Chapter 60: The Vacation [6]

The students of the Pentagon, heroes in training, had been graced with a well-deserved break: a week on Wolf Island, a Caribbean paradise, after a year filled with challenges and dangers. The class of Sam, Diana, Ellie, Blake, and Chloe was not an ordinary one; they were the constant target of villains and demons who shared a single, dark desire: the death of each of them. And on that day, under the golden twilight, the enemies were ready to unleash their nefarious plan…

Wolf Island emerged from the horizon as a sanctuary of peace. Its white sandy beaches embraced a calm and crystal-clear sea. Wooden structures dotted the landscape, housing only the staff - there were no permanent residents, as the island was an exclusive retreat for tourists seeking serenity.

However, the tranquility of the island was a facade. In a mansion whose rustic appearance could serve as much for a horror movie as for the residence of the X-Men, sinister shadows moved stealthily. Inside the mansion, in a room that breathed mystery, Blake stood before the mirror. Dressed only in pants, his imposing figure was highlighted by snow-white hair and deep blue eyes. His beauty was such that it caused embarrassment to the women who dared to approach him. But it was his metal arm that captured attention - not just any metal, but the most resistant on the planet, an advanced technology that extended to his chest.

Blake stared at his reflection in the mirror, but there was no recognition in his eyes. The emptiness inside him was an abyss that not even his metal arm, a marvel of technology, could fill. At the beginning of the year, he was accustomed to surprises and shocks, but now, nothing affected him; his expression was a mask of indifference.

Suddenly, the shadow of a soldier appeared, an imposing figure in armor and swords, but Blake barely registered his presence. "Intruders are entering the mansion," the shadow informed, but the words fell on deaf ears. Blake remained motionless, his mind as still as his heart.

"Intruders?" he finally murmured, more to himself than to the soldier. "How many?"

"Ten," the shadow replied, awaiting some reaction.

Blake pondered, not out of concern, but out of habit. "Eliminate them," he said emotionlessly, his voice as empty as his gaze. With the order from his master, the shadow obeyed, disappearing into the darkness, while Blake continued to stare at himself, immersed in his own void.

Blake contemplated the deceptive calm, aware that the true storm was yet to come. "I thought this month would be quiet, but tranquility is something we do not know," he reflected, thinking of Sam, Ellie, Diana, and Chloe. They were like magnets for danger, drawn by the very nature of their extraordinary powers. Destined to be the elite of humanity, each of them carried the weight of a bright future - a weight that the demons wished to crush.

The villains, distorted reflections of humanity, saw in the demons a mirror of their own corrupted souls. The victims of the worst among humans would not hesitate to call them incarnate devils.

With a sigh that carried the burden of countless battles, Blake put on his white shirt and shoes. Covering himself with a black overcoat, he made a solitary decision: "I will deal with all the intruders myself. I don't want 'Them' to handle this." It was a choice that spoke of his cold and determined nature.

Blake was immersed in the darkness that surrounded him, a shadow among shadows, ready to merge into the night. But before he could disappear, a figure emerged from the ground, a shadow different from the others. Only her head was visible, revealing a grotesque-looking woman with sharp teeth, bulging eyes, and black hair falling over her face. "My king," she said with a voice that was a whisper and a growl.

"Intruders are entering the island from the skies," she informed.

Blake, without hesitation or showing interest in details, responded with a coldness that would freeze anyone's blood. "Kill them."

With a macabre smile that promised violence, the woman receded back into the earth from whence she came. Blake then turned his attention to the lamp that lit the room. In the blink of an eye, the light failed, plunging the space into darkness for a brief moment. When the light returned, Blake had disappeared, as if swallowed by the very shadow he commanded. The night was just beginning, and with it, the real hunt began.

---

Sam was alone in the bathroom, lit only by a solitary lamp in the hallway. As he brushed his teeth, the sound of running water filled the silence. He watched himself in the mirror, noting that his black hair needed a trim. His blood-red eyes hypnotized him, a stark contrast to the normality of the moment.

Suddenly, the excitement of a group of girls passing by the open door broke his concentration. "Oh, hi Sam," they said, with a joy that elicited from Sam only a forced smile, full of toothpaste foam. He waved in response.

The girls continued on their way, and Sam could hear them celebrating the simple greeting. With a long sigh, he spat out the foam and rinsed his mouth. Finishing his routine, he looked again in the mirror. This time, his eyes were relaxed, reflecting a deep tiredness. "Tonight I'm going to get a good night's sleep…"

[Sir, there are intruders entering the mansion]

Suddenly, a robotic voice echoed in his mind; it was an alert, a sign that the night was far from peaceful. Sam, who moments before allowed himself the luxury of dreaming about rest, now found himself yanked back to reality.

The change in his expression was immediate, from relaxation to unwavering seriousness.

[There are ten in total]

The voice continued, updating the numbers with a speed that could only be electronic.

[There are eight now. Wait… Five-- Wrong, two- One. Zero intruders.]

Sam showed no surprise; he was well aware of the efficiency of the one who had dealt with the intruders.

"It was Blake, wasn't it?" he questioned, already anticipating the confirmation.

[Yes sir, Blake took care of all the intruders. However, I sense demonic presences entering the island, along with intruders coming through the skies. All heading towards this mansion]

The information was clear: the threat had not yet passed. Sam knew the night would be long and that sleep would have to wait.

"Are these the only ones?" Sam asked, his voice echoing in his mind as a blue screen materialized before his eyes, a projection of his internal system.

[Eliminate all intruders: 00/100]

A hundred enemies… The revelation brought a hint of a smile to Sam's face. "They sent a small army to deal with teenagers," he thought ironically. As he stretched his neck, a sense of anticipation filled him. "But at least, against them, I'll be able to use all my innate abilities at will…"

Sam's confidence was tangible. If the system had not notified him of an overwhelming presence, someone he could not face, then there was no need for reinforcements. With the current information, he and Blake could handle everyone on their own.

But, as if fate were mocking his confidence, the voice in his mind intervened again:

[Two powerful presences have entered the island: A demon and a human]

A new instruction appeared, contrasting with the previous enemy count:

[Run]

Sam stood still for a moment, processing the sudden shift. The order to flee was a drastic deviation from the original plan. He knew that facing these new powerful presences would require more than innate abilities; it would require strategy and perhaps even a call for help.

Sam's determination was clear, even in the face of uncertainty about the strength of the enemies invading the island. The system, an entity that guided and informed him, had alerted him to the presence of a demon and a human, both powerful and potentially dangerous. The suggestion to flee was an indication of the seriousness of the situation, but Sam, driven by a sense of duty and protection, chose to stay.

"System, alert me when the human and this demon approach. In the meantime, let's deal with the rest of the enemies," said Sam, his voice firm and resolute.

The system acknowledged his decision and, in response to the increased level of difficulty, promised a reward that captured Sam's attention:

[Reward for eliminating the enemies: Universal Fruit]

Sam's eyes gleamed at the mention of the prize, an item he knew very well by name. Something rare in this world, a fruit that could be key for any awakened to reach the top of this world.

[Enemies at 150 meters and closing in fast]

Sam walked out of the bathroom, his footsteps echoing down the corridor lit by a single lamp. Reaching the stairs, he saw a group of students on the floor below. They were sitting in front of a kettle, chatting animatedly, oblivious to the danger approaching. Sam wanted to alert them, to prepare them for the worst, but he hesitated. Seeing them smile and have fun, concerned only with the trivialities of the next day, he didn't have the heart to interrupt.

He cast a glance outside the mansion, where the night vegetation stretched as far as the eye could see, and the moon began to rise in the sky. A decision formed in his mind, firm and resolute.

"I will handle this, even if I have to use 'that'," he thought, contemplating the gravity of the situation and the power he might have to unleash.