Chapter 15: The calm before
Alex sat in his office, the low whir of the ceiling fan mixing with the quiet rustling of papers. A familiar scent of roasted coffee beans wafted from his mug—today's flavor: Smoky Hazelnut Drift. His desk was an organized chaos of half-filled reports, digital tablets, and a few scattered documents on recent strange item recoveries. The soft hum of the screens and the rhythmic clicking of his keyboard gave the room a sense of quiet industry.
Bliss lay curled up on the small sofa to the side, sleeping peacefully as always. Her presence was a strange comfort, a reminder of the growing world Alex had begun to shape around himself. He took a long sip from his coffee and leaned back, staring at the ceiling as the data from Eyehive's most recent flight came through.
But Alex's focus shifted as his eyes landed on the Imitation Core—resting idle on the side table. It pulsed faintly, still synchronized with his mental energy. Next to it sat the outdated Eyehive module, now made obsolete with the advent of the Verdant Neurospore tree system. "You've served well," he murmured to the Eyehive. Then he narrowed his eyes in thought.
He wondered, "What if I merge the Eyehive with the Imitation Core?" It was a gamble, but one worth taking.
Using the Mindcube of Clarity to guide his intent, he initiated the fusion process. Glowing grids of blue circuitry enveloped both items. Sparks flickered briefly in the air, and Alex staggered slightly from the mental feedback, grabbing the edge of the desk. The two objects merged with a pulse of green light.
Item Upgraded: Imitation Core – Version 3
Classification: Adaptive Surveillance Core
Description: This item can now not only replicate physical items temporarily but also store surveillance parameters. It passively scans up to a 2-kilometer radius and links with psychic flora and environmental items. Usage time remains 12 hours, cooldown time 3 hours.
Additional Effect: Retains observation data from merged devices. Can simulate behavior of drones, sensors, or other scout-type tech.
Alex rubbed his forehead, sweat beading at his temple. The merge had taken a toll, but the result was impressive.
He made a mental note: going forward, any item that had outlived its usefulness would be merged into the Imitation Core—adding layers of evolution instead of waste.
After resting a bit and finishing the last few reports, Alex decided to check on his recruits.
He started with the gym, expecting to find Buster Kian training as usual. But it was empty—weights untouched, the air surprisingly still. He frowned and moved on to the workshop, expecting to find Toru fiddling with some gadget. No sign of him either. That was odd.
Finally, he made his way to the rooftop garden. As he stepped outside into the filtered sunlight and gentle breeze, he spotted the three of them—Kian, Leena, and Toru—all bent over a planting bed, huddled close as if guarding a secret.
Alex's steps slowed. "What are you three doing?" he asked, his voice calm but curious.
The trio jolted upright in surprise.
"Don't frighten them!" Kian exclaimed, waving a hand toward the soil.
Alex walked closer and looked down—then blinked. A plant unlike any he'd seen was swaying in the planter. Its petals shimmered in the light, absorbing rays at an unnatural rate. It pulsed with a soft, golden glow, not unlike Bliss's energy.
"What... is this?" he asked, turning to Leena.
She scratched the back of her neck, clearly embarrassed. "It's... a sunflower. But I guess my powers mutated it.I was thinking about the miracle tree while gardening, and… I guess my power drifted a little.It just started growing like this."
"What does it do?" Alex asked, eyes narrowing.
She looked away. "It gathers sunlight. And... if it absorbs too much, it... does something. I think it releases energy. Emotional energy."
Curious, Alex activated the Mindcube and scanned the plant. A stream of light trickled from the cube to the plant, and data began to form before his eyes.
Item Scanned: Solar Moodbloom
Type: Emotion-Affinity Flora
Origin: Mutated through Leena's botanical influence
Effect: Absorbs sunlight and environmental emotion. When overcharged, releases a wave of emotional energy that affects nearby beings—commonly causing intense melancholy, grief, or agitation.
Use Case: Can be cultivated in low-density areas to pacify crowds or reduce aggression—but may also unintentionally trigger emotional distress if left unchecked.
Alex whistled low. "That's... unique."
Kian folded his arms. "Yeah, we were trying to figure out what to do with it."
Alex nodded thoughtfully. "We'll need to keep a close eye on this one. Emotional outbursts are harder to control than physical ones."
Leena looked guilty. "Sorry, I didn't know—"
"It's not your fault," Alex said, offering her a small smile. "In fact, it might be something useful. As long as we're careful."
He looked at the sunflower again, watching its petals subtly quiver. Another unpredictable side effect of psychic powers—beautiful, but dangerous.
And somehow, completely normal in Alex's new life.He made a note to talk to Yurei later. Another mutated plant with unpredictable properties—this city was full of surprises.
___
In the Office
Alex stared at the data streaming across his tablet—incident reports, drone feeds, power fluctuations. All unusually low. There were still the occasional disturbances, but most of them involved strange items—relics and gear that had started taking over their hosts, corrupting their minds. They were becoming a pattern. A dangerous one.
Aside from that, things had been... quiet.
Too quiet.
He leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping the side of his random coffee mug. The calm felt unnatural—like the city itself was holding its breath.
Calm before the storm, he thought.
His device buzzed.
A message from Agent Yurei:
"Join us for the next spore planting. The Mayor will be there. Your recruits are also attending."
Alex sighed, grabbed his jacket, and stood. He stared at the blinking light on the Imitation Core one last time.
"I just hope," he muttered, "this calm doesn't mean something worse is coming."
Alex slipped the Imitation Core into the satchel hooked on his side, making sure it was secured before heading out. He arrived at the spore planting site just past midday—the sun painting long shadows across the open parkland that had been freshly cleared for the Verdant Neurospore expansion.
Volunteers were already gathered in clusters, preparing soil and placing protective mesh around the fragile sprouts. Government scientists and low-tier mental energy users—designated Tree Keepers—stood in formation, waiting for the signal to begin the synchronized planting.
Everything seemed normal.
Too normal.
His eyes scanned the crowd. A man near the hydration station looked around too often. A woman crouched to tie her shoe—but never really tied it. Another figure wore a bulky jacket on a summer day, their face partially obscured by a wide-brimmed hat.
Something's off.
Alex walked casually toward a patch of nearby trees and stepped out of sight. Behind the cover of foliage, He summoned.
The air shimmered, and a figure emerged—neither fully man nor machine.
He was tall and lean, dressed in dark, tight-fitting tactical armor. Glowing blue veins pulsed through synthetic limbs. Half his face was human, the other covered in a sleek cybernetic mask with a single optic lens that flickered softly. A small antenna flexed behind his ear like it was listening to the world.
Hero Summoned: Ghostbit
Class: Stealth Cyborg Operative
Specialty: Reconnaissance, Infiltration, Counter-Intelligence
Abilities:
Cloakfield Drive: Bends light and sound around body, creating full invisibility for short periods.
Neural Tap: Can listen to and interpret nearby digital communications.
EMP Pulse Palm: Emits a short-range electromagnetic burst from his left hand, disrupting tech and implants.
Phantom Stalk: Silently attaches temporary tracking beacons on targets.
Passive: Immune to mental probing and magical detection. Enhanced intuition from preserved human consciousness.
The cyborg gave a subtle bow, his voice smooth but low and detached. "Ghostbit. Reporting for duty."
Alex nodded and pointed toward the crowd. "Something's off. Scan and watch. No action unless I say."
Ghostbit gave a slow nod and stepped back—before simply vanishing, his body slipping into the wind like vapor.
Alex rejoined the gathering with calm steps and a neutral face. Inside, he remained alert.
If someone's trying to slip past the radar… Ghostbit will find them.
[End of chapter 15]