CHAPTER 271: RECOIL MANTLE
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Hundreds of meters above the vast desert expanse of the 4th floor, the Storm Eagle circled slowly, its massive wings casting a shadow over the sands below. Jay sat in quiet contemplation, with Xulkin, the Alpha Chosen he had brought along, positioned not far from him.
Xulkin's sleek, obsidian-black body seemed to absorb the light around him, the armor-like exoskeleton blending seamlessly with the shadows. The intricate, ribbed patterns on his streamlined form accentuated his muscular structure, while the two glowing, ethereal eyes—his only facial feature—emitted a soft light that added an eerie contrast to his dark appearance. The silence between them was heavy, filled with unspoken tension.
Breaking the quiet, Xulkin finally spoke, his voice tinged with frustration and confusion. "Why? Why grant secondary authority over another Obelisk to my planet? The resources from just one could secure the future of my people for generations. Why waste such a precious asset on us, weak and inconsequential as we are?"
Jay turned to meet Xulkin's gaze, his expression unreadable. "Because of something my grandfather taught me," he replied, his tone deliberately vague.
Xulkin’s frown deepened as he struggled to grasp the meaning behind Jay’s cryptic words. Frustration brewed beneath the surface, but before he could probe further, Jay continued, his voice resolute and unwavering. "For every life lost as a result of my actions, I’m committed to granting an Obelisk to the affected team. Since your team lost four members, that leaves three more Obelisks to go."
The words hung heavily in the air between them. Though Jay’s offer was undeniably generous, it only served to stoke the flames of anger within Xulkin. To him, it felt like a wealthy man tossing scraps to the unfortunate—an insult wrapped in a gift, cold and impersonal.
The idea that such a monumental loss could be compensated with material wealth, no matter how valuable, felt hollow to Xulkin, who was still reeling from the pain of losing his brother.
Sensing the rising tension, Jay shifted his gaze to the sky, his expression softening with regret. "I'm sorry about your brother," Jay said quietly. "If I had known the final attack's range would be so vast, I would have made adjustments to prevent any innocent lives from being harmed."
Jay's sincere tone momentarily cooled the anger burning in Xulkin's chest, but it could not extinguish the deep pain that lingered—the bitter wound that refused to heal.
Xulkin's mind replayed the moment he lost his brother, the image etched into his memory, a constant reminder of the fragility of life and the brutality of their reality.
His voice trembled as he spoke again, his glowing, ethereal eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Do you have any idea what it feels like? To lose someone you’ve known all your life in an instant? My brother wasn’t just family; he was my mentor, my friend. And now, he's gone, and I couldn’t do a thing to stop it."
Jay remained silent, giving Xulkin the space he needed to voice his grief. The raw emotion in Xulkin's voice spoke of a pain that ran deep, a sorrow that words alone could not alleviate. Jay knew that nothing he could say would bring back what Xulkin had lost, but he understood the importance of listening, of bearing witness to his suffering.
After a long pause, Jay finally responded quietly, "If I could take it back, I would."
The sincerity in Jay’s words was unmistakable, and for a brief moment, the tension between them seemed to ease. But the memory of loss was not so easily banished, and Jay found his thoughts drifting back to their first encounter—Day 11, when he had gathered the remnants of the teams that had lost members during the onslaught of HEAVEN BREAKER.
He recalled the raw hatred he had sensed in Xulkin back then, a hatred so intense that Jay had been certain vengeance was inevitable. The grief and anger bubbled beneath Xulkin’s stoic exterior. Jay had prepared himself for the possibility that Xulkin might one day seek retribution, understanding all too well the power of loss to drive a person to extremes.
And yet, despite the depth of his pain, Xulkin had shown remarkable restraint. He had not allowed his grief to push him to the brink of revenge, had not let it consume him as Jay had feared it might.
Such restraint puzzled Jay, who knew that if their roles had been reversed, he might not have been able to show the same composure. He couldn’t help but feel a sense of respect for Xulkin, who, despite the immense burden of his loss, had managed to maintain a sense of control.
Breaking the introspection, Jay addressed Xulkin once more. "Aside from the matter of the Obelisks, I brought you with me for another reason. But before I reveal that, I need to ask—why did you reject Urzo’s offer? You had every reason to go after the one who took your brother away."
Xulkin was caught off guard by the question and by Jay’s awareness of the offer. After a brief pause, he replied, his voice thick with emotion, "Hurting you, or anyone else, won’t bring my brother back. Acting out of vengeance would only put my team and my planet at risk. I won’t drag them into my personal vendetta. But one day, I will seek justice with my own hands."
Jay nodded, respecting Xulkin’s decision. He had refrained from reading Xulkin's mind, aware of the unusual abilities the Alpha Chosen possessed. Despite having just a Grade-6 Innate Talent, Xulkin had troubled even his fiercest adversary, Urzo, when the latter had attempted to plant his possession seed in Xulkin’s soul.
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║RECOIL MANTLE║
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⧼Grade-6⧽ ⧼Variant Category⧽
* The Host is enveloped by a passive Mantle that automatically retaliates against any who attempt to harm or debilitate them. Recoil Mantle reflects a portion of all Negative and control ailments back to the attacker, ensuring that those who strike the Host suffer in return.
* Grants additional passive recoil per every higher Mastery Stage.
* Collective Recoil: 6% (Stage-1)+ 12% (Stage-2)+ 18% (Stage-3) =36%
* Higher the Innate Talent grade and Tier of the Target, lesser the damage Recoiled to them.
Innate Exclusive Skills:
* Force Recoil (Passive): Any physical or kinetic damage dealt to the Host causes the attacker to experience a sharp, intense pain and a portion of the impact back on themselves. 36% of the damage is reflected back, creating a shockwave that makes them feel the force of their own power.
* Debuff Recoil (Passive): Any attempt to weaken the Host’s abilities or stats through debuffs causes a portion of the debuff to be mirrored back onto the attacker, reducing their own strength or capabilities. 36% of the debuff’s effect is reflected back onto the attacker.
* Psychic Recoil (Passive): Mental attacks directed at the Host result in a backlash that causes the attacker to experience confusion, disorientation, or emotional distress. 36% of the psychic damage or effect is reflected back, distorting the attacker’s mind.
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Even when someone as formidable as Urzo, a Grade-9 Innate Talent user, attempted to manipulate Xulkin with his abilities, he found himself facing an unexpected backlash.
The recoil from using his power on Xulkin was inevitable, even if slightly diminished—Urzo only suffered 20% of his own ability’s recoil instead of the usual 36%, thanks to the difference in their Talent grades and Tier.
But it was still significant enough to be felt. Jay knew it wasn’t just Urzo; even he wouldn’t be exempt from experiencing the backlash if he tried to use his abilities on Xulkin. He recalled how, when he had first attempted to read Xulkin’s mind, a wave of disorientation had struck him.
It was nothing severe, but the idea that a Grade-6 Innate Talent could affect Olivia’s Grade-10
However, Urzo’s experience had been far more intense and disastrous. Not only did he fail in his attempt to plant a possession seed within Xulkin, but he also suffered an unexpected and humiliating loss when a part of the seed itself was split off and recoiled back into him, causing it to be destroyed.
The incident enraged Urzo to the extent that he dispatched several of his most trusted lackeys to track down and eliminate Xulkin. However, Shadow Leopard MJ, who had been assigned specifically to handle external threats, intercepted the assassins and silently took them out as they attempted to infiltrate the Obelisk where Xulkin’s team was stationed.
Since Day 11, Urzo had been relentless in his harassment of Jay and his subordinates, sending wave after wave of his own followers as suicide bombers. Each day brought new assaults, as Urzo’s desperation grew alongside the strength of Jay and his Raid Parties, who steadily cleared Obelisks and became more formidable with each passing day.
Xulkin, unknowingly, had drawn the ire of Urzo—the fourth most powerful Alpha Ranker, whose control-type abilities were rendered almost useless against Xulkin.
What captivated Jay even more was the nature of Xulkin's abilities. None of them required any conscious activation or expenditure of Spirit Energy; they were entirely passive. Jay had never encountered such an Innate Talent before. It was a rarity, but it wasn’t without its drawbacks.
Xulkin’s abilities were defensive in nature; he could only retaliate by reflecting the damage inflicted on him. His strength depended heavily on his ability to turn his attackers’ own power against them.
However, that came with significant limitations. Xulkin could only reflect physical damage, debuffs, negative effects, and mental attacks. Against pure elemental attacks, or certain other specialized forms of assault, Xulkin would be as vulnerable as anyone else, with no means of defending himself.
Pondering those limitations, Jay spoke to Xulkin with a measured tone. "Given the grade of your Innate Talent, the highest you could realistically reach is Tier-6. Beyond that point, your progression would hit a wall."
Xulkin’s chest tightened at Jay’s words, a harsh reminder of the ceiling imposed on him by his own Innate Talent. He initially interpreted Jay’s statement as a subtle taunt, especially after his earlier vow to seek justice one day. But then, Jay’s next words caught him completely off guard.
"What if there was a way?," Jay continued, his tone shifting to thoughtful, "A way that could make you significantly stronger than you are now—strong enough to rival the likes of Akor, Rex, and Pompa. With that power, you might actually have a chance to achieve the justice you’re looking for. And if, at some point, you decide that pursuing vengeance isn’t what you want anymore, you could relinquish the power I give you and move on with your life. So, what do you say?"
Xulkin stared at Jay, his mind reeling. The offer was far beyond anything he had expected. Jay wasn’t just offering a path to power; he was offering him the possibility of a future, one where Xulkin could either embrace his thirst for justice or, if he chose, leave it behind and find peace.
The choice was daunting, but the opportunity was too significant to dismiss outright. As Xulkin weighed Jay’s words, he couldn’t help but feel the gravity of the decision before him.
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