Chapter 66 Mole

Words : 1396 Updated : Sep 12th, 2025

The hum of the void stone filled the chamber, its bright glow bathing the room in soft light. Noah stood in the center of the platform, his expression calm, betraying none of the turmoil swirling in his mind. Above him, the crystalline structure shimmered faintly, alive with energy yet offering no sensation—no warmth, no pressure, not even the faintest tingle. "Hold your position, Eclipse," the lead technician instructed curtly, his attention locked on the tablet in his hands. The other technician at the console glanced nervously at Commander Albright, who stood rigid at the edge of the room, arms crossed and jaw tight. Noah remained still, his body relaxed but his thoughts racing. He couldn't shake the bitterness from being dragged here under suspicion of concealing his abilities—a crime treated as betrayal of the highest order in the military. Albright had ordered his arrest and subsequent retest personally, citing "irregularities" from a month ago. As the lead technician adjusted the equipment, Noah's system blinked to life. [External energy disturbance detected.] Noah's heart skipped a beat, but he kept his composure. [Analyzing interference... Void system engaged. Neutralizing anomaly. Adjusting parameters to maintain baseline output.] The message was clear: the system was stepping in, protecting him from being exposed. "Energy analysis commencing," the technician announced, his voice steady despite the tension in the air. The void stone pulsed softly, its glow intensifying. On the wall-mounted display, colors began to swirl, the readings slowly stabilizing. The technicians leaned in, their eyes widening as the result appeared: First Generation – Level 5. A stunned silence fell over the room. The lead technician blinked at the result, tapping furiously at his tablet. "That... that's identical to his previous evaluation. There's no change." Commander Albright's brow furrowed, his sharp eyes darting between the display and Noah. "Run it again," he ordered, his voice carrying the weight of authority. "Sir, I've already verified the readings," the technician stammered. "The system is functioning perfectly. The result is accurate." For a long moment, Albright said nothing. He stared at Noah, who remained impassive, his gaze unwavering. Finally, the commander exhaled, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. "Eclipse," Albright said, his tone softer now but no less firm. "It seems we've made an error." Noah didn't respond, simply waiting for the inevitable. Albright stepped forward, his hands clasped behind his back. "I owe you an apology. Acting on faulty intelligence, I assumed you were hiding something—something that could have endangered the chain of command and the integrity of our unit. This I know you understand. However, clearly, I was wrong." The commander's words hung heavily in the air, the technicians glancing awkwardly at each other. "This retest should never have happened," Albright continued. "You've been put under unnecessary scrutiny, and for that, I take full responsibility."@@@@ Noah inclined his head slightly, acknowledging the apology without a word. Albright straightened, his voice regaining its usual authority. "You're dismissed. Return to your duties, Eclipse." "Yes, sir," Noah replied, stepping off the platform. He didn't look back as he exited the room, the heavy doors sliding shut behind him. Once he was alone in the corridor, Noah exhaled slowly, a small, bitter smile tugging at his lips. The system had protected him again, but he couldn't ignore the truth. Albright's apology might have cleared his name for now, but trust in the military was fragile—and easily shattered. 'They'll be watching me more closely now,' Noah thought, his jaw tightening. 'I need to stay one step ahead.' Noah rounded a corner of the academy courtyard, his thoughts still heavy with suspicion about Micah, when a familiar voice stopped him in his tracks. "Noah Eclipse! You absolute madman!" Kelvin's voice rang out, full of mock indignation. "What in the world did you do this time? Rob the school's vault again? Or did you finally blow up the core lab? Tell me it's something good!" Noah groaned quietly, turning to see Kelvin jogging toward him, his mop of unkempt hair bouncing as he moved. Kelvin was grinning, his tablet tucked under one arm and a stylus twirling between his fingers. "Kelvin," Noah said flatly, "why aren't you in class?" Kelvin skidded to a stop in front of him, looking positively thrilled to have an excuse to skip whatever lecture he'd just abandoned. "Oh, don't you dare try to turn this on me," Kelvin said, pointing his stylus at him accusingly. "You were dragged out of class this morning by military officers, Noah. Officers. You know how boring life has been for the last couple of days? Do you have any idea the chaos you caused?" Noah sighed, grabbing Kelvin by the arm and steering him toward a quieter part of the courtyard. "You're rambling. Start making sense." Kelvin allowed himself to be dragged but continued talking a mile a minute. "Everyone was losing it! Miss Brooks stormed out of the classroom like someone had personally insulted her. Lila and Cora looked like they'd seen a ghost—they were whispering to each other the whole time. The rest of us were just sitting there like, 'What the hell did Noah do now?' I mean, you're the Noah Eclipse. If anyone's capable of pulling off some high-level crime, it's you." "Kelvin," Noah interrupted, his tone sharp. "Why. Aren't. You. In. Class?" Kelvin blinked at him, as if the question didn't even register. "Because you were arrested, Noah. I had to know what happened! So, spill. What was it this time? Did you get caught hacking into the academy's archives? Oh wait, that's something I'd do. Oh! Did you try to steal a beast gear?! Please tell me it was something insane." Noah stopped walking and turned to face Kelvin, his expression calm but firm. "It was nothing," he said simply. "Just a misunderstanding. It's been sorted out." Kelvin narrowed his eyes, his grin fading slightly. "You're lying." "I'm not lying," Noah said, though the words felt hollow even to himself. "It's over. Let it go." Kelvin crossed his arms, clearly unconvinced. "Noah, come on. I know you. You don't get dragged out of class by officers for 'nothing.' What's going on?" 'Why does he have to be so damn nosy?' Noah thought, resisting the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose. "It's none of your business, Kelvin," he said instead, his tone final. "I'm fine. That's all you need to know." Kelvin huffed, clearly frustrated. "You're seriously not going to tell me? You're my best friend, Noah. I've covered for you more times than I can count. I think I've earned the right to know what's going on here." 'You don't get it,' Noah thought, his jaw tightening. 'This isn't just some stupid prank or minor infraction. If anyone finds out about my system, about my reawakening... it's over for me. Hell, it's over for both of us.' "I appreciate it, Kelvin," Noah said carefully. "But this isn't something I can talk about. Not yet." Kelvin stared at him for a long moment, his expression a mixture of hurt and suspicion. "Fine," he said at last, though his tone suggested anything but acceptance. "Have it your way. But don't think I'm dropping this. I'll figure it out eventually." Noah sighed as Kelvin walked away, muttering something about "ungrateful daredevils." 'He's not wrong,' Noah thought bitterly. 'This isn't over. Not by a long shot.' Even if he wanted to confess, what would he even say? That he'd reawakened as an alpha class but couldn't prove it because his abilities were still evolving? That his system had tampered with the void stone to protect him? 'Yeah, because that would go over well,' he thought sarcastically. 'They'd think I was either insane or desperate for attention. Either way, it wouldn't end well.' Noah shook his head, forcing himself to focus. For now, the truth had to stay buried. He'd figure out how to handle it later. But first, he had to find Micah. If anyone knew how this mess started, it was him.

Chapter 66 Mole

Comments (0)