Chapter 135: The Underground Megacity
Chapter 135: Chapter 135: The Underground Megacity
Chapter 135: The Underground Megacity
’Master, we are on the brink of total global annihilation!’ Neville’s panicked voice echoed violently through the telepathic soul-bond.
’Shut up, Neville,’ Draven commanded coldly.
The sharp, absolute authority in Draven’s mental voice instantly silenced the Golden Boy on the other end of the continent. Draven stood in the toxic fog of the Miasma Gorge, his eyes narrowed as he processed this massive deviation.
’We are not on the brink of destruction,’ Draven transmitted calmly.
’I am still alive. My squad is still alive. We have powerful allies in Bastion Seven. The world is not over just because I was off the board for thirty days. Hold your post and report when necessary!’
Draven cut the telepathic link. He stood in silence, his mind working at blinding speeds.
For the first time in his second life, a variable had completely outsmarted him. Time dilation was a terrifying factor. He had the System map to view topography and enemy positions, but he did not possess an omniscient global information network.
He could not see the future. He realized he had grown slightly arrogant. Such volatile mistakes could easily happen again, and he had to be extremely careful moving forward. He forcefully buried his momentary shock and locked his emotions away into a cold, calculating vault.
"Captain?" Aegon asked carefully. "What happened?"
Draven turned to his battered, exhausted squad. They had just slain a Level 180 Dragon-Ape, but the true threat was waiting for them in human civilization.
"The tomb existed in an isolated spatial dimension," Draven explained, his voice entirely devoid of panic.
"While we were inside undergoing the trial for a few hours, a full month passed in the outside world. Lord Commander Helion used our supposed deaths to unite Bastions Six, Seven, Nine, Eleven, Twelve, and Thirteen. The Civil War has officially erupted."
The squad froze. A heavy, suffocating silence fell over the canyon.
Nyx gripped her obsidian daggers. Bram stared at his heavy shield. Estella looked down at her hands. They had lost an entire month of preparation. They were officially soldiers in a global war.
"What are your orders, Captain?" Lucien asked, his voice steady despite the shock.
"Our plan does not change," Draven stated firmly.
"We move forward to Bastion Six. We complete the secret mission Commander Helion assigned to us. We find Lord Commander Gunther Stillbane, and we protect him from the Cult. Put on your masks."
The squad donned their white and gold military uniforms. They secured the featureless white masks over their faces, hiding their identities completely. They were no longer students of the Vanguard Academy. They were the Eclipse Hunters.
They marched into the dark underground tunnels.
For days, they navigated the pitch-black subterranean routes, following the coordinates provided by Sirius Statanham. Eventually, the jagged rock walls gave way to smooth, reinforced steel.
The tunnel abruptly ended at a massive observation cliff.
The squad stepped out onto the ledge and stopped dead in their tracks. The view was absolutely breathtaking.
Imagine descending ten kilometers beneath the surface of the Earth, only to find an entire world hiding in the dark. Bastion Six was a colossal, engineered hollow sphere carved into the bedrock over centuries.
It was nearly sixty kilometers wide. Looking upward did not reveal a rocky ceiling. It revealed a brilliant, artificial sky illuminated by a massive ring of fusion-powered lights simulating a flawless midday sun.
Millions of lights twinkled across hundreds of distinct districts. Massive carbon-nanotube arcologies climbed hundreds of stories high into the artificial atmosphere. The skyscrapers were connected by intricate skybridges and suspended glass walkways.
At the very center of the megacity stood the Central Core. It was a colossal fusion reactor enclosed inside concentric rings of heavy armor, projecting a blinding blue-white energy column straight into the ceiling.
"It is beautiful," Lyra whispered behind her mask.
"Stay focused," Draven ordered.
They moved down the cliffside paths, reaching the specific coordinates Sirius had transmitted. Hidden in the deep shadows of a massive structural support pillar was a sleek, heavily armored Hover Van.
Several men in sharp, dark suits stood waiting by the vehicle. The leader bowed respectfully as Draven approached.
"Eclipse Hunters," the suited man greeted quietly. "The Don sends his regards. Take these."
The man handed Draven a small lockbox. Inside were eight glowing metallic chips.
"Highly illegal, forged Platinum-tier VIP identity chips," the man explained with a sly smile.
"They are registered to an elite, independent mercenary company. Bastion Six has the most advanced AI security checkpoints in the world, but the best way to infiltrate a fortress is to simply walk through the front door. Hide in plain sight."
"Smart," Aegon muttered, taking his chip and slotting it into his Vanguard terminal.
The squad boarded the massive Hover Van. Astraxion, the baby void dragon, remained comfortably hidden inside Draven’s deep coat pocket. The van’s anti-gravity engines hummed to life, gliding smoothly toward the colossal outer gates of the city.
The gates were guarded by automated defense turrets and Vanguard Knights. A blue laser grid swept over the Hover Van. The forged chips pulsed in response.
[Identity Confirmed. Welcome to Bastion Six.]
The heavy titanium blast doors parted. The squad had successfully infiltrated the most heavily fortified city on the continent without firing a single shot.
The Hover Van descended rapidly into the lower industrial sectors. The pristine, glowing skyscrapers faded away, replaced by gritty, neon-lit streets, heavy steam vents, and a dense, cyberpunk aesthetic. The vehicle finally stopped in a crowded alleyway behind a massive nightclub.
Pounding, rhythmic bass vibrated the ground beneath their boots. Flashing neon lights spilled out from the club’s main entrance down the street.
Sirius’s men escorted the Eclipse Hunters through a heavily guarded backdoor. They bypassed the chaotic dance floors and entered a highly secure, soundproof VIP conference room.
A large obsidian table sat in the center of the room. Several local syndicate lieutenants were already present. When Draven entered, they immediately stood up and offered him the luxurious main head seat at the table.
Draven walked to the head of the table. He sat down smoothly, resting his gloved hands on the armrests.
Underneath the table, out of sight, Draven subtly activated his System interface. He opened his digital map.
He was not looking for directions. He was looking for traitors.
The map displayed the spatial coordinates of every living being in the room. Most of the dots were neutral gray. But two dots pulsed with a violent, corrupted red light. They were deeply embedded spies belonging to the Church of the Eternal Eclipse.
Draven looked up. He locked eyes with a sharp-featured woman sitting directly opposite him. She was one of the red dots.
"Tell me about the perimeter security grid," Draven asked the woman, his voice distorted and cold behind his white mask.
"The grid is fully automated, sir," the woman answered smoothly, offering a confident smile.
"Cassian Stillbane controls the main access codes from the Central Core."
Draven stood up from his seat. He began pacing back and forth slowly behind his chair.
"Is that so?" Draven asked casually.
He took three steps to the left. He stopped. He activated his SS-Rank Vector Manipulation.
The woman suddenly gasped.
She tried to stand up, but her body refused to move. An immense, localized gravity well pinned her strictly to her chair. Her arms were locked to her sides. She could not even blink.
The other lieutenants in the room jumped back in shock, reaching for their weapons.
"Stand down," Draven commanded. The sheer authority in his voice froze the entire room.
Draven walked slowly around the long obsidian table. He stopped right beside the paralyzed woman. He leaned down, placing his masked face inches from her ear.
"How much information have you sent to your Cult masters?" Draven asked softly.
The woman’s eyes widened in sheer, unadulterated terror. She realized she had been completely exposed. She gritted her teeth, glaring at Draven with fanatical hatred. She clamped her mouth shut, utterly refusing to answer.
Draven did not care. He was a man of absolute equality. Being a woman did not grant her mercy. A traitor was a traitor.
Draven raised two fingers.
SNAP.
He violently rotated the kinetic vectors inside her neck. Her cervical spine shattered instantly. The woman’s head slumped unnaturally to the side. She was dead before her brain could even register the pain.
Aegon and the rest of the squad did not flinch. The syndicate lieutenants stared in absolute horror.
Draven stood up straight. He silently activated a minor utility skill he had acquired long ago.
[System Skill Activated: Janitor.]
A pulse of digital white light washed over the dead woman’s body. In a matter of seconds, the corpse dissolved into glowing particles and completely vanished from the chair, leaving absolutely no blood or evidence behind.
Draven adjusted his coat. He walked calmly back to the head of the table and took his seat. He looked at the empty chair opposite him, and then looked at the trembling syndicate members.
"Continue."