There were limited details available about the Dark System Online, but one thing Theo had begun to notice stood out, its Purge Quests only triggered when UMS survivors were nearby.
’It seems like the Dark System was designed specifically for dealing with survivors... especially UMS,’ he thought, brows furrowed as he trailed behind the group.
And just like that, the dark interface had appeared again, glowing with temptation.
This ti, however, Theo hesitated for an entirely different reason. Unlike before, where the targets were thieves, or the ones who kidnapped Aries... These survivors were just ordinary people. Scared, injured... but still human. Still innocent.
He looked ahead. So of the UMS survivors were limping. One woman clutched a bloodied arm, another carried a crying child. There was no bloodlust in their eyes. No twitching limbs.
No signs of mutation. Just people trying to live...
[Reject Quest? YES]
His finger hovered near the prompt. Behind him, he sensed movent. Ben walked past, casting him a sidelong glance filled with suspicion. It was like the guy could feel sothing was off but as usual, he said nothing and kept walking.
Theo exhaled quietly... and tapped NO.
[System Notification: PURGE MISSION DECLINED]
The dark interface dissolved. He closed his eyes for a second, feeling the pressure in his chest finally ease. But there was no peace in the relief.
If anything, it felt like this was only the beginning.
"More of this is coming," Theo whispered to himself.
Lexa, walking several steps ahead and checking over her squad, glanced back. "Did you say
sothing?"
Theo shook his head, voice even. "Nothing."
But his eyes lingered on the distant skyline where storm clouds curled and thunder rumbled beyond the shattered remains of the university campus.
He was beginning to understand. This wasn’t just a battle for survival. Not just a war against the teorborn. It was sothing deeper. Sothing more personal.
A war between systems. A war for control of who he would beco.
And the line between power and corruption... was getting thinner by the day.
*****
AMSO Headquarters - Decontamination Bay
Before the sun sets, the transport doors hissed open as Theo and the rest of the squad stepped into AMSO’s reinforced decontamination zone. The fluorescent lights above buzzed softly. Steam and sterile mist hissed through vents, washing over their suits as automated systems cleansed them of any lingering contaminants from Lacan State University.
Theo quietly stepped forward. His uniform was scorched in places, his boots caked in dried blood. Despite it all, his face remained unreadable.
Behind him, Ben stumbled in, scowling. His fingers were twitchy, eyes darting between Theo and Commander Rico, who was waiting with his arms crossed just beyond the decon doors.
Ben imdiately made a beeline for the commander, voice lowered but urgent.
"You need to report him," Ben whispered, jerking his thumb toward Theo. "He disobeyed direct orders and left our formation. If he didn’t pull that stupid solo act, you’d have had better control of the mission."
Rico raised a brow. "He saved civilians. Stabilized Wings. I’ve seen the after-action footage."
Ben leaned in. "So what? He’s reckless. That kind of behavior spreads. What if everyone just ran off and played hero?" His voice dropped to a near hiss.
"Co on, Rico. You want to keep your position? My father still backs AMSO financially. You and I both know promotions don’t just co from the battlefield. They co from influence. Loyalty."
Rico’s jaw tightened. "I gave you command support today, Ben. You’re not the one giving orders."
"But my father can pull your funding," Ben said with a smug smile. "You’ve always known that. Just keep backing like always. File the report. I’ll handle the rest."
Rico looked away, expression unreadable.
Ben turned and strolled toward the barracks with the others, jaw clenched, his fists balled at his sides. The air around him buzzed with tension, but no one dared say a word.
There was no way he would let that damn Theo off the hook. That smug face, calm, unreadable, as if none of this affected him, it grated on Ben’s nerves more than any insult could.
He used to be nothing.
Theo was his punching bag, his personal source of amusent back in school. That fat, awkward nerd who flinched at every word. Who looked like he didn’t belong in the sa room, let alone the sa team.
And now?
Now he had the gall to act like he was so kind of hero?
Ben’s lip curled.
"So what if he’s stronger?" he muttered under his breath. "He’s still just trash. A nobody who got lucky."
A poor kid with a fancy power that didn’t change the truth. Theo didn’t belong here. Not with the elites. Not above him. Ben’s boots hit the corridor floor harder with every step. His thoughts twisted with frustration.
He’d make sure everyone rembered who Theo really was. No amount of flashy powers or saved missions could erase the past. He was going to put him back in his place.
No matter what it took.
****
An Hour Later
Commander Rico Reyes stood stiffly before a panel of AMSO senior officers at the briefing room. Holographic screens hovered mid-air, cycling through footage of the university raid, the smoldering gymnasium, teorborn corpses, and Theo slicing through Infectees like a storm.
Hayden sat at the head of the table, flanked by two other Supre Commanders. His cold, analytical gaze settled on Rico.
"Proceed with your complaint," Hayden said.
Rico cleared his throat. "Class 4 Operative Theodore Luther deviated from our squad’s assigned path without authorization. He left formation and ignored protocol-"
"To do what?" Hayden interrupted, tapping a screen.
Rico hesitated.
"Saved sixteen civilians from a MHusk ambush. Took down an MAqua solo. Stabilized Delta Team before any of our squads arrived," Hayden said flatly. "You call that a violation?"
"It’s not about success," Rico replied, his tone strained. "It’s about structure. If Class 4s start ignoring orders just because they think they’re strong enough-"
"But he is strong enough," Marlon said softly from the corner, arms folded. She was standing instead of sitting, eyes sharp behind her glasses.
Rico’s face darkened.
Hayden’s fingers tapped the table again. "You know what I see, Commander Reyes? A recruit with initiative, real combat instinct and potential. But what I don’t see is strong leadership from you."
Rico stiffened.
"Ben’s father might be one of our backers," Hayden continued, "but AMSO doesn’t run on politics alone. It runs on performance. And so far, I see more leadership from Luther than I do from you."
The room went quiet. Even Marlon looked surprised.
Hayden finally leaned back in his seat. "No formal punishnt. But if this happens again, Rico... I’ll consider a reassignnt."
Rico nodded stiffly and left the room, jaw locked.
"Did you grow to like him now?" Marlon asked, a hint of curiosity in his tone as he glanced at Hayden.
Hayden scoffed lightly. "I wouldn’t go that far. I still don’t like him." He leaned back in his chair. "But I like Arlan Harrow even less. That man had the nerve to use his connections to interfere with AMSO operations. He crossed a line."
Arlan Harrow was the one who recomnded Rico Reyes to be promoted as a Commander.
"Still," Ira Voss cut in with a casual shrug, "Arlan is one of AMSO’s major sponsors."
Hayden’s eyes narrowed. "Sponsorship doesn’t give him the right to twist protocol for personal gain."
Marlon smirked slightly. "Then I guess Theo’s timing was... convenient."
"Convenient or not," Hayden muttered, "he’s shaken the table. And I’m still not sure if that’s a good thing." His gaze darkened.
"That kid acts on his own, goes off-mission, doesn’t follow orders. That’s not the kind of example we need in a squad built on unity and discipline."
He scoffed, tapping a finger against the armrest. "If it were up to , I’d personally knock so sense into him."
Hayden stood with his arms folded, staring at the tactical screen replaying Theo’s most recent mission.
"That kid..." Hayden muttered under his breath.
Across the table sat Marlon Pitt, and to his left, Ira Voss, Supre Commander of Intelligence and Surveillance. Both watched in silence as the footage showed Theo dashing forward in electric flashes, dropping multiple teorborn and infectees without pause.
Hayden finally spoke louder. "You saw it, right? Don’t tell I’m the only one who caught it."
Marlon raised an eyebrow. "Caught what, exactly?"
Hayden tapped a screen on the table, bringing up Theo’s recruitnt file. "This... his official record. According to Theodore Luther’s AMSO registration, his only listed power is Electric Manipulation."
"And?" Ira asked with a shrug.
"And?" Hayden repeated, scoffing. "Did either of you see just electricity in that fight? Because I saw shadow movent. I saw brute-force impacts that shattered concrete. I saw sothing that moved like a Class 2 or even borderline Class 1. That boy is not showing everything."
Marlon leaned forward, his tone even. "We both know registrants don’t always list everything upfront. So don’t even know the full extent of their abilities until they’re in the field."
Hayden’s voice was low. "That’s not the case here. He knew. You don’t use powers that refined by accident."
Ira Voss chid in, eyes narrowed slightly. "You think he’s deliberately concealing abilities?"
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