Continuing chapter 4...

  A striking force is released from Donovan’s legs with such effort, able to make near leaves fall from the tree’s branches in a spiral form. He did not required God’s Rend. He leapt from the dusty bridge to a near shopping market, approximately 15 meters high with his athleticism. Donovan’s mood changed gradually, like a chamaleon’s skin color changing according to it’s current environment. He knew the situation could get worse if he didn’t hurry up. He remained silent, focusing in his thoughts before doing any action. Those thoughts kept getting creepier, Donovan could not hold it any longer but to imagine his family get killed due to his ‘useless thinking’. It just kept going and going… His eyes went blank as a computer shutting down after a long work, this meant, God’s Rend user entered in a overthinking state which made him suffer in his mind more than in reality. The pain of losing his family, being the only people he loves until now. Far away, in the skies a helicopter could be heard making Donovan’s thoughts break down from the noise. He instantly looked at the glimmering sky with a tensed face while clenching both fists.

  Donovan: “Damn, I have to hurry as soon as possible.”

  He took out his phone away from his pocket to activate his AI, Golden.

  Donovan: “Golden, sent to my sister Eleorona Ivanel the files from the folder called First Step.”

  Golden opened the application called ‘ConvoWithYou’ in Donovan’s phone and sent all files. A calm deep-voiced woman confirmed the message delivery, being Golden.

  Golden: “Mister, all files have been delivered to Eleorona’s phone, including recorded audios.”

  The tall teenager of golden eyes and messy black hair tapped on the Call Icon to say something important to her sister.

  Eleorona was changing her clothes and almost finishing putting on her long-sleeved shirt, her brother calls. She answers even though her right arm is raised.

  Donovan: "Eleorona, are you ready yet?"

  Eleorona continues to struggle to put on her long-sleeved shirt, which was a bit tight. He circled around in an effort to put on the rest of her shirt. The sounds that Eleorona made were uncomfortable.

  Donovan: (Curious and worried tone) "Ummm... Is something wrong?"

  Eleorona??: "Nngh! It's nothing, it's the shirt that's running short of sleeves."

  Donovan: (Slight smile) "Pff. Don't tell me you're getting fat."

  Eleorona??: (Raising her threatening tone) "EH? WHEN WE ENCOUNTER EACH OTHER AGAIN I’LL BREAK YOU INTO PIECES, DON'T SAY THAT!! I'M JUST WORKING OUT, OK?"

  Eleorona's raised screams annoy Donovan as he removes his face from the cell phone.

  Donovan: (Raising his voice in annoyance) "God, Eleorona, stop yelling, I'm just kidding. Anyway, and the other two?"

  Eleorona??: (Calm tone) "I don't know if they finished changing, let me call them.”

  Eleorona screams again without knowing that Donovan has the volume moderately high, annoying him again by the noise.

  Eleorona??: "LAWRENCE, AERIS, HAVE YOU CHANGED YET?!"

  Donovan sighs as he closes his eyes as if he loses faith. Lawrence raises his voice and answers with a "more or less!”

  She kept her voice high, replying back with a big & surprised ‘huh’.

  Lawrence ??: (Raised voice) “I don’t know what to wear!”

  Eleorona??: (Raised Voice) “Ugh, just get a casual shirt and pants, you’re not going to a fancy date, come on hurry up!”

  Donovan: “Eleorona, don’t hang up, there’s someting important you three have to listen.”

  Eleorona directs her attention to her cell phone after raising her voice with her wooden door closed. Eleorona??: "Hm? Does it have to do with the mission?"

  Donovan: "Yes, but I'll wait for you guys to change, don't take too long, please."

  Eleorona??: "Oh, thank you for being patient. Just give us a few minutes."

  Donovan listens and lowers his hand next to his phone slowly, to appreciate the sky and lose himself once again in his thoughts. His heartbeat decelerates as thinking on random, but significant memories throughout his youthful meaningless life. He let’s his own mind move thoughts to the center of attention without expecting suitable memories. Donovan let out his accumulated exhaustion through a long but gentle breeze from his nose.

  Donovan: (Sarcastic tone) “Good, I started this journey and now I want to take a break… A long one, no, a break for all eternity.”

  His gaze could not handle all the sky’s simple beauty, making him look down while he tensed his eyelids of preoccupation and self-deprecation. After a minute of pure silence, Eleorona unmutes herself to get ready for any incoming obstacles.

  Eleorona??: “Hey! shy furball, you there?”

  He quickly left his zone out, raising his hand to his face for a reply. Donovan cleared his throat in effort to sound chill as the guy he is.

  Donovan: “Yea, here I am.”

  Eleorona??: “Okay, Aeris and Lawrence are ready, we hear you.”

  Donovan: “Uhh…”

  He tried to remember what was he going to say after all that overthinking. It seemed weird for Eleorona to hear his own little brother struggle to form a word. She knows that Donovan says thing straightforward despite criticism.

  Eleorona??: “Hello?? Are you doing good?”

  Donovan: (Slow talk) “Yeah… Don’t worry, I’m fine.”

  Eleorona??: “Okay… Talk. Then.”

  Donovan: (mumbling) “Mhm what was I gonna say…”

  Eleorona presses the volume button to hear Donovan’s announcement.

  Donovan: “You guys will have a determined role which might suit your jégosgalia. Lawrence’s jégosgalia can copy people’s appearances which is logically useful for disguise & combat. This means Lawrence has to make sure no one finds out any suspicious actions inside the base. Eleorona, you’re going to defend Lawrence from attacks, it would be better if you mainly focus on ice offense to stun the enemies down, we don’t wanna harm them. And Aeris… You’re going to guide inside the base since you already know it.”

  Lawrence??: “So you are saying I should disguise Eleorona and Aeris?”

  Donovan: “Basically.”

  Lawrence glances the phone to think on what to say.

  Lawrence??: “I can do it but… Not for so long.”

  Donovan: “How long are we talking?”

  Lawrence sighs in a way of unsure capabilities, trying to remember the last time he accomplished such feat.

  Lawrence??: “Let’s say… 6 minutes?”

  Donovan: “At least my sister and Aeris got your back, so it should be fine.”

  Aeris??: “After investigating, what else do we do?”

  Donovan: “Escape, that’s all.”

  The blue-haired girl stayed silent with a frowned face, showing off the unexpected response she did not wanted to hear. She releases the air of eagerness to demonstrate how a former member of Delta should finish off a raid.

  Aeris??: “I recall this once. We are not only escaping, we are kicking their asses off and escape.”

  She coaxed the two young adult with such simplicity that Eleorona gave Aeris a smile as she nods her head.

  Eleorona??: “You heard her Donovan, we are hanging up now.”

  Donovan: “All right, and remember that I sent you the files.”

  Eleorona??: “On it!”

  The calls ends, showing 5 emojis from a downcast emoji to a cheerful one. A title stated ‘Did you enjoyed the call?’ Donovan stares at the emojis, swapping his thumb finger from right to left, stopping for a brief second to choose the happiest emoji. He smiles at the emoji, putting his phone in his pocket to move on.

  Far away from the regular urban places, a minimalist European styled mansion is found in the hidden countryside, near the Apennine Mountains. The mansion offers a flawless security, possibly safer than one of the most secured houses from ministers. Besides it’s transparent field, the mansion is surrounded by rock cliffs & vineyards, leading to the sea indicating a beautiful view. A five-person group is at the mansion’s backyard. Having a casual conversation in a semi-circle before their master arrives. These people had unique bracelet designs way different than the other. In fact, the symbolism of a bracelet in the organization meant being one of the strongest five hitmen of Delta. A sinister presence was heading towards the backyard, the doors opening on their own to introduce a dark blue-haired teenager in a formal suit. Although his face was neutral, that only masked the evil he carried inside. Only four members of the group placed their glasses on the table and turned around. There was one who turned around but didn't put it on the table, which triggered the laws of the mansion. The hitman was too late to register his mistake—CRACK

  A precise punch collided with the hitman’s iron jaw. Sending him backwards, making the impact rang through the still heavy air. Blood splattered onto the healthy clean grass and yet, Hjalmer did not spare the hitman another glance. With a resolute composture, he adjusted his sleeve as he brushed off some dust. His icy voice broke the abundant silence.

  Hjalmer: “You have a mission to complete. Go to croatia to liquidate Donovan’s family… and Aeris Juno’s family.”

  A brief silence followed. One of the hitmen glanced the other members of uncomfortable sensation before she dared to speak.

  Top 3: “Their… families…? Why?”

  Hjalmer let the silence speak for itself, turning towards the mansion’s helipad, where his personal skyrocket stood ready. With no further announcements, Top 4 helped Top 5 get up from Hjalmer’s bloody reminder. The group climbed into the skyrocket without saying goodbye to their leader, going along with the silence they must respect.

  On the other hand, we find Donovan, typically leaping from building to building with his glimmering particles, however, something was off to him. His expression remained intrigued by the skyrocket's capabilities. Heading to his family gradually worsened his fear. His body moved on its own, but his focus was on imaginary scenarios. The golden particles of his jégosgalia began to turn negative for a couple of seconds and as a result, the last thing that was in his head was the circle with an X with it although this time, it became more abstract. He regained consciousness, his eyes were exalted, his mouth somewhat open and his eyebrows tense and reaches his phone in a desperate moment to clear his doubts.

  Donovan: “Golden, tell me what’s the skyrocket about, please!”

  Golden: “Searching skyrocket… Search completed. The skyrocket, also known as Prototype SK is an advanced aerial vehicle after the traditional helicopters, engineered with optimized aerodynamics. For example, reduced drag and an improved airflow control, allowing significant faster travel. Skyrockets are not available for public purchases as for now, only few individuals have acquired this prototype. Would you like to know more about this topic?”

  Donovan: “What capabilities does the skyrocket have in its arsenal?”

  Golden: “Analyzing Skyrocket’s capabilities… Analysis complete. The Skyrocket, or Prototype SK, is equipped with sharp-edge propulsion systems, allowing it to reach speeds of up to 750km/h or 466 mph. Nearly 3x an ordinary helicopter’s velocity. Forbye, it provides an adaptive stealth technology, reducing radar detectability. Anything else you want to know?”

  Donovan: “Nah, I’m satisfied with that information, thank you.”

  Golden’s Icon vanishes from the screen. He gritted his teets, his clenched fist shakes like if struggling for control and his powerful leap loses velocity. However, this wasn’t enough to stop him, his inner voice kept demanding forward progress, knowing he has to settle things with Hjalmer.

  Swapping scenarios, the skyrocket’s engine roared in rage as it cut through the sky, moving at an unnatural speed towards its destination, Croatia. Unalike traditional aircrafts that followed specific routes, the skyrocket can simply ignore such limits and travel in a direct line to Zagreb. Inside the skyrocket, Delta’s strongest hitmen occupied themselves with ordinary hobbies and distractions, regardless the objective. Top 4 and Top 3 sat across from each other with a small makeshift table between them, playing poker for the time being. They were focused in an intense moment, their facial expressions barely shifted into any other sensation except for grunts of satisfaction and disappointment. Top 5 leaned against the side, eyes closed, seeming to rest. Thought, she wasn’t asleep, just storing energy to be prepared for the coming challenge. The last two sat together, arms wrapped around each other, interlocking fingers suggesting an embraced intimacy. Top 3 groaned due to her loss, shifting topics.

  Top 5: (Irritated tone) “God damn. How much longer do we have to wait?!”

  Top 4: (Not looking up from his hand) “Dude, relax, we’re in an small aircraft close to an airplane’s speed. It’s barely been twenty minutes.”

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  Top 4 smirks, placing all his cards down as he said “Call.”

  Top 5: (Clicking his tongue in frustration.) “I swear to God, If I have to listen to one more freaking round of you two gambling or doing your lame games, I’m jumping out and running there, all by myself.”

  Top 3: (Chuckling) “Be my guest. We’ll see how you turn into a human pancake on impact.”

  The couple seemed silent until Top 3 said it, chuckling softly together. As laugher followed, far from the skyrocket, at the edge of a enormous cliff, Donovan stood alone, overlooking at the adriatic ocean.

  The windy atmosphere howled its sharpness, tugging at his clothes, but he remained still, responding with a strong focus. And again, Donovan felt a pressure in his chest. He knew it was fear but not only for his family, but also for himself. He exhaled long enough to get all that stress out.

  Donovan: (Muttering under his breath) “Skyrocket… An aerial vehicle capable that reaches 720km/h… I need to match the speed, no—, I should surpass that speed. Can I even-”

  He cut himself off, shaking his head. Donovan would just waste time if he continued on hesitating. His foot slid back, lowering his body into a position designed for a powerful propulsion. As he prepared himself, wind mimics his golden particles of swirling around his limbs. Thus, his heartbeat thundered in his ears. Donovan slightly bends his foot forwards indicating his leap execution, however… The weight in his chest suddenly got heavier, stopping him from a reckless jump. His instinct told him to go back to his original position to think thrice. He began to scan the surroundings, slowly getting flashbacks from a physics class about classical mechanics. Donovan finds his way to calm down and review his creativity. A soothing moment, taking a calm deep breathe to help his blood flow efficiently.

  Donovan: “Momentum… The outcome of combining a mass and a velocity. I need an initial burst before I run out of stamina. Freefall would help… Gravity gives me 9.8 m/s2 of acceleration, however that’s nowhere near enough. I can’t drop straight down, I’ll just waste time, which means… I need an angle, something that transitions into forward motion as fast as possible… First concept reviewed.”

  The golden-eyed teenager stayed silence before elaborating, gazing nearby grass move due to the strong wind. And so, he remembered the next concept, being air resistance.

  Donovan: “Drag increases with velocity. So, the faster I go, the more air pushes back against me. God damn, I’d be cutting through the air like a bullet at 500 km/h… Maybe I shape myself like one. Second concept reviewed.”

  He exhaled slowly while he adjusted his posture. Leaning forward, tightening his core with arms tucked in, legs ready to push off with full force. Performing a streamlined position able to reduce resistance.

  Donovan: “Then, there’s ground effect, an aerodynamic concept happening when an aircraft is close to the surface… If I stay low enough after takeoff, probably I’ll be able to reduce air drag, just like how planes experience less resistance near ground. That’ll buy me a few more seconds of speed before hellish fatigue kicks in. Third concept reviewed.”

  Once again, he glanced the windy ambient to make sure he’s in the right direction.

  Donovan: “And last but not least, force application. This is when a force is applied on an object to cause motion if I’m correct. If I use too much energy at once, I’ll simply burn out before reaching halfway. But if I don’t go all in, I’ll never make it intime, so, this means I have to control it huh. Impulse. Yup, that’s what I was looking for.”

  In addition, the iconic radiant glints appeared in the breeze, transforming into a special aerodynamic mask. After recapping, God’s Rend lost some light referring to a low intensity enhancement. As particles slowly swirl around his body, a deep, low-frequency rumble sound appears. This sound follows the speed of God’s Rend, like it was an engine initiating. As the particles swirl faster overtime, the deep rumble had its own heart. The rhythm mimics a heartbeat tempo. The sound got sharper, letting out a high-pitched whine alongside a buzzing effect.

  Donovan: (Muttering) “Okay okay… Focus, Donovan Ivanel, you know you can do this.”

  “One.” His pupils dilated signaling the incoming adrenaline. “Two.” The jégosgalia’s radiant sparks circulate at a incredible speed, surprisingly glimmering more. “Three!!” He launched himself off the cliff, every muscle tightened as he cut through the air like a bullet. The high-pitched whine transitioned into a rippling shattering sound, leaving golden flickers behind. Initial rush got him exhilarating. Gravity pulled him down, and God’s Rend acted like an afterburner, propelling Donovan forward with explosive force. But then… HEAT!

  Donovan: “Shit—!”

  A scorching sensation crawled up his arms and legs. His blue jacket flapped aggressively, friction alerts him, building up faster than he had anticipated. Donovan’s skin prickled and sweat formed almost instantly. The second concept he recapped, only got worse, drag generated heat at a wild rate.

  Donovan: “I didn’t account for this, I definitely should have! Jesus Christ, at this speed I’m creating my own resistance. The faster I go, the more heat builds up. At this rate, I’ll start burning myself alive.”

  His arms trembled for some moments, his grip tightening and muscles locking up. It was panic. A critical mistake. Velocity quivers, and for a second, Donovan felt a terrifying imbalance of traveling at such risky speeds without control.

  Donovan: “Sigh, cut the crap and think!”

  He forced himself to analyze despite the burning sensation.

  Donovan: “Heat is energy. It’s excess kinetic force wasted. If I can control God’s Rend, I don’t have to let it build up..! In fact, I can redistribute it.”

  Shifting currents of gold redirected to Donovan’s insides as a way to balance the heat. As glimmering sparks go inwards, reversed whooshing wind sounds got louder overtime— His body temperature began to stabilize.

  Donovan: “Think of it like a cooling system. Planes use heat-resistant materials to continue the traveling. I don’t have heat-resistant however, I have my own way to channel energy freely. Dispersing excess force through my limbs evenly, instead of letting it concentrate on one point, I can spread all the heat without it frying me.”

  Focused, mentally directing God’s Rend through his skin like a thermal regulator, channeling the heat away from his vulnerable areas. The burning sensation in his limbs eased and friction was no longer an uncontrollable force against him. Speed stabilized so Donovan could finally travel without fear.

  A distant hum of Rome’s nightlife vanish as the taxi rumbled through the streets of Monte Sacro. Lawrence leaned against the car door, at the driver’s side watching blurry streetlights past. Aeris sat besides Eleorona, arms crossed, eyes locked on the road ahead. Eleorona kept a casual expression, though her fingers lazily tapped the car’s window. The driver, an older man with gray hair glanced at them through the rearview mirror.

  Taxi Driver: “You three heading to Monterotondo at this hour? Bit unusual, isn’t it?”

  The driver, an older man with graying hair, glanced at them through the rearview mirror. “You three heading to Monterotondo at this hour? Bit unusual, isn’t it?”

  Lawrence: “(Smirking & tilting his head) Yeah, we’re checking out an old warehouse for some business reasons.”

  Aeris & Eleorona did not add anything else, letting the conversation flow naturally.

  The axi took Via Nomentana, passing residential buildings and commercial areas that gradually reduced to zero. After some minutes, the car blend onto A1 Highway. As the taxi drove further, the road stretched, entering more to the outskirts.

  Aeris: (Whispering) “We should get off a little before the drop-off. If we walk, we will attract less attention.”

  Eleorona nods through the rearview mirror, meeting Lawrence’s gaze. He gave a short confirming nod.

  Lawrence: “Pull over the near old industrial zone in Palombara Sabina, please. We’ll walk the rest.”

  Taxi driver: (Chuckling) “As you say so. Not a lot of people like wandering out there.”

  The taxi near an abandoned warehouse, illuminated by the car’s headlights. The warehouse had rusted metal doors, shattered windows and a dusty wooden door. Lawrence paid the fare, the three waved gently the taxi, thanking him for the service. As the taxi drove off, they stood in silent

  Aeris: (Exhaling) “Let’s move.”

  Eleorona and Lawrence followed Aeris behind her since she acknowledges the entrance. Thick air with damp earth, a mix of rust and moss could be sensed in the narrow dirt staircase beyond the warehouse. A few steps ahead, a decayed fence stood somewhat collapsed, providing them an easy way through. After several minutes of walking, Aeris halted.

  Aeris: “We’re close.”

  The towering, black-haired guy with red highlights let his curiousness kick in, gazing around the narrow space like he was looking for something. Aeris relocates herself to an old metal panel embedded into the base of a stone wall. Wiping off all the dust, she pressed her hand against it. The steel was cold, unresponsive at first until Aeris called out her jégosgalia “Steelheart Fury”. She moved her hand in a 180° angle as she clenches her fist—Then a mechanical beep was heard. In the hexagonal steel, a small screen flickered displaying an unfamiliar pattern of shifting metal plates.

  Aeris: (Exhaling) “I think I remember this puzzle.”

  She rolled her shoulders and cracked her knuckles, focusing on the pattern. The pieces weren’t aleatory, puzzles require precise positioning. Aeris felt weak magnetisms with some plates, allowing her to easily solve the puzzle.

  Click.

  The wall groaned as hidden gears rotated, revealing a descending stairway shrouded in a gloomy light.

  Eleorona: (Whistling) “What other tricks can you do, Aeris?”

  Aeris: (Turning her head to Eleorona) “Quite few. ”

  Lawrence did not hesitate, moving swiftly. His footsteps were silent as a cat’s paw against the cold floor. His target, a lone guard who stood near the entrance, unaware of the incoming danger. A precise strike to the neck made the guard collapse almost instantly. As the guard was about to hit the floor with his bodyweight, Lawrence grabbed his back with his own hands calling out the jégosgalia.

  Lawrence: (Muttering) “Quantum Shift.”

  His body slowly morphed as his features mimics the unconscious guard. His voice matched the guard’s tone pitch. He carried the guard to their starting point, making Eleorona’s insticts flare. She snapped into a defensive stance ready to fight, but in the other hand, Aeris didn’t even blink.

  Aeris: (Mutered) “Relax. It’s just Lawrence.”

  Eleorona lowered her guard. Aeris took four step forward as she makes up her mind.

  Aeris: “As you see Hjalmer’s base is underground. Guards are stationed in rotations. Two at every entrance, four patrolling the inner corridors and a main security deeper inside the installations.”

  Since she came back to the base, she traced invisible paths through the air with her fingers, creating a mental map.

  Aeris: “If we’re fast, we can avoid most of them. However if we get caught… We’ll have no other choice but to face them.”

  Donovan collapsed on the outskirts near his neighborhood. His body trembled from exhaustion, his lungs burned, his muscles felt sore, but his mind refused to quit. Inhaling and exhaling sharply, he forced himself up, one step, then another. It didn’t matter if he couldn’t walk correctly, God’s Rend was still active, responding to Donovan’s desire. His clothing flapped gently, soreness vanished in some seconds—It was a salvation of God’s Rend.

  Donovan: (Looking happily at the ground) “I’m grateful that this is my ability.”

  His positive expression switched. He could feel it, home was close. The tall teenager sprinted and jumped, causing a heavy wind nearby the natural resources. The trees’ leaves blow off and the grass moved violently in response. Some minutes later, he arrived at his destination but as soon as he touched the ground, something felt off.

  Five figures with different body complexities loomed in the streets, prowling like hungry wolves searching for prey. Their posture were tense, with a predatory manner. Donovan narrowed his eyes.

  Donovan: “They’re looking for someone… Wait. Those are…?”

  One of the hitmen stepped forward. He was broad-shouldered, having a fighter’s physique. Without hesitation, he formed an orthodox boxing stance and threw a sharp jab.

  But…

  Donovan’s hand clamped around the fist mid-air, stopping it with no effort. The hitman’s eyes widened, but not of fear, it was surprising he encountered the one and only, Donovan Ivanel.

  Top 5: “Oh well, well, well, you must be Donovan Ivanel huh?” The hitman scanned Donovan from toe to head, amazed by his athletic build.

  Top 5: “Damn, you’re pretty tall… What do you eat?”

  The question wasn’t interesting at all, Donovan remained silent, his stare drilled into the man’s soul. A cold, ferocious gaze.

  Donovan: “Find that out. Visit Croatia.”

  His grip tightened like he was crushing the hitman’s knuckles.

  Donovan: “That is, if I allow it.”

  A solid punch connected into the hitman’s stomach. The sheer force sent him skidding backwards, his feet scraping against the ground as he stayed firm in his blocking stance. The impact resounded through the street.

  Donovan: (Laced with bitter & fury) “Stay away from my family.”

  The words were clear. The five hitmen felt an underwhelming sensation after he added. A deep resonating hum followed, the Dvasinis Nexus. Considering a gap, before the battle, a voice reverberated in his mind, forming a unique connection.

  Donovan via DN: “Dad, it’s me. Donovan. Answer!”

  Somewhere else, a tall man with dark chocolate hair, trimmed and well-groomed, opened his eyes. Tracing his fingers against a scar from his past life.

  Jakov via DN: (Steady tone) “I hear you. What’s wrong? Where are you?”

  Donovan via DN: “The real question is, where are you and the rest of the family? I’m outside the house. There are hitmen sent by Hjalmer?”

  Jakov via DN: (Astonished) “W-what?! Hjalmer?! How did he—Sigh, I’m not home right now, I’ll tell your mother about leaving the house. By the way, you sure you’re going to be good?”

  Donovan via DN: (Confident Tone) “Pfft. Don’t make me burst into laugh, Dad. Remember why the government has been looking for me...”

  Jakov via DN: “Hmph. Yeah, after all, you are…

  An unbounded booster.

  The group just stared, showing their interest for encountering a unique individual. Three of them; Top 3, 4 and 5 buzzed with excitement—Their eagerness was out of their dominance, finally able to face the one their boss had spoken a million times.

  Top 5: (Enthusiastic Tone) “How long can you last in a fight? What’s your jégosgalia really about? Hjalmer never gave us details.

  Donovan frowned as he avoided eye-contact. Before they could’ve start fighting, a long-haired hitman—Top 4, grabbed the prying Top 5 by the face, slamming him into the ground.

  Top 4: (Muttering) “You’re being rude to our opponent.”

  His tone carried a firm warning while looking at Top 5 into his eyes.

  A tall, brown short-haired girl grinned with her sleepy eyes. She stretched her shoulders as she stepped forward.

  Top 3: “Pulse predator. Enough play y’all. We triple our usual pay if we bring this cutie down, so don’t hold back~”

  The mention of money was the right answer; Top 5 lunged at Donovan without hesitation, his body hardened like a metal, while Top 4 followed, his energy tethers connected to extreme points to propel himself forward. Top 3 gave herself a brief moment to spectate before joining in; She was just charging her electromagnetic crackles. Top 5 tanked Donovan’s blows; Flicker Jab-Flicker Jab-Right Hook-Uppercut to side kick. Donovan has not used God’s Rend yet, the cost was expensive he had to temporary turn it off. Top 5 shrugged off the pain with his Ironbound Nerves, while Top 4’s tethers pulled at Donovan’s arm, limiting his mobility. Just then, Top 3 moved like lighting, aiming precise strikes to numb Donovan’s nerves.

  After a harsh battle, Donovan finally overcame them, panting from the exhausting effort they had put up. Top 5 groaned on the ground despite his body was still hardened. Top 4 lay nearby, his energy ropes deteriorated. Top 3 tried with all her efforts to stand up, but she failed to do so; Her muscles twitched from overuse of her jégosgalia.

  Top 2 yawned of boredom, going to her boyfriend’s chest, feeling nothing else but a secure, warming sensation. Top 1 takes his gaze off of his phone’s screen to attend her girlfriend.

  Top 1: “What’s up? Is your attention span dead?”

  Top 2: (Looking at him innocently) “I wanna go to Aeris’ houseeee.”

  Top 1: (Exhaling) “I almost forgot that part, let’s go then.”

  Top 1, his dark brown hair tied loosely in a ponytail, scanned Donovan with his piercing green eyes. The unbounded booster felt his feral stare, turning is head as he screams in frustration.

  Donovan: “What the fuck are you looking at?!”

  His reaction caused that underwhelming sensation again, but worse. Top 2, a medium long black haired woman in a sleek combat suit got shocked by a snapped Donovan. His golden eyes started glowing intensely, like a campfire in the cold night.

  Top 1 remained still before responding, his voice kept calm.

  Top 1: “Hjalmer was right. You’re an interesting opponent…”

  Donovan mocks him as he brushes the sweat from his brow

  Donovan: “Me? Interesting? Haha, in what sense?” Top 1: (Slight head tilt) “In many senses. Don’t you know yourself?”

  Donovan fell silent, then after a few seconds he gazed at Top 2.

  Donovan: “And this girl?” Why doesn’t she say anything?”

  Top 1: (Glancing at Top 2) “Should she really talk? Do you think words are necessary to intimidate?”

  Donovan: (Frowning) “Hey, I was just asking…”

  Top 1: “You don’t need words to provoke a tense sensation… Presence is everything here.”

  Just before Donovan could reply, the woman disappeared in just a blink. The golden-eyed teenager immediately activated his jégosgalia, the real fight was just getting started. Top 1 manipulated his own presence; The atmosphere felt heavier overtime. Everything went silent. The others could only watch as Top 2’s phantom blitz made her vanish, her afterimages flickered around Donovan in a circle, making an unpredictable pattern. As Top 2 performed her patterns, Donovan saw with his peripheral vision Top 1 casually looking at his smart phone, unbothered; He trusted his girlfriend’s ability.

  Top 1 in his mind: “This is strange. He’s more focused on me than on Mai. Tch, I’m starting to understand why Boss sent us here.”

  On the other side…

  Three strong-willed figures arrived at their destination; Hjalmer’s base.

  Aeris’ fists clenched. Her head pointed down. It was clear, despite taking some steps forward she could not bear with the imposing fear. Eleorona looks at Aeris, concerned.

  Eleorona: “Donovan’s doing everything to prevent all of this.”

  She extends her arm to reach Aeris’ shoulder as a sign of support. Aeris stayed still; She knew the effort Donovan has been doing. However… Hjalmer’s voice whispered in her mind in a threating tone.

  “If you betray me…”

  Her feet moved on their own. Aeris stepped back twice. Eleorona hesitated, ambivalent between supporting Aeris or follow Lawrence, who had already started moving towards the base to end things at all cost. Aeris’ thoughts formed a tornado of chaos and after some seconds, she took a deep breath and stepped forward.

  Aeris in her mind: “If I miss this chance, my life is done.”

  Together, they walked carefully. Finally moving to the last step.

  Extract all kind of information and defeat the user of Forcewave Rift, Hjalmer Drameus.

  Chapter 5 ends.