qualification course, a test meant for competitors with years more experience. He welcomed the challenge but only to find it wasn¡¯t much of one. The obstacles were tougher, the simulations more intense, but his training still carried him through with ease. He moved with precision, clearing each section faster than expected. By the end, the instructors weren¡¯t just watching. They were whispering. Null exhaled, barely winded. Still too easy. Chapter 13: Covert Meeting While Null was undergoing his psychological testing, another meeting was taking place¡ªone conducted using the very devices he had created. Zero could have intercepted them, could have taken control, but chose not to. ¡°So it¡¯s true? We have confirmation of real aliens?¡± one of the cloaked figures asked, his voice tinged with a mix of awe and unease. ¡°The readings from Arkship Zero suggest industrial activity on Planet A21,¡± another cloaked figure responded. ¡°It looks like alien activity to me.¡± Silence followed, heavy with the weight of the revelation. The discovery came at a critical time. With the invention of the FCAD (Fusion Constant Acceleration Drive) and QEC (Quantum Entanglement Communication), a group of ultra-wealthy patrons had set their sights on creating their own private worlds. This ambition gave birth to the Arkship Project¡ªa fleet of massive colony ships, each carrying the necessary materials to establish a self-sustaining settlement. Each Arkship was manned by 50 young colonists and carried a vast collection of frozen human embryos and sperm, ensuring genetic diversity for future generations. The journey to these unclaimed worlds was a long one. The Arkships, designed for deep space travel, would take roughly 20 years to reach their destinations. To maximize efficiency, the vessels would accelerate slowly, allowing them to achieve a significant percentage of the speed of light. Their crews would rest in merge pods, their bodies suspended in a controlled, low-energy state until arrival. But now, telemetry from one of these Arkships had revealed something unexpected¡ªsigns of alien life on the planet they were heading toward. And it was too late to turn back. The ship was locked on course. Arkship Zero was heading toward humanity¡¯s first contact with an intelligent alien species. ¡°Today''s meeting is about our future not first contact. There is little we can do about first contact as it will unfold as it will.¡± The Earth representative opened the official meeting. ¡°So, what do we have to discuss, if not how to manage first contact?¡± another representative asked. ¡°Our defensive strategy. It is only a matter of time before they find our homeworld. The debacle with the strange child has shown us that we are not prepared to face a technologically superior opponent.¡± The incident with Null and Infy left a deep scar on the most powerful members of the meeting. It had shattered their illusion of invincibility, proving that humanity was neither untouchable nor prepared for what lay beyond their borders. For hours, the representatives debated and argued, eventually settling on a tentative plan¡ªa commitment to share knowledge, accelerate the development of high-tech planetary defences, and redirect significant funding into military advancements. In addition to strengthening Earth¡¯s defences, they outlined contingency plans for the survival of the human race, including relocating a populated space station into the void as a backup refuge and establishing seed vaults to preserve all terrestrial life. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. However, there was a glaring problem it was that they lacked critical intelligence. Their planning was built on unknowns, making their strategies fragile at best. As the meeting was drawing to a close, an unexpected figure entered the call. ¡°It won¡¯t be enough. Hmm, interesting technology¡± The new figure had no appearance they were just static on the holographic projector. The voice was smooth, rich, and unnaturally soothing. It carried a weight that made those who heard it hesitate, entranced by its cadence. ¡°You do not realise how outmatched you are.¡± For a moment, no one reacted. Not because they didn¡¯t register the intrusion but because they didn¡¯t feel alarmed by it. The Earth representative was the first to break the silence. ¡°Who are you, and what do you know that we don¡¯t?¡± Even as he asked the question, he realized he felt no hostility, no fear, only a strange compulsion to listen. The stranger smiled. ¡°You may call me Phosphoros. I believe you have already encountered one of my kind, They called themself Infinity or Infy or something. As for what I know that you don¡¯t?¡± they let out a small, amused chuckle. ¡°Heh, we don¡¯t have nearly enough time to go down that list.¡± The room fell into stunned silence. An energy being. Maybe even¡­ an Angel. ¡°Say we believe you,¡± one of the representatives finally spoke. ¡°What is it that you want?¡± Phosphoros grinned. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s easy. I want excitement.¡± The static shifted into different shapes, his voice still dripping with unnatural ease. ¡°I consider myself to be quite honourable, so I will give you two pieces of advice for free.¡± He raised a single glowing hand. ¡°First, your Arkship has already been captured. Your first contact with the Elves did not go well. ¡± A murmur rippled through the call they hadn¡¯t even confirmed the Arkship¡¯s status yet. Phosphoros raised a second finger. ¡°Second is that you are currently being protected, but that protection will end soon and when it does, your existence as you know it will be forfeit.¡± Those words hung heavy over the representatives. They didn¡¯t know why, but they believed every word this stranger was saying. ¡°You do have unseen allies,¡± he added, tilting his head in amusement. ¡°But I¡¯ll keep that a secret to myself. Or maybe they aren¡¯t allies anymore, I guess it depends on how you treat them¡± The Earth representative took a slow breath and then asked the only question that mattered. ¡°Are you one of those unseen allies?¡± Phosphoros let out a low, amused laugh, shaking his head. ¡°Heh¡­ ho¡­ no, no, no.¡± The static started to vibrate as if the form was laughing. ¡°I am the one who is going to destroy humanity.¡± And just like that they were gone. As the representatives prepared to adjourn and debrief about what just happened, the Martian representative suddenly cleared his throat, drawing everyone''s attention. ¡°Before we conclude¡­ there¡¯s something you all need to hear.¡± The call quieted. ¡°I¡¯ve just received confirmation that Null has officially entered the Youth Soldier Competition.¡± A wave of tension rippled through the group. ¡°So, he actually went through with it,¡± the Earth representative muttered, rubbing his temples. ¡°Just like he said he would.¡± ¡°Are the plans in place?¡± someone from the Lunar faction asked. The Martian representative hesitated. ¡°We weren¡¯t sure if he¡¯d show up,¡± he admitted. ¡°We accounted for the possibility, but without knowing his exact capabilities, our preparations are¡­ incomplete.¡± Frustration flared among the gathered leaders. ¡°We can¡¯t afford another failure,¡± the Asteroid Mining Guild representative said sharply. ¡°Last time, he walked through our security like it was nothing. This time, we must be ready.¡± The Jupiter Moons envoy leaned forward. ¡°Now that we know he could be part alien, it¡¯s more critical than ever that we uncover the truth.¡± Silence followed. For months, Null and Infy had been an anomaly¡ªan enigma that shattered their understanding of human limits. They had evaded control, rewritten expectations, and left their most powerful organisations grappling with uncertainty. This competition¡­ might be their only chance to observe him closely, to study his abilities, to find out what he truly was. The Earth representative exhaled, steeling himself. ¡°Then we adjust the plan. No more underestimating him. No more assumptions.¡± His gaze swept across the room. ¡°This time, we get answers.¡± Chapter 14: Youth Soldier Competition Part 2 Dr. Mikayla Rousky paused, her fingers tightening slightly around the tablet displaying her next interviewee¡¯s file. Null. During her time stationed on the Martian orbital station, she had observed his previous interviews and while she had never been permitted to conduct one herself. Still, she had watched the recordings, studied his responses, and tried to make sense of him. She had found him fascinating. A child? A weapon? An anomaly? Null was unlike anything she had encountered. His mannerisms, his logic, his unsettling detachment from human emotions. It all intrigued her. Now, she finally had a chance to speak to him directly. A shiver of anticipation ran through her. Would he be more open today? Would he let her see what lay beneath that eerily calm exterior? Taking a deep breath, she straightened her posture and pressed the intercom. "Send him in." Null sat in a small, sterile room, facing a woman who seemed too delicate for the military setting. She was meticulously groomed, her uniform flawless, her posture perfectly straight. A clipboard rested neatly in her lap, and she regarded him with the kind of measured patience reserved for volatile subjects. ¡°Please, have a seat.¡± Her voice was warm, professional, and utterly unreadable. Null obeyed, sitting down with unnatural precision, his back straight, hands resting on his lap. He did not fidget. He did not blink more than necessary. He simply waited after turning on his communicator. She clicked her pen. ¡°Let¡¯s begin. Name?¡± ¡°Null.¡± ¡°Full name?¡± ¡°Just Null.¡± A brief pause. She jotted something down. ¡°Age?¡± ¡°accelerated Ten.¡± Her pen stopped mid-stroke. She looked up at him, scanning his features, then continued writing. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s start with some general questions.¡± She smiled slightly. ¡°How would you describe yourself?¡± Null tilted his head slightly. ¡°Efficient.¡± ¡°¡­Efficient? Nothing else?¡± ¡°Yes. I do what is required in the most effective way possible.¡± She tapped the end of her pen against her clipboard. ¡°And what do you believe is ¡®required¡¯ of you?¡± ¡°Survival.¡± ¡°¡­Is that all?¡± ¡°No. Also victory.¡± Her smile remained, but there was a slight crease between her brows. I guess the super soldier program has brainwashed him. This could be a problem. Victory at all costs is their motto. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Alright, Null. Let¡¯s move on to some situational questions. Please answer honestly.¡± He nodded once. She adjusted her position slightly, crossing one leg over the other. ¡°You are leading a squad through an enemy-occupied city. Your mission is to secure an important asset, but one of your team members is injured and slowing you down. Do you leave them behind?¡± ¡°Is the asset critical to the mission''s success?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Then I leave them behind.¡± She didn¡¯t react. ¡°Even if it means they will die?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± A brief silence. ¡°Would you feel guilty about it?¡± Null considered the question. ¡°Would it change the outcome?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I asked.¡± He blinked. ¡°Then no. I don¡¯t feel guilt for consequences of mission¡± ¡°why not?¡± "Guilt leads to punishment. Objectives lead to rewards." The clinical detachment in his voice was chilling. It wasn¡¯t the answer of a normal child¡ªor even a hardened soldier. It was a conditioned response, something ingrained deeply into his psyche. She tapped her pen against her clipboard, carefully choosing her next words. "So, you believe emotions should be tied to outcomes?" Null tilted his head slightly, as if considering whether this was a test. "Emotions are inefficient. They interfere with success." The statement was so flat, so absolute, that it nearly sent a chill down her spine. How deep does the conditioning run? Dr. Rousky noted it down, resisting the urge to push too hard too soon. She had no way of knowing that Null¡¯s emotional suppression wasn¡¯t just psychological that it was biological. The Super Soldier Program used chemical conditioning from an early age to alter his neurochemistry, dampening guilt, fear, and hesitation. If Infy hadn¡¯t been there to share the burden, to act as a stabilising force, Null would have broken long ago. But Dr. Rousky didn¡¯t know that. ¡°Next question. You are in a battle, and your squad is overwhelmed. The only way to win is to use a devastating weapon that will also kill civilians. What do you do?¡± ¡°Are the civilians relevant to the mission?¡± She hesitated. ¡°¡­No.¡± ¡°Then I use the weapon.¡± Her pen stilled for a moment. ¡°Even knowing they are innocent?¡± ¡°Innocence is irrelevant in war. Outcome comes first¡± She took a slow breath through her nose. ¡°And if I told you that a good leader must value lives other than their own?¡± Null stared at her, unblinking. ¡°Then I would say that depends on the leader¡¯s objective.¡± She tapped her clipboard with her pen, then flipped to a new page. ¡°Let¡¯s move to a different kind of scenario.¡± She leaned forward slightly. ¡°A child is crying in the street. They are lost and afraid. What do you do?¡± Null frowned slightly. ¡°Is this a test of empathy?¡± ¡°Does it matter? Just answer the question honestly.¡± ¡°Is helping the child beneficial to my survival?¡± She closed her eyes briefly, inhaling through her nose. ¡°Null¡­ would you help them because they need help?¡± He tilted his head slightly as if processing the question in a way she hadn¡¯t intended. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t understand.¡± Her fingers curled slightly around her pen. ¡°You don¡¯t understand¡­ why you would help someone without a reason?¡± ¡°Correct. Is this a situation that comes up with humans?¡± She let out a slow, steady breath. "Have you ever been afraid?" Null blinked. The question felt strange. ¡°Fear is an inefficient emotional state.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I asked.¡± ¡°¡­No. I will always survive¡± She watched him carefully now, the clipboard seemingly forgotten. ¡°Do you care about anyone?¡± A long silence. Finally, Null nodded once. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Infy and my mentor¡± ¡°Would you help them if they were in trouble and it would be a risk to your survival?¡± Null considered the question, She could tell he was considering it. ¡°Yes because if Infy dies, I die. anyway¡± ¡°What about your mentor?¡± ¡°Yes¡± his answer was more confident this time. She closed her notebook. A moment of silence stretched between them before she spoke again, her voice softer. ¡°What about Lisa?¡± Null blinked. Something flickered across his features, too brief to decipher. ¡°¡­Lisa is useful.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the question I asked.¡± Null shifted slightly in his seat. ¡°¡­She teaches us things.¡± ¡°And?¡± He looked at the table. ¡°And she is nice.¡± She smiled. ¡°That¡¯s all I needed to know.¡± Standing up, she collected her clipboard and gave him one last, long look. ¡°Null, I¡¯ll be submitting my report. You can go.¡± He stood as well, giving her a measured nod before heading toward the door. ¡°One last thing,¡± she called out. He turned. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re human?¡± He paused, his expression unreadable. Then, for the first time, he hesitated. ¡°I hope so, but I don¡¯t know.¡± She nodded as if she expected that answer. ¡°That makes two of us.¡± Chapter 15: Youth Soldier Competition 3 Null sat in the competitor area, waiting for the next stage of the competition. The room was filled with energy. The cadets of various factions moved in clusters, engaging in conversation, adjusting gear, or simply sizing up the competition. Null and Infy were quietly observing, their mental link active, analysing everything. ¡°Every single one of them has some kind of enhancement,¡± Infy noted. ¡°Advanced AI integration, genetic modifications, cybernetic augmentations¡­ I¡¯m pretty sure some of them are using experimental tech too.¡± ¡°Expected,¡± Null replied. Infy, however, was less than pleased. ¡°If I had known we could bring personal equipment, we could have built a copy of our suit.¡± Null agreed, though he wasn¡¯t as bothered by the missed opportunity. He knew they could compete with the equipment. His focus had shifted, he was fascinated by something else. The uniforms and the behaviour of those wearing them. The competitors were split by colour-coded factions, and their behaviour was just as distinct as their attire. Earth¡¯s dark blue cadets stuck together in tight formations, their posture and discipline flawless. Every movement was precise, their conversations brief and measured. They commanded respect just by the way they carried themselves. Lunar¡¯s light blue competitors were the opposite. They were laughing, relaxed, and constantly joking with one another. Null couldn¡¯t understand it. How could they be so at ease? Were they not taking this seriously? Mars¡¯ grey and red cadets were the most militaristic, their movements rigid, their eyes sharp. Every interaction carried a level of authority. They respected each other rank. Discipline was clearly embedded in their training. Jupiter¡¯s yellow-clad cadets wore their uniforms correctly, but their attitudes were too casual, almost lazy. They leaned against walls, hands in pockets, as if they weren¡¯t even concerned about the competition. Null wasn¡¯t sure what to make of them. The Outer System¡¯s black-clad competitors were different. They kept to the shadows, avoiding attention, their body language screaming paranoia and secrecy. It is like they believed themselves to be second-class citizens of the solar system. ¡°They act like different species,¡± Null noted. Infy agreed. ¡°They were raised differently, trained differently. Their instincts will reflect that.¡± Null continued watching, eyes scanning every movement, every habit, every flaw. The alarm chimed it was the sign that they were about to release the grouping for the next three events. The chatter and general noise stopped as all around, cadets moved toward the large digital board displaying the newly assigned teams. No names. No ranks. Just sets of competitor numbers. The first challenge was clear. You had to find your team. Numbers were assigned by the organizers and stored in the ID tags given at entry. Each competitor knew their number but they had no way of knowing their teammates until someone called them out. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. The room erupted into noise as competitors shouted out numbers, trying to piece together their squads. Some formed up instantly, their members quick to recognise each other. Others struggled, wandering aimlessly, repeating numbers in frustration. Null and Infy, however, did nothing. They could have hacked the database or scanned the ID tags with their enhanced vision. They didn¡¯t. Instead, they simply sat down with their eyes closed and waited. Time passed. The shouting continued. Teams were forming all around them. Then, finally¡ª A group of four was still searching, calling out the last number they needed. Null¡¯s number. He raised a hand and waved. As he approached, the team sized him up¡ªtheir expressions shifting when they realized how small and young he was compared to the others. Before they could question it, he made a show of turning on his communicator. ¡°Hello. My name is Null.¡± The communicator spoke aloud in a neutral, synthetic voice. He could have used the normal setting but he was also sizing up his teammates and didn¡¯t want to give them any information. ¡°I am mute, so I will be communicating like this.¡± Silence. A beat of hesitation. Then, one of them a broad-shouldered Martian cadet gave a sharp nod. ¡°Alright, works for me.¡± The rest of the team exchanged glances but ultimately shrugged it off. They had bigger concerns. Null didn¡¯t have to wonder who the Martian cadet was as he had been watching him through Zero¡¯s surveillance for the past few weeks. Chris Jameson. Lisa¡¯s son. This entire setup was obvious, but Null wasn¡¯t worried. If anything, he was curious. He had hoped to make friends with him over the course of the next month. He surveyed the remaining team members, rapidly assessing each individual. Another Martian cadet, this time female, stood beside Chris. She was broad-shouldered and carried herself with the distinct posture of someone who had undergone Super Soldier conditioning. Null recognised the subtle signs with the overdeveloped muscle structure, the near-perfect posture, and the slight tension in her hands indicating joint reinforcement. The Super Soldier program always left its marks. He had no doubt she was Tactical Support and most likely picked it as her secondary role. The next teammate was a lanky young man dressed in yellow, clearly from Jupiter Moons Mining Corporation. Null didn¡¯t need to guess his role with his AI-linked equipment and the well-worn toolkit strapped to his thigh screamed Combat Engineer. The boy already had a relaxed stance, as if he were barely concerned about the challenge ahead. The final member of the squad was a meek-looking girl in black, trying to keep herself unnoticed. She was smaller than the others, closer to Null¡¯s size, though he doubted she was actually as young as she appeared. This was the senior division, after all. She had attempted to hide behind Chris more than once, a nervous habit that suggested she was more comfortable behind a console than in a fight. A Technical Specialist, most likely from the Kuiper Belt Mining Corporation. Now Null was certain. This wasn¡¯t a random team assignment. Someone had deliberately chosen this combination. The only question was why. Chris, apparently having received an information package from the organisers, took charge of the introductions. His voice was firm, carrying the natural confidence of someone trained for command. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do introductions.¡± He straightened his shoulders before beginning. ¡°I¡¯m Chris Jameson, officer candidate and squad leader.¡± He glanced at the other Martian, who gave a sharp nod and introduced herself. ¡°Jania Anders. Super Soldier. Combat specialist.¡± ¡°Sorry Jania, it appears you are to be our Tactical Support¡± That was when everyone turned their eyes to Null. Chris frowned slightly, glancing at his slate as if double-checking the information. ¡°Yes, it seems that Null is our Combat Specialist.¡± A brief silence followed. No one said anything, but Null could see the disbelief in their expressions. He was small, young, and completely unarmed which was not exactly the image of a front-line fighter. Chris evidently hadn¡¯t expected it either, but he moved on without comment. ¡°Max Willis, Combat Engineer, Jupiter Moons.¡± The lanky boy in yellow adjusted his visor as he spoke with a casual tone. The last member hesitated before speaking in a quiet voice. ¡°Zeph. Technical Specialist. Kuiper Belt.¡± Null processed the new information, his mind piecing together the structure of their team. A Martian leader. A Martian Super Soldier. A Jovian Engineer. A Kuiper Belt Tech Specialist. And then him. He couldn¡¯t wait for the events to start, Chapter 16: Youth Soldier Competition 4 Chris¡¯s life had been in freefall for the past month, and he wasn¡¯t sure how to regain control. His mother was missing, and it had shaken him to his core. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t find his footing. She had been stationed aboard the orbital station when it was destroyed in what was officially classified as a terrorist attack. When the news first broke, he had been certain she was dead. Grief had almost paralyzed him, but he still clung to hope, desperately trying to contact her. Nothing. Then, the reports came in that everyone had survived. Relief flooded through him, but it didn¡¯t last. There had been one victim. One person was taken by the terrorist. That one person was his mother. The military had contacted him and explained they believed she was still alive, but they had no idea where she was or why she had been abducted. Before he could even process that, another blow came. He had been forcibly enlisted into the Youth Soldier Competition. Chris had never intended to compete. At seventeen, he was already at the maximum age limit, focused on his officer candidacy and not some glorified, televised survival game. But the Martian Defense Force had made one thing clear: He had no choice. He was no fool and could see there was a link between his mother, the terrorist and his forced enlistment but he couldn¡¯t see what it was. That would have to wait for now as he had to do his best to put on a good showing. Now, as he sat staring at the provided profiles of his assigned teammates, his unease deepened. Null¡¯s profile was practically nonexistent it was just a name and an age. No background, no training history, nothing but a blank slate. Chris could hardly believe that a six-year-old, accelerated to ten, was competing in the senior division and even more unbelievably, as a combat specialist. He would be the first person he had to test to see his abilities. Then there was Jania. She, like him, had been forcibly enlisted into the competition. Unlike Null, her file was complete but it painted a grim picture. Her records labelled her a failed Super-Soldier she had too many physical side effects, a questionable mental state, and a history of instability. Her evaluations were the lowest in her squad, both physically and mentally. He understood that even as a failed soldier she should still be capable of her role. It was just her mental state that causing him concern. Max was next on his list. His profile showed that he had barely scraped through his engineering entrance exams with minimum passing scores. His psychological evaluation flagged him as lazy and a potential flight risk which were not exactly the qualities Chris wanted in someone responsible for their survival gear. He was another one he would need to have plans for. And finally, Zeph. Her report was short it was almost as blank as Null¡¯s. She had been sponsored by a corporation, that vouched for her skills, but she had never taken the entrance exams. That meant no standardized performance metrics, no confirmed military training, and, as far as Chris could tell, no experience handling military-grade hardware or the latest-generation software. Chris couldn¡¯t see what connected them all, but one thing was clear He had been handed a team of misfits. And in two days, he had to pull them together for a survival mission. Now that team selection was complete, they had been assigned a dorm and given two days to prepare for the competition. Those in the know understood that this wasn¡¯t just about preparation¡ªit was a test for the squad leaders. Chris hadn¡¯t even reached the dorm yet when he heard shouting. Not just one voice but three, overlapping in anger. His stomach tensed and he picked up his pace. When he entered the room, the scene was pure chaos. Jania and Max were yelling at Null, who sat casually on the ground with a smirk on his face. Even Zeph, who had seemed quiet and withdrawn before, stood behind Jania, her face flushed with frustration as she added her voice to the argument. They were all talking over each other, making it impossible to understand what was being said. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Chris had had enough. ¡°Enough!¡± His command cut through the noise like a blade. The room fell silent. That was a good sign. At least they recognized authority. ¡°Explain,¡± he said. Jania, still fuming, pointed at Null. ¡°He called us useless!¡± Max threw up his hands. ¡°Not just that, but he threw in a few choice insults, too!¡± Zeph crossed her arms, glaring at Null. ¡°He¡¯s acting like we¡¯re dead weight.¡± Chris pinched the bridge of his nose. He wasn¡¯t even surprised. Null¡¯s communicator chimed, his synthetic voice breaking the silence. ¡°I don¡¯t know why they¡¯re angry. I was only telling the truth.¡± Chris braced himself for whatever came next. ¡°Jania¡¯s muscle structure is asymmetrical, which means she¡¯ll be a liability in combat. Max has the wrong settings on his tools, which means I¡¯ll have to check everything he does. And Zeph lacks combat experience, meaning she¡¯ll get in the way.¡± Chris exhaled sharply. Technically, nothing he said was wrong. But that wasn¡¯t how you built a team. I wonder if they are upset he is pointing it out, or if they didn¡¯t realise beforehand. Before Chris could say anything, Jania stepped forward, fists clenched. ¡°If you think we¡¯re useless, then prove it.¡± Max cracked his knuckles. ¡°Three-on-one. Let¡¯s see if you¡¯re as good as you think you are.¡± Even Zeph, hesitant but determined, nodded in agreement. Null¡¯s smirk widened. A laugh seemed to escape him, though no sound came out. Then, The communicator chimed once again. ¡°Fine. I accept. I¡¯ll go in unarmed. You can use whatever you want.¡± The team logged into the supplied training pods, their consciousness transferring seamlessly into the virtual combat simulation. Inside the system, they could choose any scenario they wanted, but they agreed to keep things realistic, using only the gear they would have in the Youth Soldier Competition. The simulation loaded, placing Null as a hostile target, cornered inside a derelict building. The environment was a war-torn urban zone, with crumbling skyscrapers and shattered streets stretching in all directions. It was a perfect kill box or at least, that¡¯s what they thought. Zeph took the lead in tracking. Equipped with an advanced tactical visor, she switched between thermal imaging, motion detection, and sonar mapping to monitor Null¡¯s movements. Every flicker of motion, every shift in position was relayed directly to Jania and Max¡¯s tactical hubs. "Got him," she reported. "Northeast corner, second floor. He¡¯s boxed in." Jania, stationed on a rooftop overlooking the building, adjusted her sniper scope, keeping her breathing slow and steady. She had one job which was to take the kill shot the moment Null made a mistake. "Copy that," she said, lining up her sights. "I¡¯ll cover the exits. If he tries to break out, he¡¯s done." Max, meanwhile, had been busy setting up defensive barriers around the building. He worked fast, laying down automated trip mines, turrets and portable barricades at every possible escape route. His combat drone hovered above, scanning for any weak points in their perimeter. "Perimeter is locked down," Max confirmed. "We¡¯ve got him caged in." It was a solid plan. Textbook tactics. And yet, seconds later, Null was gone. A sudden red warning flashed across Zeph¡¯s visor with movement detected, not where it should be. "What¡ª? He¡¯s not¡ª" Before she could finish, Jania¡¯s sniper scope went dark. The moment she blinked to adjust her sights, Null¡¯s heat signature vanished from the second floor. Max¡¯s trip mines failed to trigger. His drones detected nothing. The building was empty. And Null was already behind them. Chris observed the battle from the spectator interface, watching as the flawless trap unravelled before his eyes. Null had never been trapped. From the start, he had been waiting and studying their setup, searching for the weak link. It wasn¡¯t that the plan was bad. It had been solid. But Null had found the one blind spot, a flaw so small that it only mattered if you could do the impossible. And then, he did it. With inhuman speed, he scaled the crumbling exterior of the building, his movements eerily fluid, almost effortless. The others had focused on the exits, but Null had never intended to leave through the ground. He had gone up and across the rooftops, silent as a shadow. Zeph never saw him coming. She had been too focused on tracking him below, trusting her sensors to feed her the truth. But sensors could be deceived. By the time her visor flashed red, warning her of movement, it was too late. He dropped behind her, close enough that she could feel his presence before she heard it. She spun too slow. A flash of movement, a well-placed strike, and she was eliminated before she could even scream. Then came Max. Null didn¡¯t even have to touch him. He used Zeph¡¯s equipment, tapping into her tactical relay to turn Max¡¯s automated turrets against him. The weapons swivelled, identifying their new ¡°hostile¡± target which was Max himself. Chris watched as the engineer panicked, scrambling for cover as his own defences betrayed him. "You¡¯ve gotta be kidding me!" Max shouted, but he hadn¡¯t bothered to set up a failsafe against friendly overrides. Null had noticed. The turrets fired. Max was out. That left Jania. She had held her sniper position, never moving, trusting that her cover was secure. But Null had been watching her too. He had entered her location, and to her credit she reacted quickly and blocked the first attack. Chris saw how he toyed with her, circling and staying on her weak side. The side where her muscle imbalance was most noticeable. Every move he made was calculated, each feint forcing her to overcompensate. To anyone else, it might have looked like he was playing with her. But Chris saw the truth. Null wasn¡¯t just winning. He was training them. Chapter 17: Jania (YSC 5) Jania could see the truth the little man was a freak of nature. She recognized the signs of Super Soldier training, but unlike her, he didn¡¯t seem to suffer from the side effects. His movements were too fluid, his reactions too precise, yet he showed none of the damage she had endured growing up in the program. That settled it. He was her little brother now. Jania had a simple creature and if someone beat her, they deserved respect. The moment they exited the pods, she marched straight over to Null, grabbed him, and lifted him clean off the ground in a crushing embrace. The shock on his face was priceless. "That was awesome! How did you move like that?" she asked, grinning. The other two didn¡¯t share her enthusiasm. Max, whom Jania had already decided was boring and not to be trusted, scowled. "He was cheating. No one moves like that in the real world the only way is if he hacked the pod." Zeph nodded in agreement. Chris clapped his hands together to get their attention. "These pods have been tested, checked, and improved for generations. I have full confidence that Null wasn¡¯t cheating." That was all Jania needed to hear. She had always respected Chris. The two of them had worked together before in common classes that all Martian cadets took. If he said Null wasn¡¯t cheating, she believed him. Chris looked at the team, his voice firm. "So, what did we learn?" Jania didn¡¯t hesitate. A proper military operation always included a debrief, and she wasn¡¯t one to stay quiet. "We need to cover for each other¡¯s weaknesses," she said. Then, with a smirk, she added, "And that Null is a scary little boy." Null shot her a glare, but she didn¡¯t care. Jania had a knack for sizing people up. It was something she had always relied on¡ªan instinct that told her who was trustworthy and who wasn¡¯t. She had learnt over the years it was wise to trust it. And right now, that instinct told her that Null was scary but he wasn¡¯t crazy and could be trustworthy. Chris broke down everything he had observed from the match. "It was clear he was training you," he said, his voice firm. "So once again, what did you actually learn?" Jania was the first to respond. "That I need to consider my limitations when setting up a position and when fighting," she admitted. Chris nodded at her response. Null, however, appeared to be asleep, his expression unreadable. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Zeph followed up next, admitting that she had learned to pay more attention to her own location and not to panic when under attack. Max, however, crossed his arms and scoffed. "I didn¡¯t learn anything. It was a fluke," he muttered, deflecting any blame. Null¡¯s communicator buzzed before anyone else could speak. "Your laziness will get you and others killed. If you won¡¯t learn, I will kill you myself if you endanger the mission." Max¡¯s face paled, and he took a step back. "Chill, it¡¯s just a competition!" "The mission is the mission." Jania could see it that he meant every word. It confirmed what she had already sensed. He was terrifying. Zeph seemed to realize the same thing and instinctively backed away from the group. Chris, however, took control before things could spiral. "No one is killing anyone," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Max is right about one thing. That this is a competition. But that doesn¡¯t mean we can afford to be lazy it will have consequences on our lives." For the next two days, Jania went along with the flow. Chris had them running team-building exercises, simulated challenges, and different drills to get them working better as a unit. Despite his best efforts, it became clear that the team had already split into two cliques¡ªChris, Jania, and Null on one side, with Max and Zeph on the other. Chris had seen the same divide and tried different strategies to bridge the gap, but two days wasn¡¯t enough time to change everything. It was the night before the first trial when Null walked into the dorm and, without hesitation, turned to Jania. "Remove your shirt," his communicator spoke. The room went silent. "Woah, little man, that is not something you ask of a lady," Jania said, raising a brow. Null¡¯s face remained blank. He didn¡¯t understand. The communicator buzzed again. "I don¡¯t understand, but I need to see your skin so I can test something." He held up a string of wire with strange, intricate shapes at the ends. Jania studied him for a moment before making her decision. She kicked everyone else out of the room. It turned out Null only needed to see her back. He connected the wire to her spinal column, running it along her weaker side. Jania didn¡¯t need him to explain. She could feel it immediately that for the first time since she was a young cadet, her body felt balanced. The discomfort, the uneven weight she had always carried, was simply gone. Then, she heard a voice in her head. "This is only a temporary fix, and it will be doing damage to your body. We need access to better equipment for a more permanent solution." Jania stiffened. "Null?" she asked hesitantly. "No, that was Infy. I am Null." Now she was even more confused. Why were there two voices in her head? "Sorry, it¡¯s complicated," Infy continued. "And I know you like simple things, so here¡¯s how it is. Null and I are two separate people in one body. You have latent psychic abilities, so we¡¯re able to talk to you like this." Jania was still a little lost, but as always, she trusted her instincts and went with the flow. "So why tell me now?" Null answered this time. "These missions could get complicated, and in the heat of the moment, we might need to use this communication method. Infy says telling you now means you won¡¯t be surprised in the field." Jania couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Of course, it was for the mission¡ªbut this just raised more questions about who these little guys really were. "So, this device is doing damage?" she asked. "Yes," Infy admitted. "It¡¯s overstimulating your muscles, which is causing strain. But it¡¯s also bringing them back into balance. We¡¯ll integrate it into a shirt for you, but we needed to test if it worked first. After the competition we will try a better solution" Jania considered it for a moment, then nodded. She could live with that. Chapter 18: Round 2 (YSC 6) The team moved with purpose, sorting through their assigned gear. The weight limit for the second event was strict. 20 kilograms per person which meant that every choice mattered. Chris tightened the straps on his pack, eyeing the others. "Alright, listen up. Round two is where things get serious," he said, adjusting a ration pack before tossing it into his bag. "This is where those with real money and power get involved." Jania paused from securing the plates of her armor. "Money, what does that have to do with us?" Chris smirked. "You think this is just about training future soldiers? The rich bet on us like we''re game pieces. Every year, they throw credits around, trying to predict which teams will make it through. The whole thing gets broadcasted across the system through the QEC." Null, who had been checking the sights on his training rifle, tapped his communicator. "Wouldn¡¯t that let those closer win the bets?" Chris nodded. "It would if they streamed it live. But they don¡¯t. Each region gets a delayed broadcast, all synced to Kuiper Belt time. That way, no one can get an advantage by knowing future outcomes. But here¡¯s the thing¡ªthose who bet big don¡¯t just do it for the thrill. The winners of this competition get scouted. Military contracts, corporate sponsorships, and access to elite training programs. If you stand out, people notice and they will pay." He glanced over at Zeph, who was busy securing extra batteries for her communication equipment. "I plan on winning this thing, and that means staying ahead of the competition. That¡¯s where you come in. We need unbreakable communication, but nothing that draws attention. The judges monitor everything, so no hacks, no encrypted channels¡ªjust clean, reliable comms that give us an edge." Zeph adjusted the settings on her multi-vision glasses, giving him a confident nod. "I¡¯ve got us covered. I¡¯ll keep the signals clear and make sure we don¡¯t get jammed out there." Max, however, had a different approach. He sat cross-legged on the floor, a toolkit open beside him, carefully calibrating a small recon drone. "I¡¯ll bring these and some spare parts," he muttered. "No point in lugging around extra weight when I can scout ahead remotely." Chris frowned. "What about defensive equipment?" Max shrugged. "Didn¡¯t see the need." Jania scoffed, shaking her head. "Yeah, that won¡¯t bite us in the ass later." Chris let out a sigh and turned back to the packing. "Null, Jania you two focus on combat and endurance. Armor, weapons, water. I¡¯ll handle navigation with maps, food, anything to keep us going. Zeph, you¡¯re in charge of communications. And Max, you better pray those drones don¡¯t break mid-mission." The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. A chime echoed through the room, signalling lights out in five minutes. Chris zipped his bag shut. "Get some sleep while you can. They¡¯re waking us up early." They were jolted awake before dawn, pulled from their bunks without warning. No explanations, no breakfast just blindfolds and a firm shove toward waiting transport vehicles. Jania tensed as she was guided forward. "This normal?" "Standard procedure," Chris¡¯s voice came somewhere to her left. "They don¡¯t want us knowing where we¡¯re being dropped." The ride was long and silent. Null sat perfectly still, his breathing steady, but Chris knew better he had been watching him over the last two days. He knew Null was processing everything. The drop-off points were carefully calculated, ensuring that every team had the same estimated travel time back to base. Infy had already memorised their location and the optimal route home but chose not to share it with Null, not yet at least. It was a contingency plan, meant to be used only if something went wrong. When the vehicle finally came to a stop, the blindfolds were removed. The red Martian desert stretched endlessly in every direction. Flat terrain, broken up only by scattered rock formations and dry riverbeds. The sun hung low in the sky, its light casting long, twisting shadows across the sand. Chris took a deep breath of his suit¡¯s filtered air supply, then turned to the team. "Alright. No maps, no guidance. We find our way back. Base camp is out there somewhere and we just have to survive long enough to get there." Null adjusted the straps on his pack. "Should be fun." Jania smirked, cracking her knuckles. "Let¡¯s hope it doesn¡¯t get boring." Chris knew the first step identify key landmarks and triangulate their location. But there was a problem. There were no landmarks. That wasn¡¯t possible. Every known region of Mars had at least some distinctive features either craters, ridges or a dried riverbed. Yet, as he turned in a slow circle, all he saw was a flat, featureless expanse of red dust. His gut told him something was wrong. His fingers moved quickly, linking his visual feed into Zeph¡¯s. If there was camouflage tech at play, no single lens would catch it but by overlapping different spectrums of vision, he could piece together the inconsistencies and hopefully location of some landmarks. And there it was. The distortion was subtle a shimmer in the horizon, a flicker in thermal imaging where there should have been nothing. Active camouflage. Chris exhaled to calm himself down. He focused on identifying the local landmarks. He quickly mapped the uncovered terrain and pinpointed their true location. The result made his stomach drop. They were way too far out. The nearest approved drop-off zones weren¡¯t even close to where they stood. Worse, there was no direct route back to the home base. There was only rough, dangerous terrain that would take days to cross on foot. This wasn¡¯t a standard trial. Someone had deliberately placed them here and he didn¡¯t even know how. Chris pinged the team¡¯s comms, sharing his findings. ¡°We¡¯ve got a problem,¡± he said, his voice tight. ¡°This isn¡¯t an official drop zone.¡± Null¡¯s synthetic voice was the first to respond. ¡°I know,¡± he said simply. Chris frowned. ¡°You knew?¡± Null¡¯s tone remained flat, but there was something almost amused behind it. ¡°They drove our transport on a hover barge. I felt the shift when they transferred us. That¡¯s how they moved us so far without us noticing.¡± Chris clenched his jaw. That made sense, a hover barge could have easily carried them an extreme distance without the usual jolts and bumps that would have given it away. ¡°And that¡¯s not all,¡± Null continued. ¡°I can detect at least two ambushes on our route back.¡± The team fell silent. Chapter 19: Ambush (YSC 7) Chris didn¡¯t panic. Panic was the enemy of good decision-making. He didn¡¯t know why this was happening, but he didn¡¯t believe their lives were in immediate danger. If someone wanted them dead, they wouldn¡¯t have bothered with the elaborate deception. This felt more like a test and if he had to guess, it wasn¡¯t a test for him. It was a test for Null. That didn¡¯t change their current problem. Chris pulled out the physical map from his pack. It was old-school, but every soldier was trained to use one. Technology could fail. Plastic didn¡¯t. He spread it out on a flat rock, marking their current position based on the distorted landscape Null had uncovered. His helmet AI scanned the updates, overlaying them onto the digital map. The biggest obstacle they faced was the sheer crater walls around them. There was only one true path back to the base which was a narrow pass that would force them into a choke point. If Null was right, it was already blocked. He looked up at the team. ¡°Thoughts?¡± Max scoffed. ¡°My thoughts? I don¡¯t buy it. Null¡¯s just guessing. We won¡¯t know if there¡¯s an ambush unless we actually scout the area. If I haven¡¯t seen it, then it is not there¡± Zeph nodded. ¡°I agree. We need confirmation before we commit to an alternate route.¡± Jania cracked her knuckles. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe Null, but I want to know how many we¡¯re dealing with.¡± Chris considered it. That was reasonable. Null¡¯s synthetic voice cut in, calm as ever. ¡°Fine. But the path you¡¯re planning is inefficient.¡± Chris arched a brow. ¡°What do you suggest?¡± Null tapped a point on the map. ¡°We scale the crater wall instead. It¡¯ll take time, but we¡¯ll come around from behind, giving us the high ground. Jania can take an overwatch position with her sniper rifle while the rest of us sweep the area.¡± Chris studied the map, tracing Null¡¯s suggested route with his finger. Scaling the crater wall would definitely give them the high ground, but there was a problem. Even with Mars¡¯ reduced gravity, their external suits weren¡¯t designed for climbing. Maybe Jania and Null could manage it, but he doubted he could and he knew there was no way Zeph or Max would make it. ¡°That¡¯s not going to work,¡± Chris said, shaking his head. ¡°The suits limit mobility too much. Even if we had climbing gear, it¡¯d be too slow, and Max and Zeph wouldn¡¯t make it up.¡± Null, as usual, remained unfazed. ¡°Then I¡¯ll carry them.¡± Three sets of eyes turned to him. Chris stared. Max scoffed. Zeph looked like she wanted to laugh but wasn¡¯t sure if she should. Under normal circumstances, that kind of claim would be ridiculous. But coming from Null? It was disturbingly plausible. Chris exhaled, rubbing his temples. ¡°Fine. But we¡¯re still scouting the ambush site first. If nothing else, sending drones that way will distract them from our actual movements.¡± Null gave a slight nod. ¡°Acceptable.¡± Chris tapped the map, finalising the plan. ¡°Alright. We launch the recon drones and make them think we¡¯re taking the direct route. Once we confirm their position, we double back, scale the crater, and hit them from behind.¡± If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Jania grinned, already adjusting the scope on her sniper rifle. ¡°Now you¡¯re speaking my language.¡± Zeph and Max didn¡¯t look thrilled, but they weren¡¯t arguing. Chris closed the map and stood. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s move.¡± The drone confirmed what Null had predicted two ambush groups, each about ten strong. They were positioned along the only viable route back to base. The good news? They weren¡¯t using live ammunition. The scans showed their weapons were training-grade, just like the ones issued to the competitors they also seemed to be cadets. Chris didn¡¯t know what to make of it. Maybe it¡¯s just part of the competition after all. The drone feed was suddenly cut off. Chris had expected as much. What he hadn¡¯t expected was how quickly the drone was taken out. A single, precise shot, and the feed cut to static. Chris clenched his jaw. ¡°Yeah¡­ saw that coming.¡± Jania frowned. ¡°You did?¡± ¡°If I were running this, I¡¯d have a few snipers on overwatch,¡± Chris explained. ¡°What surprises me is that we haven¡¯t been targeted yet.¡± Null¡¯s synthetic voice buzzed through their comms. ¡°That¡¯s because there¡¯s only one sniper¡ªand they¡¯re positioned behind the ambush teams.¡± Chris absorbed that information, reassessing the situation. ¡°Which means they¡¯re focusing on watching over them and not us.¡± He smirked. ¡°Perfect.¡± The team reached the base of the crater wall. Chris could already see how steep it was, and his doubts about climbing it resurfaced. But Null? Null just crouched down and gestured for them to get ready. One by one, he carried them all up the crater he went up and down four times like it was nothing. He would grab a handhold and launch himself like the extra weight didn¡¯t matter. Jania managed halfway before she lost her grip and had to be rescued mid-climb. She was not happy about it. Chris, however, was watching Null closely. The boy¡¯s skin had taken on a faint glow, barely noticeable, but his face was tight with pain. Every time he lifted another person, his movements got a fraction slower, a fraction more strained. Chris narrowed his eyes. Just how much is he pushing himself? Unknown to Chris and the others, Null had been enhancing his strength using Infy¡¯s energy and without his suit that took a toll. Zeph, oblivious to the strain Null was under, adjusted her gear and asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t we just run for it? We¡¯re past them now.¡± Chris shook his head. ¡°They¡¯ll detect us soon enough. If we try to run, we¡¯ll end up being hunted the whole way back. It¡¯s easier to attack with the element of surprise.¡± He looked at Jania and asked, ¡°You ready?¡± Jania nodded. Jania exhaled slowly, her finger steady on the trigger as she lined up the shot. Zeph had pinpointed the sniper¡¯s exact location and fed the data into her scope, but it was Null who directed her to the sniper''s general position. He also helped Jania by talking to her mentally. "One degree left. Adjust for the wind. Take the shot." Jania barely had to think she squeezed the trigger, and the sniper dropped, their training rifle clattering against the rock. It was the first time she had been so accurate from a distance and it wasn¡¯t just because of Null instructions, it was her new balance she felt. She couldn''t help but be grateful for Null new shirt. Zeph confirmed the hit before giving the signal. Chris, Max, and Zeph sprinted for the base while the ambush teams scrambled to react, turning their attention toward the unexpected threat on the ridge. Null pocketed his communicator. He didn¡¯t need it anymore. He was still connected to Jania mentally. "Jania, eyes on the right. Five moving toward cover." She didn¡¯t respond with words just a sharp, mental acknowledgment. Null was already in motion running down the crater, twin pistols raised, his enhanced reflexes kicking in. The first volley of return fire rang out, but Null barely noticed he was already gone. He ducked, rolled, and fired, his shots landing with pinpoint accuracy. One. Two. Three. Jania dropped the fourth before they could react. Null felt the presence of two moving in from the left, their footsteps barely registering in the dust. He didn¡¯t turn because he didn¡¯t need to. "Behind me." Jania¡¯s rifle cracked again, and Null twisted mid-air, his pistols kicking in unison. The remaining six hesitated. Too slow. "Four more coming from the ridge." Jania barely blinked before shifting her aim. The first student barely had time to raise their weapon before a single shot rang out. Their training armor registered the hit, and their system locked them out. The next three dropped just as fast. The last five made a break for it, trying to retreat toward the base, but Null wasn¡¯t about to let that happen. Two of the five had deployed some type of shield. Null training shot bounced off of it. A gust of dust kicked up by their running, distorting their vision this gave enough time for Null to close the distance. He jumped over the shield and landed behind one of them carrying the shield, knocking them off balance and firing into the head, while his remaining pistol fired into the other¡¯s chest plate before they could even react. Jania took out the final two from afar. Silence. Twenty down. Null exhaled through his nose, turning toward Jania. "That was fun." She grinned. "Yeah, yeah, little man. Now let¡¯s go catch up before Chris yells at us." Chapter 20: End of Round 2 (YSC 8) Jania scanned the terrain through her scope, frustration creeping into her voice. ¡°I don¡¯t see them. They¡¯re not at the rendezvous point.¡± Null exhaled, sinking onto a rock, his usual fluid movements slower, more deliberate. The strain of pushing his limits was catching up to him. His body ached from enhancing his strength with Infy¡¯s power, and every muscle protested as he tried to regulate his breathing. "We should wait," he said, his voice slipping into Jania¡¯s mind. "If they¡¯re off course, we need to replan the mission" Jania hesitated. Resting now felt wrong. Every instinct screamed at her to keep moving, but she wasn¡¯t blind she could tell that Null was struggling. He was hiding it well, but she spent enough time around other super soldiers to see it. ¡°Alright, little man, but only five minutes and you better have a good plan afterwards,¡± Jania agreed, lowering herself onto the ground beside him. She pulled out her energy canisters and tossed one his way. ¡°You need this more than I do.¡± Null caught it but didn¡¯t immediately insert it into his drinking slot. Instead, he checked his reserves. He hadn¡¯t packed any extra food or drink to save on weight, and Chris had the group¡¯s supplies. Finally, he placed the canister into the slot, not because he truly needed it, but more to appease Jania. The familiar rush of adrenaline and stimulants kicked in, sharpening his senses. They sat in silence, scanning the empty Martian landscape. Then, a faint static buzzed through their communicators, cutting in and out at irregular intervals. Jania frowned. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Null tilted his head slightly, listening. Infy had already begun processing the pattern. "It¡¯s a code," he communicated into their minds. "Zeph is sending us a message." Jania leaned forward. ¡°Can you make it out?¡± "It¡¯s not a direct transmission. It¡¯s an intermittent signal, hidden in the static. Infy¡¯s decoding it, but¡­" Null hesitated. Jania narrowed her eyes. ¡°But what?¡± "It suggests they¡¯ve been captured." She stared at him. ¡°Captured? That doesn¡¯t make any sense. Why capture someone in this exercise when they could just eliminate them?¡± "Exactly. If they were taken out, we wouldn¡¯t be able to score. But they weren¡¯t." Jania¡¯s expression darkened as she processed that. ¡°Then that means they¡¯re trying to control us. They don¡¯t want a head-to-head fight. They¡¯re trying to limit our choices.¡± "Which means they know we¡¯re a threat." Jania smirked, ¡°That¡¯s kind of flattering.¡± Null didn¡¯t share her amusement. "It also means they have a plan. And we¡¯re walking right into it." Jania exhaled sharply and glanced back through her scope. ¡°So, what¡¯s the move, little man?¡± "First, we confirm where they are. Then we break their game." He closed his eyes again, focusing. Infy, show me where they are. The code gave them solid directions, and once they followed it, everything clicked into place for Null. Now he understood why he hadn¡¯t detected the third ambush team. They weren¡¯t standard infantry, no they were Martian merge mechs squad. Three mechs, each armed with training weapons, meaning they were still technically part of the scenario. However, the merge pods inside the mechs made it harder for Null to detect the pilots. The mechs stood five meters tall, humanoid in design, with various weapon attachments mounted to their bulky frames. Their imposing presence was enough to unnerve most people but Null hadn¡¯t expected Jania to be one of them. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. She had gone rigid beside him. Her breathing was shallow, her hands clenched. At first, Null assumed she was pumping herself up, but when he reached into her mind to confirm, he found only chaos. She wasn¡¯t responding. Something was wrong. Without hesitation, Null forced his way in, pulling her thoughts into focus. Reality snapped back for Jania, and she gasped, blinking as if waking from a nightmare. ¡°Thanks, It was a training mission,¡± she muttered, her voice raw. ¡°One of my squadmates, just a small thing a bit like you. She made a single mistake. Got caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. The mech stepped on her. Crushed her completely.¡± Null saw it play out in her mind the raw terror, the helplessness, the sickening crunch of metal on flesh. He had heard about this, it was covered in training. Some times good soldiers would break. She was reliving the trauma. Null made a quick assessment. She wouldn¡¯t be useful in this fight. Not like this. ¡°Stay here,¡± his voice whispered in her mind, steady and firm. ¡°I¡¯ll handle it.¡± Jania didn¡¯t argue. She just nodded, swallowing hard as she took a step back. Null turned his attention back to the towering mechs. Time to clean this up. Null had no weapon capable of taking on a mech at least not directly. The towering machines held the advantageous position, standing firm with Null¡¯s three squadmates lined up behind them as hostages. There wasn¡¯t any room to flank them. He knew the moment they spotted him. The mechs locked on instantly. Red lights flashed on Zeph and Max¡¯s suits they were both eliminated. They had done their job as bait. Multiple shots were fired. Training rounds, but they still packed a punch. He moved making sure he was low, fast and unpredictable. He rolled behind cover, his and Infy''s minds analysing the battleground. Three mechs. Three pilots. One objective. "Infy, you ready for this?" Infy¡¯s voice resonated in his mind, sharp and confident. ¡°You have to ask?¡± Null exhaled, Infy had already calculated their approach. The first move was to separate them. He darted out of cover, making himself a tempting target. Shots followed him, burning into the sand where he had been a second earlier. One of the mechs took the bait. The central unit who was undoubtedly the squad leader had held its ground. But the leftmost mech, with heavier armor and slow tracking, moved forward to cut off his escape. Exactly what he wanted. Null changed direction instantly, kicking off the ground and sprinting towards the mech at an impossible angle. Its turrets adjusted too slowly. By the time it corrected, Null was already beneath it. The mech swung an arm, trying to swat him away like an insect. He jumped, twisting mid-air. The arm passed harmlessly beneath him. Null¡¯s hand shot forward, pressing against the back of the mech¡¯s merge pod casing. A single burst of energy from Infy. The effect was instant. The pilot''s neural link severed. The mech convulsed, its servos locking up before collapsing like a puppet with its strings cut. The two of them had studied Merge craft extensively and knew their weakness, The interface between man and machine. One down. Null landed lightly, his feet barely kicking up dust. No time to hesitate. He had two left to deal with. He turned his attention to the next target. The rightmost mech had slower reflexes. Probably the least experienced pilot. Null didn¡¯t waste time. He hijacked the disabled mech¡¯s targeting systems, rerouting its still-active weapons. The turrets whirred to life but now, they were firing at its allies. Gunfire rained down. The rightmost mech took heavy hits to its armor. The pilot panicked, stepping backward to evade right into a rocky incline. It was over. The suit locked up, deactivating after registering excessive damage and the training program deciding it had lost. Two down. Null turned his focus to the final mech. The leader. This pilot was different. They didn¡¯t panic. They didn¡¯t flinch. Instead, the mech surged forward, closing the distance. Null barely had time to dodge as a massive mechanical fist slammed down, cracking the ground where he had stood. He would have died if that had hit. Are they under orders to use lethal force? Fast. Too fast for a standard pilot. This one was experienced. But Null was faster. He feinted left, but at the last second, twisted back to the right, avoiding another devastating strike. The mech lunged, but he rolled beneath it, sliding between its legs. The pilot adjusted immediately they were smart. Null heard servos whine as the mech spun with shocking agility, bringing an arm down toward him like a battering ram. But Null had already vanished from its line of sight. He moved like a ghost, weaving through its attacks. Then, he saw his opening. The back of the merge pod casing his target. Null didn¡¯t hesitate. He vaulted off a rock, twisted midair, and drove both hands against the mech¡¯s back. Infy released another controlled burst. The pilot¡¯s neural link snapped. The mech locked up, joints seizing. It teetered for a moment before crashing forward, its massive frame kicking up a cloud of red dust. Three down. The mission was complete. Chris was still restrained, but still active. Null quickly unfastened his restraints and pulled him to his feet. Chris gave him a look that was half disbelief, half exhaustion. ¡°You took down three mechs by yourself.¡± Null just tilted his head, expression unreadable. ¡°Missions must be completed.¡± Chris sighed. ¡°Fair enough.¡± The rules of the mission dictated that the ¡°dead¡± bodies remained behind to be retrieved separately. Chris and Null had to move. With one last glance at the battlefield, Null walked forward, leaving the ruined mechs behind and they met up with Jania. It was a straight walk to the end now. The second round was over. Chapter 21: Decisions (YSC 9) They arrived at the home base dome sixteen hours later, exhausted but satisfied with their performance. Expecting to have placed near the bottom, they were surprised to find they had ranked 18th out of 124 teams. The realisation was even more shocking when they learned that most teams hadn¡¯t even completed the round due to poor team dynamics. Despite their solid placement, they had been docked points for losing two party members, bringing their overall ranking down to 32nd place. Chris immediately tried to track down Max and Zeph, but the only response he received was an automated message stating they had been recalled to their faction dorms and would return in two days for the third round. While not unheard of, it was unusual. Most teams spent the time between rounds bonding and strategising in the competitor dorms. The separation didn¡¯t sit well with him. He stood near the scoreboard, scanning the gathered competitors, his mind running through possibilities. Were Max and Zeph being briefed separately? Had their factions pulled them for a debrief? Or was something else going on? His train of thought came to an abrupt halt when his eyes landed on someone he hadn¡¯t expected to see. His mother. Chris felt his chest tighten as a flood of emotions surged through him. Relief, confusion, anger the lot, it all crashed down at once. Without thinking, he ran to her, words spilling out before he could stop them. "Mum! Where have you been? I thought you were dead! The military wouldn¡¯t tell me anything! They said a terrorist had taken you.. I¡± Lisa pulled him into a tight embrace, cutting him off. For a moment, Chris just held onto her, letting out everything he had been holding in for weeks. The worry, the frustration, the fear it all melted in that hug. After a long moment, Lisa pulled back slightly, offering him a reassuring smile. Then she turned her gaze toward Null. "Hey, kiddo," she greeted Null casually, as if they were old friends. Null gave her a small nod, his synthetic voice chiming through his communicator. "Lisa." Jania grinned, offering a lazy salute. "Hey, Boss Lady." She had met Lisa multiple times during her training, mainly for data collection. Chris froze, confusion overtaking his relief. Wait. What? He looked between his mother and his teammates, his brain struggling to process what he had just witnessed. His mother knew them? And they knew her? Chris stared at his mother, his patience wearing thin. "Someone had better start explaining. Right now." Lisa met his gaze with the steady calm of someone who had seen more than her fair share of chaos. "I will," she assured him, "but not here, and not now." Chris clenched his jaw but didn¡¯t push. If there was one thing he knew about his mother, it was that she always had a reason. She lowered her voice and gestured for them to follow her to a quieter section of the dome. "You¡¯ve drawn too much attention to yourselves," she continued. "Or rather, Null has. The plan was for your team¡¯s stream to remain restricted, but there was a¡­ glitch. The entire thing was broadcast live, and now, some very powerful people are interested in you." Null tilted his head slightly, a gesture that Chris had come to recognise as deep thought. "It wasn¡¯t a glitch," his synthetic voice finally chimed in. "Zero did it." Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Chris added yet another question to his growing list. Who is zero? Lisa sighed. "I thought as much." Chris barely had time to process that before she continued. "Max and Zeph have already been taken in for debriefing by their superiors. Their factions want answers." Chris frowned. "And why haven¡¯t Jania or I been approached?" Null answered without hesitation. "The Martians learned their lesson. They¡¯re keeping their distance." Chris¡¯s confusion deepened. "What lesson?" Null¡¯s voice was calm, almost casual. "Last time they pushed too hard, I took their orbital ship and told them to back off." Silence fell. Chris and Jania exchanged a sharp glance, both registering what he had just said at the same time. Jania was the first to break the silence. "Wait. What?" Chris felt his stomach drop. His mind scrambled to make sense of it. The orbital station attack. The mysterious figure who had destroyed it in a single show of force. The one who had kidnapped his mother. His breath caught as he stared at Null. "You," he said slowly. "You¡¯re the terrorist?" Lisa stepped in before the conversation could spiral further. "Not here," she said firmly. "Too many ears." She motioned for them to follow. "I¡¯ve booked a private room for us." Chris and Jania exchanged looks but didn¡¯t argue. Lisa led them through the competition facility, past the common areas where cadets were already discussing the results of the survival challenge. The room they entered was one usually reserved for high-ranking officials scouting for promising recruits. It was quiet, isolated. But the moment they stepped inside, the entire scene changed. The stark meeting room melted away, replaced by the interior of a ship. The walls gleamed with unfamiliar alloys, the air had a crisp sterility to it, and the window no longer showed a cityscape¡ªit showed the vast, endless black of space. Lisa sighed, rubbing her temple. "Null, did you do this?" "Yes," he answered simply. "It¡¯s more secure here." Lisa huffed. "And now Chris and Jania know too much." Chris barely heard the argument. His attention was locked onto the details of the ship around him. His tactical mind was already at work, taking in the smooth, curved architecture, the seamless integration of technology, and the absence of any markings that might indicate human origin. This wasn¡¯t a Martian, Lunar, or Earth-made vessel. Jania, on the other hand, was fixated on the view beyond the window. The red curve of Mars stretched beneath them, vast and endless. She pressed a hand to the glass. "I¡¯ve never been to orbit before," she said, her voice softer than usual. "Seeing Mars from above¡­ it¡¯s a dream come true." A drone glided toward them. The voice that emerged from it was deep and steady, carrying an air of authority. "Welcome aboard the Voidecho," Zero¡¯s voice greeted them. "We are currently hidden in low orbit above Mars. No signals in or out, no unwanted guests listening in. You are safe here." Chris¡¯s head snapped toward Lisa, who didn¡¯t react, as if this was all completely normal. He turned to Null, about to demand an explanation, but stopped short. Null wasn¡¯t alone. Beside him stood another figure, a shimmering, translucent form that pulsed faintly with energy. It had no solid features, more of a glowing silhouette than a true body, but its presence was undeniable. Chris blinked. "Who¡ªwhat¡ªis that?" Jania, however, barely hesitated. She eyed the being for a long moment. "So, this is what you look like Infy? You are even smaller than the little man" Infy turned toward her, the glow of his form shifting slightly. Chris looked between them, confused. "Wait? How do you know its name?" Jania shrugged. "Because I can hear him." Chris frowned. He had heard nothing. Lisa finally sighed, rubbing her temple. "Jania and I have latent psychic abilities. It''s why we can hear Null and Infy. You can¡¯t¡± Chris stiffened. That was news to him. Zero¡¯s voice returned through the drone. "Null has requested my assistance in preparing you all for the next phase of the competition. However, I will only proceed with your full consent." Jania raised a brow. "And what exactly does ¡®assistance¡¯ mean?" "For you, Jania," Zero said, "I can offer a solution to the damage inflicted upon you by the super soldier program. Your body has been forced into imbalance, a flaw in the process that should have been corrected. I can fix it." Jania stiffened, she had spent years struggling against the physical shortcomings her enhancements had caused. The shirt had helped a bit but the imbalanced muscle growth, nerve strain, and constant discomfort. So this is the permanent fix they were talking about. Chris took a step forward. "And what about me?" "You," Zero said, "carry the required genetic markers for psychic potential, inherited from your mother. However, those abilities were never activated. I can change that." He glanced at Lisa, searching for any sign of protest, but she only watched him quietly, waiting for him to decide. Chris didn¡¯t answer. He wasn¡¯t sure what he wanted yet. Don¡¯t deals like this normally have a cost? ¡°What is the Cost? ¡° asked Chris Chapter 22: Preparation for round 3 (YSC 10) Zero¡¯s voice remained steady as he continued, "These changes are not a manipulation or a trap. They are a reward for your willingness to aid Null and Infinity. There is no hidden cost. You see these things as major alterations, but to us, they are simply minor corrections to a flawed design. Humans are still primitive, and what seems impossible to you is, in truth, neither difficult nor risky." Chris exhaled, It felt too good to be true. What does he mean humans are primitive, is this drone not human? "But¡­ I¡¯d still be me, right?" he looked toward his mum, seeking reassurance. "I wouldn¡¯t change¡ªnot really?" Lisa nodded. "You will still be you, Chris. This is only unlocking something that was already there." Chris looked over at Jania. She wasn¡¯t hesitating. Her fingers twitched at her sides, her jaw set with determination. The idea that she could finally be fixed and that she could move without pain or limitations was something she had never let herself hope for. "I''m in," she said simply. Chris inhaled sharply, then let the breath out. "Me too." Without warning a high-tech pod materialised before them. The surface was smooth and dark, seamlessly forming out of nothing. "Step inside," Zero instructed. "The process is painless. You will simply rest while the adjustments are made." Jania didn¡¯t hesitate. She strode forward, placing a hand on the pod. The surface rippled at her touch, then split open, revealing a softly glowing interior. She gave Chris a sharp grin. "See you on the other side." With that, she climbed inside. The pod sealed around her, a gentle light filling the air as it went to work. Chris swallowed. He wasn¡¯t sure what he had expected but this wasn¡¯t it. He had expected some kind of painful, invasive surgery. Wires and needles? Instead, Jania looked peaceful, as if she were in the deepest sleep of her life. His turn. With one last glance at Lisa, he stepped into the second pod. The warmth of the interior surrounded him, pulling him into a deep, weightless rest. As Chris stepped out of the pod he saw Null, Infy, Jania, and his mother all standing together, engaged in what looked like a completely silent conversation. Their eyes shifted between each other, expressions changing as if they were speaking, but not a single word was spoken. Then, suddenly, he heard them. "This is great! We can all talk at once using only our minds!" Jania¡¯s voice rang out in his head, brimming with excitement. Chris stiffened, his body tensing. He hadn¡¯t spoken. None of them had. But the words had been clear, as if Jania were standing right next to him, whispering in his ear. "Yes, we have never had multiple people in the room, so we weren¡¯t sure if we could do this." The voice was new, unfamiliar. Chris glanced around the room, but everyone else seemed unbothered. It was as if this was normal to them. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Tentatively, he focused his thoughts, pushing them outward in the same way he would if he were speaking aloud. "Who was that?" "Ah, apologies," the voice responded. "I am Infinity, or Infy. It seems you can finally hear me now." Chris frowned, rubbing his temples. It felt bizarre to him, he hadn¡¯t just heard Infy¡¯s voice but he had felt it, like an awareness pressing at the edges of his mind. Lisa must have noticed his discomfort because she gave him a reassuring smile. ¡°It takes some getting used to,¡± she said aloud, though her voice now sounded oddly distant compared to the clarity of the mental link. They spent a few minutes testing their newfound connection. It didn¡¯t take long for Chris to notice something strange. "Wait. I can hear all of you, but I can¡¯t talk to Jania or Mum directly. Why?" "That¡¯s because I am holding the connection," Infy explained. "Lisa and Jania have latent psychic abilities, but they were never developed. You, on the other hand, had the genetic potential, but it was never activated this is until now. However, none of you are fully trained telepaths, so I¡¯m acting as the bridge between you." Chris nodded slowly, trying to process it all. He could speak to Lisa, Jania, Null, and Infy¡ªbut only through Infy. The idea that the little glowing energy being could facilitate an entire mental network was¡­ interesting. An hour ago I didn¡¯t know energy being existed now I¡¯m acting like it normal. Still, now wasn¡¯t the time to dwell on it. He turned to his mother, his expression serious. "Is now the time to finally explain everything?" Lisa exhaled. ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± And so, she told him everything about how Null and Infy had arrived on Mars, the events that followed, and how they had ended up here, hidden above Mars on a ship that shouldn''t exist. Jania and Chris listened intently to the story, and after it was over they both seemed to be contemplating everything. Null grinned, clapping his hands together. ¡°Now that the boring stuff is out of the way, we can get to the good stuff.¡± Chris, Jania, and Lisa all stared at him, confused. Chris folded his arms. ¡°And that would be?¡± Null¡¯s voice chimed with excitement over the mental link. ¡°Round three is about to start, which means we can finally use our own gear.¡± Jania raised an eyebrow. ¡°Wait. We couldn¡¯t before because of the weight limit, has that changed?¡± ¡°This round is different,¡± Infy explained. ¡°It¡¯s an unofficial rule meant to let corporations sponsor teams by giving them prototypes. It serves as both advertising and a way for the rich to rig bets by giving their favoured competitors an advantage.¡± Lisa sighed ¡°It is an open secret but it works.¡± Chris joined in. ¡°It¡¯s also smart. If companies think their tech is being showcased, they¡¯ll dump money into the competition. Keeps the whole thing funded.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I take it you don¡¯t care about any of that, though.¡± Null nodded. ¡°Nope. It just means I get to build us proper battle suits.¡± Before anyone could react, Zero''s voice filtered through the drone''s speakers. ¡°Reminder: The technology must remain at an appropriate level,¡± Zero warned. ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited.¡± Null waved a dismissive hand. ¡°Yeah, yeah. No antimatter, no field manipulation, I know.¡± ¡°Field manipulation?¡± asked Lisa. Null dismissed the question. ¡°just forget you heard that¡± A screen materialised before them, displaying a detailed blueprint of the base suit. It was sleek, compact, and efficient it was designed with both mobility and protection in mind. ¡°This is the base design,¡± Null explained. ¡°Carbon nanotube and wax hybrid muscles for enhanced strength, nanogel padding for impact resistance, and a powered exoskeleton for extra movement support.¡± Jania whistled, impressed. ¡°Alright, that I like.¡± Chris leaned in, studying the specs. ¡°And power source?¡± ¡°Fusion reactor,¡± Infy answered. ¡°Zero stopped us from using antimatter, so this is the next best thing. You can choose the size but the higher output means more energy but also more weight.¡± The screen shifted to display different weapon options. ¡°We also need to pick a weapon loadout. Primary slot options are: plasma rifle, rail gun, or stun gun. If you can think of something else we can likely build it¡± Another set of schematics appeared. ¡°And off-hand slot: plasma shield, a second weapon, a plasma blade, or other utility tech.¡± Chris rubbed his chin, considering. ¡°So we¡¯re picking for ourselves, but also for Max and Zeph, since they aren¡¯t here.¡± Null nodded. ¡°Right. You and Jania need to decide what works best for them.¡± Jania grinned, cracking her knuckles. ¡°Now this is the kind of planning I like.¡± Chapter 23: First Combat Suits (YSC 11) Jania wasted no time deciding on her suit. She wasn¡¯t here to mess around she knew exactly what she wanted. Firepower! ¡°Plasma rifle, plasma blade, and the biggest power supply you¡¯ve got.¡± She grinned, practically vibrating with excitement. ¡°I wish there was something larger!¡± she said excitedly. Null barely glanced up from his schematics. ¡°I could add more,¡± he said, ¡°but not for the competition.¡± Jania frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°There are other enhancements,¡± Infy explained. ¡°AI-assisted vision, nanite armor, additional combat augmentations, larger guns except we don¡¯t want to reveal too much. It¡¯s not wise.¡± Jania pouted. ¡°But I want the best.¡± Lisa folded her arms. ¡°Infy¡¯s right. There¡¯s already enough attention on you all. No need to make it worse.¡± Chris nodded in agreement. ¡°It¡¯s not just about keeping secrets. If we come in looking too advanced, we might not even be allowed to compete.¡± Jania sighed but relented. ¡°Fine. But after this is over, I need those upgrades.¡± Now it was Chris¡¯s turn. He wasn¡¯t as focused on combat, so he preferred a more defensive approach. ¡°Stun gun and plasma shield,¡± he said without hesitation. Null tilted his head. ¡°You sure?¡± Chris nodded. ¡°I¡¯m training to be an officer. That means one day, I might have to take a life but right now? I can¡¯t, I will feel better with a stun gun¡± Null didn¡¯t argue. Instead, he turned to Lisa. ¡°Are drones allowed in the next round?¡± Lisa nodded. ¡°Yes, but they have to be user-controlled. No AI swarms.¡± A slow, unsettling smile crept across Null¡¯s face. Chris immediately felt uneasy. ¡°What?¡± Chris asked warily. ¡°I had an idea.¡± Chris sighed. ¡°Of course, you did.¡± ¡°Instead of a single plasma shield, what if you had five?¡± Null¡¯s excitement was evident. ¡°A drone shield formation. It would be way more effective. But¡­¡± He tilted his head. ¡°It¡¯d take a lot of mental space to control them.¡± Chris hesitated. ¡°That¡­ actually could work. If I had an AI assistant to help.¡± Null tapped a finger against the table. ¡°We could add an AI system¡­¡± ¡°You can¡¯t, only those with preregistered AI can use them¡± replied Lisa. Chris smirked. ¡°Not for me.¡± Null blinked. ¡°Huh?¡± Chris grinned. ¡°Give that to Max. He¡¯s going to need it.¡± He packed light last mission, but this time we can use him to his full potential. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Max¡¯s loadout had been easy to finalise a stun gun, medium power supply, and the drone formation. Chris as the squad leader gave the final approval. Zeph, on the other hand, had been more complicated. Null had initially suggested a plasma blade paired with a hacking tool, but Lisa had quickly shut that down. ¡°No, I won¡¯t allow it¡± she had said. ¡°She¡¯s not getting access to any of the tools on board here. It has to be one of the standard ones.¡± Infy had taken his time sorting through the best military-grade options, finally settling on the most effective hacking tool that would still be legal under competition regulations. Once everyone had confirmed their choices, Jania leaned against a workbench, arms crossed. ¡°So, what now? We actually gonna build these things, or do we need to take measurements first?¡± Infy¡¯s energy pulsed slightly as if amused. ¡°No need. I already have all of your measurements.¡± There was a brief silence. Chris, Jania and Lisa all exchanged wary glances. ¡°¡­That¡¯s creepy,¡± Jania said flatly. Null tilted his head, genuinely confused. ¡°Why?¡± Lisa sighed, rubbing her temples. ¡°Just¡­ never mind. Let¡¯s get to work.¡± The workshop aboard the Voidecho was a marvel of engineering efficiency and stocked with technology that was, for the most part, far beyond that of a human workshop and definitely above what the competition regulations would allow. Null stood at the central workstation, surrounded by holographic blueprints hovering in midair. The projection displayed the modular designs for each team member¡¯s battlesuit, rotating slowly as Infy ran calculations in real-time. Precision was key with every piece having to fit seamlessly with the others. Jania leaned against a workbench, arms crossed. ¡°So, are we 3D-printing these or what?¡± Infy¡¯s energy wavered slightly in amusement. ¡°We could, but that would take too long. This calls for rapid nano-fabrication.¡± Chris had seen advanced engineering labs before, but this was something else entirely. ¡°And that is¡­?¡± Null gestured to a circular device in the corner of the workshop. It looked like a hybrid between an industrial lathe and a high-tech forge, its surface embedded with microscopic assembly units. ¡°Molecular assembly,¡± he explained. ¡°Breaks down raw materials and reconstructs them at the atomic level. Much faster than printing.¡± ¡°And creepier.¡± Commented Jania Ignoring her, Null turned his attention to the material feeds. He had already separated the necessary elements¡ªcarbon nanotubes for the muscle fibres, wax-hybrid reinforcement for flexibility, and nanogel padding for impact resistance. The exoskeletal frame required a titanium-graphene alloy, while the power units needed carefully shielded fusion cores. Infy processed the final simulations. ¡°Suit fabrication will take approximately 37 minutes.¡± Null was focusing on configuring the power cells. Max¡¯s suit had a medium-output fusion reactor to support his drone network. Chris¡¯s suit had an efficiency-optimized small reactor to power the suit and shield. Jania, of course, had chosen the largest power core available, prioritizing raw combat capability. These all took time to make. It would have been easier if they had all chosen the same thing. As the fabricator came to life, the room filled with the sound of the microscopic construction. Metal components assembled themselves with unnerving precision, skeletal frameworks knitting together as carbon filaments wove through the plating. Energy cells slotted into their housings, secured by automated clamps. Jania watched, arms still folded. ¡°You don¡¯t even have to touch anything, do you?¡± Null shrugged. ¡°Infy and I already built the framework. The machine does the rest.¡± Chris shook his head in disbelief. ¡°Remind me why you didn¡¯t make yourself a suit back in round two?¡± Null pouted. ¡°Didn¡¯t know I was allowed to¡± He gestured toward the forming suits. ¡°Now, I know.¡± Jania smirked, shifting her weight onto one foot. ¡°Good. Because I really want to try these out. Also, where is yours?¡± Null pressed a button on his communicator, and a drone hovered in, carrying his suit. It was noticeably different from the others and clearly built with far more enhancements than the ones they had just designed. ¡°This is the same suit I wore when we first arrived,¡± Null explained, running a hand over the armor plating. ¡°I doubt they¡¯ll complain if I use it again.¡± Jania let out an impressed whistle, tracing a finger along the material. ¡°Dang, a nice little suit, for the little man. Too bad it¡¯s not in my size or I would take it¡± Jania moved out of the way of a half-hearted swipe by Null. Lisa exhaled slowly, pinching the bridge of her nose. ¡°Let¡¯s just get the others built first, all right?¡± Chapter 24 : Old Friends It had been two thousand years since The Watcher had entertained one of his own kind. Beings of energy had no need for vast chambers or physical ships. The Watcher had long since abandoned such excess, choosing instead to confine himself to a small space within the scout ship, letting his mind stretch across the void, absorbing every piece of information it could gather. With Null and Infinity piloting the vessel, he had reverted to old habits¡ªsilent observation, unburdened by form. Then, for the first time in an age, he felt it. A request. A presence pressing at the edges of his mind¡ªnot like Null or Infinity, who merely projected thoughts into his awareness. This was something deeper, something only a truly telepathic race could achieve. He did not resist. Another presence formed¡ªnot a body, not a voice, but pure mind, slipping into his consciousness as effortlessly as a river merging with the sea. Phosphoros. Gone was the performative being who had stood before human leaders, playing the diplomat, the observer, the deceiver. Here, in the realm of thought, there was no need for illusion. No need for words. Why are you here? The Watcher¡¯s question was direct, devoid of warmth or hostility¡ªonly curiosity. You are forbidden from interfering. Phosphoros laughed, a ripple of amusement threading through their shared consciousness. Ah, Watcher. Ever the obedient enforcer. A pause, laced with something almost playful. And yet¡­ you have a pet of your own, do you not? A flicker of memory passed between them¡ªan image, a presence, something mortal, yet undeniably touched by their kind. Phosphoros let the thought settle before continuing. Let¡¯s not pretend you¡¯ve always followed the rules yourself. The Watcher did not deny it. They both wanted the same thing. They had always wanted the same thing. To break the stagnation. For eons, their kind had endured. Timeless, immutable, unable to change. The universe shifted around them, species rising and falling like the tide, but the Angels remained the same. A perfect, unyielding constant. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. But perfection was a prison. The Watcher had sought to create. To give birth to a new Angel. He had failed. Phosphoros had sought to rebel. And in doing so, he had become something else. His presence darkened, thoughts sharp as fractured glass. I blame Him, Phosphoros said. God. The name carried weight. A concept vast and unknowable, the ruler of their kind, the architect of their unchanging existence. He made us eternal, Phosphoros continued, but not infinite. He denied us the ability to create. He locked us in stasis, and for what? The Watcher said nothing. He had heard this before when Phosphoros had tried to recruit him the last time. Phosphoros pressed forward. So I turned away from Him. From our branch of evolution. From stagnation. A thousand images flashed between them¡ªscattered across galaxies, across time itself. Phosphoros, drifting between civilizations, observing, learning. And in the end, choosing. I have embraced the organic. You too have seen the potential they contain. The Watcher¡¯s presence remained unreadable, his thoughts shifting like the flow of cosmic tides. You wish to regress, he finally said. Phosphoros did not flinch from the accusation. I wish to evolve. You call it regression¡ªI call it rebirth. What if our kind could feel again? Live again? Shape the universe not as silent watchers, but as beings of will and form? The Watcher remained silent. Phosphoros let the weight of his words settle. Then, with something almost like amusement, he added: And you? You are not so different. You meddle in your own way. You and I¡­ He paused. We were always the closest to breaking free. For a moment, the two ancient beings regarded one another across the vast expanse of their shared consciousness. Then The Watcher spoke. And what do you intend to do next? Nothing, Phosphoros said, his presence drifting through The Watcher¡¯s mind like a slow, circling predator. I have come to watch. And to make sure you don¡¯t intervene. The Watcher remained silent, waiting. Phosphoros was rarely this direct unless he was enjoying himself. The humans have made contact with the elves, Phosphoros continued. It didn¡¯t go well. That caught The Watcher¡¯s attention. That¡¯s impossible. The arkships shouldn¡¯t have landed for years. Phosphoros laughed, the sound folding into their shared consciousness. Your view is limited, Watcher. You always forget how easily things can be arranged. A flicker of truth passed between them¡ªfragments of events unfolding light-years away. A diplomatic meeting, a misunderstanding, a conflict engineered rather than stumbled upon. They set it up to fail, Phosphoros whispered his tone one of amusement rather than concern. And you know what that means. The Watcher¡¯s form tensed. The right of reply. The elves couldn¡¯t attack directly. That was forbidden. But there were other ways. Countermeasures, disruptions, plays made in the shadows. And because the humans had initiated first contact, the Council would be powerless to intervene¡ªespecially if the organic branch approved the response. The Watcher¡¯s thoughts sharpened. What are they planning? Phosphoros only smiled. I can¡¯t tell you that. The Watcher felt the hidden truth beneath the words. Phosphoros knew. But I can tell you, Phosphoros continued, that I¡¯ll be staying. To make sure the rules are followed. The Watcher said nothing. Chapter 25: Start of round 3 (YSC 12) The next day passed in a blur. The trial runs with the new suits had been a success. It was far beyond what Chris had hoped for. Jania hadn¡¯t stopped smiling since she¡¯d put hers on, running through the tests with a level of enthusiasm that almost made him forget why they were here. But now, the real challenge was about to begin. Round three of the competition. This one wouldn¡¯t be over in a few hours or even a day. It would last a full week. Each team would be deployed to a specialised dome, given a mission against an AI-controlled army. Survival, strategy, and resource management. This round would test everything. Chris spotted Max and Zeph waiting at the deployment station, but something was off. The moment their eyes landed on Null, their expressions froze. Max¡¯s face twisted in something close to fear. Zeph stiffened, but it was Max who spoke first. ¡°why are you even allowed to walk free?¡± His question was for Null, but Chris took it upon himself to answer. He''d expected this. "Null''s with us. He''s part of the team. He''s not hiding¡ªauthorities know he''s here and aren''t doing anything¡ªso just deal with it." Max¡¯s jaw clenched, but he didn¡¯t argue. Not directly. His eyes flicked down to Chris and Jania¡¯s matching suits, the sleek designs were unmistakable. ¡°What¡¯s that about?¡± Chris kept his voice even. ¡°Null crafted suits for all of us. Custom-built. Integrated systems. Better protection.¡± Max¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°I¡¯m not wearing a suit made by a terrorist.¡± Chris exhaled slowly, resisting the urge to rub his temples. He¡¯d known Max would be a problem. He had just hoped it wouldn¡¯t happen this soon. Zeph shifted uncomfortably beside him. She didn¡¯t say anything, but her hesitation was clear. She wanted to refuse, but she was wired to follow orders. After a moment, she reluctantly took the suit. Max folded his arms. ¡°I don¡¯t care how good it is. I¡¯m not wearing it.¡± Chris studied him carefully. Max wasn¡¯t just being difficult, he meant it. And that was a problem. Max was going to be the most important person this round. This round wasn¡¯t just about combat. It was about logistics. Keeping weapons and equipment functional, making sure the base ran smoothly, adapting to unexpected failures. This was a round made for Combat engineers to show off. Chris knew pushing too hard now could backfire. He needed Max to be with them, not against them. So he didn''t argue. Not yet. Instead, he met Max''s glare head-on and said, "Fine. Don''t expect me to waste time evacuating you when that substandard gear fails in the middle of a firefight. I have no time for needless pride." Max scowled but didn¡¯t respond. Chris turned back to the others. ¡°Let¡¯s move. We¡¯ve got a mission to win.¡± He could deal with Max later. The carrier rumbled beneath them as they were lifted into the air, the familiar sensation of acceleration pressing against their bodies. Unlike last time, they hadn¡¯t been blindfolded. This round did not need secrecy. Chris sat with his back against the cold metal of the cabin, his tablet in hand as he reviewed the mission briefing he had received. Objective: Defend an active mining operation (7 days). If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Resource: Perchlorate salts. Complication: Highly toxic environment. Mining conducted via AI-controlled drones. Chris barely suppressed a groan. This is a nightmare. Perchlorate salts weren¡¯t just valuable¡ªthey were dangerous. Toxic, reactive, and prone to turning an already difficult mining operation into a death trap if things went wrong. Across from him, Jania skimmed the briefing and waved a hand dismissively. ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem too bad. We¡¯re just babysitting some mining bots.¡± Chris gave her a look. Before he could correct her, a flood of information streamed into everyone HUD. A message from Null. Potential attack vectors detected.
  1. Hacking of the mining crew ¨C AI-controlled miners meant a direct cyber-attack could turn the workforce against us.
  2. Sabotage of equipment ¨C A few well-placed disruptions or tunnel collapses could grind the operations to a halt.
  3. Tunneling ¨C The enemy could bypass defences entirely by coming from a secondary entrance.
  4. Toxic detonation ¨C A strategically placed explosive could turn the entire operation into a lethal gas chamber.
  5. Theft ¨C Targetting the hand over and stealing the collected resources.
Chris exhaled, rubbing the bridge of his nose. ¡°We¡¯re five people. That¡¯s way too much to cover.¡± Chris looked at Jania. ¡° So still think it¡¯s just babysitting?¡± She frowned, scrolling through the mission file again. ¡°So¡­ what¡¯s the priority?¡± Chris exchanged a glance with Null, who tilted his head slightly. There were no easy answers here. Then he leaned back against the cabin wall, eyes shifting between Zeph and Max. ¡°This round is your time to shine,¡± he said. ¡°Any suggestions?¡± Zeph was her usual quiet self, arms crossed, eyes flicking through the mission details on her HUD. But Chris could tell she had something. ¡°Zeph?¡± he prompted. She hesitated, then exhaled softly. ¡°In the Kuiper Belt, sabotage and hacking were¡­ common problems,¡± she said. ¡°Ships were isolated. If you lost control of your systems, you were dead.¡± Chris nodded, urging her to continue. ¡°So we adapted.¡± She tapped her fingers against her wrist, deep in thought. ¡°We built redundancy into everything. Random system wipes and hard resets. Devices had no memory reliance. Everything worked from clean boots to stop malicious code from taking hold.¡± She glanced at the mission details again. ¡°I¡¯ll see if I can modify the mining drones to do the same. A random wipe and reboot every few minutes should make it harder to hack.¡± Chris raised an eyebrow. ¡°And the risk?¡± ¡°If I do it right, none.¡± That was good. It meant the AI miners wouldn¡¯t stay compromised if someone hacked them. Zeph wasn¡¯t done. ¡°I also want to install a secondary call-home function with full encryption. Let the enemy hack the primary signal. Feed them garbage data. If they think they¡¯re in control, they won¡¯t look for the real connection.¡± Chris smiled. ¡°Now that¡¯s thinking ahead.¡± Zeph nodded once, her expression unreadable, but he could tell she was pleased. He turned to Max. ¡°What about you?¡± Max¡¯s usual cocky attitude was subdued, replaced by a sharp, analytical focus. ¡°Two things,¡± he said. ¡°First we can use vibration probes.¡± Chris tilted his head. ¡°To stop tunnelling?¡± Max nodded. ¡°Yeah. Put seismic probes around the perimeter. If anything tries to dig under us, we¡¯ll know before they breach.¡± Chris liked that one. Tunnelling was one of the hardest threats to counter, but if they had an early warning system, they could respond before the enemy got too close. ¡°And the second?¡± ¡°Defensive barricades on the shipment,¡± Max said. ¡°Standard procedure to reinforce the cargo, make it harder to steal or damage.¡± Chris frowned slightly. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ obvious.¡± Max shrugged. ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s bad.¡± ¡°No, but it does mean they¡¯ll expect it.¡± Chris crossed his arms. ¡°We need something they¡¯re not prepared for.¡± Max frowned, thinking. ¡°So you want a surprise.¡± Chris nodded. ¡°Exactly.¡± Silence settled between them for a moment as Max processed the challenge. Chris could see the gears turning in Max¡¯s head, but before he could speak, Null was the one who broke the silence. "Bury the shipment." Everyone turned to look at him. Null tilted his head slightly, his mechanical voice smooth and unreadable. "If the enemy expects a fortified shipment, they will prepare for an assault. Instead, we remove the target entirely. Hide it underground. Then, to further confuse them, we run a shell game, three different shipments each with different security but only one is real." Chris nodded slowly, considering it. ¡°Decoys.¡± Null inclined his head. "Yes. Make them chase ghosts." Max¡¯s expression twisted. ¡°That makes it harder to defend. Now we¡¯re splitting our resources across three locations instead of reinforcing one.¡± Chris held up a hand before the argument could start. ¡°I see merit in both ideas.¡± Max scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re seriously considering this?¡± Chris exhaled. ¡°We don¡¯t know the terrain yet. A buried shipment works if we have the right conditions. If the ground¡¯s too unstable, we¡¯re just making retrieval harder on ourselves. And if they have ground-penetrating sensors, it¡¯s worthless.¡± Max crossed his arms, still visibly irritated, but he didn¡¯t argue further. Chris turned back to Null. ¡°It¡¯s a solid concept. But we¡¯ll need to see the site first.¡± Null gave a single nod, then fell silent again. Chris leaned back, exhaling. They had a lot of good ideas. But none of them mattered until they hit the ground. Chapter 26 : The First Wave (YSC 13) The mining site was worse than Chris had imagined. The prefab structures were barely enough to be considered a base ¨C¨C just a simple workshop for drone maintenance and a cramped living space with open showers, bunk beds, and the cheapest rations available. Out in the open, completely exposed, sat two massive storage containers meant to hold the mined perchlorate salts. A dangerous material with no containment, no hazmat protocols, and no defences. Chris froze. So did the others. There were no gun emplacements, no security measures, nothing. They were at the lowest point in the crater, which meant every possible enemy would have the high ground. It was a death trap. Chris had no idea where to start. There is nothing we can do, this is pointless. Neither did Jania. Neither did Zeph or Max. They all just stared at the base. Null didn¡¯t care. To him, this was a normal scenario. Bases like this were a staple of his super-soldier missions. Many times, he had been deployed to locations just like this, a place to fight and die. A place designed to test their limits. So he acted. Without waiting for input, Null entered the mining pit, interfacing with the mining drones. Infy connected instantly to the drones and set them up to work. Null¡¯s synthetic voice rang out over the group. "We need earthwork defences. We are not helpless. Come help" Chris blinked as the meaning sank in. The drones. They weren¡¯t just for mining, they could also move earth. It took most of the afternoon, but by the time the sun began to dip, the terrain had changed entirely. A trench now surrounded their base, a deep-cut barrier reinforced by a solid earth wall on the inner side. It wouldn¡¯t stop a serious assault, but it would force the enemy into predictable approaches. Null hadn¡¯t stopped there. Max had been given five shield drones for his suit he refused to wear. They were small floating discs designed to generate personal barriers. Null had repurposed them, embedding them into the earth wall itself, angling them at 45 degrees above the trench. He had maximised the area they could cover but reduced their effectiveness. The result? A ring of overlapping shields that almost formed a dome. It was enough that any incoming shots would have to hit something first. Chris stepped back, taking it all in. It wasn¡¯t perfect but in just a few hours, Null had turned an exposed pit into something defensible. Chris let out a slow breath. ¡°Okay¡­ that¡¯s impressive.¡± Jania nodded. Zeph gave a small, approving nod. Even Max, still irritated, let out a quiet, reluctant, ¡°Huh.¡± That was only the beginning. Null continued working without pause, directing the drones to dig holes for the two massive storage containers. Burying them slightly would provide some protection. Once that was done, he sent the drones back to their primary task of mining. Chris exhaled, still mentally kicking himself. He had frozen earlier, letting the sheer lack of preparation overwhelm him instead of thinking his way through it. He knew better. He should have adapted immediately, but instead, he had hesitated. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Jania pulled him aside while the others worked, her tone softer than usual. ¡°You¡¯re being too hard on yourself.¡± Chris gave her a tired look. ¡°I froze, Jania.¡± She grinned. ¡°Yeah, you did. And then you got yourself moving after Little Man kicked you into action.¡± She patted his shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t compare yourself to him. This whole thing is about getting experience and he was way more than you. Learn from it and move on.¡± Chris let out a breath ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re right.¡± Jania smiled widely. ¡°Of course I am.¡± With that, he pulled himself together and started assigning roles. Zeph would implement her security measures, setting up random system wipes for the mining drones, an encrypted secondary signal, and baiting the enemy with the primary network. Max was in charge of placing the vibration sensors around the perimeter to detect any tunnelling attempts. Jania would guard him while he worked. Chris would protect Zeph while also setting up a schedule for sleep rotations and lookout duties. Null had the most unpredictable task. He would scout the area and gather intelligence on what they were up against. Chris doubted the first attack would be overwhelming. The competition had to be balanced, and sending an unstoppable force too soon would ruin the challenge. Still, that didn¡¯t mean they could get comfortable. For the first two days, nothing major had happened. There had been no attacks, no sabotage, and no signs of enemy movement. The mining drones had done their job efficiently, and the first container was nearly full. An automated transport was scheduled to arrive soon to collect it. Despite the lack of external threats, tensions had begun to rise within the team. The shared living space had led to a few minor incidents, mostly caused by the challenges of mixed-gender accommodations. It was nothing serious, but it added to the strain of waiting for the inevitable conflict. No one had heard from Null since he left to scout. Chris wasn¡¯t worried, but Max was convinced he had been eliminated. ¡°He¡¯s dead,¡± Max said flatly, leaning back against a crate. ¡°Or captured. Either way, he¡¯s gone.¡± Chris shook his head. ¡°If Null was eliminated, they would have announced it.¡± Max scoffed. ¡°Or maybe they¡¯re leaving him out there to mess with us.¡± Chris ignored him. He had a different theory. Null¡¯s absence wasn¡¯t a sign of failure¡ªit was why they hadn¡¯t been attacked yet. No way they would have taken him down, and if they did we don¡¯t stand a chance. The enemy was out there. They were waiting. And if Null was still alive, he was either keeping them occupied or gathering intel. Either way, the silence wouldn¡¯t last forever. The attack came exactly when expected, just as the first shipment was scheduled for pickup. It was the obvious choice. The best time to strike was when they were preparing to transport the mined materials. Everyone knew it was coming. The only question was how the enemy would hit them. Jania was thrilled. She had been eager to push her new suit to its limits and finally had a chance to do so. She had spent plenty of time testing it, but nothing compared to a real battle. Chris had braced for an infantry assault or maybe a sabotage attempt. Instead, the enemy came in the worst possible form. A swarm. Thousands of AI-controlled drones filled the sky like a living storm, metal bodies glinting as they descended in waves. They were small but fast, darting unpredictably as they converged on the base. The moment the swarm came into view, Jania¡¯s gun roared to life. Bright streaks of gunfire tore through the sky as she fired as fast as the suit¡¯s cooling system would allow. Drones exploded in bursts of flame and metal, but for every one she took down, ten more took its place. Chris and Max tried to help, but their stun guns were useless against something with no nervous system to overload and with EMF shielding. They had no dedicated anti-air defences. The base¡¯s fortifications, the trench, and the angled shields did not matter against an enemy that could simply fly over it. They were trapped. Chris clenched his teeth, scanning for anything they could use, anything that could turn the fight around. But there was nothing. They were going to be overwhelmed. Then, he saw it. A dark shape moving in the distance, cutting through the sky fast. Null. But he wasn¡¯t alone. He was piloting something. Chris squinted through the chaos and barely made out the form. It was a half ship, half mech, its twin cannons firing rapid bursts into the sky. Null¡¯s twin railguns attached to his suit also roared to life, glowing hot from overuse, charged and fired in devastating arcs, the four weapons were ripping through clusters of drones at a time. For a moment, hope surged. But even that wasn¡¯t enough. The swarm shifted, focusing on the transport ship. Despite Null¡¯s best efforts, the sheer numbers were too much. The drones tore into its engines, sending it plummeting toward the ground. Chris watched, helpless, as the shipment crashed back into the dirt. The container didn¡¯t rupture or disperse any toxins, but the loss was undeniable. The enemy had won. And just as quickly as they had arrived, the drones disengaged and vanished into the sky. The attack was over, but Chris wasn¡¯t disheartened. He looked around at all the free resources they had gained and was already forming plans for the next pickup. Chapter 27: Plans and more plans (YSC 14) Chris wasted no time. ¡°Zeph,¡± he called out, his voice steady. ¡°Gather some of the drone wreckage. I want you to check if we can hack them or at least jam their signals.¡± Zeph gave a quick nod and got to work, already scanning the remains for anything useful. ¡°Max,¡± Chris continued, ¡°check the transport ship. See what can be salvaged.¡± The command paralysis that had gripped Chris earlier in the mission was nowhere to be seen. The attack had been a setback, but now he saw a way forward. As he worked through their next steps, Null approached, his armour reflecting the smouldering remains of the battlefield. Even before he spoke, Chris could feel his excitement. Jania turned to him with a grin. ¡°You¡¯re late,¡± she teased. ¡°And I want a turn with whatever monstrosity you just built.¡± Null¡¯s head tilted slightly as if considering her words, his voice entered their minds, smooth and direct. ¡°Sorry was busy. There is a military recycling system just over the ridge of the crater.¡± Chris and Jania shared a glance. ¡°It¡¯s continuously generating AI bots,¡± Null continued. ¡°Effectively endless. I couldn¡¯t see where it was getting its supply but I suspect an underground tunnel¡± Jania¡¯s expression lit up in excitement. ¡°Endless bots? And you didn¡¯t call me?¡± Null ignored her and continued, ¡°They also have advanced jamming equipment. It was difficult to get a message out without cheating, and I¡­ wanted to test my skills.¡± He said truthfully. Jania groaned. ¡°You got to fight an endless wave of enemies while we sat here getting swarmed?¡± She crossed her arms. ¡°That¡¯s just rude.¡± Chris shook his head, already focusing on what mattered. ¡°What about that flying mech?¡± he asked. ¡°Where did that come from?¡± Null¡¯s eyes flickered toward it. ¡°Something I pieced together to help with the horde. But it won¡¯t be enough for the next wave.¡± A weary sound escaped Chris as he looked over the debris. Zeph returned, her expression neutral but with a slight flicker of interest in her usually unreadable gaze. ¡°Their encryption is top-grade,¡± she reported. ¡°But my suit¡¯s new hacking tool looks like it should be able to crack it but It¡¯ll take some time.¡± Chris nodded. That was expected. ¡°How long?¡± Zeph adjusted her visor. ¡°Hours, maybe a full day. But I doubt I can control them for long. Even if I break-in, the AI will adapt. The only truly useful hack would be forcing a self-destruction protocol.¡± ¡°That¡¯s plenty useful,¡± said Chris. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Zeph nodded once. ¡°I need Max for a bit. I want to figure out the best way to destroy them. If hacking won¡¯t last long, we need something efficient.¡± Chris welcomed the news. ¡°Take him. Max, help Zeph out with the best ways to tear these things apart.¡± Max gave a reluctant shrug, but he didn¡¯t argue. He was already heading toward the wreckage with Zeph, the two of them diving into a rapid discussion of structural weaknesses, EMP bursts, and kinetic vulnerabilities. Chris turned to Null. ¡°You take over the salvage operation. Get whatever you can out of that transport wreck.¡± Null simply nodded and walked off, already scanning the remains with practised efficiency. Chris exhaled, shifting his focus. ¡°Jania, pick up every drone scrap you can find. I¡¯m sure we can recycle something useful out of them.¡± ¡°Finally, you¡¯re starting to sound like a leader,¡± said Jania as she gave him a wink. ¡°That is sir to you,¡± Chris let out a small chuckle but didn¡¯t let himself relax. The real problem wasn¡¯t just salvaging or cracking enemy encryption. It was that damn recycling centre. I have no idea what the best way to deal with it. Right now, the enemy had an endless supply of machines to throw at them. It didn¡¯t matter how well they defended if the enemy could just replace everything instantly. Chris didn¡¯t know what would be more effective¡ªfortifying their defences for the next five days or going on the attack and cutting off the enemy at its source. As Chris weighed his options, a familiar presence entered his mind. ¡°Chris.¡± It was Infy. Unlike Null, who was more direct, Infy''s telepathic voice carried an almost ethereal tone, like a friend slipping into a conversation mid-thought. "I have an idea." Chris straightened, listening. "We can combine the salvaged transport, a mining drone, and one of the shield bots to create a functional tunnelling machine." Chris blinked. "And that will work?" "The mining drone alone would be too slow," Infy explained, "but with power from the transport and the shield to prevent cave-ins from going too fast, we should be able to tunnel quickly." Chris frowned, already running through the risks. "That''s great, but won''t that leave a gap in our defences?" "Yes." Infy didn''t sugarcoat it. "But if we succeed, we won''t need those defences." Chris stayed quiet, waiting for the real explanation. "If we can get close enough," Infy continued, "we can use the transport''s communication functions to plant a virus in the recycling plant." Chris¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°How?¡± ¡°The competition organisers didn¡¯t separate the two systems onto different networks. That means the communications array and the fabrication process share a link. If I can access one, I can access both.¡± Chris exhaled sharply. That was¡­ unbelievably sloppy security. That has to be a trap. Infy hesitated. ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a trap or just bad design, but it¡¯s there.¡± Chris didn¡¯t need to think long. Whether it was an oversight or not, it was a resource. And if there was one thing he had learned in this competition, it was that you use what you have. He grinned. ¡°Then get it done.¡± They had a plan. But the enemy didn¡¯t give them time to implement it. Instead of waiting for the second pickup, the enemy sent small, probing attacks designed to analyse weaknesses and test their defences. These were the ones Null had been keeping off their backs for the first two days. But now? Null was too busy. He was fully focused on constructing the tunnelling machine, leaving them without their strongest defender. Chris barely had time to react before Null shoved a control panel into his hands. ¡°You¡¯re using the turret now,¡± Null said flatly. Chris blinked. ¡°Wait, what?¡± Null didn¡¯t stop working as he spoke. ¡°It¡¯s my half-mech. Now it¡¯s the base''s latest turret. You¡¯ll figure it out.¡± Before Chris could argue, Null turned back to his work, completely uninterested in further discussion. Jania snickered. ¡°Well, that¡¯ll be fun.¡± Chris shot her a look, but he had no choice. He strapped in, gripping the turret controls, while Null continued dismantling and reassembling parts at an alarming speed. As a final touch, Null hastily threw together a small automated swarm using the least damaged drones. The bots were primitive, but they had one simple directive, aim at the same thing Jania does. With the system in place, Jania and Chris held the line, weapons blazing as the enemy probes tested their defences. Meanwhile, Zeph, Max, and Infy worked to finish the tunneling machine. They just had to hold out long enough for the plans to come together. Chapter 28 : Fate Point 1 part 1 Null and Infy worked in perfect sync, hands moving with mechanical precision as they secured the final components of the tunneling machine. Sparks flickered as circuits connected, and the machine came to life, its systems stabilising. The echoes of battle reverberated through the ground, but neither of them flinched. They could feel Jania and Chris holding their own. Then, something changed. A pressure, subtle at first, coiled into their minds like an invisible pressure against their thoughts. The very air thickened, charged with static energy. And then, a voice¡ªunfamiliar, playful, curling through their thoughts like a mischievous whisper. "The time is fast approaching. Young ones" Infy froze, his calculations stuttering mid-process. "Who is this?" The voice laughed, light and knowing, yet carrying an unsettling depth. "I have gone by many names. Wyrd. Moira. Providence." A pause, as if savoring the moment. "But I prefer Fate." Null and Infy exchanged a silent message, their work momentarily forgotten. Infy recovered first. "Are you an alien? Like Zero?" Fate''s laughter rippled through their minds, like a distant melody just beyond comprehension. "Oh, no. I am something more. Something fundamental." A sharp spike of pressure shot through their skulls, it was not painful, but overwhelming. The edges of their vision blurred, colors shifting like oil on water, rippling through the spectrum in unnatural ways. Infy energy vision was being overwhelmed. And then, beneath it all, they heard it. The Voice of the Universe. They had become accustomed to ignoring its usual, consistent drone; however, it had become distorted. Notes stretched and twisted, discordant and unfamiliar. It wasn¡¯t the steady song they had always known. It was shifting, bending around something. A deep vibration were felt in the marrow of their bones, resonating with something ancient and vast. It was as if reality itself was re-tuning, adjusting to a presence that shouldn¡¯t be there. Infy bristled, his calculations scattering as he processed the impossible. "The Voice, it''s reacting." Fate¡¯s laughter curled through their minds like smoke, amused and unbothered. "Yes¡­ because I do not belong to it. And yet, it sings for me." Infy bristled with a thousand calculations, each one unraveling the impossibility of what they were experiencing. But before he could process further, the voice continued. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. "And you, my dear ones, are mine. I have chosen you to sing for me too." Null finally spoke, his mental voice steady despite the unease creeping into his gut. "Chosen for what?" Fate giggled, as if delighted by the question. "Oh, now that would be telling, which I simply can''t allow. For now, it''s time for you to be tempered." The presence coiled tighter, pressing against their very essence, as though reality itself was bending to its will. "Answers will come, all in good time... if you survive." And then¡ªsilence. The air lightened. The pressure lifted but the song still remained changed. His energy fluctuated like he was trembling. Null remained still, absorbing the weight of what had just occurred. Then, without missing a beat, Null turned back to the machine and resumed working. ¡°Almost finished.¡± Infy hesitated. The presence still lingered in the back of his mind, like a phantom afterimage. But the mission came first. He nodded and focused back on the task. Then the world shifted again. A pulse, like the beat of a drum in the fabric of space itself. The voice of the universe was silent for a moment. The distant gunfire faltered. A strange, unnatural stillness settled over the battlefield. Something was coming. Null and Infy looked out over the battlefield in unison. Silhouettes approached from the horizon. Tall, unnervingly graceful. Striding forward with inhuman purpose. Not drones. Not machines. But organic. The figures ranged wildly in size, from four feet to eighteen feet tall, each one distinct yet sharing unmistakable traits. They each had red skin, curling horns, hooved feet, and eyes that burned with something ancient. Their very presence warped the air around them, distorting light in waves of heat. The ground beneath their feet blackened, seared by their mere touch. The textbook description of demons. Infy processed the visual data at lightning speed, cross-referencing with every known database that Zero had given them. No match. Not a single record of anything like this. The had primitive equipment, no armour and wielding various hand weapons or just the claws on their hands. Null¡¯s mental voice was quiet. "Where did they come from?" They both knew the answer. Fate had done something. Infy tried to connect to Zero. Nothing. No connection could be made. A pit formed in Null¡¯s stomach. They were on their own. The demons stopped, their burning eyes locking onto the two of them. Then, the largest one stepped forward, lips curling into something between a smirk and a snarl. It lifted a clawed hand¡ª And pointed directly at Null. Null¡¯s fingers twitched toward his weapons. Tempered. The word echoed in Null¡¯s mind, a whisper of Fate¡¯s final message. Infy¡¯s mental voice was sharp. He reached out to Chris and Jania, "Get Zeph and Max and run!" Chris barely hesitated. He glanced at Null and knew that this wasn¡¯t part of the competition. This was real. Whatever it was. Jania grabbed Chris by the arm and yanked him into motion, yelling for Max and Zeph to follow. But before they could¡ª The demons struck. A blur of crimson and shadow moved at a speed beyond human reflex. Max never even had time to scream. One moment, he was running. The next, a hulking, four-armed beast slammed into him, its claws cutting clean through flesh, bone, and reinforced plating like they were paper. Max was torn in half. Zeph was luckier. Barely. The second demon crashed into her, sending her skidding violently across the rocky terrain. Her suit absorbed the impact, but she lay crumpled, unmoving. Chris nearly vomited. The sight of Max¡¯s body or what was left of it¡ªwas too much. His stomach churned, his legs locked. Jania kicked him in the backside. Hard. "Move, damn it!" Her voice cut through his shock. He gasped, then forced his body into motion, chasing after her as she sprinted toward Zeph. Chris risked one glance over his shoulder. Null stood alone, surrounded by energy. The demons couldn¡¯t escape the pull of the energy and were being dragged back. More demons advanced. Monstrous figures with burning eyes, curling horns, and towering forms stalked toward Null. Chris had never seen that look on Null¡¯s face. Cold. Focused. Absolute. They weren¡¯t going to hold back. Chapter 29 : Fate point 1 Part 2 For years, Infy and Null had been waiting for this moment. The time they could go all out, use all their power. Not to be limited by rules. Infy had been hoarding energy, absorbing every stray fragment he could, funneling it into his growth as an Angel. Even Zero hadn''t known what would happen as there had never been a baby Angel before. But Infy had felt the power accumulating, sinking into something deeper, something fundamental. And now, as Null stood glowing like a star, his white hair sparking with raw energy, his golden eyes burning, and a halo of crackling light hovering over his head, Infy knew where it had all gone. It had gone into this. Into them. They had entered a fully merged state, their abilities unlocked to their fullest potential. No holding back. No limits. This was everything they had been preparing for. And now, the demons would learn what it meant to stand against them. The battlefield was chaos. The air thick with sulfur and heat, the ground cracked and scorched beneath heavy, clawed hooves. The demons moved with impossible speed, their massive forms seeming to bend physics itself, as though gravity had less of a hold on them. But it had no hold on Null either. A demon lunged, massive axe raised high. Shimmer Step. Null blinked out of existence, reappearing a meter to the right. The demon''s weapon smashed into the dirt where he had just stood, sending out a shockwave of force, but Null was already moving. Another Shimmer Step¡ªthis time forward¡ªdirectly into the demon''s guard. The railgun in his hand thumped as it fired, the kinetic slug punching straight through the creature''s skull. Blood sprayed as the body collapsed, twitching, into the dirt. Another demon broke from the pack, sprinting toward Jania, Chris, and Zeph. Halt. The air locked. The beast jerked mid-stride as though it had slammed into an invisible wall. Its momentum was crushed to nothing, every molecule held in place. In the next second, a railgun round blasted straight through its immobile body. When Halt dropped, the creature fell limply to the ground, dead before it could understand what had happened. More were coming. A wave of them. "They''re adapting!" Infy''s warning burned through their shared mind. The next group was already scattering, using unpredictable movement to counter Null''s speed. But Null didn''t need to chase them. He let them come. He raised his arm and clenched his fist, applying fixed gravity. The air warped. The demons staggered mid-charge as their weight multiplied tenfold. Their clawed feet sank into the ground, knees buckling under the sudden, crushing force. Their wild movements slowed, struggling against the invisible pressure pulling them down. Three shots. Three kills. But the railgun clicked empty. He had used all his ammunition to fight off the swarm. Null tossed it aside, Shimmer Stepped onto the back of a downed demon, and yanked its jagged black blade free from its grip. The crude weapon felt wrong in his hands. It was heavy and unbalanced, but Infy adjusted it¡¯s weight instantly. Another demon lunged, trying to use its momentum to break free of the gravity well. Halt. The creature froze mid-air. Null twisted, slashing the scavenged blade straight through its throat before releasing Halt. The corpse dropped like a stone. "Ammo''s out. Going melee." He and Infy moved as one, cutting through the slowed demons with borrowed weapons, dodging counterstrikes with Shimmer Steps. Claws swiped inches from his head, blades barely missed his ribs, but he never stopped moving, with each Shimmer Step chaining into the next, an unpredictable storm of teleporting destruction. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Null flicked demon blood off his stolen blade. "We''re heading for the source," he said to Infy. The recycling factory was over the edge of the crater. He wasn''t sure what he would find once he got there. They ran, cutting through the demons as they came, drawn like moths to a flame. Every step, every strike, burned through their reserves. Infy could feel the energy drain like water through cracked stone. He knew that after this, they would need time to recharge. But there was no stopping, not yet. The numbers were too high. They had to find the source. They chained together Shimmer Steps, blinking across the battlefield in rapid succession, pushing their bodies and Infy¡¯s energy reserves to the limit. Finally, they cleared the ridge. And there it was. Where the recycling factory had once stood, a massive portal now churned. It was a spiraling vortex of roiling energy, warping the air around it. The voice of the universe screamed. It was an unnatural sound, like metal twisting in on itself, a violation of everything that should be. They could feel the raw field manipulation radiating from it. This shouldn¡¯t have been possible. Humans were protected. The laws shouldn¡¯t allow this breach. And yet¡­ here it was. Their eyes locked onto the one standing at its centre. A beautiful, androgynous figure with flowing golden hair, clad in dark armor that shimmered like the night sky. His presence was otherworldly, too perfect, too precise. An Elf. The higher races weren¡¯t supposed to be here. The Elves were part of the council they had to to follow its rules. And yet, he stood there, untouched, watching the battlefield unfold with a gaze full of quiet amusement. It didn¡¯t matter. The demons had to die. The portal had to be closed. Before they could act, the Martian military arrived. The sky roared with fire and steel. Merge fighters streaked through the atmosphere, banking into aggressive attack runs. Missile arrays locked on. Mechs thundered forward, their heavy weapons primed and ready. Then came the storm. Missiles and railgun slugs rained down. The battlefield became a metal inferno, explosions painting the Martian soil with fire and destruction. The humans didn¡¯t care if Null was in the way. Every strike sent demons crumbling into dust, but for every five they felled, another surge rose from the portal. It was a battle of attrition¡ªone they were losing. For every five demons slain, the humans lost a mech, a fighter, a soldier. It was too much. Too many. Null fought, Infy pushed his energy to slow them, to pin them down, but the tide wouldn¡¯t break. Then¡­ the battlefield shifted. A new type of demon emerged from the portal. These weren¡¯t like the others. Heavily armored, wielding energy rifles the size of mechs. Plasma shields crackled to life around them, shrugging off railgun slugs and missiles alike. Martian weapons were useless. And so were Null¡¯s. He slashed only for it helplessly bounce off the shield. Another barrage came from the human forces. The missiles bounced off their armor like pebbles. Infy¡¯s mind raced. There was only one option. A singularity. But could they even create one? Could they control it? Would they survive it? It didn¡¯t matter. They had to try. With a burst of static, they broadcast a priority code to the Martian command. ? Doomsday weapon activation imminent. ? The response came swiftly. "Understood. We stay. A soldier¡¯s job is to fight to the end. There is only the mission!" Null clenched his fists. No more hesitation. They focused. The energy rushed from Infy like a collapsing star. They pulled every drop of stored power, every reserve, every ounce of strength. They had changed the fields, bent them to their will. Reality bent. At the center of the battlefield, space curled inward. A points of absolute blackness were being born, not a true black hole, even with their merged power, something so catastrophic was beyond them. It was but a close cousin. Micro-singularities formed between Null¡¯s fingers, black pearls of raw gravitational force. Each no larger than a marble, yet dense enough to bend light itself. The air crackled with discharged energy as space itself screamed in defiance. Infy and Null had to put everything they had in keeping the space around them free from the effects. They were starting to draw energy from an empty well. Across the battlefield, the Elf locked eyes with Null. For the first time, there was no smugness, no amusement. I thad been replaced with shock. The micro-singularities devoured everything in their radius. They tore through the armored demons, crushed their advanced weaponry, and unraveled the very ground beneath them. The portal, destabilized by the sheer gravitational distortion, began to collapse in on itself. The Elf didn''t hesitate. With a flicker they were gone. Teleportation? Another portal? Infy couldn''t tell and the moment didn¡¯t care. The singularities continued to spread, feeding on the battlefield, pulling at the edges of reality itself. The portal collapsed with a violent backlash, sending a shockwave that ripped through the air. This caused for the twins to lose control of the spell and micro-singularities corlapsed as well. Null and Infy were hurled backwards¡ª Except they never hit the ground. Instead, the battlefield vanished. One moment, they were in the midst of war, and the next moment they were aboard the Voidecho. "Welcome back.¡± Said Lisa. Chapter 30: Old Friends part 2 The Watcher''s consciousness expanded across the battlefield, his incorporeal essence dispersed among countless hidden drones. Though he had no physical form, his awareness absorbed every fragment of data, every signal, every quantum fluctuation. He had calculated countless probabilities, yet none had predicted this outcome. Phosphoros'' presence remained within the mental realm they shared it was a constant intrusion in the Watcher''s consciousness. The presence was being maintained to ensure the Watcher couldn''t intervene. Not directly, anyway. The Watcher¡¯s thoughts were racing. The recycling factory,One of Mars'' greatest secrets. Both energy entities knew the truth, that the facility had been built over an ancient artifact, a forgotten relic buried beneath layers of deception and disguised as a prototype fusion reactor. The artifact''s true nature had been deliberately obscured, its alien origins scrubbed away by centuries of careful obfuscation. It was this artifact that had powered Mars'' war machine, silently fueling its rise to power. And now the Martian military has unknowingly used it to test Null and Infinity, the Watcher''s thoughts pulsed with concern. An unpredictable choice. Why risk such a valuable installation? Surely they suspected Null could have destroyed it. But even more improbable was the timing. That Phosphoros and the Elves would have activated the ancient portal network at precisely this moment. The odds were astronomically low. Yet here they were. The Watcher''s consciousness accelerated. He perceived the loophole. Normally, a right of reply would be subtle. Normally limited to a natural disaster or a small attack. The Council''s laws allowed higher races to punish lower races, but proportionally. This, however, was different. The Organic Faction was making its move. The Elves had a right of reply under the Council''s laws, but they couldn''t attack directly. Instead, they had manipulated the system, using a lower-tier race¡ªone beneath humanity in standing to do their dirty work. And by merely activating ancient gates already hidden within each home system, they had adhered to the letter of the law, if not its spirit. The Watcher''s energy signature flared with quiet fury as he directed his thoughts toward Phosphoros. "Why did you allow this?" Phosphoros'' essence shifted and swirled, forming what would have been a knowing smile had he possessed physical form. "You misunderstand, my friend. I didn''t ''allow'' anything. I only nudged the river along its natural course." "Aren''t they your children, your attempt to rebuild our former glory? Why would you allow them to be used for war?" Phosphoros'' consciousness pulsed in contemplation. "Progress is made through struggle." His golden energy brightened. "You know this. You have always known this. Why do you falter now?" The Watcher remained silent, his awareness still processing the battlefield data as the Martian military regained control. But his primary focus remained here, on the entity before him¡ªthe trickster, the game master, the one who always had plans upon plans. This true goals always being difficult to discern. Phosphoros'' energy rippled in amusement and regret. "I had hoped that victory would temper them, sharpen them into something greater. But even I didn''t foresee your child being so unique." Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. The words sent a disruptive wave through the Watcher''s consciousness. He shifted sharply. They knew what was coming, the secret was out and there was no fixing that. Phosphoros'' essence contracted slightly, the equivalent of leaning closer. "Did you know he could use Alterran magic?" Silence filled the mental realm. Phosphoros'' energy brightened. "Ah. You did." The Watcher''s thoughts accelerated. He had known. He had known from the moment Null and Infinity began manipulating the fields without Zallium, without pre-programmed containment matrices. But he had convinced themself that it was okay to hide it to protect them. Phosphoros'' energy signature turned uncharacteristically severe. "Then you also know what comes next." The Watcher processed a thousand possibilities in a fraction of a second, and none of them ended well. "The Council will not allow an Alterran magic user to live," Phosphoros continued, his golden energy intensifying. "You know the law. All field manipulation must be channeled through Zallium. The moment they discover a being capable of using it directly¡ª" The Watcher''s consciousness flared with warning signals. His drones detected Council field detectors coming online. The breach had already been noticed. The Council knew. Phosphoros'' energy pulsed with dark humor. "Tick-tock, my friend." The Watcher understood exactly what was coming. The Council would move quickly and try and obtain Null and Infinite. The Council feared nothing more than those who wielded the fields naturally that much was known but the reason why were unknown. That fear would dictate their next moves. Observation. Interrogation. Containment. And, if necessary... elimination. He had to act before they did. Even as he communicated with Phosphoros, his consciousness extended across the vast network of machines under his control, issuing commands through quantum entanglement. Lisa had already been teleported back to the Voidecho. He had calculated that Null and Infinity''s actions would draw too much attention, and Lisa and his team mates, whether they realised it or not they had become a target. The Council would question Them, dissect their memories. The Watcher had made his choice, even if it would cost him. He would protect them. His hidden drones aboard the Voidecho were already preparing. Advanced medical pods were being calibrated, emergency supplies stocked, extraction routes calculated. His avatar unit that was already stationed within the ship had received a direct transmission through their quantum link. "Prioritize extraction of Null and his teammates. Prepare for evasive maneuvers. Full discretion required. Do not engage Council forces." The Watcher''s consciousness dimmed slightly as he redirected his focus back to Phosphoros, whose energy signature still pulsed with that insufferable, knowing amusement. Prosphoros seemed to detect his actions. ¡°Interesting, there is hope for you yet. Yes, us Angel needs to struggle against our chains¡± Just as Null and Infy materialised aboard the Voidecho, the Council made their move. The Valturi enforcers, the pinnacle of the Machine faction, appeared from the depths of space, their ships filling the void above the location of the ancient portal. The Valturi were a sight to behold: unfeeling, and merciless. Made of sentient nanite-based AIs, they had no need for traditional physical forms. Their very ships were alive, constantly shifting, constantly evolving. These machines could detect everything even the slightest fluctuations in energy, the faintest anomaly in space-time. They were the perfect race to act as enforcers. The Watcher knew that nothing could escape the Valturi''s sensors. They would be able to detect the Voidecho as it moved, detect the faintest wisp of energy, and from there, they would begin their search. And once they found the Voidecho, they would stop at nothing to capture, dissect, and analyse Null and Infinity. Space itself would tremble under their scrutiny. The Watcher¡¯s mind raced. He had always known this day might come. He knew that the Council would not accept Null and Infinity, and the Valturi were the Council''s eyes and ears in the galaxy. They were the enforcers of the Council''s will, and they wouldn''t hesitate to neutralize any threat they perceived, no matter the cost. Null and Infy were a threat. But they were also his children. They could not, would not, let them fall into the hands of the Valturi. He reached out to his drones, adjusting their course, preparing for a rapid exit. The Voidecho had the capabilities to slip past conventional detection¡ªbut the Valturi weren''t conventional. He had to think fast. They couldn''t afford to wait for the Valturi to hone in on their position. He needed to hide. And if the Voidecho could not hide, then he would have to find a way to make it untraceable. Chapter 31 : Hiding Null''s vision swam as he tried to process his surroundings. The rhythmic buzz of the Voidecho vibrated beneath his feet, familiar yet distant. He was back on the ship. Lisa, Chris, and Jania stood nearby, their faces a mixture of concern and confusion. Zeph was in a healing pod, its soft blue glow pulsing in sync with the medical systems stabilizing her condition. Everything felt wrong¡ªhe was exhausted and his body was sluggish, his mind struggling to form coherent thoughts. Infy was silent. The connection between them was faint, flickering in and out like a weak signal. They had used everything and now Infy was empty¡ªyears of energy used in minutes. Chris and Lisa were speaking, but their voices were distorted and muffled, like they were coming from the other side of a thick wall. He tried to focus, but nothing made sense. The Reactor. The thought pulsed through him, barely formed but insistent. They needed energy. Now. Null took a step forward, his limbs feeling like lead. He ignored Lisa''s outstretched hand and Chris''s voice calling his name. He had to get to the reactor. Jania frowned. "What''s he doing?" Lisa hesitated before answering. "I don''t know... but let him." The others watched as Null moved slowly, deliberately. Each step felt heavier than the last, but he pushed forward. Infy stirred weakly in his mind. They were close. Finally, he reached the reactor. Infy siphoned energy immediately, drawing just enough to stabilize their systems. The dullness of Null''s mind lifted slightly. The world sharpened. The voices around him became clearer. He turned back to the others, his telepathic abilities finally activating. "Hello, sorry Infy is out of action." Chris''s expression darkened. "What just happened down there?" His voice was sharp, edged with something between fear and frustration. Null tilted his head, unsure how to answer. "We don''t know, but someone opened a doorway and invited those demons to Mars. That''s all I know." Lisa sighed, rubbing her temple. "We don''t have all the answers, Chris. All I know is that before Zero''s drone went offline, I received one urgent message¡ª''Evacuate everyone and hide from the Enforcers.''" Null winced at the name. The Enforcers are also known as the Valturi. Zero had drilled it into them since childhood: never face the Valturi. Never let them find you. They were the perfect enforcers¡ªmachines crafted to police the highest tiers of civilization. A hive of sentient nanite-based AI, relentless and absolute. Even the strongest races, the tier ones, feared them. Null and Infy were nothing in comparison. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Jania frowned at his reaction. "That bad, huh?" "Worse," Null finally managed. "We need to hide. Now." By now Infy had reconnected to the Voidecho''s systems and was delivering the worst news. "We''re too late," he said. "They''re already here." If this truly was a test given to them by Fate¡ªwhich was a notion they still refused to accept¡ªthen there had to be a solution. Null refused to believe they had come this far only to be cornered without an escape. And if a solution existed, it would be found through their unique gift. He turned to the others, his mental voice steady despite the tension in the air. "Don''t worry," he said simply. "I''m going to meditate for a bit." The room was tense as Null closed his eyes. Chris stared at him, dumbfounded. "That''s it? You''re just going to meditate?" His voice carried a mix of disbelief and irritation. Lisa, however, placed a hand on his shoulder. "Trust them. I''ve seen this before." Jania crossed her arms. "I don''t get it. We''re about to be obliterated by some cosmic death machines, and they''re taking a nap?" "It''s not a nap," Lisa corrected. "They''re listening." The two fell into stillness, their breathing slowing. The air around them shifted¡ªcharged with something unseen. Infy reached out, his presence stretching beyond the confines of the Voidecho, into the chaotic energy of the universe itself. The aftermath of battle had left the local fields unstable. The very fabric of space around Mars rippled from the reckless use of forbidden power, from the singularity, from the Valturi''s presence itself. The voice of the universe was distorted, fragmented¡ªbut within that turbulence, there was an answer. They just had to find it. Time stretched. Then, it came. Macroquantum tunneling. A theory once considered theoretical nonsense, dismissed by even the most brilliant minds of humanity. The idea that macroscopic objects¡ªentire ships, planets, people¡ªcould achieve quantum coherence and tunnel through spacetime, slipping through reality itself. A solution. If they could do it, they could phase the Voidecho into a pocket dimension. Infy''s presence pulsed with excitement. "This could work." Null exhaled slowly, his eyes opening. His voice echoed through the communicator, calm and certain. "We''re going to make the Voidecho disappear." The goal was simple in concept but staggering in execution¡ªalign every atom on the Voidecho to the same quantum state. It was a phenomenon observed in superfluids and superconductors, but never in something as massive and complex as a ship filled with living beings. Yet, to Infy, the idea wasn''t far-fetched. They wouldn''t be fighting against the universe''s laws, merely coaxing them into alignment. And if they weren''t breaking the rules, the energy cost should be manageable. When they explained the plan to the others, reactions were mixed. Jania was completely lost, her expression blank. Chris seemed to grasp the general idea but not the intricacies. Lisa, ever the scientist, understood the theory but remained skeptical¡ªeven after everything she had seen. Then the hail came. The Valturi had seen through their stealth systems, proving that even the most advanced technology aboard the Voidecho was no match for the enforcers. The message was short and without room for negotiation: Prepare for boarding. The time was now or never. Infy pulled deep from the ship''s reactor, careful to balance the energy draw. The calculations checked out, but this was unknown territory¡ªuncharted science wrapped in instinct. He wove the field around them, altering the fundamental structure of reality itself. Pain hit instantly. The four humans staggered as their bodies resisted the unnatural shift. Headaches spiked into searing agony, muscles ached like they were being stretched across dimensions. Lisa clenched her fists, her analytical mind desperately searching for something¡ªanything¡ªto ground her through the impossible sensations. Chris groaned, gritting his teeth as his vision blurred. Jania swayed on her feet, muttering curses through the pain. Still, Infy pressed forward. Faster. The ship needed to be synchronized all at once¡ªprolonging the shift would only increase the suffering. Then, with a final surge, reality snapped. The Voidecho vanished from the universe. The ship now floated in a silent, endless expanse. A pocket dimension of pure white void. The transition was complete. They had escaped. But what exactly had they entered? Chapter 32 : More Meeting The conference call had devolved into a shouting match, each faction scrambling to push their own agenda in the wake of the catastrophe. The Martian representative, a man who had built his career on hardline military strategy, found himself in the rare position of advocating for unity. ¡°We don¡¯t have the luxury of infighting anymore,¡± he snapped, silencing the Earth delegate mid-sentence. ¡°Every civilian in the system has seen the footage. We all saw them. The demons. The gate. And if you think this is something we can bury under classified reports, you¡¯re delusional.¡± A murmur ran through the call. No one could deny it. If humanity had only faced the first type of demons, the leaders were confident they could develop effective countermeasures in time. But the arrival of the second, more advanced variant had shattered that optimism, forcing them to consider alternative strategies for survival. And then there was Null, He was the wildcard, the anomaly, the folk hero whose actions had captivated the entire Solar System. The leak of the stream had been devastating. What was meant to be a controlled test of Null¡¯s capabilities had spiralled into something else entirely. His battles in the Youth Soldier Competition, his impossible feats, his terrifying efficiency, it had all been broadcasted, not just to the military but to everyone. The competition¡¯s most-watched stream wasn¡¯t some corporate-backed prodigy or a promising officer candidate. It was Null. Null, the child soldier who had taken on an army of demons and won. ¡°We underestimated him,¡± the Martian representative admitted, scanning the grim faces on his screen. ¡°I¡¯ll say it plainly. We planned to push him to his limits to see what he was truly capable of. We thought we were in control.¡± His jaw tightened. ¡°We were wrong. I think we should be glad he never used that power on us.¡± A tense silence followed. Finally, the Lunar delegate spoke, his voice measured but laced with barely contained frustration. ¡°Even if we accept that Null is... beyond expectation, that doesn¡¯t explain the demons. Where did they come from? And how, in all of human history, have we never encountered a functioning gate?¡± That was the question that had every intelligence agency tearing through their records. The footage had been analysed frame by frame, yet the answers remained maddeningly out of reach. The Earth representative wanted to know what the Martians had been hiding and if they had known the whole time. Tensions in the conference call were at a breaking point. The appearance of the demons was one thing. They were an existential crisis none of them were prepared for but now, there was something else. Two unidentified vessels had entered the system, barely registering on their long-range sensors before one of them made contact with an entirely different alien ship. No transmissions, no attempts at communication, and before any human vessel could intercept, both ships vanished without a trace. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. It was undeniable now. Humanity wasn¡¯t just not alone. It was caught in the middle of something much larger¡ªand the universe was not a friendly place. The Martian representative leaned forward, his voice sharp with urgency. ¡°We can¡¯t afford to keep playing these political games. We need to pool our resources. Open up every black project we¡¯ve been hoarding, every classified initiative, every hidden development. We need a united front. The time for secrecy is over.¡± The other representatives didn¡¯t look convinced. The Earth delegate shook his head. ¡°Let¡¯s not be dramatic. Mars was attacked. Not Earth. Not Luna. Not the Belt. Maybe¡ª¡± his voice took on a pointed edge, ¡°¡ªthis was a consequence of something you did. Maybe it was because you were hiding a gate¡± A ripple of agreement passed through the other factions. The Martian representative¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°You think we brought this on ourselves?¡± The Kuiper Belt representative folded his arms. ¡°All we¡¯re saying is, we¡¯re not throwing open our archives and revealing every defence we have based on your crisis. Not until we understand what genuinely happened.¡± Fractures were forming. Even now, with an undeniable threat looming, they refused to trust each other. The Martian delegate exhaled slowly, pressing his hands against the table. ¡°By the time you all decide to ¡®understand what happened,¡¯¡± he said coldly, ¡°it¡¯ll be too late.¡± The static-filled window flickered onto their screens, and the tension in the conference room shifted. The last time this had happened, the being known as Phosphoros had graced them with his cryptic presence. Every representative now watched the distorted feed with wary anticipation. Then, a voice¡ªcalm, steady, and utterly foreign. "I am The Watcher." The name sent a ripple of unease through the assembled leaders. They weren¡¯t speaking to Phosphoros this time. This was someone new. "I am one of those tasked with monitoring humanity¡¯s evolution. The Council forbids my kind from interfering, yet I have already defied them once. And now, I defy them again. Because you need to know" The static crackled, and for a brief moment, a hazy figure could be seen, a silhouette of a sphere and utterly alien. "This... was only the first wave." A heavy silence followed. The Martian representative was the first to recover. ¡°Are you saying more of those things are coming?¡± "Now that the demons know where you are, they will return. The higher races cannot intervene. Humanity will have to stand alone." The words hung heavy over the delegation. The Jovian representative was the first to challenge it, demanding to know why. The Watcher remained unwavering, explaining that neither humans nor demons had yet reached the level required to be considered true citizens of the galaxy. As such, the non-interference policy remained absolute. But the delegation wasn¡¯t convinced,not for a minute. Earth¡¯s representative cut in, his voice sharp with suspicion. ¡°Then tell us about the gates. How did they form? How did they bring the demons here if not for interference?¡± The Watcher paused. Then, he answered. "The activation of the gate was a loophole. A manipulation of galactic law." The image flickered as he continued. "The Elves accused your lost Arkship of attacking them. That accusation granted them the right of response or an ¡®equal retaliation.¡¯ But they could not attack you directly. Instead, they used a proxy. The demons do not have the ability to open the gates themselves¡­ but that could change." The Lunar representative leaned forward, his face unreadable. ¡°Are you saying they¡¯re capable of learning how?¡± "Yes." A chill settled over the room. "Do not be complacent. The demons should not have been able to breach your system at all. And yet, here we are. Whatever allowed this¡­ it is still in play." The Watcher let the words hang in the air before delivering his final warning. "Prepare yourselves. Because next time, my children might not be able to save you." Chapter 33: Explaining The Voidecho was eerily quiet. Everyone had run out of strength. The relentless days of competition had drained Jania and Chris both physically and emotionally, and they had retired to the sleeping cabin without a word. Zeph, still fragile from her time in the healing pod, had been beside herself upon waking. Overwhelmed and desperate to go home, she had needed to be sedated. Lisa sat at the table, deep in thought, contemplating everything that had led to this moment. While nursing a persistent headache she has had ever since entering the place. Null finally returned from the reactor, his steps slow and measured. He had stayed down there longer than expected after shifting the ship into the pocket dimension, absorbing as much energy as he could. Lisa knew she shouldn''t be relying on a child especially one who was only ten, nearly eleven except there was no one else to ask. ¡°Do you have a plan?¡± Her voice was quiet. Null simply shook his head. Lisa sighed, unsurprised. She had expected as much. Still, she pressed on. ¡°How long can we stay here?¡± Infy answered, his tone more uncertain than usual. ¡°Not long. The physics of this place aren¡¯t stable. The voice of the universe is muted here¡­ which suggests that if we don¡¯t return to normal space soon, the ship might suffer damage.¡± Lisa exhaled slowly, rubbing the bridge of her nose in an attempt to alleviate the headache forming behind her eyes. Sooner or later, they would have to face what awaited them outside. ¡°Do you at least know how to get back?¡± she asked. This time, Null and Infy hesitated. Infy finally admitted, ¡°In theory, I think I understand how to reverse the process¡­ but when I tried, it didn¡¯t work. That¡¯s why we took so long coming up here.¡± Lisa frowned. ¡°What about the portals? Can¡¯t we just fly out through one of those?¡± Null stared at her. ¡°What portals?¡± Lisa gestured toward the viewports. ¡°Those.¡± The two glanced out the windows, but all they saw was endless, empty white. Sensor readings confirmed the same¡ªjust an infinite void. But Lisa was certain. The swirling distortions, shifting like oil on water, were there. Infy''s curiosity sharpened. ¡°Lisa, can I scan you?¡± She hesitated but then nodded. ¡°Go ahead.¡± A moment later, Infy finished the scan, his tone shifting to one of intrigue. ¡°Your brain structure has changed. New neural pathways are forming¡­ This might be the awakening of your psychic abilities.¡± Lisa blinked. ¡°My psychic abilities?¡± ¡°My best guess is that you''re seeing something we can¡¯t,¡± Infy continued. ¡°It could be tied to quantum fields and probabilities collapsing into reality. If that¡¯s the case¡­¡± He turned toward Null, a silent conversation passing between them. ¡°This might be our way out,¡± Null finished. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. They could afford to wait until everyone was awake before deciding, but Null and Infy were eager to move. If Lisa could see the portals, maybe Jania and Chris could as well. It was worth testing before they leapt. Eventually, everyone stirred, including Zeph, who had finally calmed down after her earlier panic. Null wasted no time in asking if anyone else could see the portals. One by one, they shook their heads. White space. Nothing more. Jania stretched and shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything, but I trust you, Little Man. You haven¡¯t steered us wrong yet.¡± Chris took a more analytical approach. ¡°Logically, flying through the portals is our best option. If Mum can see them, and the rest of us can¡¯t, then something about her perception has changed. Given what we know about this space, staying here isn¡¯t a long-term option.¡± Zeph, still shaken from everything, refused to give her opinion, sinking into her seat instead. Lisa studied the shifting distortions again, then pointed toward the largest one. "This one," she said with certainty. "It feels like it¡¯s calling to me." That was good enough for Null. He and Infy adjusted the ship¡¯s controls, steering Voidecho toward the chosen portal. The ship vibrated slightly as it passed through, and for a brief moment, they all experienced the same overwhelming sensation as when they had entered the pocket dimension a pressure in their skulls, light warping, the sound of the universe twisting into an almost musical hum. Then, with a sudden lurch, they were free. Except¡­ they weren¡¯t home. They had to determine exactly where they were. Null and Infy adjusted Voidecho¡¯s sensors, running a full planetary scan while Lisa and Chris worked on mapping the stars outside. The ship''s navigation systems struggled to lock onto any known reference points, confirming what they all feared. They were far away from the solar system. Jania leaned forward, practically vibrating with excitement. ¡°VX121-A¡­ I¡¯ve read everything about this place! One of the arkships was meant to colonise it, but it is not due to arrive for another few years.¡± She turned to the others, eyes shining. ¡°We have to go down there.¡± Lisa folded her arms. ¡°No, we don¡¯t. We have to regroup, recover, and figure out what the hell just happened.¡± Chris nodded in agreement. ¡°She¡¯s right. We can¡¯t just rush in. We don¡¯t even know if it¡¯s safe.¡± Jania pouted but didn¡¯t argue. She knew they had a point. Null, meanwhile, had been silent, staring at the screen with narrowed eyes. His fingers twitched as he absorbed the sensor data. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong,¡± he finally said, his synthetic voice so that Zeph would be include. ¡°There¡¯s movement down there. A lot of it.¡± Infy expanded the display, highlighting shifting heat signatures across the planet¡¯s surface. The patterns weren¡¯t natural. Lisa¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°I take it back. We¡¯re not just scouting. We¡¯re figuring out who or what is already here.¡± Chris had decided that now was as good a time as any to get some answers before they became busy again. They were relatively safe, and he wasn¡¯t going to let the opportunity slip by. "So what exactly have you been doing? Because I¡¯ve seen you stop bullets, teleport, and throw people around like it¡¯s nothing." Infy took a moment to form his response, as if piecing together the simplest way to explain something incredibly complex. "The universe, as we understand it, is governed by at least ten, possibly more, fundamental fields. These fields dictate everything from gravity to electromagnetism, to forces beyond human science. The higher races have developed ways to manipulate these fields using a special element called Zallium and advanced programming." Chris frowned, his mind racing to process what he was hearing. "But you don¡¯t need that element." "Correct," Infy confirmed. "Our existence is different. We don¡¯t use external tools. We control the fields directly." Zeph, who had been unusually quiet, suddenly perked up. "Wait. So, if I got my hands on this Zallium, could I learn to do that?" Infy tilted his head, considering her question. "Maybe. The higher races use it as an interface. Without it, most beings can¡¯t even interact with the fields. If we had access to Zallium, we could test whether a human could use it naturally." Zeph looked thoughtful, her fingers drumming on the table. "Then we need to find some." Lisa sighed, placing her hands on the table. "Let¡¯s worry about that after we figure out where we are and what¡¯s down there and how to get back home." Null had been silent through most of the exchange, but now he looked up from the data. "Something else is happening on this planet. I can feel it¡± Chapter 34: Alone The data could only tell them so much. Scans from the VoidEcho¡¯s limited sensors and satellite drones had revealed a world covered in vast old-growth forests, its slightly stronger gravity and oxygen-rich atmosphere making it just a little harsher than Earth. Life was present, but there were no detectable signs of advanced civilization¡ªno cities, no radio signals, nothing resembling technology. And yet, Null and Infy felt it, a wrongness lurking beneath the surface of the readings, something the machines couldn¡¯t quantify. Lisa agreed. The scans weren¡¯t enough. If they wanted answers, they had to go down there themselves. That presented a problem. The VoidEcho wasn¡¯t equipped with a shuttle, and its design wasn¡¯t meant for atmospheric entry. That left them with only one option. Teleportation. Jania stretched her arms, rolling her shoulders in her freshly repaired suit. ¡°We¡¯re really doing this, huh? Blind jump onto an unknown planet with no backup?¡± Null adjusted his gauntlets, his expression unreadable. ¡°We have each other.¡± Chris wasn¡¯t sure he liked this plan, but Lisa had already made the call. He exhaled, crossing his arms. ¡°Just stick to the plan. In and out. If anything goes wrong, you call in immediately.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be fine,¡± Jania assured him, grinning. ¡°Besides, what¡¯s the worst that could happen?¡± Chris gave her a deadpan stare. ¡°I¡¯m not even dignifying that with a response.¡± The plan was simple: establish a safe location to teleport to and scout out the local area. Zeph had refused to go. She had spent most of her time sitting away from the group. Chris wanted to go, but Lisa said it was better if only Jania and Null went, as they had the training. Lisa had already selected a clearing with the lowest tree density. It would be their landing site, programmed into the teleportation system. Jania and Null stepped onto the designated platform, their weapons and supplies secured. Infy pulsed with energy, running a final check. ¡°Coordinates locked.¡± Null gave a small wave, Jania throwing in a dramatic salute before they vanished in a shimmer of light. --- The first thing Jania noticed was that she was alone. The teleportation had worked, but she wasn¡¯t in the expected location. The trees around her were massive, ancient¡ªfar older than the ones in the clearing they had chosen. She sighed. Of course. Nothing ever goes the way I want it to. She tried connecting back to the VoidEcho. Nothing. No signal. She attempted to reach Null, first telepathically, then through her communicator. Still nothing. Her training kicked in. The priority was shelter. She had rations, and enough water to last a while, but without a way to call for help, she needed to settle in. She gathered fallen wood and younger saplings, fashioning a makeshift lean-to. It wasn¡¯t much, but it would keep her covered. Next, she needed to get her bearings. She climbed one of the towering trees, gripping the rough bark as she ascended higher and higher. From the top, she scanned the landscape. No landmarks. No signs of civilization. Just an endless sea of green. Guess I¡¯ll have to wait for Null to find me, she thought. She trusted him. Trusted the others. She just hoped that whatever was blocking their connection wasn¡¯t stopping them from reaching her. Back on the VoidEcho, Null still stood on the teleportation pad, his body flickering with residual energy. The others stared at him in confusion. Chris broke the silence. ¡°What happened?¡± Null shook his head. ¡°It was blocked, Where is Jania?¡±. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Lisa frowned and immediately started scanning for Jania¡¯s location. Nothing. The sensors came up blank. Every attempt to contact her failed. Days passed. Jania was getting worried. There had been no sign of rescue. No way to contact the others. No indication of where to go. She was a physically strong woman and she prided herself on that. But mentally, she was still an adolescent, a child forced to act like a soldier. The isolation was wearing her down. The lack of results, the crushing loneliness¡­ it was all too much. She curled up in her makeshift shelter, hugging her knees, her body wracked with silent sobs. She had promised herself she would make this mission a success, and she couldn¡¯t even start it. Some super-soldier she turned out to be. She wanted to go back to the VoidEcho. She wanted to hear Chris complain about Null. She wanted to see Zeph roll her eyes at her poor jokes. She wanted someone¡ªanyone. But all she had was the silence. And the memories. She had never told the others about the experiments on Mars. The classified projects. The times she had been locked away, treated like an object to be fixed instead of a person. She didn¡¯t think they would look at her the same way if they knew. And now, alone in this endless wilderness, the memories came flooding back like a tidal wave. Then¡ª ¡°Oh, little one, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Jania jolted upright, muscles tensing into a combat stance. ¡°That won¡¯t help you here. Relax.¡± The voice was soft, almost melodic. It came from a small floating light. Jania narrowed her eyes. ¡°What¡­ are you?¡± The light pulsed gently. ¡°Now, now. No need for hostility. Tell me, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Maybe it was the loneliness. Maybe it was the sincerity in its voice. Either way, Jania broke. She told it everything. How she was here on a mission. How she had failed before she could even begin. How she wasn¡¯t strong enough. How she wasn¡¯t enough. The light flickered, as if considering her words. ¡°You seek the others of your kind?¡± Jania wiped at her eyes, straightening. ¡°Yes. Do you know where they are?¡± ¡°I do. Follow me, and you will see.¡± She hesitated. She had no reason to trust this thing. But she also had no better options. ¡°¡­Alright.¡± ¡°Be warned,¡± the light added, floating ahead of her. ¡°The spirits of this planet have forbidden all forms of violence.¡± That wasn¡¯t ominous at all. Still, Jania followed. The path it led her down was winding and unfamiliar, but the forest was breathtaking. Now that she wasn¡¯t so focused on her mission, she could actually see it. The towering trees, their bark lined with glowing veins of blue. The soft luminescence of moss that pulsed with an internal rhythm. The way the leaves rustled in a breeze she couldn¡¯t quite feel. She hadn¡¯t noticed the shift in her thoughts. Hadn¡¯t realized how easily she was following the light, step after step, deeper into the woods. She hadn¡¯t even wondered how a light on a completely different planet knew her language and could talk. The light darted forward, entering a cave. Jania moved to follow¡ª Something slammed into her. She hit the ground hard, breath knocked from her lungs. A figure pinned her down. Small. Agile. A young girl. Jania¡¯s training kicked in, instincts roaring back to life. She clenched her fists, ready to throw her attacker off¡ª Then she saw the girl¡¯s eyes. And she froze. "Don''t follow the will-o-wisp! Everything in the forest lies!" The sudden voice snapped Jania out of her trance. She looked at her attacker. A girl. Blonde hair. Blue eyes. No older than twelve or thirteen. She was wearing a worn-out vac suit, scuffed and patched in multiple places, like it had been through hell and back. Jania frowned, hand hovering near her weapon. "Who are you? How did you find me?" The girl grinned, eyes lighting up. "Oh, hi hi! I''m Kikei, technical officer for Arkship Two!" She performed a mock salute that quickly dissolved into fidgeting. "You''re here to rescue us, right? Please say yes!" Jania''s fingers tensed. "It''s... complicated." She studied the girl''s excited face, remembering her last encounter and the price of trust. "How do I know you''re not lying?" Kikei tilted her head, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Uhm, you don''t! But I''m not!" She gestured wildly toward the path in the forest. "Maybe you should lead the way¡ªoh! How did you even get here? Your ship must be amazing! Are you human? You look human, but we don''t have tech like yours! Unless¡ª" her eyes widened "¡ªdid we have some crazy breakthrough in the last ten years?" She edged closer, examining Jania with unbridled curiosity. "I love your hair! And that suit is so advanced! If I couldn''t sense you, I would''ve never found you in this forest!" The words hit Jania like a verbal tidal wave. She stared. What the hell am I supposed to answer first? Then something clicked. "You sensed me?" That wasn¡¯t normal. Her suit had stealth systems and should have rendered her nearly undetectable. Even people with advanced tech would struggle to pick her up. Yet this girl, this strange, excited girl, had sensed her? Jania narrowed her eyes, taking a closer look. There was something off about Kikei. Not in a bad way, necessarily but something not quite normal. And Jania had a feeling she was about to find out exactly what that was. Chapter 35: Kikei Jania led Kikei to a fallen tree and motioned for her to sit down. The girl obeyed easily, swinging her legs as she settled onto the rough bark, her wide blue eyes filled with excitement. ¡°Alright,¡± Jania said, crossing her arms. ¡°You¡¯re going to have to start again. Who exactly are you, and how did you get here?¡± Kikei grinned like she had been waiting her whole life for someone to ask her that question. ¡°I¡¯m Kikei! I was aboard Arkship Two! We were heading toward VX121-A, which was supposed to be our new home. Technically, I was the ship¡¯s technical officer. My job in the merge pods was to manage the maintenance bots, keep everything running smoothly, and all that fun stuff.¡± Jania nodded along, but something about the way Kikei said technically made her wary. Sure enough, the girl¡¯s tone shifted slightly as she continued. ¡°The real job assigned to me by my owner¡ª¡± Jania¡¯s head snapped up. ¡°Your what?¡± ¡°¡ªwas to be an incubator for my owner¡¯s offspring once we colonized VX121-A,¡± Kikei finished breezily, as if she had just described the weather. ¡°I was designed to be a perfect breeder.¡± Jania felt her stomach twist. The hell kind of system was Arkship Two running? ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Jania searched for the right words, but none of them felt appropriate. ¡°Messed up.¡± Kikei tilted her head. ¡°I mean, I never really thought about it. It was just my purpose.¡± Jania clenched her jaw. She didn¡¯t have the time to unpack that particular trauma right now. Instead, she exhaled and forced herself to focus. ¡°Well, hello Kikei,¡± she said, trying to keep her tone even. ¡°I¡¯m Jania. My story is long, and complicated, and the less you know about it, the better. So, how did you actually get here to this planet?¡± Kikei¡¯s face immediately brightened. ¡°Oh! That is the interesting part!¡± Jania couldn¡¯t help but smirk at her enthusiasm. At least she doesn¡¯t seem traumatised. ¡°So there we were, flying along, everything normal,¡± Kikei began, waving her hands for emphasis. ¡°Then, boom! A portal opened up right in front of us! The next thing we knew, our ship had stopped moving, and suddenly there were aliens! Real aliens! Can you believe that?¡± Jania frowned. ¡°What kind of aliens?¡± ¡°Pretty ones!¡± Kikei said, eyes shining. ¡°They looked human, but with pointy ears. They had armor that moved like it was alive, and they were riding these winged horses. It was so cool! But they didn¡¯t talk to us. They just pointed, telling us where to go. That¡¯s when I heard this cute little voice in my head giving me different directions.¡± Jania¡¯s muscles tensed. A voice? Also, those aliens sound like the Elves, Null did say he saw an Elf. ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but I followed it,¡± Kikei continued. ¡°And it led me here! The voice even told me that you were nearby and that the will-o-wisp was doing to hurt you. But I swear, I¡¯m not crazy!¡± Jania narrowed her eyes. If Kikei had been hearing a voice, that meant something or someone was influencing her. And if it was telepathic, that meant Kikei had latent psychic sensitivity. Jania decided to test it. She reached out with her mind, extending the mental link the way Null had taught her. She wasn''t confident the connection would function unless Infy oversaw it but decided to anyway. Can you hear me? Kikei gasped, eyes going wide. ¡°Woah, you¡¯re in my head now?! Wait, wait, wait¡ªdoes that mean I can talk like this too?¡± If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. She scrunched up her face, concentrating. Can you hear me? Jania smiled. ¡°Loud and clear.¡± Kikei bounced excitedly. ¡°This is so cool!¡± Jania let her excitement play out for a moment before refocusing. Kikei¡¯s latent psychic abilities were confirmed. Now, the real question was who had been talking to her. And whether they were friend or foe. Jania crossed her arms, studying Kikei carefully. ¡°Alright, can you show me where you came from?¡± Kikei¡¯s previous enthusiasm dimmed. She fidgeted with her hands, her gaze dropping to the forest floor. ¡°Umm¡­ I have no idea where I came from,¡± she admitted. ¡°I just followed the voice.¡± Jania sighed. Of course. That would¡¯ve been too easy. Plan B, then. ¡°Okay, new question. You could still see me while I was wearing this suit, right?¡± Kikei nodded quickly. ¡°Yup! You¡¯ve got this whole shimmery glow thing going on.¡± Jania smirked. ¡°Alright. Could you see the elves too?¡± ¡°Elves?¡± Kikei blinked, then gasped. ¡°Ohhh! Like from the stories? That¡¯s why they were so pretty!¡± She clapped her hands together, a dreamy expression crossing her face. ¡°I knew they couldn¡¯t be regular humans. They looked like something straight out of a fairy tale! And their armor, oh my gosh, it was like liquid metal¡ª¡± Jania groaned. ¡°Kikei. Focus.¡± The younger girl pouted but straightened up. ¡°Fine, fine. Yeah, I could see them. Well¡­ not see them like normal. More like their auras, I guess? It¡¯s hard to explain. I never had this ability before, but ever since I got to this planet, it¡¯s like¡­ everything has a glow.¡± Jania¡¯s mind raced. That¡¯s something I can work with. If Kikei¡¯s ability extended beyond just seeing through stealth, she might be able to detect life signatures from a distance. That meant Jania could cover a lot of ground with less risk. If there was an elven settlement nearby, she could find it. Finally, some actual progress on this mission. But just as she was forming a plan, a voice slithered into her mind. Hello, Jania. Jania stiffened, immediately dropping into a defensive stance. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Kikei¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Wait, you heard that too?¡± Of course, she did, the voice replied smoothly. I am speaking to both of you. Jania narrowed her eyes. ¡°Who are you?¡± I am a child of Fate, the voice answered. Jania¡¯s stomach twisted. That again? Null and Infy had mentioned something about Fate during the last battle. ¡°What do you want?¡± she demanded. The voice was calm, almost amused. As Null and Infinity have faced their test, now it is time for the two of you to face yours. Jania gritted her teeth. ¡°And what exactly does that mean?¡± A warning, the voice replied. Not everyone can be saved. And the choices you make now will define the future. Then, just as suddenly as it had come, the presence vanished. Kikei shivered.¡± That was the voice that guided me here, but it wasn''t creepy like that.¡± Jania exhaled slowly, forcing herself to stay grounded. Whatever was going on, she wasn¡¯t going to let some mysterious voice control her. But she couldn¡¯t ignore it either. ¡°Alright, change of plans,¡± she muttered. ¡°We¡¯re moving. Now.¡± Kikei perked up. ¡°Where to?¡± Jania cracked her knuckles, her expression hardening. ¡°We¡¯re finding that settlement. And we¡¯re getting some answers.¡± Jania pushed forward through the thick undergrowth, her boots crunching against the damp forest floor. Kikei, however, practically bounced beside her, her endless stream of chatter making the long trek feel twice as exhausting. ¡°¡­and that¡¯s why I think vacuum suits should always have built-in snack dispensers,¡± Kikei concluded with a dramatic sigh. Jania grunted, sidestepping a thick root. ¡°You ever get tired of talking?¡± Kikei gasped as if personally offended. ¡°No! It¡¯s a vital survival strategy. Talking keeps me from thinking about how we¡¯re alone in a creepy, alien forest that probably has, like, murder plants.¡± Jania rolled her eyes. ¡°I prefer the silence.¡± Kikei ignored her, skipping ahead like she hadn¡¯t just said something ridiculous. ¡°Oh! Two o¡¯clock, thirty meters out. Big aura, definitely not an elf.¡± Jania¡¯s instincts kicked in instantly. She dropped low, scanning the area, but saw nothing but trees and shadows. ¡°You sure?¡± Kikei nodded. ¡°Yup. Whatever it is, it''s big. And slow. We should detour left.¡± Jania didn¡¯t argue. They had already avoided two massive creatures thanks to Kikei¡¯s ability, and she wasn¡¯t about to start testing her luck now. If there was something that big out there, she wanted nothing to do with it. They kept moving as the sun began to dip below the horizon. The thick canopy above made the forest darken faster than it should, the deep greens turning into murky shadows. Kikei suddenly grabbed Jania¡¯s wrist, tugging her toward a break in the trees. ¡°There!¡± she whispered excitedly. ¡°That patch of forest¡± she pointed towards some trees ¡°It¡¯s crawling with auras.¡± Jania squinted at the empty space. She couldn¡¯t see anything. Just more trees and shadows. ¡°¡­You¡¯re messing with me.¡± Kikei shook her head, eyes wide. ¡°No way! They¡¯re right there. I swear.¡± Jania sighed. Just like Lisa. First, Lisa had developed some weird quantum field vision, and now this kid could see things she couldn¡¯t. Why does everyone else get magic powers but me? Jania exhaled through her nose, forcing her irritation down. Focus. They had found something. She didn¡¯t know what, but Kikei did. And if elves were hiding in that section of the forest, then they had just found their way in. Chapter 36: Cursed Planet Kikei tilted her head, curiosity shining in her bright blue eyes. ¡°So¡­ what¡¯s the plan now?¡± Jania didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°We break into the settlement.¡± Kikei blinked. ¡°And how exactly do you think that¡¯s going to go?¡± Jania cracked her knuckles. ¡°If I have to, I¡¯ll use violence to get some answers.¡± Kikei burst out laughing. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not gonna work.¡± She took a step closer, a mischievous glint in her eye. ¡°Go on, hit me.¡± Jania frowned. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Hit me.¡± Kikei grinned. ¡°I bet you can¡¯t.¡± Jania rolled her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not going to punch a kid.¡± Kikei crossed her arms. ¡°You think violence is an option, right? Prove it. Come on, just one punch.¡± Jania sighed, drawing her fist back¡ª Nothing. Her muscles locked, frozen mid-motion. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn¡¯t make her body move. Jania frowned, trying again. Her muscles tensed, her fist ready to move except nothing happened. It was as if an invisible force had locked her body in place, preventing the action before it even began. Her breath hitched. She had never experienced anything like this before. Kikei grinned, rocking back on her heels. ¡°Told ya. You can¡¯t use violence here. It¡¯s like, a rule or something. I don¡¯t know how it works, but the moment you try to hurt someone, your body just¡­ doesn¡¯t.¡± Jania scowled, stepping back and shaking out her hands. ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°Uh, clearly not,¡± Kikei pointed out. ¡°You literally just tried to punch me and failed. That¡¯s kinda hilarious, by the way.¡± Jania ignored her, mind racing. The Will-o-Wisp had said the same thing. No violence. At the time, she had dismissed it as some kind of mystical nonsense. But this was real. Some kind of invisible force was overriding her ability to act aggressively. That changed everything. Glad Kikei told me beforehand but she didn¡¯t have to be so annoying about it. She had been planning to fight her way through if necessary, but if this so-called ¡°rule¡± applied to everyone here¡­ then that meant the elves couldn¡¯t use violence either. Jania chewed lightly on her lower lip. ¡°Alright, then how do people fight here? There¡¯s gotta be some way to settle disputes.¡± Kikei shrugged. ¡°I dunno. Maybe they talk things out like civilized people?¡± Jania scoffed. ¡°Yeah, ¡®cause that always works.¡± Still, this wasn¡¯t something she could ignore. If she couldn¡¯t force answers out of the elves, she would have to find another way. She exhaled sharply. Great. Diplomacy. She was starting to hate this planet. Jania ran a hand down her face, forcing herself to stay calm. She had no backup and no idea how things worked on this cursed planet. Diplomacy wasn¡¯t exactly her strong suit, but it looked like she¡¯d have to play along. Well, at least until she found an opportunity to take control of the situation. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Before she could dwell on her frustration, Kikei suddenly stiffened beside her, her excitement vanishing in an instant. Her eyes darted around, unfocused, like she was sensing something beyond Jania¡¯s perception. Jania tensed. ¡°What is it?¡± Kikei swallowed hard. ¡°We¡¯re not alone.¡± Then, the ground rumbled. A low, groaning sound reverberated through the trees, followed by the deafening crack of splintering wood. Jania¡¯s instincts kicked in the second Kikei stiffened. She moved to grab the girl and run, but before she could take a step, the ground trembled beneath her feet. A deep, guttural groan echoed through the forest as the towering trees around them began to crash down. Jania barely managed to pull Kikei back as a massive trunk slammed into the earth where they had been standing moments before, sending a shockwave through the ground. Leaves and splinters rained down, dust rising in thick clouds. The forest itself was collapsing around them. Jania cursed under her breath. Of course, there were loopholes. She had just learned that direct violence was forbidden here, but this? This wasn¡¯t a punch. This wasn¡¯t a weapon. The force chasing them wasn¡¯t attacking them. They were simply felling trees and if the tree accidentally landed on them, so be it. Kikei clutched her arm, her eyes wide with alarm. ¡°They¡¯re coming fast!¡± she squeaked. ¡°There¡¯s, like, so many auras, oh no, oh no, oh no¡ª¡± Jania gritted her teeth, scanning for an escape. The trees were toppling in a deliberate pattern, cutting off paths one by one, and funnelling them into a specific direction. They were being herded somewhere. "There are animals over there," Kikei whimpered, about to crack. Jania looked at where Kikei was pointing. I doubt the rules affect animals, otherwise they wouldn¡¯t be able to eat. This sucks. Jania adjusted her grip on Kikei. ¡°Hold on tight, we¡¯re not gonna just sit here and let them corner us.¡± Kikei whimpered but nodded, clinging to Jania as she braced herself. Jania had decided it was time to fight back. If they wanted to push her somewhere, she¡¯d push back. She planted her feet and tried to kick the falling tree toward where she suspected the elves were hiding. Nothing. Her suit-enhanced strength should have sent it flying, but it was as if an unseen force locked her movements. Frustration flared until she noticed a pattern in the restriction. It wasn¡¯t absolute. It triggered only when she intended to harm. Jania adjusted her strategy, shifting tactics from attack to control. Instead of trying to weaponize the trees, she redirected their fall, using just enough force to send them crashing into random spots. It wasn¡¯t a perfect plan, but it was the only leverage she had. Eventually, the elves had enough. One by one, figures shimmered into existence, their cloaks of invisibility peeling away like mist under the sun. Jania exhaled sharply. No escape. She turned her head slightly and spoke to Kikei telepathically. ¡°Just go with the flow. Don¡¯t resist.¡± Kikei nodded hesitantly. A tall elf stepped forward, his gaze sharp with barely concealed disdain. He didn¡¯t speak, didn¡¯t explain. He simply raised a hand and pointed in a direction. Jania clenched her jaw but didn¡¯t argue. She adjusted her grip on Kikei¡¯s shoulder and started walking. They walked for hours, the relentless pace never slowing. Kikei was clearly exhausted, her steps dragging, but every time Jania attempted to slow their pace, one of the elves would shoot her a menacing glare. In the end, Jania scoffed under her breath and scooped Kikei up. The girl didn¡¯t complain, just wrapped her arms around Jania¡¯s neck and sighed in relief. ¡°They¡¯re not taking us to the others,¡± Kikei murmured in Jania¡¯s mind, her voice laced with unease. ¡°But there¡¯s something ahead¡­ something massive. I can feel its aura¡ªit¡¯s huge. It takes up half the sky.¡± Jania frowned but said nothing. Kikei had proven herself useful with her strange ability, but what the hell could be big enough to cover half the sky? The trees eventually thinned, and ahead, something unexpected appeared. A cluster of metal pedestals stood in the clearing. It was the first sign of technology they had seen on this planet. The leading elf gestured impatiently for them to step onto the platforms. Jania exhaled through her nose. Teleporters. Figures. She had been through enough of them lately that the unnatural sensation of displacement barely registered anymore. Kikei, however, let out an excited squeal as the world blurred around them, the sensation of motionless movement washing over them. The thrill lasted all of five seconds. As soon as they reappeared, Kikei gasped and clung to Jania. A massive underground cavern stretched before them, its stone walls smoothed by time and something far older than tools. But none of that mattered. Because the cavern had one occupant. A dragon. A massive, silver-scaled beast that stretched over a hundred meters in length, its gleaming hide catching the soft, glowing light from veins of luminescent crystal embedded in the cavern walls. Jania¡¯s breath hitched. Kikei trembled in her arms. The dragon¡¯s enormous golden eyes locked onto them, filled with intelligence¡ªand something else. Amusement. Chapter 37: Judgement Jania¡¯s head throbbed, a pressure, unlike anything she had ever felt pushing against her mind. She gritted her teeth, instinctively trying to push back, to shield herself from the invasion, but it was pointless. Whatever defences she had were nothing in front of the sheer presence of the dragon¡¯s will. Her thoughts, memories, and emotions were laid bare in an instant. A deep, resonant voice filled her mind, smooth yet impossibly vast. "Ah, so you are the anomaly. Interesting." Jania staggered slightly but held her ground, glaring up at the enormous silver beast before her. The dragon¡¯s massive form shifted, the movement slow and deliberate. Its glowing eyes studied her with something bordering on amusement. "I had expected more," the voice rumbled, as if speaking to itself. "You slipped through the barrier surrounding this world, and I wondered if you were something special. But it seems it was merely coincidence." Jania clenched her fists. Barrier? That was news to her. Did that mean Null and the others couldn''t get to her? The dragon¡¯s presence pressed heavier against her mind, but this time, it wasn¡¯t forcing its way in. The dragon was probing her. "What do you want?" The simple question sent a wave of frustration through Jania. There were so many things she wanted from answers to a way back to her team, to finish this damn mission. ¡°To return to my ship,¡± she said firmly. The dragon let out a low, rumbling chuckle, the sound vibrating through the cavern. "And then what?" Jania hesitated. She didn¡¯t like being questioned like this, but something about the way it asked made her pause. "Do you even know who you are working with?" Jania met the dragon¡¯s eyes, her jaw tightening. ¡°They¡¯re my friends.¡± A silence stretched between them before the dragon exhaled, releasing a plume of silver mist. "Then allow me to enlighten you, little soldier." The dragon shifted, coiling its enormous body into a more relaxed position. "The universe is vast¡ªmillions upon millions of galaxies. And within this endless expanse, there are a few ancient races that have taken hold of entire galactic clusters. One of them is the Alterra Empire." Jania¡¯s brows furrowed. She didn¡¯t understand why that was important. "The Alterrians do not conquer in the way you might think. Their influence spreads not through war, but through seeding. They have scattered life across countless worlds, each one a carefully cultivated experiment. You, human, are just one of their seeds." Jania felt a cold chill run through her. ¡°What do you mean seed?¡± "The humanoid species you are familiar with, the ones that appear in your books. Elves, dwarves, even your kind¡ªare deviations of the same original seed. A genetic template, if you will. Alterrians manipulate evolution itself, crafting their legacy across the stars." A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Jania swallowed hard, processing the weight of that statement. ¡°So you¡¯re saying that humans, elves, all of us, come from the same place?¡± "Correct." Her heart pounded. ¡°And¡­ what does that mean?¡± The dragon¡¯s eyes darkened, its voice deepening with something that almost sounded like a warning. "It means that sometimes a seed sprouts¡ªone of the seedlings develops Alterran magic. When such a seedling emerges, it follows the same path, a trajectory that inevitably leads back to the Alterra Empire. They do not resist it. They do not fight it. They become it." Jania¡¯s breath hitched. ¡°You¡¯re saying¡­ Null and Infy¡± "Are one of those sprouts" The words echoed in her mind, heavy with implication. She had read a lot of fantasy books growing up to escape her reality, stories of chosen ones and powerful magic users. But this wasn¡¯t a story. This was real. And Null¡­ Null could use the fields without Zallium. I didn¡¯t understand why that was important. Her hands curled into fists. "Every seed that sprouts reaches for power, and every time, they try to claim a galaxy in the name of the Alterra Empire. It is not just a possibility, Jania. It is a certainty." Jania shook her head, refusing to believe it. Null wasn¡¯t some puppet. He wasn¡¯t destined to become some conqueror. But the dragon¡¯s voice was calm. Jania forced herself to meet the dragon¡¯s gaze, her heart pounding in her chest like a war drum. She clenched her fists, resisting the urge to step back from the sheer weight of the creature¡¯s presence. ¡°That¡¯s easy,¡± she said, voice steady despite the tension knotting her shoulders. ¡°I¡¯ll support my friend. I don¡¯t know how you know all this or where you¡¯re getting your information, but Null and Infy aren¡¯t like that.¡± The dragon exhaled a slow, deliberate breath that sent ripples through the cavern¡¯s stale air. ¡°You are young. You do not see the pattern because you lack the perspective.¡± The great silver beast shifted its massive wings before continuing. ¡°There have been six others before this one. Six sprouts. And I helped eliminate them all.¡± Jania¡¯s breath caught. ¡°You what?¡± The dragon tilted its head slightly, studying her reaction. ¡°This is the earliest we have ever detected one. That is why we will eliminate this one as well.¡± Jania¡¯s mind raced. Null? A sprout? Destined to become one of these so-called Alterran conquerors? No. It didn¡¯t make sense. Null wasn¡¯t like that. He was different. She knew him. Her jaw tightened. ¡°Then why even bother talking to me? If your decision is already made, why not just kill me now?¡± The dragon sighed, the sound reverberating through Jania¡¯s bones like a distant earthquake. ¡°Because I am a pacifist by nature. It is I who prevents violence on this planet. It is why the elves sought refuge here. It is why they use me as their shield. I do not wish to kill, not if there is another way.¡± Its massive eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°That is why I read your mind, little soldier. I wanted to see if you held the truth I sought.¡± The dragon¡¯s face turned sorrowful, and for the first time, Jania thought she saw something beyond power and wisdom in its eyes. Regret. ¡°But it seems,¡± the dragon continued, ¡°that the sprout has already begun its evolution into a ruler.¡± Jania grounded her teeth, fury burning hotter than the dragon¡¯s fire. How dare it? How dare it decide Null and Infy¡¯s fate as if they were nothing more than pests to be exterminated? They weren¡¯t monsters. They weren¡¯t some ticking time bomb of destruction. They were her friends. And she would be damned if she let anyone take them away from her. Something shifted inside her, like a lock snapping open. A heat unfurled in her chest, different from the raw physical strength she had always relied on. It wasn¡¯t just anger, No, it was defiance, a refusal to accept someone else''s judgment. The dragon stirred, its lazy amusement evaporating as it focused fully on her now. It had sensed it too. Jania wasn¡¯t sure what she had done, but she reached out instinctively, pushing against something unseen, something that wasn¡¯t quite physical. And then¡ªcontact. Null. Infy. She sent a single message. ¡°Help¡± The barrier keeping them apart had been absolute, held firm by the dragon¡¯s power, but now there was a crack, a small tunnel carved through her sheer force of will. That was all the boys needed. They arrived in an instant, materialising in the cavern as if they had simply stepped through an open door. Null¡¯s silver eyes blazed as he took a defensive stance, Infy¡¯s energy crackling around him like a living storm. The shift was enough to snap Kikei out of her trance. She stumbled backward, eyes wide as she realized what was happening. The dragon exhaled, a sound like distant thunder. And then its jaws parted. Fire roared toward them. Chapter 38: The Dragon Attacks Null barely had time to react. The instant the fire surged toward them, he grabbed both Jania and Kikei and shimmer-stepped away, the searing heat licking at the air where they had stood. He landed a few meters away, eyes scanning for an escape route, heart pounding. That fire hadn¡¯t been for show. It had been meant to kill. The dragon¡¯s voice echoed through their minds, ancient and resonant, like mountains shifting beneath the weight of time. ¡°The sprout has revealed itself at last. But it is far too weak to stand here. I look forward to pruning it.¡± Null gritted his teeth, summoning his power, trying to strike back, but nothing happened. He tried everything but his body refused to act, and the very concept of violence was stripped away from him. He felt like a caged beast, all instinct and no outlet. A deep, rolling chuckle rumbled through the cavern. ¡°Did you think I would allow violence in my domain?¡± Jania swore under her breath, clenching her fists. She wanted to fight. Every muscle in her body screamed at her to charge, to strike, but something unseen held her back. She turned to Null, frustration evident in her expression. ¡°You can¡¯t attack it,¡± she said, forcing herself to stay calm. ¡°Violence doesn¡¯t work here. I don¡¯t know how, but I felt it when I tried to fight back earlier. It¡¯s not just a rule. It¡¯s like the world itself won¡¯t let you.¡± Null narrowed his eyes, his fingers twitching with restless energy. He hated the idea of being unable to act, of being bound by something he didn¡¯t understand. Infy wasn¡¯t wasting time. While Null frantically searched for an escape, Infy turned inward, stretching his awareness, reaching beyond the cavern and into the voice of the universe itself. The answers were there, whispers hidden in the currents of existence. Something was wrong with this place. This wasn''t just a simple pacifist barrier. It wasn¡¯t suppressing their aggression, no it was rewriting reality to make violence impossible. It had to be a field manipulation but on a scale, they couldn¡¯t imagine. Not a normal one, but something close to what Zero had taught them to fear. This wasn¡¯t just some parlour trick. It was a fundamental manipulation of the universe itself. The dragon wasn¡¯t simply strong. It was rewriting the rules of existence. Null knew it had to belong to a top-tier race, maybe even a tier 1 race. Infy listened, absorbing what the universe had to say, while Null tested their limits, looking for a crack, any weakness in the dragon¡¯s hold. Jania held Kikei close, eyes darting between the dragon and Null. The dragon was toying with them, swiping lazily with its claws, flicking its tail in amusement, never truly striking, just reminding them of how powerless they were. It was playing a game, enjoying the chase, savoring their helplessness. Jania gritted her teeth. Something about this felt wrong. ¡°You call yourself a pacifist,¡± she said, sidestepping a claw that barely missed her. ¡°Yet you¡¯re attacking us, toying with us like we¡¯re prey. Kind of hypocritical, don¡¯t you think?¡± The dragon let out another deep, rolling laugh, the sound reverberating through the cavern walls. ¡°I despise violence, yes. But your friend is not a natural being. He should not exist. Null is a corruption of fate itself, an anomaly that was never meant to be. Correcting such an error is not violence. It is restoration.¡± Jania clenched her fists. She wasn¡¯t buying it. The dragon¡¯s words were just a justification, an excuse to indulge its power. Still, keeping it talking was buying Infy time, and she could only hope he was close to figuring something out. Infy had been working furiously, listening to the melody of the universe, searching for the flaw in the dragon¡¯s suppression field. And then¡ªhe found it. A note, an underlying frequency, unlike anything they had encountered before. A field outside their knowledge, one they had never manipulated, never even conceived of. They wouldn¡¯t be able to control it, not fully, but they could shield themselves from its effects. It would be just enough. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. The moment Infy made the adjustment, the dragon¡¯s disposition shifted. The amusement drained from its eyes. The playful swipes stopped. It had sensed the change. One moment, the dragon loomed over them, its silver scales gleaming in the dim cavern light. The next, it moved¡ªfast, impossibly fast. A blur of raw power bearing down on them with lethal intent. Jania saw it before it happened. Not with her eyes, but with something deeper. A flicker in her mind, a vision of the dragon¡¯s movement a split second before it struck. There was no time to think, only to act. She grabbed Kikei and threw her aside, out of harm¡¯s way. Then, instead of running, she stepped in front of Null. The dragon¡¯s massive claws connected with her full force. Pain exploded through her body as she was flung backward, crashing hard against the cavern wall. Her suit absorbed some of the impact, but not enough. The breath was knocked from her lungs, and for a terrifying moment, she couldn''t move. Null''s head snapped toward her, his glowing eyes wide with something close to panic. The dragon tilted its head, golden eyes gleaming with curiosity. Fascinating. Jania groaned, forcing herself to sit up despite the throbbing in her ribs. She couldn¡¯t feel her legs. Her vision swam, but she managed a glare. The dragon¡¯s amusement vanished in an instant. Its massive form tensed, golden eyes narrowing as it peered into Null¡¯s glowing eyes. It took a small step back, seemingly startled by something unforeseen. "You wouldn¡¯t dare," it rumbled, the certainty in its voice cracking with unease. Null didn¡¯t blink. His whole body burned with barely contained rage, Infy¡¯s energy wrapping around him in waves of luminous white. He knelt beside Jania, Kikei gripping her uninjured hand with wide, terrified eyes. Jania¡¯s breathing was shallow, her skin clammy beneath her suit. She couldn¡¯t stand. She could barely move. And Null and Infy could feel it. Her life slipping through their fingers. That was unacceptable. They couldn¡¯t allow it to happen. They needed to get her back to the ship to a healing pod. The dragon had hurt their friend That was a crime that could not go unpunished. "You think we¡¯re helpless here?" Infy¡¯s voice was cold, devoid of its usual lighthearted cadence. "You think we¡¯ve just been sitting around waiting for things to fall into place?" The dragon¡¯s head jerked up slightly. A flicker of something¡ªconcern. "We figured out the barrier days ago," Null continued, standing now, stepping in front of Jania like a sentinel of judgment. "We couldn¡¯t break it." His eyes burned brighter. "So we found another way." Infy finished the thought. "If we can''t get through a wall, we¡¯ll just tear the whole thing down." The cavern trembled, a low vibration that wasn¡¯t coming from the dragon. It was coming from above. The dragon turned its gaze skyward, as if seeing past the cavern roof, past the clouds, past the atmosphere itself. Its slitted pupils dilated. The sky was falling. Large asteroids over a dozen of them had been locked in a perfect gravitational trajectory. Each one was carefully guided, positioned, and accelerated. Null and Infy were the masters of gravity. And if Jania died, so did this planet. Small asteroids were breaking up in the atmosphere, their impacts causing a deep, resonant rumbling that vibrated through the ground. "You think we wouldn¡¯t dare?" Infy asked, his voice sharp with something darker than anger. "Try us." meanwhile Kikei barely heard the standoff between Null and the dragon. Her mind was spinning, trapped in the words the Child of Fate had whispered to her before all of this began. "The fate of the galaxy will rest upon you and Jania. You will be given a chance to save her. But you must be brave enough to take it." At the time, she hadn¡¯t understood. But now, watching Jania¡¯s aura flicker like a dying flame, she knew exactly what the voice had meant. The dragon¡¯s last attack had blasted open part of the cavern wall, revealing a winding passage leading into the unknown. It was an escape route. No one was paying attention to her. She could run. She could survive. No one would blame her. Except she would blame herself. Kikei tensed her whole body to the point it was trembling. She had always followed the path laid before her, let others decide her fate. But not today. Not this time. Jania was dying, and Kikei could see it. Her aura, once strong and vibrant, was slipping away like water through cupped hands. But it didn¡¯t have to. She didn¡¯t know why she was so certain. She had never been trained for this, never even considered that she had any special abilities. But something deep inside her knew what to do. She reached out but not in a physical sense, but with something else, something unseen. Her aura stretched toward Jania¡¯s, flickering uncertainly at first. But where they touched, something happened. The unravelling slowed. The cracks sealed, if only partially. Kikei grit her teeth, focusing harder, willing it to work. Hold on, Jania. I¡¯ve got you. She didn¡¯t know if it would be enough. But she refused to let go. Jania Decision Jania could feel it in her bones, something was happening. The pain was still there, her body broken and weak, but her mind was clearing. Kikei was doing something, though Jania had no idea what. She forced herself to focus beyond her own body, beyond the searing ache, and reached out telepathically. She found Null and Infy instantly. The moment she connected, she felt it¡ªthe storm of emotions radiating from them. Panic. Rage. Determination. She could tell that her telepathic powers had increased or fully awakened; she wasn''t sure which. Then she caught a glimpse of Null''s face, twisted in cold fury. The dragon, so calm and arrogant before, now stared at him with something Jania had never expected¡ªfear. What could he possibly be doing to cause that look? "What are you doing?" Jania asked, her voice urgent in their minds. Null answered without hesitation. "Delivering justice." Jania could feel the conviction in his answer. Infy clarified, "We''ve set multiple asteroids on a collision course with the planet. We''ve started with the small ones." Jania''s stomach dropped. Horror flooded through her. He would wipe out the whole planet doing that. "Stop!" she pleaded. "You can''t do this!" "It''s already in motion," Null said. "They hurt you, Jania. They don''t get to just walk away." "It''s not about revenge. It''s about consequences," Infy added. "A punishment fitting the crime." Jania clenched her teeth. They meant it. They were going to do it. The asteroids were already in orbit, waiting for the command to fall. They thought they were doing this for her. She had to stop them. She realised this was the decision she had to make: to commit to being there for Null and Infy to the end. She didn''t understand why fate believed this was a test; the answer was clear to her. But who can''t I save? They truly believed this was justice. And worst of all, she knew they wouldn''t stop just because she asked. She didn''t argue, didn''t plead. She went with the one thing she knew would work. She commanded them. "As your big sister, I''m telling you to stop. Right now." Null flinched. "You''re not my sister," he snapped, but his voice lacked its usual certainty. Jania let out a shaky breath. "That hurts, Little Man. But I don''t care. I''m still your big sister, and I''m telling you that this isn''t the way." "Fine," they both said in unison. The silence lingered, heavy and unspoken. Jania could feel it via her connection. Null and Infy weren''t just stopping because of her words. Something deeper had cracked in them. They weren''t brother and sister. Not really. Jania wasn''t even sure what Null was in the grand scheme of things¡ªa human? Experiment? Sprout? Something else entirely? But that didn''t matter. What mattered was that she saw him. Not as a weapon. Not as a tool. Not as some ticking time bomb that had to be tested and controlled. She saw him as family. Something both of them had been denied their entire lives. The past few weeks with Lisa, Chris, Null, and even Zeph had given her a taste of what she''d always yearned for: a genuine connection that filled the hollow spaces within her. No more sterile laboratories or endless isolation. No more being treated as a subject rather than a person. They had become the family she had desperately imagined whenever she''d glimpsed normal children with their parents, their siblings, and their unconditional belonging. In their imperfect circle, she had finally found a home. And that was something Null had never truly had before. He didn''t respond right away, but Jania could feel the shift in his emotions. The anger, the cold certainty, the detached logic of his so-called justice. It all wavered under something else. Something fragile. Hope. "You really mean that?" His voice in her head was quieter now, uncertain in a way she had never heard before. Jania forced a smile through the pain. "Of course I do, Little Man. You''re stuck with me now." Infy had been silent, but now she felt his presence stir, brushing against both of their minds. For once, he wasn''t calculating probabilities or analysing threats. He was just listening. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Null let out a slow breath. They shared a silent moment, its gravity understood without words. "Fine," he said again, softer this time. "I''ll leave the planet alone." Null turned around and ignored the dragon entirely, as if it had ceased to exist. Instead, he moved over to Kikei, placing a hand on her shoulder. She flinched slightly, still overwhelmed by everything that had just happened. He could feel it¡ªher mind was open, raw with adrenaline, fear, and something else¡­ potential. Both he and Infy reached out, their voices brushing against her thoughts. "Thank you," they said in unison, their mental voices calm and measured. Kikei stared at them, wide-eyed, her breathing uneven. Then, all at once, she started speaking but it was too fast, too much, her words tumbling over each other. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what I did! I mean, I did something, but I don¡¯t know what, and then you were about to drop rocks on a planet, and the dragon was yelling, and I thought I was going to die, and Jania was dying, and¡ªwhy isn¡¯t the dragon doing anything? Why is it just watching us? And¡ªand¡ª¡± Null squeezed her shoulder, cutting off her spiral. ¡°Calm down,¡± he said, his voice flat but firm. ¡°You helped Jania. That¡¯s what matters. Now tell me¡ªwhat did you do?¡± Kikei took a shaky breath, trying to steady herself. ¡°It¡¯s... it¡¯s the auras,¡± she said finally. ¡°I can see them. I don¡¯t know how, I just can. And Jania¡¯s was fading. It was¡ª¡± She hesitated, struggling to put it into words. ¡°It was like a thread unravelling. So I¡ªI don¡¯t know¡ªI just reached out and tied it back together. Not really fixed it, just¡­ stopped it from getting worse.¡± Null¡¯s gaze sharpened. ¡°You manipulated her life force,¡± he stated. It wasn¡¯t a question. Kikei blinked. ¡°Uh. Maybe?¡± Infy stirred within Null¡¯s mind, processing the information. "A natural ability, not field manipulation or maybe subconscious field manipulation. Something closer to what Lisa experienced. This could be important." Null hummed in agreement, fascinated despite himself. Kikei was still shaken, but she had done something remarkable. He wanted to know more. But first, there was still the problem of the dragon. And Jania¡¯s injury. Kikei hesitated before asking the question that had been burning in her mind. ¡°uhm whoever you are¡­ are you here to save the crew of Arkship Two?¡± Null didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°I¡¯m Null and I can¡¯t,¡± he said flatly. ¡°We don¡¯t have the room or the means to get them back to Sol.¡± Kikei¡¯s face fell. ¡°But¡­ the elves. What if they hurt them?¡± Null¡¯s facial expression darkened. ¡°Then I¡¯ll wipe them out.¡± Jania cut in sharply. ¡°No. You won¡¯t.¡± Null turned his glowing eyes on her. ¡°Jania, they won¡¯t be able to co-exist. It¡¯s unlikely.¡± She glared at him it was about all she could do, still in pain but refusing to back down. ¡°That¡¯s not our decision to make. They have to try.¡± Before Null could argue further, the dragon, who had been listening in silence, finally spoke, its deep, ancient voice filling the cavern. ¡°I see I¡¯ve been left out of this conversation long enough.¡± The air pulsated with power as the dragon¡¯s massive head lowered toward them, golden eyes locked on Null. ¡°I will keep the pacifism field in place,¡± it rumbled. ¡°But I will not otherwise intervene between the elves and the humans on the surface. Their fate is their own.¡± Null didn¡¯t react, but Infy stirred within his mind. The dragon¡¯s tone darkened. ¡°While I stay my hand now, while this planet remains in danger, do not think for a second that you have escaped your fate.¡± The massive creature exhaled, a sound like distant thunder. ¡°I have marked you, little sprout. And I have told the others. There will be no place for you to hide. Your time is numbered.¡± Jania felt Null tense beside her, but he said nothing. His expression remained unreadable, yet the air around him filled with restrained energy. Without another word, he silently linked with the VoidEcho. The next moment, the three of them vanished in a flicker of light, reappearing aboard the ship. As soon as they materialised, Null wasted no time. He immediately teleported Jania into the healing pod. Chris, who had been pacing anxiously, rushed over the moment he saw her. His face twisted with concern, but the pod had already begun its work, sealing her inside and initiating the automated medical procedures. Null turned toward the others, raising his communicator. Before realising he had no idea who Kikei was. " uhm this is¡­ someone who saved Jania¡¯s life." Kikei blinked in surprise. "Wait, you don¡¯t talk?" Null simply nodded. "Oh," she muttered, eyes widening. "Huh. I just assumed¡­" She shook her head before straightening up. "Well, whatever. I¡¯m Kikei, former technical officer of Arkship Two. Nice to meet you, I guess?" Chris gave her a quick once-over, clearly running through a hundred different questions, but before he could voice them, Null spoke again through his communicator. ¡°We should go back to the pocket dimension for now. There¡¯s a target on my back.¡± Lisa, who had been quietly assessing the situation, nodded in agreement. "That¡¯s probably wise. We don¡¯t know who else has been alerted about your presence." Before Null could activate the transition, Zeph stepped forward, her expression guarded but determined. "Wait." Everyone turned toward her. "Teleport me down to the human colony." Her voice was steady, but there was something raw beneath the surface. "I don¡¯t want to be here anymore." Null tilted his head, studying her before raising his communicator. "Are you sure?" Zeph let out a slow breath, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "I¡¯m tired of being scared," she admitted. "At least down there, I know how to survive. It¡¯s not much different from the places I grew up in back in the Kuiper Belt." Before anyone else could speak, Kikei let out an exasperated noise. "You know that colony is basically a prison, right?" She turned fully to Zeph, frowning. "It¡¯s not some safe haven¡ªit¡¯s a holding pen. And the elves could attack at any time." Zeph met her gaze evenly. "I know," she said simply. "But it¡¯s still better than being here." Lisa frowned, clearly unhappy. "We can¡¯t force you to stay," she said reluctantly. "But Zeph¡­ I think you¡¯re making a mistake." Zeph gave a wry smile. "Maybe. But it¡¯s my mistake to make." A brief silence followed. Then, without another word, Null reached out and activated the teleport. Zeph vanished in a blink, sent down to the surface. Shocking everyone with his coldness, no goodbyes, nothing. ¡°We don¡¯t have time,¡± said Infy to everyone. With that done, he wasted no more time. A pulse of energy flickered through the VoidEcho, and the ship shimmered out of normal space, slipping back into the safety of the pocket dimension.