[Bonus chapter for 300 powerstones, next at 600 :) ]
It could only be said that they were caught completely unprepared. Just like Leonel had guessed, the surveillance on him wasn't as air tight as he believed.
After the Metamorphosis, technology of their world almost ceased to function entirely. Technology, even in this futuristic era, still fundamentally relied on electricity which was ultimately the movement of electrons from one point to another. However, Force was constructed of the quantum particles that governed the laws electrons used.
With the benign Third Dimensional Force evolving into the Fourth Dimensional Force of a Fourth Dimensional World, those fundamental laws that governed everything were changing. As such, how could technology continue to function?
The Ascension Empire had put a lot of effort and research into building technology that could function in the Fourth Dimension, but Earth was ultimately still in its infantile stages.
The only reason some technology continued to work now was because Earth was still only a Pseudo Fourth Dimensional World. The Metamorphosis hadn't been completed in its entirety just yet. But, it was safe to say that Earth had lost more than 90% of its original capabilities. And now, only more primitive technologies like the military jeep worked in the outside world.
As for the shuttle of the weremen, Leonel was simply unaware that the model of the shuttle had been modified and downgraded. If not for this, let alone 300 kilometers an hour, a true shuttle could break the sound barrier without issue.
This was all to say that let alone having his personal satellite like Leonel imagined in his worst case scenario, Earth didn't even have a single satellite remaining. In addition, the highest class of tech could only be used in specific places where towers designed to disrupt Force operated.
The good news, then, was that Leonel wasn't as hopeless as he thought. The weremen likely only found them making use of a gps hidden within the military jeep.
The bad news, however, as Leonel was finding out now… Was that he was completely unable to use Force within the inner city where technology flourished.
This was a major miscalculation on Leonel's part. In his defense, he hadn't spent long enough in the Fort to notice such a thing. He was too inexperienced and only slept a single night here. But, at this point, he didn't have the mind to care.
He was pissed.
There wasn't a single drop of emotion on his face, but to those facing him, it felt like he was three times their size.
At this point, fear had gripped their hearts. Leonel hadn't made another move after incapacitating Admiral Millan. It was as though he was waiting for something.
"He is resisting an arrest issued by a Governor Duke Seal. Kill him."
Miles' cold voice was like the gun of a drag race. Those who had been hesitating and even somewhat fearful, still pulled on the holsters attached to their hips without hesitation, pointing their guns at Leonel.
Guns weren't much different from the past. They didn't shoot laser beams, but rather still functioned on bullets. However, in this era, even a handgun had no less strength than a sniper rifle.
Technology, instead of evolving toward higher grade ammo, put the most effort into increasing the strength of alloys, compressing force, and mitigating recoil.
In this era, every gun was outfitted with a complex gyroscope capable of measuring force and a haptic feedback system that used the data provided by the gyroscope to nullify this force. As a result, even the most powerful pistols not only had amazing armor piercing capability, they were also as steady as airsoft guns kids used to play.
However, to Leonel, this wasn't an entirely bad thing… The steadier the hand, the easier it was to predict.
Leonel had always been worried about guns. Even the most primitive guns of the medieval ages made him nervous. However, after he stopped using his eyes, he suddenly realized something.
Subconsciously, he could draw a line from the muzzle of the gun to where it would end up. It was almost like he was projecting his Dream World into the real world, as though he could simulate everything that would happen.
It was only a vague feeling, and Leonel could even feel that this was a still unawakened ability of his, but it was there nonetheless.
No one could have imagined that just when half a dozen guns had turned toward Leonel, he would take a step forward the instant their fingers pulled the trigger.
In the beginning, they thought that he was only fearless because he hadn't seen the guns. After all, his eyes were closed and these officials had never heard of this 'Internal Sight'. But, the scene that played out was completely out of their expectations.
It almost seemed like the bullets had flown through Leonel without obstruction, as though he had become transparent and blurry just for a moment.
However, Leonel knew the truth. One flew beneath his arm, two between his legs, one narrowly missing his neck, and the final two by his head.
He wasn't fast enough to dodge bullets. But, he was fast enough to dodge their trajectory.
With another two pierces of his rod, another two officers went down.
"What's his ability and what does it do?"
Leonel walked through a rain of bullets, taking down the final four officers. His attention was toward the young man with a monocle, who even now, couldn't have expected such a result.
Leonel was simply too calm. It really did feel as though they had woken a slumbering beast. Simeon and Miles watched from the ledge as Leonel, without an ounce of hurry, took six guns and twelve reload clips to himself.
[ *Ping* Generating nomenclature… ]
[ Evolution Stage: Tier 8 Black ]
[ Evolution Type: Auxiliary ]
[ Evolution: Reinforced Mind, Genetic Manipulation ]
[ Reinforced Mind: Mental capacity several times that of normal a individual. Special emphasis on eyesight. ]
[ Genetic Manipulation: Can sense the evolution path of those below the Tier 7 Black grade and Diverge or Converge it. ]
"I see…"
Leonel took a gun and aimed it toward Miles and Simeon with his left hand and shot twice in quick succession.
The power, the recoil, the speed… He had already seen through it all.
"… Unfortunate."
However, Leonel already mumbled this word before the bullets even landed.
BANG! BANG!
A thin energy shield blocked the bullets. The two young men, with cold sweat matted down their backs, watched on as the two bullets slowly fell before their eyes. Had it not been for the security system of Miles' home… they would be dead.
The most shocking part was that Leonel hadn't shot toward the illusion Miles had set up… but rather toward his real body.
His expression turned solemn. 'Even if you're ten times stronger, you won't leave the city alive.'
In order to maintain the peace, there were exceptionally few who knew of this operation. This was part of the reason they allowed Leonel to go so far as to walk back to his own home.
However, if the secret couldn't be kept, that was fine as well. Now that Leonel had attacked so many officials, and even a Tier 5 one at that, it would be even easier. With such evidence, it was impossible for the Right to Autonomy Amendment to work in his defense.
Leonel turned his back to the two men. One of them had an illusion ability that was useless against him and the other had a mental ability. They were not his opponents. His true enemy was waiting outside.
As expected, Leonel had hardly taken a step outside when the sound of horns shook the dark night sky. Several spotlights converged from all directions, alerting everyone to the state of emergency.
Thousands were mobilized in a few breaths. And, it seemed that Miles was more cautious than he seemed on the surface because even the usually unguarded inner city doors were blocked.
However, this was a problem Leonel would love to be facing. Because, as it stood now, he was still a few kilometers from those very doors.
He felt that something was disrupting his use of Force. As long as he could make it out of the range of that something, he could threaten the city by causing another Invalid Tide. Though he didn't want to put people in danger, this would be his very last resort.
Leonel stepped out of the mansion on shaky legs, looking up at the dark sky, the twinkling stars, the silver moon…
His breathing was ragged. Just a few moves and he already felt that he had hit another wall.
"… Do you have anything that can hold my body together a bit longer?" Leonel asked, a bit desperate feeling so many converge onto him through his Internal Sight.
This time… these weren't just normal, unevolved humans. They all had abilities… And their technology was levels beyond.
[ *Ping* Replying to Seed, the meat of evolved creatures is the best nourishment for Evolvers. ]
As though having heard the question, the Segmented Cube popped out once more before vanishing. All that was left was a head-size cube of rich, pinkish violet meat.
'… Raw octopus, huh…? I hear it's a delicacy…'