CHAPTER 71: CRACKS IN THE FOUNDATION

Meanwhile, within the main building, Kevin and Amira had successfully freed all the victims from the containment tubes. It had all been shattered and each person they pulled from the viscous liquid was weak and disoriented, but thankfully still alive.

Just as they helped the last victim to their feet, the entire building shuddered violently, as if struck by an earthquake. However this tremor was caused by Helda’s massive dragon manifestation, a sixty-foot behemoth that had materialized on the rooftop above them.

The victims became shivered a bit after that quake and agents looked up instinctively, then back at each other with this shared understanding.

"We have to hurry up," Amira said, her voice had this urgency within it.

Kevin nodded, already moving toward the corridor. "Get these ones out. I’ll go find the rest."

Amira acknowledged his plan with a sharp nod, as they both knew time was running out, and getting these people to safety was their top priority. Then she turned to the rescued victims, gesturing with her fingers. "Come with me," she commanded, and immediately they all followed. After their unbearable imprisonment in those tubes, they had no choice but to trust the ones who had come to their rescue.

Kevin immediately turned in the opposite direction, and the building quaked again, but he paid it no mind. There were more people to find, held in what Quinn had described as "special holding cells."

He moved through the hallways, searching for the private detention areas.

...

The battle between Nacht and Zebelon had reached a sort of stalemate and neither combatant could land a decisive blow; whatever one threw at the other was immediately countered or avoided.

Zebelon raised his hand to the skies, with a wicked grin spreading across his face as he brought the hand down in a sweeping arc, calling down a bolt of lightning—a common but devastating magical attack seen in several stories and tales.

However, Nacht teleported away just in time, with the bolt striking past where he floated at moments before. Zebelon then placed both hands together and slowly pulled them apart as a sword construct made of pure flames outlined itself in his right grip, the weapon radiating with intense heat.

Then he burst forward with explosive speed toward Nacht, who charged to meet him head-on. Both swords clashed—the one made of flames against Nacht’s blade, which was coated in his own magical energy aura. The impact sent shockwaves through the air, and they pulled back and clashed again, but then Zebelon released an impact force of gravity from his left hand while simultaneously maintaining the sword struggle with his right.

The gravitational blast sent Nacht flying backward as Zebelon immediately seized the opportunity and followed in hot pursuit, his flaming sword raised to deliver a devastating strike.

Nacht, still hurtling backward, raised his head slightly to assess the threat, then slowly moved his fingers and in an instant, they switched places, again.

Zebelon however was caught completely off guard by that sudden swap. Now Nacht was positioned perfectly behind him, and he brought down his blade in one vertical arc, slashing through the Demigod’s back.

The Quillforte screamed in pain, with the sound triggering a surge of magical wind energy that pushed everything backward and away from him, including Nacht. Then, the slash on his back began healing, but fury now blazed in his eyes.

He stretched his hand toward Nacht and muttered, "Petrificus Totalus." and instantly, a full-body binding curse seized Nacht, locking all his muscles and making movement impossible. Nacht felt the paralysis take hold—he could move nothing except his eyes.

Almost simultaneously, Zebelon grabbed him with a gravity hold and swiped his hand downward, causing the effect of gravity to slam Nacht down from several feet in the air. Like a bomb dropped from an aircraft, Nacht plummeted to the ground, with an impact so tremendous it created a shockwave powerful enough to make all the S-Tier fighters stop and brace themselves.

The tremor traveled throughout the entire facility’s compound and when the dust cleared, it revealed Nacht planted into the ground within a massive crater. He wasn’t unconscious from the impact, but getting up would be no easy task.

Zebelon slowly descended from the sky, victorious for the moment.

...

Quinn was distracted by the tremendous crash for a split second. "President Nacht..." she breathed in utter shock at how he had been slammed down so brutally. Felix who she been engaged in battle with prior to the shockwave impact, caught her moment of inattention. With the effects of her Damp skill on him also wearing off, he instantly darted at full speed toward her.

Jin, who had leaped backward from his exchange with Gianna, caught sight of Felix’s attack out of the corner of his eye. "Behind you!" Jin yelled.

Quinn’s head snapped back to reality as she turned to see Felix already mid-air, with his fist drawn back for a devastating punch. Her eyes glowed as she activated her skill—Amp, on herself, increasing her speed by thirty percent, after which she immediately blitzed out of her position, causing Felix’s fist to crash into the ground instead, punching a hole through it and sending debris flying upward.

Quinn landed in a safer spot. Jin appeared at her side, and they exchanged a meaningful glance. "Pair with me," she said.

Jin nodded in affirmation, and immediately, her eyes glowed, signifying that her ability was in progress yet again.

"She’s using that annoying ability of hers again," Gianna said to Felix as they both took defensive stances, ready to face the opposing two visors.

Jin’s face twisted into a devious smile as he felt the effect of Quinn’s ability enhance him. It was an Amp to his already insane speed, remarkable even among most S-Tiers—increasing it by another thirty percent.

Before the completion of an eye’s blink, Jin had blitzed past Gianna with a whoosh!, and the blade in his right hand cutting through the air. Gianna managed to raise her spear in an attempt to block, but she still received a cut on her cheek as Jin moved past her.