The silence in the Whispering Woods remained heavy, the chirping of unseen insects doing little to dispel the lingering tension. Hunter shifted uncomfortably against the tree, occasionally wincing as he subtly adjusted his broken arm. I stared at the scroll in my hands, the once-clear diagrams now a baffling array of faded lines and indecipherable symbols. It was like trying to read a language I hadn't just forgotten, but never even knew.
"Anything?" Hunter asked, his voice low, breaking the quiet.
I shook my head, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "It's… gone. I can't make out a single word." I recounted my theory about the ancient text and the need for mastery. Hunter listened intently, nodding slowly.
"Makes sense," he said finally. "Nothing good ever comes easy. We practically stumbled into learning our techniques anyway." He glanced at his still-aching arm. "Looks like we'll have to earn the rest."
One, who had been silently observing the surrounding woods, finally spoke. "The sound we heard… it was not a natural creature." His gaze was distant, his brow furrowed in thought. "It carried a different resonance… almost artificial." We all knew it was a monster, likely the one from the mission center image, but there was an unsettling intelligence to its presence.
A fresh wave of unease washed over me. We had just barely survived an encounter with a powerful water monster. The idea of something else, something artificial and seemingly aware, lurking in these woods sent a shiver down my spine despite the lingering warmth of the Fifth Technique still humming faintly within me.
"Artificial?" Hunter echoed, his hand instinctively moving towards his electrified gauntlets, though they were currently inactive. "Like those robotic things we saw back in the city?"
One nodded slowly. "Similar in its construction, perhaps… but its energy signature… it is undeniably that of a monster. Yet, there was a… precision to the sound. A deliberate quality of something that understands how such things operate." He stood up, his senses clearly on high alert. "We need to move. This area is no longer secure."
As we began to gather our meager belongings, the air around us seemed to thicken. The usual sounds of the forest – the rustling leaves, the calls of birds – seemed muted, replaced by a subtle, almost imperceptible hum. It was the kind of silence that screamed of something watching, something waiting.
Suddenly, a voice, cold and mechanical, echoed through the trees. It wasn't loud, but it carried with an unnerving clarity. "A-class operative One… your ranking is… noted." The voice then continued, a chillingly amused tone entering its inflection. "It's a shame A-class operative Laina isn't present. Her powers would be rather useful as of now, but either way, what good would she have been after losing those… gifts?" The mechanical tone then shifted, as if scanning our group with indifference. "The others… are of no discernible consequence."
My blood ran cold. This wasn't the roar of a beast. This was deliberate, targeted, and intelligent. It knew One's rank. But what did it mean about Laina? Powers she lost? I glanced at Hunter, who looked just as confused. Laina never mentioned having any special abilities. The mechanical voice didn't even acknowledge Hunter or me. We instinctively moved closer to One, our bodies tense, ready for a fight against an enemy we couldn't even pinpoint. A knot of questions tightened in my chest regarding Laina.
One's eyes narrowed, scanning the dense foliage with an intensity that could cut through steel. "Show yourself, monster." His voice was low, dangerous, laced with a controlled fury.
The mechanical voice chuckled, a dry, grating sound that sent shivers down my spine. "Patience, operative. We will meet soon enough. I merely wished to convey my… intentions."
Before any of us could fully react, a figure materialized from the shadows between the trees. It was the being from the drawing, the robotic mask gleaming in the dappled sunlight, its red, pupil-less eyes fixed on One. Its movements were fluid, almost unnaturally so, hinting at a power that belied its seemingly mechanical nature.
Without a word, it lunged at One. The clash was instantaneous and brutal. One met the attack head-on, his white and gold gauntlets slamming against the monster's metallic limbs. The force of the impact sent shockwaves through the clearing, uprooting small plants and kicking up dust. For a brief moment, they were locked in a display of immense power, neither giving an inch.
Then, with a sudden surge of unnatural strength, the masked monster overpowered One. One was thrown back several feet, landing heavily against a tree trunk with a grunt of pain. The monster didn't pursue its advantage. Instead, it stood there, its red eyes burning into One.
"You possess a significant amount of power, A-class operative," the mechanical voice stated, devoid of any organic inflection. "Power that will be… most useful for my plans."
A chilling silence descended upon the clearing. Hunter and I were frozen, witnessing One, the seemingly invincible One, being so easily overpowered. We were clearly beneath this creature's notice. My mind was racing, the monster's words about Laina echoing in my thoughts.
"My purpose requires a great deal of energy," the monster continued, its gaze unwavering. "Energy such as yours. Therefore, know this: I intend to claim it. I will kill you, A-class operative One, and absorb your power to fuel what is to come." Its masked face tilted slightly, a gesture that felt disturbingly like a smile. "Consider this your only warning."
Without another word or attack, the masked monster turned and vanished back into the dense foliage as silently and abruptly as it had appeared, leaving us in stunned silence, the weight of its threat hanging heavy in the air. Hunter and I looked at each other, a silent question passing between us: were we truly that insignificant? And what in the world did it mean about Laina? I knew I'd be demanding answers from One as soon as we were out of here.