“S… sir, I was just…”

“Stand back, soldier! No one moves without my command! Understood?!”

Leo’s voice was filled with an unquestionable tone, his head swiping from Virgo over the other soldiers.

The others felt their bodies stiffen. The gruesome training had ingrained absolute respect for their superiors into their bones.

Delphi stepped out of the room but even he didn’t dare to open his mouth at the moment. He sneaked past Leo, throwing a look into the newly opened room.

“You guys secure the vicinity while I will assist the doctor in searching these rooms!”

“Yes, sir!”

Virgo felt a few displeased gazes following him as he got into position without complaint.

Meanwhile, Delphi entered the next room. He first scanned one of the corners, finding similar incomprehensible energy readings. Next, he and Leo searched the room, but their efforts weren’t rewarded.

The other rooms on the floor didn’t hold much information either. Delphi discovered a few more storage mediums but they were not only digitally wiped but also physically destroyed beyond redemption.

Wit nothing left to search Leo decided to go upwards once again. He sent Aquarius to check out the way ahead. The female soldier was only gone for a minute before coming with a solemn expression.

“Sir, the path upstairs is blocked by a solid hatch, which still looks to be in good condition. A deeper scan reveals a heavily fortified corridor.”

“Is there only one way?”

“Yes, sir.”

Leo fell into deep thought gauging the risk of entering forcefully.

“Sir, we could enter from outside.”

The major glanced at his deputy and nodded slowly.

“Let’s try it. Aquarius, you take the lead.”

“Yes, sir.”

Coming to a decision the group walked downstairs and left the building, reaching its front.

Aquarius looked up towards the third floor, where the figure of a man could be seen behind a window. She shivered staring at the body which looked like it would move any moment.

“Aquarius!”

“Yes, sir. I’m going.”

The scout took a deep breath as silent jets appeared on her palms and the soles of her feet. Energy gathered, pushing her into the air.

A warning immediately appeared in front of the soldier’s eyes, reminding her of the high energy consumption.

Aquarius ignored it for now, floating higher until she reached the third floor. She subconsciously avoided the spot where the man stood, putting her hand on the glass somewhere to his right.

Another in-depth scan using her ability revealed the layout of what appeared to be some kind of command center. Naturally it wasn’t without defensive means.

Aquarius returned to the ground to report, causing Leo some headache. Eventually a plan formed in his mind.

The soldiers quickly went into action. Gemini dragged the indignant doctor away while Cancer and Libra returned to the team. Together they set up defenses outside before Scorpio, Taurus, and Pisces floated up towards the third floor.

“We… will begin now.”

“Yes.”

Leo watched from the ground as Scorpio put his hands forward. Pushing himself to the limit, a large amount of corrosive acid was sprayed on the glass.

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It hissed loudly, spreading toxic fumes which lingered in the air. Immediately a blearing alarm sounded within the command center.

Four heavily armored robots separated from the walls while gun turrets came out of the ceiling. Red light illuminated the room as the multiple threatening muzzles turned towards the soldiers outside.

A large hole had been melted out of the glass. Taurus and Scorpio quickly flew in. A towering, black shield appeared in front of Taurus’s body. Immediately the thud, thud, thud, of a bullet hail could be heard.

Scorpio didn’t dare to waste time, grabbing the unmoving ancient human body and lunging out of the command center.

“Careful!”

Suddenly Pisces’s chest tightened as she saw one of the robots throwing a small sphere pulsing with electricity. She shouted a warning. Her eyes focused on the bomb in the air. A headache assaulted her brain as the bomb suddenly moved in slow motion.

Taurus and Scorpio didn’t dare to dawdle. They left the room immediately, hurrying back to the floor together with Pisces and the body.

Scorpio tumbled, feeling as if a hammer was assaulting his brain. He knew he had over drained his ability just now to destroy the glass as fast as possible.

With the body in hand, he dragged his body towards the team.

“Taurus, Pisces! Take a defensive position! Scorpio, go to the doctor and send Gemini back!”

“Yes, Sir.”

A few seconds after Scorpio left, a rumble shook the ground. Dust spread, obscuring the view after the four robots jumped out of the command center.

The soldiers, already prepared, followed Leo’s orders.

“Focus fire, left!”

Immediately dense lasers blasted towards the expected position of the leftmost robot like the rays of the sun. Movement came into the scene, stirring up the dust in the air. A hail of bullets answered them, prompting the soldiers to take cover behind their prepared shields.

Judging by the trajectories of those bullets the soldiers could tell that one enemy had already been eliminated.

“Careful, bomb!”

Capricorn warned his comrades before throwing a square cube over his head.

The robots’ eyes turned towards the object. Within milliseconds they made the correct judgement. With a flash they spread in all directions.

A massive explosion shook the surroundings.

“Capricorn! Don’t take that damn building apart!”

Leo shouted angrily as more and more dust spread, making it difficult to see. Their armors automatically activated an assistant mode, scanning for movement.

“So… woah!”

Just as Capricorn wanted to apologize, a robot appeared before him in a flash. Its hand turned into an unbelievably sharp edge which aimed for the soldier’s head.

Capricorn reacted quickly, dodging to the side, and raising his weapon. But before he could fire, and excited laughter reached his ears.

“Haha, my time to shine!”

With an incomprehensible speed, Cancer suddenly streaked by the robot. The two, heated, vibrating swords in his hand crossed on the robot’s neck. The piece of metal couldn’t dodge fast enough before its head got separated from its body.

But even like this it wasn’t done yet. Its arms swung in the general direction of Cancer. The latter however skillfully danced outside its reach. With a few more swings of his swords the robot was separated into its pieces.

Meanwhile another Robot managed to get behind the team. It readied its weapons, about to unleash hell on the soldiers when its sensors suddenly registered danger. With a flash, it retreated several meters as a laser beam flashed past the spot it just stood.

The robot turned to the side, looking for the shooter. Suddenly the laser beam drew a curve, piercing the robot from behind. Energy erupted as the laser perfectly hit its core, causing the robot to explode.

Some distance away Sagittarius wore a grin on his face as he dramatically put his long rifle on his shoulder. He looked over towards his team where the dust gradually scattered.

A tall, black armor was revealed, its arm piercing through the chest of a headless robot.

“Haha, major. I don’t know why you’re always so careful. I reckon you could’ve dealt with those puppets by yourself!”

“Never underestimate your enemies.”

“Sure, sure.”

Leo sighed inwardly. His soldiers, clad in the most powerful armor, were understandably confident.

When he was younger Leo was the same. With his ability to sense danger he felt that nothing in the universe could stump him. Until he had to learn that even a seemingly weak enemy couldn’t be underestimated.

Memories flashed before his eyes of the dying cries of his comrades. That time, the danger directed towards him was indeed negligible. But only because he wasn’t the target…

Leo shook his head focusing back on the present. His eyes wandered towards the building where a big hole had been detonated into its wall.

Luckily the structure was quite solid, not about to fall apart form the explosion. Only the bodies below might’ve taken some damage.

Thinking about those bodies, Leo remembered the ancient human they kidnapped from the third floor. Waving at his soldiers he signaled them to follow him.

Soon they arrived next to Scorpio and Delphi.

Leo rolled his eyes as he saw Delphi lost in his own world. The doctor didn’t care about the fight in the distance, his entire focus on the body.

Having taken out all his tools Delphi propped the lifeless body on a table. Tens of small drones flew around it, scanning it thoroughly. Delphi watched the screen of a small machine which analyzed some of the dead man’s blood, mumbling to himself.

“Fascinating! So many Delphi Cores…”

Leo furrowed his brows. He couldn’t help but interrupt the doctor.

“Delphi Cores? What are you talking about?”

Delphi sighed pretentiously but secretly he was happy that someone asked.

“I told you that these ancient humans have an additional energy storage in their cells. I took the liberty to name those after myself. After all, I am the one to discover them.”

“Why did I ask…”

“You see, Leo. This man’s cells contain an impressively high number of Delphi Cores. His cells must’ve been in a highly energetic state. He was probably inhumanly strong.

Its easy to guess that he was a high member of the military judging by his uniform…”

Delphi slowly trailed off towards the end, his eyes turning blurry.