In the pitch-black underground, within a cage, a young man in black clothing was bound. One hand was shackled to the cage. In another corner of the room, a burly man with short gray hair sat before a computer terminal, furiously typing on the keyboard as streams of data scrolled across the screen.
The room was stifling and silent, broken only by the sound of the keyboard clicks. The young man in black sat with his head lowered, appearing utterly drained of energy.
As the burly man continued inputting commands, more and more data appeared on the screen, and a progress bar gradually filled. Eventually, the decryption was complete, revealing a treasure trove of professional data: formulas, blueprints, annotated diagrams, and detailed notes.
“This… is truly fascinating,” the man muttered, confirming that this was indeed the patent information he had been seeking.
However, he quickly realized the risks of delving further. He stopped the display, shut down the terminal, and transferred the decrypted data onto a memory card. Sliding the card into a chest slot on his attire, he stood, approaching the cage.
“It’s genuine,” he said, glancing at the battered young man inside the cage. After confirming the youth was still alive, he nodded slightly, then grabbed some gear from a nearby rack, donning a concealing coat and hat.
“You’re not going to kill me?” The weak voice of the captive youth echoed as he watched the burly man prepare to leave.
“Kill you?” The man smirked, as if amused by the question. He had no time to explain, though; alarms had already started blaring outside.
“My mission is complete. I won’t do anything unnecessary,” he replied curtly, leaving the room and heading into an adjacent underground passage.
Beyond a reinforced steel gate, a black hover motorcycle awaited. The man mounted it, igniting its engine as pale blue flames erupted from the exhaust. Without hesitation, he sped into the dark tunnel.
Barely a minute after his departure, three heavily armed operatives from the agency blasted their way into the underground chamber. Guns at the ready, they surveyed the area and found the young man in the cage.
“Target located. Confirmed alive. No other individuals present.”
“Understood. Search the area and question the target.”
“Roger.”
One of the operatives stepped forward, cutting open the cage with an ion knife and extracting the weakened young man, identified as Grid.
“What happened here? Where’s the person who captured you?” the operative asked, scanning Grid for injuries. The scan revealed numerous internal injuries, including soft tissue damage and multiple fractures.
“He took the patent data from me and escaped,” Grid said weakly.
“Where did he go?”
“The underground water channels.”
The operatives exchanged glances before one of them rushed toward the water channel entrance.
“Commander, update: The target’s data has been taken by the enemy, who has escaped through the underground channels.”
“Pursue immediately. Have 4th Squad deploy the shuttlecraft into the channel and blast open the entrance.”
“Understood.”
After a loud explosion, the underground entrance was blown open. Moments later, three two-seater hovercrafts descended into the channel, tracking residual heat signatures in the air.
“The escape time is under three minutes. Pursuit is still viable,” reported one operative, based on AI scan results.
“Accelerate! Also, bring the captive up. We’re leaving shortly.”
“Understood.”
One operative injected Grid with a mid-grade emergency healing serum before placing him onto a hovercraft for evacuation. However, just as they began ascending, a steel-gray figure leapt from the forest, lunging directly at Grid on the hovercraft.
Bang! Bang!
Electromagnetic bullets sparked off the steel-gray figure, leaving only faint scorch marks. The figure, unfazed, grabbed the operative’s firing handgun, crushing it with ease. A single punch sent the operative flying as the figure seized the semi-conscious Grid.
“An intruder has taken the target!” one operative shouted, firing while relaying the update.
“2nd Squad, pursue and recover the target. 1st and 4th Squad, continue chasing the data thief. 3rd Squad, intercept the Sala Tree Zone’s security forces.”
“Understood.”
Two hovercrafts, each carrying four operatives, rushed toward the figure holding Grid. They drew compact lightsabers instead of firing.
Bright blue particle streams ignited as six lightsabers illuminated the air, slashing toward the retreating figure.
As the lightsabers neared, the figure—Valk—set Grid down momentarily. He drew back his fist, exhaling heat from the gaps in his armor. The edges glowed red-hot as he punched forward.
“Solar Flare Strike!”
The blazing fist unleashed a compressed shockwave like a cannon blast. The oncoming hovercraft exploded instantly, its central frame shattered. Molten debris and fragments scattered in all directions, scorching the surrounding forest.
The four operatives aboard were thrown into the air, their bulletproof armor scorched. Some hit tree trunks, others tumbled to the ground, rolling for several meters before coming to a halt.
The remaining operatives aboard the second hovercraft hesitated, their lightsabers faltering in the face of Valk’s overwhelming power.
As Valk turned to face them, his right arm, stripped of its melted armor, revealed muscular fingers. Molten orange liquid metal dripped from his fingertips, hissing as it burned the ground. He remained unscathed, his steely gaze unwavering.
This was no ornamental figure nurtured in Edess Academy’s sheltered gardens. Valk’s strength far surpassed the agency’s operatives, who, despite also being Sequence 4, had reached their limit. For him, this was only the beginning.
Overcoming their fear, the remaining four operatives attacked. They leapt from their hovercraft, abandoning it to crash into Valk. Their lightsabers ignited in midair as they slashed down.
Valk’s next punch obliterated the incoming hovercraft, reducing it to molten fragments. However, in the chaos, the operatives landed their blows.
Their lightsabers struck Valk’s steel-gray armor, sparks flying as the high-energy plasma scorched and melted the outer layers. Steam and molten metal rose in plumes, obscuring the view.
From the steaming cloud, a pair of massive hands emerged, grabbing the wrist of one operative wielding a lightsaber.
A sickening crack echoed as the wrist shattered.
After being gripped by the massive hand, the wrists and finger bones were twisted into unnatural shapes. The lightsaber fell to the ground, losing its power source and dimming before extinguishing.
“Ahhhhh—!”
The excruciating pain caused two members of the agency to break into a cold sweat, collapsing to their knees and losing their ability to fight.
The remaining two members exchanged a glance and swung their lightsabers again. This time, they attacked from both sides, channeling their magic fully into the lightsabers. The blue glow intensified, thrusting directly toward Valk’s waist.
Thrusting is always the strongest form of sword attack. The concentrated particle stream, akin to a hot knife slicing through butter, pierced through the armor and penetrated Valk’s waist, emerging from his back.
“Aarrgghhh—!” Despite the searing pain, Valk did not collapse. His pupils emitted an intense golden glow as he reached out again, grabbing their arms and breaking them. He then flung the two away.
Deprived of their power supply, the two lightsabers extinguished and rolled to the ground. Valk, half-kneeling on the ground, was exhaling heavily. Steam rose from the wound at his waist, revealing a scorched hollow.
For an ordinary person, such an injury would have been fatal. However, as transcendent of the Light Feather Sequence, Valk had strong regenerative abilities. The wounds on his body began to heal slowly. Yet, such grievous injuries would leave lasting effects—even if the surface healed, it wouldn’t mean he would recover entirely to his original state.
Exhausted and unable to move, Valk propped himself up on the ground, gasping for breath. His body under the armor was drenched in sweat. At this moment, other members of the Raincoat Agency arrived.
They didn’t approach recklessly. Instead, they first tended to their injured comrades and began reporting to higher-ups.
“Damn it, how foolish!” The captain’s voice betrayed barely suppressed rage—it was unclear whether he was referring to Valk’s recklessness or his own team’s impulsive actions.
“Take Grid away. Ignore that troublemaker Valk. Do not harm him further.”
“Understood.”
Two grappling hooks were suddenly fired, grabbing the fallen Grid to drag him away. However, Valk forced himself to grab the ropes, his high body temperature melting them.
The agency members attempted several more times but failed each time. Time was running out.
A cacophony of alarms sounded in the distance. Armed riot police from Southern 1st District and elite reinforcement troops from the White-Blue House were on their way.
“Retreat!”
Upon receiving the order, the members of the Raincoat Agency retreated in an orderly fashion, taking all the injured and some critical equipment with them. They left behind a chaotic battlefield strewn with debris.
As long as they weren’t caught by the police on the spot, subsequent matters would be left to the agency’s lawyers to battle out with the law enforcement agencies. Despite the destruction and noise caused by this operation, the Raincoat Agency, as professional contractors, maintained precision in their actions. They did not harm any original residents of the Sala Tree Zone, not even pets owned by wealthy families.
This approach ensured that what appeared to be a serious public security incident would, in the end, only require compensation for property damage and some mental distress fees—falling short of being classified as a criminal case.
The sole exception was Valk. Initially, the agency members had not intended to inflict such severe harm. Their objective was to complete their client’s task, not to create unnecessary trouble by killing innocent people.
Trouble meant financial loss, reduced profits, or even deficits—all taboo for agencies.
However, Valk’s fierce resistance during the operation shocked and intimidated the members, leading them to act recklessly under pressure, resulting in serious injuries.
This was partly due to the Raincoat Agency members’ errors in judgment under stress and partly due to Valk’s inexperience in combat. Despite growing up in a slum and having faced many fights and schemes, he was unprepared for high-tech and expensive weapons like lightsabers.
After the agency members departed, six high-speed hovercrafts carrying elite troops from the White-Blue House arrived. Armed personnel in blue-and-white exoskeleton armor disembarked, swiftly scanning the Sala Tree Zone and moving toward the scene.
Shortly after, three police vehicles arrived with twenty riot control autonomous units. Both forces converged at the damaged building and found Valk and Grid, incapacitated, in the wooded courtyard.
The two were apprehended and inspected. After confirming their identities, they were sent to the nearest hospital.
Valk received the best medical treatment upon identification, while Grid, after basic treatment, was taken into custody by the police and incarcerated. He would face numerous charges and the most severe “Federal Citizenship Review.” Failing this review would strip him of “human rights,” leaving his life and death unrecorded and unreported by any media.
The next afternoon, Valk remained hospitalized. By then, a teacher from Edess Academy had arrived. In an office next to the hospital room, Mr. Sima, representing the academy, was in discussion with Valk’s attending physician.
The doctor, tall and thin with silver-rimmed glasses, wore a white coat with a silver sage insignia on his chest. Beneath it were his name and serial number.
[Lycoq von Clemens, Decay Sequence 6, Senior Trauma Specialist]
“I understand your urgency, Mr. Sima, and the importance Edess Academy places on this. Unfortunately, based on my professional experience, even if Valk recovers, there will still be minor neural impairments in his lower body.”
“With current technology, restoring him to normal standards, ensuring no impact on daily life, is not difficult.”
“However, as you’re aware, if he holds himself to the standards of a transcendent warrior, these minor impairments will be magnified in the heat of battle, significantly reducing his combat effectiveness.”
“Regrettably, we cannot eliminate these aftereffects. Healing and recovery are not omnipotent—such is the nature of life’s imperfections and regrets.” His tone was cold, as one accustomed to such outcomes and no longer swayed by emotion.
“Is there no possibility at all? Could other hospitals in Southern 1st District, or perhaps certain specialists or techniques, offer a solution? Rest assured, Edess Academy will spare no expense to ensure Valk’s recovery.”
“Other methods…” The specialist shook his head. He understood the desperation but, as an expert in his field, knew that even the best hospitals in Southern 1st District would offer the same answer.
The healing abilities of the Light Feather Sequence enhance individual recovery exponentially. Meanwhile, Decay Sequence healing functions like a scalpel, precisely removing affected parts. Together, they are highly effective but not without flaws.
It’s like removing pests from a tree trunk and letting wood fibers grow to fill the gap. Although the void is filled, the internal grain can never match the original’s seamless perfection.
Such flaws might not affect ordinary life, going unnoticed by most people. However, for high-level transcendents who value every detail, it’s a different matter.
“I suggest you advise him to consider a different path. Even if he can’t become an outstanding warrior, he could excel in other transcendent pathways,” the specialist said with a shake of his head.
“Many transcendent careers—healers, cultivators, mind protectors, mystics—place little demand on lower-body agility. His future achievements won’t be hindered.”
…
Unable to get a hopeful answer, Sima took a deep breath and sighed heavily.
“I understand. Thank you for your advice. I’ll discuss this with the academy board.” He picked up his hat from a nearby chair and put it on.
“For the coming days, please take good care of Valk.” With that, he turned and left.