Chapter 251

’Uh... What?!’ Ray’s heart hammered against his ribs as his eyes—along with everyone else’s—widened in genuine horror, shock, and a visceral sense of disbelief.

The announcement hung in the air like a death sentence.

A heavy, suffocating silence blanketed the field as the crowd stared up at the Sergeant, their expressions frozen in masks of terror.

Van and Ray exchanged a quick, fleeting glance, both sensing the frantic rhythm of the other’s pulse.

"Yes. You heard me correctly," Lincoln repeated, his voice grim.

"A Tier 2 Gate Break has manifested within a major city in Wall Steel. Beasts are pouring out in droves and wreaking absolute havoc on the civilian population."

The silence didn’t last long before a wave of protests rippled through the ranks of the Aspirants.

— Okay? Thanks for the update, Sergeant. But with all due respect, I don’t think that’s our forte yet!

— What happened to summoning the Vanguard Order? Isn’t this their job?

— If we’re forced to do all their work for them, doesn’t that make the VO practically useless?

"SILENCE!" Lincoln bellowed with immense fury, his voice echoing like a thunderclap across the grounds as he glared down at the mass of teenagers.

The dissent died instantly.

Every head snapped up to look at the Sergeant perched atop his raised earthen platform, his shadow looming over them.

"You all are the useless ones here if you ask me," Lincoln snarled, his knuckles turning white as his hands balled into fists at his sides.

"... If I were to ask right now, the majority of you would scream that you want to join the Vanguard Order, yet the moment you are asked to step onto a real field and gain actual experience, you start whining?!"

— Practice? Or a suicide mission? You just said it was a Tier 2 gate, Sergeant! one voice shouted back from the crowd.

— That means there will definitely be a King-rank boss accompanying the hoard. How are we supposed to defeat a beast of such magnitude?

"So? Isn’t it just a single King-rank beast?"

Lincoln’s gaze shifted across the sea of Aspirants.

He wasn’t the one who had spoken those dismissive words.

The crowd parted slowly to reveal a female with light blue hair, her fierce blue eyes staring icily into the distance.

Lincoln smiled subtly, lifting a brow in intrigue.

"I’m sorry, what was that?"

"I said; it’s just a King-rank beast. These weaklings should stop their pathetic whining," Trisha repeated, a subtle, dangerous scowl etched onto her face.

’Ah... of course. She would be excited for a slaughter,’ Ray heaved a tired sigh, shaking his head at her relentless intensity.

"Besides... if we all intend to join the Vanguard Order, we will eventually be facing Aberrants that could be far more formidable than King-rank beasts," Kai chimed in, his brow furrowed as he looked around at his hesitant peers.

"And the Sergeant just said people are dying," Van added, his gaze hardening as he scanned the field with a glare.

"This is not a request; it is an absolute order! Move to your locker rooms and suit up immediately. Grab your VMS gear and whatever specialized weaponry you use. You have exactly five minutes to assemble and prepare for transport to the city. Move now!" Lincoln shouted, his voice leaving no room for argument.

No one dared to refuse, nor could they find the words to refute the order as they stared at the Sergeant’s scowling face.

"Am I understood?!"

The Aspirants hesitated for a few agonizing seconds before gritting their teeth and replying in a deafening roar:

— "Yes, Sir!"

With a curt nod from the Sergeant, the crowd dispersed in a frantic hurry to secure their necessary equipment.

Within two minutes, the locker rooms were a blur of motion as everyone scrambled to strap on their VMS boots.

Trisha stood quietly, staring at the edge of her new sword.

The polished metal reflected her ivory skin and striking features back at her like a cold mirror.

Nearby, Chloe was meticulously checking her quiver, ensuring it was full of arrows before drawing her bowstring several times, nodding with grim satisfaction at the tension.

Van shifted the metallic bracelet on his wrist, adjusting it with a firm, determined look as his mechanical spiders hummed in anticipation.

Ray didn’t bother with any such theatrics.

He simply stuffed his hands into his pockets and leaned against a cold stone wall, watching the chaotic preparation with a detached intensity.

Suddenly, Felix appeared directly beside him, his expression remarkably relaxed given the circumstances.

"Well, a real mission, huh?"

Ray didn’t offer a verbal reply, his eyes continuing to scan the room.

A militant pushed a heavy box on wheels into the locker room, the sound of the casters rattling against the floor.

"Line up, please! Come forward and receive your individual communication buds!"

They all lined up in a single file while the Militant calmly distributed the buds, which were black in color and fitted entirely into their ears without any part protruding.

The only way someone would know they had something in their ears was if they peered much closer.

"These buds are linked directly with the control tower of the Corps. In case you didn’t know, each branch has its own command center; these devices are synchronized with the Aspirant Corps.

Drones have already been deployed to monitor the crisis, so these are for you to communicate with one another on the field and relay information back to the tower if you spot anything unusual."

Ray stared at the bud—which resembled a small, smooth pebble—before inserting it into his ear.

The moment he did, a crisp mechanical voice resonated in his mind.

<Connected; Aspirant logged in. Greetings, Aspirant Ray Dawson.>

Ray gave a curt nod as he stuffed his hands into his pockets and exhaled a heavy, weary sigh.

"One more thing," the Militant added, raising a hand.

"In case any of you were wondering, your unique abilities cannot interfere with the performance of your VMS gear.

So if you wish to channel your powers through your feet... for those of you capable of it, the equipment can accommodate the energy and won’t hinder your movements."

’Good to know. I had been worried that using Thunder Step with these boots on might fry the circuitry.’

Taking a step aside, the Militant gestured toward the exit with a solemn expression.

"With that said; best of luck on your mission, Aspirants. Victory is yours."

They all saluted sharply before filing out of the room with hurried, heavy steps.

The moment they stepped out of the building, they were greeted by the sight of two massive helicarriers—the same model Captain Raze had arrived in previously.

However, these vessels were significantly larger, appearing cavernous enough to transport hundreds of soldiers at once.

In front of the lead helicarrier, Sergeant Lincoln stood with his hands folded behind his back.

He was clad in his full combat uniform, his posture straight and unyielding.

"I guess he’s coming with us after all. We were just panicking for nothing," Van whispered, leaning toward Ray.

"Come on, slowpokes! People are dying!" Lincoln bellowed as he leaped into the bay of one of the carriers.

Without any spoken commands or formal rules, the crowd of Aspirants instinctively divided in two.

The elite class claimed one of the carriers while Ray’s class boarded the second.

A minute later, the massive blades began to spin with immense force, kicking up a choking cloud of dust as the heavy machinery began its rapid ascent.

And soon, they were airborne.