"...and then I saw Jackie with his back against the wall, bleeding from his wounds," Adam continued, his voice steady despite the intensity of the memories. The secretary scribbled down every word he said, her pen moving rapidly.
Dr. Miller rubbed his forehead, lost in thought. "The ability of the wolf should be some form of illusion that affects the soul," he muttered to himself.
Adam, confused, raised an eyebrow. "Soul?"
The scientist looked up, meeting Adam's gaze. "Yes, soul. It's fascinating, really. The age-old question of whether the soul exists was answered by a simple Ability. Souls exist in every living being—even plants. It's been observed that souls fade away when someone dies, as confirmed by one of our agents who can see them. We also have intel suggesting that someone in the UFF is capable of harming souls. You felt pain in the illusion, didn't you? That confirms it wasn't just a mental illusion."
The old man continued to mumble to himself, lost in the implications of his own thoughts. Adam, still processing, looked at him, perplexed. "So, you're saying the wolf's ability affects the soul?"
"Precisely," Dr. Miller responded, his voice distant, absorbed in his own musings. "If I had to guess, the reason you were able to break free from the illusion was the wolf's death. Weilder Laderik played his part well by keeping you safe while you were vulnerable."
Adam coughed, clearing his throat. The secretary, who had been quietly taking notes, leaned over to whisper something to Dr. Miller. Upon hearing her, the old man looked back at Adam with a small smile. "Ah! You were the one with the regeneration Ability. I see now. It looks like the wolf chose the wrong target after all."
Adam gave a half-smile, but his mind was still whirring. Dr. Miller seemed to remember something, and his expression shifted to one of curiosity. "Ah, yes. Weilder Wells, was it? I'd like to hear more about your encounter with the Metal Puppet."
Sarah blinked in confusion. "The Metal Puppet?" she asked.
Dr. Miller nodded.
A moment of realization crossed Sarah's face. "You mean the attacker at MallMart?"
"Exactly. Tell me about it," Dr. Miller urged, leaning forward slightly. "And what you think of it."
Sarah hesitated for a moment, then began. "The metal golem… it was insane. It attacked civilians for no reason. My friend's ability could barely damage its metallic body."
The scientist jotted down some notes. "The sword-wielder, yes?"
"Yes," Sarah confirmed. "I had him lure the golem while I waited in the corner, charging up to blow it away. Afterward, I saw its disfigured limbs and bent torso."
Dr. Miller's pen paused on the page. "There was no one inside?"
Sarah shook her head. "No blood, no voice. Nothing inside at all."
He sighed, clearly expecting this answer. "It's what we suspected," he murmured. Then, with a shift in his tone, he moved on. "Division 0 has been working on an early draft to classify Abilities. We've categorized them into D, C, B, and A, ranked by potential. As for destructive ability, that's ranked from 1 to 4, with 4 being the most destructive."
Adam and Sarah listened intently as the old man continued. "For example, Weilder Wells, based on your abilities, would be rated a C in potential and a 3 in destructive ability. As for you, Weilder Sayer," Dr. Miller paused, eyeing Adam closely, "you would fall under a B1. Of course, as time goes on and stronger abilities emerge, the rankings may be revised to accommodate new standards."
He let the information sit in the air, giving Adam and Sarah a moment to digest the rankings.
"Now, about the Metal Puppet," Dr. Miller went on. "I've been calling it that because one of our agents, who can observe energy patterns, detected a single strand of energy linking it to the sky, remarkably similar to those seen in other Wielders who can summon constructs or puppets. We still don't know where it leads, but we're actively tracking it."
Sarah, visibly surprised, leaned forward. "How do you know that? Has the metal golem attacked again?"
Dr. Miller's expression turned grave. "Yes, Wielder Wells. The attacks have been kept quiet to avoid public panic, but the puppet has already struck three cities across the River Kingdoms, including this one. Worse, it's evolving. We've observed it absorbing nearby metallic materials, increasing its mass and physical strength." His voice lowered. "Two days ago, it wiped out a small town near the coast of Lichst. When reinforcements finally arrived, the town was reduced to ruins. At the center, they found a towering metallic spire, surrounded by devastation that looked as if the ground itself had been torn apart in a spiraling pattern—like the spire had spun violently before coming to a stop. There were no survivors. We've quarantined the area to keep the news from spreading. We are already having trouble with the evolving animals and criminals causing trouble. We can't handle more panic."
Adam and Sarah exchanged shocked looks.
"You must have suspects, right?" Adam said, doubt lacing his voice. "It's attacked three cities already. Anyone passing through those areas at that time should stand out."
The old man sighed heavily. "We did compile a list. Initially, we had 87 suspects. After thorough investigation, 78 were confirmed to be mundane citizens. Six were Wielders who demonstrated their abilities and were cleared. But three suspects went missing before we could question them."
Adam narrowed his eyes. A bad feeling gnawed at him.
"One of the three," Dr. Miller continued grimly, "was last seen in Lichst Town—the very town that was destroyed. We don't know if they perished there or managed to escape."
He let the weight of his words settle before continuing. "As for the other two missing suspects, their last known location was Eirnfort City—just before the third attack. However," his eyes sharpened, "we do have their home addresses. Here, in Wist City."
Adam and Sarah fell into a heavy silence.
Dr. Miller's voice grew even more somber. "We've compiled a report analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of various Wielders capable of similar feats—those who can conjure objects, control puppets, or summon creatures. The furthest recorded distance a summoned Ability could maintain before dissipating was three kilometers. Taking into account the Metal Puppet's destructive capability and its alarming growth... we have classified it as an A4 threat."
A heavy silence filled the room. The weight of the information lingered in the air as Adam and Sarah processed the significance of the classification. A4. The most destructive, the most dangerous. Something that could level entire cities.
Sarah muttered under her breath, "It wasn't that strong before..."
Dr. Miller merely shrugged, his expression unreadable. "We've had our observer roam this city for the past two days. We'll remain here for the next three, hoping to find some clue. After all, the first Metal Puppet attack happened right here."
Adam and Sarah nodded in agreement, acknowledging the importance of the ongoing search. They understood the urgency, but the odds of finding something in such a large city were slim. Still, they couldn't help but hope for a breakthrough.
Dr. Miller straightened, a slight smile returning to his face. "Now that we've finished our business, we'll take our leave. Stay safe, Weilder Green, Weilder Sayer, and Weilder Wells." He gave them a brief nod before turning to leave, followed closely by his secretary.
As the door clicked shut behind them, a heavy silence settled in the room. Adam and Sarah exchanged glances before Adam turned to Beth. "What's the plan?"
Beth hesitated for a moment, her fingers drumming lightly against the table. Then, with a quiet sigh, she met their gazes. "Continue resting and training. We have no power to join that search right now. Division 0's handling it."
Adam and Sarah took a moment to absorb her words. There was no point in rushing in, especially if they weren't prepared. They both nodded in understanding.
With little else to say, the three of them left the building, the weight of the recent revelations hanging heavily on their minds. Outside, the city bustled with life, oblivious to the dangers lurking beneath the surface. Adam couldn't help but wonder how much longer it would stay that way.
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A young man walked down the hospital corridor, nodding at the receptionist as he passed with a familiar, easy stride. He reached the third floor and approached room 307. The door creaked open softly, revealing a quiet, dimly lit room.
Inside, a young girl lay on the bed, her delicate features framed by strands of pale blonde hair that spilled across the pillow like fading sunlight. She looked like a flower wilting beneath the weight of time. Her eyes shifted from the window, and a faint smile tugged at her lips.
"Brother!" she called, her voice soft but filled with warmth.
The young man smiled in return, stepping inside and setting down the bag he'd been carrying. "I'm back, Hannah."
Hannah pouted, her lips curving in playful annoyance. "I know!"
He walked over to the small table and began organizing the things he had brought with him. As he peeled an apple, he looked at her. "How did you know?"
She tilted her head slightly, her eyes gleaming with a quiet knowing. "I've been watching you."
He chuckled and shook his head. "Sure, sure. You're always watching."
He handed her a slice of the apple, and she took it eagerly, her face lighting up with a smile as she chewed. "Don't you have any stories for me?" she asked, her voice brimming with curiosity.
The young man paused, thinking. "Well... there's been a lot of accidents lately. Terrorist attacks are happening more and more. I even got caught up in one when I was in Blue Sea City. Actually, I was supposed to arrive here yesterday, but I ended up stuck with the police all day for questioning."
Hannah's eyes widened, her interest clearly piqued. "Really? What happened?"
He sighed, raking a hand through his hair. "It was bad. Some lunatic in metal armor was attacking people. The whole area was crawling with police. I barely made it back to the college dorm."
Hannah leaned forward, concern evident on her face. "What about school? What happened?"
The young man's expression darkened, and he fidgeted with the apple in his hand for a moment before answering. "Some of my classmates... they were victims of the attack. It was devastating."
Hannah's eyes softened, and she reached out, wrapping her arms around him in a gentle hug. "Then you should just stay with Hannah," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. "So I won't get attacked by weirdos in armor."
The young man closed his eyes, letting the weight of her words settle over him. He sighed deeply, his voice low and steady. "I promise... I'll find a cure for you."
Hannah simply hummed in response, resting her head against him.