AP(EX) Technomancer

Atlas's brows furrowed as he leaned over the control console. "You mean there's more coming?" 

His voice was steady, but the flicker of unease in his eyes betrayed him. He glanced at the screen where live feeds from the Sentinels displayed flickering activity around the Aegis Bastion.

Standing beside him, I folded my arms, my gaze fixed on the flashing map. 

"If my hunch is right, the first wave was just a test. The seniors who came earlier weren't top-tier." 

My voice was grim, but it wasn't just instinct that informed my conclusion. The detailed profiles displayed by the Sentinels left little room for doubt.

And, of course, the ominous phrasing from the Codebreaker mission—survive the first wave—was the dead giveaway.

Atlas scoffed, still incredulous. "But those were S ranks! How could they not be top-tier?" His disbelief was almost endearing.

I shot him a knowing look. "Ranks aren't everything, Atlas. Even within S rank, there are vast disparities. Those guys? Probably bottom-rung. Strong, sure, but hardly unbeatable."

That seemed to click. Atlas nodded slowly, the weight of the situation sinking in. "Alright. Then we need to prep. If the next group is stronger, we can't afford to be caught off-guard."

I glanced at the timer for the phase—just under an hour left. Our team's score was still at the top, sitting pretty at 190 points after collecting two S-rank tags and seven A-rank tags. Not bad, but nothing was guaranteed yet. 

Our individual HUD display prominently showcases our current point tally, ensuring there's no mistaking our standing in this intense phase of the mission.

[Phase Two Objectives]

Survive the remaining duration of the phase.

Maintain or increase your score.

Minimum score required for advancement: 20 points.

Current Team Score:

Tags: 22

Points: 190

"Relax," I said, smirking slightly. "The Aegis Bastion and Sentinels are self-sustaining. As long as their energy doesn't dip below 50%, they'll regenerate autonomously."

"And your drones?" Atlas pressed.

"My drones are summoned entities," I replied, casually dropping the bombshell.

His eyes widened in shock. "Summoned?! You're telling me you summon all this tech?"

"Pretty much." I chuckled, deciding to withhold the finer details.

The truth? As an EX rank, I could summon an unlimited number of drones at will.

But there was no reason for him—or anyone else—to know that. "For now, I'm capped at twenty drones every ten minutes," I lied smoothly.

"Wow." Atlas looked at me like I'd grown a second head. "I knew you were impressive, but this... this is next level."

I grinned. "It's all part of the package." Then, with a more serious tone, I added, "And if worse comes to worst, I've got a Mecha Suit ready for deployment. But I doubt it'll come to that."

Our conversation was cut short by a sharp alert from the Sentinels' feed. The main screen in front of us blinked to life, displaying a group of rookies approaching—but they weren't alone.

A few seniors accompanied them, their movements precise and deliberate.

Atlas chuckled, already stepping back toward the shadows. "I'm heading up to my favorite vantage point." He winked before activating stealth mode, his form fading into a transparent shimmer.

"Don't engage just yet," I called out. "Let's observe first. I'm betting those rookies are just bait."

True to form, the rookies' demeanor screamed unwilling participants. They were likely caught fleeing earlier and dragged back by the seniors. The way their eyes widened as they spotted the Aegis Bastion was almost comical.

"What the—" a red-haired rookie stammered, his jaw practically hitting the floor. "How did they get this? Is there some hidden item we didn't know about?"

Another rookie, clad in paladin-style armor, chimed in, "I think it's his ability. That Technomancer guy must have an augmented skill for building machines."

I raised an eyebrow. That paladin seemed oddly well-informed. Technically, they weren't wrong—there were subclasses in the Technomancer tree focused on hardware creation. Of course, my abilities went far beyond that.

"Enough chatter!" barked one of the seniors, a towering figure from the first wave who appeared to be leading this group. His grim expression barely masked the nervous edge in his voice.

He pointed at the red-haired rookie. "You said you could dismantle machines. Go take care of those Vanguard Sentinels."

The rookie hesitated, clearly reluctant. The Sentinel he was supposed to "dismantle" stood dormant, a sleek cylindrical drone with a single glowing eye that pulsed softly. It looked harmless—almost cute, according to a blonde rookie with ponytails who voiced the thought aloud.

"Move it, rookie!" the senior snapped. "Unless you want to die."

"Don't bother," I said, my voice amplified through the Aegis Bastion's speakers. The warning echoed across the field. "Those Strikers are brutal. You'd regret it."

The red-haired rookie froze, his gaze darting between the Sentinel and the seniors. It was obvious he didn't want to be here, let alone be used as cannon fodder.

"What are you waiting for?!" the senior bellowed, his patience wearing thin.

"You'll still die regardless," I interjected, a chuckle slipping through the speakers. The deliberate taunt sent a ripple of unease through the group.

I switched to a private comm channel. "Atlas, send them a message. Take out one of the seniors."

"Roger that," he replied.

A split second later, the leader of the seniors—who had been barking orders moments ago—exploded in a brilliant flash of light. His body disintegrated, leaving nothing behind but a cloud of ash.

Panic erupted. The rookies screamed and scattered in every direction, their supposed alliance with the seniors forgotten. The remaining seniors, now without their cannon fodder, froze in disbelief.

I seized the moment. "So, seniors, what's it going to be?" My voice was calm, almost playful. "Leave your tags here, and you walk away. Easy choice."

It didn't take long for them to decide. Trembling, they dropped their tags onto the ground and bolted without looking back.

Atlas reappeared at my side, a grin plastered across his face. "Well, that was anticlimactic," he said with a laugh. "I almost feel bad for them."

We both knew better than to relax, though. The timer showed 45 minutes remaining in the phase. Anything could happen.

Just as that thought crossed my mind, an alarm blared. The screen in front of us flickered to static as one drone feed after another cut out. Within moments, every single one of my drones had been destroyed.

In just one attack.

My heart sank. Whatever—or whoever—was coming wasn't just powerful. It was terrifyingly powerful.

The Codebreaker system chimed in, its cold notification filling my vision.

[New Mission : Survive the Attack]

Do you accept this mission?

The weight of the mission settled on my shoulders. This wasn't just a second wave. It was something far beyond anything I'd anticipated.