CHAPTER 77: A BREACH

It was a relief that no one would know Theo had been there. He’d already noticed the CCTV cameras were destroyed when he entered the warehouse, which was probably why he’d felt so confident acting freely.

But something else had been bothering him.

’Dark system online?’ Theo repeated the phrase in his mind, still unsure of what it meant.

Was the system inside him becoming corrupted?

His thoughts were interrupted by Aries’ gentle voice.

"You need to lay low for a while, Theo," she said softly, snapping him back to reality.

This time, Theo looked up and met her eyes. He nodded. "Yeah. I’ll stay under the radar for now. Don’t worry."

"Good! It always makes me nervous whenever you go out!" Aries complained with a pout.

Then he turned to Calix and quickly changed the topic. "So... are you okay with Kael staying here now?"

Calix scratched the back of his neck and sighed. "I guess. His record’s clean. Turns out he was a regular blood donor before the meteorite incidents. He’s even involved in charity work. Still... I’ll keep an eye on him. Just to be sure."

Aries grinned and teased, "Told you Kael’s a good guy. I’m great at judging people."

She turned to Calix with a playful wink. "Just like how I knew you were cool too!"

Theo nearly choked on the piece of meat he was chewing.

Calix tried to hide his flustered grin. Theo was about to complain but just then, Kael stepped into the dining area, carrying a small box with both hands.

"Speak of the devil," Calix murmured, eyeing him.

Kael glanced at the three of them and offered a polite nod. "Sorry to interrupt. I brought some ripe mangoes. They’re ready for harvest."

Theo looked at the basket in Kael’s hands, then back at him. "Thanks."

Aries stood up and took the basket from Kael, her eyes lighting up. "Wow! I love ripe mangoes. I’m so glad this land came with so many trees when we bought it!"

She picked one up and gave it a gentle squeeze, smiling at the perfect ripeness. "These are going to be sweet."

Kael gave a small smile. "I thought they’d make a nice dessert."

"Right! I’ll make some mango graham!" Aries said excitedly, practically humming with energy.

Calix stood up too, trailing after her.

Theo raised an eyebrow. "And where are you going?"

"Oh, I’ll help Aries with the dessert," Calix replied with a timid smile.

"Clingy," Theo snorted.

Calix just chuckled and quickly followed Aries into the kitchen.

Theo continued eating while Kael walked over to the fridge, grabbed a water bottle, and sat across from him at the table.

"I was wondering..." Kael began, his tone careful, "Would it be alright if I came with you the next time you enter a red zone? I really want to help and save more survivors, but I’m not confident doing it alone."

Theo looked up at him for a moment, then silently activated his Observer’s Insight.

[Observer’s Insight Activated]

Name: Kael Tudor

Mutation Type: Divergent Meteor Survivor

Mutation Power: Meteor Mist

Allows user to phase-shift into mist-like particles, enabling passage through solid objects and quick movement.

Limitations: Short duration, physically exhausting, vulnerable while dispersed.

Combat Skills:

- Basic hand-to-hand combat

- Moderate firearm proficiency

- Fast reflexes and decent agility

- Not trained for solo field missions

Overall Combat Rating: Standard (Assist-Type)

Theo’s gaze lingered on the floating details a second longer before they faded from view.

"You’re not really built for the frontline," he said bluntly, picking up his glass of water.

Kael didn’t flinch. "I know that. But I don’t plan to fight head-on. I just... feel useless staying back when I could be helping. Even just guiding survivors to safety or scouting routes through blocked buildings, my ability could help with that."

Theo studied him for a few seconds more, then finally gave a short nod. "Alright. You can come. But only if I say it’s safe. I won’t babysit you."

A flicker of relief crossed Kael’s face. "Fair enough. I appreciate it."

"You’ll need better gear," Theo added. "Your mist form’s good for infiltration, but you’re still vulnerable. One wrong step and you’re done."

"I’ll take care of that. I’ve already started modifying some lightweight armor to match my shift limits. I’ve also been training under Andres with short-range weapons."

Theo raised a brow, mildly surprised though he didn’t show it much. "Didn’t expect that."

Still, he quietly made a mental note to check his inventory later maybe there was a better gear set he could give Kael.

"I don’t want to be dead weight," Kael said quietly.

Theo nodded. "I get that, Kael. For now, focus on mastering your power and improving your skills. I’ll let you know once I’m planning to sneak into another red zone."

He noticed how Kael’s face lit up at his words.

"By the way, do you need anything from your apartment?" Theo asked.

Kael hesitated before replying, "Yeah, but it can wait. I’m planning to sneak in when I’m more confident. With my mist form, I can phase straight into the building, so it shouldn’t be too hard. I’ll go after a few more training sessions."

Theo gave a small nod, then turned his attention to the fruit salad on the table and took a bite before asking, "So, Kael, are you working in that textile company?"

"Actually, I’m the Operations Manager," Kael replied with a heavy sigh.

"You look young for that. How old are you again?" Theo asked, curious.

"I’m twenty-six," Kael answered with a half-smile.

Unlike Calix, Kael was a man of few words. Theo found himself appreciating that Kael didn’t ask unnecessary questions and kept to himself unless it mattered.

"Kael," Theo said, "what did Uncle Andres have you doing?"

"Just clearing out some old storage and checking the fence outside the wall," Kael replied.

"There were signs of a breach in the far east section, but no tracks going in or out. Could’ve been an animal... or just weather damage."

Theo gave a slight nod. "Did Uncle Andres check the CCTV footage?"