Chapter 60: Virtual Warrior

In the training room, Clémentine observed the young Asian woman in front of her.

“We use our minds to use our abilities,” Akira said, opening her eyes as snowflakes fluttered around her.

They were psionics who used their mind force and psionic energy to perform multiple abilities even more diverse than mages.

“What have you been informed about, the A-Rank in psionics?” Akira asked, undoing her snowflakes.

Clémentine thought for a moment and answered. “Rank A psionics, have a great advancement in their mental strength, allowing them to not only attack physically with more power, but they can also attack mentally.”

“That explanation is basic, but it’s very accurate for you,” Akira commented, and seeing Clémentine’s curious look, she explained. “You are one of the few psionics who has a great diversity in your abilities. In that sense, you are very different from me.”

‘Talent’ was no joke.

Psionics could use any number of abilities, but whether they had a talent for it was another matter.

Individuals like Clémentine who had such unique control capable of replicating different abilities were certainly considered talents.

“In my case, I focused on my ‘Cryokinesis’. I can’t attack mentally, so it wouldn’t fit into your explanation,” Akira revealed and, creating an ice arrow in her hand, she specified. “I specialized.”

Unlike other psionics who could control objects with their mind or manifest attacks using their psionic energy, Akira had too much trouble with it.

She was basically useless for battles at the time, but she chose to specialize and focus on a single ability she had an affinity for and before she knew it, she became an S-Rank.

Her title was ‘Tempest’ because she could produce a tempest of ice if she tried hard... At that level was Akira among the S Ranks.

If she was a mage, she would be compared to a powerful destructive spell with a huge area of effect.

However, Clémentine was different.

“You can use telekinesis, manifest psionic energy, to attack and perform mental attacks. You’re a genius,” Akira declared without a hint of envy. and looking at Clémentine, she added. “But you only show a glimpse of what you’re capable of!”

Clémentine gave her full attention to her superior.

“Psionics with telekinesis abilities not only control objects at will but can go beyond that and control physical laws. Those who use only psionic energy as ‘basic’ attacks not only perform physical attacks of great power, but can add a mental influence to each attack. As for those who attack mentally. Attacking that way is the most basic brute force tactic, and their true capability is infinite.” Detailed Akira with a tone that stirred Clémentine’s spirit.

The possibilities in each way were different, but all had great potential... A potential that depended on the mind and strength of the user.

Akira’s explanation of the possibilities was too small a summary, Clémentine knew.

As someone who claimed to come from a psionic lineage, her parents had great knowledge about psionics.

Those who could attack mentally could infiltrate, disrupt and even influence the minds of their enemies without anyone noticing... That was the truth behind mind-centered psionics.

“What should I do, specialize?” Clémentine asked, seeking advice.

Her father and brother, who were helping her improve, mentioned that the path of psionics was an individual and very personal development.

The mind of those psionic users was a weapon, a very different weapon in each psionic user... No one could repeat the path of another, at least not with the same accuracy or strength.

“If this were ‘Terra nova’ I’d say go level up.” Akira joked with a smile and, seeing that Clémentine half understood her joke, she muttered. “Are we three years apart? Am I too old?”

Clémentine’s lips twitched at that murmur.

Truth be told, like anyone of the new generation, she had only heard stories of Terra nova and she in particular wasn’t interested too much... Moving up a level, it was something that was nonsense to her.

Akira regained her mood and shook her head.

“Recommendation? I can’t give it to you. This is your path. Find it and before you know it, you’ll see a different world,” Akira said with a calm yet solemn look.

Would the new way of contemplating the world be good or bad?

That depended on the person in question.

“Don’t forget that later we’ll go visit the city and have fun,” Akira reminded calmly.

It had already been two days since they were briefed about the ‘Ark’ mission and while the students wanted to continue training or doing daily missions to gain more experience, Aurora pushed for them to seek to have fun.

As for Akira?

How could she not get involved when they were planning to go clothes shopping? She would be in that place without hesitation.

Watching as Akira left with a cheerful and enthusiastic expression, Clémentine couldn’t help but give a smile.

******

The portal room glowed as the portal worked and a figure stepped out.

“Tch... I almost lost you,” Andrés muttered, looking at one of his lightning drones.

This was his last mission for the afternoon and, because of an oversight, one of the wolves he was facing could scratch his drone.

The wolf’s claws were marked even though that wolf was only a C-Rank.

“That’s not something I can ‘heal’,” Shao Ya muttered and with a smile passed him a fruit juice.

“Thank you,” Andrés said with a soft smile.

They were already doing individual missions and didn’t need someone to accompany them or go with someone.

That let their progress show, but every time they arrived from the portals, Shao Ya, like a big sister, had their snack for them and was waiting for them with a welcoming smile.

If they could say before that they were no longer ‘students’ and were reliable mercenaries, members of the group, the woman in front of him made them feel like a teenager again.

Shao Ya gave a soft smile and walked over to the training area that had been divided, creating a separate combat section.

“I already have the drinks, come out to rest,” Shao Ya warned, looking at Leslie and Aeko, who were carrying on a most hectic distance combat.

The training basement was large and although it wasn’t as realistic as Leslie’s, it could create a combat section with different scenarios.

Since the sides were closed off with a translucent barrier, Andrés could see how Leslie was breathing heavily while Aeko jumped out, hiding through the trees.

“Come on, get out,” Shao Ya repeated in a raised voice.

Aeko and Leslie hesitated as they looked at Shao Ya who was beyond the barrier, but then they both made their last move.

Leslie used her two pistols and added a couple of modules that expanded the barrel, then jumped out of cover and fired at where Aeko was.

Aeko took cover behind the dummy tree and kept her calm in the face of the training bullets, whose potency was not to be underestimated when counting modules.

She readied her bow and, without hesitation, ran to another tree while Leslie fired at her.

Using the tree as a base, she half-turned with a leap and fired her arrow in mid-flight, ending up hidden behind another tree.

The training arrow hit Leslie and even though it had traveled fast, she only frowned because it was a training arrow.

Aeko’s movement was flawless and the ability to improvise quickly, unique.

“It’s my defeat!” Leslie said as she let out a sigh.

Andrés couldn’t help but smile, as Leslie didn’t seem too affected by her opponent’s skills, but instead seemed motivated.

“My body can’t perform those kinds of moves... I guess I’ll have to test the platforming ability of the combat armor,” Leslie muttered as she received Shao Ya’s drink and, after thanking her, she looked at Aeko and asked. “Do you want to continue training?”

Aeko nodded as she drank her fruit juice.

Andrés, who had been watching, sighed and headed to the second floor after using a cleaning object on him.

When he drank his drink, he headed to the kitchen to wash the glass, but his gaze became strange when he saw the training yard out the window.

The strangeness wasn’t coming from Nicole, who was training with Santiago, who was using sparring weapons.

Nicole seemed to be using all her strength and her blows caused a thunderous sound when she hit the wood, but Santiago was still standing without retreating.

Strength versus defense... That kind of combat was going on.

The strange thing was the pillar of ice Érica had created while she stood in the center meditating.

It was Africa, so even if it was dusk, it was quite warm... The ice was melting and Érica was still using her ice magic to maintain that tall pillar.

“Oscar advised her that if she wants to become A-Rank, she must feel the ice element and seek to subdue it. I think actually that training should be done in a low-temperature area, but...”

“Isn’t there time to go to those places?” Andrés asked, finishing Liam’s words.

Liam nodded, and they both looked at Érica.

Andrés was sure it would be pretty cold in there, but Érica looked pretty good.

“Mages. I’ll never understand them,” Liam muttered, shaking his head and glancing over at Oscar, who was sunbathing calmly.

Andrés’ lips twitched.

For tech-centric people like them, magic was not a realm in which they had knowledge... Even if they knew the theory, it was hard to be able to understand it.

“Coming here, has it been as you expected?” Liam asked suddenly and, seeing Andrés watching him, he explained. “You know, constant fighting, tiring training, and having to push yourself to exhaustion.”

Andrés hesitated and looked at Érica and Nicole, who were training hard.

“I certainly didn’t expect this. When I entered combat class, I did so to learn how to protect myself and if there was the need, to get out in front of the fight,” Andrés commented sincerely and, seeing Liam looking at him, he added. “I’m an academy scholarship recipient and I got in for the money.”

The Hero Academy gave scholarships to students from all over the world so they could become heroes with the teaching of great teachers, allowing them to develop their talents.

Andrés was one of those scholarship recipients and the academy’s commencement test, made him realize that he needed combat experience, however, now...

“I guess I never imagined that I would end up constantly fighting drones with values that are similar to my entire family’s annual salary,” Andrés commented with a smile.

His family was not lower class, but a normal middle-class family, but that was the problem... A single drone had that value.

What’s more, the pay for the temporary dungeon they cleared and the month’s pay, he couldn’t pay off everything he had spent.

His combat suit, his drones, and all the drone equipment... Nothing was cheap and even more so when it came to cutting-edge technology.

It was for that reason that, like the others; he was struggling.

Here they were not doing work that favored Aurora’s group.

The group did not earn money for completed missions, nor did they even earn a reputation because the group had no official name.

They were only called ‘Protectors of Zerzura’ when Alice or Aurora were present... And that was very rare.

“This is our job... ‘To help’.” Liam said with a solemn expression, then slowly gave a smile and commented. “But that doesn’t mean people like us don’t make money.”

Andrés watched him curiously, but Liam let out a laugh and asked. “Do you think Aurora or Alice pay for all my drones? They only give a basic budget...”

Hearing those cheeky words, Andrés got a funny look on his face.

He had seen that ‘basic budget’... That same budget allowed him to prepare quite a few drones to suit his style even Liam designed drones in case of emergency and support drones for his drones he had yet to use.

Liam’s fanaticism for his drones had reached a point too extreme... Andrés knew this quite well.

“Do you want to make some extra money and, at the same time, test your skills?” Liam asked with a smile.

Andrés nodded without hesitation, and when that man beckoned him, he followed.

They both entered a doorway and arrived at a two-bedroom apartment room.

Liam led the way into a room with dozens of state-of-the-art screens and computers set up inside.

The screens flickered as different programs ran through the computer all without Liam touching anything.

“Isn’t that a people's identification network?” Andrés asked in disbelief as he saw that several of the screens were using cameras and scanning faces, looking for someone.

“Something like that. Actually, I own my own Zerzura information network,” Liam calmly revealed, and with a smile, asked. “You want to work with me? I’ll teach you a few things and you can make some extra money while you’re at it.”

“Does Aurora know about this?” Andrés asked instantly, instead of agreeing.

An information network.

It certainly sounded like something illegal, but...

“Sure, why do you think I live here?” Liam asked calmly and, shaking his head, added. “I wasn’t kidding when I introduced myself as the group’s Computer Technician and Administrator.”

That was the way he introduced himself, and it wasn’t a lie.

He was the person who was in charge of finding information about most of the missions... Andrés didn’t know it, but most of the information to prepare for the upcoming missions came from Liam.

And now the young man looking at the computers hesitated for a moment and...

“I accept the job,” Andrés answered helplessly.

Although he was trying hard to show his skills and support his group, combat was not his thing.

This kind of task where he had to use a computer was what he specialized in.

Andrés was a warrior... A virtual warrior.