CHAPTER 106: MULTIPLE MUTATION

[Ding! Main Quest Accepted: "Eliminate MTerra & MRavager"]

[Timer Initiated: 12 hours remaining]

Theo’s eyes narrowed as he gripped the handle of his double-bladed axe, feeling a surge of energy ripple through his arms. The Meteorborns twitched again, their bones crackling with unnatural movements. One of them, MRavager, charged first, screeching as its arms swung downward.

But Theo didn’t flinch.

He dashed forward, sidestepping the wide swing and slamming his axe directly into MRavager’s knee joint. A crunch echoed in the hall. It screeched in pain and staggered.

Without wasting time, Theo spun around and swung upward, his axe embedding deep into the creature’s skull.

[Ding! Target Eliminated: MRavager]

[+500 EXP, +50 Gold Coins, +Basic Loot Crate, +Contamination Sample]

The other one, MTerra, slammed its jagged, rocky arms against the cracked floor as it roared. A tremor rippled beneath Theo’s feet. But again, he remained focused.

Environmental Scan - a soft blue wave of data washed over the area in his vision.

[Clear Path Located: West Wing Emergency Exit - No Infectees within 50 meters]

[Obstruction: Collapsed debris, Survivors: 3 - Condition: Light injury]

"Good," Theo muttered. "I’ll make this quick."

MTerra lunged. Theo rolled to the side and jumped onto a nearby bench to gain elevation. He twisted midair, energy crackling around his axe. With precision, he brought it down hard between MTerra’s shoulders, cracking through its dense spine.

MTerra screamed and staggered forward. Theo followed through, he gritted his teeth, charged again, and delivered a final blow to the head.

[Target Eliminated: MTerra]

[+500 EXP, +50 Gold Coins, +Basic Loot Crate, +Contamination Sample]

The hallway fell eerily silent except for the ragged breathing of the trapped students under the collapsed doorway. Theo approached them and crouched down, examining the debris.

"You three okay?"

One girl, teary-eyed, nodded. "Y-Yeah... just stuck."

Theo pried the broken beam aside with a grunt, then helped pull them out one by one. Their uniforms were torn, and one boy had a bruised leg, but they were alive.

"You’re going to be alright. Head down that hallway," Theo pointed to the west corridor. "It’s clear for now. Keep to the right, and you’ll find other AMSO units waiting."

"Thank you, sir!" one of them cried before they hurried off.

Theo stood there a moment, breathing in deeply. His axe dripped with blackened Meteorborn blood.

He glanced down the dim corridor. "That’s two down... still a long way to go."

He turned and disappeared into the next wing, ready for the next threat.

As Theo reactivated his Environmental Scan, a detailed overlay of the area flashed before his eyes. His gaze locked onto a chaotic scene near the university’s abandoned swimming pool: Ben and the men who had followed him were clearly struggling to fight off a Meteorborn.

Then, his system chimed.

[Ding! Special Quest Available: "Flood the Beast"]

Objective: Eliminate a Meteorborn Aqua (MAqua) variant with an active Meteorite Core.

[Main Reward: Extract mutation powers and abilities from the defeated MAqua.

[Acquirable MP/Ability: Waterborn Variant - Absorbs water to heal and grow stronger. Can manipulate water flow.]

[Bonus Reward: +10,000 EXP, +1,000 Gold Coins]

[Rare Drop Chance: Epic Shard, Adaptation Trait, +Hydro Core ]

[Warning: Failure to eliminate at least one target within 16 hours will result in Mutation Corruption. Proceed with caution.]

Without hesitation, Theo accepted the quest.

[Ding! Special Quest Accepted: "Flood the Beast"]

Target Confirmed: MAqua - Meteorborn Aqua Variant

Timer Started: 16 Hours Remaining

Cracks split the tiles, water flooded half the area, and the MAqua slithered through it like a monster in its element. Its form was long and sinuous, semi-liquid and semi-solid, pulsing with a faint, blue glow. Razor-sharp fins lined its arms, and it exhaled steam as it let out a piercing screech.

Theo saw one of Ben’s men scream and fall, dragged beneath the water’s surface by a whip-like tendril. The others were trying to shoot it, but the bullets passed through or ricocheted off.

"I can’t let them die... not even Ben."

Theo muttered under his breath.

As much as he hated the guy and he really did, he couldn’t just stand by and watch him get hurt... or worse, turn into a Meteorborn right in front of him. Not while Theo was here. Not on his watch.

The sharp stench of chlorine, blood, and decay stung Theo’s nose as he crouched silently atop the cracked upper ledge of the Lacan State University’s old swimming complex. Below, chaos churned.

Water surged unnaturally around a hulking MAqua.

Ben and his team were backed against the far wall, water knee-deep and rising. Their powers, mostly minor enhancements or elemental bursts, barely slowed the creature down.

Flames licked the edges of his axe as he called upon the Pyreflame Meteor Core.

[Ignite Form: ACTIVE]

[Pyre Burst: READY]

[Flame Control: ENABLED]

[Ravager Stride: LINKED]

[Cryo Spike Field: CHARGED]

"Let’s go."

He launched himself into the air, a fiery blur cutting through the moisture-heavy air. A startled scream rose below.

"Is that - Theodore?" one of the Class 4 recruits muttered in disbelief.

Ben turned just in time to see Theo land between them and the beast, axe igniting in a spiral of heat and wind.

"What the-?"

Theo didn’t answer. He swung the axe in a wide arc and triggered [Gale Fangs] fused with [Pyre Burst], sending searing wind blades laced with flames slashing toward the MAqua’s joints. The Meteorborn screeched as part of its limb was scorched, steam hissing violently from the wound.

"Shit," Theo hissed. "It’s healing from the water."

He leapt sideways as the creature retaliated with a whip-like torrent. Activating [Frozen Veins], he slammed his palm to the ground and triggered [Cryo Spike Field]. A ring of icy spikes erupted, freezing the water and halting the torrent mid-surge.

"Who the hell fights like that?!" one of Ben’s men whispered in awe.

Ben clenched his jaw. He recognized that stance, that fluid movement and that power wasn’t just "electricity." He rubbed his eyes. Then he blinked rapidly, murmuring with a frown, "Is he using... multiple mutation types of power?"