December 4th, 2008, 06:34 a.m.
Katsushika District - Hugo's Residence.
Kukuruyuk~Tit!
Hugo answered the call with a lazy motion. A relaxed smile remained clearly etched on his face, ignoring the fact that death was frozen just centimeters from his neck.
"Hello… Mr. Mayor? Oh, I see. So all the residents around here have already been evacuated?" Hugo replied lightly.
"All residents in the complex and surrounding area have been secured. But remember, I can't hold this situation much longer. The authorities are starting to grow suspicious and are putting pressure on me." A heavy voice responded from the other end of the line.
"I know. I saw the news today. Your position isn't easy." Hugo said, pausing briefly. He closed his eyes for a moment, a trace of absolute confidence crossing his expression.
"Five minutes… five minutes will be enough for this creature." He concluded, before ending the call.
Hugo disconnected, slipping his phone back into his pocket, then calmly raised his finger.
Snap!
The sound of the snap echoed, tearing through the rigid silence and forcing time to move once more. Instantly, dust resumed its wild dance in the air, and the deadly swing of Alpha Urqell's scythe surged forward again.
TRING~!
With nothing more than the thumb and index finger of his left hand, Hugo pinched the Gamma-infused blade, stopping it exactly in place. He held it with effortless ease, as if the deadly weapon were nothing more than a weightless sheet of paper.
"I only have five minutes." Hugo said flatly. He stared directly at Alpha Urqell, then raised his right hand toward the monster's face.
Vvuummm~!!
The space around them trembled violently, compressing into a dense point of gravity.
"Spectral Shift-Lv20." Through the tip of his index finger, Hugo focused all that energy directly toward Urqell's single horn.
QREKKKK~!
It was not the sound of flesh tearing, but the screech of Urqell's skull being forced to bend like metal.
"GROHHH…!" Urqell growled deeply. Cracks began to spread across the surface of Alpha Urqell's horn, crawling downward and shattering the layers of scales and biological defenses on its steel-hard forehead under the pressure of Level 20.
"Hustt… This isn't over yet. Supernova Shockwave – Lv 25 Impact!" Hugo signaled the monster to stay still, a crooked smile forming on his lips.
KRA~BOOMMM!!
BRUAGHH~BRAKKKK!
Alpha Urqell's massive body was hurled violently backward, tearing through the asphalt and crashing through multiple layers of house walls. The force of the impact carved a long path of destruction.
Terk… Terk… Terk…
Hugo walked calmly through the ruins toward where his opponent had been thrown. He raised his hand, glancing briefly at his wristwatch with a disinterested expression.
"Mmm… Three minutes left." Hugo said coldly, folding his arms as he leaned against what remained of a standing wall.
Srhhh~kkk…
The harsh grinding of concrete and steel echoed loudly as Alpha Urqell's body struggled to rise from the rubble burying it.
"Gerhhh… grok… grok…" Its groan was heavy and dense, a symphony of menace filling the air. Thick steam poured from its skin and between its sharp fangs, crystallizing its unrestrained fury.
Brugh… Brugh…
"Grohhh…" Alpha Urqell roared violently. With overwhelming strength, it pushed forward, crushing whatever remained in its path.
SREEEEEEET~ZTTTT!
The blade of its scythe dragged across the ground, tearing through the floor and carving a blazing trench from deadly Gamma radiation. With its muscles tightening and terrifying agility, it spun its body, swinging the massive scythe with both hands in a single lethal arc.
"M… You're too emotional." Hugo said casually. He remained leaning in place, his left hand still tucked inside his pocket as if he were not standing within reach of death.
"Barrier Vessel." Without any significant movement, Hugo created a transparent protective layer that enveloped him, halting the rampaging scythe of Alpha Urqell just inches before his face.
WUUUUSSSHHH~BLARRR!
The overflowing Gamma energy from the scythe's swing tore through the atmosphere and split the walls within a radius of a hundred meters, yet Hugo remained standing firm, completely untouched.
With a brutal surge of energy, Alpha Urqell swung its scythe vertically. The deadly blade crashed down toward Hugo's head, attempting to tear apart the protective layer shielding its target.
ZTTTTKRINGGGGGHHH!
A sharp resonance echoed as high-pressure Gamma energy collided with Hugo's barrier. The massive force of the energy flow blasted dust and gravel away in an instant.
"Are you finished? Gamma-Ray Flash - Lv23!" Hugo asked casually. He brought together his index and middle fingers of his left hand, aiming them directly at the base of Alpha Urqell's neck.
A bluish-white light swept across the entire area in a blinding flash.
VREEE~BOOOM!
Urqell's body expanded under the pressure of the light. The hardened scales protecting its skin began to break apart into subatomic particles, being pulled away and creating a horrifying sight, as if it were being flayed alive by light itself.
GROHHH~Bruagh!
Alpha Urqell roared as its natural armor disintegrated into atomic dust. Its body was hurled hundreds of meters away, crashing into rows of houses behind it and becoming buried beneath the ruins.
"Tch… you're getting farther away." Hugo muttered as he calmly walked toward his opponent's position once more.
Srhhkk~Brugh!
Alpha Urqell rose again, now without its scales. Thick black blood flowed across its flayed body. Yet it still stood tall, as if the devastating attack meant nothing to its endurance. The creature lifted its scythe once more, now glowing with a dense green light.
The Gamma energy it emitted created a static electromagnetic field; gravel and fragments of walls within a hundred-meter radius began to float slowly, walls cracked, and tree bark shattered and scattered.
"You're truly relentless. An Alpha should not be underestimated. But your time is down to five seconds." Hugo said, glancing at his wristwatch.
Brughh~ZTTTT!
With a shock that trembled the earth, Alpha Urqell surged forward at overwhelming speed. Its scythe was raised high, ready to claim whatever stood before it.
"I'll make it faster. Your time is up!" Hugo whispered. He vanished in a flash of light, appearing directly in front of Alpha Urqell. Hugo's gaze changed, a cold killing intent, no longer human.
SREEEKK~GRUK!
Hugo tightly seized Alpha Urqell's wrist with his left hand, while his right hand locked onto the creature's jaw. With a brutal motion, he twisted the monster's arm.
KREEEEAAAAKKKK!
The long, grinding sound of Urqell's bone and iron-like muscle being twisted echoed, like a steel pillar forced to bend until it tore from its joint. Without mercy, Hugo continued his execution.
"Gamma-Ray Flash-Lv24!" Hugo grinned, a terrifying grin. A dark grin, the grin of a predator. Dense energy gathered directly in front of Alpha Urqell's mouth.
VREEEEEEE~ZAP!
The frequency pierced beyond the limits of human hearing, followed by a sharp "snap" of space itself.
THOOOOM~NGINGGG!
The cosmic impact tore through space and time, locking and erasing Urqell's body completely. The air rushed violently to fill the void left behind, where the Alpha's body had vanished without a trace.
Tit… Tit… Tit…
The soft beeping of Hugo's wristwatch alarm became the only sound breaking the absolute silence after Alpha Urqell's disappearance.
"Oh… the kids' breakfast alarm." Hugo muttered as he turned his body, walking casually as if he had just finished a morning stroll. He tapped a holographic symbol on his lighter, calling the contact: Building Restart.
Tert… Tert… Click!
The waiting tone was cut off, replaced by the holographic projection of Antaboga Putra, which instantly appeared in the air.
"BASTAAARD… I'VE BEEN TRYING TO REACH YOU OVER AND OVER SINCE LAST NIGHT!" Putra shouted. His voice thundered, carrying all the emotion he had held back to its breaking point.
"Hahahah… Oi, oi, are you trying to make me deaf?" Hugo replied with a carefree laugh. He slipped his pinky into his ear, as if truly bothered by the shouting.
"You're already acting like you're deaf! Now, which part did you destroy again while playing around with Alpha Urqell?" Putra asked, his sharp gaze seeming to pierce through the holographic screen.
"E… A… well… just a few small buildings. Hahahah…" Hugo stammered briefly before answering, laughing lightly. He glanced around, scratching the back of his neck as he took in the dozens of ruined buildings, crushed cars, and rows of fallen trees. Hugo was lying, in the least convincing tone possible.
"I see! The louder you laugh, the bigger the destruction you caused!" Putra shot back, already too familiar with his partner's nature. He let out a long sigh, his face weary, as if he had no energy left to be angry.
"Yeah… yeah… I'll contact the Restart team right away to handle it." Hugo replied casually, flicking his fingers through the air.
"Finish it quickly, then go and meet Hiji. Tiān Ten." Putra said, before finally ending the holographic connection.
"Hah… why is he so talkative? I need some energy. Ramen shop… I'm coming!" Hugo muttered as he slipped his lighter back into his pocket.
Hugo whistled casually, walking along the ruined street with light steps, as if the world were perfectly fine.
***
Meanwhile.
December 4th, 2008, 02:45 (Different Time Zone).
The Most Forbidden Territory of Gaia.
The atmosphere within the Sacred Elder Hall was utterly silent, filled only with the sound of restrained breathing echoing through the vast chamber. Two guards in formal attire knelt stiffly upon the luxurious carpet stretching across the hall. Their gazes were fixed downward, while cold beads of sweat slowly dripped from their chins.
Before them, the Elder stood with his back to the room, his posture firm and his broad back unmoving. He faced a massive glass window behind his grand desk. He stood in an intimidating calm, his left hand resting in his pocket while his right hand elegantly held a glass of whiskey.
"So… the one-horned Alpha Urqell has been defeated?" The Elder spoke calmly, each word measured with deliberate pauses. He raised his glass, taking a controlled sip of his drink.
The question was delivered in a tone far too calm, the kind of calm far more terrifying than an outburst of rage.
"Y… Yes… Your Majesty." The two guards answered in unison, their voices trembling violently in the silence of the hall.
"Deploy… all two-horned Urqell." The Elder said quietly as he placed his whiskey glass onto a tray offered by a servant beside him.
With absolute authority, the Elder waved his finger backward without even turning his head. A gesture of command final, unquestionable, and without compromise.
At once, the two guards lifted their heads simultaneously, their expressions filled with shock.
"Y… Yes. Eight two-horned Urqell will be deployed immediately… Your Majesty." they replied hastily before rising and leaving the Sacred Hall with restless steps.
Now, eight two-horned Urqell had received the Elder's absolute command. They moved faster, more savage, and more brutal than the one-horned Urqell, advancing toward their target, to be executed without mercy.