The air in the Horsemen of the Apocalypse base was thick with tension. The plan was in motion, and the mission that Elysian, along with his right and left hand men, were supposed to carry out could not fail. The informant, Dante Vasquez, had crucial information about the negotiation routes and the corrupt structure of the government and the top 10 heroes, and Elysian was determined to capture him before he could disappear again. Avelar had trusted him to coordinate the mission, and he would not fail.
Elysian was in his underground laboratory, with a specialized team gathered around him. Elysian's right hand, Hana Mori (Ethereal Frame), was reviewing the data on a high-tech terminal, while his left hand, Nikolai Petrov (Living Codes), manipulated data and algorithms, decoding possible flaws in the security system of the place where Dante Vasquez was hiding.
Elysian: "We need to move quickly. Vasquez is well protected, and if he discovers we're after him, he'll be gone before we can reach him. Intelligence is our advantage, but we need to make sure the execution is clean." Hana, with her ability to shape ethereal shapes to hide her presence from anyone who approaches, looked up from her terminal and replied: Hana: "The protection around the site is strong. I can create an ethereal barrier to disorient the guards and allow us to infiltrate undetected, but that will only last for a limited time." Nikolai, ever the focus on detail, looked at the digital map displayed on the hologram in front of him. "I've already prepared a set of distortion codes that can hack the cameras and tracking systems. It will be a window of opportunity of a few minutes. We need to make the most of that time." Elysian looked at them both with an impassive expression, her hands clasped behind her back. He trusted Hana and Nikolai completely, but he knew that the success of this mission depended on more than technical skills; it depended on flawless execution. "Then, let's move. The mission is clear: capture Vasquez and bring his information back. No mistakes." The tension in the air grew as Elysian, with his two arms, prepared to lead the operation, knowing that failure would put the Knights' entire plan at risk. The first part of the mission would take place in an old, deactivated factory, where Vasquez was hiding, operating off the radar of the authorities. When Elysian, Hana and Nikolai arrived at the location, the atmosphere was heavy and silent, as if the place itself knew that something big was about to happen. Hana held out her hands, and a series of ethereal shapes began to form around the group, creating an invisible curtain that camouflaged them from the view of the guards ahead. Nikolai, with his handheld device, began working to disable the security cameras. He whispered, keeping his tone low and focused, "The cameras are disabled, but the patrols are still active. We need to be quick." With a gesture from Elysian, the three moved into the factory, each with a clear objective. Hana anticipated, using her abilities to create small distortions in the air, confusing the guards' motion sensors. Nikolai, as he walked, kept his device in hand, ensuring that any electronic system that could interfere was immediately disabled. The team moved with frightening precision, without making a single sound. Elysian, with her frozen expression and focused eyes, seemed more like a shadow among the others, her presence almost nonexistent. They were close.
Finally, they reached the core of the facility—an underground office where Dante Vasquez was hiding. The place was protected by guards and cameras, but the Knights' skill was evident. When they reached the office door, Hana reached out, and an ethereal blade cut through the door's lock with terrifying precision. As it opened, Elysian advanced silently, both arms ready for action.
Inside the office, Vasquez sat, staring at a monitor that displayed a series of information about the Knights. He turned in surprise when he heard the sound of the door opening, but he didn't have time to react. Nikolai, with his living codes, was already disabling the room's defense system. Hana created an ethereal containment around Vasquez, preventing him from reacting.
Vasquez, trying to remain calm, said with a nervous laugh, "I knew this would happen eventually... but do you really think you can take me that easily? The government is after me, and there are heroes far more powerful than you...!"
Elysian approached calmly, her tone implacable, "You don't understand... you're already dead. We don't have time for games. Hand over what we know and it'll all be over in no time."
Before Vasquez could respond, Nikolai connected a device directly to Vasquez's computer, initiating a real-time data extraction process. Hana watched, ready to neutralize any escape attempts. Nikolai, with his characteristic calm, said, "The data is being extracted. We're taking you with us now, Vasquez. Don't try anything."
The first stage of the mission was almost complete. The rescue of Dante Vasquez had gone off without a hitch. Elysian, Hana, and Nikolai had extracted the information and neutralized the facility's security with surgical precision. However, as they prepared to leave, Nikolai noticed something strange in the monitoring systems he had hacked. "We have a problem. The movement of heroes in the area has increased. They don't know we're here yet, but it won't be long before they notice." Elysian remained impassive, as if she had already expected this. "It doesn't matter. Let's continue as planned." Hana, who had been focused on maintaining her ethereal illusions, frowned. "If they're just ordinary patrols, we can avoid confrontation. But if they're high-level heroes..." Elysian interrupted with a line without a single hesitation, "Then we eliminate them." His answer was delivered with absolute coldness, without any hesitation. Hana and Nikolai simply nodded. There was no fear or uncertainty between them. As they left the facility, they were quickly surrounded by a group of heroes. Leading them was Sentinel, a high-level hero specialized in tracking and melee combat. Alongside him were two other heroes: Striker, a massive tank with brute strength, and Voltblade, a lightning-fast swordsman. Sentinel stepped forward, his voice thick with arrogance. "Well, well... you've gone too far. Did you think you could just stroll in here and get away with it?" Striker cracked his fists, his presence imposing. "Three people against us? Surrender now, and we can take it easy." The heroes activated their EVPs—the source of all power. EVP (Pure Life Energy) was the foundation of each individual's strength. From birth, a certain percentage of people awakened it, and each possessed a different amount of EVP, categorized into levels: Very Low → Almost no influence on abilities. Low → Allows for weak and short-lived abilities. Medium → The default for most individuals. High → Exceptional abilities, already considered rare.
Very High → The level of the most powerful in the world.
The first thing Sentinel did was analyze the EVP levels of Elysian, Hana and Nikolai. His eyes shone with a mix of surprise and contempt. "Are you kidding me?"
He looked at the numbers displayed on the monitoring device:
Elysian → EVP: Low
Hana → EVP: Low
Nikolai → EVP: Very Low
This was ridiculous. The minimum expected for a real fight was a Medium EVP. These three were even below that. Voltblade mockingly added to the three. "These guys have the EVP of extras and they thought they could invade the Hero Association's territory?"
Striker advanced without hesitation towards Elysian, shouting in excitement "I'll end this quickly!"
He raised his fist and struck Elysian with all his strength. His blow was capable of destroying concrete, crushing steel... But then something unexpected happened. Elysian didn't move.
Nikolai, without changing his expression, stepped in front of Striker who redirected his attack at Elysian. "YOU ARE BOTHERING MR: ELYSIAN, YOU FILTHY WORM!" Striker widened his eyes, feeling something strange. A suffocating pressure took over the room.
Hana sighed, crossing her arms and adding with a light laugh and an innocent smile. "What idiots, right?"
Elysain with a blank look redirected to the heroes added. "You always base everything on EVP and nothing else, that's one of your biggest mistakes."
Before Striker could react, Nikolai touched Striker with a single finger. Making his body explode.
Striker was thrown like a rag doll, his body flying dozens of meters before crashing into an abandoned vehicle. The impact was brutal. He didn't get up.
Sentinel and Voltblade froze. This didn't make sense. An individual with Low EVP could never do something like that. Sentinel, stunned and not understanding the situation, nodded in a whisper. "What...?"
Hana sighed again and closed her eyes. "I think we've had enough fun."
Then, everything changed. The EVP readings began to rise. Sentinel looked at his device and saw the numbers starting to increase exponentially. Elysian, Hana, and Nikolai's EVP levels were rising uncontrollably. The truth was that they had been suppressing their true powers all along. Nikolai's smile widened. "Tsk. Well, since you insist so much…" Voltblade attempted to attack, moving at an astonishing speed. His lightning sword sliced through the air, heading straight for Hana. But before he could get close, the blade stopped in midair. Hana hadn't moved. Her ethereal ability distorted the space around the blade, completely nullifying the attack. Hana nodded in boredom with a look of contempt. "Pathetic… Did they really think they could beat big brother Elysian with that level of power?" She raised her hand, and in the blink of an eye, Voltblade was pierced by countless invisible ethereal blades. His body froze, and he fell to his knees, unconscious. Now only Sentinel was left, trembling in fear.
Nikolai, who was adjusting his coat, raised an eyebrow at that and sighed heavily. "How many times do I have to tell you? He's not your real brother, so stop calling him that. It's Mr. Elysian to you." Hana just rolled her eyes, clearly ignoring the comment.
Before she could retort, Elysian interrupted. He looked at Nikolai with his usual blank expression. "Leave it as it is. That's her way of expressing admiration and appreciation."
Nikolai snorted, but didn't argue. Hana, on the other hand, smiled in satisfaction.
But then, Elysian turned his gaze to the two, cold and calculating. "I thought I told you not to use your real names during missions. Use your codenames. We can't allow our identities to be exposed."
Hana glared at the fallen bodies around her and shrugged, giving a disdainful speech, "But Big Brother Elysian... It's not like these heroes will live to spread this." Elysian stared at her for a few seconds, pondering her words. Then, her eyes took on an even colder, more inhuman glow. "Hmm... You're right." Elysian took a step forward. "Do you understand now?" Elysian's voice wasn't just cold. It was inhuman. Sentinel fell to his knees, sweating cold. Never had he felt such absolute terror. "W-who... who are you...?" Elysian leaned forward slightly, looking Sentinel in the eye. "You never had a chance to find out." With a single gesture of her hand, Sentinel's consciousness was erased. He fell to the ground, motionless. Hana snapped her fingers, dispelling the ethereal illusions. Nikolai straightened his coat, as if nothing had happened.
Elysian looked at his companions and nodded with a cold gaze. "Let's go. This has been a waste of time enough."
Without another word, the three disappeared into the darkness of the night, leaving behind only the defeated bodies of the heroes. The world did not yet know... but a new nightmare had awakened.