"How are you able to wield the power of darkness?" Zed heard his sister's sweet voice and turned toward the source. He then stopped and asked,
"How do you know about that?" Zed inquired while gripping his dagger.
"I don't know, just now some memories popped up in my head, and those memories know about that," Luna said as she massaged her forehead.
"What kind of mem—" Before Zed could finish his sentence, Luna suddenly collapsed. Quickly moving, Zed successfully caught her before she hit the ground. He then activated his healing skill and caressed her hair.
"Don't worry, sister. After today, everything will be better than before," he said and walked out of the warehouse.
While Zed was busy saving his sister, Task Force 141 had successfully extracted the bodies of Zed's parents and were moving towards the meeting location.
Meanwhile, there was complete chaos inside the Borlan family house.
"All of their lights are extinguished," an old man said with a solemn face as he looked at the lights placed on the wall as bulbs, each with a name underneath. Just now, Cenav Borlan's and his men's lights had extinguished one by one.
The old man walked out of the room and headed towards his master's office. After knocking on the door and receiving a reply from inside, he opened the door and entered. His master was sitting at his desk, reading a book.
"George, you know that I don't like being disturbed while reading, so this better be important," he said without even glancing at the old man.
"Master, Young Master Cenav's light is extinguished, as well as his men," the old man said while lowering his head. Hearing this, the master of the Borlan family became enraged.
"Who dares!" he exclaimed while slamming the desk and standing up. "Tell everyone to be ready and find out who is responsible for this!" he ordered before storming out of his office.
George followed him, continuing to talk. "I think the Atlas boy is responsible for this," he said. After hearing George, his master stopped and turned to look at him.
"Tell me more," he said, then continued walking.
"Young Master Talon and his friends decided to mess with a guy they had seen riding a limited edition motorcycle. But the outcome was a complete disaster. That boy had the power to overpower Chen. Young Master told us that the guy they had messed with used shadows to travel and hide. He also added that the dagger he was using poisoned Chen, which resulted in Chen's death. From our first investigation, we learned that he was using the power of darkness and he was a dangerous individual to have in this city. I wanted to inform Master, but Young Master Cenav strongly opposed that and ordered me not to talk about this. Then he worked together with Chen's brother to ambush and kill that guy. I suppose they have failed," George finished talking as they reached the meeting room.
"First, we need to teach that arrogant boy a lesson, then I'll give you your punishment myself," George's master said before opening the door and walking inside. Before the door closed, George had seen twelve screens, and on each screen were very powerful people in the country. George knew that the boy's end was nigh, so he started contemplating his own fate.
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"Steaming hell, who could dare to do something like this?" Soap said as he looked at the two dead bodies lying there.
"Idiots, the ones I could think of," Gaz replied.
"Doesn't matter, whoever is responsible for this, they will pay the price," Shepherd said, walking into the room.
"Is there anything from the commander?" Price asked.
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"No answer yet, it's better to wait," Shepherd replied as he sat down on the couch and turned on the TV.
"Did he say anything about the identities responsible for killing his parents?"
"No, he thinks it's better for him to handle this," Shepherd answered while watching the TV.
"Look, I don't underestimate the commander, but it's dangerous to do it alone. We need to help him," Gaz said as he took a few steps forward.
"I know that too, but what can I do? Do you expect me to force him?" Shepherd responded. Everyone fell silent and watched the TV.
Half an hour later, there was knocking on the door. Everyone readied their weapons and took positions as Shepherd moved toward the door.
"Who is it?" Shepherd asked, aiming his gun at the door.
"It's me, Shepherd, open the door," Zed answered.
Without losing another second, Shepherd quickly opened the door and let Zed inside. Once inside, Zed was greeted by five members of Task Force 141.
"Where are the others?" Zed asked as he walked inside.
"They're on another mission. If necessary, I can call them back now," Shepherd answered.
"No need. Where are my parents' bodies?" Zed asked, and they showed him the way. Entering the room where his mother and father lay cold, Zed slowly walked towards them and held their hands.
"I'm sorry, I wasn't able to stop what was coming, but I promise there won't be a second time," Zed said, activating his healing skill. Price and Shepherd watched from the door as sudden lights appeared around their commander and his parents. The lights gave off warm feelings, and they could feel the purity. Seeing that, other members of Task Force 141 rushed towards the door to watch.
"Steaming hell, what's going on?" Soap asked as he watched the scene unfolding in front of him. A few minutes later, the lights diminished, and the two bodies they had brought suddenly moved.
"Zed? What's going on? Where are we?" Zed's father asked as he got up groggily. After hearing his father, who was supposed to be dead, Zed's eyes teared up, and he hugged both of his parents.
After sending away Task Force 141, who had been watching the show from outside his door, Zed began to explain the situation to his family, without mentioning the system and altering the source of the powers it had given him.
Ten minutes later, Zed's parents understood the situation and embraced him tightly. This embrace was interrupted by the thought of Luna.
"What about your sister? Where is she, Zed?" Zed's mother asked.
"Don't worry, mom, Luna is safe. I've entrusted her to a friend I trust; there's no need to worry," Zed responded, holding his mother's hand. Seeing the confidence in Zed's eyes, his family trusted him and hugged him tightly, hoping to comfort him and ease the trauma he had experienced.
A few minutes later, the three of them left the room and said goodbye to Task Force 141. Before leaving the safe house, Zed expressed his immense gratitude to the entire team for their successes.
After leaving the house, they called an Uber, and Zed directed them towards the new house he had acquired through the system. His parents got into the vehicle and headed home, but Zed was not planning to go home just yet.
He summoned the system screen and entered the system market. Zed was planning to summon a companion as powerful as himself. After extensive research in the market, he found the right person to accompany him.
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Miria, Sorceress of the Crystal Deserts
Power of Elements: Sand, Time, Illusion
Class: Arcane Tier
Rank: S
Passive Effects: Miria possesses a natural harmony with the sands and temporal flows around her, granting her immunity to age and environmental extremities. Her presence distorts the immediate flow of time, providing her and her allies with precognitive glimpses of imminent threats.
Harnessing the mystical powers of Temporal Sand Mastery, Miria stands as a guardian of balance and manipulator of the desert's harsh forces. She adeptly manipulates the sands to shield her allies or ensnare her foes, conjuring blinding storms or crafting intricate labyrinths of crystalline sand. Her mastery over time allows her to slow or hasten the flow around her, creating pockets of stasis or bursts of accelerated action. Beyond the manipulation of physical elements, Miria can cast illusions so vivid they can deceive even the most discerning eyes, crafting mirages and phantasmal doubles that confound her enemies. As a beacon of strategic prowess and mystical might, Miria is a revered figure among the Mana Wielders, her abilities making her a formidable force in both defense and combat.
Cost: 10.000 Coins
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Zed just couldn't find the right companion for himself. The only one he liked was way too expensive, and he was almost out of coins because he'd spent too much already. Deciding to earn some coins, Zed put off his search for a companion and focused on other things.
Zipping through the streets, Zed was laser-focused on his goal: wiping out the Borlan family. They had it coming.
About half an hour later, Zed pulled up to the sprawling Borlan Family Mansion. The place was huge and had a creepy vibe, like something out of a horror flick. Shaking off the eerie feeling, Zed ditched his bike and walked right through the front door. The guards at the entrance didn't stand a chance; they were down with clean cuts across their throats before they even knew what hit them.
Inside, Zed found himself face-to-face with ten guards patrolling the hallway with rifles. When they spotted him and the blood on his hands, they raised their guns quickly to take him out. As usual, Zed was too fast, dodging bullets and taking them out one by one. The sound of gunfire filled the mansion, alerting everyone inside.
After clearing out the guards, Zed pressed on, checking each corner as he moved. He eventually reached a huge door at the end of the hallway, decked out with medieval-style golden carvings of dragons. Not bothering to admire the craftsmanship, Zed kicked the door open.
The door flew open with a bang. From the looks of it, it must have weighed about 100 kg, but Zed kicked it open like it was nothing, shocking everyone inside.
"What have we here?" Zed strolled in with a big, wicked grin. Inside, a long table meant to seat 20 was now snapped in half and sagging towards the floor. Around it, ten people were huddled on the ground—five women and five children.
Zed walked over to the nearest woman and crouched down. "You're quite the beauty, aren't you?" he said, slowly licking her cheek. She flinched and tried to back away. "Now, now, don't run. Do you think backing up will change anything? Do you really think I can't make you stay?" he said, grabbing her hair and pulling her close.
"Please don't touch my mother," a kid about nine years old begged Zed. "Don't do that; it's making me sad," Zed replied, patting the boy's head.
"Get your hands off my son!" a man roared, making everyone but Zed jump.
"You finally showed up, your majesty," Zed mocked as he stood up and turned around. There were twenty people at the blasted-open door, and among them was a muscular man in his fifties with short red hair and a long red beard. He was wearing a sort of modernized medieval armor, which Zed found amusing.
"Who the heck are you, causing trouble in my mansion!?" the man bellowed.