INTO THE STORM
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CHAPTER 12: INTO THE STORM
The next morning came too soon.
The war camp beneath London buzzed with tension. Alarms pulsed softly through the corridors. Soldiers marched in tighter formations. And above it all, a single name passed through lips like prayer and warning both:
"Nicolas."
Nicolas stood in the armory chamber, surrounded by weapon lockers and energy-charging stations. A technician adjusted his chest plate while another secured a shoulder patch marked with the international Hand Alliance logo—six robotic fingers wrapped around a burning star.
The AI Suit inside him spoke up, calm as ever.
AI Suit:
"Copy Skill system now stabilized. Limit restored: five copies available."
Nicolas looked up, surprised.
"Wait… I used all five yesterday. How is it back?"
AI Suit:
"This world's mana replenishes over time. Your skill is bound by environmental energy.
Current mana density: 58%. That allows a new usage cap—five copies per day."
"So even though I used five before… I can use five again today?" Nicolas asked, stunned.
AI Suit:
"Correct. But five is your daily maximum in this dimension. Excess use will fail without high-density mana."
Nicolas stood slowly, tightening the straps on his armor.
"That's all I need."
"Ready?" a voice called behind him.
He turned.
Standing in front of him were the six elite warriors—the best from each nation. His new teammates. Each wore armor unlike any he'd seen. Not shiny. Not polished. Worn, scarred, battle-tested.
Captain Veer from India, wearing a heat-reactive spear on his back, flames pulsing with every breath.
Zero-Ten from Japan, a silent, masked assassin whose body flickered like a broken signal.
Colonel Maddox from the US, armed with dual pulse cannons mounted on his shoulders.
Sergeant Nova from the UK, a woman with cybernetic wings that spread out like blades.
Commander Bai from China, controlling metal wires that moved like living snakes.
Lieutenant Zhenya from Russia, her giant energy hammer leaving cracks in the steel floor.
Nicolas felt small—but ready.
Sergeant Nova smirked: "You sure you can keep up with the legends?"
Nicolas returned the smile. "Only if they don't slow me down."
A few laughed. Even Zhenya cracked a grin.
The massive elevator at the far end of the chamber opened with a hiss.
A voice came through the speakers:
"Deployment Squad Gamma-001, report to drop zone for SECTOR 9 assault. Mission priority: reclaim outpost and eliminate Tech presence. Survival expected: low."
The air went cold. No one spoke.
They all moved toward the lift.
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Aboveground – Sector 9
The city above was worse than Nicolas remembered.
Once tall towers were now broken teeth stabbing into gray clouds. Entire blocks were coated in black ash. Broken Tech bots lay scattered like twisted insects, their cores still glowing dimly. Red warning holograms blinked in the air, glitching.
Nicolas stepped out with the squad.
The wind howled.
And then… came the silence.
No machines. No humans. Just ruins.
Nova scanned the horizon.
"Too quiet."
Zero-Ten's voice came through his voice modulator: "They know we're here."
Suddenly—
A screech tore through the sky.
Hundreds of flying Tech drones burst from the clouds. On the ground, armored bots emerged from the buildings like ghosts, claws clicking, weapons charging.
They had been waiting.
"AMBUSH!" Maddox shouted.
Then all hell broke loose.
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Battle of Sector 9 Begins
Energy blasts lit up the streets. The squad moved like lightning.
Bai's wires lashed through enemies, slicing them mid-air. Veer's spear burst into flames, turning Tech armor into melted metal. Maddox's cannons blew apart drones in fiery explosions.
Zhenya smashed through wave after wave, her hammer roaring like thunder.
Nicolas ran in the middle, scanning—waiting.
AI Suit: "Recommend target for Copy Skill usage."
He spotted something. A new enemy type. It looked like a four-legged beast, made of dark steel and bone, with cannons growing out of its spine. It moved fast—too fast.
It lunged toward Nova.
"LOOK OUT!" Nicolas shouted.
He dived, tackled her out of the way. The beast skidded past, howling in mechanical rage.
Nova coughed. "Next time, copy that thing first!"
Nicolas nodded, focusing.
"AI—Copy that one!"
A blue light flared from his hand. His breath hitched.
AI Suit: "Copy Skill Activation 4 successful. Mana remaining: 14%. Final usage remaining."
A copy of the beast shimmered into existence, roaring with pure energy.
Nicolas pointed forward.
"Go."
It leapt into battle, tearing apart enemy bots, shielding Maddox's flank.
The tide began to shift—but only slightly.
Then came the second wave.
Dozens of new enemies appeared—larger, faster, smarter. Machines with glowing blue veins and multi-weaponed limbs. The elite squad held, but barely.
Nicolas's beast was overwhelmed and exploded.
AI Suit: "Copy destroyed. Final activation remaining."
Zhenya fell. Bai was wounded. Nova's wings were clipped.
Nicolas looked around. One chance left.
And then he saw it:
A Tech Commander—a rare enemy class—standing tall above the battlefield. It had four arms, two swords, and a core glowing gold. It issued commands in alien language. Wherever it moved, bots became stronger, faster.
If he could copy that one…
It might change everything.
AI Suit: "Warning: high mana requirement. Synchronization incomplete. Success rate: 62%."
Nicolas didn't care.
He sprinted toward it, dodging fire, sliding beneath debris. The Commander spotted him—and charged.
They clashed.
Blade met arm. Sparks flew. Nicolas ducked, rolled, kicked upward.
He placed his palm on its chest.
"NOW!"
The explosion of light was blinding.
Everything stopped.
When the light faded, the Commander lay broken on the ground.
And beside Nicolas—
Was a glowing copy of it, kneeling, awaiting his command.
AI Suit: "Final Copy Skill usage complete. Mana depleted. Unit linked to user neural path."
Nicolas stood up, blood dripping from his temple.
"Attack everything that isn't human."
The copy roared and launched itself into the horde.
It was like unleashing a demon.
The battlefield turned red and gold.
Bots shattered. Drones fell from the sky. Nicolas's team regrouped behind him, watching in awe as the battlefield flipped.
Nova whispered: "He just copied a Tech Commander…"
Maddox grinned. "I take back what I said. He's not just some kid."
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Victory Declared
An hour later, the battlefield was silent.
Not quiet—silent.
Only the wind moved. The Tech forces were gone. Sector 9 was taken back.
The elite squad, battered but alive, stood over the wreckage.
Commander Bai saluted Nicolas.
"Welcome to the war."
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Back at the Command Center
As they returned to the underground base, cheers rose from every hallway.
Nicolas walked through them like a ghost. Tired. Bloody. Alive.
In the War Room, the six commanders waited.
Admiral Greaves stood and nodded slowly.
"You survived."
Nicolas nodded. "Sector 9 is clean. Your squad lives."
Zoya folded her arms. "And the Commander?"
"Copied. Used. Destroyed the rest."
Captain Ishan smiled.
"You're not just a soldier anymore…"
Li Wei finished the sentence.
"You're a key."
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