Chapter 55 - Unit Test (9)

Nathan and Natasha's unit stood their ground, their eyes locked on the hooded figures emerging from the trees.

The tension in the air was thick, the kind that made your skin crawl and your instincts scream to run.

But Nathan didn't run. He wouldn't. Not when he had so many questions buzzing in his head.

'What are they doing here? How did they get past security? And why now? Now of all times.' His mind raced with unanswered questions.

From his point of view, this wasn't supposed to happen.

Afterall in the novel, the Fantasians didn't attack the cadets until the tournament. This was way too early. Something was clearly off.

And as for how he knew they were fantasians. It was simple.

One. This place was restricted. Unauthorised personnel weren't allowed in and regardless of how you put it, these guys were clearly unauthorized.

Secondly, their energy signature. The nano-tech suits and the faint hum of mana radiating from the hooded figures gave them away.

You see when Terrans first gained superpowers from the meteors, exposure to the Etherium unlocked a sixth sense in them.

The nano-tech suits amplified that sense, allowing them to detect energy signatures so long as they were strong enough.

It also allowed them to project their intent, their will on someone. Like what Lancelot did to them in class over a month ago.

It also allows them to gauge their opponents approximate strength.

Besides these figures weren't even trying to hide their mana. So all things considered, it was quite obvious—they were Fantasians.

Nathan's voice cut through the silence, cold and detached. "What do you want?"

The lead Fantasian stepped forward, pulling down his hood to reveal a bald-headed man with sharp, calculating eyes.

He pointed his sword at Nathan, his tone calm but laced with menace. "Your head. And the heads of the rest of the children of high society."

Nathan smirked, his wings flaring slightly as he hovered in the air. "Sure you can do that?"

Before the words fully left his mouth, the man was gone.

In the next instant, he was in front of Nathan, his sword slashing through the air with blinding speed.

Nathan barely managed to shift to the side, the blade grazing his arm as the man's momentum carried him past.

The Fantasian then crashed into a tree, shattering it on impact.

Nathan glanced at the destruction, his smirk widening.

He looked around, counting the hooded figures as he gently dropped Natasha to the ground.

There were about twenty of them, their energy signatures strong but not overwhelming. Although among them some seemed to be quite a bit stronger.

Nathan chuckled, his voice dripping with mockery.

"You want our heads?" he said, his tone light but his eyes sharp. "You have no idea where you just landed, do you?"

*********

Theodore's unit was surrounded by another group of hooded figures, their weapons drawn and their expressions hidden beneath their cloaks.

But Theodore wasn't scared. Far from it. A cruel grin spread across his face as he cracked his knuckles, his black-streaked red hair catching the sunlight.

"Well, well," he said, his voice low and menacing. "Looks like we've got some uninvited guests."

Elizabeth stood beside him, her icy demeanor unshaken.

Lenny twirled his mechanical katanas, his expression calm but his eyes sharp.

Aaron and Lisa, the commoners in the group, exchanged nervous glances but stood their ground.

The Fantasians didn't say a word. They didn't need to. Their intentions were clear. But Theodore's grin only widened.

"Let's see how many of you we tear apart before you realize you've made a mistake," he said, his voice dripping with malice.

*******

The Third Year cadets, who had been overseeing the test, were also surrounded by hooded figures.

But unlike the first-years, they didn't look worried either. Rather, they looked... excited.

One of the cadets, a fairly tall girl with flowing blue hair, cracked her neck and grinned. "Finally, something interesting."

Her companion, a black haired boy with piercing red eyes, chuckled. "About time. I was getting bored."

The Fantasians hesitated, their confidence wavering as they realized they weren't dealing with ordinary cadets.

These were monsters in human form, and they were about to find out just how outmatched they were.

*********

The scene shifted to a young red-haired girl standing amidst dozens of corpses, their black hoods torn and bloodied.

The ground around her was littered with the remains of the hooded figures, their bodies twisted and broken.

She stood tall, her expression calm but her eyes burning with intensity. Her red hair flowed freely in the wind, and her nano-tech suit gleamed in the sunlight.

"Damn lessers," she muttered, her voice soft but filled with disdain. She turned and walked away, leaving the carnage behind.

"You idiots just walked into your graves."

The message was now crystal clear: the cadets of Terra were not to be underestimated.

The Fantasians had made a grave mistake, and now they would pay for it dearly.