The light show illuminated the grisly scene for a few more moments before it died down. It was enough to give James a full view of the Grasstalker’s meager remains.

The massive monster, a smaller one of its kind next to it, and the two houses behind them were gone. The ether beam had carved a deep furrow, which allowed James to see the foundations of the houses. Pipes sprinkled water everywhere as the building they were connected to just wasn't there anymore.

"That ought to do it," James murmured sarcastically to himself. He knew he had overdone it, but it was too late to stop once he realized what he was about to unleash.

At least the giant beam had been enough to stun the remaining monsters, allowing his teammates to finish them off before they could gather their wits.

The problem was that he had just let out a massive beacon to any curious creature in the surrounding area. James didn't consider himself lucky enough to hope that nothing would come to check the disturbance out.

At least it gave me two levels. It's not worth it, but I'll take everything I can get.

He hurriedly returned to scanning the immediate vicinity with his psychic senses, seeking out the life signals of any remaining civilians. The urgency was palpable among the team as they moved swiftly through the debris-strewn streets.

Now that their presence had been revealed to any creature with even rudimentary sensory abilities, there was no need to keep their operations on the down low. They had to save as many people as possible before something beyond their means to handle came.

James extended his telekinetic reach, pulling trapped survivors from collapsed buildings and twisted cars and placing them into his teammates’ arms. Ezekiel followed close behind, his hands glowing with a soft light as he patched up injuries - only enough to stabilize them until they could receive proper medical attention back at the base.

Lauren, Maria, and Daniel provided cover, constantly surveying the surroundings for signs of incoming threats. Their expressions were tense. They were all aware that every minute they spent exposed increased their risk tremendously.

James felt a gnawing frustration at himself for potentially compromising the mission. His training had always emphasized stealth and caution during rescues to avoid drawing unnecessary attention from nearby monsters. While effective, his impulsive use of the ether beam had shattered any hope of subtlety. The brilliant flash of power was like a flare, signaling their location for miles.

Recognizing the need to inform the other teams of the potential danger, James grabbed the radio attached to his belt. "Teams 24 and 76, this is Team 0," he said, his voice terse. "We've engaged multiple Grasstalkers, including a larger variant, at coordinates Echo-5. Significant energy discharge is likely to attract further attention. I suggest expedited extraction and increased readiness for potential reinforcements."

The radio crackled back with acknowledgments, their tones as tense as his own. They, too, understood the precariousness of the situation.

Turning back to his team, James set a brisk pace. "We need to move faster. Any civs we can get to safety now are fewer we need to worry about if things escalate," he instructed.

The others silently nodded in agreement. As they maneuvered through the desolate streets, the atmosphere among Team 0 was one of intense focus. The usual banter that marked their operations was absent, replaced by a tense silence broken only by necessary communication. They moved as a single unit, fluid and coordinated, their actions almost preemptive of each other's needs. James led them with a grim determination, his mind continuously scanning the area, pushing his senses to their limit to detect any hint of human life amidst the rubble.

They rescued an elderly couple trapped under the debris of their half-collapsed home. Maria and Daniel carefully extricated them while Ezekiel provided immediate medical attention.

Not long after, James' senses picked up on a small family - two adults and a child - huddled in the basement of a nearby building. The relief on their faces when Team 0 burst through the door was palpable, and their gratitude was heartfelt.

However, the rescue efforts were tinged with the constant awareness of the lurking danger. As they escorted the family back to the safety of the makeshift evacuation point, James' psychic radar pulsed with a foreboding signal. The massive presence he had noticed earlier was moving closer, its menacing energy signature undeniably that of a B-rank creature. His heart sank as he realized that, this time, the confrontation was inevitable.

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He swiftly sent a message to the other teams via the radio. "This is Team 0; pull out immediately. We have a B-rank in the vicinity. It's heading straight for us." His voice was calm, and James started to feel disconnected from his actions. His training had wholly kicked in, and his body operated automatically while his mind furiously tracked the gigantic Grasstalker's path.

The creature had to be twice the size of the average members of its species. Luckily, it seemed to be taking its time, sniffing the air and moving through the buildings cautiously, but James' worries kept increasing as he noticed how active its mind was.

This was not a dumb monster. The B-rank Grasstalker was fully aware and would be a terrifying foe to face.

James's only hope was that it didn't seem to have any mental protection beyond the general mana resistance granted by its rank. If he could engage it at a distance, he might be able to hurt it enough to force its retreat.

Still, it was too far to reveal his trump card, so James kept himself busy with other tasks while waiting for the right opportunity.

He made his way to the rescue operations commander, a seasoned veteran coordinating the civilian evacuation. "There is a B-rank monster coming our way. We need to evacuate everyone now. We can't hold it off, and we can't risk civilians we have rescued," James explained with controlled intensity.

The commander met James' gaze with a hardened nod. His steel willpower immediately suppressed the flash of fear he felt, elevating the man in James' eyes, "Understood. We'll accelerate the evacuation. How much time do we have?"

"Ten minutes if it keeps its pace, less if it starts moving quicker," James replied grimly.

The man wasted no more time and issued a series of barked orders to his people, who complied without question. The evacuation procedures were expedited, with rescue workers ushering the civilians with renewed urgency. Meanwhile, James returned to his team, which was regrouping after ensuring the family was safe with the rescuers.

"The Grasstalker coming our way is too powerful for us," James said grimly. "We need to decide now - do we stay to hold it off, or do we pull back with the others?"

In essence, James was asking his teammates if they wanted to die to give the civilians time to run away or if they wanted to rush back to the protection of the high-rankers.

There was a tiny chance someone could intervene in their favor. James had sent a communication with that purpose to the central command, but he only received a standard response that all available operators were already in the field.

His mind turned to Miss Walker. James doubted the operational directors were considering the woman, as her return was a secret, so he called her while waiting for the others to process his question. The number he used was one she had just given him, and the communications were still up, so there should be no problems getting through.

She didn’t pick up.

James sighed. Knowing his mentor, he didn't doubt she was in the midst of something very important if she wasn't answering. Unfortunately, her lack of a response meant their chances of surviving if they stayed were slim.

The parallel between his situation and the one that led to his father's death wasn't lost on James. Michael Summers had been betrayed by his teammates, which would not happen to him. But the main cause of his disappearance was that he had stayed behind to help civilians evacuate an overrun area.

He knew what his choice was. James would not spit on his father's legacy by becoming a coward. Considering his personal skills, he felt he might have a chance to get out of it alive, whereas his old man had been guaranteed to die.

But he wouldn't impose that on his teammates. They were excellent friends, and he trusted them with his life, which is why he would never ask them to pay for his mistakes. He would not think less of them if they wanted to retreat with the civilians.

"Do you think you could hit its mind before it comes here? If you manage to weaken it, we might have a chance to kill it." Lauren finally asked.

The others turned to him, waiting for his response, and James knew they had decided to stay.

He didn't do them the disservice of asking if they were sure. Every member of Team 0 was fully conscious of the situation. If they wanted to fight, he'd respect their choice.

"That was my plan. It's still too far to be worth it, but as soon as it gets in range, I'm thinking of putting all I can into breaking its mind. I doubt I'll be able to take it out like that, as its natural resistance should stop me before I get too deep, but even just damaging it would be priceless." He answered, observing the last van drivers shouting at the remaining civilians to hurry.

It was then that the two other teams arrived. They looked battered, which was unsurprising considering how many difficulties they had faced. Even the average Grasstalker was a dangerous opponent.

"They are not staying, are they?" Ezekiel asked, and James shook his head.

Without even needing to say anything, their body language was enough to tell everyone the Awakeners were not looking to stand their ground.

The woman leading team 76 met James' eyes and grimaced at seeing them standing there, with obviously no intention of leaving any time soon. She quickly turned away and followed her team into a van, which screeched away.

The other team didn't even bother with that, simply commandeering a car for themselves.

James knew it was the expected thing to do. No one wanted to sacrifice their lives in a battle they had no chance of winning, and despite his earlier thoughts about his teammates, he couldn't help but feel his lips curl at the sight.

These people didn't even consider the idea of fighting. They had taken some risks in coming here to rescue people, but the moment the situation became too dangerous, they left.

This is not the job for you, then. You might want to look for a cozy office somewhere in Manhattan. I hear corporations give excellent salaries to Awakeners these days.

Shortly, there was no one left but Team 0 behind the barricades.

"Be honest, how good are our chances?" Maria asked directly.

James sighed and turned his mind's eye back to the Grasstalker. It was close now. Less than five minutes, and it would be on them. The moment it smelled the concentration of people and realized they had left, it would probably start chasing the cars, which meant certain death for those unlucky ones it caught up to before it got bored with the game.

The main problem was that the monster was just too intelligent. James could feel its brain notice things in a similar way humans would. He didn't doubt it would understand where to go if it found nothing to keep it there.

"Low. It really depends on how much I can damage its brain. I haven't delved too deeply because I'm afraid it might notice my presence and prepare. When I attack it, I want it to come from nowhere and to be overwhelming. If that goes well, we have a fifty percent chance of winning." He finally answered. Unsaid was that they wouldn’t stand a chance if the attack went badly.