Deviants from Nature

[VOL 2] CHAPTER 1: Why Are You Worried?

"Is he in position?' He asked via the PASCOD (Paladins Special Communication Device).

"Yeah, he's in position. All of us are already dealing with the Atraxes right now. Miss Edifier, we need to cut our contacts right now, only turn it back on when necessary." Xander replied with his assault rifle already aiming for the creature's head.

From the CR (Communicative Room), both Kazuya and Ann are spectating the screen, that's showing the lives and location of the Paladins under their command. Unlike other Edifiers who go to the battlefield themselves and command everything there, these two are unable to do so, due to their circumstances as the Specter Unit's Edifiers.

As Ann was staring at the virtual map that's displayed on the screen, she noticed something was off about it, but she didn't know what it was. She mentioned it to Kazuya, to which he then looks right after. Again, even he didn't know the problem, although he knows something is off about the map.

Gunshots were fired rapidly across the battlefield. The raging roar from the bullets were heard from miles away. The spark that was lit up from each gunshot can be seen even if you're standing on top of the hill, indicating how many shots were fired just to defend themselves.

While knowing that their captain is alone in the center, the Paladins knew the risk of leaving him there by himself. However, the plan itself was agreed by him, so they can't do anything about it. All that they can do is to try their best and pray.

Finally reaching the center, Arashi moves his right hand and places it on the katana's grip with the weapon still in the scabbard. Standing there menacingly, his left hand touched his eye patch and dragged it down, making it hang on his neck, along with the scarf he's wearing.

Suddenly, he can feel sounds of stomping coming from a few directions. Carefully, he takes out the katana from the scabbard, and holds it using both of his hands. Right as he was to take a quick breather, he felt an unwanted presence lurking behind him. Immediately, he swings the katana to the right, slashing the creature.

He was right, it was an Atrax that was sneaking up on him. How odd... Atraxes aren't known to be intelligent enough to form such sneak attack. Ignoring the question that was lingering on his head, he went back to his stance, getting ready for another attack.

Both of his eyes then focused in one direction. He's deadlock looking at the incoming groups of Atraxes. He kneels on one leg, with the other slides to the back. An electrifying aura surrounds him intensely. Blue lightning made a static on Arashi's fingers. His blue right eye lights up softly, meaning that the element has been channeled to his weapon.

Looking from the screen, both Kazuya and Ann became confused. Thousands of questions immediately pop up in their mind.

"T- Thunder element? This wasn't mentioned in the logs. Ann?" Kazuya asked as he grabs the tablet that was placed on his left.

The girl shook his head in confusion. "Don't ask me, I don't know what's going on too..." Ann said.

Thunder element. The only element that can be possessed by Tarviants, specifically, the royal family. For generations, each descendant acquired the thunder element, and used them to fight on the battlefield, especially in war times.

However, that being the case, some mad scientists decided to make an experiment on how to transfer the thunder element to a Tarviant without royal blood. Though, it didn't last long, as each of the experimented subjects died on seven days' time. It was counted as a failure for them. Though, this didn't stop others from starting the same experiment.

After the subjects slowly increasing, along with the death rates in the country, the experiment in question was permanently banned across the globe, and if anyone does it will be given a penalty, which resulted in a death sentence.