Mutant awakening: My evolution knows no bounds

Silas and the group walked into the opulent shopping mall, their eyes widening as they scanned the grand interior. Awe was etched on their faces; for most of them, this was their first time entering such a lavish place. Vic, however, merely glanced around, his expression calm and collected, seemingly unimpressed.

Vic belonged to the prestigious Hardcastle family, so he had been in places far grander than this before.

The mall was a marvel of modern architecture, with gleaming marble floors, towering glass ceilings, and intricate golden embellishments adorning every corner. There were several sections, each dedicated to different goods: designer clothes, polished shoes, luxury wristwatches, handbags, high-end backpacks, and even specialized sections for mutant weapons, armors, and rare mutant items. The place bustled with students, all eagerly exploring the aisles, buying essential items for themselves.

"So, what do you guys want to buy?" Vic asked, a warm smile spreading across his face as he glanced at the group.

"Uhm... I don't think I'll be getting anything. I'm kinda low on tokens right now, so there's not much I can afford," Sebastian responded, scratching his long brown hair awkwardly.

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"Yeah, same here. The only token I have is the one I'm saving to buy a mutant spear," Angelica chimed in, her tone resigned.

"Don't worry about that. Just pick whatever you want, and I'll cover the bill, alright?" Vic declared confidently, his voice booming with assurance.

"Seriously?" Sebastian blurted out, his eyes widening in disbelief.

"Of course. Besides being ridiculously handsome, one of the things ladies love about me is that I'm loaded. So go pick what you want," Vic said with a playful wink, tapping Sebastian's shoulder.

"Thanks, man." Sebastian nodded appreciatively before walking away with David and Angelica. The trio headed straight for the section where mutant weapons and armors were displayed.

"What about you, Silas? What are you going to buy?" Vic asked, shifting his gaze toward Silas.

Ever since they had arrived at the mall, Silas had been unusually quiet. There was a distant, almost troubled look in his eyes, and his silence hadn't gone unnoticed.

"What's the matter?" Vic pressed, his voice tinged with concern.

"I can sense something... something powerful," Silas replied in a firm, measured tone.

"What are you talking about?" Vic's brows furrowed in confusion.

"I don't know. I just feel like there's something strong in this area. Perhaps a mutant," Silas said, his eyes narrowing.

"A... mutant?!" Vic's voice rose slightly. "If there's a mutant here, it means a realm has collapsed, and the mutants have escaped!" he added, alarmed.

"That's exactly what I'm thinking. Should we check it out?" Silas inquired, his tone serious.

"I'm not so sure. If a realm has collapsed, maybe we should inform the staff instead of dealing with it on our own," Vic suggested hesitantly.

"Didn't you hear the announcement earlier? All staff are unavailable. The senior staff went on a mission to the Agogjie planet, while the rest are handling another operation off-world. That's why we got the day off," Silas explained, his eyes fixed on something unseen.

"You can stay here if you want, but I'm going to check it out," Silas added with finality, his voice unwavering.

Vic stared at him for a few moments, realizing Silas had already made up his mind. With a heavy sigh, his shoulders slumped.

"Alright, then. Let's check it out real quick. But if it's something we can't handle, we leave immediately," Vic bellowed, but Silas was already in motion, dashing towards the exit.

They both exited the shopping mall, sprinting through the crowded streets. As they advanced, they saw people several meters ahead, running for their lives, panic etched on their faces.

"What the hell is going on?" Vic muttered, his eyes scanning the chaos. He reached out and grabbed a man frantically running past, halting him in his tracks.

"What's happening?" Vic demanded.

"A... a mutant escaped from its realm! It's a massacre!" the man stammered, terror evident in his voice. He shoved Vic aside and continued running.

"I guess you were right. There is a mutant here," Vic acknowledged grimly. "Let's move."

They continued forward, the sounds of terrified screams growing louder.

"Run! Run for your lives!"

"There's a mutant! Someone call a guild!"

"Help! Please, someone help!"

Their hearts pounded as they took a sharp turn into a quieter street. The moment they saw the mutant, they stopped abruptly, frozen in place.

The street was eerily deserted, but the creature stood a few meters away. Its body was pitch black, resembling a twisted humanoid figure with a grotesque hunchback. Its head was unnaturally low to the ground, almost scraping it. Claws like curved blades extended from its elongated fingers, and its fangs glistened with blood. Its eyes—pitch black voids—radiated a terrifying emptiness.

The mutant was feasting on an innocent woman, her lifeless body crumpled at its feet. Around it, the street was littered with bodies, each one mangled beyond recognition.

Silas's eyes flickered as a red notification screen materialized before him.

[Name: Shifter]

[Grade: ????]

'A Shifter... damn it,' Silas cursed internally.

The system didn't display its grade—Shifters belonged to a rare class of mutants without fixed rankings. However, based on guild reports, their power rivaled Grade 5 mutants.

But that wasn't what concerned Silas most.

The real danger lay in the Shifter's ability to transform humans. A single scratch or bite could turn a person into another Shifter within three minutes. And there were at least fifteen bodies strewn across the ground.

"Vic, I think—"

"This is a Shifter," Vic interrupted, his voice grave. "I've read about them in my father's books. One scratch, and we're done for. We have to get out of here. Now!"

Silas didn't reply. His eyes remained locked on the creature, calculating their next move.

Before the duo could react, the air thickened with an ominous crackle.

A guttural growl erupted, reverberating through the narrow street. Silas's heart hammered in his chest as the bodies strewn across the ground twitched violently. With grotesque, bone-snapping sounds, their limbs contorted, joints dislocating and resetting in unnatural positions. Skin stretched and tore as their forms warped, blackened claws bursting from fingertips, and eyes turning an abyssal void.

The transformation was swift but brutal—each newly-awakened Shifter rising like a marionette with strings pulled taut, their hunched forms oozing menace.

"Dammit!" Silas muttered, eyes darting between the creatures as they encircled the street. Each shambolic step they took exuded raw, predatory hunger.

Vic's face was pale, his usual bravado drained. "We need to move—now!" His voice cracked, betraying the fear he fought to suppress.

---

Back in the Academy...

The portal room buzzed with tension, the hum of energy from the active portal underscoring the grim atmosphere. As Kara emerged, her every step heavy with fatigue and rage, she dropped Sam's limp body onto the cold metal floor. Blood stained her uniform, a stark contrast to her pale, resolute face.

Miley stumbled through next, her eyes hollow, followed by Klaus, who staggered slightly but steadied himself. The room fell silent. The assembled staff, witnessing the corpse, wore expressions ranging from horror to disbelief. Some averted their eyes, while others whispered prayers under their breath.

The doors burst open. Sir Dominic strode in, beads of sweat glistening on his brow. His usually composed demeanor was replaced by frantic urgency.

"What the hell happened?" His eyes darted from the body to Kara's bloodied hands. "Where's the rest of the team?"

"They're dead." Klaus's voice was flat, devoid of emotion.

Dominic's face paled. "What? How?" His voice quivered. "Who—or what—killed them?"

Klaus stepped forward, reaching into his pack. With a grim expression, he withdrew two jagged, onyx-black horns, each one pulsating with a faint, otherworldly light. He extended them toward Dominic, who recoiled slightly before snatching them, eyes wide with recognition.

"Sycr—Sycrax?" Dominic's voice cracked. "You encountered a Sycrax on Agogjie?"

"Yes." Klaus's tone was laced with bitter exhaustion. "They were waiting for us. It wasn't abandoned—it was a trap. They planned to kill us and use the portal to invade Earth."

Dominic's hands trembled as he clutched the horns. "But...we had intelligence. We checked the reports—"

"False intelligence." Kara's voice cut through, ice-cold. She fixed him with a glare that could freeze magma. "We trusted your information, and now our people are dead because of it."Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Dominic stammered, "How was I supposed to know? I—"

"You didn't verify!" Kara's voice rose, eyes blazing. "Because of your negligence, we walked into an ambush. Do you even understand the scale of what you've done?"

Klaus interjected, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Well, I saved both of you, didn't I? Maybe a little gratitude is in order."

"Gratitude?" Kara's eyes narrowed, sparks of her lightning ability crackling at her fingertips. "You think I needed saving? I could've taken six of those things alone."

"Enough!" Dominic's voice boomed, silencing the room. His eyes were hard now, no trace of the earlier panic. "We don't have time for blame. We've got a bigger problem." His gaze swept over the room, pausing to meet each pair of eyes. "Barry didn't return. And if he doesn't... it means one of the Eternal Families has lost a member."

A ripple of fear passed through the room. The Eternal Families—ancient, powerful, and ruthless. Their vengeance was legendary, and Barry's absence spelled trouble far beyond any Sycrax ambush.