Chapter 67: Invasion (6)
"Kuro?"
Kuro did not answer. Nothing would come of answering.
'It's good that Han is not here. Han shouldn't die in a place like this.'
The youths of Ark saw an automated combat drone jetting toward them. Everyone's eyes grew wide when it dropped a huge missile in front of their very eyes. The end of the missile burst like fireworks.
"We're done for."
Someone said. Kuro stared at the missile flying toward them. It was getting closer. The few seconds seemed to play in slow motion.
He lived a short life, but many things had happened and all the moments flashed before his eyes. His life in Japan had not been a happy one. Everyone bullied him for his black skin. He was introverted and couldn't muster enough courage to befriend anyone.
Although life was hard in Ark, he was happy in this place. He made friends. He had peers to depend on. His peers treated Kuro as an equal, like another human being.
'Han… would not give up easily.'
Han was Kuro's role model. Kuro always hoped to be as strong as Han.
'I'm not smart like Han. I'm not able to be decisive like Simon. I don't have courage like Canute. What I have always been able to do, was not kill the enemy, but protect my friends.'
OOUUUUU!
Kuro raised his hands into the air. His entire body overflowed with psychic energy. The ground shook and the dust and dirt around him began to spin with the wind.
"I won't let them die. Not Jose, not any of the guys here…"
Kuro's voice rumbled very low. Kuro gripped his hands into tight fists.
BOOOOOOM!
A deafening roar sounded. Kuro used his telekinesis to compress the air of this place and gripped the missile. The missile stopped in midair.
Drip drip drip…
Blood burst out from Kuro's nose. The veins all around his face violently pumped.
"EXPLODE—!"
Kuro roared. The missile's nose shattered and crumpled. Kuro gripped his hands into tight fists that his nails dug into his flesh.
BOOOOM!
The missile exploded in midair. It exploded like fireworks and was a sight to behold.
The falling blaze set the fourth mock battlegrounds aflame. The lush forest terrain was now a land of fire.
"There's more!"
The automated combat drone dropped its remaining two missiles at once. Kuro already predicted this with his immediate foresight.
He spread his arms out and squeezed as much of his own life energy as possible. A psychic aura manifested all around his body.
It wasn't only his eyes that glowed, but his whole body shined a blinding blue aura. The aura seemed to burn like a flame and swayed, it seemed like a living spark.
"S Rank!"
The squad members all looked to Kuro and exclaimed. Psychics were further divided numerically amongst A ranked psychics. S ranked psykers were named so, for their abnormally absurd level of psychic powers they could control.
At this level, the psychic energy would manifest to the point people could see with their naked eyes.
Wwwwuuuoong!
Psychic energy manifested into a giant hand and grabbed the missiles. The psychic energy followed the same action of his own hands.
His high psychic rank and imagery skill made such telekinesis possible.
"GET– LOST–!"
Kuro made a huge swinging motion. The psychic hand imitated Kuro's motion.
The missile Kuro threw hit the automated combat drone . The drone exploded and dissolved to tiny pieces of debris.
"Jesus… my God…."
The enemy soldiers, and drill instructors stood up to stare in awe.
The form was like God's hand itself. It was as if God personally took it to his own hand to strike down divine punishment on Earth.l
"Ah, AAAAH–!"
Kuro reached the limit of his psychic powers. The psychic light of his eyes flickered. The psychic hand in the air grew faint then formed once again. The missile trapped in the hand began to inch forward once again.
'I can't let this slip out!'
Kuro opened his eyes as wide as he could and swung his arm in a huge arc. The missile flew in circles and spun off into a different direction. The missile flew back toward the enemy forces.
"This must be divine punishment. This isn't a power humans are able to manifest."
The True Group's commander that ordered the bombing mumbled. He appeared to be in total defeat. He gazed toward the missile flying his way. His subordinates were shouting something. He couldn't hear anything.
KWAANG
A huge explosion resonated. Everyone caught in the explosion lost consciousness at once. All that was left were the burnt corpses. They were now soulless piles of meat now.
"GAAH!"
Kuro's hands and arms shook violently as he fell to the ground. He continuously threw up blood. Blood gushed from his eyes, nose, and ears.
"Anyone with medical supplies! Hurry!"
Jose shouted as if screaming. He supported Kuro in a tight embrace. Kuro had expended more psychic powers than he could withstand. Kuro was at death's door. Kuro's body convulsed and spasmed.
"No. Don't die, Kuro. Wake up!"
Jose was trying very hard not to cry. In his stead, Dimitri took out the emergency medical kit to take out the pain killer.
"Move over, Jose."
Dimitri pushed Jose aside and calmly followed the emergency medical procedure. There was nothing much they could do for someone who expended all their psychic powers past the limit.
He needed to be moved into the medical ward for treatment. The best they could do for Kuro at the moment was to administer drugs to reduce his pain.
"Jose! Continue talking to Kuro, so that he will not lose consciousness," Dimitri said.
Jose held onto Kuro's hand and continued to speak something. Jose didn't know what he was speaking himself, he just said whatever that he could think of.
The inspectors around the area could not shut their gaped mouths. They couldn't shake off the fear they just experienced.
What kind of adults would these youths grow into as they mature?
They could easily relate to the True Group. The difference was too great between the first and second generation psykers. Controlling the second generation psyker super humans would be impossible,
"They are monsters. They should have all died here."
'They will only think to dominate over humans with such powers. We, the True Group are in the right. We must kill all psykers.'
One person amongst the inspectors mumbled. His eyes darkened ominously. He looked like he lost touch with his sanity. He couldn't shake off the fear after witnessing Kuro's psychic powers. He felt a strong sense of duty to kill all the psykers here. He moved between people toward Kuro's direction.
'A handgun?'
Inspector Rue, who stood between a crowd of people, discovered a person with a handgun and attacked him.
he two caused a ruckus as they tangled in a fight. A bullet shot through Inspector Rue's flank. Inspector Rue, was originally a soldier. Instead of screaming in pain, he gripped his hand into a fist and punched the other's face.
"Stop!"
The youths ran to separate Inspector Rue and the man. They took away the man's gun and tied down his hands and feet. Inspector Rue pressed his side and sat down on the ground.
"Damn it, so there really was a traitor amongst us."
Inspector Rue clicked his tongue. In the future, the structure of Ark's overall governing committee would change.
Ark had suffered greatly due to the inspectors. For the time being, the committee would have a difficult time shooting any complaints. They wouldn't be able to reject requests for more support funds neither.
Guuuoo!
Smoke and sparks flew above Ark. There were reports between various squads being exchanged after the situation had settled.
They had driven the True Group out. However, these enemy forces had deeply ingrained themselves into the minds of the youths. This institution was built to protect humanity.
They had received a huge shock from an attack, not from minions, but humans like themselves. This pain that the True Group inflicted on the youths would be what will incite the prejudice and discrimination between the two groups in the far future.
All of the first and second years of ark received psychiatric consultation and treatments. A majority of the first years died, and more than half of the remaining first year survivors were to be retired. Amongst the second years, seven died.
After Ark had been established, they suffered the worst two catastrophes consecutively. Ark's governing committee could see the seriousness of this situation and prepared a grand large scale check to fund the necessary repairs for the future.
One wrong move at this moment could completely destroy the Ark Project all-together.
"Han, how are you?" A young psychiatrist asked.
Han blinked back at her.
"I feel okay now."
Han could not sleep for the first few days without sedatives. The adrenaline from battle pumped too intensely and he couldn't calm himself down.
The other youths were doing far worse. One moment, they would be standing still and the next moment they would be breaking all the items and windows.
The youths continued to receive psychotherapy and drugs to gradually return to their daily lives.
"I've prescribed three days worth of prescriptions for you. If you feel severe anxiety or harsh heart palpitations, you should take a dose."
Han nodded. He headed to the main medical treatment room of the second hospital ward facilities.
'Kuro.'
The best doctors of Ark were working around the clock to help Kuro at the second hospital ward facility. They've managed to stabilize his pulse, but at least one more month of treatment was required.
After the disaster, Kuro was officially registered as an S-Rank Psyker. Not only that, but he was the youth who saved countless others of Ark.
You did well, Kuro." Han mumbled to himself.
He blankly looked toward the window.
There would be no training or lectures for the time being. They were ordered to focus on resting for the time being. The high officials of Ark feared the second years wouldn't be able to recover from this.
They would be able to supplement for the shortage of first years, but they couldn't afford to lose additional second years for the Ark Project to continue.
"Squad leader Han."
Inspector James Rue walked over while limping. Yesterday, he was hospitalized, but it seemed today he would be leaving with his entourage.
"Inspector Rue." Han said with a short salute. He heard that it was this inspector that saved Kuro's life.
"You're superb. I was amazed at your judgements and commands while in battle." Inspector Rue said seriously. He literally meant every word honestly.
"Thank you."
"That is also probably why you will hate us even more. You will probably feel we are nothing but greedy adults who are too busy trying to fill our own pockets."
"… that is not so."
"I didn't come here to hear frosted words. I hope you understand just one thing. I'm also doing my job to the best of my ability for our world's future. I'm sure it will be hard for you to immediately understand. Losing against the dragons will mean the ultimate end for us, and it will seem like what we are doing is completely useless… However, history has already proved that humans are not the most logical or wise creatures. They understand deep in their bones, and yet continue to make mistakes. A little step back will prevent co-destruction, but it seems our pride prevents this. However, if dragons do not invade, what do you think humanity would end up doing with all the leftover nuclear bombs? They will be used on each other."
Han's eyebrows twitched. Inspector Rue turned his back and walked away. He spoke to Han without turning.
"That is why you are superb. Youths your age do not think like you do. When adults speak difficult words, kids usually lightly gloss over the fact. As you've seen Kuro do. Ugh, speaking too much is making my side hurt."
Inspector Rue held his side and slowly limped away. Han continued to watch him walk away for a long while.
Han did not wish to understand Inspector Rue's words. He simply hoped to protect his younger siblings and peers. Great effort was required if he wanted to see this hope through. He must save humanity from extinction.
Han had caught a glimpse of the dragon at the dimensional crack zone. The dragon's invasion would become reality.
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