Chapter 106: Summoner’s war 5 Boom

Chapter 106: Summoner’s war 5 Boom The three—Lina, Carlos, and Darnell—moved cautiously through the intricate tunnels beneath the academy grounds. These were paths none of them had known existed until now, hidden deep within the structure. With only a digital map in hand, they navigated with surprising ease, avoiding traps and cameras, but the tension in the air was palpable. Every shadow seemed to stretch longer than it should, every distant noise louder than it needed to be. They moved swiftly but light on their feet, doing their best not to make a sound. The tension of what lay ahead weighed heavily on them. Darnell, particularly, felt a deep sense of unease, his mind preoccupied with the inevitable encounter with Ravin Elteth. Despite the weight of the mission pressing on him, there was a strange calmness within him, a clarity of thought, and yet, he couldn’t shake the nagging feeling about what this mission would cost them all. His thoughts often wandered to Kairos, wondering where his friend was and what role he might play in this dangerous endeavor. He tried not to let the guilt consume him, trying to justify in his own mind that Kairos had no reason to be involved in this. But deep down, he knew that wasn’t entirely true. There were forces at play that none of them fully understood. Finally, they reached the first checkpoint on the map, a massive white room that looked almost clinical in its coldness. It resembled an experimental lab, but something about it felt wrong—something dark lingered in the air. Inside, rows of cages lined the walls, and within them were beings that resembled humans, though their conditions were far from human. Some were alive, their bodies twisted and broken, others barely clinging to their last breath. The sight was unsettling, and Darnell’s heart ached for these poor souls. His hand involuntarily reached for one of the cages, where a small boy, about his own age, sat with his head dropped low, eyes fixated on the floor of his cage. The boy’s condition was dire—he looked as if he had been here for an eternity, devoid of hope, and yet Darnell felt a pull to help him. He had to do something. But just as his fingers brushed the bars, he felt a firm hand wrap around his wrist, pulling him back. "Don’t do it," Carlos said, his voice low and firm, but there was a hint of understanding in it, as if he had anticipated this moment. He had kept a sharp eye on Darnell the whole time. "No! We can’t just let them suffer. Even if I can save just one—" Darnell’s voice broke, his frustration and helplessness overwhelming him. His hand clenched into a fist, and his chest tightened with emotion. Carlos tightened his grip, pulling Darnell back even further. "If you go close to the cage, don’t you think the alarm will go off? And that would jeopardize the whole mission. We can’t afford to do that, can we?" His voice was calm, but Darnell could feel the weight of the words. It made sense, even if Darnell hated the idea. The thought of walking away, of leaving these innocent beings to suffer in cages, felt like a betrayal. It brought back memories he desperately wanted to forget—memories of his own time in a cage, being experimented on, tortured, and hated by everyone around him. It was a fate he had never wanted for anyone else, and yet here he was, powerless to do anything about it. Darnell yanked his arm free from Carlos’s grip, his eyes burning with determination. "I’ll come back for you all," he muttered, more to himself than to anyone else. "I promise, even if it costs me my life, I’ll come back for you." His voice trembled with the weight of his words, but he meant them. Every word. Carlos stared at him, stunned. "What does this idiot think a ’friend’ is?" he thought, silently watching Darnell. There was a brief flicker of something in Carlos’s eyes, but he didn’t speak his thoughts aloud. He simply watched as Darnell turned his back on the cages, the moment of hesitation passing like a fleeting shadow. But deep inside, Darnell knew that once the mission was over, he would come back for these people—he had to. Just then, Lina’s voice called out from ahead. "Come over here, guys." Darnell snapped out of his thoughts and quickly moved toward her voice, knowing the mission wasn’t over yet. Lina had found something, and they had to keep moving. Carlos, however, remained slightly behind, his eyes still watching Darnell with suspicion, knowing the impulsive youth had a tendency to act recklessly. But to his surprise, Darnell kept moving forward, not trying anything stupid. It seemed as if the promise he had made to the trapped souls in the cages was one he would keep, but only after the mission was over. They moved on into another section of the building, a long hall lined with what appeared to be apartment-style rooms. The map, however, had stopped updating, and they soon realized the spy they had relied on had only managed to gather information up to this point. The trail was cold, and now they were on their own. "We’ll have to search each room," Carlos said, his voice determined but controlled. "If we find anything suspicious, don’t act on it. Report back immediately." Darnell entered the first room, but it was empty—nothing of interest. The next one was the same, and the next one, and the next. The rooms all seemed devoid of life, as if they were merely decoys. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting to find, but this wasn’t it. He was about to give up and move on when Lina waved at him from down the hall. "Found something!" she called out, and Darnell rushed toward her, his heart pounding with the promise of discovery. Entering the room she had found, Darnell was immediately struck by the disarray. It looked like a simple apartment, but there was a bed, wardrobes, and a workbench with a large board covered in papers. Carlos, already in the room, stood over the board, scanning it with intense focus. Lina and Darnell joined him, their eyes quickly scanning the contents of the board. It was covered in images—images of the academy, the classes, and what looked like surveillance footage of them. Darnell’s stomach turned as he recognized faces in the photos—his own, Carlos’s, and, most prominently, Kairos’s. "Damnit!" Carlos slammed his fist onto the board, sending papers flying in all directions. His frustration was clear, but his anger was more than just about the images. It was about the realization of what all of this meant. Darnell stared at the board, his mouth going dry as the truth sank in. "He planned it all," he said, voice shaking. "He’s after Kairos." Lina turned around, her gaze falling to the clock on the wall. "How many hours has it been since you left Kairos? It’s already midnight." Carlos squinted at his phone, shaking his head. "It’s only eleven o’clock." But then, they all turned toward the clock on the wall. The time read 12:03 AM. A cold chill ran down their spines as the realization hit them simultaneously. It wasn’t an alarm clock at all—it was a bomb. Before they could react, the explosion detonated with a deafening roar, the blast ripping through the building. The force of the explosion sent them flying, and the walls of the building began to crumble around them. Dust and debris filled the air, and the sounds of destruction overwhelmed their senses. --- Meanwhile, Sergeant Silver sat at her desk, working through a pile of paperwork. The weight of her responsibilities bore down on her as she methodically filled out each form. She glanced up every so often, checking the time to make sure she wasn’t missing anything. The academy festival was going on outside, but Silver had no interest in it. She had no time for distractions—she preferred to focus on her work, even if it wore her down. She heard a chime from her military watch, an ideal battle device issued only to high-ranking officers during the war. Unlike many others who had discarded their watches after the war, Silver kept hers, a reminder of the countless battles and the horrors she had faced. The chime was sharp, and when she checked the display, her heart skipped a beat. The words on the screen froze her in place. Ding! A Nyxaris and two Abyssal Ranked beasts are close by... 15 meters away. The cold sweat that broke out across her skin was immediate. Her breath caught in her throat as she calculated the distance. They were right outside the infirmary door. Fear gripped her chest, as memories of that time began to be recalled by her mind and this made her tremble unmistakenly as her brain screamed out... ’Death.’ ***Author’s note*** Thanks for the everyday support, sorry for the single Chapter release today... Tomorrow will be better. This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om