Their focused strides and vigilant eyes carried them deeper until they reached a secluded trench carved into the earth, a makeshift stronghold amidst the chaos. There, huddled and battered but alive, was Team 14.
Around the rookies were monsters' bodies, evidence of a desperate fight for survival. They were a sight, with bloodied battlesuits and dirty features. When Team 0 became visible, a tired cheer erupted from their ranks, a weak yet hopeful sound.
Kenji, the tallest among them, had a chaotic mess sticking out at odd angles instead of the usual neat hairstyle he preferred, but his eyes still burned with a quiet determination.
Shorter but no less imposing, Alice sported a pixie cut that framed her face sharply. Her green eyes were tired but still piercing and alert. She missed nothing, scanning the surroundings and the faces of her rescuers.
With her long, curly hair frizzed up in a bird’s nest, Samantha looked around with a curious gaze that belied her exhaustion. Her posture, though weary, spoke of an undiminished spirit, ready to rise and fight again.
Lucas was calm and steady. He bore the worst wounds, having evidently served as a meat shield to protect his companions, and yet he appeared the least affected mentally.
Lastly, Elliot had lost his usual academic air and was now much more disheveled, and his relief at seeing them was apparent. "Oh, thank god!" He exclaimed, holding his left hip painfully.
Ezekiel wasted no time, stepping forward with the calm authority of a healer. A golden staff appeared in his hands, and he waved it widely, casting healing magic generously. He determinedly moved among the young Awakeners, mending wounds and soothing their battered spirits. The others, meanwhile, quickly established a defensive perimeter, scanning the dark recesses of the dungeon for any sign of further threats.
In the brief respite, James took the opportunity to extend his psychic senses further, casting a wide net to understand their environment better. The general ambient mana of the dungeon was as expected, but interspersed within were anomalies - pockets of mana that burned brighter and denser, akin to the flare of a star in the night sky. A creature at the peak of the F-rank rested deeper in the dungeon - evidently the Boss - but he didn’t act beyond making a note of its position. Their current mission had priority over his curiosity about the weird mana waves.
These were not natural formations. The excessive concentration of what he believed to be mana stones scattered throughout the area clearly showed tampering. James felt a cold fury settle in his chest as he pieced together the evidence. Someone had orchestrated this, turning what should have been a routine mission into a deadly trap.
It reminded James of those initial missions Team 0 undertook, where information was deliberately withheld from them in the hopes they would die quickly and prevent the Dawn Initiative's success.
Their enemies were resorting to more direct means of ensuring their success if his feelings were correct.
After Ezekiel finished tending to Kenji's injuries, James gestured to the young team leader, signaling him to step aside for a private conversation. They moved away from the main group, and with a thought, James erected a telekinetic barrier around them, ensuring their discussion remained confidential.
"Kenji," James began, his tone serious, "When you entered this dungeon, did you notice anything off? Any signs that what you were walking into wasn't what it seemed?"
Still regaining his composure from the healing and the shock of the situation, Kenji took a moment to respond. His hair became even more unruly when he ruffled it as he thought. "Well, we checked the mana readings at the entrance, and everything matched the AA's briefing. But inside... it just kept getting worse. The monsters were stronger than they should have been and became progressively worse as we got deeper,” he admitted, frustration lacing his voice. "I sent the beacon when I realized we were in over our heads, but I didn't see anything that screamed tampering. I think we mostly got in over our heads. By the time we realized, it was too late to turn back.”
James nodded thoughtfully, "I understand. It seems that whoever tampered with the dungeon did so well before you arrived but was wise enough to restrict their actions to the deepest parts."
Kenji's eyes widened in realization, their predicament dawning on him. "So, this wasn't just a misclassification? Did someone set this up? But why? And how could the AA not see it coming?"
James sighed, choosing his words carefully. "The AA has many enemies, Kenji. And some are particularly keen on keeping us from expanding our influence, especially in the lower ranks where oversight is laxer. Your experience today might be part of a larger scheme to weaken us from within. This isn't the first time someone tried to take out a rookie team before they could come into their own, and I suspect it won't be the last."
The young man's face hardened with resolve. "What can we do, then? How do we fight an enemy we can't see?"
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James met his gaze squarely. "By being vigilant and prepared. We'll need to share what we know with the higher-ups discreetly. But most importantly, you need to stick together and back each other up. What happened here wasn't your fault, Kenji. But it's a reminder for all of you that the dangers we face aren't just the monsters."
Kenji nodded, the weight of leadership settling on his shoulders as he took in James' advice. "Thank you, James. I... We'll be more careful. And we won't forget this."
----------------------------------------
Having handed off Team 14 to the care of the medical ward, Team 0 retired to their room. They'd need to write a report of the rescue mission soon, but a few moments of relaxation could be afforded, especially after the frantic rush upstate.
Unsurprisingly, only an hour later, a message came from above.
"The Director is summoning us," James said, reading off his tablet.
Daniel grunted, standing up from the sofa unenthusiastically. "Let's get this over with."
"I don't know why we bothered coming back here. We could have gone directly to her and saved some time." Lauren complained. In a way, she was right, as it was unlikely the new Director wouldn't want a personal assessment of the situation Team 14 found itself in, but it wasn't like they could barge into her office without being summoned.
"She probably had something to do. I don't believe for a moment Meyer left everything in order when he left." Maria suggested, earning an eye-roll from the Rogue.
Upon reaching the correct floor, they were met with a surprise. The Director's secretary, a young man whose professional demeanor never wavered, greeted them with an unusual instruction. "The Director has requested your presence on the roof," he said, gesturing towards the elevator.
James's instincts kicked in, and he extended his psychic senses towards the rooftop, only to find his awareness strangely hampered. A blanket of interference clouded his perception. He had encountered such an anomaly only a few times and never since becoming an Ethereal Champion. Without saying anything, he crafted a telekinetic barrier around their group, ensuring its invisibility so as not to spook the secretary. He wanted no one to overhear them, and this wasn't a discussion that could be held through their usual sign language.
"Something's not right," he murmured to his team, "My senses are being spoofed. Doing that takes a lot of power or very specialized skills."
The others exchanged wary glances. "An A-ranker's involvement is likely, then. Miss Bianca managed to hide from you, but I doubt anyone weaker could manage it." Lauren conjectured, her hand subconsciously resting on the hilt of her weapon.
"Thank you, sir. We'll go there then." Daniel answered to the man, who smiled professionally and returned to his computer.
They walked back to the elevator, silently pondering their options.
James decided to check one last thing before he left the floor. He probed the secretary's mind with a delicate touch that would have been impossible before his Talent Evolution, checking for tampering or information he might know about the blank zone above their heads.
He blinked as he found a surprisingly protected mind. Then he realized he should have expected it, as the man was likely constantly overhearing classified information. It made sense to protect him from external scrying and mental attacks.
Still, that only made his life harder. James could likely push the artifact defending the man to the breaking point if he concentrated, but that wasn't a good idea. He couldn't really justify assaulting the Director's secretary, as technically nothing wrong was going on. He wasn't even supposed to look inside people's minds, after all.
However, some maneuvering allowed him to perceive his surface thoughts, which were less protected. He was genuinely ignorant of any danger. "He doesn't seem to know what's waiting for us," James shared quietly with his team.
As the elevator ascended, the tension among Team 0 grew palpable. They were entering unknown territory, both literally and metaphorically. James's successful but limited probe into the secretary's mind left them with more questions than answers. The absence of awareness about the rooftop's activities was troubling but not as concerning as the potent interference blocking James's senses.
"Could it be a trap?" Maria whispered, her eyes reflecting the fear and uncertainty they all felt.
"It's possible," James admitted, scanning the building with his senses once more in search of any clue that might reveal what awaited them. His psychic reach extended through the floors, seeking the familiar presences of the AA's leaders. To his growing unease, he found several key figures, including Mr. Bethany, conspicuously missing from their usual locations.
"This doesn't look good," Lauren muttered, her hand tightening around her weapon. "If they've gone after the AA's leadership…"
Daniel, ever the voice of reason, interjected, "Let's not jump to conclusions. We don't know the full situation. The AA has security measures and protocols to which we're not privy. Maybe they're in a secure location."
"Or they've been compromised," Ezekiel finished the thought, his expression grim.
As they neared the top, the possibility that they were walking into a highly volatile situation became increasingly likely. The conversation turned to rapid, hushed strategizing, with each member contributing their insights and preparing for a potential conflict.
"We should be ready for anything," James said, his voice low but firm. "If this is an ambush, we need to be able to react quickly."
"James, if they managed to get Mr. Bethany and the Director, there isn't much we can do. We have gotten stronger, but there is an insurmountable difference between D-rank and A-rank." Maria murmured.
It was a truth they all knew. The mere fact that they were involved in this meant that whoever was orchestrating the entire operation was trying to get to every level of the AA.
For a moment, James contemplated pushing the emergency button on the elevator and forcing it to take them down to the first floor, where they could escape into the city. Still, the sheer power needed to defeat the local powerhouses meant it wasn't feasible.
Even if they were allowed to do so, they'd just be putting the civilians at risk. It was a lose-lose situation, no matter what. The only thing James could think of doing was to attack with all his might from the beginning. If he broke the minds of those coordinating the operation, they could rescue the Director and Mr. Bethany.
If they are even still alive. I cannot feel anything coming from the roof, so they might not even be there. Damn, this is horrible. I've gotten so used to knowing everything that I panic the first time my senses are blocked. There isn't anything I can do beyond my best at this point. If I die here, I'll die with my head held high.
Reaching the roof, the elevator doors slid open with a quiet hiss, revealing the open expanse above the AA headquarters. The evening sky stretched vast and starlit above them, but the scene's beauty did little to ease their wariness.
Stepping out onto the rooftop, they immediately spread out, forming a defensive circle as they surveyed their surroundings. The expected threat, however, didn't materialize. Instead, standing calmly before them was a figure they hadn't seen in months, one who carried herself with undeniable power.
"Miss Walker," James breathed out in surprise.