ALL NOVEL [11] Night Battle Part 2
The whole room went quiet when Eva dropped the bombshell claiming that she was the mastermind behind the bombing. The shock was palpable, and for a moment, nobody knew how to respond. And her claim of doing it again, if need be, sent shivers down the spines of all who heard her.
"Now you understand the lengths I'm willing to go to bring justice to those who deserve it," Eva stated, her voice steady. "The world needs to know the truth about the atrocities committed by those in power. I won't rest until they are exposed for their crimes."
Eva was just standing there, looking all cool and collected. Almost as if she had already predicted the outcome of her actions well before this moment.
"Your actions have cost innocent lives," the director said, his voice tinged with sadness and anger. "What is even the point? Resorting to violence is not the answer. There were families, children, and innocent people in that mall. Their lives were shattered by your actions."
Eva expression remained unyielding, her conviction unwavering. "As I said before, I did it for justice. Every action I make is calculated, and you will soon know the reason why."
"With this declaration, I ask you. Those who were oppressed, those who want to seek truth, and those who want to see a better world... Raise your hand with me. Lend me your power and stand with me! Show them that they are not untouchable, that their actions have consequences." The room fell into an uneasy silence as Eva words hung in the air. She stood with her hand raised, her gaze fierce and unwavering.
With a hand gesture, Eva gives a final parting word. "This is just the beginning," She declares, her voice echoing through the room. "The world will witness the reckoning of those who thought themselves untouchable. Prepare yourselves for the storm of truth that is about to break."
And just like that, Eva turns on her heels and starts walking towards the broken window where she enters. Eva spreads her arms as she jumps from the window, free-falling through the darkness of the night. Her heart pounded in her chest, and a rush of adrenaline surged through her veins.
"Now, this is what I call fun!" Eva laughs in her mind.
As people all around the world watched the scene that was unfolding, a common thought crossed their minds. They wondered if the woman was either crazy or extremely dedicated to her cause. However, the way the silver-haired woman who called herself Midnight appeared so calm and deliberate made it seem like the latter option was more likely.
If so, then what made her so unnervingly confident? No insane person could exude such unwavering composure while making a declaration like that. There had to be something or someone bolstering her, working in the shadows to support her cause. This revelation seemed to be just the tip of the iceberg, a mere glimpse into a much larger and more complex scheme unfolding behind the scenes. The enormity of it all was staggering, and this event appeared to be the catalyst that set it all in motion.
[Adele Düsediekerbäumer POV]
It feels like everything is going wrong one after the other. I was having dinner at a street restaurant with my new apprentice Reina, when suddenly we were interrupted by an emergency call. My holographic watch display lit up with urgent instructions and a location pin, calling on all nearby Astral Agents to respond to an urgent situation.
"What happened?" Reina, who is now my apprentice, asked. After our visit to General Richard's house yesterday, I nervously asked her if she would like to become my apprentice. I must clarify that I did this not because I intentionally deceived the general, and I definitely didn't do this because I was scared to be caught in a lie or anything like that... totally.
"I don't know what's happening, but I need to go," I said, my voice tense with urgency. I hastily handed Reina a few bills. "Take a taxi back home. I'm sorry, Reina, but duty calls. We'll have to postpone our celebration for now!"
But before I could turn away, Reina's determined voice stopped me in my tracks. "Wait, I'm coming with you. I know it's dangerous, but since I'm now your apprentice, isn't it better if I learn the ropes first?"
Reina's determination touched my heart, but I couldn't let her recklessly put herself in harm's way. "It's dangerous. You're not even a student yet in any of the Astral Academies!" I protested, my voice filled with worry.
Her gaze remained steadfast, refusing to back down. "I know, but I want to be by your side, learning from you. I want to prove that I have what it takes to be an Astral Agent," she replied, her voice unwavering.
Since I didn't have time to argue further, I knew I had to make a quick decision. With a deep breath, I looked into Reina's determined eyes and finally relented, "Alright, but you have to promise me you'll stay close and follow my lead," I said firmly.
Reina's face lit up with a mix of excitement and gratitude. "I promise I won't do anything reckless. Besides, you know I can't die anyway."
"That doesn't ease my worries in the slightest," I replied sternly. I still don't know a thing about Reina's power other than manipulating blood and her claim that she cannot die. "And you need to explain your Astral Ability when we are done, kid!"
I hurriedly entered my car, and Reina quickly followed suit. The engine roared to life, and we raced through the city streets, our car weaving through traffic with a sense of urgency.
"So? What's the situation?" Reina asked, her eyes scanning steadily.
"I'm still trying to figure out the details," I said as I hurriedly tapped my holographic watch to see what new information had come in. As soon as I read the report, my expression turned serious. "Reina, turn on the TV and switch to the JNT channel."
Reina furrowed her brows in confusion but obliged, quickly reaching for the remote control to switch the car's built-in screen to the JNT channel. The image that filled the screen was shocking. A silver-haired woman who was responsible for the lab attack and whom we suspected as the perpetrator in the recent bombing can be seen on the screen.
She introduces herself as Moonlight, and a tense exchange unfolds between her and the cameramen, who we presumed a hostage. The atmosphere in the room crackles with uncertainty as we watch the interaction on the holographic display.
What really threw both of us was Moonlight's bold admission that she was the one behind the bombing. The weight of her confession hung heavily in the air, and I could sense the impact it had on Reina. Her expression stiffened, and I saw her hand gripping the edge of her seat tightly.
"Reina, are you alright?" I asked, my voice filled with concern.
"So it was her...!" Reina muttered, her voice a mix of disbelief and anger. It's evident that she's experiencing a mix of emotions, including a sense of responsibility for her friend's injury and a strong feeling of fury toward the one responsible.
"It seems that way, but calm down. Never let your emotions take control of you," I advised Reina, hoping to help her maintain her composure. While I could empathize with her frustration, allowing feelings to cloud one's judgment could prove risky in a crucial situation.
Reina took a deep breath, her gaze refocusing. "You're right. I need to stay focused," she said, determination replacing the anger in her eyes.
"Good."
I drove as fast as I could toward the location of the gathering spot. As we arrived, the tension in the air was palpable. The area was surrounded by a sea of police cars and Astral Agents, their presence indicating the seriousness of the situation. However, they only lingered outside because it was a hostage situation, and they had been instructed to wait and exercise caution by the looks of it.
As soon as I stepped out of the car, I was saluted by a nearby Astral Agent wearing his white uniform, signifying he was in the Intelligence Team. I returned the salute, feeling a sense of camaraderie amongst my fellow agents. They knew the gravity of the situation, and we all understood the importance of working together as a team to resolve any crisis.
"Status report?" I asked the agent, wanting to get up to speed on the current situation.
"The technician in the control room was secretly communicating with us," The agent replied, his voice tense. "They said a bomb has been planted in a secure location within the building. Moonlight has threatened to detonate it if any attempt is made to breach the premises."
I frowned, realizing the complexity of the situation. "We can't risk endangering the hostages or ourselves," I replied firmly. "If there's a bomb, we need to neutralize it before attempting any rescue."
"The worst part is, we don't have any Astral Agent with utility powers present. We have a lot of firepower. But tha- Wait a moment, captain." He abruptly stopped talking and focused on his communicator, listening intently to whatever it was. "I've just received information. Moonlight is fleeing from the scene!"
"Fleeing? Are you sure?" I asked, my mind racing to comprehend the sudden turn of events.
"Yes, Captain," the agent confirmed. "Multiple witnesses have reported seeing Moonlight leaving the building through a window. She's making a run for it."
"We can't let her get away," Reina said with determination.
"You're right," I agreed, my mind racing to devise a plan.
Quickly, I coordinated with the nearby Astral Agents, instructing them to converge on Moonlight's location and cut off her escape routes. Since I was the highest-ranking agent in the area, everyone followed my lead without hesitation. Time was of the essence, and we needed to act swiftly.
Eva can run four times faster than a human can. However, even with her impressive speed, shaking off the numerous cars chasing her would not be an easy task. They even deploy a helicopter and several people who can fly. "Aren't they supposed to be focusing on said bomb instead of pursuing me?!"
"I might need to allocate some of my power..." Eva muttered to herself, weighing her options as she continued to sprint through the twisting city streets. She doesn't expect that the police and Astral Agent can mobilize this fast.
As she ran, Eva continued to strategize her way out. She couldn't afford to be surrounded. She needed to outmaneuver her pursuers somehow. If she could create enough distance, perhaps she could find a moment to hide and sneak away.
Eva quickly looked behind her and saw a small pathway branching off the main road. Without thinking twice, she momentarily lowered her body strength to boost her speed. She made a quick turn and rushed into the pathway, hoping to shake off the pursuers in the complex network of city streets.
As Eva raced through the narrow pathway, the sounds of the pursuing cars and the whirring helicopter slowly faded in the distance. Despite the danger and urgency of the situation, her face was alight with a smile fueled by sheer joy. At that moment, Eva felt truly alive, as if she had been born to run like this.
Eva finally stopped running and took a deep breath, her heart still pounding from the exhilarating chase. She glanced around, making sure she was well hidden in the labyrinth of alleys and side streets. The pursuers seemed to have lost her trail, at least for now.
"Fuah... That was fun," Eva said to herself, her breaths still heavy from the exhilarating chase.
Before Eva could even collect her thoughts, the sudden sound of commanding voices startled her. She turned and found herself facing a group of Astral Agents. Their gun is pointing at her.
"Freeze! Put your hands up!" One of the officers shouted, her voice tense with apprehension. But for some reason, Eva felt like the voice was familiar... As she took a closer look, her eyes widened for a moment. It was her father's friend, Adele, accompanied by a group of Astral Agents.
"Do you think you can hide from us?! Now put your hands up in the air!" Adele's tone was stern.
"This is a funny coincidence..." Eva muttered in her mind, but her thoughts were interrupted as her gaze fell on another familiar face. "Wait, is that Reina? What is she doing here?"
Eva was a little shocked when she saw her "friend," Reina, standing among the group of Astral Agents led by Adele. Reina's expression was serious, and she looked really-really angry.
Eva sighed in exasperation. "Well, whatever," she thought to herself.
Eva, true to her nature, didn't hesitate even when faced with someone she knew. Without warning, she quickly dashed forward and attacked one of the Astral Agents, catching everyone off guard.
She performed a wide kick toward one of the Astral Agent's heads, decapitating him in an instant. Taking advantage of the momentary shock, Eva spun around, landing a precise blow on another agent, causing her to crash into one of the building walls, rendering her unconscious.
Just before Eva could make another move, she noticed a blood spike forming in Reina's hand. Without hesitation, Reina launched it at her, forcing Eva to react quickly by leaping into the air.
"You monster!" Reina screamed at her, although she was horrified. Reina was determined to stand her ground.
Although she knew the blood couldn't pierce her skin, Eva wasn't taking any chances. Plus, there was something undeniably cool about dodging such a deadly-looking projectile. The spike missed her by inches, and she landed back on the ground.
The rest of the agents follow suit, shooting their guns and using a variety of Astral Abbilites to neutralize Eva. Fireballs erupted from one agents hands, while another created a gust of wind, attempting to knock her off balance.
To everyone's surprise, Eva stood there like a rock, seemingly unfazed by the barrage of attacks. Her amplified body was a force to be reckoned with, capable of withstanding the onslaught of any modern firepower and most of Astral Abilities.
"Insect," Eva snarled as she made a beeline towards Reina. At that moment, she didn't even care that Reina considered her a friend. Today, she was enemies in her stage, just like everyone else.
Eva tried to pierce Reina's heart with her left hand. Adele, seeing this, quickly tried to block the attack by forming an energy shield around her, but the strength of Eva's strike was too much, and it managed to shatter Adele's shield.
"Reina!" Adele screamed, her heart pounding with fear for her apprentice.
Eva's hand pierced through Reina's body, directly crushing her heart. Time seemed slow for Adele in that horrifying moment. But then, a shocking scene unfolded before Adele's eyes. Instead of dropping dead or wailing in pain, Reina was laughing. Her laughter echoed through the air, sounding eerie.
"I can't be killed like that, you know," Reina said as blood poured from her wound, she channeled her Astral Ability, manipulating the crimson liquid into a powerful and intricate cage that rapidly surrounded Eva, imprisoning her within its crimson walls.
Adele's eyes widened in disbelief, not comprehending what she was witnessing. How could Reina still be alive with her heart destroyed? It was beyond any logical explanation, defying the laws of life itself.
Eva, too, was taken aback by the unexpected turn of events. Her hand, still lodged in Reina's chest, recoiled in shock. "What the...?" She quickly pulled it out, trying to create some distance, but the cage of blood was closing in around her, leaving her with little room to maneuver.
The rest of the agents quickly snapped out of their shock and moved into action, surrounding Eva as they prepared to intervene. Adele, still recovering from the surprise of Reina's unique ability, directed the agents to be cautious yet decisive.
"Stand down, Moonlight!" Adele commanded, trying to make her voice steady, but the scene before her was deeply unsettling. "You have nowhere to run!"
"Shit..." Eva cursed in her mind. She couldn't believe that Reina possessed such an incredible power, one that seemed to defy all logic and common sense. Her mind raced, trying to find a way out of this predicament.
But her mind came to a screeching halt when the space beside her seemed to distort. In an instant, a portal opened, and a figure stepped out. A man wearing a formal suit that was better suited for a dinner date than a situation like this. He had a stylish combover hairstyle and wore glasses with a thick, rectangular frame.
"Moonlight, my dear, you really do have a talent for getting into trouble even though you are a friend of the Table," the mysterious man said, his voice carrying a hint of amusement.
"Who even are you? And what table are you talking about?" Eva asked in her mind, trying to hide her confusion.
The situation seems to be growing more and more out of control for Eva...