Rock Dunce stared at the sweat-slicked cloth in his hand, letting out a dry chuckle. "Yeah, got it," he mumbled, "I'll make sure it's clean before I give it back."
Cloud shot him a look that could melt steel, then effortlessly levitated, landing beside Stella. Whispering ancient Sylvan incantations, she extended her hands. The branches of the ancient California Redwood groaned and twisted, thickening vines spiraling rapidly around Stella's resting place. Within moments, a camouflaged hollow, woven from living wood, formed amidst the foliage. Though airy, it was nearly invisible from the outside. Cloud slipped inside the green cage, only to poke her head back out. "Wake us when we head out," she called to Rock. "This place pulses with natural energy. I'm tapping into it to help stabilize the Princess Petal's mutation, buy her more time." She flashed him a dazzling smile before vanishing back into the arboreal pod. A faint emerald luminescence leaked through the leafy gaps.
Rock's mind replayed that final smile, leaving him momentarily awestruck.
A sharp cough shattered his reverie. Rockforce leaned against a nearby tree, grinning wickedly. "Hey, Rock, Earth to Rock! She's gone, man. You gonna stare at a treehouse all day?"
Rock flushed crimson, shooting Axel a glare. He raised a hand as if to swat his brother's head, but Axel dodged, chuckling. Rock sighed, casting one last longing look at the suspended pod before settling beneath its massive trunk to meditate. Among them, Axel was the least depleted; watch duty naturally fell to him.
Three hours later, dawn painted the Sierra Nevada foothills in fiery hues. Mere miles from the makeshift camp, five figures materialized silently – no crunch of gravel, no displaced air. Four stood tall in sleek, charcoal-grey tactical uniforms that shimmered faintly with integrated tech, each bearing a compact, energy-pulse rifle slung across their backs. They looked seasoned, mid-forties perhaps, faces impassive masks radiating controlled power. **The Sentinels**, elite operatives of **The Shield Initiative (S.H.I.E.L.D. analogue)**.
At their center stood an unassuming figure in simple white linens – Mystic Far. He looked ordinary, save for the unnervingly youthful smoothness of his skin. Recently arrived from the Shield's secret headquarters, he'd come to assess the asset the Director held in such high regard – the young man called A-Dunce.
Mystic Far's penetrating gaze focused on the figure meditating by the giant tree. "He's the one?" His voice was quiet, carrying easily.
Saint Inquisitor A (Guardian One) nodded curtly. "Affirmative, Sentinel. Surveillance maintained since their exfil from Sunset City. Objective confirms previous reports: seeking extraction of Homo superior individuals captured within Imperio Corporation territory." Kai paused, his expression tight. "Intel confirms, approximately one month ago, A-Dunce displayed an unprecedented ability – he somehow summoned a cadre of high-level Sylvan operatives. They conducted a night raid on the Imperio HQ, extracted one captive, and egressed with zero casualties. The Slyvans dematerialized shortly after." Kai's brow furrowed. "The nature of the summoning is unknown. Does he possess… projection capabilities? Keanutic command? It defies current classification. Last night, they barely escaped Sunset City perimeter security. A-Dunce's displayed combat proficiency exceeds my own. He engaged dozens of Imperio's elite private forces solo for twenty minutes, sustaining only damage from a high-yield plasma burst before extraction. His energy manipulation… it's unique. He can spontaneously reform his emissions into solid constructs – shields, weapons, whatever the fight demands. That's how he held them off, forged two massive energy barriers to cover his team's retreat."
"Energy Conformation?" Mystic Far murmured, intrigued. Forming solid constructs from raw emissions was possible at his level, but *spontaneous* reconfiguration? That took finesse he rarely encountered. He grunted. "Hope the kid doesn't disappoint." A predatory glint sparked in his eyes as he flowed forward like a phantom vapor across the rugged terrain, leaving the Sentinels rooted. That chilling look… they'd seen it only a handful of times before. Each occasion ended in total annihilation of the target.
Rockforce was polishing the magnetic cores of his vibro-axes when a crushing wave of predatory awareness slammed into him. He surged to his feet with a curse, axes snapping up in a defensive cross – one guarding his head, the other his chest. His eyes frantically scanned the source of the pressure. A figure materialized from the dawn mist, moving with deceptive slowness that somehow covered the distance to him instantly. An old man, yet disturbingly young-faced, clad in white, a cold smirk playing on his lips. The sheer, suffocating pressure radiating from him forced Axel back a step involuntarily. "Identify yourself!" Axel barked, voice tight.
Mystic Far regarded the stocky warrior with detached amusement. He raised a casual hand, palm outward. A soft, pearlescent beam pulsed towards Axel. Axel's eyes widened. Pure energy projection? That took immense power reserves! He roared, channeling his own bio-kinetic strength, and swung both axes down in a powerful arc aimed at the beam. The white energy wasn't explosive; it felt… insidious. His reinforced blades sank into a yielding, elastic resistance, like hitting non-Newtonian fluid. The axes buried themselves deep into the rocky ground with a dull *thud*. Momentum spent, Axel was wide open. The pearly energy washed over him, wrapping him in a strangely soothing embrace that instantly leached all strength from his muscles.
Mystic Far flicked his wrist. The energy dissipated, flinging Axel's compact body back like a discarded toy.
The psychic surge had woken Rock. He cut his meditation short, eyes snapping open just in time to see Axel flung backwards. He lunged, intercepting his brother mid-air. The impact resonated through him, a coiled, rotational force spinning him three times before he grounded himself.
Mystic Far hadn't moved. "Decent substrate," he commented, voice devoid of warmth. "Pity it's undeveloped. Training methodology… inefficient."
Axel scrambled off his brother, shaken. No stranger to combat, he'd never been neutralized so effortlessly. He knew, deep in his gut, that if the white-clad man had intended death, it would already be done.
Rock tensed, gauging the old man. A glance confirmed A-Dunce remained deep in his meditative trance. Friend or foe? The sheer displayed power demanded caution. "Sir," Rock began, forcing calm into his voice, "We have no quarrel with you. Why attack?" Even as he spoke, he prepared to fight. If this man's target was A-Dunce… he'd have to go through him first.
The four Sentinels touched down soundlessly behind Mystic Far. Though their presence was restrained, the collective pressure was palpable.
Mystic Far shrugged dismissively. "I require no justification to act. Relax. Exploiting disadvantage is beneath me." His gaze shifted towards the treetop. "Girls. Cease your emissions. Now. Or I will compel silence." His words cut through the morning air with unnerving precision.
Inside the pod, Cloud and Stella had been jolted alert by the psychic onslaught. Silently, they had begun weaving their respective Sylvan and innate mutant energies, preparing contingencies. They froze. How had he sensed them? Cloud exchanged a terrified glance with Stella. Reluctantly, they emerged from the green sanctuary, landing gracefully behind Rock and Axel.
Mystic Far smiled thinly and moved towards A-Dunce. Rock instinctively shoved his brother. "Now!" Both men roared simultaneously, unleashing a coordinated attack – Rock's particle-vibrating warblade and Axel's dual vibro-axes striking out together in a desperate bid to halt the advance.
Mystic Far didn't turn. Twin blurs of charcoal grey intercepted the assault. Two Sentinels materialized before them, glowing hands – crackling with contained plasma energy – slapping aside the blows. Rock and Axel staggered back several paces, shock vibrating through their bones. Hands? They'd just been blocked by *bare hands*!
Rock's heart sank. If the subordinates were this potent…
"Engagement inadvisable," a flat voice stated behind them. Rock whirled. The other two Sentinels had somehow closed in silently, containment fields shimmering around Cloud and Stella. Both mutant women strained against the invisible force.
"What do you want?!" Rock bellowed, desperation rising. If this man touched A-Dunce…
Ignoring him, Mystic Far stood before the meditating A-Dunce, observing the shimmering bio-electric field surrounding him. The density of the energy… it was impressive, far exceeding what someone so young should be capable of generating. He closed his eyes, seeking deeper insight. This youth carried significant potential. A flicker of interest finally crossed Mystic Far's impassive features.
Rock lunged, a guttural cry tearing from his throat. Years of battle-hardened fury fused with protective desperation. His blade became an extension of his will, channeling his bio-kinetic energy into a tangible, three-foot energy extension. He committed completely to the strike, disregarding defense – an all-or-nothing surge powered by raw will.
Mystic Far's attention snapped towards him. A flicker of genuine… appreciation? The boy's combat focus, the absolute commitment, mirrored something deeply familiar. He gave an almost imperceptible nod.
The blow landed. An incandescent explosion of force erupted between Rock's vibrating energy-blade and the Sentinel's swirling plasma defense. Rock shards flew. Rock was thrown backwards like a ragdoll, blood spraying, his reinforced blade shattering into a cascade of glittering fragments. The blocking Sentinel was flung back five paces, his shoulder uniform scored black, a thin trickle of crimson visible beneath. Surprise registered on his stoic face. To breach a Sentinel's defense… Rock Dunce had earned a moment of grim respect.
Axel caught his brother, the impact nearly buckling his knees. Golden light flashed. The other two Sentinels were on them instantly, containment pins injecting paralyzing bio-electric impulses. They slumped, immobilized.
Rock's cry of pain ripped a sob from Cloud's throat. Her eyes welled, straining uselessly against her restraints. Mystic Far approached them. He gestured, dismissing the Sentinels. They withdrew silently. Studying the furious Axel and the dazed Rock, he waved a hand. A pulse of cleansing white energy washed over Rock's chest. Rock gasped, feeling the psychic shock and physical trauma begin to recede as a wave of warmth eased the pressure. A spurt of dark, clotted blood escaped his lips, leaving him suddenly clearer-headed. Confusion clouded his gaze.
Mystic Far regarded him coolly. "Understand your capability disparity. I have questions. Answer truthfully."
Rock blinked, wariness mingling with unexpected relief at the inexplicable medical aid. "Ask."
Mystic Far's eyes bored into him. "The augmentor. The one restoring function. His energy signature… what is its source? How did one so young achieve such emission density?"
Rock's mind raced. Instinct screamed this wasn't Imperio. The man seemed… curiously invested in A-Dunce's power, not hostile per se. Mystic Far frowned at the delay. "His vulnerability is absolute. Cooperation is optimal."
Rock flinched. "Tandor't! I'll tell you! He… he's a self-augmenter. He mastered his mutation through sheer force of will and training! The Forgemaster discipline!" Within the resistance network, Rock only knew what A-Dunce had vaguely shared, unaware of the deeper genetic legacy or neural implants from the long-lost Master Wang (天罡剑圣).
"Self-developed?" Skepticism warred with intrigue in Mystic Far's expression. Such spontaneous growth was theoretically possible but unheard of at this level. Not even the legendary Master Wang himself had been this potent at such a young age. Impossible. His eyes narrowed, sharp as obsidian chips. "Deception carries consequences."
Rock met his gaze squarely, fueled by defiant honesty. "That's all I know! Ask him yourself when he wakes, if you've got the guts!" He immediately regretted the taunt.
Mystic Far's lips curved into a chilling smile. "Oh, I intend to. Patience is a hunter's virtue." With a gesture, Rock and Axel were silenced and immobilized again. Mystic Far moved a few paces away, settling into a cross-legged position as effortlessly as water flowing downhill. He closed his eyes, seemingly vanishing within himself. He would wait. He needed the Particle Forger at his peak. He needed to measure the depth of this power the Director had labeled **Particle Forger - "The Particle Forger"**. He needed to test the so-called potential of the emerging powerhouse some whispered about: **"Acolyte of Entropy" (死神 - Shén Sǐ)**.
Hours bled away. Finally, deep within his restorative trance, A-Dunce began to surface. The neural pathways realigned, the bio-electrics stabilized, drawing power not just from his metabolism but tapping the deeper, denser reservoirs left by Master Wang's sacrifice. He had healed, and slightly expanded his control. Awareness returned slowly, registering the immediate environment… four unfamiliar energy signatures… alarm spiking at the psychic distress he felt from Rock and Cloud.
The world snapped into focus. He bolted upright, defensive instinct kicking in. His protective bio-electric shell flared intensely.
A ghostly figure stood before him. "Restoration complete. I awaited your return." The quiet voice held palpable anticipation.
A-Dunce's breath caught. The pressure radiating from this simple white-clad man was immense, a yawning chasm of contained power. He felt shockingly vulnerable. A-Dunce stepped back, gathering his energy, muscles coiled. "Who are you? What did you do to my friends?"
"Conditional containment," Mystic Far replied flatly, gesturing towards the paralyzed group. "Release follows a… demonstration. Activate. Disappointment is unacceptable." Raw, controlled power surged from him – not the clean bio-field A-Dunce generated, but a purer, sharper wave of focused psychic force that seemed to warp the air itself.
No time for thought. Only fight. Protect. The crushing pressure forced action. A-Dunce thrust his hands forward, palms glowing. Yellow-green particles coalesced into shimmering, solid orbs hovering above his palms – ready to be forged into any weapon his mind could conceive.
Mystic Far moved. A single finger lifted, tracing an arc through the dawn light. A precise beam of concentrated psychic energy lanced towards A-Dunce's chest. Simple. Direct. Devastating.
A-Dunce felt the trap snap shut. Dodging felt impossible – the air seemed thick, shackling. He mirrored the motion, index finger snapping forward. Concentrated Forger particles shot out, forming a sharp, stable spike of solid light about a foot long – **"Particle Sting"** – aimed intercepting the psychic beam.
*Thwack!* It was like hitting a collapsing star. The sheer psychic mass behind the beam dwarfed A-Dunce's construct. A-Dunce stumbled backwards, pain flaring through his arm. His Particle Sting flickered, compressed down to a mere nub of light, stubbornly holding but barely. His bones vibrated with the strain.
Mystic Far's eyes lit with predatory satisfaction. Raw power disparity, yes… but the *versatility*! The fluidity of matter manipulation! He abruptly retracted his beam, leaving A-Dunce momentarily off-balance. Five more pearlescent streams snapped from his fingertips, unerringly targeting vital points, tearing through the quiet forest air.
Sweat stung A-Dunce's eyes. The sense of overwhelming force threatened panic. He bit his tongue hard, the coppery tang grounding him. *Protect them! Protect them ALL!* The desperate mantra fueled a volcanic surge from deep within his core. "Containment Mesh!" he roared. His hands became twin blurs of motion, weaving intricate patterns. Yellow-green light snapped into existence between them, forming a complex, buzzing grid roughly a meter square – **"The Particle Net"**, dense with locked energy fields.
Mystic Far paused, surprised. Energy emitted as a permeable *barrier-net*? Ingenious! His probing beams struck the Net. Instead of piercing, they fragmented, dissipating like smoke hitting a powerful fan. *It absorbed the kinetic force, disintegrated the cohesion!* The Particle Net, though weakened, surged forward.
The Sentinel's expression turned serious. He drew his right hand across his chest, palm outward. Pearlescent energy deepened, solidified into a shining wall of compressed mental force – golden now, radiating psychic solidity. He braced.
The Net halted. Hovered. Impossible! Mystic Far saw A-Dunce had connected a thin tether of particles back to his palm – a pilot's cable. Then, with a surge of amplified will, the Net accelerated, slamming into the golden shield!
***KRAKOOM!***
Light exploded, raw power detonating where Net met psychic wall. The shield flared then dimmed perceptibly. Rock ground beneath the ancient tree vanished in a plume of smoke and shattered granite.
Mystic Far actually shifted his stance an inch back. Surprise registered, then sharp, almost delighted interest. That was *impressive*. He felt the sting in his construct. Time ceased to be abstract.
Smoke blinded the clearing. A-Dunce didn't wait. Leaping backwards, his shoulder slammed against the Redwood's trunk. Pain flared – the glancing blow earlier had numbed half his torso. It didn't matter. **Fail meant death.** For them all. His mind screamed for power, *more power*. Silvered neural clusters deep in his psyche began to vibrate at resonant frequencies, channeling stored energies he rarely touched. He pushed off the tree with his good arm, becoming a high-speed blur. Yellow-green particles ignited around his fist, elongating, hardening into a crackling beam sword of pure matter – **"Forged Edge"**. He aimed it like a lance at the shimmering golden shield protecting the ancient warrior.
Mystic Far's hand tightened. He lowered his center of gravity slightly, the epitome of controlled readiness. Just as the Forged Edge was about to impact, Mystic Far struck – not at the weapon, but at the *space* around it. His fist lashed out with deceptive simplicity.
A-Dunce's eyes widened as his Particle Blade touched the psychic wall. The wall wasn't static! Where it touched his sword, it *flowed*, wrapping tendrils of golden force around it, seeking to bind. Simultaneously, a condensed wave of psychic disruption shot under the guard, aimed like a missile at his core! With an agonized mental wrench, A-Dunce destabilized the energy core of his blade. The resulting detonation shattered the psychic bindings and deflected the incoming psychic blast sideways.
The force flung him like a cannon shot. Sky and earth tumbled. He hit a pile of scree hard, lungs burning. His entire left side shrieked in pain. The Forged Edge was gone, shattered in sacrifice. Only his reinforced jacket and his own dense molecular structure had saved his ribs. He gasped, tasting blood.
The shockwave blew the smoke clear. Mystic Far stood amidst the debris, radiating cold excitement. The kid was *durable*. And resourceful. His golden aura pulsed brighter. He moved – not walking, but *translating*, a ghost slipping through the lingering dust haze, crossing the crater in an instant, closing the gap to the downed A-Dunce.
*Can't lose… Can't lose… Can't let them die…* The words became a drumbeat in A-Dunce's mind. Fear morphed into desperate, white-hot defiance. He needed power – *beyond* what he knew. He needed to *forge annihilation*. His consciousness plunged deep, accessing encrypted protocols, forcing activation of pathways Master Wang had sealed long ago. A primal scream ripped from his throat, powered by despair and fury: "**PARTICLE ANNIHILATION!**"
His left arm whipped forward. Not a blade, but a shimmering disc of focused particle *destabilization*. His right hand slammed against his chest, fingers splayed in a claw, then thrust violently outward. Raw energy – unstable, chaotic – erupted in a blinding yellow-green sphere the size of his head, crackling with barely contained fury. The disc met the sphere.
A catastrophic reaction ignited instantly. Light detonated. The disc became a lens, focusing and *overclocking* the sphere's energy with impossible precision. Yellow-green transmuted into blinding emerald. Electric arcs the sickly yellow of necrotic plasma lashed and crackled around the core, accelerating it, shredding the air with deafening sonic booms. It wasn't fired; it was *born*. A miniature star of controlled decay slowly, inexorably, floated towards the Sentinel, leaving ozone and warped spacetime in its wake. A-Dunce's vision swam as his power core bottomed out. He slumped against the rocks, gasping. This was it. All he had.
Mystic Far's smirk vanished. Ancient, primal danger signals he hadn't felt in decades blared to life. What *was* that? It wasn't mere energy; it tasted like fundamental physics breaking. The emerald core... it pulsed with localized entropy. He braced, pouring mental force into his shields, the golden light around him becoming blindingly solid, a miniature fortress against the inevitable impact. He felt the pressure wave hit *before* the thing itself. It felt like reality itself might buckle.