Chapter 91: Chapter 79: The Conditions for Borrowing a Ship

Milton Adler’s expression tightened, and he scowled at the confident young girl before him.

"I can’t take her? Heh, little girl, do you know who you’re talking to?"

Flora Bloom was unfazed by his contemptuous tone and disdainful expression. What mattered was that despite his posturing, he didn’t truly underestimate this seemingly weak girl.

The flame in Milton Adler’s hand did not extinguish. He deliberately moved his flaming palm in front of Flora Bloom’s face, bathing her fair, clean features in a red glow.

Flora Bloom smiled faintly, completely unafraid of the scorching heat from this Second Level Fire Ability. The Water Element naturally countered the Fire Element.

Half of the Naval Base was built over the sea, making the entire city rich with water elements. Flora Bloom easily mobilized the surrounding elements, causing a mist to fill the air around her group.

To Flora Bloom’s surprise, using her ability in a place so rich with water elements consumed only half the superpower it normally would.

The water elements around them slowly condensed, gradually forming a faint white mist. Even the flame in the hand of Milton Adler, who stood closest, was affected, sputtering as it grew and shrank.

"General Adler, I don’t think the two First Level Fire Ability Users, one First Level Wind Ability User, and one First Level Earth Ability User on your team—oh, and you, a Second Level Fire Ability User—can stop me from keeping Cynthia here."

A ball of water in Flora Bloom’s hands shifted shapes at will as she tossed it playfully from one hand to the other.

The Water Element was considered the most useless of all elements, possessing the weakest attack power. But things in nature always countered one another. The weakest Water Element just so happened to be the perfect counter to the powerful Fire Element.

And on Milton Adler’s team of five superpower users, including himself, three were of the Fire Element.

Milton Adler saw the ball of water in Flora Bloom’s hands and felt the water elements spreading from her strongly impeding his ability to wield his own fire. He instantly began to treat her as a serious threat.

The look in his eyes as he watched Flora Bloom changed from contempt to grave concern.

"Water Element? I never imagined someone could cultivate the Water Element to this level in the short time since the apocalypse began. Young lady, your potential is limitless. Are you interested in joining my army? I can give you anything you desire."

Milton Adler had Water Ability Users under his command, but he had them all focused on stockpiling water resources. He had never seen a Water Ability User like this young girl, one who could transform her element into a mist that not only blocked vision but could even interfere with his own Second Level Fire Ability.

In a large-scale battle, this young girl would be invaluable.

Flora Bloom’s brief silence made Milton Adler think he had a chance. His expression relaxed, and his gaze toward her softened considerably.

"And it’s not just you. I will take good care of your family and friends as well."

Flora Bloom let out a snort of laughter, a mocking glint in her eyes as she looked at Milton Adler.

"General Adler, me working for you is not going to happen. However, if you could lend us a ship to go out to sea, I would owe you a favor."

Milton Adler didn’t expect to be rejected and lost some of his composure. ’A favor? Does Milton Adler need favors? Ridiculous.’

"You won’t reconsider?"

Flora Bloom shook her head, her eyes suddenly flicking to the two Fire Ability Users behind Milton Adler. ’Those two started gathering Fire Element Energy the moment he finished speaking. Looks like they’re ready to launch a sneak attack if I don’t agree.’

’It seems Milton Adler and his men have used this tactic to recruit superpower users more than once; they’re quite practiced at it. Anyone who refuses to join gets ambushed.’

Water Energy suddenly gathered in Flora Bloom’s hands, forming two pillars of water as thick as a person’s arm. Before Milton Adler could react, they shot toward the two Fire Ability Users like twin tornadoes.

The two madly spinning columns of water normally had little offensive power, but they had a suppressive effect on Fire Abilities.

The two Fire Ability Users had just managed to summon a flicker of flame when the water columns crashed into them, drenching them completely. A superpower user’s body was much more resilient than an ordinary person’s; simply being soaked by a Water Ability shouldn’t have rendered them powerless.

But Flora Bloom’s Water Ability was different. After her water extinguished their flames, the two Fire Ability Users tried to summon their power again, only to find the Fire Element Energy within them suppressed by a damp energy, completely unable to be released.

"You two pieces of trash, trying to pull a sneak attack. Didn’t your parents teach you any manners?"

Flora Bloom’s gaze slowly shifted to Milton Adler. With a smirk, she asked, "Or is it a case of the fish rotting from the head down?"

Only after Flora Bloom attacked did Caleb Bloom and the others realize the two Fire Ability Users from Milton Adler’s team had been planning an ambush, and their expressions hardened. Instantly, a crimson flame erupted in Neal Wallace’s hand, its energy no weaker than Milton Adler’s. Incredibly, in this environment saturated with moisture, Neal’s Fire Element Energy was completely unaffected by the mist Flora Bloom had created.

This stunned Milton Adler. ’Has this girl’s control over the Water Element reached such an astonishing level? It seems I was too careless.’

He looked at the opposing team. Not only did they have another Second Level Fire Ability User, but a man about his own age had hands that had taken on a metallic sheen. Even from a distance, he could sense the explosive power in the man’s arms.

’That’s a type of superpower user my team doesn’t have.’

Most importantly, someone on their team—he couldn’t tell who—was stirring up fine particles of sand and dust around them. The sheer density of the Earth Element Energy was far beyond what his own Earth Ability User could produce.

He knew that the moment he attacked, a defensive earth wall would instantly rise around their team.

’An earth wall created by a superpower user couldn’t be breached quickly with their rifles and submachine guns. And the time it would take to break through their defense would be more than enough for them to attack my team.’

He no longer dared to underestimate this little girl with her calm expression and playful smile. Not to mention Cynthia Grant and Hugh Warren hadn’t even made a move yet.

The four vines Cynthia Grant had summoned earlier were much thicker and tougher than before. A First Level Wood Ability User could summon three vines at most. After just one mission, Cynthia Grant had clearly advanced to the Second Level.

With the addition of Hugh Warren and his Wind Element, his team, led by a general, was at a distinct disadvantage. This was completely unexpected. Even with control of the entire Naval Base, he couldn’t assemble a team of superpower users capable of defeating them on such short notice, not without resorting to heavy weaponry.

’But the launch keys and passwords for the heavy weaponry are all in Sherman Lynch’s hands. That damn Sherman Lynch! Sigh, now is not the time to lock horns with this group.’

Milton Adler turned and glared at the two Fire Ability Users. "Fools!" he berated them. "Who told you to make a move?"

"But, General, we were just—" one of the Fire Ability Users started, but Milton Adler cut him off.

"Shut up! Acting without authorization, what does that do to our military’s discipline? Go back and await your punishment."

The two soldiers understood the signal. They lowered their heads, stepped back, and said nothing more.

"General Adler, can we talk about borrowing that ship now?"