Still, that was their business. Compared with the Super God universe, what he ought to care about more was this world.
The recovery of spiritual energy; the awakening of the extraordinary.
Countless warriors and heroes stepped forward, dedicating their strength to protect the people and the nation.
They did not fear death; they fought with courage.
On each of them, a great light burned.
This was the brilliance of human nature.
But in this world, light has never stood alone.
Even now, when humanity faces an unprecedented crisis and a common enemy, there is darkness hidden within.
They don't care in the slightest what state humanity is in; they can't even see the so-called crisis.
Humans? What does that have to do with us?
If they die, they die—so long as it isn't them.
The Spiritual Energy Bureau? Soldiers? Heroes?
Fools.
To risk one's life for strangers—what's the point?
They would never do something so brainless, nor would they admire those who do.
"Yet sometimes, it's precisely those people who go farther."
Brandon White stroked Ralts's small head and spoke lightly.
"Where there is light, there is also shadow."
"Those who bear the bright side of human nature have already appeared in number, but the part that hides in the dark is more frightening still."
At the Modu Spiritual Energy Bureau, every researcher stared, unblinking, at the pane of glass before them—or rather, at the person behind it.
She was a little girl. At the moment, there was no light in her eyes; she seemed blind. But if she were merely blind, she could never have drawn so many researchers' focus at the Bureau.
Bang!
All of a sudden, a deep, gray beam shot from the girl's gaze. With a soft sound, the section of glass struck by the gray ray turned into a slab of stone.
The little girl seemed to lose her strength as well. She closed her eyes and slowly drifted into sleep.
"Three times. That should be her daily limit."
"The amount of spiritual energy in her body is too small; naturally she can't use it many times. When she's older, or once she begins consciously absorbing aura from the air, it'll be much better."
A staffer muttered as much.
"It's just a pity she can't properly control her ability yet. We can't test many aspects."
"For example, whether the number of uses per day is affected by the target's strength, and the duration of petrification for living things…"
Another staffer spoke with regret.
"Do we still need to test the duration? Her parents' statues are still here at the Bureau."
"Barring an accident…"
They didn't finish the thought, but none of them held the slightest confidence that the girl's parents could wake from the stone.
If the little girl were willing to cooperate—perhaps when she could control her power—she might really be able to undo her parents' petrification. But regrettably, no matter how they tried to persuade her, it was useless.
She didn't seem to want to undo her parents' petrification—or to train her ability.
Yet according to the investigation, the little girl's relationship with her parents had been good, and her parents doted on her.
They could not understand it.
"In any case, her petrification is unquestionably a top-tier talent."
"These last few days we've seen it clearly: even though she doesn't actively absorb aura from the air, an amount that looks enormous to us keeps flowing into her of its own accord."
"With a gift like this, aside from the First Sequence, no one compares."
"You should know what the First Sequence signifies in this era."
"The Imperial Capital has Skyler Quinn guarding it; Vantora City has Firewing; Tianhai has Chris Frost; Ning City has Nathaniel Gray; and Beijiang has William Mecham. Precisely because First Sequence espers defend them, those cities are as safe as they are."
"Here in Modu, we have many prodigies—there's no lack of Second Sequence espers—but it isn't enough. Among the mutated creatures are plenty on par with them, even stronger. We need a true First Sequence to sit in town."
"Only then can everyone feel at ease."
"And she has the potential to become First Sequence."
At this, the administrator's eyes held a trace of hope as he gazed at the girl.
Anyone who had joined the Spiritual Energy Bureau and never left since bore the same desire in their heart: to safeguard the people.
For them, then, an esper with a gift as strong as this was invaluable.
So long as she grew, she could reduce the danger to the city to the minimum.
"Replace the glass. And set up more safeguards around her—keep the researchers from getting hurt."
"Understood."
Several staffers answered at once.
Among them, one man lowered his head, unable to still the fear pounding through him.
A First Sequence-class talent. Who would have thought the Modu Bureau still had such a monster.
He'd suspected as much when he first came in, but having it confirmed, he still couldn't help a surge of excitement.
"First Sequence. Petrification. Falls asleep after three uses."
"This is practically a gift from heaven, picked out especially for me."
No one knew how thrilled Zhao Feng was. He was trembling, unable to help himself.
He had never joined the Bureau to protect the people. He had joined for the sake of these prodigies—
More precisely, for their talents.
During the first Aura Tide, he had been among the very few who didn't awaken any gift. When the Bureau was newly established, in addition to recruiting talented espers, it also took on scientific personnel. He'd only gotten in thanks to a friend's recommendation.
He envied those who awakened. He was furious with himself for not awakening.
Ninety percent of Huaxia had awakened—and he hadn't?
Who could accept that?
But not awakening meant not awakening. Even as he seethed, he could only pin his hopes on aura—on finding some way, through researching this special energy, to force himself to awaken a powerful ability.
As time passed and the second Aura Tide began, he happened to be inside the Bureau as a researcher—under protection. However violent the storms outside, he had nothing to fear; he just stayed in the lab and continued studying aura.
And during that second Aura Tide—he awakened.
Esper Ability — Plunder.
It required a price, but it was strong enough: he could plunder other people's abilities—even their cultivation aptitude.
In cultivation, he'd felt it at once. Though his ability was formidable, his absorption of aura was abysmal; his training progressed at a snail's pace.
That made the first act of plunder especially precious—and something that had to be chosen with the utmost care.
Originally, he had planned to target a few of the Bureau's Second Sequence espers—wait until they fell in battle while protecting the people from mutated creatures, then seize their abilities from their corpses. He hadn't expected a surprise like this.
(End of this chapter)