Hwayeon covered her mouth in shock, “That’s…”
Taeseok nodded, “It must be the Hidden Stage.”
“No wonder, they’re so desperate for it.” Yerin added, “One of them can practically destroy armies… if not, cities.”
“But there must be a cost to it.” Minggu clenched his fists, “It could be draining a ton of stamina… if we don’t stop her, she might die at this rate!”
Everyone froze. They knew the implications but… how?
Seohwa continued to scream as blood tears trickled down her face. Her eyes turned pink as she ordered the people she affected, “Attack them.”
About 20 or so agents began to attack other agents.
Jiho who saw Seohwa crying in pain as she had no choice but to attack the agents felt something stir in his chest.
Don’t cry…
I trained so hard too…
Am I so useless that I can’t help her?
I need to break free.
Even if the heavens are against us…
I need to reach her!
Crackling sounds and golden lightning began appearing around Jiho as he roared. His muscles were tearing and renewing at incredible speed.
The golden lightning surrounded his head and formed a golden fillet.
Jiho disappeared before Hawk’s eyes as he formed a dazzling circular motion in the air with various lightning spears attacking the agents.
“Seohwa!” Jiho screamed at the top of his lungs.
Seohwa glanced up with blood stained tears as she saw Jiho trying to reach for her.
His shiny light yellow hair illuminated brightly as her blurry gaze saw the light.
The sun…
She stopped her rampage but as a result she began to fall in the air, completely exhausted.
“Seohwa!” Jiho was fast and immediately retrieved her.
Dr 8 who watched the scene smirked, “She’s out of steam! Get them now! And tire 8-10!”
Hwayeon temporarily fought the agents heading their way as Jiho landed safely to hand over the exhausted Seohwa to Taeseok, “Minggu-hyung!”
“On it.” Minggu began to heal Seohwa.
Jiho returned to the battle, where Hwayeon was struggling as he made various clones of him with his lightning speed.
Some were feints but the others were not as he struck various agents down.
Yerin looked at the pale Seohwa and defending Jiho, “At this rate, Jiho will be out of steam. We need to leave now!”
!!!
“I agree.” Taeseok nodded as he glanced at Hwayeon in battle. Hwayeon retreated and got the kill switch device from her pocket and pressed the button.
Click.
ClickClick
ClickClickClickClick—!
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As a result, lots of nanobombs were switched off as the agents stopped attacking, most of them were confused as they touched their necks. Hawk himself did the same as he used this chance and flew out the hall.
“What’s going on?” Dr 8 stiffened at the sight of her nanobombs being switched off.
Taeseok ordered while carrying Seohwa on his back, “Minggu, follow behind and heal Seohwa… Jiho! Make a path!”
“Got it!” He discharged his lightning towards the shocked Dr 8. She shrieked at the lightning discharge headed her way as she dodged.
The Furies quickly ran outside and headed to the Airway Gate.
Yerin sighed while running, “Not wanting to be a downer but how are we supposed to get out without Seohwa’s help?”
Minggu healed Seohwa as fast as he could as he gritted his teeth at how his healing wasn’t helping her much.
Hwayeon would usually say something to cheer them up but she couldn’t. All she could do was run as she closed her eyes.
Taeseok calmly ordered, “Yerin, make the stairs as high as you can. Minggu, make vines to climb on… the rest of the way, I can float us up.” He then glanced at Jiho who was unusually quiet.
“Don’t worry about me. Just focus on Seohwa.” Jiho smiled. Interestingly, he wasn’t using much stamina as he chuckled, “Yerin, your idea about feints… I get it now.”
“Yikes, that’s creepy.” Yerin shuddered, “Don’t thank me.”
They thought they were safe not being followed by the Agents with Dr 8 until they saw the Airway Gate still had 50 Agents.
“Oh shi—take mushrooms.” Taeseok swore.
Jiho was about to step up when he felt three figures moving past them.
A steel body smashed 20 agents, a bronze feathered attack immobilised five agents at a time and a golden-locked woman debuffed various agents.
“…”
The Furies were shocked at their mentors’ sudden appearance.
Goldie chuckled, “What are you gawking at? Go out already!”
Hawk crossed his arms, “I showed a pathetic side to myself earlier so I quickly called for back-up.”
Rhino rolled his eyes as he cracked his neck, “Right… for a mentor, you’re pathetic.”
“Oh shut it! They tased and tackled me before I could even do anything.”
The Furies felt their hearts swell as they all bowed their heads and ran to the Airway Gate.
Goldie held Hawk’s hand, “Isn’t this nice?”
“What’s nice about this, love?” Hawk pointed at Dr 8 who called Dr Oh in her pad.
“FOR THE REVOLUTION!” Dr Oh used his mind-control and commanded the hundreds of agents again.
Goldie smiled, “We’re protecting our kids.”
Hawk paused as he smirked, “I see… wait, if we’re the parents, is Rhino the Uncle?”
“That sounds good.” Rhino huffed with a smirk as they all went into a battle stance against the hundreds of agents.
***
The Furies looked up at the tall and wide Airway.
Yerin raised her hands and formed a 20 metre staircase, “Go.”
Everyone went up as Minggu began forming vines as tall as possible.
Bang!
Yerin looked down and saw some agents making their way into the airway and climbing onto her ice.
She looked up at her team before she sighed with a weary smile, “Keep going. I’ll handle them.”
“What?” Jiho rebutted, “No, I can—!”
“No!” Yerin shook her head, “Just listen to your noona, you buffoon. Your lightning is weakening. I have some energy to spare so I’ll most likely survive.”
Taeseok looked at her and saw she wasn’t backing down as his jaw tightened, having no choice. Seohwa was unconscious, he’s carrying her, Minggu is needed to heal her, Jiho used up his energy earlier and Hwayeon…
Hwayeon was emotionally panicking and unfocused as well as tired from the earlier Formation D to protect Seohwa. He sighed, “I’ll leave it to you.”
Jiho watched Taeseok climb as he gritted his teeth, “Stay safe, noona! I’ll kill you if you die!”
Yerin scoffed, “Focus on yourself!”
Right, this won’t be like Dr 7…
They’ll live…
And honestly, I’m pretty tired…
But, it’s better than before…
Thank you for giving me purpose again…
And, I’m sorry…
Yerin froze the agents coming their way as she stalled.
Once they reached the limit of Minggu’s vines, Taeseok saw there was only a small gap left as he lifted everyone up with his gravity. He saw the sun in its glorious throne shining its gaze on them.
Taeseok squinted at the bright light as he saw how exhausted his team were. He then saw a port town nearby. But as he was about to say something, Minggu said, “I’m going back.”
“What?” Taeseok felt his energy being drained at the fact his team was so free-willed.
“I’m going back to save her…” Minggu stubbornly stood his ground, “I want to escape with all of us. Not some of us.”
Taeseok groaned, “Going there is risky. Can’t you see we’re all weak?”
“That’s why I said I’m going back. You guys stay here and if we aren’t back, you guys leave for the warehouse.”
Taeseok sighed, “Fine… but we’re leaving you if you aren’t back in 5 minutes.”
Minggu smiled as he clenched his fists, “You seriously have issues, hyung. Just say be back soon.”
Hwayeon, who was in a daze and felt the warmth of the sun, soon snapped out of it as she stood up, “I’ll boost you down.”
Hwayeon picked up the light-weight Minggu and threw him down.
Eeeeeeeeeek!
Minggu dropped down and used his vines to slow his momentum and made it stretch before stopping just above Yerin with his foot on the wall. He quickly reached his hand out to Yerin, “Hold my hand!”
Yerin was pretty much exhausted as she yelled irritatedly, “What are you doing? Go back now! You’re being reckless!”
“And leave you behind? You think we would feel good at your sacrifice? That feels shitty and you know it!” Minggu growled at her.
Yerin cursed under breath as she struck the agents one last time before grabbing his hands.
Minggu used his vines and let go of his foot on the wall as they bungee-jumped up the airway.
Taeseok quickly used his gravity to catch them landing on the grass.
Yerin looked up and saw it was the actual sun as she squinted her eyes. She savoured the feeling of the sun and realised, “Ah, I’ll get a tan at this rate.”
Hwayeon chuckled as she supported Yerin and Minggu.
Jiho looked down at the climbing agents as he closed his eyes reluctantly and destroyed the Airway Gate with the remaining energy he had before his Hidden Stage deactivated.
Day 900 - June 22, 2032, 12:22
The Furies took their first steps outside the LAB and walked to the port town.
